13 research outputs found
Clinical assessment of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of oral lichen planus
The study objective was clinical assessment of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP). There were 23 patients aged 31ā82 included in the study with oral lichen planus diagnosed clinically and histopathologically. In all patients photodynamic therapy was performed with the use of chlorin e6 (Photolon(Ā®)), containing 20Ā % chlorin e6 and 10Ā % dimethyl sulfoxide as a photosensitizer. PDT was performed using a semiconductor laser, with power up to 300Ā mW and a wavelength of 660Ā nm. A series of illumination sessions was conducted with the use of superficial light energy density of 90Ā J/cm(2). Changes of lesion size were monitored at one, two, five, and ten PDT appointments from the series of ten according to the authors' own method. The sizes of clinical OLP lesions exposed to PDT were reduced significantly (on average by 55Ā %). The best effects were observed for the lesions on the lining mucosa (57.6Ā %). The therapy was statistically significantly less effective when masticatory mucosa was affected (reduction, 30.0Ā %). Due to substantial efficacy and noninvasiveness, PDT can be useful in the treatment of OLP lesions
Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with relatively recent previous stent implantation: Three years follow-up results
Background: An increasing number of patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) have a history of coronary stent implantation. This study aims to assess perioperative
and medium-term follow-up outcomes in patients in whom CABG was preceded by coronary
stent implantation within two years before operation.
Methods: One hundred and sixty two patients undergoing CABG after previous stent placement
(PCI + CABG group) were compared to 149 who had CABG without PCI in the past
(CABG group). Clinical, angiographic and perioperative outcome data were compared. The
three year follow-up comprised data on number of deaths and the presence of anginal symptoms.
Results: In both groups the extent of coronary artery disease was comparable, but more
patients in the PCI + CABG group had a history of myocardial infarction. Perioperative
outcome data did not differ between the groups except for a higher number of vessels considered
infarct-related grafted in the CABG group. Patients operated on up to three months after PCI
had more extensive coronary heart disease than those operated on later. They also had
a significantly shorter operation time. This group also showed a trend towards less postoperative
bleeding, less rethoracotomy and less low cardiac output syndrome. In a three year
follow-up, 48 (30%) patients in the PCI + CABG group reported presence of angina compared
to 28 (19%) in the CABG group (p = 0.04).
Conclusions: Previous PCI does not significantly influence the CABG outcome. In mediumterm
follow-up, freedom from anginal symptoms is less likely in patients in whom CABG was
preceded by stent implantation
Clinical assessment of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of oral lichen planus
Clinical and radiographic evaluation of intrabony periodontal defect treatment by open flap debridement alone or in combination with nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute
The aim of this study has been to compare the clinical and radiographic outcome of periodontal intrabony defect treatment by open flap debridement alone or in combination with nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute application. Thirty patients diagnosed with advanced periodontits were divided into two groups: the control group (OFD), in which an open flap debridement procedure was performed and the test group (OFD+NHA), in which defects were additionally filled with nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute material. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket depth (PD), gingival recession (GR) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured prior to, then 6 and 12months following treatment. Radiographic depth and width of defects were also evaluated. There were no differences in any clinical and radiographic parameters between the examined groups prior to treatment. After treatment, BOP, GI, PD, CAL, radiographic depth and width parameter values improved statistically significantly in both groups. The PI value did not change, but the GR value increased significantly after treatment. There were no statistical differences in evaluated parameters between OFD and OFD+NHA groups 6 and 12months after treatment. Within the limits of the study, it can be concluded that the additional use of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute material after open flap procedure does not improve clinical and radiographic treatment outcome
Tuning magnetostructural phase transition in by application of hydrostatic pressure
Structural and magnetic properties of the CoMnCuGe compound
have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC) accompanied with investigation of magnetic properties under
applied hydrostatic pressure up to 12 kbar. It has been found that the
orthorhombic crystal structure of the TiNiSi-type, which is dominant at low
temperatures, turns into the hexagonal NiIn-type one, slightly above 200 K.
