Morphometric analysis of treatment effects of the Balters bionator in growing Class II patients

Objective: To investigate the effects of the standard (Class II) Balters bionator in growing patients with Class II malocclusion with mandibular retrusion by using morphometrics (thin-plate spline [TPS] analysis). Materials and Methods: Thirty-one Class II patients (17 male and 14 female) were treated with the Balters bionator (bionator group). Mean age at the start of treatment (T0) was 10.3 years, while it was 13 years at the end of treatment (T1). Mean treatment time was 2 years and 2 months. The control group consisted of 22 subjects (14 male and 8 female) with untreated Class II malocclusion. Mean age at T0 was 10.2 years, while it was 12.2 years at T1. The observation period lasted 2 years on average. TPS analysis evaluated statistical (permutation tests) differences in the craniofacial shape and size between the bionator and control groups. Results: Through TPS analysis (deformation grids) the bionator group showed significant shape changes in the mandible that could be described as a mandibular forward and downward displacement. The control group showed no statistically significant differences in the correction of Class II malocclusion. Conclusions: Bionator appliance is able to induce significant mandibular shape changes that lead to the correction of Class II dentoskeletal disharmony. © 2013 by The EH Angle Education and Research Foundation, Inc.

Involvement of the insular cortex in the consolidation and expression of contextual fear conditioning

The insular cortex (IC) has been reported to be involved in the modulation of memory and autonomic and defensive responses. However, there is conflicting evidence about the role of the IC in fear conditioning. To explore the IC involvement in both behavioral and autonomic responses induced by contextual fear conditioning, we evaluated the effects of the reversible inhibition of the IC neurotransmission through bilateral microinjections of the non-selective synapse blocker CoCl2 (1 mm) 10 min before or immediately after the conditioning session or 10 min before re-exposure to the aversive context. In the conditioning session, rats were exposed to a footshock chamber (context) and footshocks were used as the unconditioned stimulus. Forty-eight hours later, the animals were re-exposed to the aversive context for 10 min, but no shock was given. Behavioral (freezing) as well as cardiovascular (arterial pressure and heart rate increases) responses induced by re-exposure to the aversive context were analysed. It was observed that the local IC neurotransmission inhibition attenuated freezing and the mean arterial pressure and heart rate increase of the groups that received the CoCl2 either immediately after conditioning or 10 min before re-exposure to the aversive context, but not when the CoCl2 was injected before the conditioning session. These findings suggest the involvement of the IC in the consolidation and expression of contextual aversive memory. However, the IC does not seem to be essential for the acquisition of memory associated with aversive context. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance of race instrumentation system in curved root canals: a comprehensive analysis by three study methods

In this study, curved maxillary molar root canals were instrumented with RaCe rotary system to evaluate: 1. the occurrence of canal transportation using a radiographic platform; 2. the action of the instruments on the dentin walls, centering ability and canal enlargement by analysis of digital images; and the percentage of regular dentin surfaces and debris within the canal by histological analysis. Ten mesiobuccal roots of extracted human maxillary molars were embedded in acrylic resin and sectioned at the middle and apical thirds. Root canal shaping was performed using the RaCe rotary system at 250 rpm and 1 Ncm torque. Each instrument set was used five times according to a crowndown technique in the following sequence: 40/0.10, 35/0.08, 25/0.06, 25/0.04, 25/0.02 (working length - WL), 30/0.02 (WL) and 35/0.02 (WL). Each instrument was inserted until resistance was felt and then pulled back, followed by brushing movements towards all canal walls. Each specimen was assessed by three study methods: radiographic platform, digitized image assessment and histological analysis. The radiographic platform showed lack of apical transportation. No statistically significant difference (Wilcoxon test, p>0.05) was found between the middle and apical thirds regarding instrument action on dentin walls, centering ability, area of root canal enlargement, percentage of regular dentin surfaces and debris within the root canal. It may be concluded that RaCe system is a suitable method for the preparation of curved root canals, regarding the maintenance of root canal original path, action on dentin walls, canal enlargement and removal of debris from the root canal lumen.

