Video-assisted sacral nerve stimulation

Background: Sacral nerve simulation (SNS) is an accepted therapy for patients with urinary or bowel dysfunction. However, infection rates are as high as 20% and can result in removal of the expensive device. We present a new video-assisted technique minimizing the risk of infection. Methods: Between April and July 2005, six consecutive women of median age 68 years (range, 60-74), with faecal incontinence (4 patients) and idiopathic constipation (2 patients) underwent video-assisted electrode implantation for SNS. The motor response of the pelvic floor during percutaneous nerve evaluation and implantation of the permanent lead was monitored by a video optic (same as that normally used for laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures) placed between the legs of the patients. The video optic and the perianal area were completely covered with drapes, separating them from the operating field. Results: All but one screening was successful, and no wound infections at the electrode or at the pocket of the stimulator were noted (mean postoperative follow-up, 8 weeks). Conclusions: With the use of a video optic, the anus and the implantation site can be completely separated and contamination during the operation becomes unlikely. Furthermore, the response of the pelvic floor to the stimulation is better visualized. We routinely recommend the use of video equipment for SNS electrode implantatio

A prospective randomized comparison of two instruments for dissection and vessel sealing in laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Background: A newly available, laparoscopic 5-mm bipolar vessel sealing device promises substantial advantages over the 10-mm instrument. This study compared the safety as well as the technical and surgical aspects of these different tools. Methods: For this study, 30 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic left-sided colectomy were prospectively randomized for the 5-mm LigaSure or The 10-mm LigaSure. The patients' demographics were analyzed together with their intraoperative and postoperative parameters, and the instruments were assessed by the surgeons with a standardized questionnaire. Results: The two groups were comparable and demonstrated similar mean operation times, blood losses, and hospital stays. The 5-mm LigaSure was applied in more operation steps and resulted in fewer bleeding episodes and less lens cleaning. Monopolar scissors were used less frequently in the 5-mm group, thus minimizing cauteric lesions and their complications (0 in the 5-mm group vs 2 in the 10-mm group). Overall satisfaction with the 5-mm LigaSure was significantly higher (8.4±0.18 vs 6.9±0.41 out of 10; p=0.002), with significant advantages in terms of dissection capacity, visibility, and handling. Conclusion: The 5-mm LigaSure is as secure and fast as the larger 10-mm device and compares favorably in terms of finer dissection as well as trocar flexibility and handling. Therefore, it can be used safely in laparoscopic colorectal surger

Long-term follow-up after combined fissurectomy and Botox injection for chronic anal fissures

Background and aims: Chronic anal fissures are difficult to treat. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the outcome of combined fissurectomy and injection of botulinum toxin Type A (BT). Materials and methods: Between January 2001 and August 2004, 40 patients (21 women), median age 37years (range 18 to 57), underwent fissurectomy and BT injection. Fissurectomy was performed followed by injection of 10U of BT into the internal anal sphincter on both sides of the fissure. All patients were clinically checked 6weeks after the operation. At 1year, patients were sent a detailed questionnaire regarding symptoms, recurrence and further treatment for evaluation of long-term results. Results/findings: At 6weeks, 38 patients (95%) were free of symptoms. No adverse effects were detected. The response rate of questionnaires was 93%; the median follow-up was 1year (range 0.9 to 1.6). In the long-term, a recurrence was found in four patients. These patients were treated successfully with repeated fissurectomy and BT injections and salvage procedures, respectively. Overall, the success rate of combined fissurectomy and BT injection was 79%. Interpretation/conclusion: Combined fissurectomy and Botox injection for chronic anal fissure is an excellent and safe procedure with low morbidity and a high healing rat

Long-term follow-up after combined fissurectomy and Botox injection for chronic anal fissures

Background and aims: Chronic anal fissures are difficult to treat. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the outcome of combined fissurectomy and injection of botulinum toxin Type A (BT). Materials and methods: Between January 2001 and August 2004, 40 patients (21 women), median age 37years (range 18 to 57), underwent fissurectomy and BT injection. Fissurectomy was performed followed by injection of 10U of BT into the internal anal sphincter on both sides of the fissure. All patients were clinically checked 6weeks after the operation. At 1year, patients were sent a detailed questionnaire regarding symptoms, recurrence and further treatment for evaluation of long-term results. Results/findings: At 6weeks, 38 patients (95%) were free of symptoms. No adverse effects were detected. The response rate of questionnaires was 93%; the median follow-up was 1year (range 0.9 to 1.6). In the long-term, a recurrence was found in four patients. These patients were treated successfully with repeated fissurectomy and BT injections and salvage procedures, respectively. Overall, the success rate of combined fissurectomy and BT injection was 79%. Interpretation/conclusion: Combined fissurectomy and Botox injection for chronic anal fissure is an excellent and safe procedure with low morbidity and a high healing rat

