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Management of patients treated with CardioWest Total Artificial Heart (CW-TAH) as a bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) is complicated by difficulties in determining the optimal timing of transplantation. We present a case of a 53-year-old man supported as an outpatient with a CW-TAH, whose condition deteriorated following exchange of the portable driver. The patient was followed-up with serial cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) which demonstrated a fall of peak VO2 to below 12 ml/kg/min following driver substitution, and the patient was subsequently treated with urgent orthotopic HTx. This case highlights the potential utility of CPET as a means for monitoring and indicating timing of HTx in patients with CW-TAH, as well as the potential for clinical deterioration following portable driver substitution.

The CardioWest Total Artificial Heart (CW-TAH) has been approved as a temporary device for bridge to cardiac transplantation and is under investigation for destination therapy by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We herein report the longest worldwide survival out of hospital (1374 days) of a patient supported with Cardio West Total Artificial Heart (CW-TAH). This experience is intended as a proof of concept of using CW-TAH as the destination therapy in patients with biventricular failure., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), embedded into a specific exopolysaccharide (EPS), were produced by Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 by adding AgNO3 to the cultures during exponential growth phase. In particular, under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, two types of silver nanoparticles, named AgNPs-EPS(aer) and the AgNPs-EPS(anaer), were produced respectively. The effects on bacterial cells was demonstrated by using Escherichia coli K12 and Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341 (ex Micrococcus luteus) as Gram-negative and Gram-positive tester strains, respectively. The best antimicrobial activity was observed for AgNPs-EPS(aer), in terms of minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations. Observations by transmission electron microscopy showed that the cell morphology of both tester strains changed during the exposition to AgNPs-EPS(aer). In particular, an electron-dense wrapped filament was observed in E. coli cytoplasm after 3 h of AgNPs-EPS(aer) exposition, apparently due to silver accumulation in DNA, and both E. coli and K. rhizophila cells were lysed after 18 h of exposure to AgNPs-EPS(aer). The DNA breakage in E. coli cells was confirmed by the comparison of 3-D fluorescence spectra fingerprints of DNA. Finally the accumulation of silver on DNA of E. coli was confirmed directly by a significant Ag(+) release from DNA, using the scanning electrochemical microscopy and the voltammetric determinations.

The Jarvik 2000 is a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) used as either a bridge-to-transplant or destination therapy with the possibility of retroauricular percutaneous power delivery (pedestal). Percutaneous driveline infection in LVAD is a life-threatening complication that affects both the quality and length of life in patients. With its rigid fixation to the bone, the pedestal and the vascularity of scalp skin promote healing and reduce the risk of driveline infection. We describe a technique to remove the skull-mounted percutaneous pedestal of the Jarvik 2000 after heart transplantation.

Heart transplantation still remains the gold standard therapy for end-stage heart failure, although several other approaches have emerged, such as biventricular pacing, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and total artificial heart. Moreover, the increasing use of LVADs as a bridge to transplant is posing the technical challenge of LVAD removal during the procedure. We in this paper describe the bicaval technique, which currently represents the routine approach for orthotopic heart transplantation., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

We sought to examine the efficacy in preventing surgical site infection (SSI) in cardiac surgery, using two different incise drapes (not iodine-impregnated and iodine-impregnated). A cost analysis was also considered. Between January 2008 and March 2015, 5100 consecutive cardiac surgery patients, who underwent surgery in our Institute, were prospectively collected. A total of 3320 patients received a standard not iodine-impregnated steri-drape (group A), and 1780 patients received Ioban(®) 2 drape (group B). We investigated, by a propensity matched analysis, whether the use of standard incise drape or iodine-impregnated drape would impact upon SSI rate. Totally, 808 patients for each group were matched for the available risk factors. Overall incidence of SSI was significantly higher in group A (6.5 versus 1.9 %) (p = 0.001). Superficial SSI incidence was significantly higher in group A (5.1 vs 1.6 %) (p = 0.002). Deep SSI resulted higher in group A (1.4 %) than in group B (0.4 %), although not significantly (p = 0.11). Consequently, the need for vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy use resulted 4.3 % in group A versus 1.2 % in group B (p = 0.001). Overall costs for groups A and B were 12.494.912 € and 11.721.417 €, respectively. The Ioban(®) 2 offered totally 773.495 € cost savings compared to standard steri-drape. Ioban 2 drape assured a significantly lower incidence of SSI. Additionally, Ioban(®) 2 drape proved to be cost-effective in cardiac surgery.

