Retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy for upper ureter stones

We evaluated the role of retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy (RPLU) for upper ureter stones. Between February 1998 and July 2004, 12 patients (10 men and 2 women) underwent RPLU for upper ureter stones (mean size 18.1 mm, range 10-25). RPLU was carried out in 5 patients as a salvage treatment after failed shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) (3) and both of failed SWL and ureteroscopy (URS) (2), and in 7 patients as primary treatment for large impacted stones. Total 6 of 12 cases were converted to open surgery. The reason of open conversion was failure of locating ureter due to severe adhesion in 5 cases and vascular injury in 1 case. In 6 successful cases, mean operation time, mean estimated blood loss, and mean postoperative hospital stay were respectively 109 min (90-120 min), 50 mL (10-100 mL), 4.6 days (2-7 days). There was no serious postoperative complication except for one patient who showed delayed urinary leakage but was cured with conservative management. Our experience suggested that RPLU was not easy to perform simply because it was indicated mainly in ureter stones with severe adhesion or after failed SWL and/or URS. Nevertheless, it can be considered as a primary procedure before open ureterolithotomy

A job analysis of care helpers

The aim of this study was to examine the roles of care helpers through job analysis. To do this, this study used the Developing A Curriculum Method (DACUM) to classify job content and a multi-dimensional study design was applied to identify roles and create a job description by looking into the appropriateness, significance, frequency, and difficulty of job content as identified through workshops and cross-sectional surveys conducted for appropriateness verification. A total of 418 care helpers working in nursing facilities and community senior service facilities across the country were surveyed. The collected data were analyzed using PASW 18.0 software. Six duties and 18 tasks were identified based on the job model. Most tasks were found to be "important task", scoring 4.0 points or above. Physical care duties, elimination care, position changing and movement assistance, feeding assistance, and safety care were identified as high frequency tasks. The most difficult tasks were emergency prevention, early detection, and speedy reporting. A summary of the job of care helpers is providing physical, emotional, housekeeping, and daily activity assistance to elderly patients with problems in independently undertaking daily activities due to physical or mental causes in long-term care facilities or at the client's home. The results of this study suggest a task-focused examination, optimizing the content of the current standard teaching materials authorized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare while supplementing some content which was identified as task elements but not included in the current teaching materials and fully reflecting the actual frequency and difficulty of tasks

Turn-on Fluorescent Chemosensor Based on an Amino Acid for Pb(II) and Hg(II) Ions in Aqueous Solutions and Role of Tryptophan for Sensing

This communication presents a fluorescent chemosensor for detecting Pb(II) and Hg(II) in aqueous solutions. The sensor showed a turn-on response to Pb(II) by an enhancement of emission intensity at 380 nm and to Hg(II) by an enhancement of emission intensities at 380 and 475 nm. We have first characterized a unique function of tryptophan as a ligand as well as a quencher for recognition and fluorescent change by a metal binding event

Selective and Sensitive Detection of Heavy Metal Ions in 100% Aqueous Solution and Cells with a Fluorescence Chemosensor Based on Peptide Using Aggregation-Induced Emission

A fluorescent peptidyl chemosensor for the detection of heavy metal ions in aqueous solution as well as in cells was synthesized on the basis of the peptide receptor for the metal ions using an aggregation-induced emission fluorophore. The peptidyl chemosensor (<b>1</b>) bearing tetraphenylethylene fluorophore showed an exclusively selective turn-on response to Hg²⁺ among 16 metal ions in aqueous buffered solution containing NaCl. The peptidyl chemosensor complexed Hg²⁺ ions and then aggregated in aqueous buffered solution, resulting in the significant enhancement (OFF-On) of emissions at around 470 nm. The fluorescent sensor showed a highly sensitive response to Hg²⁺, and about 1.0 equiv of Hg²⁺ was enough for the saturation of the emission intensity change. The detection limit (5.3 nM, <i>R</i>² = 0.99) of <b>1</b> for Hg²⁺ ions was lower than the maximum allowable level of Hg²⁺ in drinking water by EPA. Moreover, the peptidyl chemosensor penetrated live cells and detected intracellular Hg²⁺ ions by the turn-on response

