Effect of Orthophosphoric Acid and Er:YAG Laser Etching on Micro-shear Bond Strength to Enamel: An In Vitro Pilot Study

Background: Dental conditioning is one of the most important phases during enamel bonding procedures to obtain clean surfaces, smear layer removal with collagen active sites and hydroxyapatite exposure. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the micro-shear bond strength (μSBS) of different adhesive systems after two different etching techniques: 37% orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) and Er:YAG laser. Methods: Ninety permanent extracted molars were embedded into epoxy resin blocks and sectioned longitudinally. Specimens were randomly assigned to one of the following groups (n=30), depending on the etching protocol: 37% H3PO4 for 30 s (Group 1), Er:YAG laser 100mJ-10Hz (Group 2), and Er:YAG laser 100mJ-10Hz followed by 37% H3PO4 for 30 s (Group 3). Each group was further divided into two subgroups depending on the bonding agent used on enamel (n=15): A) EE-Bond (Tokuyama) and B) Peak universal (Ultradent). A two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA) was conducted and the level of significance was set to p=0.05. Results: The etching procedure was a significant factor influencing the results (p=0.006), while no differences were observed for the two adhesive systems tested (p>0.05). Group 3 recorded the highest bond strength values, according to the following sequel: Group 3 < Group 2 < Group 1 < 0.05. Conclusion: The combination of phosphoric acid etching with Er:YAG laser provided the most favourable bond strength to enamel. Further morphological studies are currently ongoing

Bioelectrical impedance analysis in patients with posterior vitreous detachment

OBJECTIVE: the purpose of the study is to assess body hydration in patients with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). PVD, one of the most common eye diseases, is associated in both research and the collective image with reduced daily water intake, but this finding is not supported by strong evidence in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: based on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) evaluation, different PVD stages are identified: absent posterior vitreous detachment, partial posterior vitreous detachment (P-PVD), or complete posterior vitreous detachment (C-PVD). BIA is a simple, non-invasive bedside method used to assess body composition. patients underwent BIA and completed a floaters symptoms. 30 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the degree of vitreous detachment, in P-PVD (n=12) and C-PVD (n=18). patients underwent BIA and completed a floaters symptoms questionnaire. BIA measured the resistance (R), reactance (Xc), phase angle (PhA), total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body cell mass Index (BCMI). finally, patients received a test to assess adherence to the mediterranean diet (mediterranean diet test score, MDTS) with the addition of daily water intake. RESULTS: relevant data were obtained from the BIA evaluation: the values of R and Xc were lower in the P-PVD group than C-PVD group (respectively 417.08±58.12 Ω vs. 476.94±51.29 Ω p=0.006 and 41.33±8.23 Ω vs. 50.61±7.98 Ω p=0.004). instead, patients in the P-PVD group reported higher values of TBW and ECW than C-PVD group (respectively 44.13±7.57 L vs. 37.96±6.27 L p=0.021 and 21.03±4.06 L vs. 17.24±2.63 L p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we reported a significant correlation between vitreous pathology and anthropometric and BIA measurements

A Photoprotein in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Measures Ca2+ Mobilization in Cells and in Animals

Exogenous expression of pharmacological targets in transformed cell lines has been the traditional platform for high throughput screening of small molecules. However, exogenous expression in these cells is limited by aberrant dosage, or its toxicity, the potential lack of interaction partners, and alterations to physiology due to transformation itself. Instead, primary cells or cells differentiated from precursors are more physiological, but less amenable to exogenous expression of reporter systems. To overcome this challenge, we stably expressed c-Photina, a Ca2+-sensitive photoprotein, driven by a ubiquitous promoter in a mouse embryonic stem (mES) cell line. The same embryonic stem cell line was also used to generate a transgenic mouse that expresses c-Photina in most tissues. We show here that these cells and mice provide an efficient source of primary cells, cells differentiated from mES cells, including cardiomyocytes, neurons, astrocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, pancreatic islet cells, stably and robustly expressing c-Photina, and may be exploited for miniaturized high throughput screening. Moreover, we provide evidence that the transgenic mice may be suitable for ex-vivo bioimaging studies in both cells and tissues

Diagnostic Yield and Miss Rate of EndoRings in an Organized Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: the SMART (Study Methodology for ADR-Related Technology) Trial

