Tensile bond strength and SEM analysis of enamel etched with Er:YAG laser and phosphoric acid: a comparative study In vitro

Er:YAG laser has been studied as a potential tool for restorative dentistry due to its ability to selectively remove oral hard tissue with minimal or no thermal damage to the surrounding tissues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro the tensile bond strength (TBS) of an adhesive/composite resin system to human enamel surfaces treated with 37% phosphoric acid, Er:YAG laser (lambda=2.94 mum) with a total energy of 16 J (80 mJ/pulse, 2Hz, 200 pulses, 250 ms pulse width), and Er:YAG laser followed by phosphoric acid etching. Analysis of the treated surfaces was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess morphological differences among the groups. TBS means (in MPa) were as follows: Er:YAG laser + acid (11.7 MPa) > acid (8.2 MPa) > Er:YAG laser (6.1 MPa), with the group treated with laser+acid being significantly from the other groups (p=0.0006 and p= 0.00019, respectively). The groups treated with acid alone and laser alone were significantly different from each other (p=0.0003). The SEM analysis revealed morphological changes that corroborate the TBS results, suggesting that the differences in TBS means among the groups are related to the different etching patterns produced by each type of surface treatment. The findings of this study indicate that the association between Er:YAG laser and phosphoric acid can be used as a valuable resource to increase bond strength to laser-prepared enamel.A tecnologia a laser tem sido estudada como uma ferramenta potencial para uso em odontologia devido à sua habilidade em remover tecido ósseo com um mínimo ou nenhum dano aos tecidos vizinhos. O objetivo deste estudo é comparar in vitro a resistência à tração do sistema adesivo em esmalte tratado com ácido fosfórico a 37 %, laser Er:YAG (lambda=2,94 mim) com energia total de 16 J (80 mJ/pulso, 2 Hz, 200 pulsos e largura de pulso de 250 ms) e com a combinação laser Er:YAG seguido por ácido fosfórico. O teste de resistência à tração foi usado para comparar a resistência à tração em cada grupo. Foi também realizada microscopia eletrônica de varredura para permitir a análise das diferenças morfológicas entre os grupos. Foram obtidos os seguintes valores médios de resistência para os grupos tratados com: laser (6,1 MPa), ácido fosfórico (8,2 MPa) e laser mais ácido (11,7 Mpa). Amostras tratadas com laser e ácido apresentaram valores maiores de resistência do que amostras com laser ou ácido isoladamente. A análise da microscopia eletrônica revelou diferenças que corroboram os resultados, demonstrando que diferenças de resistência entre os grupos são devidas às diferenças entre os padrões superficiais resultantes. Nossos resultados sugerem que a combinação do laser Er:YAG com ácido fosfórico pode ser usada como um método para aumentar a resistência à tração do sistema esmalte resina

Quantification of in vivo fluorescence decoupled from the effects of tissue optical properties using fiber-optic spectroscopy measurements

We present a method for tissue fluorescence quantification in situ using a handheld fiber optic probe that measures both the fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectra. A simplified method to decouple the fluorescence spectrum from distorting effects of the tissue optical absorption and scattering is developed, with the objective of accurately quantifying the fluorescence in absolute units. The primary motivation is measurement of 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX (ALA-PpIX) concentration in tissue during fluorescence-guided resection of malignant brain tumors. This technique is validated in phantoms and ex vivo mouse tissues, and tested in vivo in a rabbit brain tumor model using ALA-PpIX fluorescence contrast

Analysis of Alternative Methods of Environmental Monitoring for Listeria in Food Production Facilities

Validated alternative test methodologies may be used in place of culture-based methods recommended for environmental monitoring programs (EMPs) for Listeria in food production facilities. In order to help guide decisions on which testing method to use to simplify Listeria EMP implementation in food production facilities, alternative methods were compared to the culture-based method in actual EMPs for Listeria. Seventy-two samples collected from two facilities of souzai production businesses that use meat and meat products as ingredients, one facility of processed meat product production business, and one facility of processed meat product and souzai production business were applied to EMPs for Listeria using the culture-based method, 3MTM Molecular Detection System (MDS), and InSite L. mono Glo (InSite). The kappa coefficient in MDS was 0.65 for Listeria monocytogenes and 0.74 for Listeria spp., both of which were deemed substantial compared with the culture-based method. The kappa coefficient in InSite was −0.01 for L. monocytogenes and 0.50 for Listeria spp., which indicated poor and moderate reproducibility, respectively. When the medium of InSite was smeared on agar medium, 7 of the 19 samples tested positive only for Listeria spp. (negative for L. monocytogenes) but L. monocytogenes was cultured, indicating that the sensitivity of detecting L. monocytogenes via fluorescence may be low. MDS was considered a useful alternative for both L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. as targets, and InSite was not possible as a substitute for detecting L. monocytogenes; however, it is considered a helpful alternative method for detecting Listeria spp. EMPs for Listeria often target Listeria spp. as an indicator of L. monocytogenes. The alternative methods studied in this study are rapid, simple, and useful in EMPs for Listeria. However, the data in this study were a comparatively small sample set and impacted by variability, so more robust comparisons are desirable in the future

