Granulation Tissue Enhanced with Aspirin and Omega-3 PUFAs as a Local Adjunct to the Surgical Treatment of Periodontitis

The topical application of aspirin and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may trigger the resolution of inflammation by inducing the biosynthesis of pro-resolvers such as lipoxins and resolvins while also avoiding the side effects of systemic aspirin intake. This study assessed the effect of enhanced granulation tissue (EGT) on periodontal tissue regeneration through the local application of aspirin and omega-3 PUFAs directly to granulation tissue (GT) during periodontal surgery. This randomized controlled experiment assesses 38 pockets in 19 patients. In every patient, two similar intrabony periodontal defects are treated with an open flap debridement, one with EGT (GT extracted, enhanced with aspirin and omega-3 PUFAs, and replaced) and the other with standard GT removal. Clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PPD) are assessed at baseline and 2 and 6 months after surgery. The experimental protocol (EGT) results in a greater CAL gain as compared to that in the controls at 6 months (p < 0.05), while PPD reduction is not affected. The retained GT does not compromise healing. EGT is proposed as a promising, inexpensive, and simple method that may improve the outcome of periodontal regenerative treatment. However, the described protocol requires optimization and further assessment. Practical Applications : The biosynthesis of mediators including resolvins and lipoxins triggered by aspirin and omega-3 PUFAs promote the resolution of inflammation, eventually leading to faster regeneration of inflamed tissues. While granulation tissue is a necessary component in wound healing, enhancing granulation tissue with aspirin and omega-3 PUFAs results in CAL gain in the surgical treatment of periodontal defects. Retained granulation tissue does not compromise periodontal healing. The EGT strategy is an inexpensive and simple method that may improve the clinical outcomes of regenerative periodontal procedures.     

Antitumor Effects of Vitamin D Analogs on Hamster and Mouse Melanoma Cell Lines in Relation to Melanin Pigmentation

Deregulated melanogenesis is involved in melanomagenesis and melanoma progression and resistance to therapy. Vitamin D analogs have anti-melanoma activity. While the hypercalcaemic effect of the active form of Vitamin D (1,25(OH)₂D₃) limits its therapeutic use, novel Vitamin D analogs with a modified side chain demonstrate low calcaemic activity. We therefore examined the effect of secosteroidal analogs, both classic (1,25(OH)₂D₃ and 25(OH)D₃), and novel relatively non-calcemic ones (20(OH)D₃, calcipotriol, 21(OH)pD, pD and 20(OH)pL), on proliferation, colony formation in monolayer and soft-agar, and mRNA and protein expression by melanoma cells. Murine B16-F10 and hamster Bomirski Ab cell lines were shown to be effective models to study how melanogenesis affects anti-melanoma treatment. Novel Vitamin D analogs with a short side-chain and lumisterol-like 20(OH)pL efficiently inhibited rodent melanoma growth. Moderate pigmentation sensitized rodent melanoma cells towards Vitamin D analogs, and altered expression of key genes involved in Vitamin D signaling, which was opposite to the effect on heavily pigmented cells. Interestingly, melanogenesis inhibited ligand-induced Vitamin D receptor translocation and ligand-induced expression of VDR and CYP24A1 genes. These findings indicate that melanogenesis can affect the anti-melanoma activity of Vitamin D analogs in a complex manner.     

A Nonvolatile Organic Memory Device Using ITO Surfaces Modified by Ag‐Nanodots

We report on a single‐layer organic memory device made of poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) embedded between an Al electrode and ITO modified with Ag nanodots (Ag‐NDs). Devices exhibit high ON/OFF switching ratios of 10⁴. This level of performance could be achieved by modifying the ITO electrodes with some Ag‐NDs that act as trapping sites, reducing the current in the OFF state. Temperature dependence of the electrical characteristics suggest that the current of the low‐resistance state can be attributed to Schottky charge tunnelling through low‐resistance pathways of Al particles in the polymer layer and that the high‐resistance state can be controlled by charge trapping by the Al particles and Ag‐NDs.     

Comparison of formal specification methods and object-oriented paradigms

Object orientation and formal methods are widely regarded as two fields with significant potential for new software engineering techniques. This paper discusses the relations between these two approaches. We present various specification techniques which incorporate object-oriented paradigms, discuss their place in software development process, and analyse possible benefits from their applications.     

Fetal lung growth after tracheal ligation is not solely a pressure phenomenon

We investigated cell proliferation and cell death in the olfactory epithelium (OE) of mice from birth to maturity using bromodeoxyuridine and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling. We show that cell death events and proliferative activity diminish concomitantly with age in the OE. Thus, the age-dependent and coordinate diminution in cell proliferative activity and cell death events may serve to maintain the thickness of the OE as mice mature and age.     

