Factors influencing development of residual stresses during crystallization firing in a novel lithium silicate glass-ceramic

ObjectiveDevelopment of residual stresses is a potential source of premature fractures in glassy materials, being of special interest in novel lithium silicate glass-ceramics that require a crystallization firing to achieve their final mechanical properties. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of various firing tray systems and the application of different cooling protocols on the development of residual stresses in Suprinity PC crowns. Their effect on the in vitro lifetime of the restorations was also studied.MethodsThirty crowns were milled out of Suprinity PC blocks and crystallized using one of five different commercial firing tray systems (n = 6). Samples in each group were cooled following a fast (FC = 5.5 °C/s), a slow (SC = 0.4 °C/s) or the manufacturer’s reference cooling (REF ). Obtained crowns were sagittally or transversally sectioned and the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses was determined using the light birefringence method. Extra crowns of three of the subgroups (n = 8) were produced and submitted to chewing simulation for 10⁶ cycles or until fracture ensued.ResultsAverage residual stresses ranged between 0 and 1.5 MPa (peaks of 5 MPa). Highest stress magnitudes were observed at the support areas of groups using firing pins, leading to thermal cracks in FC samples and premature failures in the REF subgroup. The use of fibrous pads and firing pastes limited the development of residual stresses, whereas application of SC regimes extended the lifetime of the restorations.SignificanceDevelopment of residual stresses during crystallization firing in lithium silicate glass-ceramics results critical for their mechanical performance and should be therefore avoided by ensuring a homogenous cooling of the structures.     

Different thermal conditions of the extremities affect thermoregulation in clothed man

The effects of different types of clothing on human deep body temperature were studied with six healthy male subjects in a supine posture. Two clothing ensembles were employed for the present study: A covered the whole body area with garments except the face (1.97 clo) and B covered only the trunk and the upper half of the extremities with garments (1.53 clo). The experiment was carried out in a climatic chamber at 55% ± 5% relative humidity under cooling and warming temperatures: the temperature was changed from 22°C to 10°C (cooling) and returned to 22°C again (warming). The major findings were: rectal temperature (T _re) continued to decrease gradually in A throughout the experiment, whereas in B it increased during cooling, and returned to previous levels during warming. As a result, Tre and chest skin temperature were maintained at a higher level in B than in A. Internal tissue conductances were greater in A than in B both during cooling and during warming. Thermal comfort appeared to have been influenced more by the rate of skin temperature change than by the level of skin temperature per se. It was concluded that peripheral vasoconstriction in B induced less heat flow from core to shell, and, thus, the core temperature was maintained at a higher level in B than in A.     

Restoration of visual orienting into a cortically blind hemifield by reversible deactivation of posterior parietal cortex or the superior colliculus

A contralateral hemineglect of the visual field can be induced by unilateral cooling deactivation of posterior middle suprasylvian (pMS) sulcal cortex of the posterior parietal region, and this neglect can be reversed by additional cooling deactivation of pMS cortex in the opposite hemisphere. The purpose of the present study was to test whether an enduring hemianopia induced by removal of all contiguous visual cortical areas of one hemisphere could be reversed by local cooling of pMS cortex in the opposite hemisphere. Two cats sustained large unilateral ablations of the contiguous visual areas, and cooling loops were placed in the pMS sulcus, and in contact with adjacent area 7 or posterior ectosylvian (PE) cortex of the opposite hemisphere. In both instances cooling of pMS cortex, but neither area 7 nor PE, restored a virtually normal level of orienting performance to stimuli presented anywhere in the previously hemianopic field. The reversal was highly sensitive to the extent of cooling deactivation. In a third cat, cooling deactivation of the superficial layers of the contralateral superior colliculus also restored orienting performance to a cortical ablation-induced hemianopia. This reversal was graded from center-to-periphery in a temperature-dependent manner. Neither the cortical ablation nor any of the cooling deactivations had any impact on an auditory detection and orienting task. The deactivations were localized and confirmed by reduced uptake of radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose to be limited to the immediate vicinity of each cooling loop. The results are discussed in terms of excitation and disinhibition of visual circuits.     

Effects of ventrolateral thalamic nucleus cooling on initiation of forelimb ballistic flexion movements by conditioned cats

Summary Five cats were trained to perform a forelimb ballistic flexion on a reaction time paradigm including an upper limit of about 400 ms for reinforcement (food pellets). They were implanted with a cyrogenic probe thermically insulated, except at the tip, by a vacuum jacket (outer diameter, 1.1 mm).Four cats had the probe inserted into the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (VL), contralateral to the moving limb. During cooling they showed increased reaction times, which remained constant throughout daily sessions performed during many weeks, independent of the foreperiod but varying from 25 to 100 ms according to the subject. The temperatures used to upset the reaction times varied from +10 ° C to –8 ° C, depending on the localisation of the probe and on the insulation of the silver tip used to prevent nervous tissue reaction, but for each subject the reaction times always increased when the temperature was lowered. The fifth cat, with a probe inserted between VL and the Centre Median, showed a decrease of reaction times on cooling to 0 ° C and an increase of the reaction times for a cooling at –10 ° C.For one of the four cats with a probe properly inserted into the VL, strain-gauges were stuck on the lever to measure the latency of the decrease of the pressure exerted by the subject when the subject initiated the forelimb flexion in response to the CS. Reaction times and latencies of pressure changes were closely correlated with the movement onset, and they were equally delayed during cooling. This result demonstrates that it is not by slowing down movement velocity that reaction times are upset during VL cooling but by delaying the movement onset.     