Environmental Monitoring of Food Manufacturing Facilities for Listeria: A Case Study

Environmental monitoring programs (EMPs) for food production facilities are useful for verifying general sanitation controls and are recommended as verification measures to ensure that the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point plan is working effectively. In this study, EMPs for Listeria were conducted at three food production facilities to assess the efficacy of sanitation control and establish effective sanitation control methods. In Facility A, L. monocytogenes was detected in the clean area although in Zone 3, non–food-contact surfaces. To prevent contamination from dirty areas, the cleaning practices in the preparation room were investigated. Normal cleaning combined with disinfection with carbonated hypochlorite water (chlorine concentration, 150 ppm) proved effective. At Facility B, a salad product and its ingredients (pastrami and salami) were positive for L. monocytogenes serotype 3b. The bacterial count was <10/g in all samples. However, when inoculated with L. monocytogenes isolates, the growth of approximately 2 log cfu/g was observed on pastrami after 48 h of incubation at 10°C. The ingredients were commercially purchased blocks that were sliced in a slicer at Facility B and used as salad toppings. Because both unopened blocks were negative for L. monocytogenes, contamination of the slicer was suspected. Sampling of the slicer revealed that contamination by L. monocytogenes serotype 3b was more extensive after use than before use. Therefore, the slicer was disassembled, cleaned, and disinfected thoroughly. In Facility C, L. monocytogenes serotype 4b (4e) was detected in all the dirty, semiclean, and clean areas. The strain was also isolated from the wheels of a smoking cart transported across the zones. Therefore, efforts were made to frequently clean and disinfect the cart. EMPs revealed the presence of Listeria in each facility and allowed remedial measures to be undertaken. Continued monitoring and Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles were considered desirable

Göra skillnad : förändra sjuksköterskestudenters kliniska och globala kompetens

Bakgrund: I augusti 2017 genomförde Nursing Leadership Collaborative of the International Network of Universities (INU) en workshop i Hiroshima, Japan med temat Patient Safety and Quality Care. Workshoppen som varade i nio dagar avsåg att utveckla en modell för internationellt samarbete och utbildning i syfte att stärka patientsäkerhet och kvalitetsförbättringsfrågor utifrån ett globalt perspektiv. Utbildningen baserades på ett koncept utarbetat inom ramen för The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) som utgick från sjuksköterskans kärnkompetenser. Undervisningen i form av teori, praktik och studiebesök, varvades med kulturella aktiviteter som bland annat inkluderade fredsceremoni till minne av atombomben som släpptes över Hiroshima den 4 augusti 1945, ”The A-bomb day”. Undervisningen leddes av INU medlemmar som alla är experter i ämnet Syftet med workshopen och tillhörande utvärdering och forskning var att undersöka om sjuksköterskestudenters kliniska kompetens ökar genom att delta i internationell workshop samt om deras självrapporterade övertygelser som speglar global kompetens och öppenhet mot kulturell mångfald förändrades. Det är viktigt att värdera resultat och effekter av all undervisning och lärande, speciellt internationella projekt som genererar fler resurser än traditionell undervisning på hemma universitetet. Metod: Deltagare i workshopen var 21 sjuksköterskestudenter från sex INU-anslutna universitet, Japan, Spanien, Sverige, Syd Afrika, Storbritannien och USA. Innan workshopen började och i anslutning till att workshopen avslutades svarade studenterna på olika kunskapsfrågor på innehåll som togs upp under workshopen (för- och eftertest). Studenterna svarade också på enkäten Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory (BEVI) vid samma tillfälle samt 6 månader senare. Studenterna skrev även dagliga reflektioner kring undervisningen och sina övriga upplevelser. Analys baserad på denna kvalitativ data kommer att genomföras med stöd av NVivo-programvara. Resultat: All data har ännu inte analyserats men preliminära resultat visar på att sjuksköterskestudenterna hade förbättrat sin kliniska kompetens kring patientsäkerhet och förbättringsarbete efter att ha deltagit i workshopen. Resultatet speglar en större förståelse och empati för andras perspektiv och erfarenheter och ökad öppenhet mot andra synsätt och kulturer. Som grupp visade analysen av BEVI på att deltagarna hade skaffat sig en ökad förståelse för varför världen fungerar på det sätt som den gör och deras var bekymmer för ekologiska världsproblem hade ökat. Resultatet visade även på en ökad öppenhet mot och intresse för andra kulturella övertygelser och praxis som skiljer sig från sin egen sociokulturell miljö och på en ökad öppenhet gentemot icke-traditionella könsroller. Arbetet med den internationella kursen var en utmaning även om det fanns en samsyn om innehållet. Det fanns kulturella skillnader avseende pedagogik och arbetssätt. Slutsats: Förutom att öka sin kliniska kompetens genom att delta i en internationell workshop upplevde sjuksköterskestudenterna förändringar i sina övertygelser och värderingar som speglar en större grad av global kompetens. Detta är en viktig kompetens för det livslånga lärandet i dagens och morgondagens mångfaldssamhälle oavsett om studenten praktiserar sitt yrke på hemorten eller i ett nationellt sammanhang. Internationella sammarbeten främjar också lärarens pedagogiska kompetens

