The InSight HP3 Penetrator (Mole) on Mars: Soil Properties Derived from the Penetration Attempts and Related Activities

The NASA InSight Lander on Mars includes the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package HP³ to measure the surface heat flow of the planet. The package uses temperature sensors that would have been brought to the target depth of 3-5 m by a small penetrator, nicknamed the mole. The mole requiring friction on its hull to balance remaining recoil from its hammer mechanism did not penetrate to the targeted depth. Instead, by precessing about a point midway along its hull, it carved a 7 cm deep and 5-6 cm wide pit and reached a depth of initially 31 cm. The root cause of the failure - as was determined through an extensive, almost two years long campaign - was a lack of friction in an unexpectedly thick cohesive duricrust. During the campaign - described in detail in this paper - the mole penetrated further aided by friction applied using the scoop at the end of the robotic Instrument Deployment Arm and by direct support by the latter. The mole tip finally reached a depth of about 37 cm, bringing the mole back-end 1-2 cm below the surface. It reversed its downward motion twice during attempts to provide friction through pressure on the regolith instead of directly with the scoop to the mole hull. The penetration record of the mole was used to infer mechanical soil parameters such as the penetration resistance of the duricrust of 0.3-0.7 MPa and a penetration resistance of a deeper layer ( > 30 cm depth) of 4.9 ± 0.4 MPa . Using the mole's thermal sensors, thermal conductivity and diffusivity were measured. Applying cone penetration theory, the resistance of the duricrust was used to estimate a cohesion of the latter of 2-15 kPa depending on the internal friction angle of the duricrust. Pushing the scoop with its blade into the surface and chopping off a piece of duricrust provided another estimate of the cohesion of 5.8 kPa. The hammerings of the mole were recorded by the seismometer SEIS and the signals were used to derive P-wave and S-wave velocities representative of the topmost tens of cm of the regolith. Together with the density provided by a thermal conductivity and diffusivity measurement using the mole's thermal sensors, the elastic moduli were calculated from the seismic velocities. Using empirical correlations from terrestrial soil studies between the shear modulus and cohesion, the previous cohesion estimates were found to be consistent with the elastic moduli. The combined data were used to derive a model of the regolith that has an about 20 cm thick duricrust underneath a 1 cm thick unconsolidated layer of sand mixed with dust and above another 10 cm of unconsolidated sand. Underneath the latter, a layer more resistant to penetration and possibly containing debris from a small impact crater is inferred. The thermal conductivity increases from 14 mW/m K to 34 mW/m K through the 1 cm sand/dust layer, keeps the latter value in the duricrust and the sand layer underneath and then increases to 64 mW/m K in the sand/gravel layer below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11214-022-00941-z.

Time is domain: factors affecting primary fascial closure after trauma and non-trauma damage control laparotomy (data from the EAST SLEEP-TIME multicenter registry)

PURPOSE

Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is used for both traumatic and non-traumatic indications. Failure to achieve primary fascial closure (PFC) in a timely fashion has been associated with complications including sepsis, fistula, and mortality. We sought to identify factors associated with time to PFC in a multicenter retrospective cohort.

METHODS

We reviewed retrospective data from 15 centers in the EAST SLEEP-TIME registry, including age, comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]), small and large bowel resection, bowel discontinuity, vascular procedures, retained packs, number of re-laparotomies, net fluid balance after 24 h, trauma, and time to first takeback in 12-h increments to identify key factors associated with time to PFC.

RESULTS

In total, 368 patients (71.2% trauma, of which 50.6% were penetrating, median ISS 25 [16, 34], with median Apache II score 15 [11, 22] in non-trauma) were in the cohort. Of these, 92.9% of patients achieved PFC at 60.8 ± 72.0 h after 1.6 ± 1.2 re-laparotomies. Each additional re-laparotomy reduced the odds of PFC by 91.5% (95%CI 88.2-93.9%, p < 0.001). Time to first re-laparotomy was highly significant (p < 0.001) in terms of odds of achieving PFC, with no difference between 12 and 24 h to first re-laparotomy (ref), and decreases in odds of PFC of 78.4% (65.8-86.4%, p < 0.001) for first re-laparotomy after 24.1-36 h, 90.8% (84.7-94.4%, p < 0.001) for 36.1-48 h, and 98.1% (96.4-99.0%, p < 0.001) for > 48 h. Trauma patients had increased likelihood of PFC in two separate analyses (p = 0.022 and 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Time to re-laparotomy ≤ 24 h and minimizing number of re-laparotomies are highly predictive of rapid achievement of PFC in patients after trauma- and non-trauma DCL.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2B.

