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Luigi Principe,1 Aurora Piazza,2,3 Carola Mauri,1 Adriano Anesi,4 Silvia Bracco,5 Gioconda Brigante,6 Erminia Casari,7 Carlo Agrappi,8 Mariasofia Caltagirone,2 Federica Novazzi,2 Roberta Migliavacca,2 Laura Pagani,2 Francesco Luzzaro1 1Microbiology and Virology Unit, A. Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy; 2Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences Department, Unit of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 3Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; 4Clinical Pathology Laboratory, ASST Lodi, Lodi, Italy; 5Clinical Pathology Laboratory, ASST Vimercate, Vimercate, Italy; 6Clinical Pathology Laboratory, ASST Valle Olona, Busto Arsizio, Italy; 7Clinical Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS “Humanitas,” Rozzano, Italy; 8Microbiology and Virology Unit, ASST Ovest Milanese, Legnano, Italy Background: The emergence of the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mechanism in Escherichia coli has raised concern among public health experts as colistin is a last-line antimicrobial resort. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of this resistance trait in E. coli isolates circulating in the Lombardy region, Northern Italy. The presence of mcr-type genes and their genetic relationship were also studied.Materials and methods: A prospective study was performed during a 4-month period (May to August, 2016) in six acute care Hospitals. Consecutive nonduplicate clinical isolates of E. coli from any type of clinical specimen, with the exception of rectal swabs, were included in the study. Isolates that exhibited MIC values for colistin >2 mg/L were further investigated. Bacterial identification was obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Amplification of mcr-type genes (−1 to −5 variants) and microarray analysis were accomplished. Repetitive sequence-based PCR (Rep-PCR) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis were used for genotyping.Results: Overall, 3,902 consecutive E. coli isolates (2,342 from outpatients, 1,560 from inpatients) were evaluated during the study period. Of them, 18/3,902 (0.5%), collected from 4/6 centers, showed resistance to colistin. These isolates were mostly obtained from urine of both outpatients (n=12) and inpatients (n=6). Colistin MIC values ranged from 4 to 8 mg/L. The mcr-1 gene was detected in 10/18 isolates (7 from outpatients, 3 from inpatients). Rep-PCR and MLST analysis revealed the presence of nine different clusters. Further mcr-type genes were not detected.Conclusion: Resistance to colistin in E. coli clinical isolates appears low in our geographic area. With regard to mcr-1-positive isolates, they accounted for approximately 50% of colistin-resistant E. coli isolates, thus representing a relevant resistance mechanism in this context. Although overall limited, the presence of mcr-1 determinant in our region should not be ignored and great concern should be given to the continuous surveillance. Keywords: MCR-1, colistin, Escherichia coli, prevalence, surveillance, epidemiology

This study outlines a scenario involving unilateral periocular inflammation exhibited resistance to conventional immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) and biologic response modifying agents, which was successfully managed with oral cyclophosphamide monotherapy. A 39-year-old male visited our clinic, expressing discomfort and swelling in his left upper eyelid for six months. All multidisciplinary consultations and imaging yielded normal results. He remained consistently on a dosage of 50 mg oral prednisone. Blood tests yielded results within the normal range or were negative, with the exception of the antinuclear antibody. He did not respond to conventional IMT and biological response modifier agents. Ultimately, the patient began oral cyclophosphamide. One month after commencing cyclophosphamide treatment, the oral prednisone dosage was gradually reduced without any flare-up. oral cyclophosphamide can serve as a valuable treatment for periocular inflammation that does not respond to standard conventional IMT and biologic response modifier agents.

Background: Azathioprine is one of the earliest immunosuppressants prescriped for several autoimmune diseases. Yet there is a lack of research on the impact of azathioprine on pulp healing following pulp capping procedure. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of azathioprine on the healing ability of mechanically exposed dogs' dental pulps following direct pulp capping with Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA), Bio-Aggregates (BA), and Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Methods: Four mongrel dogs were randomly assigned to two groups (2 dogs/30 teeth in each group): immunosuppressed (group I) and control (group II). Group I received azathioprine for two months before surgical treatments and until the dogs were euthanized. Fifteen class V buccal cavities were performed in each dog. Each group was randomly divided into three subgroups (10 teeth each) based on the pulp capping substance. The pulps in subgroups A, B, and C were immediately capped with MTA, BA, and Ca(OH)2, respectively. Inflammation and dentine bridge development were histopathologically evaluated and scored at one and two months. The data were statistically analyzed. Results: The immunosuppressed group exhibited statistically greater inflammatory cell count and decreased dentine bridge thickness, compared to the control group in all subgroups (P [Open Vet J 2024; 14(7.000): 1614-1624]

Ag3BiI6 (ABI) is one of the most widely explored lead‐free perovskite‐inspired materials for eco‐friendly solar cell applications. However, despite the intense research efforts, the photovoltaic performance of ABI‐based devices remains very modest, primarily due to poor film morphology and ineffective charge extraction. This work aims at investigating the potential benefits of a thermally evaporated cesium iodide (CsI) interlayer on the performance of ABI‐based solar cells. Upon the addition of CsI atop the ABI layer in the device stack, the solar cells deliver a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.27%. This is the highest efficiency reported for ABI solar cells employing a similar device architecture. It is found that the enhancement in PCE is largely due to improvement in the ABI|hole transport layer interface upon the introduction of CsI interlayer. The improvement is largely ascribed to enhanced surface coverage upon introduction of CsI interlayer, as evidenced by our comprehensive microscopy studies. Furthermore, impedance spectroscopy analysis is employed to provide further insights into the changes in charge transfer dynamics interlayer that dictate the enhancement of fill factor and short‐circuit current density in the devices. The findings indicate that the addition of CsI promotes charge transfer and minimizes recombination losses.

