Unilateral cross bite treated by corticotomy-assisted expansion: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>True unilateral posterior crossbite in adults is a challenging malocclusion to treat. Conventional expansion methods are expected to have some shortcomings. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new technique for treating unilateral posterior crossbite in adults, namely, corticotomy-assisted expansion (CAE) applied on two adult patients: one with a true unilateral crossbite and the other with an asymmetrical bilateral crossbite, both treated via modified corticotomy techniques and fixed orthodontic appliances.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two cases with asymmetric maxillary constriction were treated using CAE.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In both cases, effective asymmetrical expansion was achieved using CAE, and functional occlusion was established as well.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Unilateral CAE presents an effective and reliable technique to treat true unilateral crossbite.</p

Relationship between damage and mortality in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: Cluster analyses in a large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER)

Objectives: To identify patterns (clusters) of damage manifestation within a large cohort of juvenile SLE (jSLE) patients and evaluate their possible association with mortality. Methods: This is a multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study of a cohort of 345 jSLE patients from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. Using cluster analysis, groups of patients with similar patterns of damage manifestation were identified and compared. Results: Mean age (years) ± S.D. at diagnosis was 14.2 ± 2.89; 88.7% were female and 93.4% were Caucasian. Mean SLICC/ACR DI ± S.D. was 1.27 ± 1.63. A total of 12 (3.5%) patients died. Three damage clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (72.7% of patients) presented a lower number of individuals with damage (22.3% vs. 100% in Clusters 2 and 3, P < 0.001); Cluster 2 (14.5% of patients) was characterized by renal damage in 60% of patients, significantly more than Clusters 1 and 3 (P < 0.001), in addition to increased more ocular, cardiovascular and gonadal damage; Cluster 3 (12.7%) was the only group with musculoskeletal damage (100%), significantly higher than in Clusters 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). The overall mortality rate in Cluster 2 was 2.2 times higher than that in Cluster 3 and 5 times higher than that in Cluster 1 (P < 0.017 for both comparisons). Conclusions: In a large cohort of jSLE patients, renal and musculoskeletal damage manifestations were the two dominant forms of damage by which patients were sorted into clinically meaningful clusters. We found two clusters of jSLE with important clinical damage that were associated with higher rates of mortality, especially for the cluster of patients with predominant renal damage. Physicians should be particularly vigilant to the early prevention of damage in this subset of jSLE patients with kidney involvement

Associated factors to serious infections in a large cohort of juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus from Lupus Registry (RELESSER).

Objective: To assess the incidence of serious infection (SI) and associated factors in a large juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) retrospective cohort. Methods: All patients in the Spanish Rheumatology Society Lupus Registry (RELESSER) who meet =4 ACR-97 SLE criteria and disease onset <18 years old (jSLE), were retrospectively investigated for SI (defined as either the need for hospitalization with antibacterial therapy for a potentially fatal infection or death caused by the infection). Standardized SI rate was calculated per 100 patient years. Patients with and without SI were compared. Bivariate and multivariate logistic and Cox regression models were built to calculate associated factors to SI and relative risks. Results: A total of 353 jSLE patients were included: 88.7% female, 14.3 years (± 2.9) of age at diagnosis, 16.0 years (± 9.3) of disease duration and 31.5 years (±10.5) at end of follow-up. A total of 104 (29.5%) patients suffered 205 SI (1, 55.8%; 2-5, 38.4%; and =6, 5.8%). Incidence rate was 3.7 (95%CI: 3.2–4.2) SI per 100 patient years. Respiratory location and bacterial infections were the most frequent. Higher number of SLE classification criteria, SLICC/ACR DI score and immunosuppressants use were associated to the presence of SI. Associated factors to shorter time to first infection were higher number of SLE criteria, splenectomy and immunosuppressants use. Conclusions: The risk of SI in jSLE patients is significant and higher than aSLE. It is associated to higher number of SLE criteria, damage accrual, some immunosuppressants and splenectomy

Black Girls Speak STEM: Counterstories of Informal and Formal Learning Experiences

This study presents the interpretations and perceptions of Black girls who participated in I AM STEM – a community-based informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. Using narrative inquiry, participants generated detailed accounts of their informal and formal STEM learning experiences. Critical race methodology informed this research to portray the dynamic and complex experiences of girls of color, whose stories have historically been silenced and misrepresented. The data sources for this qualitative study included individual interviews, student reflection journals, samples of student work, and researcher memos, which were triangulated to produce six robust counterstories. Excerpts of the counterstories are presented in this article. The major findings of this research revealed that I AM STEM ignited an interest in STEM learning through field trips and direct engagement in scientific phenomena that allowed the girls to become agentic in continuing their engagement in STEM activities throughout the year. This call to awaken the voices of Black girls to speak casts light on their experiences and challenges as STEM learners ⎯ from their perspectives. The findings confirm that when credence and counterspaces are given to Black girls, they are poised to reveal their luster toward STEM learning. This study provided a space for Black girls to reflect on their STEM learning experiences, formulate new understandings, and make connections between the informal and formal learning environments within the context of their everyday lives, thus offering a more holistic approach to STEM learning that occurs across settings and over a lifetime

