EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIMENTAL SCREW-RETAINED RETRIEVABLE CROWN VERSUS CONVENTIONAL CROWN DESIGN

Statement of problem: Removing cemented crowns is usually a complicated procedure that may lead to irreversible damage to the tooth/crown and mostly necessitate remake of crown with added effort for both patient and clinician. Purpose: This in-vitro study evaluated an experimental two-component, screw-retained retrievable crown design in comparison to the conventional design. Materials and methods: A total of 120 extracted maxillary 2nd premolars received root canal treatment and were divided into two groups (n=60 each) according to the crown design they will receive. Gp CC received a threaded modified post, a composite core and a metal coping, while Gp RC received a two-component retrievable crown design. Fracture resistance was assessed by a 90 degrees vertical load to the center of the occlusal surface, using universal testing machine, under a constant crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until failure. Microleakage was assessed by placing specimens in methylene blue dye for 12 hours, sectioning the teeth longitudinally, and then examining the sectioned samples under stereomicroscope. Retrievability testing was conducted by 5 prosthodontists who attempted to uncover and unscrew the posts. Data were statistically evaluated using computer software (SPSS version 17; SPSS Inc.). Results: No significant difference between the 2 designs tested regarding microleakage tests (P=.34) whereas the experimental design, was significantly more resistant to fracture and more retrievable than the conventional one (P\u3e.5). Conclusions: The proposed retrievable crown design showed promising results and may be considered as an option to substitute the conventional design. Further studies are needed to confirm that

Thiol-Reactive PODS-Bearing Bifunctional Chelators for the Development of EGFR-Targeting [¹⁸F]AlF-Affibody Conjugates.

Site-selective bioconjugation of cysteine-containing peptides and proteins is currently achieved via a maleimide-thiol reaction (Michael addition). When maleimide-functionalized chelators are used and the resulting bioconjugates are subsequently radiolabeled, instability has been observed both during radiosynthesis and post-injection in vivo, reducing radiochemical yield and negatively impacting performance. Recently, a phenyloxadiazolyl methylsulfone derivative (PODS) was proposed as an alternative to maleimide for the site-selective conjugation and radiolabeling of proteins, demonstrating improved in vitro stability and in vivo performance. Therefore, we have synthesized two novel PODS-bearing bifunctional chelators (NOTA-PODS and NODAGA-PODS) and attached them to the EGFR-targeting affibody molecule ZEGFR:03115. After radiolabeling with the aluminum fluoride complex ([18F]AlF), both conjugates showed good stability in murine serum. When injected in high EGFR-expressing tumor-bearing mice, [18F]AlF-NOTA-PODS-ZEGFR:03115 and [18F]AlF-NODAGA-PODS-ZEGFR:03115 showed similar pharmacokinetics and a specific tumor uptake of 14.1 ± 5.3% and 16.7 ± 4.5% ID/g at 1 h post-injection, respectively. The current results are encouraging for using PODS as an alternative to maleimide-based thiol-selective bioconjugation reactions

Sect and House in Syria: History, Architecture, and Bayt Amongst the Druze in Jaramana

This paper explores the connections between the architecture and materiality of houses and the social idiom of bayt (house, family). The ethnographic exploration is located in the Druze village of Jaramana, on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus. It traces the histories, genealogies, and politics of two families, bayt Abud-Haddad and bayt Ouward, through their houses. By exploring the two families and the architecture of their houses, this paper provides a detailed ethnographic account of historical change in modern Syria, internal diversity, and stratification within the intimate social fabric of the Druze neighbourhood at a time of war, and contributes a relational approach to the anthropological understanding of houses

