Characterization and effect of nanocomplexed fluoride solutions on the inhibition of enamel demineralization created by a multispecies cariogenic biofilm model

Clinical Oral Investigations - The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro caries preventive effect of nanocomplexed solutions of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin...     

Adverse effect of severe marrow fibrosis on hematologic recovery after chemoradiotherapy and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

We reviewed the records and marrow biopsy specimens of 75 patients with leukemic, myelodysplastic, or myeloproliferative disorders to determine whether the presence of marrow fibrosis affected engraftment after allogeneic marrow transplantation. While 28 control patients without fibrosis achieved prompt engraftment, two of 32 patients (6%) with mild and five of 15 patients (33%) with severe fibrosis failed. The rate of myeloid recovery was significantly slower and the dependence on platelet and red blood cell transfusions was significantly longer in patients with severe fibrosis than in patients with no fibrosis. A finding of severe marrow fibrosis should therefore be taken into account when evaluating the risks and benefits of marrow transplantation.     

Dissociation of calcium- and barium-induced contractions of the rat duodenum smooth muscle

The contractile responses elicited by calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba) upon the isolated rat duodenum immersed in a Ca-free Tyrode solution are not nervously mediated and are differently affected by epinephrine (E), cocaine (C) and verapamil (V). E antagonizes Ca but not Ba while C inhibits only Ba. The antagonism of V is greater towards Ba than Ca. The different influence of the drugs disappear in the excess potassium-depolarized duodenum. Thus, C and V block equally Ca and Ba, while E is only slightly effective against the two cations.     

Improved control of image optical density with low-dose digital and conventional radiography in bedside imaging

The technical and diagnostic performance of simultaneously acquired low-dose (44% of standard dose) storage-phosphor digital radiographs (system resolution = 0.2 mm, 10 bits) were compared with those of standard-dose conventional bedside radiographs of the chest in 32 patients. The mean optical density (OD) of the lungs (800 measurements) was closer to the ideal density with digital radiography (1.45 OD +/- 0.20 [standard deviation] vs 1.75 OD +/- 0.53) and was less often outside the usable range (2.5% vs 42.5%). Receiver operating characteristic analysis for detection of simulated nodules and monitoring devices (nine readers, 4,608 observations) showed that digital radiography was superior to conventional radiography (P less than .05) for four of the nine readers and equivalent to conventional radiography for five readers. The authors concluded that digital radiography produces more consistent and ideal image density and performs at least as well as conventional radiography under phantom test conditions.