Three-dimensional anatomy of equine incisors : tooth length, enamel cover and age related changes

BACKGROUND:Equine incisors are subjected to continuous occlusal wear causing multiple, age related changes of the extragingival crown. It is assumed that the occlusal wear is compensated by continued tooth elongation at the apical ends of the teeth. In this study, muCT-datasets offered the opportunity to analyze the three-dimensional appearance of the extra- and intraalveolar parts of the enamel containing dental crown as well as of the enamel-free dental root. Multiple morphometric measurements elucidated age related, morphological changes within the intraalveolar part of the incisors. RESULTS:Equine incisors possess a unique enamel cover displaying large indentations on the mesial and distal sides. After eruption tooth elongation at the apical end outbalances occlusal wear for two to four years resulting in increasing incisor length in this period of time. Remarkably, this maximum length is maintained for about ten years, up to a tooth age of 13 to 15years post eruption. Variances in the total length of individual teeth are related to different Triadan positions (central-, middle- and corner incisors) as well as to the upper and lower arcades. CONCLUSION:Equine incisors are able to fully compensate occlusal wear for a limited period of time. However, after this ability ceases, it is expected that a diminished intraalveolar tooth length will cause massive changes in periodontal biomechanics. The time point of these morphodynamic and biomechanical changes (13 to 15years post eruption) occurs in coincidence with the onset of a recently described destructive disease of equine incisor (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) in aged horses. However, further biomechanical, cell biological and microbiological investigations are needed to elucidate a correlation between age related changes of incisor morphology and this disease

Inserción de los estudiantes en la vida universitaria

La reflexión sobre el proceso de ingreso de los estudiantes a la educación superior permite ampliar los conocimientos sobre los estudiantes a partir del reconocimiento de sus historias personales, la identificación de sus atrapamientos, y la apreciación de factores psicológicos (aspectos relacionales y emocionales) que afectan la inmersión y la permanencia de los mismos. Este estudio de tipo cualitativo da cuenta de cómo el ingreso indiscriminado, sin percatarse ni realizar un serio proceso de admisión a nivel institucional es como abrirles las puertas a los futuros estudiantes y no hacerse responsable de ello. Se sugiere realizar un análisis sobre el proceso de inmersión y permanencia, reconociendo la diversidad de sus capitales académicos y culturales acumulados.MaestríaMAGISTER EN PSICOLOGÍ

Semi-occlusive dressing therapy versus surgical treatment in fingertip amputation injuries: a clinical study.

OBJECTIVES Treatment of fingertip amputations is subject of controversial debates. Recently, semi-occlusive dressings have increased in popularity in these injuries. AIMS To compare clinical outcomes of conservative semi-occlusive dressing therapy versus surgical treatment of fingertip amputations. METHODS Eighty-four patients with fingertip amputations were re-examined clinically after a mean follow-up of 28.1 months (range 9.6-46.2). Sixty-six patients (79%) were treated with semi-occlusive dressings (group 1) and 18 (21%) underwent surgery (group 2). Range of motion, grip strength, and two-point discrimination were measured at the final follow-up. Furthermore, VAS score, Quick-DASH score, subjective aesthetic outcome and loss of working days were obtained. RESULTS Group 1 demonstrated healing in all 66 patients (100%) while in Group 2 5 out of 18 patients (28%) failed to achieve healing after a mean of 17 days (range 2-38) due to graft necrosis. Group 1 showed significantly lower VAS scores and significantly lower loss of two-point discrimination compared to Group 2. Work absence was significantly shorter in Group 1 versus Group 2. Trophic changes in finger (46%) and nail (30%) were significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (44% and 70%, respectively). Disturbance during daily business activities (14%) and cold sensitivity (23%) were significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (86% and 77%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Semi-occlusive dressing therapy for fingertip amputations demonstrated excellent healing rates. Compared to surgical treatment, it resulted in significantly better clinical outcomes, lower complication rates and significantly higher reported satisfaction rates. Therefore, semi-occlusive dressing for fingertip injuries is a very successful procedure and shall be preferred over surgical treatment in most cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III therapeutic

