A Novel Technique of Uterine Manipulation in Laparoscopic Pelvic Oncosurgical Procedures: “The Uterine Hitch Technique”

Aim. To describe a new technique of uterine manipulation in laparoscopic management of pelvic cancers. Material and Methods. We used a novel uterine hitch technique in 23 patients from May 2008 to October 2008. These patients underwent pelvic oncologic surgery including laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (n = 7), laparoscopic anterior resection (n = 4), laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (n = 3), laparoscopic posterior exenteration (n = 4), or laparoscopic anterior exenteration (n = 5). The uterus was hitched to the anterior abdominal.wall by either a single suture in the fundus or by sutures through the round ligaments. Results. The uterine hitch technique was successfully accomplished in all procedures. It was performed in less than 5 minutes in all cases. It obviated the need for vaginal manipulation. An extra port for retraction could be avoided. There were no intraoperative complications. Conclusion. A practical, cheap and reproducible method for uterine manipulation, during pelvic oncologic surgery is described. It improves the stability of the uterus and also obviates the need for keeping an additional assistant for vaginal manipulation in any of the procedures

Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment for promotion of cell adhesion onto PDMS substrates

This research aims to develop a cell coating on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to study the response of corneal epithelial cells to mechanical stress. PDMS is a highly hydrophobic silicone elastomer, which despite its excellent mechanical properties is an unattractive surface for cell adhesion. In order to promote cell adhesion onto PDMS, a cold atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment has been used to modify the surface properties of the PDMS without affecting its bulk mechanical characteristics

S-COL: A Copernican turn for the development of flexibly reusable collaboration scripts

Collaboration scripts are usually implemented as parts of a particular collaborative-learning platform. Therefore, scripts of demonstrated effectiveness are hardly used with learning platforms at other sites, and replication studies are rare. The approach of a platform-independent description language for scripts that allows for easy implementation of the same script on different platforms has not succeeded yet in making the transfer of scripts feasible. We present an alternative solution that treats the problem as a special case of providing support on top of diverse Web pages: In this case, the challenge is to trigger support based on the recognition of a Web page as belonging to a specific type of functionally equivalent pages such as the search query form or the results page of a search engine. The solution suggested has been implemented by means of a tool called S-COL (Scripting for Collaborative Online Learning) and allows for the sustainable development of scripts and scaffolds that can be used with a broad variety of content and platforms. The tool’s functions are described. In order to demonstrate the feasibility and ease of script reuse with S-COL, we describe the flexible re-implementation of a collaboration script for argumentation in S-COL and its adaptation to different learning platforms. To demonstrate that a collaboration script implemented in S-COL can actually foster learning, an empirical study about the effects of a specific script for collaborative online search on learning activities is presented. The further potentials and the limitations of the S-COL approach are discussed

Design, Performance and Series Production of Superconducting Trim Quadrupoles for the Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will be equipped with several thousands of superconducting corrector magnets. Among the largest ones are the superconducting trim quadrupoles (MQTL). These twin-aperture magnets with a total mass of up to 1700 kg have a nominal gradient of 129 T/m at 1.9 K and a magnetic length of 1.3 m. Sixty MQTL are required for the LHC, 36 operating at 1.9 K in and 24 operating at 4.5 K. The paper describes the design features, and reports the measured quench performance and magnetic field quality of the production magnets. The MQTL magnet production is shared between CERN and industry. This sharing is simplified due to the modular construction, common to all twin-aperture correctors

What is new in surgical treatment of vesicoureteric reflux?

In addition to conventional open surgery and endoscopic techniques, laparoscopic correction of vesicoureteric reflux, sometimes even robot-assisted, is becoming an alternative surgical treatment modality for this condition in a number of centres around the world. At least for a subgroup of patients laparoscopists are trying to develop new techniques in an effort to combine the best of both worlds: the minimal invasiveness of the STING and the same lasting effectiveness as in open surgery. The efficacy and potential advantages or disadvantages of these techniques are still under investigation. The different laparoscopic techniques and available data are presented

Longitudinal study of adolescent tobacco use and tobacco control policies in India

Abstract Background This project will use a multilevel longitudinal cohort study design to assess whether changes in Community Tobacco Environmental (CTE) factors, measured as community compliance with tobacco control policies and community density of tobacco vendors and tobacco advertisements, are associated with adolescent tobacco use in urban India. India’s tobacco control policies regulate secondhand smoke exposure, access to tobacco products and exposure to tobacco marketing. Research data about the association between community level compliance with tobacco control policies and youth tobacco use are largely unavailable, and are needed to inform policy enforcement, implementation and development. Methods The geographic scope will include Mumbai and Kolkata, India. The study protocol calls for an annual comprehensive longitudinal population-based tobacco use risk and protective factors survey in a cohort of 1820 adolescents ages 12–14 years (and their parent) from baseline (Wave 1) to 36-month follow-up (Wave 4). Geographic Information Systems data collection will be used to map tobacco vendors, tobacco advertisements, availability of e-cigarettes, COTPA defined public places, and compliance with tobacco sale, point-of-sale and smoke-free laws. Finally, we will estimate the longitudinal associations between CTE factors and adolescent tobacco use, and assess whether the associations are moderated by family level factors, and mediated by individual level factors. Discussion India experiences a high burden of disease and mortality from tobacco use. To address this burden, significant long-term prevention and control activities need to include the joint impact of policy, community and family factors on adolescent tobacco use onset. The findings from this study can be used to guide the development and implementation of future tobacco control policy designed to minimize adolescent tobacco use.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144539/1/12889_2018_Article_5727.pd

Istraživanja 3,4-diaril-1,2,5-oksadiazola i njihovih N-oksida: Potraga za boljim COX-2 inhibitorima

A series of 3,4-diaryl-1,2,5-oxadiazoles and 3,4-diaryl-1,2,5-oxadiazole N-oxides were prepared and evaluated for COX-2 and COX-1 binding affinity in vitro and for anti-inflammatory activity by the rat paw edema method. p-Methoxy (p-OMe) substituted compounds 9, 21, 34, 41, 42 showed COX-2 enzyme inhibition higher than that showed by compounds with other substituents. 3,4-Di(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole N-oxide (42) showed COX-2 enzyme inhibition of 54% at 22 µmol L-1 and COX-1 enzyme inhibition of 44% at 88 µmol L-1 concentrations, but showed very low in vivo anti-inflammatory activity. Its deoxygenated derivative (21) showed lower COX-2 enzyme inhibition (26% at 22 µmol L-1) and higher COX-1 enzyme inhibition (53% at 88 µmol L-1) but marked in vivo anti-inflammatory activity (71% at 25 mg kg-1) vs. celecoxib (48% at 12.5 mg kg-1). Molecular modeling (docking) studies showed that the methoxy group is positioned in the vicinity of the COX-2 secondary pocket and it also participates in hydrogen bonding interactions in the COX-2 active site. These preliminary studies suggest that the p-methoxy (p-OMe) group in one of benzene rings may give potentially active leads in this series of oxadiazole/N-oxides.Sintetizirana je serija 3,4-diaril-1,2,5-oksadiazola i 3,4-diaril-1,2,5-oksadiazol N-oksida i ocijenjena njihova sposobnost vezivanja na COX-2 i COX-1 in vitro i protuupalno djelovanje na edem šape štakora. Spojevi sa p-metoksi (p-OMe) supstituentom 9, 21, 34, 41, 42 bolje su inhibirali COX-2 nego ostali spojevi. 3,4-Di(4-metoksifenil)-1,2,5-oksadiazol N-oksid (42) inhibirao je COX-2 za 54% u koncentraciji od 22 µmol L-1, a COX-1 za 44% u koncentraciji 88 µmol L-1, ali je in vivo slabo djelovao protuupalno. Njegov deoksigenirani derivat 21 pokazao je slabiju inhibiciju COX-2 enzima (26% u koncentraciji 22 µmol L-1) i jaču inhibiciju COX-1 (71% u koncentraciji 25 mg kg-1) što je bolje od standarda celekoksiba (48% u koncentraciji 12,5 mg kg-1). Molekularno je modeliranje pokazalo da je metoksi skupina smještena u blizini sekundarnog džepa na enzimu COX-2 i da utječe na vodikove veze interakcija na aktivnom mjestu COX-2. Ova preliminarna istraživanja sugeriraju da bi se u seriji oksadiazol/N-oksida mogao naći predvodni spoj s p-metoksi skupinom na benzenskom prstenu