The resin obtained was characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy,

ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. The number-average molecular weight was determined by nonaqueous conductometric titration. A thermal study of the resin was carried out to determine its mode of decomposition, activation energy, order of reaction, frequency factor, entropy change, free energy, and apparent entropy change. The Freeman-Carroll and Sharp-Wentworth methods were applied for the calculation of the kinetic parameters, and the data from the Freeman-Carroll method were used to determine various thermodynamic parameters. The chelation ion-exchange properties AZ 628 price of this resin were studied for Fe(3+), Cu(2+), Ni(2+), Co(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Pb(2+) ions. A batch equilibrium method was used in the study of the selectivity of the metal-ion uptake that involved the measurements of the distribution of a given metal ion between the polymer sample and a solution containing the metal ion. The study was carried out over a wide pH range and in media of various ionic strengths. The terpolymer showed a higher selectivity for Fe(3+) ions than for the other metal ions in

this study. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 1969-1978, 2010″
“Introduction and objectives. Atrial arrhythmias occur after cardiac surgery in 10-65% of patients. The most common postoperative arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods. The Tehran Heart Center Cardiovascular Research database (of 15 580 patients) was used to identify all patients who PF-562271 developed any form of AF as a postoperative complication selleckchem following their first cardiac surgery (e.g. for coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], valve surgery or both), with and without cardiopulmonary

bypass, between June 2002 and March 2008.

Results. Of the 15 580 patients who underwent a first cardiac surgery, 11 435 (73.4%) were male and their mean age was 58.16 +/- 10.11 years. New-onset AF developed postoperatively in 1129 (7.2%). New-onset AF occurred most frequently in patients who were aged 60 years and who had no history of beta-blocker use. In addition, patients were more likely to develop new-onset AF if they had valve surgery alone (16.5%) or CABG plus valve surgery combined (9.6%), needed intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC), or had a long cardiopulmonary bypass time. Multivariate analysis identified the following predictors of postoperative AF: older age, history of renal failure, congestive heart disease, operation type, longer perfusion time, and use of IABC. The incidence of early readmission (4.4%) was significantly higher in patients with postoperative AF, as was the duration of hospitalization, both overall and postoperatively. The short-term postoperative mortality rate was 3.8%.

Conclusions.