Corneal desiccation staining with hydrogel lenses: Tear film and contact lens factors

This investigation monitored the response of established contact lens wearers using contact lenses made from Filcon 4a 77% water-content material in three different thicknesses (0.08, 0.10 and 0.12 mm) over a 6-hour period of wear under adverse environmental conditions. The results obtained showed the following. (1) In accordance with previous studies carried out with lenses of similar water content, the present lenses produced corneal desiccation staining under the challenging conditions of use. However, the staining produced was similar for all three lens thicknesses tested. (2) Corneal desiccation staining was present despite the good and stable fitting characteristics observed during the study, confirming that mechanical trauma is not a necessary cause for soft-lens-induced desiccation staining. (3) Corneal desiccation staining was associated with a rapidly destabilizing pre-lens tear film (PLTF) and a thinning lipid layer. The initial break-up of the PLTF and corneal staining were recorded with a higher incidence in the vertical quadrants than in the horizontal quadrants. The PLTF is thinnest and most unstable at the tear prism margin border, hence least efficacious at preventing evaporation. Corneal desiccation staining may be due, at least partly, to excessive evaporation at the contact lens front surface.     

Tissue distribution metabolism and excretion of 2,2′,4,4′, 5-pentachlorodiphenyl ether in the rat

The tissue distribution, metabolism and excretion of ¹⁴C-2,2,4,4,5-pentachlorodiphenyl ether (PCDE) were studied in the rat. Radioactivity was distributed in all tissues examined, with the highest concentrations being found in the fat followed by the skin, liver, kidney and muscle. Most of the radioactivity found in the tissues was due to unchanged PCDE. Decay of PCDE in the blood was fitted to a four-compartment pharmacokinetic model, and the last compartment had a half-life of 5.8 days. A total of 55% and 1.3% of an orally administered dose was excreted in feces and urine, respectively, in 7 days. More than 64% of the fecal radioactivity was due to unchanged PCDE, while hydroxylated PCDE accounted for 23%.     

Glycosaminoglycan mimetics (RGTA) modulate adult skeletal muscle satellite cell proliferation in vitro

Confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM) provides an important and novel means of analyzing the chemical composition of the adhesive/dentin (a/d) interface. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for quantitative determination of the degree of adhesive penetration at the a/d interface using CRM. Three commercial dentin adhesive systems [Scotchbond Multipurpose Plus (SBMP+), Single Bond (SB), and Primer Bond NT (PBNT)] based on the total etch and "wet" bonding technique were examined in this study. Human dentin specimens treated with these adhesives were analyzed with CRM mapping across the a/d interface. Also, Raman spectra were collected on model mixtures of adhesive and type I collagen, and the ratios of the relative intensities of the Raman bands corresponding to adhesive and collagen were used for the construction of calibration curves. By comparing the Raman band ratios of interface specimens to the calibration curves, the percent of adhesive as a function of spatial position across the a/d interface was determined. The results show that there is a gradual decrease in penetration as a function of position for all three adhesive systems while the adhesive concentration gradient decreases in the order of SBMP+ > SB > PBNT. These differences in penetration of the three adhesives at the a/d interface also are discussed relative to the composition and phase segregation in adhesives. Additionally, our results indicate that confocal Raman microspectroscopy is a reliable in situ analytical technique for simple and rapid quantitative determination of adhesive penetration at its interface with prepared dentin.     

Effects of short-duration transients on cardiac rhythm

Cardiac stimulation thresholds of short-duration large-amplitude electrical transients were studied. An isolated rabbit heart model was used and transients were applied directly to the heart through electrodes of 1 mm² and 1 cm² surface area. A variety of oscillatory waveforms and pulse configurations were studied and indicated that, for transients shorter than 100 μs, stimulation thresholds approach a constant charge-transfer density of 3·4 μC cm⁻².     

Case report and review of septicemia due to Serratia ficaria.

Serratia ficaria was first described in 1979 as part of the fig tree ecosystem (P.A.D. Grimont, F. Grimont, and M. P. Starr, Curr. Microbiol. 2:277-282, 1979). Since then, it has been isolated from clinical specimens from a few human patients (C. Bollet, J. Freney, P. de Micco, F. Grimont, and P.A.D. Grimont, Méd. Mal. Infect. 20:97-100, 1990; J.A. Brouillard, W. Hansen, and A. Compere, J. Clin. Microbiol. 19:902-904, 1984; H. Darbas, H. Jean-Pierre, G. Boyer, and M. Riviere, Méd. Mal. Infect. 23:269-270, 1993; V.J. Gill, J.J. Farmer, III, P.A.D. Grimont, M.A. Asbury, and C.L. McIntosh, J. Clin. Microbiol. 14:234-236, 1981; F.D. Pien and J.J. Farmer III, South. Med. J. 76:1591-1592, 1983; C. Richard, J. de Coquet, and C. Suc, Méd. Mal. Infect. 19:45-47, 1989), but the pathogenicity of S. ficaria was always questionable. We are reporting the case of an aged cancer patient who developed S. ficaria septicemia. The habitat of this organism and its potential role as a pathogen are discussed.     

Reciprocal translocation mosaicism in man

We report on an8-month-old girl with a de novo 5q/6q autosomal translocation with loss of the distal part of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q23.3→6qter); clinical manifestations are peculiar craniofacial stigmata, truncal obesity and persisting hypotonia. The similarity with a previously reported patient with 6q interstitial deletion is discussed.     

Marden-Walker syndrome: case report, literature review and nosologic discussion

Schrander-Stumpel C, de Die-Smulders C, de Krom M, Schyns-Fleuren S, Hamel B, Jaeken D, Fryns J-P. Marden-Walker syndrome: case report, literature review and nosologic discussion.
Clin Genet 1993: 43: 303–308. © Munksgaard, 1993
The Marden-Walker syndrome is characterized by psychomotor retardation, a mask-like face with blepharophimosis, micrognathia and a high-arched or cleft palate, low-set ears, kyphoscoliosis and joint contractures. We report on a male patient with the clinical features of the syndrome. In addition, he had a Dandy-Walker malformation with hydrocephalus and vertebral abnormalities. During pregnancy, there were feeble fetal movements and polyhydramnios. We propose that Marden-Walker syndrome is one of the etiologic possibilities in children with the heterogeneous fetal a(hypo)kinesia deformation sequence (FADS). Differential diagnosis is discussed. The etiology is probably heterogeneous.