The research aims to measure the enhancement of students' interest in learning the Arabic language at Chuo-Airon Elementary School in Narathiwat, Thailand. The teaching method the teacher uses is dull and lacks variety, leading to students' boredom and difficulty understanding Arabic. The research methodology employed is analytical descriptive using a field research approach. Data sources include teachers and students, with data collection tools comprising observation, interviews, and documents. Data were analyzed through data summarization, presentation, and conclusion extraction. The research findings indicate that peer teaching effectively promotes students' interest in learning Arabic and shapes learning and teaching activities. These results are expected to positively contribute to the development of Arabic language learning methods at Chuo-Airon Elementary School.

IntroductionLarge clinical studies regarding cervical intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) in Dachshunds are lacking. This retrospective multicentric study therefore aims to describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and outcomes of Dachshunds diagnosed with cervical IVDE.MethodsMedical records of Dachshunds with cervical IVDE were reviewed for signalment, onset of clinical signs, neurological examination, MRI features, treatment and outcome.ResultsEighty Dachshunds were included in the study, mostly ambulatory (55% grade 1 and 33% grade 2) and without nerve root signature (85% of cases) on presentation. Information on coat type was available for 56% of dogs; specifically, 41% were smooth-haired, 9% were long-haired and 6% were wire-haired Dachshunds. There were 29 (36%) neutered female, 27 (34%) male entire, 15 (19%) male neutered and 9 (11%) entire female dogs. The onset of clinical signs was most often >48 h (84%). The most common intervertebral disc space affected was C2-C3 (38%) and foraminal IVDEs were reported in 14% of dogs. A foraminal IVDE was diagnosed in only 25% of dogs presented with nerve root signatures. Most dogs (77.5%) were treated surgically. In this group, a higher body condition score on presentation and a higher mean spinal cord compression ratio calculated on MRI were directly and moderately associated with a longer hospitalization time (r = 0.490 p = 0.005 and r = 0.310 p = 0.012, respectively). The recovery time was longer in dogs with an onset of clinical signs 48 h (3.1 ± 6.5 days versus 1.6 ± 6.2, p

IMPORTANCE:. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has evolved through multiple phases in the United States, with significant differences in patient centered outcomes with improvements in hospital strain, medical countermeasures, and overall understanding of the disease. We describe how patient characteristics changed and care progressed over the various pandemic phases; we also emphasize the need for an ongoing clinical network to improve the understanding of known and novel respiratory viral diseases. OBJECTIVES:. To describe how patient characteristics and care evolved across the various COVID-19 pandemic periods in those hospitalized with viral severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). DESIGN:. Severe Acute Respiratory Infection-Preparedness (SARI-PREP) is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation-funded, Society of Critical Care Medicine Discovery-housed, longitudinal multicenter cohort study of viral pneumonia. We defined SARI patients as those hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infection and an acute syndrome of fever, cough, and radiographic infiltrates or hypoxemia. We collected patient-level data including demographic characteristics, comorbidities, acute physiologic measures, serum and respiratory specimens, therapeutics, and outcomes. Outcomes were described across four pandemic variant periods based on a SARS-CoV-2 sequenced subsample: pre-Delta, Delta, Omicron BA.1, and Omicron post-BA.1. SETTING:. Multicenter cohort of adult patients admitted to an acute care ward or ICU from seven hospitals representing diverse geographic regions across the United States. PARTICIPANTS:. Patients with SARI caused by infection with respiratory viruses. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS:. Eight hundred seventy-four adult patients with SARI were enrolled at seven study hospitals between March 2020 and April 2023. Most patients (780, 89%) had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Across the COVID-19 cohort, median age was 60 years (interquartile range, 48.0–71.0 yr) and 66% were male. Almost half (430, 49%) of the study population belonged to underserved communities. Most patients (76.5%) were admitted to the ICU, 52.5% received mechanical ventilation, and observed hospital mortality was 25.5%. As the pandemic progressed, we observed decreases in ICU utilization (94% to 58%), hospital length of stay (median, 26.0 to 8.5 d), and hospital mortality (32% to 12%), while the number of comorbid conditions increased. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:. We describe increasing comorbidities but improved outcomes across pandemic variant periods, in the setting of multiple factors, including evolving care delivery, countermeasures, and viral variants. An understanding of patient-level factors may inform treatment options for subsequent variants and future novel pathogens.

Abstract This article provides a report of a case of organ dysfunction, myonecrosis, rhabdomyolysis, multifocal ischemic cerebral infarcts, and cerebral edema after a patient's use of xylazine and fentanyl. Within the US opioid epidemic, xylazine is emerging as a troubling national sub‐story. The prevalence of xylazine within illicitly manufactured opioids and the proportion of opioid‐involved overdose deaths with detected xylazine are rising dramatically, the latter increasing 276% between 2019 and 2022. A 27‐year‐old woman with opioid use disorder, active intravenous drug use, and prior bacteremia presented to our institution's emergency department (ED) with left lower extremity pain and associated weakness, new acute bilateral hearing loss, multiple electrolyte derangements, and cerebral infarcts followed by cerebral edema, leading to an emergent sub‐occipital decompressive craniectomy and placement of an external ventricular drain. A definitive mechanism was not determined; however, we hypothesized that xylazine toxicity played a role in her clinical presentation, which could have future clinical implications, including the possibility to incorporate xylazine as part of toxicology screens.