Making a Difference : Changing Nursing Students’ Global Beliefs

Background: In August of 2017, the Nursing Leadership Collaborative of the International Network of Universities (INU), convened in Hiroshima, Japan to hold a patient safety and quality of care workshop for nursing students from six INU universities located in Japan, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States. The workshop, held during Peace Week, had as its purpose to develop a model of international collaboration and education to impact quality and safety education in nursing. In addition to examining the impact of the experience on student learning, the leaders wished to determine to what degree students’ beliefs and values changed due to participation in the nursing collaborative workshop. The purpose of this research was to measure students’ self-reported beliefs that reflect global competency and openness to cultural diversity. Methods: IRB approval was obtained and a pre-post-test mixed method design was used with the convenience sample of 21 English speaking international undergraduate and graduate nursing students. The workshop lasted 9 days and included a curriculum based on the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies. Experiential clinical activities focused on how patient safety is improved in Japan. Cultural activities were integrated and primarily focused on the Peace Week events which included the Peace Day ceremony to memorialize the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory (BEVI), a mixed methods measure, was administered and used to asses relevant processes and constructs including (but not limited to); openness; receptivity to different cultures; stereotyping; self and emotional awareness; and strategies for making sense of why people do what they do. (Shealy, 2017). This study examines Time 1 (prior to participation in the program) and Time 2 (immediately after the completion of the program). Students also completed daily reflections in response to prompts provided by faculty. Qualitative data analysis was completed using NVivo software. Results: Results from the group aggregate data analysis indicate that prior to the start of the program (Time 1) this group presents itself as quite introspective (Self-awareness = 75thpercentile); midway between confident and inquisitive in terms of understanding who others are, how world works, and their experience of life (Basic Determinism = 41st percentile); quite open to and interested in cultural beliefs and practices that are different from one’s own (Sociocultural Openness = 74th percentile); open to non-traditional gender roles (Gender Traditionalism = 20th percentile); do not have strong religious convictions (Religious Traditionalism = 26th percentile); and express a high degree of concern about ecological issues and the natural world (Ecological Resonance = 59th percentile). Following the completion of the program (Time 2), the group as a whole reported being more sophisticated in making causal explanations about why the world works in the way it does (Basic Determinism = 30th percentile); increased openness to and interest in cultural beliefs and practices that are different from one’s own (Sociocultural Openness = 80th percentile); increased openness to non-traditional gender roles (Gender Traditionalism = 13th percentile); further decrease in strong religious convictions (Religious Traditionalism = 20th percentile); and increased degree of concern about ecological issues and the natural world (Ecological Resonance = 71stpercentile). Statements from qualitative data analysis reflect greater understanding and empathy for others’ perspectives and experiences and increased openness. Conclusion: Nursing students experienced changes in their beliefs and values that reflect a greater degree of global competency after the short term international workshop experience with other nursing students

The stimulatory action of amphiphysin on dynamin function is dependent on lipid bilayer curvature

Amphiphysin is a major dynamin-binding partner at the synapse; however, its function in fission is unclear. Incubation of large unilamellar liposomes with mice brain cytosol led to massive formation of small vesicles, whereas cytosol of amphiphysin 1 knockout mice was much less efficient in this reaction. Vesicle formation from large liposomes by purified dynamin was also strongly enhanced by amphiphysin. In the presence of liposomes, amphiphysin strongly affected dynamin GTPase activity and the recruitment of dynamin to the liposomes, but this activity was highly dependent on liposome size. Deletion from amphiphysin of its central proline-rich stretch dramatically potentiated its effect on dynamin, possibly by relieving an inhibitory intramolecular interaction. These results suggest a model in which maturation of endocytic pits correlates with the oligomerization of dynamin with either amphiphysin or other proteins with similar domain structure. Formation of these complexes is coupled to the activation of dynamin GTPase activity, thus explaining how deep invagination of the pit leads to fission