Distal root curvatures in mandibular molars: analysis using digital panoramic X-rays

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the degree of curvature in distal roots in the first and second permanent mandibular molars in a Chilean patient sample. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which digital panoramic X-rays were analysed. Materials and methods: Examinations of patients under 18 years, with signs of distortion or alteration in the contrast or the presence of pathologies that affected visualisation of the roots and pulp-chamber floor of the teeth to be analysed were excluded. Using the AutoCad software, an angle was drawn to represent the curve of the root in its different thirds, drawing lines inside the root canal from the pulp-chamber floor to the dental apex. Using the classic definition of dilaceration (root curvature > 90°), its prevalence was established. 412 teeth and roots were analysed, finding a dilaceration prevalence of 0.73% (n = 3). 84.72% of the roots presented some type of curvature. Results: The middle third had the highest percentage of curvatures and the greatest average of angular curvature, whereas the cervical third was the straightest. No significant differences were found between the degree of curvature and the gender of the subjects, except for the apical third of tooth 3.6. The analysis of curvature by root third offers to the clinician a better perspective of the directional change of the roots and does not limit it to just the presence of curves in the apical third. Conclusions: The report of the angular degree of the curvatures, in addition to the prevalence of dilacerations, informs to the clinicians about the likelihood of finding difficulties when treating root canals. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 131–137

Location and course of the mandibular canal in dentate patients: morphometric study using cone-beam computed tomography

Background: The morphometric characteristics of the mandibular canal (MC) may vary according to the characteristics of the population studied. Correct location of the MC is fundamental for the indication and planning of different dental treatments, and it is therefore essential to have clinical parameters indicating its approximate location. The aim of this study was to describe the location and course of the MC by morphometric relations in the mandibular body, from the mental foramen to distal of the first molar, in dentate adult patients. Materials and methods: We analysed 55 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of male and female patients, aged over 18 years and with fully dentate to the first molar. In each CBCT we selected five coronal sections (A–E) of the mandibular body at different levels using the teeth as references. We determined different morphometric measurements in each section to relate the MC with the corticals of the mandibular body (m1, m2, m3, m4), their orientation to lingual (F) and the thickness of the mandibular corticals (B1, B2 and B3). Results: The distance between the MC and the alveolar crests was greater in males than in females in all the sections. In general, in all the hemiarches, the MC courses away from the vestibular cortical of the mandible (and in some cases significantly towards the lingual cortical) from anterior to posterior in the mandibular body. In the left hemiarch of dentate females the MC describes a descent in the molar zone within the mandibular body. Any intervention in the mandible must be carried out with extreme caution to avoid damaging the vasculo-nervous bundle which passes through the MC. Conclusions: Cone-beam computed tomography is the best tool currently available for the planning and execution of surgical procedures, and is the only tool in clinical use which allows the precise course of the MC to be identified

Morphological variations of the mandibular canal in digital panoramic radiographs: a retrospective study in a Chilean population

Background: Morphological variations of the mandibular canal (MC) have been described in literature, so the clinician must be able to recognise them and adapt their treatment accordingly. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of morphological variations of the MC using digital panoramic radiographs (DPR) of Chilean patients.  Materials and methods: A retrospective study in which 1400 DPR were analysed to identify cases of bifid, trifid and retromolar MC. The radiographs were analysed independently by two examiners who had previously been trained by a specialist in oral and maxillofacial radiology. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to reach a final sample.  Results: Nine hundred and twenty-five radiographs were included (599 female, 326 male; mean age 36.1 ± 15.54 years). The prevalence of bifid MC was 11% (n = 102), with no significant differences by sex (p = 0.069). Proportion of bifid MC was higher among younger patients (p = 0.038). Prevalence of morphologi- cal variations of type 1 bifid MC was 7.4% (n = 69), type 2 was 2.3% (n = 23), type 3 was 0% (n = 0) and type 4 was 1.1% (n = 10). Prevalence of retromolar canal was 0.9% (n = 8), with no significant differences by sex (p = 0.893) or age (p = 0.371); of these, 2 (0.2%) cases were forward type and 6 (0.6%) cases were retromolar type. No cases of trifid MC were found.  Conclusions: Digital panoramic radiographs are useful for detecting morphological variations of the MC; we were able to identify three types of bifid MC as well as retromolar canals. Proper identification of these variations by an easily accessible examination is important for avoiding possible complications in clinical-surgical practice.

Un estudio con médicos y enfermeras de una clínica privada de la ciudad de Santa Marta, Colombia

La presente investigación tuvo como propósito fundamental determinar el grado de relación existente entre el síndrome de Burnout y los factores de motivación laboral de los profesionales de la salud de una clínica privada del distrito de Santa Marta, basado metodológicamente en una investigación transversal no experimental de tipo correlacional. La muestra estuvo conformada por 73 personas distribuidas en 44 auxiliares enfermeras, 11 médicos y 18 enfermeras jefes a quienes se les aplicó los instrumentos Cuestionario de Motivación para el Trabajo CMT y Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS). Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que no hay presencia de síndrome de Burnout y que el perfil motivacional predominante corresponde al de salario teniendo en cuenta las condiciones de motivación externa, además indican que no existe relación significativa entre las variables de los factores motivacionales para el trabajo y el Síndrome de Burnout. Los autores recomiendan aplicar estrategias de prevención del síndrome en los trabajadores de la salud, tales como mejoras en las retribuciones, capacitaciones, estímulos, y otros

Resistencia al nemátodo del nudo radical (Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood) en el cultivar de tomate Licato.