Trauma and nontrauma damage-control laparotomy: The difference is delirium (data from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma SLEEP-TIME multicenter trial)

BACKGROUND

Damage-control laparotomy (DCL) has been used for traumatic and nontraumatic indications. We studied factors associated with delirium and outcome in this population.

METHODS

We reviewed DCL patients at 15 centers for 2 years, including demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), diagnosis, operations, and outcomes. We compared 30-day mortality; renal failure requiring dialysis; number of takebacks; hospital, ventilator, and intensive care unit (ICU) days; and delirium-free and coma-free proportion of the first 30 ICU days (DF/CF-ICU-30) between trauma (T) and nontrauma (NT) patients. We performed linear regression for DF/CF-ICU-30, including age, sex, CCI, achievement of primary fascial closure (PFC), small and large bowel resection, bowel discontinuity, abdominal vascular procedures, and trauma as covariates. We performed one-way analysis of variance for DF/CF-ICU-30 against traumatic brain injury severity as measured by Abbreviated Injury Scale for the head.

RESULTS

Among 554 DCL patients (25.8% NT), NT patients were older (58.9 ± 15.8 vs. 39.7 ± 17.0 years, p < 0.001), more female (45.5% vs. 22.1%, p < 0.001), and had higher CCI (4.7 ± 3.3 vs. 1.1 ± 2.2, p < 0.001). The number of takebacks (1.7 ± 2.6 vs. 1.5 ± 1.2), time to first takeback (32.0 hours), duration of bowel discontinuity (47.0 hours), and time to PFC were similar (63.2 hours, achieved in 73.5%). Nontrauma and T patients had similar ventilator, ICU, and hospital days and mortality (31.0% NT, 29.8% T). Nontrauma patients had higher rates of renal failure requiring dialysis (36.6% vs. 14.1%, p < 0.001) and postoperative abdominal sepsis (40.1% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001). Trauma and NT patients had similar number of hours of sedative (89.9 vs. 65.5 hours, p = 0.064) and opioid infusions (106.9 vs. 96.7 hours, p = 0.514), but T had lower DF/CF-ICU-30 (51.1% vs. 73.7%, p = 0.029), indicating more delirium. Linear regression analysis indicated that T was associated with a 32.1% decrease (95% CI, 14.6%-49.5%; p < 0.001) in DF/CF-ICU-30, while achieving PFC was associated with a 25.1% increase (95% CI, 10.2%-40.1%; p = 0.001) in DF/CFICU-30. Increasing Abbreviated Injury Scale for the head was associated with decreased DF/CF-ICU-30 by analysis of variance (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Nontrauma patients had higher incidence of postoperative abdominal sepsis and need for dialysis, while T was independently associated with increased delirium, perhaps because of traumatic brain injury.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, level IV.

Dual-mode auto-calibrating resistance thermometer: A novel approach with Johnson noise thermometry

A dual-mode auto-calibrating resistance thermometer (DART) is presented. The novel DART concept combines in one instrument the fast and accurate resistance thermometry with the primary method of Johnson noise thermometry. Unlike previous approaches, the new thermometer measures the spectral density of the thermal noise in the sensing resistor directly in a sequential measurement procedure without using correlation techniques. A sophisticated data analysis corrects the thermometer output for both the parasitic effects of the sensor wiring and the amplifier current noise. The instrument features a highly linear low-noise DC coupled amplifier with negative feedback as well as an accurate voltage reference and reference resistor to improve the gain stability over time and ambient temperature. Therefore, the system needs only infrequent calibrations with electrical quantum standards and can be operated over long intervals and a wide temperature range without recalibration. A first prototype is designed for the industrially relevant temperature range of the IEC 60751 (-200 °C to +850 °C); a later extension of the measurement range is being considered. A proof-of-principle measurement with a calibrated Pt100 sensor at room temperature yielded an uncertainty of about 100 µK/K. The final device is expected to reach uncertainties of below 10 µK/K, suitable for accurate measurements of the difference between thermodynamic temperatures and temperatures traceable to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90).