Recruitment of functionally distinct membrane proteins to chromatin mediates nuclear envelope formation in vivo

Formation of the nuclear envelope (NE) around segregated chromosomes occurs by the reshaping of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a reservoir for disassembled nuclear membrane components during mitosis. In this study, we show that inner nuclear membrane proteins such as lamin B receptor (LBR), MAN1, Lap2β, and the trans-membrane nucleoporins Ndc1 and POM121 drive the spreading of ER membranes into the emerging NE via their capacity to bind chromatin in a collaborative manner. Despite their redundant functions, decreasing the levels of any of these trans-membrane proteins by RNAi-mediated knockdown delayed NE formation, whereas increasing the levels of any of them had the opposite effect. Furthermore, acceleration of NE formation interferes with chromosome separation during mitosis, indicating that the time frame over which chromatin becomes membrane enclosed is physiologically relevant and regulated. These data suggest that functionally distinct classes of chromatin-interacting membrane proteins, which are present at nonsaturating levels, collaborate to rapidly reestablish the nuclear compartment at the end of mitosis

Integrated transcriptome and proteome analyses reveal organ-specific proteome deterioration in old rats

Aging is associated with the decline of protein, cell, and organ function. Here, we use an integrated approach to characterize gene expression, bulk translation, and cell biology in the brains and livers of young and old rats. We identify 468 differences in protein abundance between young and old animals. The majority are a consequence of altered translation output, that is, the combined effect of changes in transcript abundance and translation efficiency. In addition, we identify 130 proteins whose overall abundance remains unchanged but whose sub-cellular localization, phosphorylation state, or splice-form varies. While some protein-level differences appear to be a generic property of the rats’ chronological age, the majority are specific to one organ. These may be a consequence of the organ’s physiology or the chronological age of the cells within the tissue. Taken together, our study provides an initial view of the proteome at the molecular, sub-cellular, and organ level in young and old rats

Dissociation constants and thermodynamic properties of amino acids used in CO2 absorption from (293 to 353) K

The second dissociation constants of the amino acids βalanine, taurine, sarcosine, 6-aminohexanoic acid, DL-methionine, glycine, L-phenylalanine, and L-proline and the third dissociation constants of L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid have been determined from electromotive force measurements at temperatures from (293 to 353) K. Experimental results are reported and compared to literature values. Values of the standard state thermodynamic properties are derived from the experimental results and compared to the values of commercially available amines used as absorbents for CO 2 capture.

Characterization of Turing diffusion-driven instability on evolving domains

In this paper we establish a general theoretical framework for Turing diffusion-driven instability for reaction-diffusion systems on time-dependent evolving domains. The main result is that Turing diffusion-driven instability for reaction-diffusion systems on evolving domains is characterised by Lyapunov exponents of the evolution family associated with the linearised system (obtained by linearising the original system along a spatially independent solution). This framework allows for the inclusion of the analysis of the long-time behavior of the solutions of reaction-diffusion systems. Applications to two special types of evolving domains are considered: (i) time-dependent domains which evolve to a final limiting fixed domain and (ii) time-dependent domains which are eventually time periodic. Reaction-diffusion systems have been widely proposed as plausible mechanisms for pattern formation in morphogenesis

Система анализа геологических карт с помощью инструментов компьютерного зрения и машинного обучения

Несколько областей компьютерного зрения было исследовано в данной работе для того, чтобы разработать два модуля системы анализа структурных геологических карт – модуль анализа изображений и модуль исправления результатов анализа. Ряд различных современных методов машинного и глубокого обучения был применен на практике. Все подходы были оценены на синтетической выборке. На тестовой выборке были рассчитаны метрики mAP, IOU, F1 score.Several areas of computer vision were researched in order to develop two modules of a structural maps analysis system – image analysis and results correction modules. Multiple modern machine learning and deep learning methods were applied in this master’s thesis, such as. Different approaches were tested in the development process. All of them were validated on synthetic data. Three evaluation metrics (mAP, IOU, F1 score) were calculated during validation