Samsung (Germany)

Objective: Thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curves are a rare type of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Historically anterior selective fusion and posterior selective fusion provided satisfied results in terms of curve correction, maintenance of correction and spontaneous thoracic curve correction. Aim of our study was to present the results of selective posterior Cobb to Cobb TL/L fusion in patients lenke type 5c AIS patients with a single surgeon experience for up to 10 years of follow. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent selective TL/L posterior fusion for a diagnose of Lenke type 5c AIS were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who were followed up minimum 2 years and underwent full preoperative, early postoperative and follow-up radiologic work up and last follow-up SRS22r scores were included in descriptive statistical analysis performed. Results: Fifty one patients (47 F, 4M) were included in the study. Mean age was 15 (12-17). Mean follow-up period was 84 months (24-120). The mean preoperative major TL/L curve improved to 6.3 (0-20) from 42.8 (38-71) with an 85% correction rate. The mean thoracic curve correction rate was %57. At follow main TL/L and upper thoracic curve did not show correction loss. Coronal imbalance has not been recorded. At last follow-up mean SRS22r was mean 4.3 (3.6-4.9). Conclusion: Selective TL/L posterior Cobb to Cobb fusion improves main TL/L and upper thoracic curves in AIS lenke type 5c patients and maintains long-term stability for the uninstrumented upper thoracic curve.

A new samarium(iii) complex, [Sm(hfaa)3(Py-Im)], has been prepared and fabricated into thin films which show color tunability from violet to orange depending on the concentration of doping within the film.

A series of new silver(i) 5,5-diethylbarbiturate (barb) complexes with the formulas [Ag2(μ-barb)2(PPh3)2] (1), [Ag(barb)(PPh2Cy)] (2), [Ag(barb)(PPhCy2)] (3) and [Ag(barb)(PCy3)] (4) (PPh3 = triphenylphosphine, PPh2Cy = diphenylcyclohexylphosphine, PPhCy2 = dicyclohexylphenylphosphine and PCy3 = tricyclohexylphosphine) were synthesized and fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR, ESI-MS and X-ray crystallography. All the complexes display a significant affinity towards DNA with a groove binding mode and also strongly bind to BSA via hydrophobic interactions. Lipophilicity increases from 1 to 4 with an increasing number of Cy groups in the phosphine ligands. Screening of the in vitro antimicrobial activity of 1-4 against the strains of Gram-negative (S. typhimurium ATCC 14028, E. coli ATCC 25922 and O157:H7) and Gram-positive (L. garvieae 40456, S. aureus ATCC 25923, and ATCC 33591) bacteria demonstrated that all the complexes exhibit very high activity and specific selectivity against the Gram-positive bacteria, compared to AgNO3 and silver sulfadiazine. Furthermore, the growth inhibitory effects of 1-4 on four human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, PC-3, A549 and HT-29) showed that 4 has a potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells, significantly higher than cisplatin and carboplatin. The effects of the complexes on the inhibition of the cells are closely related to their lipophilicity as well as DNA/protein binding. The induction of apoptosis of MCF-7 cells treated with 4 was probed through Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V positivity and caspase 3/7 activity. In addition, increased ROS levels in the presence of 4 are most likely responsible for damage to both mitochondria and genomic DNA.

In this study, the levels of a group of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the adipose tissue of women living in northern Turkey who gave birth by cesarean delivery were investigated. Sixty subcutaneous samples were collected in 2013 from women in urban (30) and rural (30) areas. The levels of nine OCPs, namely α-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), β-HCH (lindane), γ-HCH, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), aldrin, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, 2,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), 4,4'-DDE, 2,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDT, and 16 PCBs, PCB-28, -52, -70, -74, -81, -99, -101, -118, -138, -153, -156, -170, -180, -183, -187 and -208, were investigated with a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). β-HCH was detected in nine samples (mean 23.70 ± 4.24 ng g-1 of fat) and γ-HCH was detected in six samples (mean 41.88 ± 12.41 ng g-1 of fat). HCB was detected in five samples (mean 30.97 ± 14.31 ng g-1 of fat), 2,4'-DDT in one sample (5 ng g-1 of fat), 4,4-DDT in two samples (mean 6.70 ± 0.42 ng g-1 of fat), 2,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene in three samples (mean 6.27 ± 0.42 ng g-1 of fat), PCB-28 in six samples (mean 10.03 ± 7.79 ng g-1 of fat), PCB-81 in one sample (7.60 ng g-1 of fat) and PCB-118 in one sample (10.20 ng g-1 of fat). In total, organochlorine compounds were detected in 12 (40%) of rural and 12 (40%) of urban women. These results are an indication of the level of organochlorine compounds in the environment where the subjects of the study lived.

Purpose: To evaluate the results of mammography and ultrasound-guided localization biopsy of nonpalpable lesions, and the differences between them. Materials and Methods: Between January 1999 and December 2000, localization biopsies of 441 nonpalpable breast lesions were performed immediately after preoperative localization using a wire hook. Localization was mammography guided in 241 cases and ultrasound guided in 200. The former group included clustered microcalcifications(195/241, 80.9%), mass (22/241,9.1%) and mass with microcalcifications (24/241, 10.0%), while the latter were almost all mass, or mass with microcalcifications (198/200, 99%). Only two lesions (1%) showed clustered microcalcifications only, and these were previously demonstrated at mammography. Results: Overall, 68 lesions (15.4%) were confirmed as malignancy. Forty-six of 241 mammography guided localization biopsies indicated malignancy: there were 28 noninvasive carcinomas (60.9%), 25 ductal cancers in situ (DCIS), one DCIS combined with lobular cancer in situ (LCIS), and two DCIS combined with microinvasion. Twenty-two of 200 ultrasound-guided localization biopsies revealed malignancy; five such lesions (22.7%) were noninvasive carcinomas. Conclusion: The malignancy rate and proportion of noninvasive breast cancers indicated by mammography and ultrasound-guided localization biopsy differed, and this was because the former involved mainly microcalcifications and the latter, masses.