Swimming Efficiency of Bacterium Escherichia Coli

We use in vivo measurements of swimming bacteria in an optical trap to determine fundamental properties of bacterial propulsion. In particular, we determine the propulsion matrix, which relates the angular velocity of the flagellum to the torques and forces propelling the bacterium. From the propulsion matrix dynamical properties such as forces, torques, swimming speed and power can be obtained from measurements of the angular velocity of the motor. We find significant heterogeneities among different individuals even though all bacteria started from a single colony. The propulsive efficiency, defined as the ratio of the propulsive power output to the rotary power input provided by the motors, is found to be 0.2%.Comment: 6 page

Quality utility modelling for multimedia applications for Android mobile devices

With the advances in mobile technologies, smart mobile computing devices have become increasingly affordable and powerful, leading to a significant growth in both the number of advanced mobile users and their bandwidth demands. Moreover multimedia streaming to these high-end mobile devices has become widespread. However, multimedia applications are known to be resource-hungry and in order to cope with this explosion of data traffic, operators have started deploying different, overlapping radio access network technologies. One important challenge in such a heterogeneous wireless environment is to ensure an Always Best Experience to the mobile user, anywhere and anytime. This paper proposes the Quality Utility, a realistic mapping function of the received bandwidth to user satisfaction for multimedia streaming applications. The Quality Utility is mapped to a Google Nexus One Android Mobile device and validated through objective and subjective tests

Prospects for the use of the laparoscopic transabdominal pre-peritoneal approach (TAPP) in groin hernia repair

Curs Chirurgie al Facultăţii Stomatologie, USMF “Nicolae Testemiţanu”, Spitalul Clinic Militar Central, Chisinău, Republica Moldova, Al XII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova cu participare internațională 23-25 septembrie 2015Introducere: Abordul laparoscopic în cura herniilor inghinale devine o metodă de elecţie pe plan mondial. Rămîne actuală problema standardizării tehnicii chirurgicale şi optimizării rezultatelor acestui procedeu. Material şi metode: În perioada anilor 2008-2014 în Clinică a fost efectuată cura laparoscopică a herniei inghinale la 271 pacienţi (16 – bilateral). Repartiţia herniilor conform clasificării Nyhus: tip II (n=188), tip IIIa (n=64), tip IIIb (n=18), tip IIIc (n=9), tip IV (n=12). A fost utilizată tehnica transabdominală preperitoneală (TAPP). Rezultate: Durata intervenţiei a constituit în medie 47,8±25,07 min, fiind mai lungă pentru herniile recidivante – 95±48,99 min (60-180) şi bilaterale – 92,78±23,47 min (65-140). Mediana spitalizării – 3 zile, reîntoarcerea în cîmpul muncii – sub 10 zile. Incidentele intraoperatorii au fost corectate laparoscopic. Conversia a fost efectuată la un pacient. Nu au fost constatate cazuri de infecţie a plăgii postoperatorii. Aprecierea rezultatelor tratamentului chirurgical la distanţă a fost realizată la 223 pacienţi. Pentru evaluarea durerii la pacienţii cu diagnosticul hernie inghinală a fost utilizată scala de evaluare numerică NRS – 11. În perioada postoperatorie au prevalat pacienţi cu sindrom algic redus (NRS: 1-3). Algoparestezia postoperatorie persistentă a fost diagnosticată la 4 pacienţi. Recidiva herniei a fost înregistrată la 2 pacienţi, în ambele cazuri recidiva a fost corectată laparoscopic. Concluzii: Experienţa noastră confirmă posibilitatea utilizării procedeului TAPP la diferite tipuri de hernie inghinală. Acumularea experienţei permite de a lărgi indicaţiile pentru abordul laparoscopic la pacienţii cu hernii bilaterale, glisante şi recurente. Avantajele hernioplastiei laparoscopice sunt: micşorarea sindromului algic postoperator, reintegrarea socioprofesională rapidă şi numărul redus de complicaţii parietale.Introduction: The transabdominal pre-peritoneal procedure (TAPP) represents one of the most popular techniques used for inguinal hernia repair. The analysis of the reported cases helps to standardize the relatively new laparoscopic technique and to improve the overall results. Material and methods: The group of 271 patients underwent laparoscopic hernia repair (16 bilateral) for the period 2008-2014. According to Nyhus classification, the groin hernias were classified as type II (n=188), type IIIa (n=64), type IIIb (n=18), type IIIc (n=9), type IV (n=12). The TAPP procedure was utilized. Results: The mean operating time was 47.8±25.07 minutes, being statistically longer for recurrent hernias 95±48.99 min (range, 60-180) and bilateral hernias – 92.78±23.47 min (range, 65-140). The average length of hospital stay was 3 days. Patients returned to work in an average of 10 days. The postoperative morbidity rate was 2.2%. The majority of intraoperative incidents (intraoperative hemorrhage, n=4) were solved laparoscopically without sequelae. One case was converted to Lichtenstein repair. Patients were evaluated at a median follow up of 24 month (range, 12-36 month). A total of 223 patients were assesssed for long-term outcomes. Pain was assessed with Numerical Rating Scale (NRS – 11). The vast majority of post-operative patients had minor pain manifestation of pain (NRS: 1-3). We observed 4 cases of persistent inguinal pain. The hernia recurrence was developed in 2 patients and has been corrected via laparoscopic approach. Conclusions: While laparoscopic hernia repair requires a lengthy learning curve, it represents safe and valid alternative to open hernia repairs and could be effectively used for bilateral, recurrent and sliding hernias. The advantages of laparoscopic repair include less postoperative pain, faster return to normal activities and low wound infection rate

