INTRODUCTION Pregnant women with thromboembolic diseases, previous thrombotic episodes or thrombophilia family history were supervised in a multidisciplinary Obstetrics/ Hematology consultation in Centro Hospitalar São João EPE, Porto, Portugal. For the evaluation and medication of these women, a risk stratification scale was used. PURPOSES The aim of this study was to validate a Risk Stratif...

To improve biocompatibility of hydrophobic polymethyl methacrylate intraocular lens (PMMA IOL), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was immobilized by UV-induced graft copolymerization method. The hydrophilicity and chemical composition of the PMMA IOL surface after each step of surfaces modification were analyzed by contact angle (CA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The morphology o...

Growth of Bartonella henselae is strongly heme dependent, and B. henselae is unable to synthesize heme itself. At least five outer membrane-associated proteins from B. henselae bind hemin, including the 31-kDa protein designated Pap31. The gene of this protein was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli M15(pREP4) and detected with monoclonal antibodies in the outer membrane fraction. Comp...

A hydrogel scaffold of well-defined geometry was created and modified with laminin-derived peptides in an aqueous solution, thereby maintaining the geometry of the scaffold while introducing bioactive peptides that enhance cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth. By combining a fiber templating technique to create longitudinal channels with peptide modification, we were able to synthesize a scaffol...

PURPOSE To determine changes in topographical thickness of the epithelium and total cornea after hydrogel (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate; HEMA or soft lens) and PMMA rigid contact lens wear with eyes closed, as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS Epithelial and total corneal thickness in 18 neophyte eyes was measured with OCT at intervals of 10 degrees across a 10-mm zone of...

OBJECTIVES A multitude of acrylic monomers is used in dentistry. Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical agent, which is an ingredient of some dental materials and may be released from methacrylate-based composites. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the incidence and the risk of cross-sensitization to some methacrylic monomers (methylmethacrylate - MMA, triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate - TE...

In this study, the adsorption of tetracycline (TC) onto polymeric microbeads was investigated. For purpose, suspension polymerization used to synthesize poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA)] microbeads. Cibacron Blue F3GA (CB) covalently attached poly(HEMA) and were tested as an adsorbent for subsequent TC adsorption. The effects various parameters, such pH value, initial concentration...