Relationship between oral Kaposi ?s sarcoma and HAART : Contribution of two case reports

Two HIV infected patients not receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment (HAART) presented with epidemic Kaposi?s sarcoma of the oral cavity. One patient initially refused HAART, but when the lesion became large enough to be noticeable he agreed to HAART associated with excision of the intraoral lesion by CO2 laser. The other patient developed KS and progressed to AIDS at two years after ceasing HAART due to adverse effects; he was referred to hospital for renewed administration of HAART. In both cases, the lesions observed in the oral cavity were the first clinical manifestation of AIDS. These reports underline the close relationship between the use of HAART and the control of KS lesions, highlighting the important role of the dentist in the identification and early diagnosis of these oral lesions

High resolution image in bone biology II : Review of the literature

Bone microstructure has usually been assessed by obtaining samples invasively and analyzing them with conventional histomorphometric methods. Improvements in high-resolution image acquisition systems have enabled non-invasive assessment of bone morphology and a more precise 3-D evaluation by means of ?virtual biopsies?, permitting bone assessment in regeneration or remodeling processes. Among other applications, this imaging technique can be used for the ultrastructural analysis of bone and for studies of regeneration techniques, biomechanics in bone physiotherapy, and periimplant bone healing. This review describes the different applications of high-resolution imaging techniques in bone biology and the morphometric results obtained with these images in mechanobiology in general and maxillary bone in particular

High resolution image in bone biology I : review of the literature

Bone microstructure has usually been assessed by obtaining samples invasively and analyzing them with conventional histomorphometric methods. Improvements in high-resolution image acquisition systems have enabled non-invasive assessment of bone morphology and a more precise 3-D evaluation by means of ?virtual biopsies?, permitting bone assessment in regeneration or remodeling processes. This review describes the characteristics and limitations of bone assessment using different high-resolution image systems (synchrotron-radiation computed tomography, micro-computed tomography, acoustic scanning microscope; micro-magnetic resonance imaging). Morphometric variables that can be obtained from these images are reported and compared with conventional histomorphometric variables

On-site forest fire smoke detection by low-power autonomous vision sensor

Early detection plays a crucial role to prevent forest fires from spreading. Wireless vision sensor networks deployed throughout high-risk areas can perform fine-grained surveillance and thereby very early detection and precise location of forest fires. One of the fundamental requirements that need to be met at the network nodes is reliable low-power on-site image processing. It greatly simplifies the communication infrastructure of the network as only alarm signals instead of complete images are transmitted, anticipating thus a very competitive cost. As a first approximation to fulfill such a requirement, this paper reports the results achieved from field tests carried out in collaboration with the Andalusian Fire-Fighting Service (INFOCA). Two controlled burns of forest debris were realized (www.youtube.com/user/vmoteProject). Smoke was successfully detected on-site by the EyeRISTM v1.2, a general-purpose autonomous vision system, built by AnaFocus Ltd., in which a vision algorithm was programmed. No false alarm was triggered despite the significant motion other than smoke present in the scene. Finally, as a further step, we describe the preliminary laboratory results obtained from a prototype vision chip which implements, at very low energy cost, some image processing primitives oriented to environmental monitoring.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación 2006-TIC-2352, TEC2009-1181

Toxicological and therapeutic evaluation of the algae Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae) in rodents

Macrocystis pyrifera is a giant brown seaweed with high nutritional content, used as a dietary supplement in some farm animals. It contains fucoidan which has a pharmacological effect on lipids and glucose metabolism. Some brown seaweeds can bioaccumulate toxic elements in their cell wall, representing a problem if toxicity tests that guarantee the safety of their consumption are not done. M. pyrifera, does not present toxicological studies that guarantee its safety. This work aimed to perform the acute and subchronic toxicological evaluation of M. pyrifera in rodents as well as to determine its possible therapeutic effect. Fronds of M. pyrifera were collected in Baja California Sur, Mexico, for drying and obtaining algae flour. The acute toxicity test LD50 was performed in C57BL / 6 male mice (25 ± 3 g) for 7 days, finding an LD50 greater than 10 g kg-1. Subchronic toxicity was determined for 121 days in adult male Sprague Dawley rats (98 ± 2 g), during which the experimental animals showed no signs of toxicity, or changes in the hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters of the organs. The reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation or glutathione ratio were not different from the control group. A therapeutic effect on the regulation of body weight and a hypolipidemic effect (triacylglycerides: 82.27 ± 5.55 mg dl-1, cholesterol: 98.61 ± 6.48 mg dl-1) were found. It is concluded that, under the conditions in which this study was developed, the consumption of M. pyrifera as a functional ingredient is safe

Decarbonization of Distribution Transformers Based on Current Reduction: Economic and Environmental Impacts

