Evaluation of the supply of Duddingtonia flagrans for the control of gastrointestinal parasites in sheep.

Parasitic resistance imposes alternative control methods, like nematophagous fungi. In this study, two experiments were conducted supplying Duddingtonia flagrans aiming to evaluate the biological control of parasites in sheep. In the first, 24 sheep naturally infected by gastrointestinal nematodes were allocated, in randomized blocks, following the treatments: control or treated group, 0.5g/animal product containing D. flagrans, chlamydospores. Weight, body score, Famacha©, egg count per gram of feces (EPG), and larval percentage were evaluated. In the second experiment, D. flagrans (0.25 and 0.5g product) was infested with manure, plus or not protein concentrate, in a completely randomized design. In both experiments the dose was intentionally lower than recommended. Recovery and larval identification were performed. The SAS analyzed the variables by the MIXED procedure, repeated measures in time. Weight, body score, hematocrit, and Famacha© did not show differences between treatments (p>0.05); however, EPG (p<0.001) and the percentage of larvae identified in coproculture were different. In the second experiment, the inclusion of the fungus did not influence the recovery of larvae (p>0.05). In both experiments, colonization and advancement of the fungus were visualized. Under the experimental conditions, the fungus D. flagrans was not effective in the biological control of parasitic infection in sheep.

Dental Caries in the First Permanent Molar during the Mixed Dentition Stage.

Background: The early eruption of the first permanent molar (FPM) favors its exposure to the risk factors for dental caries specific to the mixed dentition stage of dental development. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and distribution pattern of FPM dental caries and of the consequences of this pathology - caries with pulp involvement in the FPM and missing FPM (FPM extraction) in a sample of Romanian children during the mixed dentition stage. Objective: To evaluate the effect of asanas in Yoga on the IOP of practicing individuals. Materials and methods: Eighty-seven children aged between five and 13 years, who attended a private dental clinic, were enrolled in the present study. The investigations were carried out as part of the comprehensive dental examinations. Written informed consent was obtained from one of the subjects' parents prior to his/her child's participation in this research. The collected data were statistically analyzed with STATA/MP13 software using the Chi square test. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results:The prevalence of FPM dental caries was 60.9%. There were statistically significant differences (p = 0.004) in the number of FPMs affected by dental caries per subject in relation to age. No statistically significant differences regarding the number of FPMs affected by dental caries per subject in relation to gender were found. With respect to the distribution pattern of FPM dental caries by location at tooth level, the mesial surface had the highest prevalence (in 36.8% of all investigated subjects), followed by the occlusal surface (33.3%). The prevalence of caries with pulp involvement in the FPM was 19.5% and children in the 10-11-year age group were the most affected (55.5%). There were statistically significant differences regarding the distribution pattern of caries with pulp involvement in the FPM by age (p = 0.0001). The prevalence of FPM extraction was 6.9% and, according to dental history and examination, loss of FPM was due to caries. Among children with missing FPM, five were older than the age recommended for achieving spontaneous space closure, which indicated the need for immediate intervention. Conclusions:Considering the results of the present study, it can be stated that FPM dental caries represents a highly prevalent pathology during the mixed dentition stage. The findings are relevant and useful for the current clinical dental practice, emphasizing the importance of caries detection and diagnosis in developing a comprehensive dental treatment plan tailored to the specific needs of pediatric patients.

A clinical and statistical study on enamel hypomineralization of the first permanent molar in the period of mixed dentition.

BACKGROUND: The first permanent molar (FPM) is the first tooth in the permanent dentition that emerges in the oral cavity, at around the age of six and behind the deciduous teeth, thus converting the primary dentition into a mixed dentition. Its early formation represents a risk factor for the onset of hard dental tissues disorders, the most common being the molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH). AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the hypomineralization type of developmental defects of enamel at FPM level during the mixed dentition stage, in a group of Romanian children. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was conducted on 87 patients, 44 females and 43 males, divided into the following age groups: 5-6 years, 6-7 years, 7-8 years, 8-9 years, 9-10 years, 10-11 years, 11-12 years and older than 12 years. All children were examined in the dental office by a pediatric dentist. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 40.2% presented hypomineralization lesions on the FPM. Among the affected children, 62.9% were girls and 37.1% were boys. Mild forms were the most prevalent, being found in 71.4% of the affected subjects. Moderate forms were present in 22.9% and severe forms in 5.7% of the affected children. MIH prevalence significantly decreased with increasing age. Only two children belonging to the group 8-9 years and 10-11 years, respectively, showed severe MIH lesions. Statistically significant differences were determined in what regards the distribution of MIH children according to the severity of the lesions in relation to age (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Children 6- to 7-year-old have been the most affected by FPM hypomineralization, which indicates the need for early management of the disease, through a thorough diagnosis, and preventive and interceptive therapeutic approaches.

