BackgroundMini-implant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) appliances have been developed with the aim to enhance the orthopedic effect induced by rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Maxillary Skeletal Expander (MSE) is a particular type of MARPE appliance characterized by the presence of four mini-implants positioned in the posterior part of the palate with bi-cortical engagement. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the MSE effects on the midpalatal and pterygopalatine sutures in late adolescents, using high-resolution CBCT. Specific aims are to define the magnitude and sagittal parallelism of midpalatal suture opening, to measure the extent of transverse asymmetry of split, and to illustrate the possibility of splitting the pterygopalatine suture.MethodsFifteen subjects (mean age of 17.2 years; range, 13.9–26.2 years) were treated with MSE. Pre- and post-treatment CBCT exams were taken and superimposed. A novel methodology based on three new reference planes was utilized to analyze the sutural changes. Parameters were compared from pre- to post-treatment and between genders non-parametrically using the Wilcoxon sign rank test. For the frequency of openings in the lower part of the pterygopalatine suture, the Fisher’s exact test was used.ResultsRegarding the magnitude of midpalatal suture opening, the split at anterior nasal spine (ANS) and at posterior nasal spine (PNS) was 4.8 and 4.3 mm, respectively. The amount of split at PNS was 90% of that at ANS, showing that the opening of the midpalatal suture was almost perfectly parallel antero-posteriorly. On average, one half of the anterior nasal spine (ANS) moved more than the contralateral one by 1.1 mm. Openings between the lateral and medial plates of the pterygoid process were detectable in 53% of the sutures (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the magnitude and frequency of suture opening between males and females. Correlation between age and suture opening was negligible (R 2 range, 0.3–4.2%).ConclusionsMidpalatal suture was successfully split by MSE in late adolescents, and the opening was almost perfectly parallel in a sagittal direction. Regarding the extent of transverse asymmetry of the split, on average one half of ANS moved more than the contralateral one by 1.1 mm. Pterygopalatine suture was split in its lower region by MSE, as the pyramidal process was pulled out from the pterygoid process. Patient gender and age had a negligible influence on suture opening for the age group considered in the study.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Ozone in the troposphere can cause plant stress, whereas elevated CO. generally causes positive responses. Little is known of how these gases interact to affect plant response. Interactive effects on yield and seed quality of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grown in 14-L pots were measured in open-top field chambers. Essex was tested in 1993, and Essex, Holladay, and NK 6955 were tested in 1994. Plants were exposed from emergence to maturity to four CO; levels (ambient and 1.3,1.6, and 2.0 times ambient) and three O, levels (0.4, 0.9, and 1.5 times ambient) in 12 combinations. Increasing O, suppressed growth and yield, whereas CO, enrichment stimulated growth and yield. Carbon dioxide-induced stimulation was greater for plants stressed by O, than for non stressed plants. For example, CO 2 at 2.0 times ambient increased 2-yr mean seed yield of Essex by 16, 24, and 81% at O, levels of 0.4, 0.9, and 1.5 times ambient, respectively. Effects of O, and CO, on seed oil content were variable with numerous cultivar differences. Seed protein content was never affected. Elevated O, suppressed oleic acid content in seeds, whereas CO, increased it; the nature of the O, x CO 2 interaction for oleic acid was similar to that observed for most yield measures. Carbon dioxide-induced stimulation of plants stressed by O, was apparently caused partly by amelioration of O 3 stress. Interactions between O 3 and CO 2 must be considered for proper interpretation of cause-effect relationships in CO, enrichment studies.

No abstract

m Surface mining poses a significant threat to the Appalachian region via forest loss and fragmentation. Reclamation methods that utilize heavy grading to prevent landslides and erosion create a compacted landscape that is not suitable for forest establishment or growth. Overburden materials derived from differing geologic strata can exhibit large variation in physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. Determining whicb strata should be used for creating a rooting medium for successful reforestation is not well established. Twelve 0.2-ha plots composed of either segregated brown sandstone, gray sandstone, sbale, or a sandstone-shale mixture (four treatments; n = 3) were created on a surface mine in eastern Kentucky using a low-compaction reclamation method. Each plot was planted with native hardwood tree seedlings following the Forestry Reclamation Approach. After two growing seasons, brown sandstone treatments had four times greater extractable P (Mehlich III) and five times greater total N than the other treatments. This helped contribute to greater tree growth on brown sandstone treatments. Spoil settling was faster in the shale treatments due to the loss of carbonate cements. Clay contents and 2:1 minerals were also greater in the whole soil of the shale treatments, leading to greater plant-available water and a greater cation exchange capacity. Gray sandstone treatments exhibited alkaline conditions (pH :: 8.8) that suppressed tree growth. The mixing of brown sandstone and shale overburdens may produce a suitable combination of higher fertility, water holding capacity, and faster settling in reclaimed mine environments.Abbreviations: CEC, cation exchange capacity; FRA, Forestry Reclamation Approach.T he Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) requires the restoration of post-mining land use capability to a level "equal to or better than" that which preceded mining. Surface-mined lands in Appalachia were forested before mining but are often reclaimed to pasture. One reason for this change in land use is that the reclamation practices under SMCRA tend to inhibit tree growth. Impediments to forest growth under SMCRA includes: (i) excessive compaction of the spoil, (ii) unsuitable or sometimes toxic rooting material, and (iii) competition for nutrients and water by aggressive and often invasive herbaceous species that are planted to establish ground cover (Angel et al., 2005;Burger et al., 2005a;Rodrigue and Burger, 2004). The spoil medium effects on tree growth, tree species not suited to site conditions, and improper tree planting techniques are often problems associated with reclaimed lands. Realizing the significance of these problems, regulatory, mining, and research groups coordinated efforts to restore forests across the region. As a result, a five-step system to reforest coal-mined land, called the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), was developed based on 80 yr of research. The steps of FRA are: (i) create a suitable 1.2-m-deep rooting medium for Soil Sei. Soc.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent proinflammatory phospholipid mediator that causes hypotension, increases vascular permeability, and has been implicated in anaphylaxis, septic shock and several other inflammatory responses. PAF is hydrolyzed and inactivated by the enzyme PAF-acetylhydrolase. In the intact rat, a mesenteric vein infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) served as an acute, liver-focused model of endotoxemia. Plasma PAF-acetylhydrolase activity increased 2-fold by 24 h following LPS administration. Ribonuclease protection experiments demonstrated very low levels of plasma-type PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA transcripts in the livers of saline-infused rats; however, 24 h following LPS exposure, a 20-fold induction of PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA was detected. In cells isolated from endotoxin-exposed rat livers, Northern blot analyses demonstrated that Kupffer cells but not hepatocytes or endothelial cells were responsible for the increased PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA levels. In Kupffer cells, plasma-type PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA was induced by 12 h, peaked at 24 h, and remained substantially elevated at 48 h. Induction of neutropenia prior to LPS administration had no effect on the increase in PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA seen at 24 h. Although freshly isolated Kupffer cells contain barely detectable levels of plasma-type PAF-acetylhydrolase mRNA, when Kupffer cells were established in culture, PAF-acetylhydrolase expression became constitutively activated concomitant with cell adherence to the culture plates. Alterations in plasma-type PAF-acetylhydrolase expression may constitute an important mechanism for elevating plasma PAF-acetylhydrolase levels and an important component in minimizing PAF-mediated pathophysiology in livers exposed to endotoxemia.