Computer methods for automating preoperative dental implant planning: implant positioning and size assignment

The paper presents computer-aided methods that allocate a dental implant and suggest its size, during the pre-operative planning stage, in conformance with introduced optimization criteria and established clinical requirements. Based on computed tomography data of the jaw and prosthesis anatomy, single tooth cases are planned for the best-suited implant insertion at a user-defined region. An optimum implantation axis line is produced and cylindrical implants of various candidate sizes are then automatically positioned, while their occlusal end is leveled to bone ridge, and evaluated. Radial safety margins are used for the assessment of the implant safety distance from neighboring anatomical structures and bone quantity and quality are estimated and taken into consideration. A case study demonstrates the concept and allows for its discussion.     

A hybrid approach for movie recommendation

Collaborative and content-based filtering are the major methods in recommender systems that predict new items that users would find interesting. Each method has advantages and shortcomings of its own and is best applied in specific situations. Hybrid approaches use elements of both methods to improve performance and overcome shortcomings. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach based on content-based and collaborative filtering, implemented in MoRe, a movie recommendation system. We also provide empirical comparison of the hybrid approach to the base methods of collaborative and content-based filtering and draw useful conclusions upon their performance.     

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptor in hypospadias

Environmental oncology is a discipline concerned with studies of multi-aspect relationships between environment and living organisms exposed to the modifying influence of carcinogenic agents. It also deals with general biological regularities involved in neoplasm development as well as their prevention in different species including man, animals and plants. Various investigations conducted at the Laboratory and supported with Russian and foreign grants (1991-1996) are briefly discussed. Among them are biotesting environmental carcinogens (aminoanthraquinons, by-products of drinking water chlorination, development of new testing systems and objects of detection involved in identification of genotoxic substances (criteria for formation of short-term test batteries and evaluation of perspectives, methods and results), investigation of xenobiotic metabolic activation (enzyme imprinting in adult animals), search for anticarcinogens (classification of carcinogenesis inhibitors, development of testing systems for modifiers selection), and establishing environment-related regularities of tumor growth. Vistas in environmental oncology development are discussed.     

Cardiopulmonary interactions in healthy children and children after simple cardiac surgery: the effects of positive and negative pressure ventilation

On the day of the disaster, 641 victims were seen at St. Luke's International Hospital. Among those, five victims arrived with cardiopulmonary or respiratory arrest with marked miosis and extremely low serum cholinesterase values; two died and three recovered completely. In addition to these five critical patients, 106 patients, including four pregnant women, were hospitalized with symptoms of mild to moderate exposure. Other victims had only mild symptoms and were released after 6 hours of observation. Major signs and symptoms in victims were miosis, headache, dyspnea, nausea, ocular pain, blurred vision, vomiting, coughing, muscle weakness, and agitation. Almost all patients showed miosis and related symptoms such as headache, blurred vision, or visual darkness. Although these physical signs and symptoms disappeared within a few weeks, psychologic problems associated with posttraumatic stress disorder persisted longer. Also, secondary contamination of the house staff occurred, with some sort of physical abnormality in more than 20%.     

Solution structure of an rRNA methyltransferase (ErmAM) that confers macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin antibiotic resistance

Bone growth and remodeling are inhibited by severe burns in adult and pediatric patients, resulting in alterations in linear growth, bone mass, osteoporosis, and increased risk for pathologic fractures. This study of a mouse model of burn injury showed skeletal changes similar to those reported in patients with burn injuries. Baseline, control, sham, and burned mice were injected with fluorescent markers calcein and tetracycline for histomorphometric analysis. Total femur dry and ash weights and total calcium content were significantly lower 10 days after burn injury compared with sham and control animals. There also were decreases in the percentage of fluorochrome-labeled bone surfaces and bone formation rates in the burn-injured mice compared with control and sham mice; however, there were no differences in the mineral apposition rates. This model now provides an opportunity to examine cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to skeletal pathology in a well-defined burn injury model.     

Vasopressin analogue ({ddavp}) facilitates recall of narrative prose.

The effects of treatment with l-desamino-D-arginine vasopressin ({ddavp}) on memory in healthy adult human subjects were investigated. Each subject (males only) received 60 μg of {ddavp} intranasally and then heard six narrative passages of prose presented at differing rates of presentation. Proportion of recall was measured at high, medium, and low levels of importance of idea units within the passage. The results indicated that treatment with {ddavp} facilitated recall for both high and medium importance idea units. There was no interaction between treatment and either rate of presentation or level of verbal ability. These findings provide further evidence for the modest facilitation provided by acute administration of {ddavp} on human memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling Microbial Spoilage and Quality of Gilthead Seabream Fillets: Combined Effect of Osmotic Pretreatment,Modified Atmosphere Packaging,and Nisin on Shelf Life

ABSTRACT: The objective of the study was the kinetic modeling of the effect of storage temperature on the quality and shelf life of chilled fish, modified atmosphere-packed (MAP), and osmotically pretreated with the addition of nisin as antimicrobial agent. Fresh gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) fillets were osmotically treated with 50% high dextrose equivalent maltodextrin (DE 47) plus 5% NaCl. Water loss, solid gain, salt content, and water activity were monitored throughout treatment and treatment conditions were selected for the shelf life study. Untreated and osmotically pretreated slices with and without nisin (2 × 10⁴ IU/100 g osmotic solution), packed in air or modified atmosphere (50% CO₂–50% air), and stored at controlled isothermal conditions (0, 5, 10, and 15 °C) were studied. Quality assessment and modeling were based on growth of several microbial indices, total volatile nitrogen, trimethylamine nitrogen, lipid oxidation (TBARS), and sensory scoring. Temperature dependence of quality loss rates was modeled by the Arrhenius equation, validated under dynamic conditions. Pretreated samples showed improved quality stability during subsequent refrigerated storage, in terms of microbial growth, chemical changes, and organoleptic degradation. Osmotic pretreatment with the addition of nisin in combination with MAP was the most effective treatment resulting in significant shelf life extension of gilthead seabream fillets (48 days compared to 10 days for the control at 0 °C).     

Comparison of number of citations to full original articles versus brief reports

Most biomedical journals accept original research articles in the form of “brief reports”. We compared the citations to full papers versus brief reports in a sample of journals on Infectious Diseases, Clinical Microbiology, and Antimicrobial Agents. Brief reports were cited less often than full-size articles [regression coefficient: 10.94 (95 % CI: 5.19, 16.69)] even after adjustment for the journal’s impact factor. Our findings may influence decisions of editors and authors regarding brief reports.     

Peptidomimetic–functionalized carbon nanotubes with antitrypsin activity

Water-soluble functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been prepared and further conjugated through a stable covalent bond with two peptidomimetics. The structural design of the covalently grafted peptidomimetics to the CNTs is based on their structural similarity with the metabolites of antagonist G of substance P. A variety of analytical spectroscopic methods, in combination with electron microscopy and thermal analysis, aided the structural and morphological characterization of the four newly synthesized peptidomimetic–CNT conjugates. It is demonstrated that the trypsin inhibitory effect of the peptidomimetic–CNT is enhanced as a result of the high-loading of peptidomimetics onto the skeleton of the modified water-soluble CNTs. Additionally, the peptidomimetic–functionalized CNT conjugates can be recovered and re-employed up to six biological evaluation cycles showing the same trypsin inhibitory activity. Such a nanosized system is extremely advantageous for the inhibition of inflammation or malignancy and could find potential future biological applications in the area of drug delivery systems.