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ZnO films were obtained by electrodeposition technique from commercial Zn2+ solutions and those obtained from spent alkaline batteries. The type of counterion and pH impact directly on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the electrodeposited ZnO films. The morphological and crystallographic orientation differences observed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and high‐resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (HR‐FESEM), demonstrates the influence of the type and origin of precursors used in the ZnO synthesis process. Those samples grown from commercial nitrate solutions exhibit nanocolumns revealing a preferential growth in the (002) direction. On the other hand, random growth (hexagonal plates, agglomerations, clusters, etc.) is observed in samples obtained through recycled solutions. All deposited samples achieved a transparency close to 80 % and an optical band gap of around 3.30 eV. The as‐deposited films were evaluated toward the photodegradation capacity of methylene blue (MB) for potential technological applications. Results exhibit that samples prepared from recycled ZnCl2 solutions presented more than 80 % degradation per mass of ZnO. This work demonstrates a virtuous circle since ZnO films are deposited by a facile and scalable technique from discarded batteries and used for MB photodegradation. Furthermore, the simplicity of recovery of these substrates after application makes them an attractive and pragmatic option for a range of water treatment applications. Synopsis: Zinc from depleted alkaline batteries is reused to obtain ZnO thin films that remove contaminating dyes from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adenomatoid tumors are rare benign neoplasms, pleural is a very rare location, reporting only 4 cases worldwide and none in our country. Case report: A 30 year-old female patient, that in the context of a preventive health examination, presents a mediastinal solid mass in the right hemithorax, in the thorax radiography. The lesion of 8 cm x 7 cm x 2.4 cm was surgically removed. Histology shows a lesion compatible with pleural adenomatoid tumor and inmunohistochemistry is positive for markers such as calretinin and cytokeratin 5/6. Discussion: The pleural adenomatoid tumor is an uncommon neoplasm with benign behavior and several differential diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm mostly found in the pleural tissue but also described in other parenchymas. There are twenty four cases of thyroid SFT, all of them with similar histological appearance and immunohistochemical reaction pattern. We report the case of a thyroid tumor in a thirty year old man. The tumor was characterized by a proliferation of spindle cells arranged in a storiform and hemangiopericitoid pattern, without cell atypia and necrosis, and with low mitotic rate. The tumor showed a strong positive immunohistochemical reaction for CD-34 and bcl-2. There were no reactions for Desmin, Pancytokeratin and S-100. All of these features confirm the diagnosis of a thyroid SFT. It is important to know that this entity can arise in the thyroid gland to direct the analysis in a correct way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the minimum DNA sequence required for regulator-dependent transcription stimulation from the sigma70-sigmaS-dependent Pm promoter. Deletion analysis of Pm promoter; Transcription stimulation from Pm promoters exhibiting point mutations by wild-type and mutant XylS regulators; Enhancement of transcription from Pm and mutant Pm promoters.

The increasing prevalence of advanced chronic respiratory disease, with frequent exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics for repeated and prolonged hospitalizations, favours the emergence of nosocomial respiratory infection by Gram-positive bacteria, such as outbreaks of Corynebacterium striatum. There is little evidence about patterns of respiratory infection, transmission and adaptive ability of this pathogen. Seventy-two C. striatum isolates from 51 advanced respiratory patients, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, were studied during 38 months. Patients were 74.8 ± 8.6 years old and 81.9% were men, who had required an average of 2.2 hospitalizations and 63.5 days in the hospital in the previous year. Of 49 isolates from 42 patients we were able to identify 12 clones by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), nine phenotypic variants and 22 antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and we determined their clinical and epidemiological determinants. MLSA allows identification of the existence of nosocomial outbreaks by transmission of the same or different clones, the persistence of the same clone in the environment or in patient airways for months. The study showed the high variability and adaptive capacity of the isolates, the antibiotic multidrug-resistance in all of them, and their contribution to a high morbidity and mortality (41%) during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To know the congenital hypothyroidism (CH) incidence reported according to diagnosis done by the neonatal screening test (NST) and by the quantification of thyroid hormones. Material and methods. The information was obtained from files of the registration results of NST in children born in the hospital during 36 months and from the laboratory files of the quantification of the thyroid hormones in the children. The incidence rate of CH was calculated by 10,000 alive born children. Results. In the laps of this study were born 11,645 children and were reported as positives for CH 160 (1.37%) cases, while by the NST the diagnosis was also positive in 20 (12.5%) by the quantification of thyroid hormones. The frequency CH was found in 1 case 976 neonates in 2005 (10.2% of them for 10,000); in 2006 it was of 1 in 560 neonates (17.8%) and in 2007 it was 1 in 326 neonates (30.7%). Conclusion. Beside the diagnosis of CH done by the two ways it seems that the incidence has been increasing in the population which assisted in the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: To morphohistologically evaluate the effect of four increasing intensities of bipolar radiofrequency (RF) on the human meniscus and to compare the changes seen in the menisci from patients younger and older than 40 years old. Methods: Thirty fresh menisci were divided in two groups. Group 1: 12 menisci from patients younger than 40 y.o.; Group 2: 18 menisci from patients older than 40 y.o. Groups 1 and 2 were divided in four zones and subjected in vitro, for 3 s, to four intensities of bipolar RF energy. The samples were studied macroscopically, and microscopically. Results: Thermal changes were present between 0 and 4000 μm from the meniscal surface, with an average of 1699 μm (S.D. 740), and was significantly higher on the ablation than the coagulation group (p <0.001). We found a significant difference between the depth of thermal changes in the menisci from patients younger and older than 40 years old at medium intensities of RF energy (p =0.038 and p =0.044). Conclusions: Although bipolar RF can cause deep thermal changes (up to 4000 μm) on the human meniscus, this effect depends on the magnitude of the energy applied. When comparing the effect between younger and older patients, the changes were deeper in the older group when RF was applied at medium intensities. Clinical relevance: Based on our findings, we recommend to exert precaution when applying RF energy at medium intensities in the degenerative meniscus, due to a deeper thermal effect in this group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic potential of color-coded Doppler sonography (CCDS), power-Doppler (PD) and B-flow ultrasound in assessing the degree of extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis in comparison to CT-angiography (MD-CTA). Thirty-two consecutive patients referred for CTA with 41 ICA-stenoses were included in this prospective study. MD-CTA was performed using a 64 row scanner with a CTDIvol of 13.1 mGy/cm. In CTA, CCDS, PD and B-flow, the degree of stenosis was evaluated by the minimal intrastenotic diameter in comparison to the poststenotic diameter. Two radiologists performed a quantitative evaluation of the stenoses in consensus blinded to the results of ultrasound. These were correlated to CTA, CCDS, PD and B-flow, intraoperative findings and clinical follow-up. Grading of the stenoses in B-flow ultrasound outperformed the other techniques in terms of accuracy with a correlation coefficient to CTA of 0.88, while PD and CCDS measurements yield coefficients of 0.74 and 0.70. Bland-Altman analysis additionally shows a very little bias of the three US methods between 0.5 and 3.2 %. There is excellent correlation (coefficient 0.88, CI 0.77–0.93) with 64-MD-CTA and B-flow ultrasound in terms of accuracy for intrastenotic and poststenotic diameter. Duplex sonography is useful for screening purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose was to evaluate whether B-flow can improve the ultrasonographic diagnosis of preocclusive stenosis and occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) compared with colour-coded Doppler and power Doppler. Ninety patients with occlusions or preocclusive stenoses of the ICA suspected by Doppler sonography were examined with B-flow in comparison with colour-coded Doppler sonography (CCDS), power Doppler (PD) and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Intrastenotic flow detection and lengths of stenoses were the main criteria. Ulcerated plaques found by surgery in 42/90 patients were compared by ultrasonography (US). Diagnosis of ICA occlusion with CCDS, PD and B-flow was correct in all 42 cases. A preocclusive ICA stenosis in DSA was detected correctly in all 48/48 cases (100%) for B-flow, in 44/48 (92%) for PD and in 39/48 (81%) for CCDS. Surgical findings showed in 17/42 cases ulcerated plaques; 15/17 (89%) of these cases were detected with B-flow, 12/17 (71%) with PD, 10/17 (59%) with CCDS, and 8/17 (47%) with DSA. With B-flow the extent of stenosis was appraised more precisely than with PD and CCDS (P<0.0001). In conclusion, B-flow is a reliable method for preocclusive stenosis of the ICA with less intrastenotic flow artefacts. B-flow facilitates the characterization of plaque morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]