Characteristics and dimensions of the Schneiderian membrane and apical bone in maxillary molars referred for apical surgery: a comparative radiographic analysis using limited cone beam computed tomography

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the thickness and the anatomic characteristics of the Schneiderian membrane and cortical bone using limited cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scannning in patients referred for planning of apical surgery of maxillary molars.

Clinical characteristics and causes of pruritus in cats: a multicentre study on feline hypersensitivity-associated dermatoses

Hypersensitivity dermatitides (HD) are often suspected in cats. Cats with HD are reported to present with one or more of the following patterns: miliary dermatitis, eosinophilic dermatitis, self-induced symmetrical alopecia or head and/or neck excoriations. Previous reports on feline HD included small numbers of animals, took place in geographically restricted areas or did not compare these conditions with other causes of pruritus. The goal of the present study was to analyse 72 parameters covering signalment, clinical, laboratory and treatment characteristics from a large group of pruritic cats from different geographical areas. Of the 502 cats, the following diagnoses were made: flea HD (29% of cases), food HD (12%) nonflea/nonfood HD (20%) and other diseases in which pruritus was a feature (24%). Cats with signs consistent with a HD but which did not complete a food trial were not analysed further (15% of cases). Most cats with nonflea HD exhibited signs compatible with one or more of the four typical lesional patterns, but none of these patterns was found to be pathognomonic for any specific diagnosis. Food HD and nonflea/nonfood HD were found to be clinically undistinguishable. Young adult, purebred and female cats appeared predisposed to nonflea/nonfood HD. As many diagnoses presented with similar lesional patterns, a thorough clinical work-up is required for establishment of a specific diagnosis.

Intestinal microbes affect phenotypes and functions of invariant natural killer T cells in mice

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells undergo canonical, Vα14-Jα18 rearrangement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) in mice; this form of the TCR recognizes glycolipids presented by CD1d. iNKT cells mediate many different immune reactions. Their constitutive activated and memory phenotype and rapid initiation of effector functions after stimulation indicate previous antigen-specific stimulation. However, little is known about this process. We investigated whether symbiotic microbes can determine the activated phenotype and function of iNKT cells.

Milk flow-dependent vacuum loss in high-line milking systems: effects on milking characteristics and teat tissue condition

To study the effects of a milking system that partially compensates for milk flow-dependent vacuum loss compared with a standard (high-line) milking unit in a tie-stall barn, milk flow and vacuum patterns were recorded in 10 cows during machine milking with 2 milking systems in a crossover design for 7 d each. Before and after each treatment period postmilking teat condition was recorded by ultrasound cross-sectioning. Additionally, 2 methods to measure teat tissue condition were compared: longitudinal teat ultrasound cross-sectioning and teat tissue density measurements with the spring-loaded caliper (cutimeter method). The partial compensation of milk flow-dependent vacuum loss caused an elevation of the peak flow rate (4.74+/-0.08 vs. 4.29+/-0.07 kg/min) and a shorter duration of plateau (1.57+/-0.06 vs. 1.96+/-0.07 min) compared with the standard milking system. Total milk yield, duration of incline and decline of milk flow, average milk flow, time until peak flow rate, main milking time, and total milking time did not differ between treatments (overall means: 13.75+/-0.17 kg; 0.65+/-0.01 min; 2.88+/-0.09 min; 2.82+/-0.05 kg/min; 1.65+/-0.03 min; 5.23+/-0.09 min, and 5.30+/-0.10 min, respectively). The vacuum drop in the short milk tube during periods of high milk flow was less in the compensating vacuum than in the standard milking system (11+/-1.1 vs. 15+/-0.7 kPa). Teat measures as determined by ultrasound remained unchanged over the entire experimental period with both milking systems. Postmilking teat tissue measures including their recovery within 20 min after the end of milking show a correlation (0.85 and 0.71, respectively) between the methods used (ultrasound and cutimeter method). In conclusion, a more constant vacuum at the teat tip (within the short milk tube) during periods of high milk flow affected milk flow patterns, mainly increasing peak flow rate. However, the reduced vacuum loss did not increase the overall speed of milking. In addition, effects of higher vacuum stability on teat condition and udder health were not obvious.