This study aimed to provide novel information on the impact of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts, including Metschnikowia chrysoperlae, Metschnikowia sinensis/shanxiensis, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Lachancea thermotolerans, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Pichia kluyveri, on metabolites related to the metabolism of tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The experiment included two fermentation practices: monoculture and sequential fermentation with commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using sterile Maraština grape juice. A targeted approach through ultrahigh-resolution liquid chromatography associated with mass spectrometry was used to quantify 38 metabolites. All the indigenous yeasts demonstrated better consumption of tryptophan in monoculture than in interaction with S. cerevisiae. M. sinensis/shanxiensis was the only producer of indole-3-carboxylic acid, while its ethyl ester was detected in monoculture fermentation with H. guilliermondii. H. guilliermondii consumed the most phenylalanine among the other isolates. 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan was detected in fermentations with M. pulcherrima and M. sinensis/shanxiensis. M. pulcherrima significantly increased tryptophol content and utilised tyrosine in monoculture fermentations. Sequential fermentation with M. sinensis/shanxiensis and S. cerevisiae produced higher amounts of N-acetyl derivatives of tryptophan and phenylalanine, while H. guilliermondii-S. cerevisiae fermentation resulted in wines with the highest concentrations of L-kynurenine and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid. P. kluyveri produced the highest concentration of N-acetyl-L-tyrosine in monoculture fermentations. These findings highlight the different yeast metabolic pathways.

A motivação é um fenômeno complexo que impulsiona as ações humanas. O diagnóstico de tais interesses oferece elementos de reflexão para a promoção de atividades e a implementação de políticas públicas. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar as motivações dos praticantes de ciclismo recreacional de Blumenau/SC, município com uma população de 363 mil habitantes e uma malha cicloviária de 137 quilômetros. A coleta dos dados empíricos da pesquisa ocorreu por meio da aplicação de um questionário. Ao final, obteve-se uma amostra de 304 respondentes. Os resultados do estudo indicam que a motivação para as atividades físicas ocupa papel central na relação com outros fatores de interesse, contribuindo para a superação de aspectos eventualmente desencorajadores. Em contrapartida, praticantes que têm outras motivações, como a interação social e o desenvolvimento pessoal, dependem mais de estímulos encorajadores, o que sugere que em tais casos existe a necessidade de maior incentivo para a prática do ciclismo recreacional. As conclusões deste estudo são relevantes para planejadores urbanos e gestores de comunicação. Ao mensurar a pertinência de causas motivadoras e desmotivadoras do ciclismo, os resultados da pesquisa indicam a importância de investir em infraestrutura adequada como a expansão da rede cicloviária e a criação de campanhas de divulgação, a fim de promover a bicicleta como meio de transporte e/ou recreação.

Lead halide perovskite (LHP) photovoltaics deliver high voltages even under low-light illumination intensities, thus emerging as a promising indoor photovoltaic (IPV) technology. The doping of the 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) hole-transport layer (HTL) is the most widely adopted strategy for high-performance LHP-based solar cells. Yet, the importance of Spiro-OMeTAD doping is unclear in the context of indoor photovoltaics. In this report, we examine the role of the traditional Spiro-OMeTAD dopants on the performance of LHP-based IPVs. The diminished influence of the series resistance under indoor lighting leads to an improved fill factor of IPV devices even in the absence of the dopants. The pristine (dopant-free) Spiro-OMeTAD HTL ensures a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 25.6% at 1,000 lux, comparable to that of 29.7% in the presence of the dopants, and an open-circuit voltage of ≈0.65 V even at 50 lux. The undoped Spiro-OMeTAD-containing devices exhibit a ≈25% gain in their PCE under long-term and continuous white light illumination at the maximum power point, thus leading to the PCE values on par or higher than those of employing doped Spiro-OMeTAD. Furthermore, the current–voltage hysteresis behavior of the undoped Spiro-OMeTAD-containing devices remains unchanged in the 100 to 1,000 lux light-intensity range, unlike the case of doped Spiro-OMeTAD HTL. Our findings suggest that the dopants in Spiro-OMeTAD HTL are not required to achieve efficient, stable, and reliable IPV performance, and the optimization of the various device constituents for outdoor solar cell applications may not necessarily lead to the best performance for indoor photovoltaics.

Abstract Purpose: To study whether rituximab and bortezomib combination therapy is more effective than rituximab monotherapy in the treatment of non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy (npAIR). Methods: Retrospective case series involving six patients with npAIR, taking either rituximab and bortezomib combination therapy (three cases) or rituximab monotherapy (one case and two historical patients). Results: Patients on both treatment regimens showed stability in most of the visual function parameters during the one year of follow-up. Combination therapy resulted in improvement of scotopic combined rod and cone a-wave and b-wave amplitudes in all eyes where they were available (four eyes); however, rituximab monotherapy resulted in only two eyes with stable scotopic combined rod and cone a-wave and b-wave amplitudes, while four eyes showed a decrease in both a- and b-wave amplitudes. The average improvement in b-wave amplitude (50.7% ± 29.4% [range, 25–90%]) was higher than the average improvement in a-wave amplitude (35.7% ± 9.74 [range, 25–63%]). No severe adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: Rituximab and bortezomib combination therapy may not be more effective than rituximab monotherapy in npAIR patients for most of the visual function parameters; however, this combination therapy may be more effective in improving scotopic combined rod and cone a- and b-wave amplitudes. This may indicate the higher efficacy of combination therapy when there is involvement of the inner retina.

The aim of this study was to morphologically evaluate the differences in the cutting surfaces of bone segments obtained by reciprocating saw (RS) and two piezosurgical devices (Piezosurgery Medical—PM—and Piezosurgery Plus—PP) in ex vivo human fibulae. The ultimate goal was to identify the presence of debris, scratches, and microcracks on the cutting surface that might affect bone healing, a key aspect in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Ten patients who underwent a microsurgical reconstruction of the mandible with a free fibula flap were enrolled. The fibula segments usually discarded after surgery were cut using RS, PM, and PP, obtaining transverse sections to analyze under an environmental scanning electron microscope to perform a histomorphological qualitative evaluation. Bone surfaces cut with the RS presented several scratches, and haversian canals were frequently filled with bone debris/chips. On the contrary, PM and PP devices produced smoother and sharper cutting surfaces, with lower production of bone debris/chips, preventing vascular spaces’ closure. Microcracks were found in both PM and PP cut specimens, and they could be associated with the triggering of bone remodeling, thus improving the formation of new bone, while their presence was rarely observable in RS cut samples. The use of piezosurgical devices showed superior performance, providing cleaner and smoother cutting surfaces that favor vascularization and bone remodeling; altogether, these processes could lead to accelerated bone healing, a fundamental goal in all surgical procedures that involve bone cutting.

