Effect of 9% Hydrofluoric Acid Gel Hot-Etching Surface Treatment on Shear Bond Strength of Resin Cements to Zirconia Ceramics.

Background and Objectives: There is no consensus regarding the surface treatment method for achieving optimal bonding strength between zirconia and resin cements. We evaluated the effect of hot-etching with 9% hydrofluoric acid (HF) gel using the Zirconia Etchant Cloud System on zirconia surfaces and the consequent shear bond strength (SBS) of different resin cements to such surface-treated zirconia ceramics. Materials and Methods: Forty-five zirconia specimens were randomly assigned to surface-treatment groups (n = 15/group): no treatment (control, CT); sandblasting with 110-μm Al2O3 at an air pressure of 1 bar for 10 s (SB); hot-etching with 9% HF gel (HE).

Characterization of the shock pulse-induced cavitation bubble activities recorded by an optical fiber hydrophone.

A shock pressure pulse used in an extracorporeal shock wave treatment has a large negative pressure (<-5 MPa) which can produce cavitation. Cavitation cannot be measured easily, but may have known therapeutic effects. This study considers the signal recorded for several hundred microseconds using an optical hydrophone submerged in water at the focus of shock pressure field.

A novel method for monitoring urinary bladder internal pressure: feasibility test.

The study presents a new approach for measuring non-invasively urinary bladder internal pressure which can resolve all the shortcomings of existing methods. The novel method makes use of acoustic cavitation. The theoretical foundation for the proposed technique was presented, together with the preliminary experimental validation.

Updates on the genetic variations of norovirus in sporadic gastroenteritis in Chungnam Korea, 2009-2010.

Previously, we explored the epidemic pattern and molecular characterization of noroviruses (NoVs) isolated in Chungnam, Korea in 2008, and the present study extended these observations to 2009 and 2010. In Korea, NoVs showed the seasonal prevalence from late fall to spring, and widely detected in preschool children and peoples over 60 years of age. Epidemiological pattern of NoV was similar in 2008 and in 2010, but pattern in 2009 was affected by pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus.