Predictability of Maxillary Dentoalveolar Expansion Using Clear Aligners in Different Types of Crossbites

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and predictability of maxillary dentoalveolar expansion clear aligners in unilateral, bilateral, and single-tooth types of crossbite. This prospective analytical study enrolled adults with dentoalveolar posterior crossbite. Orthoanalyzer™ 1.7 software was used to analyze stl files of digital models before treatment (T1), predicted post-treatment outcome (T2), and observed outcome (T3). Changes in intercanine width, first and second interpremolar widths, and intermolar width were compared using a mixed ANOVA model for repeated measures (α = 0.05). The study included 46 patients aged 20–60 years, 15 with unilateral, 15 bilateral, and 16 single-tooth crossbite. In all crossbite groups, expansion was largest at the second premolar level (unilateral: 2.54 mm; bilateral:, 4.86 mm; single-tooth: 3.41 mm) (ANOVA p < 0.001) and smallest at the canine level. Expansion predictability was 90% at the first premolar level in the single-tooth crossbite group, 86% at the second premolar level in the bilateral crossbite group, and 79% at the second premolar level in the unilateral crossbite group. No significant difference was found between the predicted and observed expansion in any crossbite group. Dentoalveolar expansion using differential anchorage techniques with clear aligners is highly predictable, although the treatment plan should consider overcorrection of the expansion movement to achieve the planned outcome.Depto. de Especialidades Clínicas OdontológicasFac. de OdontologíaTRUEpu

La vivienda social. Europa versus Japón, dos tradiciones y mil soluciones para un problema.

La vivienda social mínima es un concepto que toma importancia en occidente a partir del congreso del II CIAM en 1929, encabezado por figuras como Ernst May o Walter Gropius que marcaran el camino a seguir creando el concepto y modelo de Vivienda Mínima. en Japón la trayectoria difiere ligeramente de esta y, sobre todo, lo hace con una ligera tardanza.A través de un recorrido por la genealogía de la vivienda social en Europa y Japón y con el estudio de la Cooperativa de vivienda La borda (Lacol Arquitectura Cooperativa, Barcelona, 2018); el Mehr als Wohnen Project, Haus A (Duplex Architekten, Zúrich, 2009-2015); la Nakagin Capsule Tower (Kisho Kurokawa, Tokio, 1970-1972; y el Conjunto Residencial Gifu Kitagata (Kazuyo Sejima & Associates, Gifu, 1994-1998) se pretende llevar a cabo una aproximación a las bases teóricas de las que parte el diseño de la vivienda social en el siglo XX y las prácticas actuales que de estas bases se derivan. <br /

Color tunable pressure sensors based on polymer nanostructured membranes for optofluidic applications

We demonstrate an integrated optical pressure sensing platform for multiplexed optofluidics applications. The sensing platform consists in an array of elastomeric on-side nanostructured membranes -effectively 2D photonic crystal- which present colour shifts in response to mechanical stress that alter their nanostructure characteristical dimensions, pitch or orientation. The photonic membranes are prepared by a simple and cost-effective method based on the infiltration of a 2D colloidal photonic crystal (CPC) with PDMS and their integration with a microfluidic system. We explore the changes in the white light diffraction produced by the nanostructured membranes when varying the pneumatic pressure in the microfluidics channels as a way to achieve a power-free array of pressure sensors that change their reflective colour depending on the bending produced on each sensor. The structural characterization of these membranes was performed by SEM, while the optical properties and the pressure-colour relation were evaluated via UV-Vis reflection spectrometry. Maximum sensitivities of 0.17 kPa is obtained when measuring at Littrow configuration (θ = −θ ), and close to the border of the membranes. The reflected colour change with pressure is as well monitorized by using a smartphone camera

Bundle formation of sperm: Influence of environmental factors

Cooperative behaviour of sperm is one of the mechanisms that plays a role in sperm competition. It has been observed in several species that spermatozoa interact with each other to form agglomerates or bundles. In this study, we investigate the effect of physical and biochemical factors that will most likely promote bundle formation in bull sperm. These factors include fluid viscosity, swim-up process, post-thaw incubation time and media additives which promote capacitation. While viscosity does not seem to influence the degree of sperm bundling, swim-up, post-thaw migration time and suppressed capacitation increase the occurrence of sperm bundles. This leads to the conclusion that sperm bundling is a result of hydrodynamic and adhesive interactions between the cells which occurs frequently during prolonged incubation times

The relationship between androgen receptor gene polymorphism, aggression and social status in young men and women

In both sexes, aggression has been described as a critical trait to acquire social status. Still, almost uniquely in men, the link between aggressiveness and the genetic background of testosterone sensitivity measured from the polymorphism in the androgen receptor (AR) gene has been previously investigated. We assessed the relevance of the AR gene to understand aggression and how aggressiveness affects social status in a cross-sectional study of 195 participants, for the first time in both young men and women. We estimated polymorphism sequences from saliva and measured aggression and self-perceived social status. Unfortunately, the results did not support our prediction because we did not find any of the expected relationships. Therefore, the results suggest that the genetic association between aggressive mechanisms and polymorphism of the AR gene is less straightforward than expected, at least in men, and seems to indicate that aggression is not usually used to gain social status in our populatio

A Shorter Equilibration Period Improves Post-Warming Outcomes after Vitrification and in Straw Dilution of In Vitro-Produced Bovine Embryos