凉血散瘀方对肾虚血瘀型 IgA 肾病患者的疗效观察

〔摘 要〕 目的：分析凉血散瘀方加减辅助雷公藤多苷、醋酸泼尼松片治疗肾虚血瘀型 IgA 肾病患者的临床效果。 方法：选取三明市中西医结合医院 2019 年 6 月至 2020 年 6 月期间收治的 70 例肾虚血瘀型 IgA 肾病患者，依照治疗方案不同分为 观察组与对照组，各35例。对照组给予西药治疗；观察组在对照组基础上加用凉血散瘀方加减治疗。比较两组治疗效果。 结果：观察组患者治疗总有效率为 91.43 %，高于对照组的 71.43 %，差异具有统计学意义（P ＜ 0.05）。治疗前两组患者的尿红细 胞个数、血清肌酐（Scr）、血尿酸（SUA）、24 h 尿蛋白定量、Ⅳ 型胶原（C–Ⅳ）、基质金属蛋白酶组织抑制物 –1（TIMP–1） 及层粘连蛋白（LN）比较，差异无统计学意义（P ＞ 0.05）；治疗后两组患者的尿红细胞个数、Scr、SUA、24 h 尿蛋白 定量、C–Ⅳ、TIMP–1 及 LN 均低于治疗前，且观察组患者的尿红细胞个数、Scr、SUA、24 h 尿蛋白定量、C–Ⅳ、TIMP–1 及 LN 均低于对照组，差异具有统计学意义（P ＜ 0.05）。观察组患者不良反应发生率为 2.86 %，与对照组的 8.57 % 比较，差异无统计学意义（P ＞ 0.05）。 结论：凉血散瘀方联合雷公藤多苷、醋酸泼尼松片治疗肾虚血瘀型 IgA 肾病患者， 可进一步改善患者病情，调节血脂水平，改善肾脏纤维化，且安全性不受影响。     

Extended glaze firings for porcelain-veneered zirconia: Effects on the mechanical and optical behavior

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the effect of dwell time (conventional or extended) and cooling protocol (fast or slow) of self-glaze firings on the mechanical (flexural strength and crack propagation) and optical (color and translucency) properties of a porcelain-veneered zirconia system.MethodsBilayer disc-shaped samples were prepared (Vita VM9 + In-Ceram YZ) and divided according to the final thermal treatment: glaze firing followed by slow cooling (furnace opening at 200 °C) (G-S) or fast cooling (furnace opening at 600 °C) (G-F, manufacturer-recommended protocol), extended glaze firing (15 min of dwell time) followed by slow cooling (EG-S) or fast cooling (EG-F), or no thermal treatment (CTRL). Porcelain roughness (Ra and Rz) was measured before and after glaze firings. Color (ΔE₀₀) and translucency (TP₀₀) alteration were also evaluated. Flexural strength was measured with the piston-on-three-ball test and crack propagation analysis was performed after Vickers indentations. Complementary analyzes of crystalline phase and scanning electron microscopy were carried out.ResultsSignificant effect of dwell time was observed, with extended glaze leading to higher flexural strength and shorter crack lengths. Cracks of EG groups were observed to end in clusters of crystals. Color and translucency changed below perceptibility thresholds. All treatments led to a smoother surface and EG groups reached the lowest Rz values. An extra SiO₂ peak was revealed in control and EG groups. No effect of cooling protocol was found.SignificanceExtended glaze firing was able to improve the resistance to crack initiation and propagation of porcelain-veneered zirconia without clinically perceptible changes in optical properties.     

Novel adjunctive treatments of myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction is a major cause of death and disability worldwide and myocardial infarct size is a major determinant of prognosis. Early and successful restoration of myocardial reperfusion following an ischemic event is the most effective strategy to reduce final infarct size and improve clinical outcome,but reperfusion may induce further myocardial damage itself. Development of adjunctive therapies to limit myocardial reperfusion injury beyond opening of the coronary artery gains increasing attention. A vast number of experimental studies have shown cardioprotective effects of ischemic and pharmacological conditioning,but despite decades of research,the translation into clinical effects has been challenging. Recently published clinical studies,however,prompt optimism as novel techniques allow for improved clinical applicability. Cyclosporine A,the GLP-1 analogue exenatide and rapid cooling by endovascular infusion of cold saline all reduce infarct size and may confer clinical benefit for patients admitted with acute myocardial infarcts. Equally promising,three follow-up studies of the effect of remote ischemic conditioning(RIC) show clinical prognostic benefit in patients undergoing coronary surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention. The discovery that RIC canbe performed noninvasively using a blood pressure cuff on the upper arm to induce brief episodes of limb ischemia and reperfusion has facilitated the translation of RIC into the clinical arena. This review focus on novel advances in adjunctive therapies in relation to acute and elective coronary procedures.     

