Background Venous leg ulcers (VLU) have a huge social and economic impact. An estimated 1.5% of European adults will suffer a venous ulcer at some point in their lives. Despite the widespread use of ...bandaging with high pressure in the treatment of this condition, recurrence rates range between 25% to 70%. Numerous studies have suggested that the compression system should provide sub-bandage pressure values in the range from 35 mm Hg to 45 mm Hg in order to achieve the best possible healing results. Methods An open, randomized, prospective, single-center study was performed in order to determine the healing rates of VLU when treated with different compression systems and different sub-bandage pressure values. One hundred thirty-one patients (72 women, 59 men; mean age, 59-years-old) with VLU (ulcer surface >3 cm2 ; duration >3 months) were randomized into three groups: group A – 42 patients who were treated using an open-toed, elastic, class III compression device knitted in tubular form (Tubulcus, Laboratoires Innothera, Arcueil, France); group B – 46 patients treated with the multi-component bandaging system comprised of Tubulcus and one elastic bandage (15 cm wide and 5 cm long with 200% stretch, Niva, Novi Sad, Serbia); and group C – forty-three patients treated with the multi-component bandaging system comprised of Tubulcus and two elastic bandages. Pressure measurements were taken with the Kikuhime device (TT MediTrade, Soro, Denmark) at the B1 measuring point in the supine, sitting, and standing positions under the three different compression systems. Results The median resting values in the supine and standing positions in examined study groups were as follows: group A – 36.2 mm Hg and 43.9 mm Hg; group B – 53.9 mm Hg and 68.2 mm Hg; group C – 74.0 mm Hg and 87.4 mm Hg. The healing rate during the 26-week treatment period was 25% (13/42) in group A, 67.4% (31/46) in group B, and 74.4% (32/43) in group C. The success of compression treatment in group A was strongly associated with the small ulcer surface (<5 cm2 ) and smaller calf circumference (CC; <38 cm). On the other hand, compliance in group A was good. In groups B and C, compliance was poor in patients with small CC, but the healing rate was high, especially in patients with large ulcers and a large CC (>43 cm). Conclusion The results obtained in this study indicate that better healing results are achieved with two or multi-component compression systems than with single-component compression systems and that a compression system should be individually determined for each patient according to individual characteristics of the leg and CC. Target sub-bandage pressure value (B1 measuring point in the sitting position) of the compression system needed for the ulcer healing could be determined according to a simple formula, CC + CC/2.
Atypical antipsychotics produce severe side effects including myocarditis that may be attributed to oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of clozapine, ziprasidone, ...and sertindole on rat heart morphology and determine whether redox imbalane plays a role in development of histopathological changes. Adult 3-month-old male Wistar rats were treated with recommended daily dose for selected drugs. After 4 week treatment histopathological analysis of the heart was performed and expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes determined. All examined drugs induced histopathological changes that were characterized as toxic myocarditis. Degenerative changes in cardiomyocytes were accompanied by lymphocytic infiltration as well as pericardial histopathological alterations in all treated groups. The least prominent changes were observed in sertindole-treated animals, and most severe with clozapine. Clozapine increased superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) activity while ziprasidone reduced glutathione reductase (GR) activity. Sertindole exerted no marked effect on antioxidant enzyme function in the heart even though myocardial degeneration was noted. In conclusion, treatment with clozapine or ziprasidone induced pathophysiological alterations in rat heart, which appeared to be associated disturbances in antioxidant capacity.
Abbreviation: AAP, Atypical antipsychotics; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD1, Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase; SOD2, Manganese superoxide dismutase; CAT, Catalase; GPx, Glutathione peroxidase; GR, Glutathione reductase; H&E, hematoxylin and eosin stain; TNF- α, tumor necrosis factor alpha.
We analyzed aneurysm morphology, demographic and clinical characteristics in patients with anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms to investigate the risk factors contributing to aneurysm ...rupture. A total of 219 patients with ACoA aneurysms were admitted to our hospital between January 2016 and December 2020, and morphological and clinical characteristics were analyzed retrospectively in 153 patients (112 ruptured and 41 unruptured). Medical records were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical data on age, gender, presence of hemorrhage, history of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Morphological parameters examined on 3-dimensional digital subtraction angiography included aneurysm size, neck diameter, aspect ratio, size ratio, bottleneck ratio, height/width ratio, aneurysm angle, (in)flow angle, branching angle, number of aneurysms
patient, shape of the aneurysm, aneurysm wall morphology, variation of the A1 segment, and direction of the aneurysm. Male gender, aspect ratio, height/width ratio, non-spherical and irregular shape were associated with higher odds of rupture, whilst controlled hypertension was associated with lower odds of rupture, when tested using univariate logistic regression model. In multivariate model, controlled hypertension, presence of multiple aneurysms, and larger neck diameter reduced the odds of rupture, while irregular wall morphology increased the risk of rupture. Regulated hypertension represented a significant protective factor from ACoA aneurysm rupture. We found that ACoA aneurysms in male patients and those with greater aspect ratios and height/width ratios, larger aneurysm angles, presence of daughter sacs and irregular and non-spherical shapes were at a higher risk of rupture.
