This work provides a new perception toward the application of the graphenic-biopolymeric composites as a solid-bed for separation and purification of bioactive compounds. Graphene oxide nanocomposites with functionalized sheets by soluble and insoluble nanocomplexes of chitosan and Arabic gum, were successfully synthesized and employed for the adsorption and purification of crocin, a nutraceutical from saffron. The composites exhibited a nanostructured scaffold with a particle size of 10 nm and experienced an unprecedented increase in the surface area by about 300% and improved d-spacing sheets by 17%. The optimum conditions for crocin separation were temperature = 318 K, stirring rate = 300 rpm, initial concentration = 100 mg L-1 and pH = 6. Under these conditions, the nanocomposites separated 99.1% of crocin in an equilibrium time of 30 min. The adsorption data were best represented by Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The thermodynamic studies indicated that the crocin adsorption on nanocomposites was an endothermic, spontaneous and physisorption process. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that produced nanocomposites adsorbed crocin efficiently from saffron extract with a purity similar to the standard sample. The possible interaction mechanisms between crocin and nanocomposites were electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. There is little evidence on managing the proximal aorta of 4.0-4.5 cm during aortic valve replacement (AVR) in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients. A total of 431 patients between 1993-2019 underwent either an isolated AVR, AVR + concomitant ascending aorta replacement, or aortic root replacement. We divided patients into native root dilation [4.0-4.5 cm, n=121] vs. root control groups [<4.0 cm, n=238], native ascending dilation [4.0-4.5cm, n=50] vs. ascending control groups [<4.0 cm, n=166], or proximal dilation (root or ascending aorta 4.0-4.5 cm, n=160) and proximal control groups (both root and ascending aorta <4.0 cm, n=272). Growth rate was similar between the root dilation and control groups, (both were 0.1 mm/year, p=0.56). The ascending dilation group had an aorta growth rate of 0.0 mm/year after AVR or root replacement, which was significantly different from the ascending control group (0.2 mm/year), p=0.01. Furthermore, growth rate was similar between the proximal dilation (combined root or ascending dilation) and control group (both were 0.1 mm/year, p=0.20). There were only two ascending aortic aneurysm repairs after AVR in the whole cohort. The long-term survival was similar between the root or ascending dilation groups vs. root or ascending control groups, and between the proximal dilation and control groups. Multivariable Cox regression confirmed aortic root or ascending dilation was not a significant risk factor of long-term mortality. Our findings supported not replacing a 4.0-4.5 cm proximal thoracic aorta, including aortic root and ascending aorta, at the time of AVR for BAV patients. Our findings supported not replacing a 4.0-4.5 cm proximal thoracic aorta, including aortic root and ascending aorta, at the time of AVR for BAV patients. The role of ECMO in the management of patients with COVID-19 continues to evolve. The purpose of this manuscript is to review a multi-institutional clinical experience in 200 consecutive patients at 29 hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 supported with ECMO. This analysis includes our first 200 COVID-19 patients with complete data who were supported with and separated from ECMO. These patients were cannulated between March 17 and December 9, 2020. Differences by mortality group were assessed using chi-square tests for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests and Welch's ANOVA for continuous variables. Median ECMO time was 15 days (IQR=9-28). All 200 patients have separated from ECMO 90 patients (45%) survived and 110 patients (55%) died. Survival with veno-venous ECMO was 87 of 188 patients (46.3%), while survival with veno-arterial ECMO was 3 of 12 patients (25%). Of 90 survivors, 77 have been discharged from the hospital and 13 remain hospitalized at the ECMO-providing hospital. Survivors had lower median age (47 versus 56 years, p<0.001) and shorter median time interval from diagnosis to ECMO cannulation (8 days versus 12 days, p=0.003).In the 90 survivors, adjunctive therapies on ECMO included intravenous steroids (64), Remdesivir (49), convalescent plasma (43), anti-interleukin-6 receptor blockers (39), prostaglandin (33), and hydroxychloroquine (22). ECMO facilitates survival of select critically ill patients with COVID-19. Survivors tend to be younger and have a shorter duration from diagnosis to cannulation. Substantial variation exists in drug treatment of COVID-19, but ECMO offers a reasonable rescue strategy. ECMO facilitates survival of select critically ill patients with COVID-19. https://www.selleckchem.com/btk.html Survivors tend to be younger and have a shorter duration from diagnosis to cannulation. Substantial variation exists in drug treatment of COVID-19, but ECMO offers a reasonable rescue strategy. Failure to rescue (FTR) focuses on the ability to prevent death among patients who experience postoperative complications. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Quality Measurement Task Force has developed a new, risk- adjusted FTR quality metric for adult cardiac surgery. The study population was taken from 1118 STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participants including patients who underwent isolated CABG, aortic valve replacement +/- CABG, or mitral valve repair/replacement, +/- CABG between January, 2015 and June, 2019. The FTR analysis was derived from patients who experienced ≥ 1 of the following complications prolonged ventilation, stroke, reoperation, and renal failure. Data were randomly split into 70% training (n=89,059) and 30% validation samples (n=38,242),Risk variables included STS predicted risk of mortality, operative procedures, and intraoperative variables (cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp times, unplanned procedures, need for circulatory support, and massive transfusion). Overall mortality for the for patients undergoing any of the index operations during the study period was 2.