Unroofing and argon mucosal remnant ablation of neonatal duodenal duplication cyst

Abstract Background Duodenal duplication cyst is an uncommon foregut malformation usually diagnosed at birth or during infancy. Differently from elsewhere, sited small bowel duplications cannot be removed with simple bowel resection, because of the proximity of the biliary and pancreatic ducts also possibly with abnormal course. Case presentation We report a duodenal duplication cyst in a newborn female requiring early surgery because of nutritional difficulties. The cyst was located adjoined to the second portion of the duodenum sharing part of its muscle wall with the bowel. It was treated by removal of all the esophytic cyst while the remaining mucosa on the common wall with the duodenum was ablated with argon plasma coagulation, preserving the bowel integrity. Early postoperative period was uneventful, and the child could be fed per os on the second day. Yearly follow-up was maintained until 16 years for the risk of recurrence and cancer change due to the incomplete excision. Clinic and echographic controls had always been stayed free from any sequelae. Conclusions Foregut duplications should be removed totally to prevent complications and the long-term risk of cancer, but a duodenal resection can be a harmful surgery in neonatal age. Duplication cysts that are impossible to remove totally can be treated by unroofing and argon plasma coagulation of mucosal surface remnants, avoiding the risks of major procedures also in newborns

Mapping steps along a pathway to evaluate an experiential transdisciplinary approach to professional learning for ecological researchers

The workshop “Cammino di Feudozzo” is a step of a constant research of constructing new ways “to be a researcher” and communicating Ecology. The path of this experience focused on an experiential approach, fit to reinforce and develop plural, relational systemic perspectives, and on a participative observation good to bring out both a collective vision and personal experience. The workshop has been an opportunity for the participants to face different languages and narrations, ways of dialoguing; to welcome points of view of other people; to practice manifold glances. The workshop holistic approach invested also the participants’ attitudes towards social relationships. New perspectives, critical thoughts and visions about more participative processes were fostered by the exploration of physical and emotional experiences which revealed the limits of “being a scientist”. As a consequence the evaluation pathways and strategies required new objectives and a research approach, owing to the uniqueness of this workshop experiences. The fields of evaluation focused on the participants’ beliefs, posture towards the workshop experiences and mainly on the changes of ideas, attitudes, interests, ways of dialoguing and communicating. This paper refers about some general evaluation elements and comments, but also some remarkable evidences of self-evaluation by the participants. All the evaluation issues offer the chance to meditate about the doubts and perplexity of the “researchers under pressure” and their searching for innovative models, languages and narrations

Depletion gilding, innovation and life-histories: The changing colours of Nahuange metalwork

The technique of depletion gilding is well evidenced in pre-Columbian Andean gold work. Artefacts from the Nahuange period in Colombia (c. AD 100-1000) were subject to metallographic, chemical and microscopic analyses to provide regional comparative data on metalworking traditions. Results suggest that depletion gilding may have been an accidental discovery and, contrary to widespread assumptions, not always a desirable feature. This research illustrates how technological innovation may not always be immediately adopted, and considers how the life-history of gold artefacts may affect their appearance and microstructure. It also offers directions for future studies of depletion gilding elsewhere

What do laypersons want to know from scientists? An analysis of a dialogue between scientists and laypersons on the web site Scienzaonline

Scienzaonline is an interactive web site developed by the Museum of Zoology of Rome that offers various services. After the site had been online for three years, we examined approximately 800 questions received by the service Expert on line to understand what laypeople's interests in science are and in which life contexts they emerge. The contents of the questions were categorized to reveal the function and the nature of the knowledge that people expect from “experts”. Some kind of actual accomplishment motivates most of the questions, though a considerable number of them have knowledge and understanding as their objective. Information is the main form of expected knowledge and disciplinary knowledge is viewed as the privileged source of it. A relevant percentage of messages reveal the desire to obtain explanations and validations of reported facts, an aid to go beyond factual knowledge. Striving to find answers to “great unanswered questions” emerges as a passionate intellectual endeavor for some people

Osteonecrosis in genetic disorders

The avascular necrosis of bone is characterized by an abnormality of tissue that can occur whenever a disease process causes major cell stress. Some evidence supports a role for genetic factors in some avascular necrosis suggesting that gene mutations could play a role in the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis. These genetic studies provide hope that tools for identifying high risk patients will be available in the future

As pastagens e a produção de leite no Vale do Rio do Peixe

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Curso de Agronomia

thermo economic analysis of a natural gas liquefaction plant

Abstract Increasing worldwide energy demand requires the replacement of fossil fuel sources with clean and alternative ones to limit the chances of a climate collapse. In this scenario, natural gas supplies approximately 30% of total energy demand and is forecasted to become increasingly important in the near future. SOx emission limits for maritime transportation redefined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the implementation of the European Directive for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure (DAFI) are going to produce a fast growth in LNG consumption in the coming decades. A thermo-economic analysis of a natural gas liquefaction plant has been conducted. The scheme is a simplified version of ConocoPhillips Optimized Cascade process that takes into account all principal components such as compressors, heat exchangers, after coolers and storage tanks. The aim of this paper is firstly a thermodynamic analysis of a three-pressure levels plant and, secondly, an economic evaluation of the solution, in order to compare the cost of LNG produced with its price on the market. In the end, sensibility analyses have been executed to consider market price variations and estimation errors concerning assumptions made