Influence of thermal gradients on stress state of veneered restorations

Objectives

To assess transient and residual stresses within the porcelain of veneered restorations (zirconia and metal) as a result of cooling rate and porcelain thickness.

Methods

Porcelain-on-zirconia (PZ) and porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns were fabricated with 1 or 2 mm of porcelain. Thermocouples were attached both internally and externally to the crowns to record transient temperatures. For fast cooling, the furnace was opened after the holding time and switched off. Slow cooling was accomplished by opening the furnace at 50 °C below the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the material. An axially symmetric FEA model simulated thermal stresses. Time-dependent temperature equations from thermocouple readings were set as boundary conditions. Framework materials and the porcelain below T_g were considered to behave elastically. Visco-elastic behavior was assumed for porcelain above the T_g modeling properties as dependent on cooling rate.

Results

Differences in residual stress were found for fast and slow cooled PZ and PFM crowns. Significant transient stress waves were observed within the porcelain when fast cooling through T_g. They are believed to be related to non-uniform volumetric changes originated from thermal gradients. Results were confirmed by modeling and physical testing of crowns containing a defect.

Significance

Residual stresses do not distinguish PZ from PFM. High magnitude transient stresses observed within the porcelain during fast cooling may explain clinical fractures involving internal defects. Stress waves may also originate internal micro-cracking which could grow under function. Therefore, slow cooling, especially for all-ceramic crowns with thick porcelain, is important to prevent thermal gradients and high-magnitude transient stresses.     

消风散合凉血五根汤联合西药治疗成人过敏性紫癜性肾炎临床疗效及对患者血表皮生长因子、血小板活化因子乙酰水解酶的影响

目的观察消风散合凉血五根汤联合西药治疗成人过敏性紫癜性肾炎(HSPN)的临床疗效及对患者血表皮生长因子(EGF)、血小板活化因子乙酰水解酶(PAF-AH)的影响。方法将90例成人HSPN患者按照随机数字表法分为2组。对照组45例予常规西医治疗;治疗组45例在对照组基础上加服消风散合凉血五根汤治疗。2组均治疗8周。比较2组治疗前后中医证候评分、血肌酐(Cr)、尿素氮(BUN)、24 h尿蛋白定量、尿红细胞计数(U-RBC)、尿微量白蛋白尿肌酐比值(UACR)、估算肾小球滤过率(e GFR)、血EGF、PAF-AH水平,并统计2组临床疗效及不良反应情况。结果治疗组总有效率88.89%,对照组总有效率68.89%,治疗组疗效优于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗后2组各项中医证候评分及总分均降低(P<0.05),治疗组治疗后各项中医证候评分及总分均低于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗后2组Cr、BUN、24 h尿蛋白定量、U-RBC、UACR均降低(P<0.05),e GFR升高(P<0.05);治疗组治疗后Cr、BUN、24 h尿蛋白定量、U-RBC、UACR均低于对照组(P<0.05),e GFR高于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗后2组血EGF、PAF-AH水平均降低(P<0.05),治疗组治疗后血EGF、PAF-AH水平均低于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗组不良反应率(11.11%)低于对照组(26.67%,P<0.05)。结论成人HSPN在西医治疗基础上,加用消风散合凉血五根汤可提高临床疗效,不仅可改善临床症状,还能改善肾功能,降低糖皮质激素不良反应,其机制之一可能与其下调血EGF、PAF-AH水平有关。     

清热解毒凉血化瘀中药对慢加亚急性肝衰竭内毒素胃泌素及胃动素的干预作用

目的:分析慢加亚急性肝衰竭患者内毒素、胃泌素、胃动素的病情相关性并评价清热解毒凉血化瘀中药的干预作用。方法:临床收集69例慢加亚急性肝衰竭患者,其中早期26例,中期21例,晚期22例(并发上消化道出血12例),并设立22例Child-PughA级肝硬化患者对照观察,检测内毒素、胃泌素、胃动素水平并观察中药疗效。结果:①治疗后显效22例,有效32例,无效15例,总有效率78.26%,各期疗效差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。②血清内毒素、血浆胃泌素、胃动素与肝损伤程度呈正相关,合并上消化道出血时各指标水平均值最高;各组之间两两比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);治疗后慢加亚急性肝衰竭患者各期以及对照组ET、Gas、MTL值组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);慢加亚急性肝衰竭患者各期与对照组ET、Gas、MTL值比较,除早期无统计学意义外,其余各期均有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论:慢加亚急性肝衰竭患者内毒素、胃泌素、胃动素水平升高与肝损伤程度相关,其水平变化有助于肝衰竭病情判断及预后估计,是上消化道出血的重要因素;在西医综合治疗基础上运用中医清热解毒凉血化瘀法可有效治疗慢加亚急性肝衰竭,疗效与病情分期相关,早期疗效明显。