Urethrocutaneous fistula repair after hypospadias surgery

To evaluate and compare the success rates of simple and layered repairs of urethrocutaneous fistulae after hypospadias repair

Exploring land use scenarios by long-term simulation of soil organic matter in central Argentina

Frequently, agriculture intensification by means of high-input technologies and agroecosystem simplification led to unsustainable farming systems. Increasing spatial-temporal diversity in agroecosystems has been shown as a promising alternative for restoring degraded land. A methodological approach is discussed here, based on preliminary results of experiences in a region of strong biophysical gradients. The CENTURY model is validated under local conditions and used as monitoring tool. The impact of an increased agrodiversity on soils with contrasting inherent properties is exemplified by running three land use scenarios for two case-study sites for the next 50 years and evaluating trends in soil organic matter (SOM) contents. Field survey and simulation results suggested that: (1) reference values for SOM levels for monitoring soil health should be defined considering main agroecological factors; (2) simulation models may help identifying adequate ranges of variation for them; (3) and model outputs may complement experimentation and represent a didactic tool to be used for decision-making and knowledge-transfer processes

ONE-TROCAR VIDEO-ASSISTED STRIPPING TECHNIQUE FOR USE IN THE TREATMENT OF LARGE OVARIAN CYSTS IN INFANTS

Background Management of ovarian cysts in infants is controversial; it can be conservative or surgical, and the management is determined by the cyst''s size and sonographic features. Methods A surgical approach using a 10-mm umbilically placed operative laparoscope was taken in 3 female infants with antenatally diagnosed large, simple ovarian cysts. The contents of the cysts were partially aspirated and the cyst walls were stripped off the remaining ovarian parenchyma. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were recorded. Conclusions The one-trocar video-assisted stripping technique for large ovarian cysts in infants appears to be an ovarian-tissue-preserving procedure, and it sidesteps the disadvantages of large scars and formation of adhesions

Ileocecal duplication cysts: Is the loss of the valve always necessary?

Ileocecal (IC) duplication cysts are enteric duplications located at the IC junction, not clearly identified in all the published series. The reported treatment is IC resection and ileocolic anastomosis. It is well known that the loss of the IC valve has several adverse effects. This study is aimed at demonstrating that cyst removal together with the common ileal wall and following enterorrhapy is possible, safe, and effective in preserving the IC region. Methods Medical records of 3 patients who underwent surgery for IC duplication between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed evaluating follow-up results. Results All patients had an antenatal diagnosis of intrabdominal cystic mass. In two cases associated malformations were reported. The lesions presented at newborn age with intermittent small bowel obstruction and required removal. No patients underwent IC resection. The diagnosis of duplication cyst was confirmed by histo-pathologic examination. The postoperative course was uneventful, even in the long-term follow-up

Qualitative results for a mixture of Green-Lindsay thermoelastic solids

We study qualitative properties of the solutions of the system of partial differential equations modeling thermomechanical deformations for mixtures of thermoelastic solids when the theory of Green and Lindsay for the heat conduction is considered. Three dissipation mechanisms are proposed in the system: thermal dissipation, viscosity e ects on one constituent of the mixture and damping in the relative velocity of the two displacements of both constituents. First, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the solutions. Later we prove the exponential stability of the solutions over the time. We use the semigroup arguments to establish our resultsPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

MAD-4-MITO, a Multi Array of Detectors for ground-based mm/submm SZ observations

The last few years have seen a large development of mm technology and ultra-sensitive detectors devoted to microwave astronomy and astrophysics. The possibility to deal with large numbers of these detectors assembled into multi--pixel imaging systems has greatly improved the performance of microwave observations, even from ground--based stations, especially combining the power of multi--band detectors with their new imaging capabilities. Hereafter, we will present the development of a multi--pixel solution devoted to Sunyaev--Zel'dovich observations from ground--based telescopes, that is going to be operated from the Millimetre and Infrared Testagrigia Observatory.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to be published in th eProceedings of the 2K1BC Workshop, July 9-13, 2001 - Breuil-Cervini

The effect of humidity on the CO2/N2 separation performance of copolymers based on hard polyimide segments and soft polyether chains: Experimental and modeling

In this work, we studied two copolymers formed by segments of a rubbery polyether (PPO or PEO) and of a glassy polyimide (BPDA-ODA or BKDA-ODA) suitable for gas separation and CO2 capture. Firstly, we assessed the absorption of water vapor in the materials, as a function of relative humidity (R.H.), finding that the humidity uptake of the copolymers lies between that of the corresponding pure homopolymers values. Furthermore, we studied the effect of humidity on CO2 and N2 permeability, as well as on CO2/N2 selectivity, up to R.H. of 75%. The permeability decreases with increasing humidity, while the ideal selectivity remains approximately constant in the entire range of water activity investigated. The humidity-induced decrease of permeability in the copolymers is much smaller than the one observed in polyimides such as Matrimid® confirming the positive effect of the polyether phase on the membrane performance.Finally, we modeled the humidity-induced decrease of gas solubility, diffusivity and, consequently, permeability, using a suitable approach that considers the free volume theory for diffusion and LF model for solubility. Such model allows estimating the extent of competition that the gases undergo with water during sorption in the membranes, as a function of the relative humidity, as well as the expected reduction of free volume by means of water molecules occupation and consequent reduction of diffusivity. Keywords: CO2 capture, Humid gas permeation, Transport properties in polymeric membranes, Water vapor sorption, Modelin