Nerve excitability in the rat forelimb: a technique to improve translational utility

Background Nerve excitability testing by threshold-tracking is the only available method to study axonal ion channel function and membrane potential in the clinical setting. The measures are, however, indirect and the interpretation of neuropathic changes remains challenging. The same multiple measures of axonal excitability were adapted to further explore the pathophysiological changes in rodent disease models under pharmacologic and genetic manipulations. These studies are typically limited to the investigation of the “long nerves” such as the tail or the tibial nerves. New method We introduce a novel setup to explore the ulnar nerve excitability in rodents. We provide normative ulnar data in 11 adult female Long Evans rats under anaesthesia by comparison with tibial and caudal nerves. Additionally, these measures were repeated weekly on 3 occasions to determine the repeatability of these tests. Results Nerve excitability assessment of ulnar nerve proved to be a longitudinally repeatable measure of axonal function mature in rats, as were measures in tibial and caudal nerves. Comparison with existing method: Ulnar nerve motor excitability measures were different from the caudal and tibial excitability measures. Most notably, ulnar nerve showed the largest threshold changes during both depolarizing and hyperpolarizing threshold electrotonus. Conclusions Ulnar nerves demonstrate a distinct nerve excitability profile than the caudal and tibial nerves which could have functional and pathological implications

The influence of three endodontic sealers on bone healing: an experimental study

Background: The aim of this experimental study is to assess the bone healing phenomenon produced in the presence of 3 dental materials used for the root canal obturation. Materials and methods: The biocompatibility of 3 endodontic sealers (a self-curing epoxy resin — AH Plus, a dual cure urethane dimethacrylate resin — RealSeal and a new dual cure endodontic hydroxyapatite based filling material) was investigated after intra-osseous implantation of the materials in rats’ calvaria. Tissue reaction was studied at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after implantation using calibrated image retrieval by Olympus. We took into consideration the presence of inflammatory cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages, plasma cells, lymphocytes and giant cells) and classified the aspects of the histological samples according to the following scale: 0 — no inflammation, 1 — mild, isolated inflammation, 2 — moderate, localised inflammatory reaction, 3 — severe, diffuse and intense inflammatory reaction. Results: The inflammatory reaction was present at the 6 intervals for all the tested materials, but a decrease of the inflammatory infiltrate, statistically significant, until extinction for all tested materials was observed at the end of the experimental period. The reaction of bone tissue recovery was most intense in the case of the control area. Lower intensity osteogenesis phenomenon was observed in case of all 3 tested sealers at the end of the experimental period. Conclusions: Biocompatibility and bone healing induction of the new hydroxyapatite based endodontic filling material is comparable to other commercial materials, AH Plus and RealSeal

Direct detection of electron backscatter diffraction patterns.

