Productivity and fruit quality measurements were performed on the apple cultivars ‘Fuji Kiku 8’, ‘Red Kan’, and ‘Red Jonaprince’ in two orchards, for two consecutive years. During harvest, fruit ...firmness of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Jonaprince’, whereas it was not different than ‘Red Kan’. Total soluble solids and total sugars of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Jonaprince’ and ‘Red Kan’. Ascorbic acid content of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Jonaprince’. Thiault index (that correlates with fruit storability) of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Jonaprince’ and ‘Red Kan’. After six months in cold storage, fruit firmness and total soluble solids content of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ were higher than ‘Jonaprince’ and ‘Red Kan’. Nitrogen concentration of fruits of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Red Jonaprince’, whereas potassium concentration was lower. Dry matter of fruits of the cultivar ‘Fuji Kiku 8’ was higher than ‘Red Jonaprince’.
Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determinate the accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography for imaging evaluation of renal anatomic variants among potential ...living renal donors for surgical planning. Materials and Methods Two hundred twenty-three living kidney donors underwent MDCT angiography (MDCTA) in our institution over the last 2 years. The examination was performed with a 4-detector scanner, including scanning before and after power injection of nonionic contrast material during the arterial, nephrographic, and excretory phases. Scans were reconstructed for three-dimensional (3D) images using MIP, MPR, VRT, and CPR techniques. Results Arterial variants, including supernumerary renal arteries, were present in 140 subjects: 11 presented luminal stenosis; 10 had calcifications within the vessel wall; 3 had renal artery aneurysms; 2 had obstructions; and 1 had angulation of the renal artery. Calcifications were associated with luminal stenosis (4 subjects) or no pathology (6 subjects). Venous variants were present in 4 subjects, including 3 retroaortic renal veins and 1 left renal vein draining into the retrohepatic portion of the IVC. Incidental findings were 3 renal infarcts. Conclusion MDCTA and urography are a minimally invasive, fast method to detect and classify a variety of anatomic anomalies among potential living renal donors relevant to surgical planning.
Abstract Aim The outcome of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) in type 1 diabetes has dramatically improved in recent years. We report the initial results of our SPK program. Patients ...and Methods From 2008 to 2010, we performed and prospectively obtained data on 4 SPKs in 4 type 1 diabetic patients with chronic renal failure. The recipients were 3 men and 1 woman, of overall mean age of 40.75 ± 4.78 years, mean time from diabetes diagnosis of 27 ± 15 years, and time on dialysis of 3.5 ± 0.57 years. All grafts were procured from multiorgan brain-dead donors of mean age 26 ± 8.16 years and mean body weight of 74 ± 4.34 kg. The pancreatic grafts were transplanted first into the right iliac fossa with mean cold ischemia times of 10.62 ± 3.09 hours for the pancreatic and 14.00 ± 2.97 hours for the renal grafts. Pancreas arterial inflow was re-established by an end-to-side anastomosis of an extension Y-graft to the recipient right iliac artery. The portal vein was sutured to the iliac vein directly. The exocrine secretions of the pancreas were managed by duodenojejunostomy extraperitoneally (n = 3) or intraperitoneally (n = 1). The ureteral anastomosis was performed using the Taguchi technique. Results After SPK, endocrine pancreatic function was immediately restored in all patients. Insulin administration was stopped within the first 24 hours after surgery. Two patients displayed delayed renal graft function necessitating dialysis for 9 and 23 days, respectively. The postoperative course was prolonged with a mean hospital stay of 82 ± 1 day. At a 31.75 ± 9.03 months follow up all patients are alive with functioning grafts. Conclusion Our experience with SPK, although limited, has shown encouraging results over a short follow-up period.
Routine psychosocial assessment was introduced at an Australian public hospital's antenatal clinic in 2001. After modification, this assessment consists of 12 questions together with the Edinburgh ...Depression Scale (EDS). Data are reported for responses to these questions from over 2,000 English-speaking women presenting to the clinic in a 12-month period. These 12 questions and the EDS were categorised into seven risk domains, with 12% of the women (n = 260) having three or more of these risk domains. Referral information to one of our two clinical services shows that 6.7% of women assessed in the antenatal clinic become clients having face-face counselling, and a further 7.2% have just telephone contact with this specialist perinatal mental health service. This information should prove useful for services considering implementing routine psychosocial assessments (or "screening") in the antenatal period.
