Search

Uniform spherical cap shaped graphite/sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant (SDS) micro-deposits were formed after the complete evaporation of aqueous graphite/SDS dispersion drops containing 2 and 4 mM of SDS and 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 110 mg/ml graphite micro-powder on hydrophobic surfaces such as Teflon-FEP and tridecafluorooctyltriethoxysilane coated glass slides. The shapes and sizes of the graphite/SDS micro-deposits were also investigated on polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyvinyl alcohol surfaces. A good linear relationship was found between the surface free energy of the substrates and the diameters of the graphite/SDS deposits. The volumes and heights of the spherical cap shaped deposits can be controlled by varying the substrate surface free energy, concentration of graphite and SDS in the dispersion drop. SDS adsorption on graphite resulted in better surface packing of the microparticles on hydrophobic substrates. Effect of particle size on the deposit shape and size was also investigated by comparing SDS/graphite deposits formed from carbon microparticles with SDS/fullerene deposits formed from carbon nanoparticles. In addition, “stick-slip” motion of a (graphite + water) dispersion droplet on a polypropylene surface was investigated by the model proposed by Shanahan et al. and the potential energy barrier was calculated to be small for graphite microparticles on this surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Poly(methyl methacrylate-ran-perfluoroalkyl ethyl methacrylate) copolymers having varying perfluoroalkyl ethyl methacrylate ester (Zonyl-TM) contents were synthesized in supercritical CO2. Complete amorphous structures of the copolymers were verified by XRD. Young''s modulus (Y mod ) of the copolymers was decreased linearly from 1.57 to 1.08GPa and T g values from 102 to 77°C with the increase of Zonyl-TM content. A linear relationship between the Y mod and the T g values of the copolymer was also found. The increase of the large branched pendant groups resulted in the increase of the free volume and a corresponding decrease in Y mod and T g of the copolymers. A good fit was found when the Schneider equation was used. Negative deviation from the Gordon–Taylor equation was observed when Zonyl-TM content was lower than 14% due to rapid increase in free volume and then a positive deviation was found due to the dipole–dipole interactions between the methyl ester and fluoroalkyl ester groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, the behaviour of an inclined water jet, which is impinged onto hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces, has been investigated experimentally. Water jet was impinged with different inclination angles (15°-45°) onto five different hydrophobic surfaces made of rough polymer, which were held vertically. The water contact angles on these surfaces were measured as 102°, 112°, 123°, 145° and 167° showing that the last surface was superhydrophobic. Two different nozzles with 1.75 and 4 mm in diameters were used to create the water jet. Water jet velocity was within the range of 0.5-5 m/s, thus the Weber number varied from 5 to 650 and Reynolds number from 500 to 8,000 during the experiments. Hydrophobic surfaces reflected the liquid jet depending on the surface contact angle, jet inclination angle and the Weber number. The variation of the reflection angle with the Weber number showed a maximum value for a constant jet angle. The maximum value of the reflection angle was nearly equal to half of the jet angle. It was determined that the viscous drag decreases as the contact angle of the hydrophobic surface increases. The drag force on the wall is reduced dramatically with superhydrophobic surfaces. The amount of reduction of the average shear stress on the wall was about 40%, when the contact angle of the surface was increased from 145° to 167°. The area of the spreading water layer decreased as the contact angle of the surface increased and as the jet inclination angle, Weber number and Reynolds number decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Biostimulation properties of diluted and hyperdiluted calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) injections have become increasingly popular. However, the existing data are insufficient to certify a particular dose-response pattern., Objective: To assess and compare the dermal stimulation potentials of different concentrations of CaHA injections., Materials and Methods: Two independent experiments (Experiment-1: constant injection volume vs Experiment-2: constant CaHA amount) included 4 study groups each, and these experimental groups were placed consecutively on the abdominal skin of a juvenile Yorkshire pig. Histopathological and immunohistochemical stainings were performed on punch biopsy materials collected 4 months after the injection day., Results: The fibroblast count significantly decreased upon dilution from 1:3 to 1:19 in experiment 1 ( p = .000) but still higher than the control group. In experiment 1, the collagen density of the concentrated form was more elevated than the 1:19 dilution and the negative control groups ( p = .034 and .000, respectively) but similar to the 1:3 dilution ( p = .123). No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding collagen density with a standard amount of CaHA (0.2 mL, 30%) ( p > .05)., Conclusion: Despite the efficacy being more pronounced till 1:3 dilution, hyperdiluted CaHA at any dilution ratio up to 1:19 can provide a higher fibroblast count than the negative control group., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sessile drop evaporation and condensation on slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) is crucial for many applications. However, its modeling is complex since the infused lubricant forms a wetting ridge around the drop close to the contact line, which partially blocks the free surface area and decreases the drop evaporation rate. Although a good model was available after 2015, the effects of initial lubricant heights ( h oil ) i above the pattern, and the corresponding initial ridge heights ( h r ) i , lubricant viscosity, and solid pattern type were not well studied. This work fills this gap where water drop evaporations from SLIPS, which are obtained by infusing silicone oils (20 and 350 cSt) onto hydrophobized Si wafer micropatterns having both cylindrical and square prism pillars, are investigated under constant relative humidity and temperature conditions. With the increase of ( h oil ) i , the corresponding ( h r ) i increased almost linearly on lower parts of the drops for all SLIPS samples, resulting in slower drop evaporation rates. A novel diffusion-limited evaporation equation from SLIPS is derived depending on the available free liquid-air interfacial area, A LV , which represents the unblocked part of the total drop surface. The calculation of the diffusion constant, D , of water vapor in air from (d A LV /d t ) values obtained by drop evaporation was successful up to a threshold value of ( h oil ) i = 8 μm within ±7%, and large deviations (13-27%) were obtained when ( h oil ) i > 8 μm, possibly due to the formation of thin silicone oil cloaking layers on drop surfaces, which partially blocked evaporation. The increase of infused silicone oil viscosity caused only a slight increase (12-17%) in drop lifetimes. The effects of the geometry and size of the pillars on the drop evaporation rates were minimal. These findings may help optimize the lubricant oil layer thickness and viscosity used for SLIPS to achieve low operational costs in the future.

