Cross-sectional Study Comparing Different Therapeutic Modalities For Cystic Lymphangiomas In Children.

Here, we describe our experience with different therapeutic modalities used to treat cystic lymphangiomas in children in our hospital, including single therapy with OK-432, bleomycin and surgery, and a combination of the three modalities. We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional study including patients treated from 1998 to 2011. The effects on macrocystic lymphangiomas and adverse reactions were evaluated. Twenty-nine children with cystic lymphangiomas without any previous treatment were included. Under general anesthesia, patients given sclerosing agents underwent puncture of the lesion (guided by ultrasound when necessary) and complete aspiration of the intralesional liquid. The patients were evaluated with ultrasound and clinical examinations for a maximum follow-up time of 4 years. The proportions of patients considered cured after the first therapeutic approach were 44% in the surgery group, 29% in the bleomycin group and 31% in the OK-432 group. These proportions were not significantly different. Sequential treatment increased the rates of curative results to 71%, 74% and 44%, respectively, after the final treatment, which in our case was approximately 1.5 applications per patient. The results of this study indicate that most patients with cystic lymphangiomas do not show complete resolution after the initial therapy, regardless of whether the therapy is surgical or involves the use of sclerosing agents. To achieve complete resolution of the lesions, either multiple operations or a combination of surgery and sclerotherapy must be used and should be tailored to the characteristics of each patient.

Microlithiasis of the gallbladder: role of endoscopic ultrasonography in patients with idiopathic acute pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES: Causes may be found in most cases of acute pancreatitis, however no etiology is found by clinical, biological and imaging investigations in 30% of these cases. Our objective was to evaluate results from endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for diagnosis of gallbladder microlithiasis in patients with unexplained (idiopathic) acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Thirty-six consecutive non-alcoholic patients with diagnoses of acute pancreatitis were studied over a five-year period. None of them showed signs of gallstones on transabdominal ultrasound or tomography. We performed EUS within one week of diagnosing acute pancreatitis. Diagnosis of gallbladder microlithiasis on EUS was based upon findings of hyperechoic signals of 0.5-3.0 mm, with or without acoustic shadowing. All patients (36 cases) underwent cholecystectomy, in accordance with indication from the attending physician or based upon EUS diagnosis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (75%) had microlithiasis confirmed by histology and nine did not (25%). EUS findings were positive in twenty-five. Two patients had acute cholecystitis diagnosed at EUS that was confirmed by surgical and histological findings. In two patients, EUS showed cholesterolosis and pathological analysis disclosed stones not detected by EUS. EUS diagnosed microlithiasis in four cases not confirmed by surgical treatment. In our study, sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values to identify gallbladder microlithiasis (with 95% confidence interval) were 92.6% (74.2-98.7%), 55.6% (22.7-84.7%), 86.2% (67.4-95.5%) and 71.4% (30.3-94.9%), respectively. Overall EUS accuracy was 83.2%. CONCLUSIONS: EUS is a very reliable procedure to diagnose gallbladder microlithiasis and should be used for the management of patients with unexplained acute pancreatitis. This procedure should be part of advanced endoscopic evaluation.

Natural rubber latex used as drug delivery system in guided bone regeneration (GBR)

In this work, we propose natural rubber latex (NRL) membranes as a protein delivery system. For this purpose Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was incorporated into the latex solution for in vitro protein delivery experiments. Different polymerization temperatures were used, from -10 to 27 °C, in order to control the membrane morphology. These membranes were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), as well as the Lowry Method to measure the BSA release. SEM and AFM microscopy analysis showed that the number, size and distribution of pores in NRL membranes can be varied, as well as its overall morphology. We have found that the morphology of the membrane is the predominant factor for higher protein release, compared with pore size and number of pores. Results demonstrated that the best drug-delivery system was the membrane polymerized at RT (27 °C), which does release 66% of its BSA content for up to 18 days. Our results indicate that NRLb could be used in the future as an active membrane that could accelerate bone healing in GBR.

