Preparation-Free Measurement of Event-Related Potential in Oddball Tasks From Hairy Parts Using Candle-Like Dry Microneedle Electrodes.

This paper reports successful measurement of even-related potential (ERP) using candle-like dry microneedle electrodes, which can acquire high-quality electroencephalogram (EEG) from hairy parts without any pretreatment. In our previous work, we successfully measured spontaneous EEG activity and its application to assess the stress state of the subjects. ERPs originate from electrophysiological response to stimulus and are one of the most important indices to capture the cognitive and sensory activities. In this work, using the candle-like dry microelectrodes, we demonstrate successful measurement of ERPs elicited by oddball tasks. Two oddball tasks using pure tone stimuli and speech stimuli were assigned to the subjects, where EEG was acquired from the parietal region (Cz in international 10-20 system). Note that no pretreatment, such as removal of hairs and abrasion of the scalp, was applied. As a result, P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN) were successfully measured in the both oddball tasks from the averaged EEG after the stimuli. Based on these results and given the attractive natures of the candle-like dry microneedle electrodes; they do not need any skin treatment and conductive gels and they can measure EEG from the hairy parts, the developed electrodes will accelerate cognitive neuroscience research using ERPs.

Adubação foliar no desenvolvimento e produção de óleo essencial de manjericão / Foliar fertilization in the development and production of essential basil oil

RESUMO O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento e a produção de óleo essencial de manjericão com a aplicação de adubo foliar em Londrina-PR. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados com três doses de adubo foliar (0, 2 e 4 L.ha-1) e sete repetições. Foram realizadas três colheitas durante o desenvolvimento do experimento. Os cortes ocorreram no início do florescimento, a altura do oitavo nó aos 40, 80 e 120 dias após o transplantio. Avaliou-se a altura, área foliar, produção de massa seca de folhas e rendimento de óleo essencial. A aplicação de 4 L ha-1 do adubo foliar proporcionou os maiores acréscimos na produção de massa seca de folhas e no rendimento de óleo essencial até o segundo corte das plantas de manjericão. A renovação da cultura se faz necessária a partir do terceiro corte.

ABSTRACT The aim was to evaluate the development and production of basil essential oil with the application of foliar fertilizer in Londrina-PR. The experimental design was a randomized block with three doses of foliar fertilizer (0, 2 and 4 L.ha-1) and seven replications. Three harvests were made during the development of the trial. The cuts occurred at flowering, at the height of the eighth node and at 40, 80 and 120 days after the transplanting. We evaluated the height, leaf area, dry matter production of leaves and essential oil yield. The application of 4 L ha-1 foliar fertilizer provided greater rise in production of dry matter of leaves and essential oil yield until the second harvest of basil plants. The renewal of the cultivation is needed from the third cut.

Alkali-resistant bacteria in root canal systems.

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify alkali-resistant bacteria from the dentin of infected root canals. Bacteria from homogenized dentin powder made up from infected root canal walls from human teeth were cultured on buffer-enriched Brain Heart Infusion agar supplemented with 4% sheep blood (BHI-blood agar), adjusted to pH 7.0, 9.0 or 10.0. Incubation took place for 7 days at 37 degrees C in an anaerobic glove box. Bacterial strains selected according to colony and morphology were subcultured in buffer-enriched BHI broth adjusted to pH 9.0, 10.0 or 11.0 to confirm their growth as alkali-resistant bacteria. Polymerase chain reaction amplification using specific primer sets and 16S rDNA sequence analysis was performed for identification of alkali-resistant isolates. In the present study, 37 teeth extracted from 37 patients were used for preparation of the dentin powder samples. Bacteria were detected in 25 samples when standard BHI-blood agars (pH 7.0) were used. Of these, 29 strains from 15 samples were alkali resistant, 25 strains growing at pH 9.0 and 4 at pH 10.0. The alkali-resistant strains included Enterococcus faecium (10 strains) and Enterococcus faecalis (2 strains), Enterobacter cancerogenus (1 strains), Fusobacterium nucleatum (1 strains), Klebsiella ornithinolytica (2 strains), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (2 strains), Streptococcus anginosus (2 strains), Streptococcus constellatus (3 strains), and Streptococcus mitis (2 strains). Three strains were also identified as bacteria of genus Firmicutes or Staphylococcus at the genus level. The present study showed that many bacterial species in infected root canal dentin were alkali-resistant at pH 9.0 and/or pH 10.0, and belonged mainly to the genus Enterococcus.

Effects of electroacupuncture on gastric myoelectrical activity in healthy humans.

The acupuncture point of the wrists (PC6) and the lower legs (ST36) are common points for the treatment of gastric symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these two acupoints have different effects on gastric myoelectrical activity. We compared the effect of electroacupuncture (EAP) between PC6 and ST36 on gastric myoelectrical activity using surface electrogastrography (EGG). EAP (1 Hz, for 30 min) was applied at either ST36, or PC6, or both acupoints in eight healthy volunteers. EAP at both PC6 and ST36 did not change the percentage of normal slow waves and tachygastria. While EAP at either PC6 or ST36 did not change period dominant frequency (PDF), EAP at both PC6 and ST36 significantly decreased PDF to 78.1 +/- 8.4% of baselines. EAP at PC6 reduced period dominant power (PDP) to 47.2 +/- 5.3% of baselines, while EAP at ST36 increased PDP to 153.6 +/- 28.3% of baselines. EAP at shoulders (sham acupuncture) did not affect the gastric myoelectrical activity. EAP at either PC6 or ST36 shows an opposite effect on PDP, whereas EAP at both PC6 and ST36 has a synergistic effect on PDF. Understanding site-specific effects of acupuncture may contribute to the selection of appropriate acupoints for treating functional GI disorders.

