Shear bond strength between dental adhesive systems and an experimental niobium-based implant material.

This study aimed to investigate adhesive shear bond strength (SBS) on an ultrafine-grained niobium alloy (UFG-Nb) that is a potential dental implant material. SBS of three adhesive systems combined with three composites to UFG-Nb was compared to corresponding SBS to Ti-6Al-4V and to zirconia. Specimens of the substrates UFG-Nb, Ti-6Al-4V and zirconia with plane surfaces were sandblasted with AlO, cleaned and dried.

Effects of Additional Use of Bioactive Glasses or a Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste on Remineralization of Artificial Lesions in vitro.

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of two different bioactive glasses, a hydroxyapatite-containing, fluoride-free toothpaste (HTP) and a fluoride toothpaste (FTP) on the remineralization behavior of initial caries lesions.

Materials And Methods: A total of 100 bovine enamel samples were randomly allocated to five groups of 20 samples each: NC = negative control group (artificial saliva); HTP = HTP group (Karex); FTP = FTP group (Elmex caries protection, 1,400 ppm); FTP + BGnano = FTP followed by Actimins bioactive glass; FTP + BGamorph = FTP followed by Schott bioactive glass. Radiographic documentation (advanced transversal microradiography; aTMR) was applied before and after all samples were exposed to a demineralizing gel for 10 days.

Performance of a newly developed mineral gel system on erosive and erosive/abrasive enamel loss. An in vitro study.

We compared the prevention of erosive and erosive/abrasive enamel loss by a medical minerals gel system (R.O.C.

Safety of Oral Propranolol for Infantile Hemangioma.

Objectives: The safety of oral propranolol for infantile hemangioma has not yet been studied at population level since the pediatric use marketing authorization was obtained in Europe.

Methods: A survey of a nationwide, claim-based observational cohort of children <3 years old, with at least 1 delivery of oral propranolol between July 2014 and June 2016, was performed by using the database of the French National Health Insurance system. Standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated by using, from the same database, a representative random sample of nonexposed subjects.

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Anticoagulation vs. Antiplatelets after Stroke.

Background: Trials of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure to prevent recurrent stroke have been inconclusive. We investigated whether patients with cryptogenic stroke and echocardiographic features representing risk of stroke would benefit from PFO closure or anticoagulation, as compared with antiplatelet therapy.

Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial, we assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, patients 16 to 60 years of age who had had a recent stroke attributed to PFO, with an associated atrial septal aneurysm or large interatrial shunt, to transcatheter PFO closure plus long-term antiplatelet therapy (PFO closure group), antiplatelet therapy alone (antiplatelet-only group), or oral anticoagulation (anticoagulation group) (randomization group 1).

Recreational scuba diving in patients with congenital heart disease: Time for new guidelines.

The number of recreational scuba divers is steadily increasing. In its latest recommendations, the French Federation of Undersea Studies and Sports listed congenital heart disease as a formal and final contraindication to scuba diving. On the other hand, with the progress made in their management, the prognosis and quality of life of patients with congenital heart diseases have improved considerably, enabling them to engage in physical and sports endeavours, which are known to confer general health and psychological benefits.

close: Closure of patent foramen ovale, oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy to prevent stroke recurrence: Study design.

Rationale: Currently available data do not provide definitive evidence on the comparative benefits of closure of patent foramen ovale, oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet therapy in patients with patent foramen ovale-associated cryptogenic stroke

Aim: To assess whether transcatheter patent foramen ovale closure plus antiplatelet therapy is superior to antiplatelet therapy alone and whether oral anticoagulant therapy is superior to antiplatelet therapy, for secondary stroke prevention in patients aged 16 to 60 years with a large patent foramen ovale or a patent foramen ovale associated with an atrial septal aneurysm, and an otherwise unexplained ischaemic stroke or retinal ischaemia.

Sample Size: Six hundred and sixty-four patients were included in the study.

Methods And Design: CLOSE is an academic-driven, multicentre, randomized, open-label, three-group, superiority trial with blinded adjudication of outcome events.

Portopulmonary Hypertension in Liver Disease Presenting in Childhood.

Objective: Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is a known complication of cirrhosis in adults, but there is little information on its incidence and outcome in children with liver disease. We report 14 patients with POPH and present a synthesis of the medical literature.

Methods: Diagnosis of POPH in the 14 patients was based on right-sided heart catheterization displaying mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >25 mmHg, indexed pulmonary vascular resistances >3 Wood units · m, and pulmonary wedge pressure <15 mmHg.

An overview of cardiac morphogenesis.

Accurate knowledge of normal cardiac development is essential for properly understanding the morphogenesis of congenital cardiac malformations that represent the most common congenital anomaly in newborns. The heart is the first organ to function during embryonic development and is fully formed at 8 weeks of gestation. Recent studies stemming from molecular genetics have allowed specification of the role of cellular precursors in the field of heart development.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition-the roles of cell morphology, labile adhesion and junctional coupling.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental process during development and disease, including development of the heart valves and tumour metastases. An extended cellular Potts model was implemented to represent the behaviour emerging from autonomous cell morphology, labile adhesion, junctional coupling and cell motility. Computer simulations normally focus on these functional changes independently whereas this model facilitates exploration of the interplay between cell shape changes, adhesion and migration.

Parental electrocardiographic screening identifies a high degree of inheritance for congenital and childhood nonimmune isolated atrioventricular block.

