Nanowire lithography on silicon.

Nanowire lithography (NWL) uses nanowires (NWs), grown and assembled by chemical methods, as etch masks to transfer their one-dimensional morphology to an underlying substrate. Here, we show that SiO2 NWs are a simple and compatible system to implement NWL on crystalline silicon and fabricate a wide range of architectures and devices. Planar field-effect transistors made of a single SOI-NW channel exhibit a contact resistance below 20 kOmega and scale with the channel width.

Mitral valve surgery in emergency for severe acute regurgitation: analysis of postoperative results from a multicentre study.

Objective: To evaluate postoperative outcome of emergency surgery for acute severe mitral regurgitation (ASMR) from a multicentre experience.

Methods: In six centres, 279 patients (mean age 62+/-14 years, 62% female) undergoing emergency surgery for ASMR from December 1986 to March 2007 were analysed and followed up. Aetiology included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 126 patients (group 1, 45%), degenerative mitral valve disease in 74 (group 2, 26%), and acute endocarditis (AE) in 79 (group 3, 28%).

Antithrombotic therapy after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: ACTION Registry survey results.

Aims: A variety of antithrombotic regimens have been described for the early postoperative period after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR). This study reviews antithrombotic practice for patients undergoing bioprosthetic AVR with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) amongst the centers participating in the ACTION (Anticoagulation Treatment Influence on Postoperative Patients) Registry.

Methods And Results: An antithrombotic therapy questionnaire was answered by the 49 centers participating in the ACTION Registry located in Europe, Middle East, Canada and Asia.

Comparing warfarin to aspirin (WoA) after aortic valve replacement with the St. Jude Medical Epic heart valve bioprosthesis: results of the WoA Epic pilot trial.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Patients with bioprosthetic heart valves have a higher risk of developing peripheral arterial embolic phenomena than the normal population. Antithrombotic therapy during the early postoperative period after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (BAVR) is controversial. This prospective pilot study sought to investigate the feasibility of a larger trial and the efficacy of postoperative warfarin compared to acetyl salicylic acid (aspirin; ASA) in patients after AVR with the St.

Early switch from vancomycin to oral linezolid for treatment of gram-positive heart valve endocarditis.

Background: Patients with complicated gram-positive endocarditis are usually treated with a combination of surgical procedure and long-term antibiotic therapy with intravenous vancomycin. However, oral linezolid offers the potential for an early switch from intravenous vancomycin to oral linezolid therapy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from February 2002 to August 2005 to determine the potential for early switch from intravenous vancomycin to oral linezolid in patients surgically treated for a left-sided active gram-positive endocarditis.

Intra-aortic filtration is effective in collecting hazardous materials.

Neurological complications after cardiac operations are mostly due to particle embolization. This case illustrates the embolic potential of any material. A 77-year-old lady underwent re-operation for homograft aortic regurgitation and mitral valve replacement.

Anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy of bioprosthetic heart valves recipients: an unresolved issue.

Improvements in the performance and longevity of biological valve prostheses have steadily increased their rates of implantation in recent years. Aortic bioprostheses, which are commonly used in the elderly or when the risks of anticoagulating are high, have generally been associated with low rates of long-term complications. Freedom from anticoagulation, therefore, represents the main theoretical advantage of biological, compared with mechanical, aortic prostheses.

Elective surgery for benign liver tumours.

Background: Benign liver tumours (haemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, and hepatic adenoma) have different prevalence and prognosis. Spontaneous rupture and malignant transformation can complicate hepatic adenoma. Elective surgery is controversial, and indications are represented by uncertain diagnosis, presence of symptoms, and prevention of major complications.

Endoscopic treatment of esthesioneuroblastoma: a minimally invasive approach combined with radiation therapy.

Objective: In a retrospective analysis we discuss our experience in the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma (ON), a rare tumor of the sinonasal tract.

Study Design And Setting: Nine patients with olfactory neuroblastoma were treated at the Bolognini Hospital of Seriate and at the Department of Otolaryngology of "La Sapienza" University of Rome combining endoscopic surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. All patients were staged according to Kadish criteria.

Heart fatty acid binding protein in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction: where do we stand today?