The structural transition is of the first-order type as confirmed by presence
of distinct thermal hysteresis exceeding 20 K. The ac magnetic measurements
indicate a ferromagnetic order below the Curie temperature of 238 K,
followed by additional anomaly at lower temperatures - the latter one being
related to the structural transition. Application of hydrostatic pressure leads
to temperature separation of the purely magnetic transition, whose Curie
temperature slowly increases with applied pressure, and the
magnetostructural transition characterized by critical temperature showing much
rapid decrease with increasing pressure. Comparison of the DSC data for the
investigated compound and the isostructural CoMnCuGe one has
made it possible to determine both the structural and magnetic components of
entropy change
Assessment of the effect of the corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment on the maxillary periodontal tissue in patients with malocclusions with transverse maxillary deficiency: a case series
Abstract Background The aim of the study was to assess the effect of corticotomyāassisted orthodontic treatment on soft tissue clinical parameters in patients with malocclusions with transverse maxillary deficiency. Methods The study included 20 generally healthy adult individuals with malocclusion, who underwent a corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment in maxilla. During the corticotomy performed after full-thickness flap elevation, only the buccal cortical plate was cut with the use of OTS-7, OTS7ā4, OTS7-3 ultrasound tips of the piezosurgery device (Mectron s. p. a., Italy). A clinical examination was performed prior to the corticotomy procedure, then repeated ā 3, 6, 9 and 12Ā months after the procedure. The following parameters were assessed: FMPI (full mouth plaque index), FMBOP (full mouth bleading on probing), PD (probing depth), CAL (clinical attachment level), GR (gingival recession height), RW (recession width), PH (papilla height), PW (papilla width), BS (bone sounding), biotype and KT. Results There was a statistically significant reduction in PD (mean difference: 0.06; 95% Cl: āā0.33, āā0.18), CAL (mean difference: 0.07; 95% Cl: āā0.33, āā0.19), PH (mean difference: 0.26; 95% Cl: āā0.47, 0.05) and BS (mean difference: 0.13; 95% Cl: āā0.41, āā0.14) after the treatment. Statistically significant changes were also noted in relation to KT (mean difference: 0.17; 95% Cl: āā0.07, 0.27) and biotype (mean difference: 0.07; 95% Cl: 0.26, 0.39), which thickness increased significantly after the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in GR, RW and PW. Conclusions The corticotomyāassisted orthodontic treatment did not jeopardize the periodontal clinical status in maxilla. There is a need for further studies on a larger number of patient to compare the clinical findings with a control group as well as in patients with conventional orthodontic treatment in a longer follow-up time to find out more about the post-treatment periodontal tissue changes and stability
Emergency caesarean section delivery and puerperium in a patient with severe idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension ā a case report
Background: The aim of this paper is to describe the third pregnancy trimester, delivery and puerperium in patient with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. Case report: a 30-year-old primigravida with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension was qualified for emergency Caesarean section. In the post partum period no improvement in managing pulmonary arterial hypertension was achieved. Because of progressive respiratory and circulatory failure as well as the pulmonary artery pressure exceeding the systemic pressure the AV ECMO was applied on postoperative day 6. During the ECMO period the emergency laparotomy due to bleeding was necessary. The further course of ICU treatment was uneventful. Conclusion: In described case things are left to chance or goodwill of specialists and final outcome depend on happy coincidences
Resveratrol enhances the suppressive effects of arsenic trioxide on primitive leukemic progenitors
The tetramethoxyflavone zapotin selectively activates protein kinase C epsilon, leading to its down-modulation accompanied by Bcl-2, c-Jun and c-Fos decrease
Zapotin, a tetramethoxyflavone, is a natural compound with a wide spectrum of activities in neoplastic cells. Protein kinase C epsilon (PKCĪµ) has been shown to be oncogenic, with the ability to increase cell migration, invasion and survival of tumor cells. Here we report that zapotin inhibits cell proliferation. In wild-type HeLa cells with basal endogenous expression of PKCĪµ, the IC50 was found to be 17.9Ā Ā±Ā 1.6Ā Ī¼M. In HeLa cells overexpressing doxycycline-inducible constitutively active PKCĪµ (HeLaPKCĪµA/E), the IC50 was 7.6Ā Ā±Ā 1.3Ā Ī¼M, suggesting that PKCĪµ enhances the anti-proliferative effect of zapotin. Moreover, we found that zapotin selectively activated PKCĪµ in comparison with other PKC family members, but attenuated doxycycline-induced PKCĪµ expression. As a result of zapotin treatment for 6, 12 and 24Ā h, the doxycycline-induced levels of the two differently phosphorylated PKCĪµ forms (87Ā kDa and 95Ā kDa) were decreased. Migration assays revealed that increasing concentrations of zapotin (from 3.5 to 15Ā Ī¼M) decreased migration of HeLaPKCĪµA/E cells. Furthermore, zapotin significantly increased the fraction of apoptotic cells in doxycycline-induced (HeLaPKCĪµA/E) cells after 24Ā h and decreased the levels of Bcl-2, c-Jun, c-Fos. This was accompanied by a degradation of PARP-1. In summary, activation of PKCĪµ and down-modulation of the induced PKCĪµ level by zapotin were associated with decreased migration and increased apoptosis. These observations are consistent with the previously reported chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic action of zapotin