Peri-implant diseases and metabolic syndrome components: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as a spectrum of conditions associated with an increased risk of developing CVD and type 2 diabetes. MetS include: hyperglycemia, hypertension, visceral obesity, dyslipidemia with elevated values of triglycerides (TG) and low levels of HDL. The aim of this review is to provide current knowledge of the relationship between MetS, its components and peri-implant diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic literature search was conducted in the English language in several databases. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment of cohort and cross-sectional studies; while systematic reviews were evaluated through AMSTAR; results were reported according to the PRISMA Statement. RESULTS: A total of 272 records were identified through database searching, six studies were included for qualitative analysis. No study directly related to MetS was found, there was inconsistent and controversial evidence regarding association with cardiovascular disease. A higher risk of peri-implantitis was detected in people with hyperglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should be orientated in assessing the risk of peri-implant diseases, evaluating patient's therapeutic response, analyzing directionality of the relationship between MetS, its components and biologic implant complications. Few studies have investigated the possible relationship between systemic conditions and peri-implant diseases. The aim of this review is to present, in a systematic manner, current evidence and knowledge regarding possible association between cardiovascular disease and implant biologic complications. Out of the one-hundred-eighty-nine studies screened, just five studies were selected for qualitative analysis: three cohort studies (one prospective and two retrospectives) and two cross-sectional studies. According to their results, there is inconsistent and controversial evidence regarding association of cardiovascular disease and implant biologic complications. Future research should be orientated in conducting longitudinal studies, evaluating patients affected by cardiovascular disease rehabilitated with dental implants

Patient selection for partial breast irradiation by intraoperative radiation therapy: Can magnetic resonance imaging be useful?- perspective from radiation oncology point of view

The guidelines of the European and American Societies of Radiation Oncology (GEC-ESTRO and ASTRO) defined the selection criteria to offer partial breast irradiation (PBI) after lumpectomy in patients with low risk breast cancer regardless pre-operative staging. A recent publication by Tallet et al. explored the impact of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on patient eligibility for PBI. From their study, an ipsilateral BC was detected in 4% of patients, excluding these patients from intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). The authors suggested that preoperative MRI should be used routinely for patient's candidate to IORT, because of the rate of ipsilateral breast cancer detected. In view of Tallet's article, we analyzed some aspects of this issue in order to envisage some possible perspective on how to better identify those patients who could benefit from PBI, especially using IORT. From historical studies, the risk of breast cancer recurrence outside index quadrant without irradiation is in the range of 1.5-3.5%. MRI sensitivity for detection of invasive cancer is reported up to 100%, and it is particularly useful in dense breast. Other imaging technique did not achieve the same sensibility and specificity as conventional MRI. Of note, none of randomized trials published and ongoing on PBI included preoperative MRI as part of staging. To perform a preoperative MRI in PBI setting is an interesting issue, but the available data suggest that this issue should be preferably studied in the setting of prospective clinical trials to clarify the role of MRI and the clinical meaning of the discovered additional foci. \ua9 Journal of Thoracic Disease

Resistant arterial hypertension in a patient with adrenal incidentaloma multiple steno-obstructive vascular lesions and antiphospholipid syndrome

Resistant hypertension is defined as above of blood pressure (≤ 140/90 mmHg) despite therapy with three or more antihypertensive drugs of different classes at maximum tolerable doses with one bling a diuretic. An important consideration in defining a patient with resistant hypertension is the mislabeling of secondary hypertension as resistant hypertension. Here, we report a patients with resistant hypertension caused by multiple stenoocclusive arteries due to antiphospholipid syndrome and coexisting with subclinical Cushing’s syndrome

Large Signal Analysis of a New Meander Line Topology for W-band Traveling Wave Tubes

Satellite distribution of high data rate needs wide frequency band. The millimeter waves, in particular the W-band, provide wide bandwidth and relatively low attenuation. The link transmission power can be provided only by Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs). A new meander line topology to be used as slow wave structure for 71-76 GHz TWTs, with improved performance in comparison to the conventional one, is proposed. The new meander line compared to a standard meander line shows flatter gain and higher output power. © 2019 IEEE

Atresia of ovarian follicles in fishes, and implications and uses in aquaculture and fisheries

Atresia of ovarian follicles, that is the degenerative process of germ cells and their associated somatic cells, is a complex process involving apoptosis, autophagy and heterophagy. Follicular atresia is a normal component of fish oogenesis and it is observed throughout the ovarian cycle, although it is more frequent in regressing ovaries during the postspawning period. An increased occurrence of follicular atresia above physiological rates reduces fish fecundity and even causes reproductive failure in both wild and captive-reared fish stocks, and hence, this phenomenon has a wide range of implications in applied sciences such as fisheries and aquaculture. The present article reviews the available literature on both basic and applied traits of oocyte loss by atresia, including its morpho-physiological aspects and factors that cause a supraphysiological increase of follicular atresia. Finally, the review presents the use of early follicular atresia identification in the selection process of induced spawning in aquaculture and the implications of follicular atresia in fisheries management