Abstract Communities in Africa bordering national parks or protected areas commonly overlap with wildlife. However, it is unclear to what degree such overlaps result in interactions with wildlife. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) was designated a multiple land-use conservation area in 1959. Maasai and Datoga pastoralists and Hadzabe hunter-gatherers reside with protected wildlife in NCA. The study was carried out in four Maasai villages within the NCA, including Kayapus, Endulen, Meshili, and Nainokanoka. A cross-sectional study was used to assess drivers of human‒wildlife interactions using questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, and field visits. A total of 396 households participated in the survey. The collected data were analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques and descriptive statistics such as frequencies and means. The habitat, which comprises water, pasture, shelter, and space, accounted for 100% of interactions, indicating that it is the primary driver of human‒wildlife conflict. Other driving factors for human‒wildlife interactions are the increase in wildlife, collections of firewood, domestic animals kept, and influence of community sleeping arrangements, searching for traditional medicines, and killing of lions for ritual purposes or defense. Large household sizes (36 family members) coupled with climate change have also driven and fuelled human‒wildlife interactions. Challenges identified as threatening human‒wildlife co-existence are injuries, deaths, disease transmission, and destruction of property. To mitigate human‒wildlife conflicts, the following are recommended: the increase in boarding schools coupled with the increase in enrolment of students in boarding schools or providing reliable transport, distribution of tap water, increasing food assistance to the community living in poverty, controlling population increase through reallocation the population in other areas, introducing zero-grazing, using biogas, discouraging community sleeping arrangements, i.e., humans with calves in the same house, improving record-keeping of the wildlife attacks, provisional dissemination of research findings to the community.

OBJECTIVES:. To quantify the frequency, outside of the pandemic setting, with which individual healthcare facilities faced surge periods due to severe increases in demand for emergency department (ED) care. DESIGN:. Retrospective cohort study. SETTING:. U.S. EDs. PATIENTS:. All ED encounters in the all-payer, nationally representative Nationwide Emergency Department Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, 2006–2019. INTERVENTIONS:. None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:. Frequency of surge periods defined as ED months in which an individual facility ED saw a greater than 50% increase in ED visits per month above facility-/calendar month-specific medians. During 2006–2019, 3,317 U.S. EDs reported 354,534,229 ED visits across 142,035 ED months. Fifty-seven thousand four hundred ninety-five ED months (40.5%) during the study period had a 0% to 50% increase in ED visits that month above facility-specific medians and 1,952 ED months (1.4%) qualified as surge periods and had a greater than 50% increase in ED visits that month above facility-specific medians. These surge months were experienced by 397 unique facility EDs (12.0%). Compared with 2006, the most proximal pre-pandemic period of 2016–2019 had a notably elevated likelihood of ED-month surge periods (odds ratios [ORs], 2.36–2.84; all p < 0.0005). Compared with the calendar month of January, the winter ED months in December through March have similar likelihood of an ED-month qualifying as a surge period (ORs, 0.84–1.03; all p > 0.05), while the nonwinter ED months in April through November have a lower likelihood of an ED-month qualifying as a surge period (ORs, 0.65–0.81; all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:. Understanding the frequency of surges in demand for ED care—which appear to have increased in frequency even before the COVID-19 pandemic and are concentrated in winter months—is necessary to better understand the burden of potential and realized acute surge events and to inform cost-effectiveness preparedness strategies.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) has a prevalence of 0.16–0.34% and an incidence of 7.6 per 100,000 person-years, accounting for 1–2% of all deaths in Western countries. Currently, no effective pharmacological therapies have been identified to slow TAA development and prevent TAA rupture. Large TAAs are treated with open surgical repair and less invasive thoracic endovascular aortic repair, both of which have high perioperative mortality risk. Therefore, there is an urgent medical need to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying TAA development and rupture to develop new therapies. In this review, we summarize animal TAA models including recent developments in porcine and zebrafish models: porcine models can assess new therapeutic devices or intervention strategies in a large mammal and zebrafish models can employ large-scale small-molecule suppressor screening in microwells. The second part of the review covers current views of TAA pathogenesis, derived from recent studies using these animal models, with a focus on the roles of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) pathway and the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)-elastin-contractile unit. The last part discusses TAA treatment options as they emerge from recent preclinical studies.

Bacteriophage therapy (BT) uses bacteriophages to treat pathogenic bacteria and is an emerging strategy against multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. Experience in solid organ transplant is limited. We describe BT in 3 lung transplant recipients (LTR) with life-threatening MDR infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 2) and Burkholderia dolosa (n = 1). For each patient, lytic bacteriophages were selected against their bacterial isolates. BT was administered for variable durations under emergency Investigational New Drug applications and with patient informed consent. Safety was assessed using clinical/laboratory parameters and observed clinical improvements described, as appropriate. All patients received concurrent antibiotics. Two ventilator-dependent LTR with large airway complications and refractory MDR P. aeruginosa pneumonia received BT. Both responded clinically and were discharged from the hospital off ventilator support. A third patient had recurrent B. dolosa infection following transplant. Following BT initiation, consolidative opacities improved and ventilator weaning was begun. However, infection relapsed on BT and the patient died. No BT-related adverse events were identified in the 3 cases. BT was well tolerated and associated with clinical improvement in LTRs with MDR bacterial infection not responsive to antibiotics alone. BT may be a viable adjunct to antibiotics for patients with MDR infections.