[EN] Well-known industrial practice efficiency improvement techniques, such as reactive compensation, load balancing, and harmonic filtering, are used in this paper to reduce energy losses in distribution transformers, and therefore, to decrease carbon dioxide emissions and economic costs in the operation of these transformers. Load balancing is carried out by monitoring the values of the angles of the active and reactive components of the vector unbalanced power. Likewise, the application of Order 3/2020 of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission is described, in detail, for the calculation of the economic costs derived from the transformer energy losses caused by the load currents and the penalties due to transformer energy deliveries with capacitive power factors. Finally, all these improvement techniques are applied to determine savings in carbon dioxide emissions and costs on the electricity bill of an actual 1000 kVA distribution transformer that supplies a commercial and night-entertainment area. The results of this application case reveal that cost reductions due to energy loss savings are modest, but the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and the savings in penalties for capacitive reactive supplies are significant.This research was funded by Generalitat Valenciana (grant number GV/2021/149) and the H2020 project SMEmPower (grant number 847132). The APC was funded by Generalitat Valenciana.León-Martínez, V.; Andrada-Monrós, C.; Molina-Cañamero, L.; Cano-Martinez, J.; Peñalvo-López, E. (2021). Decarbonization of Distribution Transformers Based on Current Reduction: Economic and Environmental Impacts. Energies. 14(21):1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14217207S122142

Analysis of new diagnostic methods in suspicious lesions of the oral mucosa

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse publications related to examination techniques that might improve the visualisation of suspicious lesions of the oral mucosa (ViziLite® system and VELscope® system) or that might facilitate the cytological identification of suspicious lesions (OralCDx®).Methods: A literature search was performed, using the PubMed database and the key words “brush biopsy”, “OralCDx”, “ViziLite” and “Velscope”, limiting the search to papers in English or Spanish published from 2002 to 2008.Results: According to the results of studies identified, the ViziLite® system has a sensitivity of 100% and specificity ranging from 0-14.2%, the VELscope® system has a sensitivity of 98-100% and specificity of 94-100% and the Oral CDx® system has a sensitivity of 71.4-100% and specificity of 32-100%.Conclusion: Clinical examination and histopathological confirmation with biopsy remain the gold standard for the detection of oral cancer. More randomised controlled studies are needed to confirm the positive cost-benefit relationship and the true usefulness of these “new diagnostic methods” in oral mucosal pathology

Experimental Infection and Detection of Necrotizing Hepatopancreatitis Bacterium in the American Lobster Homarus americanus

Necrotizing hepatopancreatitis bacterium (NHPB) is an obligated intracellular bacteria causing severe hepatopancreatic damages and mass mortalities in penaeid shrimp. The worldwide distribution of penaeid shrimp as alien species threatens the life cycle of other crustacean species. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the possibility of experimentally infecting the American lobster (Homarus americanus) with NHPB extracted from shrimp hepatopancreas. Homogenates from infected shrimp were fed by force to lobsters. Other group of lobsters was fed with homogenates of NHPB-free hepatopancreas. After the 15th day from initial inoculation, the presence of NHPB was detected by polymerase chain reaction in feces and hepatopancreas from lobsters inoculated with infected homogenates. Necrotized spots were observed in the surface of lobster hepatopancreas. In contrast, lobsters fed on NHPB-free homogenates resulted negative for NHPB. Evidence suggests the plasticity of NHPB which can infect crustacean from different species and inhabiting diverse latitudes. Considering the results, the American lobster could be a good candidate to maintain available NHPB in vivo

Evaluación de 80 implantes, sometidos a carga inmediata en desdentados inferiores tras un seguimiento de dos años

Objetivo: Analizar el comportamiento tanto clínico como radiológico de ochentas implantes con una nueva superficie tratada mediante una disolución de ácido sulfúrico y fluorhídrico con posterior tratamiento térmico, que han sido sometidos a carga inmediata en pacientes rehabilitados con sobredentaduras inferiores. Diseño del artículo: Estudio observacional, prospectivo en 20 pacientes rehabilitados con sobredentaduras inferiores, soportadas sobre cuatro implantes de 13 milímetros de longitud. Todos los pacientes fueron planificados e incluídos tras el consentimiento, anamnesis, exploración clínica y estudio radiográfico y mediante montaje clínico previo de la prótesis inferior. Resultados: Durante los dos años de seguimiento, se ha obervado que el acúmulo de placa y cálculo no ha sido importante, oscilando los índices (Silness y Löe) entre 0 y 1. El sondaje periodontal, ha sido favorable no encontrando pacientes que superasen 2 milímetros. Los controles radiográficos mostraron a lo largo del seguimiento ausencia de fracaso implantológico. Las pérdidas óseas cervicales, durante el primer año, no existieron en un alto porcentaje (65%), mientras que en un 10% se produjo la reabsorción de la mitad cervical y en el 35% restante sobre las ¾ partes cervicales. El comportamiento durante el segundo año fue compatible a los patrones estándares, observándose pérdidas que oscilaron entre 0,5 y 1,5 milímetros. Conclusiones: La rehabilitación mediante sobredentaduras inferiores, debiera contemplarse como una indicación prioritaria, planteándose la sustitución de los tratamientos implantológicos con períodos de reposo convencionales y/o precoces.Aim: An analysis is made of the clinical and radiological behavior of 80 implants with a new surface subjected to etching with a sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid solution followed by thermal treatment, and subjected to immediate loading in patients with lower overdentures. Study design: A prospective observational study was made of 20 patients with lower overdentures supported by four implants measuring 13 mm in length. All patients were included after the obtainment of informed consent, anamnesis, clinical examination and radiological study, with prior clinical elaboration of the lower dentures. Results: Over two years of follow-up, no important plaque or tartar accumulation was observed (with Silness and Löe indexes of 0-1). Periodontal probing proved favorable, with no pocket depths of over 2 mm in any case. The radiological controls showed no implant failures during follow-up. No cervical bone loss was recorded in the first year in a large proportion of cases (65%), while reabsorption of the cervical half was observed in 10%, and of three-quarters of the cervical portion in the remaining 35%. Performance in the second year was compatible with the standard references ' with losses of between 0.5-1.5 mm. Conclusions: Rehabilitation with lower overdentures should be regarded as a priority indication, and implantological treatment substitution by conventional and/or early resting periods should be considered

