Artificial blood

Impacts of Conformational Geometries in Fluorinated Alkanes

Research of blood substitute formulations and their base materials is of high scientific interest. Especially fluorinated microemulsions based on perfluorocarbons, with their interesting chemical properties, offer opportunities for applications in biomedicine and physical chemistry. In this work, carbon K-edge absorption spectra of liquid perfluoroalkanes and their parent hydrocarbons are presented and compared. Based on soft X-ray absorption, a comprehensive picture of the electronic structure is provided with the aid of time dependent density functional theory. We have observed that conformational geometries mainly influence the chemical and electronic interactions in the presented liquid materials, leading to a direct association of conformational geometries to the dissolving capacity of the presented perfluorocarbons with other solvents like water and possibly gases like oxygen.

Jehovah's Witness: a management dilemma in severe maxillofacial trauma

The fundamentalist beliefs of a Jehovah's Witness can create major clinical and medicolegal problems when blood or blood products are needed to sustain life. The continuing expansion of Jehovah's Witnesses (1/4 million in UK; 4 million worldwide) means that encounters with the sect and surgeons in clinically critical situations are likely to increase. This paper describes such a case in which a 24-year-old male died from maxillofacial injuries because transfusion was denied. The special clinical and ethical management criteria are emphasized and the legal vulnerability of the clinician is discussed. It is no longer possible for clinicians in the UK to act independently in the management of such cases without risking censure or loss of indemnity from the employing health authority.