Tailoring the size of ultrasound responsive lipid-shelled nanodroplets by varying production parameters and environmental conditions

Liquid perfluorocarbon nanodroplets (NDs) are an attractive alternative to microbubbles (MBs) for ultrasound-mediated therapeutic and diagnostic applications. ND size and size distribution have a strong influence on their behaviour in vivo, including extravasation efficiency, circulation time, and response upon ultrasound stimulation. Thus, it is desirable to identify ways to tailor the ND size and size distribution during manufacturing. In this study phospholipid-coated NDs, comprising a perfluoro-n-pentane (PFP) core stabilised by a DSPC/PEG40s (1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and polyoxyethylene(40)stearate, 9:1 molar ratio) shell, were produced in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by sonication. The effect of the following production-related parameters on ND size was investigated: PFP concentration, power and duration of sonication, and incorporation of a lipophilic fluorescent dye. ND stability was also assessed at both 4°C and 37°C. When a sonication pulse of 6 s and 15% duty cycle was employed, increasing the volumetric concentration of PFP from 5% to 15% v/v in PBS resulted in an increase in ND diameter from 215.8 ± 16.8 nm to 408.9 ± 171.2 nm. An increase in the intensity of sonication from 48 to 72 W (with 10% PFP v/v in PBS) led to a decrease in ND size from 354.6 ± 127.2 nm to 315.0 ± 100.5 nm. Increasing the sonication time from 20 s to 40 s (using a pulsed sonication with 30% duty cycle) did not result in a significant change in ND size (in the range 278 - 314 nm); however, when it was increased to 60 s, the average ND diameter reduced to 249.7 ± 9.7 nm, which also presented a significantly lower standard deviation compared to the other experimental conditions investigated (i.e., 9.7 nm vs. > 49.4 nm). The addition of the fluorescent dye DiI at different molar ratios did not affect the ND size distribution. NDs were stable at 4°C for up to 6 days and at 37°C for up to 110 min; however, some evidence of ND-to-MB phase transition was observed after 40 min at 37°C. Finally, phase transition of NDs into MBs was demonstrated using a tissue-mimicking flow phantom under therapeutic ultrasound exposure conditions (ultrasound frequency: 0.5 MHz, acoustic pressure: 2-4 MPa, and pulse repetition frequency: 100 Hz)

Predictors of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers two decades after vaccination in a cohort of students and post-graduates of the Medical School at the University of Palermo, Italy

Introduction and objective. The introduction of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) for newborn babies in Italy in 1991, extended to 12-year-old children for the first 12 years of application, has been a major achievement in terms of the prevention of HBV infection. The objective of this study was to analyse the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities. Materials and method. A cross-sectional observational study of undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the Medical School of the University of Palermo was conducted from January 2014 \u2013 July 2016. HBV serum markers were performed with commercial chemiluminescence assays. Categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test (Mantel\u2013Haenszel), whereas means were compared by using the Student\u2019s t test. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated by a multivariable logistic regression, using a model constructed to examine predictors of anti-HBs titer above 10 mIU/mL, assumed as protective. Results. Of the 2,114 subjects evaluated \u2013 all vaccinated at infancy or at the age of 12 years and were HBsAg/anti-HBc negative \u2013 806 (38.1%) had an anti-HBs titre <10 IU/L. The latter were younger, more likely to be attending a healthcare profession school (i.e., nursing and midwifery), than a medical postgraduate level school, and more likely to have been vaccinated in infancy (p <0.001, 95% CI 2.63\u20135.26, adjusted OR 3.70). Conclusion. The results of the study suggest that assessment of HBV serum markers in workers potentially exposed to hospital infections is useful for identifying small numbers of unvaccinated subjects, or vaccinated subjects with low antibody titre, all of whom should be referred to a booster series of vaccinations

Tracking the reflexivity of the (dis)engaged citizen: some methodological reflections

The relationship between governments and citizens in many contemporary democracies is haunted by uncertainty and sociologists face the task of listening effectively to citizens’ own reflections on this uncertain relationship. This article reflects on the qualitative methodology of a recently completed UK project which used a combination of diary and multiple interviews/ focus groups to track over a fieldwork period of up to a year citizens’ reflections on their relationship to a public world and the contribution to this of their media consumption. In particular, the article considers how the project’s multiple methods enabled multiple angles on the inevitable artificiality and performative dimension of the diary process, resulting in rich data on people’s complex reflections on the uncertain position of the contemporary citizen