Comparative in-vitro activity of fleroxacin and other 6-fluoroquinolones against mycobacteria

The susceptibility of 11 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 3 M. kansasii,3 M. xenopi, 2 M.scrofulaceum, 2 M. marinum, 2 M. malmoense to fleroxacin,ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and streptomycin was determined by the standard proportion method (Middlebrook 7HlO agar). All M.tuberculosis,M. kansasii, M. xenopi,M. scrofulaceum, M. marinum,and M. malmoense isolates including those resistant to conventional antimycobacterials were inhibited by 0·5 mg/l of fleroxacin and ciprofloxacin, the lowest tested concentration. Fleroxacin and ciprofloxacin along with ofloxacin,pefloxacin, ansamycin, clofazimine and cycloserine were also tested against 14 isolates of the M. avium complex. Nine of 14 strains (64%) of the M. avium complex were found susceptible to 4 mg/l of fleroxacin and a similar percentage to the other quinolones. On the basis of its in-vitro potency and its favourable pharmacokinetic properties fleroxacin appears to be sufficiently active to warrantfurther experimental trials against difficult to treat mycobacteri

The Role of Statistics in Forensic Science

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Electronic structure of small lanthanide containing molecules

Lanthanide-based materials have unusual electronic properties because of the high number of electronic degrees of freedom arising from partial occupation of 4f orbitals, which make these materials optimal for their utilization in many applications including electronics and catalysis. Electronic spectroscopy of small lanthanide molecules helps us understand the role of these 4f electrons, which are generally considered core-like because of orbital contraction, but are energetically similar to valence electrons. The spectroscopy of small lanthanide-containing molecules is relatively unexplored and to broaden this understanding we have completed the characterization of small cerium, praseodymium, and europium molecules using photoelectron spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations. The characterization of PrO, EuH, EuO/EuOH, and Ce$_{x}$O$_{y}$ molecules have allowed for the determination of their electron affinity, the assignment of numerous anion to neutral state transitions, modeling of anion/neutral structures and electron orbital occupation

Space Retrieval Training for Memory Enhancement in Adults with Dementia

The final portfolio contains 8 research articles from national and international journals. Study designs include one systematic review, one randomized control trial with pretest-posttest design, three small-scale randomized control trials, one quasi-experimental study with no control, one time-series study, and one case study. All studies relate directly to components of the evidence-based practice question and will be used to draft new recommendations for implementation regarding spaced retrieval training for memory enhancement in adults with dementia. Seven out of the eight articles looked at the effects of SR techniques on functional tasks. Articles looked at eating difficulty (1), independent use of walkers (1), iADL function (3), use of technology (1), and ADL function (1). One out of eight articles looked at benefits of spaced retrieval techniques on episodic memory, which is not necessarily a functional task, but is needed to perform functional tasks

Highly multiplexed, label-free proteoform imaging of tissues by individual ion mass spectrometry.

Imaging of proteoforms in human tissues is hindered by low molecular specificity and limited proteome coverage. Here, we introduce proteoform imaging mass spectrometry (PiMS), which increases the size limit for proteoform detection and identification by fourfold compared to reported methods and reveals tissue localization of proteoforms at &lt;80-μm spatial resolution. PiMS advances proteoform imaging by combining ambient nanospray desorption electrospray ionization with ion detection using individual ion mass spectrometry. We demonstrate highly multiplexed proteoform imaging of human kidney, annotating 169 of 400 proteoforms of &lt;70 kDa using top-down MS and a database lookup of ~1000 kidney candidate proteoforms, including dozens of key enzymes in primary metabolism. PiMS images reveal distinct spatial localizations of proteoforms to both anatomical structures and cellular neighborhoods in the vasculature, medulla, and cortex regions of the human kidney. The benefits of PiMS are poised to increase proteome coverage for label-free protein imaging of tissues

The phase diagram of NiSi under the conditions of small planetary interiors

The phase diagram of NiSi has been determined using in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction multi-anvil experiments to 19 GPa, with further preliminary results in the laser-heated diamond cell reported to 60 GPa. The low-pressure MnP-structured phase transforms to two different high-pressure phases depending on the temperature: the ε-FeSi structure is stable at temperatures above ∼1100 K and a previously reported distorted-CuTi structure (with Pmmn symmetry) is stable at lower temperature. The invariant point is located at 12.8 ± 0.2 GPa and 1100 ± 20 K. At higher pressures, ε -FeSi-structured NiSi transforms to the CsCl structure with CsCl-NiSi as the liquidus phase above 30 GPa. The Clapeyron slope of this transition is -67 MPa/K. The phase boundary between the ε -FeSi and Pmmn structured phases is nearly pressure independent implying there will be a second sub-solidus invariant point between CsCl, ε -FeSi and Pmmn structures at higher pressure than attained in this study. In addition to these stable phases, the MnP structure was observed to spontaneously transform at room temperature to a new orthorhombic structure (also with Pnma symmetry) which had been detailed in previous ab initio simulations. This new phase of NiSi is shown here to be metastable

The Role of Statistics in Forensic Science

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The evaluation of perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with thrombophilias.