Background and aims The add-on EndoRings has been claimed to improve adenoma detection at colonoscopy, but available data are inconsistent. When testing a new technology, parallel and crossover methodologies measure different outcomes, leaving uncertainty on their correspondence. Aims of this study were to compare the diagnostic yield and miss rate of the EndoRings for colorectal neoplasia. Methods Consecutive subjects undergoing colonoscopy after a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) within organized screening program in 7 Italian centers, were randomized between a parallel (EndoRings or Standard) or a crossover (EndoRings/Standard or Standard/EndoRings) methodology. Outcomes measures were the detection rates of (advanced) adenomas (A-)ADR in the parallel arms and miss rate of adenomas in the crossover arms. Results Of 958 eligible subjects, 927 (317 EndoRings; 317 Standard; 142 EndoRings/Standard; 151 Standard/Endorings) were included in the final analysis. In the parallel arms (mean ADR: 51.3%; mean AADR: 25.4%), no difference between Standard and EndoRings was found for both ADR (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.95-1.28) and A-ADR (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.88-1.51), as well as for the mean number of adenomas and advanced adenomas per patient (EndoRings: 1.9±1.3 and 1.0±1.2; Standard 2.1±1.5 and 1.0±1.2; p=NS for both comparisons). In the crossover arms, no difference in miss rate for adenomas between EndoRings and Standard was found at per-polyp (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.97-2.10), as well as at per-patient analysis (24% vs 26%; p=0.76). Conclusions No statistically significant difference in diagnostic yield and miss rate between EndoRings and Standard colonoscopy was detected in FIT+ patients. A clinically relevant correspondence between miss and detection rates was shown, supporting a cause-effect relationship

The evolutionary implications of hemipenial morphology of rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus (Laurent, 1768) (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae)

Most amniotes vertebrates have an intromittent organ to deliver semen. The reptile Sphenodon and most birds lost the ancestral penis and developed a cloaca-cloaca mating. Known as hemipenises, the copulatory organ of Squamata shows unique features between the amniotes intromittent organ. They are the only paired intromittent organs across amniotes and are fully inverted and encapsulated in the tail when not in use. The histology and ultrastructure of the hemipenes of Crotalus durissus rattlesnake is described as the evolutionary implications of the main features discussed. The organization of hemipenis of Crotalus durissus terrificus in two concentric corpora cavernosa is similar to other Squamata but differ markedly from the organization of the penis found in crocodilians, testudinata, birds and mammals. Based on the available data, the penis of the ancestral amniotes was made of connective tissue and the incorporation of smooth muscle in the framework of the sinusoids occurred independently in mammals and Crotalus durissus. The propulsor action of the muscle retractor penis basalis was confirmed and therefore the named should be changed to musculus hemipenis propulsor.The retractor penis magnus found in Squamata has no homology to the retractor penis of mammals, although both are responsible for the retraction of the copulatory organFAPESP, Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo, #2011/11828-4CNP

I-SEARCH - a multimodal search engine based on rich unified content description (RUCoD)

International audienceIn this paper, we report on work around the I-SEARCH EU (FP7 ICT STREP) project whose objective is the development of a multimodal search engine. We present the project's objectives, and detail the achieved results, amongswhich a Rich Unified Content Description format

One size does not fit all - multimodal search on mobile and desktop devices with the I-SEARCH search engine

International audienceIn this paper, we report on work around the I-SEARCH EU (FP7 ICT STREP) project whose objective is the development of a multimodal search engine targeted at mobile and desktop devices. Each of these device classes has its speci c hardware capabilities and set of supported features. In order to provide a common multimodal search experience across device classes, one size does not t all. We highlight ways to achieve the same functionality agnostic of the device class being used for the search, and present concrete use cases

Contributi per una flora vascolare di Toscana. VIII (440-506)

New localities and/or confirmations concerning 67 specific and subspecific plant taxa of Tuscan vascular flora, belonging to 59 genera and 37 families are presented: Alisma (Alismataceae), Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae), Leucojum, Sternbergia, Tristagma (Amaryllidaceae), Aloe (Asphodelaceae), Erigeron, Galinsoga, Hieracium, Rhagadiolus, Silybum, Soliva, Taraxacum (Asteraceae), Impatiens (Balsaminaceae), Berberis (Berberidaceae), Cardamine (Brassicaceae), Opuntia (Cactaceae), Cephalaria, Sixalix, Succisa (Caprifoliaceae), Silene (Caryophyllaceae), Convolvulus, Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae), Aeonium (Crassulaceae), Scirpus (Cyperaceae), Equisetum (Equisetaceae), Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae), Astragalus, Trifolium (Fabaceae), Quercus (Fagaceae), Crocus (Iridaceae), Juncus (Juncaceae), Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae), Peplis (Lythraceae), Maclura (Moraceae), Nymphaea (Nymphaeaceae), Oenothera (Onagraceae), Anacamptis, Orchis (Orchidaceae), Orobanche (Orobanchaceae), Callitriche, Veronica (Plantaginaceae), Alopecurus, Eleusine, Glyceria, Phleum (Poaceae), Persicaria, Polygonum (Polygonaceae), Groenlandia (Potamogetonaceae), Clematis, Pulsatilla, Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae), Rhamnus (Rhamnaceae), Fragaria, Potentilla, Pyracantha (Rosaceae), Galium (Rubiaceae), Sparganium (Typhaceae), Vitis (Vitaceae). In the end, the conservation status of the units and eventual protection of the cited biotopes are discussed