Plant-minerals-water interactions: An investigation on Juncus acutus exposed to different Zn sources

Juncus acutus has been proposed as a suitable species for the design of phytoremediation plans. This research aimed to investigate the role played by rhizosphere minerals and water composition on Zn transformations and dynamics in the rhizosphere-plant system of J. acutus exposed to different Zn sources. Rhizobox experiments were conducted using three different growing substrates (Zn from 137 to 20,400 mg/kg), and two irrigation lines (Zn 0.05 and 180 mg/l). The plant growth was affected by the substrate type, whereas the Zn content in the water did not significantly influence the plant height for a specific substrate. J. acutus accumulated Zn mainly in roots (up to 10,000 mg/kg dw); the metal supply by the water led to variable increases in the total Zn concentration in the vegetal organs, and different Zn distributions both controlled by the rhizosphere mineral composition. Different Zn complexation mechanisms were observed, mainly driven by cysteine and citrate compounds, whose amount increased linearly with Zn content in water, but differently for each of the investigated systems. Our study contributes to gain a more complete picture of the Zn pathway in the rhizosphere-plant system of J. acutus. We demonstrated that this vegetal species is not only capable of developing site-specific tolerance mechanisms, but it is also capable to differently modulate Zn transformation when Zn is additionally supplied by watering. These findings are necessary for predicting the fate of Zn during phytoremediation of sites characterized by specific mineralogical properties and subject to water chemical variations.

Impact of Zn excess on biomineralization processes in Juncus acutus grown in mine polluted sites

Juncus acutus, an halophite plant pioneer in extremely polluted mine areas, was harvested in three different locations of Sardinia (Italy), having Zn soil concentration up to 80g/kg, and Zn water concentration ranging between 10^-3g/L and 10^-1g/L. Rhizosphere and plant samples were investigated combining X-ray microscopy (XM)/spectroscopy (XAFS) and infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR) to elucidate the chemical composition, (bio)mineralogy and Zn coordinative environment. The multi-technique approach allowed recognizing different biomineralization processes, and Zn complexes in the plant tissues. The Zn chemical environment in root biominerals is multi-phase and, depending on the sampling site, can comprise amorphous Zn silicate, Zn apatite, hydrozincite, and Zn sulphate. Zn cysteine and Zn histidine, complexes quoted as part of a detoxification strategy, were found mainly in plants from the site where the Zn water concentration has the highest values. This different site-specific mode of Zn biomineralization has relevant implications for phytoremediation techniques and for further biotechnology development, which can be better designed and developed after knowledge of site-specific-molecular processes ruling mineral evolution and biomineralization. Carboxylic groups and organic compounds (lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and esters) were identified by FTIR analysis, thought the Zn speciation is not apparently linked to these carboxylic group rich biopolymers.

Radiofrequency versus microwave ablation for treatment of the lung tumours: LUMIRA (lung microwave radiofrequency) randomized trial

The LUMIRA trial evaluated the effectiveness of radiofrequency (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) in lung tumours ablation and defining more precisely their fields of application. It is a controlled prospective multi-centre random trial with 1:1 randomization. Fifty-two patients in stage IV disease (15 females and 37 males, mean age 69 y.o., range 40-87) were included. We randomized the patients in two different subgroups: MWA group and RFA group. For each group, we evaluated the technical and clinical success, the overall survival and complication rate. Inter-group difference was compared using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA test for continuous variables. For RFA group, there was a significant reduction in tumour size only between 6 and 12 months (p value = 0.0014). For MWA group, there was a significant reduction in tumour size between 6 and 12 months (p value = 0.0003) and between pre-therapy and 12 months (p value = 0.0215). There were not significant differences between the two groups in terms of survival time (p value = 0.883), while the pain level in MWA group was significantly less than in RFA group (1.79 < 3.25, p value = 0.0043). In conclusion, our trial confirms RFA and MWA are both excellent choices in terms of efficacy and safety in lung tumour treatments. However, when compared to RFA therapy, MWA produced a less intraprocedural pain and a significant reduction in tumour mass.

CT-guided cryoablation of both breast cancer and lymph node axillary metastasis

Breast conservation is a major goal of cancer treatment. Many different minimally invasive options have been considered such as cryoablation. This technique is the best visualized of all ablation techniques due to the phase change during ice formation. We describe a case of breast cancer with lymph node axillary metastasis treated by CT-guided cryoablation. Cryoablation may have unique benefits for cost-effective outpatient breast cancer therapy using only local anesthesia and/or mild sedation.

[Percutaneous neurolysis of the celiac plexus under CT guidance in the invasive treatment of visceral pain caused by cancer]

To verify the effectiveness and the incidence of complication in the transcutaneal celiac plexus block with CT-guided in the patient with intractable upper abdominal cancer, using alcoholic solutions to different concentrations (50% and 96%), previous insertion of the peridural catheter. From December 1997 to June 2002, studies were carried out on 24 patients with CT-guided percutaneous coeliac plexus neurolysis including 17 men and 7 women with inoperable abdominal malignancy and two with chronic pancreatitis. The patients were affected by very intense pain controllable only with high doses of analgesic narcotics. Before the procedure a catheter was installed in the peridurale space between L1-T12. To avoid general anesthesia, 40 mL of marcaine 0.5% was injected to relieve the back pain sometimes reported after the neurolysis, caused by the diffusion of alcohol in the coeliac plexus. This technique requires a posterior percutaneous procedural transaortic approach CT scan guided, to determine the correct position of the needle tips and the spread of neurolytic solution (40 mL of 96% + 3 mL of contrast medium) around the origin of the coeliac trunk's anatomical center of the plexus. The first 10 patients have received 40 mL of 50% ethyl alcohol + 3 mL of contrast medium. To evaluate the rate of the analgesia relief, a visual analogue pain score (VAS) was used before and 48 hours after the neurolysis. The percutaneous neurolysis of the celiac plexus is useful to relieve the pain in patients affected by cancer developing in upper abdomen. The CT-scan guide of the needle allows an omogeneous distribution of the contrast medium. The insertion of the peridural catheter made a complete analgesia and reduced the incidence of complications. Our method provided an excellent control of the pain in all patients. In our experience the pain relief was almost complete in patients treated with 96% ethyl alcohol solution (VAS from 8 before the treatment to 1, 48 hours after the treatment). The alcohol administered in elevated concentrations (96%), does not increase the incidence of complications.

Molecular characterization and antibiotic susceptibilities of ocular isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis

Nineteen isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis from patients with ocular infections were analyzed. Patients were selected in retrospect, by choosing cases in which S. epidermidis was the sole isolate. Twelve different patterns were obtained after hybridization with a probe with high-level homology to insertion sequences found in S. epidermidis. Susceptibilities to penicillin, methicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin were determined. Six strains were resistant to three or more antibiotics.