Growth characteristics of maize seeds exposed to magnetic field.

Standardization of magnetic field was done for maximum enhancement in germination characteristics of maize seeds. Seeds of maize were exposed to static magnetic fields of strength 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h for all field strengths. Results indicate that magnetic field application enhanced seed performance in terms of percentage germination, speed of germination, seedling length, and seedling dry weight significantly compared to unexposed control. Among the various combinations of field strength and duration, 200 mT for 1 h exposure gave best results. Exposure of seeds to magnetic fields improved seed coat membrane integrity as it reduced cellular leakage and, consequently, electrical conductivity. Experiments conducted at a research farm as well as farmer's field showed that plants raised from seeds exposed to 200 mT for 1 h had higher values of leaf area index, shoot length, number of leaves, chlorophyll content, shoot/root dry weight, and root characteristics as compared to corresponding values in untreated control. From the studies, it may be concluded that exposure of dry seeds to static magnetic field of 200 mT for 1 h improved shoot and root growth. Improved root system and biomass led to increased seed yield. Improved functional root parameters suggested that magnetically treated maize seeds could be used under moisture stress conditions. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:151-157, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Robotic video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection for lung tumors: a community tertiary care center experience over four years.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: After its initial description in 1990, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has emerged as the minimally invasive approach for lung resection in early lung cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data on patients who underwent robotic pulmonary resection for cancer by a single surgeon, between years 2009 and 2013, was performed. Age, gender, type and duration of surgery, length of stay, estimated blood loss, early and late complications, follow-up time, and local recurrence were reviewed and analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-one patients underwent the procedure for pulmonary neoplasm. Two hundred and fifty-nine (79%) patients underwent anatomic lobectomies, 56 (17%) patients had wedge resection, while five (1.5%) patients underwent pneumonectomy. In 11 patients, no pulmonary resection was performed for different reasons. Most common neoplasm was adenocarcinoma (185, 56%). All procedures involved a systematic mediastinal and hilar lymph node exploration and removal of suspicious nodes. Twenty-six (6.9%) procedures were converted to open thoracotomy. Mean duration of surgery was 185.63 min. Mean length of hospital stay was 5.52 days. Mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 47.85 ml. Mean follow-up was 249.41 days (20-1550 days), and five (1.5%) patients developed local recurrence. Early complications were seen in 29 patients (8.8%), most commonly cardiac arrhythmias (20, 6%). CONCLUSION: Robotic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is feasible in lung lesions, with all the advantages of VATS in terms of decreased length of stay and decreased blood loss with local recurrence rate and complication rate comparable to open procedures. There is a clear need for more studies comparing the apparent advantages of robotic-assisted surgery with increased cost of technology.

Five-Year Experience with Transcystic Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration.

Background: Common bile duct (CBD) stones associated with cholecystitis can be treated by single-stage CBD exploration at the time of cholecystectomy or a two-stage approach with endoscopic stone extraction before or after cholecystectomy. The ideal management remains a matter of debate. The aim of this study is to analyze our outcomes with transcystic laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). Material and Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent transcystic LCBDE between 2015 and 2019 was performed. Results: A total of 106 patients underwent transcystic LCBDE over 5 years. We performed 1192 laparoscopic cholecystectomies with cholangiograms from March 2015 to December 2019. Fifteen patients had a preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for CBD stones seen on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography that during laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC), there were stones and/or sludge found in the CBD, which required clearance through a transcystic approach. Of the 91 patients who did not have a preoperative ERCP, clearance of the CBD was successful through a transcystic approach in 78 patients (86%). In the 13 patients that intraoperative clearance was not achieved (n = 13, 14%), a postoperative ERCP was performed. A total of 28 patients underwent either pre- or postoperative ERCP (n = 28, 26%). Choledochotomy was not performed in any of the patients. The mean operative time was 127 minutes (127 ± 48). The mean hospital length of stay (LOS) was 4 days (3.9 ± 2.8) with a median LOS of 3 days. Complications observed include wound infection (n = 2, 2%), pancreatitis after ERCP (n = 1, 1%), pneumonia (n = 1, 1%), and right hepatic duct injury (n = 1, 1%). Conclusion: Transcystic LCBDE is an effective and safe option for treatment of CBD stones. While a transcystic approach does not guarantee clearance of the CBD, it avoids the morbidity associated with a choledochotomy and can often prevent patients from having to undergo an additional procedure.

Robotic video-assisted thoracoscopy: minimally invasive approach for management of mediastinal tumors.

