The precorneal tear film with its lacrimal, mucinous, and meibomian secretions is es­ sential for maintaining the structural in­ tegrity of the cornea in general and for en­ suring optical regularity of its anterior surface in particular. Replenishment and mixing of its components is brought about by normal blinking when the upper eyelid tarsal conjunctiva, preceded by the marginal tear strip, ...

Mucosal epithelial cells, including those at the ocular surface, resist infection by most microbes in vivo but can be susceptible to microbial virulence in vitro. While fluids bathing mucosal surfaces (e.g. tears) contain antimicrobials, potentially pathogenic microbes often thrive in these fluids, suggesting that additional mechanisms mediate epithelial resistance in vivo. Here, tear fluid act...

Background: There is a potential for direct model manufacturing of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) using 3D printing technique for generating flexible semi-transparent prototypes. A patient-specific AAA model was manufactured using fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing technology. A flexible, semi-transparent thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), called Cheetah Water (produced by Ninjatek, U...

  Tears of the subscapularis tendon have been significantly recognized as a source of shoulder pain and dysfunction in the past decade, thanks to arthroscopic evaluation of the shoulder and biomechanical and anatomical studies of the tendon. Current classification of subscapularis tendon tear is based on insertion site of the tendon. Recently, a classification for non-insertional types of subsc...

This study evaluates two mechanical properties, tensile strength and tear strength, of maxillofacial materials reinforced with functional polyhedral silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0% (mass/mass) loading. Adding POSS was found to significantly affect the overall tensile strength and extensibility of the maxillofacial material. Significant differences were found ...

A predominance of TRIC serotype A has been isolated from schoolchildren in a population in Southern Tunisia with severe hyperendemic trachoma. The serotyping results correspond precisely with the serological findings in patients' tears and sera. Geometric mean titres of serum or tear antibody in defined populations or areas can thus give a useful indication of the prevalent serotypes. Collectio...

A predominance of TRIC serotype A has been isolated from schoolchiildren in a population in Southern Tunisia with severe hyperendemic trachoma. The serotyping results correspond precisely with the serological findings in patients' tears and sera. Geometric mean titres of serum or tear antibody in defined populations or areas can thus give a useful ind;cation of the prevalent serotypes. Collecti...

The purpose of this article is to document a rotator cuff tear sustained by an elderly woman performing progressive resistance training (PRT) in a recent randomized controlled clinical trial. The patient was a sedentary 73-y-old Caucasian woman. Investigation revealed an acute, full-thickness tear of the right supraspinatus secondary to performing a shoulder press exercise. Further investigatio...