Background/Aim. Surgeon-specific experience as measured by procedure volume can have a significant impact on survival of patients with rectal cancer (RC). The aim of this study was to determine ...whether an individual surgeon-specific volume of procedure influences early postoperative outcomes as well as to determine the strength of different groups of annual surgeon volume (ASV), as a predictor of outcomes in patients after RC resection up to 30 days postoperatively. Methods. This retrospective observational single center study involved a cohort of 546 patients of both sexes, operated for a 10-year period due to RC. Patients were divided into three groups, according to the annual volume of RC procedures of a surgeon who operated them. Seven outcomes were analyzed: the incidence of colorectal anastomotic dehiscence (CRAD), operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, in-hospital death, the status of the circumferential resection margin (CRM) and the total mesorectal excision (TME) with number of lymph nodes, as well as some risk factors (several independent, dependent and ?confusing? variables) of importance for the outcome, to explain the difference. The strength of each group of surgeons and their effect on early outcome of treatment were determined. Results. The majority of surgeons (77.7%) belonged to the low and medium ASV, which performed a slightly higher number of surgeries (281) than the high volume group. The high-volume surgeon group was associated with significantly better results in four outcomes (CRAD, operating time, CRM, TME and number of lymph nodes). Conclusion. In our surgical institution, the high volume surgeon remains an important predictor of success of the RC surgery.
nema
In this study, the petals collected from peony hybrid Paeonia lactiflora "Bowl of Beauty" and Calendula officinalis L. were extracted using an ethanol-water mixture assisted with microwave and ...ultrasonic treatment. The isolation of Calendula officinalis L. essential oil was done by hydrodistillation as well. The total phenolic and flavonoids content in the extracts and oil were determined and their antioxidant activity was evaluated. The highest total phenolic content was found for the extracts of hybrid Paeonia lactiflora and Calendula officinalis L. obtained by ultrasound extraction (83.16 and 114.47 mg GA/g, respectively), while the flavonoid content obtained by microwave-assisted extraction was relatively high (123.48 and 65.29 mg QE/g, respectively). The highest antioxidant activity was obtained in DPPH • and ABTS •+ assay for the microwave-assisted extraction of hybrid P. lactiflora (79% and 83%) and ultrasound-assisted extraction of C. officinalis L. (45% and 49%), respectively. To improve antioxidant activity of both types of examined analytes (extracts and essential oil), the pectin biopolymer film (as a carrier) was prepared in the process of enzymatically assisted catalysis. Optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy were used for the characterization of obtained materials. The films, with essential oil of C. officinalis L. and gallic acid, showed significantly increased percentage inhibition in DPPH • and ABTS •+ test (91% and 95%, respectively) after 10 minutes. The results, also, showed that all formulations of pectin biopolymer film, modified with gallic acid, can be successfully applied as a carrier for both types of ingredients.
In this comparative study, the bacterial inactivation efficiency of plasma-activated water (PAW) generated by two distinct plasma reactors, one utilizing a nitrogen plasma jet electrode and the other ...a hybrid argon plasma reactor, was explored. The present study involved the assessment of antimicrobial activity against suspensions of three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacterial strains in their planktonic cell state. Bacterial suspensions were introduced into PAW five days after generation. Subsequently, the viability of the bacteria was assessed at various time intervals, specifically at 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 24 h, in order to evaluate the effect of inactivation. Structural changes in bacteria after PAW treatment were assessed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The physicochemical properties of PAW, including pH, conductivity, and concentrations of H2O2, NO2−, and NO3− during aging were measured. The present study demonstrated the effective inactivation of the tested bacterial strains by PAW. Gram-positive bacteria displayed greater resistance compared to Gram-negative species, with the lowest reductions in bacterial counts observed for B. cereus, and the highest for Escherichia coli O157:H7. Morphological damage was evident across all bacterial species examined. Physicochemical measurements showed slow decay of the reactive species in the aging process. This study illustrated the potential utility of PAW as an alternative disinfectant.
This paper presents an innovative method for determining the distribution of
the friction generated heat from the contact of a locomotive wheel and rail,
as well as the heat partition factor, during ...wheel slipping of an
accelerating locomotive. The new method combines the finite element analysis
simulation and experimental determination of the temperature distribution in
a downsized model of a wheel and rail. As a result of a virtual experiment by
the finite element analysis, an empirical dependence between the temperature
distribution and the heat partition factor was established. The determination
of the dependence enabled finding of the exact value of the heat partition
factor by the optimization procedure based on matching temperatures obtained
by the virtual and real experiment.
nema
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine the MRI appearance of the ligaments within the external space of the lumbar intervertebral foramen by correlating MR images with the corresponding ...anatomic dissection of the cadaver lumbar spine.
Methods
This was a two part study. Part I of the anatomic study consisted of the dissection of lumbar specimens from one embalmed adult male cadaver. At each lumbar level the external ligamentous structures were identified and their origin, insertion and position were determined. Part II of the study consisted of the anatomical analysis of the external transforaminal ligaments in the 180 lumbar intervertebral foramina on the MR images (1.5 T) in the sagittal plane. The diagnostic procedure was performed on 18 individuals from 18 to 25 years of age.
Results
The external transforaminal ligaments were observed at all levels and from both sides in the lumbar intervertebral foramen. The presence of the superior corporotransverse ligament was found in 45.56 % intervertebral foramina, while the inferior corporotransverse ligament was found in 61.67 % intervertebral foramina in the MRI.
Conclusion
Our results confirm that external transforaminal ligaments are common structures in the intervertebral foramen. The results of this study show that the external transforaminal ligaments can be clearly visualized in MR images. It is crucial to have previous knowledge of the cadaveric specimens to recognize the transforaminal ligaments in MR images. The presence of these ligaments is clinically important because the ligaments could be the cause of nerve root compression or the low back pain syndrome.
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