Millimeter Wave Traveling Wave Tubes for the 21st Century

Traveling wave tubes are rapidly evolving to provide unprecedented power level in comparison to solid state devices in the millimeter waves region of the spectrum (80 – 300 GHz) thus enabling a wide range of applications. Wireless communications, imaging, security, plasma diagnostics, healthcare and many others will gain substantial features if high power in the millimeter wave region would be available from compact sources. The development of fabrication technologies is proving crucial for introducing new topologies and structures for millimeter wave vacuum electronic devices, compatible with the dimensions dictated by the short wavelength that poses substantial challenges due to tight tolerances and surface quality. This review paper will provide an overview of the principles, evolution and state of the art of one of the most widely utilized vacuum electronic devices, the traveling wave tube (TWT). The wide band, high gain features of TWTs make those devices the most promising solutions for high power at millimeter waves and THz frequencies

The effect of sophorolipids against microbial biofilms on medical-grade silicone

Recent medical strategies rely on the search for effective antimicrobials as surface coatings to prevent and treat infections in humans and animals. Biosurfactants have recently been shown to have properties as antiadhesive and antibiofilm agents. Sophorolipids in particular are biosurfactant molecules known to act as therapeutic agents. This study aimed to evaluate antimicrobial properties of sophorolipids in medical-grade silicone discs using strains of clinical relevance. Sophorolipids were produced under fed batch conditions, ESI-MS analyses were carried out to confirm the congeners present in each formulation. Three different products were obtained SLA (acidic congeners), SL18 (lactonic congeners) and SLV (mixture of acidic and lactonic congeners) and were tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and Candida albicans IHEM 2894. All three congener mixtures showed a biofilms disruption effect (> 0.1% w/v) of 70%, 75% and 80% for S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans, respectively. On pre-coated silicone discs, biofilm formation of S. aureus was reduced by 75% using SLA 0.8% w/v. After 1.5 h the inhibition of C. albicans attachment was between 45-56% whilst after 24 h incubation the percentage of inhibition for the cell attachment increased to 68-70% when using SLA 0.8% w/v. Finally, in co-incubation experiments SLA 0.05% w/v significantly reduced the ability of S. aureus and C. albicans to form biofilms and to adhere to surfaces by 90-95% at concentrations between 0.025-0.1% w/v. In conclusion sophorolipids significantly reduced the cell attachment of both tested strains which suggests that these molecules could have a potential role as coating agents on medical grade silicone devices for the preventions of Gram positive bacteria and yeast infections

Synergistic Effect of Physical Therapy Plus Pharmacological Therapy with Eperisone in Tension-Type Cervicalgia

Background. This study assessed the effect of eperisone + physical therapy compared with physical therapy alone on the alleviation of pain and disability experienced by patients with tension-type cervicalgia. Methods. Patients with tension-type cervicalgia were randomized to eperisone + physical therapy (Group A) or physical therapy alone (Group B). Patients were assessed at baseline (T0), after 4-weeks’ treatment (T1), and at 2 months’ follow-up (T2). Outcome measures included the Numerical Rating Scale, the Italian version of the Neck Pain and Disability Scale, the Short Form-McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Italian version of the Neck Disability Index. Results. Ninety-eight patients (50 patients in Group A and 48 patients in Group B) completed the study. Pain and disability scores for all outcome measures were significantly lower at both T1 and T2 for patients in Group A compared with Group B (all p<0.001). A small, improvement between T1 and T2 was observed in Group A patients but not in Group B patients, and significantly more Group B than Group A patients were worse at 2 months’ follow-up (all p<0.001). Conclusions. Eperisone in synergy with physical therapy can be a valuable tool in the therapeutic management of patients suffering from tension-type cervicalgia

Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph Observations of Magellanic Cloud Planetary Nebulae: the nature of dust in low metallicity circumstellar ejecta

We present 5 - 40 micron spectroscopy of 41 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds, observed with the Infrared Spectrograph on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectra show the presence of a combination of nebular emission lines and solid-state features from dust, superimposed on the thermal IR continuum. By analyzing the 25 LMC and 16 SMC PNe in our sample we found that the IR spectra of 14 LMC and 4 SMC PNe are dominated by nebular emission lines, while the other spectra show solid-state features. We observed that the solid-state features are compatible with carbon-rich dust grains (SiC, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc.) in most cases, except in three PNe showing oxygen-rich dust features. The frequency of carbonaceous dust features is generally higher in LMC than in SMC PNe. The spectral analysis allowed the correlations of the dust characteristics with the gas composition and morphology, and the properties of the central stars. We found that: 1) all PNe with carbonaceous dust features have C/O>1, none of these being bipolar or otherwise highly asymmetric; 2) all PNe with oxygen-rich dust features have C/O<1, with probable high mass progenitors if derived from single-star evolution (these PNe are either bipolar or highly asymmetric); 3) the dust temperature tracks the nebular and stellar evolution; and 4) the dust production efficiency depends on metallicity, with low metallicity environments not favoring dust production.Comment: The Astrophysical Journal, in pres