In Vitro Fracture Resistance of Endodontically Treated Roots Filled with a Bonded Filling Material or Different Types of Posts

AimThis study aimed to compare the fracture resistance of roots filled with a bonded material, fiber posts, or titanium post systems.MethodsCanals in the first group were filled with AH Plus and gutta-percha cones, and roots in the second group were filled with Epiphany sealer and Resilon cones. The root fillings (60 roots) were removed up to 4 mm from the canal apex to obtain 10-mm-deep post spaces, and posts were cemented. The groups were as follows: AH Plus control group, Epiphany control group, AH Plus fiber post group, AH Plus titanium post group, Epiphany fiber post group, and Epiphany titanium post group. Fracture tests were performed by using an Instron testing machine. The force was applied at a 45° axial angle with a constant speed of 1 mm/min. For each sample, the force at which fracture occurred was recorded in units of newtons. Statistical analysis was carried out by using analysis of variance test.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference between all groups (P > .05).ConclusionsTitanium posts, fiber posts, and Epiphany root canal filling systems were found to have no reinforcing effect on endodontically treated roots.     

Ventral Hernia Repair: a Practical Point of View

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of PVP-I liposome hydrogel on intraperitoneal postoperative adhesions. Material and Methods: Thirty Wistar-Albino male rats were randomly divided into three groups. After midline laparotomy, a 1 cm² area of the caecum was abraded with a sterile gauze until subserosal haemorrhage had developed. A 1 χ 1 cm patch of peritoneum located opposite of caecal abrasion was completely dissected. In group 1 (control group, C) adhesion induction was performed and nothing was applied to the wounds. In group 2 and 3, PVP-I solution (3%) (group 2, PI) and PVP-I liposome hydrogel (group 3, PIL) were applied to the caecal abrasion areas and peritoneal defects. Adhesions were classified according to a classification system based on the evaluation of the appearance, extent and strength of the adhesions on postoperative 21^st day.

Results: There was no significant difference of the adhesion scores between the groups (U1 = 45, p > 0.05; U2 = 48, p > 0.05; U3 = 47.5, p > 0.05).

Conclusions: We found that PVP liposome hydrogel did not influence postoperative intraabdominal adhesions and should be further explored for its potential use in various intraabdominal procedures.     

Comparison of vitamin D levels between patients with pterygium and healthy subjects

International Ophthalmology - The purpose of this study was to compare vitamin D (VD) deficiency frequency among patients with pterygium to that of healthy subjects and to investigate the VD...     

Microvascular and functional changes according to the fundus location of the affected arteriovenous crossing in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion

Purpose:The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural and functional changes occurring in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) according to the distance of the affected arteriovenous (AV) crossing to the centers of the fovea and optic disc by optic coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).Methods:Forty-five patients with unilateral BRVO and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in this retrospective observational study. Images of the macula (3 mm × 3 mm) and affected AV crossing sites were obtained by OCTA. The fovea-AV crossing distance (FAVD), optic disc-AV crossing distance (DAVD), and optic disc-fovea distance (DFD) were measured.Results:The FAVD/DFD ratio was positively correlated with the vessel density in the superficial and deep affected hemifields (r = 0.430, P < 0.05 and r = 0.308, P < 0.05, respectively) and negatively correlated with the superficial foveal avascular zone and logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity (r = –0.412, P < 0.05 and r = –0.356, P < 0.05, respectively). The DAVD/DFD ratio was not correlated with the logMAR visual acuity, superficial FAZ area or vessel densities in the affected hemifield (all P > 0.05).Conclusion:The affected AV crossing site that was further away from the fovea had better visual acuity and quantitative microvascular parameters in the affected hemifields. However, this correlation was not observed for the distance between the affected AV crossing site and the optic disc.     

The Intraneural Hemangioma of the Digital Nerve: Case Report

Intraneural Hemangioma of the digital nerve is rare and so far three cases have been reported in the literature. We present a case of 12- year- old boy with painless soft tissue mass in the right hand and numbness on the radial aspect of the index finger. Magnetic Resonance Imaging showed an isointense subcutaneous lesion without discrete borders in the first web space classically of hemangioma with the radial digital nerve extension. On exploration, the intraneural extension of the hemangioma was confirmed and total resection, microsurgical primary digital nerve repair was done. The patient became better and at 6 months follow up the index finger sensation improved. The patient had no reccurence and he is still under follow up.     

Low ERCC1 expression is associated with prolonged survival in patients with bladder cancer receiving platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy

PurposeExcision repair cross-complementation group 1 enzyme (ERCC1) plays a key role in the removal of platinum induced DNA adducts and cisplatin resistance. Prognostic role of ERCC1 expression in the neoadjuvant setting in bladder cancer has not been reported before. We evaluated the prognostic role of ERCC1 expression in bladder cancer receiving platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Materials and methodsThirty-eight patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer who received neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy were included. Clinical and histopathologic parameters along with immunohistochemical ERCC1 staining were examined and correlated with response rates and survival.ResultsPathologic complete response rates were similar between patients with low and high ERCC1 expression. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 9.3 vs. 20.5 months (P = 0.186) and median overall survival (OS) was 9.3 vs. 26.7 months (P = 0.058) in patients with high ERCC1 expression compared with those with low expression, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis: pathological complete response (pCR) after chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR) 0.1, 95% CI 0.012–0.842, P = 0.034) and high ERCC1 expression (HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.2–11.2, P = 0.019) were significantly associated with DFS. Patient age (>60 vs. ≤60 years) (HR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2–9.4, P = 0.018), the presence of pCR (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.014–0.981, P = 0.048) and high ERCC expression (HR 6.1, 95 CI 1.9–19.9, P = 0.002) were significantly associated with OS.ConclusionsOur results showed that high ERCC1 expression was independently associated with shorter disease-free and overall survival in patients with bladder cancer who received neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. ERCC1 may represent a potential predictive marker for platinum-based treatment in bladder cancer.