Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and sensorimotor training in anterior cruciate ligament patients: a sham-controlled pilot study.

Background: Studies showed changes in the central nervous system in patients who sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear. There is a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of transcranial direct-current stimulation in such patients.

Methods: A sham-controlled randomised study.

Genomics analysis of Drosophila sechellia response to Morinda citrifolia fruit diet.

Drosophila sechellia is an island endemic host specialist that has evolved to consume the toxic fruit of Morinda citrifolia, also known as noni fruit. Recent studies by our group and others have examined genome-wide gene expression responses of fruit flies to individual highly abundant compounds found in noni responsible for the fruit's unique chemistry and toxicity. In order to relate these reductionist experiments to the gene expression responses to feeding on noni fruit itself, we fed rotten noni fruit to adult female D.

Low-driving-voltage, polarizer-free, scattering-controllable liquid crystal device based on randomly patterned photo-alignment.

In this work, a polarizer-free, electrically tunable liquid crystal device is presented. This device is based on randomly patterned photo-aligned boundaries generating light scattering in an adjacent liquid crystal film. Its transparent on state requires only 7.

Titration of gold nanoparticles in phase extraction.

In the organic-aqueous phase transfer process of gold nanoparticles, there are two types of distinctive interfaces involving hydrophilic and hydrophobic ligands, the understanding of which is important for the design of functional nanomaterials for analytical/bioanalytical applications and the control over the nanoparticles' nanoactivity and nanotoxicity in different phases. This report describes new findings of an investigation of the quantitative aspect of ligand ion pairing at the capping monolayer structure that drives the phase extraction of gold nanoparticles. Alkanethiolate-capped gold nanoparticles of 8 nm diameter with high size monodispersity (RSD ∼ 5%) were first derivatized by a ligand place exchange reaction with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid to form a mixed monolayer shell consisting of both hydrophobic (-CH3) and hydrophilic (-COOH) groups.

Assessing the Role of Capping Molecules in Controlling Aggregative Growth of Gold Nanoparticles in Heated Solution.

This report describes findings of an investigation of the role of capping molecules in the size growth in the aggregative growth of pre-formed small-sized gold nanoparticles capped with alkanethiolate monolayers toward monodispersed larger sizes. The size controllability depends on the thiolate chain length and concentration in the thermal solution. The size evolution in solution at different concentrations of alkanethiols is analyzed in relation to adsorption isotherms and cohesive energy.

Determination of ion pairing on capping structures of gold nanoparticles by phase extraction.

As nanoparticles with different capping structures in solution phases have found widespread applications of wide interest, understanding how the capping structure change influences their presence in phases or solutions is important for gaining full control over both the intended nanoactivity and the unintended nanotoxicity. This report describes a simple and effective phase extraction method for analyzing the degree of ion pairing in the capping molecular structure of nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles of a few nanometers diameter with a mixed monolayer capping structure consisting of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic and reactive groups were studied as a model system, and a quantitative model was derived based on chemical equilibria in a two-phase system, and used to assess the experimental data for phase extraction by cationic species.

Thin film assemblies of molecularly-linked metal nanoparticles and multifunctional properties.

The use of metal nanoparticles as building blocks toward thin film assembly creates intriguing opportunities for exploring multifunctional properties. Such an exploration requires the ability to engineer the size, shape, composition, and especially interparticle properties in nanoparticle assemblies for harnessing the collective properties of the nanoscale building blocks. This article highlights some of the important findings of our investigations of thin film assemblies of molecularly linked nanoparticles for exploiting their multifunctional and collective properties in molecular recognition and chemical sensing.

Fabrication of magnetic core@shell Fe oxide@Au nanoparticles for interfacial bioactivity and bio-separation.

The immobilization of proteins on gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles and the subsequent recognition of the targeted proteins provide an effective means for the separation of proteins via application of a magnetic filed. A key challenge is the ability to fabricate such nanoparticles with the desired core-shell nanostructure. In this article, we report findings of the fabrication and characterization of gold-coated iron oxide (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) core@shell nanoparticles (Fe oxide@Au) toward novel functional biomaterials.

Application of vacuum-assisted therapy in postoperative ascitic fluid leaks: an integral part of multimodality wound management in cirrhotic patients.

Surgery in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and ascites is associated with significant morbidity, including poor wound healing. Postoperative management of abdominal and perineal wounds in these patients poses a unique challenge owing to increased intra-abdominal pressure, risk for peritonitis, and ascitic fluid leakage. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy reportedly improves angiogenesis and epithelialization, controls bacterial contamination, and removes excess tissue fluid.

Array of molecularly mediated thin film assemblies of nanoparticles: correlation of vapor sensing with interparticle spatial properties.

The ability to tune interparticle spatial properties of nanoparticle assemblies is essential for the design of sensing materials toward desired sensitivity and selectivity. This paper reports findings of an investigation of molecularly mediated thin film assemblies of metal nanoparticles with controllable interparticle spatial properties as a sensing array. The interparticle spatial properties are controlled by a combination of alpha,omega-difunctional alkyl mediators (X-(CH(2))(n)-X) such as alkyl dithiols, dicarboxylate acids, and alkanethiol shells capped on nanoparticles.

Pars plana vitrectomy with and without peeling of the inner limiting membrane for diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: A prospective, comparative, nonrandomized study to evaluate the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with and without inner limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for persistent diffuse clinically significant macular edema.

Methods: Eighteen patients with persistent diffuse clinically significant macular edema despite laser photocoagulation were recruited for the study. Clinical assessment included determination of best-corrected visual acuity, fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, and perifoveal cone function testing.

Pars plana vitrectomy for diabetic macular oedema: OCT and functional correlations.

Purpose: A prospective study to evaluate the macular structural and functional effects of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for persistent diffuse clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO).

