AACVD synthesis of catalytic gold nanoparticle-modified cerium(IV) oxide thin films

Co-deposition of Ce(dbm)4 and NH4AuCl4 precursors in acetone at 500 °C via AACVD results in deposition of crystalline CeO2 thin films containing/decorated with metallic gold. These particles are estimated to be ∼ 70 nm in size via optical methods. Preliminary testing of catalytic activity showed the materials were surprisingly catalytically active given the very small amounts of gold present and the large estimated particle size, although the presence of smaller catalytically active particles could not be discounted

Distal ureteral stump: case report

Introdution. Distal Ureteral Stump is a residual ureter after total or partial nephrectomy. It is a rare complication and it also appears many years after surgery. Majority of patients are asymptomatic but Literature reports patients with recurrent bacteriuria or haematuria, empyema, stones and tumors (transitional-cell carcinoma or renal-cell carcinoma). We present one case of diseased ureteral stump and surgical strategy. Case Report. We report a case of a patient subjected to retroperitoneoscopic total nephrectomy when he was seven months old for sympthomatic right vesico-ureteral reflux of IV grade and associated renal hypoplasia. These patient presented recurrent urinary infections after 3 years from the surgery and for this reason we performed voiding micturating cystourethrography who revealed the presence of urinary reflux in the DUS. Because of this surgical removal of stump was necessary and during 2 months follow-up was normal and there weren’t surgical complications or UTI. Discussion. Distal Ureteral Stump is a rare complication but possible after nephrectomy and it is due to partial excision of ureter in the distal portion. Recurrent urinary infections are a usefull signal to subspect the presence of DUS and they are due to persistent reflux of urine and dysfunctional voiding (reservoir) resulting in stasis and infections. Therefore in all patients subjected to total or partial nephrectomy with recurrent urinary infections also after years, the presence of DUS should always be suspected and radiological investigation must be performed for accurate managemen

HYPERPLASIA OF THYMIC GLAND: LEFT VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACOSCOPIC APPROACH

Hyperplasia of thymic gland is a rare benign entity that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses in children and young adolescents. We report a case of a patient with a thymic mass, diagnosed occasionally for respiratory symptoms and treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. A previously healthy 10 years-old boy presented to our hospital for retrosternal pain and dyspnea with restriction to daily activities from four months. Diagnostic imaging was performed, including a chest x-ray and a magnetic resonance imaging, showing a large homogeneous anterosuperior mediastinal mass, more extended on the left side. The additional laboratory analysis, considered essential for differential diagnosis with myasthenia gravis and lymphoma, resulted negative. In view of these findings, our patient underwent to video assisted thoracoscopy with left-sided approach for a total resection of thymus and perithymic fat. The patient made an excellent recovery without postoperative complications and was discharged from the hospital four days later. Histopathological examination showed a normal thymic architecture like a true thymic hyperplasia. At follow up, chest x-ray was normal in absence of pleural and parenchimal alterations. Thoracoscopic thymectomy is a safe technique that allows to achieve the goal of early thymectomy with the advantages of less invasive procedure

Aerosol-assisted CVD synthesis, characterisation and gas-sensing application of gold-functionalised tungsten oxide

Tungsten oxide nanoneedles (NNs) functionalised with gold nanoparticles (NPs) have been integrated with alumina gas-sensor platforms using a simple and effective co-deposition method via aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) utilising a novel gold precursor, (NH4)AuCl4. The gas-sensing results show that gold NP functionalisation of tungsten oxide NNs improves the sensitivity of response to ethanol, with sensitivity increasing and response time decreasing with increasing amount of gold

URACHAL CYST: AN UNSPECTED COMPLICATION

The urachus is the remnant of the allantois, which usually becomes obliterated shortly after birth. Urachal remnants due to an incomplete obliteration of different portion of the urachus are rare, but they need to be treated surgically because of their potential for infectious complications and malignant degeneration. We present a case report with an unespected postoperative complication. M.E., a 10 years old boy, came to the Accident and Emergency Department for an acute abdominal pain, without other symptoms, twice in one year. The blood tests, urine sample and voiding cystourethrogram were normal. The ultrasound scan showed a thickened urachal duct. After antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy for two weeks, we performed laparoscopic surgery. In the second postoperative day the patient showed abdominal pain and hematuria. An ultrasound scan and a voiding cystourethrogram showed a leak from the dome of bladder. We performed an open surgery to close the defect on the bladder’s dome. The patient was discharged in 10th postoperative day. Now he is healthy. Clinically manifest persistent urachal anomalies are rare, but they carry a risk of recurrent infection and subsequent malignant degeneration. For these reasons the radical excision of the remnant is suggested. Today, due to the large laparoscopic experience, all the reports showed that this technique can be used safely, but we have to pay attention to all steps of the procedure. This case is a paradigmatic situation and it illustrates the importance of a meticulous technique during the excision of urachal remnant. Indeed even if laparoscopic excision could be safe and effective, it is not free of complication

Activity of N-Acetylcysteine Alone and in Combination with Colistin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms and Transcriptomic Response to N-Acetylcysteine Exposure