Lumbar and sacral brucellosis due to queso fresco ingestion

Brucellosis is rare in the USA, with 100–200 cases reported annually. In this case we illustrate the complex management of spinal brucellosis. A 22-year-old male presented with 3 months of low back pain. Imaging revealed osteomyelitis/diskitis of L5/S1 and abscesses involving the pre-vertebral, epidural and pelvic recesses. Initial biopsies were inconclusive, but the patient later endorsed eating unpasteurized cheese (queso fresco) from Mexico; therefore, Brucella serology was sent and was positive. Despite aggressive antibiotic therapy there was disease progression. The patient underwent debridement of the involved vertebrae and drainage. Multiple cultures failed to grow the organisms, but Brucella polymerase chain reaction was positive. A month later he underwent a second vertebral debridement as well as placement of tobramycin impregnated beads in the vertebral space. He has since recovered. Surgery should be considered if there is a poor response to medical management and patients may need repeated debridement.

Images from the surface of asteroid Ryugu show rocks similar to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites

The near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu is a 900-m-diameter dark object expected to contain primordial material from the solar nebula. The Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) landed on Ryugu's surface on 3 October 2018. We present images from the MASCOT camera (MASCam) taken during the descent and while on the surface. The surface is covered by decimeter- to meter-sized rocks, with no deposits of fine-grained material. Rocks appear either bright, with smooth faces and sharp edges, or dark, with a cauliflower-like, crumbly surface. Close-up images of a rock of the latter type reveal a dark matrix with small, bright, spectrally different inclusions, implying that it did not experience extensive aqueous alteration. The inclusions appear similar to those in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites.

Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) for Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species Detection in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Assurance Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Hayabusa2 arrives at the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu-A spinning top-shaped rubble pile

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu in 2018. We present Hayabusa2 observations of Ryugu's shape, mass, and geomorphology. Ryugu has an oblate "spinning top" shape, with a prominent circular equatorial ridge. Its bulk density, 1.19 ± 0.02 grams per cubic centimeter, indicates a high-porosity (>50%) interior. Large surface boulders suggest a rubble-pile structure. Surface slope analysis shows Ryugu's shape may have been produced from having once spun at twice the current rate. Coupled with the observed global material homogeneity, this suggests that Ryugu was reshaped by centrifugally induced deformation during a period of rapid rotation. From these remote-sensing investigations, we identified a suitable sample collection site on the equatorial ridge.

Noise-optimized ultrastable low-noise current amplifier

We have developed a noise-optimized ultrastable low-noise current amplifier (ULCA) aimed at reducing the uncertainty at low currents. It involves a thin-film resistor network with 6.75 GΩ at the high-ohmic path which reduces the noise level to 1.6 fA/Hz. Noise investigations as well as short-term and long-term stability studies were carried out. The stability of the input current gain was measured using a cryogenic current comparator at ±6.1 nA. Methods for investigating the measurement accuracy at low input currents of about 100 pA at a level of below one part in 10⁷ are introduced and experimentally verified. The performance of the noise-optimized ULCA is compared with that of the standard variant introduced in 2014. It is shown that the reduced noise floor is achieved without impairing the stability of the transresistance.

Effectiveness of a 1-Hour Extended Focused Assessment With Sonography in Trauma Session in the Medical Student Surgery Clerkship

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the effectiveness of incorporating 1 hour of ultrasound training on the extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) into the year-3 medical student surgical clerkship.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study where participants served as self-controls. One hour of instruction in the eFAST examination, along with 3 required observed examinations, was incorporated into the year-3 surgery clerkship. Effectiveness of the training was evaluated by a preliminary and posttraining assessment. An online survey was used assessing comfort based on a 5-point Likert scale. An online quiz was used assessing knowledge, and a 2-part objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was used assessing skill and speed. Participants also logged 3 eFAST examinations during the 10-week clerkship where they reported their comfort in performing and interpreting the eFAST on a 5-point Likert scale. Postassessment was held during the last week of the clerkship and included the same online quiz, survey, and 2-part OSCE.