We describe a modified implantation technique for the HeartWare ventricular assist device. We access the apex through a left minithoracotomy. The outflow graft is tunneled through a small incision in the fourth intercostal space and then subcutaneously to the subclavian region. After division of the left axillary artery, an end-to-end anastomosis is performed to the proximal part, and the distal vessel is connected end-to-side through a fenestration in the outflow graft. We believe that this technique, particularly suitable for redo scenarios or severely calcified aorta, achieves a more direct blood flow into the aorta and reduces cerebrovascular events while avoiding excessive flow to the arm., (Copyright © 2015 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Giant cell tumors are mostly benign but locally aggressive tumors. The excision of bone tumors can result in large defects, therefore bone reconstruction is still one the most demanding procedures in orthopedic surgery. Our study addresses the opportunity for improving surgical outcome by employing β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) at the surgical site., Patients and Methods: We included 16 patients with giant cell tumors. After adjuvant therapy, the cavity was reconstructed with β-TCP, bone graft material (ActifuserR Granules Baxter) and platelet gel application., Results: Our explorative analysis suggests a positive effect of PRP on surgical outcome in patients with giant cell tumors treated with curettage., Conclusion: Use of platelet gel as an adjuvant significantly reduces the time required for bone healing following intralesional treatment of benign giant cell tumors, and achieves good functional results without promoting local recurrence., (Copyright © 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.)

Klebsiella oxytoca BAS-10 ferments citrate to acetic acid and CO2, and secretes a specific exopolysaccharide (EPS), which is able to bind different metallic species. These biomaterials may be used for different biotechnological purposes, including applications as innovative green biogenerated catalysts. In production of biogenerated Pd species, the Fe(III) as ferric citrate is added to anaerobic culture of K. oxytoca BAS-10, in the presence of palladium species, to increase the EPS secretion and improve Pd-EPS yield. In this process, bi-metallic (FePd-EPS) biomaterials were produced for the first time. The morphology of bi-metallic EPS, and the chemical state of the two metals in the FePd-EPS, are investigated by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, micro-X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods (XANES and EXAFS), and compared with mono-metallic Pd-EPS and Fe-EPS complexes. Iron in FePd-EPS is in the mineralized form of iron oxides/hydroxides, predominantly in the form of Fe(3+), with a small amount of Fe(2+) in the structure, most probably a mixture of different nano-crystalline iron oxides and hydroxides, as in mono-metallic Fe-EPS. Palladium is found as Pd(0) in the form of metallic nanoparticles with face-centred cubic structure in both bi-metallic (FePd-EPS) and mono-metallic (Pd-EPS) species. In bi-metallic species, Pd and Fe nanoparticles agglomerate in larger clusters, but they remain spatially separated. The catalytic ability of bi-metallic species (FePd-EPS) in a hydrodechlorination reaction is improved in comparison with mono-metallic Pd-EPS.