Chronic colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is critical in cystic fibrosis (CF) and other chronic lung diseases, contributing to disease progression. Biofilm growth and a propensity to evolve multidrug resistance phenotypes drastically limit the available therapeutic options. In this perspective, there has been growing interest in evaluating combination therapies, especially for drugs that can be administered by nebulization, which allows high drug concentrations to be reached at the site of infections while limiting systemic toxicity. Here, we investigated the potential antibiofilm activity of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) alone and in combination with colistin against a panel of P. aeruginosa strains (most of which are from CF patients) and the transcriptomic response of a P. aeruginosa CF strain to NAC exposure. NAC alone (8,000 mg/L) showed a limited and strain-dependent antibiofilm activity. Nonetheless, a relevant antibiofilm synergism of NAC-colistin combinations (NAC at 8,000 mg/L plus colistin at 2 to 32 mg/L) was observed with all strains. Synergism was also confirmed with the artificial sputum medium model. RNA sequencing of NAC-exposed planktonic cultures revealed that NAC (8,000 mg/L) mainly induced (i) a Zn21 starvation response (known to induce attenuation of P. aeruginosa virulence), (ii) downregulation of genes of the denitrification apparatus, and (iii) downregulation of flagellar biosynthesis pathway. NAC-mediated inhibition of P. aeruginosa denitrification pathway and flagellum-mediated motility were confirmed experimentally. These findings suggested that NAC-colistin combinations might contribute to the management of biofilm-associated P. aeruginosa lung infections. NAC might also have a role in reducing P. aeruginosa virulence, which could be relevant in the very early stages of lung colonization. © 2022 Valzano et al

Photodoping and in-gap interface states across the metal-insulator transition in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

By using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy we show that the interface between LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 band insulators is characterized by in-gap interface states. These features were observed in insulating as well as conducting LaAlO3/SrTiO3 bilayers. The data show how the interface density of states evolves across the insulating to metal transition, demonstrating that nanoscale electronic inhomogeneities in the system are induced by spatially localized electrons

Caudal 'duplication' or 'split' syndrome: Is there a misnomer?

Abstract'Caudal duplication syndrome' was coined to describe the apparent duplication of organs derived from the hindgut, the neural tube and the adjacent mesoderm. Review of the anatomy suggests that the word 'duplication' may be a misnomer. This paper describes the management of 2 girls with caudal duplication syndrome who underwent multistage reconstructive surgery. Both had a large omphalocele and a severe diastasis of the pubic symphysis. The first patient also had an apparent duplication of the vulva, the perineum and the anus to either side of a wide midline. Each vulva contained a urethra, a hemi-clitoris with ipsilateral labium minor, and a hemi-vagina with hemi-uterus. The second child had an infrapubic sequestrated appendico-cecal duplication lying between two hemi-bladders each with ipsilateral ureter and urethra. The everted duplication split the single vulva longitudinally in the midline as far as the fourchette. To each side were a hemi-clitoris, and a hemi-vagina with hemi-uterus and ipsilateral fallopian tube. Analysis of our patients' anatomy and a literature review indicates for the most part 'hemi' organs on either side and suggests that the term 'duplication' is a misnomer such that caudal 'split' syndrome may be a more appropriate title

Emotional expression and coping style in female breast cancer.

Background: The study of the relationship of emotional status and tumor etiology has been investigated in order to elaborate a multifactorial model able to provide an answer integrating the different disciplines on cancer. The aim of this work is to investigate the knowledge on the alexithymia construct, exploring the presence of such trait in women affected by mammary carcinoma and analyzing the used coping strategies. The study has also examined personal thoughts related to event control (locus of control). Method: The Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, and Locus of Control questionnaires were administered to a group of 86 women aged 31\u201355 years (mean = 43.7; SD 6.57)\u2014experimental group (N = 44): women with breast cancer diagnosed in the last 6 months; control group (N = 42): women without oncologic pathology, referred at the aforementioned institutions to undergo a breast check-up. Results: According to our hypothesis and literature data, a significant presence of alexithymic subjects (36.4% versus 2.4%; v2 = 20.9; P < 0.0001) and a tendency to adopt coping strategies not focused on the problem were reported among women with mammary carcinoma. This causes incapability to act in order to actively contrast pathology-linked stress or to lower the effects. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the tendency to repress one\u2019s emotions is associated to some general schemes of reaction to stress which, when used in a dysfunctional manner (such as the attempt to ignore how threatening an event is), are maladaptive in the end

Observation of a two-dimensional electron gas at the surface of annealed SrTiO3 single crystals by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy suggests the formation of a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) on the TiO2 terminated surface of undoped SrTiO3 single crystals annealed at temperature lower than 400 {\deg}C in ultra high vacuum conditions. Low energy electron diffraction indicates that the 2D metallic SrTiO3 surface is not structurally reconstructed, suggesting that non-ordered oxygen vacancies created in the annealing process introduce carriers leading to an electronic reconstruction. The experimental results are interpreted in a frame of competition between oxygen diffusion from the bulk to the surface and oxygen loss from the surface itself.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review