Bioassay guided purification of the antimicrobial fraction of a Brazilian propolis from Bahia state

Background: Brazilian propolis type 6 (Atlantic forest, Bahia) is distinct from the other types of propolis especially due to absence of flavonoids and presence of other non-polar, long chain compounds, but presenting good in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity. Several authors have suggested that fatty acids found in this propolis might be responsible for its antimicrobial activity; however, so far no evidence concerning this finding has been reported in the literature. The goals of this study were to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the main pure fatty acids in the ethanolic extract and fractions and elucidate the chemical nature of the bioactive compounds isolated from Brazilian propolis type 6. Methods: Brazilian propolis type 6 ethanolic extract (EEP), hexane fraction (H-Fr), major fatty acids, and isolated sub-fractions were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high resolution gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HRGC-FID), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Three sub-fractions of H-Fr were obtained through preparative HPLC. Antimicrobial activity of EEP, H-Fr, sub-fractions, and fatty acids were tested against Staphyloccus aureus ATCC 25923 and Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt 1600 using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Results: EEP and H-Fr inhibited the growth of the microorganisms tested; nevertheless, no antimicrobial activity was found for the major fatty acids. The three sub-fractions (1, 2, and 3) were isolated from H-Fr by preparative HPLC and only sub-fraction 1 showed antimicrobial activity. Conclusion: a) The major fatty acids tested were not responsible for the antimicrobial activity of propolis type 6; b) Sub-fraction 1, belonging to the benzophenone class, was responsible for the antimicrobial activity observed in the present study. The identification of the bioactive compound will improve the development of more efficient uses of this natural product.

Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy studies on nanocrystalline ZrO(2)-CaO solid solutions

The crystal structure and the local atomic order of a series of nanocrystalline ZrO(2)-CaO solid solutions with varying CaO content were studied by synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. These samples were synthesized by a pH-controlled nitrate-glycine gel-combustion process. For CaO contents up to 8 mol%, the t' form of the tetragonal phase (c/a > 1) was identified, whereas for 10 and 12 mol% CaO, the t '' form (c/a=1; oxygen anions displaced from their ideal positions in the cubic phase) was detected. Finally, the cubic phase was observed for solid solutions with CaO content of 14 mol% CaO or higher. The t'/t '' and t ''/cubic compositional boundaries were determined to be at 9 (1) and 13 (1) mol% CaO, respectively. The EXAFS study demonstrated that this transition is related to a tetragonal-to-cubic symmetry change of the first oxygen coordination shell around the Zr atoms.

Microstructuration induced differences in the thermo-optical and luminescence properties of Nd:YAG fine grain ceramics and crystals

The temperature and compositional dependences of thermo- optical properties of neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) crystals and fine grain ceramics have been systematically investigated by means of time- resolved thermal lens spectrometry. We have found that Nd:YAG ceramics show a reduced thermal diffusivity compared to Nd:YAG single crystals in the complete temperature range investigated (80-300 K). The analysis of the time- resolved luminescent properties of Nd(3+) has revealed that the reduction in the phonon mean free path taking place in Nd:YAG ceramics cannot be associated with an increment in the density of lattice defects, indicating that phonon scattering at grain boundaries is the origin of the observed reduction in the thermal diffusivity of Nd: YAG ceramics. Finally, our results showed the ability of the time- resolved thermal lens to determine and optimize the thermo- optical properties of Nd: YAG ceramic based lasers. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2975335]

Functional specialization of Eucalyptus fine roots: contrasting potential uptake rates for nitrogen, potassium and calcium tracers at varying soil depths

1. Little is known about the role of deep roots in the nutrition of forest trees and their ability to provide a safety-net service taking up nutrients leached from the topsoil. 2. To address this issue, we studied the potential uptake of N, K and Ca by Eucalyptus grandis trees (6 years of age - 25 m mean height), in Brazil, as a function of soil depth, texture and water content. We injected NO(3)(-)- (15)N, Rb(+) (analogue of K(+)) and Sr(2+) (analogue of Ca(2+)) tracers simultaneously in a solution through plastic tubes at 10, 50, 150 and 300 cm in depth in a sandy and a clayey Ferralsol soil. A complete randomized design was set up with three replicates of paired trees per injection depth and soil type. Recently expanded leaves were sampled at various times after tracer injection in the summer, and the experiment was repeated in the winter. Soil water contents were continuously monitored at the different depths in the two soils. 3. Determination of foliar Rb and Sr concentrations and (15)N atom % made it possible to estimate the relative uptake potential (RUP) of tracer injections from the four soil depths and the specific RUP (SRUP), defined as RUP, per unit of fine root length density in the corresponding soil layer. 4. The highest tracer uptake rates were found in the topsoil, but contrasting RUP distributions were observed for the three tracers. Whilst the RUP was higher for NO(3)(-)- (15)N than for Rb(+) and Sr(2+) in the upper 50 cm of soil, the highest SRUP values for Sr(2+) and Rb(+) were found at a depth of 300 cm in the sandy soil, as well as in the clayey soil when gravitational solutions reached that depth. 5. Our results suggest that the fine roots of E. grandis trees exhibit contrasting potential uptake rates with depth depending on the nutrient. This functional specialization of roots might contribute to the high growth rates of E. grandis trees, efficiently providing the large amounts of nutrients required throughout the development of these fast-growing plantations.

