Quantitative study on Vancomycin release from cement in 3 different formulations: preliminary results and antimicrobial activity.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the best preparation method of the cement powder mixture, solvent and antibiotic in order to obtain the greatest amount of antibiotic in the joint for the longest time as possible. At time T0 the three samples, packed in a sterile environment in different formulations, were placed in sterile tubes, adding to each one 5 ml of saline phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and put in a stove at 37°C for 24 h. A sample of PBS without cement (T control) was also created. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the incubated liquid with cement was performed along with biochemical analysis with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The analysis of the raw data demonstrated that at T1 there was a prevalence of antibiotic release from sample , compared to sample 2 and 3. This difference was maintained until the T20; from T21 the antibiotic release gradually leveled in 3 samples. The elution of the antibiotic remained detectable up to T60. Our work shows that the sample preparation is decisive on the quantity of released antibiotic. These results are confirmed by microbiological tests. It is useful to know the actual kinetics of antibiotics in articulation. Further studies are necessary to determine the effectiveness of antibiotic against micro-organisms and how long it acts.

Health Promotion Among Mexican-Origin Survivors of Breast Cancer and Caregivers Living in the United States-Mexico Border Region: Qualitative Analysis From the Vida Plena Study.

BACKGROUND: Hispanic survivors of cancer experience increased cancer burden. Lifestyle behaviors, including diet and physical activity, may reduce the cancer burden. There is limited knowledge about the posttreatment lifestyle experiences of Hispanic survivors of cancer living on the United States-Mexico border. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to support the development of a stakeholder-informed, culturally relevant, evidence-based lifestyle intervention for Mexican-origin Hispanic survivors of cancer living in a border community to improve their dietary quality and physical activity. METHODS: Semistructured interviews with 12 Mexican-origin Hispanic survivors of breast cancer and 7 caregivers were conducted through internet-based teleconferencing. The interviews explored the impact of cancer on lifestyle and treatment-related symptoms, perception of lifestyle as an influence on health after cancer, and intervention content and delivery preferences. Interviews were analyzed using a deductive thematic approach grounded in the Quality of Cancer Survivorship Care Framework. RESULTS: Key survivor themes included perception of Mexican diet as unhealthy, need for reliable diet-related information, perceived benefits of physical activity after cancer treatment, family support for healthy lifestyles (physical and emotional), presence of cancer-related symptoms interfering with lifestyle, and financial barriers to living a healthy lifestyle. Among caregivers, key themes included effects of the cancer caregiving experience on caregivers' lifestyle and cancer-preventive behaviors and gratification in providing support to the survivors. CONCLUSIONS: The interviews revealed key considerations to the adaptation, development, and implementation of a theory-informed, evidence-based, culturally relevant lifestyle program to support lifestyle behavior change among Mexican-origin Hispanic survivors of cancer living in border communities. Our qualitative findings highlight specific strategies that can be implemented in health promotion programming aimed at encouraging cancer protective behaviors to reduce the burden of cancer and comorbidities in Mexican-origin survivors of cancer living in border communities.

Dissociative double photoionization of singly deuterated benzene molecules in the 26-33 eV energy range.

This work provides new experimental and theoretical results about the formation and dissociation of benzene dication. The experiment has been carried out by using a vacuum ultraviolet radiation from a synchrotron source together with a time-of-flight spectrometer and a position sensitive ion detector. Isotopically labeled benzene molecules with a single deuterium atom have been used in order to study the symmetric dissociation of the benzene dication, not well evident in previous experiments. A threshold of 30.1 ± 0.1 eV has been observed for this dissociation reaction. Moreover, the lifetime of the dissociation of the benzene metastable dication producing CH(3)(+) and C(5)H(3)(+) has been obtained as a function of the photon energy, by the use of a Monte Carlo trajectory analysis of the coincidence distributions. The determined lifetime is independent of the photon energy and has an average value of 0.75 ± 0.22 µs. Theoretical calculations of the energy and structure of dissociation product ions have been also performed to provide crucial information about the dynamics of the charge separation reactions following the photoionization event.

