Two new 3-benzylphthalides from Scorzonera veratrifolia Fenzl.

A phytochemical investigation of Scorzonera veratrifolia Fenzl (Asteraceae) yielded two new 3-benzylphthalides, scorzoveratrin (1) and scorzoveratrozit (2), together with five known compounds, chlorogenic acid (3), chlorogenic acid methyl ester (4), cryptochlorogenic acid (5), 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (6) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (7). All secondary metabolites were assigned using physicochemical and spectroscopic data. The known compounds 3-7 were isolated for the first time from this species.

Effects of intravitreal bevacizumab in repeated doses: an experimental study.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of repeated 1.25-mg intravitreal bevacizumab injections on cornea and uveoretinal tissues using histologic and biochemical analyses.

Methods: Twenty-four New Zealand albino rabbits were used.

Bioequivalence study of two azithromycin formulations in healthy subjects.

The study was conducted to find out whether the bioavailability of a 500 mg azithromycin (CAS 83905-01-5) tablet (Zycin, test) was equivalent to that of a reference formulation. The pharmacokinetic parameters assessed in this study were the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to 120 h (AUCt), area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUCinf), the peak plasma concentration of the drug (Cmax), time needed to achieve the peak plasma concentration (tmax), and the elimination half-life (t1/2). This was a randomized, single blind, two-period, cross-over study which included 18 healthy adult male and female subjects under fasting conditions.

Ground-glass-like hepatocellular inclusions in the course of adult-onset Still's disease.

Ground-glass hepatocytes are the cardinal biopsy feature of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and may also be present in other specific conditions, including Lafora's disease, cyanamide aversion therapy for alcohol use, patients with transplantation, uremia, and metabolic disorders. In this report, we present the case of a patient with adult-onset Still's disease who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy, which revealed ground-glass-like cytoplasmic inclusions and which is a very unusual finding.

Equilibrium, thermodynamic and kinetic studies on aluminum biosorption from aqueous solution by brown algae (Padina pavonica) biomass.

This paper presents the equilibrium, thermodynamic and kinetic studies on aluminum biosorption from aqueous solution by brown algae (Padina pavonica) biomass. Optimum biosorption conditions were determined as a function of pH, biomass dosage, contact time, and temperature. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of Al(III) by P.

Mediastinal lymph nodes: assessment with diffusion-weighted MR imaging.

Purpose: To prospectively determine whether the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is useful to distinguish between malignant and benign mediastinal lymph nodes.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-five patients (14 women, 21 men; mean age 52 years) with 91 lymph nodes in the mediastinum detected by computed tomography underwent 1.5 Tesla (T) diffusion-weighted MR imaging before mediastinoscopy (n = 29) and mediastinotomy (n = 6).

Accuracy of sphygmomanometers at pharmacies.

Background/aims: The aims of this study are to assess the reasons of using sphygmomanometers at pharmacies and to evaluate their accuracy.

Methods: 135 devices (118 aneroid, 1 mercury, and 16 automated) from 125 pharmacies (located in Samsun city center) were included in the study. A non-randomized, cross-sectional design was used for the study protocol which had two parts: assessment of devices and a questionnaire about the pharmacy and present sphygmomanometer(s).

Removal of mercury(II) from aqueous solution using moss (Drepanocladus revolvens) biomass: equilibrium, thermodynamic and kinetic studies.

The equilibrium, thermodynamics and kinetics of the biosorption of Hg(II) onto moss (Drepanocladus revolvens) biomass from aqueous solution were investigated. Optimum experimental parameters were determined to be pH 5.5, contact time 60min, biomass concentration 4 g L(-1) of solution, and temperature 20 degrees C.

Reconstruction of the oral commissure with the use of a new technique: the asterisk design.

Microstomia reconstruction due to the presence a blunted oral commissure is a challenging task because it requires the restoration of intricately balanced distinct layers of tissues: the oral mucosa, the orbicular muscle, the vermilion border, and the perioral skin. The reliability of commissural reconstruction depends on 2 factors: the first one is breaking the contraction vectors causing blunting of the commissure and the second one is restoring the integrity of the oral sphincter. We have used local skin, vermilion border-muscle, and mucosa flaps designed in an asterisk pattern to break the contraction vectors and have paid certain attention to the restoration of the sphincter function of the circular muscle fibers.

Dangers faced by emergency staff: experience in urban centers in southern Turkey.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of aggression, threat and physical violence directed towards the staff in emergency departments.

Methods: A questionnaire was completed by the emergency staff. The individualized data collected included the pattern and incidence of violence, sex, age, profession, and years of experience of the emergency staff, and the behavioral characteristics of the assailants, together with outcome of incidents.

Archetype-based electronic health records: a literature review and evaluation of their applicability to health data interoperability and access.

