The combined effects of salivas and occlusal indicators on occlusal contact forces

Background Some occlusal detection products are designed for use on dry teeth, but this is not always achieved. Others are suited for dry and wet applications. Objective The objective of this study is to assess the combined effects, on occlusal contact forces, of two previously studied affecting variables—occlusal detection products and saliva. Methods We used a full‐arch dentiform with three occlusal detection products (an articulating film, an articulation paper and T‐Scan) in combination with human (HS) and an artificial saliva. The maxillary arch assembly, weighing ~54 N (the maximum bite force), was lowered onto (occlusion) and lifted off (disclusion) of the mandibular arch through 10 cycles by a mechanical testing machine. The forces and moments acting on the mandibular arch were continuously recorded by a load cell that supported it. Results The maximum values of Flateral (the in‐occlusal plane component of the occlusal contact force) were analysed by occlusion/disclusion separately using one‐way ANOVA, with factor for group type to identify the significant effect of salivas on products, effect of products, effect of salivas with products, effect of human saliva. A difference in occlusion and/or in disclusion was considered different. Statistical differences (P < 0.0001) in Flateral were found in: dry product vs product + HS, dry product vs product + artificial saliva (with articulating film and T‐Scan) and HS vs product + HS (with articulation paper and T‐Scan). Conclusion All products were affected by the salivas, except articulation paper by artificial saliva

Hurricane Madness: Teaching, Learning And The Importance Of Flexibility In The Wake Of Disaster

The present study examines stress among college students (N=107) that were exposed to natural disasters at the start of the 2004 Fall Semester after Hurricane Charley and Frances battered Central Florida within three weeks of each other. The study also examines adjustments made by two faculty members during the semester in attempts to reduce student stress while maintaining high academic standards in the wake of disaster. Findings indicate that students experienced a substantial amount of stress as a result of the storms.&nbsp; Of the students surveyed 50 percent indicated they suffered lost wages or income, 65 percent sustained some damage to their residences, and 63 percent experienced moderate to extremely high levels of stress. Concerning the adjustments implemented by the instructors, 84 percent of the students agreed or strongly agreed that the academic quality of their education was not compromised. While educators must have well-designed and planned courses, when disaster strikes, it is imperative that they incorporate creative and flexible teaching methods and policies in their classrooms

Free and protein-conjugated polyamines in mouse epidermal cells. Effect of high calcium and retinoic acid.

We have investigated polyamine metabolism in primary cultures of mouse epidermal cells. These cells, which grow at low Ca2+ levels as a monolayer with characteristics of basal cells, terminally differentiate when the extracellular Ca2+ level is raised above 1 mM. The cellular levels of free polyamines were measured, and, after incubation of cell cultures with [3H]putrescine, the distribution of label in both acid-soluble and acid-insoluble cellular components was examined. Free polyamine levels were reduced in cells induced to differentiate. Treatment with retinoic acid, which prevents differentiation and causes increased proliferation, resulted in an increase in free putrescine. Upon adjustment of the calcium concentration to a level that induces differentiation, the enzyme transglutaminase was activated, and a concomitant increase in the level of both protein-bound mono- and bis-gamma-glutamyl derivatives of putrescine and spermidine was observed. Isolation of a material of apparent molecular weight about 6000 which contains only mono-gamma-glutamylpolyamines and the finding of both mono- and bis-gamma-glutamylpolyamines in the protein fraction containing cornified cell envelopes provided the basis for speculation on polyamines in envelope formation. Our data suggest that polyamines play a role during epidermal cell differentiation through transglutaminase-mediated post-translational modification

Student Perceptions Of Computer Hybrid Courses Across Three Disciplines: What Students Think About Hybrid Courses And What Type Of Delivery Format They Prefer

The present study examines student perceptions of computer hybrid courses across three primary disciplines: business, accounting, criminal justice/paralegal and those that identified themselves as belonging to other disciplines.  Students (n = 94) were asked to respond to and rate twelve specific areas related to hybrid courses in which they were enrolled during the fall semester of 2003 at a community college located in the southern region of the United States.  The courses consisted of required courses within each curriculum. Findings indicate that generally, course ratings were favorable; however, preference for enrolling in hybrid courses varied from discipline to discipline

Towards Vision-Based Smart Hospitals: A System for Tracking and Monitoring Hand Hygiene Compliance

One in twenty-five patients admitted to a hospital will suffer from a hospital acquired infection. If we can intelligently track healthcare staff, patients, and visitors, we can better understand the sources of such infections. We envision a smart hospital capable of increasing operational efficiency and improving patient care with less spending. In this paper, we propose a non-intrusive vision-based system for tracking people's activity in hospitals. We evaluate our method for the problem of measuring hand hygiene compliance. Empirically, our method outperforms existing solutions such as proximity-based techniques and covert in-person observational studies. We present intuitive, qualitative results that analyze human movement patterns and conduct spatial analytics which convey our method's interpretability. This work is a step towards a computer-vision based smart hospital and demonstrates promising results for reducing hospital acquired infections.Comment: Machine Learning for Healthcare Conference (MLHC

Effect of allyl isothiocyanate against Anisakis larvae during the anchovy marinating process.

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), is a natural compound found in plants belonging to the family Cruciferae and has strong antimicrobial activity and a biocidal activity against plants parasites. Anisakidosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of larval nematodes in raw, almost raw, and marinated and/or salted seafood dishes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of AITC against Anisakis larvae and to study its potential use during the marinating process. The effects of AITC against Anisakis larvae were tested in three experiment: in vitro with three liquid media, in semisolid media with a homogenate of anchovy muscle, and in a simulation of two kinds of anchovy fillets marinating processes. For all tests, the concentrations of AITC were 0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1%. Significant activity of AITC against Anisakis larvae was observed in liquid media, whereas in the semisolid media, AITC was effective only at higher concentrations. In anchovy fillets, prior treatment in phosphate buffer solution (1.5% NaCl, pH 6.8) with 0.1% AITC and then marination under standard conditions resulted in a high level of larval inactivation. AITC is a good candidate for further investigation as a biocidal agent against Anisakis larvae during the industrial marinating process

Inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion of B16-F10 melanoma cells by α-mangostin

In this study, we have evaluated the potential antineoplastic effects of α-mangostin (α-M), the most representative xanthone in Garcinia mangostana pericarp, on melanoma cell lines. This xanthone markedly inhibits the proliferation of high-metastatic B16-F10 melanoma cells. Furthermore, by deeply analyzing which steps in the metastatic process are influenced by xanthone it was observed that α-M strongly interferes with homotypic aggregation, adhesion, plasticity and invasion ability of B16-F10 cells, probably by the observed reduction of metalloproteinase-9 activity. The antiproliferative and antimetastatic properties of α-M have been established in human SK-MEL-28 and A375 melanoma cells. In order to identify pathways potentially involved in the antineoplastic properties of α-M, a comparative mass spectrometry proteomic approach was employed. These findings may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of α-M on melanoma