n-type Ge/Si antennas for THz sensing.

Ge-on-Si plasmonics holds the promise for compact and low-cost solutions in the manipulation of THz radiation. We discuss here the plasmonic properties of doped Ge bow-tie antennas made with a low-point cost CMOS mainstream technology. These antennas display resonances between 500 and 700 GHz, probed by THz time domain spectroscopy. We show surface functionalization of the antennas with a thin layer of α-lipoic acid that red-shifts the antenna resonances by about 20 GHz. Moreover, we show that antennas protected with a silicon nitride cap layer exhibit a comparable red-shift when covered with the biolayer. This suggests that the electromagnetic fields at the hotspot extend well beyond the cap layer, enabling the possibility to use the antennas with an improved protection of the plasmonic material in conjunction with microfluidics.

Objective Estimates Improve Risk Stratification for Primary Graft Dysfunction after Lung Transplantation.

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a major cause of early mortality after lung transplant. We aimed to define objective estimates of PGD risk based on readily available clinical variables, using a prospective study of 11 centers in the Lung Transplant Outcomes Group (LTOG). Derivation included 1255 subjects from 2002 to 2010; with separate validation in 382 subjects accrued from 2011 to 2012. We used logistic regression to identify predictors of grade 3 PGD at 48/72 h, and decision curve methods to assess impact on clinical decisions. 211/1255 subjects in the derivation and 56/382 subjects in the validation developed PGD. We developed three prediction models, where low-risk recipients had a normal BMI (18.5-25 kg/m(2) ), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/cystic fibrosis, and absent or mild pulmonary hypertension (mPAP<40 mmHg). All others were considered higher-risk. Low-risk recipients had a predicted PGD risk of 4-7%, and high-risk a predicted PGD risk of 15-18%. Adding a donor-smoking lung to a higher-risk recipient significantly increased PGD risk, although risk did not change in low-risk recipients. Validation demonstrated that probability estimates were generally accurate and that models worked best at baseline PGD incidences between 5% and 25%. We conclude that valid estimates of PGD risk can be produced using readily available clinical variables.

Effect of pelvic suspension on the instrumental meat quality characteristics of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) venison.

The effect of pelvic and Achilles tendon suspension of red and fallow deer carcasses on meat quality parameters were compared. Venison was evaluated from red deer stags (n=14), bucks (n=14) and fallow deer does (n=10) between 12 and 36months old. Immediately after slaughter, carcasses were split down the dorsal midline and assigned to one of the two hanging methods and pH and core body temperature measured. Twenty-four hours post-slaughter muscles were excised. Venison from fallow deer and red deer stags pelvic-suspended had significantly lower (P<0.001) cooked shear force values than Achilles hung carcasses. There was no significant difference between hanging technique for other characteristics measured. These data indicated that pelvic suspension should be adopted by the deer industry to increase tenderness of venison.

Effect of concentrate feeding on instrumental meat quality and sensory characteristics of fallow deer venison.

Venison from twenty four hybrid fallow deer does, 36months old with an initial body condition score (BCS) of 2, was tested to determine the influence of feed type on meat quality. Feeding with concentrates increased BCS (P<0.01) but did not affect ultimate pH (P>0.05). BCS 4 animals had higher intra muscular fat (IMF) (P<0.01), and more tender meat (P<0.05). Venison from does fed over 24weeks exhibited less redness (P<0.01) than those fed for 19weeks regardless of feed type. Panellists evaluated samples for colour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking. They detected significantly (P<0.05) stronger flavour in meat from animals fed concentrates. Male panellists detected flavour differences within meat from animals fed concentrates (P<0.05), with longer feeding periods resulting in stronger flavour. There was no difference in overall liking, therefore finishing fallow deer on grain-based concentrate feeds prior to slaughter provided little commercial advantage.

Consumer evaluation of venison sensory quality: effects of sex, body condition score and carcase suspension method.

Intact fallow bucks (n=20) and non-pregnant fallow does (n=24) (Dama dama), in the body condition score (BCS) of 2, 3 and 4 (lean, prime and fat) and rising 2 year old red deer stags (n=26) (Cervus elaphus) of the same BCS range (2-4) were used in this study to determine the impact of sex, BCS and method of carcase suspension on consumer perception of venison quality. Consumers were asked to evaluate cooked meat samples (M. gluteus medius) on an unstructured line scale for colour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking. Meat from both fallow deer and red deer was preferred by consumers when carcases had hung by the pelvic suspension (PS) method compared with the Achilles tendon (AT) method of hanging (p<0.001). Consumers also noted a difference in colour between sexes in fallow deer venison, with venison from 36 month-old does being darker (p=0.015), and preferred venison from does over 18-24 month-old bucks. There was a significant difference in the consumer scores for tenderness in red deer stags of BCSs 2 and 4 (p=0.05) with panellists determining BCS 4 animals to be more tender; however no tenderness differences were observed for fallow deer does compared with bucks.

Rate of blood loss and timing of exsanguination on prevalence of ecchymosis in fallow deer (Dama dama).

