Morphometric study of the mental foramen correlating with sex / Estudo morfométrico do forame mentual correlacionando com o sexo

Introduction: The mental foramen (MF) is located in the anterolateral region of the mandible body and through it passes the mental nerve and vessels. Its precise location is important in dental and anesthetic surgical procedures to avoid damage to the neurovascular structures that pass through it. However, due to the presence of variations in the incidence, shape, position and multiplicity of this foramen, controversies arise among authors regarding its exact location. Our study aimed to study the morphometric variations of the mental foramen correlating with sex. Materials and methods: A total of 252 human dry mandibles present in the Laboratory of Anatomy of the Department of Morphology of the Federal University of Sergipe were analyzed. The distance from the MF to the mental protuberance (MF-MP), the vertical distance from the MF to the inferior margin of the mandible (MF-IMM), the distance from the MF to the margin of the inferior alveolar process (MF-IAP), the width and the height of the MF and the multiplicity of the MF, as well as its position in relation to the lower molars and premolars. Results: The height of the MF showed no significant difference between genders on the right side (p=0.137), the same occurring on the left side (p=0.030). The width was similar in males and females on the right (p=0.241) and left (p=0.269).  The most common position found for MF was in line with the second premolar, with no significant difference being found on the right (p=0.265) and left (p=0.435) sides. Sixty (11.9%) accessory mental foramens (AMF) were verified and there was no association between the occurrence of AMF and gender on the right (p=0.786) and left (p=0.748) sides. Male mandibles showed higher values of MF-IMM and MF-IAP than females on both sides. The MF-MP values were similar between the two sexes on the right and left sides. Conclusion: It is concluded that there was no correlation between the morphometric variables of MF and gender

Lung structural and functional impairments in young children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed following newborn screening - A nationwide observational study.

BACKGROUND Non-invasive and sensitive clinical endpoints are needed to monitor onset and progression of early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We compared lung clearance index (LCI), FEV1, functional and structural lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in Swiss children with CF diagnosed following newborn screening. METHODS Lung function (LCI, FEV1) and unsedated functional and structural lung MRI was performed in 79 clinically stable children with CF (3 - 8 years) and 75 age-matched healthy controls. Clinical information was collected throughout childhood. RESULTS LCI, ventilation and perfusion defects, and structural MRI scores were significantly higher in children with CF compared with controls, but FEV1 was not different between groups. Lung MRI outcomes correlated significantly with LCI (morphology score (r = 0.56, p < 0.001); ventilation defects (r = 0.43, p = 0.001); perfusion defects (r = 0.64, p < 0.001), but not with FEV1. Lung MRI outcomes were more sensitive to detect impairments in children with CF (abnormal ventilation and perfusion outcomes in 47 %, morphology score in 30 %) compared with lung function (abnormal LCI in 21 % and FEV1 in 4.8 %). Pulmonary exacerbations, respiratory hospitalizations, and increase in patient-reported cough was associated with higher LCI and higher structural and functional MRI outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The LCI and lung MRI outcomes non-invasively detect even mild early lung disease in young children with CF diagnosed following newborn screening. Pulmonary exacerbations and early respiratory symptoms were risk factors for structural and functional impairment in childhood

ANÁLISE DA COMPOSIÇÃO QUÍMICA EM GRÃOS DE POPULAÇÕES LOCAIS DE MILHO UTILIZADOS NA MERENDA ESCOLAR

O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a composição química de grãos de populaçõeslocais de milho utilizados na alimentação humana. Foram conduzidos quatro ensaiosem três municípios de Santa Catarina. Foram avaliados 12 tratamentos emdelineamento de blocos casualizados, com três repetições. Foram analisadas asvariáveis produtividade de carotenóides e os teores de carboidratos, lipídeos eproteínas. Observou-se que há variabilidade entre as populações analisadas emtodas as variáveis. Há populações locais com constituintes químicos emconcentração tão elevada quanto as testemunhas. Algumas variedades locaispodem ser utilizadas na merenda escolar sem comprometer a qualidade nutricionaldos alimentos

Developing Global Maps of the Dominant Anopheles Vectors of Human Malaria

Simon Hay and colleagues describe how the Malaria Atlas Project has collated anopheline occurrence data to map the geographic distributions of the dominant mosquito vectors of human malaria

Influence of Diameter and Cyclic Mechanical Stimulation on the Beating Frequency of Myocardial Cell-Laden Fibers