The imaging appearances of non-calcified ductal carcinoma in situ: A pictorial essay.

Non-calcified ductal carcinoma in situ (NCDCIS) presents as a heterogeneous entity on various imaging modalities, most frequently presenting symptomatically as a palpable lump. The combination of multiple modalities and knowledge of its potential radiological appearances are important in minimising misdiagnosis. Compared to conventional 2D mammography, both sonography and digital breast tomosynthesis show higher diagnostic accuracy in the detection of NCDCIS. Newer modalities of contrast-enhanced digital mammography and MRI have limited data at present, but early results indicate greater sensitivity for the detection of lesions that may be occult on ultrasound or mammography. Here, we present an illustrative study highlighting the varied appearances of NCDCIS on several imaging modalities including a brief review of the literature.

[Breast reconstruction after mastectomy: necessity, evolution, techniques and research goals]. / Reconstruction mammaire après mastectomie : nécessité, évolution, techniques et objectifs de recherche.

Breast reconstruction is recognized as an integrated part of breast cancer treatment today. Depending on tumor characteristics, different types of partial and total breast resections are indicated: tumorectomy, nipple/skin sparing or complete mastectomy. Patients' desires, general health status and body shape, as well as the necessity of adjuvant therapies, lead to the individual reconstruction plan. Next to implant-based reconstructions, autologous reconstructions play a great role, including local, pedicled and free flaps as well as autologous fat grafting. In cases of tumorectomy, oncoplastic surgery comes into play: it is the combination of a large tumor resection and immediate breast reconstruction with the remaining breast tissue.

À l'heure actuelle, la reconstruction mammaire est reconnue comme partie intégrante du traitement du cancer du sein. En fonction des caractéristiques tumorales, différents types de résections mammaires sont indiqués : tumorectomie, mastectomie avec épargne du mamelon ou de la peau, ou mastectomie totale. L'état de santé général, la nécessité de thérapies adjuvantes, la morphologie et les souhaits des patientes déterminent le plan de reconstruction. En plus de la reconstruction à base d'implants, celle par lambeaux autologues (lambeaux locaux, pédiculés ou libres), ainsi que le transfert de graisse autologue jouent un rôle important. En cas de tumorectomie, la chirurgie oncoplastique entre en jeu, soit la combinaison d'une résection tumorale importante et d'une reconstruction mammaire immédiate par remaniement de la glande persistante.

Updates in the Management of Central and Peripheral Nervous System Tumors among Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Neurofibromatosis Type 2.

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 2 are unrelated, distinct genetic disorders characterized by the development of central and peripheral nervous system tumors. SUMMARY: Neurofibromatosis type 1 is the most common inherited tumor predisposition syndrome with a lifelong increased risk of benign and malignant tumor development, such as glioma and nerve sheath tumors. Neurofibromatosis type 2 classically presents with bilateral vestibular schwannoma, yet it is also associated with non-vestibular schwannoma, meningioma, and ependymoma. Historically, the number of effective therapies for neurofibromatosis-related neoplasms has been limited. KEY MESSAGE: In the past decade, there have been significant advances in the development of precision-based therapies for NF-associated tumors with an increased emphasis on functional outcomes in addition to tumor response. Continued scientific discovery and advancement of targeted therapies for NF-associated neoplasms are necessary to continue to improve outcomes for patients with NF.

ß-Ga2O3 Nanostructures: Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth Using Thermally Dewetted Au Nanoparticles as Catalyst and Characterization.

ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures, including nanowires (NWs), nanosheets (NSHs), and nanorods (NRs), were synthesized using thermally dewetted Au nanoparticles as catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition process. The morphology of the as-grown ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures depends strongly on the growth temperature and time. Successful growth of ß-Ga2O3 NWs with lengths of 7-25 µm, NSHs, and NRs was achieved. It has been demonstrated that the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism governs the NW growth, and the vapor-solid mechanism occurs in the growth of NSHs and NRs. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the as-grown nanostructures were highly pure single-phase ß-Ga2O3. The bandgap of the ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures was determined to lie in the range of 4.68-4.74 eV. Characteristic Raman peaks were observed with a small blue and red shift, both of 1-3 cm-1, as compared with those from the bulk, indicating the presence of internal strain and defects in the as-grown ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures. Strong photoluminescence emission in the UV-blue spectral region was obtained in the ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures, regardless of their morphology. The UV (374-377 nm) emission is due to the intrinsic radiative recombination of self-trapped excitons present at the band edge. The strong blue (404-490 nm) emissions, consisting of five bands, are attributed to the presence of the complex defect states in the donor (VO) and acceptor (VGa or VGa-O). These ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures are expected to have potential applications in optoelectronic devices such as tunable UV-Vis photodetectors.