Background: The study compares the efficacy and advantages of two different drainage systems in pediatric patients during surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD)., Methods: A total of 200 consecutive pediatric patients (< 16 years) were enrolled; in 100 patients we used a polyvinyl chloride drain (PVCD) and in the other 100 we used a silicone drain (SD). Demographics, drain's technical data, and postoperative complications and costs were evaluated. A pain score was calculated in patients older than 6 years., Results: The SDs were significantly smaller when compared with PVCDs (median of 1.63 vs. 3.09 French/kg, p = 0.0006), were kept in site for a median shorter period (23 vs. 40 hours, p = 0.002), drained more thoracic spaces (median of 2 vs. 1, p < 0.0001), and were associated to a lower pain score (p = 0.01). The overall drain-related complication rate was lower for the SD group than for the PVCD group (3 vs. 9%, p = 0.1) as well as the drain-related adverse event required additional interventional maneuvers (0 vs. 6%, p = 0.04). Patients who were treated with a PVCD reported a higher perceived pain score than patients treated with a SD, both at the time when the drain was in site (p = 0.016) and during the drain's removal (p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: SDs can be used safely in pediatric patients during surgery for CHD. Sizes required are smaller than other conventional drains and multiple cavities can be drained with a single tube. The use of SD is associated to a lower complication rate, lower requirement of additional procedures, and lesser perceived pain from the patient, when compared with other more traditional drains., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background and Aim of the Study: Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), combined with retrospective electrocardiographic gating, permits cardiac imaging with high accuracy. Recent advances in MDCT have seemed to respond adequately to the need for a non-invasive and reliable assessment of the coronary artery lumen., Methods: Two patients with prosthetic aortic valves (one bioprosthetic, one mechanical) presented at the authors' institution with dyspnea and syncopal episodes. MDCT was performed to evaluate thrombus characteristics and exclude coronary artery disease (CAD)., Results: Based on the MDCT coronary artery assessment, neither patient underwent preoperative invasive coronary angiography, abolishing the risk of any iatrogenic thrombus fragmentation and subsequent embolization. One patient underwent surgical treatment without complications, while medical therapy was successful in the other case., Conclusion: MDCT can be used for the accurate imaging of thrombi on prosthetic aortic valves, and to correctly assess possible CAD.

Objective: We sought to assess the efficiency of two different sternal closure techniques in preventing sternal wound instability in high-risk patients., Materials and Methods: Between January 2009 and February 2012, 2068 consecutive cardiac patients were prospectively collected in our database. The 561 patients in whom the thermoreactive nitilium clips (Flexigrip) have been used (group A) were matched 1 : 1 with 561 patients who received a standard parasternal wiring technique (group B) on 10 available risk factors known to affect sternal wound healing (age, age >75 years, sex, diabetes mellitus, cardiac procedure, obesity, re-intervention, cross-clamp, and total operative times). The study was completed with a cost analysis., Results: The two groups were well matched, although different for bilateral internal thoracic harvesting, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal insufficiency, and congestive heart failure, which were significantly more frequent in group A. At 30 days of follow-up, the association of wound complication and sternal instability was significantly less frequent in group A versus group B (0.2 versus 1.6%) (P = 0.04). Overall incidence of sternal wound complication was lower in group A (2 versus 3.5%) (P = 0.28). In the presence of wound infection, a sternal wound instability was never observed in group A (P = 0.06). Overall costs were €8,701,854 and €9,243,702 in groups A and B, respectively; thus the Flexigrip closure technique offered a €541,848 cost saving., Conclusions: Flexigrip use in high-risk patients showed a lower incidence of sternal wound instability with no need for sternal re-wiring in any case, even in the presence of wound infection.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesised by a Klebsiella oxytoca strain BAS-10, which, during its growth, is known to produce a branched exopolysaccharide (EPS). Klebsiella oxytoca cultures, treated with AgNO3 and grown under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions, produced silver nanoparticles embedded in EPS (AgNPs-EPS) containing different amounts of Ag(0) and Ag(I) forms. The average size of the AgNPs-EPS was determined by transmission electron microscopy, while the relative abundance of Ag(0)- or Ag(I)-containing AgNPs-EPS was established by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). Moreover, the release of silver(I) species from the various types of AgNPs-EPS was investigated by combining SECM with anodic stripping voltammetry. These measurements allowed obtaining information on the kinetic of silver ions release from AgNPs-EPS and their concentration profiles at the substrate/water interface., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Much of the morbidity and mortality associated with ventricular assist devices (VADs) is due to haemorrhagic and thrombotic complications. To manage antithrombotic therapy, interactions between the patient and pump should be better understood., Methods: We have compared the Jarvik 2000, an axial flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD), with the HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD) centrifugal pump, regarding conventional laboratory findings, thromboelastometric and aggregometric tests., Results: Patients with the Jarvik 2000 experienced a significant reduction in platelet count following implantation, a phenomenon not seen with the HeartWare model. Conversely, we observed that levels of platelet activation, as assessed by a platelet function analyzer, and activation of the coagulation system, as assessed by thromboelastometry, were significantly greater in the HeartWare group., Conclusions: It seems that axial flow pumps, being more destructive on blood cells, tend to reduce platelet numbers. On the other hand, centrifugal flow is associated with a hypercoagulable state, possibly resulting from the activation of the coagulation system in the absence of platelet destruction.