Aim: Posterior capsular opacification is treated using neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser capsulotomy that leads to increased intraocular pressure. Here, we compare the effects of dorzolamide hydrochloride + timolol maleate versus brimonidine on intraocular pressure. We also investigate their side effects after neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser capsulotomy. In these patients, there are no prior studies comparing the results of these two drugs., Materials: Ninety patients with posterior capsule opacification contributed to the study. They received yttrium aluminium garnet laser capsulotomy. After yttrium aluminium garnet laser capsulotomy, they were randomized into three groups. Group 1 received dorzolamide hydrochloride + timolol maleate; Group 2 took brimonidine; and Group 3, the control group, took no drug. Group 1 took dorzolamide hydrochloride + timolol maleate eye drops 1   h before the procedure and on the third hour of the first day and two times per day between the second and the seventh days. Group 2 took brimonidine eye drops 1   h before the procedure and on the third hour of the first day, two times per day between the second and the seventh days., Results: Brimonidine had a similar side effect profile to the fix combination. Intraocular pressure on the first ( p  = 0.87) and third days ( p  = 0.124) were similar in Group 1 (dorzolamide hydrochloride + timolol maleate), Group 2 (brimonidine) and the control group. The mean intraocular pressure value of the control group was significantly higher than Groups 1 and 2 because the anti-glaucomatous effects of the drugs become prominent on the seventh day ( p  = 0.041). In Group 1 and Group 2, intraocular pressure was significantly lower than the control group on the seventh day ( p  = 0.041). Stinging, itching, hyperemia and Tyndall rates were similar in Group 1, Group 2 and the control group. Watery eyes were less common in the brimonidine group than in the dorzolamide hydrochloride-timolol maleate and the control groups on the seventh day ( p  = 0.02). Brimonidine also significantly lowered the chemosis rate on the third ( p  = 0.04) and seventh ( p  = 0.03) days., Conclusion: We suggest that brimonidine and a combination of dorzolamide + timolol are similarly effective at reducing eye pressure for routine cases. In cases where intraocular pressure attacks might be at higher risk, using the dorzolamide + timolol combination would be more appropriate.

Tranexamic acid (TA) emerged as a promising agent for melasma. However, due to its hydrophilic structure, topical TA should be combined with a penetration-enhancing strategy to augment efficacy. To evaluate the efficacy of fractional erbium:YAG laser-assisted delivery (LAD) of topical TA 5% either with or without oral TA treatment in recalcitrant melasma patients. The authors retrospectively assessed the treatment outcomes of melasma patients treated by fractional erbium:YAG LAD of topical TA 5%. Patients receiving a standard protocol including four biweekly laser sessions were eligible. The study included two groups: group 1 patients received oral TA and LAD of topical TA 5%, and group 2 patients received only LAD of topical TA 5%. Two blinded dermatologists reported pre-treatment and post-treatment modified MASI (mMASI) scores. Mean mMASI scores in both group 1 (n = 15) and group 2 (n = 19) were significantly lower at the end of the treatment than baseline values (p = 0.001; p = 0.022, respectively). The decrease of mMASI scores were higher in group 1 (median = 2.1) (64.7%) than in group 2 (median = 1.2) (41.8%) (p = 0.027). Fractional erbium:YAG LAD of topical TA 5% is an efficient treatment regimen for melasma patients recalcitrant to conventional treatment approaches. The implementation of oral TA to this regimen improves the therapeutic outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Superhydrophobic (SH) polylactic acid (PLA) surfaces were previously produced by various methods and used especially in biomedical applications and oil/water separation processes after 2008. However, the wettability of SH-PLA patterns containing micropillars has not been investigated before. In this study, PLA patterns having regular microstructured pillars with 12 different pillar diameters and pillar-to-pillar distances were prepared by hot pressing pre-flattened PLA sheets onto preformed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft molds having micro-sized pits. PDMS templates were previously prepared by photolithography using SU-8 molds. Apparent, advancing, and receding water contact angle measurements were carried out on the PLA patterns containing micropillars, and the morphology of the patterns was examined by optical and SEM microscopy. The largest contact angle obtained without the surface modification of the pure PLA pattern was 139°. Then, PLA micropatterns were hydrophobized using three types of silanes via chemical vapor deposition method, and SH-PLA patterns were obtained having θs of up to 167°. It was found that the highest θ values could be obtained when PLA pattern samples were coated with a silane containing a fluorine atom in its chemical structure. Washing and service life stability tests were also performed on the coated pattern samples and all of the silane coatings on the PLA patterns were found to be resistant over a 6 month period.

