Toothpick ingestion complicated by cecal perforation : case report and literature review

Background: Diverticulitis and carcinoma represent the most common causes of colon perforation, but other causes, like ingestion of foreign bodies, should be taken into account. Case presentation: We report the case of a 64-year old man presenting in our Emergency Department with a 2 days history of right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and low grade fever. Physical examination evocated mild pain with positive rebound tenderness in the right lower abdominal quadrant, and positive right costovertebral angle tenderness. Routine blood tests, abdominal X-rays and CT scan were inconclusive for perforation. At explorative laparoscopy a cecal perforation with localized peritonitis was found, and a right colectomy was performed due to the suspicion of cancer. Histological examination confirmed the presence of a perforation caused by a piece of wood (toothpick) of 6 cm in length. Conclusions: Foreign body ingestion should be taken into account in the evaluation of acute abdominal pain. A detailed patient's history may be crucial for a correct diagnosis and treatment

Yield and quality characteristics of brassica microgreens as affected by the NH4:NO3 molar ratio and strength of the nutrient solution

Microgreens are gaining more and more interest, but little information is available on the effects of the chemical composition of the nutrient solution on the microgreen yield. In this study, three Brassica genotypes (B. oleracea var. italica, B. oleracea var. botrytis, and Brassica rapa L. subsp. sylvestris L. Janch. var. esculenta Hort) were fertigated with three modified strength Hoagland nutrient solutions (1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 strength) or with three modified half-strength Hoagland nutrient solutions with three different NH4:NO3 molar ratios (5:95, 15:85, and 25:75). Microgreen yields and content of inorganic ions, dietary fiber, proteins, alpha;-tocopherol, and β-carotene were evaluated. Micro cauliflower showed the highest yield, as well as a higher content of mineral elements and alpha;-tocopherol (10.4 mg 100 g-1 fresh weight (FW)) than other genotypes. The use of nutrient solution at half strength gave both a high yield (0.23 g cm-2) and a desirable seedling height. By changing the NH4:NO3 molar ratio in the nutrient solution, no differences were found on yield and growing parameters, although the highest β-carotene content (6.3 mg 100 g-1 FW) was found by using a NH4:NO3 molar ratio of 25:75. The lowest nitrate content (on average 6.8 g 100 g-1 dry weight) was found in micro broccoli and micro broccoli raab by using a nutrient solution with NH4:NO3 molar ratios of 25:75 and 5:95, respectively. Micro cauliflower fertigated with a NH4:NO3 molar ratio of 25:75 showed the highest dry matter (9.8 g 100 g-1 FW) and protein content (4.2 g 100 g-1 FW)

N-(Phenoxyalkyl)amides as MT1 and MT2 ligands: Antioxidant properties and inhibition of Ca2+/CaM-dependent kinase II

Recently a series of chiral N-(phenoxyalkyl)amides have been reported as potent MT(1) and MT(2) melatonergic ligands. Some of these compounds were selected and tested for their antioxidant properties by measuring their reducing effect against oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH) in the DCFH-diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. Among the tested compounds, N-[2-(3-methoxyphenoxy)propyl]butanamide displayed potent antioxidant activity that was stereoselective, the (R)-enantiomer performing as the eutomer. This compound displayed strong cytoprotective activity against H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity resulting slightly more active than melatonin, and performed as Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) inhibitor, to

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Methodologies and tools for the video analysis of formative assessment practices in the classroom (with students aged from 11 to 16)

The paper presents a systematic observational research on the assessment of teachers’ practices in classroom. The research is a specific phase of an international project (FAMT&L - Comenius Multilateral Project) and it is aimed to promote the use of formative assessment in teaching mathematics to students aged from 11 to 16. The observational study is carried out by a plan of systematic observations of teachers' behaviour in classroom with the help of video recording. Through a specific tool of video analysis (a structured grid), developed starting from international debate and many experiences of in-service teacher training in the five Partner countries involved (Italy, France, Holland, Switzerland and Cyprus), we gathered many different indicators on good and bad practices for the formative assessment of mathematics teachers. The analysis conducted on the videos will get useful to design the in-service teacher training courses in order to promote a correct use of formative assessment in classroom and to improve students’ achievements in learning mathematics

Crystal structure of N-(2-{[(2E)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-propenyl]- (methyl)ammonio}methylphenyl)-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide dihydrogenphosphate — methanol (1:1), [C26H30ClN2SO4][H2PO4] × CH4O

C27H36ClN2O9PS, monoclinic, C12/c1 (no. 15), a = 36.495(3) Å, b = 8.5574(4) Å, c = 20.487(4) Å, β = 101.18(2)°, V = 6276.8 Å3, Z = 8, R gt(F) = 0.052, wRref(F2) = 0.125, T = 295 K. © by Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, Münche