Humic substance/metal-oxide multifunctional nanoparticles as advanced antibacterial-antimycotic agents and photocatalysts for the degradation of PLA microplastics under UVA/solar radiation.

As a result of the accumulation of plastic in the environment, microplastics have become part of the food chain, boosting the resistance of fungi and bacteria which can frequently encounter human beings. Employing photocatalytic degradation is a possible route towards the removal of chemical and biological pollutants, such as plastics and microplastic wastes as well as microorganisms. Using biowaste materials to design hybrid nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial features would uphold the principles of the circular bioeconomy. Here, two unexpensive semiconductors-namely titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) - were synthetized through solvothermal synthesis and combined with humic substances deriving from agrifood biomass. The preparation led to hybrid nanoparticles exhibiting enhanced ROS-generating properties for simultaneous applications as antimicrobial agents against different bacterial and fungal strains and as photoactive catalysts to degrade polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics under UVA and solar irradiation. In comparison to bare nanoparticles, hybrid nanoparticles demonstrated higher antibacterial and antimycotic capabilities toward various pathogenic microorganisms as well as advanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of PLA with a carbonyl index reduction in the range of 15-23%, thus confirming a noteworthy ability in microplastics photodegradation under UVA and solar irradiation.

A rapid phage assay for detection of viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in milk.

Paratuberculosis is an incurable gastroenteritis among ruminants that is promoted by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), an acid-fast mycobacterium. To accelerate the detection of viable pathogen, a conventional (peptide mediated magnetic separation: PMS) and novel (phage-bead qPCR: PBQ) phage based assay was optimized. A superior limit of detection (LOD) of 10 MAP per 10 mL milk was suggested for PBQ compared to 100 cells/10 mL for PMS-phage assay. Via PBQ, viable MAP was found in 48.78% out 41 unpasteurized sheep and goat milk samples. Sheep milk samples (n = 29) that were tested by PMS-phage assay contained no viable MAP. The absence of viable MAP in milk collected from 21 of the recent sheep animals was also confirmed by PBQ after a 2-week gap. Although, the two phage assays comparably detected no viable MAP in the milk samples, MAP DNA and antibodies against MAP were recognized in milk and sera of some of these animals within two instances of sampling representing that some sheep animals were MAP shedders. In conclusion, PBQ and PMS-phage could be promising methods for the assessment of MAP viability in milk samples. However, PBQ was privileged over the PMS-phage assay due to the lower LOD, rapidity, higher sensitivity, lack of need to M. smegmatis and consequent virucidal treatment that are essential in PMS-phage assay for making lawn and inactivation of exogenous mycobacteriophages respectively.

A Case Report on Gallbladder Agenesis: Not a Novelty but Still a Laparoscopic Surprise.

Gallbladder agenesis (GA) is a rare embryological anomaly that presents acute cholecystitis like-symptoms. It is often an incidental finding diagnosed during surgery. We reported a case of GA in a patient who presented with dyspepsia and acute right upper abdomen pain with ultrasonographic signs of acute lithiasic cholecystitis. The preoperative assessment, according to first-level exams, is oriented to the diagnosis of acute lithiasic cholecystitis with atrophy and sclerosis. During laparoscopy, the proximal transverse colon was found strictly adherent to gallbladder fossa. The gallbladder was found to be absent. The surgical procedure consisted of lysis of multiple colo-hepatic adhesions. The diagnosis of congenital GA was made laparoscopically. The postoperative radiological images, based on CT and MR examinations, documented the diagnosis of GA with a biliary duct anatomical variant. The recovery was uneventful and the patient remained symptom-free for more than four years. GA is a clinical challenge that still poses diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. Although no diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm is accepted worldwide, due to heterogeneity of clinical scenarios and the variability in hospital facilities, surgeons have to be familiar with this rare entity, and conversion in laparotomy or unnecessary operative procedures should be avoided in the same operative setting.

Whole rat stomach decellularisation using a detergent-enzymatic protocol.

BACKGROUND: Conditions leading to reduced gastric volume are difficult to manage and are associated to poor quality-of-life. Stomach augmentation using a tissue-engineered stomach is a potential solution to restore adequate physiology and food reservoir. Aim of this study was to evaluate the decellularisation of whole rat stomach using a detergent-enzymatic protocol. METHODS: Stomachs harvested from rats were decellularised through luminal and vascular cannulation using 24-h detergent-enzymatic treatment and completely characterized by appropriate staining, DNA and Extracellular matrix -component quantifications. RESULTS: The detergent-enzymatic protocol allows a complete decellularisation of the gastric tissue, with a complete removal of the DNA with two cycles as confirmed by both quantifications and histological analysis. Extracellular matrix components, collagen, fibronectin, laminin and elastin, were optimally preserved by the treatment, while glycosaminoglycans were reduced. CONCLUSION: Gastric tissue can be efficiently decellularised. Scaffolds retained original structure and important components that could enhance integration with other tissues for in vivo transplant. The use of naturally derived material could be potentially considered for the treatment of both congenital and acquired conditions.

Could laser-assisted dissection of the pre-epiglottic space affect functional outcome after ESL?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of preepiglottic space (PES) dissection in the endoscopic supraglottic laryngectomy (ESL). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We retrospectively compared 15 patients who underwent ESL with 15 patients matched for clinical stage who underwent open partial horizontal laryngectomy (OPHL). The functional outcomes were assessed in terms of hospital stay; need for nasal feeding tube (NFT) and tracheostomy, as well as duration of their use; postoperative complications; aspiration pneumonia rates; voice quality; and dysphagia. RESULTS: Among the ESL cases, combined dissection of the epiglottis and PES (type III) had a negative impact on functional outcomes. ESL patients experienced shorter hospital stays, as well as shorter use of NFT and tracheostomy, than patients who had OPHL. CONCLUSION: Combined dissection of the epiglottis and PES (ESL type III) negatively affected functional outcome in patients undergoing ESL, a procedure generally related to significantly better functional outcomes than OPHL type I. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:1371-1378, 2018.

Bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone in elderly patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a multicenter, open label phase 1/2 study.

BACKGROUND: In elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), the addition of bortezomib to standard, combined oral melphalan and prednisone (MP) significantly increases the response rate and event-free survival compared with MP alone. METHODS: In this phase 1/2 trial, the authors assessed the dosing, efficacy, and safety of a lower dose-intensity MP schedule plus weekly bortezomib as salvage treatment for elderly patients with MM. To assess the maximum tolerated dose, 19 patients who had relapsed/refractory MM after 1 or 2 lines of treatment entered the first phase of the study. They received melphalan at a dose of 24 mg for 28 days; bortezomib 1.3 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; and prednisone at a dose of 50 mg every other day of a 28-day cycle for a total of 9 cycles. At the end of the first phase, based on the good efficacy and acceptable toxicity of this combination, an additional 23 patients were enrolled. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 21 months, of 42 patients who relapsed, 24 (57%) obtained at least a partial response, 4 had stable disease, and 11 had progressive disease. The median time to progression was 18 months, and the median overall survival was 30 months. Grade 3 and 4 toxicity was observed in 16 of 42 patients (38%) and was more frequent during the early cycles. CONCLUSIONS: A weekly infusion of bortezomib associated with lower dose-intensity MP induced a high proportion of responses and was well tolerated in elderly patients with relapsed/refractory MM.