Power ultrasonic transducers with extensive radiators for industrial processing

High-power ultrasonics (HPU) is a green emerging technology that offers a great potential for a wide range of industrial processes. Nevertheless such potential have remained restricted during many years to a limited number of applications which reached commercial development. The possible major problem for extending the range of HPU industrial applications has been the lack of power ultrasonic transducers for large-scale application, adapted to the requirements of each specific problem with high efficiency and power capacity. A new family of HPU transducers with extensive radiators have been recently introduced. It comprises a variety of transducer types designed with the radiators adapted to different specific uses in fluids and multi-phase media. Such transducers implement high power capacity, high efficiency and radiation pattern control. In addition, their design incorporate strategies to eliminate or reduce modal interactions produced at high power as a consequence of their nonlinear behaviour. The introduction of such new transducers has significantly contributed to the development at semi-industrial and industrial level of a number of processes in the food and beverage industry, in environment and in manufacturing. This paper deals with the basic structure and main characteristics of such transducers as well as their performance in the developed application processes.

Sleep disorders in Latin-American children with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and normal controls

BACKGROUND

Asthma and/or allergic rhinitis have been associated with sleep disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep disorders in Latin-American children (4-10 years) from nine countries, with persistent asthma (A) and/or allergic rhinitis (AR) and in normal controls (C).

METHODS

Parents from 454 C children and 700 A and/or AR children followed up in allergy reference clinics completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) which is a retrospective one-week questionnaire composed of 33 questions composed of seven subscales (bedtime resistance, sleep duration, sleep anxiety, night wakings, parasomnias, sleep-disordered breathing and daytime sleepiness). The total scale of CSHQ and the subscales were compared between groups C and A+AR, A (n=285) vs. AR (n=390), and between controlled A (CA, n=103) vs. partially controlled/uncontrolled A (UA, n=182).

RESULTS

The comparison between C and A+AR showed no significant differences in age (6.7 years vs. 7.0 years, respectively), mean Body Mass Index and total scale of CSHQ (53.3 vs. 63.2, respectively) and the subscales were significantly higher in the A+AR group. Comparison between groups A and AR, except for sleep anxiety, showed significantly higher values for CSHQ total scale (66.9 vs. 61.0, respectively) and subscales for group A. The UA group showed significantly higher values for total CSHQ scale and subscales in comparison to CA (71.1 vs. 59.4, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Latin-American children with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis showed sleep disorders identified by the CSHQ when compared to normal controls. Despite being treated, asthma causes sleep impairment, especially when uncontrolled.

Functional Outcomes 18 Months After Total and Midarm Transplantation: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

The function reported after arm transplantation is deemed beneficial relative to the marked disability that upper arm amputation causes.

OBJECTIVE

We report a 51-year-old man with a Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score of 75.83 who underwent bilateral arm transplantation in October 2015.

PROCEDURE

The right arm was transplanted at the glenohumeral joint level, including transplantation of the humeral head, joint capsule, and rotator cuff ligaments and tendons. Additionally, neurorrhaphies were performed at the origin of the terminal branches of the brachial plexus, including the axillary and musculocutaneous nerves. Therefore, this was considered a total arm transplantation. The left arm was transplanted at the transhumeral level, with complete transplantation of the biceps and triceps brachii, and terminolateral neurorrhaphy of the donor musculocutaneous nerve to the receptor radial nerve. A maintenance triple immunosuppression scheme was administered, with tacrolimus levels kept at 10 ng/mL.

RESULTS

At 18 months post-transplantation, the intrinsic musculature in the left hand showed electrical registry, DASH score was 67.5, Carroll test score was 28 in both extremities, Hand Transplant Score System was 67.5 in the right extremity and 77.5 in the left extremity, and Short Form-36 score was 96.1. The patient was healthy, with restored body integrity. He could lift medium-sized weightless objects, eat and go to the bathroom by himself, drink liquids with bimanual grasp, swim, dress almost independently, and drive.

CONCLUSION

The functional evolution of the patient was similar to previously reported transplanted arms, even though the right arm transplant involved the glenohumeral joint and axillary and musculocutaneous nerve repair.

Youth tobacco use in Latin America: What is the real extent of the problem?

INTRODUCTION

Cigarette consumption among teenagers is one of the most critical health-related risk behaviors.

METHOD

Prospective study carried out in seven sites of five Latin American countries (Argentina [Cordoba, N=958, Corrientes, N=1013], Brazil [Curitiba, N=650; Uruguaiana, N=997], Cuba [Havana, N=1004], Mexico [Veracruz, N=991] and Paraguay [Ciudad del Este, N=868]) with public-school adolescents (aged 12-19 years). Respondents were asked to answer the California Student Tobacco Survey.

