Evaluation of a silver-impregnated coating to inhibit colonization of orthopaedic implants by biofilm forming methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of a silver-impregnated coating against a biofilm-forming strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP). METHODS: A clinical MRSP isolate sourced from a failed canine knee implant was evaluated for biofilm production and used in the present study. Using a standard test method and a clinically approved titanium substrate, the antimicrobial activity of a novel silver plasma coating was determined at two times: five minutes after inoculation of the specimens (T0) and after 24 hours of incubation (T24). Scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the biofilm formation on specimens. RESULTS: The tested clinical MRSP isolate was classified as a strong biofilm producer. The silver coating significantly reduced the MRSP growth more than four log steps compared to the non-coated specimens and showed more than 99.98% reduction in the number of colony forming units after 24 hours. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that silver-coated surfaces did not manifest detectable biofilm, while biofilm formation was readily observed on the control specimens. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The silver coating exhibited excellent activity against the multidrug resistant biofilm-forming MRSP isolate. The next stage of this work will involve testing in an animal model of orthopaedic infection. Positive results from animal studies would support the introduction of the silver plasma coating as a new strategy for preventing implant contamination, biofilm formation, and surgical infection in dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery.The authors thank Bio-Gate AG for providing the Ag/SiOxCy plasma coating on the test discs.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Schattauer Publishers via http://dx.doi.org/10.3415/VCOT-15-08-013

Navigating the crossroads: Insights into cardiology’s influence on neurointerventional procedures

Since Egaz Moniz introduced angiography, neurovascular interventions have undergone significant advancements. The integration of advanced biomaterials has refined endovascular devices and techniques for complex vascular lesions. The domain of neurointerventions includes neuroendovascular surgery, endovascular neurosurgery, and interventional neurology. Notably, in regions with limited neurointerventional specialists, interventional cardiologists are increasingly treating cerebrovascular strokes. The congruence between coronary and carotid interventions has facilitated the development of adaptable cerebrovascular tools, many inspired by those in cardiac catheter labs. This article provides an overview of key developments in neurointerventions, with a focus on the adaptation of tools between coronary and cerebrovascular procedures

Tension pneumocephalus as a complication of surgical evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma: case report and literature review

The management of symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is surgical evacuation and prognosis in most cases is good. Tension pneumocephalus is the presence of air under pressure in the intracranial cavity. A case of tension pneumocephalus developing as a complication of burr hole evacuation of CSDH is illustrated. In this case, tension pneumocephalus was managed by reopening the wound and saline irrigation with a subdural drain placement. Considering this case report and after a careful review of the literature, the physiopathology, diagnosis, and treatment of this complication are highlighted in the article

Amelioration Of Snap Bean Growth, Yield, Quantity And Nutritional Status Under Salinity Stress By Using Spirulina Algae Extract And Amino Acids

Salinity stress is a major abiotic stress that limits agricultural production and threatens global food security due to rapid climate change. Salt stress negatively affects the growth, yield and quality of crops.  Amino Acids and Spirulina Algae Extract are well-known biostimulants that have positive effects on plant growth and productivity and significantly reduce damage caused by abiotic stress. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of several treatments with spirulina extract and amino acids on snap bean plant growing under saline soil stress. Field experiment was carried out during the two successive summer seasons of 2021 and 2022 under saline soil at private farm in Faqus - Sharkia Governorate, to study the effect of spirulina algae and amino acid concentrations as foliar spray on growth, yield quantity and quality and nutritional status of snap bean cv, Bronco. The experiment was executed in split plot design, three rates of spirulina algae extracts (0, 1 and 2 cm3 L-1) were distributed on main plot and another three level of amino acids (0, 500 and 1000 mg L-1) were arranged on subplot. Finally, main and subplot were replicated three times. The results can be summarized as follows: Under saline soil condition, spraying snap bean plants with different concentrations of spirulina extract and amino acids three times led to an improvement in plant growth, crop quantity and quality as well as nutritional status, compared to the experimental treatment in which both were not used. The highest values of growth, yield and content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were obtained by spraying 2 cm3 L-1 of spirulina extract with 1000 mg L-1 of amino acids under two consecutive seasons. Thus, it can be said that Therefore, the spirulina algae extract and amino acids are considered one of the safe solutions to get rid of the effect of soil salinity on the  snap bean plant, and then obtain a high yield and also high quality

Transient MHD Double-Diffusive Natural Convection over a Vertical Surface Embedded in a Non-Darcy Porous Medium

The problem of transient, laminar, MHD double-diffusive free convection over a permeable vertical plate embedded in Darcy and non-Darcy porous medium is numerically investigated. Nonsimilarity solutions are obtained for constant wall temperature and concentration with a specified power law of mass flux parameter. The effects of the magnetic parameter, the inertial coefficient, Lewis number, the buoyancy ratio, and the lateral mass flux on heat and mass transfer coefficients are presented and discussed

Do all patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer need staging radionuclide bone scan? a retrospective study

PURPOSE: Define a group of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer, whose risk of bone metastasis is low enough to omit a bone scan staging study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2003 to 2009, the medical records of patients who were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The data collected included: age, digital rectal examination, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, clinical T stage, and bone isotope scan. Patients were divided into two groups according to the results of bone isotope scan; positive group and negative group. A univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression was used to analyze the results. RESULTS: Of the 106 patients, 98 had a complete data collection and were entered into the study. The median age of the patients was 70.5 years and patients with a positive bone scan was 74 years, significantly higher than for patients with negative scans (69 years) (p = 0.02). Bone metastasis was detected in 39 cases (39.7%). In all patients with clinical T1-2 stage, a Gleason score of 20 ng/mL) and Gleason score (> 7) were independently predictive of positive bone scan, while clinical stage was not. CONCLUSION: Staging bone scans can be omitted in patients with a PSA level of = 20 ng/mL, and Gleason score < 8. Our results suggest that by considering the Gleason score and PSA, a larger proportion of patients with prostate cancer could avoid a staging bone scan

Safety and Efficacy of Metformin for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. A U.S-Based Real-World Data Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Introduction: Managing idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is challenging due to limited treatment options. This study evaluates metformin as a potential therapy for IIH, examining its impact on disease outcomes and safety. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX database, covering data from 2009 to August 2024. The study included IIH patients, excluding those with other causes of raised intracranial pressure or pre-existing diabetes. Propensity score matching adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, Hemoglobin A1C, and baseline BMI at metformin initiation. We assessed outcomes up to 24 months. Results: Initially, 1,268 patients received metformin and 49,262 served as controls, showing disparities in various parameters. After matching, both groups consisted of 1,267 patients each. Metformin users had significantly lower risks of papilledema, headache, and refractory IIH at all follow-ups (p&lt;0.0001). They also had fewer spinal punctures and reduced acetazolamide use. BMI reductions were more significant in the metformin group from 6 months onward (p&lt;0.0001), with benefits persisting regardless of BMI changes. Metformin’s safety profile was comparable to the control group. Conclusions: The study indicates metformin’s potential as a disease-modifying treatment in IIH, with improvements across multiple outcomes independent of weight loss. This suggests complex mechanisms at play, supporting further research through prospective clinical trials to confirm metformin’s role in IIH management and its mechanisms of action