No abstract

The lips are a complex laminated structure. When lost through injury or disease, they present a complex reconstructive challenge. The facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap is a composite flap with features similar to those of lip tissue. In this article, the anatomy, dissection, and clinical applications for the use of the FAMM flap in lip and vermilion reconstruction are discussed. A series of 16 FAMM flaps in 13 patients is presented. Seven patients had upper-lip reconstruction and six had lower-lip reconstruction. Superiorly based FAMM flaps were used in eight patients, and eight inferiorly based flaps were performed in five patients. Three patients had bilateral, inferiorly based flaps. In summary, the FAMM flap is a local flap that can be used for lip and vermilion reconstruction. Although not identical to the lip, it has many similar features, which make it an excellent option for lip reconstruction.

b Penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP5) is one of the most abundant PBPs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although its main function is that of a cell wall DD-carboxypeptidase, it possesses sufficient ␤-lactamase activity to contribute to the ability of P. aeruginosa to resist the antibiotic activity of the ␤-lactams. The study of these dual activities is important for understanding the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance by P. aeruginosa, an important human pathogen, and to the understanding of the evolution of ␤-lactamase activity from the PBP enzymes. We purified a soluble version of P. aeruginosa PBP5 (designated Pa sPBP5) by deletion of its C-terminal membrane anchor. Under in vitro conditions, Pa sPBP5 demonstrates both DD-carboxypeptidase and expanded-spectrum ␤-lactamase activities. Its crystal structure at a 2.05-Å resolution shows features closely resembling those of the class A ␤-lactamases, including a shortened loop spanning residues 74 to 78 near the active site and with respect to the conformations adopted by two active-site residues, Ser101 and Lys203. These features are absent in the related PBP5 of Escherichia coli. A comparison of the two Pa sPBP5 monomers in the asymmetric unit, together with molecular dynamics simulations, revealed an active-site flexibility that may explain its carbapenemase activity, a function that is absent in the E. coli PBP5 enzyme. Our functional and structural characterizations underscore the versatility of this PBP5 in contributing to the ␤-lactam resistance of P. aeruginosa while highlighting how broader ␤-lactamase activity may be encoded in the structural folds shared by the PBP and serine ␤-lactamase classes.

Abstract.Over the last few decades, in situ measurements of atmospheric N 2 O mole fractions have been performed using gas chromatographs (GCs) equipped with electron capture detectors. This technique, however, becomes very challenging when trying to detect the small variations of N 2 O as the detectors are highly nonlinear and the GCs at remote stations require a considerable amount of maintenance by qualified technicians to maintain good short-term and long-term repeatability. With new robust optical spectrometers now available for N 2 O measurements, we aim to identify a robust and stable analyzer that can be integrated into atmospheric monitoring networks, such as the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS). In this study, we present the most complete comparison of N 2 O analyzers, with seven analyzers that were developed and commercialized by five different companies. Each instrument was characterized during a time period of approximately 8 weeks. The test protocols included the characterization of the short-term and long-term repeatability, drift, temperature dependence, linearity and sensitivity to water vapor. During the test period, ambient air measurements were compared under field conditions at the Gif-sur-Yvette station. All of the analyzers showed a standard deviation better than 0.1 ppb for the 10 min averages. Some analyzers would benefit from improvements in temperature stability to reduce the instrument drift, which could then help in reducing the frequency of calibrations. For most instruments, the water vapor correction algorithms applied by companies are not sufficient for high-precision atmospheric measurements, which results in the need to dry the ambient air prior to analysis.

The impact of La 2 Zr 2 O 7 ͑LZO͒ on interfacial resistance ͑R p ͒ at the La 0.78 Sr 0.20 MnO 3−␦ /yttria-stabilized zirconia interface was studied upon isothermal sintering at 1200°C for 2-25 h. Quantification of triple phase boundary length was performed by applying focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy ͑FIB/SEM͒ serial-sectioning techniques and classical stereology. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to characterize the R p . The effect of LZO formation on microstructural models for R p was analyzed with respect to previous works that did not include this effect. LZO formation modifies the TPB length, rapidly increases R p , and needs to be controlled in analytical microstructural R p models.