Dimensional Changes of Upper Airway after Rapid Maxillary Expansion: A Prospective Cone-beam Computed Tomography Study

Introduction: The aim of this prospective study was to use cone-beam computed tomography to assess the dimensional changes of the upper airway in orthodontic patients with maxillary constriction treated by rapid maxillary expansion. Methods: Fourteen orthodontic patients (mean age, 12.9 years; range, 9.7-16 years) were recruited. The patients with posterior crossbite and constricted maxilla were treated with rapid maxillary expansion as the initial part of their comprehensive orthodontic treatments. Before and after rapid maxillary expansion conebeam computed tomography scans were taken to measure the retropalatal and retroglossal airway changes in terms of volume, and sagittal and cross-sectional areas. The transverse expansions by rapid maxillary expansion were assessed between the midlingual alveolar bone plates at the maxillary first molar and first premolar levels. The measurements of the before and after rapid maxillary expansion scans were compared by using paired t tests with the Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons. Results: After rapid maxillary expansion, significant and equal amounts of 4.8 mm of expansion were observed at the first molar (P 5 0.0000) and the first premolar (P 5 0.0000) levels. The width increase at the first premolar level (20.0%) was significantly greater than that at the first molar level (15.0%) (P 5 0.035). As the primary outcome variable, the cross-sectional airway measured from the posterior nasal spine to basion level was the only parameter showing a significant increase of 99.4 mm2 (59.6%) after rapid maxillary expansion (P 5 0.0004). Conclusions: These results confirm the findings of previous studies of the effect of rapid maxillary expansion on the maxilla. Additionally, we found that only the cross-sectional area of the upper airway at the posterior nasal spine to basion level significantly gains a moderate increase after rapid maxillary expansion

The formation and function of the brain ventricular system

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, 2012.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references.The brain ventricular system is composed of a highly conserved set of cavities that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a protein-rich fluid essential for brain function. However, little is known about the function of embryonic CSF (eCSF), or the mechanisms of CSF production, retention, and circulation that regulate brain ventricle shape and size. Here we present data that begins to dissect the mechanisms governing CSF dynamics during zebrafish embryonic development. Our data indicate that the Na,K-ATPase regulates three aspects of brain ventricle development essential for normal function - neuroepithelial formation, permeability, and CSF production. Formation of a cohesive neuroepithelium requires both the alpha subunit (Atp1a1) and the regulatory subunit, Fyxd1, while only Atp1a1 modulates neuroepithelial permeability. Further, RhoA regulates both neuroepithelium formation and permeability, downstream of the Na,KATPase. Finally, we identified a RhoA-independent process, likely CSF production, which requires Atp1a1, but not Fxyd1. Therefore, formation of the vertebrate brain ventricles requires both production and retention of CSF. Although the embryonic brain ventricles contain large quantities of eCSF little is known about the function of the fluid or the mechanisms that drive fluid production. We developed a method to manually drain eCSF from zebrafish brain ventricles and show that eCSF is necessary for cell survival within the neuroepithelium. Further, increased retinol binding protein 4 (Rbp4), retinoic acid synthesis, and retinoic acid signaling via the PPAR? (peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor gamma) receptors, prevents neuroepithelial cell death. Thus, we present a novel role for Rbp4 and retinoic acid synthesis and signaling during embryonic brain development. Finally, we also developed an assay to visualize CSF flow in the embryonic zebrafish. We found that the midbrain-hindbrain boundary acts as a barrier preventing CSF movement between the midbrain and hindbrain, while CSF moves freely between the midbrain and forebrain. Additionally, the heartbeat contributes to CSF movement increasing mixing between the hindbrain and forebrain/midbrain compartments. Furthermore, we determined that hydrocephalic phenotypes observed in zebrafish are due to abnormalities in CSF production, retention and flow. These data demonstrate the importance of CSF dynamics during development and further suggest that disruption of these processes can all result in hydrocephalus.by Jessica T. Chang.Ph.D

Directional cerebrospinal fluid movement between brain ventricles in larval zebrafish

