Two cases illustrating a potential difference between transobturator and retropubic slings

Abstract The transobturator sling procedure is a relatively new technique as compared to the retropubic version. The functional differences between these two procedures are largely unknown. Two cases of failed transobturator slings are reported. In both cases, the procedure was done under local anesthesia and a cough stress test was performed to adjust the tape. The transobturator slings were unable to stop the leakage and we replaced them with the retropubic versions, which were successful. Even when pulled very tightly, some transobturator slings will fail to stop stress incontinence that is amenable to cure from a typically placed "tension-free" retropubic sling. The cough stress test can identify such cases

The Main Belt Comets and ice in the Solar System

We review the evidence for buried ice in the asteroid belt; specifically the questions around the so-called Main Belt Comets (MBCs). We summarise the evidence for water throughout the Solar System, and describe the various methods for detecting it, including remote sensing from ultraviolet to radio wavelengths. We review progress in the first decade of study of MBCs, including observations, modelling of ice survival, and discussion on their origins. We then look at which methods will likely be most effective for further progress, including the key challenge of direct detection of (escaping) water in these bodies

Freeze-dried macroporous foam prepared from chitosan/xanthan gum/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Freeze-dried macroporous foams were prepared from an aqueous colloidal suspension of chitosan/xanthangum/Na+-montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT). The suspension formed gel structure as a consequence of freezing, named cryogel. Cryogel is defined as a gel formed due to the concentration increase of the substrates caused by the ice formation during freezing. This obtained cryogel was subsequently dried under vacuum condition to produce porous foam materials. Two freezing methods were employed in the present work in order to investigate the influence of the processing on sample characteristics, namely; contact freezing with a heat exchanger and immersion freezing in a cryo-bath. Based on the SEM observation, in the case of contact freezing; rapid freezing (−2 C/min) resulted in randomly aligned pores as compared to the pore alignment obtained in the case of slow freezing (−0.25 C/min); the mean pore size for rapid freezing and slowing freezing were 40 μm and 68 μm, respectively. However, in immersion freezing samples, aligned and bamboo-like straight structures with pore layer spacing of 22 μm were observed. The different microstructures significantly influenced the mechanical hardness of the prepared foams nanocomposites. The MMT dispersion within the bionanocomposites was found to be characteristically exfoliated from X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy analysis. Small angle X-ray diffraction data indicated that the polymeric networks were modified by the exfoliated MMT and the MMT also improved the hardness of the prepared foams

Nuclear Localization of the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor Intracellular Domain*♦

The p75 neurotrophin receptor, a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily of receptors, undergoes an α-secretase-mediated release of its extracellular domain, followed by a γ-secretase-mediated intramembrane cleavage. Like amyloid precursor protein and Notch, γ-secretase cleavage of the p75 receptor releases an intracellular domain (ICD). However, it has been experimentally challenging to determine the precise subcellular localization and functional consequences of the p75 ICD. Here, we utilized a nuclear translocation assay and biochemical fractionation approaches to follow the fate of the ICD. We found that the p75 ICD can translocate to the nucleus to activate a green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Furthermore, the p75 ICD was localized in nuclear fractions. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that nerve growth factor induced the association of endogenous p75 with the cyclin E1 promoter. Expression of the p75 ICD resulted in modulation of gene expression from this locus. These results suggest that the p75 ICD generated by γ-secretase cleavage is capable of modulating transcriptional events in the nucleus