Method: A total of 12 patients with persistent diffuse CSMO were recruited and underwent assessment including best-corrected visual acuity, fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fine matrix mapping (FMM) at baseline and over a period of a year poststandard three-port PPV.

Results: The median baseline ETDRS letters score for all 12 patients was 52 (range 41-63) while at 12 months it had increased to 65 (range of 27-68), an improvement of two complete ETDRS lines (P=0.

Diabetic macular oedema: pilot randomised trial of pars plana vitrectomy vs macular argon photocoagulation.

Introduction: Focal macular photocoagulation for clinically significant macular oedema (CSME) is the proven method for treatment of this condition, but with little chance of visual improvement. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) may produce resolution of macular oedema and improvement in visual acuity. However, there have been no randomised trials to ascertain role of vitrectomy in the management of persistent CSME.

Vitrectomy and radial optic neurotomy for central retinal vein occlusion: effects on visual acuity and macular anatomy.

Background: Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is a common retinal vascular disorder and a leading cause of visual loss. It is thought to arise from vascular obstruction at the level of the lamina cribrosa. The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate the potential benefit of radial optic neurotomy (RON) and determine its effect on foveal thickness and macular volume in patients with CRVO.

Frequency of sentinel lymph node metastases in patients with favorable breast cancer histologic subtypes.

Background: The need for axillary nodal staging in favorable histologic subtypes of breast cancer is controversial.

Methods: Patients with clinical stage T1-2, N0 breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective, multi-institutional study. All patients underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy followed by completion level I/II axillary dissection.

Piezoelectricity of a ferroelectric liquid crystal with a glass transition.

Pressure-electric (hydrostatic piezoelectric) measurements are reported on bookshelf textures of a ferroelectric smectic-C (Sm C*) liquid crystal with a glass transition. The continuous variation of a partially fluid state to the solid glass enables one to trace how the piezoelectric effect depends on the consistency of the material. It was observed that in the Sm C* samples with poled glass the piezoelectric constants are comparable to conventional piezoelectric crystals and poled piezoelectric polymers.

Optical polymer thin films with isotropic and anisotropic nano-corrugated surface topologies.

Light reflection from computer monitors, car dashboards and any other optical surface can impair the legibility of displays, degrade transmission of optical components and in some cases may even pose safety hazards. Antireflective coatings are therefore widely used, but existing antireflection technologies often perform sub-optimally or are expensive to implement. Here we present an alternative approach to antireflection coatings, based on an extension of our photo-aligning and photo-patterning technology for liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) and liquid-crystal polymer films with smooth surfaces to optical polymer films with controlled surface topologies.

Molecular recognition of cyclic urea HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

As long as the threat of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease drug resistance still exists, there will be a need for more potent antiretroviral agents. We have therefore determined the crystal structures of HIV-1 protease in complex with six cyclic urea inhibitors: XK216, XK263, DMP323, DMP450, XV638, and SD146, in an attempt to identify 1) the key interactions responsible for their high potency and 2) new interactions that might improve their therapeutic benefit. The structures reveal that the preorganized, C2 symmetric scaffolds of the inhibitors are anchored in the active site of the protease by six hydrogen bonds and that their P1 and P2 substituents participate in extensive van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds.

Nonpeptide cyclic cyanoguanidines as HIV-1 protease inhibitors: synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and X-ray crystal structure studies.

Comparison of the high-resolution X-ray structures of the native HIV-1 protease and its complexes with the inhibitors suggested that the enzyme flaps are flexible. The movement at the tip of the flaps could be as large as 7 A. On the basis of this observation, cyclic cyanoguanidines have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated as HIV-1 protease (PR) inhibitors.

Pulsed, laser-induced holographic coupling gratings for waveguides made of cross-linkable polymers.

We report a simple and efficient laser-pulse technique for producing surface-relief gratings in polymer waveguides. The gratings are created in the non-cross-linked sample areas of waveguides by exposure to the interference pattern of frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser pulses in a dual-beam interferometer. Since light does not affect the cross-linked portions of the samples, our technique is particularly appropriate for channel waveguides created by selective bleaching and/or cross linking.

Linearly polarized light with axial symmetry generated by liquid-crystal polarization converters.

Novel liquid-crystal devices are described that generate linearly polarized light with axial symmetry; the beam propagation axis is the symmetry axis. Such light fields can be characterized by a polarization order number P. For example, P = 1 fields represent radially or azimuthally polarized light.

Effect of CBC results on ED management of women with lower abdominal pain.

Recent studies have suggested that the results of complete blood counts (CBCs) are neither sensitive nor specific in diagnosing abdominal pain, but no study has attempted to determine whether CBC results actually influence the management of ED patients. This study attempted to determine whether CBC results in women with lower abdominal pain affect ED disposition or diagnosis. One hundred women between the ages of 15 and 45 with lower abdominal pain presenting to a community hospital ED with an annual census of 45,000 were enrolled in this prospective study.

Kinetic and crystallographic studies of thrombin with Ac-(D)Phe-Pro-boroArg-OH and its lysine, amidine, homolysine, and ornithine analogs.

The X-ray crystallographic structure of Ac-(D)Phe-Pro-boroArg-OH [DuP714, Ki = 0.04 nM; Kettner, C., Mersinger, L.

Intraoperative pancreatic fine needle aspiration biopsy. Results in 166 patients.

Intraoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy (NAB) of undiagnosed pancreatic masses was studied in 166 patients over a 17-year period. The cytologic diagnoses were correlated with histologic specimens, autopsy results, or clinical follow-up (benign disease was documented if the patient was alive without malignancy at least 2 years after laparotomy). Aspirates were interpreted as benign, suspicious, malignant, or unsatisfactory.