Tensile strains ahead of entry into the roll gap

Tensile strains ahead of entry into the roll gap were analysed using the finite element method and compared with results of the analytical approach developed by Pawelski [1]. The longitudinal tensile strains in the stock surface ahead of contact with the roll produced by frictional contact with the roll were calculated for the different roll gap aspect ratios, h_o/L = 0.1,…1 and Coulombic friction coefficient 0.1,…0.5. The results have been analysed in terms of oxide failure resulting from this kind of deformation and compared with predictions using the advanced oxide scale model. A simple formula has been developed to evaluate the longitudinal strain component at entry into the roll gap for a given friction coefficient and aspect ratio. It was related to cracking of the oxide scale in tension at this area. Prediction of the scale behaviour at this area is a key to understanding the friction and heat transfer phenomena taking place at the roll/stock interface. It is also important for optimisation of descaling operations.     

Gender differences in career decision making: The content and structure of preferences.

To identify possible sources of the observed differences in the career choices of women and men, three facets of career preferences were examined: the relative importance attributed to career-related aspects, the within-aspect preferences (i.e., desirable characteristics of occupations), and the structure of aspects derived from these within-aspect preferences. The career-related preferences of 2,000 young adults who were in the process of making their career decisions were analyzed. These career-related preferences were elicited during their dialogues with a computer-assisted career guidance system. The analyses revealed (a) only small gender differences in the relative importance of the aspects, (b) considerable gender differences in the within-aspect preferences, and (c) certain gender differences in the structure of aspects. The findings and their possible theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Zur Modellierung von Sauterdurchmesser und Hold-up beim Einsatz eines konischen Turbinenrührers zum Dispergieren gas-flüssig

By comparing the experimental data of the Sauter-mean-diameter d ₃₂ and the hold up ? with models from literature, there are presented equations for d ₃₂ and ? for the used conical turbine in gas-liquid systems. The necessary adjustment of the proportionality constants of the literature equations will be explained on the basis of fluiddynamical phenomena. It can be established by fluid-dynamical results of a former study carried out with laser-doppler-anemometry. Coalescence phenomena are taken into account in the model using an analogy to bubble columns. The analogy to bubble columns turns out to be suitable. Arguments for the necessity of considering the local fluiddynamics in the modelling of dispersions are presented.     

Smoking Withdrawal Dynamics: III. Correlates of Withdrawal Heterogeneity.

Five parameters of postcessation smoking withdrawal variability derived from clinical data (T. M. Piasecki, D. E. Jorenby, S. S. Smith, M. C. Fiore, & T. B. Baker, 2003a, 2003b) were predicted from baseline measures and pharmacotherapy assignment. Smokers who were more dependent, older, and high in negative affect reported more severe withdrawal. Women, heavier smokers, and those with a history of depression reported more variable symptoms. Smokers treated with nicotine patch, bupropion, or both reported less severe withdrawal than did those given placebo, but medication did not affect the slope of symptoms over time, day-to-day variability of symptoms, or the size of acute changes in symptoms associated with lapses to smoking. Prior research has shown that these symptom facets predict later relapse: thus, current pharmacotherapies may aid cessation by diminishing withdrawal severity, but they do not affect all clinically important aspects of withdrawal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Consistent Viewing and Interaction for Multiple Users in Projection-Based VR Systems

In projection-based Virtual Reality (VR) systems, typically only one headtracked user views stereo images rendered from the correct view position. For other users, who are presented a distorted image, moving with the first user's head motion, it is difficult to correctly view and interact with 3D objects in the virtual environment. In close-range VR systems, such as the Virtual Workbench, distortion effects are especially large because objects are within close range and users are relatively far apart. On these systems, multi-user collaboration proves to be difficult. In this paper, we analyze the problem and describe a novel, easy to implement method to prevent and reduce image distortion and its negative effects on close-range interaction task performance. First, our method combines a shared camera model and view distortion compensation. It minimizes the overall distortion for each user, while important user-personal objects such as interaction cursors, rays and controls remain distortion-free. Second, our method retains co-location for interaction techniques to make interaction more consistent. We performed a user experiment on our Virtual Workbench to analyze user performance under distorted view conditions with and without the use of our method. Our findings demonstrate the negative impact of view distortion on task performance and the positive effect our method introduces. This indicates that our method can enhance the multi-user collaboration experience on close-range, projection-based VR systems.