Formation of Au, Pt, and bimetallic Au-Pt nanostructures from thermal dewetting of single-layer or bilayer thin films.

Formation of Au, Pt, and bimetallic Au-Pt nanostructures by thermal dewetting of single-layer Au, Pt and bilayer Au-Pt thin films on Si substrates was systematically studied. The solid-state dewetting of both single-layer and bilayer metallic films was shown to go through heterogeneous void initiation followed by void growth via capillary agglomeration. For the single-layer of Au and Pt films, the void growth started at a temperature right above the Hüttig temperature, at which the atoms at the surface or at defects become mobile. Uniformly distributed Au (7 ± 1 nm to 33 ± 8 nm) and Pt (7 ± 1 nm) NPs with monodispersed size distributions were produced from complete dewetting achieved for thinner 1.7-5.5 nm thick Au and 1.4 nm thick Pt films, respectively. The NP size is strongly dependent on the initial thin film thickness, but less so on temperature and time. Thermal dewetting of Au-Pt bilayer films resulted in partial dewetting only, forming isolated nano-islands or large particles, regardless of sputtering order and total thin film thickness. The increased resistance to thermal dewetting shown in the Au-Pt bilayer films as compared to the individual Au or Pt layer is a reflection of the stabilizing effect that occurs upon adding Pt to Au in the bimetallic system. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic analysis showed that the two metals in the bilayer films broke up together instead of dewetting individually. According to the x-ray diffraction analysis, the produced Au-Pt nanostructures are phase-segregated, consisting of an Au-rich phase and a Pt-rich phase.

Technology Literacy in Undergraduate Medical Education: Review and Survey of the US Medical School Innovation and Technology Programs.

BACKGROUND: Modern innovations, like machine learning, genomics, and digital health, are being integrated into medical practice at a rapid pace. Physicians in training receive little exposure to the implications, drawbacks, and methodologies of upcoming technologies prior to their deployment. As a result, there is an increasing need for the incorporation of innovation and technology (I&T) training, starting in medical school. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify and describe curricular and extracurricular opportunities for innovation in medical technology in US undergraduate medical education to highlight challenges and develop insights for future directions of program development. METHODS: A review of publicly available I&T program information on the official websites of US allopathic medical schools was conducted in June 2020. Programs were categorized by structure and implementation. The geographic distribution of these categories across US regions was analyzed. A survey was administered to school-affiliated student organizations with a focus on I&T and publicly available contact information. The data collected included the founding year, thematic focus, target audience, activities offered, and participant turnout rate. RESULTS: A total of 103 I&T opportunities at 69 distinct Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools were identified and characterized into the following six categories: (1) integrative 4-year curricula, (2) facilitated doctor of medicine/master of science dual degree programs in a related field, (3) interdisciplinary collaborations, (4) areas of concentration, (5) preclinical electives, and (6) student-run clubs. The presence of interdisciplinary collaboration is significantly associated with the presence of student-led initiatives (P=.001). "Starting and running a business in healthcare" and "medical devices" were the most popular thematic focuses of student-led I&T groups, representing 87% (13/15) and 80% (12/15) of respondents, respectively. "Career pathways exploration for students" was the only type of activity that was significantly associated with a high event turnout rate of >26 students per event (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Existing school-led and student-driven opportunities in medical I&T indicate growing national interest and reflect challenges in implementation. The greater visibility of opportunities, collaboration among schools, and development of a centralized network can be considered to better prepare students for the changing landscape of medical practice.

Pulsed laser-induced dewetting and thermal dewetting of Ag thin films for the fabrication of Ag nanoparticles.

Two different dewetting methods, namely pulsed laser-induced dewetting (PLiD)-a liquid-state dewetting process and thermal dewetting (TD)-a solid-state dewetting process, have been systematically explored for Ag thin films (1.9-19.8 nm) on Si substrates for the fabrication of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) and the understanding of dewetting mechanisms. The effect of laser fluence and irradiation time in PLiD and temperature and duration in TD were investigated. A comparison of the produced Ag NP size distributions using the two methods of PLiD and TD has shown that both produce Ag NPs of similar size with better size uniformity for thinner films (<6 nm), whereas TD produced bigger Ag NPs for thicker films (≥8-10 nm) as compared to PLiD. As the film thickness increases, the Ag NP size distributions from both PLiD and TD show a deviation from the unimodal distributions, leading to a bimodal distribution. The PLiD process is governed by the mechanism of nucleation and growth of holes due to the formation of many nano-islands from the Volmer-Weber growth of thin films during the sputtering process. The investigation of thickness-dependent NP size in TD leads to the understanding of void initiation due to pore nucleation at the film-substrate interface. Furthermore, the linear dependence of NP size on thickness in TD provides direct evidence of fingering instability, which leads to the branched growth of voids.

