Serum Concentrations and Dietary Intake of Vitamin B in Children and Adolescents on Metformin: A Case-Control Study.

The International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) recommends metformin (MET) use for metabolic disturbances and hyperglycemia, either in combination with insulin therapy or alone. A caveat of MET therapy has been suggested to be biochemical vitamin B deficiency, as seen mainly in studies conducted in adults. In the present case-control study, children and adolescents of different weight status tiers on MET therapy for a median of 17 months formed the cases group ( = 23) and were compared with their peers not taking MET ( = 46).

Advanced trauma life support course for medical students. A new era?

Introduction: Trauma represents a major public health issue and is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. A systematic approach toward dealing with trauma patients was facilitated through the ATLS program, which has become a milestone in trauma care. Our new ATLS course for medical students was set in motion in 2015.

High-performance tellurium-free thermoelectrics: all-scale hierarchical structuring of p-type PbSe-MSe systems (M = Ca, Sr, Ba).

We present a systematic study of the characterization and thermoelectric properties of nanostructured Na-doped PbSe embedded with 1-4% MSe (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) phases as endotaxial inclusions. The samples were powder-processed by the spark plasma sintering technique, which introduces mesoscale-structured grains. The hierarchical architectures on the atomic scale (Na and M solid solution), nanoscale (MSe nanoprecipitates), and mesoscale (grains) were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.

CsSnI3: Semiconductor or metal? High electrical conductivity and strong near-infrared photoluminescence from a single material. High hole mobility and phase-transitions.

CsSnI(3) is an unusual perovskite that undergoes complex displacive and reconstructive phase transitions and exhibits near-infrared emission at room temperature. Experimental and theoretical studies of CsSnI(3) have been limited by the lack of detailed crystal structure characterization and chemical instability. Here we describe the synthesis of pure polymorphic crystals, the preparation of large crack-/bubble-free ingots, the refined single-crystal structures, and temperature-dependent charge transport and optical properties of CsSnI(3), coupled with ab initio first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Seeing is believing: weak phonon scattering from nanostructures in alkali metal-doped lead telluride.

Alkali metal doped p-type PbTe is a canonical thermoelectric material studied extensively for heat-to-power generation at high temperature. Most reports have indirectly indicated alkali metals to be conventional with PbTe forming homogeneous solid solutions. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we show the presence of platelet-like nanostructures in these systems containing Na and/or K.

High performance thermoelectrics from earth-abundant materials: enhanced figure of merit in PbS by second phase nanostructures.

Lead sulfide, a compound consisting of elements with high natural abundance, can be converted into an excellent thermoelectric material. We report extensive doping studies, which show that the power factor maximum for pure n-type PbS can be raised substantially to ~12 μW cm(-1) K(-2) at >723 K using 1.0 mol % PbCl(2) as the electron donor dopant.

Thermoelectrics from abundant chemical elements: high-performance nanostructured PbSe-PbS.

We report promising thermoelectric properties of the rock salt PbSe-PbS system which consists of chemical elements with high natural abundance. Doping with PbCl(2), excess Pb, and Bi gives n-type behavior without significantly perturbing the cation sublattice. Thus, despite the great extent of dissolution of PbS in PbSe, the transport properties in this system, such as carrier mobilities and power factors, are remarkably similar to those of pristine n-type PbSe in fractions as high as 16%.

Nanostructures boost the thermoelectric performance of PbS.

In situ nanostructuring in bulk thermoelectric materials through thermo-dynamic phase segregation has established itself as an effective paradigm for optimizing the performance of thermoelectric materials. In bulk PbTe small compositional variations create coherent and semicoherent nanometer sized precipitates embedded in a PbTe matrix, where they can impede phonon propagation at little or no expense to the electronic properties. In this paper the nanostructuring paradigm is for the first time extended to a bulk PbS based system, which despite obvious advantages of price and abundancy, so far has been largely disregarded in thermoelectric research due to inferior room temperature thermoelectric properties relative to the pristine fellow chalcogenides, PbSe and PbTe.

Synthesis in ionic liquids: [Bi2Te2Br](AlCl4), a direct gap semiconductor with a cationic framework.

The Lewis acidic ionic liquid EMIMBr-AlCl(3) (EMIM = 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium) allows a novel synthetic route to the semiconducting layered metal chalcogenides halide [Bi(2)Te(2)Br](AlCl(4)) and its Sb analogue. [Bi(2)Te(2)Br](AlCl(4)) is a direct band gap, strongly anisotropic semiconductor and consists of cationic infinite layers of [Bi(2)Te(2)Br](+) and [AlCl(4)](-) anions inserted between the layers.

Exploring resonance levels and nanostructuring in the PbTe-CdTe system and enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit.

