Morphological changes in the inferior nasal passage associated with superior repositioning of the maxilla with/without horseshoe osteotomy or turbinectomy.

Superior repositioning of the maxilla during Le Fort I osteotomy (LFI) may narrow the inferior nasal passage. This retrospective study was performed to investigate morphological changes in the inferior nasal passage following LFI with/without additional procedures performed for nasal ventilation (horseshoe osteotomy or inferior turbinate partial resection). Three groups of patients were compared: those undergoing conventional LFI (Conv, 63 patients), LFI with horseshoe osteotomy (Hs, eight patients), and LFI with inferior turbinate partial resection (Turb, 21 patients). Coronal computed tomography images were used to evaluate the degree of stenosis of the inferior nasal passage. The soft tissue and bony tissue volumes in the inferior turbinate were also calculated three-dimensionally. The rate of obstruction of the inferior nasal passage postoperative was 65.9%, 50%, and 11.9% in the Conv, Hs, and Turb groups, respectively (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.001). Patients in the Turb group had significantly less nasal obstruction regardless of the pitch direction of the maxillary movement or volume of the bone in the inferior turbinate (all P < 0.001). In conclusion, for patients with high superior repositioning and well-developed bony tissue in the inferior turbinate, additional procedures are recommended to maintain the ventilation of the nasal passage postoperatively.

Mass, Spectroscopy, and Two-Neutron Decay of

The structure and decay of the most neutron-rich beryllium isotope, ^{16}Be, has been investigated following proton knockout from a high-energy ^{17}B beam. Two relatively narrow resonances were observed for the first time, with energies of 0.84(3) and 2.15(5) MeV above the two-neutron decay threshold and widths of 0.32(8) and 0.95(15) MeV, respectively. These were assigned to be the ground (J^{π}=0^{+}) and first excited (2^{+}) state, with E_{x}=1.31(6) MeV. The mass excess of ^{16}Be was thus deduced to be 56.93(13) MeV, some 0.5 MeV more bound than the only previous measurement. Both states were observed to decay by direct two-neutron emission. Calculations incorporating the evolution of the wave function during the decay as a genuine three-body process reproduced the principal characteristics of the neutron-neutron energy spectra for both levels, indicating that the ground state exhibits a strong spatially compact dineutron component, while the 2^{+} level presents a far more diffuse neutron-neutron distribution.

Ion-Scale Magnetic Flux Rope Generated From Electron-Scale Magnetopause Current Sheet: Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations.

We present in-depth analysis of three southward-moving meso-scale (ion-to magnetohydrodynamic-scale) flux transfer events (FTEs) and subsequent crossing of a reconnecting magnetopause current sheet (MPCS), which were observed on 8 December 2015 by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft in the subsolar region under southward and duskward magnetosheath magnetic field conditions. We aim to understand the generation mechanism of ion-scale magnetic flux ropes (ISFRs) and to reveal causal relationship among magnetic field structures, electromagnetic energy conversion, and kinetic processes in magnetic reconnection layers. Results from magnetic field reconstruction methods are consistent with a flux rope with a length of about one ion inertial length growing from an electron-scale current sheet (ECS) in the MPCS, supporting the idea that ISFRs can be generated through secondary reconnection in an ECS. Grad-Shafranov reconstruction applied to the three FTEs shows that the FTEs had axial orientations similar to that of the ISFR. This suggests that these FTEs also formed through the same secondary reconnection process, rather than multiple X-line reconnection at spatially separated locations. Four-spacecraft observations of electron pitch-angle distributions and energy conversion rate j·E'=j·E+ve×B suggest that the ISFR had three-dimensional magnetic topology and secondary reconnection was patchy or bursty. Previously reported positive and negative values of j·E', with magnitudes much larger than expected for typical MP reconnection, were seen in both magnetosheath and magnetospheric separatrix regions of the ISFR. Many of them coexisted with bi-directional electron beams and intense electric field fluctuations around the electron gyrofrequency, consistent with their origin in separatrix activities.

Temporal pattern of Fos and Jun families expression after mitogenic stimulation with FGF-2 in rat neural stem cells and fibroblasts

Intense stimulation of most living cells triggers the activation of immediate early genes, such as Fos and Jun families. These genes are important in cellular and biochemical processes, such as mitosis and cell death. The present study focused on determining the temporal expression pattern of Fos and Jun families in fibroblasts and neural stem cells of cerebellum, hippocampus, and subventricular zone (SVZ) of rats of different ages at 0, 0.5, 1, 3, and 6 h after stimulation with fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2. In neonates, a similar expression pattern was observed in all cells analyzed, with lower expression in basal condition, peak expression at 0.5 h after stimulation, returning to baseline values between 1 and 3 h after stimulation. On the other hand, cells from adult animals only showed Fra1 and JunD expression after stimulation. In fibroblasts and hippocampus, Fra1 reached peak expression at 0.5 h after stimulation, while in the SVZ, peak level was observed at 6 h after stimulation. JunD in fibroblasts presented two peak expressions, at 0.5 and 6 h after stimulation. Between these periods, the expression observed was at a basal level. Nevertheless, JunD expression in SVZ and hippocampus was low and without significant changes after stimulation. Differences in mRNA expression in neonate and adult animals characterize the significant differences in neurogenesis and cell response to stimulation at different stages of development. Characterizing these differences might be important for the development of cell cultures, replacement therapy, and the understanding of the physiological response profile of different cell types.

Isolation of Mycobacterium chelonei subspecies chelonei (Mycobacterium borstelense) from pulmonary lesions of 9 patients

Mycobacterium chelonei subspecies chelonei (previously named Mycobacterium borstelense) was isolated from caseous material of cavities or fibrocaseous lesions removed by lobectomy in 9 patients. No other acid-fast organisms were isolated from the lesions. Clinical symptoms were mild. In 4 of 9 patients, hemoptysis was an early sign of disease. Antituberculous agentes were ineffective. Microscopic examination and cultures of sputum revelead scanty numbers of acid-fast organisms. After lobectomy, no relapse of the disease occurred during 4 to 5 years of follow-up.