Ratiometric Detection of Nanomolar Concentrations of Heparin in Serum and Plasma Samples Using a Fluorescent Chemosensor Based on Peptides

A peptidyl fluorescent chemosensor for heparin was synthesized by conjugating a pyrene fluorophore with the heparin-binding peptide. The fluorescent chemosensor (<b>Py12</b>; pyrene-RKRLQVQLSIRT) showed a highly sensitive ratiometric response to nanomolar concentrations of heparin in aqueous solutions at physiological pH by increasing excimer emission intensity at 500 nm with a concomitant decrease in monomer emission intensity at 400 nm. <b>Py12</b> showed a sensitive ratiometric response to heparin over a wide pH range (1.5 ≤ pH ≤ 11.5) and exhibited high selectivity for heparin compared to other biological competitors, such as hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate. <b>Py12</b> sensitively and ratiometrically detected nanomolar concentrations of heparin in biologically relevant samples containing human serum and human plasma, respectively. The detection limit of <b>Py12</b> was 34 pM (<i>R</i>² = 0.997) for heparin in an aqueous buffer solutions containing 5% human serum and 33 pM (<i>R</i>² = 0.994) for heparin in aqueous buffer solutions containing 5% human plasma. <b>Py12</b> had sufficient sensitivity and selectivity for ratiometrically detecting a nanomolar concentration of heparin, indicating that the peptide-base chemosensor provides a potential tool for monitoring heparin levels in clinical plasma samples

Pyrene Excimer-Based Peptidyl Chemosensors for the Sensitive Detection of Low Levels of Heparin in 100% Aqueous Solutions and Serum Samples

Fluorescent chemosensors (<b>1</b> and <b>2</b>, Py–(Arg)_<i>n</i>GlyGlyGly­(Arg)_<i>n</i>Lys­(Py)–NH₂, <i>n</i> = 2 and 3) bearing two pyrene (Py) labeled heparin-binding peptides were synthesized for the sensitive ratiometric detection of heparin. The peptidyl chemosensors (<b>1</b> and <b>2)</b> sensitively detected nanomolar concentrations of heparin in aqueous solutions and in serum samples via a ratiometric response. In 100% aqueous solutions at pH 7.4, both chemosensors exhibited significant excimer emission at 486 nm as well as weak monomer emission in the absence of heparin. Upon the addition of heparin into the solution, excimer emission increased with a blue shift (10 nm) and monomer emission at 376 nm decreased. The chemosensors showed a similar sensitive ratiometric response to heparin independent of the concentration of the chemosensors. The peptidyl chemosensors were applied to the ratiometric detection of heparin over a wide range of pH (1.5–11.5) using the excimer/momomer emission changes. In the presence of serum, <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> displayed significant monomer emission at 376 nm with relatively weak excimer emission and the addition of heparin induced a significant increase in excimer emission at 480 nm and a concomitant decrease in monomer emission. The enhanced ratiometric response to heparin in the serum sample was due to the interactions between the peptidyl chemosensors and serum albumin in the serum sample. The detection limits of <b>2</b> for heparin were less than 1 nM in 100% aqueous solutions and serum samples. The peptidyl chemosensors bearing two heparin-binding sites are a suitable tool for the sensitive ratiometric detection of nanomolar concentrations of heparin in 100% aqueous solutions and serum samples

Media 2: Hologram synthesis of three-dimensional real objects using portable integral imaging camera

Originally published in Optics Express on 07 October 2013 (oe-21-20-23662

looming

loomAn unusual lapse rate of temperature (and therefore density as well) with height immediately above the sea (or land) surface produces a dis- tortion in the appearance of objects near the horizon; such a phenomenon is known as mirage. [enter symbol] When the surface is relatively cold (and the wind ver y light) so that the density of the air decreases rapidly for a short distance above the surface, light rays from objects low down near the horizon are bent down, the same way in fact as are usually the rays of the sun when entering the earth's atmosphere at a low altititude. The effect is to render visible objects that are normally below the horizon, e.g. lights may be 'raised' at night to much greater distances than one would ordinarily expect. This phenomenon is known as 'looming.'PRINTED ITEMNot usedNot usedWithdrawnChecked by Jordyn Hughes on Wed 17 May 201