The effect of diabetes on fracture repair : alterations in angiogenesis and apoptosis

Thesis (MSD)--Boston University, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 2007 (Endodontics).Includes bibliographical references: leaves 56-65.An abundance of evidence has emerged demonstrating a close link between diabetes and significantly impaired fracture healing. Previous studies have determined that repair of fractures in diabetic animals is characterized by calluses with decreased size and bone formation. To further investigate the possible reasons for the decreased callus size we undertook a detailed histologic and immunohistochemical analysis focusing on the apoptosis of bone cells and angiogenesis that occurs during fracture healing. Angiogenesis was determined in the fractures by quantitative immunohistochemical analysis using the antibody to CD34. Cells expressing CD34 are found in the endothelial lining of blood vessels. Apoptotic cells were stained using the Apoptag Peroxidase In Situ Apoptosis Detection Kit. The decision to target these two parameters was based on the concept that enhanced cell death and decreased angiogenesis may limit the repair process. We used a well characterized type 1 diabetic animal model; the streptozotocin induced diabetic mouse (n=8), and a nondiabetic control group (n=7). Three weeks after establishing diabetes, tibia fractures were induced. The mice were euthanized 12, 16 and 22 days after fracture. The 16 day samples were processed, embedded, sectioned and stained for analysis. The size of the fracture callus, and the amount of new bone and cartilage were determined using slides stained with H&E, masson trichrome and safranin-O/fast green, respectively. The results showed that the diabetic groups have statistically two fold more apoptotic cells per callus (p<0.05). We also found that the number of vessels located in the areas of immature new bone were twice as high in the normal group [TRUNCATED

Nonstandard Dice That Both Count For Card Craps

The Pala Casino in California deals Card Craps using a red die numbered {2; 2; 2; 5; 5; 5} and a blue die numbered {3; 3; 3; 4; 4; 4}. Two cards from a special 36-card deck, which contains one card bearing each of the 36 ways in which two dice can land when rolled, are dealt: one each face down to a red space and a blue space. When the dice are rolled, the higher number determines which of the cards is flipped over. A moment\u27s reflection reveals that Pala\u27s blue die is unnecessary. The card selection process can be streamlined by looking only at the red die: If the red die shows a 2, turn over the blue card. If the red die shows a 5, turn over the red card. While this is certainly convenient for Pala\u27s craps dealers, this talk will determine how many ways there are to renumber the red and blue dice so that the following criteria are met: 1. Only the numbers 1-6 are used. 2. No ties are possible. 3. Each die has a 50% chance of bearing the higher number when thrown. 4. Both dice need to be consulted on at least some rolls

Agricultural Statistics For Rural Development

Agricultural statistics programs typically focus on the production and sale of agricultural products. Thus, only units with farming activities are "in scope". The farm population is declining relatively and absolutely in developed countries. Rural employment solutions will not come from agricultural development. Obtaining information for rural development via farm surveys will provide an increasingly narrow picture of rural society. Farm survey information will be most useful for rural analysis when it is presented in its rural context. Some on-farm and within-farm-household diversification will increase rural employment. This should be measured early to allow policy analysts to understand the type of unit that "adopts" such diversification strategies. Proposals to encourage these strategies will benefit from this key information. There is no special category of "rural statistics". The degree of rurality is a variable that should be included in all datasets. The challenge for a rural statistics program is to portray the data in each dataset in a rural-friendly fashion. If an agricultural statistics agency were to develop a program to present national data in rural-friendly way, an adjustment in thinking may be required for some staff. However, an agricultural statistics agency may be the only group with the interest to do the job.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Family Farms and Farming Families: The Overlap of Two Institutions

Farm Management,

Human Capital and Rural Development: What Are the Linkages?

Rural Canada is experiencing considerable "demographic pressure" as 1.76 rural persons are now looking for a job for each rural person retiring from the workforce. Rural Canada appears disadvantaged. Among OECD countries, Canada has the biggest urban-rural gap in the share of the workforce (aged 25 to 44) with university or college graduation. New jobs in the globalising economy require a high capacity to deal with disequilibria. Improving the human capital of the local workforce is essential to provide opportunities for the individuals in the workforce, regardless of where they will work. However, local economic development strategies should focus on more than human capital development to stimulate local job growth. We offer 4 measures of local community development. Our equations explain only 21 to 34 percent of the variability in these measures of local community development in the 1980s. Contrary to the research findings in the United States, the findings reported in this paper suggest that the human capital complement in Canada's communities did provide a positive (albeit weak) boost to job growth in the locality during the 1980s. Thus, what are the linkages between human capital and rural development? First, the literature suggests human capacity is largely developed by the nutrition and nurturing of children, specifically in the period of minus nine months to plus three years. Secondly, a higher human capacity in a community (as proxied by years of schooling) is weakly associated with a higher growth in community employment but is weakly associated with a lower growth in wages that appears to cause a weak association with lower aggregate community earnings. Investment in nutrition and nurturing of children is a key factor. A higher education level in a community provided only a weak employment boost during the 1980s.Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital,

Structure and Trends of Rural Employment: Canada in the Context of OECD Countries

In 1991, 33 percent of Canada's population lived in predominantly rural regions. Employment growth in rural regions averaged 1.3 percent per year over the 1980s, ranking fourth among OECD countries. In 1991, only 11 percent of the rural workforce in Canada were working in agriculture, forestry or fishing. Within rural regions, employment growth was highest in rural areas adjacent to metropolitan centres. Business services was the fastest growing sector in all types of regions, but rural regions received only a minor boost due to the relatively low share of their workforce in business services. On average, rural areas showed less growth - however, within rural areas, there were regions that showed more growth than urban regions. Rurality does not necessarily imply slow employment growth.Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital,

Rural and Small Town Population is Growing in the 1990s

Rural and small town Canada continues to grow. Rural and small town growth rates vary widely among the provinces. Much of the growth within rural and small town areas is in the small towns. Sub-provincial data show wide regional differences within each province. The population in larger urban centres is growing faster. Thus, the share of Canada's population living in rural and small town areas has declined to 22 percent in 1996. Newfoundland is the only province with over 50 percent of its population living in rural and small town areas.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Rural and Small Town Employment: Structure by Industry

Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital,

Spacecraft Redundancy and Environmental Tests: An Historic Evaluation

The necessity of providing highly redundant spacecraft in the shuttle era was evaluated. Environmental and acceptance tests were done. Histories of 67 spacecraft over a 12 year period were analyzed. The final result of this study is that LMSC (Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Inc.) is convinced of the significant value of redundancy in spacecraft and systems environmental testing and such techniques should be carried forward into the shuttle era

Autonomous Vehicles: A Future Fast Approaching With No One Behind the Wheel

Driverless automobiles may redefine public safety and efficiency, while turning the automobile industry on its head. These innovative machines will pose a challenge to regulatory schemes spanning from transportation and insurance to products liability and internet laws. Enormous companies like BMW, Audi, Uber, and Google have already taken part in placing this rapidly growing technology into consumer hands. The rift that this innovation will create in other industries, coupled with the safety and privacy concerns surrounding its design, will be the catalyst for contentious legislative and legal debates. This Note will explore the ways in which industry flexibility, state and federal involvement, and clearer regulations may be carefully balanced to help the driverless car industry stay on the road. Part one will address the development and historical challenges of driverless vehicles, while parts two and three will look at potential solutions to these challenges