Bracket bonding to polymethylmethacrylate-based materials for computer-aided design/manufacture of temporary restorations: influence of mechanical treatment and chemical treatment with universal adhesives

Objective To assess shear bond strength and failure mode (Adhesive Remnant Index, ARI) of orthodontic brackets bonded to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) blocks for computer-aided design/manufacture (CAD/CAM) fabrication of temporary restorations, following substrate chemical or mechanical treatment. Methods Two types of PMMA blocks were tested: CAD-Temp® (VITA) and Telio® CAD (Ivoclar-Vivadent). The substrate was roughened with 320-grit sandpaper, simulating a fine-grit diamond bur. Two universal adhesives, Scotchbond Universal Adhesive (SU) and Assure Plus (AP), and a conventional adhesive, Transbond XT Primer (XTP; control), were used in combination with Transbond XT Paste to bond the brackets. Six experimental groups were formed: (1) CADTemp®/SU; (2) CAD-Temp®/AP; (3) CAD-Temp®/XTP; (4) Telio® CAD/SU; (5) Telio® CAD/AP; (6) Telio® CAD/XTP. Shear bond strength and ARI were assessed. On 1 extra block for each PMMA-based material surfaces were roughened with 180-grit sandpaper, simulating a normal/medium-grit (100 mm) diamond bur, and brackets were bonded. Shear bond strengths and ARI scores were compared with those of groups 3, 6. Results On CAD-Temp® significantly higher bracket bond strengths than on Telio® CAD were recorded. With XTP significantly lower levels of adhesion were reached than using SU or AP. Roughening with a coarser bur resulted in a significant increase in adhesion. Conclusions Bracket bonding to CAD/CAM PMMA can be promoted by grinding the substrate with a normal/medium-grit bur or by coating the intact surface with universal adhesives. With appropriate pretreatments, bracket adhesion to CAD/CAM PMMA temporary restorations can be enhanced to clinically satisfactory levels

Synergistic interaction of fatty acids and oxysterols impairs mitochondrial function and limits liver adaptation during nafld progression

The complete mechanism accounting for the progression from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been elucidated. Lipotoxicity refers to cellular injury caused by hepatic free fatty acids (FFAs) and cholesterol accumulation. Excess cholesterol autoxidizes to oxysterols during oxidative stress conditions. We hypothesize that interaction of FAs and cholesterol derivatives may primarily impair mitochondrial function and affect biogenesis adaptation during NAFLD progression. We demonstrated that the accumulation of specific non-enzymatic oxysterols in the liver of animals fed high-fat+high-cholesterol diet induces mitochondrial damage and depletion of proteins of the respiratory chain complexes. When tested in vitro, 5α-cholestane-3β,5,6β-triol (triol) combined to FFAs was able to reduce respiration in isolated liver mitochondria, induced apoptosis in primary hepatocytes, and down-regulated transcription factors involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. Finally, a lower protein content in the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes was observed in human non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In conclusion, hepatic accumulation of FFAs and non-enzymatic oxysterols synergistically facilitates development and progression of NAFLD by impairing mitochondrial function, energy balance and biogenesis adaptation to chronic injury

Modular plastic chip for one-shot human papillomavirus diagnostic analysis.

In this article, we report the design and development of a plastic modular chip suitable for one-shot human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnostics, namely detection of the viral presence and relative genotyping, by two sequential steps performed directly on the same device. The device is composed of two modular and disposable plastic units that can be assembled or used separately. The first module is represented by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microreactor that is exploited for real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and, thus, is suitable for detecting the presence of virus. The second unit is a PDMS microwell array that allows virus genotyping by a colorimetric assay, based on DNA hybridization technology developed on plastic, requiring simple inspection by the naked eye. The two modules can be easily coupled to reusable hardware, enabling the heating/cooling processes and the real-time detection of HPV. By coupling real-time assay and colorimetric genotyping on the same chip, the assembled device may provide a low-cost tool for HPV diagnostics, thereby favoring the prediction of cancer risk in patients

Intra-articular therapy with infliximab in psoriatic arthritis: efficacy and safety in refractory monoarthritis

Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of intra-articular therapy (IA) with infliximab (IFX), in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and refractory monoarthritis. Methods: Four male and 1 female aged from 25 to 71 years and disease duration from 1 to 25 years, affected by PsA (CASPAR criteria) were observed . All patients were treated with immunomodulators (methotrexate, leflunomide, cyclosporin A), 3/5 with concomitant steroids, 4/5 with NSAID’s. Only 1 patient were treated with IFX 5 mg/kg IV every 6 weeks. Before the IFX injection an amount of synovial fluid was aspired from the inflamed site and the anti-TNF injection was echographic guided. Patients were evaluated at regular intervals through clinical and echographic examination and retreated in case of flare. Results: At follow-up visit after 7 days, in all patients treated with the first injection was detected total regression of the inflammation and no new inflamed synovial fluid was observed; power doppler examination shows reduction of local vascularization. Two patients experienced full remission after 6 months and only one injection, 1 patient (arthritis of the wrist) was in remission after 2 injections (3 months of interval). In 2 patients with knee arthritis and important synovial hypertrophy good results obtained after the first injection were not maintained afterwards and second injection was ineffective: these patients were evaluated for surgical intervention. Conclusions: Local injections of IFX were safe and well tolerated in all patients. The efficacy in short term was observed in all cases; our supposition is that presence of synovial hypertrophy is cause of worsening