Purpose: Herein, we report a case of XEN gel stent implantation in a patient with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid that successfully reduced glaucoma topical medication at one year. Observations: A 76-year-old male patient presented with severe ocular cicatricial pemphigoid and advanced glaucoma who required several topical medications to control intraocular pressure. Despite successful reduction of ocular inflammation with immunomodulatory therapy, his topical medication regimen prevented total remission of ocular inflammation. One year after XEN gel stent implantation, his intraocular pressures were controlled without any topical medication, and he had no ocular inflammation off any immunomodulatory therapy. Conclusions and Importance: The XEN gel stent represents a useful intervention for glaucoma treatment even in the setting of severe ocular surface disease and can improve outcomes for concurrent inflammatory and glaucomatous pathology.

Ag3BiI6 (ABI) is one of the most widely explored lead‐free perovskite‐inspired materials for eco‐friendly solar cell applications. However, despite the intense research efforts, the photovoltaic performance of ABI‐based devices remains very modest, primarily due to poor film morphology and ineffective charge extraction. This work aims at investigating the potential benefits of a thermally evaporated cesium iodide (CsI) interlayer on the performance of ABI‐based solar cells. Upon the addition of CsI atop the ABI layer in the device stack, the solar cells deliver a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.27%. This is the highest efficiency reported for ABI solar cells employing a similar device architecture. It is found that the enhancement in PCE is largely due to improvement in the ABI|hole transport layer interface upon the introduction of CsI interlayer. The improvement is largely ascribed to enhanced surface coverage upon introduction of CsI interlayer, as evidenced by our comprehensive microscopy studies. Furthermore, impedance spectroscopy analysis is employed to provide further insights into the changes in charge transfer dynamics interlayer that dictate the enhancement of fill factor and short‐circuit current density in the devices. The findings indicate that the addition of CsI promotes charge transfer and minimizes recombination losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to provide novel information on the impact of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts, including Metschnikowia chrysoperlae, Metschnikowia sinensis/shanxiensis, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Lachancea thermotolerans, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Pichia kluyveri, on metabolites related to the metabolism of tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The experiment included two fermentation practices: monoculture and sequential fermentation with commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using sterile Maraština grape juice. A targeted approach through ultrahigh-resolution liquid chromatography associated with mass spectrometry was used to quantify 38 metabolites. All the indigenous yeasts demonstrated better consumption of tryptophan in monoculture than in interaction with S. cerevisiae. M. sinensis/shanxiensis was the only producer of indole-3-carboxylic acid, while its ethyl ester was detected in monoculture fermentation with H. guilliermondii. H. guilliermondii consumed the most phenylalanine among the other isolates. 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan was detected in fermentations with M. pulcherrima and M. sinensis/shanxiensis. M. pulcherrima significantly increased tryptophol content and utilised tyrosine in monoculture fermentations. Sequential fermentation with M. sinensis/shanxiensis and S. cerevisiae produced higher amounts of N-acetyl derivatives of tryptophan and phenylalanine, while H. guilliermondii-S. cerevisiae fermentation resulted in wines with the highest concentrations of L-kynurenine and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid. P. kluyveri produced the highest concentration of N-acetyl-L-tyrosine in monoculture fermentations. These findings highlight the different yeast metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Large clinical studies regarding cervical intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) in Dachshunds are lacking. This retrospective multicentric study therefore aims to describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and outcomes of Dachshunds diagnosed with cervical IVDE. Methods: Medical records of Dachshunds with cervical IVDE were reviewed for signalment, onset of clinical signs, neurological examination, MRI features, treatment and outcome. Results: Eighty Dachshunds were included in the study, mostly ambulatory (55% grade 1 and 33% grade 2) and without nerve root signature (85% of cases) on presentation. Information on coat type was available for 56% of dogs; specifically, 41% were smooth-haired, 9% were long-haired and 6% were wirehaired Dachshunds. There were 29 (36%) neutered female, 27 (34%) male entire, 15 (19%) male neutered and 9 (11%) entire female dogs. The onset of clinical signs was most often >48  h (84%). The most common intervertebral disc space affected was C2-C3 (38%) and foraminal IVDEs were reported in 14% of dogs. A foraminal IVDE was diagnosed in only 25% of dogs presented with nerve root signatures. Most dogs (77.5%) were treated surgically. In this group, a higher body condition score on presentation and a higher mean spinal cord compression ratio calculated on MRI were directly and moderately associated with a longer hospitalization time (r  =  0.490 p  =  0.005 and r  =  0.310 p  =  0.012, respectively). The recovery time was longer in dogs with an onset of clinical signs <24  h or 24–48  h compared to those with an onset of clinical signs >48  h (3.1  ±  6.5  days versus 1.6  ±  6.2, p  <  0.001) in both medically and surgically treated groups. Data about the outcome was available for 83% of dogs. Eighty percent of the entire population of dogs was considered to have completely returned to normal. There was no association between the therapeutic choice (surgical versus medical management) and the outcome of the dogs included in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are successfully used to cure a number of diseases characterized by a metabolic reduction in bone density, such as Osteoporosis, or a neoplastic destruction of bone tissue, such as multiple myeloma and bone metastases. These drugs exert their therapeutic effect by causing a systemic osteoclast depletion that, in turn, is responsible for reduced bone resorption. Unfortunately, in addition to their beneficial activity, BPs can also determine a frightening side effect known as osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). It is generally believed that the inability of osteoclasts to dispose of inflamed/necrotic bone represents the main physiopathological aspect of ONJ. In principle, a therapeutic strategy able to elicit a local re-activation of osteoclast production could counteract ONJ and promote the healing of its lesions. Using an experimental model of Vitamin D3-dependent osteoclastogenesis, we have previously demonstrated that Magnesium is a powerful inducer of osteoclast differentiation. Here we show that, surprisingly, this effect is greatly enhanced by the presence of Zoledronate, chosen for our study because it is the most effective and dangerous of the BPs. This finding allows us to hypothesize that Magnesium might play an important role in the topical therapy of ONJ.

