Multi-layered plasma-polymerized chips for SPR-based detection

Figure Presented: The surface functionalization of a noble metal is crucial in a surface plasmon resonance-based biomolecular detection system because the interfacial coating must retain the activity of immobilized biomolecules while enhancing the optimal loading. We present here a one-step, room-temperature, high-speed, gas-phase plasma polymerization process for functionalizing gold substrates using siloxane as an adhesion layer and acrylic acid as a functional layer. Siloxane- and thiol-based coatings were compared for their performance as adhesion and the interfacial layer for subsequent functionalization. An in situ sequential deposition of siloxane and acrylic acid resulted in a 7-fold increase in carboxylic functionality surfacial content compared to films deposited with thiol-containing precursors. Grading of the layer composition achieved as a consequence of ion-induced mixing on the surface coating under the application of the plasma is confirmed through secondary ion mass spectroscopic studies. DNA hybridization assays were demonstrated on gold/glass substrates using surface plasmon enhanced ellipsometry and the applicability of this coating for protein immunoassays were demonstrated with plasma functionalized gold/plastic substrates in Biacore 3000 SPR instrument. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Atividade ovicida de dois fármacos em caprinos naturalmente parasitados por nematódeos gastrintestinais, RS, Brasil Ovicidal activity of two medicaments against goat gastrointestinal nematode in RS, Brazil

A eficácia comparativa entre levamisole em duas doses diferentes e closantel foi avaliada sobre ovos de nematódeos gastrintestinais de caprinos naturalmente parasitados. Observou-se que a redução de ovos de nematódeos gastrintestinais foi de 93,23%, 91,25% e 70,42% nos grupos medicados com levamisole 8mg/kg, levamisole 11mg/kg e closantel 10mg/kg, respectivamente. O teste de desenvolvimento embrionário revelou que levamisole, nas duas doses, foi eficaz sobre Haemonchus spp., Ostertagia spp., Cooperia spp. e Oesophagostomum spp. O closantel não foi eficaz para Cooperia spp e Oesophagostomum spp.<br>The efficacy of the anthelmintics levamisole in two different doses (8mg/kg and 11mg/kg) and closantel (10mg/kg) were compared against gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected goats. The reduction on the faecal egg count was 93.23% in the group treated with levamisole at the dose of 8mg/kg, 91.25% in the group treated with the dose of 11mg/kg and 70.42% in the group treated with closantel. The anthelmintic levamisole was effective against Haemonchus spp., Ostertagia spp., Cooperia spp and Oesophagostomum spp. However, closantel wasn't effective against Cooperia spp and Oesophagostomum spp

Resistência anti-helmíntica em rebanhos caprinos no Estado do Ceará Anthelmintic resistance in goat herds in the State of Ceará

Um levantamento em nível de campo sobre resistência anti-helmíntica em nematódeos gastrintestinais de caprinos foi realizado em 34 rebanhos no Estado do Ceará. Em cada rebanho foram separados 30 cabritos, de ambos os sexos, com idade variando de 1 a 6 meses, os quais foram individualmente pesados, identificados e distribuídos em três tratamentos: 1) Oxfendazole na dose de 4,75mg/kg; 2) Levamisole na dose de 7,5 mg/kg e 3) Controle (não medicado). Os anti-helmínticos foram administrados de acordo com o peso individual de cada animal e, a dosagem utilizada para cada produto foi a recomendada pelo laboratório fabricante. Foram colhidas fezes dos animais de todos os tratamentos, para OPG e coprocultura, no dia da medicação e 7 dias após. Dos 34 rebanhos avaliados, 7 (20,6%) apresentaram resistência aos imidazóis, 6 (17,6%) aos benzimidazóis e 12 (35,3%) revelaram resistência múltipla. Apenas em 9 rebanhos (26,5%), os nematódeos foram sensíveis aos anti-helmínticos avaliados. Através do questionário aplicado detectou-se que 52,9% dos caprinocultores entrevistados usavam anti-helmínticos de amplo espectro. Os resultados das coproculturas mostraram que os gêneros sobreviventes à medicação com oxfendazole foram principalmente Haemonchus sp, seguido em menor frequência por Oesophagostomum sp, enquanto que ao cloridrato de levamisole sobreviveram Haemonchus sp, Oesophagostomum sp e Trichostrongylus sp.<br>Goats of 45 farms in the State of Ceará, Brazil, were treated with anthelmintics for gastrointestinal nematodes, and their resistance to the anthelmintics was evaluated. On each farm 30 kids were weighed, ear-tagged and divided into three groups of ten. The first group received oxfendazole at 4.75mg/kg, the second levamisole at 7.5mg/kg, and the third group remained untreated as control. All goats were drenched according to their individual body weight. Fecal samples were collected from all animals (treated and control) on the day of treatment and 7 days later, to provide material for egg counts and larval cultures. Among 34 surveyed herds 20.6% showed levamisole resistance, 17.6% showed resistance to benzimidazole, and 35.3% had multiple resistance. At the time of the assessment 52.9% of the farmers were using broad spectrum anthelmintics. Only 26.5% of the surveyed herds had nematode populations susceptible to the anthelmintics assessed. The results of larval cultures showed that larvae surviving the treatment with oxfendazole were mainly Haemonchus sp and, to a lesser extent, Oesophagostomum sp; those surviving levamisole treatment were Haemonchus sp, Oesophagostomum sp and Trichostrongylus sp

