Diagnosis and ultrasound-guided retrieval of a vaginal foreign body in a dog and a cat

In this case report, the diagnosis and ultrasound-guided retrieval of an intravaginal grass awn in a dog and a cat are described. The dog was presented with chronic vaginal discharge for over two years. The cat was presented for acute lethargy and bloody vaginal discharge and a two-week history of a perivulvar leakage. Ultrasonographic diagnosis included the visualization of a linear, hyperechoic and spindle-shaped structure and mild thickness of the vagina. The grass awns were successfully retrieved non-invasively, under general anesthesia using ultrasound-guided Hartmann forceps inserted into the vagina. Ultrasound-guided grass awn retrieval from the vagina appears to be a safe and inexpensive procedure

Fast and low cost analysis of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in marine matrices: final report

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy

© 2016 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The transition within business from a linear to a circular economy brings with it a range of practical challenges for companies. The following question is addressed: What are the product design and business model strategies for companies that want to move to a circular economy model? This paper develops a framework of strategies to guide designers and business strategists in the move from a linear to a circular economy. Building on Stahel, the terminology of slowing, closing, and narrowing resource loops is introduced. A list of product design strategies, business model strategies, and examples for key decision-makers in businesses is introduced, to facilitate the move to a circular economy. This framework also opens up a future research agenda for the circular economy.Part of this work was supported by ResCoM, which is co-funded by the European Union under EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), Grant agreement number: 603843. We would like to thank the ResCoM team for their support and encouraging discussions on the topic of the circular economy

Early upregulation of miR-29a mediates differentiation of cardiac stem cells into cardiomyocytes through inhibition of endogenous Wnt/beta-catenin

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Enhancement of tumorigenicity of human breast adenocarcinoma cells in nude mice by matrigel and fibroblasts.

The failure of MCF7 cells to induce the formation of tumours after sub-cutaneous inoculation into athymic nude mice can be obviated by the simultaneous injection of an extract of basement membrane proteins (matrigel). Tumour growth is promoted and the latency period is low (2 to 4 weeks). In the absence of matrigel, the simultaneous inoculation of fibroblasts and MCF7 cells also resulted in the development of tumours, but with a longer latency period (about 2 months). The tumorigenic synergy between matrigel and fibroblasts was evidenced by co-inoculating MCF7 cells MDA-MB 231 cells with fibroblasts and matrigel. This co-inoculation decreased the delay of appearance of the tumours and/or accelerated the tumour growth, depending upon the number of fibroblasts injected. Repeated injections of fibroblasts conditioned medium, at the site of inoculum of tumour cells also enhanced tumour growth, suggesting the involvement of soluble factors secreted by fibroblasts. Histologically, tumours induced by co-inoculation of tumour cells and fibroblasts contained more stromal structures including vimentin-positive cells, fibronectin and interstitial collagens. These data suggest that human tumours may be reconstituted and grown in athymic nude mice using basement membrane components and fibroblasts as inductors

Four cycles of BEP versus an alternating regime of PVB and BEP in patients with poor-prognosis metastatic testicular non-seminoma; a randomised study of the EORTC Genitourinary Tract Cancer Cooperative Group.

We have investigated whether an alternating induction chemotherapy regimen of PVB/BEP is superior to BEP in patients with poor-prognosis testicular non-seminoma. A total of 234 eligible patients were randomised to receive an alternating schedule of PVB/BEP for a total of four cycles or four cycles of BEP. Poor prognosis was defined as any of the following: lymph node metastases larger than 5 cm, lung metastases more than four in number or larger than 2 cm, haematogenic spread outside the lungs, such as in liver and bone, human chorionic gonadotrophin > 10,000 IU l-1 or alphafetoprotein > 1000 IU l-1. The complete response (CR) rates to PVB/BEP and BEP were similar, 76% and 72% respectively (P = 0.58). In addition, there was no significant difference in relapse rate, disease-free and overall survival at an average follow-up of 6 years. The 5-year progression-free and survival rates in both treatment groups were approximately 80%. The PVB/BEP regime was more toxic with regard to bone marrow function; the frequencies of leucocytes below 1000 microliters-1, leucocytopenic fever and platelets below 25,000 microliters-1, throughout four cycles were 28% vs 5% (P < 0.001), 16% vs 5% (P = 0.006), and 10% vs 1% (P = 0.001) respectively. Neuropathy also occurred more often in the PVB/BEP arm: 47% vs 25% (P = 0.001). This study shows that an alternating regimen of PVB/BEP is not superior to BEP and that it is more myelo- and neurotoxic