Comparison of anatomical and visual outcomes following different anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatments in subretinal neovascular membrane secondary to type 2 proliferative macular telangiectasia

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - To evaluate central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and visual outcomes following different...     

Effects of non-thermal atmospheric plasma treatment on dentin wetting and surface free energy for application of universal adhesives

Objectives

The study aims to evaluate the effects of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) treatments on dentin wetting and surface free energy (SFE) and compare the effects of NTAP treatment, etch-and-rinse, and self-etch protocols for application of universal adhesives.

Materials and methods

Mid-coronal dentin of intact third molars was used to measure contact angles of distilled water, ethylene-glycol, and diiodomethane and calculate SFE following different NTAP preset treatments (feeding gas consisting of pure He, He + 1% O₂, He + 1.5% O₂), power input (1 or 3 W), and tip-to-surface distance (2, 4, or 8 mm). Contact angles of reference liquids and SFE of dentin following He + 1.5% O₂ at 3-W and 4-mm treatment was compared to phosphoric acid etching. Contact angles of Single Bond Universal (SBU; 3M ESPE) and Clearfil Universal Bond (CUB; Kuraray Noritake) were measured following NTAP, etch-and-rinse, and self-etch protocols.

Results

NTAP significantly reduced contact angles of reference liquids and increased dentin SFE compared to untreated dentin (p < 0.05). O₂ intensified the effect of He NTAP (p < 0.05). NTAP and phosphoric acid increased dentin polarity and Lewis base surface characteristics. Phosphoric acid increased contact angles of adhesives compared to the self-etch protocol (p < 0.05). NTAP resulted in lower adhesive contact angles than phosphoric acid, the difference being statistically significant for CUB (p < 0.05). Compared to the self-etch protocol, NTAP slightly reduced CUB contact angle but not that of SBU (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

He NTAP with and without O₂ increased dentin wetting and SFE, surpassing the effect of phosphoric acid and lowering adhesive contact angles. NTAP produced no apparent micro-morphological changes on dentin surface comparable to acid etching.

Clinical significance

NTAP treatment of dentin prior to adhesive application increases dentin wetting and surface free energy facilitating better adhesive distribution on dentin surface compared to phosphoric acid etching and similar to the “self-etch” application protocol.

     

彩色多普勒血流显像(CDFI)评价胎儿生长发育状况

目的阐明CDFI对评价胎儿宫内状况的可行性。方法200例经普通B超检查的胎儿,按测量各项常规指标的数值分为正常组100例和异常组100例,再分析经CDFI检查,所测定的指标包括胎儿大脑中动脉、肾动脉、胎盘床动脉、脐动脉血流搏动指数(PI)、阻力指数(RI)及脐动脉的收缩与舒张期峰值速率之比(S/D)。对其结果做详细记录,并进行统计学分析。结果正常组100例,经CDFI检查亦正常;胎儿出生时体重在2500g以上,新生儿发育正常。另100例异常组经CDFI检查各项指标中,54例正常,46例异常;胎儿出生时体重均小于2500g,其中54例新生儿虽体重较正常儿偏小,但发育正常;另46例胎儿宫内窘迫,导致导常分娩、新生儿生存率低。结论彩色多普勒血流显像对了解胎儿宫内情况有着重要的作用,是产科检查监护中不可缺少的部分。     

胰岛素使用方法的研究进展

胰岛素治疗是糖尿病治疗的重要内容,也是使糖尿病患者血糖达标的有效方法。严格的血糖控制对糖尿病慢性并发症的预防和延缓发生有重要意义,然而目前各国的糖尿病血糖控制达标率均不足50%。患者甚至包括医生对低血糖的恐惧是启动胰岛素治疗和达到最佳胰岛素治疗的主要障碍之一。     

Effect of leptin on the regulation of placental hormone secretion in cultured human placental cells.

Placenta is an important source of leptin during pregnancy that contributes to the high plasma leptin levels in pregnant women. Leptin and its functional receptors are synthesized in trophoblast cells that, in turn, secrete gestational hormones supporting a paracrine or autocrine role for leptin in the endocrine activity of the placenta. In the present study we examined the effect of leptin on in vitro release of gestational hormones (human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hPL), progesterone, estrogens and testosterone) by human term placental cells in culture. Placentas at term were obtained immediately after delivery from mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies. Progesterone, hCG, hPL, estradiol, estrone, estriol and testosterone levels were measured by different assays in culture media of cells maintained in monolayer culture after incubation for 12, 24, 48 or 72 h with leptin or placebo. Incubation with leptin did not modify hCG, hPL, progesterone, estriol and estrone secretion for any of the doses and times assayed. However, leptin led to a dose-dependent decrease in estradiol release. This effect was observed when treatment with recombinant human leptin spanned from 12 to 72 h. At this time an increase in testosterone levels was observed in leptin-treated cells versus placebo. These results indicate that leptin can be considered a gestational hormone implied in the endocrine function of the placenta, with an important role in control of the production of steroid reproductive hormones in placental cells in vitro.     

The effect of ethanol intake on tendon healing: a histological and biomechanical study in a rat model

Introduction  

Ethanol has a suppressive effect on inflammation and the immune system, but the effect of ethanol on tendon healing in vivo has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological and biomechanical effects of ethanol intake on tendon healing in a rat tendon injury model.     

Ultrastructural evidence for the uptake of a neurotoxic snake venom phospholipase A2 into mammalian motor nerve terminals

A mutant form of ammodytoxin A, a neurotoxic phospholipase A₂ from the venom of the long nosed viper Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, was prepared by site-directed mutagenesis, conjugated to a nanogold particle and inoculated into the antero-lateral aspect of one hind limb of female mice. Eight hours later the mice were killed, the soleus muscles of both ipsi- and contra-lateral hind limbs were removed, exposed to a silver enhancing medium and then prepared for transmission electron microscopy. Silver-enhanced particles were subsequently found concentrated in the peri-synaptic area, particularly within the synaptic gutter and the deep synaptic folds, and in many cases had been taken up into the cytoplasm of the terminal boutons of the motor axon. The results suggest that the presynaptic neurotoxicity of snake venom phospholipases A₂ involves several components of the neuromuscular apparatus, including intracellular organelles of the motor nerve terminal.     

Some new clinical applications of rhinomanometry

Clinical applications of active anterior rhinomanometry of the oscillation type had been carried out for the purposes other than the conventional uses of rhinomanometry. 1. Effect of acupuncture upon the nasal resistance to airflow: Among 8 acupuncture points which were recorded in Chinese traditional medical literatures as effective for improving nasal breathing, Ingxiang point had been proved to possess definite effect of lowering the nasal resistance to air-flow in patients with congestion of nasal mucosa, whereas in other acupuncture points this effect was not certain. 2. The severity of snoring before and after treatment could be determined objectively by the measurement of nasal resistance to air-flow and the breathing pattern of the patient.     

Classification tree analysis of second neoplasms in survivors of childhood cancer

Background  

Reports on childhood cancer survivors estimated cumulative probability of developing secondary neoplasms vary from 3,3% to 25% at 25 years from diagnosis, and the risk of developing another cancer to several times greater than in the general population.