Efficient Lewis-acid-catalyzed direct conversion of aldehydes to 1,2-diketones in the liquid phase was enabled by using newly designed and developed ceria–zirconia-based high-entropy oxides (HEOs) as ...the actual catalysts. The synergistic effect of various cations incorporated in the same oxide structure (framework) was partially responsible for the efficiency of multicationic materials compared to the corresponding single-cation oxide forms. Furthermore, a clear, linear relationship between the Lewis acidity and the catalytic activity of the HEOs was observed. Due to the developed strategy, exclusively diketone-selective, recyclable, versatile heterogeneous catalytic transformation of aldehydes can be realized under mild reaction conditions.
- Paralumbar muscle performance and fatigue were evaluated by measuring electromagnetic activity during entire body vibration (EBV) in 44 healthy subjects. Physical fitness of subjects was estimated ...on a 5-degree scale. Electric activity was recorded in 200 seconds with 1 kHz sampling on the Biopac Student Lab during EBV. Data were used to produce time series for two vectors of the phase space and spatial axis: X (left-right), Y (up-down) and Z (ventral-dorsal). Time series were evaluated by calculating fractal dimension by the R/S algorithm. Movement of the electric field along the Y-axis showed changes (up-down) extracted in the first and second quarter of the measurement (p=0.02 and p=0.03, respectively). These changes were not specific for gender but showed dependence on subject age and fitness. The fractal dimension values by the R/S algorithm were larger in female subjects. Results suggested the electric field changes during EBV in the up-down direction to contain information on muscular performance and fatigue, not dependent on gender, but on the age and degree of overall physical fitness.
Advanced periorbital basal cell carcinomas may necessitate orbital exenteration and consequent vision loss, which significantly reduces patients’ life quality. Orbital reconstruction is a demanding ...surgical procedure due to the complex orbital anatomy and vital structures located in the orbit. In this report, we presented an 83-year-old patient with advanced basal cell carcinoma that had expanded into the orbit. An orbitotomy was performed to remove the tumor completely while preserving the eye function. Orbital reconstruction was performed by a standard surgical method using a titanium mesh modeled according to a natural phantom skull. This maintained the eye function and achieved satisfactory facial esthetics.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most severe complications of the COVID-19 disease. The role of IL-33 and calpain 1 was previously described in lung infections and lung tissue ...damage. Our study examined the association between serum calpain 1 activity and IL-33 concentration in patients with COVID-19 ARDS. In the research, we included 80 subjects who had COVID-19 pneumonia and divided them into 2 groups: 40 subjects with ARDS and 40 subjects without ARDS. The basis of the research was the collection of subjects' data and the sampling of peripheral venous blood. The concentration of IL-33 was determined by the ELISA method and the activity of calpain 1 by the fluorometry method. Our research showed elevated calpain 1 activity and IL-33 concentration in the serum of COVID-19 patients who developed ARDS compared to those who did not develop ARDS and a positive correlation between them was established. Further, a positive correlation was established between the examined parameters and the severity of the disease, proinflammatory markers, and the use of mechanical ventilation. These results indicate a possible association and role of calpain 1 and IL-33 with the development of ARDS in COVID-19 patients.
Blepharospasm is an idiopathic condition characterized by involuntary eyelid closure mainly caused by bilateral tonic-clonic contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscle. It results in patient ...inability to open their eyes, thus significantly impairing their ability to perform activities of daily living. First-line treatment for blepharospasm are primarily botulinum toxin type A injections. However, surgical procedure as a treatment option can also be taken in consideration. In this overview, we present a case of a 75-year-old female patient who received surgical treatment as
Anderson's method after being treated with botulinum toxin type A for 3 years. This form of therapy proved to be an extremely successful permanent solution in the treatment of severe cases of refractory blepharospasm, without any long-term complications, especially ectropion and lagophthalmos.
Abstract Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the minor salivary glands, and its biological behaviour is characterised by slow and indolent growth; rare involvement of regional ...lymph nodes; a high propensity for perineural invasion; multiple or delayed recurrences, or both; and a high incidence of distant metastases. Our aim was to find out the relation between the presence of perineural invasion and these factors. Between 1 January1984 and 1 May 2008, 26 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the intraoral salivary glands, which had initially been treated surgically, were reviewed retrospectively. The most common site was the palate, and perineural invasion was reported in 13 of the 26 resected specimens. There was no significant association between it and the size of the primary tumour (OR = 1.0; p = 1.00), invasion of the surgical margins (OR = 2.08; p = 0.4), the presence of distant metastases (OR = 3.43; p = 0.197), or local control ( p = 0.76). It was exclusively present in patients with local extension, and was significantly associated with outcome ( p = 0.04). Resection with clear margins is the gold standard of care for patients with intraoral adenoid cystic carcinoma, and the role of adjuvant irradiation remains controversial. Given its paradoxical and complex biological behaviour, large studies with long term follow-up are needed to define the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical variables associated with outcome, as well as the optimal treatment.
The aim of the study was to compare radiomorphometric indices measured on panoramic radiographs: mandibular cortical width (MCW), panoramic mandibular index (PMI) and mandibular cortical index (MCI) ...with the densitometric values of skeletons in postmenopausal women, as well as and to determine the possibilities of their use in screening for early detection of osteoporosis in risky populations. Radiomorphometric indices were measured on panoramic radiographs of 146 postmenopausal patients, mean age 66.3 (±9.7) years, mean menopausal age 16.3 (±10.6) years. By dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method were measured bone mineral density of the femur and the lumbar vertebrae (L1–L4). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the changed densitometric finding, and to distinguish osteopenia and osteoporosis. The examinees with lower densitometric values had significantly lower MCW (3.60 mm) and PMI (0.36 mm) than those with regular densitometric values (p<0.001). The most frequent finding in patients with osteopenia was C2 stage of erosion (69.50%; p<0.001), while the C3 stage of erosion (57.40%; p<0.001) was in osteoporosis patients. When differing the normal from the changed finding of densitometry the results were: MCW – area under the curve (AUC) 0.862, sensitivity 92.04%, specificity 75.76%, resolution point ≤4.39 (p<0.001); for PMI-AUC 0.874, sensitivity 76.11%, specificity 84.85%, resolution point ≤ 0.41 (p<0.001) and for MCI-AUC 0.826, sensitivity 87.6%, specificity 69.7%, resolution point> 1 (p<0.001). For early detection of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in everyday clinical practice, panoramic radiograph as a screening method can be of help.
Cilj istraživanja bio je radiomorfometrijske indekse izmjerene na ortopantomogramu: debljina korteksa mandibule (engl. MCW-Mandibular core width), panoramski mandibularni indeks (engl. PMI Mandibular panoramic index) i mandibularni kortikalni indeks (engl. MCI-Mandibular cortical index) usporediti s denzitometrijom skeleta kod žena u postmenopauzi, te utvrditi mogućnosti njihove uporabe kao pouzdane metode probira za rano otkrivanje osteoporoze u rizičnoj populaciji. Radiomorfometrijski indeksi izmjereni su na panoramskim snimkama kod 146 ispitanica u postmenopauzi, prosječne dobi 66,3 (±9,7) godina i prosječnog trajanja menopauze 16,3 (±10,6) godina. Svim ispitanicama izmjerena je mineralna gustoća kostiju u području vrata bedrene kosti i lumbalne kralježnice (L1-L4) metodom dvoenergetske apsorpciometrije X (engl. DXA-Dual energy X ray absorptiometry). Analiza ROC krivulje (eng. ROC-Receiver Operating Characteristic) korištena je u određivanju promijenjenog denzitometrijskog nalaza, te za razlučivanje osteopenije i osteoporoze. Ispitanice s nižim vrijednostima denzitometrije imale su značajno niže vrijednosti MCW-a (3,60 mm) i PMI-a (0,36 mm) od onih s pravilnim denzitometrijskim vrijednostima (p<0,001). Najčešći nalaz u ispitanica s osteopenijom bio je stadij erozije C2 (69,50%; p <0,001), dok je kod ispitanica s osteoporozom značajno češći bio C3 stupanj erozije (57,40%; p<0,001). Pri razlučivanju normalnog od promijenjenog nalaza denzitometrije dobiveni su slijedeći rezultati: MCW-AUC 0,862, osjetljivost 92,04 %, specifičnost 75,76 %, točka razlučivanja ≤4,39 (p<0,001); za PMI-AUC 0,874, osjetljivost 76,11 %, specifičnost 84,85 %, točka razlučivanja ≤0,41 (p<0,001); i za MCI-AUC 0,826, osjetljivost 87,6 %, specifičnost 69,7%, točka razlučivanja >1 (p<0,001). Na temelju dobivenih rezultata zaključujemo da ortopantomogram može biti od velike pomoći u svakodnevnoj kliničkoj praksi kao metoda probira za rano otkrivanje osteopenije i osteoporoze kod žena u postmenopauzi.
