Single-port cholecystectomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis presenting with cholelithiasis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p><it>Situs inversus totalis </it>(mirror image organs) is a rare condition and may affect the intra-abdominal viscera as well as the intrathoracic organs. Cholelithiasis is not more common in these conditions, but the diagnosis may be more difficult.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 59-year-old African woman with gallstones and <it>situs inversus totalis</it>. A single-port cholecystectomy was performed using a single trocar access device (SITRACC).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The procedure was uneventful, showing that this approach may be an option for this kind of surgery even in patients with <it>situs inversus totalis</it>.</p

Self-poisoning in rural Sri Lanka: small-area variations in incidence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-poisoning is one of the most common methods of suicide worldwide. The intentional ingestion of pesticides is the main contributor to such deaths and in many parts of rural Asia pesticide self-poisoning is a major public health problem. To inform the development of preventive measures in these settings, this study investigates small-area variation in self-poisoning incidence and its association with area-based socioeconomic and agricultural factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ecological analysis of intentional self-poisoning in a rural area (population 267,613) of Sri Lanka in 2002. The geographic distribution of cases was mapped to place of residence. Using administrative division (GN), median population size 1416, as unit of analysis, associations with socioeconomic and agricultural indicators were explored using negative binomial regression models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall incidence of intentional self-poisoning in the study area was 315 per 100,000 (range: 0 – 2168 per 100,000 across GNs). Socioeconomic disadvantage, as indexed by poor housing quality (p = 0.003) and low levels of education (p < 0.001) but not unemployment (p = 0.147), was associated with a low self-poisoning incidence. Areas where a high proportion of the population worked in agriculture had low overall levels of self-poisoning (p = 0.002), but a greater proportion of episodes in these areas involved pesticides (p = 0.01). An association with extent of cultivated land was found only for non-pesticide poisoning (p = 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Considerable small-area variation in incidence rates of intentional self-poisoning was found. The noteworthy concentration of cases in certain areas and the inverse association with socioeconomic deprivation merit attention and should be investigated using individual-level exposure data.</p

Microwave-synthesized freestanding iron-carbon nanotubes on polyester composites of woven Kevlar fibre and silver nanoparticle-decorated graphene

We synthesized Ag nanoparticle-decorated multilayered graphene nanosheets (Ag-graphene) from graphite nanoplatelets and silver nitrate through 90-100&amp;#8201;s of microwave exposure, without the use of any mineral acids or harsh reducing agents. Fe nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes (Fe-CNTs) were grown on polypyrrole (PPy) deposited on woven Kevlar fibre (WKF), using ferrocene as a catalyst, under microwave irradiation. Fe-CNTs grown on WKF and Ag-graphene dispersed in polyester resin (PES) were combined to fabricate Ag-graphene/Fe-CNT/PPy-coated WKF/PES composites by vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding. The combined effect of Fe-CNTs and Ag-graphene in the resulting composites resulted in a remarkable enhancement of tensile properties (a 192.56% increase in strength and 100.64% increase in modulus) as well as impact resistance (a 116.33% increase). The electrical conductivity significantly increased for Ag-graphene/Fe-CNT/PPy-coated WKF/PES composites. The effectiveness of electromagnetic interference shielding, which relies strongly on the Ag-graphene content in the composites, was 25 times higher in Ag-graphene/Fe-CNT/PPy-coated WKF/PES than in neat WKF/PES composites. The current work offers a novel route for fabricating highly promising, cost effective WKF/PES composites through microwave-assisted synthesis of Fe-CNTs and Ag-graphene.ope

Local iron homeostasis in the breast ductal carcinoma microenvironment

Abstract BACKGROUND: While the deregulation of iron homeostasis in breast epithelial cells is acknowledged, iron-related alterations in stromal inflammatory cells from the tumor microenvironment have not been explored. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry for hepcidin, ferroportin 1 (FPN1), transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) and ferritin (FT) was performed in primary breast tissues and axillary lymph nodes in order to dissect the iron-profiles of epithelial cells, lymphocytes and macrophages. Furthermore, breast carcinoma core biopsies frozen in optimum cutting temperature (OCT) compound were subjected to imaging flow cytometry to confirm FPN1 expression in the cell types previously evaluated and determine its cellular localization. RESULTS: We confirm previous results by showing that breast cancer epithelial cells present an 'iron-utilization phenotype' with an increased expression of hepcidin and TFR1, and decreased expression of FT. On the other hand, lymphocytes and macrophages infiltrating primary tumors and from metastized lymph nodes display an 'iron-donor' phenotype, with increased expression of FPN1 and FT, concomitant with an activation profile reflected by a higher expression of TFR1 and hepcidin. A higher percentage of breast carcinomas, compared to control mastectomy samples, present iron accumulation in stromal inflammatory cells, suggesting that these cells may constitute an effective tissue iron reservoir. Additionally, not only the deregulated expression of iron-related proteins in epithelial cells, but also on lymphocytes and macrophages, are associated with clinicopathological markers of breast cancer poor prognosis, such as negative hormone receptor status and tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: The present results reinforce the importance of analyzing the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer, extending the contribution of immune cells to local iron homeostasis in the tumor microenvironment context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio