Successful transureteropyelostomy after heminephrectomy of a bilateral hydronephrotic horseshoe kidney: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Horseshoe kidney is a rare congenital malformation that is found in approximately 0.25% of the general population and usually remains asymptomatic.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a successful transureteropyelostomy after heminephrectomy of the non-functional right moiety in a 25-year-old man with horseshoe kidney who had a combined 50% functional loss and hydronephrosis due to multiple distal ureteral strictures on the functionally remaining left side. Continuous ureteral stenting of the remaining part of the former horseshoe kidney was avoided during a follow-up of 2 years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Urologists are often faced with technically difficult cases that are not responsive to standard operative procedures, and this case illustrates an individual surgical approach in a clinical situation.</p

Patterns of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystallization in complex biological systems

The paper presents the features of calcium oxalate crystallization in the presence of additives revealed through experimental modeling. The patterns of phase formation are shown for the Ca{2+} – C[2]O[4]{ 2–} – H[2]O and Ca{2+} – C[2]O[4]{2–} – PO[4]{3–} – H[2]O systems with the components and pH of the saline varying over a wide concentrations range. The effect of additives on crystallization of calcium oxalate monohydrate was investigated. It was found that the ionic strength and magnesium ions are inhibitors, and calcium oxalate and hydroxyapatite crystals are catalysts of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystallization. The basic calcium phosphate (apatite) was found to be most thermodynamically stable, which indicates its special role in kidney stone formation since it is found in virtually all stones

Positive selection inhibits gene mobilization and transfer in soil bacterial communities

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between bacterial lineages is a fundamental evolutionary process that accelerates adaptation. Sequence analyses show that conjugative plasmids are principal agents of HGT in natural communities. However, we lack understanding of how the ecology of bacterial communities and their environments affect the dynamics of plasmid-mediated gene mobilization and transfer. Here we show, in simple experimental soil bacterial communities containing a conjugative mercury resistance plasmid, the repeated, independent mobilization of transposon-borne genes from chromosome to plasmid, plasmid to chromosome and, in the absence of mercury selection, interspecific gene transfers from the chromosome of one species to the other via the plasmid. By reducing conjugation, positive selection for plasmid-encoded traits, like mercury resistance, can consequently inhibit HGT. Our results suggest that interspecific plasmid-mediated gene mobilization is most likely to occur in environments where plasmids are infectious, parasitic elements rather than those where plasmids are positively selected, beneficial elements

American palm ethnomedicine: A meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many recent papers have documented the phytochemical and pharmacological bases for the use of palms (<it>Arecaceae</it>) in ethnomedicine. Early publications were based almost entirely on interviews that solicited local knowledge. More recently, ethnobotanically guided searches for new medicinal plants have proven more successful than random sampling for identifying plants that contain biodynamic ingredients. However, limited laboratory time and the high cost of clinical trials make it difficult to test all potential medicinal plants in the search for new drug candidates. The purpose of this study was to summarize and analyze previous studies on the medicinal uses of American palms in order to narrow down the search for new palm-derived medicines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Relevant literature was surveyed and data was extracted and organized into medicinal use categories. We focused on more recent literature than that considered in a review published 25 years ago. We included phytochemical and pharmacological research that explored the importance of American palms in ethnomedicine.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 730 species of American palms, we found evidence that 106 species had known medicinal uses, ranging from treatments for diabetes and leishmaniasis to prostatic hyperplasia. Thus, the number of American palm species with known uses had increased from 48 to 106 over the last quarter of a century. Furthermore, the pharmacological bases for many of the effects are now understood.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Palms are important in American ethnomedicine. Some, like <it>Serenoa repens </it>and <it>Roystonea regia</it>, are the sources of drugs that have been approved for medicinal uses. In contrast, recent ethnopharmacological studies suggested that many of the reported uses of several other palms do not appear to have a strong physiological basis. This study has provided a useful assessment of the ethnobotanical and pharmacological data available on palms.</p