RESULTS

6550 adolescents took part in the survey (average age: 14 years). 38.5% (N=2517) "tried smoking" and 37.5% started smoking before the age of 12. Sixty-one percent of adolescents think that cigarettes are easily accessible; 41.7% considered that smokers have more friends; 88% indicated knowledge of the harms of smoking one to five cigarettes per day; 58.9% would smoke new cigarette types with less harmful substances; 27.8% have already used e-cigarettes; 28% have smoked hookah. Fifty-seven point five percent have been, in the past seven days, in the same room with someone who was smoking a cigarette; and 30.5% indicated that there were not any no-smoking rules inside their homes. Identifiable risk factors were (logistic regression analysis): smoking cigarettes offered by friends, smoking cigarettes with less harmful substances, knowing what a hookah is, being in the same room with a smoker in the past week. Identifiable protective factors against tobacco use were: knowing the health risks caused by smoking hookah and to have their own room.

CONCLUSION

Youth tobacco use in Latin America is a major public health concern, and tobacco control measures are highly needed.

Trypanosoma cruzi Antigenic Proteins Shared with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Neuroblastoma

Background. Research studies indicate that immunization with protein extracts of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, prevents the appearance of tumors in 60% of mice injected with the murine lung carcinoma tumor line. The molecular basis of this process is unknown, although the presence of specific antigens in tumor cells and on the surface of T. cruzi suggests an antiparasitic immune response, with an effective cross-reaction against cancer cells, hence the importance to identify the antigens involved and determine their potential as target cells in anticancer therapy. Aim. This study aimed to determine the presence of antigenic proteins of T. cruzi shared with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and neuroblastoma cells. Material and methods. To achieve this, polyclonal antibodies against T. cruzi were developed in rabbits, and reactivity was determined with protein extracts of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells and neuroblastoma. The immunodetection of five different strains of T. cruzi against anti-T. cruzi polyclonal antibodies was also performed. Conclusion. The study allows the knowledge of the immunological interactions between cancer and parasites to be expanded and, therefore, contributes to the design of more and better projects that improve the therapeutic strategies applied in oncology.

Abstract P6-06-41: Non-palpable tumor is a surrogate factor for longer disease free survival in early breast cancer: Evaluation of a 23 years-Venezuelan cohort

INTRODUCTION:

Tumor size has long been recognized as the strongest predictor of the outcome of patients with breast cancer. While screening programs are increasing the proportion of non-palpable breast cancer cases, it is important to know its relevance in the outcome. Our purpose was to evaluate various prognostic factors, including tumor palpability, in a multivariate fashion.

METHODS:

A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was carried out for a retrospective cohort of 758 women with early stages of invasive breast carcinomas who were treated at the Breast Unit of the CECLINES (Caracas-Venezuela), Clinica el Viñedo y Centro Medico Dr. Rafael Guerra Mendez and University of Carabobo (Valencia-Venezuela), between 1987-2010. Endpoints were 10 years disease free survival (10 yrs-DFS) and 10 years overall survival (10 yrs-OS). Using a multivariate analysis, Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated in order to identify independent prognostic factors for 10 yrs-DFS and 10 yrs-OS.

RESULTS:

The median age for the entire cohort was 55yo; 293 (38.7%) tumors were not palpable and 465 (61.3%) were palpable; 42.2% (318 cases) were in pathological stage (PS) I and 57.8% (436 cases) in PS II. Tumor size was <1cm in 26% of cases; was between 1 - 3cm in 24.9% and >3cm in 49.1%; 23.2% had nodal involvement. In regard to immunohistochemistry markers, 633 were evaluable for estrogen receptor (ER); 599 for progesterone receptor (PR) and 578 for HER2. In regard to the status for these markers, 76.9% were ER+; 68.4% PR+ and 28.4% HER2+. Patients more likely to have non palpable tumors were ≥45yo (p = 0.001); smaller tumors (p<0.001); negative lymph nodes (p = 0.008); HER2 negative tumors (p = 0.001) and pathological stage I (p<0.001). The median of follow up was 42.6 months. The 10yrs-DFS was 78.7% and the 10yrs-OS was 91%. There were significant differences in 10yrs-DFS according to tumor palpability (non-palpable 81.1% vs palpable 73.3%, p = 0.002); tumor size (<1cm 81.7% vs 1-3cm 78.3% vs >3cm 77.3%, p = 0.017); nodal involvement (negative 81.9% vs positive 67.2%, p = 0.054); PS (I-IIA: 89.4% vs IIB, 74.9%, p<0.001); treatment with radiotherapy (yes 79% vs no 65.9%) and hormonotherapy (yes 78.9% vs no 70.1%). For 10yrs-OS, there were significant differences in palpability (palpable 78.2% vs non palpable 86.9%, p<0.001); tumor size (<1cm 96% vs 1-3cm 87.6% vs >3cm 75.3%, p = 0.027); HER2 (positive 95.9% vs negative 87.4%, p = 0.052); PS (I-IIA: 95.4% vs IIB, 86.5%, p<0.016) and radiotherapy (yes 92.7% vs no 79.1%, p = 0.001). In the multivariate analysis for 10 yrs-DFS, significant variables were: palpability (HR = 0.43 for non-palpable tumors, CI 95%: 0.242-0.781; p = 0.005) and radiotherapy (HR = 2.5 for patients that did not undergo radiotherapy, CI 95% 1.44 - 4.23). For 10 yrs-OS significant variables were HER2 (HR = 3.6 for HER2+, CI 95%: 1.18 - 10.86, p = 0.024). There was a statistical trend with palpability (HR = 0.23 for non-palpable tumors, CI 95%: 0.05-1.06; p = 0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with early stage breast cancers with non-palpable tumors were less likely to present disease recurrence, independently of other factors. In the era of genomic profiling, a variable easily assessed in routine could be a surrogate factor for disease free survival.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-06-41.

