Ligasure vessel sealing system versus harmonic scalpel for sutureless nonanatomical pulmonary resections in a rabbit model. Which one is safer?

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of the ligasure vessel sealing system (LVSS) and harmonic scalpel (HS) in sutureless nonanatomical lung resections were evaluated. METHODS: On twenty adult rabbit lungs, 1 x 1 cm wedge resections were performed under one-lung ventilation with both LVSS and HS. The air tightness and tissue damage caused by these different techniques were measured and compared. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found when the air tightness for both devices was compared after resection (p = 0.37). Tissue damage was obtained for LVSS, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). discussion: LVSS and HS can both be used for peripheral lung resections without any need of further intervention for securing the air tightness. LVSS was found safer by means of tissue damage when compared with HS in this experimental study.

Expression Profile of MicroRNA Biogenesis Components in Renal Transplant Patients.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and the miRNA biogenesis components are potential biomarkers of some prevalent diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. In light of this information, we aimed to investigate the expression profiles of miRNA biogenesis components in renal transplant patients before and after transplantation and how these profiles are related to immunosuppressive treatment and clinical outcomes of these patients. METHODS: In this study, gene and protein expression profiles of Dicer, Drosha, Pasha (DGCR8), Exportin5 (XPO5), and Argonaute2 (AGO2) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of renal transplant patients were evaluated by means of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot methods before and 3 months after transplantation. Patients who had transplant procedures for the first time were included in the study. RESULTS: Gene expressions were significantly reduced after transplantation. The reduction rate of expressions in 1 patient undergoing chronic rejection was higher. In addition, in patients under everolimus treatment, gene expression of Dicer did not change and gene expression of AGO2 increased. Dicer, Drosha, DGCR8, and AGO2 protein expressions were reduced in all patients, but no change was observed in XPO5 protein expression in nonrejecting patients. Interestingly, in the patient undergoing chronic rejection, protein expression profiles other than Dicer were distinctive from nonrejecting patients. However, XPO5 protein expression was higher in that patient. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows the importance of the global effect of immunosuppressive treatment on the miRNA biogenesis pathway. miRNA biogenesis components are potential biomarkers indicative of graft outcome and pharmacologic target molecules.

Investigations of porous oxides as an antireflective coating for glass surfaces.

There is no inorganic material that would satisfy the low index requirement of a single-layer antireflective coating for commercial soda-lime glasses. Such an antireflective coating would increase transmission 4-8% and cause corresponding efficiency increase in devices where energy is transmitted by radiation, e.g., solar collectors, and cathode ray tubes. MgF(2) with an index of 1.38 (vs 1.23 needed) is the lowest index coating material available and widely used by the industry. In this work, possible applications of porous oxide films as an antireflective coating were investigated. A porous aluminum oxide film is deposited on glass surfaces from a clear organometallic derived sol. The index of the oxide coating is reduced by the presence of pores hose size is <100 A; this constitutes up to 64% porosity. These pores, being considerably smaller than the wavelength of light, do not interfere with the optical transparency of the material but reduce the index of refraction; thus they make it possible to obtain transparent oxide materials and coatings with very low index.

Deposition and properties of optical oxide coatings from polymerized solutions.

Oxide films ranging in thickness from less than a hundred angstroms to several thousand angstroms may be deposited from clear solutions derived from metal-organic compounds. These solutions contain oxide constituents in a soluble polymerized form and deposit a glasslike film upon application on substrates. A bake temperature of 300-500 degrees C is required to reduce these film into a pure oxide state. The properties of the resultant oxide films are process dependent. In this paper, parameters that affect the optical properties of oxide films deposited from polymerized solution are identified, and their specific effects are described. The parameters include: type of solution; nature of substrate; drying conditions; and heat treatment atmosphere and temperature.

Antireflective coatings applied from metal-organic derived liquid precursors.

Antireflective (AR) coatings, which are produced from organometallic driven solutions containing oxide constituents in a chemically polymerized form, are presented. These solutions leave a film on substrates which, upon heat treatment, converts to a glasslike oxide film having the desired optical thickness and index of refraction. The index can be varied continuously from 1.4 to 2.4; thus the AR coatings can be fine-tuned for different substrates and for specific wavelengths of light. Silicon solar cells AR-coated by this technique showed as much as 49% improvement in efficiency over the uncoated state. The real advantage of the process, however, lies in the fact that it is simple, well-suited for automated mass production of photovoltaic cells, and reduces the cost of coating application from an estimated $0.20 per W-package to about $0.01 per W-package.

The Arg753GLn polymorphism of the human toll-like receptor 2 gene in tuberculosis disease.

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), a member of the Toll-like receptor family, plays an important role in recognition of, and subsequent immune response activation against, mycobacteria. The genetic polymorphism of TLR2 (arginine to glutamine substitution at residue 753 (Arg753Gln)) has been associated with a negative influence on TLR2 function, which may, in turn, determine the innate host response to mycobacteria. The aim of the present study was to investigate the Arg753Gln single nucleotide polymorphism of the TLR2 gene in tuberculosis (TB) patients compared to healthy controls. A retrospective case/control study was carried out. The Arg753Gln polymorphism of the TLR2 gene was studied in 151 TB patients compared to 116 ethnically and age-matched healthy control subjects. The TLR2 polymorphism (adenine (A) allele) was observed in 17.9 and 7.7% of TB patients and controls, respectively. When the ratios of the three genotypes were compared between the two groups, the AA genotype was found to be more significantly associated with TB. Allele frequencies for guanine (G) and A were found to be 0.95 and 0.05 in the control group and 0.86 and 0.14 in the TB patient group, respectively. The risk of developing TB disease was increased 6.04- and 1.60-fold for carriers of the AA and GA genotypes, respectively. In conclusion, the present data suggest that the arginine to glutamine substitution at residue 753 polymorphism of the Toll-like receptor 2 gene influences the risk of developing tuberculosis.