Endodontic treatment of primary teeth using a combination of antibacterial drugs.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical outcome of 'Lesion Sterilization and Tissue Repair' (LSTR) therapy for endodontic treatment of primary teeth. METHODOLOGY: A mixture of metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and minocycline (3Mix) in ointment (macrogol mixed with propylene glycol: MP) or in a root canal sealer was used to disinfect infected root canals of 56 patients aged 4-18 years. Out of a total of 87 primary teeth, 81 cases had physiologic root resorption. A total of 54 radiolucent periradicular lesions were present. The root canals were not prepared before or after disinfection. 3Mix medicament (3Mix-MP/3Mix-sealer) was placed at orifices of root canals or on the bottom of pulp chambers, and then sealed with glass-ionomer cement and further reinforced by a composite resin inlay prepared using a direct method and cemented with resin. RESULTS: In all cases, clinical symptoms such as gingival swelling (52 cases), sinus tracts (22 cases), induced dull pain (3 cases), spontaneous dull pain (26 cases), and pain on biting (46 cases) disappeared after treatment, although in four cases clinical signs and symptoms were finally resolved only after retreatment using the same procedures. Thus, gingival abscesses and fistulae, if present, disappeared after a few days. Successor permanent teeth erupted without any disorders, or were found radiographically to be normal and in the process of eruption. All the cases were evaluated as successful. The mean function time of the primary teeth was 680 days (range: 68-2390 days), except for one case in which the successor permanent tooth was congenitally missing. CONCLUSION: Primary teeth with periradicular lesions with or without physiologic root resorption were treated successfully by the LSTR endodontic therapy.

Bactericidal eradication from carious lesions of prepared abutments by an antibacterial temporary cement.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to observe the antibacterial potential of polycarboxylate temporary cement containing a mixture of metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and cefaclor on carious lesions of prepared abutments that were designed to leave caries on the abutments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Antibacterial efficacy was estimated in vitro and in vivo by measuring bacterial recovery from the lesions. Bacteria counts ranged from 10(4) to 10(7) both in vitro (nine samples) and in vivo (five samples) in time-zero samples, just before the application of the antibacterial cement. RESULTS: No bacteria were recovered from carious lesions in vitro (six samples) or in vivo (four samples) after the lesions were covered by the antibacterial temporary cement. For the remaining samples, some bacteria (5 to 80 counts per sample) were recovered, with one notable exception in which marginal leakage provided a bacteria count of 10(3). Bacteria counts ranging from 10(3) to 10(5) occurred in carious lesions covered by temporary cement without antibacterial agents, which indicated that temporary cement alone was not a potent disinfectant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that the antibacterial temporary cement can be useful for eradicating bacteria from carious lesions of prepared abutments.

[Circadian rhythm in the treatment of asthma].

The circadian rhythm of respiratory function was examined in normal males and asthmatic subjects. In both groups, maximal flow decreased in the early morning. The major factor contributing to the circadian change in V50 was lung elastic recoil pressure in normal males and upstream resistance in asthmatic subjects. In some asthmatic patients, beclomethasone inhaled in the afternoon and at night was more effective than in the morning in increasing both the circadian maximal and minimal peak expiratory flow rates. This indicates the importance of chronotherapy in asthma.

Intracellular potassium and membrane potential in rat muscles during malnutrition and subsequent refeeding.

Nutrition alters total body potassium (TBK) and muscle potassium but little is known about in vivo intracellular K+. We measured free intracellular potassium-ion activity (aKi+), membrane potential (Em), and total potassium (Kt) and calculated intracellular potassium concentration [K+]i in predominantly slow- (soleus) and fast- (extensor digitorum longus) twitch muscles in rats undergoing underfeeding and subsequent refeeding. After underfeeding, aKi+ and Em decreased (P less than 0.025 and P less than 0.006, respectively) only in soleus muscle with restoration after refeeding, whereas [K+]i decreased in both muscles (P less than 0.005) and remained low after refeeding. K+ supplementation did not significantly change these indices or the ratio of free to total intracellular potassium (gamma Ki+). The data show that aKi+ behaves differently from [K+]i during malnutrition and that changes in aKi+ occur especially in slow-twitch fibers, suggesting that previously observed changes in TBK and muscle function are the result of fundamental alterations in muscle-cell energetics and membrane functions, not just mass.

Vitamin E suppresses increased lipid peroxidation in cigarette smokers.

Cigarette smoke contains many xenobiotics, including oxidants and free radicals, which can increase lipid peroxidation. Recently, breath pentane output (BPO) has been recognized as a good indicator of lipid peroxidation. Vitamin E is known to be a potent free radical scavenger which can protect biological membranes against oxidative damage. We investigated the effect of vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) on lipid peroxidation in 13 healthy smokers. The results showed (1) smokers had increased BPO as compared with 19 healthy non-smokers (16.3 +/- 1.9 vs 5.8 +/- 0.5, pmol/kg body weight/min, p less than 0.001) although both groups had comparable plasma vitamin E and selenium concentrations, (2) supplementation with vitamin E (800 mg/day for 2 weeks) decreased BPO in smokers, and (3) the concentration of plasma selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase was restored to normal in those smokers (five out of 13) in whom this was low initially. We conclude that a normal plasma concentration of vitamin E does not prevent this increase of lipid peroxidation in smokers but that substantial doses of vitamin E will significantly reduce this increased lipid peroxidation. If a major function of vitamin E is to protect lipids from peroxidation, then smokers have a conditioned insufficiency of vitamin E on a normal diet.