Since the established correlations between mechanical properties of a piece of wood at the macroscopic scale and those of the cell wall at the submicron scale, techniques based on atomic force ...microscopy (AFM) have become widespread. In particular Peak Force tapping, allowing the differentiation of various layers, has become the new standard for wood cell wall's nanomechanical characterization. However, its use requires fully elastic indentation, a good knowledge of stiffness of the probe and assumes a perfect tip shape of known radius (sphere) or angle (cone). Those strong hypotheses can result in large approximations in the extracted parameters for complex, nanostructured, and stiff and viscous materials such as wood. In this work, we propose a reliable and complementary alternative based on AFM force-volume indentation by refining the Oliver and Pharr nanoindentation processing and calibration procedure for AFM cantilever and tip. The introduced area-function calibration (AFC) method allows to considerably reduce these approximations and provides semi-quantitative measurements. No prior knowledge of the tip shape and cantilever stiffness are required and viscoplasticity is investigated through a qualitative index. Indentation parameters variations are shown to impact the resulting measurements, i.e., indentation modulus, viscoplasticity index, adhesion force and energy. AFC method, applied to map regions of tension wood, provides very stable mechanical parameters characteristic of each region, which makes this method of high interest for plant cell wall studies.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flightMALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) is now widely recognized as a powerful tool with which to identify bacteria and fungi at the species level, ...and sometimes in a rapid and accurate manner. We report herein an approach to identify, at the species level, Leishmania promastigotes from in vitro culture. We first constructed a reference database of spectra including the main Leishmania species known to cause human leishmaniasis. Then, the performance of the reference database in identifying Leishmania promastigotes was tested on a panel of 69 isolates obtained from patients. Our approach correctly identified 66 of the 69 isolates tested at the species level with log (score) values superior to 2. Two Leishmania isolates yielded non-interpretable MALDI-TOF MS patterns, owing to low log (score) values. Only one Leishmania isolate of Leishmania peruviana was misidentified as the closely related species Leishmania braziliensis, with a log (score) of 2.399. MALDI-TOF MS is a promising approach, providing rapid and accurate identification of Leishmania from in vitro culture at the species level.
The antifungal susceptibility of
cryptic species is poorly known. We assessed 51 isolates, belonging to seven
cryptic species, by the EUCAST reference method and the concentration gradient strip ...(CGS) method. Species-specific patterns were observed, with high MICs for azole drugs, except for
and
, and high MICs for amphotericin B for
and
Essential and categorical agreements between EUCAST and CGS results were between 53.3 and 93.3%.
Medical therapy in paediatric soft tissue tumors Orbach, D; Levy, D; Héritier, S ...
Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Société française de pédiatrie
17, Številka:
6
Journal Article
section
is a species complex currently comprised of 14 cryptic species whose prevalence in clinical samples as well as antifungal susceptibility are poorly known. The aims of this study were to ...investigate
clinical isolates at the species level and to perform antifungal susceptibility analyses by reference and commercial methods. Eighty-two clinical
isolates were collected from 8 French university hospitals. Molecular identification was performed by sequencing parts of beta-tubulin and calmodulin genes. MICs or minimum effective concentrations (MECs) were determined for 8 antifungal drugs using both EUCAST broth microdilution (BMD) methods and concentration gradient strips (CGS). Among the 79
isolates,
(
= 61),
(
= 13),
(
= 3), and
(
= 2) were identified. All strains had MICs of ≥1 mg/liter for amphotericin B, except for two isolates (both
) that had MICs of 0.25 mg/liter. Four
isolates were resistant to at least one azole drug, including one with pan-azole resistance, yet no mutation in the
gene was found. All strains had low MECs for the three echinocandins. The essential agreements (EAs) between BMD and CGS were >90%, except for those of amphotericin B (79.7%) and itraconazole (73.4%). Isolates belonging to the
section
identified in clinical samples show wider species diversity beyond the known
Azole resistance inside the section
is uncommon and is not related to CYP51A mutations here. Finally, CGS is an interesting alternative for routine antifungal susceptibility testing.
The COVID‐19 pandemic has meant a rapid transfer of everyday activities to the online world. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become more embedded than ever in people's lives. ...This investigation addresses how this change has affected the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). A two‐step design was used. A rapid review was conducted on empirical studies published between January 2019 and June 2021. Search terms related to ID, ICT use and COVID‐19. A qualitative international bricolage was also conducted corresponding to author nationalities. Data gathered from the review and bricolage were analysed separately using thematic analysis and relationally synthesised. Digital solutions to provide access to COVID‐19 information and guidance seemed inadequate but were seldom empirically studied. Digital poverty, literacy and exclusion remain significant issues for people with ID internationally. People and their carers experienced reduced and removed service provision, loneliness and impoverished daily lives during the pandemic; amelioration of which was facilitated by digital solutions. One solution often used was videoconferencing. Prior experience of digital participation, adequate finances, connection, support and digital literacy mentoring for both people with ID and those providing services and support facilitated digital inclusion. Digital exclusion during COVID‐19 was exacerbated by sociopolitical, structural, individual and support‐related barriers. Although awareness of digital exclusion appears to have been raised, the extent to which this has led to action and change remains unclear. Despite digital exclusion and digital participation benefitting continuation of life, social and emotional well‐being and autonomy, COVID‐19 has not provided the impetus to eradicate digital poverty for people with ID. Governmental support, digital education, creativity and problem solving are required to enable people with ID the human right to be included in the digital world at this essential time and into the future.
Background When tax policies increase tobacco prices some smokers may switch to smoking cheaper roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco. To reduce the harm from smoking, this substitution effect should be ...avoided. This study analyses whether RYO tobacco is a substitute for manufactured cigarettes (MCs) in Ireland, a country with relatively high price for both products. Methods Data on duty-paid consumption of RYO tobacco from 1978 to 2011 are used to estimate the demand by applying seemingly unrelated regression and error correction models. Covariates include prices of tobacco in Ireland and in the UK, income and a variable describing tobacco-related health policies. Results We failed to find evidence of RYO tobacco being a substitute for MC due to price differences. However, an increase in incomes (1%) is associated with a reduction in the consumption of RYO tobacco (-0.4%), which can be due to substitution towards MCs in addition to quitting or cutting back. Also, an increase in the price of RYO tobacco (1%) is associated with a reduction in its consumption (-1%). Conclusions Increasing prices via taxation is an effective way of reducing the consumption of RYO tobacco but due to associations between RYO tobacco smoking and lower incomes, these policies should be accompanied by measures aimed at helping smokers to quit.
Postcraniotomy pain can be difficult to manage with opioids due to opioid-related side effects, including drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, confusion, and pupillary changes, potentially masking the signs ...of postoperative neurological deterioration. Intravenous (IV) acetaminophen, a nonopioid analgesic, has been reported to have opioid-sparing effects after abdominal and orthopedic surgeries. This study investigates whether IV acetaminophen has similar effects after craniotomy.
In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, 100 adult patients scheduled to undergo supratentorial craniotomy for excision of a brain mass were randomized to receive either IV acetaminophen or placebo preincision and then every 6 hours for a total of 24 hours after surgery. Total 24-hour opioid consumption, pain scores, satisfaction with overall pain management, time to meet postanesthesia care unit discharge criteria, and incidence of opioid-related side effects were compared.
There was no difference in the 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption in morphine equivalents between the IV acetaminophen group (median, 11 mg; n=45) and the placebo group (median, 10.1 mg; n=41). No statistically significant difference of visual analog scale pain score was observed between 2 treatment groups. Patient satisfaction with overall postoperative pain management was significantly higher in the IV acetaminophen group than the placebo group on a 1 to 10 scale (8.1±0.4 vs. 6.9±0.4; P=0.03). There was no significant difference in secondary outcomes, including the incidence of opioid-related side effects.
IV acetaminophen, as adjunctive therapy for craniotomy procedures, did not show an opioid-sparing effect in patients for the 24 hours after craniotomy; however, it was associated with improved patient satisfaction regarding overall pain control.
Abstract
Plant cells are elaborate three-dimensional polymer nano-constructs with complex chemistry. The bulk response of plants to light, in the far-field, is ultimately encoded by optical ...scattering from these nano-constructs. Their chemical and physical properties may be acquired through their interaction with a modulated nano-tip using scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy. Here, using this technique, we present 20 nm spatial resolution mechanical, spectral and optical mappings of plant cell walls. We first address the problem of plant polymers tracking through pretreatment and processing. Specifically, cellulose and lignin footprints are traced within a set of delignified specimen, establishing the factors hindering complete removal of lignin, an important industrial polymer. Furthermore, we determine the frequency dependent dielectric function
$${\epsilon }(\omega)={(n+ik)}^{2}$$
ϵ
(
ω
)
=
(
n
+
i
k
)
2
of plant material in the range 28 ≤
ω
≤ 58 THz, and show how the environmental chemical variation is imprinted in the nanoscale variability of
n
and
k
. This nanometrology is a promise for further progress in the development of plant-based (meta-)materials.
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