Background: Breakages of the cold chain of botulinum neurotoxin A (BONT-A) preparations is not a rare event and occurs due to several unexpected and unintentional reasons during daily practice and intervention schedules could not be proposed due to the lack of data., Objective: To investigate the heat stability of abobotulinum toxin A (AboBONT-A) in terms of efficacy and duration of action upon storage at room temperature (25°C) for 2, 4, and 8 weeks., Methods and Materials: Twenty rabbits were divided into four groups and received an injection of ideally stored AboBONT-A (Group 1) and stored AboBONT-A for 2 (Group 2), 4 (Group 3), and 8 weeks (Group 4) at room temperature into the anterior auricular muscle. All rabbits were followed up and photographed by weekly for 16 weeks. Grade of paralysis was evaluated by using a modified visual scoring system., Results: No significant alteration was found in initial potency of stored AboBONT-A at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. Storage at room temperature for 2 weeks did not affect the duration of action (group 2; P = .69), and faster recovery was observed in group 3 and group 4., Conclusion: The bioactivity of AboBONT-A is not altered till 2 weeks upon storage at room temperature., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Nail psoriasis is challenging; as topical agents generally fail and systemic therapies are doubted especially when the involvement of the skin is rather localized. The response of chronic plaque-type psoriasis to botulinum toxin injections is reported in case series that is essentially explained through the modulation of neurogenic inflammation. Herein, we report the successful treatment results of two cases demonstrating different features of nail psoriasis treated by abobotulinum toxin., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Like all biofluid-contacting medical devices, intranasal splints are highly prone to bacterial adhesion and clot formation. Despite their widespread use and the numerous complications associated with infected splints, limited success has been achieved in advancing their safety and surface biocompatibility, and, to date, no surface-coating strategy has been proposed to simultaneously enhance the antithrombogenicity and bacterial repellency of intranasal splints. Herein, we report an efficient, highly stable lubricant-infused coating for intranasal splints to render their surfaces antithrombogenic and repellent toward bacterial cells. Lubricant-infused intranasal splints were prepared by creating superhydrophobic polysiloxane nanofilament (PSnF) coatings using surface-initiated polymerization of n -propyltrichlorosilane ( n -PTCS) and further infiltrating them with a silicone oil lubricant. Compared with commercially available intranasal splints, lubricant-infused, PSnF-coated splints significantly attenuated plasma and blood clot formation and prevented bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation for up to 7 days, the typical duration for which intranasal splints are kept. We further demonstrated that the performance of our engineered biointerface is independent of the underlying substrate and could be used to enhance the hemocompatibility and repellency properties of other medical implants such as medical-grade catheters.