A new species of Sparsorythus Sroka amp; Soldán, 2008 (Ephemeroptera: Tricorythidae) from Eastern Ghats of Southern India.

A new mayfly species, Sparsorythus sivaramakrishnani sp. nov. from the stream of Pullian cholai, Thuraiyur, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India is described based on male and female nymphs. Sparsorythus sivaramakrishnani sp. nov. differs from the closely related S. gracilis by the shape of the left prostheca, the number of bristle-like processes at base of left prostheca, the ratio and shape of right prostheca, the ratio of femur length: width, the size of the female nymph, the mesonotum overlapping in fifth abdominal segment of the female, and by the shape of hypopharyngeal lingua.

Ground deformation reveals the scale-invariant conduit dynamics driving explosive basaltic eruptions.

The mild activity of basaltic volcanoes is punctuated by violent explosive eruptions that occur without obvious precursors. Modelling the source processes of these sudden blasts is challenging. Here, we use two decades of ground deformation (tilt) records from Stromboli volcano to shed light, with unprecedented detail, on the short-term (minute-scale) conduit processes that drive such violent volcanic eruptions. We find that explosive eruptions, with source parameters spanning seven orders of magnitude, all share a common pre-blast ground inflation trend. We explain this exponential inflation using a model in which pressure build-up is caused by the rapid expansion of volatile-rich magma rising from depth into a shallow (<400 m) resident magma conduit. We show that the duration and amplitude of this inflation trend scales with the eruption magnitude, indicating that the explosive dynamics obey the same (scale-invariant) conduit process. This scale-invariance of pre-explosion ground deformation may usher in a new era of short-term eruption forecasting.

Geoarchaeological Evidence of Middle-Age Tsunamis at Stromboli and Consequences for the Tsunami Hazard in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea.

Large-scale landslides at volcanic islands are one of the most dangerous geological phenomena, able to generate tsunamis whose effects can propagate far from the source. However, related deposits are scarcely preserved on-land in the geologic records, and are often difficult to be interpreted. Here we show the discovery of three unprecedented well-preserved tsunami deposits related to repeated flank collapses of the volcanic island of Stromboli (Southern Italy) occurred during the Late Middle Ages. Based on carbon datings, on stratigraphic, volcanological and archaeological evidence, we link the oldest, highest-magnitude investigated tsunami to the following rapid abandonment of the island which was inhabited at that time, contrary than previously thought. The destructive power of this event is also possibly related to a huge marine storm that devastated the ports of Naples in 1343 (200 km north of Stromboli) described by the famous writer Petrarch. The portrayed devastation can be potentially attributed to the arrival of multiple tsunami waves generated by a major landslide in Stromboli island, confirming the hypothetical hazard of these phenomena at a regional scale.

Microfabrication of fractal polymeric structures for capillary morphogenesis: applications in therapeutic angiogenesis and in the engineering of vascularized tissue.

Microfabrication techniques were combined with fractal algorithms to realize polymeric scaffolds resembling capillary networks. The scaffolds were seeded with human endothelial cells in monoculture as well as in coculture with human fibroblasts. To enhance the process of angiogenesis, endothelial cells were transfected with an adenoviral vector carrying the gene for human tissue kallikrien. The results demonstrate that both the presence of a structured scaffold as well as fibroblasts in coculture contribute synergically to the promotion of a metabolically active network. The fractal scaffolds have several possible applications for example in vascularized tissue engineering and therapeutic angiogenesis. A broader implication of these results is that cell-extra cellular matrix and cell-cell interactions cooperate dynamically both at a biochemical as well as microstructural level.

Epilepsy in patients with angelman syndrome caused by deletion of the chromosome 15q11-13.