We report the first use of direct detection for recording electron backscatter diffraction patterns. We demonstrate the following advantages of direct detection: the resolution in the patterns is such that higher order features are visible; patterns can be recorded at beam energies below those at which conventional detectors usefully operate; high precision in cross-correlation based pattern shift measurements needed for high resolution electron backscatter diffraction strain mapping can be obtained. We also show that the physics underlying direct detection is sufficiently well understood at low primary electron energies such that simulated patterns can be generated to verify our experimental data

A new abdominal wall reconstruction strategy for giant incisional hernia

Scopul lucrării. Tratamentul chirurgical al herniei incizionale gigante cu “pierdere dreptului la domiciliu” reprezintă o provocare pentru echipa chirurgicală grație riscurilor și complicațiilor perioperatorii asociate manevrei chirurgicale. Scopul studiului este optimizarea rezultatelor tratamentului chirurgical al herniilor incizionale gigante prin implementarea tehniciii novaționale de reconstrucție peretelui abdominal. Materiale și metode. În perioada 2019-2023 am utilizat tehnica de separare posterioară a componentelor cu eliberarea muşchiului transvers abdominal (TAR) la 12 pacienţi cu hernii incizionale gigante. Repartiţia defectelor parietale conform clasificării EHS (2009): M1W3 (n=1), M2W3 (n=2), M3W3 (n=4), M4W3 ( n=2), M5W3 (n=1) și L2W3 (n=2). Dimensiunea medie a lăţimii defectului parietal a constituit 15,5 cm (interval 12,5-24,5 cm). Tehnica chirurgicală prevede deschiderea tecilor mușchilor drepți abdominali, disecția retromusculară tip Rives-Stoppa, eliberarea componentului fascial transvers medial de la linia semilunară și crearea unui spațiu preperitoneal avascular extins cranial pînă la tendonul central al diafragmului, inferior în spaţiul Retzius şi în plan lateral pînă la psoas. Augmentația protetică prevede crearea planului de rezistența prin montarea plasei chirurgicale de mari dimensiuni în poziție preperitoneală. Rezultate. Durata medie a intervenţiei 140,8±20.1 min (interval 130-187 min). Mediana spitalizării 10 zile (interval 6-22 zile). Complicaţii parietale au fost instalate la 4 pacienţi. Timpul mediu de urmărire a fost 12 luni fără recurenţă. Concluzii. Tehnica de separare posterioară a componentelor completată cu augmentația protetică şi restaurarea liniei albe reprezintă o direcţie inovatoare de reconstrucție a peretelui abdominal. TAR oferă soluția eficientă în tratamentul eventraţiilor voluminoase şi asigură restabilirea structurală și funcțională a peretelui abdominal.Aim of study. Giant incisional hernia repair is a complex and challenging issue due to preoperative risks and high complication rate. The aim of the study is to improve the results of giant incisional hernia repair by implementing an innovative technique of abdominal wall reconstruction. Materials and methods. During the period from 2019 to 2022 we used the posterior component separation technique with transverse abdominis muscle release (TAR) in 12 patients with giant ventral incisional hernias. According to EHS (2009) classification, the hernias were classified as type EHS (2009): M1W3 (n=1), M2W3 (n=2), M3W3 (n=4), M4W3 (n=2), M5W3 (n=1) și L2W3 (n=2).The average width of the defect was 15.5 cm (range 12.5-24.5 cm). The procedure includes a Rives-Stoppa retro-rectus dissection followed by the transversus abdominis release medial to the linea semilunaris and wide plane of pre-peritoneal dissection extended from the subxiphoid are towards the space of Retzius. The prosthetic augmentation of abdominal wall is done by placement of a large surgical mesh in preperitoneal fashion. Results. The mean operating time was 140.8±20.1 min (range 130-187 min). The average length of hospital stay was 10 days (range 6-22 days). We observed 4 cases of various types of wound complications. Patients were evaluated at a median follow up of 12 months without recurrence. Conclusions. Posterior component separation technique with transverse abdominis muscle release augmented by surgical mesh represents a novel approach to ventral hernia. TAR is a versatile technique that provides high-level functionality of the abdominal wall and offers a reliable solution for complex incisional hernias