Critical care usage after major gastrointestinal and liver surgery: a prospective, multicentre observational study

Background Patient selection for critical care admission must balance patient safety with optimal resource allocation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between critical care admission, and postoperative mortality after abdominal surgery. Methods This prespecified secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive patients enrolled in the DISCOVER study from UK and Republic of Ireland undergoing major gastrointestinal and liver surgery between October and December 2014. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between critical care admission (planned and unplanned) and mortality, and inter-centre variation in critical care admission after emergency laparotomy. Results Of 4529 patients included, 37.8% (n=1713) underwent planned critical care admissions from theatre. Some 3.1% (n=86/2816) admitted to ward-level care subsequently underwent unplanned critical care admission. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.9% (n=133/4519), and the risk-adjusted association between 30-day mortality and critical care admission was higher in unplanned [odds ratio (OR): 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.51–19.97) than planned admissions (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.43–3.85). Some 26.7% of patients (n=1210/4529) underwent emergency laparotomies. After adjustment, 49.3% (95% CI: 46.8–51.9%, P<0.001) were predicted to have planned critical care admissions, with 7% (n=10/145) of centres outside the 95% CI. Conclusions After risk adjustment, no 30-day survival benefit was identified for either planned or unplanned postoperative admissions to critical care within this cohort. This likely represents appropriate admission of the highest-risk patients. Planned admissions in selected, intermediate-risk patients may present a strategy to mitigate the risk of unplanned admission. Substantial inter-centre variation exists in planned critical care admissions after emergency laparotomies

Body mass index and complications following major gastrointestinal surgery: A prospective, international cohort study and meta-analysis

Aim Previous studies reported conflicting evidence on the effects of obesity on outcomes after gastrointestinal surgery. The aims of this study were to explore the relationship of obesity with major postoperative complications in an international cohort and to present a metaanalysis of all available prospective data. Methods This prospective, multicentre study included adults undergoing both elective and emergency gastrointestinal resection, reversal of stoma or formation of stoma. The primary end-point was 30-day major complications (Clavien–Dindo Grades III–V). A systematic search was undertaken for studies assessing the relationship between obesity and major complications after gastrointestinal surgery. Individual patient meta-analysis was used to analyse pooled results. Results This study included 2519 patients across 127 centres, of whom 560 (22.2%) were obese. Unadjusted major complication rates were lower in obese vs normal weight patients (13.0% vs 16.2%, respectively), but this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.863) on multivariate analysis for patients having surgery for either malignant or benign conditions. Individual patient meta-analysis demonstrated that obese patients undergoing surgery formalignancy were at increased risk of major complications (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.49–2.96, P < 0.001), whereas obese patients undergoing surgery for benign indications were at decreased risk (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46–0.75, P < 0.001) compared to normal weight patients. Conclusions In our international data, obesity was not found to be associated with major complications following gastrointestinal surgery. Meta-analysis of available prospective data made a novel finding of obesity being associated with different outcomes depending on whether patients were undergoing surgery for benign or malignant disease