Stereomicroscope-Based in Vitro Study Evaluating the Marginal and Internal Fit of PEEK and PEKK Crowns.

Purpose: The aim of the in vitro study was to compare the internal merge and marginal perfection of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) crowns under a stereomicroscope. Methods: All-ceramic preparation is done on the maxillary first premolar which is mounted on the wax block which was scanned using 3Shape scanner and duplicated into 30 acrylic CAD/CAM dies (n = 15) for the placement of PEEK and PEKK crowns. The YENADENT milling system was used to fabricate 15 samples from Group A PEEK crowns and to fabricate 15 samples from Group B PEKK crowns. According to the manufacturer's instructions, an equal amount of the dual-cure resin luting agent (Rely X U200 Self-Adhesive resin, 3M, Germany) was dispensed on the mixing pad before being mixed with cement and painted on the internal surfaces of the copings with the finger pressure crowns which were luted. The values were then analyzed using one-way ANOVA (post hoc) followed by Dunnett's t-test. Results: Among those two groups, PEEK group materials showed the lowest mean value of (28.73.3 ± 4.01) for marginal fit and (26.72 ± 2.53) for internal gap, whereas PEKK group showed a mean value of (32.85 ± 4.63) and (33.06 ± 4.14), respectively. Conclusion: Among these two groups, comparatively less marginal fit and internal adaptation is seen in PEKK when compared to the PEEK crowns. While the marginal fit and internal adaptation of both PEEK and PEKK copings were in acceptable clinical range.

Is There a Rise in the Importance of Socioemotional Skills in the Labor Market? Evidence From a Trend Study Among College Graduates.

In this study, we examine whether socioemotional skills have become more important in the labor market within the past 14 years. To this end, we analyze data from a unique dataset on recent graduates from Dutch professional colleges (N = 67,000). Two different indicators of skill change are investigated, namely changes in the skill level required in the labor market and changes in the wage returns to these skills. The results indicate that socioemotional skills related to knowledge and innovation such as logical reasoning and information gathering, as well as skills related to working to plan and collaboration, have undergone a significant increase in terms of labor market requirements. We also observe an increase in the required level of the work-related skills digital literacy and occupation-specific knowledge. However, significant increases in wage returns are only observed for socioemotional skills related to knowledge and innovation. The labor market importance of socioemotional skills appears to be only modestly affected by business cycle effects.

The Effect of Surface Treatments on the Shear Bond Strength of Acrylic Resin Denture Base With Different Repair Acrylic Resin: An In Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Fracture of the denture base is a common problem associated with dental prostheses. Fractured denture base surfaces treated with chemical agents and mechanical features have the potential for improved bond strength. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surface treatment on the shear bond strength of heat-cured denture base with different repair acrylic resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 circular specimens (2-cm diameter × 3.3-mm thickness) were fabricated from heat-cured denture resins (DPI) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The heat-cured denture base acrylic resin specimens were divided into two groups: In group 1, auto-polymerizing acrylic resin (DPI) was used as a repair resin, and in group 2, light-cured acrylic resin (VLC) was used as the repair resin. Further, the heat-cured denture base acrylic resin specimens were subdivided into five subgroups. The shear bond strength (in megapascal) was measured in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The results were subjected for statistical analysis. RESULT: Comparison of mean and standard deviation of shear bond strength between DPI and VLC group using one-way analysis of variance showed that the mean shear bond strength of DPI group is higher than that of VLC group. CONCLUSION: From the study, heat-cured denture base specimens repaired with auto-polymerizing repair resin showed higher mean shear bond strength than the visible light cure resin material.

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000-55,000 years ago (ca 50-55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka. A recently reported age estimate of 65 ka for Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in northern Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea), if correct, offers what might be the strongest support yet presented for a pre-55-ka African AMH exodus. We review evidence for AMH arrival on an arc spanning South China through Sahul and then evaluate data from Madjedbebe. We find that an age estimate of >50 ka for this site is unlikely to be valid. While AMH may have moved far beyond Africa well before 50-55 ka, data from the region of interest offered in support of this idea are not compelling.

A single rapid point-of-care placental growth factor determination as an aid in the diagnosis of preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical performance of a rapid point-of-care test, Triage PLGF (Alere, San Diego) in the diagnosis of preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: For the reference range 2212 plasma samples were collected from 595 subjects with normotensive pregnancies, between week 17 of gestation and delivery. In the case-control part, two cohorts of women with preeclampsia (80 women) were matched for maternal age, gestational age (GA) at sampling and parity with normotensive women who delivered at 37weeks or more. RESULTS: The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (GA<35weeks) were 1.0 and 0.994 (cohort 1 and 2, respectively). The clinical sensitivity of the Triage PLGF test for the pooled GA range of 21⩽GA<35, using a GA dependent cut-off, was 1.0 for both cohorts with specificities of 1.0 and 0.940. CONCLUSIONS: The Triage PLGF test distinguishes well between preterm pregnancies with and without preeclampsia.

