This study included two experiments. In experiment 1, each pooled ejaculate was divided into four equal aliquots and diluted (37 degrees C) with the base extender, containing 0 (control), 1, 2 and 4 mM methionine, DAPT Proteases inhibitor at a final concentration of approximately 4 x 10(8) sperms/ml (single step dilution), in a 15-ml plastic centrifuge tube. In experiment 2, dithioerythritol, at concentrations of 0 (control). 0.5, 1 and 2 mM, was used as an additive in the extender,

and the procedure explained above was applied for the division of aliquots and the dilution of semen. Diluted semen samples were kept in glass tubes and cooled from 37 to 5 degrees C in a cold cabinet, and maintained at 5 degrees C. Sperm motility and LPO and total glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) capacities were determined at 5 degrees C for periods of 0, 24,48 and 72 h of liquid storage.

The extender supplemented with 1 mM methionine led to higher motility percentages (77.0 +/- 1.2%), in comparison to the control group (66.0 +/- 4.9%), during 72 h of liquid storage (P

< 0.05). As regards dithioerythritol, it did not statistically improve the motility rates for any of the storage times at 5 degrees C. In biochemical assays, differences in LPO levels between the groups with antioxidants and the control groups www.selleckchem.com/products/ON-01910.html were not statistically significant. Compared to the control group, no significant difference was observed in GSH and GPx activities following the addition of methionine, selleck during 72 h of storage. Total GSH and GPx activities did not increase significantly upon supplementation with 0.5 and 1 mM of dithioerythritol, compared to the control group, at any of the time points (P > 0.05). Dithioerythritol at 2 mM led (P < 0.01) to elevating GSH activity, compared to the control group, during 72 h of liquid storage. GPx activity was approximately 10 times higher for 2 mM of dithioerythritol (P < 0.001), compared to that of the control group at all time points.

The question regarding the sustainability of sperm survival, LPO and antioxidant capacities following liquid storage of semen remains unanswered. Further studies are

required for a better understanding of the biochemical changes and to obtain more information on the determination of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacities during cooled storage of ram semen. Crown Copyright (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“It is possible to increase the efficiency of fluorescent concentrator systems with photonic structures. This is achieved by reducing the losses caused by the loss cone of total internal reflection. Examples of fluorescent concentrators we are currently working with are given and different photonic structures designed for the application on these fluorescent concentrators are presented. We discuss the optical characteristics of the photonic structures and their effects on the light guiding efficiency of the fluorescent concentrators.

Based on the energy balance

between the strain and surface energy, the influence of V/III ratio on the transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth mode during the QD growth has been discussed.”
“Steroid therapy is associated with significant morbidity in renal transplant recipients. However, there is concern that steroid withdrawal will adversely affect outcome.

We report on 241 renal transplant recipients on different doses of corticosteroids at 3 months (zero, a parts per thousand currency sign5 mg/day, > 5 mg/day). Parameters analysed included blood pressure, lipid profile, weight change, new onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT), allograft survival and acute rejection.

Elimination of corticosteroids had no impact on allograft survival at 1 year. There were S3I-201 no cases of NODAT in the steroid withdrawal

group compared with over 7% in each of the steroid groups. There were no significant improvements in weight gain, blood pressure control or total cholesterol with withdrawal of steroids before 3 months.

In renal transplant patients treated with tacrolimus and mycophenolate, early withdrawal of steroids does not appear to adversely affect allograft outcome at 1 year. It may result in less NODAT.”
“Objective Chronic rectal pain secondary to radiation-induced proctitis is fast-becoming a leading cause of chronic pain, especially for prostate cancer VS-6063 solubility dmso survivors. Currently, Tariquidar supplier many elderly patients resort to increased opioid intake to alleviate the pain. However, this increase in opioid consumption often leads to constipation and further aggravates the anorectal pain, thus leading to a perpetual, vicious cycle. We reasoned that blocking the ganglion impar could attenuate this sympathetically maintained pain, which would lead to a reduction in the

