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We present a mechanical platform with enhanced vibration damping properties for cavity quantum-electrodynamics experiments. It is based on a composite design that combines a soft, vibration damping core with a rigid shell maintaining optical alignment. It passively damps the vibrations generated by piezoelectric actuators controlling the mirror positions. The mechanical resonances of the platform, which lead to a length change of the cavity, are efficiently suppressed up to 100 kHz. Our platform is ultra-high vacuum compatible and can be used in most applications, in particular, where long cavities and optical access to the cavity center are required.

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BACKGROUND: Adipokine secretion is influenced by various disease conditions. PURPOSE: We wanted to check the impact of rectal carcinoma (RC) on adipokine profile. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated serum leptin and adiponectin levels in 24 RC patients (12 males and 12 females) as well as in the same number of age, sex and weight-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Adipokines were oppositely correlated with body weight (BW) in controls and RC patients. Women had higher adipokine levels than men. Healthy controls had higher leptin (37.6.±7.8 vs. 7.9±2.6 ng/mL in women and 11.9±4.6 vs. 1.4±0.34 ng/mL in men, p=0.0016 and 0.043) and lower adiponectin levels (9.3±1.1 vs. 14.9±1.1 µg/mL in women and 7.9±0.9 vs. 11.1±0.9 µg/mL in men, p=0.012 and 0.017) than RC patients. CONCLUSION: Adipokine profiles of patients with RC differ from the healthy population, possibly reflecting an adaptation to the disease rather than a triggering factor. These differences may find clinical applications for the prognosis of disease evolution.

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BACKGROUND: The incidence and impact of postoperative complications are poorly described. Failure-to-rescue, the rate of death following complications, is an important quality measure for perioperative care but has not been investigated across multiple health care systems. METHODS: We analysed data collected during the International Surgical Outcomes Study, an international 7-day cohort study of adults undergoing elective inpatient surgery. Hospitals were ranked by quintiles according to surgical procedural volume (Q1 lowest to Q5 highest). For each quintile we assessed in-hospital complications rates, mortality, and failure-to-rescue. We repeated this analysis ranking hospitals by risk-adjusted complication rates (Q1 lowest to Q5 highest). RESULTS: A total of 44 814 patients from 474 hospitals in 27 low-, middle-, and high-income countries were available for analysis. Of these, 7508 (17%) developed one or more postoperative complication, with 207 deaths in hospital (0.5%), giving an overall failure-to-rescue rate of 2.8%. When hospitals were ranked in quintiles by procedural volume, we identified a three-fold variation in mortality (Q1: 0.6% vs Q5: 0.2%) and a two-fold variation in failure-to-rescue (Q1: 3.6% vs Q5: 1.7%). Ranking hospitals in quintiles by risk-adjusted complication rate further confirmed the presence of important variations in failure-to-rescue, indicating differences between hospitals in the risk of death among patients after they develop complications. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of failure-to-rescue rates across health care systems suggests the presence of preventable postoperative deaths. Using such metrics, developing nations could benefit from a data-driven approach to quality improvement, which has proved effective in high-income countries.

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A major challenge for the implementation of hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) as a continuous process is the formulation of lignocellulosic feedstock, which is prone to phase separation into water and biomass parts when pressurized. One approach to remedy such phase separation is to reduce the dry matter content; however, as this approach is detrimental to process cost efficiency, designing an appropriate pretreatment step to ensure pumpability at high dry matter content is preferable. This paper evaluated the effect of various pretreatment methods on product distribution and composition resulting from the HTL of willow and proposes short rotation coppice as an alternative biomass feedstock for biofuels production. Alkaline-thermal pretreatment, besides making high dry matter pumpable feedstock slurries, also led to an increase in the production of the bio-crude product with an oxygen content lower than 8wt% and a higher concentration of aromatics and phenolic compounds.

