In the last decade, NiO nanostructures (NSs) have gained a growing attention from the scientific community because they are cheap, facile to produce and isolate, and they could be employed in a ...plethora of application ranging from photoelectrochemical device to smart window, from catalysis to sensor. Throughout this review, the most widely employed and effective synthetic techniques are summarized and their advantages and drawbacks are highlighted and compared. Almost all these synthetic pathways produce amorphous nanostructures that need to be annealed to obtain crystalline products. The quite high temperature required for this procedure is the main issue that prevents the scalability of these procedures. Throughout this review, a brief description of the main experimental techniques employed to characterize the nanostructures is provided as well. The investigated features of these materials deeply depend on the application the latter are produced for.
Aims
This study aimed to investigate the dynamics and physiological heterogeneity of Oenococcus oeni under different conditions, cell membrane fluidity and permeability variations, and assessment of ...changes in cell surface charging rates.
Methods and Results
Flow cytometry, membrane fatty acid analysis and capillary electrophoresis were performed to study ethanol‐induced variations. Different physiological states were assessed, revealing cell subpopulations able to adapt and withstand to environmental stress, in order to recover their functionality. Moreover, total results demonstrated changes in cell surface and membrane fatty acid redistribution with a saturation degree and an unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio fairly steady in control and in different ethanol stresses.
Conclusions
This study revealed a great variability among O. oeni strains and the importance to investigate the mechanisms by a multiparametric approach based on the structural and physiological bacterial adjustments in different stresses tolerance.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Intermediate physiological state assessment in O. oeni with recovery possibility could be an important criterion for potential starter culture application. The flow cytometry application with changes in monitoring membrane fatty acid composition and in surface charging rates allowed the characterization of sorted subpopulations that may contribute to further understanding of diversity and heterogeneity in physiology of bacterial populations.
Summary
Oenococcus oeni is the dominant species able to cope with a hostile environment of wines, comprising cumulative effects of low pH, high ethanol and SO2 content, nonoptimal growth temperatures ...and growth inhibitory compounds. Ethanol tolerance is a crucial feature for the activity of O. oeni cells in wine because ethanol acts as a disordering agent of its cell membrane and negatively affects metabolic activity; it damages the membrane integrity, decreases cell viability and, as other stress conditions, delays the start of malolactic fermentation with a consequent alteration of wine quality. The cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane and metabolic pathways are the main sites involved in physiological changes aimed to ensure an adequate adaptive response to ethanol stress and to face the oxidative damage caused by increasing production of reactive oxygen species. Improving our understanding of the cellular impact of ethanol toxicity and how the cell responds to ethanol stress can facilitate the development of strategies to enhance microbial ethanol tolerance; this allows to perform a multidisciplinary endeavour requiring not only an ecological study of the spontaneous process but also the characterization of useful technological and physiological features of the predominant strains in order to select those with the highest potential for industrial applications.
Aims
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanol exposure on the expression level of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase gene involved in the metabolism of Oenococcus oeni to ...probe the mechanisms of ethanol tolerance correlated with adaptive changes.
Methods and Results
The evaluation of ten potential internal control genes and the comparative study of their stability were performed to select the most stable internal controls for the normalization of expression data. The expression level analysis by qPCR and changes after exposure to ethanol stresses highlighted a significant increase in the presence of higher ethanol concentrations.
Conclusions
The analysis of results suggest that O. oeni adjusts the expression of genes to adapt to stress conditions and the high expression level of ggpps would allow a flow of isoprenoid precursors towards the carotenoids and related pathways to stabilize bacterial cell membranes, improving the cell membrane disturbances and preventing cell death induced by ethanol.
Significance and Impact of the Study
The involvement of ggpps gene in physiological changes of bacterial behaviour confirmed the exposure to stress requires the activation of defence mechanism to be more tolerant to adverse conditions. Improving the knowledge of stress tolerance and adaptation mechanisms of O. oeni is essential to enhance the efficiency of the malolactic starter in wine and to obtain the development of starters able to survive to direct inoculation with a large benefit for wine technology.
Aims
The aim of this study was to apply the flow cytometry to Lactobacillus sakei strains, selected as potential autochthonous starters, to investigate dynamics and physiological heterogeneity of ...microbial behaviour under different stress conditions.
Methods and Results
A simultaneous nucleic acid double‐staining assay was applied to discriminate cell populations in different physiological states after exposure to heat (50 and 55°C) and acid (pH 2·5 and 3·0) stresses. Alive cells with intact membranes, damaged cells still alive but with injured membranes, so with even a recovery ability, and dead cells with a permanent membrane damage were differentiated with a significant increase in damaged cells after stronger stress treatments.
Conclusions
The existence and characteristics of subpopulations displaying heterogeneity in particular conditions are highly relevant, because specific subpopulations may show improved survival, changes and dynamics under stress conditions.
Significance and Impact of Study
This assay has potential for physiological research on lactic acid bacteria and for application in the food industry. The assessment of intermediate physiological states in Lb. sakei strains with recovery possibility could be an important criterion for application of potential starter cultures. Application of flow cytometry and characterization of sorted subpopulations may contribute to further understanding of diversity and heterogeneity in physiology of bacterial populations.
Abstract
Introduction
Unintentional dural puncture (UDP) occurs in 0.5–1.5% of labour epidural analgesia cases. To date, little is known about evidence of UDP-related complications. This work aimed ...to assess the incidence of intrapartum and postpartum complications in parturients who experienced UDP.
Methods
This is a 10-year retrospective observational study on parturients admitted to our centre who presented UDP. Data collection gathered UDP-related complications during labour and postpartum. All women who displayed UDP received medical therapy and bed rest. An epidural blood patch (EBP) was not used in this population. Once asymptomatic, patients were discharged from the hospital.
Results
Out of 7718 neuraxial analgesia cases, 97 cases of UDP occurred (1.25%). During labour, complications appeared in a small percentage of analgesia procedures performed, including total spinal anaesthesia (1.0%), extended motor block (3%), hypotension (4.1%), abnormal foetal heart rate (2%), inadequate analgesia (14.4%), and general anaesthesia following neuraxial anaesthesia failure (33.3% of emergency caesarean sections). During the postpartum period, 53.6% of parturients exhibited a postdural puncture headache, 13.4% showed neurological symptoms, and 14.4% required neurological consultation and neuroimaging. No patient developed subdural hematoma or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis; one woman presented posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome associated with eclampsia. Overall, 82.5% of women experienced an extension of hospital stay.
Conclusion
Major complications occurred in a small percentage of patients during labour. However, since they represent high-risk maternal and neonatal health events, a dedicated anaesthesiologist and a trained obstetric team are essential.
No major neurological complications were registered postpartum, and EBP was not performed. Nevertheless, all patients with UDP were carefully monitored and treated until complete recovery before discharge, leading to an extension of their hospitalization.
Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction remains a challenge, especially optimising outcome for patients with a compromised knee where previous autogenous tissue has been used for ...reconstruction. Allograft tissue has become a recognized choice of graft for revision surgery but questions remain over the risks and benefits of such an option. Allograft tendons are a safe and effective option for revision ACL reconstruction with no higher risk of infection and equivalent failure rates compared to autografts provided that the tissue is not irradiated, or any irradiation is minimal. Best scenarios for use of allografts include revision surgery where further use of autografts could lead to high donor site morbidity, complex instability situations where additional structures may need reconstruction, and in those with clinical and radiologic signs of autologous tendon degeneration. A surgeon needs to be able to select the best option for the challenging knee facing revision ACL reconstruction, and in the light of current data, allograft tissue can be considered a suitable option to this purpose.
Level of evidence
IV.
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from traditional fermented sausages of the Basilicata region were investigated by ARDRA-PCR and RAPD-PCR for taxonomic identification at species and strain level and ...characterized on the basis of the growth and acidification at different temperatures, incubation times, levels of NaCl and KNO
2, hydrolysis of sarcoplasmatic and myofibrillar proteins and antimicrobial, peptide/amino acid release and nitrate reductase activities.