Torque de desinserción y propiedades fisico-químicas de implantes dentales grabados con ácidos fluorhídrico y nítrico: estudio experimental en perros Beagle

Objetivo: Estudiar la composición, características superficiales y respuesta al torque de desinserción de una superficie implantaria tratada inicialmente con ácido fluorhídrico y posterior pasivado con ácidos fluorhídrico y nítrico. Diseño del estudio: En una primera fase, se seleccionaron 12 implantes en los que se estudiaron las características fisico-químicas mediante mediciones de energía dispersa de rayos X (EDS), microscopio electrónico de barrido y análisis de XPS (espectrometría de fotoelectrones). Asimismo, se colocaron 24 implantes 'doce de 8 mm y doce de 10 mm de longitud-, en seis perros beagle, en los que tras un período de reposo, se procedió a la retirada de 12 implantes a las seis semanas y los 12 restantes a las doce semanas, mediante un calibrador de torque Gauge TonichiR modelo BGT150CN-S -con un rango de registro de fuerza de 0 a 150 Ncm. Resultados: El análisis de la composición química superficial mediante EDS sólo mostró la presencia de titanio en las superficies grabadas. En el análisis mediante XPS, al igual que sucede con las superficies de otros implantes dentales, aparecieron trazas de otros elementos presentes en la superficie, fundamentalmente de carbono. La morfología de la superficie tras el doble grabado con ácido, permitió observar la rugosidad creada por el ataque ácido, con una morfología bastante homogénea. Los valores de rugosidad obtenidos fueron superiores al micrómetro. Los valores medios encontrados para el torque de desinserción, a las seis semanas, fueron de 79,7 Ncm para los implantes de 8 mm de longitud y 115 Ncm para los implantes de 10 mm. A las doce semanas, estos valores incrementaron hasta 101,2 Ncm para los implantes de 8 mm y 139,7 Ncm para los implantes de 10 mm de longitud. Conclusiones: El grabado con ácido fluorhídrico y nítrico, posee características superficiales óptimas y comparables al de otras superficies. Los valores de torque de desinserción abren la posibilidad para su aplicación en clínica humana para procedimientos de carga precoz o inmediata.Objective: To study the composition, surface characteristics and response to removal torque of an implant surface subjected to hydrofluoric acid etching and posterior passivating with hydrofluoric and nitric acid. Study design: Twelve implants were initially selected and their physico-chemical characteristics were evaluated by means of energy-dispersive X-rays (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, 24 implants ' 12 measuring 8 mm and 12 measuring 10 mm in length ' were implanted in 6 Beagle dogs. Twelve implants were removed after a recovery period of 6 weeks, followed by removal of the remaining 12 implants after 12 Medeweeks, using a torque calibrator (Gauge Tonichi® model BGT150CN-S) with a force registry range of 0-150 Ncm. Results: EDS analysis of the surface chemical composition only revealed the presence of titanium in the etched surfaces. In the same way as with the surfaces of other dental implants, XPS analysis revealed traces of other elements present in the surface, fundamentally carbon. Following dual acid etching, the surface showed the roughness resulting from acid action, with a morphology that proved to be quite homogeneous. The roughness values obtained exceeded 1 ìm. The mean removal torque values after 6 weeks were 79.7 Ncm for the 8 mm implants and 115 Ncm for the 10 mm implants. After 12 weeks, these values increased to 101.2 Ncm and 139.7 Ncm, respectively. Conclusions: Hydrofluoric and nitric acid etching affords optimum surface characteristics comparable to those of other surfaces. The recorded removal torque values raise the possibility of human clinical application for early or immediate loading procedures