Unexpected silicon localization in calcium carbonate exoskeleton of cultured and fossil coccolithophores.

Coccolithophores, marine calcifying phytoplankton, are important primary producers impacting the global carbon cycle at different timescales. Their biomineral structures, the calcite containing coccoliths, are among the most elaborate hard parts of any organism. Understanding the morphogenesis of coccoliths is not only relevant in the context of coccolithophore eco-physiology but will also inform biomineralization and crystal design research more generally. The recent discovery of a silicon (Si) requirement for crystal shaping in some coccolithophores has opened up a new avenue of biomineralization research. In order to develop a mechanistic understanding of the role of Si, the presence and localization of this chemical element in coccoliths needs to be known. Here, we document for the first time the uneven Si distribution in Helicosphaera carteri coccoliths through three synchrotron-based techniques employing X-ray Fluorescence and Infrared Spectromicroscopy. The enrichment of Si in specific areas of the coccoliths point to a targeted role of this element in the coccolith formation. Our findings mark a key step in biomineralization research because it opens the door for a detailed mechanistic understanding of the role Si plays in shaping coccolith crystals.

Non-indigenous macrozoobenthic species on hard substrata of selected harbours in the Adriatic Sea.

The intense shipping traffic characterising the Adriatic Sea favours the spread of marine organisms. Yet, a study of 12 Adriatic ports (4 on the western side and 8 on the eastern side of the basin) found that non-indigenous species (NIS) accounted for only 4% of the benthic communities settled on hard substrates. The cirripeds Amphibalanus amphitrite and Balanus trigonus, found in 8 harbours, were the most common invaders followed by Amphibalanus eburneus, the ascidian Styela plicata, and the bivalve Magallana gigas. The highest percentage of NIS was recorded in Venice and Ploce, the harbours with the least rich native communities; the lowest percentage was retrieved in Trieste, Koper, Pula, and Rijeka, the harbours hosting the highest species diversity. In contrast, the ports of Bari and Ancona showed both high NIS percentages and highly diversified communities.

Potential transfer of aquatic organisms via ballast water with a particular focus on harmful and non-indigenous species: A survey from Adriatic ports.

Ballast water discharges may cause negative impacts to aquatic ecosystems, human health and economic activities by the introduction of potentially harmful species. Fifty untreated ballast water tanks, ten in each port, were sampled in four Adriatic Italian ports and one Slovenian port. Salinity, temperature and fluorescence were measured on board. Faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), phyto- and zooplankton were qualitatively and quantitatively determined to identify the species assemblage arriving in ballast water. FIB exceeded the convention standard limits in 12% of the sampled tanks. Vibrio cholerae was not detected. The number of viable organisms in the size groups (minimum dimension) <50 and ≥10 µm and ≥50 µm resulted above the abundances required from the Ballast Water Management Convention in 55 and 86% of the samples, respectively. This is not surprising as unmanaged ballast waters were sampled. Some potentially toxic and non-indigenous species were observed in both phyto- and zooplankton assemblages.

Molecular methods for cost-efficient monitoring of HAB (harmful algal bloom) dinoflagellate resting cysts.

Cyst abundance and identity are essential for understanding and predicting blooms, and for assessing the dispersal of toxic target dinoflagellate species by natural or human mediated ways, as with ballast waters. The aim of this study was to apply rapid, specific and sensitive qPCR assays to enumerate toxic dinoflagellate cysts in sediment samples collected from Adriatic harbours. The molecular standard curves of various target species allowed obtaining the rDNA copy number per cyst. The analytical sensitivity for specific standard curves was determined to be 2 or 10 rDNA copies per reaction. The abundance varied in the range of 1-747 dinoflagellate cysts g-1 dry weight. The assays showed greater sensitivity as compared to counts by light microscopy. This qPCR method revealed a powerful tool for the quantification of cysts from toxic dinoflagellate resting stages in sediment samples from Adriatic ports.

Penile straightening maneuvers employed during penile prosthesis surgery: technical options and outcomes.

