Clinical Criteria for Selective Exploration of Orbital Floor in Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fractures.

Purpose: Exposing the orbital floor requires a surgical procedure that has its own challenges. Despite the meticulous clinical examination followed by sophisticated imaging modalities, orbital floor defects associated with zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures may evade diagnosis and appropriate management. If surgeons can decide about the need for orbital floor exploration in patients with ZMC fracture, the chance of a postoperative eyelid deformity can be prevented.

PMMC Flap Revisited and its Clinical Outcome in 150 Patients.

Introduction: Pectoralis myocutaneous flap remains the workhorse for the reconstruction of large defects in the head and neck region despite free flaps gaining popularity; because of its drawbacks such as long operating hours, high cost and special skill techniques, it is not used in most of the institutions. Even in our institution, free tissue transfers are carried out on a regular basis, but there is a definite scope and role for PMMC flap in reconstruction. We present our experience with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in terms of postoperative complications, donor site morbidity, flap survival and long-term healing of the flap.

Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: Can we eliminate it through a multipronged approach?

Background: Prevention of severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), a potentially fatal complication of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation has been the aim of all fertility experts. Various pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions have been instituted but the results have been conflicting. These preventive strategies were administered in isolation or as a combination of few aiming to eliminate this iatrogenic sequel.

Dehydroepiandrosterone: A panacea for the ageing ovary?

Considerable improvements and advancements have been made in the treatment of infertility but poor ovarian reserve whether due to prematurely or a physiologically ageing ovary, continues to be one of the few unresolved problems of modern infertility care. Fertility researchers had been active for quite some time to find a way to help reverse the effects of ageing on the ovaries but none made an impact till the introduction of Dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]. DHEA a mild, and therapeutically well tolerated, male hormone has emerged as a real potential candidate to reverse the effects of ageing on ovaries.

Towards maintenance-free biosensors for hundreds of bind/release cycles.

A single aptamer bioreceptor layer was formed using a common streptavidin-biotin immobilization strategy and employed for 100-365 bind/release cycles. Chemically induced aptamer unfolding and release of its bound target was accomplished using alkaline solutions with high salt concentrations or deionized (DI) water. The use of DI water scavenged from the ambient atmosphere represents a first step towards maintenance-free biosensors that do not require the storage of liquid reagents.

Double-loop technique using titanium molybdenum alloy wire for fabrication of nasal stents in nasoalveolar molding therapy for cleft lip and palate patients.

This article presents a technique for fabricating a modified nasoalveolar molding appliance using 0.032-inch titanium-molybdenum alloy wire for nasal stents incorporating a double loop. The nasal stents are included in the acrylic molding plate at the time the appliance is inserted.

Double-Loop Technique Using Titanium-Molybdenum Alloy Wire for Fabrication of Nasal Stents in Nasoalveolar Molding Therapy for Cleft Lip and Palate Patients.

This article presents a technique for the fabrication of a modified nasoalveolar molding appliance using 0.032-inch titanium-molybdenum alloy wire for nasal stents incorporating a "double loop." The nasal stents are included in the acrylic molding plate at the time of appliance insertion.

Selective sensing of vapors of similar dielectric constants using peptide-capped gold nanoparticles on individual multivariable transducers.

Peptide-capped AYSSGAPPMPPF gold nanoparticles were demonstrated for highly selective chemical vapor sensing using individual multivariable inductor-capacitor-resistor (LCR) resonators. Their multivariable response was achieved by measuring their resonance impedance spectra followed by multivariate spectral analysis. Detection of model toxic vapors and chemical agent simulants, such as acetonitrile, dichloromethane and methyl salicylate, was performed.

Wireless sensors and sensor networks for homeland security applications.