A field study on characteristics and diversity of gene expression in the liver of dairy cows during the transition period

Metabolic and endocrine adaptations to support milk production during the transition period vary between individual cows. This variation between cows to adapt to lactation may have a genetic basis. The present field study was carried out to determine hepatic adaptations occurring from late pregnancy through early lactation by measuring mRNA abundance of candidate genes in dairy cows on-farm. Additionally, the objective was to observe the diversity in inter-individual variation for the candidate genes that may give indications where individual adaptations at a molecular level can be found. This study was carried out on-farm including 232 dairy cows (parity >3) from 64 farms in Switzerland. Blood and liver samples were collected on d 20+/-7 before parturition, on d 24+/-2, and on d 89+/-4 after parturition. Blood plasma was assayed for concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, albumin, protein, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, leptin, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine, and thyroxine. Liver samples were obtained at the same time points and were measured for mRNA abundance of 26 candidate genes encoding enzymes and nuclear receptors involved in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid beta-oxidation, fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, ketogenesis, citric acid cycle, cholesterol synthesis, and the urea cycle. The cows in the present study experienced a marked metabolic load in early lactation, as presented by changes in plasma metabolites and hormones, and responded accordingly with upregulation and downregulation of almost all candidate genes involved in metabolic processes in the liver. The observed inter-individual variation for the candidate genes, which was highest for acetyl-CoA-carboxylase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2, should be further investigated to unravel the regulation at molecular level for optimal adaptive performance in dairy cows.

Corrosion Characteristics And Mechanical Properties Of Aluminum Coatings Applied By The Cold Spray Process

Aluminum coatings were applied to 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 aluminum alloys via the Cold Spray process. The coatings were applied to substrateswith various surface preparation and Cold Spray carrier gas combinations. Some samples were coated with an additional sealant with and without a chromate conversion layer. An exhaustive corrosion analysis was then performed which utilized a number of long termand accelerated tests in order to characterize the corrosion protection of the coatings.

Secondary Collisions Revisited: Real-World Crash Characteristics and Relationship to Crash Test Criteria

Previous research conducted in the late 1980’s suggested that vehicle impacts following an initial barrier collision increase severe occupant injury risk. Now over twenty-five years old, the data used in the previous research is no longer representative of the currently installed barriers or US vehicle fleet. The purpose of this study is to provide a present-day assessment of secondary collisions and to determine if full-scale barrier crash testing criteria provide an indication of secondary collision risk for real-world barrier crashes. The analysis included 1,383 (596,331 weighted) real-world barrier midsection impacts selected from thirteen years (1997-2009) of in-depth crash data available through the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) / Crashworthiness Data System (CDS). For each suitable case, the scene diagram and available scene photographs were used to determine roadside and barrier specific variables not available in NASS/CDS. Binary logistic regression models were developed for second event occurrence and resulting driver injury. Barrier lateral stiffness, post-impact vehicle trajectory, vehicle type, and pre-impact tracking conditions were found to be statistically significant contributors toward secondary event occurrence. The presence of a second event was found to increase the likelihood of a serious driver injury by a factor of seven compared to cases with no second event present. Twenty-four full-scale crash test reports were obtained for common non-proprietary US barriers, and the risk of secondary collisions was determined using recommended evaluation criteria from NCHRP Report 350. It was found that the NCHRP Report 350 exit angle criterion alone was not sufficient to predict second collision occurrence for real-world barrier crashes.

Characteristics and determinants of restless legs syndrome in pregnancy: a prospective study

The aim of this cohort study was to prospectively assess frequency, characteristics, and determinants of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in pregnancy and its impact on sleep.

The Mediterranean climate: An overview of the main characteristics and issues

The Mediterranean Region has many morphologic, geographical, historical, and societal characteristics, which make its climate scientifically interesting. The concept of Mediterranean climate is characterized by mild wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers and occur on the west side of continents between about 30° and 40° latitude. However, the presence of a relatively large mass of water is unique to the actual Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean Sea is a marginal and semi-enclosed sea; it is located on the western side of a large continental area and is surrounded by Europe to the North, Africa to the South, and Asia to the East. The chapter discusses that the climate of the Mediterranean region is to a large extent forced by planetary scale patterns. The time and space behavior of the regional features associated with such large-scale forcing is complex. Orography and land–sea distribution play an important role establishing the climate at basin scale and its teleconnections with global patterns. Different levels of services of readiness to emergencies, technological, and economic resources are likely to result in very different adaptation capabilities to environmental changes and new problems. The different economic situations and demographic trends are likely to produce contrasts and conflicts in a condition of limited available resources and environmental stress.

