Estimation of Nanoporous Au Young’s Modulus from Serial Block Face-SEM 3D-Characterisation

Nanoporous Au has been subjected to serial block face-scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) 3D-characterisation. Corresponding sections have been digitalized and used to evaluate the associated mechanical properties. Our investigation demonstrates that the sample is homogeneous and isotropic. The effective Young’s modulus estimated by an analytical multiscale approach agrees remarkably well with the values stated in the literature.     

四种粘结材料对纤维桩在不同深度根管内的固位力的影响——薄片推出实验

目的:比较4种不同树脂粘结材料在不同深度根管内粘固纤维桩的推出强度。方法:28个单根管离体前牙截冠后行根管充填和桩道预备,随机分为4组,分别用不同的粘结材料(Ⅰ:XP Bond-Dual Cure Calibra resincement;Ⅱ:XP Bond-Dual Cure Fluorocore2;Ⅲ:Excite DSC MultiCore Flow;Ⅳ:Multilink Primer A/B MultilinkAutomix)粘固纤维桩。粘固了纤维桩的牙根切割为1mm厚的试件并将其按照根管的深度分为上部、中部和下部3组,测试其推出强度。结果:Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组上部的推出强度均显著高于下部(P<0.05),Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组的推出强度在不同深度根管间无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论:材料的类型和根管的深度对纤维桩的固位有影响。     

Evolution of the retinal function by flash-ERG in one child suffering from neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis CLN2 treated with cerliponase alpha: case report

Documenta Ophthalmologica - Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (CLN) are neurodegenerative disorders among the most frequent, inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Affected patients can present...     

The impact of continuous positive airway pressure on cardiac mechanics: Findings from a meta‐analysis of echocardiographic studies

Current evidence on the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on cardiac mechanics in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is based on a few single studies. The authors investigated this topic through a meta‐analysis of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) studies that provided data on left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) mechanics as assessed by global longitudinal strain (GLS). The PubMed, OVID‐MEDLINE, and Cochrane library databases were systematically analyzed to search English‐language review papers published from inception to January 31, 2022. Studies were identified by crossing the following terms: “obstructive sleep apnea”, “sleep quality”, “sleep disordered breathing”, “continuous positive airway pressure therapy”, “noninvasive ventilation”, “left ventricular hypertrophy”, “systolic dysfunction”, “global longitudinal strain”, “left ventricular mechanics”, “right ventricular mechanics”, “echocardiography” and “STE echocardiography”. The meta‐analysis, including a total of 337 patients with OSA from nine studies (follow‐up 2–24 months) showed a significant GLS improvement in both LV and RV after CPAP, standard mean difference (SMD) being 0.51±0.08, CI:0.36–0.66, p = .0001 and 0.28±0.07, CI:0.15–0.42, p = .0001), respectively. Corresponding SMD values for LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were 0.20±0.06, CI:0.08–0.33, p = .001 and 0.08±0.06, CI: ‐0.04/0.20, p = .21. Our meta‐analysis suggests that: I) CPAP treatment exerts beneficial effects on biventricular function in patients with OSA; II) the assessment of cardiac mechanics by STE should be routinely recommended for monitoring cardiac function in this setting, due to limitations of conventional echocardiography in evaluating biventricular performance.     

Effects of aging on lower urinary tract and pelvic floor function in nulliparous women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of aging, independent of parity, on pelvic organ and urethral support, urethral function, and levator function in a sample of nulliparous women. METHODS: A cohort of 82 nulliparous women, aged 21-70 years, were recruited from the community through advertisements. Subjects underwent pelvic examination using pelvic organ prolapse quantification, urethral angles by cotton-tipped swab, and multichannel urodynamics and uroflow. Vaginal closure force was quantified using an instrumented vaginal speculum. Subjects were grouped into five age categories and analyses performed using t tests, Fisher exact tests, Kruskal-Wallace, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Multiple linear regression modeling was performed to adjust for factors that might confound the results of our primary outcomes. RESULTS: Increasing age was associated with decreasing maximal urethral closure pressure (r=-0.758, P<.001) with a 15-cm-H(2)O decrease in pressure per decade. Pelvic organ support as measured by pelvic organ prolapse quantification did not differ by age group. Levator function as measured by resting vaginal closure force and augmentation of vaginal closure force also did not change with increasing age. CONCLUSION: In a sample of nulliparous women between 21 and 70 years of age maximal urethral closure pressure in the senescent urethra was 40% of that in the young urethra; increasing age did not affect clinical measures of pelvic organ support, urethral support, and levator function. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.     

Frequency‐dependent modulation of neural oscillations across the gait cycle

Balance and walking are fundamental to support common daily activities. Relatively accurate characterizations of normal and impaired gait features were attained at the kinematic and muscular levels. Conversely, the neural processes underlying gait dynamics still need to be elucidated. To shed light on gait‐related modulations of neural activity, we collected high‐density electroencephalography (hdEEG) signals and ankle acceleration data in young healthy participants during treadmill walking. We used the ankle acceleration data to segment each gait cycle in four phases: initial double support, right leg swing, final double support, left leg swing. Then, we processed hdEEG signals to extract neural oscillations in alpha, beta, and gamma bands, and examined event‐related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) across gait phases. Our results showed that ERD/ERS modulations for alpha, beta, and gamma bands were strongest in the primary sensorimotor cortex (M1), but were also found in premotor cortex, thalamus and cerebellum. We observed a modulation of neural oscillations across gait phases in M1 and cerebellum, and an interaction between frequency band and gait phase in premotor cortex and thalamus. Furthermore, an ERD/ERS lateralization effect was present in M1 for the alpha and beta bands, and in the cerebellum for the beta and gamma bands. Overall, our findings demonstrate that an electrophysiological source imaging approach based on hdEEG can be used to investigate dynamic neural processes of gait control. Future work on the development of mobile hdEEG‐based brain–body imaging platforms may enable overground walking investigations, with potential applications in the study of gait disorders.     

Validation of a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Moist Desquamation among Breast Radiotherapy Patients

There has been an increasing interest in patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in both the clinical and research settings to improve the quality of life among patients and to identify when clinical intervention may be needed. The primary purpose of this prospective study was to validate an acute breast skin toxicity PRO measure across a broad sample of patient body types undergoing radiation therapy. Between August 2018 and September 2019, 134 women undergoing adjuvant breast radiotherapy (RT) consented to completing serial PRO measures both during and post-RT treatment and to having their skin assessed by trained trial radiation therapists. There was high patient compliance, with 124 patients (92.5%) returning to the clinic post-RT for at least one staff skin assessment. Rates of moist desquamation (MD) in the infra-mammary fold (IMF) by PRO were compared with skin assessments completed by trial radiation therapists. There was high sensitivity (86.5%) and good specificity (79.4%) between PRO and staff-reported presence of MD in the IMF, and there was a moderate correlation between the peak severity of the MD reported by PRO and assessed by staff (rho = 0.61, p < 0.001). This prospective study validates a new PRO measure to monitor the presence of MD in the IMF among women receiving breast RT.