Renal Replacement Therapies generally associated to the Artificial Kidney (AK) are membrane-based treatments that assure the separation functions of the failing kidney in extracorporeal blood circulation. Their progress from conventional hemodialysis towards high-flux hemodialysis (HFHD) through the introduction of ultrafiltration membranes characterized by high convective permeation fluxes intensified the need of elucidating the effect of the membrane fluid removal rates on the increase of the potentially blood-traumatizing shear stresses developed adjacently to the membrane. The AK surrogate consisting of two-compartments separated by an ultrafiltration membrane is set to have water circulation in the upper chamber mimicking the blood flow rates and the membrane fluid removal rates typical of HFHD. Pressure drop mirrors the shear stresses quantification and the modification of the velocities profiles. The increase on pressure drop when comparing flows in slits with a permeable membrane and an impermeable wall is ca. 512% and 576% for $ \mathrm{CA}22/5\%{\mathrm{SiO}}_2 $ and $ \mathrm{CA}30/5\%{\mathrm{SiO}}_2 $ membranes, respectively.

The crystal structure of strontium hydrogen citrate monohydrate has been solved using laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data, refined using both laboratory and synchrotron data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Strontium hydrogen citrate monohydrate crystallizes in space group C2/c (#15) with a = 25.15601(17), b = 10.90724(6), c = 6.37341(4) Å, β = 91.9846(6)°, V = 1747.704(12) Å3, and Z = 8. The Sr coordination and the hydrogen bonding result in a layered structure. The SrO8 coordination polyhedra share edges to form corrugated layers parallel to the bc-plane. Hydrogen bonds between the carboxylic acid groups and water molecules link the layers. Intermolecular hydroxyl–carboxyl hydrogen bonds also link the layers in a ring pattern with a graph set symbol R2,2(12). After storage for 2 years, partial re-crystallization occurred, to an as-yet unknown compound with a triclinic unit cell.

The Real Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA), a two-dimensional variational analysis algorithm, is used to provide hourly analyses of surface sensible weather elements for situational awareness at spatial resolutions of 3 km over Alaska. In this work we focus on the analysis of horizontal visibility in Alaska, which is a region prone to weather related aviation accidents that are in part due to a relatively sparse observation network. In this study we evaluate the impact of assimilating estimates of horizontal visibility derived from a novel network of web cameras in Alaska with the RTMA. Results suggest that the web camera-derived estimates of visibility can capture low visibility conditions and have the potential to improve the RTMA visibility analysis under conditions of low instrument flight rules and instrument flight rules.

COVID-19 is causing a significant burden on medical and healthcare resources globally due to high numbers of hospitalisations and deaths recorded as the pandemic continues. This research aims to assess the effects of climate factors (i.e., daily average temperature and average relative humidity) on effective reproductive number of COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China during the early stage of the outbreak. Our research showed that effective reproductive number of COVID-19 will increase by 7.6% (95% Confidence Interval: 5.4% ~ 9.8%) per 1°C drop in mean temperature at prior moving average of 0–8 days lag in Wuhan, China. Our results indicate temperature was negatively associated with COVID-19 transmissibility during early stages of the outbreak in Wuhan, suggesting temperature is likely to effect COVID-19 transmission. These results suggest increased precautions should be taken in the colder seasons to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the future, based on past success in controlling the pandemic in Wuhan, China.

The crystal structure of eltrombopag olamine Form I has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Eltrombopag olamine crystallizes in the space group P21/n (#14) with a = 17.65884(13), b = 7.55980(2), c = 22.02908(16) Å, β = 105.8749(4)°, V = 2828.665(11) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure is dominated by columns of hydrogen-bonded cations and anions along the short b-axis. van der Waals interactions bind the columns together. Two H atoms of each ammonium group in the ethanolammonium cations participate in strong hydrogen bonds, and the third H forms weaker bifurcated H-bonds. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

The role of fire in the management of degraded areas remains strongly debated. Here we experimentally compare removal and infestation of popcorn kernels (Zea mays L. – Poaceae) and açaí fruits (Euterpe oleracea Mart. – Arecaceae) in one burned and two unburned savanna habitats in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. In each habitat, a total of ten experimental units (five per seed type) were installed, each with three treatments: (1) open access, (2) vertebrate access, and (3) invertebrate access. Generalized linear models showed significant differences in both seed removal (P < 0.0001) and infestation (P < 0.0001) among seed type, habitats and access treatments. Burned savanna had the highest overall seed infestation rate (24.3%) and invertebrate access increased açaí seed infestation levels to 100% in the burned savanna. Increased levels of invertebrate seed infestation in burned savanna suggest that preparation burning may be of limited use for the management and restoration of such habitats in tropical regions.