consumption of opioids, lessen constipation, and lead to an improvement in the patient’s quality of life. Study Design Case report. Setting An academic tertiary pain management clinic. Results The authors report the case of a 73-year-old African American man with a history of prostate cancer who presented to the pain management clinic for evaluation and treatment of his chronic anorectal pain secondary to radiation-induced proctitis. The patient underwent a ganglion impar block, using the transcoccygeal technique, and consequently reported excellent pain relief with little or no use for opioid pain medications at a 2-month follow-up. Ultimately, this approach led to improved mobility and an increase in the patient’s quality of life. Conclusions Based on this case’s success, a prospective study or randomized control trial evaluating the efficacy of the ganglion impar block as a treatment option for chronic anorectal pain secondary to radiation-induced proctitis appears warranted.

“
“A magnetic loading technique was used to ramp load single-crystal [100] lithium fluoride specimens to peak stresses of 5-114 GPa. Wave analysis of in situ particle velocity profiles was used to estimate the compressive strength of LiF at peak stress. It was found that the strength increased with peak stress and showed two distinct regions of hardening; the first is believed to be governed by strain hardening and the second by pressure hardening. The quasielastic strain obtained from the initial

part of the unloading was shown to saturate at about 1.3% for peak stresses greater than approximately 30 GPa. Over the studied pressure range, the measured strength of LiF varied from its initial value of 0.08 to about 1.1 GPa at the Bucladesine order highest compressed state of 114 GPa. Comparison of the measured strength to results from two strength

models showed good agreement. It was demonstrated that the strength of LiF introduces systematic error of about 10% when used as an interferometer window for measurements of material strength in isentropic compression experiments. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3259387]“
“The aim of this work was to express recombinant nonstructural Nsp7 protein of European genotype of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and to evaluate its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in serological diagnostics of the disease.

The gene coding for Nsp7 protein this website was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and purified by IMAC. Serological reactivity of purified protein was assessed on a panel of swine sera in indirect ELISA test. Serum samples originated from PRRS positive farms, herds free of PRRS infection and PRRS free herds vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine. Nsp7 antigen

proved to be suitable for serological detection of PRRS specific antibodies, showing diagnostic sensitivity of 82.2% and specificity of 97.6% when compared with IDEXX ELISA test. The nonstructural protein proved to be suitable for use as an antigen for the differentiation of post-infection and post-vaccination antibodies in pigs vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine. But the low overall antibody response to N protein after this type of vaccination makes this concept rather theoretical. selleck chemicals llc (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The aim of this study is to establish whether the presence of severe symptoms influences women’s choice of pessaries or surgery for uterovaginal prolapse.

This is a prospective study using the validated Sheffield Prolapse Symptoms Questionnaire.

Women choosing surgery (n = 251) were younger (58 versus 66 years), more bothered by dragging lower abdominal pain (33% versus 25%, P = 0.04), need for vaginal digitation (8% versus 3%, P = 0.02), and incomplete bowel emptying (27% versus 19%, P = 0.01) than women choosing pessaries (n = 429).

The light output power of the fabricated LEDs with ZnO nanoparticles

is 39% higher than that of conventional LEDs at an injection current of 20 mA. This is attributed to the improved light extraction favored by the light scattering tendency of ZnO nanoparticles and the nano-roughened ITO film. In addition, the intermediate refractive index (n similar to 2) of ZnO materials between those of the p-GaN (n similar to 2.5) and the ITO (n similar to 1.9) results in a broader critical angle and a reduction of total internal reflection. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3575174]“
“Injury of the musculocutaneous nerve very rarely occurs in the absence of concomitant injury to other components of the brachial plexus. Until now, the few cases of isolated musculocutaneous nerve palsies have GSK461364 chemical structure been reported only in adults. We report a case of isolated musculocutaneous neuropathy in a uniquely talented adolescent baseball pitcher. The biomechanics underlying this adolescent’s ability to throw with high velocity likely contributed to the musculocutaneous nerve injury in this case.”
“Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of sodium 7-T magnetic resonance

(MR) imaging in repaired tissue and native cartilage of patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) and compare results with delayed gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) at 3 T.