Functional Health Literacy in an Urban Primary Care Clinic

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of functional health literacy in a sample of patients treated in 1of our 5 primary care clinics. A total of 92 randomly selected adults (mean age = 59 years) completed the TOFHLA while waiting for a scheduled appointment. Twenty eight percent of the sample had less than adequate levels of functional health literacy. Income, car ownership and education were significant and independent predictors of literacy level in this sample. Low levels of functional health literacy limit a patient\u27s ability to read, understand and act on health information. It is essential that nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists use relevant cues to assess for illiteracy and modify their methods of providing health information when appropriate

Effects of Chemical Composition on Forage Intake of Heifers Fed Hays of Different Species

Alfalfa, smooth bromegrass, and big bluestem hays harvested at two maturities differing by four weeks were fed at mature-to-immature hay ratios of 1:0, 2:1, 1:2, and 0:1 to yearling heifers in an experiment with a three 4 x 4 Latin square design with 14 day periods. Concentrations of in vitro digestible dry matter and crude protein were greater and concentrations of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and indigestible neutral detergent fiber (determined by either a manual method with a 96 hour incubation or an automated method with a 48 hour incubation) were less in alfalfa hay than in the two grass hays and in smooth bromegrass hay than in big bluestem hay. Concentrations of in vitro digestible dry matter and crude protein decreased whereas those of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and indigestible neutral detergent fiber increased with increasing forage maturity. Consumptions of dry matter, digestible dry matter, in vitro digestible dry matter, and crude protein were greater for heifers fed alfalfa hay diets than those fed the two grasses. Consumptions of total neutral detergent fiber and indigestible neutral detergent fiber, determined by the automated method with a 48 hour incubation, were greater by heifers fed diets containing big bluestem than those fed alfalfa or smooth bromegrass diets. Consumptions of acid detergent fiber and indigestible neutral detergent fiber, determined by a manual method with a 96 hour incubation, were greater for heifers fed alfalfa or big bluestem hay diets than those of heifers fed smooth bromegrass diets. Consumption of dry matter, in vivo or in vitro digestible dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and automated indigestible neutral detergent fiber decreased as the mature-to-immature hay ratio decreased. Diet digestibility was not affected by forage species, but increased as the mature-toimmature hay ratio decreased. Fecal excretion of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber did not differ between forage species or mature-to-immature hay ratios. Forage dry matter intake expressed as a percentage of body weight was significantly related to the concentrations of in vitro digestible dry matter (r2=.14), crude protein (r2=.17), neutral detergent fiber (r2=.20), and manual indigestible neutral detergent fiber (r2=.18) of the hays and the concentration of digestible dry matter of the diets (r2=.43)

Partitioning and Exocytosis of Secretory Granules during Division of PC12 Cells

The biogenesis, maturation, and exocytosis of secretory granules in interphase cells have been well documented, whereas the distribution and exocytosis of these hormone-storing organelles during cell division have received little attention. By combining ultrastructural analyses and time-lapse microscopy, we here show that, in dividing PC12 cells, the prominent peripheral localization of secretory granules is retained during prophase but clearly reduced during prometaphase, ending up with only few peripherally localized secretory granules in metaphase cells. During anaphase and telophase, secretory granules exhibited a pronounced movement towards the cell midzone and, evidently, their tracks colocalized with spindle microtubules. During cytokinesis, secretory granules were excluded from the midbody and accumulated at the bases of the intercellular bridge. Furthermore, by measuring exocytosis at the single granule level, we showed, that during all stages of cell division, secretory granules were competent for regulated exocytosis. In conclusion, our data shed new light on the complex molecular machinery of secretory granule redistribution during cell division, which facilitates their release from the F-actin-rich cortex and active transport along spindle microtubules

Development of Cytotoxic GW7604-Zeise’s Salt Conjugates as Multitarget Compounds with Selectivity for Estrogen Receptor- Positive Tumor Cells

