Innovative approach to lymphadenectomy in breast sarcoma.

Unlabelled: Lymphatic dissemination is thought to be a rare event in breast sarcomas. The decision to perform axillary clearance is challenging. In our prospective cohort, we aimed to evaluate the frequency and factors determining lymph node (LN) involvement in breast sarcomas, with the aim of proposing a decision tree/algorithm for the realization of LN clearance in breast sarcomas.

The effect of hospital biocide sodium dichloroisocyanurate on the viability and properties of Clostridium difficile spores.

Unlabelled: Clostridium difficile is the primary cause of healthcare-associated diarrhoea globally and produces spores which are resistant to commonly used biocides and are able persist on contaminated surfaces for months. This study examined the effect of sublethal concentrations of the biocide sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) on the viability of spores produced by 21 clinical isolates of C. difficile representing a range of PCR ribotypes.

Lithium conductivity in glasses of the Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 system.

To improve the understanding of Li-dynamics in oxide glasses, i.e. the effect of [AlO4](-) tetrahedra and non-bridging oxygens on the potential landscape, electrical conductivity of seven fully polymerized and partly depolymerized lithium aluminosilicate glasses was investigated using impedance spectroscopy (IS).

Li diffusion and the effect of local structure on Li mobility in Li2O-SiO2 glasses.

Aimed to improve the understanding of lithium migration mechanisms in ion conductors, this study focuses on Li dynamics in binary Li silicate glasses. Isotope exchange experiments and conductivity measurements were carried out to determine self-diffusion coefficients and activation energies for Li migration in Li2Si3O7 and Li2Si6O13 glasses. Samples of identical composition but different isotope content were combined for diffusion experiments in couples or triples.

Effects of Eu3+ concentration on structural, optical and vibrational properties of multifunctional Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O2-delta) nanoparticles synthesized by thermolysis of 2,4-pentanedione complexes.

The 5-10 nm Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0 < or = x < or = 0.30) nanoparticles with fluorite structure were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Eu- and Ce-2,4-pentanedione complexes mixtures. X-ray line broadening analysis of mixed samples Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0.

Comparison of the efficiency of sampling devices for aerosolized Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Previous studies have demonstrated that aerosol sampling devices can have deleterious effects on bacteria due to stresses intrinsic to the sampling processes. Although a significant amount of work has been carried out to develop animal models of inhalational melioidosis, little information has been reported on the effects of the aerosol sampling devices on the causative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiencies for collection of aerosolized bacteria in three sampling devices that have been used in studies utilizing aerosolized B.

Self-diffusion of lithium in LiAlSi2O6 glasses studied using mass spectrometry.

In order to improve our understanding of the transport mechanisms of lithium in glasses, we have performed diffusion and ionic conductivity studies on spodumene composition (LiAlSi(2)O(6)) glasses. In diffusion couple experiments pairs of chemically identical glasses with different lithium isotopy (natural Li vs pure (7)Li) were processed at temperatures between 482 and 732 K. Profiles of lithium isotopes were measured after the diffusion runs innovatively applying femtosecond UV laser ablation combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA ICP-MS).

The structural state of lead-based relaxor ferroelectrics under pressure.

The exceptional properties of lead-based perovskite-type (ABO(3)) relaxor ferroelectrics are due to their structural inhomogeneities. At ambient conditions, the average structure is pseudocubic but rich in ferroic nanoregions too small to be directly studied by conventional diffraction analysis. However, combining in situ temperature and pressure diffraction and Raman scattering allows us to resolve the structural complexity of relaxors.

Octahedral tilting in Pb-based relaxor ferroelectrics at high pressure.

We have employed a combination of powder neutron diffraction and single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction to characterize the pressure-induced phase transitions that occur in the perovskite-type relaxor ferroelectric PbSc(0.5)Ta(0.5)O(3) (PST) and Pb(0.

High pressure Raman spectroscopic study on the relaxor ferroelectric PbSc(0.5)Nb(0.5)O(3).

The pressure evolution of the local structure and dynamics of polar nanoregions in PbSc(0.5)Nb(0.5)O(3) relaxor ferroelectric is analysed by Raman spectroscopy.

Pressure-induced phase transition in PbSc0.5Ta0.5O3 as a model Pb-based perovksite-type relaxor ferroelectric.

We report pressure-induced structural changes in PbSc(0.5)Ta(0.5)O3 studied by single-crystal x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering.

The effect of various disinfectants on detection of avian influenza virus by real time RT-PCR.

An avian influenza (AI) real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) test was previously shown to be a rapid and sensitive method to identify AI virus-infected birds in live-bird markets (LBMs). The test can also be used to identify avian influenza virus (AIV) from environmental samples. Consequently, the use of RRT-PCR was being considered as a component of the influenza eradication program in the LBMs to assure that each market was properly cleaned and disinfected before allowing the markets to be restocked.

[Acute mediastinitis in rheumatoid arthritis)].

During an exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis in a 54 year old woman, an acute lifethreatening complication developed with pleuro-mediastino-pericarditis presenting as a superior vena cava obstruction-like syndrome. This was later associated with thrombosis of the left external jugular vein and a peripheral Horner's syndrome. She did also develop arterial hypertension with retinopathy and severe cardiac failure.