Lactobacillus sakei was the predominant species (67%) followed by
Pediococcus pentosaceus (16%),
Leuconostoc carnosum (8%),
Lactobacillus plantarum (4%),
Lactobacillus brevis (2%) and
Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides (2%). The technological characterization revealed that most of the isolates had good acidifying and proteolytic properties. Moreover,
Lb. sakei strains showed antimicrobial ability, while
Leuconostoc strains the highest reduction of nitrates.
This work was a preliminary study in the formulation of autochthonous starter cultures in order to standardize the production process of sausages, to preserve their typical organoleptic and sensory characteristics and to improve the quality of final product.
Lusory dysphagia: Unusual cause of intermittent dysphagia Bonomo M, Carolina; Gallardo O, Ricardo; Orellana G, Cristobal ...
International journal of surgery case reports,
June 2024, 2024-Jun, 2024-06-00, 20240601, Letnik:
119
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Lusory dysphagia (LD) is a rare disorder resulting from extrinsic vascular compression of the esophagus, is often associated with an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA). LD is characterized by ...abnormal development of the right fourth aortic arch during embryonic stages, leading to posterior coursing of the artery in 80 % of cases. Predominantly presenting as dysphagia, LD can occasionally manifest with laryngeal stridor or dyspnea, yet it often remains asymptomatic and incidentally discovered.
We present a case of LD in a 24-year-old male with Down syndrome, experiencing prolonged dysphagia and recurrent aspiration episodes. Emergency upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed food impactation beyond the upper esophageal sphincter, and subsequent imaging studies confirmed an aberrant right subclavian artery causing extrinsic compression.
LD is a rare condition. It is a challenging diagnosis often necessitating a combination of endoscopy, contrasted imaging and angiography. Treatment strategies vary, with conservative approaches for mild symptoms involving dietary modifications, and surgical intervention considered for persistent or severe cases.
Recognizing LD in the context of long-standing dysphagia is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Further research is needed to establish standardized diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for this uncommon condition.
•Lusory dysphagia is a rare disorder resulting from extrinsic vascular compression of the esophagus.•It is commonly associated with the presence of an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA).•Dysphagia is the most common symptom.•Management options vary based on symptom severity.
Intramedullary fixation is considered the most stable treatment for pertrochanteric fractures of the proximal femur and cut-out is one of the most frequent mechanical complications. In order to ...determine the role of clinical variables and radiological parameters in predicting the risk of this complication, we analysed the data pertaining to a group of patients recruited over the course of six years.
A total of 571 patients were included in this study, which analysed the incidence of cut-out in relation to several clinical variables: age; gender; the AO Foundation and Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification system (AO/OTA); type of nail; cervical-diaphyseal angle; surgical wait times; anti-osteoporotic medication; complete post-operative weight bearing; and radiological parameters (namely the lag-screw position with respect to the femoral head, the Cleveland system, the tip-apex distance (TAD), and the calcar-referenced tip-apex distance (CalTAD)).
The incidence of cut-out across the sample was 5.6%, with a higher incidence in female patients. A significantly higher risk of this complication was correlated with lag-screw tip positioning in the upper part of the femoral head in the anteroposterior radiological view, posterior in the latero-lateral radiological view, and in the Cleveland peripheral zones. The tip-apex distance and the calcar-referenced tip-apex distance were found to be highly significant predictors of the risk of cut-out at cut-offs of 30.7 mm and 37.3 mm, respectively, but the former appeared more reliable than the latter in predicting the occurrence of this complication.
The tip-apex distance remains the most accurate predictor of cut-out, which is significantly greater above a cut-off of 30.7 mm.
G. Caruso, M. Bonomo, G. Valpiani, G. Salvatori, A. Gildone, V. Lorusso, L. Massari. A six-year retrospective analysis of cut-out risk predictors in cephalomedullary nailing for pertrochanteric fractures: Can the tip-apex distance (TAD) still be considered the best parameter?.
2017;6:481-488. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0299.R1.
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