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease has rapidly spread worldwide with a multitude effects on daily life. Since the transmission risk increases with close contact, some cosmetic procedures are considered high risk and majority of them had to be postponed or canceled in private dermatocosmetology clinics especially during the heavy period of the outbreak., Aims: We aimed to document the medical and socioeconomic problems emerged in dermatocosmetology clinics in Turkey caused by COVID-19 pandemic and to discuss the management strategies taken by dermatologists., Patients/methods: This survey research was conducted with 100 dermatologists who work in private dermatocosmetology clinics. The survey included 38 questions about office re-arrangements including patient admission and office environment, safety precautions taken for cosmetic procedures, management of clinic staff, and financial impact of the pandemic., Results: A remarkable decrease in major cosmetic interest was reported in private clinics; meanwhile, there was an increase in applicants for noncosmetic dermatological complaints. The most avoided cosmetic procedures were application of skin care devices, lasers, chemical peeling, and thread lifting, while botulinum toxin injection was the most performed procedure. Nearly half of the participants had severe financial damage. Of the participants, 55% reported that they worked anxiously during this period and 60% believed that they managed the early period of the pandemic successfully., Conclusion: Private dermatocosmetology clinics have to work in a totally different period that they have never experienced before. The pandemic has had serious impacts on both medical and socioeconomic issues which had to be managed carefully., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Cosmetology training is an under-fulfilled component of dermatology residency training., Aims: To determine the availability of cosmetic training for dermatology residents in Turkey, their satisfaction by their cosmetic training and their self-confidence in cosmetic procedures., Patients/methods: An online survey of 33 questions was performed between February and March 2019., Results: Out of 329 known dermatology residents, 113 (34.3%) responded. 94.7% of the participants thought cosmetic training should be part of residency training. 50.4% received cosmetology training. Of the participants, 50.4% took this training in their department, 43.4% in conferences and courses and 24.8% in private practice. Skills learned in conferences and cosmetology courses made the biggest contribution to the cosmetic knowledge of the participants. Theoretical lectures on cosmetology were present in 22.1% of the training programs, whereas practical lessons were included in 16.8% of the programs. Theoretical lectures were found to fulfill expectancies of 8% of participants, while this percentage was 31.5% for practical lectures. 54% of residents felt confident in performing at least one type of cosmetic procedure unassisted., Conclusions: Cosmetic training in clinics providing residency training in Turkey does not meet the expectations of residents. It is of utmost importance for future specialists in dermatology to get proficient on this field and to be able to make cosmetic procedures independently for patient safety and to protect our field of profession. In this context, including cosmetology training into residency training in accordance with a preconceived program, providing practical cosmetic training in training clinics and organization of cosmetic courses for residents by professional associations may help reduce the deficits in this issue., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Data on opinions and experiences of aesthetic medical procedures outside the United States and Western Europe are scarce., Aims: This study aimed to survey users and non-users of aesthetic procedures in countries where this information is less readily available, to understand attitudes and perceptions relating to beauty., Patients/methods: Two independent internet-based observational surveys were conducted. Survey 1: individuals from Colombia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Russia and Turkey who were 'users' or 'non-users' of aesthetic medical procedures. Survey 2: individuals from Colombia, Russia, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates who were 'users' of non-surgical aesthetic treatments., Results: Surveys 1 and 2 were completed by 300 and 160 individuals, respectively, most of whom were female (94.0% and 99%). Overall, respondents rated the eyes and smile as the most pleasing male and female facial features. Most participants (mean 82.6%; range 75%-100%) believed maintaining a healthy lifestyle was important for ageing gracefully, and over one-third (36.0%; 28%-47%) believed men age more gracefully than women. The emphasis respondents placed on the importance of physical attributes vs inner feelings, internal beauty and self-confidence varied between countries. Users were often more positive about aesthetic medical procedure outcomes than non-users. Adequate information, good physician communication (including managing treatment expectations), treatment recommendations based on patient need and good aftercare improved treatment satisfaction., Conclusions: The eyes and smile were key features of attractiveness, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle was consistently considered an important factor for ageing gracefully. Ensuring patients are well informed was a major determinant of treatment satisfaction., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Synthetic superhydrophobic (SH) surfaces were developed after 1990s, and the number of publications in this field is around 13 500 at present. However, the industrial production of SH coatings is very unsatisfying after the intensive research activity in the last two decades. The main reason is the loss of the water repellence properties when SH surfaces are exposed to outdoor conditions due to their weak mechanical properties and contamination from the medium which removes the initial SH properties. In this Feature Article, we focus on the scientific and technical reasons which prevent the application of the SH surfaces in our daily lives by highlighting some well-known but mostly overlooked problems in this area. (The synthesis methods of SH surfaces are not the subject of this article since they were reviewed previously in very good articles.) The basic contact angle science and the issue of the cancellation of the Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations are reviewed in the first part. The issues of the expensive and small-scale SH surface preparation problems, the difficulties in obtaining a transparent SH surface, the troubles arising from the water vapor condensation on an SH surface, the lack of robustness and abrasion resistance of most of the SH surfaces, the drawbacks of the fabricated self-healing SH surfaces, the short useful service life of self-cleaning SH surfaces due to surface contamination, and the ineffective anti-icing SH coatings are reviewed in the following text. Some important problems affecting the unsuccessful industrial applications of the SH surfaces are discussed critically in the Conclusions and Outlook section. Finally, some proposals are presented for future directions on the synthesis and applications of SH surfaces.

