All-in-fiber SESAM based comb oscillator with an intra-cavity electro-optic modulator for coherent high bandwidth stabilization.

We demonstrate the stabilization of an all-in-fiber polarization maintaining semi-conductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) mode locked frequency comb oscillator with an intra-cavity waveguide electro-optic phase modulator (EOM) to a narrow linewidth HeNe laser over 46 hours. The high feedback bandwidth of the EOM allows a coherent optical lock with an in-loop integrated phase noise of 1.12 rad (integrated from 10 Hz to 3 MHz) from the carrier signal. No piezo fiber stretcher was required to guarantee long-term stabilization, preventing mechanical degradation of the optical fibers and enabling a long lifetime of the oscillator. As an application a hybrid stabilization scheme is presented, where a comb tooth is phase locked to a longitudinal mode of the large ring laser "G" located at the Geodatic Observatory Wettzell. The hybrid stabilization scheme describes the optical lock of the frequency comb to the G laser and the simultaneous compensation of the ring laser frequency drift by comparing the comb repetition rate against an active H-maser reference. In this context the ring laser reached a fractional Allan deviation of 5 · 10-16 at an integration time of 16384 s.

Highly concentrated EDTA gel improves cleaning efficiency of root canal preparation in vitro.

Debris and smear layer, as a product of mechanical root canal instrumentation, reduce the effectiveness of pharmacological substances to prevent post-treatment diseases and impair direct contact of filling materials with a clean dentinal surface. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the presence and localization of debris and smear layer via scanning electron microscope analysis after standardized root canal preparation with different chelating agents. Dentin surfaces received treatment with: (1) 15% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), (2) 18.6% EDTA (3) and 24% EDTA or without any demineralizing chemicals as control. Forty vertically split human premolars were sputtered and divided into coronal, middle, and apical sections, followed by a randomized, blinded score evaluation using five scores. Pairwise comparisons of all treatment groups against a control group have been performed by Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Debris grades showed no significant difference between the three regions of the root canals, except for 18.6% EDTA in the central third. Smear layer and smear plug removal was concentration-dependent. Removal of the smear layer in the three areas showed that there was a statistically significant difference between all parts when using 18.6% and 24% EDTA concentrations compared with the control. The best smear layer removal in the apical region was observed using a 24% EDTA gel as chelating agent and lubricant. The usage of EDTA gel >/=18.6% presented a better cleaning regime when compared to the control group.

[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for treatment of sialolithiasis of salivary glands]. / Die extrakorporale Stosswellenlithotripsie in der Behandlung der Sialolithiasis der Kopfspeicheldrüsen.

BACKGROUND: Following the clinical introduction of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in the 1980s for the treatment of sialolithiasis of salivary glands this method has been widely used and replaced surgical interventions in selected patients. PATIENTS: Between 1/1995 and 1/1999 35 patients were treated by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) with the "Minilith SL-1" lithotripter on an outpatient basis. Radiography and sonography were performed to verify sialolithiasis and scintigraphic investigation was done to control sufficient gland function. Treatment was performed in a fractionated manner with up to 3000 shockwaves per session, normally without anesthesia or analgosedation. RESULTS: After treatment 45.4 % of the patients with sialolithiasis of the parotid gland (n = 11) were stone-free and in 36.3 % an adequate desintegration of the stones was achieved. These patients underwent 2.6 sessions on average for sufficient stone-destruction. 41.6 % of the patients with sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland (n = 24) were stone-free and 3.1 sessions were necessary on average. Desintegration of the stones was achieved in 25 %. Mild pain, swelling, bleeding out of the intraoral orifice of the affected gland and skin petechia were the only complications. All patients were symptom-free after lithotripsy, although fragmented stones persisted in the parotid gland (18.3 %) and the submandibular gland (33.4 %). CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of ESWL are the relatively painless treatment and the elimination of the need for an operation with its surgical risks.

[Immunohistochemical localization of insulin-like-growth-factor-binding protein 6 in the head area of the mouse]. / Immunhistochemische Lokalisation des Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-6 in der Kopfregion der Maus.

BACKGROUND: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is an important regulator of cell growth and differentiation. The mitogenic and metabolic activities of IGFs are modulated by a family of six high-affinity IFG binding proteins (IGFBPs). IGFBP-6 is unique among the IGFBPs in its preferential binding of IGF II. METHODS: In this study, specific antibodies against recombinant mouse IGFBP-6 generated in chicken were used to localize IGFBP-6 by immunohistochemistry in the head region during late embryonic and newborn mice. RESULTS: Immunoreactivity was detected in oral and nasal mucosa, tooth-forming anlage, anlage of skeletal muscle, anlage of submandibular glands, enchondral ossification, and osteoclasts.

Mouse insulin-like growth factor binding protein-6: expression, purification, characterization and histochemical localization.

The mitogenic and metabolic activities of insulin-like growth factors (IGF) are modulated by a family of six high affinity IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). This study describes the expression of the mouse IGFBP-6 which is unique among IGFBPs in its preferential binding of IGF II, in insect cells using the baculovirus system. The purified, O-glycosylated IGFBP-6 was functional as shown by IGF binding and by inhibition of IGF II-stimulated DNA synthesis in human fibroblasts. Specific antibodies generated in chicken against the recombinant IGFBP-6 were used for Western blotting analysis and immunohistochemistry. Strong immunoreactivity was found in ossifying bones of the cranial base, in cell clusters of the pancreas anlage, in the trigeminal ganglion, on myoblasts, on motoneurons of the spinal cord of embryonic mice. In tissues of adult mouse, strong IGFBP-6 immunostaining was present in epidermal and peridermal layers of the skin, in meningeal layers, in long-striated skeletal muscle, and in the Langerhans' islets of the pancreas. No immunopositive staining was observed in lung and liver indicating that sites of synthesis and IGFBP action are different.