Occupational Risks in Occupational Therapy Service Learning: A Single-Site "Fear Factor" Study in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Service-learning constitutes the main practical component of an undergraduate health profession training programme. However, limited exploration of the potential occupational risks that students face during their service-learning placement is noted in the literature. AIM: This study in South Africa explored occupational risk factors as reported by occupational therapy students whilst engaged in service-learning. METHODS: In this explorative qualitative study, purposeful homogenous sampling was used to recruit third and fourth level occupational therapy students who completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree. Three focus groups were conducted with seventeen students who voluntarily participated. Audio-recorded data were transcribed and analysed thematically using deductive reasoning. RESULTS: Several concerns over potential occupational risks were reported, namely, anxiety over contracting infectious diseases, concerns around musculoskeletal injuries due to manual handling requirements, and inappropriate behaviour of clients, which made the students feel unsafe. Concerns around the implementation of infection control measures, the lack of resources allocated to infection control at some service-learning sites, as well as the coping strategies used during service-learning were highlighted. CONCLUSION: Varied occupational risk factors during service-learning were reported by students. These insights into the perceived occupational risk factors can be translated into actionable strategies to improve the preparation of health science students for service-learning, including coping skills to deal with the demands of service-learning.

Effect of Exercise Duration on Subsequent Appetite and Energy Intake in Obese Adolescent Girls.

There is a growing interest regarding the effect of exercise on appetite and energy intake in youth. While the role of exercise intensity has been a primary focus of study, the effect of exercise duration on subsequent food intake has not been fully examined in obese adolescents. On three separate mornings in a randomly assigned order, obese adolescent girls (n = 20) aged 12-15 years old were asked to perform a rest session (control, CON) or two cycling sessions for 20 (EX20) or 40 min (EX40) set at their ventilatory threshold. Absolute and relative energy intake were measured from an ad libitum lunch meal 30 min after rest or exercise and appetite feelings assessed using visual analogue scales throughout the day. Hunger, satiety, and prospective food consumption were not significantly different between conditions. Absolute energy intake (kcal) did not differ between conditions, while relative energy intake on EX40 (571 ± 381 kcal) was significantly lower than during CON (702 ± 320 kcal; p < .05) and EX20 (736 ± 457 kcal; p < .05). Fat ingestion (in grams) was significantly lower on CON (7.8 ± 3.2 g) compared with EX20 (10.3 ± 4.6 g; p < .01). Protein intake (in grams) was higher on EX20 (37.0 ± 16.6 g) compared with both CON (29.5 ± 11.7 g; p < .01) and EX40 (33.1 ± 10.9 g; p < .05). However, the percentage of total energy derived from each macronutrient was not different between conditions. Obese adolescent girls do not compensate for an acute bout of exercise set at their ventilatory threshold by increasing energy intake, regardless of the exercise duration.

Respiration pattern variability and related default mode network connectivity are altered in remitted depression.

BACKGROUND: Studies with healthy participants and patients with respiratory diseases suggest a relation between respiration and mood. The aim of the present analyses was to investigate whether emotionally challenged remitted depressed participants show higher respiration pattern variability (RPV) and whether this is related to mood, clinical outcome and increased default mode network connectivity. METHODS: To challenge participants, sad mood was induced with keywords of personal negative life events in individuals with remitted depression [recurrent major depressive disorder (rMDD), n = 30] and matched healthy controls (HCs, n = 30) during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Respiration was measured by means of a built-in respiration belt. Additionally, questionnaires, a daily life assessment of mood and a 3 years follow-up were applied. For replication, we analysed RPV in an independent sample of 53 rMDD who underwent the same fMRI paradigm. RESULTS: During sad mood, rMDD compared with HC showed greater RPV, with higher variability in pause duration and respiration frequency and lower expiration to inspiration ratio. Higher RPV was related to lower daily life mood and predicted higher depression scores as well as relapses during a 3-year follow-up period. Furthermore, in rMDD compared with HC higher main respiration frequency exhibited a more positive association with connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex and the right parahippocampal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a relation between RPV, mood and depression on the behavioural and neural level. Based on our findings, we propose interventions focusing on respiration to be a promising additional tool in the treatment of depression.

Hypoglycemia and severe lactic acidosis in a dog following metformin exposure.

Hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis are rare complications with metformin use in humans. As metformin is not commonly used in veterinary medicine, severe adverse effects secondary to exposure are not known. Awareness of potentially life-threatening complications with metformin exposure is an important addition to the veterinary literature.