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The application of solid state electrochemistry techniques for the characterization and dating of leaded bronze objects is described. Characteristic voltammetric signatures of copper and lead corrosion products were used as markers of more or less prolonged corrosion periods. The proposed methodology was applied to samples from the Roman archaeological sites of Valeria (Spain) and Gadara (Jordan), Roman and medieval sites in Xàtiva (Spain), and modern statuary exhibited outdoors, on the campus of the Universitat Politècnica of Valencia, Spain, covering a time interval between the fourth to second century bc and the 20th century ad. For such samples, the ratio between the signals for copper and lead corrosion products decreased monotonically with the corrosion time. This variation was modelled on the basis of thermochemical and kinetic considerations, the experimental data being consistent with a potential rate law for the corrosion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine patients did not achieve recovery of the second twitch of the train-of-four and 11 did not reach recovery of the third twitch, either because further rocuronium was needed to improve surgical conditions (12 patients) or because surgery ended earlier than expected (8 patients). Type-2 diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent among surgical patients, including an estimated 10% prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes [1]. We included patients with type-2 diabetes without neuropathy or nephropathy and patients without diabetes. [Extracted from the article]

A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is described. The method is based on the measurement of resistance associated to the growth of corrosion layers in EIS recorded upon immersion of the pieces in mineral water and applying a bias potential for the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Theoretical expressions for the time variation of such resistance following a potential rate law are presented. Equivalent expressions are derived and applied for estimating the variation of the tenorite/cuprite ratio from their specific voltammetric signals using voltammetry of microparticles data. Calibration curves were constructed from a set of well-documented coins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The most commonly used second-line Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens are bismuth-containing quadruple therapy and levofloxacin-containing triple therapy, both offering suboptimal results. Combining bismuth and levofloxacin may enhance the efficacy of rescue eradication regimens. Aims To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a second-line quadruple regimen containing levofloxacin and bismuth in patients whose previous H. pylori eradication treatment failed. Methods This was a prospective multicenter study including patients in whom a standard triple therapy ( PPI-clarithromycin-amoxicillin) or a non-bismuth quadruple therapy ( PPI-clarithromycin-amoxicillin-metronidazole, either sequential or concomitant) had failed. Esomeprazole (40 mg b.d.), amoxicillin (1 g b.d.), levofloxacin (500 mg o.d.) and bismuth (240 mg b.d.) was prescribed for 14 days. Eradication was confirmed by 13C-urea breath test. Compliance was determined through questioning and recovery of empty medication envelopes. Incidence of adverse effects was evaluated by questionnaires. Results 200 patients were included consecutively (mean age 47 years, 67% women, 13% ulcer). Previous failed therapy included: standard clarithromycin triple therapy (131 patients), sequential (32) and concomitant (37). A total of 96% took all medications correctly. Per-protocol and intention-to-treat eradication rates were 91.1% (95% CI = 87-95%) and 90% (95% CI = 86-94%). Cure rates were similar regardless of previous (failed) treatment or country of origin. Adverse effects were reported in 46% of patients, most commonly nausea (17%) and diarrhoea (16%); 3% were intense but none was serious. Conclusions Fourteen-day bismuth- and levofloxacin-containing quadruple therapy is an effective (≥90% cure rate), simple and safe second-line strategy in patients whose previous standard triple or non-bismuth quadruple (sequential or concomitant) therapies have failed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Empiric triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori should be abandoned when clarithromycin resistance rate is >15-20%. Optimisation of triple therapy (high-dose acid suppression and 14-day duration) can increase eradication rates by 10%. Aim To compare the efficacy and safety of optimised triple ( OPT- TRI) and nonbismuth quadruple concomitant ( OPT- CON) therapies. Methods Prospective multicentre study in 16 Spanish centres using triple therapy in clinical practice. In a 3-month two-phase fashion, the first 402 patients received an OPT- TRI therapy [esomeprazole (40 mg b.d.), amoxicillin (1 g b.d) and clarithromycin (500 mg b.d) for 14 days] and the last 375 patients an OPT- CON treatment [ OPT- TRI therapy plus metronidazole (500 mg b.d)]. Results Seven-hundred seventy-seven consecutive patients were included (402 OPT- TRI, 375 OPT- CON). The OPT- CON therapy achieved significantly higher eradication rates in the per-protocol [82.3% (95% CI = 78-86%) vs. 93.8% (91-96%), P < 0.001] and intention-to-treat analysis [81.3% (78-86%) vs. 90.4% (87-93%), P < 0.001]. Adverse events (97% mild/moderate) were significantly more common with OPT- CON therapy (39% vs. 47%, P = 0.016), but full compliance with therapy was similar between groups (94% vs. 92%, P = 0.4). OPT- CON therapy was the only significant predictor of successful eradication (odds ratio, 2.24; 95% CI: 1.48-3.51, P < 0.001). The rate of participating centres achieving cure rates ≥90% favoured OPT- CON therapy ( OPT- TRI 25% vs. OPT- CON 62%). Conclusions Empiric OPT- CON therapy achieved significantly higher cure