Background Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contained within the brain ventricles contacts neuroepithelial progenitor cells during brain development. Dynamic properties of CSF movement may limit locally produced factors to specific regions of the developing brain. However, there is no study of in vivo CSF dynamics between ventricles in the embryonic brain. We address CSF movement using the zebrafish larva, during the major period of developmental neurogenesis. Methods CSF movement was monitored at two stages of zebrafish development: early larva [pharyngula stage; 27–30 h post-fertilization (hpf)] and late larva (hatching period; 51–54 hpf) using photoactivatable Kaede protein to calculate average maximum CSF velocity between ventricles. Potential roles for heartbeat in early CSF movement were investigated using tnnt2a mutant fish (tnnt2a [superscript −/−]) and chemical [2,3 butanedione monoxime (BDM)] treatment. Cilia motility was monitored at these stages using the Tg(βact:Arl13b–GFP) transgenic fish line. Results In wild-type early larva there is net CSF movement from the telencephalon to the combined diencephalic/mesencephalic superventricle. This movement directionality reverses at late larval stage. CSF moves directionally from diencephalic to rhombencephalic ventricles at both stages examined, with minimal movement from rhombencephalon to diencephalon. Directional movement is partially dependent on heartbeat, as indicated in assays of tnnt2a [superscript −/−] fish and after BDM treatment. Brain cilia are immotile at the early larval stage. Conclusion These data demonstrate directional movement of the embryonic CSF in the zebrafish model during the major period of developmental neurogenesis. A key conclusion is that CSF moves preferentially from the diencephalic into the rhombencephalic ventricle. In addition, the direction of CSF movement between telencephalic and diencephalic ventricles reverses between the early and late larval stages. CSF movement is partially dependent on heartbeat. At early larval stage, the absence of motile cilia indicates that cilia likely do not direct CSF movement. These data suggest that CSF components may be compartmentalized and could contribute to specialization of the early brain. In addition, CSF movement may also provide directional mechanical signaling.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (IOS-1258087)Howard Hughes Medical Institute (MIT Biology Summer internship program)Balkin-Markell-Weinberg Postdoctoral Fellowshi

Brief of Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioners

State of Washington v. Anthony A. Moretti, Hung Van Nguyen, and Frederick Or

Relapse or reinfection: Classification of malaria infection using transition likelihoods

In patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria treated with effective blood-stage therapy, the recurrent illness may occur due to relapse from latent liver-stage infection or reinfection from a new mosquito bite. Classification of the recurrent infection as either relapse or reinfection is critical when evaluating the efficacy of an anti-relapse treatment. Although one can use whether a shared genetic variant exists between baseline and recurrence genotypes to classify the outcome, little has been suggested to use both sharing and nonsharing variants to improve the classification accuracy. In this paper, we develop a novel classification criterion that utilizes transition likelihoods to distinguish relapse from reinfection. When tested in extensive simulation experiments with known outcomes, our classifier has superior operating characteristics. A real data set from 78 Cambodian P. vivax malaria patients was analyzed to demonstrate the practical use of our proposed method

Brief of Amicus Curiae Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality in Support of Petitioners

State v. Houston-Sconiers et al

Brief of Amicus Curiae Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality in Support of Petitioners

State v. Houston-Sconiers et al

Brief of Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioner

State of Washington v. Jeremiah James Gilber

Teaching how to program using automated assessment and functional glossy games (Experience Report)

Our department has long been an advocate of the functional-first school of programming and has been teaching Haskell as a first language in introductory programming course units for 20 years. Although the functional style is largely beneficial, it needs to be taught in an enthusiastic and captivating way to fight the unusually high computer science drop-out rates and appeal to a heterogeneous population of students.This paper reports our experience of restructuring, over the last 5 years, an introductory laboratory course unit that trains hands-on functional programming concepts and good software development practices. We have been using game programming to keep students motivated, and following a methodology that hinges on test-driven development and continuous bidirectional feedback. We summarise successes and missteps, and how we have learned from our experience to arrive at a model for comprehensive and interactive functional game programming assignments and a general functionally-powered automated assessment platform, that together provide a more engaging learning experience for students. In our experience, we have been able to teach increasingly more advanced functional programming concepts while improving student engagement.The authors would like to thank the precursors of the 20-year functional programming culture and FPro unit at our university, and all the instructors and TAs that have been involved in the PLab unit throughout the years. This work is financed by the ERDFs European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation - COMPETE 2020 Programme within project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006961, and by National Funds through the Portuguese funding agency, FCT s Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia as part of project UID/EEA/50014/2013

Brief of Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Washington Defender Association as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondent

State of Washington v. Cristian Delbosqu