Preparatory Treatment Research Articles

MALDI-MSI of Lipids in Human Skin.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is now a well-established technique for imaging analysis of sectioned biological tissues. One of the growing areas of interest is in the analysis of skin. MALDI-MSI can provide a wealth of information from within sections of skin. This includes information on the distribution of pharmaceuticals following topical treatments, through to the examination of the composition of different skin layers and studies of proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic responses to disease, wounds, and external stimuli. Here, we describe the handling procedures, preparatory treatment, and mass spectrometry setup required for the MALDI MSI analysis of lipids within human skin samples.

The effect of beta radiation on the susceptibility of high-energy materials to a high-current electron beam

The results of experiments on initiating explosive transformations in layer samples of high-energy materials, which were first irradiated with beta particles, with a pulsed electron beam are reported. The potential to adjust the susceptibility of high-energy materials to an electron beam by performing preparatory ionization treatment is demonstrated.

Effectiveness of an Internet-based preparation for psychosomatic treatment: Results of a controlled observational study

ObjectivePatients often have to sustain long waiting periods between the time they first apply for psychotherapy and the actual uptake of the treatment. To support patients who are on a wait-list for inpatient psychosomatic treatment an Internet-based preparatory treatment (VORSTAT) was developed. In a randomized controlled trial, VORSTAT proved to increase treatment motivation prior to intake and to accelerate the accommodation phase at the beginning of inpatient treatment. No impact of VORSTAT on inpatient treatment outcome was found. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of VORSTAT after implementing the service into routine care. MethodsA large naturalistic observational study comparing VORSTAT participants (N=911) against non-participants (N=1721) was conducted. Propensity scores were used to control for potential confounding variables due to the non-randomized group allocation. Reliable improvement of self-reported impairment achieved during inpatient treatment was used as outcome measure. ResultsVORSTAT participants showed higher rates of reliable improvement in physical impairment (50.8% vs. 44.9%), psychological impairment (41.2% vs. 29.9%), and social problems (22.3% vs. 15.2%). ConclusionAn Internet-based preparation for psychotherapy is an effective approach to improve outcome of inpatient psychosomatic treatment.

English

An isocratic simple rapid method has been developed and validated for the determination of carbamazepine (CBZ) in both solution form and blood samples. The assay was performed using an analytical C18 (100 mm×4.6 mm i. d) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (50:50), the flow rate was 1 ml/min and UV detection at 285 nm. The method was found to be specific for CBZ, no interfering peaks were observed with an overall analytical run time of 5 min. Accuracy reported as % recovery were found to be 95.83–103.34% and 93.18–104.49% for inter-day and intra-day accuracies, respectively. Inter-day precision (reproducibility) was found to be 0.22–1.19 SD, while intra-day precision (repeatability) was found to be 0.14–2.12 SD for the samples studied. The calibration curve was found to be linear with the equation y=13474x+16969, with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 (R2) over a concentration range of 0.5–40 lg/ml. The farthest point of quantitation was the least fixation. The system is straightforward and fast and does not require any preparatory treatment of the specimen. The strategy was approved and effectively requested the blood tests to study the medication pharmacokinetic parameters.

A template for writing radiotherapy protocols

Background. Well-specified and unambiguous treatment protocols are essential both for current practice and for the future development of radiation therapy. In order to provide assistance for writing good protocols, irrespective of treatment intention and complexity, up-to-date guidelines are highly desirable.Methods. We have analysed the radiotherapy work-flow, including clinical and physical aspects, such as preparatory imaging, treatment planning, delivery and evaluation, with the aim to outline a consistent framework covering the entire radiotherapy process.Results. Based on the analysis, a recipe-style template for specifying the description of the radiotherapy process has been designed. The template is written in a general format, which allows for modified phrasing, and should be customised for the specific clinical situation and diagnosis, as well as facility resources.Conclusions. The template can be used as a tool to ensure a consistent and comprehensive description of the radiotherapy section of clinical guidelines, care programmes and clinical trial protocols.