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BACKGROUND: The prevalence of use of the World Health Organization surgical checklist is unknown. The clinical effectiveness of this intervention in improving postoperative outcomes is debated. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective analysis of data describing surgical checklist use from a 7 day cohort study of surgical outcomes in 28 European nations (European Surgical Outcomes Study, EuSOS). The analysis included hospitals recruiting >10 patients and excluding outlier hospitals above the 95th centile for mortality. Multivariate logistic regression and three-level hierarchical generalized mixed models were constructed to explore the relationship between surgical checklist use and hospital mortality. Findings are presented as crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 45 591 patients from 426 hospitals were included in the analysis. A surgical checklist was used in 67.5% patients, with marked variation across countries (0-99.6% of patients). Surgical checklist exposure was associated with lower crude hospital mortality (OR 0.84, CI 0.75-0.94; P=0.002). This effect remained after adjustment for baseline risk factors in a multivariate model (adjusted OR 0.81, CI 0.70-0.94; P<0.005) and strengthened after adjusting for variations within countries and hospitals in a three-level generalized mixed model (adjusted OR 0.71, CI 0.58-0.85; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of surgical checklists varies across European nations. Reported use of a checklist was associated with lower mortality. This observation may represent a protective effect of the surgical checklist itself, or alternatively, may be an indirect indicator of the quality of perioperative care. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The European Surgical Outcomes Study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01203605.

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BACKGROUND: Leptin (LPT), a hormone secreted by adipocytes,plays a role in inflammation and infection. Our study aimed to characterize the early dynamics of LPT in comparison with CRP and IL-6 during systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS) and sepsis in surgical patients. METHODS: Sixty patients were assigned into 3 equal groups:SIRS (SI) group with major abdominal elective surgery;sepsis (SE) group with community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infection and controls (C). LPT, CRP and IL-6 were measured initially in all groups and repeated in groups SI and SE within 5 days after surgery (9 samples - 4 day 1, 2 day 2, 1 next 3 days). RESULTS: LPT increased at 12-24 hours in SI group, but stayed within normal range in SE group. CRP and IL-6 had higher values in SE group versus SI group with an early peak for IL-6 and a late peak for CRP. CONCLUSIONS: LPT has a different early dynamics during SIRS and sepsis. LPT measurement in association with CRP or IL-6 may be useful in the differential diagnosis and prognosis of surgical critical illness at different time courses.

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A prospective, multicentre, phase IIIb study with an exploratory, open-label design was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of anidulafungin for the treatment of candidaemia/invasive candidiasis (C/IC) in specific ICU patient populations. Adult ICU patients with confirmed C/IC meeting ≥ 1 of the following criteria were enrolled: post-abdominal surgery, solid tumour, renal/hepatic insufficiency, solid organ transplant, neutropaenia, and age ≥ 65 years. Patients received anidulafungin (200 mg on day 1, 100 mg/day thereafter) for 10-42 days, optionally followed by oral voriconazole/fluconazole. The primary efficacy endpoint was global (clinical and microbiological) response at the end of all therapy (EOT). Secondary endpoints included global response at the end of intravenous therapy (EOIVT) and at 2 and 6 weeks post-EOT, survival at day 90, and incidence of adverse events (AEs). The primary efficacy analysis was performed in the modified intent-to-treat (MITT) population, excluding unknown/missing responses. The safety and MITT populations consisted of 216 and 170 patients, respectively. The most common pathogens were Candida albicans (55.9%), C. glabrata (14.7%) and C. parapsilosis (10.0%). Global success was 69.5% (107/154; 95% CI, 61.6-76.6) at EOT, 70.7% (111/157) at EOIVT, 60.2% (77/128) at 2 weeks post-EOT, and 50.5% (55/109) at 6 weeks post-EOT. When unknown/missing responses were included as failures, the respective success rates were 62.9%, 65.3%, 45.3% and 32.4%. Survival at day 90 was 53.8%. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 33/216 (15.3%) patients, four (1.9%) of whom had serious AEs. Anidulafungin was effective, safe and well tolerated for the treatment of C/IC in selected groups of ICU patients.