Control of stain geometry by drop evaporation of surfactant containing dispersions is an important topic of interest because it plays a crucial role in many applications such as forming templates on solid surfaces, in ink-jet printing, spraying of pesticides, micro/nano material fabrication, thin film coatings, biochemical assays, deposition of DNA/RNA micro-arrays, and manufacture of novel optical and electronic materials. This paper presents a review of the published articles on the diffusive drop evaporation of pure liquids (water), the surfactant stains obtained from evaporating drops that do not contain dispersed particles and deposits obtained from drops containing polymer colloids and carbon based particles such as carbon nanotubes, graphite and fullerenes. Experimental results of specific systems and modeling attempts are discussed. This review also has some special subtopics such as suppression of coffee-rings by surfactant addition and "stick-slip" behavior of evaporating nanosuspension drops. In general, the drop evaporation process of a surfactant/particle/substrate system is very complex since dissolved surfactants adsorb on both the insoluble organic/inorganic micro/nanoparticles in the drop, on the air/solution interface and on the substrate surface in different extends. Meanwhile, surfactant adsorbed particles interact with the substrate giving a specific contact angle, and free surfactants create a solutal Marangoni flow in the drop which controls the location of the particle deposition together with the rate of evaporation. In some cases, the presence of a surfactant monolayer at the air/solution interface alters the rate of evaporation. At present, the magnitude of each effect cannot be predicted adequately in advance and consequently they should be carefully studied for any system in order to control the shape and size of the final deposit., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The instability of implants after placement inside the body is one of the main obstacles to clinically succeed in periodontal and orthopedic applications. Adherence of fibroblasts instead of osteoblasts to implant surfaces usually results in formation of scar tissue and loss of the implant. Thus, selective bioadhesivity of osteoblasts is a desired characteristic for implant materials. In this study, we developed osteoselective and biofriendly polymeric thin films fabricated with a simple phase separation method using either homopolymers or various blends of homopolymers and copolymers. As adhesive and proliferative features of cells are highly dependent on the physicochemical properties of the surfaces, substrates with distinct chemical heterogeneity, wettability, and surface topography were developed and assessed for their osteoselective characteristics. Surface characterizations of the fabricated polymer thin films were performed with optical microscopy and SEM, their wettabilities were determined by contact angle measurements, and their surface roughness was measured by profilometry. Long-term adhesion behaviors of cells to polymer thin films were determined by F-actin staining of Saos-2 osteoblasts, and human gingival fibroblasts, HGFs, and their morphologies were observed by SEM imaging. The biocompatibility of the surfaces was also examined through cell viability assay. Our results showed that heterogeneous polypropylene polyethylene/polystyrene surfaces can govern Saos-2 and HGF attachment and organization. Selective adhesion of Saos-2 osteoblasts and inhibited adhesion of HGF cells were achieved on micro-structured and hydrophobic surfaces. This work paves the way for better control of cellular behaviors for adjustment of cell material interactions., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The objective of this study is to prepare polymeric surfaces which will adsorb L1210 leukemia cells selectively more than that of healthy human leukocytes in order to develop new treatment options for people with leukemia. Chemically heterogeneous and micropatterned surfaces were formed on round glass slides by dip coating with accompanying phase-separation process where only commercial polymers were used. Surface properties were determined by using optical microscopy, 3D profilometry, SEM and measuring contact angles. Polymer, solvent/nonsolvent types, blend composition and temperature were found to be effective in controlling the dimensions of surface microislands. MTT tests were applied for cell viability performance of these surfaces. Polystyrene/polyethylene-polypropylene blend surfaces were found to show considerable positive selectivity to L1210 leukemia cells where L1210/healthy leukocytes adsorption ratio approached to 9-fold in vitro. Effects of wettability, surface free energy, microisland size geometry on the adsorption performances of L1210/leukocytes pairs are discussed., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate the role of previously reported risk factors on developing retinopathy in patients treated with chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Ophthalmologic examination, visual field testing, and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography were performed in 31 patients treated with CQ and HCQ. Toxicity diagnosis was proven by electrophysiological assessment. The risk factors reported by the American Academy of the Ophthalmology (AAO) were compared between patients with (n = 5) and without toxicity (n = 26) findings. Risk score was calculated for each patient. CQ daily overdose per actual body weight was significantly higher in affected patients. There was no statistically significant difference between groups concerning risk score, estimated cumulative dose of CQ, daily dose of HCQ and CQ per lean body weight, daily overdose of CQ per lean body weight and actual body weight (>3 mg/kg). The cumulative dose of HCQ was significantly higher in non-affected patients. The risk factors reported by the AAO might not be applicable to all CQ- and HCQ-treated patients. Different risk factors not yet reported may play a role in the development of CQ and HCQ retinopathy.

A sessile drop is an isolated drop which has been deposited on a solid substrate where the wetted area is limited by a contact line and characterized by contact angle, contact radius and drop height. Diffusion-controlled evaporation of a sessile drop in an ambient gas is an important topic of interest because it plays a crucial role in many scientific applications such as controlling the deposition of particles on solid surfaces, in ink-jet printing, spraying of pesticides, micro/nano material fabrication, thin film coatings, biochemical assays, drop wise cooling, deposition of DNA/RNA micro-arrays, and manufacture of novel optical and electronic materials in the last decades. This paper presents a review of the published articles for a period of approximately 120 years related to the evaporation of both sessile drops and nearly spherical droplets suspended from thin fibers. After presenting a brief history of the subject, we discuss the basic theory comprising evaporation of micrometer and millimeter sized spherical drops, self cooling on the drop surface and evaporation rate of sessile drops on solids. The effects of drop cooling, resultant lateral evaporative flux and Marangoni flows on evaporation rate are also discussed. This review also has some special topics such as drop evaporation on superhydrophobic surfaces, determination of the receding contact angle from drop evaporation, substrate thermal conductivity effect on drop evaporation and the rate evaporation of water in liquid marbles., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, the effect of SDS anionic surfactant on the diffusion-controlled evaporation rate of aqueous solution drops placed on TEFLON-FEP substrate was investigated with 11 different SDS concentrations. Drop evaporation was monitored in a closed chamber having a constant RH of 54-57% by a video camera. The initial contact angle, θ(i) decreased from 104±2° down to 68±1° due to the adsorption of SDS both at the water-air and the solid-water interfaces. The adsorption of SDS on the solid surface was found to be 76% of that of its adsorption at the water-air interface by applying Lucassen-Reynders approach. An equation was developed for the comparison of the evaporation rates of drops having different θ(i) on the same substrate. It was found that the addition of SDS did not alter the drop evaporation rate considerably for the first 1200 s for all the SDS concentrations. The main difference was found to be the change of the mode of drop evaporation by varying the SDS concentration. The constant θ mode was operative up to 80 mM SDS concentration, whereas constant contact area mode was operative after 200 mM SDS concentrations due to rapid drop pining on the substrate., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bier spots are a distinct pattern of vascular mottling. Most reported cases are in young adults, with the youngest case in the literature at age 15 years. We report two children, ages 11 and 12 years, with Bier spots. Patient 1 was an 11-year-old boy who presented with white spots on the dorsal aspect of his hands. Patient 2 was a 12-year-old girl who presented with similar spots on the dorsal aspect of her left forearm and left hand. In both patients, the spots were visible when extremities were placed in a dependent position and disappeared with elevation of the extremity. Both patients were otherwise healthy., (© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Topical antibiotics are the mainstay of therapy in mild to moderate inflammatory acne. Topical erythromycin is one of the most common prescribed topical antibiotics. Nadifloxacin, another topical antibiotic for acne, was recently introduced into the market in our country. In this study, we compared the efficacies and safety of topical nadifloxacin 1% cream and erythromycin 4% gel in acne. A total of 86 patients with mild to moderate facial acne were randomized into two treatment groups. The efficacies of the drugs were assessed by lesion counts. An acne severity index (ASI) was also calculated. In both groups, there was a significant reduction in lesion counts and ASI scores beginning from the first visit at week 4. This reduction continued throughout the 12-week study period. Both treatments were well tolerated. We conclude that when topically applied, both nadifloxacin 1% cream and erythromycin 4% gel are equally effective and safe treatments for mild to moderate facial acne., (© 2010 The International Society of Dermatology.)