In spite of difficult anatomic access for tumors of mediastinum, surgical resection remains the best diagnostic and therapeutic approach. Widespread acceptance of video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is restricted by the limiting nature of instruments and suboptimal visualization. Robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery seems to hold most promise in remote, narrow anatomical regions. After obtaining approval from Institutional Review Board (IRB), a retrospective review of prospectively collected database on patients that underwent Robotic VATS between 2009 and 2013 was conducted. Forty-eight patients underwent RVATS resection of mediastinal tumor. One procedure (2.1%) was converted to open. The size of the mass ranged from 0.6 to 12.5 cm in greatest dimension (mean 5.16 cm). The mean duration of procedure was 127.96 min (60-240 min). Five patients (10.4%) had early postoperative complications including chylothorax (1 patient), new onset atrial fibrillation (1 patient), pleural effusion (1 patient), empyema (1 patient), and bleeding (1 patient). Mean follow-up time was 186 days (10-1300 days). Two patients (4%) with invasive thymoma developed local recurrence. The present study documents the feasibility of RVATS in the management of mediastinal tumors irrespective of the location in various mediastinal compartments. The role for careful and complete excision of the tumor, and surveillance afterward on invasive thymoma, was noted in our study, as in literature.

Primary breast lymphoma: 30 years of experience with diagnosis and treatment at a single medical center.

In our retrospective study covering the past 30 years at a tertiary cancer care institution, we review 30 patients with primary breast lymphoma (stage I or II) and analyze the different treatment modalities. All 30 patients had unilateral disease, and the median age was 67.5 years. Two patients refused treatment and, hence, were excluded from our study. Of the 28 remaining patients, 11 (39%) were treated with a single treatment modality, and 17 (61%) underwent different combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Seventeen patients underwent a surgical resection as the primary modality or as part of a multimodality therapy. Seven patients (25%) experienced a local or distal recurrence of the disease. Of these 7 patients, 6 underwent surgery as the primary treatment or as part of a combined treatment modality, and 1 underwent radiation therapy only. Eighteen patients (64%) died during the follow-up period ranging from 6 to 230 months, but only 5 of these 18 patients (28% [18% of all patients]) died of disease-specific causes. Of the 2 patients who were only treated with chemotherapy, 1 had primary breast lymphoma that never went into remission. In our study, surgery as the primary modality therapy or as part of a multimodality therapy for primary breast lymphoma is associated with a higher rate of treatment failure, whereas a combination of chemotherapy and local radiation therapy provides the best results. However, because our sample size is small, for such a rare neoplasm, definitive treatment recommendations are difficult to determine.

Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation characterisation of water status of developing grains of maize (Zea mays L.) grown at different nitrogen levels.

Changes in water status of developing grains of maize (Zea mays L.) grown under different nitrogen levels were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. There were distinct changes in water status of grains due to the application of different levels of nitrogen (0, 120 and 180 kg N ha(-1)). A comparison of the grain developmental characteristics, composition and physical properties indicated that, not only the developmental characteristics like grain weight, grain number/ear, and rate of grain filling increased, but also bound water characterized by the T2 component of NMR relaxation increased with nitrogen application (50-70%) and developmental stages leading to maturation (10-60%). The consistency in the patterns of responses to free water and intermediate water to increasing levels of nitrogen application and grain maturity suggested that nitrogen application resulted in more proportion of water to both bound- and intermediate states and less in free state. These changes are further corroborated by the concomitant increases in protein and starch contents in grains from higher nitrogen treatments as macromolecules like protein and starch retain more amount of water in the bound state. The results of the changes in T2 showed that water status during grain development was not only affected by developmental processes but also by nitrogen supply to plants. This study strongly indicated a clear nutrient and developmental stage dependence of grain tissue water status in maize.

Minimally invasive valve surgery with bypass to the right coronary artery.

Herein, we report the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with increasing dyspnea on exertion. Echocardiography revealed significant aortic and mitral regurgitation, which were most likely secondary to previous radiation therapy for breast cancer. On cardiac catheterization a 90% ostial right coronary artery lesion was found and treated with a drug-eluting stent. During minimally invasive valve surgery, via a right anterior thoracotomy, it was noted that the stent had restenosed. Therefore, the right coronary artery was bypassed with a segment of venous graft through the same incision.

Ventral corporal body grafting for correcting severe penile curvature associated with single or two-stage hypospadias repair.

PURPOSE: The literature on small intestinal submucosa for chordee correction in children is scarce. We reviewed our experience with 1 ply SIS for ventral corporal body grafting in cases of severe ventral penile curvature associated with proximal hypospadias in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 04-2001 to 12-2007, 58 boys with proximal hypospadias and severe ventral curvature underwent single layered SIS graft to the corporal bodies to correct chordee. In 43 patients the surgery was done in the first stage of a planned 2-stage procedure. Fifteen patients underwent a 1-stage chordee correction with SIS and tubularized transverse preputial flap urethra. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 4.8 years. A straight phallus with good cosmesis was achieved in 57/58 patients. In 51/58 patients an artificial erection was performed in the operating room as part of a second stage procedure or for complications associated with the one stage urethroplasty. One patient needed a second procedure to correct the curvature (chordee was over-corrected and needed a ventral Nesbitt plication). In fifteen patients that underwent a 1-stage genital reconstruction, the neourethral meatus was left in the lower part of the glans in 8 patients and at the coronal sulcus in 7. CONCLUSIONS: Corporal body grafting with single layer SIS is a viable option for correction of severe chordee associated with corporal body disproportion. SIS is a material with reliable results, easy availability and no donor site associated morbidity. As a result of penile elongation with a graft, simultaneous island flap urethroplasty became difficult in many patients.