Study of Pathological Changes in the Dental Follicle of Disease-Free Impacted Third Molars.

Background: The prophylactic extraction of third molars is a common practice in dental offices, but divergent opinions are found in the literature regarding the indication of this procedure. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of pathological changes associated with the pericoronal tissue of asymptomatic impacted third molars that could justify prophylactic extraction.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in which 109 pericoronal tissues with no radiographic evidence of pathology were histopathologically analyzed.

An Alternative Method to Treat Ankyloglossia.

Ankyloglossia entails short lingual frenum, impairing satisfactory tongue movement and leading to problems related to deglutition, feeding and diction. This clinical report uses laser technology, rather than traditional surgical procedure with scalpel, to perform a lingual frenulotomy on a 9-year old child diagnosed with ankyloglossia, aiming to investigate more conservative and less traumatic dental procedures. Due to the many advantages of the laser device, such as bloodless surgical field, absence of sutures, minimal swelling and post-surgical pain, the high intensity diode laser is a viable alternative technique in soft tissue surgeries.

Activation of Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Is an Additional Mechanism That Participates in Mediating Inhibitory Actions of Prostaglandin F2Alpha in Mature, but Not Developing, Bovine Corpora Lutea.

Elevated cytosolic calcium and protein kinase C are well-established mediators of luteolytic actions of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). The objectives of this study were to determine 1) if calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2) participates in mediating PGF2alpha actions in developing (Day [d]-4) and mature (d-10) bovine corpus luteum (CL), 2) distal targets of CAMKK2, 3) developmental expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and 4) effects of AMPK activation on progesterone (P4) production. Expression of AMPK increased as the CL matured.

Mechanisms of intracellular calcium homeostasis in developing and mature bovine corpora lutea.

Although calcium (Ca(2+)) is accepted as an intracellular mediator of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha) actions on luteal cells, studies defining mechanisms of Ca(2+) homeostasis in bovine corpora lutea (CL) are lacking. The increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) induced by PGF2alpha in steroidogenic cells from mature CL is greater than in those isolated from developing CL. Our hypothesis is that differences in signal transduction associated with developing and mature CL contribute to the increased efficacy of PGF2alpha to induce a Ca(2+) signal capable of inducing regression in mature CL.

Differential gene expression in the bovine corpus luteum during transition from early phase to midphase and its potential role in acquisition of luteolytic sensitivity to prostaglandin F2 alpha.

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF(2alpha)) brings about regression of the bovine corpus luteum (CL). This luteolytic property of PGF(2alpha) is used in beef and dairy cattle to synchronize estrus. A limitation of this protocol is insensitivity of the early CL to luteolytic actions of PGF(2alpha).

Effects of endothelin receptor type-A and type-B antagonists on prostaglandin F2alpha-induced luteolysis of the sheep corpus luteum.

Three experiments were designed to examine the mechanisms that govern prostaglandin (PGF2alpha)-induced regression of the sheep corpus luteum. Evidence is presented supporting the involvement of endothelin 1 (EDN1) in PGF2alpha-induced luteolysis. Experiment 1 measured effects of PGF2alpha when actions of EDN1 were blocked by sustained administration of a type-A endothelin (EDNRA) or type-B endothelin (EDNRB) antagonist in vivo.

PKC epsilon and an increase in intracellular calcium concentration are necessary for PGF2 alpha to inhibit LH-stimulated progesterone secretion in cultured bovine steroidogenic luteal cells.

The hypotheses that PKC epsilon is necessary for: 1) PGF2 alpha to inhibit LH-stimulated progesterone (P4) secretion, and 2) for the expression of key prostaglandin synthesizing/metabolizing enzymes were tested in bovine luteal cells in which PKC epsilon expression had been ablated using a validated siRNA protocol. Steroidogenic cells from Day -6 bovine corpus luteum (CL) were isolated and transfected to reduce PKC epsilon expression after 48, 72 and 96 h. A third tested hypothesis was that an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) is the cellular mechanism through which PGF2 alpha inhibits luteal progesterone.

Mechanisms of reduced luteal sensitivity to prostaglandin F2alpha during maternal recognition of pregnancy in ewes.

During maternal recognition of pregnancy, the conceptus stimulates endometrial secretion of PGF2alpha and PGE2. However, PGF2alpha is less effective in causing luteal regression in pregnant than in non-pregnant ewes. Experiments were conducted to elucidate mechanisms for reduced luteal sensitivity to PGF2alpha during maternal recognition of pregnancy.

Participation of specific PKC isozymes in the inhibitory effect of ET-1 on progesterone accumulation in cells isolated from early- and mid-phase corpora lutea.