rates (>90%) compared to OPT- TRI therapy. Addition of metronidazole to OPT- TRI therapy increased eradication rates by 10%, resulting in more mild adverse effects, but without impairing compliance with therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Balloon dilation (with or without steroid injection) is the endoscopic treatment of choice for short strictures in Crohn's disease (CD). The placement of a stent has only rarely been reported in this setting, and it may be a good alternative. AIMS: To describe the efficacy of temporary placement of a self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) in the endoscopic treatment of symptomatic strictures in CD. METHODS: We included 17 CD patients treated with SEMS (4 partially covered SEMS and 21 fully covered SEMS) for symptomatic strictures refractory to medical and/or endoscopic treatment. RESULTS: We placed 25 stents in 17 patients with stenosis (<8 cm), in the colon and in the ileocolonic anastomosis. In two cases, two stents were placed in the same endoscopic procedure. All except three cases had previously been unsuccessfully treated with endoscopic dilatation. The stents were maintained for an average of 28 days (1-112). The treatment was effective in 64.7% of the patients after a mean follow-up time of 60 weeks (5-266). In four cases, removal of the stents was technically difficult due to stent impaction (moderate adverse events-AEs) and one patient had a proximal stent migration requiring delayed surgery (severe AE). CONCLUSIONS: The placement of self-expanding metallic stent in Crohn's disease maintained over a period of 4 weeks is a safe, effective treatment for strictures refractory to medical treatment and/or balloon dilatation, and might be an alternative endoscopic treatment in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In a previous study, positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-(1-{6-[(2-[F-18]fluoroethyl)(methyl)amino]-2-naphthyl}ethylidene)malononitrile (FDDNP), a molecule that binds to plaques and tangles in vitro, identified three subgroups of non-demented subjects according to FDDNP binding patterns: low global (LG) binding; high frontal, parietal, medial temporal binding (HF/PA); and high medial and lateral temporal and posterior cingulate (HT/PC) binding. In this follow-up investigation, we compared 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro- d-glucose (FDG)-PET cerebral metabolic patterns in the three FDDNP-PET binding subgroups. Methods Fifty-four subjects with normal aging ( N = 28) or amnestic forms of mild cognitive impairment ( N = 26) underwent FDDNP-PET and FDG-PET scanning. Subjects in the LG, HF/PA, and HT/PC FDDNP subgroups were compared according to visual ratings, statistical parametric mapping, and automated region of interest analyses of their FDG-PET data. Results The FDDNP-PET subgroups demonstrated different glucose metabolic patterns according to visual ratings, region of interest, and statistical parametric mapping analyses of FDG-PET data. The LG FDDNP subgroup showed no areas of significant hypometabolism relative to the other subgroups and had low Alzheimer's disease risk by FDG-PET standards. The HF/PA FDDNP subgroup demonstrated hypometabolism in bilateral inferior parietal/parietotemporal, bilateral posterior cingulate, perisylvian, mid-temporal gyrus, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, which is a pattern suggestive of high Alzheimer's disease risk. The HT/PC FDDNP subgroup demonstrated heterogeneous FDG-PET patterns with predominant anterior frontal and anterior temporal hypometabolism, suggestive of mixed etiologies, including fronto-temporal dementia risk. Conclusions The FDG-PET data provided independent validation that different patterns of FDDNP-PET binding in non-demented individuals may be associated with differential dementia risk. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Bleomycin-induced lung injury is widely used as an experimental model to investigate the pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis but the alterations in the pharmacological responsiveness of airways isolated from bleomycin-exposed animals has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro tracheal responses to muscarinic receptor stimulation with carbachol in a rat bleomycin model. 2 Concentration–response curves to carbachol (10 nm to 0.1 mm) were obtained in tracheal rings isolated from Sprague–Dawley rats 14 days after endotracheal bleomycin or saline. The intracellular calcium signal in response to carbachol (10 μm) was measured by epifluorescence microscopy using fura-2 in primary cultures of tracheal smooth muscle cells from bleomycin- and saline-exposed rats. Circulating plasma tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- α/interleukin (IL)-1 β levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 3 Maximal contraction in response to carbachol was significantly greater in tracheal rings from bleomycin-exposed rats compared with controls (15.8 ± 1.3 mN vs. 11.8 ± 1.4 mN; n = 19, P < 0.05). 4 Carbachol (10 μm) elicited a transient increase of intracellular calcium with greater increment in tracheal smooth muscle cells from bleomycin-exposed rats compared with controls (372 ± 42 nm vs. 176 ± 20 nm; n = 7, P < 0.01). 5 Circulating plasma levels of TNF- α/IL-1 β were augmented in bleomycin-exposed rats compared with controls. Tissue incubation with TNF- α (100 ng ml−1)/IL-1 β (10 ng ml−1) increased in vitro tracheal responsiveness to carbachol. 6 In conclusion, tracheal contraction in response to muscarinic receptor stimulation with carbachol was increased in bleomycin-exposed rats. This in vitro cholinergic hyperresponsiveness may be related to the augmented levels of inflammatory cytokines in bleomycin-exposed rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reply to the letter to the editor is presented in response to an article that examines the role of stent in the treatment of Crohn's disease strictures.