Extraction of chlorophyll a from Tetradesmus obliquus-a method upgrade.

Nowadays, the use of algae is prevalent for both industrial and agricultural purposes. The determination of chlorophyll (Chl) content is a commonly used method for estimating the phytoplankton abundance in different water bodies or biomass density of algal cultures. The aim of the present work is to optimise the efficiency of the Chl extraction from the green alga Tetradesmus obliquus using methanol as extracting solvent. The extraction efficiency was estimated by measuring the Chl a concentration of the extracts using fluorescence spectroscopy. To increase the extraction yield, glass fibre filters with algal cells on top were treated with 10% (v/v) formalin prior to the extraction. We found that this pretreatment significantly enhanced the extraction yield of Chl without its chemical decomposition. We also found that the optimal cell concentration for Chl determination ranged from 1.44 × 104 to 3.60 × 105 cells/mL and the extraction efficiency was lower when the cell density of the culture was out of this range. These results highlight the importance of the optimization of the pigment extraction for the studied algal species.

[An experimental model of transgastric ooforectomy using a porcine model]. / Stabilirea modelului experimental de ooforectomie transgastrica pe model suin.

INTRODUCTION: Transabdominal routes for surgery entail general anaesthesia with its inherent risks and complications (prolonged hospital stay, abdominal incisions that may be difficult in obese patients). Minimally invasive procedures require shorter hospitalization, have shorter recovery periods, less postoperative discomfort, and lower morbidity and complications. The purpose of this study was to use a porcine model to determine the feasibility and the safety of organ resection (oophorectomy and tubectomy). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 10 Big White pigs between 25-30 kg underwent transgastric ooforectomy. The first 5 cases were performed in a hybrid procedure (laparoscopic-NOTES) in order to have a better control and supervise the maneuvers done by the mobile endoscope and to guide in the abdominal cavity. RESULTS: Adnexectomy was possible in all ten experiments. Full operative time (from starting endoscopy to complete gastrectomy closing) was 180 min to 270 min. The gastric defect closing was the most difficult manoever lasting from 10 min with OTSC clips to 100 using endoloops and clips. The animals have tolerated well the experiments and there have been no remarkable incidents during our 10 experments. In only one case a bleeding from gastotomy required electric coagulation. CONCLUSION: Transgastric ooforectomy in an experimental model is a procedure that requires advanced laparoscopical and endoscopical skills. Our early results are promissing. Its application in humans needs further confirmation of the method.

Artificial tripartite symbiosis involving a green alga (Chlamydomonas), a bacterium (Azotobacter) and a fungus (Alternaria): morphological and physiological characterization.

A long-living artificial tripartite symbiosis involving a green alga (Chlamydomonas), a bacterium (Azotobacter) and a fungus (Alternaria) was established on carbon- and nitrogen-free medium. The basis of the interdependence is the complementation of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Green color of the colonies indicated that the algal cells had enough nitrogen to synthesize chlorophylls. The chlorophyll content was nearly 40% of the control cells. The relatively high rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution proved that nitrogen was effectively used for building up a well functioning photosynthetic apparatus. This was supported by the analysis of photosystems and ultrastructural investigations. In comparison with degreened algae cultured on nitrogen-free medium, the chloroplasts in the symbiont algal cells contained a well-developed, stacked thylakoid membrane system without extreme starch or lipid accumulation. The occurrence of the fungus in the association greatly increased the chlorophyll content. Far fewer types of amino acids were excreted by the tripartite cultures than by pure cultures. Cystathionine, which is a common intermediate in the sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism, was produced in high quantities by the tripartite symbiosis. This can mostly be attributed to the activity of the fungus.

[Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for vascular disorders of the upper limbs: preliminary results]. / Simpatectomia toracoscopica înalta pentru afectiuni vasculare ale membrelor superioare: rezultate preliminare.

Between January 2005-December 2006 we have performed 12 sympathectomies in 10 patients with ischemic hand disease Indication, surgical techniques, and early results were discussed. Thoracoscopic sympathectomy in patients with severe ischemia of upper limb extremities and unsuccessful medical therapy and local care permits optimal symptomatic control and maximum tissue salvage. Because the procedure is minimally invasive, safe, and associated with a low rate of complications, it should be considered earlier in the natural course of this disease as the best therapeutic option.

[Thoracoscopic thymectomy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis]. / Timectomia toracoscopica în tratamentul miasteniei gravis.

