Patellar chondral defects: a review of a challenging entity

Purpose  

The aim of this study was to perform a review of the management of patellar cartilage defects, identify prognostic factors for better clinical outcomes, and propose a treatment algorithm of this challenging entity.     

Letters persistence after physical offset: Visual word form area and left planum temporale. An fMRI study

Iconic memory is a high‐capacity low‐duration visual memory store that allows the persistence of a visual stimulus after its offset. The categorical nature of this store has been extensively debated. This study provides functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence for brain regions underlying the persistence of postcategorical representations of visual stimuli. In a partial report paradigm, subjects matched a cued row of a 3 × 3 array of letters (postcategorical stimuli) or false fonts (precategorical stimuli) with a subsequent triplet of stimuli. The cued row was indicated by two visual flankers presented at the onset (physical stimulus readout) or after the offset of the array (iconic memory readout). The left planum temporale showed a greater modulation of the source of readout (iconic memory vs. physical stimulus) when letters were presented compared to false fonts. This is a multimodal brain region responsible for matching incoming acoustic and visual patterns with acoustic pattern templates. These findings suggest that letters persist after their physical offset in an abstract postcategorical representation. A targeted region of interest analysis revealed a similar pattern of activation in the Visual Word Form Area. These results suggest that multiple higher‐order visual areas mediate iconic memory for postcategorical stimuli. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Exploring Anger Among Offenders: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation and Alexithymia

This study tests whether specific dimensions of emotion dysregulation predict maladaptive anger expression among offenders from Italy and Australia. In particular, it examines the unique associations among emotion dysregulation dimensions and different aspects of anger expression and control, in both inmates and offenders on parole. Multiple regression analyses reveal that difficulties controlling impulsive behaviour when distressed are related to state anger, trait anger, and chronic anger expression. On the other hand, alexithymia predicts the maladaptive expression of anger inwardly directed. Finally, lack of emotional awareness and limited access to emotion regulation (ER) strategies are negatively related to anger control, suggesting that they may represent useful treatment targets. Interestingly, incarcerated offenders reported significantly higher levels of state anger and lower levels of anger control out (i.e. seeking support from others) than offenders living on parole in the community, highlighting the importance of contextual influences in the emotional life of offenders.     

The anatomical basis of proper name processing. A critical review

Abstract

A specific role has recently been proposed in proper name processing for, respectively, the right hemisphere, the anterior temporal lobe and the thalamus. None of these claims seems to be fully justified with regard to a review of known relevant single case reports.     

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive spectrometry evaluation of direct laser metal sintering surface and human bone interface: a case series

Recent studies have shown that direct laser metal sintering (DLMS) produces structures with complex geometry and consequently that allow better osteoconductive properties. The aim of this patient report was to evaluate the early bone response to DLMS implant surface retrieved from human jaws. Four experimental DLMS implants were inserted in the posterior mandible of four patients during conventional dental implant surgery. After 8 weeks, the micro-implants and the surrounding tissue were removed and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histomorphometric analysis to evaluate the bone–implant interface. The SEM and EDX evaluations showed a newly formed tissue composed of calcium and phosphorus. The bone-to-implant contact presented a mean of 60.5 ± 11.6%. Within the limits of this patient report, data suggest that the DLMS surfaces presented a close contact with the human bone after a healing period of 8 weeks.     

The platinum (II) complex [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] alters the intracellular calcium homeostasis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

It was previously demonstrated that [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] exerted toxic effects at high doses, whilst sub-cytotoxic concentrations induced anoikis and decreased cell migration. Aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] alters the [Ca²⁺]_i and that this is linked to its ability to trigger rapid apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Thus, cells were treated with [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] and its effects on some of the systems regulating Ca²⁺ homeostasis were studied, also in cells dealing with the complex changes occurring during the Ca²⁺ signalling evoked by extracellular stimuli. [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] caused the decrease of PMCA activity (but not SERCA or SPCA) and Ca²⁺ membrane permeability. These two opposite effects on [Ca²⁺]_i resulted in its overall increase from 102 ± 12 nM to 250 ± 24 nM after 15 min incubation. The effects of [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] were also evident when cells were stimulated with ATP: the changes in Ca²⁺ levels caused by purinergic stimulation resulted altered due to decreased PMCA activity and to the closure of Ca²⁺ channels opened by purinergic receptor. Conversely, [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] did not affect the store-operated Ca²⁺ channels opened by thapsigargin or by ATP. [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] provoked the activation of PKC-α and the production of ROS that were responsible for the Ca²⁺ permeability and PMCA activity decrease, respectively. The overall effect of [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] is to increase the [Ca²⁺]_i, an effect that is likely to be linked to its ability to trigger rapid apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. These data reinforce the notion that [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] would be a promising drug in cancer treatment.