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•LiTf2N is highly soluble in Vim, producing a coordinated ionic liquid monomer.•Photopolymerization rate & conversion of Vim are greatly improved with LiTf2N.•LiTf2N can be recovered ...from poly(vinylimidazole) in certain aprotic solvents.•Coordinated ionic liquid monomers eliminate the need for synthetic reactions.
The high solubility of lithium bistriflimide (LiTf2N) in 1-vinylimidazole can be utilized to significantly improve overall monomer conversion and photopolymerization rate. We observed that LiTf2N was miscible with 1-vinylimidazole in stoichiometric equivalence corresponding to a final mixture that is >75% by mass LiTf2N. The rate and conversion of vinyl groups was dynamically monitored using ATR-FTIR. In comparison with the 1-vinylimidazole control, all samples containing LiTf2N exhibited increased monomer conversion and all except the 1:1 sample displayed a more rapid initial reaction rate. The specific effects of the rate and conversion vary with the molar ratio of 1-vinylimidazole to LiTf2N and may be a consequence of coordination complexes between 1-vinylimidazole and the Li+ cation. These results may warrant further investigation into the utility of coordinated, polymerizable ionic liquids that are readily formed from polar organic monomers and LiTf2N.
The inner detector of the ATLAS experiment is in the process of being commissioned using cosmic ray events. First tests were performed in the SR1 assembly hall at CERN with both barrel and endcaps ...for all different detector technologies (pixels and microstrips silicon detectors as well as straw tubes with additional transition radiation detection). Integration with the rest of the ATLAS sub-detectors is now being done in the ATLAS cavern. The full software chain has been set up in order to reconstruct and analyse this kind of events. Final detector decoders have been developed, different pattern recognition algorithms and track fitters have been validated as well as the various alignment and calibration methods. The infrastructure to deal with conditions data coming from the data acquisition, detector control system and calibration runs has been put in place, allowing also to apply alignment and calibration constants. The software has also been essential to monitor the detector performance during data taking. Detector efficiencies, noise occupancies and resolutions have been studied in detail and compared with those obtained from simulation.
This cross-sectional study uses electronic health record data to evaluate the association between COVID-19 and breast cancer screening at an urban integrated health system’s safety-net hospital ...between September 2019 and January 2021.
The purpose of this article was to determine the frequency and outcomes of new suspicious findings on breast MRI after initiation of neoadjuvant therapy.
A retrospective database review identified ...all breast MRI examinations performed to assess response to neoadjuvant therapy between 2010 and 2018. Cases with new suspicious lesions assessed as BI-RADS 4 or 5 and found after the initiation of neoadjuvant treatment were included. Cases with no pretreatment MRI, cases in which the suspicious lesion was present on the baseline MRI but remained suspicious, and cases with insufficient follow-up were excluded. Radiologic, pathologic, and surgical reports were reviewed. Malignant outcomes were determined by pathologic examination. Benignity was established by pathologic examination, follow-up imaging, or both. A total of 419 breast MRI examinations in 297 women were performed to assess response to neoadjuvant therapy. After exclusions, 23 MRI examinations (5.5%) with new suspicious findings, all assessed as BI-RADS 4, comprised the final cohort.
Of the 23 lesions, 13 new suspicious findings (56.5%) were contralateral to the known malignancy, nine (39.1%) were ipsilateral, and one (4.3%) involved the bilateral breasts. Lesion types included mass (16, 69.6%), nonmass enhancement (5, 21.7%) and focus (2, 8.7%). None of the new suspicious findings were malignant.
New suspicious findings occurred in 5.5% of breast MRI examinations performed to monitor response to neoadjuvant therapy, and none of these new lesions were malignant. Our findings suggest that new lesions that arise in the setting of neoadjuvant therapy are highly unlikely to represent a new site of malignancy, particularly if the index malignancy shows treatment response. Larger studies are needed to confirm whether biopsy may be safely averted in this scenario.
Mammography remains the only validated screening tool for breast cancer, however, there are limitations to mammography. One of the limitations of mammography is the variable sensitivity based on ...breast density. Supplemental screening may be considered based on the patient's risk level and breast density. For average-risk women with nondense breasts, the sensitivity of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening is high; additional supplemental screening is not warranted in this population. For average-risk women with dense breasts, given the decreased sensitivity of mammography/DBT, this population may benefit from additional supplemental screening with contrast-enhanced mammography, screening ultrasound (US), breast MRI, or abbreviated breast MRI. In intermediate-risk women, there is emerging evidence suggesting that women in this population may benefit from breast MRI or abbreviated breast MRI. In intermediate-risk women with dense breasts, given the decreased sensitivity of mammography/DBT, this population may benefit from additional supplemental screening with contrast-enhancedmammography or screening US. There is strong evidence supporting screening high-risk women with breast MRI regardless of breast density. Contrast-enhanced mammography, whole breast screening US, or abbreviated breast MRI may be also considered. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.
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