Crystallogenesis of zircon in alkaline granites and specifics of zircon U-Pb dating: A case study of the Khangai magmatic area

Data obtained on the Khangai zonal magmatic areole in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt indicate that accessory zircons in alkaline granitoids have crystallogenetic characteristics that generally reflect specifics of the evolution of the parental alkaline magmas. The late differentiation of these magmas was characterized by an increase in the concentrations of trace and rare-earth elements, water, and fluorine in the residual melts and aqueous salt-bearing fluids. Their action was associated with local transformations of the zircon, first and foremost, with local enrichment of zircon crystals in fluid inclusions and in crystalline inclusions of sulfides an other ore minerals. This disturbed the Pb isotopic composition of the zircon, for example, led to its enrichment in common (admixture) Pb and thus caused significant errors and uncertainties in the U-Pb zircon dates. Our recently obtained data indicate that one of the most efficient methods of preparing accessory zircons enriched in common Pb to their U-Pb dating is their preparatory treatment with acids (Makeev, 1981; Mattinson, 1994, 1997, 2005). The application of this technique makes it possible to rid the zircons of phases enriched in common Pb and usually to obtain reliable geochronologic data. The method of preparatory acid treatment of zircons is thus best suitable for geochronologic studies of granitoids of elevated alkalinity.

El futuro de la cirugía reproductiva

Es necesario revisar la intervención de la cirugía reproductiva desde la perspectiva de un tratamiento preparatorio para el de fecundación in vitro (FIV). Si hay hidrosálpinx, es necesaria una salpingectomia laparoscópica antes de ingresar a un programa de FIV, considerando que la cirugía no compromete la estimulación ovárica ni las tasas de embarazo con respecto a las pacientes con las trompas sanas. No se ha demostrado alteraciones en los índices de implantación ni de embarazo por efecto de la endometriosis; por tanto, no vale la pena llevar a la paciente a los riesgos de una cirugía. Frente a una ligadura de trompas, los mejores resultados se logran si se llevó a cabo por aplicación de clips en el parte media del istmo, y los peores cuando el procedimiento se realizó distalmente con la eliminación del extremo fimbrial. Las pacientes con miomas subserosos o intramurales menores a 4 cm, que no afectan la cavidad uterina, tienen resultados de FIV/ICSI similares a las que no los tienen; ellas no requieren una miomectomía. En los casos de pérdida recurrente del embarazo, útero septado y polipectomía (>9 mm), los resultados reproductivos de la resectoscopia (histeroscopia quirúrgica) muestran beneficios significativos. El futuro de la cirugía reproductiva, debe considerar preservar la capacidad de tener hijos antes de pensar en eliminar la patología. Todos los ensayos futuros deberán abordar los posibles efectos a largo plazo en detrimento de la fertilidad femenina.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia as a Preparatory Treatment for Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Insomnia is present in a majority of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, when both disorders are present, disagreements exist about whether to provide exposure therapy for PTSD before insomnia treatment, or vice versa. The current case study describes the psychological treatment of a psychotherapy-naive veteran with comorbid insomnia and PTSD. The patient initially refused exposure therapy for PTSD; thus, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) was a first-step treatment. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia provided insomnia symptom relief psychoeducation and self-monitoring of PTSD symptoms prepared the patient to enter exposure therapy. After six CBTi sessions, the patient completed seven sessions of trauma-specific exposure therapy. At the conclusion of treatment and at 90-day follow up, the patient demonstrated significant reductions in insomnia and PTSD symptoms. Findings support the safe and effective use of CBTi in patients with comorbid insomnia and PTSD to improve sleep and facilitate entry into exposure therapy for PTSD.

Role of actinidin in the hydrolysis of the cream milk proteins

Cream from milk is commonly used as the starting material of variety food products such as cream cheese, fat added cheeses, butter and buttermilk. The protein content of cream is only about 2% but strongly affects the quality of fat containing dairy products especially cheeses which are frequently characterized by an unsatisfactory texture. In this work, the suitability of the actinidin to function in a “fat-supplemented” environment was tested and the SDS–PAGE profile of cream treated with the enzyme was also analyzed. The results show that actinidin is able to degrade all the cream proteins to smaller than 29.0kDa fragments suggesting a novel utilization as preparatory treatment in the production of milk derived products characterized by a reduced content of undesirable proteins.