Materials and Methods: Ethical approval was provided by the local ethics committee; BMS-754807 cell line written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Six women and six men (mean age, 32.8 year +/- 8.2 [standard deviation] and 32.3 years +/- 12.7, respectively) were included. Mean time between MACT and MR

was 56 months +/- 28. A variable three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo selleck inhibitor (GRE) dual-flip-angle technique was used for T1 mapping before and after contrast agent administration at 3 T. All patients were also examined at 7 T (mean delay, 70.5 days +/- 80.1). A sodium 23-only transmit-receive knee coil was used with the 3D GRE sequence. A statistical analysis of variance and Pearson correlation were applied.

Results: Mean signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 24 in native cartilage and was 16 in transplants (P<.001). Mean sodium signal intensities normalized with the reference sample were 174 +/- 53 and 267 +/- 42 for repaired tissue in the cartilage transplant and healthy cartilage, respectively (P<.001). Mean postcontrast T1 values were 510 msec +/- 195 and 756 msec +/- 188 for repaired tissue and healthy cartilage, respectively (P=.005). Mean score of MR observation of cartilage repair tissue was 75 +/- 14. Association between postcontrast T1 and normalized sodium signal values showed a high Pearson correlation coefficient (R) of 0.706 (P=.001). A high correlation of R = 0.836 (P=.001) was found between ratios of normalized sodium values and ratios of T1 postcontrast values.

One- and five-yr patient survival was higher in children transplanted for CLD compared to FHF; 100%, 100% vs. 90%, 87.5% respectively, p = 0.30, 0.32. One- and five-yr patient survival was higher in adults transplanted for CLD compared to FHF; 94.7%, 90.1% vs. 90.3%, 89.7%, respectively, p = 0.36, 0.88. Encephalopathy, partial

graft, and ventilator use were risk factors for death by logistic regression. Conclusion: LT is an excellent treatment option for patients with WD. Patients transplanted for CLD had higher patient survival rates than patients with FHF.”
“Background: Declining in clinical Oncodazole efficacy of artesunate-mefloquine combination has been documented in areas along the eastern border (Thai-Cambodian) of Thailand. In the present study, the clinical efficacy of the three-day combination regimen of artesunate-mefloquine as first-line treatment for acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Thailand was monitored in an area along the western border (Thai-Myanmar) of the country.

Methods: A total of 150 Burmese VX-661 patients (85 males and 65 females) aged between 16 and 50 years who were attending the Mae Tao clinic, Mae-Sot, Tak Province, and presenting with symptomatic acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were included into

the study. Patients were treated initially (day 0) with 4 mg/kg body weight artesunate and 15 mg/kg body weight mefloquine. The dose regimen on day 2 was 4 mg/kg body weight artesunate and 10 mg/kg body weight mefloquine. On day 3, artesunate at the dose of 4 mg/kg body weight was given with 0.6 mg/kg body weight primaquine. Whole blood mefloquine and plasma artesunate and dihydroartemisinin (active plasma metabolite of artesunate) concentrations following treatment were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS), respectively.

Results: Thirty-four cases had recrudescence during days 7 and 42. Five and 5 cases,

respectively had reinfection with P. falciparum and reappearance of Plasmodium vivax in their peripheral blood during follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the 42- and 28-day www.selleckchem.com/products/LY2603618-IC-83.html efficacy rates of this combination regimen were 72.58% (95% CI: 63.20-79.07%) and 83.06 (95% CI 76.14-94.40%), respectively. Parasite clearance time (PCT) and fever clearance time (FCT) were significantly prolonged in patients with treatment failure compared with those with sensitive response [median (95% CI) values for PCT 32.0 (20.0-48.0) vs 24.0 (14.0-32.0) hr and FCT 30.0 (22.0-42.0) vs 26.0 (18.0-36.0) hr; p < 0.005]. Whole blood mefloquine concentrations on days 1, 7 and 14 in patients with sensitive and recrudescence response were comparable. Although plasma concentration of dihydroartemisinin at 1 hour of treatment was significantly lower in patients with recrudescence compared with sensitive response [mean (95% CI) 456 (215-875) vs 525 (452-599) ng/ml; p < 0.