Longitudinal measurement of cytokines in pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in plasma cytokine levels longitudinally in pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnancies. An increased inflammatory response has long been associated with pre-eclampsia, both early and late in the pre-eclamptic pregnancy. DESIGN: Blood samples were collected longitudinally during pregnancy from a cohort of 1 631 pregnant women. Thirty-two women with pre-eclampsia and 67 normotensive pregnant women were identified from the cohort. SETTING: A Danish regional hospital. SAMPLES: Samples were collected from the 18th week of pregnancy until delivery and divided into the following four gestational intervals: <25th week, 26th-29th week, 30th-35th week and >36th week. METHODS: Simultaneous measurement of all nine cytokines was done using a capture bead system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor during pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnancies. RESULTS: Pre-eclampsia was associated with increased tumor necrosis factor-α between the 26th and 29th week (p=0.0421) and increased IL-6 after the 36th week (p=0.0044). The other cytokines measured were comparable in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This large prospective collection of blood samples was undertaken to determine inflammatory status during pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnancies. Our results support a tendency towards increased inflammation in pre-eclampsia, but the measured cytokines are not eligible for prediction, monitoring or diagnosing pre-eclampsia.

Excretion patterns of large and small proteins in pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: Pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication causing both fetal and maternal distress. Proteinuria is a diagnostic criterion frequently determined by albuminuria. We determined the protein excretion pattern of additional proteins, immunoglobulin G, transferrin, α1-microglobulin and ß2-microglobulin, in urine samples collected prospectively during pre-eclamptic and healthy pregnancies. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of 1,631 consecutive pregnant women. SETTING: A Danish regional hospital. SAMPLE: Thirty-two women with pre-eclampsia and 185 healthy control women were identified from the cohort. Urine samples were obtained from the 18th week until delivery and divided into six gestational intervals. METHODS: Protein analyses of urine immunoglobulin G, transferrin, α1-microglobulin and ß2-microglobulin were done with a sandwich ELISA method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Urine levels of specific proteins during pre-eclamptic and healthy pregnancies. RESULTS: Immunoglobulin G and transferrin were significantly increased in pre-eclampsia after the 30th week of pregnancy. α(1)-Microglobulin and ß(2)-microglobulin were differently excreted and found to be higher after the 36(th) week of pregnancy in pre-eclampsia, but only α1-microglobulin increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Immunoglobulin G, transferrin, α1- and ß2-microglobulin excretion patterns indicate initial glomerular damage followed by altered tubular handling of proteins.

Serum markers of macrophage activation in pre-eclampsia: no predictive value of soluble CD163 and neopterin.

BACKGROUND: Alternatively activated macrophages expressing the CD163 and CD206 surface receptors are the dominant immune-cell type found in the placenta. The placental number and distribution of macrophages is altered in pre-eclampsia, and the generalised inflammatory reaction associated with pre-eclampsia might lead to shedding of soluble CD163 into the circulation. METHODS: Serum samples from 18 women with pre-eclampsia and 90 normal pregnancies were obtained from a longitudinal study of 955 pregnant women at Randers County Hospital, Denmark. sCD163 and Neopterin were measured by ELISA on samples collected in weeks 18, 28, 32, and 38 of pregnancy. RESULTS: sCD163 levels in pregnancy (2-3 mg/l) were similar to previously measured levels in non-pregnant women, and did not increase from week 18 to 38. There was a tendency towards higher sCD163 in week 38 in pre-eclamptic women compared to healthy women. Neopterin increased throughout pregnancy in both healthy (from median 5.4 to 6.7 nmol/l, p<0.0001) and pre-eclamptic women (from 5.0 to 8.0 nmol/l, p<0.0001), but there were no differences between groups at any time-point. sCD163 correlated to neopterin in both the control (r=0.25, p<0.0001) and in the pre-eclampsia group (r=0.32, p=0.011). C-reactive protein was higher in pre-eclampsia than in healthy pregnancies by week 38 (159 versus 91 nmol/l, p=0.0189). CONCLUSIONS: The macrophage serum-markers sCD163 and neopterin are not pre-symptomatic nor prognostic markers for pre-eclampsia.

Pre-symptomatic increase in urine-orosomucoid excretion in pre-eclamptic women.