Straightening maneuvers (SM), including manual penile modeling, tunical relaxing incisions and corporal reconstruction using grafting techniques, are occasionally required during inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) implantation to ensure functional penile straightness. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of men undergoing SM employed during IPP implantation compared with those wherein these maneuvers were not required. A retrospective review of 391 patients undergoing IPP implantation at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from January 2000 to December 2011 was performed. Patients in whom some SM was employed (SM, n=93, 23.9% of the overall cohort) were compared with those for whom SM was not required (IPP group, n=298). Seven patients were excluded from final analysis (6 patients with IPPs inserted in neophalli (SM group), and 1 patient with incomplete data (IPP group). Patients in whom a SM was used were younger (55.4 vs 62.3 years), more likely to have Peyronie's disease, and less likely to have prostate cancer, radical prostatectomy or to have previously used erectile aids (all P<0.05). Mean operating room time in the SM group was longer (173.8 vs 152.9 min, P=0.003). Within the SM group, modeling was performed in 40 (43%), tunical relaxing incisions in 37 (39.8%) and tunical reconstruction in 16 (17.2%) (most commonly using allograft dermis or pericardium, or synthetic gore-tex grafts). There were no significant differences in terms of device infection (P=0.15), mechanical failure (P=0.23) or erosion (P=0.96). Although limited in size, this cohort study suggests that IPP implantation in men with penile deformity requiring complex reconstruction to achieve straightening may be done proficiently and without increased adverse outcome risk.

Esclerosis tuberosa: evaluación de las lesiones intracraneanas

La esclerosis tuberosa es una enfermedad neurocutánea, caracterizada por la aparición de una tríada clínica (tríada de Vogt): retraso mental, convulsiones y lesiones cutáneas (adenoma sebáceo). Presenta hallazgos intracraneanos típicos que permiten orientar su diagnóstico. El presente artículo tiene como propósito mencionar, describir y dar ejemplos de los hallazgos intracraneanos característicos de la esclerosis tuberosa, utilizando imágenes provenientes de nuestra casuística.

Tuberous sclerosis is a neurocutaneous disease characterized by the clinical triad (Vogt triad) of mental defi ciencies, seizures and skin lesions (sebaceous adenoma). It is also characterized by typical intracranial findings that lead to its diagnosis. This article is an iconographic essay that will describe and give examples of findings characteristic of intracranial tuberous sclerosis using illustrations from our experience.

Infección por herpes virus 1-2 como manifestación del síndrome de reconstitución inmune. Actualización y reporte de un caso de difícil diagnóstico / Herpes virus 1-2 infection as a manifestation of the immune reconstitution syndrome. Actualization and case report of difficult diagnose

Frecuentemente en pacientes Sida las lesiones bucales son de difícil diagnóstico. Nuestro objetivo es actualizar la etiofisiopatogenia de lesiones producidas por herpes virus como una manifestación del síndrome de reconstitución inmune, en mucosa bucal y presentar un paciente inmuno suprimido con lesiones difícilmente diagnosticables de herpes virus simple 1/2.Caso clínico. Paciente masculino, 39 años, homosexual, antecedentes de HZV, TBC y ETS. CMV, hepatitis B y Toxoplasmosis negativas y hepatoesplenomegalia, fibrosis granulomatosa peritoneal y adenopatías mesentéricas activas; 12 CD4 y 5,54 log. de carga viral. Se instaló TARV con buena respuesta. Al mes presentó dificultad para hablar, hipersalia, dolor, y lesiones exofíticas en lengua, aspecto rizado, irregular, con surcos, erosiones, úlceras, y pápulas, cubiertas por pseudomembrana amarillenta. Los cultivos resultaron negativos para hongos, bacterias o parásitos. Sucesivas biopsias analizadas por cinco patólogos descartaron malignidad o autoinmunidad. Diagnósticos similares refirieron “reacción inflamatoria crónica”. Un sexto experto por detalles histológicos e inmunomarcación con antisuero HSV-I/HSV-II reveló positividad nuclear y citoplasmática Epifluorescencia y microscopía electrónica certificaron el diagnóstico. El Acyclovir 4g/diarios, 4 semanas fue eficaz. Conclusión. la infección por Herpes virus en pacientes con inmunosupresión severa complica el diagnóstico clínico, por lo cual conviene agotar la búsqueda (AU)