Development of a new guinea-pig model of shigellosis

Shigellosis is a major form of bacillary dysentery caused by Shigella spp. To date, there is no suitable animal model to evaluate the protective efficacy of vaccine candidates against this pathogen. Here, we describe a successful experimental shigellosis in the guinea-pig model, which has shown the characteristic features of human shigellosis. This model yielded reproducible results without any preparatory treatment besides cecal ligation. In this study, guinea-pigs were discretely infected with virulent Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and Shigella flexneri type 2a into the cecocolic junction after ligation of the distal cecum. All the experimental animals lost ∼10% of their body weight and developed typical dysentery within 24-h postinfection. In the histological analysis, distal colon showed edema, hemorrhage, exudation and inflammatory infiltrations in the lamina propria. Orally immunized animals with heat-killed S. dysenteriae type 1 and S. flexneri type 2a strains showed high levels of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mucosal IgA antibodies and conferred significant homologous protective immunity against subsequent challenges with the live strains. The direct administration of shigellae into the cecocolic junction induces acute inflammation, making this animal model useful for assessing shigellosis and evaluating the protective immunity of Shigella vaccine candidates.

Comparative Study of Pt/Pd and Pt–Rh/Pt Thermocouples

The Pt/Pd thermocouple has demonstrated superior thermoelectric drift and homogeneity performance over conventional Pt–Rh/Pt thermocouples. Here, we present a systematic comparison of the drift and homogeneity performance of Pt/Pd and Type R thermocouples by ageing the thermocouples at 1350 °C for a total of 500 h and measuring the performance at regular intervals during this time. The thermocouples studied were one Pt/Pd thermocouple, one Type R thermocouple and one ‘special’ Type R thermocouple which was given the same preparatory annealing treatment as the Pt/Pd thermocouple prior to use. The thermoelectric stability of each thermocouple was measured at the freezing point of Ag (961.78 °C) and the melting point of Co–C eutectic (1324.29 °C). The thermoelectric homogeneity of the thermocouples was also measured. Two difference methods were used by withdrawing the thermocouple from the Ag cell and by moving a localized heat source along the thermocouple. The long-term drift of the Pt/Pd thermocouple was around 50 mK (Ag) and 65 mK (Co–C) after the first 100 h ageing at 1350 °C, followed by a further 25 mK (Ag) and 35 mK (Co–C) over the subsequent 400 h ageing. This drift performance and inhomogeneity were an order of magnitude lower than for the two Type R thermocouples. The Type R thermocouple which was given the ‘special’ preparatory treatment was about 50 % more stable than the conventional Type R thermocouple.

Surgical treatment of chronic empyema

Empyema remains challenging for thoracic surgeons. This review covers diverse aspects of acute empyema and chronic empyema and its surgical treatment. The triphasic nature of thoracic empyema (stages I, II, and III) is also addressed. The principles of empyema treatment are early diagnosis and early treatment. For acute empyema (empyema in stages I and II), early surgical intervention, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic débridement, is recommended when conventional chest tube drainage has failed. Radical treatments of chronic empyema (empyema in stage III) include (1) removal of the empyema space (decortication with or without lung resection) and (2) obliteration of the pleural space with muscle flaps or omentum flaps, or by thoracoplasty. Decortication is the procedure of choice for patients with reexpandable underlying lung. When bronchopleural fistula exists in the underlying lung, the fistula should be securely closed. For those patients whose underlying lung cannot be expected to reexpand, the procedure of choice is either concomitant removal of the affected lung with the empyema space or obliteration of the pleural space. For patients who are not eligible for the above-mentioned radical treatment, open-window thoracostomy can be considered. This procedure is not only performed as a definitive treatment of empyema but also as a preparatory treatment for radical procedures. Radical procedures are performed when patients recuperate. Choosing the most suitable operation based on the stages of empyema, the conditions of the underlying lung, and the conditions of a patient holds the key to success.

Resin-bonded Cantilever Partial Dentures are Effective in Terms of Patient Satisfaction in the Restoration of the Mandibular Shortened Dental Arch

