On the interaction of triarylmethane dye crystal violet with LAPONITE® clay: using mineral nanoparticles to control the dye photophysics

The combination of an organic dye with clays leads to very interesting hybrid materials with original properties.

A rare double pathology- coexistent large cell neuroendocrine cell carcinoma of the lung with Basal cell carcinoma of the skin

No abstract available.

Sulfur mustard gas exposure: case report and review of the literature

This report describes a case of burn injury following exposure to sulfur mustard, a chemical agent used in war. A review of the diagnostic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic measures used to treat this uncommon, yet extremely toxic, entity is presented. The aim of this report is to highlight the importance of considering this diagnosis in any war victim, especially during these unfortunate times of rising terrorist activities.

Evaluation of diclofenac sodium sustained release matrix pellets: impact of polyethylene glycols molecular weight

Sustained release matrix pellets loaded with 5% w/w diclofenac sodium (DS) were prepared using extrusion/spheronization technique. Different polyethylene glycols (PEGs) of different molecular weight, namely PEG 2000, PEG 4000 and PEG 6000, were mixed with avicel PH 101 in different weight ratios to manufacture the pellet formulations and water was used as a binder. Mix torque rheometer was used to characterize the pellets' wet mass. Also, the prepared pellets were characterized for their particle sizes, DS content, shape and morphology as well as the in vitro drug release. The results showed increasing PEG weight ratio resulted in a reduction of wet mass torque as well as binder ratio, especially at PEG high weight ratios (30% and 50%) and the extent of lowering wet mass peak torque was inversely proportional to PEG molecular weight. The manufactured pellets exhibited size range of 993 μm to 1085 μm with small span values. The drug release from pellets was governed by the molecular weight of PEG used, since increasing PEG molecular weight resulted in slowing the drug release rate from pellets, but increasing its level resulted in enhancing release rate. This was attributed to increasing pellet wet mass peak torque by increasing PEG molecular weight and lowering it by increasing PEG level. The prepared pellets showed non-Fickian or anomalous drug release or the coupled diffusion/polymer relaxation.

A Case of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis Successfully Removed Via Endoscopic Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) With No Evidence of Recurrence

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a benign disease caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), characterized by the formation of recurrent, epithelial neoplastic lesions in the airways. While benign, they can cause significant airway obstruction in some cases. Difficulties in treatment arise from the recurrent nature of the lesions despite repeated procedures. Other known procedures that result in deep tissue damage also cause unacceptable collateral damage to the underlying airway mucosa. We describe a case of recurrent papillomatosis that was successfully treated with argon plasma coagulation ( APC) when laser and electrocautery ablation had failed in the past. After the papillomatasis was treated with APC, there is no recurrence on repeat scope at 4 months and 9 months after the initial procedure. The procedure was done as a day case and there is no complication from the procedure. The property of the APC that allows it to cause only superficial thermal damage to the tissue makes it a suitable adjunct therapy to the treatment of papillomas, which are usually superficial lesions.

Disrupted working memory circuitry and psychotic symptoms in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a recurrent genetic mutation that is highly penetrant for psychosis. Behavioral research suggests that 22q11DS patients exhibit a characteristic neurocognitive phenotype that includes differential impairment in spatial working memory (WM). Notably, spatial WM has also been proposed as an endophenotype for idiopathic psychotic disorder, yet little is known about the neurobiological substrates of WM in 22q11DS. In order to investigate the neural systems engaged during spatial WM in 22q11DS patients, we collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data while 41 participants (16 22q11DS patients, 25 demographically matched controls) performed a spatial capacity WM task that included manipulations of delay length and load level. Relative to controls, 22q11DS patients showed reduced neural activation during task performance in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and superior frontal sulcus (SFS). In addition, the typical increases in neural activity within spatial WM-relevant regions with greater memory load were not observed in 22q11DS. We further investigated whether neural dysfunction during WM was associated with behavioral WM performance, assessed via the University of Maryland letter-number sequencing (LNS) task, and positive psychotic symptoms, assessed via the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), in 22q11DS patients. WM load activity within IPS and SFS was positively correlated with LNS task performance; moreover, WM load activity within IPS was inversely correlated with the severity of unusual thought content and delusional ideas, indicating that decreased recruitment of working memory-associated neural circuitry is associated with more severe positive symptoms. These results suggest that 22q11DS patients show reduced neural recruitment of brain regions critical for spatial WM function, which may be related to characteristic behavioral manifestations of the disorder.

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate: effects of photochemical and photonic parameters on the chain length

The effects of photochemical and photonic parameters are investigated on the chain length of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) as formed by the free radical photopolymerization process.

Dual-cure photochemical/thermal polymerization of acrylates: a photoassisted process at low light intensity

The synergistic effect in dual-cure polymerization.

Occult invasive aspergillosis infection following multivisceral transplantation

Patients undergoing multivisceral transplantation are particularly susceptible to post-operative infections due to immunosuppression and the inclusion of bowel in the transplanted graft. These patients typically receive broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal agents as prophylaxis and treatment. However, evidence for this is limited due to the small number of patients undergoing the procedure. We present a case of occult disseminated invasive aspergillosis infection in a patient who underwent multivisceral transplantation.

Outcome of young age at diagnosis of breast cancer in South Egypt

BACKGROUND

Incidence of breast cancer in patients <40 years old accounts for 20% of the total breast cancer patients in Egypt which is quite higher than the incidence reported worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the differences in survival between age groups below and above the age of 40.

METHOD

170 patients <40 years and 500 patients ≥40 years were evaluated retrospectively to assess the differences in disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between age groups after adjustment of other risk factors like stage, lymph node status, tumor size, and hormonal positivity.

RESULTS

After median follow up of 49 months, there was no significant difference between the 2 age groups with regards to DFS p= 0.6 and OS P=0.7 and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups when we stratified the patients according to stages, hormonal status and number of metastatic lymph nodes. However, we found significant increase in local recurrence after breast conserving surgery in patients <40 years compared to patients ≥40 years.

CONCLUSION

Patients <40 years exhibited more often at advanced stage and large tumors size compared to patients ≥ 40 years; However, there was no significant difference in DFS and OS when we adjusted other risk factors. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that age <40 years can be considered as an adverse prognostic factor for the locoregional failure after breast conserving surgery.

KEYWORDS

breast cancer, young age, <40 years old, locoregional failure, DFS.