Influence of the dopaminergic system, CREB, and transcription factor-B on cocaine neurotoxicity

Cocaine is a widely used drug and its abuse is associated with physical, psychiatric and social problems. Abnormalities in newborns have been demonstrated to be due to the toxic effects of cocaine during fetal development. The mechanism by which cocaine causes neurological damage is complex and involves interactions of the drug with several neurotransmitter systems, such as the increase of extracellular levels of dopamine and free radicals, and modulation of transcription factors. The aim of this review was to evaluate the importance of the dopaminergic system and the participation of inflammatory signaling in cocaine neurotoxicity. Our study showed that cocaine activates the transcription factors NF-κB and CREB, which regulate genes involved in cellular death. GBR 12909 (an inhibitor of dopamine reuptake), lidocaine (a local anesthetic), and dopamine did not activate NF-κB in the same way as cocaine. However, the attenuation of NF-κB activity after the pretreatment of the cells with SCH 23390, a D1 receptor antagonist, suggests that the activation of NF-κB by cocaine is, at least partially, due to activation of D1 receptors. NF-κB seems to have a protective role in these cells because its inhibition increased cellular death caused by cocaine. The increase in BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) mRNA can also be related to the protective role of both CREB and NF-κB transcription factors. An understanding of the mechanisms by which cocaine induces cell death in the brain will contribute to the development of new therapies for drug abusers, which can help to slow down the progress of degenerative processes.

Mathematical modeling and analysis of the flocculation process in chambers in series

In this study, the flocculation process in continuous systems with chambers in series was analyzed using the classical kinetic model of aggregation and break-up proposed by Argaman and Kaufman, which incorporates two main parameters: K (a) and K (b). Typical values for these parameters were used, i. e., K (a) = 3.68 x 10(-5)-1.83 x 10(-4) and K (b) = 1.83 x 10(-7)-2.30 x 10(-7) s(-1). The analysis consisted of performing simulations of system behavior under different operating conditions, including variations in the number of chambers used and the utilization of fixed or scaled velocity gradients in the units. The response variable analyzed in all simulations was the total retention time necessary to achieve a given flocculation efficiency, which was determined by means of conventional solution methods of nonlinear algebraic equations, corresponding to the material balances on the system. Values for the number of chambers ranging from 1 to 5, velocity gradients of 20-60 s(-1) and flocculation efficiencies of 50-90 % were adopted.

Intrinsic organization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the capuchin monkey

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Light and temperature induce variations in the density and ultrastructure of the secretory spaces in the diesel-tree (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.-Leguminosae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

On the morphology of the digestive system of two Moomorium ant species

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effects of neem oil (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) on the replacement of the midgut epithelium in the lacewing Ceraeochrysa claveri during larval-pupal metamorphosis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Using of a snap-through truss absorber in the attenuation of the sommerfeld effect

This work, considers a vibrating system, which consists of a snap-through truss absorber (STTA) coupled to an oscillator, under excitation of an DC motor, with an eccentricity and limited power, characterizing a non-ideal oscillator (NIO). It is aimed to use the absorber STTA, to establish the conditions, that we have the maxim attenuation of the jumpphenomenon (Sommerfeld Effect). Here, weare interestedin determining the conditions of the vibrating system, in which there arereduced amplitudes of the oscillator, when it passes through the region of resonance.

SEQUENTIAL SAMPLING AND MICROSATELLITES FOR EVALUATION OF THE GENETIC QUALITY IN CORN SEEDS LOTS

In the seed production system, genetic purity is one of the fundamental requirements for its commercialization. The present work had the goal of determined the sample size for genetic purity evaluation, in order to protect the seed consumer and the producer and to evaluate the sensitivity of microsatellite technique for discriminating hybrids from their respective relatives and for detecting mixtures when they are present in small amounts in the samples. For the sequential sampling, hybrid seeds were marked and mixed in with the seed lots, simulating the following levels of contamination: 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0%. After this, groups of 40 seeds were taken in sequence, up to a maximum of 400 seeds, with the objective of determining the quantity of seeds necessary to detect the percentage of mixture mentioned above. The sensitivity of microsatellite technique was evaluated by mixing different proportions of DNA from the hybrids with their respective seed lines. For the level of mixture was higher than 1:8 (1P1:8P2; 8P1:1P2), the sensitivity of the marker in detecting different proportions of the mixture varied according to the primer used. In terms of the sequential sampling, it was verified that in order to detect mixture levels higher than 1% within the seed lot- with a risk level for both the producer and the consumer of 0.05- the size of the necessary sample was smaller than the size needed for the fixed sample size. This also made it possible to reduce costs, making it possible to use microsatellites to certify the genetic purity of corn seeds lots.

Distribution of the root system of peach palm under drip irrigation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)