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.     

紫外激光诱导胃癌组织自体荧光的研究

本文测量了紫外激光（３０８ｎｍ）激发诱导正常组织和胃癌组织３１５ｎｍ－６００ｎｍ波段的自体荧光，发现胃癌组织在此荧光光谱不同于正常组织的荧光光谱。根据两者４的区别，可以把胃癌组织从正常组织中区分出来，这为诊断胃癌提供了一个新的思路。     

Catalase (CAT) Gene Family in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.): Genome-Wide Analysis,Identification, and Expression Pattern in Response to Multiple Hormones and Abiotic Stress Conditions

Catalase (CAT) is an antioxidant enzyme expressed by the CAT gene family and exists in almost all aerobic organisms. Environmental stresses induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that eventually hinder plant growth and development. The CAT enzyme translates the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to water (H₂O) and reduce the ROS levels to shelter the cells’ death. So far, the CAT gene family has not been reported in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Therefore, a genome-wide comprehensive analysis was conducted to classify the CAT genes in the rapeseed genome. The current study identified 14 BnCAT genes in the rapeseed genome. Based on phylogenetic and synteny analysis, the BnCATs belong to four groups (Groups I–IV). A gene structure and conserved motif analysis showed that Group I, Group II, and Group IV possess almost the same intron/exon pattern, and an equal number of motifs, while Group III contains diverse structures and contain 15 motifs. By analyzing the cis-elements in the promoters, we identified five hormone-correlated responsive elements and four stress-related responsive elements. Further, six putative bna-miRNAs were also identified, targeting three genes (BnCAT4, BnCAT6, and BnCAT8). Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the BnCAT genes were largely related to cellular organelles, ROS response, stimulus response, stress response, and antioxidant enzymes. Almost 10 BnCAT genes showed higher expression levels in different tissues, i.e., root, leaf, stem, and silique. The expression analysis showed that BnCAT1–BnCAT3 and BnCAT11–BnCAT13 were significantly upregulated by cold, salinity, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellic acid (GA) treatment, but not by drought and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Notably, most of the genes were upregulated by waterlogging stress, except BnCAT6, BnCAT9, and BnCAT10. Our results opened new windows for future investigations and provided insights into the CAT family genes in rapeseed.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MIXING: POWER CONSUMPTION AND DEGREE OF SUSPENSION

An experimental study on mixing, degree of suspension and power consumption in solid-liquid suspensions was done. A system similar to those found in anaerobic fermentation processes of animal manures was used, and an existing mixing equipment was adapted for the study. Power consumption and degree of suspension for both mechanical mixing and mixing by gas was determined. The influence of variables such as geometry, solids concentration, stirrer velocity, and gas velocity was studied, discussed, and compared to data from the literature. Best results were obtained for gas mixing, the power consumption being about one fourth of that required by mechanical agitation. Finally, extended correlations relating Power and Reynolds numbers for mechanical mixing and mixing by gas are proposed.     

Health benefits of CLA – lessons from pig models in biomedical research

The objective of this review is to highlight the use of pig models for investigating safety, efficacy and the mechanisms of action of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Although CLA elicits positive effects in animal models and in vitro systems, a consistent concern in terms of translational research is that the health benefits observed by using these model systems cannot be extrapolated directly into humans. Conversely, the similarities between pigs and humans make the pig an ideal model for examining the health benefits of dietary supplements, functional foods and nutraceuticals. We have developed pig models of viral and bacterial infection to examine the preventive role of dietary CLA supplementation on virally induced immunosuppression and gut health, respectively. Results from these studies indicate that CLA significantly enhances the immune function while limiting the catabolic effects of uncontrolled immune and inflammatory responses. The scientific findings in pig models and human clinical trials demonstrate that CLA modulates immune responses in pigs and humans. Pig models of immunomodulation represent significant improvements over other animal models and in vitro systems because they mimic more closely the compartmentalization of the human immune system and the clinical presentation of human infectious, immune and inflammatory diseases.     

Unsupervised tissue classification of brain MR images for voxel‐based morphometry analysis

In this article, a fully unsupervised method for brain tissue segmentation of T1‐weighted MRI 3D volumes is proposed. The method uses the Fuzzy C‐Means (FCM) clustering algorithm and a Fully Connected Cascade Neural Network (FCCNN) classifier. Traditional manual segmentation methods require neuro‐radiological expertise and significant time while semiautomatic methods depend on parameter's setup and trial‐and‐error methodologies that may lead to high intraoperator/interoperator variability. The proposed method selects the most useful MRI data according to FCM fuzziness values and trains the FCCNN to learn to classify brain’ tissues into White Matter, Gray Matter, and Cerebro‐Spinal Fluid in an unsupervised way. The method has been tested on the IBSR dataset, on the BrainWeb Phantom, on the BrainWeb SBD dataset, and on the real dataset “University of Palermo Policlinico Hospital” (UPPH), Italy. Sensitivity, Specificity, Dice and F‐Factor scores have been calculated on the IBSR and BrainWeb datasets segmented using the proposed method, the FCM algorithm, and two state‐of‐the‐art brain segmentation software packages (FSL and SPM) to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A qualitative evaluation involving a group of five expert radiologists has been performed segmenting the real dataset using the proposed approach and the comparison algorithms. Finally, a usability analysis on the proposed method and reference methods has been carried out from the same group of expert radiologists. The achieved results show that the segmentations of the proposed method are comparable or better than the reference methods with a better usability and degree of acceptance.     

力可CS-344红外碳硫仪测定生铁中碳、硫量的实验

对进口CS-344红外碳硫分析仪测定生铁中碳硫进行了试验与探讨。经试验，选择了助熔剂、称样量、燃烧分析时间等适应的分析条件，结果令人满意。     

X射线荧光仪FP法测定生铁中多元素

本文研究在X射线荧光仪上通过基本参数法 (FP法 ) ,用钢的直读光谱国家标样绘制工作曲线 ,测定生铁中的Si、P、S、Ti、Mn、Cu、As、Cr、Ni、Al、Mo、V、Bi、W等元素 ,获得满意效果。     

Modeling the transmission of livestock associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus along the pig slaughter line

The study introduces a new approach for a qualitative transmission assessment of MRSA throughout the pig slaughter process. Based on prevalence data found in literature the MRSA contamination and elimination rates of each individual slaughter step were estimated. The rates were used to set up a Monte Carlo simulation for modeling the propagation of MRSA along the process chain and to quantify the impact of a variable initial prevalence on the outcome prevalence of the carcasses. Sensitivity analyses for the model as well as three different scenarios were performed to estimate the impact of cross contamination during slaughter and to determine the process stages where hygiene interventions are most effective.Regardless of the initial extent of MRSA contamination low outcome prevalences ranging between 0.15 and 1.15% were achieved among pig carcasses indicating that the pig slaughter chain generally includes process steps with the capacity to limit carcass contamination. Especially scalding and singeing can lead to a significant reduction of superficial MRSA contamination during the first half of the slaughter process. Nevertheless, scenario analyses showed that the low MRSA outcome prevalence can only be guaranteed if recontamination during the ongoing slaughter process is obviated. In order to ensure a low MRSA load on pig carcasses at the end of slaughter the abattoir should primarily concentrate on controlling the process parameters of scalding and singeing and avoiding recontamination at subsequent process steps.