Giant increase in the metal-enhanced fluorescence of organic molecules in nanoporous alumina templates and large molecule-specific red/blue-shift of the fluorescence peak.

The fluorescence of organic fluorophore molecules is enhanced when they are placed in contact with certain metals (Al, Ag, Cu, Au, etc.) whose surface plasmon waves couple into the radiative modes of the molecules and increase the radiative efficiency. Here, we report a hitherto unknown size dependence of this metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) effect in the nanoscale. When the molecules are deposited in nanoporous anodic alumina films with exposed aluminum at the bottom of the pores, they form organic nanowires standing on aluminum nanoparticles whose plasmon waves have much larger amplitudes. This increases the MEF strongly, resulting in several orders of magnitude increase in the fluorescence intensity of the organic fluorophores. The increase in intensity shows an inverse superlinear dependence on nanowire diameter because the nanowires also act as plasmonic "waveguides" that concentrate the plasmons and increase the coupling of the plasmons with the radiative modes of the molecules. Furthermore, if the nanoporous template housing the nanowires has built-in electric fields due to space charges, a strong molecule-specific red- or blue-shift is induced in the fluorescence peak owing to a renormalization of the dipole moment of the molecule. This can be exploited to detect minute amounts of target molecules in a mixture using their optical signature (fluorescence) despite the presence of confounding background signals. It can result in a unique new technology for biosensing and chemical sensing.

Characteristic features of trabecular bone in edentulous mandibles.

BACKGROUND: The density and architecture of the alveolar trabecular bone are crucial to the stability of an endosseous implant. A significantly higher implant failure rate can be expected when implants are placed in alveolar bone with reduced density and stability. Therefore, the present study aimed to describe the trabecular bone structure of edentulous mandibles. METHOD: Two hundred and seventy-eight bone sections, including the lateral incisor, first premolar, and first molar regions, were obtained from 128 edentulous lower jaws (68 females and 60 males; mean age: 77.58 years). Ground sections were prepared for each region using the 'sawing and grinding' technique. The following standard structural histomorphometric parameters were determined using a semiautomatic image analysis: trabecular bone volume, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, trabecular separation, and the trabecular bone pattern factor, which describes the connectedness of cancellous bone structures. Also, the maximum height of the jaw section was determined, to detect any possible correlations between vertical height and histomorphometric parameters. RESULTS: All the histomorphometric parameters examined showed an unexpectedly huge range of variation. The mean trabecular bone volume ranged between 20.9% and 36.9%. The mean trabecular thickness showed values between 165.9 and 224.7 microm. The mean trabecular number ranged between 1.22 and 1.77/ mm, and the mean trabecular separation ranged between 436.7 and 720.0 microm. The mean trabecular bone pattern factor showed values between -0.05 and -3.01/ mm. The maximum height of the jaw sections showed values between 16.05 and 23.42 mm. The trabecular bone volume, thickness, number and connectivity were significantly lower in the molar region than in the incisal and premolar regions. Significant sex-specific differences were found in all the regions, female mandibles showing a smaller amount and lower connectivity of cancellous bone than male mandibles. No correlation could be found between the maximum height of the jaw and the histomorphometric parameters of the cancellous bone. CONCLUSION: A possible explanation for the difference in the density between the incisal and the molar region may be that molars are generally lost at an earlier age than anterior and premolar teeth. As a result, atrophy-related resorptive and remodeling processes commence earlier and progress further in this region than in the anterior and premolar regions. Sex-specific differences are probably due to an increased postmenopausal bone loss of the females.

Severity of hyperactivity and the comorbidity of hyperactivity with clumsiness in three sample sources: school, support group and hospital.

The aim of this study was to examine whether or not there were any differences in the severity of hyperactivity and the comorbidity of hyperactivity with clumsiness due to the sampling sources of hyperactive children. It was hypothesized that hyperactivity would be more severe and the comorbidity higher in the hospital sample than in the community support group and the school sample. A total of 47 hyperactive children were assessed with the German version of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC). The hypotheses were not supported by the results. Although the school sample demonstrated the least prevalence rate of comorbid clumsiness, their conduct problems were rated higher than were the hospital and the support group samples. The possible difference in teachers' perception was discussed in terms of their understanding and communication with parents and professionals. The need to determine the effect of inattention on manual performance is addressed with a research strategy.

