Yersinia enterocolitica infection in a 4-month-old infant associated with infection in household dogs

Colon atresia is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in the neonate and requires early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment. It is impossible in the neonate to differentiate colon atresia from other forms of obstruction at the time of initial presentation. The diagnosis is confirmed roentgenographically, including views of the abdomen and contrast barium enema series. Lesions proximal to the splenic flexure are treated with initial resection of the atretic segment and a primary anastomosis. Those lesions distal to the splentic flexure are managed initally with a diverting loop colostomy with subsequent staged resection and anastomosis.     

Eurocorr 2016: linking science and engineering – part 4

The 2016 Eurocorr Meeting was held in Montpellier, France, from 12 to 15 September 2016. The focus of the meeting was Linking Science and Engineering. The meeting attracted over 1000 delegates from at least 53 countries with France, Germany, the UK and Japan providing around half the delegates between them. Over 400 oral presentations, more than 200 of which were full papers, and over 140 posters were presented during the sessions and workshops. Parts 1–4 of this report present a review of the technical sessions over four issues with sessions on Advanced Analytical Methods for Corrosion Research, CO₂-Corrosion in Industrial Capture Transportation and Utilisation Applications, Cathodic Protection of Steel in Concrete, Coatings for High Temperature, Corrosion Education, Improving Corrosion Control of Ships, Marine Corrosion, Corrosion Issues for Renewable Energies, Nuclear Corrosion, and Nuclear Corrosion Mechanisms being covered in this report.     

Melatonin as a chemical indicator of environmental light-dark cycle

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an evolutionary highly conserved molecule that plays an important role in conveying the clock and calendar information to all living organisms, including man. Melatonin is synthesized in the rhythmic fashion, primarily by the pineal gland, and, to a lesser degree, by extrapineal tissues-namely the retina, the Harderian gland, and the gastrointestinal tract. The rhythm of the hormone production, with maximal levels occurring at night in darkness, is generated by an endogenous circadian clock(s) and is synchronized with the photoperiodic environment to which animals are exposed. This brief outline surveys data on the regulation of rhythmic melatonin biosynthesis by a circadian pacemaker and light (full spectrum white light and monochromatic lights with wavelengths both in the visible and invisible range). Additionally, possible applications of this chronobiotic compound in agriculture and in medicine in the treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders are discussed.     

Homeless youth and their exposure to and involvement in violence while living on the streets

Sick building syndrome is the term given to a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms that affects workers in modern mechanically ventilated office buildings. Although the cause is unknown, there is evidence that the local environment of the work station is an important determinant of symptoms. In this study, investigators examined the effect of a new, individually controlled ventilation system on workers' symptoms. Investigators studied two groups of workers in one mechanically ventilated office building: (1) a control group at whose worksite no intervention was made and (2) an intervention group. The intervention consisted of installation of a device that allowed each worker control over the ventilation supplied to his or her worksite. Just before, and 4 and 16 mo after installation of this device, workers completed self-administered questionnaires regarding occurrence of symptoms. The new ventilation system resulted in higher air velocities, more variable temperatures, and higher concentrations of airborne dust and fungal spores. Four months after installation, workers with the new ventilation system reported fewer symptoms that were (a) work-related (p < .05) and that were work-related and frequent (p < .05); in addition, they reported fewer symptoms that reduced their capacity to work (p < .01). Sixteen months after installation, workers with the new device reported fewer symptoms than at baseline (although not as significantly), and they indicated that the indoor air quality improved their productivity by 11%, compared with a 4% reduction of productivity among the control group of workers (p < .001). Investigators concluded that the new ventilation system, which provided the workers with individual control over ventilation, was associated with important and sustained reduction in symptoms.     

Mild traumatic brain injury--the Fife perspective

Excretion was studied of catecholamines and diphenilamine (DOPA) in 310 patients with carcinoma of the stomach and large intestine and 43 patients with non-malignant diseases. The oncological patients showed decrease in activity of the mediator link of the sympathoadrenal system (SAS) as well as its reserves but there was no association with sex, age, location or histological structure. Three types of SAS functioning were identified, such as compensation, overstrain and emaciation. Surgical intervention led to activation of the hormonal link and exhaustion of the system's reserves. Two kinds of sympathoadrenal response to stress were described--adequate and inadequate. In the former type, phases of stress remain as they are, unchanged, as are time periods of formation thereof, while under the latter one time periods of the phases formation or formation thereof get disordered.     

Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics and stability of leucite and kalsilite from K2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses

The crystallization mechanisms and elemental stability of leucite and kalsilite formed from K₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ glasses were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Glass samples with compositions along the leucite-kalsilite tie-line were produced by melt processing and were then heat-treated at 850, 950, and 1250°C for times ranging from 5 minutes to 1000 hours. Kalsilite is an unstable phase that behaves as an intermediate precursor to leucite. Crystalline materials in which kalsilite is the major phase lose potassium upon prolonged heat treatment (1000 hours at 1250°C), in contrast to those with leucite, in which little or no compositional alteration is detected. The formation of leucite from stoichiometric kalsilite is accompanied by the formation of potassium-doped alumina. The activation energies for leucite and kalsilite crystallization, determined via application of the Kissinger equation to thermal analysis data, were 579 and 548 kJ/mol, respectively. Finally, production of pure leucite can be achieved with more favorable crystallization kinetics when starting with off-stoichiometric compositions.