Land planarians (Platyhelminthes) as a model organism for fine-scale phylogeographic studies: understanding patterns of biodiversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the world. Paleoclimatic models have predicted two large stability regions in its northern and central parts, whereas southern regions might have suffered strong instability during Pleistocene glaciations. Molecular phylogeographic and endemism studies show, nevertheless, contradictory results: although some results validate these predictions, other data suggest that paleoclimatic models fail to predict stable rainforest areas in the south. Most studies, however, have surveyed species with relatively high dispersal rates whereas taxa with lower dispersion capabilities should be better predictors of habitat stability. Here, we have used two land planarian species as model organisms to analyse the patterns and levels of nucleotide diversity on a locality within the Southern Atlantic Forest. We find that both species harbour high levels of genetic variability without exhibiting the molecular footprint of recent colonization or population expansions, suggesting a long-term stability scenario. The results reflect, therefore, that paleoclimatic models may fail to detect refugia in the Southern Atlantic Forest, and that model organisms with low dispersal capability can improve the resolution of these models.

Experimental Measurement of Water Diffusion through Fine Aggregate Mixtures

The water diffusion attributable to concentration gradients is among the main mechanisms of water transport into the asphalt mixture. The transport of small molecules through polymeric materials is a very complex process, and no single model provides a complete explanation because of the small molecule`s complex internal structure. The objective of this study was to experimentally determine the diffusion of water in different fine aggregate mixtures (FAM) using simple gravimetric sorption measurements. For the purposes of measuring the diffusivity of water, FAMs were regarded as a representative homogenous volume of the hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Fick`s second law is generally used to model diffusion driven by concentration gradients in different materials. The concept of the dual mode diffusion was investigated for FAM cylindrical samples. Although FAM samples have three components (asphalt binder, aggregates, and air voids), the dual mode was an attempt to represent the diffusion process by only two stages that occur simultaneously: (1) the water molecules are completely mobile, and (2) the water molecules are partially mobile. The combination of three asphalt binders and two aggregates selected from the Strategic Highway Research Program`s (SHRP) Materials Reference Library (MRL) were evaluated at room temperature [23.9 degrees C (75 degrees F)] and at 37.8 degrees C (100 degrees F). The results show that moisture uptake and diffusivity of water through FAM is dependent on the type of aggregate and asphalt binder. At room temperature, the rank order of diffusivity and moisture uptake for the three binders was the same regardless of the type of aggregate. However, this rank order changed at higher temperatures, suggesting that at elevated temperatures different binders may be undergoing a different level of change in the free volume. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000190. (C) 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Effect of follicular wave synchronization on in vitro embryo production in heifers

Aiming to achieve the ideal time of ovum pick-up (OPU) for in vitro embryo production (IVP) in crossbred heifers, two Latin square design studies investigated the effect of ovarian follicular wave synchronization with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progestins. For each experiment, crossbred heifers stage of estrous cycle was synchronized either with a norgestomet ear implant (Experiment 1) or a progesterone intravaginal device (Experiment 2) for 7d, followed by the administration of 150 mu g D-cloprostenol. On Day 7, all follicles >3 mm in diameter were aspirated and implants/devices were replaced by new ones. Afterwards, implant/device replacement was conducted every 14 d. Each experiment had three treatment groups. In Experiment I (n = 12), heifers in Group 2X had their follicles aspirated twice a week and those in Groups 1X and 1X-EB were submitted to OPU once a week for a period of 28 d. Heifers from Group 1X-EB also received 2 mg EB i.m. immediately after each OPU session. In Experiment 2 (n = 11), animals from Group 0EB did not receive EB while heifers in Groups 2EB and 5EB received 2 and 5 mg of EB respectively, immediately after OPU. The OPU sessions were performed once weekly for 28 d. Therefore, in both experiments, four OPU sessions were performed in heifers aspirated once a week and in Experiment 1, eight OPU sessions were done in heifers aspirated twice a week. Additionally, during the 7-d period following follicular aspiration, ovarian ultrasonography examinations were conducted to measure diameter of the largest follicle and blood samples were collected for FSH quantification by RIA. In Experiment 1, all viable oocytes recovered were in vitro matured and fertilized. Results indicated that while progestin and EB altered follicular wave patterns, this treatment did not prevent establishment of follicular dominance on the ovaries of heifers during OPU at 7-d intervals. Furthermore, the proposed stage of follicular wave synchronization strategies did not improve the number and quality of the recovered oocytes, or the number of in vitro produced embryos. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Search for time variation of the fine structure constant

