Cephalometric landmark variability among orthodontists and dentomaxillofacial radiologists: a comparative study

Ana Paula Reis Durão,Aline Morosolli,Pisha Pittayapat,Napat Bolstad,Afonso P. Ferreira,Reinhilde Jacobs 대한영상치의학회 2015 Imaging Science in Dentistry Vol.45 No.4

Purpose: The aim this study was to compare the accuracy of orthodontists and dentomaxillofacial radiologists in identifying 17 commonly used cephalometric landmarks, and to determine the extent of variability associated with each of those landmarks. Material and Methods: Twenty digital lateral cephalometric radiographs were evaluated by two groups of dental specialists, and 17 cephalometric landmarks were identified. The x and y coordinates of each landmark were recorded. The mean value for each landmark was considered the best estimate and used as the standard. Variation in measurements of the distance between landmarks and measurements of the angles associated with certain landmarks was also assessed by a subset of two observers, and intraobserver and interobserver agreement were evaluated. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients were excellent for intraobserver agreement, but only good for interobserver agreement. The least reliable landmark for orthodontists was the gnathion (Gn) point (standard deviation [SD], 5.92 mm), while the orbitale (Or) was the least reliable landmark (SD, 4.41 mm) for dentomaxillofacial radiologists. Furthermore, the condylion (Co)-Gn plane was the least consistent (SD, 4.43 mm). Conclusions: We established that some landmarks were not as reproducible as others, both horizontally and vertically. The most consistently identified landmark in both groups was the lower incisor border, while the least reliable points were Co, Gn, Or, and the anterior nasal spine. Overall, a lower level of reproducibility in the identification of cephalometric landmarks was observed among orthodontists.

Effect of Spirulina maxima on Postprandial Lipemia in Young Runners: A Preliminary Report

Patricia Victoria Torres-Durán,Aldo Ferreira-Hermosillo,Arnulfo Ramos-Jiménez,Rosa Patricia Hernández-Torres,Marco Antonio Juárez-Oropeza 한국식품영양과학회 2012 Journal of medicinal food Vol.15 No.8

Trained people exhibit low plasma concentrations of triacylglcyerols in both fasting and postprandial states. Exercise practice is commonly believed to improve postprandial lipemia. In addition, elevated postprandial lipemia is an indicator of poor lipid clearance, and it has been associated with atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and obesity. Spirulina maxima is an edible microorganism with a high nutritional value. When it is consumed, beneficial properties to health have been demonstrated, such as hypolipemic and antihypertensive properties in human beings. This work evaluates the effects of orally administrated S. maxima on postprandial lipemia in a young Mexican sporting population after 15 days of consumption,as a possible alternative treatment to improve their lipid clearance. Forty-one runners (10–26 years old; 21 men and 20women) volunteered to participate in the study. All of them were physically active for at least 1 year before the study and were not undergoing training during the study. The subjects consumed 5 g of Spirulina during 15 days. Before and after the treatment with Spirulina, they consumed (12 h fasting) a standardized meal with high fat content (53.2% total calories). Postprandial lipemia was measured at 1.5, 3, and 4.5 h after the fatty meal. Fasting plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations were lower after Spirulina treatment than before treatment. In addition, the postprandial area under the curve of TAG concentrations was lower after the treatment with Spirulina. Sixty-two percent of the youngest runners (10–16 years) studied exhibited the best response to the treatment. Orally administered S. maxima decreased postprandial lipemia in sporting teenagers. The youngest people were the most responsive to the beneficial effects of Spirulina on postprandial lipemia.

Cr-doped BiYO3 photocatalyst for degradation of oxytetracycline under visible light irradiation

Hernández-Arellano Diana L.,Durán-Álvarez Juan C.,Cortés-Lagunes Silvana,Zanella Rodolfo,Soto Tania E.,López-Juárez Rigoberto 한국세라믹학회 2023 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.60 No.1

Chromium-doped BiYO3 powders were synthesized by the Pechini method at low temperature between 400 and 800 °C for 1 h. From the XRD results it was observed the coexistence between tetragonal and cubic phases for samples calcined at 400 °C for 1 h. Meanwhile, for samples calcined at 600 and 800 °C, a single cubic phase was observed. The powders consisted of agglomerates of nanocrystals as shown in the SEM and TEM images. The specific surface area was in the order of 3.01–7.74 m2 g−1, obtained from BET analysis. The band gap of BiYO3 and Cr-doped BiYO3 was < 2.21 eV which corroborates that these materials absorb light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The photocatalytic decomposition of oxytetracycline was successfully achieved using Cr-doped BiYO3, where the best performance was obtained with BiY0.98Cr0.02O3 ceramic powders calcined at 800 °C for 1 h. For this composition the removal of oxytetracycline after 240 min of visible light irradiation was 100% of degradation and 75% of mineralization. The photocatalytic process was driven by the photo-holes, as a negligible production of ·OH radicals was observed in tests using scavengers. The photocatalytic activity of the BiY0.995Cr0.005O3 and BiY0.98Cr0.02O3 materials was corroborated under more realistic conditions, using tap water and trace concentration of the antibiotic. The high stability of the photocatalyst was observed through four consecutive reaction cycles. The results demonstrate that the Cr-doping has clearly improved the catalytic performance of BiYO3 for degradation of oxytetracycline under visible light irradiation.