We describe the clinical course and treatment of a 58-year-old male with a primary cardiogenic shock, who underwent a minimally invasive off-pump ventricular-assist-device (VAD) implantation with the aid of paravertebral regional analgesia. He was extubated soon after the procedure, in the operating room, with the aim to reduce the right ventricle impairment. We illustrate how a minimally invasive implant may improve the clinical outcomes of VAD patients shortening their return time to active life.

Mechanical support by means of ventricular assist devices is at present the most promising alternative of efforts aimed at increasing the supply of donor organs. The support of the left dysfunctional ventricle enables appropriate haemodynamic stabilization and recovery of secondary organ failure, often present in these severely ill patients. The current results of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy for bridge to transplantation are excellent when compared with the outcome without the availability of this therapy. Additionally, a rapid extubation of these patients has demonstrated to be efficient in cardiac surgery for faster recovery and rehabilitation. Consequently, in recent years, surgical objectives have become much more clearly defined, and the concept of less invasive cardiac surgery can be applied to make this operation less complicated, anatomically focused with a greater clinical impact. We describe an LVAD implantation technique, applying the concept of less invasive cardiac surgery, consisting in the association of reduced surgical approaches, off-pump implantation and reduced administration of heparin dose, in order to achieve rapid extubation and rehabilitation of the patient, preserving low morbidity, and still meeting all the goals of the standard procedure., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

A mechanism of mercury detoxification has been suggested by a previous study on Hg bioaccumulation in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) in the polluted Marano and Grado lagoons and in this study we demonstrate that this event could be partly related to the detoxifying activities of Hg-resistant bacteria (MRB) harbored in clam soft tissues. Therefore, natural clams were collected in six stations during two different periods (winter and spring) from Marano and Grado Lagoons. Siphons, gills and hepatopancreas from acclimatized clams were sterile dissected to isolate MRB. These anatomical parts were glass homogenized or used for whole, and they were lying on a solid medium containing 5mgl(-1) HgCl2 and incubated at 30°C. A total of fourteen bacterial strains were isolated and were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and analysis, revealing that strains were representative of eight bacterial genera, four of which were Gram-positive (Enterococcus, Bacillus, Jeotgalicoccus and Staphylococcus) and other four were Gram-negative (Stenotrophomonas, Vibrio, Raoultella and Enterobacter). Plasmids and merA genes were found and their sequences determined. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique shows the presence of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria by using different molecular probes in siphon and gills. Bacterial clumps inside clam flesh were observed and even a Gram-negative endosymbiont was disclosed by transmission electronic microscope inside clam cells. Bacteria harbored in cavities of soft tissue have mercury detoxifying activity. This feature was confirmed by the determination of mercuric reductase in glass-homogenized siphons and gills., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Left ventricular assist device implantation might require extensive surgical incision and use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Less invasive implantation using smaller incision and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation perfusion in critically ill patients can decrease the rate of complications. One patient with cardiomyopathy received the Jarvik 2000 FlowMaker through an upper T-inverted ministernotomy and left minithoracotomy. The outflow-graft was connected to the ascending aorta, and the Jarvik 2000 was inserted through the apex of the left ventricle on beating heart. The power cable was routed percutaneously through the neck to a retroauricular skull-mounted pedestal., (Copyright © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Tissue engineering of heart valves investigates the possibility to create a fully compatible and biomimetic graft able to provide host cell repopulation like the native living valve. Decellularized aortic and pulmonary valves and synthetic polymers have been used to promote the creation of a native-like scaffold suitable to be colonized by cells either in vitro, in dynamic bioreactors or in vivo using different animal models. The herein presented research provides the intra-operative protocol and details of surgical technique. Porcine aortic valve conduits were decellularized and implanted in the right ventricular outflow tract of Vietnamese pigs.

