Robotic-assisted vs. Laparoscopic Heller's Myotomy for Achalasia in Children.

Introduction: Robotic-assisted Heller-Dor procedure has been proposed as an alternative minimally invasive approach to traditional laparoscopy for the treatment of achalasia in children. Our aim is to compare the effectiveness, safety and associated costs between both procedures.

Methods: A retrospective single center study was conducted among consecutive children operated for achalasia (Heller-Dor operation) between 2005 and 2021, who were divided into two groups according to the surgical approach: laparoscopic (LAP-group) or robotic (ROB-group).

A comparative study evaluating C-reactive protein, sputum eosinophils and forced expiratory volume in one second in obese and nonobese asthmatics.

Unlabelled: ntroduction: Asthma and obesity are considered inflammatory disorders. Inflammatory markers - sputum eosinophils, C-reactive protein (CRP) and the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were analysed to find their association in obese asthmatics and compared with their asthma control test (ACT) to understand these parameters in this phenotype.

Material And Methods: After completing the asthma control test (ACT), the CRP, FEV1 and sputum eosinophils of sixty asthmatics were compared to find the association of them in obese and nonobese asthmatics and contrasted with their ACT.

Thermoelectric transport properties in 3D Dirac semimetal CdAs.

Thermoelectric transport properties, namely, electrical conductivity, electronic thermal conductivity, and diffusion thermopower are theoretically investigated in 3D Dirac semimetal CdAs. We employ Boltzmann transport formalism and consider the electron scattering by charged impurities, short-range disorder, acoustic phonons, and optical phonons. The Boltzmann transport equation is solved using the Ritz iteration technique to obtain the first-order perturbation distribution function for the interaction of electrons with inelastic polar optical phonons scattering.

Rodent Hyperglycemia-Induced Inner Retinal Deficits are Mirrored in Human Diabetes.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of low luminance stimuli to functionally probe inner retinal rod pathways in the context of diabetes mellitus in both rat and human subjects.

Methods: Inner retinal dysfunction was assessed using oscillatory potential (OP) delays in diabetic rats. Scotopic electroretinograms (ERGs) in response to a series of increasing flash luminances were recorded from streptozotocin (STZ)-treated and control Sprague-Dawley rats after 7, 14, 20, and 29 weeks of hyperglycemia.

Effect of copper- and zinc-methionine supplementation on bioavailability, mineral status and tissue concentrations of copper and zinc in ewes.

The effect of feeding Cu- and Zn-methionine to ewes was studied in a 240d feeding trial. The plasma and tissue Cu and Zn concentrations and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) activity were employed to assess the relative bioavailability from Cu- and Zn-methionine. The macro and micronutrient intake, utilization, plasma mineral status, tissue accumulation of Cu and Zn as well as wool concentration of Cu and Zn were studied in ewes (n=12) fed a corn-soybean meal based basal diet with 50% more Cu and Zn supplementation over the basal diet either from Cu- and Zn-sulfate (Cu-Sulf+Zn-Sulf group) or Cu- and Zn-methionine (Cu-Meth+Zn-Meth group).