SETTING

The study was performed at Loma Linda University and affiliated hospitals where surgical clerkship students rotate.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 148 year-3 medical students completed the study.

RESULTS

All testing modalities showed improvement. The mean average of the OSCE improved from 46% ± 27% to 81% ± 18%. The percentage of participants able to perform the examination in less than 6 minutes increased from 18% ± 27% to 84% ± 36%. Participants' comfort level in recognizing eFAST pathology increased from a mean of 2.40 ± 0.94 to 3.55 ± 0.87 out of 5. Comfort in performing the eFAST examination improved from 2.81 ± 0.79 to 3.77 ± 0.68. Comfort in interpreting the eFAST examination improved from 2.88 ± 0.87 to 3.65 ± 0.72.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that incorporating 1 hour of eFAST training into the general surgery clerkship is feasible and may lead to improved competency in performing and interpreting the eFAST examination.

Measurement of sub-picoampere direct currents with uncertainties below ten attoamperes

A new type of the ultrastable low-noise current amplifier (ULCA) is presented. It involves thick-film resistors to achieve a high feedback resistance of 185 GΩ at the input amplifier. An improved noise level of 0.4 fA/Hz with a 1/f corner of about 30 μHz and an effective input bias current well below 100 aA are demonstrated. For small direct currents, measurement uncertainties below 10 aA are achievable even without current reversal or on/off switching. Above about 1 pA, the stability of the ULCA's resistor network limits the relative measurement uncertainty to about 10 parts per million. The new setup is used to characterize and optimize the noise in the wiring installed on a dilution refrigerator for current measurements on single-electron transport pumps. In a test configuration connected to the wiring in a pulse tube refrigerator, a total noise floor of 0.44 fA/Hz was achieved including the contributions of amplifier and cryogenic wiring.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of in vivo proton MR spectroscopy for Zellweger syndrome spectrum patients

Defects in the biogenesis of peroxisomes cause a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neurometabolic disorders, the Zellweger syndrome spectrum (ZSS). Diagnosis predominantly is based on characteristic clinical symptoms, a typical biochemical profile, as well as on identification of the molecular defect in any of the 12 known human PEX genes. The diagnostic workup can be hindered if the typical clinical symptoms are missing and predicting the clinical course of a given patient is almost unfeasible. As a safe and noninvasive method to analyze specific chemical compounds in localized brain regions, in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can provide an indication in this diagnostic process and may help predict the clinical course. However, to date, there are very few reports on this topic. In this study, we performed localized in vivo proton MRS without confounding contributions from T1- and T2-relaxation effects at 2 Tesla in a comparably large group of seven ZSS patients. Patients' absolute metabolite concentrations in cortical gray matter, white matter, and basal ganglia were assessed and compared with age-matched control values. Our results confirm and extend knowledge about in vivo MRS findings in ZSS patients. Besides affirmation of nonspecific reduction of N-acetylaspartate + N-acetylaspartylglutamate (tNAA) in combination with lipid accumulation as a diagnostic hint for this disease group, the amount of tNAA loss seems to reflect disease burden and may prove to be of prognostic value regarding the clinical course of an already diagnosed patient.

Reducing current noise in cryogenic experiments by vacuum-insulated cables

We measure the current noise of several cryogenic cables in a pulse tube based dilution refrigerator at frequencies between about 1 mHz and 50 kHz. We show that vibration-induced noise can be efficiently suppressed by using vacuum-insulated cables between room temperature and the 2nd pulse tube stage. A noise peak below 4 fA at the 1.4 Hz operation frequency of the pulse tube and a white noise density of 0.44 fA/Hz in the millihertz range are obtained.

Fitting Higgs data with nonlinear effective theory

In a recent paper we showed that the electroweak chiral Lagrangian at leading order is equivalent to the conventional [Formula: see text] formalism used by ATLAS and CMS to test Higgs anomalous couplings. Here we apply this fact to fit the latest Higgs data. The new aspect of our analysis is a systematic interpretation of the fit parameters within an EFT. Concentrating on the processes of Higgs production and decay that have been measured so far, six parameters turn out to be relevant: [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. A global Bayesian fit is then performed with the result [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. Additionally, we show how this leading-order parametrization can be generalized to next-to-leading order, thus improving the [Formula: see text] formalism systematically. The differences with a linear EFT analysis including operators of dimension six are also discussed. One of the main conclusions of our analysis is that since the conventional [Formula: see text] formalism can be properly justified within a QFT framework, it should continue to play a central role in analyzing and interpreting Higgs data.