Cooperation between endothelial cells and bone in bone remodelling is well established. In contrast, bone microvasculature supporting the growth of primary tumors and metastasis is poorly understood. Several antiangiogenic agents have recently been undergoing trials, although an extensive body of clinical data and experimental research have proved that angiogenic pathways differ in each tumor type and stage. Here, for the first time, we characterize at the molecular and functional level tumor endothelial cells from human bone sarcomas at different stages of disease and with different histotypes. We selected a CD31+ subpopulation from biopsies that displayed the capability to grow as adherent cell lines without vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Our findings show the existence in human primary bone sarcomas of highly proliferative endothelial cells expressing CD31, CD44, CD105, CD146 and CD90 markers. These cells are committed to develop capillary-like structures and colony formation units, and to produce nitric oxide. We believe that a better understanding of tumor vasculature could be a valid tool for the design of an efficacious antiangiogenic therapy as adjuvant treatment of sarcomas.

Background: A bacterial strain previously isolated from pyrite mine drainage and named BAS-10 was tentatively identified as Klebsiella oxytoca. Unlikely other enterobacteria, BAS-10 is able to grow on Fe(III)-citrate as sole carbon and energy source, yielding acetic acid and CO2 coupled with Fe(III) reduction to Fe(II) and showing unusual physiological characteristics. In fact, under this growth condition, BAS-10 produces an exopolysaccharide (EPS) having a high rhamnose content and metal-binding properties, whose biotechnological applications were proven as very relevant., Results: Further phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rDNA sequence, definitively confirmed that BAS-10 belongs to K. oxytoca species. In order to rationalize the biochemical peculiarities of this unusual enterobacteriun, combined 2D-Differential Gel Electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) analysis and mass spectrometry procedures were used to investigate its proteomic changes: i) under aerobic or anaerobic cultivation with Fe(III)-citrate as sole carbon source; ii) under anaerobic cultivations using Na(I)-citrate or Fe(III)-citrate as sole carbon source. Combining data from these differential studies peculiar levels of outer membrane proteins, key regulatory factors of carbon and nitrogen metabolism and enzymes involved in TCA cycle and sugar biosynthesis or required for citrate fermentation and stress response during anaerobic growth on Fe(III)-citrate were revealed. The protein differential regulation seems to ensure efficient cell growth coupled with EPS production by adapting metabolic and biochemical processes in order to face iron toxicity and to optimize energy production., Conclusion: Differential proteomics provided insights on the molecular mechanisms necessary for anaeorobic utilization of Fe(III)-citrate in a biotechnologically promising enterobacteriun, also revealing genes that can be targeted for the rational design of high-yielding EPS producer strains.

In this work, gold microelectrodes are employed as traps for the detection of volatilized metallic mercury produced by mercuric reductase (MerA) extracted from an Hg-resistant Pseudomonas putida strain FB1. The enzymatic reduction of Hg (II) to Hg (0) was induced by NADPH cofactor added to the samples. The amount of Hg(0) accumulated on the gold microelectrode surface was determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) after transferring the gold microelectrode in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M HNO(3) + 1 M KNO(3). Electrochemical measurements were combined with spectrofluorometric assays of NADPH consumption to derive an analytical expression for the detection of a relative MerA activity of different samples with respect to that of P. putida. The method developed here was employed for the rapid determination of MerA produced by bacteria harbored in soft tissues of clams (Ruditapes philippinarum), collected in high Hg polluted sediments of Northern Adriatic Sea in Italy.

