BACKGROUND AND AIMS The efficacy of phosphate binders is difficult to be estimated clinically. This study analyzes the changes in serum phosphate and urinary phosphate excretion after the prescription of phosphate binders (PB) in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 4-5 pre-dialysis, and the usefulness of the ratio between total urinary phosphate and protein catabolic rate (Pu/PCR) for es...

The conformation of polymer chains under confinement is investigated in intercalated polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites. Hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)/sodium montmorillonite, PEO/Na+-MMT, hybrids were prepared utilizing melt intercalation with compositions where the polymer chains are mostly within the ~1 nm galleries of the inorganic material. The polymer chains are completely amorphou...

Soluble Fe(II) in ground water in Denmark is mostly removed conventionally by the simple process known as purely physico-chemical (or abiotic). By this process, the raw water is exposed to atmospheric oxygen to oxidise the iron from soluble Fe(II) to insoluble Fe(III) oxides, which is then removed by single or double filtration units, depending on the ground water quality. Ground water containi...

The effect of demineralization on Indian bituminous coal by filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger has been investigated. X-ray diffraction profile reveals the presence of inorganic components in the sample. Biosolubilised products were characterized by FT-IR, SEM-EDS and XRD. The study reveals that coal consist of a semi-crystalline turbostratic structure. The broad diffraction peak at 20~25.5 a...