Health Information Managers (HIMs) are responsible for overseeing health information. The change management necessary during the transition to electronic health records (EHR) is substantial, and ongoing. Archetype-based EHRs are a core health information system component which solve many of the problems that arise during this period of change.

Biosorptive removal of mercury(II) from aqueous solution using lichen (Xanthoparmelia conspersa) biomass: kinetic and equilibrium studies.

The potential use of the lichen biomass (Xanthoparmelia conspersa) to remove mercury(II) ions from aqueous solution by biosorption was evaluated using the batch method. Effects of pH, contact time, biomass concentration and temperature on the removal of Hg(II) ions were studied. The Langmuir isotherm models defined the equilibrium data precisely compared to Freundlich model and the maximum biosorption capacity obtained was 82.

The Efficacy of Topical Negative Pressure in the Management of Infected and Non-infected Wounds .

Unlabelled:  This study evaluates the efficacy of a vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.

Surgical treatment of an exposed orbital implant with vascularized superficial temporal fascia flap.

Orbital implants are often used for the correction of volume deficit after enucleation or evisceration. An orbital implant enhances aesthetics and improves mobility of the subsequent prosthetic eye. With advancements in technology and techniques, implant-related complication rates have been decreased.

Intraarticular hyaluronic acid injection for the treatment of reducing and nonreducing disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint.

Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) has been established as a therapeutic challenge in the plastic and maxillofacial clinics. The current treatment recommendations for TMD include resting the jaw, soft diet, and pain medication with nonsteroidal analgesic agents. If conservative and noninvasive techniques do not work, more invasive techniques may be considered.

Uncommon associations with ataxia-telangiectasia: vitiligo and optic disc drusen.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive condition presented by progressive cerebellar ataxia, oculocutaneous telangiectasia, humoral and cellular immunodeficiencies and a predisposition to malignancy. We report on a 13 years old male patient with the diagnosis of A-T associated with uncommon clinical features; optic disc drusen and vitiligo. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A-T associated with these findings.

Antennular sensory organs in cyprids of balanomorphan cirripedes: standardizing terminology using Megabalanus rosa.

Cirripedes are one of the major groups of fouling organism in the marine environment. The cyprid can, before a permanent attachment, actively explore and walk on the substratum using its antennules in a bipedal fashion without leaving the surface. Studying the structure of the cyprid antennule is therefore important for understanding the events that culminate in biofouling by barnacles.

Burnout: need help?

Background: Burnout syndrome is a psychological situation induced with working, especially in high-risk parts of the hospitals that affects the physical and mental conditions of the staff. The aim is to identify the characteristics of the staff related to Burnout Syndrome in the Emergency Department (ED).

Methods: The study includes the Maslach Burnout Inventory and other new individual research questions.

Organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human milk from the Southern Coast of Caspian Sea, Iran.

In the present study, human milk was sampled in October 2006 from Nour and Noushahr cities and their countryside on the Southern Coast of Caspian Sea, Iran. They were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), alpha, beta and gamma-hexachlorocycloexane (HCH) isomers and six PCBs congeners (IUPAC Nos. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180).

Biosorption of As(III) and As(V) from aqueous solution by macrofungus (Inonotus hispidus) biomass: equilibrium and kinetic studies.

The biosorption characteristics of As(III) and As(V) from aqueous solution using the macrofungus (Inonotus hispidus) biomass were investigated as a function of pH, biomass dosage, contact time, and temperature. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of the metal ions by I. hispidus biomass.

Characterization of biosorption process of As(III) on green algae Ulothrix cylindricum.

Arsenic (As) is generally found as As(III) and As(V) in environmental samples. Toxicity of As(III) is higher than As(V). This paper presents the characteristics of As(III) biosorption from aqueous solution using the green algae (Ulothrix cylindricum) biomass as a function of pH, biomass dosage, contact time, and temperature.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of biosorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solution by macrofungus (Amanita rubescens) biomass.

The biosorption characteristics of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution using the macrofungus (Amanita rubescens) biomass were investigated as a function of pH, biomass dosage, contact time, and temperature. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of the metal ions by A. rubescens biomass.

Effect of subclinical Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric wall thickness: multislice CT evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of subclinical Helicobacter pylori infection on the gastric wall thickness with multislice computed tomography (MSCT).

Materials And Methods: In 99 subjects without gastric disease, CT scans of the abdomen were obtained after water ingestion and intravenous contrast administration. CT images were evaluated for degree of luminal distention and the thickness of the walls of the gastric antrum and body.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor improves the survival of ischaemic skin flaps by the induction of angiogenesis.

In this study the effects of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on angiogenesis and the survival of ischaemic skin flaps are evaluated. Thirty adult Wistar rats were equally randomised into three groups. Caudal-based, ischaemic skin flaps of 10 x 3 cm were designed on the back and injected with saline in group 1 and with 100 microg/kg G-CSF in groups 2 and 3.