Purpose: To evaluate visual acuities and contrast sensitivities (CS) after accommodative, refractive, and diffractive multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantations., Methods: After cataract extractions, in 20 eyes accommodative IOL (group 1), in 30 eyes refractive IOL (group 2), and in 20 eyes diffractive multifocal IOL (group 3) implantations were performed. CS were measured with the stereo optical functional acuity contrast test. Uncorrected distance (UCDVA) and distance corrected near visual acuities (DCNVA) and refractive values were determined., Results: The mean UCDVA (0.99+/-0.03) and DCNVA (0.98+/-0.04) of group 3 were significantly better than the other IOL groups. The mean DCNVA of group 2 (0.71+/-0.14) was significantly better than group 1 (0.5+/-0.08). One month after the operations CS, values of group 2 were significantly lower than the 2 other IOL groups. Photopic CS values of group 1 at 12 and 18 cycles per degree (cpd) were significantly higher than group 3. Three months after the operations, CS values of group 1 and 3 were significantly higher than that of group 2 at 3, 6, 12, and 18 cpd and in all spatial frequencies respectively. There was no difference between groups 1 and 3 with respect to photopic CS values. Mesopic CS values of group 3 were significantly higher than that of group 1 at 1.5, 3, and 6 cpd. At the 6th and 12th month, CS values of group 3 were similar or better compared to the values of the 3rd month., Conclusions: The diffractive multifocal IOL resulted in more favorable visual acuities and higher CS values than accommodative and refractive multifocal IOL.

The Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations depending on the extent of liquid/solid interfacial contact area were generally used to estimate water contact angles on superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study, a simple method is proposed on the criterion to use the Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations to evaluate the contact angle results on superhydrophobic surfaces. In this method, the difference between the theoretical (geometric) and experimental contact angle-dependent Wenzel roughness parameter, Delta r(w), and Cassie-Baxter solid/liquid contact area fraction, Delta f(s)(CB) were determined, and the validity of these equations was evaluated. We used the data of eight recent publications where the water drop sits on square and cylindrical pillar structured superhydrophobic model surfaces. We evaluated the contact angle results of 166 patterned samples with our method. We also found that the effect of contact angle error margins was low to vary these parameters. In general, the use of the Wenzel equation was found to be wrong for most of the samples (74% of the samples for cylindrical and 58% for square pillar patterned surfaces), and the deviations from the theory were also high for the remaining (26% for cylindrical and 42% for square) samples, and it is concluded that the Wenzel equation cannot be used for superhydrophobic surfaces other than a few exceptions, especially for cylindrical patterns. For the Cassie-Baxter equation, two situations are possible: for positive Delta f(s)(CB), there is only a partial contact of the drop with the top solid surface, and, for negative Delta f(s)(CB), the penetration of the drop in between the pillars is possible, and thus the liquid drop is in contact with the lateral sides of the pillars. We found that 65% of the samples containing cylindrical pillars (52-77% with error margins) and 44% of the samples containing square pillars (38-50% with error margins) resulted in negative Delta f(s)(CB)(red) values. In addition, large deviations of experimental water contact angle results, theta r(e) from the theoretical theta r(CB) were also determined for most of the samples, indicating that the Cassie-Baxter equation should be applied to superhydrophobic surfaces with caution.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of anisometropia, anisoastigmatism, and anisometropic amblyopia in patients with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) and to compare it with that in age- and sex-matched controls., Methods: Fifty patients with NF1 and 150 age- and sex-matched controls were examined in this study. Cycloplegic autorefraction was attempted on all patients <16 years old and without cycloplegia on patients >16 years old. Anisometropia was defined as absolute interocular difference of spherical equivalent more than or equal to 1 D. Aniso-astigmatism was defined as interocular difference of refractive astigmatism of more than or equal to 1 D. Amblyopia was defined as two-line decrease in Snellen acuity between the two eyes., Results: The overall prevalence of anisometropia, aniso-astigmatism, and amblyopia in patients with NF1 was 16%, 20%, and 10%, respectively, and they were all significantly higher than in the controls. The amblyopia was either moderate or severe in nature and all affected patients had significant astigmatism (>2.5 D) in the amblyopic eye., Conclusions: NF1 is a risk factor for anisometropia, aniso-astigmatism, and aniso-astigmatic amblyopia and screening patients with NF1 for refractive errors before age 3 will help to detect patients at risk of amblyopia and give them proper treatment.

