Measurements of intra-aortic balloon wall movement during inflation and deflation: effects of angulation

The intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a ventricular assist device that is used with a broad range of pre‐, intra‐, and postoperative patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Although the clinical efficacy of the IABP is well documented, the question of reduced efficacy when patients are nursed in the semi‐recumbent position remains outstanding. The aim of the present work is therefore to investigate the underlying mechanics responsible for the loss of IABP performance when operated at an angle to the horizontal. Simultaneous recordings of balloon wall movement, providing an estimate of its diameter (D), and fluid pressure were taken at three sites along the intra‐aortic balloon (IAB) at 0 and 45°. Flow rate, used for the calculation of displaced volume, was also recorded distal to the tip of the balloon. An in vitro experimental setup was used, featuring physiological impedances on either side of the IAB ends. IAB inflation at an angle of 45° showed that D increases at the tip of the IAB first, presenting a resistance to the flow displaced away from the tip of the balloon. The duration of inflation decreased by 15.5%, the inflation pressure pulse decreased by 9.6%, and volume decreased by 2.5%. Similarly, changing the position of the balloon from 0 to 45°, the balloon deflation became slower by 35%, deflation pressure pulse decreased by 14.7%, and volume suctioned was decreased by 15.2%. IAB wall movement showed that operating at 45° results in slower deflation compared with 0°. Slow wall movement, and changes in inflation and deflation onsets, result in a decreased volume displacement and pressure pulse generation. Operating the balloon at an angle to the horizontal, which is the preferred nursing position in intensive care units, results in reduced IAB inflation and deflation performance, possibly compromising its clinical benefits

Intraoral scanners in personal identification of corpses: usefulness and reliability of 3d technologies in modern forensic dentistry

Aims: This study aims to verify the applicability of modern dental technologies and their related principles of use to the forensic sciences in the field of personal identification. Background: Personal identification has always had a major role in many legal and administrative actions regarding both living and death beings. The techniques used are much less advanced than the technologies potentially available. Objective: Modern technologies, available to the daily dental clinic practice, as intraoral scanners, combined in particular to the specialist skill in orthodontics, can help redefine the methods of personal identification according to the levels of accuracy, trueness and feasibility greater than those applied in traditional forensic dentistry. Methods: 23 corpses (12F;11M) have been selected for intraoral scanning with the Carestream 3500® digital device. The superimposition of initial and late digital models, digital models and radiographs (orthopantomography and full mouth periapical films) has been evaluated to verify the stability of some structures as palatal rugae after death and to assess intraoral scanning as a successful comparative method between antemortem and postmortem records (digital models or radiographs). Obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis by the t-student test and X-square test with Yates correction (p<0.05). Results: After death, palatal rugae significatively change especially in mouths with restorations/prosthesis/missing teeth. The percentages of correct matching between scans and radiographs are very higher (up 90%; p<0.05). Conclusion: This study has been set up to study and develop new, reliable and fast methods of personal identification that can surpass many of the issues seen with the other techniques by a modern rugoscopy, a modern radiographic-digital comparison and virtual oral autopsy

Okada Purifying Therapy in combination with duloxetine vs. duloxetine alone in patients with TMD and fibromyalgia: a randomized clinical study

Abstract Objectives This randomized study was aimed at evaluating the additional analgesic effect of Okada Purifying Therapy (OPT) when administered in combination with duloxetine in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs) and Fibromyalgia (FM). Methods Patients with TMDs visited at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome who were diagnosed with FM were selected for the study. The final sample was composed of 31 patients: 15 patients were treated only with duloxetine (Group I) and 16 patients underwent also OPT treatment (Group II), for eight weeks. Craniomandibular index, total tenderness score, Brief Pain Inventory Modified Short Form, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory-1 were assessed at the beginning (T0), during the course (T1) and after therapy (T2). Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Results In all the data analyzed, both groups showed an improvement in particular between T0 and T1. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups during the trial, except for the interaction between treatment and time as to the ability of walking at the BPI-I (F=7.57, p=0.002). No side effects due to the duloxetine were recorded in group II compared to group I. Conclusion The additional complementary treatment (OPT) did not appear to give the patients with TMDs and FM any further benefit but it might improve pharmacological tolerability of the traditional medication

Familial neuralgia of occipital and intermedius nerves in a Chinese family

Cranial nerve neuralgia usually occurs sporadically. Nonetheless, familial cases of trigeminal neuralgia are not uncommon with a reported incidence of 1–2%, suggestive of an autosomal dominant inheritance. In contrast, familial occipital neuralgia is rarely reported with only one report in the literature. We present a Chinese family with five cases of occipital and nervus intermedius neuralgia alone or in combination in three generations. All persons afflicted with occipital neuralgia have suffered from paroxysmal ‘electric wave’-like pain for years. In the first generation, the father (index patient) was affected, in the second generation all his three daughters (with two sons spared) and in the third generation a daughter’s male offspring is affected. This familial pattern suggests an X-linked dominant or an autosomal dominant inheritance mode

Costs and resource use associated with Alzheimer's disease in Italy. results from an observational study

The GERAS II study aimed to assess societal costs and resource use associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) for patients and their primary caregivers in Italy and Spain, stratified for different severity stages of AD at baseline. This report presents baseline results for Italy

TMD in migraneurs: a static stabilometric study

OBJECTIVE: Aims of the study were to assess the stabilometric pattern in a TMD population with migraine and to evaluate the role of static stabilometry as an important tool in the clinical practice to quantify postural analysis in TMD and migraine patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 3 samples. The first one with TMD and heada he symptom; the second one consisted in a migraneurs population and the third one was a healthy group. All subjects submitted to a stomathognatic visit for diagnosis of TMD in according to international RDC/TMD criteria, a neurological visit to make diagnosis of primary headache (IHS criteria, 2004) and stabilometric tests (1.open eyes, 2.closed eyes, 3. hyperextended head, 4.with cotton rolls). RESULTS: We found that TMD patients showed an high percentage of migraine diagnosis (90%) and that TMD patients with migraine presented a muscular involvement in the neck district, more than healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that there is a strong association between TMD and migraine and an increase of myogenous tension in the neck area is frequent in TMDs, particularly when they are associated with migraine. We suggest that stabilometry could represent a valid tool in the postural approach of TMD and migraine patients

Electropolymerization of tetrakis(o-aminophenyl)porphyrin and relevant transition metal complexes from aqueous solution. The resulting modified electrodes as potentiometric sensors

The mechanism of electrogeneration of polyporphyrin from ortho-substituted phenylporphyrins, either free or complexing transition metals, is different when performed in aqueous solution from that operative in organic solvents, that has been reported in the literature. Polymerization occurs through the amino phenyl substituents, leading to a three dimensional 'cage' structure. The polymer is sensitive to morphology and nature of the surface it grows on. The mass deposited on a gold electrode was about 2 x 10(-4) g/cm(2). If the polymerization is performed under potentiodynamic conditions, the polymer forms essentially during the first scan, while no significant further growth is observed in subsequent potential cycles, from both free and metallated porphyrins. All polyporphyrin films, except the one obtained from CoTAPP, exhibit poor electrical conductivity, due to the three dimensional growth of the polymer chain that does not allow the necessary conjugation of pi orbitals inside the macromolecules. On the other hand, interesting properties are shown by the unmetallated as well as by metallated polymer films as possible coverages for 'coated wire' ion selective electrodes. The results obtained with respect to different ions and in particular, a selectivity study carried out on iodide ions are reported