Background: The origin of congenital or childhood nonimmune isolated atrioventricular (AV) block remains unknown. We hypothesized that this conduction abnormality in the young may be a heritable disease.

Methods And Results: A multicenter retrospective study (13 French referral centers, from 1980-2009) included 141 children with AV block diagnosed in utero, at birth, or before 15 years of age without structural heart abnormalities and without maternal antibodies.

Towards multiscale systems modeling of endocardial to mesenchymal transition.

Cell behavior during endocardial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) was simulated using the cellular Potts formalism in Compucell 3D. The processes of loss of endocardial cohesion and invasion into the extracellular matrix (ECM) were stimulated by changing surface energy parameters. The simulations match in vitro results which suggest that endocardial motility on the surface of collagen gel can be induced separately from 3D invasion of the gel, via Notch signaling in the absence of BMP2.

Characteristics and long-term outcome of non-immune isolated atrioventricular block diagnosed in utero or early childhood: a multicentre study.

Aims: The natural history of congenital or childhood non-immune, isolated atrioventricular (AV) block is poorly defined.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively studied 141 children with isolated, non-immune AV block diagnosed in utero, or up to 15 years of age, at 13 French medical centres, between 1980 and 2009. Patients with structural heart disease or maternal antibodies were excluded.

Acquired left ventricular submitral aneurysms in the course of Takayasu arteritis in a child.

A 9-year-old black African boy was hospitalized for heart failure revealing a severe left ventricular dysfunction associated with dilated cardiomyopathy, two submitral aneurysms, occlusion of the circumflex artery and a giant coronary artery aneurysm on the proximal left anterior descending artery. The boy was coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Though rare, association of Takayasu arteritis and submitral aneurysm leads to rethinking the pathogenesis of submitral aneurysm and suggests that some of them may be acquired.

Multiscale systems modeling of the tetralogy of Fallot.

This paper provides a first description of a multiscale systems modeling approach applied to the congenital birth defect known as the tetralogy of Fallot. The multiscale approach adopted owes a lot to the effort of the world-wide physiome consortium and the work of research groups within the European Union on the Virtual Physiological Human. Both a spatial scale and time scale are used to establish the systems boundaries of the application.

Characteristics and prospective 2-year follow-up of children with pulmonary arterial hypertension in France.

Background: Limited data are available describing paediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Aims: To characterize the epidemiology, management and impact on quality of life and outcome of paediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension, excluding persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and pulmonary arterial hypertension caused by congenital heart disease.

Methods: In this multicentre study, children with pulmonary arterial hypertension were included and followed prospectively for two years at 21 referral centres in France.

A new dynamic 3D virtual methodology for teaching the mechanics of atrial septation as seen in the human heart.

Learning embryology remains difficult, since it requires understanding of many complex phenomena. The temporal evolution of developmental events has classically been illustrated using cartoons, which create difficulty in linking spatial and temporal aspects, such correlation being the keystone of descriptive embryology. We synthesized the bibliographic data from recent studies of atrial septal development.

[Long QT syndrome: an underestimated cause of sudden infant death].

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited arrhythmia that can be sporadic or familial. It predisposes to sudden cardiac death by ventricular fibrillation, which can occur at any age, particularly in neonates. Recent postmortem molecular screening surveys have shown that 10 to 12% of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases were potentially related to congenital long QT syndrome.

Can peripartum cardiomyopathy be familial?

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare disorder, with four principal features: 1--development of cardiac heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or within five months after delivery, 2--absence of an identifiable cause for heart failure, 3--absence of underlying heart disease prior to the last month of pregnancy, 4--evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction by classic echocardiographic criteria. Reported forms of familial peripartum cardiomyopathy are exceptional. Our observation emphasizes the interest of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the investigation of an acute heart failure occurring during the peripartum and allows us to evoke a genetic predisposition in some cases of PPCM, to discuss the fact that some forms of familial PPCM could be unknown familial dilated cardiomyopathy unmasked by pregnancy, and to wonder on the familial screening modalities.

Contribution of cardiac MRI in the comprehension of peripartum cardiomyopathy pathogenesis.

Pathogenesis of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPC) is still discussed. We report one case of PPC in which a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging analysis allowed to exclude some "classical" pathogenesis hypotheses. We would like to emphasize the benefits of cardiac MRI in the comprehension of the mechanism(s) involved in the genesis of PPC.

Diagnosis, management, and follow-up of systemic venous drainage via a single left superior caval vein into the left atrium.

A 15-month-old boy presented with asymptomatic hypoxaemia due to right-to-left venous shunting via a left superior caval vein emptying into the left atrium, in absence of right superior caval vein. The diagnosis, suspected by contrast echocardiography, was confirmed by computed tomography and angiography. The child underwent surgical correction of the systemic anomalous return by tunnelling the left superior caval vein towards the right atrium.

Three-dimensional reconstruction and morphologic measurements of human embryonic hearts: a new diagnostic and quantitative method applicable to fetuses younger than 13 weeks of gestation.

Improvements in the diagnosis of congenital malformations explain the increasing early termination of pregnancies. Before 13 weeks of gestation, an accurate in vivo anatomic diagnosis cannot currently be made in all fetuses with current imaging instrumentation. Anatomopathologic examinations remain the gold standard to make accurate diagnoses, although they reach limits between 9 and 13 weeks of gestation.