41 research outputs found
Central defect type partial ACL injury model on goat knees: the effect of infrapatellar fat pad excision
BACKGROUND: The mid-substance central defect injury has been used to investigate the primary healing capacity of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a goat model. The sagittal plane stability on this model has not been confirmed, and possible effects of fat pad excision on healing have not been evaluated. We hypothesize that excising the fat pad tissue results in poorer ligament healing as assessed histologically and decreased tensile strength of the healing ligament. We further hypothesize that the creation of a central defect does not affect sagittal plane knee stability. METHODS: A mid-substance central defect was created with a 4-mm arthroscopic punch in the ACLs of right knees of all the subjects through a medial mini-arthrotomy. Goats were assigned to groups based on whether the fat pad was preserved (group 1, nâ=â5) or excised completely (group 2, nâ=â5). The left knees served as controls in each goat. Histopathology of the defect area along with measurement of type I collagen in one goat from each group were performed at 10th week postoperatively. The remaining knees were evaluated biomechanically at the 12th week, by measuring anterior tibial translation (ATT) of the knee joints at 90° of flexion and testing tensile properties (ultimate tensile load (UTL), ultimate elongation (UE), stiffness (S), failure mode (FM)) of the femur-ACL-tibia complex. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Histopathology analysis revealed that the central defect area was fully filled macroscopically and microscopically. However, myxoid degeneration and fibrosis were observed in group 2 and increased collagen type I content was noted in group 2. There were no significant differences within and between groups in terms of ATT values (pâ=â0.715 and pâ=â0.149, respectively). There were no significance between or within groups in terms of ultimate tensile load and ultimate elongation; however, group 2 demonstrated greater stiffness than group 1 that was correlated with the fibrotic changes detected microscopically (pâ=â0.043). CONCLUSIONS: The central defect type injury model was confirmed to be biomechanically stable in a goat model. Resection of the fat pad was noted to negatively affect defect healing and increase ligament stiffness in the central defect injury model
M-CSF in a new biomarker panel with HE4 and CA 125 in the diagnostics of epithelial ovarian cancer patients
Vampires in the village Ćœrnovo on the island of KorÄula: following an archival document from the 18th century
SrediĆĄnja tema rada usmjerena je na raĆĄÄlambu spisa pohranjenog u DrĆŸavnom arhivu u Mlecima (fond: Capi del Consiglio deâ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) koji se odnosi na dogaÄaj iz 1748. godine u korÄulanskom selu Ćœrnovo, kada su mjeĆĄtani â vjerujuÄi da su se pojavili vampiri â oskvrnuli nekoliko mjesnih grobova. U radu se podrobno iznose osnovni podaci iz spisa te reÄeni dogaÄaj analizira u ĆĄirem druĆĄtvenom kontekstu i prate se lokalna vjerovanja.The main interest of this essay is the analysis of the document from the State Archive in Venice (file: Capi del Consiglio deâ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) which is connected with the episode from 1748 when the inhabitants of the village Ćœrnove on the island of KorÄula in Croatia opened tombs on the local cemetery in the fear of the vampires treating.
This essay try to show some social circumstances connected with this event as well as a local vernacular tradition concerning superstitions
Letter to the Editor: Very Late Reactivation of Retinopathy of Prematurity After Monotherapy With Intravitreal Bevacizumab
Prevention of colonic fibrosis by Boswellia and Scutellaria extracts in rats with colitis induced by 2,4,5-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid
Background Currently, no effective preventive measures or medical therapies are available for intestinal fibrosis and, thus, surgery remains the only available strategy in the management of fibrostenotic enteropathies, especially Crohn's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a combined therapy of anti-inflammatory Boswellia and antifibrotic Scutellaria extracts on the development of colonic fibrosis in rats. Materials and methods Chronic colonic inflammation-associated fibrosis was induced in rats by intracolonic administration of 2,4,5-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS). Sixty-four healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to five groups: 8 controls, 14 TNBS, 14 TNBS orally treated with Boswellia extracts (50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), 14 TNBS orally treated with Scutellaria extracts (150 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), and 14 TNBS orally treated with both Boswellia (50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) and Scutellaria extracts (150 mg kg(-1) day(-1)). The colon was removed after 21 days of treatment and assessed by macroscopic, histological, morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. For immunohistochemical analysis, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), collagen types I-III, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta 1), Smad3, Smad7 and CD3 antibodies were used. Results Combined oral administration of Boswellia and Scutellaria significantly improved the course and macroscopic findings of TNBS-induced chronic colitis assessed by disease activity index, colon weight, length, adhesions, strictures, dilatation, thickness, oedema, ulcerations and extension of damage. The histological severity of the colonic fibrosis was also notably improved by the treatment and associated with a significant reduction in the colonic expression of alpha-SMA, collagen I-III, CTGF, TGF-beta 1, Smad3, and Smad7. Conclusions These data demonstrate that the prophylactic administration of anti-inflammatory Boswellia and antifibrotic Scutellaria extracts is effective in preventing colonic fibrosis in TNBS-induced colitis. Their antifibrotic mechanism of action seems to be mediated by the inhibition of TGF-beta 1/Smad3 pathway
Undilated versus dilated monoscopic smartphone-based fundus photography for optic nerve head evaluation
Smartphone Assisted Fundus Fundoscopy/Photography
With the introduction of portable fundus photography, the possibility of providing adequate eye care and reducing its cost globally became attainable. Smartphone photography currently plays a vital role in outreach programs where there is a lack of providers and limited availability of traditional fundus cameras.Smartphones are an attractive option in portable ophthalmoscopy due to their widespread availability. Newer techniques have allowed the acquisition of high-quality images that compare to images obtained with the more expensive conventional fundus cameras. Available options include slit lamp attachments, adapters for direct ophthalmoscopy, and the use of smartphones with handheld or mounted lenses as an indirect ophthalmoscope.Telemedicine has a substantial ability to reach underserved populations without compromising the quality of care. The continuous improvement in smartphone technology establishes its integral role in tele-ophthalmology. Further validation studies are needed to prove its advantages and shape its implementation strategies
Home Monitoring for Age-related Macular Degeneration
This article seeks to summarize the history of patient-based monitoring systems for age-related macular degeneration, as well as recent new and emerging technologies in the field of home surveillance.New commercially available products, such as ForeseeHome and Paxos, offer improved modalities for home monitoring of macular degeneration, and home optical coherence tomography provides the potential for further improvement in the future.While traditional Amsler grid monitoring has provided a useful test for patients to monitor their vision, it has found to have limited specificity and sensitivity as a screening tool for neovascular macular degeneration. Technologies such as ForeseeHome offer a new standard of care with improved accuracy in detection neovascularization early in its disease course, allowing for early intervention to improve patient outcomes