An order of magnitude sensitivity gain is described for using quasar spectra to investigate possible time or space variation in the fine structure constant alpha. Applied to a sample of 30 absorption systems, spanning redshifts 0.5 < z < 1.6, we derive limits on variations in alpha over a wide range of epochs. For the whole sample, Delta alpha/alpha = (-1.1 +/- 0.4) x 10(-5). This deviation is dominated by measurements at z > 1, where Delta alpha/alpha = (-1.9 +/- 0.5) x 10(-5). For z < 1, Delta alpha/alpha = (-0.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(-5). While this is consistent with a time-varying alpha, further work is required to explore possible systematic errors in the data, although careful searches have so far revealed none.

Biomodel-guided stereotaxy

OBJECTIVES: To simplify the practice of stereotactic surgery by using an original method, apparatus, and solid anatomic replica for trajectory planning and to validate the method and apparatus in a laboratory and clinical trial. METHODS: The patient is marked with fiducials and scanned by using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The three-dimensional data are converted to a format acceptable to stereolithography. Stereolithography uses a laser to polymerize photosensitive resin into a solid plastic model (biomodel). Stereolithography can replicate brood vessels, soft tissue, tumor, and bone accurately (

Sedimentologic, petrographic, and sulfur isotope constraints on fine-grained pyrite formation at Mount Isa Mine and environs, Northwest Queensland, Australia

Fine-grained pyrite is the earliest generation of pyrite and the most abundant sulfide within the Urquhart Shale at Mount Isa, northwest Queensland. The pyrite is intimately interbanded with ore-grade Pb-Zn miner alization at the Mount Isa mine but is also abundant north and south of the mine at several stratigraphic horizons within the Urquhart Shale. Detailed sedimentologic, petrographic, and sulfur isotope studies of the Urquhart Shale, mostly north of the mine, reveal that the fine-grained pyrite (delta(34)S = -3.3 to +26.3 parts per thousand) formed by thermochemical sulfate reduction during diagenesis. The sulfate source was local sulfate evaporites, pseudo morphs of which are present throughout the Urquhart Shale (i.e., gypsum, anhydrite, and barite). Deep-burial diagenetic replacement of these evaporites resulted in sulfate-bearing ground waters which migrated parallel to bedding. Fine-grained pyrite formed where these fluids infiltrated and then interacted with carbon-rich laminated siltstones. Comparison of the sulfur isotope systematics of fine-grained pyrite and spatially associated base metal sulfides from the Mount Isa Pb-Zn and Cu orebodies indicates a common sulfur source of ultimately marine origin for all sulfide types. Different sulfur isotope ratio distributions for the various sulfides are the result of contrasting formation mechanisms and/or depositional conditions rather than differing sulfur sources. The sulfur isotope systematics of the base metal and associated iron sulfide generations are consistent with mineralization by reduced hydrothermal fluids, perhaps generated by bulk reduction of evaporite-sourced sulfate-bearing waters generated deeper in the Mount Isa Group, the sedimentary sequence which contains the Urquhart Shale. The available sulfur isotope data from the Mount Isa orebodies are consistent with either a chemically and thermally zoned, evolving Cu-Pb-Zn system, or discrete Cu and Pb-Zn mineralizing events linked by a common sulfur source.

Two-dimensional nonlinear dynamics of evanescent-wave guided atoms in a hollow fiber

We describe the classical and quantum two-dimensional nonlinear dynamics of large blue-detuned evanescent-wave guiding cold atoms in hollow fiber. We show that chaotic dynamics exists for classic dynamics, when the intensity of the beam is periodically modulated. The two-dimensional distributions of atoms in (x,y) plane are simulated. We show that the atoms will accumulate on several annular regions when the system enters a regime of global chaos. Our simulation shows that, when the atomic flux is very small, a similar distribution will be obtained if we detect the atomic distribution once each the modulation period and integrate the signals. For quantum dynamics, quantum collapses, and revivals appear. For periodically modulated optical potential, the variance of atomic position will be suppressed compared to the no modulation case. The atomic angular momentum will influence the evolution of wave function in two-dimensional quantum system of hollow fiber.