A series of 151 thoracoscopic thymectomy performed in the Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation of the Fundeni Clinical Institute between April 1999 and April 2004 is analyzed. These were 89.34% from all the thymectomies performed in our department in this period. Thoracoscopic thymectomies were performed on 131 female patients (86.75%) and 20 male patients (23.25%), aged between 8 and 60 years. All patients were previously treated in the Neurological Department of the Fundeni Clinical Institute for at least 3 months. The thoracoscopic thymectomy was indicated for: myasthenia gravis without thymic neoplasia (141 cases), stage I Masaoka thymoma (8 cases), remnant postoperative thymic tissue (3 cases). We have used a left thoracoscopic approach in 73 cases and a right thoracoscopic approach in 76 cases. In 2 cases a mixed cervical and thoracoscopic approach was needed.. No mortality and morbidity 6.62% (10 cases). From this 151 patients 100 have been constantly followed for more then one year. From the other 51, 32 are in the first postoperative year, and the other 19, 12.58% have been lost in surveillance. The one year evaluation regarding the Research Standards of Myasthenia Gravis Task Force Foundation shows: improvement--90% (complete stable remission--14%; pharmacological remission--20%; minimal manifestation--56%), unchanged--8%, worsened--2%. Our results with a complete stable remission of 14% at the end of the first year and 50% at 5 years are at least comparable with literature results with other open or thoracoscopic approaches.

[Thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy--a method of pain palliation in non-resectable pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis]. / Splanhnicectomia toracoscopica--metoda de paliatie a durerii în cancerul pancreatic nerezecabil si pancreatita cronica.

Severe upper abdominal pain is a dominant and distressing feature in advanced pancreatic cancer and in chronic pancreatitis. A way of palliation needs to be practiced in the non-resectable pancreatic cancer in order to control the pain. Between the many methods of palliation the thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy seems to be the best due its simplicity, no risk to the patient and the good results. In the Center of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation from Fundeni Clinical Institute we have practiced 50 thoracoscopic splanchnicectomies in a number of 49 patients during a period of 3 years. The morbidity was 2% and the mortality 0. We noticed a significant improvement in the pain score, the quality of sleep and the overall quality of life and consecutively a quick social reintegration of these patients. The quality of life is greatly improved (with a significant reduction of the pain score in 92% of the cases) after this minimally invasive procedure, a fact the qualifies this procedure as the technique of choice in these patients.

Observability in strategic models of viability selection.

Strategic models of frequency-dependent viability selection, in terms of mathematical systems theory, are considered as a dynamic observation system. Using a general sufficient condition for observability of nonlinear systems with invariant manifold, it is studied whether, observing certain phenotypic characteristics of the population, the development of its genetic state can be recovered, at least near equilibrium.

[Laparoscopic liver surgery: analyze the experience on 36 cases]. / Chirurgia laparoscopica a ficatului: analiza unei experiente de 36 de cazuri.

We analyze the experience in laparoscopic liver surgery in the Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation of Fundeni Clinical Institute between september 1998 and march 2003. This study includes 36 patients, 24 females (66.7%) and 12 males (33.3%) with ages between 25 and 67 and a mean age of 46 years. From the group of 36 patients with liver pathology considered for laparoscopic treatment 6 cases had multiple hepatic lesions with no preop diagnosis. The postoperative diagnosis was neoplasia in 4 cases, noncellular necrosis with chronic inflammation in one case and focal nodular hyperplasia in another case. The fenestration and drainage were used as laparoscopic treatment in case of 7 patients with nonparasitic liver cysts. Nine patients from our group had hydatid cysts. In 7 patients the treatment consisted in partial pericystectomy after inactivation and parasite evacuation. In 2 patients an ideal pericystectomy was performed for cysts located in segments II and III. The solid lesions selected for laparoscopic treatment were in 3 cases benign symptomatic tumors with no preoperative diagnosis, in 9 cases symptomatic hemangioma and in 2 cases malignant lesions. From these 14 patients in only 2 cases the lesions were located in the right antero lateral segments. Only in the case of metastasis a left lateral sectorectomy was performed, in all other cases a nonanatomical resection being performed. Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 11.11% of cases (2 hemangioma, 2 partial pericystectomies) for bleeding control. In our study we had no mortality and 11.11% morbidity. The follow-up was available in all patients for a mean time of 18 months (10 to 36). A CT scan was made in all patients with solid lesions 6 months after surgery and an ultrasound examination in all other cases. All patients were nonsymptomatic at repeated reevaluations. We are now at the beginning of laparoscopic liver surgery and these results need to be confirmed. The benefits seem to be those of any miniinvasive surgery: reduced trauma to the abdominal wall, early mobilization, shorter hospital stay, better aesthetics.

Profiling of colour pigments of chili powders of different origin by high-performance liquid chromatography.

The colour pigments of five chili powders of different origins were separated and quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The similarities and dissimilarities of pigment composition of chili powders were elucidated by principal component analysis (PCA). RP-HPLC separated 50-100 pigment fractions depending on the detection wavelength and on the origin of chili powder. It was found that the pigment composition of chili powders from Malaysia and China and from India and Pakistan show marked similarities while the composition of colour pigments of chili powder from Thailand was different. It was further established that the chromatograms are similar in the first 5-35 min of development, they are highly different between 35 and 75 min and moderately different at the end of the chromatograms. It was concluded that RP-HPLC followed by PCA can be successfully used for the identification of chili powders according to the composition of their colour pigments.

Comparison of partial least-square method and canonical correlation analysis in a quantitative structure-retention relationship study.