EUROPattern Suite technology for computer-aided immunofluorescence microscopy in autoantibody diagnostics

Antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA) are highly informative biomarkers in autoimmune diagnostics. The increasing demand for effective test systems, however, has led to the development of a confusingly large variety of different platforms. One of them, the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), is regarded as the common gold standard for ANA screening, as described in a position statement by the American College of Rheumatology in 2009. Technological solutions have been developed aimed at standardization and automation of IIF to overcome methodological limitations and subjective bias in IIF interpretation. In this review, we present the EUROPattern Suite, a system for computer-aided immunofluorescence microscopy (CAIFM) including automated acquisition of digital images and evaluation of IIF results. The system was originally designed for ANA diagnostics on human epithelial cells, but its applications have been extended with the latest system update version 1.5 to the analysis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and anti-dsDNA antibodies.

Ultrastable low-noise current amplifier: a novel device for measuring small electric currents with high accuracy

An ultrastable low-noise current amplifier (ULCA) is presented. The ULCA is a non-cryogenic instrument based on specially designed operational amplifiers and resistor networks. It involves two stages, the first providing a 1000-fold current gain and the second performing a current-to-voltage conversion via an internal 1 MΩ reference resistor or, optionally, an external standard resistor. The ULCA's transfer coefficient is highly stable versus time, temperature, and current amplitude within the full dynamic range of ±5 nA. The low noise level of 2.4 fA/√Hz helps to keep averaging times short at small input currents. A cryogenic current comparator is used to calibrate both input current gain and output transresistance, providing traceability to the quantum Hall effect. Within one week after calibration, the uncertainty contribution from short-term fluctuations and drift of the transresistance is about 0.1 parts per million (ppm). The long-term drift is typically 5 ppm/yr. A high-accuracy variant is available that shows improved stability of the input gain at the expense of a higher noise level of 7.5 fA/√Hz. The ULCA also allows the traceable generation of small electric currents or the calibration of high-ohmic resistors.

Structure-property relationship of anilino-squaraines in organic solar cells

Soluble molecular semiconductors are a promising alternative to semiconducting polymers in the field of organic photovoltaics. Here, three custom-made symmetric 1,3-bis(N,N-alkylated-2,6-dihydroxy-anilino)squaraines containing systematic variations in their molecular structures are compared regarding their applicability as donor materials in bulk-heterojunction solar cells. The terminal substitution pattern of the squaraines is varied from cyclic over linear to branched including a stereogenic center. Single crystal structures are determined, and, in the case of chiral squaraine, unusual formation of stereoisomer co-crystals is revealed. The thin film absorbance spectra show characteristic signatures of H- and J-bands or hint at the formation of tautomers. The general feasibility of these model compounds for photovoltaic applications is studied by light-induced electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The impact of the different molecular substitution patterns on aggregation behavior and, consequently, their optoelectronic solid state properties including charge carrier mobility and finally the solar cell performance are investigated.

Short term clinical efficacy of new meridol HALITOSIS tooth & tongue gel in combination with a tongue cleaner to reduce oral malodor

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the short term efficacy of tongue cleaning with meridol HALITOSIS tooth & tongue gel in comparison to mechanical tongue cleaning alone and untreated after five and 60 minutes in patients with an oral cause of bad breath.

