Actinic keratosis and surrounding skin exhibit changes in corneocyte surface topography and decreased levels of filaggrin degradation products

Actinic keratosis (AK) is a frequent premalignant skin lesion mainly caused by chronic sun exposure. AK lesions are often surrounded by invisible, subclinical alterations, called field of cancerization (FoC). Definition of FoC is of importance for therapy management; however, the criteria and non-invasive tools to characterize FoC are lacking. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) proved to be a suitable tool for detection of changes in the corneocyte surface topography in inflammatory skin diseases, which share similar clinical features with AK such as hyper- and parakeratosis. Therefore, in this study we applied AFM to investigate AK and surrounding skin obtained by non-invasive collection of the stratum corneum (SC) with adhesive tapes. Furthermore, we determined degradation products of structural protein filaggrin (natural moisturizing factor, NMF), which previously showed association with the changes in corneocyte surface topography. Ten patients with multiple AK on the face were recruited from the outpatient clinic. SC samples were collected from the AK lesion, skin sites adjacent to the AK, 5 cm from the AK and retroauricular area. Corneocyte surface topography was determined by AFM, and NMF by liquid chromatography. The AK lesion showed alterations of the corneocyte surface topography characterized by an increased number of nanosize protrusions, which gradually decreased with the distance from the lesion. NMF levels show an inverse pattern. Atomic force microscopy showed to be a suitable tool to detect changes in the corneocyte surface topography on the AK lesion and surrounding skin in a non-invasive manner.     

环境水样中痕量铜的浊点萃取-火焰原子吸收光谱测定法

目的建立环境水样中痕量铜的浊点萃取(cloud point extraction,CPE)-火焰原子吸收光谱(flame atomic absorption spectrometry,FAAS)测定法。方法样品在p H 9.5的条件下,加入0.4 ml的1 mmol/L 2-(5-溴-2-吡啶偶氮)-5-二乙氨基酚(5-Br-PADAP)溶液,0.1%氯化钙溶液0.1 ml,5%(W/V)Triton X-114溶液0.8 ml,40℃加热15 min后离心,采用火焰原子吸收光谱法进行检测。结果在2~240μg/L的线性范围内,所得回归方程为A=0.002 7c+0.024 6,r=0.995 8。以3倍信噪比计算,方法的检出限为0.62μg/L,富集倍数为36.58倍,平均加标回收率为96.28%~98.08%,RSD为1.67%~3.13%。结论该方法简单、灵敏,具有良好的重现性,适用于环境水样中痕量铜的测定。     

Are Risks From Medical Imaging Still too Small to Be Observed or Nonexistent?

Several radiation-related professional societies have concluded that carcinogenic risks associated with doses below 50-100 mSv are either too small to be detected, or are nonexistent. This is especially important in the context of doses from medical imaging. Radiation exposure to the public from medical imaging procedures is rising around the world, primarily due to increased utilization of computed tomography. Professional societies and advisory bodies consistently recommend against multiplying small doses by large populations to predict excess radiation-induced cancers, in large part because of the potential for sensational claims of health impacts which do not adequately take the associated uncertainties into account. Nonetheless, numerous articles have predicted thousands of future cancers as a result of CT scanning, and this has generated considerable concern among patients and parents. In addition, some authors claim that we now have direct epidemiological evidence of carcinogenic risks from medical imaging. This paper critically examines such claims, and concludes that the evidence cited does not provide direct evidence of low-dose carcinogenicity. These claims themselves have adverse public health impacts by frightening the public away from medically justified exams. It is time for the medical and scientific communities to be more assertive in responding to sensational claims of health risks.     