Adsorption from Binary Gas Mixtures and its Theoretical Description

The experimental and theoretical investigation of adsorption of a number of binary gas mixtures on graphitized thermal black (GTB), on black TG-10 and on silochrome S-80 was carried out to discover the thermodynamic characteristics of the adsorbed substance, when the surface concentration of component 1 was very small and the concentration of component 2 was varied over rather wide limits. The adsorption was measured by the gas chromatographic method. The dependence of the Henry constant, K 1 , of the component 1 on the degree of coverage, θ 2 , of the adsorbent surface by the adsorbed component 2 was determined. For the theoretical description of the adsorption data obtained on the homogeneous GTB surface three models were used: (a) two-dimensional lattice model of adsrption from gas mixture in the Bragg–Williams approximation; (b) the well-known model of non-localized (mobile) adsorption on the basis of two-dimensional van der Waals' equation of state; (c) unidimensional lattice model of adsorbing surface which takes into account the interaction between the neighbouring adsorbed molecules. For the last model the exact solution was obtained by the matrix method. The numerical calculations with the suitably chosen parameters were carried out using the limiting forms of the isotherm equations for the dependence of K 1 on θ 2 . The results of calculations were compared with experimental data

ЕСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНЕ ТА ТЕОРЕТИЧНЕ ВИВЧЕННЯ ПОЛІМЕРНИХ ШАРІВ З БАРВНИКАМИ

We present the results of the experimental and theoretical studying photoconductivity of polymer layers with the dyes. It’s investigated photoconductivity of organic dyes in solid polymeric matrices with rectangular pulse excitation light. The obtained experimental data indicate on the quadratic (i.e. non-linear) relationship between photocurrent values that are obtained for two different levels of radiation intensities.Представлены результаты экспериментального и теоретического изучения фотопроводимости полимерных слоев с красителями. Приведены результаты исследования фотопроводимости органических красителей в твердых полимерных матрицах со светом (импульс прямоугольной формы). Полученные экспериментальные данные показывают квадратичное (т.е. нелинейное) соотношение между значениями фототока, полученными для двух различных уровней интенсивности излучения.Представлені результати експериментального та теоретичного вивчення фотопровідності полімерних шарів з барвниками. Наведено результати дослідження фотопровідності органічних барвників в твердих полімерних матрицях зі світлом (імпульс прямокутної форми). Отримані експериментальні дані показують квадратичне (тобто нелінійне) співвідношення між значеннями фототока, отриманими для двох різних рівнів інтенсивності випромінювання

КВАНТОВО-ХІМІЧНЕ ВИВЧЕННЯ СТРУКТУРИ І ДИНАМІКИ РЕЛАКСАЦІЇ ТРІМЕТІН-ЦІАНІНОВОГО БАРВНИКА

Quantum-chemical studying polymethine dyes molecular structure and investigation of the relaxation processes of excitation have been carried out. Particularly, in the highly excited triplet state the dissociative surface exists, which corresponds to σ → σ*-excitation of the molecule; relaxation of excitations in the framework of this surface leads to dissociation of the molecule by lengthening the C-C bond of the molecule at the central carbon atom.Приведены результаты квантово-химического изучения молекулярной структуры и процессов релаксации возбуждения полиметиновых красителей. В частности, в сильно возбужденном триплетном состоянии существует поверхность диссоциации, отвечающая возбуждению σ → σ * молекулы; релаксация возбуждения приводит к диссоциации молекулы за счет удлинения CC связи молекулы на центральном атоме углерода.Приведені результати квантово-хімічного вивчення молекулярної структури та процесів релаксаціїв збудження поліметинових барвників. Зокрема, в сильно збудженому триплетному стані існує поверхня дисоціації, що відповідає збудженню σ→σ* молекули; релаксація збудження приводить до дисоціації молекули за рахунок подовження CC зв’язку молекули на центральному атомі вуглецю