Lingual vascular canals of the mandible: evaluation with dental CT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether dental computed tomography (CT) can depict the frequency, diameter, position, and direction of vessels entering the mandible through lingual bone canals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients underwent preimplantation CT of the lower jaw and examination for the presence, number, location, diameter, and direction of lingual canals entering the mandible. In addition, three cadaver mandibles were investigated with dental CT and subsequently dissected to confirm the CT findings. RESULTS: All patients demonstrated at least one lingual vascular canal, and 20 (63%) had multiple (two to five) canals. The typical lingual canal locations were the midline of the mandible and the premolar region. The mean diameter of the lingual canals was 0.7 mm +/- 0.3 (SD) (range, 0.4--1.5 mm) in the midline and 0.6 mm +/- 0.2 (range, 0.3--1.2 mm) in both premolar regions of the mandible. Examination results in the three cadaver mandibles confirmed the CT findings in those mandibles. CONCLUSION: Dental CT can depict the occurrence, position, and size of the lingual vascular canals of the mandible. Radiologists should be aware of this anatomic feature and its possible implications.

Computed tomographic diagnosis and localization of bone canals in the mandibular interforaminal region for prevention of bleeding complications during implant surgery.

In this study, computed tomograms (CTs) of 70 patients were examined for visible vascular canals in the mandible as well as for their localization, incidence, diameter, and content. All patients examined showed at least 1 lingual perforating bone canal in the mandible. Since such vascular canals are encountered regularly, routine CT examination is recommended prior to implant surgery to help avoid severe bleeding complications during the placement of implants in the interforaminal region.

Assessment of the blood supply to the mental region for reduction of bleeding complications during implant surgery in the interforaminal region.

Several life-threatening complications caused by hemorrhage that can occur during the placement of dental implants in the mandibular interforaminal region have been described in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess the vascular supply to this region and delineate the relative contribution and importance of the sublingual artery versus the submental artery. Thirty-four human cadavers were dissected. Special attention was directed to the presence of a branch of the submental artery that perforates the mylohyoid muscle and thus participates in the blood supply to the floor of the mouth together with the sublingual artery. A sublingual artery was found in 71% of the specimens. A large branch of the submental artery perforating the mylohyoid muscle was found in 41% of the specimens. The point of perforation was located an average of 31 mm posterior to the menton. The high risk of injuring the vessels of the floor of the mouth can be explained by the close vicinity of these vessels to the mandibular lingual cortical plate. To prevent complications in cases of unclear anatomic identification of the fossa sublingualis, preoperative lingual probing or elevation of the periosteum of the lingual aspect of the mandible is necessary. An alternative diagnostic procedure is precise preoperative noninvasive imaging (eg, computed tomography).

[Sports and motor development in rehabilitation of the disabled in the South of France - report of a study visit (author's transl)]. / Sport und motorische Fördermassnahmen in der Rehabilitation Behinderter in Südfrankreich. Bericht über eine Studienfahrt.

Within the framework of a study visit conducted to prepare for a German-French student exchange programme, various schools for the disabled as well as medical and vocational rehabilitation facilities had been visited, located in the vicinity of Toulouse and Auch in the South of France. Our interest focussed on programmes for motor development and stimulaton. Although the provision of physical education in not stipulated in the educational curricula, and notwithstanding a rather unfavourable general situation, promising beginnings have been noted. With the exception of leisure-time activities motor development is ignored in the vocational training facilities, while the clinics are limited to therapeutic activities. Model character can be attributed to the efforts undertaken by the YMCA in cooperation with the sports institute of Toulouse University (U.E.R.E.P.S.), aimed at comprehensive development and stimulation of the disabled within the YMCA-operated sheltered workshops which provide manifold opportunities for sports activities along various organisational patterns. Where coordination of activities exists among the facilities, it does not include the areas of physical education and sports. Even more so than in the Federal Republic of Germany, insight into the need for systematic development of the disabled through physical exercise seems to be lacking.