Electrochemical aspects of the formation of Bi2Te3 thin film via the route of ECALE

A Bi₂Te₃ VA–VIA group compound thin film was prepared via the route of electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy in this paper. The dependence of thin film formation on the electrochemical conditions (such as deposition potential control, supporting electrolyte and substrate) was studied, and the formation process of Bi₂Te₃ film was determined. The results show that Bi upd on Pt occurs at more negative potential in a HNO₃ supporting electrolyte than in a HClO₄ supporting electrolyte, and the Te upd peak moves to a more negative potential in HClO₄ supporting electrolyte solution than that in HNO₃ solution; Both Te and Bi upd on an Ag substrate occur at more negative potentials than that on a Pt substrate. In order to reach steady state deposition, a potential adjustment is necessary for the first 30 or more cycles of each component. After deposition of this initial ‘buffer layer’, the potentials can be kept constant for the remaining cycles. The effect of the slope of the shift of potential used to deposit the first 30 atomic layers of Bi and Te on the deposit has also been investigated. The deposit exhibits a two phase mixture of excess elemental Bi and Bi₂Te₃ compound when the slope is larger than ?4 mV/p (p indicates per cycle); a single-phase Bi₂Te₃ compound was obtained at a slope of ?6 mV/p, and Bi₄Te₃ compound also appears in the deposit along with Bi₂Te₃ when the slope is decreased to a more negative value of ?10 mV/p.     

Atomic analysis and knoop hardness measurement of the cavity floor prepared by Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation in vitro

In the present study, the compositional changes and knoop hardness of the cavity floor prepared by Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation was compared with that of the conventional bur cavity. Fifteen laser and 15 bur cavities were cross-sectioned, and subjected to atomic analysis by SEM-EDX and knoop hardness test. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test; a value of P < 0.01 was considered significant. Surface characteristics of the prepared cavities were also investigated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the quantities of Ca (Ca weight %) and P (P weight %) were increased significantly in the laser cavity floor but no significant differences were found between the Ca/P ratio and knoop hardness number of laser and bur cavities. The SEM observation revealed that the lased cavity surface was irregular and there was also the absence of a smear layer; the orifice of dentinal tubules was exposed. Er,Cr:YSGG laser device is considered as one of the most effective and safe devices for cavity preparation because of its many advantages. This includes easy delivery system, minimal thermal damage to the surrounding tissues, minimal thermal-induced changes of dental hard tissue compositions, and favourable surface characteristic.     

镍铬合金烤瓷冠冠组织面离子析出的研究

目的研究含铬质量分数不同的两种镍铬合金烤瓷冠在人工唾液中镍、铬离子的析出量。方法用含铬质量分数为26.0%和12.6%的镍铬烤瓷合金,烧结成各12颗烤瓷冠,分别放于人工唾液中,于1、2、4、8、16、32周末用石墨炉原子吸收分光光度计测量各样本在人工唾液中的镍、铬离子浓度。结果1)低铬和高铬合金冠组样本中铬离子析出量从1~4周逐渐增加,然后逐渐下降;高铬合金冠组镍离子析出于第4周达到高峰,而低铬合金冠组镍离子的析出呈持续缓慢地上升;2)实验前后低铬合金冠组烤瓷冠的质量差别大于高铬合金冠组,其差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论1)低铬和高铬合金冠组铬离子的析出量均于第4周达高峰;2)低铬合金冠组镍离子的析出明显高于高铬合金冠组;3)实验前后低铬合金冠组样本的质量损失明显大于高铬合金冠组。     

Crystallization/Melting Kinetics and Morphological Analysis of Polyphenylene Sulfide

Crystallization and melting kinetics of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) are determined using fast scanning calorimetry. The temperature dependence of half‐time crystallization of isothermally melt‐crystallized PPS shows a downward convex curve with a minimum at 160 °C. The minimum crystallization half‐time is about 3 s. The analysis of heating rate dependence of the melting temperature reveals a zero‐entropy‐production melting temperature of the sample. The microstructure of the sample, which is prepared by fast scanning calorimetry, is investigated by small‐angle X‐ray scattering and polarizing optical microscopy. The crystallinity and lamellar thickness of the sample annealed for 400 s decrease with decreasing crystallization temperature. The size of spherulites becomes small as the isothermal temperature is decreased. Transcrystalline morphology is observed near the surface between the sample and nitrogen gas at a crystallization temperature of 120 °C. The thickness of the transcrystalline layer disappears as the isothermal temperature is increased.