BACKGROUND: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by severe mental retardation, speech disorder, stereotyped jerky movements, and a peculiar behavioral profile, with a happy disposition and outbursts of laughter. Most patients with AS present with epilepsy and suggestive electroencephalographic patterns, which may be used as diagnostic criteria. OBJECTIVE: To study epilepsy and response to treatment in a series of patients with AS determined by deletion. DESIGN: Parent and caregiver interview and medical record review. SETTING: Epilepsy Center at the University of São Paulo. PATIENTS: Nineteen patients with AS determined by deletion of chromosome 15q11-13. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Epilepsy severity, epilepsy evolution, and response to antiepileptic drug treatment. RESULTS: All patients with AS in this group had generalized epilepsy, and 10 (53%) also had partial epilepsy. Main seizure types were atypical absences and myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures. Mean age at onset was 1 year 1 month. Epilepsy aggravated by fever occurred in 10 patients (53%) and status epilepticus in 16 (84%). Eighteen patients (95%) had previous or current history of daily seizures, of which 14 (64%) had disabling seizures. Multiple seizure types were observed in 13 patients (53%). History of refractory epilepsy was reported in 16 patients (84%). Parents reported improvement, characterized by decrease in seizure frequency or seizure control, at the mean age of 5.3 years. Therefore, most of these patients had a period of refractory epilepsy; however, improvement occurred during late childhood and puberty. The best therapeutic response was obtained with valproic acid alone or in association with phenobarbital or clonazepam. Epilepsy was aggravated by carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and vigabatrin. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AS with deletion have epilepsy with early onset and stereotyped electroclinical profile regarding seizure type, severity, and response to antiepileptic drug treatment. Another feature of AS is the age-related improvement, even in refractory cases, during late childhood and puberty. These characteristics are not specific to this syndrome but, when inserted in the proper clinical context, may anticipate diagnosis. We believe that AS should be considered a differential diagnosis in developmentally delayed infants with severe, generalized, cryptogenic epilepsy; however, a proper electroclinical delineation of each genetic group is mandatory.

Angelman syndrome: uniparental paternal disomy 15 determines mild epilepsy, but has no influence on EEG patterns.

The authors describe the electroclinical phenotype of four patients with Angelman syndrome (AS) determined by its rarest genetic mechanism-uniparental disomy (UPD). The analysis of ours and published patients showed that in UPD, when epilepsy occurred, it was milder compared to patients with deletion, although a suggestive EEG was observed in most patients. We found that UPD patients do not completely fit the scenario delineated for AS, suggesting that patients determined by different mechanisms should be distinctly addressed, for a better understanding of this syndrome.

Ionization of ozone/chlorofluorocarbon mixtures in atmospheric gases: formation and remarkable dissociation of

The reactions occurring upon ionization of mixtures containing ozone and CHX2Y (X = H, Cl, F; Y = Cl, F) halocarbons diluted in atmospheric gases (O2, N2) have been investigated in detail by mass spectrometric and theoretical methods. In all systems investigated the reactivity pattern is characterized by the preliminary formation of [CHXY x O3+] adducts which undergo unimolecular dissociation into HXYO2+ and CO. This remarkable dissociation which requires extensive molecular reorganization is exceptional for hydrogenated halocarbons. The work represents the first systematic study of the ionic chemistry in systems containing both ozone and halocarbons diluted in atmospheric gases.

S3O, a new sulfur oxide identified in the gas phase.

S3O, a novel, linear sulfur oxide has been detected in the gas phase by means of neutralization reionization mass spectrometry; the upper limit of stability of acyclic forms of SnO oxides has been set by theoretical calculations.

Ionization of Ozone/Chlorofluorocarbon Mixtures in Atmospheric Gases: Formation and Dissociation of

Complexes that undergo extensive molecular reorganization upon unimolecular metastable dissociation are obtained after ionization of atmospheric gases containing ozone and chlorofluorocarbons [Eq. (1)]. These unusual processes, which require fission of all bonds initially present in the CHX(2) unit (X=Cl, F) and combination of C with one of the O atoms of ozone, were demonstrated and their mechanism rationalized by the joint application of mass spectrometric and theoretical methods.

