Rapid crystallization of L-arginine acetate on engineered surfaces using metal-assisted and microwave-accelerated evaporative crystallization()

We report the application of our newly described crystallization technique, which employs silver island films (SIFs) and microwave heating, to rapid crystallization of L-arginine acetate (LAA). Using our technique, LAA crystals (~ 1.2 mm in length) were grown from a 20 μl solution in 1 min on surface functionalized SIFs. In control experiments (glass slides and at room temperature) the growth of LAA crystals (0.1-0.3 mm) took ~ 55 min.     

Negative attitudes to transition in post-communist Albania and acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: The authors assessed the association of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with attitudes to the socioeconomic aspects of rapid change in transitional Albania. Design: A population-based case–control study conducted in Tirana, Albania, in 2003–2006 included 467 nonfatal ACS patients (370 men, 97 women; 88% response) and a population-sampled control group (469 men, 268 women; 69% response). Main Outcome Measures: Reaction to transition was assessed as a composite score of 3 items capturing attitudes toward socioeconomic aspects of transition in Albania. Results: Using logistic regression, there was a strong linear relationship of the attitude score with ACS. When categorized as negative, intermediate, or positive attitudes, the age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the negative versus positive categories was 3.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.1, 4.3; p for linear trend     

Nanogold plasmon resonance-based glucose sensing. 2. Wavelength-ratiometric resonance light scattering

Gold colloids are well known to display strong plasmon absorption bands due to electron oscillations induced by the incident light. When the colloids are in proximity, the plasmon absorption bands are often perturbed. This has enabled us recently to successfully develop a glucose sensing platform based on the disassociation of dextran-coated gold colloids, cross-linked with Con A, by glucose. However, a much more useful and simpler property of gold colloids, which has been ill explored with regard to sensing, is their ability to efficiently scatter excitation light. We have found that our nanogold sensing aggregates are indeed efficient light scatters around the nanogold plasmon absorption band. By measuring the ratio of scattered light intensities at two different arbitrary wavelengths, 560 and 680 nm, glucose concentrations can be readily determined from a few millimolar up to approximately 60 mM, using a simple white light LED and detection system. Further, by measuring the ratio of the scattered intensities, this sensing approach is independent of the total sensing aggregate concentration and the excitation and detection instrumentation fluctuations or drifts. This simplistic and low-cost approach to glucose sensing, coupled with the sensing aggreagates' ability to scatter red light, suggests the potential use of these aggregates for use in physiological transdermal glucose monitoring, either for implantable skin sensors or glucose sensing tattoos (discussed later).     

Impact of holmium laser settings and fiber diameter on stone fragmentation and endoscope deflection

To evaluate the relationship between cell proliferation and apoptosis in sporadic colorectal carcinogenesis, immunohistochemistry for proliferation-associated antigen Ki-67 and in situ end labelling for identifying apoptotic bodies were performed on paraffin sections from 59 adenomas and 22 carcinomas. These results were correlated with the expression of the proliferation and apoptosis modulators Bcl-2 and p53. Carcinomas showed increased proliferation and apoptosis compared with adenomas (P<0.0001, P<0.001, respectively). There were positive linear correlations between proliferation and apoptosis in adenomas and carcinomas (P<0.02, P<0.05, respectively). The proliferative rate increased significantly from mild to moderate, and from moderate to severe dysplasia (P<0.002, P<0.001, respectively). Apoptotic rate also increased in this sequence, but the increases did not reach statistical significance (both P>0.05). Expression of Bcl-2 was associated with lower apoptotic rate in adenomas (P<0.025) but not in carcinomas (P>0.25), whereas p53 expression was correlated with higher proliferative rate in both adenomas and carcinomas (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively). An inverse relationship between Bcl-2 and p53 expression was seen in both adenomas and carcinomas (P<0.05, P<0.005, respectively). These data suggest that the normal balance between proliferation and apoptosis is disturbed in colorectal carcinogenesis, both being increased, but proliferation occurs in excess. Bcl-2 and p53 may each play a role in modulating cell apoptosis or proliferation during the development of colorectal carcinoma.     

Carpal tunnel syndrome: comparison of intraoperative structural changes with clinical and electrodiagnostic severity

The aim of this study is to grade the intraoperative findings seen in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) based on severity, and compare it with clinical and electrodiagnostic severity.Thirty-one hands surgically treated for CTS were graded according to the severity of clinical signs, and electrodiagnostic tests. Oedema, vascularisation, and fibrosis were graded on a scale of 1–3. Pseudoneuroma or ‘hour-glass’ formation were graded as either 0 or 1. The hands were allocated by an observer into an assumptive severity group, from grade 1 to 3. Clinical severity and electrodiagnostic severity were statistically compared with each other, and with each intraoperative severity criteria.A high statistical correlation (p<0.01) was found between clinical severity and vascularisation, fibrosis, and the assumptive intraoperative severity. No correlation could be demonstrated between electrodiagnostic severity and the intraoperative criteria.Intraoperative grading should be regarded as a supportive measure to the clinical evaluation in order to obtain a sound base for surgical intervention and internal neurolysis.     

Lines in one orthographic and two perspective views

We introduce a linear algorithm to recover the Euclidean motion between an orthographic and two perspective cameras from straight line correspondences filling the gap in the analysis of motion estimation from line correspondences for various projection models. The general relationship between lines in three views is described by the trifocal tensor. Euclidean structure from motion for three perspective views is a special case in which the relationship is defined by a collection of three matrices. Here, we describe the case of two calibrated perspective views and an orthographic view. Similar to the other cases, our linear algorithm requires 13 or more line correspondences to recover 27 coefficients of the trifocal tensor.     

A systematic approach to integral snap-fit attachment design

Traditional integral snap-fit attachment design focuses almost exclusively on the individual locking features, such as cantilever hooks, bayonet-fingers, compressive hooks and others. The positioning and orientation of other significant features on parts, such as those that facilitate or enhance engagement and eliminate unwanted degrees of freedom left by locking features, i.e. locating features and enhancements, are not considered. This paper builds on relatively new methodologies and guidelines for arranging all attachment features on plastic parts comprising snap-fit assembly. Classification of features into categories of locking features, locating features and enhancements of these is used as the basis for discussion. A systematic approach to attachment design is presented.