(E/Z)-3-(4-((E)-1-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-phenylbut-1-enyl)phenyl)acrylic acid (GW7604) as a carrier was esterified with alkenols of various lengths and coordinated through the ethylene moiety to PtCl3, similar to Zeise’s salt (K[PtCl3(C2H4)]). The resulting GW7604-Alk-PtCl3 complexes (Alk = Prop, But, Pent, Hex) degraded in aqueous solution only by exchange of the chlorido ligands. For example, GW7604-Pent-PtCl3 coordinated the amino acid alanine in the cell culture medium, bound the isolated nucleotide 5′-GMP, and interacted with the DNA (empty plasmid pSport1). It accumulated in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 cells primarily via cytosolic vesicles, while it was only marginally taken up in ER-negative SKBr3 cells. Accordingly, GW7604-Pent-PtCl3 and related complexes were inactive in SKBr3 cells. GW7604-Pent-PtCl3 showed high affinity to ERα and ERβ without mediating agonistic or ER downregulating properties. GW7604-Alk ligands also increased the cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitory potency of the complexes. In contrast to Zeise’s salt, the GW7604-Alk-PtCl3 complexes inhibited COX-1 and COX-2 to the same extent

Effet de la Consommation de l’Amande de Cacao sur la Croissance et les Valeurs Moyennes des Métabolites Sériques Chez le Rat

Cette étude a pour objectif d’évaluer l’effet de la consommation des amandes de cacao sur les caractéristiques nutritionnelles et sur la valeur moyenne des paramètres biochimiques sériques chez les rats en croissance. Pour ce faire, vingt et un rats mâles en croissance repartis en trois lots ont été nourris durant 21 jours, avec trois régimes alimentaires. Ainsi, un régime témoin à base de poudre de soja (SO), un régime à base de poudre de cacao fermenté (PCF) et un régime à base de poudre de cacao de marque ̏Tafissa ̋ (PCC), acheté dans le commerce, ont été mis en expérimentation. Le taux de protéines de ces régimes est fixé à 10 %. A la fin de l’expérience, les résultats révèlent que les rats nourris avec les régimes alimentaires à base de poudre d’amande de cacao PCF et PCC ont subi une perte de poids corporel du début jusqu’à la fin de l’expérimentation, tandis que ceux nourris avec le régime témoin (SO) ont une croissance normale. Cette étude montre qu’il n’y a pas de différence significative (p > 0,05) entre les valeurs de triglycéride, de cholestérol total et de cholestérol HDL des rats soumis aux régimes PCF et PCC par rapport au témoin. Les taux sériques de cholestérol LDL des rats des régimes PCF et PCC sont significativement inférieurs (p ≤ 0,05) à ceux des témoins(SO). De même, les valeurs de bilirubines conjuguées et de bilirubines totales des rats soumis au régime PCC sont significativement inférieures (p ≤0,05) à celles des témoins. Ces résultats impliquent que l’amande de cacao pourrait être un bon complément alimentaire car, sa consommation régulière a des effets bénéfiquessur la santé par son action contre la surcharge pondérale et les maladies cardiovasculaires. This study aims to evaluate the effect of cocoa almond consumption on the nutritional characteristics and on the average value of serum biochemical parameters in growing rats. To do this, twenty-one male rats growing in three lots were fed for 21 days, with three diets including a control diet based on soybean powder (SO), a diet based on fermented cocoa powder (PCF) and a commercial cocoa powder diet of brand ̏Tafissa ̋(PCC). The protein content of these diets is set at 10 %. At the end of the experiment, the results reveal that rats fed on cocoa almond powder diets PCF and PCC undergo body weight loss from the beginning to the end of the experiment, while that of those fed the control diet (SO) have normal growth. This study showsthat there is no significant difference (p> 0.05) between the triglyceride, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol values of rats subjected to the PCF and PCC diets compared to the control. Serum LDL cholesterol levels in PCF and PCC rats were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower than those of controls one (SO). The values of conjugated bilirubins and total bilirubins of the rats subjected to the PCC diet were significantly lower (p ≤0.05) than those of the controls. These results imply that cocoa almond could be a good dietary supplement because, its regular consumption has beneficial effects on health by its action against overweight and cardiovascular diseases