Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Reducing Pain in the Initial Stages of Orthodontic Treatment.

Purpose: There is no consensus about the mechanism and efficacy in alleviating pain of the lower-level laser therapy (LLLT) during orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the LLLT effectiveness clinically in reducing pain caused by orthodontic movement that occurs in the early stages of treatment.

Methods: The sample consisted of 54 patients in need of orthodontic treatment divided into two groups.

The influence of 3x3 bonded retainer on anterior crowding relapse in mandibular incisor extraction cases.

Objective: To evaluate the 3x3 bonded retainer influence on the mandibular anterior crowding in cases treated with mandibular incisor extraction.

Methods: The sample comprised pretreatment, posttreatment and follow-up orthodontic records of 16 subjects (10 females and 6 males) with Class I malocclusion treated with extraction of a single mandibular incisor. The mean ages (± SD) at pretreatment, posttreatment and follow-up evaluation were 23.

Antitumor effect of free rhodium (II) citrate and rhodium (II) citrate-loaded maghemite nanoparticles on mice bearing breast cancer: a systemic toxicity assay.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer types among women. The use of magnetic fluids for specific delivery of drugs represents an attractive platform for chemotherapy. In our previous studies, it was demonstrated that maghemite nanoparticles coated with rhodium (II) citrate (Magh-Rh2Cit) induced in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo antitumor activity, followed by intratumoral administration in breast carcinoma cells.

Antitumor effect and toxicity of free rhodium (II) citrate and rhodium (II) citrate-loaded maghemite nanoparticles in mice bearing breast cancer.

Background: Magnetic fluids containing superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles represent an attractive platform as nanocarriers in chemotherapy. Recently, we developed a formulation of maghemite nanoparticles coated with rhodium (II) citrate, which resulted in in vitro cytotoxicity enhanced up to 4.6 times when compared to free rhodium (II) citrate formulation on breast carcinoma cells.

Free Rhodium (II) citrate and rhodium (II) citrate magnetic carriers as potential strategies for breast cancer therapy.

Background: Rhodium (II) citrate (Rh(2)(H(2)cit)(4)) has significant antitumor, cytotoxic, and cytostatic activity on Ehrlich ascite tumor. Although toxic to normal cells, its lower toxicity when compared to carboxylate analogues of rhodium (II) indicates (Rh(2)(H(2)cit)(4)) as a promising agent for chemotherapy. Nevertheless, few studies have been performed to explore this potential.

ICD defibrillation failure solved in an unusual fashion.

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is designed to sense life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and terminate them, either by rapid pacing or by delivering an electrical shock. Nowadays it is a proven therapy for both primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. The typical configuration of an ICD consists of a right ventricular sensing/defibrillator lead with two coils (one distal, located in the right ventricle, and one proximal, located at the superior vena cava-right atrium junction) and an active can, the so-called "ventricular triad".

Reevaluation of the 2-deoxyribose assay for determination of free radical formation.

Background: The 2-deoxyribose (2-DR) degradation assay is a widely used test for determining anti/pro-oxidant properties of molecules and plant extracts. Most reports use reaction blanks omitting 2-DR or thiobarbituric acid (TBA). However, when studying Fe(II)-mediated reactions, we verified that these blanks are not appropriate.

Mitral valve myxomas: an unusual entity.

Primary tumours of the heart are uncommon entities, cardiac myxomas being the most frequent. However, mitral valve myxomas are exceptionally rare. In the last 12 years, there have been 25 myxomas diagnosed at our institution, with only two of them originating from the mitral valve.

Pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone inhibits iron-induced ascorbate oxidation and ascorbyl radical formation.

Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH) has in vitro antioxidant activity against iron plus ascorbate-induced 2-deoxyribose degradation due to its ability to chelate iron; the resulting Fe(III)-PIH(2) complex is supposedly unable to catalyze oxyradical formation. A putative step in the antioxidant action of PIH is the inhibition of Fe(III)-mediated ascorbate oxidation, which yields the Fenton reagent Fe(II) [Biochim. Biophys.