The effect of auditory stimulation on pain response of preterm infants

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of auditory stimulation on preterm infants' pain responses. A quasi-experimental design was utilized in this study. Thirty preterm infants were recruited for the study. They were one group used for three days as day one (routine care), day two (music intervention) and day three (recorded mother voice intervention) before, during and after blood sample procedure (heel prick) from Cairo University hospitals (El Monira and Kasar Aini). A tool containing two parts was used for data collection: 1) socio-demographic data for the preterm infants and the mothers, 2) Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) tool for physiological responses (heart rate, oxygen saturation) behavioral state, brow bulge, eye squeeze, nasolabial furrow and respiratory rate was determined. Results of the study showed that during heel prick the majority of preterm infants (96.7%) who were exposed to recorded mother voice had highly statistical significant no or minimal pain followed by music groups (66.7%). On the other hand, nearly half of the cases (46.7%) had moderate pain and (30%) had severe pain among control group. There were significant differences between the three groups in the behavioral state, brow bulge, eye squeeze and nasolabial furrow (P≤0.001) and improved oxygen saturation (P≤0.05). After heel prick, the preterm infants (100%) who were exposed to recorded mother voice had highly statistically significant no or minimal pain in the items of behavioral state, eye squeeze and nasolabial furrow (P≤0.001), brow bulge was significantly lower (P≤0.05) when comparing by control or music group. In Conclusion, exposure to recorded mother voice during heel prick of preterm infants is better than exposure to music or no intervention and this was manifested by lower pain level, decrease heart rate, improved oxygen saturation and respiration. Key words: Auditory stimulation; recorded mother voice; music; pain response; physiological responses; behavioral stat

Two-divisibility of the coefficients of certain weakly holomorphic modular forms

We study a canonical basis for spaces of weakly holomorphic modular forms of weights 12, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 26 on the full modular group. We prove a relation between the Fourier coefficients of modular forms in this canonical basis and a generalized Ramanujan tau-function, and use this to prove that these Fourier coefficients are often highly divisible by 2.Comment: Corrected typos. To appear in the Ramanujan Journa

A Subset of Replication Proteins Enhances Origin Recognition and Lytic Replication by the Epstein-Barr Virus ZEBRA Protein

ZEBRA is a site-specific DNA binding protein that functions as a transcriptional activator and as an origin binding protein. Both activities require that ZEBRA recognizes DNA motifs that are scattered along the viral genome. The mechanism by which ZEBRA discriminates between the origin of lytic replication and promoters of EBV early genes is not well understood. We explored the hypothesis that activation of replication requires stronger association between ZEBRA and DNA than does transcription. A ZEBRA mutant, Z(S173A), at a phosphorylation site and three point mutants in the DNA recognition domain of ZEBRA, namely Z(Y180E), Z(R187K) and Z(K188A), were similarly deficient at activating lytic DNA replication and expression of late gene expression but were competent to activate transcription of viral early lytic genes. These mutants all exhibited reduced capacity to interact with DNA as assessed by EMSA, ChIP and an in vivo biotinylated DNA pull-down assay. Over-expression of three virally encoded replication proteins, namely the primase (BSLF1), the single-stranded DNA-binding protein (BALF2) and the DNA polymerase processivity factor (BMRF1), partially rescued the replication defect in these mutants and enhanced ZEBRA's interaction with oriLyt. The findings demonstrate a functional role of replication proteins in stabilizing the association of ZEBRA with viral DNA. Enhanced binding of ZEBRA to oriLyt is crucial for lytic viral DNA replication

Metallic ions as therapeutic agents in tissue engineering scaffolds: an overview of their biological applications and strategies for new developments

This article provides an overview on the application of metallic ions in the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, focusing on their therapeutic applications and the need to design strategies for controlling the release of loaded ions from biomaterial scaffolds. A detailed summary of relevant metallic ions with potential use in tissue engineering approaches is presented. Remaining challenges in the field and directions for future research efforts with focus on the key variables needed to be taken into account when considering the controlled release of metallic ions in tissue engineering therapeutics are also highlighted

Wear and corrosion interactions on titanium in oral environment : literature review

The oral cavity is a complex environment where corrosive substances from dietary, human saliva, and oral biofilms may accumulate in retentive areas of dental implant systems and prostheses promoting corrosion at their surfaces. Additionally, during mastication, micromovements may occur between prosthetic joints causing a relative motion between contacting surfaces, leading to wear. Both processes (wear and corrosion) result in a bio-tribocorrosion system once that occurs in contact with biological tissues and fluids. This review paper is focused on the aspects related to the corrosion and wear behavior of titanium-based structures in the oral environment. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of the oral environment is focused on the harmful effect that acidic substances and biofilms, formed in human saliva, may have on titanium surfaces. In fact, a progressive degradation of titanium by wear and corrosion (tribocorrosion) mechanisms can take place affecting the performance of titanium-based implant and prostheses. Also, the formation of wear debris and metallic ions due to the tribocorrosion phenomena can become toxic for human tissues. This review gathers knowledge from areas like materials sciences, microbiology, and dentistry contributing to a better understanding of bio-tribocorrosion processes in the oral environment.(undefined

Period polynomials, derivatives of L-functions, and zeros of polynomials

Period polynomials have long been fruitful tools for the study of values of L-functions in the context of major outstanding conjectures. In this paper, we survey some facets of this study from the perspective of Eichler cohomology. We discuss ways to incorporate non-cuspidal modular forms and values of derivatives of L-functions into the same framework. We further review investigations of the location of zeros of the period polynomial as well as of its analogue for L-derivatives

ICAR: endoscopic skull‐base surgery

n/

Micro-leakage at the implant-abutment interface with different tightening torques in vitro

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the microleakage at the implant/abutment interface of external hexagon (EH) implants and abutments with different amounts of bacteria and tightening torques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A bacterial suspension was prepared to inoculate the implants. The first phase of this study used nine EH implants and abutments that were divided into three groups with different amounts of bacterial suspension (n=3): V0.5: 0.5 µL; V1.0: 1.0 µL e V1.5: 1.5 µL, and tightened to the manufacturer's recommended torque. The second phase of this experiment used 27 assemblies that were similar to those used in the first phase. These samples were inoculated with 0.5 µL of bacterial suspension and divided into three groups (n=9). T10: 10 Ncm; T20: 20 Ncm and T32: 32 Ncm. The samples were evaluated according to the turbidity of the broth every 24 hours for 14 days, and the bacteria viability was tested after that period. The statistical evaluation was conducted by Kruskal-Wallis testing (p<.05). RESULTS: During the first phase, groups V1.0 and V1.5 was presented with bacterial contamination in all samples after 24 h. During the second phase, two samples from group T10 and one from T20 presented positive results for bacterial contamination. Different amounts of bacterial solution led to overflow and contamination during the first 24 h of the experiment. The tightening torques did not statistically affect the microleakage in the assemblies. However, the group that was tightened to 32 Ncm torque did not show any bacterial contamination. CONCLUSION: After 14 days of experimentation, the bacteria were proven to remain viable inside the implant internal cavity