The effect of Bosentan on healing of colonic anastomosis

Background  

Ischemia is the most important factor compromises wound healing in colonic anastomosis. Mesenteric vessels are ligated at first while performing colonic resection and following anastomosis. Therefore blood supply of the related segments of colon temporarily interrupted and ischemia can easily occur. This study was carried out to explore whether Bosentan, an endothelin-receptor antagonist, can eliminate vasoconstruction, increase blood flow in the splanchnic area and anastomotic region and therefore possibly facilitate wound healing and prevent intra-abdominal adhesion formation.     

Giant fusiform aneurysm of the vertebro-basilar artery presenting with stroke

The authors describe a case of giant fusiform aneurysm of the basilar artery presenting with ischemic symptoms. Angiography and CT revealed vertebro-basilar fusiform aneurysmal dilatation. Fusiform vertebro-basilar ancurysm is associated with various complications particularly brain stem infarction. Similar lesions in the literature are reviewed and the relationship between this clinical entity and cerebral ischemia, particularly brainstem infarction are discussed.     

Inhibition of in vivo tumorigenicity and invasiveness of a human glioblastoma cell line transfected with antisense uPAR vectors

Our previous studies showed that glioblastomas express increased urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptors (uPARs) in comparison to low-grade gliomas (Yamamoto et al., Cancer Res., 54, 5016-5020, 1994). To explore whether downregulation of uPAR inhibits tumor formation and invasiveness, a human glioblastoma cell line was transfected with a cDNA construct corresponding to 300 bp of the human uPAR's 5¢ end in an antisense orientation, resulting in a reduced number of uPA receptors. Co-culture studies with tumor spheroids and fetal rat brain aggregates showed that antisense SNB19-AS1 cells expressing reduced uPAR failed to invade fetal rat brain aggregates. Intracerebral injection of SNB19-AS1 stable transfectants failed to form tumors and were negative for uPAR expression in nude mice. Thus uPAR appears in this model to be essential for tumorigenicity and invasion of glioblastomas in vivo.     

Risk of tuberculous infection among healthcare workers in a tertiary-care hospital in Ankara, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity among healthcare workers (HCWs). DESIGN: Two-step TST was performed in 2002. SETTING: Tertiary-care hospital in Ankara, Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 491 hospital HCWs were included. Information related to demographics, profession, work duration, department, and individual and family history of tuberculosis (TB) was obtained by a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Four hundred eight (83%) had two-step TST positivity. On multivariate analysis, male physicians (relative risk [RR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.23-1.69; P = .001), nurses (RR, 1.5; CI95, 1.29-1.66; P = .005), radiology technicians (RR, 1.7; CI95, 1.35-1.73; P = .002), laboratory technicians (RR, 1.6; CI95, 1.3-1.74; P = .007), and male housekeepers (RR, 1.6; (HCWs). CI95, 1.38-1.7; P < .001) had a higher risk than did female physicians. Among laboratory technicians, radiology technicians had the highest TST positivity (85%). HCWs working for less than 1 year (RR, 0.8; CI95, 0.72-0.98; P = .027) had a lower risk of infection. The HCWs having bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination (RR, 1.12; CI95, 1.08-1.45) had higher TST positivity. CONCLUSION: Male physicians, nurses, and laboratory technicians had increased risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in this setting, but community exposure likely accounted for most infections.     

Prevention of complications in laparoscopic hysterectomy: experience with 1120 cases performed by a single surgeon

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe a safe technique without any ureteral, bladder, and major vessel injuries in laparoscopic hysterectomy with a CO2 laser technique. DESIGN: Prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: Centre Hospitalier Interrégional Edith Cavell, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Endoscopic Laser Surgery Center, Bruxelles, Belgium; and Kadir Has University, Metropolitan Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. PATIENTS: One thousand one hundred twenty women with benign diseases. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) or laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Between 1992 and 2004, in 1120 women with benign diseases, consecutive LAVH or LH was planned. During laparoscopic hysterectomy, at all stages, bipolar forceps was used for hemostasis, and a CO2 laser was used for vaporization and excision. The total operating time was 35 to 180 minutes, with a median of 52 minutes (range 35-163) for LAVH (n = 542) and 55 minutes (range 42-180) for LH (n = 552). Operations were successfully completed laparoscopically in 98.8% of the patients. The mean hospital stay was 2 days. The overall major complication rate was 1%. No ureteral, bladder, or major vascular injury occurred. CONCLUSION: The technique we used in our study is safe and effective in the prevention of ureteral, vesical, and vascular injuries during LAVH and LH; moreover, the use of bipolar coagulation and a CO2 laser in endoscopic surgery results in a shorter duration of operation. This technique provides all the advantages of both laparoscopic and vaginal surgery.     

2016—2018年田湾核电站周边饮用水中总放射性水平分析

目的 了解田湾核电站周边的饮用水中总放射性本底水平。方法 根据原国家卫生计划委员会方案要求在田湾核电站周围开展枯水期、丰水期饮用水中总α、总β放射性水平监测,采集水样包括水源水、出厂水、末梢水及水库水。结果 2016—2018年共35个采样点监测水样200份。枯水期总α、总β放射性水平分别为（0.038 ±0.033） Bq/L、（0.11 ±0.03） Bq/L,丰水期总α、总β放射性水平分别为（0.038 ±0.024） Bq/L、（0.11 ±0.03） Bq/L。枯水期的水源水其他水中总α、总β放射性水平差异有统计学意义(P < 0.05）。不同年份的水中总α、总β放射性水平差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05)。距核电站不同距离的水中总α、总β放射性水平差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。结论 田湾核电站周边的饮用水中总α、总β放射性水平均符合生活饮用水标准,应坚持定期、定点、持续开展监测,并在此基础上开展放射性核素监测和放射生态学调查等研究。考虑到我国核电站周边人员密集,应加强人员的核应急培训。     

Impact of Precursor Concentration on Perovskite Crystallization for Efficient Wide-Bandgap Solar Cells

High-crystalline-quality wide-bandgap metal halide perovskite materials that achieve superior performance in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been widely explored. Precursor concentration plays a crucial role in the wide-bandgap perovskite crystallization process. Herein, we investigated the influence of precursor concentration on the morphology, crystallinity, optical property, and defect density of perovskite materials and the photoelectric performance of solar cells. We found that the precursor concentration was the key factor for accurately controlling the nucleation and crystal growth process, which determines the crystallization of perovskite materials. The precursor concentration based on Cs_0.05FA_0.8MA_0.15Pb(I_0.84Br_0.16)₃ perovskite was controlled from 0.8 M to 2.3 M. The perovskite grains grow larger with the increase in concentration, while the grain boundary and bulk defect decrease. After regulation and optimization, the champion PSC with the 2.0 M precursor concentration exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.13%. The management of precursor concentration provides an effective way for obtaining high-crystalline-quality wide-bandgap perovskite materials and high-performance PSCs.