The Effect of use of Vaginal Lactobacillus Rhamnosus for Prevention of Recurrence of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives:The study aims to investigate the role of vaginal administration of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus after vaginal miconazole for prevention of recurrence among women with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC).Materials and Methods:A randomized clinical study was done in Women Health Hospital–Assiut University–Egypt. All women presented with symptoms suggestive of VVC to the clinic had been examined and approached for participation. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group (A) received lactobacillus containing vaginal capsules daily for one week postmenstrual. Group (B) received vaginal miconazole 400 mg once daily for 3days at bedtime postmenstrual. Group (C) received vaginal miconazole 400 mg once daily for 3 days at bedtime postmenstrual followed by lactobacillus containing vaginal capsules twice daily for one week. The primary outcome was to study the rate of recurrence of symptoms after 1, 3, 6 months of treatment. Results:During the study period, 202 participants with recurrent VVC were approached to participate in this study. No significant differences were found between the three study groups with regards patients’ age, residence, parity. After 1 month, symptoms of VVC recurred in 68.4%, 24.6% and 17.2% of women in group A, B, C consecutively. The recurrence rate increases after 3 months to become 87.5%, 60% and 33.3% consecutively in the three groups. Finally after 6 months, 94.4%, 88.7%, and 44.6% of women in group A, B, C consecutively suffered from RVVC. The recurrence rate is lower in group C (combination group) with statistically significant difference (p=0.0001).Conclusions:Vaginal administration of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus twice daily for 1 week after vaginal miconazole leads to vaginal colonization and associated at 6 months follow up with decrease the recurrence rate of VVC

Substrate-transferred GaAs/AlGaAs crystalline coatings for gravitational-wave detectors: A review of the state of the art

In this Perspective we summarize the status of technological development for large-area and low-noise substrate-transferred GaAs/AlGaAs (AlGaAs) crystalline coatings for interferometric gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. These topics were originally presented in a workshop{\dag} bringing together members of the GW community from the laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatory (LIGO), Virgo, and KAGRA collaborations, along with scientists from the precision optical metrology community, and industry partners with extensive expertise in the manufacturing of said coatings. AlGaAs-based crystalline coatings present the possibility of GW observatories having significantly greater range than current systems employing ion-beam sputtered mirrors. Given the low thermal noise of AlGaAs at room temperature, GW detectors could realize these significant sensitivity gains, while potentially avoiding cryogenic operation. However, the development of large-area AlGaAs coatings presents unique challenges. Herein, we describe recent research and development efforts relevant to crystalline coatings, covering characterization efforts on novel noise processes, as well as optical metrology on large-area (~10 cm diameter) mirrors. We further explore options to expand the maximum coating diameter to 20 cm and beyond, forging a path to produce low-noise AlGaAs mirrors amenable to future GW detector upgrades, while noting the unique requirements and prospective experimental testbeds for these novel materials.Comment: 13pages, 3 figure

An 8-mm diameter fibre robot positioner for massive spectroscopy surveys

Massive spectroscopic survey are becoming trendy in astrophysics and cosmology, as they can address new fundamental knowledge such as understanding the formation of the Milky Way and probing the nature of the mysterious dark energy. To enable massive spectroscopic surveys, new technology has been developed to place thousands of optical fibres at a given position on a focal plane. This technology needs to be: (1) accurate, with micrometer positional accuracy; (2) fast to minimize overhead; (3) robust to minimize failure; and (4) low cost. In this paper, we present the development, properties, and performance of a new single 8-mm in diameter fibre positioner robot, using two 4-mm DC-brushless gearmotors, that allows us to achieve accuracies up to 0.07arcsec (5 μm). This device has been developed in the context of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument.

An 8-mm diameter fibre robot positioner for massive spectroscopy surveys

This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society © 2015 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reservedMassive spectroscopic survey are becoming trendy in astrophysics and cosmology, as they can address new fundamental knowledge such as understanding the formation of the Milky Way and probing the nature of the mysterious dark energy. To enable massive spectroscopic surveys, new technology has been developed to place thousands of optical fibres at a given position on a focal plane. This technology needs to be: (1) accurate, with micrometer positional accuracy; (2) fast to minimize overhead; (3) robust to minimize failure; and (4) low cost. In this paper, we present the development, properties, and performance of a new single 8-mm in diameter fibre positioner robot, using two 4-mm DC-brushless gearmotors, that allows us to achieve accuracies up to 0.07 arcsec (5 μm). This device has been developed in the context of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic InstrumentWe acknowledge support from the Spanish MICINNs Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program me under grant MultiDark CSD2009-00064, HEPHACOS S2009/ESP-1473, and MINECO Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa Programme under grant SEV-2012-0249. We also thank the support from a CSIC-AVS contract through MICINN grant AYA2010-21231-C02- 01, and CDTI grant IDC-20101033; and support from the Spanish MINECO research grants AYA2012-31101 and FPA2012-34694. JPK, PH and LM acknowledge support from the ERC advanced grant LIDA and from an SNF Interdisciplinary grant