The study sample was derived from dental hospital patients awaiting the provision of a mandibular bilateral free-end removable partial denture (RPD). Inclusion criteria included the following: (1) maximum of 8 remaining mandibular teeth; (2) 1 to 2 anterior teeth spaces allowed, provided they were restorable using resin-bonded fixed partial dentures (FPDs); and (3) plaque score of 20% or less. Exclusion criteria were the following: (1) presence of maxillary molars; (2) maxillary tooth or teeth that would be unopposed by a proposed mandibular prosthesis; and (3) medical condition that precluded active treatment or prescribed diet. Before randomization, all potentially eligible participants had received a preparatory treatment including oral hygiene and restorative and periodontal treatment, if necessary. Sixty participants (25 men and 35 women;median age 67 years; range 39-81 years) were enrolled in the study and randomly allocated into 2 treatment groups (n = 30 per group) matched for age and sex. The dates of the recruitment to the study were not given, but all new prostheses were constructed and fitted between June 1995 and July 1997. The primary treatment of interest was the distal cantilever resin-bonded FPDs. The control treatment was RPDs. Cantilever resin-bonded FPDs restored 1 occlusal unit, up to but not beyond the second premolar, using single pontic cantilevers from a single abutment whenever possible. Patient satisfaction was assessed using self-administrated questionnaires, piloted for this study, at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year after the provision of the new prostheses. A lower median satisfaction score indicated a higher level of satisfaction. These questionnaires included items about overall satisfaction with teeth, appearance of teeth, ability to chew, and bite and level of satisfaction, as well as comfort with the prosthesis. The mandibular shortened dental arches opposed a complete maxillary denture in 51 participants, opposed partial maxillary dentures in 7 participants, and opposed natural maxillary teeth in only 2 participants. Fifty-two patients attended the 3-month and 1-year follow-up assessments. There were no differences in the baseline satisfaction of the 2 treatment groups. The within-group changes in summary satisfaction scores indicated significantly higher satisfaction for both treatment groups from baseline (median FPD = 17.5, RPD = 16.5) to the 3-month (median FPD = 13.5, RPD = 13.0) and 1-year follow-up assessments (median FPD = 11.0, median RPD = 13.0). No between-group differences were detected (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P < .05). Improvements in levels of general satisfaction with teeth (P = .05) and the appearance of teeth (P = .12) were significant only for the FPD group. Significant improvements in perceived masticatory ability and perceived levels of comfort were found in both groups (P < or = .05). The authors concluded that resin-bonded cantilever FPDs are an effective means of restoring a mandibular shortened dental arch in terms of patient comfort and acceptance compared to treatments with RPDs.

Contemporary Periodontal Surgery: 1. Surgical Principles

Periodontal surgery comprises surgical intervention of the supporting tissues of the teeth. This ranges in complexity from simple exodontia to technically demanding periodontal plastic surgery and includes the management of periodontal diseases, implant placement and preparatory treatment for fixed and removable prostheses. Modern surgical management reflects both a move towards evidence-based practice and the introduction of improved techniques and armamentarium. General principles of surgical management hold true regardless of what procedure is being carried out. These principles form a sound basis for any practitioner contemplating surgical interventions for their patients. A sound understanding of first principles will simplify periodontal surgical management. Careful surgical preparation will render surgical procedures more predictable and reduce post-operative discomfort.

Unique atmospheric plasma surface pretreatment approach for improving adhesion

AbstractThree‐dimensional parts and web‐processed products comprised of polyolefins, such as polypropylene, have low levels of polar functional groups on the surface and poor wettability and adhesion properties, thus making it difficult to apply other functional layers such as dyes, inks, adhesives, and coatings. To enhance surface polarity, surface treatments such as flame, corona, or plasma can be applied to improve wettability and adhesion. Plasma can be used specifically as a preparatory treatment for the photografting approach recommended in this paper in order to achieve high stability in treatment and permanent changes to the surface. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 13:87–90, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.

Combining Physostigmine with Meperidine for Sedation and Analgesia During Colonoscopy

Opiate or benzodiazepine drugs are often used during colonoscopy, but they are associated with respiratory depression and prolonged recovery. Physostigmine, a tertiary anticholinesterase agent, is known to enhance analgesia and to reverse the central nervous system depressant effects of these drugs. This study compared the effect of giving meperidine alone with the effect of giving meperidine in combination with physostigmine in patients who were undergoing complete colonoscopy. A total of 44 outpatients undergoing elective colonoscopy were randomly assigned to receive analgesia with either meperidine 0.5 mg/kg intravenously (group 1, n=24) or physostigmine 10 micrograms/kg intravenously, followed 5 minutes later by meperidine 0.5 mg/kg intravenously (group 2; n=20). The patients were assessed with regard to oxygen saturation, hemodynamic changes, pain perception and sedation scores, readiness to go home, and adverse effects. The group 1 patients' oxygen saturations consistently fell, both during the procedure and in the recovery period; in group 2, oxygen saturations remained stable throughout the procedure and recovery period (95.88%+/-0.99 vs. 98.15+/-0.99, P<0.001). Patients in group 2 reported lower pain perception scores during the procedure (measured using a visual analog scale) than patients in group 1 (1.46+/-0.31 vs. 1.75+/-0.41; F1,42=6.484, P<0.015) and were less sedated during recovery (F1,41=6.56, P<0.015). No significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to heart rate or arterial blood pressure. All patients in group 2 were ready to go home after 25 minutes in the recovery area; three patients in group 1 were not ready to leave at 25 minutes and left the facility after 60 minutes. Four patients suffered from minor side effects of physostigmine (sweating and nausea). Combining physostigmine with meperidine as preparatory treatment for patients undergoing colonoscopy prevents respiratory depression, improves analgesia, and shortens recovery time, with only mild side effects.