COVID-19 vaccination policies and the new challenges of international travel

Céleo Ramírez,최준낙,Reyna M. Durón 대한백신학회 2022 Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research Vol.11 No.2

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Brain-lung interaction: a vicious cycle in traumatic brain injury

Ariana Alejandra Chacón-Aponte,Érika Andrea Durán-Vargas,Jaime Adolfo Arévalo-Carrillo,Iván David Lozada-Martínez,Maria Paz Bolaño-Romero,Moscote-Salazar Luis Rafael,Pedro Grille,Janjua Tariq 대한중환자의학회 2022 Acute and Critical Care Vol.37 No.1

The brain-lung interaction can seriously affect patients with traumatic brain injury, triggering a vicious cycle that worsens patient prognosis. Although the mechanisms of the interaction are not fully elucidated, several hypotheses, notably the “blast injury” theory or “double hit” model, have been proposed and constitute the basis of its development and progression. The brain and lungs strongly interact via complex pathways from the brain to the lungs but also from the lungs to the brain. The main pulmonary disorders that occur after brain injuries are neurogenic pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and ventilator-associated pneumonia, and the principal brain disorders after lung injuries include brain hypoxia and intracranial hypertension. All of these conditions are key considerations for management therapies after traumatic brain injury and need exceptional case-by-case monitoring to avoid neurological or pulmonary complications. This review aims to describe the history, pathophysiology, risk factors, characteristics, and complications of brain-lung and lung-brain interactions and the impact of different old and recent modalities of treatment in the context of traumatic brain injury.

Basic considerations on magnesium in the management of neurocritical patients

Lozada-Martinez Ivan David,Padilla-Durán Teddy Javier,Jhon Jairo González-Monterroza,Daniel Alfonso Aguilar-Espinosa,Kelly Nathalia Molina-Perea,William Camargo-Martinez,Luz Llamas-Medrano,Mariana Hur 대한신경집중치료학회 2021 대한신경집중치료학회지 Vol.14 No.2

Magnesium is an essential chemical element in human life. In the brain, it is physiologically responsible for a large number of processes involved in intracellular homeostasis, blood-brain barrier integrity, protein synthesis, neuronal proliferation, aging, and apoptosis. Considering that neurocritical care is a relatively new discipline in certain regions of the world and is an independent protective factor of neurological diseases in critical care, it is essential to disseminate basic concepts and utilities of tools that can positively impact the neurological disease burden. Magnesium and its use in neurocritical care are poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to review basic concepts regarding the physiology of magnesium in neurological dynamics, its role in the pathophysiology of neurological disorders, and the outcome of its use in the management of neurocritical illnesses.

Volatiles from Marina neglecta: Biocide effect on insect vectors of tropical diseases in Southern Mexico

Pacheco-Hernández Yesenia,Jonnathan Castro-Juárez Carlos,Alberto Ramírez-García Sergio,Cruz-Durán Ramiro,Lozoya-Gloria Edmundo,Villa-Ruano Nemesio 한국응용곤충학회 2021 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.24 No.2

Preventive measures based in the control of insect vectors are considered as the best choice to decrease the incidence of insect-borne diseases. Herein we report on the volatile content of the leaf essential oils from Marina neglecta, a medicinal plant distributed in the tropical regions of southern Mexico. In order to investigate the chemical variation of the essential oils, a volatile screening was performed during the four seasons of the years 2016–2019. Simultaneously, their biological activity was tested on distinct life stages of Meccus pallidipennis, M. bassolsae, Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus. Essential oils were mainly constituted of β-pinene (>30%) β-car yophyllene (>25%) and germacrene D (>13%). Dorsal-abdomen application of essential oils on triatomines, revealed an efficient LC 50 for nymphs of the stages I to III (4 µg/insect), nymphs of the stages IV to V (5–6 µg/ insect), and adults (7–8 µg/insect). The LT 50 for the stages I to III was between 6 and 8 h, whereas that for the stages IV to V and adults oscillated between 12 and 16 h and 22 to 26 h, respectively. Fumigation experiments performed on nymph V, demonstrated that 300 µg L − 1 air produced 100% mortality after 72 h post-treatment. Among tested volatiles, β-pinene and β-caryophyllene produced a comparable mortality rate (p < 0.01) than that of essential oils in the stages assayed. Essential oils showed strong larvicidal (LC 50 , 24–36 µg mL − 1 ) and adul ticidal (35–48 µg mL − 1 ) activities in mosquito species with an LT 50 of 4.5 h and 25–35 min, respectively. The evaluation of β-pinene produced a significant mortality rate (p < 0.01) in larvae whereas germacrene D was the most effective volatile (p < 0.01) against adults of both mosquito species. According to our results, β-pinene was the most effective volatile against the four insect species evaluated and its effect was comparable to that of the essential oil.