Myxoid liposarcoma of the bladder.

We report a case of myxoid liposarcoma of the bladder dome. Treatment consisted of partial cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The patient had no evidence of recurrence 30 months postoperatively. This is the first reported case of primary bladder localization of liposarcoma.

Behavioral correlates for minor volatile compounds from stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae).

Many terrestrial Heteroptera have small, but functional, dorsal abdominal glands as adults. The chemistry, and associated intra- and inter-specific behavior, for dorsal abdominal gland secretions from 10 species representing four genera of Pentatomidae was investigated. Eighteen volatile compounds were identified in species-specific blends from the dorsal abdominal gland secretions ofEuschistus, Acrosternum, andEurydema adults, including aliphatic, aromatic, and terpenoid constituents. Evidence from bioassays is presented that parasitic Tachinidae (Diptera) and Scelionidae (Hymenoptera) use these secretions as kairomones. A field experiment was performed to test the hypothesis that minor volatiles increase the specificity of the main pheromone component from NearcticEuschistus species, methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate. However, significantly fewer individuals ofE. tristigmus were captured in traps baited with the complete blend for this species than in traps baited with methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate alone. Thus, at the concentrations tested, these kinds of dorsal abdominal gland secretions may be epideictic, promoting spacing in the natural habitat.

Source of the host marking pheromone in the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae).

After oviposition, Trissolcus basalis females always mark the host's surface, depositing host marking substances for herself and to warn other ovipositing females. The perception of these host marking substances, probably through the antennae, can induce the female to leave and seek healthy hosts. Parasitoid females exposed to conspecific parasitized egg masses left the host egg masses significantly more often than when exposed to non-parasitized egg masses. More egg mass leaving behavior also was observed when the egg masses were treated with Dufour's gland secretion but not when treated with secretion from the common oviducts. The common oviduct has a secretory epithelium that produces electron-dense vesicles, probably containing proteinaceous substances. The secretory cells of the accessory gland, Dufour's gland, contain electron-lucid vesicles, whose secretion appears to be a lipid similarly to that found in pheromone secreting glands. Ultrastructural and behavioral evidence suggests that Dufour's gland is the host marking pheromone source.

Metal-metal and carbon-carbon bonds as potential components of molecular batteries.

The reductive coupling of [M(salophen)] derivatives, where M is an early transition metal and salophen is N,N'-o-phenylenebis(salicylideneaminato) dianion, led to the formation of dimers linked through C-C and M-M bonds. Both of these bonds can potentially function as electron reservoirs: each bond can be used as a reversible source of a pair of electrons under the condition that it is not chemically transformed by the incoming substrate which functions as an electron acceptor. To explore this potential function as well as the competition in the redox processes between C-C and M-M bonds within the same molecular framework, we investigated the reduction of [(tBu4-salophen)NbCl3] (1) and [(tBu4-salophen)MoCl2] (7) as model compounds. In the former case, the reduction led to [(Nb-Nb)(tBu4-*salophen2*)] (2) which contains both a Nb-Nb bond (2.6528(7) A) and two C-C bonds across two imino groups of the ligand. Complex 2 can be reduced further to a transient compound 5 that contains an Nb=Nb bond. In the second case, the reduction of 7 by two electrons led to [(Mo[triplebond]Mo)(tBu4-salophen)2] (8), which does not contain any C-C linkages between the two salophen units. Complexes 2 and 5 are able to transfer one pair and two pairs of electrons, respectively, to give compounds 3, 4, and 6, with the consequent cleavage of the Nb-Nb and Nb=Nb bonds. In the present case, it is surprising that the C-C bonds do not participate in the reduction of the substrates. A careful theoretical treatment anticipates, both in the case of 1 and 7, the preferential formation of metal-metal bonds upon reduction. This is indeed the case for 7, but not for 1, where the formation of C-C bonds competes with that of M-M bonds, the latter being the first ones, however, to be involved in electron-transfer reactions. The theoretical approach allowed us to investigate the possibility of intramolecular electron transfer from C-C bonds to M-M bonds and vice versa.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: clinical experience with 62 cases.