Results: During a mean follow-up SC79 of 22 16 months, a total of 57,148 remote transmissions were recorded. Of these transmissions, 1009 (1.8%) were triggered by a pre-specified event, including induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes during defibrillation threshold testing. The median number of events/patient/month was 0.14. Event rates were similar in patients with primary and secondary prevention indications for

ICD (0.15 vs. 0.11). After exclusion of the induced VF episodes, 5.6% of transmitted events were classified as system-related and 94.4% as clinical. The median number of clinical events/patient/month was 0.023. The clinical event-free rates were 62% and 45%, at 1 and 4 years, respectively.

Conclusion: Remote monitoring of ICD patients is feasible. Despite the large number of data transmissions, remote monitoring imposed a minimal additional burden on the DAPT cost clinical workload. The rate of triggered data transmissions by critical events was, relatively, very low. (PACE 2009; 32:S63-S65)”
“The well-known Bragg resonance in periodic waveguides always leads to the creation of the so-called Bragg gap, within which sound propagations are effectively forbidden. Here we report the possibility of sound energy transmission in the Bragg gap via the high-order transverse modes, which

penetrate through the forbidden band due to the interactions between different sound modes in an acoustic duct with periodically corrugated walls. The theoretical analysis indicates that in the waveguides with transverse scales comparable learn more to its period, the guided wave modes can interact with the Bragg gap

so that the forbidden band undergoes an abnormal change, giving rise to both a considerable compression in the band width and a sharp descent of the transmission loss on the upper edge of the stopband. The experiment confirms the existence and the significance of the interacting effect, and the measurements of the transmission loss and the radial distribution of sound fields agree quite well with the theoretical predictions. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3152996]“
“The skin, the body’s largest organ, plays an important role in the biotransformation/ detoxification and elimination of xenobiotics and endogenous toxic substances, but its role in oxidative stress and insulin resistance is unclear. We investigated the relationship between skin detoxification and oxidative stress/insulin resistance by examining burn-induced changes in nicotinamide degradation. Rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated, sham-nicotinamide, burn, and burn-nicotinamide. Rats received an intraperitoneal glucose injection (2 g/kg) with (sham-nicotinamide and burn-nicotinamide groups) or without (sham-operated and burn groups) coadministration of nicotinamide (100 mg/kg).

69, 1.48, 0.29, and 0.43, respectively.”
“Background beta-Carotene-biofortified maize is being developed through plant breeding as a sustainable agronomic approach to alleviate vitamin A deficiency

Objective Our objective was as to quantity the vitamin A equivalence of

the beta carotene in beta-carotene biofortified maize based on consumption of a single serving of maize porridge

Design Six healthy women each PXD101 consumed three 250-g portions of maize porridge as follows 1) beta-carotene biofortified maize poridge containing 527 mu g 0 98 mu mol) total beta-carotene 2) white maize poridge with a beta carotene reference close containing 595 mu g (1 11 mu mol) added beta carotene, and 3) white maize porridge with a vitamin A reference dose containing 286 mu g retinol activity equivalent (1 00 mu

mol) added retinyl palmitate Each portion contained 80 g added sunflower oil The porridges were consumed in random order separated by >= 2 wk Blood samples were collected over 9 h Retinyl palmitate was analyzed in plasma triacylglycerol rich lipoprotein (TRL) tractions by HPLC with coulometric array electrochemical detection

Results Mean (+/- SD) are is under the curve for retinyl palmitate in the TRL fractions (nmol h) were 24 0 +/- 9 4 89 7 +/- 34 7 and 80 1 +/- 24 8 after ingestion of the beta carotene-biofortified maize porridge, the white maize porridge with the beta carotene reference dose and the white maize porridge with the vitamin A reference dose respectively On average 6 48 +/- 3 51 mu g (mean +/- SD) of the beta-carotene in beta-carotene-biofortified

maize porridge MLN4924 and 2 34 +/- 1 61 mu g of the beta carotene in the reference dose were each equivalent to 1 mu g retinol

Conclusion beta Carotene in biofortified maize his good bioavadability as a plant source of vitamin A Am J Clin Nutr 2010, 92 1105-12″
“Background: Oral health has been of interest in many low and middle income countries due to its impact on general health and quality of life. But there are very few population-based reports of adult Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in developing countries. To address this knowledge gap for Thailand, we report oral health findings from a national cohort of 87,134 Thai adults aged between 15 and 87 years and residing all over the country.

