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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To determine the comparative efficacy of developmental care versus standard care for reducing pain and stress in preterm infants during examinations for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). BACKGROUND ROP examinations are routinely performed in neonatal intensive care units to detect these lesions. Pain scores recorded during and after eye examinations have revealed physiological and behavioural manifestations of pain and stress. DESIGN A randomised crossover trial was conducted. METHODS Fourteen preterm infants were evaluated. The modified developmental care bundle included environmental modifications, positioning and containment, oxygen supplementation, interaction and approach and cue-based individual care, which were applied before, during and after the ROP examination. The primary outcomes were obtained from pain and stress scores using the premature infant pain profile-revised (PIPP-R) and a behavioural evaluation. The secondary outcomes were recovery time to the baseline of the vital signs and oxygen saturation. RESULTS Statistical significances were found in the care type comparison (p = 0.013), time comparison (p

For eyes with deficient capsular support, intraocular lens (IOL) implantation has long been a technical challenge. Recently, intrascleral fixation of the haptics of a three-piece posterior chamber IOL has become a popular option. In this procedure, externalization of the leading haptic during IOL injection is a stressful step. We present a modified technique to improve the ease and safety of this step. Our modified technique involves IOL injection with a motorized injector with several important modifications described here. With these modifications, a surgeon can easily maintain the correct orientation of the IOL in a well-controlled manner during IOL injection. The records of 13 patients who underwent this technique were retrospectively evaluated. Corrected-distance visual acuity improved significantly after surgery (p

Several reagents have been studied to overcome the problems encountered with antiseptic use, such as moderate cutaneous wound cytotoxicity and skin thinning. We successfully prepared a gelatin/chitosan/epigallocatechin gallate nanoparticle incorporated in a poly(γ-glutamic acid)/gelatin hydrogel, which comprised activated carbon fibers with gentamicin, to fabricate a sandwiched dressing to enhance wound regeneration. The inner layer of activated carbon fibers with gentamicin was designed to prevent bacterial infection, and the outer layer of gelatin/chitosan/epigallocatechin gallate nanoparticles incorporated in a poly(γ-glutamic acid)/gelatin hydrogel was designed to prevent inflammation and facilitate reepithelialization. An in vitro study demonstrated that the dressing effectively inhibited target microorganisms, and scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope indicated that the nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed and migrated into the hydrogel. The in vivo study reported that the sandwiched dressing, comprising the poly(γ-glutamic acid)/gelatin hydrogel, was easy to remove from the wound and facilitated wound tissue regeneration and accelerated healing process.

Background and Purpose Dynamic polymerization of microtubules is essential for cancer cell growth and metastasis, and microtubule-disrupting agents have become the most successful anti-cancer agents in clinical use. Besides their antioxidant properties, flavonoids also exhibit strong microtubule-disrupting activity and inhibit tumour growth. We have designed, synthesized and tested a series of oxime/amide-containing flavone derivatives. Here we report the evaluation of one compound, WTC-01 for its anti-proliferative effects in human cancer cells. Experimental approach We used a range of cancer cell lines including two human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines, measuring proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis, along with caspase levels and mitochondrial membrane potentials. Assays of tubulin polymerisation in vitro and computer modelling of the colchicine binding site in tubulin were also used. In mice, pharmacokinetics and growth of NPC-derived tumours were studied. Key Results WTC-01 was most potent against proliferation of NPC cells (IC50 = 0.45 μM), inducing accumulation of cells in G2/M and increasing apoptosis, time- and concentration-dependently. The colchicine competition-binding experiments and computer modelling results suggested that WTC-01 causes microtubule disruption via binding to the colchicine-binding site of tubulin resulting in mitochondrial membrane damage and cell apoptosis via activation of caspase-9/-3 without noticeable activation of the caspase-8. Notably, our in vivo studies demonstrated that at doses of 25 and 50 mg·kg−1, WTC-01 exhibited good pharmacokinetic properties and completely inhibited the growth of NPC-TW01 cells in a xenograft nude mouse model. Conclusions and Implications WTC-01, a new synthetic oxime-containing flavone, exhibited potent anti-tumour activity against NPC cells and merits further investigation.

In this study, the high stability temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) characteristics of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)O3-based multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) were investigated using a novel sintering approach that combines rapid heating and constrained sintering. The novel sintering approach is based on a sandwich structure that the constrained (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)O3-based MLCCs are covered with BaTiO3 as a constraining layer on both sides. An in-plane tensile stress resulting from the mismatch between the constraining layer and the constrained layer during heating can effectively inhibit grain growth of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)O3-based MLCCs and then modify the TCC characteristics of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)O3-based MLCCs from Y5V (−82%≦△C/C≦ + 22% from −30°C to 85°C) to X5R (−15%≦△C/C≦ + 15% from −55°C to 85°C). The high continuity (>95%) of inner electrode and the fine grain size (0.56 μm) of BCTZ-based MLCCs with a non-core-shell structure can be attained by means of the rapid constrained sintering technique. The lifetime of the fine-grain-BCTZ-based MLCC fired by the novel sintering is superior to that of the coarse-grain-BCTZ-based MLCC fired by conventional sintering in a highly accelerated life test.

Silver has antiseptic properties, anti-inflammatory properties, and is a broad-spectrum antibiotic for multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria. The commercially available product, Silverlon®, is a silver-plated three-dimensional polyamide fabric with a high silver concentration of 546 mg/100 cm(2). Thus, fibroblast cell growth is affected when exposed to the Silverlon® treated cell medium. Our study produced an activated carbon fiber wound dressing that incorporated various silver concentrations (in cooperation of Bio-Medical Carbon Technology) to examine antimicrobial properties and determine fibroblast cell viability upon exposure to the silver impregnated dressing material as compared to other commercially available products such as calcium alginate dressing, Sorbalgon®, and silver-polyamide fabric dressing, Silverlon®. The silver impregnated activated carbon fiber dressing induced less damage to fibroblast cells compared to the effect produced by Silverlon® and exhibited similar antibacterial abilities in vitro. An in vivo analysis showed that various silver concentrations impregnated activated carbon fiber dressings promoted tissue reconstruction for wound healing in rats with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infected wounds.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To explore the genetic characteristics of branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome in an East Asian population. Study Design: Prospective clinical genetic study. Methods: Twelve families (total of 18 patients) who fulfilled the criteria for BOR syndrome were enrolled in this study. Mutation screening of the EYA1, SIX1, and SIX5 genes was performed by direct sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and genotype-phenotype correlation was investigated. Results: Two novel EYA1 variants, c.466C>T (p.Q156X) and c.1735delG (p.D579fs), were identified in two multiplex families. The c.466C>T variant resulted in a truncated EYA1 protein, whereas the c.1735delG variant was predicted to encode an EYA1 protein with an abnormal C terminal. Neither variant was identified in a panel of 100 normal controls, and both were cosegregated with the BOR phenotype in the pedigrees, indicating that they were pathogenic mutations. No SIX1 and SIX5 mutations were detected in members of the remaining 10 families. Analysis of the genotype-phenotype correlation revealed a high phenotypic variability between and within BOR families. Conclusions: Two novel EYA1 mutations (c.466C>T and c.1735delG) were identified in two families with BOR syndrome. SIX1 and SIX5 mutations were not detected in the present study. Further investigation is warranted regarding the contribution of SIX1 and SIX5 mutations to BOR syndrome in East Asian populations.