BACKGROUND: Although the pre-eclamptic pathogenesis begins at least around the 18th week of pregnancy, clinically evident disease often does not appear until the third trimester. This long pre-symptomatic latency period has led to intensive research for early markers of evolving disease. We evaluated urine excretion and plasma levels of orosomucoid and albumin longitudinally in healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. Orosomucoid is an acute phase protein involved in inflammation and protection of the endothelium. METHODS: From a prospective, longitudinal cohort study consisting of 1,631 women, 32 women developed pre-eclampsia, and 5 controls for every case of pre-eclampsia were found. Blood samples were collected 4 times and urine samples 6 times from the 18/19th week and throughout pregnancy. Orosomucoid and albumin in plasma were analysed by standard methods, and in urine by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Orosomucoid/creatinin excretion ratio was significantly higher early in pre-eclamptic pregnancies (from the 20th week of pregnancy, p=0.0053) compared with healthy pregnancies, the difference increased throughout pregnancy. Albumin/creatinin ratio increased subsequent to the increase in orosomucoid. In the plasma samples, orosomucoid was significantly higher late in pre-eclamptic pregnancies (>or=36th week, p=0.0275). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-eclampsia is associated with a pre-symptomatic increase in the urine excretion of orosomucoid, and orosomucoid excretion precedes that of albumin. Orosomucoid excretion can probably be used as a prognostic tool in combination with other screening methods, and seems to be a more sensitive marker for evolving pre-eclampsia than albumin. Plasma orosomucoid is significantly increased late in pre-eclampsia. Thus, the increased excretion of orosomucoid must primarily originate from altered renal processing of orosomucoid.

Body surface potential mapping improves detection of ST segment alteration during percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The 12-lead electrocardiogram underestimates ST segment alteration in acute coronary syndromes compared with multi-lead body surface mapping. We assessed whether 80-lead mapping would improve detection of ST alteration during percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: Simultaneous maps and 12-lead electrocardiograms were recorded pre-procedure, during balloon inflation and post-procedure from patients undergoing elective intervention to native coronary arteries. Recordings were obtained from 39 inflations (19 patients). All arteries were successfully stented. RESULTS: Mean 'lead specific' ST alteration (the difference in ST elevation/depression between pre-procedure and inflation recordings in the lead showing maximal ST alteration) was greater on the map than on electrocardiogram, both for ST elevation (0.16+/-0.02 vs. 0.06+/-0.01 mV; p<0.001) and ST depression (0.11+/-0.017 vs. -0.03+/-0.006 mV; p<0.001). During first inflations (n=19), mean lead specific ST elevation and depression on map were greater than on electrocardiogram (0.20+/-0.034 vs. 0.07+/-0.015 mV; p<0.001 and 0.11+/-0.029 vs. 0.03+/-0.009 mV; p=0.001, respectively). Mapping detected greater summated ST elevation and depression during inflation than electrocardiogram (0.04+/-0.005 vs. 0.021+/-0.003 mV; p<0.001 and 0.026+/-0.004 vs. 0.011+/-0.002 mV; p<0.001, respectively). Qualitative analysis of maps and electrocardiograms showed that 21/39 (53.8%) maps recorded during inflation met criteria for myocardial ischaemia compared with 7/39 (17.9%) electrocardiograms (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Body surface mapping compared with the 12-lead electrocardiogram improves detection of myocardial ischaemia during intervention.

A double-blind investigation of the hypoalgesic effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation upon experimentally induced ischaemic pain.

The hypoalgesic effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at 2 different frequencies was assessed under double-blind conditions using a standardised form of the submaximum effort tourniquet technique. For the purpose of pain induction, 32 healthy naive female subjects attended on 2 occasions, the first during which baseline data were obtained and the second during which the women were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups: Control, Placebo, TENS-1 (110 Hz) or TENS-2 (4 Hz). In the treatment groups, 2 hydrogel electrodes were positioned over Erb's point and lateral to C6 and C7 vertebral spines. A TENS machine was applied for 10 min before the cuff was inflated and remained on for the duration of the pain procedure (12 min). Pain was measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) to assess 'current pain intensity' and 'worst pain experienced', respectively. Analysis of VAS scores showed significant differences between groups (ANOVA, P = 0.02), with the TENS-2 group showing a greater hypoalgesic effect than the other groups. One-factor ANOVA showed no significant differences in MPQ scores between groups. The results of this study have provided evidence of the hypoalgesic effects of TENS upon experimental ischaemic pain which were found to be frequency specific with the lower frequency used here (4 Hz) demonstrating the only significant effect.