Shear Rate and Microturbulence Effects on the Synthesis of Proteases by Jacaratia mexicana Cells Cultured in a Bubble Column, Airlift, and Stirred Tank Bioreactors

María del Carmen Oliver-Salvador,Elisa Morales-López,Enrique Durán-Páramo,Carlos Orozco-Álvarez,Sergio García-Salas 한국생물공학회 2013 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.18 No.4

Cysteine proteases from Jacaratia mexicana,an endemic Mexican plant, could compete in industrial applications with papain. Currently the only way to obtain these proteases is by extracting them from the wild plant. An alternative source of these enzymes is by J. mexicana suspension culture. In this work, this culture was carried out in airlift, bubble column and stirred tank bioreactors,and the effects of shear rate and microturbulence on cell growth, protein accumulation and proteolytic activity were determined. The shear rates in the stirred tank, bubble column and airlift bioreactors were 274 1/s, 13 1/s and 36 1/s respectively, and microturbulences (symbolized by λ, in units of μm) were 46, 79, and 77 μm, respectively. Protein levels and proteolytic activity were linearly correlated with both shear rate and microturbulence. A higher shear rate and a more intensive microturbulence occurred in the stirred tank, producing higher protein accumulation and higher proteolytic activity compared with those of the other two bioreactor systems. Higher shear rate and microturbulence had an elicitor effect on protease synthesis, because microturbulence in stirred tank bioreactors was lower than the average length of J. mexicana cells. Furthermore, cells in the stirred tank were smaller and thinner than those grown in shake flask, bubble column and airlift bioreactors. In summary, proteases were produced by J. mexicana cell cultures in a stirred tank under conditions of high shear rate and intensive microturbulence, which are similar to those which occur in industrial stirred tanks. These results encourage continuation of the process development for large scale production of these proteases by this technology.

Challenges managing COVID vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia in low-middle income countries

Céleo Ramírez,Ramón Jeremías Soto Hernández,Reyna M. Durón 대한백신학회 2021 Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research Vol.10 No.3

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is an extremely rare complication associated with the adenovirus-vectored coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine. It is characterized by venous thrombosis, mainly cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, moderate to severe thrombocytopenia, and rarely, thrombosis in cerebral arteries. This syndrome is similar to the heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and presents mostly among women aged 18–55 years, without previous exposure to heparin, usually 5 to 20 days after vaccination. However, cases have been reported in men and older adults [1-4]. Unlike COVID-19, this adverse effect might not represent a public health problem in itself, but it is already causing vaccine hesitancy in population groups susceptible to severe COVID-19, and poses a challenge in low resource settings [5]. The first case reports showed evidence that VITT has a mortality around 40% [1-3]. So far, cases have been reported and treated in hospitals of highly developed countries with first-rate health systems that facilitate early detection and treatment of this severe adverse event. VITT is confirmed by using PF4-dependent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, which allows the differential diagnosis from other causes of thrombosis in patients with a history of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination in previous days. However, it is likely that a large number of hospitals in many low-middle income countries do not have approved PF4-dependent ELISA assays for accurate diagnosis, nor immunoglobulins, glucocorticoids, and non-heparin anticoagulants needed for the treatment of this condition [1-4]. In times of this COVID-19 pandemic and precision medicine, problems and solutions should be considered global. Policies related to COVID-19 need to be addressed considering varied public health and socioeconomic contexts. The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is one of the most used vaccines in low-middle income countries, where special testing to confirm VITT is not widely available. Therefore, real figures are unknown, and underreporting of this adverse effect should be considered. Patient information, government, and hospital preparedness in these countries are needed to diagnose and manage VITT adequately, and to reduce morbidity and mortality from this complication. These strategies will have a positive impact on public acceptance and adherence to COVID vaccination.

Effects of Dietary Spirulina on Vascular Reactivity

M.A. Juárez-Oropeza,D. Mascher,P.V. Torres-Durán,J.M. Farias,M.C. Paredes-Carbajal 한국식품영양과학회 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.1

There are several reports suggesting that Spirulina (Arthrospira) may have a beneficial effect in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Here we review the results of studies on the effects of dietary Spirulina on the vasomotor reactivity of aortic rings excised from either lean or obese Wistar rats. We also review preliminary results on the effects of Spirulina intake on plasma lipids and blood pressure in humans. The results of the former studies strongly suggest that Spirulina induces a tone-related increase in the synthesis/release of nitric oxide by the endothelium as well as an increase in the synthesis/release of a vasodilating cyclooxygenase-dependent metabolite of arachidonic acid and/or a decrease in the synthesis/release of a vasoconstricting eicosanoid by the endothelium. In humans, Spirulina maxima intake decreases blood pressure and plasma lipid concentrations, especially triacylglycerols and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and indirectly modifies the total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol values.