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INTRODUCTION: The quality of harvested organs is crucial for graft survival and for posttransplant evolution. This study sought to investigate the evolution of the functional status of brain death (BD) patients during the period between declaration and organ harvesting (BD duration). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included all BD patients who underwent organ harvesting between January 2006 and June 2009. We compared the functional status regarding hemodynamics, respiration, kidney and liver function, coagulation, water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance evaluated at the moment of BD declaration (P1) and just before organ harvesting (P2). The results of the comparison were expressed as improvement, stable, or aggravation. We calculated mean values of the functional parameters in P1 and P2 and the statistical significance of the differences. RESULTS: Twelve BD patients were included in the study. The time interval between P1 and P2 was 16.08 +/- 8.54 hours (range, 6-32). The number of patients with vasopressor support was 9/12 at P1 and 0/12 at P2, oxygenation disturbances 1/12 in P1 and 0/12 in P2, renal dysfunction 9/12 in P1 and 2/12 in P2, liver dysfunction 7/12 in P1 and 1/12 in P2, coagulopathy 4/12 in P1 and 0/12 in P2, hypernatremia 8/12 in P1 and 3/12 in P2, and metabolic acidosis 9/12 in P1 and 1/12 in P2. The overall assessment showed improvement in all patients. The most statistically significant improvement was registered in the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, liver, and acid-base status (P < .05). CONCLUSION: With early, aggressive, protocolized donor management, functional improvement may be achieved during BD duration.

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INTRODUCTION: In November 2007, a legislative initiative regarding the presumed consent for organ donation was proposed for parliamentary debate in Romania and was followed by public debate. The study aimed to asses public opinions expressed in the Romanian media. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An Internet search was made. The pro and con reasons, the affiliation of parts involved in the debate and suggested future direction of action were identified. RESULTS: The Internet search had 8572 results. The parts involved in the pro and con debate consisted of governmental structures, physicians, ethicists, politicians, media, religious authorities, nongovernmental associations, and lay persons. The main pros were the low rate of organ donation and the long waiting lists, enhancement of organ procurement, avoidance of wasting valuable organs, avoiding responsibility, and the stress imposed to the family in giving the donation consent, humanitarian purposes (saving lives), going along with the scientific progress, and less bureaucracy. The main cons were an unethical issue, violation of human rights, denial of brain death, unethical advantage of public ignorance, unethical use of underprivileged people, little results in terms of organ procurement, but huge negative effects on public opinion, public mistrust in transplant programs and impossibility of refusal identification due to particularities of the Romanian medical system. CONCLUSION: The con opinions prevailed. For the moment, Romania seems to be unprepared to accept presumed consent. A future change in public perception regarding organ transplantation may modify the terms of a public debate.

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AIM: To evaluate the rate of organ donation after brain death in 2 tertiary care medical centers of a Romanian city, the reasons for donation exclusion (donors or organs), and identification of potential strategies for improvement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study retrospectively evaluated potential organ donors with brain death (BD) who were identified between January 2006 and June 2009 in an university city of Romania. The potential donors were considered patients with severe intracranial pathology and clinical signs of brain death who were reported to the regional transplant team. The BD declaration was completed according to the Law of Transplant Procurement and Management in Romania: clinical signs of brain stem death, apnea test, and flat EEG, criteria that must be fulfilled twice at a 6 hour interval. According to Romanian law, family consent is mandatory for organ harvesting. RESULTS: The study included 35 potential donors, of whom 22 had a declaration of BD. Failure of potential donors to be declared BD was caused by positive viral serology (n = 7), improvement in clinical status (n = 2), sudden cardiac arrest (n = 2), and refusal of physician in charge (n = 2). Among the 22 with a BD declaration, organ harvesting was performed in only 12 cases due to family refusal (n = 10). In 4 cases the planned organ harvesting was aborted owing to unexpected intraoperative findings. DISCUSSION: Factors that generate the low rate of organ procurement include local organizational particularities, a high rate of viral infections, poor education, (both of lay persons and of medical personnel), restrictive criteria for BD declaration and the mandatory need for family approval. CONCLUSION: The rate of donation in this university city of Romania is still low. Several strategies have been identified to improve the rate: better identification of potential donors, better management, and education of the public and of health care personnel.

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During the growing season of 2009, a disease consisting of leaf rolling, top yellows, and plant stunting affected pea (Pisum sativum) in fields near Aschersleben, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Samples from symptomatic plants collected in July 2009 were analyzed at the JKI in Braunschweig for infections by various legume viruses by ELISA, immunoelectron microscopy, and transmission assays by sap and aphids. Of 23 samples, 9 were shown to contain Pea enation mosaic virus and three samples each contained Bean leafroll virus and Soybean dwarf virus. From two further samples that had tested negative for the aforementioned viruses, we succeeded in transferring a disease agent to faba bean (Vicia faba) seedlings by giving 50 to 100 individuals of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) acquisition and inoculation access feedings each of ~48 h. Following vector transmission, the agent caused severe yellowing and stunting in pea and faba bean, sometimes followed by necrosis. Attempts at mechanical transmission of the agent failed, and isolation of double-stranded RNA from infected tissue was not successful. Therefore, we considered the possible presence of a nanovirus (4). When using polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) against Faba bean necrotic yellows virus (FBNYV) for double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA analysis of the two isolates of the disease agent we observed weak but clearly positive reactions. To confirm these weak DAS-ELISA reactions, we used all available monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against FBNYV (1) and faba bean necrotic stunt virus (FBNSV) (3) individually in triple-antibody sandwich (TAS)-ELISA in combination with the FBNYV PAbs for plate coating. Six of 26 MAbs reacted from weak to strong with the two pea isolates, with MAbs FBNYV-3-1F7 and FBNSV-5-1G8 giving the strongest reactions and none of the MAbs giving a differential reaction with the two pea isolates. Employing rolling circle amplification of total DNA extracted from symptomatic leaves of one of the pea isolates yielded a substantial amount of high molecular weight DNA, whereas little or no amplification occurred when using DNA from noninoculated pea leaves. Restriction of the amplified DNA in a nanovirus iteron-specific manner by AatII endonuclease yielded a predominant and abundant product of ~1 kb (3). Sequence comparisons of eight cloned DNAs of 1,002 nucleotides long unequivocally identified them as complete DNA-R component of a new member of the genus Nanovirus (2,4). Its DNA-R sequence (GenBank No. GU553134) is nearly equidistant from the DNA-R sequences of FBNYV (Y11405), FBNSV (GQ150778), Milk vetch dwarf virus (MDV) (AB027511) and Subterranean clover stunt virus (SCSV) (AJ290434), sharing with them respective sequence identities of 79, 78, 79, and 73%. Moreover, it is more distinct from the DNA-R sequences of FBNYV, FBNSV, and MDV than the three latter are from each other (86 to 91%). This together with the serological data relating to the capsid protein properties of this virus strongly suggest that it is distinct from the hitherto described nanoviruses FBNYV, MDV, FBNSV, and SCSV. Therefore, we propose the name pea necrotic yellow dwarf virus (PNYDV) for this new nanovirus naturally infecting pea in Germany. References: (1) A. Franz et al. Ann. Appl. Biol. 128:255, 1996. (2) I. Grigoras et al. J. Gen. Virol. 89:583, 2008. (3) I. Grigoras et al. J. Virol. 83:10778, 2009. (4) H. J. Vetten et al. Page 343 in: Virus Taxonomy. Elsevier/Academic Press, London, 2005.

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Endoscopy plays a major role in the evaluation of upper digestive haemorrhage. We evaluate the difficulties in the introduction of emergency endoscopy in a period of transition, regarding mentalities and errors generated by the learning curve. The study includes 512 consecutive patients admitted with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. We retrospectively evaluate some proposed efficiency criteria for the diagnostic endoscopy: the frequency of incomplete endoscopic evaluation (14%), frequency and causes of endoscopic diagnostic errors (3%), frequency of upper digestive haemorrhages with no detectable source (24.2%) and the indication of multiple endoscopic examination. We discuss the causes responsible for the generation of such problems as well as the dynamics of those during the evaluated period.

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