Biofilm-related peri-implant diseases represent the major complication for osteointegrated dental implants, requiring complex treatments or implant removal. Microbial biosurfactants emerged as new antibiofilm coating agents for implantable devices thanks to their high biocompatibility. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the rhamnolipid 89 biosurfactant (R89BS) in limiting Streptococcus oralis biofilm formation and dislodging sessile cells from medical grade titanium, but preserving adhesion and proliferation of human osteoblasts. The inhibitory activity of a R89BS coating on S. oralis biofilm formation was assayed by quantifying biofilm biomass and microbial cells on titanium discs incubated up to 72 h. R89BS dispersal activity was addressed by measuring residual biomass of pre-formed biofilms after rhamnolipid treatment up to 24 h. Adhesion and proliferation of human primary osteoblasts on R89BS-coated titanium were evaluated by cell count and adenosine-triphosphate quantification, while cell differentiation was studied by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity and observing mineral deposition. Results showed that R89BS coating inhibited S. oralis biofilm formation by 80% at 72 h and dislodged 63–86% of pre-formed biofilms in 24 h according to concentration. No change in the adhesion of human osteoblasts was observed, whereas proliferation was reduced accompanied by an increase in cell differentiation. R89BS effectively counteracts S. oralis biofilm formation on titanium and preserves overall osteoblasts behavior representing a promising preventive strategy against biofilm-related peri-implant diseases.

Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN) canal detection has been the focus of multiple recent works in dentistry and maxillofacial imaging. Deep learning-based techniques have reached interesting results in this research field, although the small size of 3D maxillofacial datasets has strongly limited the performance of these algorithms. Researchers have been forced to build their own private datasets, thus precluding any opportunity for reproducing results and fairly comparing proposals. This work describes a novel, large, and publicly available mandibular Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) dataset, with 2D and 3D manual annotations, provided by expert clinicians. Leveraging this dataset and employing deep learning techniques, we are able to improve the state of the art on the 3D mandibular canal segmentation. The source code which allows to exactly reproduce all the reported experiments is released as an open-source project, along with this article.

OBJECTIVES:. To understand how strain-process-outcome relationships in patients with sepsis may vary among hospitals. DESIGN:. Retrospective cohort study using a validated hospital capacity strain index as a within-hospital instrumental variable governing ICU versus ward admission, stratified by hospital. SETTING:. Twenty-seven U.S. hospitals from 2013 to 2018. PATIENTS:. High-acuity emergency department patients with sepsis who do not require life support therapies. INTERVENTIONS:. None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:. The mean predicted probability of ICU admission across strain deciles ranged from 4.9% (lowest ICU-utilizing hospital for sepsis without life support) to 61.2% (highest ICU-utilizing hospital for sepsis without life support). The difference in the predicted probabilities of ICU admission between the lowest and highest strain deciles ranged from 9.0% (least strain-sensitive hospital) to 45.2% (most strain-sensitive hospital). In pooled analyses, emergency department patients with sepsis (n = 90,150) experienced a 1.3-day longer median hospital length of stay (LOS) if admitted initially to the ICU compared with the ward, but across the 27 study hospitals (n = 517-6,564), this effect varied from 9.0 days shorter (95% CI, –10.8 to –7.2; p < 0.001) to 19.0 days longer (95% CI, 16.7–21.3; p < 0.001). Corresponding ranges for inhospital mortality with ICU compared with ward admission revealed odds ratios (ORs) from 0.16 (95% CI, 0.03–0.99; p = 0.04) to 4.62 (95% CI, 1.16–18.22; p = 0.02) among patients with sepsis (pooled OR = 1.48). CONCLUSIONS:. There is significant among-hospital variation in ICU admission rates for patients with sepsis not requiring life support therapies, how sensitive those ICU admission decisions are to hospital capacity strain, and the association of ICU admission with hospital LOS and hospital mortality. Hospital-level heterogeneity should be considered alongside patient-level heterogeneity in critical and acute care study design and interpretation.

IMPORTANCE:. Vascular dysfunction and capillary leak are common in critically ill COVID-19 patients, but identification of endothelial pathways involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis has been limited. Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a protein secreted in response to hypoxic and nutrient-poor conditions that has a variety of biological effects including vascular injury and capillary leak. OBJECTIVES:. To assess the role of ANGPTL4 in COVID-19–related outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:. Two hundred twenty-five COVID-19 ICU patients were enrolled from April 2020 to May 2021 in a prospective, multicenter cohort study from three different medical centers, University of Washington, University of Southern California and New York University. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:. Plasma ANGPTL4 was measured on days 1, 7, and 14 after ICU admission. We used previously published tissue proteomic data and lung single nucleus RNA (snRNA) sequencing data from specimens collected from COVID-19 patients to determine the tissues and cells that produce ANGPTL4. RESULTS:. Higher plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were significantly associated with worse hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio per log2 increase, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.17–2.00; p = 0.002). Higher ANGPTL4 concentrations were also associated with higher proportions of venous thromboembolism and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Longitudinal ANGPTL4 concentrations were significantly different during the first 2 weeks of hospitalization in patients who subsequently died compared with survivors (p for interaction = 8.1 × 10–5). Proteomics analysis demonstrated abundance of ANGPTL4 in lung tissue compared with other organs in COVID-19. ANGPTL4 single-nuclear RNA gene expression was significantly increased in pulmonary alveolar type 2 epithelial cells and fibroblasts in COVID-19 lung tissue compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:. ANGPTL4 is expressed in pulmonary epithelial cells and fibroblasts and is associated with clinical prognosis in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

One of the organ-specific functions of the liver is the excretion of bilirubin into the bile. Membrane transport of bilirubin from the blood to the liver is not only an orphan function, because there is no link to the protein/gene units that perform this function, but also a poorly characterised function. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacology of bilirubin uptake in the liver of the female Wistar rat to improve basic knowledge in this neglected area of liver physiology. We treated isolated perfused livers of female rats with repeated single-pass, albumin-free bilirubin boli. We monitored both bilirubin and bilirubin glucuronide in perfusion effluent with a bio-fluorometric assay. We tested the ability of nine molecules known as substrates or inhibitors of sinusoidal membrane transporters to inhibit hepatic uptake of bilirubin. We found that cyanidin 3-glucoside and malvidin 3-glucoside were the only molecules that inhibited bilirubin uptake. These dietary anthocyanins resemble bromosulfophthalein (BSP), a substrate of several sinusoidal membrane transporters. The SLCO-specific substrates estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide, pravastatin, and taurocholate inhibited only bilirubin glucuronide uptake. Cyanidin 3-glucoside and taurocholate acted at physiological concentrations. The SLC22-specific substrates indomethacin and ketoprofen were inactive. We demonstrated the existence of a bilirubin-glucuronide transporter inhibited by bilirubin, a fact reported only once in the literature. The data suggest that bilirubin and bilirubin glucuronide are transported to the liver via pharmacologically distinct membrane transport pathways. Some dietary anthocyanins may physiologically modulate the uptake of bilirubin into the liver.

Abstract We have read the article entitled “Similarities in clinical course and outcome between juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated and ANA-positive idiopathic anterior uveitis: data from a population-based nationwide study in Germany” by Heiligenhaus et al. While we appreciate the work conducted by the authors, we have several comments we would like to address. First, the follow-up interval of 2 years is too short to conclude that the clinical course between two chronic pathologies is not significantly different. Second, remission status was determined by uveitis inactivity during the 2-year follow-up visit without any mention of flare frequency or length of remission, which is not a reliable measure of uveitis control. Third, ANA-positive idiopathic anterior uveitis is not a classification with a distinct clinical phenotype, and additional reports of serologic investigations would have been helpful.

Atherosclerosis is characterized by the narrowing of the arterial lumen due to subendothelial lipid accumulation, with hypercholesterolemia being a major risk factor. Despite the recent advances in effective lipid-lowering therapies, atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of mortality globally, highlighting the need for additional therapeutic strategies. Accumulating evidence suggests that the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in atherosclerosis. In this article, we reviewed the sympathetic innervation in the vasculature, norepinephrine synthesis and metabolism, sympathetic activity measurement, and common signaling pathways of sympathetic activation. The focus of this paper was to review the effectiveness of pharmacological antagonists or agonists of adrenoceptors (α1, α2, β1, β2, and β3) and renal denervation on atherosclerosis. All five types of adrenoceptors are present in arterial blood vessels. α1 blockers inhibit atherosclerosis but increase the risk of heart failure while α2 agonism may protect against atherosclerosis and newer generations of β blockers and β3 agonists are promising therapies against atherosclerosis; however, new randomized controlled trials are warranted to investigate the effectiveness of these therapies in atherosclerosis inhibition and cardiovascular risk reduction in the future. The role of renal denervation in atherosclerosis inhibition in humans is yet to be established.

Retinal vasculitis is inflammation of retinal blood vessels typically resulting from infection or immune-mediated inflammatory processes. It may present as isolated ocular inflammation or as a part of severe or potentially fatal systemic disease. Ocular complications of retinal vasculitis include cystoid macular edema, neovascularization, tractional retinal detachment, and vitreous hemorrhage, which all greatly threaten vision. Multimodal imaging and thorough systemic investigations are the main tools for making a precise diagnosis, which aids in predicting disease prognosis and visual outcome as well as preserving a patient’s vision and possibly their life. This review aims to discuss the current understanding of retinal vasculitis as well as current diagnostic tools and treatments.

Abstract Background The favourable safety profile and the increasing confidence with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) might have boosted their prescription in frail patients with short life expectancies, who usually are not treated with standard chemotherapy. Methods The present analysis aims to describe clinicians’ attitudes towards ICIs administration during late stages of life within a multicenter cohort of advanced cancer patients treated with single agent PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors in Italy. Results Overall, 1149 patients with advanced cancer who received single agent PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors were screened. The final study population consisted of 567 deceased patients. 166 patients (29.3%) had received ICIs within 30 days of death; among them there was a significantly higher proportion of patients with ECOG-PS ≥ 2 (28.3% vs 11.5%, p

Purpose: To show whether subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection (RCI, Acthar® Gel, a repository corticotropin injection, can be an effective potential therapeutic agent for noninfectious retinal vasculitis. Methods: Patients with active retinal vasculitis were followed with serial ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiograms and treated with 80 units of subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection twice weekly. Results: Primary outcome of ≥ 50% improvement in response level (RL) for retinal vasculitis and percent improvement in retinal vasculitis severity scoring (RVSS) by more than one quartile ( ≥ 25%) at week 12 was met in 15 and 16 of the 30 total eyes, respectively, including 1 eye with severe retinal vasculitis in each group. Complete resolution of retinal vasculitis was seen in seven eyes with a mean time of 17.1 weeks. Intraocular pressure elevation requiring therapy and cataract progression were noted in two and three eyes, respectively. One patient stopped medication due to side effects (injection site reaction). Conclusion: Repository corticotropin injection was well-tolerated overall. Repository corticotropin injection may be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of noninfectious retinal vasculitis.

Introduction: The need of accurate three-dimensional data of anatomical structures is increasing in the surgical field. The development of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) has been helping to fill this gap by trying to provide efficient tools to clinicians. Nonetheless, the lack of a fully accessible datasets and open-source algorithms is slowing the improvements in this field. In this paper, we focus on the fully automatic segmentation of the Inferior Alveolar Canal (IAC), which is of immense interest in the dental and maxillo-facial surgeries. Conventionally, only a bidimensional annotation of the IAC is used in common clinical practice. A reliable convolutional neural network (CNNs) might be timesaving in daily practice and improve the quality of assistance. Materials and methods: Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) volumes obtained from a single radiological center using the same machine were gathered and annotated. The course of the IAC was annotated on the CBCT volumes. A secondary dataset with sparse annotations and a primary dataset with both dense and sparse annotations were generated. Three separate experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the CNN. The IoU and Dice scores of every experiment were recorded as the primary endpoint, while the time needed to achieve the annotation was assessed as the secondary end-point. Results: A total of 347 CBCT volumes were collected, then divided into primary and secondary datasets. Among the three experiments, an IoU score of 0.64 and a Dice score of 0.79 were obtained thanks to the pre-training of the CNN on the secondary dataset and the creation of a novel deep label propagation model, followed by proper training on the primary dataset. To the best of our knowledge, these results are the best ever published in the segmentation of the IAC. The datasets is publicly available and algorithm is published as open-source software. On average, the CNN could produce a 3D annotation of the IAC in 6.33 s, compared to 87.3 s needed by the radiology technician to produce a bidimensional annotation. Conclusions: To resume, the following achievements have been reached. A new state of the art in terms of Dice score was achieved, overcoming the threshold commonly considered of 0.75 for the use in clinical practice. The CNN could fully automatically produce accurate three-dimensional segmentation of the IAC in a rapid setting, compared to the bidimensional annotations commonly used in the clinical practice and generated in a time-consuming manner. We introduced our innovative deep label propagation method to optimize the performance of the CNN in the segmentation of the IAC. For the first time in this field, the datasets and the source codes used were publicly released, granting reproducibility of the experiments and helping in the improvement of IAC segmentation.

Pediatric sarcomas are rare malignancies accounting for about 10% of solid tumors in childhood. Sarcomas represent a heterogeneous group of malignancies, especially they include Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and Non-Rhabdomyosarcoma Type Sarcomas (STSNR). Therapeutic management of pediatric sarcomas is challenging. Multidisciplinary approach including chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy is the treatment of choice. The correct management of affected patients can be demanding, especially in terms of preserving a good quality of life (QoL). In the present study we described our experience with a series of patients diagnosed with head and neck non-metastatic sarcoma between January 1995 and December 2020, referred to Pediatric Oncology or to Maxillo-Facial Surgery of University Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia.The survivors were asked to complete questionnaires on health-related quality of life (HRQoL; PedsQL and EORTC QLQ-H&N 43). We found satisfactory results in terms of global HRQoL; although outstanding issues persist, such as deterioration in masticatory function, and speech. Long-term sequelae of multimodality treatment may lead to both significant aesthetic-functional and psychosocial implications that need to be further investigate during the whole the care pathway.

After sport-related concussion (SRC), immediate access to a certified athletic trainer (AT) is important to ensure proper treatment. However, resource allocation and coverage may differ between male and female youth sports. To compare resource allocation between male and female sports in the following areas: (1) rates of immediate on-field evaluation by an AT at the time of injury, (2) time to general health care presentation, and (3) time to SRC clinic presentation. Retrospective cohort study. Regional sports concussion center. Athletes aged 14 to 18 years who presented to a regional sports concussion center from November 2017 to April 2022. The primary exposure of interest was sex (male or female). The primary outcome was immediate on-field evaluation by an AT (yes or no). Secondary outcomes included time to general health care and SRC clinic presentation. Descriptive statistics, χ2 analyses, and linear regressions were performed. Covariates included age, history of prior concussions, and statistically significant demographics. A total of 832 patients with SRC were included (age = 16.2 ± 1.2 years, 66.5% male). Female athletes had lower rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (χ2 = 10.404, P =.001) and higher rates of anxiety and depression (χ2 = 12.891, P <.001) compared with male athletes. The average time to presentation to general health care and the SRC clinic did not differ between males and females, but AT on-field evaluation occurred more in male (40.3%) than female (32.3%) athletes (χ2 = 8.677, P =.013). Multivariable linear regression found that AT on-field evaluation was a significant predictor of time to general health care presentation (β = −.085, P =.015) but not SRC clinic presentation (β = −.055, P =.099). History of prior concussions was a significant predictor of time to initial health care contact (β =.083, P =.018). History of anxiety and depression (β =.136, P <.001) and initial evaluation by emergency department or urgent care (β =.305, P <.001) were significant predictors of delayed time to SRC clinic presentation. Among 832 concussed youth athletes, female athletes were evaluated less frequently by an AT immediately after injury. Furthermore, not being evaluated by an AT on field was significantly associated with a longer time to health care presentation. Future investigations should elucidate resource equity among male and female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Azathioprine is one of the earliest immunosuppressants prescribed for several autoimmune diseases. Yet there is a lack of research on the impact of azathioprine on pulp healing following the pulp capping procedure. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of azathioprine on the healing ability of mechanically exposed dogs' dental pulps following direct pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), bio-aggregates (BA), and Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Methods: Four mongrel dogs were randomly assigned to two groups (two dogs/30 teeth in each group): immunosuppressed (group I) and control (group II). Group I received azathioprine for two months before surgical treatments and until the dogs were euthanized. Fifteen class V buccal cavities were performed in each dog. Each group was randomly divided into three subgroups (10 teeth each) based on the pulp capping substance. The pulps in subgroups A, B, and C were immediately capped with MTA, BA, and Ca(OH)2, respectively. Inflammation and dentine bridge development were histopathologically evaluated and scored at one and two months. The data were statistically analyzed. Results: The immunosuppressed group exhibited statistically greater inflammatory cell count and decreased dentine bridge thickness, compared to the control group in all subgroups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Azathioprine has an adverse effect on the healing of exposed dogs' dental pulp following direct pulp capping with MTA, BA, and Ca(OH)2. Therefore, patients using azathioprine as an immunosuppressive medication may experience delayed healing of mechanically exposed pulps following capping with MTA, BA, or Ca(OH)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]