Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair in the elderly: A prospective control study

Inguinal hernia (IH) repair can be obtained with both open and laparoscopic techniques, which are usually performed using a transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) or a totally extraperitoneal (TEP) approach. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the results of laparoscopic TEP IH repair in the elderly ( 6565 years old) are different with respect to results obtained in younger patients. One hundred and four consecutive patients (four women and 100 men, median age of 57 years, range=21-85 years) with unilateral (N=21, 20.2%) or bilateral (N=83, 79.8%) IH were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age: group A (N=68, 65.4%) aged <65 years and group B (N=36, 34.6%) aged 6565 years. The mean operative time was not significantly different between groups (48\ub120 vs. 52\ub120 min, p=0.33). One case of increased PaCO2 was observed in each group (p=0.72) and two and one case of pneumoperitoneum (p=0.57) in groups A and B, respectively. Two (1.9%) patients (one in each group; p=0.55) required TEP conversion. Mild postoperative complications developed in four patients of each group (p=0.44). After one-year follow-up, three (2.9%) recurrences occurred (group 1=1, group 2=2, p=0.55), both in patients who had undergone direct IH repair. The overall postoperative relative risk of complications related to age was 1.08 (95% confidence interval=0.91-1.27, p=0.53). In conclusion, our results suggest that in patients with IH scheduled for TEP repair, age does not represent a contraindication to surgery in terms of complication rate and postoperative results

A new family of maximum scattered linear sets in PG(1,q^6)

We generalize the example of linear set presented by the last two authors in "Vertex properties of maximum scattered linear sets of PG(1; qn)" (2019) to a more general family, proving that such linear sets are maximum scattered when q is odd and, apart from a special case, they are new. This solves an open problem posed in "Vertex properties of maximum scattered linear sets of PG(1; qn)" (2019). As a consequence of Sheekey's results in "A new family of linear maximum rank distance codes" (2016), this family yields to new MRD-codes with parameters (6; 6; q; 5)

Soil quality and fertility in sustainable agriculture, with a contribution to the biological classification of agricultural soils

Soils and crops are particularly vulnerable to climate change and environmental stresses. In many agrosystems, soil biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by soils are under threat from a range of natural and human drivers. Agricultural soils are often subject to agronomic practices that disrupt soil trophic networks and make soils less productive in the long term. In this scenario, sustainable soil use aimed at improving plant/root status, growth and development plays a crucial role for enhancing the biological capacity of agricultural soils. This commentary paper is divided into the following four main sections: (i) the contentious nature of soil organic matter; (ii) soil biological quality/fertility; (iii) soil classification; and, (iv) which agricultural practices can be defined as sustainable? The published literature was analyzed within a holistic framework, with agrosystems considered as living systems where soil, vegetation, fauna and microorganisms co-evolve and are reciprocally influenced. Ultimately, this article will suggest a better stewardship of agricultural soils as a natural capital

A nonequilibrium renormalization group approach to turbulent reheating

We use nonequilibrium renormalization group (RG) techniques to analyze the thermalization process in quantum field theory, and by extension reheating after inflation. Even if at a high scale $\Lambda$ the theory is described by a non-dissipative $\lambda\phi^{4}$ theory, the RG running induces nontrivial noise and dissipation. For long wavelength, slowly varying field configurations, the noise and dissipation are white and ohmic, respectively. The theory will then tend to thermalize to an effective temperature given by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures; to appear in J. Phys. A; more detailed account of the calculation of the noise and dissipation kernel

Cereal Lignans, Natural Compounds of Interest for Human Health?

Cereals are suggested to be the most important sources of lignan in the diets of western populations. Recent epidemiological studies show that European subpopulations in which the major source of lignans are cereals, display lower disease frequency regarding metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The biological mechanisms of lignan are several. Beyond their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions at nutritional doses some lignans regulate the activity of specific nuclear receptors (NRs), such as the estrogen receptors (ERs), and also NRs that are central switches in glucose and fatty acid metabolism such as PPAR alpha, PPAR gamma and LXRs, highlighting them as selective nuclear receptor modulators (SNRMs). These include enterodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL), the metabolites produced by the gut microbiota from food lignans. The available knowledge suggests that given some additional research it should be possible to make 'function' claims for a regular intake of lignans-rich foods related to maintaining a healthy metabolism

Effect of Vacuum on Venous Drainage: an Experimental Evaluation on Pediatric Venous Cannulas and Tubing Systems.

Introduction: To observe how vacuum assisted venous drainage (VAVD) may influence the flow in a cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with different size of venous lines and cannulas. Methods: The experimental circuit was assembled to represent the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit routinely used during cardiac surgery. Wall suction was applied directly, modulated and measured into the venous reservoir. The blood flow was measured with a flow-meter positioned on the venous line. The circuit prime volume was replaced with group O date expired re-suspended red cells and Plasmalyte 148 to a hematocrit of 28% to 30%. Results: In an open circuit with gravity siphon venous drain, angled cannulae drain more than straight ones regardless the amount of suction applied to the venous line (16 Fr straight cannula (S) drains 90 ml/min less than a 16 Fr angled (A) with a siphon gravity). The same flow can be obtained with lower cannula size and higher suction (i.e. 12 A with and -30 mmHg). Tables have been created to list how the flow varies according to the size of the cannulas, the size of the venous tubes, and the amount of suction applied to the system. Conclusions: Vacuum assisted venous drainage allows the use of smaller cannulae and venous lines to maintain a good venous return, which is very useful during minimally invasive approaches. The present study should be considered as a preliminary attempt to create a scientific-based starting point for a uniform the use of VAVD. Keywords: cardio-pulmonary bypass; experimental study; vacuum assisted drainage

Accretion onto the Companion of Eta Carinae During the Spectroscopic Event. IV. the Disappearance of Highly Ionized Lines

We show that the rapid and large decrease in the intensity of high-ionization emission lines from the Eta Carinae massive binary system can be explained by the accretion model. These emission lines are emitted by material in the nebula around the binary system that is being ionized by radiation from the hot secondary star. The emission lines suffer three months long deep fading every 5.54 year, assumed to be the orbital period of the binary system. In the accretion model, for ~70 day the less massive secondary star is accreting mass from the primary wind instead of blowing its fast wind. The accretion event has two effects that substantially reduce the high-energy ionizing radiation flux from the secondary star. (1) The accreted mass absorbs a larger fraction of the ionizing flux. (2) The accreted mass forms a temporarily blanked around the secondary star that increases its effective radius, hence lowering its effective temperature and the flux of high energy photons. This explanation is compatible with the fading of the emission lines at the same time the X-ray is declining to its minimum, and with the fading being less pronounced in the polar directions.Comment: ApJ, in pres