Strong multiple Bragg reflections (MBRs) which can be realized in a bent-perfect-crystal (BPC) slab provide a monochromatic beam of excellent resolution parameters. For identifying MBR effects in the BPC Si crystal, we used the method of azimuthal rotation of the crystal lattice around the scattering vector of the primary forbidden Si(200) reflection for a fixed chosen wavelength. In this paper, several azimuthal scans searching strong MBR effects with the intention of a possible practical exploitation for very high-resolution diffractometry are presented.

The crystal structure of tamsulosin hydrochloride has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Tamsulosin hydrochloride crystallizes in space group P21 (#4) with a = 7.62988(2), b = 9.27652(2), c = 31.84996(12) Å, β = 93.2221(2)°, V = 2250.734(7) Å3, and Z = 4. In the crystal structure, two arene rings are connected by a carbon chain oriented roughly parallel to the c-axis. The crystal structure is characterized by two slabs of tamsulosin hydrochloride molecules perpendicular to the c-axis. As expected, each of the hydrogens on the protonated nitrogen atoms makes a strong hydrogen bond to one of the chloride anions. The result is to link the cations and anions into columns along the b-axis. One hydrogen atom of each sulfonamide group also makes a hydrogen bond to a chloride anion. The other hydrogen atom of each sulfonamide group forms bifurcated hydrogen bonds to two ether oxygen atoms. The powder pattern is included in the Powder Diffraction File™ as entry 00-065-1415.

The crystal structure of tofacitinib dihydrogen citrate (tofacitinib citrate) has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Tofacitinib dihydrogen citrate crystallizes in space group P212121 (#19) with a = 5.91113(1), b = 12.93131(3), c = 30.43499(7) Å, V = 2326.411(6) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure consists of corrugated layers perpendicular to the c-axis. Within the layers, cation⋯anion and anion⋯anion hydrogen bonds link the fragments into a two-dimensional network parallel to the ab-plane. Between the layers, there are only van der Waals contacts. A terminal carboxylic acid group in the citrate anion forms a strong charge-assisted hydrogen bond to the ionized central carboxylate group. The other carboxylic acid acts as a donor to the carbonyl group of the cation. The citrate hydroxy group forms an intramolecular charge-assisted hydrogen bond to the ionized central carboxylate. Two protonated nitrogen atoms in the cation act as donors to the ionized central carboxylate of the anion. These hydrogen bonds form a ring with the graph set symbol R2,2(8). The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

The crystal structure of pomalidomide Form I has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Pomalidomide Form I crystallizes in the space group P-1 (#2) with a = 7.04742(9), b = 7.89103(27), c = 11.3106(6) Å, α = 73.2499(13), β = 80.9198(9), γ = 88.5969(6)°, V = 594.618(8) Å3, and Z = 2. The crystal structure is characterized by the parallel stacking of planes parallel to the bc-plane. Hydrogen bonds link the molecules into double layers also parallel to the bc-plane. Each of the amine hydrogen atoms acts as a donor to a carbonyl group in an N–H⋯O hydrogen bond, but only two of the four carbonyl groups act as acceptors in such hydrogen bonds. Other carbonyl groups participate in C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

The crystal structure of edoxaban tosylate monohydrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Edoxaban tosylate monohydrate crystallizes in space group P21 (#4) with a = 7.55097(2), b = 7.09010(2), c = 32.80420(21) Å, β = 96.6720(3)°, V = 1744.348(6) Å3, and Z = 2. The crystal structure consists of alternating layers of edoxaban cations and tosylate anions along the c-axis. The water molecules lie near the sulfonate end of the tosylate anions. The solid-state conformation of the edoxaban cation is determined by intermolecular interactions. The protonated nitrogen atom forms a strong N–H⋯O hydrogen bond to one of the tosylate oxygens. Only one of the water molecule hydrogens acts as a donor in an O–H⋯O hydrogen bond. The tosylate oxygens act as acceptors in a number of C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

The crystal structure of tezacaftor Form A has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Tezacaftor Form A crystallizes in space group C2 (#5) with a = 21.05142(6), b = 6.60851(2), c = 17.76032(5) Å, β = 95.8255(2)°, V = 2458.027(7) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure is dominated by van der Waals interactions. O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the molecules in chains along the b-axis, and there are a variety of C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds, both intra- and intermolecular. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

The crystal structure of pimecrolimus Form B has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Pimecrolimus crystallizes in the space group P21 (#4) with a = 15.28864(7), b = 13.31111(4), c = 10.95529(5) Å, β = 96.1542(3)°, V = 2216.649(9) Å3, and Z = 2. Although there are an intramolecular six-ring hydrogen bond and some larger chain and ring patterns, the crystal structure is dominated by van der Waals interactions. There is a significant difference between the conformation of the Rietveld-refined and the DFT-optimized structures in one portion of the macrocyclic ring. Although weak, intermolecular interactions are apparently important in determining the solid-state conformation. The powder pattern is included in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®) as entry 00-066-1619. This study provides the atomic coordinates to be added to the PDF entry.