We explored the effect of Cd substitution on the thermoelectric properties of PbTe in an effort to test a theoretical hypothesis that Cd atoms on Pb sites of the rock salt lattice can increase the Seebeck coefficient via the formation of a resonance level in the density of states near the Fermi energy. We find that the solubility of Cd is less than previously reported, and CdTe precipitation occurs to create nanostructuring, which strongly suppresses the lattice thermal conductivity. We present detailed characterization including structural and spectroscopic data, transmission electron microscopy, and thermoelectric transport properties of samples of PbTe-x% CdTe-0.

Spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth as a means to bulk nanostructured thermoelectrics: enhanced performance in Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Te-PbS.

The solid-state transformation phenomena of spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth are presented as tools to create nanostructured thermoelectric materials with very low thermal conductivity and greatly enhanced figure of merit. The systems (PbTe)(1-x)(PbS)(x) and (Pb(0.95)Sn(0.

Deformations and intrusions of the passenger compartment as indicators of injury severity and triage in head-on collisions of non-airbag-carrying vehicles.

In motor vehicle collisions the mechanism of injury is important in determining severity as well as for triage decisions in the pre-hospital phase of patient management. This study correlates deformation of the basic structures of the passenger compartment [windscreen, control panel (dashboard) and steering wheel] with occupants' injuries in passenger vehicle head-on collisions involving non-airbag-carrying vehicles, with or without compartment intrusion. The study took place in the broad urban area of Patras, over an 18-month period (January 2000-June 2001) and evaluated 48 vehicle crashes.

Significance of bile leaks complicating conservative surgery for liver hydatidosis.

Hepatic hydatidosis presents a challenge in liver surgery, and there is still controversy regarding the appropriate surgical technique. A high incidence of postoperative bile leaks is reported as a significant disadvantage of conservative surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and clinical importance of bile leakage in patients being treated exclusively by a conservative surgical technique.

Gastrografin administration in the treatment of postoperative delayed gastric emptying.

Five cases of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) are reported. Three patients had pancreatic head carcinoma and underwent a Whipple operation during which truncal vagotomy and gastrectomy were performed. The remaining two patients underwent vagotomy and gastrectomy because of benign peptic ulcer.

The effect of ischemia on the regeneration of the cholestatic liver. An experimental study.

Background/aims: Cholestatic liver is known to be more susceptible to ischemia than normal liver. In this study we assessed the histopathologic features of hepatic ischemic damage and liver regeneration in rats with experimental obstructive jaundice.

Methodology: The study comprised 90 male Wistar rats.

Mitomycin C and vinblastine in anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer: a phase II study.

The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of mitomycin C and vinblastine in patients with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer. This single-center, non-randomized trial enrolled 39 patients. Eligible patients must have received at least three chemotherapy regimens with epirubicin or CAF and had treatment failure while on chemotherapy or within 6 months of completing therapy.

Liver resection for metastatic non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine hepatic neoplasms.

Aims: Major liver surgery can be performed safely and hepatic resection for metastatic disease is increasingly carried out. However, the role of liver resection for hepatic metastases from non-colorectal, non-neuroendocrine (NCNN) cancers is unknown. Our aim was to evaluate our experience from hepatectomies for NCNN metastases.

The role of nasogastric tube after elective abdominal surgery.

Purpose: Nasogastric tube (NGT) is routine employed after abdominal surgery still in our country and abroad too, but the patients' discomfort is severe and several serious complications were referred as related to its use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pros and cons of routine use of NGT in elective uncomplicated abdominal surgery.

Patients And Methods: In order to evaluate the routine use of NGT we performed a prospective randomized trial on 100 patients who had elective uncomplicated abdominal surgery: 50 subjects had the early removal of NGT and in 50 patients it was maintained until passage of flatus/feces.

Adjuvant tamoxifen versus tamoxifen plus CMF in the treatment of early breast cancer in Greece. Fifteen-year results of a randomised prospective trial and the potential risks of the antioestrogen.

Background: CMF and Tamoxifen are the most commonly administered drugs for the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer. We present the 15-year follow-up of our 250-patient series and evaluate the oestrogenic side-effect of Tamoxifen on the endometrium.

Patients And Methods: 250 women entered this prospective study from 1981-1986.

Relative risk of cancer in sonographically detected thyroid nodules with calcifications.

Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the significance of sonographically detected thyroid calcifications in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer.

Methods: One hundred eighty-eight patients with thyroid disease, including 37 with thyroid cancer, were included in the study. Each patient underwent preoperative, high-resolution sonography to evaluate the thyroid gland for the presence of calcifications.

Embryologic and anatomic basis of duodenal surgery.

The following points should be remembered by surgeons (Table 1). In writing about the head of the pancreas, the common bile duct, and the duodenum in 1979, the authors stated that Embryologically, anatomically and surgically these three entities form an inseparable unit. Their relations and blood supply make it impossible for the surgeon to remove completely the head of the pancreas without removing the duodenum and the distal part of the common bile duct.

Obturator hernia. Embryology, anatomy, and surgical applications.

Obturator hernia is a rare clinical entity. In most cases, it produces small bowel obstruction with high morbidity and mortality. The embryology, anatomy, clinical picture, diagnosis, and surgery are presented in detail.