Development of individual recognition of female southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, from Punta Norte Península Valdés, applying principal components analysis

AbstractAim The development of software able to provide individual recognition of southern elephant seals, as a tool to study colonies. This analysis was performed within a framework of studies concerning environmental dispersion produced by the El Niño Southern Oscillation effect in the Southern Ocean Ecosystem.Location Digital photographs of reproductive female elephant seals were taken at Punta Norte (Península Valdés, Patagonia; 42°05′ S, 63°45′ W) during the 2002 breeding season (August to November). The data set under analysis is composed of 96 elephant seal images for a population of 56 individuals.Method Identification of specimens was carried out using digital pictures taken with a digital video camera, and processed through the ‘Eigenfaces’ method, which is based on principal components analysis. Special care was taken to control possible variations among images of the same individual, like distance, angle, light intensity, etc. To deal with these variations, an initial alignment procedure is proposed to have all images framed; in addition an initial histogram equalization was used which attenuates any potential variation in light intensity. The software was developed in IDL5.5 language.Results A complete set of empirical results is displayed showing the potential effectiveness of this technique. Individual recognition and pertinence to different population subsets (harems) tests have been carried out. A principal result of this work is that all 96 elephant seal images (representing 56 individuals) were correctly identified.Conclusion The Eigenfaces method can be used successfully for identification of elephant seals. With the appropriate preparatory treatment of images, high performance results can be expected.

MULTI-COMPONENT INJECTION MOULDING OF LIQUID SILICONE RUBBER/THERMOPLASTIC-COMBINATIONS

The two-component injection moulding method allows the production of parts consisting of two components which are arranged next to or above each other (overmoulding). Besides well known combinations between thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) which are used in various applications, the combination of Liquid-Silicone-Rubbers (LSR) and thermoplastics becomes more important because of their better mechanical and thermomechanical properties as well as the chemical resistance in comparison with TPE. These combinations of LSR and Polyamid can be a new alternative for combinations made of rubber and metal, which often require a costly preparatory treatment. Concerning the adhesive strength of these combinations, which depends on the properties of the materials, the process parameters in the moulding process and the mould technique, there is only insufficient knowledge. To solve this, the IKV developed techniques to meet the requirements. Results of the investigations in this context will be presented.

Use of polymethylmethacrylate for pattern transfer by ion beam etching: Improvement of etching homogeneity and patterning quality

We have studied the peculiar defects that appear on the surface of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) during ion beam etching. The quantity of defects and their type can be strongly influenced by a preparatory treatment before ion beam etching. Electron irradiation in a wide range of doses and a development procedure were used as the treatment. We have shown that high dose electron irradiation of PMMA structures before ion beam etching can noticeably improve pattern transfer. The improved homogeneity of the PMMA etching is the main reason for the effect. The obtained result is explained by a specific mechanism of ion beam etching of PMMA.

The Mechanical Influence of Tissue Engineering Techniques on Tracheal Strength: An Experimental Study on Sheep Trachea

Tissue engineering is an attractive concept for facilitating the transplantation of different tissue types with a low immunogeneity and a well-preserved tissue structure. We examined the influence of treatment with trypsin/ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the mechanical properties of tracheae. Fresh sheep tracheae were stored in a trypsin/EDTA solution for various periods of time (24, 46, and 72 h) and their breaking strength was subsequently examined. The results were compared with native trachea. The treatment with trypsin/EDTA results in a considerable reduction of the mechanical stability under load, in this case compared with the tensile strength, that does not correlate with the results obtained from light-optical microscopy. The results from this study reveal that tissue preparation with trypsin/EDTA does not seem to be a suitable method of preparatory treatment of tracheae intended for transplantation.