Effect of layered manufacturing techniques,alloy powders,and layer thickness on metal-ceramic bond strength

Statement of problem

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) and direct metal laser melting (DMLM) have become popular for fabricating the metal frameworks of metal-ceramic restorations. How the type of layered manufacturing device, layer thickness, and alloy powder may affect the bond strength of ceramic to metal substructure is unclear.

Elevated serum levels of high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and its association with disease activity and quality of life

This study was carried out to determine the serum levels of high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to evaluate its correlation with disease activity and quality of life. According to our knowledge, it is the first trial evaluating HMGB1 levels in AS. Serum samples of 30 patients (18 males and 12 females) with AS and 29 healthy controls (HC) (15 females and 14 males) were collected. HMGB1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, activity of disease was assessed according to the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and functional status of patients was evaluated with Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI). Modified Schober, chest expansion values and AS Quality of Life Questionnaire (ASQoL) scores were noted. The serum levels of HMGB1 were obtained significantly increased in AS patients compared to HC (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between HMGB1 levels and ESR (p > 0.05), and CRP (p > 0.05) values. BASDAI, BASFI and ASQoL scores were also not correlated with serum levels of HMGB1 (p > 0.05). Our results suggest that HMGB1 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of AS; however, it seems not to be a good candidate for reflecting disease activity, functional abilities and the quality of life in patients with AS; on the other hand, the increased levels of HMGB1 in patients may open a new dimension for targeting this cytokine as a new therapy option in AS.     

Intrathoracic xanthoma mimicking lung cancer in a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia type II: a case report

Xanthomas are benign soft-tissue lesions commonly occurring on the skin, subcutis, or tendon sheaths of patients. The lung and thoracic cavity is a rare location for xanthomas. We present a 39-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with complaints of dyspnea, cough, and chest pain. She had a prior diagnosis of type II familial hypercholesterolemia. Chest x-ray film and computed tomography scans revealed a large tumor-like mass in the right hemithorax. Thoracal mass and narrowed tracheal segments were removed using cardiopulmonary bypass. Histopathologic findings were consistent with xanthoma.     

Giant right atrial myxoma mimicking hepatic cirrhosis: a case report

Cardiac myxomas are rare benign tumors of the heart. The growth rate of these tumors remains unknown. Right atrial myxoma can simulate nonspecific constitutional symptoms, such as remittent or lasting fever, weight loss, and chronic anemia, and may escape timely diagnosis until the development of severe complications such as pulmonary hypertension due to embolism from fragments originating from the tumor mass or blockage of the right atrioventricular ostium or Budd-Chiari syndrome with acute abdominal pain. We present a case of a giant right atrial myxoma mimicking hepatic cirrhosis in a 52-year-old man.     

First pulmonary valve replacement with Freedom Solo stentless valve in an adolescent. A case report

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a common form of cyanotic heart disease. Complete surgical correction in younger age group offers good long-term results with reasonable morbidity and improved prognosis in patients with TOF. However, following corrective surgery pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) might be required for residual pulmonary regurgitation in order to avoid irreversible right ventricular remodeling. Otherwise, residual uncorrected pulmonary regurgitation may lead to right ventricular dilatation, impaired biventricular function, ventricular arrhythmias and limited exercise capacity. We report the first case of Freedom Solo stentless valve (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy) implantation in the pulmonary position in an adolescent with severe pulmonary insufficiency 12 years after the repair of TOF. Pericardial stentless valves may be an alternative choice for pulmonary valve replacement to improve right ventricular contractile recovery and remodeling after PVR and may have impact on long-term survival.     

Influence of clozapine on platelet serotonin, monoamine oxidase and plasma serotonin levels

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clozapine on plasma serotonin, platelet serotonin and monoamine oxidase (MAO) levels in schizophrenic patients and to compare their results with those of unmedicated healthy controls. Groups of 20 outpatients with schizophrenia and 20 healthy controls matched for age, sex and smoking status were recruited for the study. Psychopathology, neurocognitive functioning, plasma serotonin, platelet serotonin and MAO levels were assessed after 1-week drug free interval, and 8 weeks after initiation of clozapine treatment in an open design. The mean clozapine dose at week 8 was 382.5+/-96.4 (range: 250-600) mg/day. In the patient group, at baseline, plasma serotonin and platelet MAO levels were significantly lower, and platelet serotonin levels were significantly higher than in controls. After 8 weeks of clozapine treatment, plasma serotonin and platelet MAO levels increased significantly, while a significant decrease in platelet serotonin levels was detected compared with baseline values. Baseline platelet MAO levels explained 22% of the variance in Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) and improvement in attention, while baseline platelet serotonin predicted 23% of the variance in the improvement in positive symptoms during clozapine treatment. Our data indicate that clozapine may be reversing or compensating for a pre-existing alteration in serotonergic neurotransmission in schizophrenic patients. The prediction of response to clozapine through peripheral biochemical markers may have important clinical implications if repeated in larger samples.     

Interaction of rat lung SSAO with the novel 1-N-substituted thiocarbamoyl-3-substituted phenyl-5-(2-pyrolyl)-2-pyrazoline derivatives

Summary Interactions of twelve new synthesized 1-N-substituted thiocarbamoyl-3-substituted phenyl-5-pyrolyl-2-pyrazoline derivatives with rat lung semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) were assessed. Pyrazoline derivatives were synthesized according to previous methods and SSAO was purified from the crude microsomal fractions of rat lung. Three compounds (3e, 3f, 3k) with a p-methoxy group at the phenyl ring inhibited rat lung SSAO non-competitively and irreversibly, and showed higher affinity towards SSAO when expressed in terms of IC₅₀ for SSAO/Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). Since these novel pyrazoline derivatives have been found to act as suicide inhibitors of SSAO, the semicarbazide group in these molecules may be responsible for the SSAO inhibitory action. It is suggested that these compounds cannot enter the first small active site cavity of SSAO and may interact tightly with another binding site or with some other reactive groups present in the molecule. Compound 3e showed the highest inhibitory activity on rat lung SSAO. The novel pyrazoline derivatives may be used to discriminate between Cu- and FAD-containing amine oxidases and may have promising features as anti-Parkinson agents if the SSAO-inhibitory effects can be supported by in vivo studies.