Heart fatty acid binding protein (hFABP) is a novel small cytosolic protein that is abundant in the heart. It is highly cardiac-specific (i.e.

Multiresistant-MRSA tricuspid valve infective endocarditis with ancient osteomyelitis locus.

Background: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with low susceptibility to glycopeptides is uncommon.

Case Presentation: The case of a 50-year-old non-drug addict patient presenting with tricuspid valve infective endocarditis (IE) by MRSA resistant to vancomycin and linezolid is presented.

Degeneration of native and tissue prosthetic valve in aortic position: do statins play an effective role in prevention?

Degenerative aortic valve stenosis is a common disease in western countries. When it becomes severe, it confers significant morbidity and mortality. Aortic stenosis has been recognized as a complex inflammatory and highly regulated process with histological and immunochemical similarities with the process of atherosclerosis.

International comparisons of prostate cancer mortality rates with dietary practices and sunlight levels.

Prostate cancer mortality rates vary widely across the world. The purpose of this study is to identify environmental factors associated with prostate cancer mortality risk. Prostate cancer mortality rates in 71 countries were compared to per capita food intake rates using age-adjusted cancer rates (year 2000) from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and food consumption data (1990-1992) provided by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Accuracy of ultrasonography, spiral CT, magnetic resonance, and alpha-fetoprotein in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review.

Background And Aim: In patients with chronic liver disease, the accuracy of ultrasound scan (US), spiral computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has never been systematically assessed, and present systematic review was aimed at this issue.

Methods: Pertinent cross-sectional studies having as a reference standard pathological examinations of the explanted liver or resected segment(s), biopsies of focal lesion(s), and/or a period of follow-up, were identified using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CancerLit. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated using the random effect model.

Deterministic shape-selective synthesis of nanowires, nanoribbons and nanosaws by steady-state vapour-transport.

We demonstrate the deterministic shape-selective synthesis and growth of CdSe nanowires, nanosaws and nanoribbons by a simple vapour-transport process in a tube furnace. The key step, in order to achieve reproducible shape selectivity for a given set of deposition parameters, is to exclude any effects of the temperature ramping. We prove that an efficient precursor-flow shutter is achieved just by varying the total furnace pressure.

Mitral valve annuloplasty and myocardial revascularization in the treatment of ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

The aim of this study was to examine perioperative mortality and morbidity and midterm results in patients undergoing coronary bypass graft and mitral valve annuloplasty with advanced dilated cardiomyopathy. Sixty-one patients with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve annuloplasty between January 1998 and December 2003. Patients eligible for revascularization that presented a mild or more severe mitral valve regurgitation at echocardiography (effective regurgitant orifice > 0.

Accuracy of a predictive model for severe hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To assess the accuracy of a model in diagnosing severe fibrosis/cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: The model, based on the sequential combination of the Bonacini score (BS: ALT/AST ratio, platelet count and INR) and ultrasonography liver surface characteristics, was applied to 176 patients with chronic HCV infection. Assuming a pre-test probability of 35%, the model defined four levels of post-test probability of severe fibrosis/cirrhosis: <10% (low), 10-74% (not diagnostic), 75-90% (high) and >90% (almost absolute).

Comparisons of prostate cancer mortality rates with dietary practices in the United States.

From 1930 to 1992, prostate cancer mortality rates in the United States doubled and then declined somewhat until 2000. The objective of this study is to determine whether variations in prostate cancer mortality rates correlate with dietary changes that occurred over that period. Simple linear regression models were applied to age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality rates and per-capita consumption rates for 18 foods from 1930 to 2000.

Role of US in detection of Crohn disease: meta-analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) in the detection of Crohn disease in adults by systematically reviewing both cohort studies (those including patients whose clinical characteristics were consistent with those caused by an inflammatory bowel disease) and case-control studies (those in which patients with Crohn disease were compared with patients with other bowel diseases or healthy control subjects).

Materials And Methods: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were used to retrieve all the cross-sectional studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of US against that of one of several predefined reference standards (ie, radiologic, endoscopic, or histologic findings). The studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified, and their methodological quality was evaluated.