A review of 62 patients who underwent surgical treatment for xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is presented. Polar resection was performed in 3 cases with localized disease, while the remaining 59 patients were treated by nephrectomy. Preoperative diagnosis is still tentative, but the recent advances in imaging techniques and urinary cytology will provide greater accuracy in the future.

Reactivity of C10H7+ and C10D7+ with H2 AND D2.

We have investigated, both theoretically and experimentally, the reactions of naphthylium C10H7+ and d-naphthylium C10D7+ ions with H2 and D2. Cross sections as functions of the collision energy have been measured for a variety of reaction channels. Theoretical calculations have been carried out at the density functional theory level which utilizes the hybrid functional B3LYP and the split-valence 6-31G* basis set. The key features of the potential energy surfaces and the relevant thermochemical parameters have been calculated and they provide insights on the reaction mechanisms. The bimolecular reactivity of C10H7+ with H2 is dominated by the production of naphthalene cation C10H8+. The reaction is not a direct atom-abstraction process, but instead it proceeds via the formation of a stable intermediate complex C10H9+ of sigma type geometry, with a significant mobility of hydrogen along the ring. This mobility allows the scrambling of the hydrogen atoms and causes the successive statistical fragmentation of the complex into a variety of product channels. Elimination of one H(D) atom appears to be favored over elimination of one H2 or HD molecule. Alternatively, the intermediate complex can be stabilized either by collision with a third body or by emission of a photon.

Angelman syndrome: difficulties in EEG pattern recognition and possible misinterpretations.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of the EEG in Angelman syndrome (AS), to verify the age at onset of suggestive EEGs and to study EEG patterns, analyzing variations and comparing our findings with nomenclature previously used. METHODS: Seventy EEG and 15 V-EEGs of 26 patients were analyzed. Suggestive EEG patterns of AS were classified in delta pattern (DP), theta pattern (TP), and posterior discharges (PDs). Generic terms were used to simplify the analysis. RESULTS: Suggestive EEGs were observed in 25 (96.2%) patients. DP occurred in 22 patients with four variants-hypsarrhythmic-like: irregular, high-amplitude, generalized delta activity (DA) with multifocal epileptiform discharges (EDs); slow variant: regular, high-amplitude, generalized DA with rare EDs; ill-defined slow spike-and-wave: regular, high-amplitude, generalized DA with superimposed EDs characterizing a slow wave, with notched appearance; triphasic-like: rhythmic, moderate-amplitude DA over anterior regions with superimposed EDs. TP was observed in eight patients, as generalized or over the posterior regions. PDs were seen in 19 patients as runs of sharp waves or runs of high-amplitude slow waves with superimposed EDs. TP was the only age-related pattern (younger than 8 years) and observed only in patients with deletion. In 15 patients who had an EEG before the clinical diagnosis, 60% had a suggestive tracing. CONCLUSIONS: Although some EEG descriptions are not very detailed, and every author describes findings in a slightly different manner, obviously a common denominator must exist. In this context, EEG seems to be a very sensitive method for the diagnosis of AS, offering an opportunity to corroborate this etiologic diagnosis. Conversely, we do not believe that these patterns may be accounted as specific, except for the delta pattern, which seems to be extremely unusual in other syndromes. Other EEG patterns observed in AS, such as theta activity and PDs, occur in a wide variety of disorders. Nonetheless, their importance for the EEG diagnosis of AS is supported by the fact that they are associated with other features and may be helpful in a proper clinical setting.