Pulpal neuropeptidergic fibers

A study was carried out on Met- and Leu-enkephalin, Gastrin / CCK-, SP-, CGRP-, NPY- immunoreactive fibers using paraffin sections of dental pulp taken from 8 apparently normal teeth (wisdom teeth or teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons).Within the limitations of the samples studied, dental pulp is characterized by the presence of sensory (Enkephalin-, Gastrin/CCK- immunoreactive) and pain fibers (SP-immunoreactive) and of fibers with a potent vasodilatory action (CGRP-immunoreactive) and by the absence of fibers with a vasoconstrictor action (NPY-immunoreactive).Notre étude a porté sur la mise en évidence sur des coupes après inclusion à la paraffine des fibres Met- et Leu-enképhaline, Gastrine / CCK-, SP-, CGRP- et NPY-immunoréactives, dans la pulpe de huit dents normales (dents de sagesse ou dents extraites pour des raisons orthodontiques).Dans la limite des échantillons utilisés, la pulpe dentaire est caractérisée par la présence de fibres sensitives (Enképhalin-, Gastrin/CCK-immunoréactives), des fibres de la douleur (SP-immunoréactives) et de fibre à action vasodilatatrice (CGRP-immunoréactives) et par l’absence de fibres à action vasoconstrictive (NPY-immunoréactives)

L\u2019ibridazione interspecifica: evidenze e limiti di un fenomeno ancora da comprendere

L\u2019interesse per l\u2019aspetto evoluzionistico dell\u2019ibridazione interspecifica \ue8 cresciuto negli ultimi anni, a giudicare dalla mole di articoli e review pubblicati sull\u2019argomento. Fili conduttori di questi lavori sono la considerazione dell\u2019ibridazione avvenuta e la conseguente ricerca delle evidenze che la dimostrano, siano esse morfologiche o genetiche: quasi mai l\u2019evento di ibridazione viene messo in discussione, neppure quando le specie coinvolte sono caratterizzate da sbilanciamenti aneuploidi molto forti. Generalmente, l\u2019ibridazione tra specie riconosciute come distinte \ue8 impedita dall\u2019innescarsi di meccanismi d\u2019isolamento pre e postzigotici. Questa incompatibilit\ue0 ci porta a mettere in discussione la facilit\ue0 con cui lo status di ibrido sia stato stabilito in questi lavori. Scopo della presente review \ue8 quello di investigare il trend del fenomeno nel tempo e i metodi utilizzati per analizzarlo. Prendendo come punto di partenza proprio l\u2019approccio teorico di Dobzhansky, abbiamo analizzato criticamente la letteratura disponibile al riguardo, privilegiando le indagini effettuate sui mammiferi e, in modo particolare, sui primati, data la constatazione che anche minime evidenze di aneuploidia sono non vitali nell\u2019uomo. Il database che ne abbiamo ricavato ci ha permesso di verificare come l\u2019interesse nei confronti dell\u2019ibridazione sia cresciuto nel tempo e quanto il numero di specie soggette ad ibridazione sia aumentato. Tuttavia, nonostante l\u2019evoluzione delle tecniche, alcuni lavori hanno privilegiato l\u2019approccio morfologico: discriminante, ma non sufficientemente risolutivo. Gli studi che, invece, hanno investigato l\u2019aspetto genetico si sono limitati a ricercare i riarrangiamenti cromosomici che caratterizzano l\u2019ibrido (supposto). La definizione di buona specie \ue8 spesso aleatoria, in quanto frutto di concetti che rappresentano categorie mentali. Non nascondendo che l\u2019introgressione possa essere considerata un valido meccanismo di speciazione, non crediamo, tuttavia, che esso possa manifestarsi cos\uec facilmente in specie caratterizzate da profonde differenze genomiche. Riteniamo che ulteriori indagini \u2013 in particolare, mediante approcci come l\u2019ibridazione in situ miranti al confronto di ampie aree cromosomiche di omologia - siano necessarie per approfondire le nostre conoscenze su un fenomeno ancora in gran parte da comprendere

Recognition and treatment of peri-implant mucositis: Do we have the right perception? A structured review