This study was designed to the optimize vitrification and in-straw warming protocol of in vitro-produced bovine embryos by comparing two different equilibration periods, short equilibrium (SE: 3 min) and long equilibrium (LE: 12 min). Outcomes recorded in vitrified day seven (D7) and day eight (D8) expanded blastocysts were survival and hatching rates, cell counts, apoptosis rate, and gene expression. While survival rates at 3 and 24 h post-warming were reduced (p < 0.05) after vitrification, the hatching rates of D7 embryos vitrified after SE were similar to the rates recorded in fresh non-vitrified blastocysts. The hatching rates of vitrified D8 blastocysts were lower (p < 0.05) than of fresh controls regardless of treatment. Total cell count, and inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell counts were similar in hatched D7 blastocysts vitrified after SE and fresh blastocysts, while vitrified D8 blastocysts yielded lower values regardless of treatment. The apoptosis rate was significantly higher in both treatment groups compared to fresh controls, although rates were lower for SE than LE. No differences emerged in BAX, AQP3, CX43, and IFNτ gene expression between the treatments, whereas a significantly greater abundance of BCL2L1 and SOD1 transcripts was observed in blastocysts vitrified after SE. A shorter equilibration vitrification protocol was found to improve post-warming outcomes and time efficiency after in-straw warming/dilution

Ultrathin Washcoat and Very Low Loading Monolithic Catalyst with Outstanding Activity and Stability in Dry Reforming of Methane

A Ni/CeO2/ZrO2 catalyst with improved redox properties has been washcoated onto a honeycomb cordierite monolith in the form of a nonconventional alumina-catalyst layer, just a few nanometers thick. In spite of the very low active phase loading, the monolith depicts outstanding performance in dry reforming of methane, both in terms of activity, with values reaching the thermodynamic limit already at 750 degrees C, even under extreme Weight Hourly Space Velocities (WHSV 115-346 Lg(F -1)h(-1)), as well as in terms of stability during prolonged Time on Stream (TOS 24-48 h)

Honeycomb monolithic design to enhance the performance of Ni-based catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Supported Ni catalysts (4.5 wt%) using a Ce-Zr oxide (18/82 molar ratio and a ceria-rich surface) depicting advanced redox properties, were deposited by washcoating over cordierite honeycombs (230 and 400 cpsi). FIB-STEM unveiled nanostructure details otherwise undistinguishable by conventional techniques. The catalytic performance was evaluated in the dry reforming of methane at 700-900 ºC, using a CH4:CO2 1:1 feedstock, and exploring high Weight Hourly Space Velocity (115-346 L g-1 h-1). The structured catalysts exhibited better performance than the corresponding powders, reaching values close to thermodynamic limits for both reactants conversion and H2/CO ratio, from 750 ºC, and no deactivation was observed in prolonged experiments (24-48 hours). This was related to both the high catalyst efficiency after being deposited with low loading on the cordierite and the intrinsic advantages of the monolithic reactor, like preventing from the kinetic control that operates in powdered samples under high WHSV or limiting the deactivation.The authors thank the financial support by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain/FEDER Program of the EU (Project MAT2017-87579-R), and the Junta de Andalucía (Groups FQM-110 and FQM-334). We also acknowledge the Cadiz University SC-ICyT for using its facilities for the ICP-AES, XRD, XRF and SEM-EDX measurements, and the Seville University CITIUS for the FIB-(S)TEM studies.Artículo científico de 10 pgs. Publicado el 1 de enero de 2022 y cumplidos dos años desde dicha fecha, se puede incluir el fichero con la versión remitida a publicar en el repositorio institucional RODIN

Monitorizando el pluralismo mediático en la era digital. Aplicación del Media Pluralism Monitor en la Unión Europea, Albania, Montenegro, la República de Macedonia del Norte, Serbia y Turquía en el año 2021. Informe país : España

This report presents the results of the implementation of the Media Pluralism Monitor for the year 2021 (MPM2022) in Spain. The MPM is a holistic tool geared at assessing the risks to media pluralism in EU member states and selected candidate countries (32 European countries in total, including Albania, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey). The MPM takes into account legal, political and economic variables that are relevant to analysing the levels of plurality of media systems in a democratic society. The Media Pluralism Monitor has been implemented, on a regular basis, by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, since 2013/2014.The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom is co-financed by the European Unio

Axillary lymph node dissection versus radiotherapy in breast cancer with positive sentinelnodes after neoadjuvant therapy (ADARNAT trial)

Introduction: Breast cancer surgery currently focuses on de-escalating treatment without compromising patient survival. Axillary radiotherapy (ART) now replaces axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with limited sentinel lymph node (SLN) involvement during the primary surgery, and this has significantly reduced the incidence of lymphedema without worsening the prognosis. However, patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) cannot benefit from this option despite the low incidence of residual disease in the armpit in most cases. Data regarding the use of radiotherapy instead of ALND in this population are lacking. This study will assess whether ART is non-inferior to ALND in terms of recurrence and overall survival in patients with positive SLN after NST, including whether it reduces surgery-related adverse effects. Methods and analyses: This multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial will enroll 1660 patients with breast cancer and positive SLNs following NST in approximately 50 Spanish centers over 3 years. Patients will be stratified by NST regimen and nodal involvement (isolated tumoral cells or micrometastasis versus macrometastasis) and randomly assigned 1:1 to ART without ALND (study arm) or ALND alone (control arm). Level 3 and supraclavicular radiotherapy will be added in both arms. The primary outcome is the 5-year axillary recurrence determined by clinical and radiological examination. The secondary outcomes include lymphedema or arm dysfunction, quality of life based (EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires), disease-free survival, and overall survival. Discussion: This study aims to provide data to confirm the efficacy and safety of ART over ALND in patients with a positive SLN after NST, together with the impact on morbidity. Ethics and dissemination: The Research Ethics Committee of Bellvitge University Hospital approved this trial (Protocol Record PR148/21, version 3, 1/2/2022) and all patients must provide written informed consent. The involvement of around 50 centers across Spain will facilitate the dissemination of our results