METHODS

Fifty-four male and female subjects with an intra-oral cause of halitosis (organoleptic ratings > or = 2 and volatile sulphur compounds > or = 50 ppb) participated in this crossover study and were assigned to six different treatment sequences (ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA) with no treatment (A), mechanical tongue cleaning alone (B), and tongue cleaning with tooth & tongue gel applied to the tongue cleaner (C). Efficacy was assessed by organoleptic ratings and volatile sulphur compound measurements five and 60 minutes after treatment

RESULTS

Cleaning the tongue with tooth & tongue gel applied onto the tongue cleaner resulted in significantly reduced organoleptic ratings (p < 0.001 for the five-minute assessment; p = 0.001 for the 60-minute assessment) and volatile sulphur compounds (H2S + CH3SH: p = 0.005 for the five-minute assessment; p = 0.003 for the 60-minute assessment) compared to no treatment at the five- and 60-minute assessment time points, while mechanical tongue cleaning alone was less effective in reducing organoleptic ratings (p = 0.008 for the five-minute assessment; p = 0.144 for the 60-minute assessment) and volatile sulphur compounds (H2S + CH3SH: p = 0.261 for the five-minute assessment; p = 0.365 for the 60-minute assessment).

CONCLUSIONS

Single tongue cleaning with meridol HALITOSIS tooth & tongue gel had a positive effect on halitosis five and 60 minutes after treatment. Tongue cleaning with tooth & tongue gel in combination with other oral hygiene procedures is a promising approach to control halitosis.

On-line monitoring of oxygen as a non-destructive method to quantify cells in engineered 3D tissue constructs

Regulatory guidelines have established the importance of introducing quantitative quality controls during the production and/or at the time of release of cellular grafts for clinical applications. In this study we aimed to determine whether on-line measurements of oxygen can be used as a non-destructive method to estimate the number of chondrocytes within an engineered cartilage graft. Human chondrocytes were seeded and cultured in a perfusion bioreactor, and oxygen levels in the culture medium were continuously monitored at the inlet and outlet of the bioreactor chamber throughout the culture period. We found that the drop in oxygen across the perfused construct was linearly correlated with the number of cells per construct (R(2)  = 0.82, p < 0.0001). The method was valid for a wide range of cell numbers, including cell densities currently used in the manufacture of cartilage grafts for clinical applications. Given that few or no non-destructive assays that quantitatively characterize an engineered construct currently exist, this non-invasive method could represent a relevant instrument in regulatory compliant manufacturing of engineered grafts meeting specific quality criteria.

Effects of Degradable Mg-Ca Alloys on Dendritic Cell Function

Degradable magnesium alloys are new materials for implants used in orthopedic and trauma surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of degradable magnesium alloys on the function of dendritic cells (DC) as these cells represent the major antigen presenting cells of the body. MgP (pure magnesium), MgCa 0.6 (0.6% calcium), MgCa 0.8 (0.8% calcium), MgCa 1.0 (1% calcium), and MgCa 1.2 (1.2% calcium) alloys were degraded in cell culture medium. In parallel, murine bone marrow-derived DC were incubated with increasing concentrations (0.1—10 mmol/L) of magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, respectively. Incubation of DC with degradation media over 6 days had no influence on cell viability and only marginal influence on DC migration. Also, the production of TNFα and expression of CD86 was not enhanced by incubation with degraded magnesium alloys. The mixed leukocyte reaction revealed that there was also no increase of the T-cell proliferation in comparison to untreated controls. However, there was a trend toward macrophage development at the expense of DC expansion and an enhanced DC migration was induced by incubation with higher magnesium concentrations. Particularly the latter should be verified in in vivo experiments.

Molecular mechanisms and gene regulation of melphalan- and hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in Ewing sarcoma cells

The prognosis of high-risk Ewing tumours (HR-ET) remains poor. Melphalan-containing chemotherapy regimens are commonly applied for HR-ET patients. Moreover, melphalan (Mel) is a promising agent in thermochemotherapy. Therefore, we investigated the single effects, the synergism and the gene regulation of Mel and hyperthermia (HT) in an ET cell line (RD-ES). Dose-dependent cytotoxicity by Mel was demonstrated, which was enhanced by the concomitant application of HT (42 degrees C for 2 h). Mel, HT and their combination caused a significant activation of caspase-3. Using the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk, we demonstrated that both stimuli mediated predominantly caspase-dependent cytotoxicity. With cDNA array analysis, 20 out of 198 apoptosis-related genes were identified to be differentially expressed by Mel and/or HT. Although a significant enhancement of three selected genes could not be proven at the protein level in subsequent experiments, this study gives insight into the complex molecular and genetic response of tumour cells to cytotoxic stimulation.