Study design, baseline patient characteristics and intervention in a cross-cultural framework: results from the ADORE study

OBJECTIVE : To describe the methodology and to present the baseline findings of the Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe (ADORE) study, the primary objective of which is to describe the relationship between treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of children with ADHD in actual practice. METHODS : In this 2-year prospective observational study, data on diagnosis, prescribed treatment and outcomes of ADHD were collected at seven time points by paediatricians and child psychiatrists on 1,573 children recruited in 10 European countries. The data presented here from the 1,478 patients included in the analyses describe the baseline condition, initial treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of families with children with ADHD. RESULTS : Patients had a mean age of 9.0 years (SD 2.5) and 84% were male. Physicians diagnoses were made using DSM-IV (43 %), ICD-10 (32%) and both DSM-IV and ICD-10 (12 %). Mean age of awareness of a problem was 5.1 years, suggesting an average delay of approximately 4 years between awareness and diagnosis of ADHD. Baseline ADHD rating scale scores (physicianrated) indicated moderate to severe ADHD. Parent-rated SDQ scores were in agreement and suggested significant levels of co-existing problems. CGI-S, CGAS and CHIPCE scores also indicated significant impairment. Patients were offered the following treatments after the initial assessment: pharmacotherapy (25 %), psychotherapy (19 %), combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (25 %), other therapy (10 %) and no treatment (21 %). CONCLUSION : The ADORE study shows that ADHD is similarly recognised across 10 European countries and that the children are significantly impaired across a wide range of domains. In this respect, they resemble children described in previous ADHD samples.

Substance use disorder treatment programs in Switzerland and the USA: Program characteristics and 1-year outcomes

AIM: This study compared matched samples of substance use disorder (SUD) patients in Swiss and United States (US) residential treatment programs and examined the relationship of program characteristics to patients' substance use and psychosocial functioning at a 1-year follow-up. DESIGN AND SETTING: The study used a prospective, naturalistic design and a sample of 10 public programs in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and 15 US public treatment programs. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 358 male patients in Swiss programs were matched on age, marital status and education with 358 male patients in US programs. A total of 160 Swiss and 329 US patient care staff members also participated. MEASUREMENT: Patients completed comparable inventories at admission, discharge and 1-year follow-up to assess their substance use and psychological functioning and receipt of continuing care. Staff members reported on program characteristics and their beliefs about substance use. FINDINGS: Compared to Swiss patients, US patients had more severe substance use and psychological problems at intake and although they did not differ on abstinence and remission at follow-up, had somewhat poorer outcomes in other areas of functioning. Swiss programs were longer and included more individual treatment sessions; US programs included more group sessions and were more oriented toward a disease model of treatment. Overall, length of program, treatment intensity and 12-step orientation were associated with better 1-year outcomes for patients in both Swiss and US programs. CONCLUSIONS: The sample of Swiss and US programs studied here differed in patient and treatment characteristics; however, in general, there were comparable associations between program characteristics and patients' 1-year outcomes. These findings suggest that associations between treatment processes and patients' outcomes may generalize from one cultural context to another.

Resonance frequency analysis in relation to jawbone characteristics and during early healing of implant installation

OBJECTIVES: To monitor resonance frequency analysis (RFA) in relation to the jawbone characteristics and during the early phases of healing and incorporation of Straumann dental implants with an SLA surface. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 17 Straumann 4.1 mm implants (10 mm) and 7 Straumann 4.8 mm implants (10 mm) were installed and ISQ determined at baseline and after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 weeks. Central bone cores were analyzed from the 4.1 mm implants using micro CT for bone volume density (BVD) and bone trabecular connectivity (BTC). RESULTS: Pocket probing depths ranged from 2-4 mm and bleeding on probing from 5-20%. At baseline, BVD varied between 24% and 65% and BTC between 4.9 and 25.4 for the 4.1 mm implants. Baseline ISQ varied between 55 and 74 with a mean of 61.4. No significant correlations were found between BVD or BTC and ISQ Values. For the 4.8 mm diameter implants baseline ISQ values ranged from 57-70 with a mean of 63.3. Over the healing period ISQ values increased at 1 week and decreased after 2-3 weeks. After 4 weeks ISQ values, again increased slightly, no significant differences were noted over time. One implant (4.1 mm) lost stability at 3 weeks. Its ISQ value had dropped from 68 to 45. However the latter value was determined after the clinical diagnosis of instability. CONCLUSION: ISQ values of 57-70 represented homeostasis and implant stability. However no predictive value for loosing implant stability can be attributed to RFA since the decrease occurred after the fact.