A monolithic microsphere-fiber probe for spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy: Application to head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

The ability to identify precise cancer margins in vivo during a surgical excision is critical to the well-being of the patient. Decreased operative time has been linked to shorter patient recovery time, and there are risks associated with removing either too much or too little tissue from the surgical site. The more rapidly and accurately a surgeon can identify and excise diseased tissue, the better the prognosis for the patient. To this end, we investigate both malignant and healthy oral cavity tissue using the Raman spectroscopy, with a monolithic microsphere-fiber probe. Our results indicate that this probe has decreased the size of the analyzed area by more than an order of magnitude, as compared to a conventional fiber reflection probe. Scanning the probe across the tissues reveals variations in the Raman spectra that enable us to differentiate between malignant and healthy tissues. Consequently, we anticipate that the high spatial resolution afforded by the probe will permit us to identify tumor margins in detail, thereby optimizing tissue removal and improving patient outcomes.

Does bowel preparation for inflammatory bowel disease surgery matter?

AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine if bowel preparation influences outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease undergoing surgery. METHODS: The database of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, Procedure Targeted Colectomy, from 2012 to 2014 was analyzed. Inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing colorectal resection with or without bowel preparation were included in the study. RESULTS: In all, 3679 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were identified. 42.5% had no bowel preparation, 21.5% had mechanical bowel preparation only, 8.8% had oral antibiotic bowel preparation only and 27.2% had combined mechanical and oral antibiotic preparation. Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic preparation is associated with lower rates of anastomotic leak, ileus, surgical site infection, organ space infection, wound dehiscence and sepsis/septic shock. CONCLUSION: Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic preparation for inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing colectomy is associated with decreased rates of surgical site infection, anastomotic leak, ileus. Combined bowel preparation should be the standard of care for inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing colorectal resection.

Accidental falls in hospitalized children: an analysis of the vulnerabilities linked to the presence of caregivers.

INTRODUCTION: This study stemmed from the data gathered by a research conducted by the coordinator of the Department of Healthcare Services and a group of nurses involved in a research on accidental falls in hospitalized children at the "G. Gaslini" Children's Hospital and Scientific Research Institute in Genoa, Italy. The first retrospective study evaluated the accidental falls in hospitalized children referred to the three-year period 2003-2006, while the second perspective study, referred to the trimester March-May 2007, found that the main cause of falls in children was parent's distraction. METHODS: The method adopted in the first phase of our study was a proactive risk analysis (The Basics of Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis), identified in the first place by the VA National Centre for Patient Safety and applied to the "Child and parent hospital admission process". This proactive risk analysis has proven to be very effective in preventing the risk of accidental falls in hospitalized children through effective communication and educational interventions. The second phase of our study consisted of two Focus Groups for accidental traumatic events. RESULTS: The analysis of the results of the study showed how effective communication is instrumental, not only to have a better awareness of the children and their parents during their stay in hospital, but also to implement educational sessions on prevention to reduce the risk of accidental traumatic events. CONCLUSIONS: The present study contributes to improve safety and the quality of care by motivating nurses to keep their attention high on falls in hospitalized children, by monitoring and the development of new risk assessment tools.

Effects of the glyphosate active ingredient and a formulation on Lemna gibba L. at different exposure levels and assessment end-points.

The use of formulations of the herbicide glyphosate in transgenic crops of the Pampa's plains of Argentina has extensively increased, though there is scarce information of its impact on non-target vascular plants from agro-ecosystem related surface waters. The sensitivity of a local clone of the macrophyte Lemna gibba L. to glyphosate active principle and Roundup Max formulation was studied in standardized laboratory conditions. Phytotoxic effects, considering the aquatic route, at a concentration range of glyphosate between 0.5 and 80 mg L(-1) as active ingredient during 10 days of exposure were assessed on plant population growth, frond growth, shape and number, total chlorophyll content and colony architecture. Exposure to 1 mg L(-1) of glyphosate (an expected environmental concentration) affects all the studied assessment endpoints, except for population growth and chlorophyll content. Equivalent concentrations of this herbicide as the active ingredient or RoundupMax indicate higher phytotocity of the formulation. Exposed plants at concentrations of herbicide between 1 and 7.5 mg L(-1) exhibit after two days a recovery of the multiplication rate. Frond aggregation and longer stipe was detected between 1 and 15 mg L(-1) of glyphosate, determining more open colony architecture. At higher concentrations of the herbicide fronds break-up. Comparisons with literature data indicate a higher sensitivity of the L. gibba local clone with respect to L. minor and algal species, and also a similar response to the herbicide in field experiments with the same species.

Renal acid excretion and intracellular pH in salt-sensitive genetic hypertension.

Acid-base status and renal acid excretion were studied in the Dahl/Rapp salt-sensitive (S) rat and its genetically salt-resistant counterpart (R). S rats developed hypertension while on a very high salt diet (8%) and while on a more physiological salt diet (1%) and remained normotensive while on a very low salt diet (0.08%). Under the high salt diet, intracellular pH measured in freshly isolated thymic lymphocytes using 2',7'-bis (carboxyethyl)-5 (6)-carboxyfluorescein acetomethyl ester, a pH-sensitive dye, was lower in S than in R rats both when measured in the presence of HCO3/CO2 (7.32 +/- 0.02 vs. 7.38 +/- 0.02, respectively, P < 0.05) and in its absence (7.18 +/- 0.04 vs. 7.27 +/- 0.02, respectively, P < 0.05). Under the high salt diet, net acid excretion was higher in S than R rats (1,777 +/- 111 vs. 1,017 +/- 73 muEq/24 h per 100 g body wt, respectively, P < 0.001), and this difference was due to higher rates of both titratable acid and ammonium excretion. Directionally similar differences in intracellular pH and net acid excretion between S and R rats were also observed in salt-restricted animals. In S and R rats placed on a normal salt intake (1%) and strictly pair-fed to control food intake as a determinant of dietary acid, net acid excretion was also higher in S than in R rats (562 +/- 27 vs. 329 +/- 21 muEq/24 h per 100 g, respectively, P < 0.01). No significant difference in either blood pH or bicarbonate levels were found between S and R rats on either the 0.08%, 1%, or 8% salt diets. We conclude that renal acid excretion is augmented in the salt-sensitive Dahl/Rapp rat. Enhanced renal acid excretion may be a marker of increased acid production by cells from subjects with salt-sensitive hypertension.

Reversibility of long-standing urinary tract obstruction requiring long-term dialysis.

Urinary tract obstruction of longer than 4 to 6 weeks' duration is usually said to be irreversible. Older reports of unilateral obstruction have documented return of kidney function after longer periods of obstruction. The duration of bilateral obstruction compatible with return of life-sustaining renal function is poorly defined. We report herein three cases of long-standing urinary tract obstruction leading to apparent dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease, where relief of obstruction eventually led to discontinuation of dialysis.