TEZ8753Tez (Uzmanlık) -- Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana, 2012.Kaynakça (s. 43-49) var.viii, 50 s. : res. ; 29 cm.Aim: In our study we included pregnant patients diagnosed (according to predetermined criteria) with thrombophilia and evaluated their follow up by thromboprophylaxy for perinatal outcomes. In addition to our study group we aimed to evaluate a control group with negative thrombophilia screen results and hypothesized similar perinatal outcomes in comparison with the study group. Materials-Methods: Pregnant subjects that applied to Çukurova University Hospital - Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, between June 2010 - February 2012 were recruited in the study. Patients with past history of recurrent miscarriages who had previously been investigated for miscarriage aetiology with only thrombophilia identified as sole factor for miscarriage were included into the study. Patients with a positive hrombophilia screen were initiated a thromboprophylaxia protocol in the first trimester and their demographic backgrounds and past obstetric histories were also recorded. In addition to this, the type of thrombophilia and number of thrombophilia defects were also noted and the route of birth and perinatal outcomes were evaluated prospectively. The control group included patients who had a history of recurrent unexplained miscarriages, with a negative thrombophilia screen. Differences between both groups were statistically significant at a p value Results: 60 patients with recurrrent miscarriages and positive thrombophilia screen were included in the study group, while 50 patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage composed the control group. When the perinatal outcomes of both the study and the control groups were compared; first trimester miscarriage rates. (%11.7 (7/60), %8 (4/50), p=0.487), second trimester pregnancy loss (%0 (0/80), %2 (1/50), p=0.487), third trimester pregnancy loss (%1.7 (1/60), %0 (0/50), p=0.487), development of preeclampsia/eclampsia (%3.3 (2/60), %8 (4/50), p=0.257), Small for gestational age birth rate (%3.3 (2/60), %4 (2/50), p=0.619), preterm birth rate (%16.7 (10/60), %10 (5/50), p=0.232) and the incidence of venous thrombosis (%11.7 (7/60), %6 (3/50), p=0.246) did not differ significantly. The cesarean section rate in the study group was 55% (33/60) and 18% (9/50) in the study group (p=0.000) and it was statistically significant between both groups. Discussion: Our study discovered similar findings and perinatal outcomes in patients with and without thrombophilia. The only significant difference between both groups was the difference in cesarean rates. The fact that the thrombophilia group in fact had thromboprophylaxy therapy may explain the similar results between the two groups. Potential therapy modalities and the effects of thrombophilias upon pregnancies can only be further investigated by planning more highly populated prospective randomized studies.Amaç: Çalışmamızda belirlediğimiz kriterler çerçevesinde trombofili saptanan ve gebe olarak başvuran hastalara uygulanan tromboprofilaksi ile perinatal sonuçları (gebelik kaybı, preeklampsi, preterm doğum, venöz tromboz vb) değerlendirdik. Kontrol grubunda da aynı dönemde trombofili taranıp trombofili taraması negatif olan hastalardaki benzer perinatal sonuçları gözlemlemeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırmamızda Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Kadın Hastalıkları ve Doğum Anabilim Dalı Gebe Polikliniğinde Haziran 2010 ile Şubat 2012 tarihleri arasında gebelik takibi yapılan hastalar yer aldı. Daha önce tekrarlayan gebelik kaybı nedeni ile düşük araştırması yapılmış olup, etyolojik nedenlerden sadece trombofili testleri pozitif çıkan hastalar çalışmaya dahil edildi. Bu hastalara gebeliğin ilk trimesterinde tromboprofilaksi başlandı ve hastaların demografik özellikleri, önceki gebelik öyküsü, trombofili tipi ve trombofilik defekt sayısı kaydedildi. Doğum şekilleri ve perinatal sonuçları prospektif olarak incelendi. Araştırmamızın kontrol grubu ise aynı dönem içerisinde gebe polikliniğine başvurup, tekrarlayan gebelik kaybı nedeni ile düşük araştırması yapılmış olan ve etyolojik nedene ait bulgu saptanamayan gebelerden oluşturuldu. Sonuçlar arasında istatistiksel önem düzeyi için p değeri <0,05 olarak alındı. Bulgular: Çalışmada rekürren gebelik kaybı nedeni ile gebelik öncesi etyolojik tarama yapılıp trombofili saptanan 60 gebe çalışma grubuna ve trombofili dahil etyolojik neden saptanamamış 50 gebe ise kontrol grubuna alınmıştır. Trombofili olan grup ile olmayan grup arasında 1. trimester kayıp (% 11,7 (7/60), % 8 (4/50), p=0,487), 2. trimester kayıp (% 0 (0/80), % 2 (1/50), p=0,487), 3. trimester kayıp (% 1,7 (1/60), % 0 (0/50), p=0,487), preeklampsi ve eklampsi gelişimi (% 3,3 (2/60), % 8(4/50), p=0,257), gebelik haftasına göre küçük bebek görülmesi (% 3,3 (2/60), % 4 (2/50), p=0,619), preterm doğum görülmesi (% 16,7 (10/60), % 10 (5/50), p=0,232), venöz tromboz gelişimi (% 11,7 (7/60), % 6 (3/50), p=0,246) oranları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanmamıştır. Trombofili saptanan grupta sezaryenle doğum oranı % 55 (33/60) iken kontrol grubunda % 18 (9/50) olarak bulunmuş ve iki grup arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark gözlenmiştir. (p=0,000) Sonuç: Çalışmamızda trombofili saptadığımız grupla trombofili saptanmayan grup obstetrik sonuçlar açısından karşılaştırıldığında; doğum şekli dışındaki diğer sonuçlarda istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanmamıştır. Hastalara uygulanan tromboprofilaksi ile iki grup arasında benzer sonuçların çıkması olağan karşılanabilir. Tedavinin etkinliğini değerlendirmek ve trombofilinin gebelik üzerine etkilerini net olarak ortaya koyabilmek için daha geniş katılımlı, prospektif randomize çalışmalar planlanmasına ihtiyaç vardır