Effect of inorganic salts and glucose additives on dose-response, melting point and mass density of genipin gel dosimeters.

Genipin gel dosimeters are hydrogels infused with a radiation-sensitive material which yield dosimetric information in three dimensions (3D). The effect of inorganic salts and glucose on the visible absorption dose-response, melting points and mass density of genipin gel dosimeters has been experimentally evaluated using 6-MV LINAC photons. As a result, the addition of glucose with optimum concentration of 10% (w/w) was found to improve the thermal stability of the genipin gel and increase its melting point (Tm) by 6 °C accompanied by a slight decrease of dose-response. Furthermore, glucose helps to adjust the gel mass density to obtain the desired tissue-equivalent properties. A drop of Tm was observed when salts were used as additives. As the salt concentration increased, gel Tm decreased. The mass density and melting point of the genipin gel could be adjusted using different amounts of glucose that improved the genipin gel suitability for 3D dose measurements without introducing additional toxicity to the final gel.

Into the septum I go, a case of bilateral ectopic infraorbital nerves: a not-to-miss preoperative sinonasal CT variant.

An ectopic course of the infraorbital nerve is a very rare anatomical variant of the sinonasal anatomy that carries the risk of inadvertent nerve injury during functional endoscopic sinus surgery. We describe herein a case of bilateral ectopic course of the infraorbital nerve into a maxillary sinus septum detected on computed tomography in a patient complaining of chronic headache and facial pain.

Deletion of CXCR4 in cardiomyocytes exacerbates cardiac dysfunction following isoproterenol administration.

Altered alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor signaling is associated with cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and its cognate receptor CXCR4 have been reported to mediate cardioprotection after injury through the mobilization of stem cells into injured tissue. However, little is known regarding whether SDF-1/CXCR4 induces acute protection following pathological hypertrophy and if so, by what molecular mechanism. We have previously reported that CXCR4 physically interacts with the beta-2 adrenergic receptor and modulates its downstream signaling. Here we have shown that CXCR4 expression prevents beta-adrenergic receptor-induced hypertrophy. Cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors were stimulated with the implantation of a subcutaneous osmotic pump administrating isoproterenol and CXCR4 expression was selectively abrogated in cardiomyocytes using Cre-loxP-mediated gene recombination. CXCR4 knockout mice showed worsened fractional shortening and ejection fraction. CXCR4 ablation increased susceptibility to isoproterenol-induced heart failure, by upregulating apoptotic markers and reducing mitochondrial function; cardiac function decreases whereas fibrosis increases. In addition, CXCR4 expression was rescued with the use of cardiotropic adeno-associated viral-9 vectors. CXCR4 gene transfer reduced cardiac apoptotic signaling, improved mitochondrial function and resulted in a recovered cardiac function. Our results represent the first evidence that SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling mediates acute cardioprotection through modulating beta-adrenergic receptor signaling in vivo.

Reconstrucción mamaria mediante lipoinfiltrado enriquecido con PRP / Use of lipofilling enriched with PRP In breast reconstruction

Presentamos una serie de pacientes con mastectomía a las que hemos realizado reconstrucción mamaria con infiltraciones de grasa (lipoinfiltrado) enriquecida con plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) como único procedimiento, o como paso previo a la colocación de un implante mamario. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar una alternativa a la reconstrucción mamaria con colgajos libres o pediculados en mamas sometidas a radioterapia; también, una revisión detallada de los pasos a seguir para la realización de este procedimiento, que van desde la extracción de sangre para la posterior obtención del PRP, hasta la técnica de infiltración de grasa enriquecida con dichos factores en la mama intervenida. Con esta técnica de enriquecimiento de la grasa hemos logrado mejores resultados y mayor permanencia de los injertos grasos. Evaluando los postoperatorios de las pacientes sometidas a este procedimiento, hemos observado que se necesitan de 2 a 3 tiempos de lipoinfiltrado para obtener buena cobertura y mejoría de la calidad de piel como paso previo a la colocación del implante en este tipo de pacientes (AU)

We present a series of patients submitted to reconstruction with fat infiltration (lipofilling) enriched with platelet rich plasma (PRP) as a single procedure or as a precursor to breast implant. The aim of this paper is to present an alternative to breast reconstruction with pedicled or free flaps in breast undergoing radiotherapy; also, a detailed review of the steps to perform this procedure, ranging from drawing blood for later obtaining PRP, to lipofilling technique enriched with these factors in the operated breast. With this enrichment technique we have better and more permanent results. Assessing postoperative patients undergoing this procedure, we have observed that it takes 2-3 lipofilling times to get good coverage and improvement in skin quality as a precursor to implant placement (AU)

Short communication: Effects of processing methods of barley grain in starter diets on feed intake and performance of dairy calves.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different processing methods of barley grain in starter rations on feed intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, skeletal growth, fecal score, and rumen pH of dairy calves. Thirty-two Holstein dairy calves (16 female and 16 male) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments consisting of coarse ground, whole, steam-rolled, or roasted barley from d 4 to 56 of birth in a completely randomized design. Starter diets were formulated to have similar ingredients and composition. All calves had free access to water and feed throughout the study period and received 4 L of milk/d from a bottle from d 4 to 41, 2L/d from d 41 to 45, and weaning occurred on d 45. Feed intake and fecal score were recorded daily. Body weight and skeletal growth measures were recorded on d 4 (beginning of the study), 45, and 56. Rumen fluid and blood samples were collected on d 35, 45, and 56. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). The results indicate that different methods of processing barley had no detectable effect on dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency and that skeletal growth, health, and rumen pH were not affected by dietary treatments. In conclusion, the results show that different processing methods of barley included in starter diets had no detectable effect on the performance of dairy calves under our experimental conditions. Therefore, feeding whole or coarsely ground barley would be a more economical method compared with steam rolled or roasted barley.

A virtual look at Epstein-Barr virus infection: simulation mechanism.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an important human pathogen that establishes a life-long persistent infection and for which no precise animal model exists. In this paper, we describe in detail an agent-based model and computer simulation of EBV infection. Agents representing EBV and sets of B and T lymphocytes move and interact on a three-dimensional grid approximating Waldeyer's ring, together with abstract compartments for lymph and blood. The simulation allows us to explore the development and resolution of virtual infections in a manner not possible in actual human experiments. Specifically, we identify parameters capable of inducing clearance, persistent infection, or death.

Reverse engineering of dynamic networks.

We consider the problem of reverse-engineering dynamic models of biochemical networks from experimental data using polynomial dynamic systems. In earlier work, we developed an algorithm to identify minimal wiring diagrams, that is, directed graphs that represent the causal relationships between network variables. Here we extend this algorithm to identify a most likely dynamic model from the set of all possible dynamic models that fit the data over a fixed wiring diagram. To illustrate its performance, the method is applied to simulated time-course data from a published gene regulatory network in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster.