The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of delayed enhanced MRI for detecting cardiac sarcoidosis and to clarify the relationship between the findings of MRI and those of ...radionuclide imaging.
Delayed enhanced MRI is considered a useful method for the early identification of cardiac sarcoidosis. Delayed hyperenhancement is frequently associated with a reduction of regional wall motion and thallium-201 perfusion defects.
Improper guiding planes are commonly used with conventional removable partial denture cast clasps. Short guiding planes with improper proximal plates decrease retention and cause repetitive traumatic ...movement of abutments. This article discusses the importance of guiding planes and proximal plates for conventional tooth-supported removable partial dentures with circumferential clasp. The retention force of the clasps was analyzed geometrically. If the guiding plane is short or the prepared surface is oblique, the contact between the proximal plate and the guiding plane or oblique plane diminishes at an early stage, which results in reduction of retention. The guiding plane should be parallel to the path of insertion and must be of a certain length for adequate retention. An elongated proximal plate that is parallel to the path of insertion may compensate for retention deficiency when an adequate guiding plane cannot be prepared. (J Prosthet Dent 2000;83:319-22.)
Double implants have been thought to have biomechanical advantages for single molar replacement. To evaluate the effectiveness of double implants versus a wide implant, the vertical forces and torque ...on each implant were calculated by three-dimensional geometric analysis. Buccal load (100N) perpendicular to cuspal inclination (20 degrees) was applied at the occlusal surface of the superstructure. The three kinds of load points (A, B, C) were 1.5, 3.5, and 5.5 mm from the mesial contact point, respectively. Three implants were compared: mesial and distal double implants (phi 3.3 mm), and a wide implant (phi 5 mm). The wide implant showed torque around the long axis (1.8-15.0 N x cm) whereas double implants had no torque. On the other hand, the vertical forces on the mesial double implant were both smaller (60%: loaded at point C) and larger (140%: loaded at point A) than the wide implant. Given the smaller surface area of the mesial double implant, this large force may generate much higher stress in the peri-implant bone. These results suggest that the biomechanical advantage of double implants for single molar replacement is questionable when the occlusal force is loaded at the occlusal surface near the contact point.
Resumo O Estado do Paraná destaca-se pela tradição no cultivo de plantas medicinais. O aumento em sua demanda através da busca de culturas alternativas e rentáveis e o estímulo a uma agricultura ...ecologicamente sustentável fomentou os agricultores a diversificarem a produção. A pesquisa de campo nos diferentes elos da cadeia produtiva do guaco permitiu construir seu fluxograma, caracterizar o sistema e fluxo de produção, os seus custos e receitas para analisar as Margens e Markups de comercialização. Os sistemas de coleta com enriquecimento e de cultivo apresentaram resultados diferenciados em relação ao seu custo de produção, onde o produtor/coletor alcança uma rentabilidade de 48,9 %, menor margem de comercialização entre todos os elos da cadeia, enquanto o produtor que cultiva o guaco como exploração obtém uma margem de comercialização de 346,4 %. As maiores margens de comercialização (1.733,3 %) estão nos elos fora da porteira das propriedades, percentual entre diferença de preço pago pelo consumidor e o preço recebido pelo produtor/coletor. Os produtores/coletores podem agregar mais renda em vários elos da cadeia produtiva através da organização dos produtores e a melhoria no processo produtivo, possibilitando a melhoria econômica e social nas propriedades familiares, reduzindo o impacto ambiental e garantindo a sustentabilidade dos sistemas de produção.
Galectin‐9 is a β‐galactoside‐binding lectin expressed in various tissues, including bone. The role of galectin‐9 in human osteoblasts, however, remains unclear. This study showed that galectin‐9 ...interacts with lipid rafts and induces osteoblast proliferation through the c‐Src/ERK signaling pathway.
Introduction: Galectin‐9 is a β‐galactoside‐binding lectin that modulates many biological functions by interacting with particular carbohydrates attached to proteins and lipids. However, the role of galectin‐9 in bone metabolism and osteoblast proliferation remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of galectin‐9 on osteoblast proliferation and its signaling mechanisms.
Materials and Methods: The effect of galectin‐9 on osteoblast proliferation was tested by measuring the conversion of tetrazolium salt WST‐8 to formazan. Protein phosphorylation was assayed by western blotting and confocal microscopy was used to localize lipid rafts.
Results: Galectin‐9–induced proliferation of the obtained osteoblasts in a dose‐dependent manner, whereas galectin‐1, ‐3, and ‐4 did not. Galectin‐9–induced phosphorylation of c‐Src and subsequent ERK1/ERK2 in the osteoblasts. The galectin‐9–induced phosphorylation and proliferation were inhibited by PP2, a selective inhibitor of c‐Src. Galectin‐9–induced clustering of lipid rafts detected by cholera toxin B (CTB; binding the raft‐resident ganglioside GM1) using confocal microscopy. Cross‐linking of the GM1 ganglioside with CTB by anti‐CTB antibody‐induced phosphorylation of c‐Src, whereas disruption of galectin‐9–induced lipid rafts by β‐methylcyclodextrin reduced c‐Src phosphorylation and proliferation of the cells.
Conclusions: These results suggest that galectin‐9, but not other galectins, induced proliferation of human osteoblasts through clustering lipid rafts on membrane and subsequent phosphorylation of the c‐Src/ERK signaling pathway.
Members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily are critical regulators for wound healing. Transduction of TGF-β signaling depends on activation of Smad2 and Smad3 by heteromeric ...complexes of ligand-specific receptors. Mice lacking Smad3 show accelerated wound healing, whereas the biological significance of Smad2-mediated TGF-β signaling in wound healing remains unknown. To understand the function of Smad2 in regulating wound healing, we investigated the effect of Smad2 overexpression on epithelialization of incision wounds. Cutaneous wounds made in K14-Smad2 mice showed delayed healing. This delay in wound healing resulted from a defect in basal keratinocyte migration in K14-Smad2 mice. Instead of basal keratinocytes, the suprabasal layer of keratinocytes migrated into the wound region. Furthermore, overexpression of Smad2 activated the Smad2/Smad4 complex in keratinocytes and inhibited keratin 16 (K16) expression. As K16 functions as a critical mediator for reorganization of keratin filaments following skin injury, we propose that altered K16 expression affects the migration of basal keratinocytes in the K14-Smad2 mice. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a crucial role of TGF-β signaling mediator Smad2 in regulating keratinocyte migration and re-epithelialization during wound healing. The K14-Smad2 transgenic mice can serve as an animal model for the investigation of TGF-β signaling mechanism in regulating wound healing.
This article describes a method of making an accurate interocclusal record when the most distal tooth is an abutment of a fixed partial denture. The method uses conical stops, prepared in the enamel ...of the abutment or made of composite or a metal core covered with composite, to maintain the vertical dimension of occlusion and to act as a third point of reference for a stable occlusal relationship when occluding the definitive casts. This article also explains how to use the cones and how to make each variety. (J Prosthet Dent 2000;83:582-5.)
The purpose of this study was to develop a handy probe to measure tongue pressure without fear of radiation or infection.
A probe was assembled using a small balloon, a stainless pipe, and a 1-mL ...disposable tuberculin-test syringe cylinder. The probe was pressurized to set the balloon diameter at approximately 18 mm. Forty-one subjects (16 men and 25 women, 24 to 84 years of age) participated. To record maximal voluntary tongue pressure, the subjects were asked to compress the balloon onto their palates as strongly as possible. To record deglutitious tongue pressure, 5 mL of water was measured and administered with a scaled 10-mL syringe and swallowed with the balloon in the mouth. Both types of pressure were recorded three times at 1-minute intervals. Peak values of each record were measured.
Individuals varied from 10 to 41 kPa in the maximal voluntary trial and 3 to 27 kPa in the deglutitious trial, with 5 and 7 kPa mean intraindividual ranges of reproducibility, respectively. A negative correlation to age was found for both types of pressure. No gender differences or effects of dentition were found.
A disposable handy probe for measuring tongue pressure was developed and tested for clinical use. Despite the limited information acquired, we could see some quantitative aspects of tongue function conveniently and safely.
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