Two methods of lung biopsy for histological confirmation of acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia: A case report

BACKGROUNDAcute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare, noninfective lung disease, histologically characterized by a patchy distribution of intra-alveolar fibrin “balls” and organizing pneumonia. The clinical manifestations of AFOP are nonspecific. Diagnosis depends on pathology. Surgical lung biopsy is optimal for tissue sampling to diagnose AFOP. However, many patients have no tolerance to the operation, including mentally and physically. There is still no standard therapy for AFOP and the methods remain controversial. Therefore, further clinical attention and discussion are warranted.CASE SUMMARYA 53-year-old woman presented with fever, cough and dyspnea for 15 d. Anti-infective therapy was ineffective. Chest computed tomography showed bilateral patchy consolidation, especially in the lower lobes. We performed both ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy and ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine needle puncture at different lung lesion locations. Both samples supported the diagnosis of AFOP. The patient had a good clinical course after treatment with methylprednisolone, and no side effects of steroids.CONCLUSIONPercutaneous needle biopsy combined with transbronchial lung biopsies may be a good choice in the absence of surgical biopsy. Methylprednisolone alone is effective in the treatment of idiopathic AFOP.     

Effect of silica coating and laser treatment on the flexural strength,surface characteristics,and bond strength of a dental zirconia

This study investigated the effect of irradiation with an erbium‐doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Er:YAG) laser and coating with silica on the surface characteristics, bond strength, and flexural strength of dental zirconia. Three hundred and forty‐three standard zirconia specimens were created, and 49 were assigned to each of seven surface treatment groups: (i) no treatment; Er:YAG laser (80 mJ/2 Hz) with pulse widths of 50 μs (ii), 100 μs (iii), 300 μs (iv), or 600 μs (v); or tribochemical silica coating at the partially sintered stage (vi) or after sintering was complete (vii). All specimens were sintered after the surface treatments, except for the group in which specimens were sintered before treatment. The study outcomes were roughness, surface loss, microshear bond strength (μSBS), and biaxial flexural strength (BFS). Mean roughness and surface loss values were significantly higher in specimens from irradiated groups than in those from silica‐coated groups. Regarding μSBS, after aging, specimens from all experimental groups presented very low and similar μSBS values, irrespective of the surface treatment. Silica coating after sintering yielded the highest BFS (1149.5 ± 167.6 MPa), while coating partially sintered specimens with silica resulted a BFS (826.9 ± 60.9 MPa) similar to that of the untreated control group (794.9 ± 101.7 MPa). Laser treatments, irrespective of pulse width used, significantly decreased the BFS. In the group treated with laser at 300 μs pulse width, specimens exhibited the lowest BFS value (514.1 ± 71.5 MPa). Adhesion to zirconia was not stable after aging, regardless of the surface treatment implemented.     

The effect of different power outputs of carbon dioxide laser on bonding between zirconia ceramic surface and resin cement

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of different power outputs of a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser on shear bond strength of resin cement to zirconium dioxide-based ceramic. Materials and methods. Fifty zirconium dioxide core specimens (10 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness) were produced and they were embedded in the centers of auto-polymerizing acrylic resin blocks. Ten specimens served as control and no surface treatment was applied. Subsequently specimens were randomly divided into four groups, each containing 10 specimens for surface treatment with CO2 laser with different output power; laser treated with 2 W (Group 2 W), 3 W (Group 3 W), 4 W (Group 4 W) and finally 5 W (Group 5 W). Fifty composite resin discs were fabricated and cemented with adhesive resin cement to the specimen surfaces. A universal test machine was used for shear bond strength test at a crosshead speed 1 mm/min. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) with Post-Hoc Tukey tests (α = 0.05). Results. It was found that the shear bond strength values were affected by power outputs of laser (p < 0.05). Highest shear bond strength values were obtained with group 2 W (21.0 ± 2.7). Lowest values were obtained with group 5 W (14.4 ± 1.6). Conclusion. The current study revealed that there was a relationship between laser output power and shear bond strength for zirconium dioxide ceramics. However, output power of the laser and the energy level is a critical factor on micromechanical retention.     

EPR Identification of Zr(III) Complexes Formed upon Interaction of (2-PhInd)2ZrCl2 and rac-Me2Si(1-Ind)2ZrCl2 with MAO and MMAO

Reactions of 1 and 2 with MAO and MMAO were monitored by EPR. It was found that MMAO is a stronger reducing agent than MAO. 1 is more prone to reduction than 2 . The reduction of Zr^IV to Zr^III seems to be the essential pathway of some zirconocene catalysts' deactivation. Zr^III species with the following proposed structures can be identified in the 1 /MMAO system: (2-PhInd)₂Zr^III(ⁱBu), (2-PhInd)₂Zr^III(µ-Cl)₂AlⁱBu₂, (2-PhInd)₂Zr^III(µ-Cl)(ⁱBu)AlⁱBu₂, and [(2-PhInd)₂Zr^III]⁺[Me-MAO]⁻. The degree of reduction of Zr^IV species determined by EPR in the catalytic system 2 /MMAO can be masked by the formation of diamagnetic Zr^III/Zr^III dimers. Addition of monomers to the 2 /MAO system promotes reduction ot the zirconium species.

