Cell‐ and Gene‐Based Therapeutic Strategies for Periodontal Regenerative Medicine

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142086/1/jper1223.pd

Phenomenology of Dark Matter from A4 Flavor Symmetry

We investigate a model in which Dark Matter is stabilized by means of a Z2 parity that results from the same non-abelian discrete flavor symmetry which accounts for the observed pattern of neutrino mixing. In our A4 example the standard model is extended by three extra Higgs doublets and the Z2 parity emerges as a remnant of the spontaneous breaking of A4 after electroweak symmetry breaking. We perform an analysis of the parameter space of the model consistent with electroweak precision tests, collider searches and perturbativity. We determine the regions compatible with the observed relic dark matter density and we present prospects for detection in direct as well as indirect Dark Matter search experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures.v2: minor modifications, matches version accepted for publication in JHE

The diagnostic accuracy of pharmacological stress echocardiography for the assessment of coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines state that "dobutamine stress echo has substantially higher sensitivity than vasodilator stress echo for detection of coronary artery stenosis" while the European Society of Cardiology guidelines and the European Association of Echocardiography recommendations conclude that "the two tests have very similar applications". Who is right?</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dobutamine versus dipyridamole stress echocardiography through an evidence-based approach.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From PubMed search, we identified all papers with coronary angiographic verification and head-to-head comparison of dobutamine stress echo (40 mcg/kg/min ± atropine) versus dipyridamole stress echo performed with state-of-the art protocols (either 0.84 mg/kg in 10' plus atropine, or 0.84 mg/kg in 6' without atropine). A total of 5 papers have been found. Pooled weight meta-analysis was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>the 5 analyzed papers recruited 435 patients, 299 with and 136 without angiographically assessed coronary artery disease (quantitatively assessed stenosis > 50%). Dipyridamole and dobutamine showed similar accuracy (87%, 95% confidence intervals, CI, 83–90, vs. 84%, CI, 80–88, p = 0.48), sensitivity (85%, CI 80–89, vs. 86%, CI 78–91, p = 0.81) and specificity (89%, CI 82–94 vs. 86%, CI 75–89, p = 0.15).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>When state-of-the art protocols are considered, dipyridamole and dobutamine stress echo have similar accuracy, specificity and – most importantly – sensitivity for detection of CAD. European recommendations concluding that "<it>dobutamine and vasodilators (at appropriately high doses) are equally potent ischemic stressors for inducing wall motion abnormalities in presence of a critical coronary artery stenosis</it>" are evidence-based.</p

6-N,N-dimethylamino-2,3-naphthalimide: A new environment-sensitive fluorescent probe in delta- and mu-selective opioid peptides

A new environment-sensitive fluorophore, 6-N,N-(dimethylamino)-2,3-naphthalimide (6DMN) was introduced in the ä-selective opioid peptide agonist H-Dmt-Tic-Glu-NH2 and in the í-selective opioid peptide agonist endomorphin-2 (H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-NH2). Environment-sensitive fluorophores are a special class of chromophores that generally exhibit a low quantum yield in aqueous solution but become highly fluorescent in nonpolar solvents or when bound to hydrophobic sites in proteins or membranes. New fluorescent ä-selective irreversible antagonists (H-Dmt-Tic-Glu-NH-(CH2)5-CO-Dap(6DMN)-NH2 (1) and H-Dmt-Tic- Glu-Dap(6DMN)-NH2 (2)) were identified as potential fluorescent probes showing good properties for use in studies of distribution and internalization of ä receptors by confocal laser scanning microscopy

The assessment of need for bereavement follow-up in palliative and hospice care.

This paper describes a postal survey of palliative care services and teams which were identified in the 1992 Directory of Hospice Services in the UK and Ireland. Its aims were to investigate how units assess the need for bereavement follow-up, and to determine the nature and extent of services provided for bereaved adults. We sent out 397 questionnaires, of which 187 were returned, a response rate of 47%. Results indicate that 156 respondents (84%) provided follow-up and a further 13 (7%) were planning bereavement services. Only 48 (25%) units undertook formal standardized risk assessment procedures to allocate appropriate services; in 41 units (85%) this was done by a nurse. Of the remaining 125 units, 58 (46%) reported basing their decisions on clinical impressions. Content analysis of the formal assessment instruments revealed 39 subcategories, which were broadly grouped into three areas: circumstantial factors at or near to the time of death, personal factors and social factors. Recommendations are made for further study

More Nature in the City

According to projects and practices that the Italian botanists and ecologists are carrying out for bringing \u201cmore nature in the city\u201d, new insights for a factual integration between ecological perspectives and more consolidated aesthetic and agronomic approaches to the sustainable planning and management of urban green areas are provided