The Balance Function analysis method was developed in order to study the long range correlations in pseudo-rapidity of charged particles. The final results on p+p, C+C, Si+Si and centrality selected ...Pb+Pb collisions at
s
N
N
=
17.2
GeV
and the preliminary data at
s
N
N
=
8.8
GeV
are presented. The width of the Balance Function decreases with increasing system size and centrality of the collisions. This could suggest a delayed hadronization scenario.
An extraordinary case of transorbital penetration injury is presented. A 24-year-old male patient was involved in a fight and was pushed against a shelf. He immediately lost consciousness and was ...brought to hospital. A cranial computed tomogaphy (CT) scan showed a hemorrhage and brain edema over the left hemisphere with orbital roof fracture. A decompressive craniectomy was performed. Intraoperatively, an orbital roof fracture with penetration of the frontobasal dura could be seen which could not be explained by the trauma mechanism. The postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with susceptibility-weighted image (SWI) showed two injury tracks from the orbit through the brain which appeared to be penetration injuries. The forensics department was consulted and penetration by a falling candleholder was found to be the cause of the injuries. In this case, the cranial CT alone did not show any indication of a penetration injury. Only MRI revealed the penetration track, which stresses the diagnostic value of this modality and especially the SWI in cases where the trauma mechanism does not correspond to the injury shown in the CT scan.
Ambulatory surgery in children, combined with new anesthetic methods, leads to shorter hospital stays and an increase in patient and parental satisfaction.
Aim of the study was to determine the ...feasibility and safety of transferring children directly to the ward without a previous stay in a post anesthesia care unit (PACU), after undergoing circumcision for phimosis under regional anesthesia and non-opioid analgesia.
187 healthy children undergoing circumcision were studied in a randomized manner. After surgery, children who met predefined inclusion criteria in the operating room were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Children in the first group (Group A) bypassed the PACU and were admitted directly to the ward, after undergoing assessment using the White and Song scoring system. Children in the second group (Group B) were first transferred to a PACU and then to the ward. The children in Group A who did not meet the criteria of the White and Song scoring system represent the level of risk associated with direct transfer to the ward and no PACU stay. Recovery in the PACU and the ward, parental satisfaction, number of readmissions and the number of parental contacts for medical problems after discharge were recorded and compared between the two study groups.
157 children were randomly assigned into two groups (79 children in Group A and 78 in Group B). Demographic data, the duration of surgery, and recovery in the PACU or the ward were similar for the two groups. No readmissions were observed and most parents were very satisfied with the procedure.
Children undergoing circumcision do not routinely require admission to a PACU and if the appropriate criteria are met, it is safe to transfer them directly to the ward.
ABSTRACT
Background Sunlight precipitates a series of genetic events that lead to the development of skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The p53 ...tumour suppressor gene, which plays a pivotal role in cell division and apoptosis, is frequently found mutated in sunlight‐induced skin tumours.
Objective To investigate the immunoreactivity of the p53 gene in non‐melanoma skin cancers and to correlate its expression with apoptotic and cell proliferation markers.
Methods We analysed 35 non‐melanoma tumours including 19 BCCs and 16 SCCs from sun‐exposed skin areas. p53 protein expression was studied immunohistochemically using the DO7 monoclonal antibody against wild‐type and mutant p53 forms. The percentage of p53‐immunopositive nuclei was measured by image analysis. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were also assessed by image analysis following Ki‐67 immunostaining and application of the TUNEL method on paraffin sections, respectively.
Results The percentage of p53‐expressing cells varied from 3.5 to 90 in BCCs (median value 54.4%) and from 3.7 to 94 in SCCs (median value 40.3%). The mean value of Ki‐67‐positive cells was comparable in both groups of tumours with a mean value of 40.6% in BCCs and 34.6% in SCCs. Conversely, the TUNEL assay showed sporadic staining of apoptotic cells within the tumours with a mean value of 1.12% in BCCs and 1.8% in SCCs. p53 protein expression was correlated positively with cell proliferation (r = 0.75, P = 0.000001) and negatively with apoptosis (r = −0.23, P = 0.05).
Conclusion p53 immunoreactivity was high in the majority of the skin carcinomas examined and correlated positively with cell proliferation and negatively with apoptosis. The p53 protein overexpression appears to be related to an inactivated protein resulting from mutations of the p53 gene or other unclear molecular mechanisms.
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