Peri-implant mucositis is a common inflammatory lesion of the soft tissues surrounding endosseous implants, with no loss of the supporting bone. Its prevention or early diagnosis are vital for dental implant success.The aim of this review was to investigate knowledge strengths and gaps in clinicians' perceptions of periimplant mucositis prevalence and evidence for successful treatment.A literature search for articles published until 2020, reporting on the prevalence of peri-implant mucositis and its treatment was performed in standard online databases. The inclusion criteria were as follows: studies in English; studies with an available abstract; studies on humans with at least 1 dental implant; and studies reporting on the prevalence and/or treatment of peri-implant mucositis. Sixty-five studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The included papers were analyzed to identify data on the prevalence and treatment of peri-implant mucositis. The prevalence statistics for peri-implant mucositis had wide ranges in both the patient-based (PB) analysis and the implant-based (IB) analysis; the possible reasons for these wide ranges are discussed. Treatment methods for peri-implant mucositis were analyzed individually and compared to the management of gingivitis.It was determined that the currently available information on the prevalence rates and the standardized therapeutic protocols for peri-implant mucositis are insufficient. Since the mean gingivitis and peri-implant mucositis prevalence rates in the PB analysis were similar, it is possible that peri-implant mucositis is underestimated due to variables related to implant rehabilitation itself

A bolometric measurement of the antineutrino mass

High statistics calorimetric measurements of the beta spectrum of 187Re are being performed with arrays of silver perrhenate crystals operated at low temperature. After a modification of the experimental set-up, which allowed to substantially reduce the background of spurious counts and therefore to increase the sensitivity on the electron antineutrino mass, a new measurement with 10 silver perrhenate microbolometers is running since July 2002. The crystals have masses between 250 and 350 micrograms and their average FWHM energy resolution, constantly monitored by means of fluorescence X-rays, is of 28.3 eV at the beta end-point. The Kurie plot collected during 4485 hours x mg effective running time has an end-point energy of 2466.1 +/- 0.8{stat} +/- 1.5 {syst} eV, while the half lifetime of the decay is found to be 43.2 +/- 0.2{stat} +/- 0.1{syst} Gy. These values are the most precise obtained so far for 187Re. From the fit of the Kurie plot we can deduce a value for the squared electron antineutrino mass m(nu)^2 of 147 +/- 237{stat} +/- 90{syst} eV^2. The corresponding 90% C.L. upper limit for m(nu) is 21.7 eV.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Coulomb excitation of 73Ga

The B(E2; Ii -> If) values for transitions in 71Ga and 73Ga were deduced from a Coulomb excitation experiment at the safe energy of 2.95 MeV/nucleon using post-accelerated beams of 71,73Ga at the REX-ISOLDE on-line isotope mass separator facility. The emitted gamma rays were detected by the MINIBALL-detector array and B(E2; Ii->If) values were obtained from the yields normalized to the known strength of the 2+ -> 0+ transition in the 120Sn target. The comparison of these new results with the data of less neutron-rich gallium isotopes shows a shift of the E2 collectivity towards lower excitation energy when adding neutrons beyond N = 40. This supports conclusions from previous studies of the gallium isotopes which indicated a structural change in this isotopical chain between N = 40 and N = 42. Combined with recent measurements from collinear laser spectroscopy showing a 1/2- spin and parity for the ground state, the extracted results revealed evidence for a 1/2-; 3/2- doublet near the ground state in 73 31Ga42 differing by at most 0.8 keV in energy

Dendritic Cells Transduced to Express Interleukin 4 Reduce Diabetes Onset in Both Normoglycemic and Prediabetic Nonobese Diabetic Mice

Background: We and others have previously demonstrated that treatment with bone marrow derived DC genetically modified to express IL-4 reduce disease pathology in mouse models of collagen-induced arthritis and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Moreover, treatment of normoglycemic NOD mice with bone marrow derived DC, genetically modified to express interleukin 4 (IL-4), reduces the onset of hyperglycemia in a significant number of animals. However, the mechanism(s) through which DC expressing IL-4 function to prevent autoimmune diabetes and whether this treatment can reverse disease in pre-diabetic NOD mice are unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings: DC were generated from the bone marrow of NOD mice and transduced with adenoviral vectors encoding soluble murine IL-4 (DC/sIL-4), a membrane-bound IL-4 construct, or empty vector control. Female NOD mice were segregated into normoglycemic (<150mg/dL) and prediabetic groups (between 150 and 250 mg/dL) on the basis of blood glucose measurements, and randomized for adoptive transfer of 106 DC via a single i.v. injection. A single injection of DC/sIL-4, when administered to normoglycemic 12-week old NOD mice, significantly reduced the number of mice that developed diabetes. Furthermore, DC/sIL-4, but not control DC, decreased the number of mice progressing to diabetes when given to prediabetic NOD mice 12-16 weeks of age. DC/sIL-4 treatment also significantly reduced islet mononuclear infiltration and increased the expression of FoxP3 in the pancreatic lymph nodes of a subset of treated animals. Furthermore, DC/sIL-4 treatment altered the antigen-specific Th2:Th1 cytokine profiles as determined by ELISPOT of splenocytes in treated animals. Conclusions: Adoptive transfer of DC transduced to express IL-4 into both normoglycemic and prediabetic NOD mice is an effective treatment for T1D. © 2010 Ruffner, Robbins