Methods: In 2005, a comprehensive health find more questionnaire was returned by distance learning cohort members recruited through Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. OHRQoL dimensions included were discomfort speaking, swallowing, chewing, social interaction and pain. We calculated multivariate (adjusted) associations between OHRQoL outcomes, and sociodemographic, health behaviour and dental status.

Results: Overall, discomfort chewing (15.8%), social interaction (12.5%), and pain (10.6%) were the most commonly reported problems. Females were worse off for chewing, social interaction and pain.

05, respectively); these differences were found in obese (3.73%, p < .05) but not in overweight (0.68%, p = .7) Whites. Conclusions. FEV1/FVC ratio was lower in both overweight and obese African American and Hispanic children, while this association was present only among obese Whites compared with their normal weight counterparts. These results suggest that spirometric measures of lower airway obstruction decrease with smaller weight increments in minority children when compared with White children. In S63845 supplier the context of the higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among African Americans and Hispanics, our findings offer one potential explanation for increased asthma among minority children.”
“Study

design: Within-subject repeated measures.

Objectives: To determine the intra-and inter-tester reliability of aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) measurements collected using applanation tonometry in individuals with spinal cord injury CP-456773 inhibitor (SCI).

Setting: Inpatient Rehabilitation

Centre and outpatient Clinic in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Methods: Fifteen men and three women with traumatic SCI (age: 46 +/- 16 years; C3-L1; American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A-D; 2-284 months post injury) participated in two testing sessions separated by an average of 2 days. During each testing session, aPWV measurements were collected in the supine position following 10 min of rest. Arterial blood pressure waveforms were collected simultaneously by two trained raters at the carotid and femoral arterial sites using applanation tonometry. Heart rate was continuously measured using a single-lead electrocardiogram, whereas

brachial blood pressures were measured at 5-min intervals using an automated device.

Results: Intra-and inter-tester aPWV measurements demonstrated SRT2104 almost perfect reliability with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.91 and 0.98 (P<0.001), and coefficients of variation of 5.9% and 3.4%, respectively. The smallest detectable differences (SDDs) for intra-and inter-tester measurements were 0.9 ms(-1) and 0.6 ms(-1), respectively. There were no significant differences in heart rate or blood pressure between intra-and inter-testing sessions.

Conclusion: Applanation tonometry measurements of aPWV are reliable in individuals with SCI. In addition, the SDDs were smaller than a clinically relevant value, suggesting that this measurement is suitable for repeated measures study designs in SCI.”
“This two-part review highlights micronutrients for which either public health policy has been established or for which new evidence provides guidance as to recommended intakes during pregnancy. One pivotal micronutrient is folate, the generic name for different forms of a water-soluble vitamin essential for the synthesis of thymidylate and purines and, hence, DNA. For non-pregnant adult women the recommended intake is 400 mu g/day dietary folate equivalent.

Conclusions: The LDL-proteoglycan interaction is a highly regulated process that might provide new therapeutic targets against cardiovascular disease. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.”
“We propose a physical model to calculate

the trapping force on a nanoparticle trapped by the system using the combination of a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) probe and an atomic force microscope (AFM) metallic probe. Such a near-field trap is produced by evanescent illumination from the NSOM probe and light scattering at the tip of the AFM metallic probe. By using the Maxwell stress tensor through the electric field distribution obtained with the three-dimensional finite difference time domain Ferroptosis inhibitor (3-D FDTD) method, the dependence of the trapping force on the system parameters is discussed, and trapping properties including near-field distribution, trapping position, and the role of other forces versus trapping force are revealed. The results indicate that a particle down to tens of nanometers in size can be trapped toward the tip of an AFM probe with a lower laser intensity (similar to 1040 W/mm(2)) than that required by conventional optical manipulators (similar to 10(5) W/mm(2)). (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3592217]“
“Objective This study was undertaken to investigate cut-off value of the endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasonography (TvUSG), and to detect the accuracy of preoperative Pipelle

biopsy in premenopausal women with abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Study design This study was selleck screening library included 144 premenopausal women with abnormal bleeding. Their endometrial GNS-1480 purchase thickness was measured by TvUSG and then Pipelle endometrial biopsy was performed. Preoperative histopathologic findings of 57 women who were operated were compared with final histolopathologic examination.