     

Proton‐Conducting Zirconium Pyrophosphate/Poly(2,5‐benzimidazole) Composite Membranes Prepared by a PPA Direct Casting Method

Zirconium pyrophosphate (ZPP)/poly(2,5‐benzimidazole) composites were prepared by polymerization of 3,4‐diaminobenzoic acid with zirconium hydrogen phosphate in polyphosphoric acid. The composite membranes for polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared by casting the polymerization solutions directly onto stainless steel plates. Membranes doped in 60 wt.‐% phosphoric acid solution had high proton conductivity values of more than 0.12 S · cm^?1 (at 180 °C and 1% RH). Physical properties of the doped membranes, including the mechanical strength and dimensional stability, improved as ZPP content in the composites increased to 10–20 wt.‐%.

     

The Performance of a Zirconium-based Root Filling Material with Artifact Reduction Properties in the Detection of Artificially Induced Root Fractures Using Cone-beam Computed Tomographic Imaging

Introduction

Limited field of view cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging has been used to augment clinical testing of vertical root fractures (VRFs); however, the presence of gutta-percha (GP) in the canal space generates substantial imaging artifacts that make fracture detection difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a zirconium (Zr)-based root filling material with radiologic properties that reduce beam hardening (BH) artifacts using CBCT imaging in the in vitro diagnosis of VRFs.

纳米氢氧化锆涂层对10-甲基丙烯酰氧癸二氢磷酸酯提高氧化锆陶瓷粘接强度的影响

目的 研究纳米氢氧化锆在氧化锆陶瓷表面形成碱性涂层后对10-甲基丙烯酰氧癸二氢磷酸酯（MDP）与氧化锆陶瓷粘接强度的影响。方法 制作氧化钇稳定四方相氧化锆（Y-TZP）瓷片140枚,氧化铝喷砂后对其表面进行不同的处理,制作粘接试件并测试剪切粘接强度。以X线光电子能谱（XPS）检测Y-TZP陶瓷表面依次经过纳米氢氧化锆涂层和含有MDP的底涂剂处理后的化学键变化。结果 老化前,与对照组相比,两种碱性涂层均能提高短期粘接强度值,纳米氢氧化锆涂层增强效果更显著。老化后,各组粘接强度值差异无统计学意义,但较老化前均显著降低（P<0.05）。XPS在制备纳米氢氧化锆涂层的Y-TZP瓷片表面检测到-OH键,在制备纳米氢氧化锆涂层的Y-TZP陶瓷应用含有MDP的底涂剂处理后检测出-P-O-Zr键。结论 在氧化锆陶瓷表面制备碱性涂层能够使MDP提高氧化锆陶瓷粘接强度。     

Evaluation of Hard and Soft Tissue Dimensions Around Zirconium Oxide Implant–Supported Crowns: A 1‐Year Retrospective Study

Background: This study aims to evaluate the effect of the distance between the alveolar crest of a full‐ceramic implant to the lowest point of the contact area of the crowns on the interdental papilla. Therefore, the authors proposed a new concept of linear measurements for the reproducible and metric evaluation of distances relevant for the assessment of hard and soft tissue changes around dental implants. Methods: A total of 216 sites were examined in 87 patients. In a radiographic and clinical evaluation, four relevant distances were evaluated. In the x‐ray image, the tip of the papilla was marked with a radiodense mixture of tungsten powder and temporary cement. In a clinical photograph, the lowest point of the interdental contact zone of the crowns was visualized by a metallic interdental ligature. Results: Using the proposed measuring methodology, four different papilla‐deficit situations around ceramic implants could be reproducibly distinguished. When the measurement from the bone crest at the implant was ≤5 mm, the papilla was completely present in 100% of cases. When this distance was 10 mm, the papilla was still present in 67% of the cases, without any cosmetically apparent deficit. Conclusions: A close relationship is observed between the distance from the contact point to the bone and the presence of the papilla. Using a combination of radiographically and clinically visible landmarks allows the reproducible measurement of these distances.     

Wear of polyethylene against oxidized zirconium femoral components effect of aggressive kinematic conditions and malalignment in total knee arthroplasty

Metallic femoral components with ceramic articulating surfaces can substantially lower polyethylene (PE) wear during walking activities under conditions of normal knee alignment. It is unknown whether these types of components can maintain low wear rates under conditions of knee malalignment and the harsher kinematics associated with younger, athletically active patients. Wear was measured in non-cross-linked, ethylene oxide-sterilized PE inserts against oxidized zirconium or cobalt-chrome femoral components in a knee wear simulator. The vertical load was modified to replicate knee varus malalignment of 3°, and the range of tibial rotation was increased to 20°. Mean gravimetric and volumetric wear rate over 5 million cycles was 55% lower in the oxidized zirconium group. An oxidized zirconium femoral component can significantly reduce PE wear under simulated conditions of athletically active patients with modestly malaligned total knee arthroplasty prostheses.