Blood loss associated with four combinations of stunning and exsanguination methods was determined as part of studying prevalence of ecchymosis in slaughtered fallow deer (Dama dama). A fifth treatment simulated incomplete severance of the extended neck after captive bolt stunning. Predicted mean weights of blood collected from the five slaughter treatments, including electrical stunning followed by the thoracic stick method of exsanguination, captive bolt stunning followed by the thoracic stick, captive bolt stunning followed by the gash cut method of exsanguination, electrical stunning followed by the gash cut, and captive bolt stunning followed by incomplete severance of the extended neck, were 1458.7, 1072.7, 684.5, 463.7, and 228.5 g, respectively. The overall effect of exsanguination method was highly significant (p<0.001) with the thoracic stick resulting in the greatest weight of blood collection in the 10s period immediately after initiation. The overall effect of stunning method on blood loss was not significant, although there was a significant (p<0.05) stunning method by exsanguination method interaction. Ecchymosis of varying severity occurred in some carcases from all treatment groups. Using the total loin and round ecchymosis scores, when little or no ecchymosis (grades 0 or 1) was compared with some ecchymosis (grade 2) by logistic regression, castrated bucks were 9.8 times more likely (p=0.002) and does 4.2 times more likely (p=0.06) to have some ecchymosis than entire bucks. The results indicate that ecchymosis can be reduced in fallow deer carcases by thoracic stick exsanguination incorporated less than 10s after stunning.

[Cervicofacial actinomycosis. Apropos of 2 atypical locations]. / Actinomycose cervico-faciale. A propos de deux localisations atypiques.

Cervico-facial actinomycosis is a chronic bacterial disease caused by actinomycetes. The diagnosis may be made on the specific anatomo-pathological appearance of the granulomas and be confirmed by anaerobic culture of the germs. The authors report two atypical cases: the first is a case of a thyroglossal pseudocyst, the second that of adenoidal vegetations in an adult. Treatment with Penicillin G or V for six weeks produced a favourable response. The various clinical forms of the condition described in the literature, should encourage the physician to include bacteriological testing for actinomycetes among his investigations.

Lead exposure among lead-acid battery workers in Jamaica.

To assess lead exposure in the Jamaican lead-acid battery industry, we surveyed three battery manufacturers (including 46 production workers) and 10 battery repair shops (including 23 battery repair workers). Engineering controls and respiratory protection were judged to be inadequate at battery manufacturers and battery repair shops. At manufacturers, 38 of 42 air samples for lead exceeded a work-shift time-weighted average concentration of 0.050 mg/m3 (range 0.030-5.3 mg/m3), and nine samples exceeded 0.50 mg/m3. Only one of seven air samples at repair shops exceeded 0.050 mg/m3 (range 0.003-0.066 mg/m3). Repair shop workers, however, had higher blood lead levels than manufacturing workers (65% vs. 28% with blood lead levels above 60 micrograms/dl, respectively). Manufacturing workers had a higher prevalence of safe hygienic practices and a recent interval of minimal production had occurred at one of the battery manufacturers. Workers with blood lead levels above 60 micrograms/dl tended to have higher prevalences of most symptoms of lead toxicity than did workers with lower blood lead levels, but this finding was not consistent or statistically significant. The relationship between zinc protoporphyrin concentrations and increasing blood lead concentrations was consistent with that described among workers in developed countries. The high risk of lead toxicity among Jamaican battery workers is consistent with studies of battery workers in other developing countries.

Lead exposure among lead-acid battery workers in Jamaica

To assess lead exposure in the Jamaican lead-acid battery industry, we surveyed three battery manufacturers (including 46 production workers) and 10 battery repair shops (including 23 battery repair workers). Engineering controls and respiratory protection were judged to be inadequate at battery manufacturers and battery repair shops. At manufacturers, 38 of 42 air samples for lead exceeded a work-shift time-weighted average concentration of 0.050 mg/m3 (range 0.030-5.3 mg/m3), and nine samples exceeded 0.050 mg/m3 (range 0.003-0.066 mg/m3). Repair shop workers, however, had higher blood lead levels than manufacturing workers (65 percent vs. 28 percent with blood lead levels above 60 micrograms/dl, respectively). Manufacturing workers had a higher prevalence of safe hygienic practices and a recent interval of minimal production had occurred at one of the battery manufacturers. Workers with blood lead levels above 60 micrograms/dl tended to have higher prevalences of most symptoms of lead toxicity than did workers with lower blood lead levels, but this finding was not consistent or statistically significant. The relationship between zinc protoporphyrin concentrations and increasing blood lead concentrations was consistent with that described among workers in developed countries. The high risk of lead toxicity among Jamaican battery workers is consistent with studies of battery workers in other developing countries. (AU)

Harrington instrumentation and spine fusion for unstable fractures and fracture-dislocations of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

Of forty patients with unstable fractures and fracture-dislocations of the thoracic or lumbar spine treated with Harrington instrumentation and spine fusion, thirty-five had a neural deficit (twenty-three with incomplete or cauda equina lesions and twelve with complete lesions). Laminectomy or posterolateral decompression was performed prior to instrumentation and fusion in twenty-three patients and at the time of stabilization, in thirteen. Solid fusion was obtained in all but one patient. Back pain persisted in four. No patient had residual spinal deformity. Twenty-one patients with incomplete or cauda equina lesions regained some neural function, while all twelve with complete lesions remained unchanged. The advantages of this technique include effective stabilization of the spine, early mobilization and rehabilitation, and prevention of late deformity.