Frequently on Aids patients, oral lesions are difficult to diagnose. Our objective is to actualize the etiopathogenie of Herpes virus infection, especially on oral mucosa and to present an immunosupressed patient with atypical oral tonge´s lesions of Herpes virus. A case report. Male 39 years old, homosexual, with HZV, TBC and ETS history. CMV, B hepatitis and toxoplasmosis negative. Activated hepatospleenmegalia, peritoneum granulomatous fibrosis desease and mesentheric adenopathies. 12/ml CD4 and log 5.54 viral load. Instalation of Haart was succefull. After one month hereturned with problems pronounce, excessive salivation, pain and exofitic lesions on his tonge, which offered agoffered, bumpy, ruffled and crimped surface with erosions, ulcers and papules covered by a yellowed pseudomembrana. Cultures of fungus, bacteria or parasiten were negative. Successive biopsies were analized by 5 pathologists who have discarded any malignancy or autoimmune disease. Similar diagnostics referred “chronic inflammatory reaction”. A sixth expert, referred that HSV histological details and immunomarcation with HSVI/HSV-II antiserum corresponded to nuclear and idioplasmatic positivity. Epifluorescence and electronicmicroscopic certificated diagnose. Acyclovir 4g/daily, four weeks was successful. Conclusion. Herpes virus infection on patients with severe immuno supression complicate clinic diagnose, that’s why it is convienent to exhaust auxiliary examinations (AU)

Gadobenate dimeglumine 0.5 M solution for injection (MultiHance) pharmaceutical formulation and physicochemical properties of a new magnetic resonance imaging contrast medium.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the proton-magnetic relaxation properties and complexation equilibria of gadobenate dimeglumine and to develop a pharmaceutical formulation for injection. METHODS: Proton-magnetic relaxivities were determined at 20 MHz and 39 degrees C. Metal complexation was studied potentiometrically. Degradation pathways were identified through prolonged exposure to elevated temperature. RESULTS: Because of its size and very weak interaction with serum albumin, gadobenate dimeglumine has proton-magnetic relaxivities that are larger than those of gadopentetate dimeglumine in both water and biological fluids. With regard to metal complexation, the two products are indistinguishable. The metal complexation behavior and thermal stability of the product allowed a pharmaceutical formulation for injection containing 0.5 M gadobenate dimeglumine without excipients. The physicochemical properties of the formulated product were determined. CONCLUSION: Gadobenate dimeglumine has an elevated T1-relaxivity, especially in blood plasma. The high stability of the complex guarantees a negligible release of gadolinium ion. Gadobenate dimeglumine 0.5 M solution for injection has a shelf life of three years.

Effect of different surface finishing and of hydroxyapatite coatings on passive and corrosion current of Ti6Al4V alloy in simulated physiological solution.

Direct and alternating current electrochemical tests were carried out on Ti6Al4V with different surface finishing and with hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings. Sand-blasting and rough titanium deposits obtained by vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) bring about an increase of passive and corrosion current density (c.d.) with respect to smooth Ti6Al4V, as a consequence of the augmentation of the real surface. The presence of HA deposits obtained by VPS causes an increase of passive and corrosion c.d. of the metallic substrate of about one order of magnitude and this should be taken into account in view of human body applications.

The chemistry of iomeprol and physico-chemical properties of its aqueous solutions and pharmaceutical formulations.

The synthesis and the chemical characterization of iomeprol, a new triiodinated nonionic radiographic contrast agent, are reported. The physico-chemical properties both of aqueous solutions of the pure compound and of its pharmaceutical formulations are presented and these last data are compared with those of other contrast media. The pharmaceutical development of the product is described. Iomeprol is obtained via a synthesis which is particularly friendly to the environment. The compound shows an unusually high solubility which allows the formulation of contrast media with the lowest osmolalities and viscosities as compared with corresponding contrast media of the same category. In view of these favourable characteristics and of the remarkably high stability of its solutions, iomeprol for injection is formulated also at 400 mgI/ml, the highest concentration so far available on the market for non-ionic contrast media.

[67Ga scintiscanning in the diagnosis of lung diseases (author's transl)].

The results observed with 67Ga scintiscanning in 101 cases of lung disease are presented and discussed in relation to the final diagnosis, and hence the reliability of the examination.