MicroRNAs distribution in different phenotypes of Aortic Stenosis

Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) represents a cluster of different phenotypes, considering gradient and flow pattern. Circulating micro RNAs may reflect specific pathophysiological processes and could be useful biomarkers to identify disease. We assessed 80 patients (81, 76.7-84 years; 46, 57.5%females) with severe AVS. We performed bio-humoral evaluation (including circulating miRNA-1, 21, 29, 133) and 2D-echocardiography. Patients were classified according to ACC/AHA groups (D1-D3) and flow-gradient classification, considering normal/low flow, (NF/LF) and normal/high gradient, (NG/HG). Patients with reduced ejection fractionwere characterized by higher levels of miRNA1 (p = 0.003) and miRNA 133 (p = 0.03). LF condition was associated with higher levels of miRNA1 (p = 0.02) and miRNA21 (p = 0.02). Levels of miRNA21 were increased in patients with reduced Global longitudinal strain (p = 0.03). LF-HG and LF-LG showed higher levels of miRNA1 expression (p = 0.005). At one-year follow-up miRNA21 and miRNA29 levels resulted significant independent predictors of reverse remodeling and systolic function increase, respectively. Different phenotypes of AVS may express differential levels and types of miRNAs, which may retain a pathophysiological role in pro-hypertrophic and pro-fibrotic processes

Hsp60 response in experimental and human temporal lobe epilepsy

The mitochondrial chaperonin Hsp60 is a ubiquitous molecule with multiple roles, constitutively expressed and inducible by oxidative stress. In the brain, Hsp60 is widely distributed and has been implicated in neurological disorders, including epilepsy. A role for mitochondria and oxidative stress has been proposed in epileptogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we investigated the involvement of Hsp60 in TLE using animal and human samples. Hsp60 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus, measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, was increased in a rat model of TLE. Hsp60 was also increased in the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons somata and neuropil and hippocampus proper (CA3, CA1) of the epileptic rats. We also determined the circulating levels of Hsp60 in epileptic animals and TLE patients using ELISA. The epileptic rats showed circulating levels of Hsp60 higher than controls. Likewise, plasma post-seizure Hsp60 levels in patients were higher than before the seizure and those of controls. These results demonstrate that Hsp60 is increased in both animals and patients with TLE in affected tissues, and in plasma in response to epileptic seizures, and point to it as biomarker of hippocampal stress potentially useful for diagnosis and patient management.peer-reviewe

Hsp60 response in experimental and human temporal lobe epilepsy

The mitochondrial chaperonin Hsp60 is a ubiquitous molecule with multiple roles, constitutively expressed and inducible by oxidative stress. In the brain, Hsp60 is widely distributed and has been implicated in neurological disorders, including epilepsy. A role for mitochondria and oxidative stress has been proposed in epileptogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we investigated the involvement of Hsp60 in TLE using animal and human samples. Hsp60 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus, measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, was increased in a rat model of TLE. Hsp60 was also increased in the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons somata and neuropil and hippocampus proper (CA3, CA1) of the epileptic rats. We also determined the circulating levels of Hsp60 in epileptic animals and TLE patients using ELISA. The epileptic rats showed circulating levels of Hsp60 higher than controls. Likewise, plasma post-seizure Hsp60 levels in patients were higher than before the seizure and those of controls. These results demonstrate that Hsp60 is increased in both animals and patients with TLE in affected tissues, and in plasma in response to epileptic seizures, and point to it as biomarker of hippocampal stress potentially useful for diagnosis and patient management.peer-reviewe

Micro‑RNA‑21 (biomarker) and global longitudinal strain (functional marker) in detection of myocardial fibrotic burden in severe aortic valve stenosis: a pilot study

Aims: Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a deleterious consequence of aortic valve stenosis (AVS). Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a novel left ventricular (LV) functional parameter potentially useful to non-invasively estimate MF. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small ribonucleic acids (RNA) modulating genes function, mainly through RNA degradation. miRNA-21 is a biomarker associated with MF in pressure overload. The aim of the present study was to find an integrated algorithm for detection of MF using a combined approach with both bio- and functional markers. Methods: Thirty-six patients (75.2±8 y.o.; 63% Female) with severe AVS and preserved LV ejection fraction (EF), candidate to surgical aortic valve replacement (sAVR) were enrolled. Clinical, bio-humoral evaluation (including plasmatic miRNA-21 collected using specific tubes, PAXgene, for stabilization of peripheral RNA) and a complete echocardiographic study, including GLS and septal strain, were performed before sAVR. Twenty-eight of those patients underwent sAVR and, in 23 of them, an inter-ventricular septum biopsy was performed. Tissues were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin. Sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin for histological evaluation and with histochemical Masson trichrome for collagen fibers. The different components were calculated and expressed as micrometers2. To evaluate tissue miRNA components, sections2-μm thick were cut using a microtome blade for each slide. Regression analysis was performed to test association between dependent variable and various predictors included in the model. Results: Despite a preserved EF (66±11%), patients presented altered myocardial deformation parameters (GLS -14,02±3.8%; septal longitudinal strain, SSL -9.63±2.9%; septal longitudinal strain rate, SL-Sr -0.58±0.17 1/s; Septal Longitudinal early-diastolic strain rate, SL-SrE 0.62±0.32 1/s). The extent of MF showed an inverse association with both GLS and septal longitudinal deformation indices (GLS: R2=0.30; p=0.02; SSL: R2=0.36; p=0.01; SL-Sr: R2=0.39; p<0.001; SL-SrE: R2=0.35; p=0.001). miRNA-21 was mainly expressed in fibrous tissue (p<0.0001). A significant association between MF and plasmatic miRNA-21, alone and weighted for measures of structural (LVMi R2=0.50; p=0.0005) and functional (SSL R2=0.35; p=0.006) remodeling, was found. Conclusions: In AVS, MF is associated with alterations of regional and global strain. Plasmatic miRNA-21 is directly related to MF and associated with LV structural and functional impairment. © 2016 The Author(s)