New sensor technologies for homeland security applications must meet the key requirements of sensitivity to detect agents below risk levels, selectivity to provide minimal false-alarm rates, and response speed to operate in high throughput environments, such as airports, sea ports, and other public places. Chemical detection using existing sensor systems is facing a major challenge of selectivity. In this review, we provide a brief summary of chemical threats of homeland security importance; focus in detail on modern concepts in chemical sensing; examine the origins of the most significant unmet needs in existing chemical sensors; and, analyze opportunities, specific requirements, and challenges for wireless chemical sensors and wireless sensor networks (WSNs).

Battery-free radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors for food quality and safety.

Market demands for new sensors for food quality and safety stimulate the development of new sensing technologies that can provide an unobtrusive sensor form, battery-free operation, and minimal sensor cost. Intelligent labeling of food products to indicate and report their freshness and other conditions is one important possible application of such new sensors. This study applied passive (battery-free) radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors for the highly sensitive and selective detection of food freshness and bacterial growth.

DNAzyme catalytic beacon sensors that resist temperature-dependent variations.

The temperature-dependent variability of a Pb2+-specific 8-17E DNAzyme catalytic beacon sensor has been addressed through the introduction of mismatches in the DNAzyme, and the resulting sensors resist temperature-dependent variations from 4 to 30 degrees C.

Activity, folding and Z-DNA formation of the 8-17 DNAzyme in the presence of monovalent ions.

The effect of monovalent ions on both the reactivity and global folding of the 8-17 DNAzyme is investigated, and the results are compared with those of the hammerhead ribozyme, which has similar size and secondary structure. In contrast to the hammerhead ribozyme, the 8-17 DNAzyme activity is not detectable in the presence of 4 M K(+), Rb(+), or Cs(+) or in the presence of 80 mM, [Co(NH(3))(6)](3+). Only 4 M Li(+), NH(4)(+) and, to a lesser extent, Na(+) conferred detectable activity.

Probing metal binding in the 8-17 DNAzyme by TbIII luminescence spectroscopy.

Metal-dependent cleavage activities of the 8-17 DNAzyme were found to be inhibited by Tb(III) ions, and the apparent inhibition constant in the presence of 100 microM of Zn(II) was measured to be 3.3+/-0.3 microM.

Metal-dependent global folding and activity of the 8-17 DNAzyme studied by fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

The 8-17 DNAzyme is a DNA metalloenzyme catalyzing RNA transesterification in the presence of divalent metal ions, with activity following the order Pb2+ >> Zn2+ >>Mg2+. Since the DNAzyme has been used as a metal ion sensor, its metal-induced global folding was studied by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) by labeling the three stems of the DNAzyme with the Cy3/Cy5 FRET pair two stems at a time in order to gain deeper insight into the role of different metal ions in its structure and function. FRET results indicated that, in the presence of Zn2+ and Mg2+, the DNAzyme folds into a compact structure, stem III approaching a configuration defined by stems I and II without changing the angle between stems I and II.

Kinetics of two-electron oxidations by the compound I derivative of chloroperoxidase, a model for cytochrome P450 oxidants.

[structure: see text] Rate constants for two-electron oxidation reactions of Compound I from chloroperoxidase (CPO) with a variety of substrates were measured by stopped-flow kinetic techniques. The thiolate ligand of CPO Compound I activates the iron-oxo species with the result that oxidation reactions are 2 to 3 orders of magnitude faster than oxidations by model iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations containing weaker binding counterions.

Spectroscopic characterizations of bridging cysteine ligand variants of an engineered Cu2(Scys)2 CuA azurin.

Bridging cysteine ligands of the Cu(A) center in an engineered Cu(A) azurin were replaced with serine, and the variants (Cys116Ser and Cys112Ser Cu(A) azurin) were characterized by mass spectrometry, as well as UV-vis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic techniques. The replacements resulted in dramatically perturbed spectroscopic properties, indicating that the cysteines play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the Cu center. The replacements at different cysteine residues resulted in different perturbations, even though the two cysteines are geometrically symmetrical in the primary coordination sphere with respect to the two copper ions.