Tomate-Solanum lycopersicu

Reference interval for immature platelet fraction on Sysmex XN haematology analyser in adult population

Introduction: The Sysmex XN-series haematology analyser has newly adopted a fluorescent channel to measure immature platelet fraction (IPF). To promote the clinical utility of this promising parameter, establishing a reliable reference interval is mandatory. According to previous studies, IPF values may be affected by the employed analyser and the ethnic background of the individual, but no differences seem to be found between individuals’ genders. Therefore, this study aimed to define the reference interval for IPF in a Spanish population following Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Materials and methods: A total of 153 healthy Caucasian adults from Spain met the inclusion criteria. IPF measurement was performed by means of a Sysmex XN-2000 haematology analyser. A non-parametric percentile method was used to calculate the reference intervals in accordance with CLSI guidelines. Results: The obtained reference interval for IPF on the Sysmex XN-2000 was 1.6–9.6% (90% confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.5–1.8 and 9.3–11.5, respectively). No significant gender difference in IPF reference intervals was observed (P = 0.101). Conclusions: This study provides, for the first time, a reference interval for IPF using a Sysmex XN-2000 in a Spanish population, ranging from 1.6 to 9.6%. These data are needed to evaluate platelet production in several conditions such as thrombocytopenia, inflammatory states and cardiovascular diseases, as well as for future research

Management intensity controls soil N2O fluxes in an Afromontane ecosystem

Studies that quantify nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes from African tropical forests and adjacent managed land uses are scarce. The expansion of smallholder agriculture and commercial agriculture into the Mau forest, the largest montane forest in Kenya, has caused large-scale land use change over the last decades. We measured annual soil N2O fluxes between August 2015 and July 2016 from natural forests and compared them to the N2O fluxes from land either managed by smallholder farmers for grazing and tea production, or commercial tea and eucalyptus plantations (n = 18). Air samples from 5 pooled static chambers were collected between 8:00 am and 11:30 am and used within each plot to calculate the gas flux rates. Annual soil N2O fluxes ranged between 0.2 and 2.9 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1 at smallholder sites and 0.6–1.7 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1 at the commercial agriculture sites, with no difference between land uses (p = 0.98 and p = 0.18, respectively). There was marked variation within land uses and, in particular, within those managed by smallholder farmers where management was also highly variable. Plots receiving fertilizer applications and those with high densities of livestock showed the highest N2O fluxes (1.6 ± 0.3 kg N2O-N ha− 1 yr− 1, n = 7) followed by natural forests (1.1 ± 0.1 kg N2O-N ha− 1 yr− 1, n = 6); although these were not significantly different (p = 0.19). Significantly lower fluxes (0.5 ± 0.1 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1, p < 0.01, n = 5) were found on plots that received little or no inputs. Daily soil N2O flux rates were not correlated with concurrent measurements of water filled pore space (WFPS), soil temperature or inorganic nitrogen (IN) concentrations. However, IN intensity, a measure of exposure of soil microbes (in both time and magnitude) to IN concentrations was strongly correlated with annual soil N2O fluxes

Quantifying the contribution of land use to N2O, NO and CO2 fluxes in a montane forest ecosystem of Kenya

Increasing demand for food and fibre by the growing human population is driving significant land use (LU) change from forest into intensively managed land systems in tropical areas. But empirical evidence on the extent to which such changes affect the soil-atmosphere exchange of trace gases is still scarce, especially in Africa. We investigated the effect of LU on soil trace gas production in the Mau Forest Complex region, Kenya. Intact soil cores were taken from natural forest, commercial and smallholder tea plantations, eucalyptus plantations and grazing lands, and were incubated in the lab under different soil moisture conditions. Soil fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were quantified, and we approximated annual estimates of soil N2O and NO fluxes using soil moisture values measured in situ. Forest and eucalyptus plantations yielded annual fluxes of 0.3-1.3 kg N2O-N ha(-1) a(-1) and 1.5-5.2 kg NO-N ha(-1) a(-1). Soils of commercial tea plantations, which are highly fertilized, showed higher fluxes (0.9 kg N2O-N ha(-1) a(-1) and 4.3 kg NO-N ha(-1) a(-1)) than smallholder tea plantations (0.1 kg N2O-N ha(-1) a(-1) and 2.1 kg NO-N ha(-1) a(-1)) or grazing land (0.1 kg N2O-N ha(-1) a(-1) and 1.1 kg NO-N ha(-1) a(-1)). High soil NO fluxes were probably the consequence of long-term N fertilization and associated soil acidification, likely promoting chemodenitrification. Our experimental approach can be implemented in understudied regions, with the potential to increase the amount of information on production and consumption of trace gases from soils