[Density, growth and survival of Lyropecten (Nodipecten) nodosus (Pteroida: Pectinidae) juveniles in suspended-frame culture in Golfo de Cariaco, Venezuela]

The effect of culture density on growth and survival of juveniles was studied in the scallop Lyropecten nodosus with intermediate hanging cultures in Golfo de Cariaco, Sucre state, Venezuela, from December 1993 to July 1994. Six spat-densities (7, 15, 30, 60, 125 and 250 scallops/nets) were evaluated. The initial shell height and dry mass tissue were 9.4 +/- 0.18 mm and 0.007 +/- 0.0026 g, respectively. The specimens were placed into pearl nets and suspended in a long line at 8 m depth. Growth patterns of somatic tissue were similar, but with different magnitudes and inverse proportionality to culture density. No effect of density was observed on survival. These results suggest that intraspecific competition of cultivated scallops cause stress, which affects growth but not survival. We suggest as strategy for the management of culture density, successive density reductions, to obtain in a six months culture (intermediate culture) specimens of 50 mm in shell height in order to start the final culture period.

Tumor-Suppressive Cross-Linking of Anti-T. cruzi Antibodies in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Parasites have been associated with possible anticancer activity, including Trypanosoma cruzi, which has been linked to inhibiting the growth of solid tumors. To better understand this antitumor effect, we investigated the association of anti-T. cruzi antibodies with B cells of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) SUPB15 cell line. The antibodies were generated in rabbits. IgGs were purified by affinity chromatography. Two procedures (flow cytometry (CF) and Western blot(WB)) were employed to recognize anti-T. cruzi antibodies on SUPB15 cells. We also used CF to determine whether the anti-T. cruzi antibodies could suppress SUPB15 cells. The anti-T. cruzi antibodies recognized 35.5% of the surface antigens of SUPB15. The complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) results demonstrate the cross-suppression of anti-T. cruzi antibodies on up to 8.4% of SUPB15 cells. For the WB analysis, a band at 100 kDa with high intensity was sequenced using mass spectrometry, identifying the protein as nucleolin. This protein may play a role in the antitumor effect on T. cruzi. The anti-T. cruzi antibodies represent promising polyclonal antibodies that have the effect of tumor-suppressive cross-linking on cancer cells, which should be further investigated.

[HIV and blood donors: past, present and future]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the changes in the spectrum of HIV-positive blood donors along seven years.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The municipal Blood Bank of Caracas Federal District examined 193,796 blood donors between 1986 and 1992. Anti-HIV antibodies were determined by the following methods: Ortho HIV-Elisa Test System (59.5% of the samples), Abbott Recombinant HIV-EIA (28.6%), Vironostika HIV Microelisa System-Organon Teknika (2.1%), Bio-Test anti-HIV Recombinant Elisa (2.1%), and Recombigen (env and gag) HIV Cambridge Biotech (7.7%). Results confirmation was performed with Biotech/Dupont HIV-I Western Blot Kit, Chiron Riba HIV 216 Test System and Inno-Lia HIV 1/2 Ab immunogenetics SA.

