A clinical retrospective evaluation of FA/HA coated (Biocomp) dental implants. Results after 1 year

The development of ovulation-inducing drugs has enabled clinicians to more effectively treat the hypothalamic, pituitary, and ovarian abnormalities resulting in infertility. Pregnancy rates have been improved with the use of agents such as clomiphene citrate (CC), human menopausal gonadotropin [hMG or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) preparations], with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its analogs, stimulating the development of multiple ovarian follicles and increasing the number of fertilizable oocytes. The use of these drugs is not without certain detrimental or "toxic" consequences. The negative effects from superovulation can occur during follicle development, decreasing the number of healthy oocytes and embryos capable of leading to viable pregnancy. Ovulation induction can lead not only to higher incidences of spontaneous abortions, and multiple and ectopic pregnancies, but also to poor pregnancy rates, due, in part, to asynchrony between embryonic development and the uterine environment. Diseases such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), resulting in the secretion of supraphysiologic levels of estradiol, can lend to severe health complications, possibly requiring hospitalization. Most drugs used for ovulation induction can lead to OHSS. Although incidences of OHSS following CC use are less frequent, CC has been associated with hot flushes, multiple gestations, visual disturbances, cervical mucus abnormalities, and luteal phase deficiency. Finally, there are reports that link any or all of the ovulation-inducing drugs with a higher incidence of ovarian and breast cancer, however, a cause-effect relationship has yet to be proven.     

Modeling flow in naturally fractured reservoirs: effect of fracture aperture distribution on dominant sub-network for flow

Fracture network connectivity and aperture(or conductivity) distribution are two crucial features controlling flow behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs. The effect of connectivity on flow properties is well documented. In this paper, however, we focus here on the influence of fracture aperture distribution. We model a twodimensional fractured reservoir in which the matrix is impermeable and the fractures are well connected. The fractures obey a power-law length distribution, as observed in natural fracture networks. For the aperture distribution,since the information from subsurface fracture networks is limited, we test a number of cases: log-normal distributions(from narrow to broad), power-law distributions(from narrow to broad), and one case where the aperture is proportional to the fracture length. We find that even a wellconnected fracture network can behave like a much sparser network when the aperture distribution is broad enough(ɑ≤ 2 for power-law aperture distributions and σ≥ 0.4for log-normal aperture distributions). Specifically, most fractures can be eliminated leaving the remaining dominant sub-network with 90% of the permeability of the original fracture network. We determine how broad the aperture distribution must be to approach this behavior and the dependence of the dominant sub-network on the parameters of the aperture distribution. We also explore whether one can identify the dominant sub-network without doing flow calculations.     

Conjunctival impression cytology evaluation of patients with dry eye disease using scleral contact lenses

Purpose

To evaluate conjunctival impression cytology and HLADR expression changes after wearing scleral contact lenses (ScCLs) for moderate to severe dry eye disease (DED).

Virulence Factors of Enteric Pathogenic Escherichia coli: A Review

Escherichia coli are remarkably versatile microorganisms and important members of the normal intestinal microbiota of humans and animals. This harmless commensal organism can acquire a mixture of comprehensive mobile genetic elements that contain genes encoding virulence factors, becoming an emerging human pathogen capable of causing a broad spectrum of intestinal and extraintestinal diseases. Nine definite enteric E. coli pathotypes have been well characterized, causing diseases ranging from various gastrointestinal disorders to urinary tract infections. These pathotypes employ many virulence factors and effectors subverting the functions of host cells to mediate their virulence and pathogenesis. This review summarizes new developments in our understanding of diverse virulence factors associated with encoding genes used by different pathotypes of enteric pathogenic E. coli to cause intestinal and extraintestinal diseases in humans.     

Electret Filters for High-Efficiency and High-Flow Air Cleaning

A new type of air filter in which the dust particles are captured very effectively by electrostatic forces is presented. This is accomplished by making the filter from polymer fibers that carry a permanent positive and negative charge. A method is outlined for producing such filters on a large scale and results are given of tests in which the filters are challenged with various aerosols. The advantage of the new filters is that they combine a high capturing efficiency with a low resistance to air flow. Among the numerous applications, personal protective face masks for people working in dusty environments are especially valuable.     

Treatment of Goodpasture syndrome with cyclophosphamide, prednisone and plasma exchange transfusions

Repeated plasm exchanges were performed in a 44-year-old man with Goodpasture syndrome, also treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisone. Improvement was observed within 3 weeks of starting the protocol, and by the 76th week, endogenous creatinine clearance had increased from 30 to 56 ml/min/1.73 M2 and serum albumin from 2.7 to 3.7 g/dl. Prior treatment with immunosuppressive drugs had not significantly influenced circulating antibody levels. But sustained suppression of antibody was achieved after the plasma exchanges were begun, suggesting that physical removal of circulating antibody combined with antiproliferative drug treatment may be a useful way to control undesirable humoral immune responses.     

Multiple scattering of protons in thick gas targets

Small angle multiple scattering distributions of 9.9 and 13.9 MeV protons were measured in thick gas targets of H₂, D₂, He, N₂ and Ar. The target thicknesses ranged between 13 and 26 mg/cm². The data were compared with theoretical predictions of Molière, Bethe, Fano and Marion and Zimmermann, which differ substantially in the case of hydrogen. Only the predictions of Fano are in good agreement with the experimental results. The simple formula of the Particle Data Group for the 1/e widths yields predictions which deviate less than 10% from the data. Theoretical expressions are summarized for easy application.     

Altered expression of beta-2-microglobulin in basaloid proliferations overlying dermatofibromas

The epidermis overlying 2-8% of dermatofibromas shows basaloid proliferations that are indistinguishable from superficial basal cell carcinoma. It is well established that basal cell carcinomas uniformly exhibit a strongly reduced expression of HLA class I molecules. Nineteen dermatofibromas with overlying basaloid proliferations were studied by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody against beta-2-microglobulin, the invariant chain of the HLA class I molecule. The basaloid proliferations exhibited the same strong reduction in expression of beta-2-microglobulin as demonstrated in basal cell carcinomas. We suggest that this phenomenon may represent a proliferative change induced by the mesenchymal cells of the underlying dermatofibroma.