Atrioventricular block (AVB) is a severe disease for pediatric patients. The repetitive operations needed in the case of the pacemaker implantation to maintain the electrical signal at the atrioventricular node (AVN) affect the patient’s life quality. In this study, we present a method of biofabrication of multi-cell-laden cylindrical fibrin-based fibers that can restore the electrical signal at the AVN. We used human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) cultivated either statically or dynamically to mimic the native AVN. We investigated the influence of cell composition, construct diameter and cyclic stretch on the function of the fibrin hydrogels in vitro. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed the maturity of the iPSC-CMs in the constructs through the expression of sarcomeric alpha actinin (SAA) and electrical coupling through Connexin 43 (Cx43) signal. Simultaneously, the beating frequency of the fibrin hydrogels was higher and easy to maintain whereas the concentration of iPSC-CMs was higher compared with the other types of cylindrical constructs. In total, our study highlights that the combination of fibrin with the cell mixture and geometry is offering a feasible biofabrication method for tissue engineering approaches for the treatment of AVB

3D-Printed Bioreactor with Integrated Impedance Spectroscopy for Cell Barrier Monitoring

Cell culture experiments often suffer from limited commercial availability of laboratory-scale bioreactors, which allow experiments to be conducted under flow conditions and additional online monitoring techniques. A novel 3D-printed bioreactor with a homogeneously distributed flow field enabling epithelial cell culture experiments and online barrier monitoring by integrated electrodes through electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is presented. Transparent and conductive indium tin oxide glass as current-injecting electrodes allows direct visualization of the cells, while measuring EIS simultaneously. The bioreactor's design considers the importance of a homogeneous electric field by placing the voltage pick-up electrodes in the electrical field. The device's functionality is demonstrated by the cultivation of the epithelial cell line Caco-2 under continuous flow and monitoring of the cell layer by online EIS. The collected EIS data were fitted by an equivalent electric circuit, resulting in the cell layer's resistance and capacitance. This data is used to monitor the cell layer's reaction to ethylene glycol-bis-(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid and forskolin. These two model substances show the power of impedance spectroscopy as a non-invasive way to characterize cell barriers. In addition, the bioreactor design is available as a print-ready file in the Appendix, enabling its use for other scientific institutions

Universidade como coping para lidar com o trabalho na assistência do mestrando enfermeiro University as coping for dealing with care work of nursing Master's students

OBJETIVO: Analisar a relação entre os principais indícios de estresse, coping e estressores em mestrandos enfermeiros e o processo de elaboração da dissertação com sua inserção profissional. PROCEDIMENTOS METODOLÓGICOS: Pesquisa exploratória qualitativa de análise temática utilizando entrevistas individuais. A amostra de conveniência consistiu de 18 mestrandos e seis orientadores de uma universidade do Estado de São Paulo, em 2004. ANÁLISE DOS RESULTADOS: Apesar de o curso apresentar momentos estressantes, os mestrandos consideravam o estudo como oportunidade de abandonar a assistência para vir a lecionar. O aspecto mais prazeroso da pós-graduação foi dispor de um ambiente de reflexão das questões profissionais, reforçando a visão do mestrado como fuga e busca de suporte. O mestrado era visto pelo enfermeiro como fórum de legitimação do saber para conquistar o reconhecimento profissional não encontrado na assistência, onde se sentia desprestigiado, emergindo possivelmente deste contexto sua necessidade de "fugir" do hospital. CONCLUSÕES: Para os mestrandos de enfermagem o mestrado era menos estressante que suas atividades profissionais, consistindo em coping de fuga e busca de suporte para lidar com a prática assistencial.<br>OBJECTIVE: To assess the main signs of stress, coping and stressors of nursing Master's students, and the process of writing their dissertation with professional insertion. METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES: A explorative qualitative research of thematic analysis was conducted using individual interviews. The convenience sample comprised 18 Master's students and six tutors of a university in the State of São Paulo, in 2004. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS: Although the course was stressful at times, Master's students considered the study as an opportunity to leave care and start teaching. The most satisfying aspect of the post graduation course was to be in an environment where professional issues were reflected upon reinforcing the view of Master degree as an escape and a search for support. The Master's degree was seen by nurses as the legitimization of knowledge to be professionally recognized. That does not occur in care, where they feel neglected, and probably from this context there is this need of "escaping" from the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: For nursing Master's students, the Master's course was less stressful than their professional activities, and it was a way of coping, escaping, and looking for support to deal with care