RESULTS

Slow but progressive increase of positive results was seen in the blood donors along the years, from 0.05% in 1986 to 0.31% in 1992. Higher prevalence was seen in males (p < 0.001), although absolute increase in the number of positive females was found by 1992 (p < 0.05). According to their type, 80.6% of the donors were patient-related (RD), 13% attended mobile blood-drawing units (MU) and 6.4% were VD (p < 0.001), with a trend to increase amongst DR and decrease amongst MV. The majority of the positive donors pertained to homo-or bisexuals (60.5%), although they showed progressive decrease, whereas the positive findings increased in the promiscuous heterosexual group and amongst those having contacts with persons at risk.

CONCLUSIONS

High prevalence of HIV-positive donors is found, the expected figure for 1995 being 0.37% if the present trends are maintained. Thus, a better selection of blood donors is recommended by means of careful enquiries, the use of optimal reagents capable of shortening the window period, deferring people at risk from blood donation, and promoting altruistic voluntary donation of blood.

Centrifugal pulsing increases the recovery of viable spermatozoa

PURPOSE

Our purpose was to compare the number and quality of spermatozoa recover following the standard centrifugation method with those after pulsing the relative centrifugal field during centrifugation.

METHODS

A prospectively controlled in vitro study using ejaculates from 10 healthy sperm donors was undertaken. Number of sperm and sperm motility at 0, 3, and 24 hr post-incubation at 5 degrees C in TEST-yolk results determined the efficacy of the centrifugation techniques.

RESULTS

The number of sperm and sperm motility at 0, 3, and 24 hr post-incubation at 5 degrees C in TEST-yolk were significantly higher for the sperm recovered following pulse centrifugation compared with those after standard centrifugation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulsing the relative centrifugal field during centrifugation yields a higher number of viable spermatozoa.

Effects of electromagnetic extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on the fine structure of the liver and gallbladder of the rabbit

The fine structure of the liver and gallbladder of rabbits submitted to lithotripsy was studied with transmission electron microscopy. Alterations found in both organs involved capilaries, venules and small veins as well as neighboring tissues. In the liver the most important alterations were seen in those areas located about central veins. These consisted in mitochondrial vacuolation, increase in the cytoplasmic electrondensity, and necrosis. In the gallbladder different stages of epithelial damage and regeneration (i.e. mitoses) were observed. Vascular damage was characterized by mitochondrial swollen and increase of nuclear and cytoplasmic electrondensities. The gallbladder's stroma displayed cell vacuolation, pyknosis, and edema. It is proposed that the damage produced by lithotripsy results from a direct colision of red blood cells upon blood vessels. Tissue damage was considered focal and in most cases reversible.

[Post-transfusional hepatitis. Preliminary study]

In Venezuela post-transfusional hepatitis (PTH) data is unknown. We studied, prospectively, 147 patients who received blood transfusions (1 to 48 different blood components). They were screened for HBsAg (Ortho HBsAg Elisa Test System), anti HBc (Ortho HBc Elisa Test System and CORZYME, Abbott Laboratories) and amino-transferases (Doles), before and after transfusions. Only the last 36 patients were tested for anti HCV (Ortho HCV antibody Elisa Test)R from the beginning. The test were performed at 2, 7, 12 and 24 weeks subsequently in the negative recipients. PTH for type B virus was 3.8% (5/131), and for NANBH 2.7% (3/110). In both groups those recipients who had more transfusions had the greatest incidence of PTH. We conclude that anti HBc and ALT must be done in all blood donors to prevent the occurrence of PTH either B virus or NANBH. We suggest also, to include anti HCV screening in blood donors as a mean to make blood transfusion safer.

Association of Neuroblastoma (NB) SH-SY5Y Cells with Antibodies of Parasitic Origin (Anti-Acanthamoeba and Anti-Toxocara canis)

It is little known that Acanthamoeba trophozoites and Toxocara canis eggs can reduce tumors in vitro and animal models. Although this has been known for many years, the mechanism that induces the antitumor effect in these parasites is still not known. We employed Western blot (WB) and immunofluorescence (IFC) by confocal microscopy to explore the potential protein binding between neuroblastoma (NB) SH-SY5Y cells and anti-Acanthamoeba and anti-Toxocara canis antibodies. Using WB, we detected two fragments of 70 kDa and 60 kDa recognized by the anti-Acanthamoeba antibodies, and two fragments of 115 kDa and 70 kDa recognized by the anti-Toxocara canis antibodies. In both cases, the IFC results were positive in the cell membrane of the SH-SY5Y cells. Our findings suggest a potential overlap of similar molecules between these parasites and tumor cells, which may contribute to tumor elimination. Investigating the relationship between anti-Acanthamoeba and anti-Toxocara canis antibodies in neoplastic cells could provide evidence for the future use of these anti-parasitic antibodies in targeting NB or other cancers.