Expression of PKC alpha, beta I, beta II, epsilon and micro has been demonstrated in the whole bovine CL with PKC epsilon being differentially expressed as a function of development. In experiment 1 we have investigated the amount of mRNA encoding PKC epsilon at different stages of luteal development (days 1, 4, 10 and 17). In experiment 2, the cellular source of luteal PKC isozymes was determined.

Effects of selective protein kinase c isozymes in prostaglandin2alpha-induced Ca2+ signaling and luteinizing hormone-induced progesterone accumulation in the mid-phase bovine corpus luteum.

A single-cell approach for measuring the concentration of cytoplasmic calcium ions ([Ca(2+)](i)) and a protein kinase C-epsilon (PKCepsilon)-specific inhibitor were used to investigate the developmental role of PKCepsilon in the prostaglandin F(2alpha)(PGF(2alpha))-induced rise in [Ca(2+)](i) and the induced decline in progesterone accumulation in cultures of cells isolated from the bovine corpus luteum. PGF(2alpha) increased [Ca(2+)](i) in Day 4 large luteal cells (LLCs), but the response was significantly lower than in Day 10 LLCs (4.3 +/- 0.

Developmental sensitivity of the bovine corpus luteum to prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) and endothelin-1 (ET-1): is ET-1 a mediator of the luteolytic actions of PGF2alpha or a tonic inhibitor of progesterone secretion?

We examined the responsiveness of large luteal cells (LLC), small luteal cells (SLC), and endothelial cells of the Day 4 and Day 10 bovine corpus luteum (CL) to prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha and endothelin (ET)-1. Using a single-cell approach, we tested the ability of each agonist to increase the cytoplasmic concentration of calcium ions ([Ca2+]i) as function of luteal development. All tested concentrations of agonists significantly (P = 0.

Successful arterial reconstruction with collateral artery bypass for a femoral artery aneurysm: report of a case.

The outcome of surgery for femoral artery aneurysms is dependent on the preoperative status of the runoff vessels. We report a case of a femoral artery aneurysm complicated by thromboembolic obstruction of the distal superficial femoral and profunda femoris arteries. Fortunately, the collateral arteries were viable runoff vessels for restoring adequate blood flow to the limb.

Prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) independent and dependent regulation of the bovine luteal endothelin system.

We have examined the genes of the endothelin system that are targets for regulation by prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). The effects of a luteolytic dose of PGF2alpha ) on the mRNA encoding endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1), pre-pro endothelin-1 (pp ET-1) and the ET receptors ETA, ETB, in bovine corpus luteum (CL) during the early (days 1 and 4), mid (day 10) or late (day 17) luteal phases were examined. The effect of the PGF(2alpha) treatment on ECE-1 protein, Big ET-1 and the biologically active mature ET-1 peptide were also examined.

Surgical management of aneurysms of the aortic arch vessels and their branches: report of four cases.

We review the cases of four patients with aneurysms of the aortic arch vessels and their branches. Two patients had a subclavian artery aneurysm, one had an innominate artery aneurysm, and one had a carotid artery aneurysm. We performed surgical reconstruction in all four patients in view of the life-threatening complications of these aneurysms.

Expression and activation of protein kinase C isozymes by prostaglandin F(2alpha) in the early- and mid-luteal phase bovine corpus luteum.

Western blotting was used to identify the array of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes expressed in the early (Day 4) and midcycle (Day 10) bovine corpus luteum (CL). PCKalpha, betaI, betaII, epsilon, and micro isozymes were detected in total protein samples prepared from both Day-4 and Day-10 corpora lutea. In contrast, specific antibodies for PKCgamma, eta, lambda, and theta isozymes failed to detect protein bands in the luteal samples.

Dissecting aneurysm of the infrarenal abdominal aorta: report of a case.

A primary abdominal aortic dissection is exceedingly rare, especially in the absence of blunt abdominal trauma. We herein report a case of aortic dissection with aneurysmal dilatation (dissecting aneurysm) of the infrarenal abdominal aorta in a 61-year-old female patient, and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic management of this rare disorder.

Bilateral femoral artery aneurysms in a patient with long-standing traumatic paraplegia: report of a case.

The etiology of femoral artery aneurysms is believed to involve the interaction of a genetic alteration that predisposes to the loss of arterial wall integrity. This is precipitated by local forces such as repeated flexion of the arteries at the hip. We describe herein a case of bilateral femoral and right internal iliac artery aneurysms that developed in a patient with long-standing paraplegia.