Total arsenic and speciation analysis of saliva and urine samples from individuals living in a chronic arsenicosis area in China.

BACKGROUND: It is generally acknowledged that the determination of harmful chemical compounds excreted into saliva is useful for assessing their exposure levels. The aim of the present study was to compare the total arsenic and its species in saliva and urine samples collected from the people residing in an arsenic-contaminated area of China and to further verify the feasibility of using salivary arsenic as a new biomarker of arsenic exposure. METHODS: Total arsenic and speciation analyses in urine and saliva samples among 70 residents exposed to arsenic from drinking water in Shanxi, China were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP/MS). RESULTS: The result showed that, total arsenic concentration in saliva was relatively lower than in urine samples, but it existed a strong positive correlation with total urinary arsenic, drinking water arsenic and different skin lesions. For arsenic metabolism analyses, AsIII, AsV, MMA, and DMA were detected in all of the urine samples with the dominating species of DMA (73.2%). Different with urinary arsenic species, most arsenic species in saliva were not methylated. The major species in saliva was iAs (AsIII + AsV, 76.18%), followed by DMA (13.08%) and MMA (9.13%). And the primary methylation index (PMI), second methylation index (SMI) and proportion of the four different species (AsIII, AsV, MMA, and DMA) in saliva showed no significant positive relationship with that of in urine. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated saliva may be used as a useful tool for biological monitoring of total arsenic exposure in the crowd rather than an efficient tool for assessing arsenic metabolism in human body after exposed to arsenic.

Primary silicone oil tamponade and internal limiting membrane peeling for retinal detachment due to macular hole in highly myopic eyes with chorioretinal atrophy.

BACKGROUND: Retinal detachment (RD) secondary to macular hole (MH) is a common complication in highly myopic eyes, usually leading to a poor visual prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of silicone oil (SO) tamponade and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in the treatment of RD caused by MH (MHRD) in highly myopic eyes with chorioretinal atrophy, and to identify clinical factors associated with the anatomical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 21 eyes of 21 highly myopic patients affected by RD secondary to MH and chorioretinal atrophy. All eyes were treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with ILM peeling and SO tamponade. Anatomical success was defined as reattachment of the retina with the closure of the MH, as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), after SO removal. Logistic regression was performed to determine the clinical factors influencing anatomical success. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 59.95 years [standard deviation (SD), 10.39; range, 34-77 years] and the mean axial length was 30.58 mm (SD, 1.52; range, 27.99-34.51 mm). After the first surgical procedure, the anatomical success rate was 61.9% (13 eyes in 21 eyes), with initial retinal attachment of 16 eyes (76.2%). A second surgical approach was performed for the five eyes with persistent or recurrent RD, and the final retinal reattachment rate was 100% (21/21). Logistic regression analysis showed that no specific factors were significantly associated with anatomical success. CONCLUSIONS: Primary silicone oil tamponade and ILM peeling can be a practical treatment for repairing MHRD in highly myopic eyes with chorioretinal atrophy.

An interdisciplinary approach to treat crown-root-fractured tooth.

Restoration of a crown-root subgingival fractured tooth, especially at anterior aesthetic zones is still a great challenge for restorative dentists. Crown lengthening procedure alone has the disadvantage of high gingival curve of the final restoration, which was not discontinuous to adjacent teeth and thus compromise cosmetic outcomes. The objective of this report is to display a new interdisciplinary approach which combining endodontic root canal treatment, orthodontic extrusion, periodontal crown lengthening surgery and prosthodontic post-core-crown restoration procedures to restore a crown-root subgingival fractured maxillary central incisor and achieved a satisfied cosmetic result. Computer-based spectrophotometer was also used to accurately select colour without objective interference to achieve ideal cosmetic effects.

[Hemocompatibility evaluation in vitro of small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin coating sulfonated by low temperature plasma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemocompatibility of a small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin coating sulfonated by low temperature plasma treatment. METHODS: The composite blood vessel was prepared by first coating the small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin followed by sulfonation by low temperature plasma treatment. After hemolysis test in vitro, dynamic coagulation time test, blood platelet adhesion test, and recalcification time test were performed to evaluate the hemocompatibility of the composite blood vessel. RESULTS: Scanning electronic microscopy revealed obvious platelets adhesion on the conventional artificial (control) vessel, which seldom occurred on the composite vessel. The curve of absorbance-clotting time of the composite vessel declined more slowly than that of the control vessel. The recalcification time of the composite blood vessel averaged 603 s, significantly longer than that of the control vessel (480 s, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The composite blood vessel has good antithrombotic activity and hemocompatibility as a promising vascular prosthesis.