Results Of the 144 women, 113 (78.4%) had normal and 31 (21.6%) had an abnormal

endometrium. The abnormal endometrium was composed of 11.8% hyperplasia (simple + atypical complex), 4.2% endometrial polyp, and 5.5% adenocarcinoma. An optimal sensitivity and specificity (83.6 and 56.4%, respectively) and negative predictive value with 95.6% for detection of abnormal endometrium were obtained with an endometrial thickness of 8 mm. The accuracy rate of preoperative Pipelle biopsy was 94.7% in a total of 57 women.

Conclusion An endometrial thickness >8 mm is more likely than that of 8 mm or less to be indicated with endometrial biopsy in premenopausal uterine bleeding. Pipelle endometrial biopsy is an accurate diagnostic procedure for the detection of high-grade endometrial lesions in premenopausal women.”
“Aim: The mechanisms of vascular remodeling have attracted great interest since it is a phenomenonrelated to cardiovascular diseases. We would like to examine studies that contributed to clarify the remodeling mechanisms, to explore the different faces of atherosclerosis process.

Six outpatient substance abuse treatment clinics participated in the study. There

were 210 treatment-seekers randomized, having a diagnosis of cocaine dependence; 72 participants were randomized to placebo, 69 to modafinil 200 mg, and 69 to modafinil Buparlisib cell line 400 mg, taken once daily on awakening. Participants came to the clinic three times per week for assessments and urine drug screens, and had one hour of individual psychotherapy weekly. The primary outcome measure was the weekly percentage of cocaine non-use days.

Results: The GEE regression analysis showed that for the total sample, there was no significant difference between either modafinil group and placebo in the change in average weekly percent of cocaine non-use days over the 12-week treatment period (p > 0.79). However, two secondary outcomes showed significant effects by modafinil 200 mg: the maximum number of consecutive non-use days for cocaine (p = 0.02), and a reduction

in craving (p = 0.04). Also, a post hoc analysis showed a significant effect of modafinil that increased the weekly percentage of non-use days in the subgroup of those cocaine patients who did not have a history of alcohol learn more dependence (p < 0.02).

Conclusions: These data suggest that modafinil, in combination with individual behavioral therapy, was effective for increasing cocaine non-use days in participants without co-morbid alcohol dependence, and in reducing cocaine craving. Published by Elsevier Ireland 17DMAG research buy Ltd.”
“We report the case of a patient diagnosed as having cluster-tic syndrome as the initial manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS). The patient’s headache bouts improved after treatment with antiepileptic drugs, steroids, and beta-interferon. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed a pontine demyelinating lesion involving the area of the trigeminal root inlet and main sensory nucleus. Neurophysiological studies correlated well with MRI lesions. The association between cluster-tic syndrome and MS is an exception, and the mechanism of the pain is still unknown; therefore, this case might suggest a pathophysiological relationship

between the trigeminal main sensory nucleus and cluster-tic syndrome.”
“2,6-Bis(beta-naphthoxy)benzonitrile (BNOBN) was synthesized by reaction of beta-naphthol with 2,6-difluorobenzonitrile in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in the presence of KOH and K(2)CO(3). Poly(ether ketone ether ketone ketone)(PEKEKK)/poly(ether ether ketone ketone) (PEEKK) copolymers containing naphthalene and pendant cyano groups were obtained by electrophilic Friedel-Crafts polycondensation of terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) with varying mole proportions of 4,4′-diphenoxybenzophenone (DPOBP) and 2,6-bis(beta-naphthoxy)benzonitrile (BNOBN) using 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) as solvent and NMP as Lewis base in the presence of anhydrous AlCl(3).