This study features the longest experimental follow-up for decellularized heart valves implanted in an animal model. Porcine aortic heart valves were decellularized according to a disclosed standardized method in which TRITON X-100 and sodium cholate (TRICOL) are used in succession, followed by a further treatment with the endonuclease Benzonase to completely remove the nucleic acid remnants. Experimental animals (n = 17), represented by Vietnamese pigs (VPs), received a decellularized aortic allograft as a substitute for the replacement of their right ventricular outflow tract. The surgical implantation of the TRICOL-treated aortic valve conduit was successful in 11 VPs, while perioperative or postoperative complications occurred in the remaining six animals. In the sham-operated group (n = 4), the native pulmonary root was excised and immediately reimplanted orthotopically in the same animal. Echocardiography demonstrated a satisfactory hemodynamic performance of the TRICOL-treated valves during follow-up as well as the absence of relevant leaflet alterations concerning thickness and motility or valve insufficiency. At explantation, macroscopic inspection of tissue-engineered heart valve conduits did not evidence calcifications and showed a decreased wall thickness, comparable to that of the reimplanted native pulmonary roots. Noteworthy, extended functional performance, recovery of DNA content, and active extracellular matrix precursor incorporation are apparently compatible with the properties of a living self-supporting substitute., (© 2012, Copyright the Authors. Artificial Organs © 2012, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This report concerns one case of sacrococcygeal chordoma and one case of parachordoma (soft-tissue chordoma) that were primarily diagnosed on fine-needle cytology (FNC) samples. Both neoplasms consisted of medium-sized epithelioid cells with eccentric, nucleolated nuclei, displaying abundant cytoplasm filled with bubbly vacuoles with refractile borders (physaliphorous cells). The neoplastic cells were embedded in an abundant extracellular substance staining metachromatically with Diff-Quik™. Both neoplasms had a typical clinical and instrumental presentation (primary sacrococcygeal tumor in a 58-year-old man and primary soft tissue mass of the hand palm and wrist in a 31-year-old man). The cytopathological findings in both the neoplasms were so similar as to be almost indistinguishable, and this similarity included the immunocytochemical findings. The deep similarity between these neoplasms indicates that the only pathological differences in the described cases probably reside in their different anatomical location and, perhaps, in different cytogenetic changes., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

High levels of urokinase receptor (uPAR) in tissue and serum of patients with chondrosarcoma correlate with poor prognosis. First, we analyzed the uPAR levels in tissues and plasma of five patients affected by chondrosarcoma. Interestingly, very high levels of uPAR and its soluble forms (SuPAR) were found on tumor cell surfaces and plasma, respectively, of two patients with lung metastases. Therefore, to investigate the role of SuPAR in chondrosaromas, we generated a primary cell culture from a chondrosarcoma tissue overexpressing uPAR on cell surfaces. We found that chondrosarcoma-like primary culture cells release a large amount of SuPAR in the medium. In vitro, SuPAR elicits chondrosarcoma cell migration likely through its uPAR(88-92) sequence, since the DII(88-183) or DIIDIIR(88-284) uPAR domains retain motogen effect whereas DI(1-87) or DIII(184-284) domains, both lacking the uPAR(88-92) sequence, are ineffective. Chondrosarcoma cells cross matrigel in response to SuPAR, and their invasion capability is abrogated by RERF peptide which inhibits uPAR(88-92) signalling. These findings assign a role to uPAR in mobilizing chondrosarcoma cells and suggest that RERF peptide may be regarded as a prototype to generate new therapeutics for the chondrosarcoma treatment.

In this paper the design of a handheld light applicator for microwave heating is presented. The applicator is made of an array of resonant longitudinal slots cut on a broad wall of a rectangular waveguide, and it is covered by a cylindrical lens made of Plexiglas with a permittivity of 2.53. The geometrical optics approach is used as initial approximation to establish the lens profile. It allows for the shaping of the slotted waveguide's radiation pattern into a desired output pattern in the transversal plane. Three-dimensional simulation results show that the applicator performance can be improved at 2.45 GHz by using a homogeneous dielectric lens.

We propose a simple and rapid procedure which allows for the selective monitoring in solution of toxic compounds which behave as uncouplers of the oxidative phosphorylation. Since all phenols, are uncouplers of the oxidative phosphorylation, the procedure allows for the selective monitoring in solution of phenols even in presence of other toxic compounds. The biological sensor are the mitochondria from beef heart. This biosensor is easily available without a stabular and therefore the biosensor and the whole procedure is very simple and not expensive. By linear regression analysis, it results that the procedure well predicts the response of the standard fish method to phenols. Therefore the procedure can be utilized as prescreening analysis for the monitoring the phenols in aqueous samples.