The surface composition and surface free energy properties of two types of amphiphilic and semicrystalline diblock copolymers consisting of poly(L-lactic acid) coupled to (methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (PLLA-MePEG) having differing block lengths of PEG were investigated by using static and dynamic contact angle measurements, transmission Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and compared with results obtained from PLLA and MePEG homopolymers. The contact angle results were evaluated by using the van Oss-Good method (acid-base method), and it was determined that the Lewis base surface tension coefficient (gamma-) of the copolymers increased with an increase of the PEG molar content at the copolymer surface. This result is in good agreement with the transmission FTIR and ATR-FTIR results but not proportional to them, indicating that the surfaces of the copolymers are highly mobile and that the molecular rearrangement takes place upon contact with a polar liquid drop. The dynamic contact angle measurements showed that the strong acid-base interaction between the oxygen atoms in the copolymer backbone of the relatively more hydrophilic PEG segments with the Lewis acidic groups of the polar and hydrogen-bonding water molecules enabled the surface molecules to restructure (conformational change) at the contact area, so that the PEG segments moved upward, whereas the apolar methyl pendant groups of PLLA segments buried downward.

Melasma is a common acquired disorder of facial hyperpigmentation. In this study we investigated the efficacy and safety of a combined treatment regimen including serial glycolic acid peels, topical azelaic acid cream and adapalene gel in the treatment of recalcitrant melasma. Twenty-eight patients with recalcitrant melasma were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, controlled trial lasting 20 weeks. The patients of the group receiving chemical peels underwent serial glycolic acid peels in combination with topical azelaic acid 20% cream (b.i.d.) and adapalene 0.1% gel (q.i.d., applied at night). The control group received only topical treatment including topical azelaic acid and adapalene. The clinical improvement was assessed with the Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI) at baseline and monthly during the 20-week treatment period. The results showed a prominent decrease in MASI scores at the end of the treatment in both groups, although the results were better in the group receiving chemical peels (P=0.048). All patients tolerated the topical agents well with minimal irritation observed in the first few weeks of the therapy. Three patients in the glycolic acid peel group developed a mild-degree postinflammatory hyperpigmentation with total clearance at the end of the treatment period. Therefore, the present study suggests that combined treatment with serial glycolic acid peels, azelaic acid cream and adapalene gel should be considered as an effective and safe therapy in recalcitrant melasma.

Recently, focal chemical peels with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) have been introduced for the treatment of pigmentary disorders to minimize the side effects such as pain or scarring associated with medium-to-deep chemical peeling. This is a controlled, prospective study to compare the efficacy of a focal medium-depth chemical peel regimen using 70% glycolic acid and 35% TCA with cryosurgery, in the treatment of solar lentigines of the hands. Twenty-five patients were treated with either focal medium-depth chemical peel or cryosurgery, which was randomly assigned to the left or right hand. Clinical improvement was graded by the three blinded investigators 2-months after the treatment. In the focal medium-depth chemical peel treated side, clearing was achieved in four out of 23 patients (17.4%) compared with five out of 23 patients (21.7%) in the cryosurgery treated side. Statistically, the difference between the clinical improvement of solar lentigines with chemical peel and cryosurgery was not significant, according to chi-square test (p = 0.940). However, we suggest that treatment of the solar lentigines with a focal medium-depth chemical peel may be clinically superior to treatment with cryosurgery, due to the paucity of side effects, such as hypopigmentation and pain, associated with the chemical peel regimen.

Background: Seborrhoeic dermatitis is an inflammatory cutaneous disorder in which the colonization of the affected area by Malassezia has been proved to play a key role., Objective: To perform a noncomparative open clinical study with oral itraconazole capsule (200 mg/day x 7 days) and consecutive usage 200 mg/day for the first 2 days of the following 2 months in patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis., Methods: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled to determine the efficacy and safety of oral itraconazole. The patients were evaluated according to itching, burning, erythema, desquamation and seborrhoea, each scored on a 0-4 scale on days 15 (T15), 30 (T30), 60 (T 60) and 90 (T90). Itraconazole capsule 100 mg was given twice a day for 1 week and then, after a 3-week interval, patients used itraconazole capsule 200 mg/day for the first 2 days of the following 2 months. The clinical response was graded as markedly effective, effective, moderate or ineffective., Results: A clinical improvement (evaluated as markedly effective or effective) was observed in 23 patients (83%) at T15, 21 (76%) at T30, 20 (72%) at T60 and 17 (61%) at T90. At baseline, the mean +/- SD total clinical scores were 10.44 +/- 2.45, 1.98 +/- 0.5, 2.97 +/- 1.12, 3.15 +/- 1.74 and 3.30 +/- 1.90 at T0, T15, T30, T60 and T90, respectively. Compared with baseline values, itraconazole capsule significantly reduced the mean +/- SD total score as well as individual erythema and desquamation (Wilcoxon's signed test-two tailed) (P < 0.0001). No drug-related systemic adverse event was observed during the study., Conclusions: Seborrhoeic dermatitis shows marked reduction in inflammation when treated with itraconazole. The anti-inflammatory activity of oral itraconazole and efficacy on Malessezia suggests that itraconazole capsule will be first oral treatment option in future in severe seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Superhydrophobic surfaces are generally made by controlling the surface chemistry and surface roughness of various expensive materials, which are then applied by means of complex time-consuming processes. We describe a simple and inexpensive method for forming a superhydrophobic coating using polypropylene (a simple polymer) and a suitable selection of solvents and temperature to control the surface roughness. The resulting gel-like porous coating has a water contact angle of 160 degrees. The method can be applied to a variety of surfaces as long as the solvent mixture does not dissolve the underlying material.