Blepharospasm is an idiopathic condition characterized by involuntary eyelid closure mainly caused by bilateral tonic-clonic contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscle. It results in patient ...inability to open their eyes, thus significantly impairing their ability to perform activities of daily living. First-line treatment for blepharospasm are primarily botulinum toxin type A injections. However, surgical procedure as a treatment option can also be taken in consideration. In this overview, we present a case of a 75-year-old female patient who received surgical treatment as per Anderson's method after being treated with botulinum toxin type A for 3 years. This form of therapy proved to be an extremely successful permanent solution in the treatment of severe cases of refractory blepharospasm, without any long-term complications, especially ectropion and lagophthalmos. Key words: Blepharospasm; Andersons method; Botulinum toxin type A Blefarospazam je idiopatska bolest kod koje dolazi do nekontroliranog stiskanja ocnih vjeda zbog najcesce obostranih tonicko klonickih kontrakcija krunog ocnog miica. Takvo stanje kod bolesnika rezultira nemogucnocu otvaranja ociju i znatno ogranicava obavljanje svakodnevnih aktivnosti. Terapija prvog izbora su injekcije botulinum toksina A, no u obzir dolazi i kirurko lijecenje. Ovaj osvrt prikazuje slucaj bolesnice u dobi od 75 godina, kirurki lijecene Andersonovom metodom nakon 3 godine lijecenja botulinum toksinom A. Takav oblik terapije pokazao se veoma uspjenim trajnim rjeenjem u lijecenju teih slucajeva refraktornog blefarospazma uz izostanak dugorocnih komplikacija, osobito ektropiona i lagoftalmusa. Kljucne rijeci: Blefarospazam; Andersonova metoda; Botulinum toksin tip A
Reported cochlear potential values of near 150 mV are often attributed to endolymph itself, although membrane potentials result from ion fluxes across the adjacent semipermeable membranes due to ...concentration gradients. Since any two fluids separated by a semipermeable membrane develop potential due to differences in solute concentrations, a proposed interpretation here is that positive potential emanates from the Reissner membrane due to small influx of sodium from perilymph to endolymph. Basolateral hair cell membranes leak potassium into the interstitial fluid and this negative potential inside hair cells further augments the electric gradient of cochlear potential. Taken together as a sum, these two potentials are near the reported values of cochlear potential. This is based on reported data for cochlear fluids used for the calculation of Nernst and Goldman potentials. The reported positive potential of Reissner membrane can be explained almost entirely by the traffic of Na+ that enters endolymph through this membrane. At the apical membrane of hair cells, acoustic stimulation modulates stereocillia permeability to potassium. Potassium concentration gradients on the apical membrane are low (the calculated Nernst value is <+3 mV), suggesting that the potassium current is not caused by the local potassium concentration gradient, but an electric field between the positive sodium generated potential on the Reissner membrane and negative inside hair cells. Potassium is forced by this overall electric field to enter hair cells when stereocilia are permeable due to mechanical bending.
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