Reflections on Forty Years of Irish Membership of the European Union (special issue)

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[Osseointegrated dental implants]

Autori pomno i detaljno opisuju prikladnu metodu dentalnih intraosealnih implantata, posebno za rješenje teških slučajeva totalne bezubosti donje čeljusti. Opisanu metodu zasnivaju na iskustvu Bränemanka i drugih pridodavajući im određene korisne modifikacije, koje metodu čine prikladnom kod osobito teških k(Iiničkih slučajeva, bezubnosti donje čeljusti kod kojih druge poznate metode ne daju zadovoljavajuće rezultate. Ipak za primjenu predloženih postupaka postavljaju i određene uvjete među kojima su uz vrhunsku preciznost u radu važni pravilan odabir pacijenata, visok stupanj njihove motiviranosti i visok stupanj održavanja individualne higijene usne šupljine.A careful and thorough presentatio is made of an appropriate method of dental intra osseous implants, particularly applicable in the treatment sever cases of edentulous mandible. The method described is based on the works of Bränemark and others, with some useful modifications rendering the method appropriate for use in extremely severe clinical cases where no other method is likely to produce any satisfactory results. Certain conditions, though, are set for the application of the proposed procedures, among which high working precision, proper patient selection, high patient motivation and high level of individual oral hygiene should be emphasized

Towards a novel carbon device for the treatment of sepsis

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection in which the balance of pro- andanti-inflammatory mediators, which normally isolate and eliminate infection, is disrupted[1]. Gram negative sepsis is initiated by bacterial endotoxin release which activatesmacrophages and circulating monocytes to release TNF and IL-1β followed by IL-6 andother inflammatory cytokines [2]. As the disease progresses, an unregulatedinflammatory response results in, tissue injury, haematological dysfunction and organdysfunction. Severe sepsis, involving organ hypoperfusion may be further complicatedby hypotension that is unresponsive to adequate fluid replacement, resulting in septicshock and finally death [3].Despite improvements in anti-microbial and supportive therapies, sepsis remains asignificant cause of morbidity and mortality in ICUs worldwide [4]. The complexity ofprocesses mediating the progression of sepsis suggests that an extracorporeal devicecombining blood filtration with adsorption of a wide range of toxins, and inflammatorymediators offers the most comprehensive treatment strategy. However, no such deviceexists at present. A novel, uncoated, polymer pyrolysed synthetic carbon device isproposed which combines the superior adsorption properties of uncoated activatedcarbons with the capacity to manipulate porous structure for controlled adsorption oftarget plasma proteins and polypeptides [5]. Preliminary haemocompatibility andadsorptive capacity was assessed using a carbon matrix prototype

The electromagnetic coupling and the dark side of the Universe

We examine the properties of dark energy and dark matter through the study of the variation of the electromagnetic coupling. For concreteness, we consider the unification model of dark energy and dark matter, the generalized Chaplygin gas model (GCG), characterized by the equation of state $p=-\frac{A}{\rho^\alpha}$, where $p$ is the pressure, $\rho$ is the energy density and $A$ and $\alpha$ are positive constants. The coupling of electromagnetism with the GCG's scalar field can give rise to such a variation. We compare our results with experimental data, and find that the degeneracy on parameters $\alpha$ and $A_s$, $A_s \equiv A / \rho_{ch0}^{1+\alpha}$, is considerable.Comment: Revtex 4, 5 pages and 5 figure

3D Printing of a Polymer Bioactive Glass Composite for Bone Repair

A major limitation of synthetic bone repair is insufficient vascularization of the interior region of the scaffold. In this study, we investigated the 3D printing of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) with polycaprolactone (PCL)/bioactive glass composite in a single process. This offered a three-dimensional environment for complex and dynamic interactions that govern the cell’s behavior in vivo. Borate based bioactive (13-93B3) glass of different concentrations (10 to 50 weight %) was added to a mixture of PCL and organic solvent to make an extrudable paste. AD-MSCs suspended in Matrigel was extruded as droplets using a second syringe. Scaffolds measuring 10x10x1 mm3 in overall dimensions with a filament width of ~500 μm and pore sizes ranging from 100 to 200 μm were fabricated. Strut formability dependence on paste viscosity, scaffold integrity, and printing parameters for droplets of ADMSCs suspended in Matrigel were investigated

The cost-effectiveness of the SPHERE intervention for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease

Objectives: The Secondary Prevention of Heart disEase in geneRal practicE (SPHERE) trial has recently reported. This study examines the cost-effectiveness of the SPHERE intervention in both healthcare systems on the island of Ireland.Methods: Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis. A probabilistic model was developed to combine within-trial and beyond-trial impacts of treatment to estimate the lifetime costs and benefits of two secondary prevention strategies: Intervention - tailored practice and patient care plans; and Control - standardized usual care.Results: The intervention strategy resulted in mean cost savings per patient of €512.77 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], −1086.46–91.98) and an increase in mean quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) per patient of 0.0051 (95 percent CI, −0.0101–0.0200), when compared with the control strategy. The probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 94 percent if decision makers are willing to pay €45,000 per additional QALY.Conclusions: Decision makers in both settings must determine whether the level of evidence presented is sufficient to justify the adoption of the SPHERE intervention in clinical practice.</jats:p