Lichen amyloidosis associated with atopic dermatitis is rare. We report a case of widespread lichen amyloidosis in association with long-standing refractory atopic dermatitis. Treatment with oral cyclosporine for three months was started, but no clinical and histological improvement was noticed.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease. However, little is known about the alterations in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in the scalp of patients with AA. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the status of oxidative stress in the scalp of patients with AA. We measured the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as lipid peroxidation status, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as antioxidant enzymes in the scalp of ten patients with AA and ten control subjects. The levels of TBARS in scalp of patients with AA (3654.1+/-621.2 nmol/g tissue) were significantly higher than those of controls (1210.2+/-188.8 nmol/g tissue) (P=0.002). The levels of SOD (134.8+/-23.8 U/g tissue) and GSH-Px (332.7+/-66.2 U/g tissue) in scalp of patients with AA were also significantly higher than those of controls (63.2+/-8.8 U/g tissue, 112.0+/-18.4 U/g tissue, respectively) (P=0.019, P=0.002, respectively). The mean levels of TBARS, SOD and GSH-Px in early phase of disease were increased 2-fold as compared with late phase of the disease. These results indicate that oxidative status is affected in AA. Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes may be involved in the pathogenesis of AA. Furthermore, we found high SOD and GSH-Px activities in the scalp of patient with AA. These high levels could not protect the patients against the reactive oxygen species, because lipid peroxidation could not be lowered in AA patients.

Background: Topical colchicine has been reported to be an effective treatment for actinic keratoses, but the optimal concentration has not been fully defined., Objective: The aim of this study was to further support the beneficial effect of topical colchicine therapy for actinic keratoses, and to compare the efficacy and safety of two different concentrations of colchicine cream, 0.5% and 1%., Methods: Sixteen patients with actinic keratoses were enrolled in this comparative randomized study. Eight patients applied 1% colchicine cream, twice daily on their lesions while the other eight were treated with a 0.5% colchicine cream for 10 days. Some patients were applied a second course of 10 days' therapy. Patients were examined before treatment and at 10 days, and followed up at 1, 2 and 6 months of treatment. Visible and palpable actinic keratoses lesions in each group were counted. Safety and efficacy were also assessed by clinical examination at each study visit. Routine laboratory tests were performed before and after treatment., Results: Actinic keratoses lesions showed significant clinical improvement following treatment with 0.5% and 1% colchicine cream. Complete healing of actinic keratoses were observed in six of the eight patients in the 1% colchicine group, and in seven of the eight patients in the 0.5% colchicine group. The reduction rate in number of actinic keratoses at the end of treatment in the 1% colchicine group was 73.9% (48/65) (p < 0.001), and the reduction rate in the 0.5% colchicine group was 77.7% (52/67) in total (p < 0.001). The reduction in number of actinic keratoses (mean +/- SD) at the end of treatment was similar in the 1% colchicine group (0.7 +/- 1.3), and the 0.5% colchicine group (mean 0.6 +/- 1.7) (p > 0.05). Systemic side effects were not seen in either concentration., Conclusions: Topical colchicine is an effective and safe alternative agent. Cream containing 0.5% of colchicine is equally effective as 1% colchicine cream in the treatment of actinic keratoses.

Background: Pincer nail deformity (PND) is an important health problem that causes discomfort in daily life. Until now, some surgical and conservative treatment modalities were applied with success. However, there is still no consensus on the common and accepted form of treatment., Objective: To present a new surgical therapeutic approach to PND., Methods: Ten patients, four with bilateral and six with unilateral PND, were treated with a new surgical technique which is a combination of chemical matricectomy with phenol and nail bed repair., Results: No recurrence was observed in any of the patients after 12-16 months follow-up. No serious complication was encountered. The cosmetic improvement was also marked and satisfactory., Conclusion: This new surgical approach was found to be effective and is presented as an alternative treatment modality for PND.

Fibrin sealants were used in place of the classical suture materials in strabismus surgery. Classical recession operations were performed on the right eyes of ten albino rabbits, while the recessed anterior rectus muscles of the left eyes were fixed to the sclera with the tissue sealant. Better histopathological results were obtained with the fibrin sealant than with the classical sutures, but the functional results were worse.

The threshold resistance to Nd:YAG laser irradiation of cross-linked lathe-cut PMMA intraocular lenses was slightly higher than that of Perspex CQ lenses: 6.0 mJ vs 4.5 mJ for single laser spots, and 3.5 mJ vs 3.0 mJ for four spots. These levels produced nicks and pits in the lenses; higher levels created small breaks.