[Validation of antibody screening by indirect antigloblin test and ABO blood typing by filtration and microplate techniques: assessment of robustness]

According to requirements of the French Committee for Accreditation (Cofrac), it is essential to use validated and standardised methods in Immunohematology. This imposes first the knowledge of metrological tolerances for all the technics. Two multicenter studies were carried out to define the maximal acceptable deviations concerning incubation temperature and time, volumes of patient plasma and tests cells for antibody screening using indirect antiglobulin test on one hand and for reverse grouping on another hand. All equipment used (temperature test chamber, chronometer, pipettes) were calibrated according to Cofrac standards. The antibody screenings were performed manually using 3 different filtration systems: ID Diamed, Biovue Ortho and Scangel Biorad, the same tests cells, a standard 20 ng/mL anti RH1, a positive control anti KEL1 and a negative control; the reverse blood grouping was performed manually using the above mentionned filtration systems and microplate technic with the same A1 and B test cells. These two studies showed that all the tests from the multiples combinations of the above parameters gave the same results and allowed us to define a range of tolerance for 4 critical physical parameters involved in the antibody screening and blood typing.

Peptaibiomics: an advanced, rapid and selective analysis of peptaibiotics/peptaibols by SPE/LC-ES-MS

"Proteomics" and "peptidomics" are used as technical terms to define the analysis and study of all proteins and peptides expressed in an organism or tissue. In analogy we propose the name peptaibiomics for the analysis of a group of fungal peptide antibiotics (peptaibiotics) containing the characteristic amino acid Aib (alpha-aminoisobutyric acid). In analogy to the peptidome the complete expression of peptaibiotics by fungal multienzyme complexes should be named the peptaibiome. Peptaibiotics are defined as peptides containing Aib and exerting a variety of bioactivities. They comprise the sub-groups of N-acetylated peptaibols, characterized also by a C-terminal amide-linked 2-amino alcohol, and lipopeptaibols having in place of an acetyl group a lipophilic fatty acid acyl group. Furthermore, lipoaminopeptides are also known with long-chain fatty acid on the N-termini, a lipoamino acid in position three and a strongly basic secondary or tertiary amine form a subgroup of mixed forms which could not be integrated in one of these three previously mentioned groups. Here we present a specific and rapid screening method on the peptaibiome applicable directly onto filamentous fungi cultured in a single Petri dish. The method comprises solid-phase extraction (SPE) of peptaibiotics followed by on-line reversed-phase HPLC coupled to an ion trap electrospray tandem mass spectrometer (ES-MS). The presence of these peptides is indicated by characteristic mass differences of Deltam = 85.1 Da representing Aib-residues which can be observed in the b-series of acylium fragment ions resulting from ES-MS. Partial sequences can be deduced from the data and compared with structures compiled in electronic peptaibol data bases. The judgement is possible whether or not structures are novel, already known or related to known structures. Suitability of the method is demonstrated with the analysis of strains of Trichoderma and its teleomorph Hypocrea. New sequences of peptaibiotics are presented and those being related to established 10- to 18-residue peptaibols trichovirin, trichogin and trichotoxin, which have been described in the literature.

TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity in a melphalan-resistant rhabdomyosarcoma cell line via activation of caspase-2

The prognosis for patients with chemo-refractory rhabdomyosarcoma remains poor. The tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a hopeful candidate for new strategies in chemotherapy. The effects of TRAIL and melphalan (Mel) in the rhabdomyosarcoma cell line TE-671 were investigated by colorimetric caspase assays and flow cytometry. TRAIL induced the activation of caspases-2, -3 and -8, but not the activation of caspase-9, in the Mel-resistant TE-671 cells. Inhibition of caspase-2 with the caspase-2 inhibitor z-VDVAD-fmk significantly down-regulated the TRAIL-induced caspase-3 activation, as well as the TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. When TE-671 cells were treated with a combination of Mel and TRAIL, a significant synergism of drug-induced cytotoxicity was obtained. The inhibition of caspase-2 could completely abolish caspase-3 activation, suggesting that TRAIL sensitises TE-671 cells for Mel-induced cytotoxicity via a caspase-2- and -3-dependent mechanism. In conclusion, it was shown, for the first time, that TRAIL could sensitise Mel-resistant tumour cells to melphalan.