The retention of 7 monotetrazolium and 9 ditetrazolium salts was determined on alumina and reversed-phase (RP) alumina layers using n-hexane-1-propanol and water-1-propanol mixtures as eluents. The retention capacity and the specific surface area of solutes in contact with the stationary phases were calculated. The relationship between retention characteristics and physicochemical parameters of solutes was elucidated by canonical correlation analysis and partial least-square regression analysis. Both methods found significant relationships between the chromatographic and physicochemical parameters, however, the results were different according to the method applied. Calculations suggested that the retention on both alumina and RP alumina layers is of mixed character, hydrophobic, electronic and steric parameters are equally involved in the retention.

Quantitative structure-retention relationship study of tetrazolium salts on alumina support.

The retention of 7 monotetrazolium and 9 ditetrazolium salts was determined on alumina and reversed-phase (RP) alumina layers using n-hexane-2-propanol and water-2-propanol mixtures as eluents. The retention capacity and the specific surface area of solutes in contact with the stationary phases were calculated. Quantitative structure-retention relationship calculations indicated that the retention capacity of solutes on RP alumina layers depended not only on the molecular hydrophobicity but also on the hydrogen-donor and acceptor properties. Specific surface areas were related to the electronic and steric parameters of the solutes. Calculations suggested that the retention on both alumina and RP alumina layers is of mixed character, hydrophobic, electronic and steric parameters are equally involved in the retention.

[Pseudoporphyria]. / Pseudoporphyria.

A 46-year-old patient with chronic renal failure receiving maintenance haemodialysis for 3 years had a few months history of blister formation and skin fragility involving the face, arms and dorsa of the hands. In this case clinically mimicking porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) no demonstrable abnormality in the porphyrin metabolism excretion was detected.

Formation of DNA adducts in the skin of psoriasis patients, in human skin in organ culture, and in mouse skin and lung following topical application of coal-tar and juniper tar.

Preparations of coal-tar and juniper tar (cade oil) that are used in the treatment of psoriasis are known to contain numerous potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Evidence of covalent binding to DNA by components of these mixtures was sought in a) human skin biopsy samples from 12 psoriasis patients receiving therapy with these agents, b) human skin explants maintained in organ culture and treated topically with the tars, and c) the skin and lungs of mice treated with repeated doses of the formulations following the regimen used in the clinic. DNA was isolated from the human and mouse tissues and digested enzymically to mononucleotides. 32P-Post-labeling analysis revealed the presence of aromatic DNA adducts in the biopsy samples at levels of up to 0.4 fmol total adducts/microgram DNA. Treatment of human skin in organ culture produced similar levels of adducts, while treatment with dithranol, a non-mutagenic therapeutic agent, resulted in chromatograms indistinguishable from those from untreated controls. In mouse skin, coal-tar ointment and juniper tar gave similar DNA adduct levels, with a similar time-course of removal: maximum levels (0.5 fmol/microgram DNA) at 24 h after the final treatment declined rapidly to 0.05 fmol/microgram at 7 d, thereafter declining slowly over the succeeding 25 d. However, while coal-tar ointment produced only very low levels of adducts in mouse lung (less than 0.03 fmol/microgram DNA), juniper tar produced adducts at a high level (0.7 fmol/microgram DNA) that were persistent in this tissue. These results provide direct evidence for the formation of potentially carcinogenic DNA damage in human and mouse tissue by components of these therapeutic tar preparations.

Poly(ADP-ribose)-synthesis and excision repair in light sensitive skin disorders.

Several data suggest a relationship of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) synthesis to DNA repair and the influence of some trace elements on the semiconservative and unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS). Previously we found certain alterations in the UV-light induced UDS and in the contents of trace elements in the lymphocytes of patients with light sensitive skin disorders. In the recent study in polymorphic light eruption, cutaneous porphyrias and xeroderma pigmentosum the PAR synthesis and zinc, copper and manganese contents in the chromatin of the lymphocytes (measured by neutron activation analysis) were investigated. UV induced PAR synthesis was generally lower in the cells of polymorphic light eruption and especially in xeroderma pigmentosum with a reduced repair capacity whereas in cutaneous porphyrias no difference was observed. Some correlations occurred between the contents of trace elements studied and UDS as well in each group tested. It seems that PAR investigations throw new light upon our understanding of the pathomechanism of photodermatoses.

[Anetoderma]. / Anetodermie.

We report on a 17-year-old girl having suffered from Jadassohn's anetoderma since five years. Administration of Plaquenil resulted in marked improvement: The inflammation disappeared, and there did not occur any new symptoms. The presence of IgA in the capillary endothelium implies an immunological process.

Management of spontaneous pneumothorax.

Recurrence is the most common complication of spontaneous pneumothorax. Open thoracotomy with resection of obliteration of blebs and parietal pleurectomy provides the best protection against recurrence. Twenty-seven consecutive patients underwent open thoracotomy for recurrent pneumothorax with no mortality and minimum morbidity and have remained free from recurrence. We believe that thoracotomy should be more widely used in the treatment of what is called spontaneous pneumothorax, since this treatment may remove the real cause of the disease.