Propuesta para el Docente de Primer Grado de Educación Primaria para Optimizar el uso del Proyecto Canaima, Caso: U.E.N. andrés Eloy Blanco, ubicada en el Municipio Bolívar, Estado Anzoátegui

La incorporación de las nuevas tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC) al contexto educativo ha sido vista como la posibilidad de ampliar la gama de recursos, estrategias y las modalidades de comunicación que se pueden ofrecer para el mejoramiento, optimización y alcance del quehacer educativo. En línea con este planteamiento, el gobierno de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela ha implementado en la Educación Primaria Venezolana el Proyecto Canaima, el cual surge de una alianza con la República de Portugal, con la intensión de incorporar las TIC en la educación. De acuerdo con lo antes mencionado, se plantea como tema de estudio el Diseño de una Propuesta dirigida al Docente de Primer Grado de Educación Primaria que optimice el manejo de la Computadora Canaima como recurso didáctico del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Esta investigación tuvo lugar en la Unidad Educativa Nacional Andrés Eloy Blanco, en Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui. La población objeto de estudio está representada por 2 maestras de primer grado de Educación Primaria, una representante del turno de la mañana y otra del turno de la tarde. La investigación se orientó hacia un diseño de campo, tipo estudio de caso y el nivel de profundidad que tuvo el trabajo fue descriptivo. En cuanto a los objetivos de la investigación, se pudieron diagnosticar las capacidades que poseen los docentes sobre el uso de la Computadora como herramienta de las TIC, identificar las limitaciones que presentan en cuanto al manejo de la Computadora Canaima y diseñar una propuesta para que los docentes adquieran competencias básicas y optimicen el uso de la Computadora Canaima como recurso didáctico

Trends and land surface phenological responses to climate variability in the Argentina Pampas

Understanding the interaction between land surface and atmosphere processes is fundamental for predicting the effects of future climate change on ecosystem functioning and carbon dynamics. The objectives of this work were to analyze the trends in land surface phenology (LSP) metrics from remote sensing data, and to reveal their relationship with precipitation and ENSO phenomenon in the Argentina Pampas. Using a time series of MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from 2000 to 2014, the start of the growing season (SOS), the annual integral of NDVI (i-NDVI, linear estimator of annual productivity), the timing of the annual maximum NDVI (t-MAX) and the annual relative range of NDVI (RREL, estimator of seasonality) were obtained for the Argentina Pampas. Then, spatial and temporal relationships with the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and precipitation were analyzed. Results showed a negative trend in annual productivity over a 53.6% of the study area associated to natural and semi-natural grassland under cattle grazing, whereas a 40.3% of Argentina Pampas showed a significant positive trend in seasonality of carbon gains. The study also reveals that climate variability has a significant impact on land surface phenology in Argentina Pampas, although the impact is heterogeneous. SOS and t-MAX showed a significant negative correlation with the precipitation indicating an earlier occurrence. 23.6% and 28.4% of the study area showed a positive correlation of the annual productivity with MEI and precipitation, respectively, associated to rangelands (in the first case) and to both rangeland and croplands, in the second case. Climate variability did not explain the seasonal variability of phenology. The relationships found between LSP metrics and climate variability could be important for implementation of strategies for natural resource management.</jats:p

Plant secondary succession age-related changes in landfills

Fil: Gantes, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentina.Fil: Falco, Liliana B. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentina.Fil: Coviella, Carlos E. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentina.Fil: Sánchez Caro, Aníbal. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentina.Sanitary landfills are widely used for large-scale final disposal of municipal wastes. The material covering the wastes is diverse in nature and bears propagules of different plant species, which develops spontaneously on the sites after waste disposal stops. The aim of this study was to detect the main patterns of vegetation secondary succession over the landfill cells, despite the differences in area and surface work intensity at the landfills. Over the span of two years, eight samplings were carried out on each of the 13 cells from the three active landfills in Buenos Aires. The relative cover for each plant species and the soil’s mechanic resistance were registered. The vegetation cover reached 80 % after five years and a decrease in soil ́s mechanic resistance was observed 5 years after closure. Regarding the floristic composition of the assemblages, most of the herbaceous species found were native (42 %) and perennials (62 %). The dominant species in all the cells was Cynodon dactylon. The heterogeneity of the assemblages between the three places prevented the configuration of an age linked pattern. However, some regularities arise: exotics are dominant along the whole succession; meanwhile, natives gain in proportionality consistently with the age of the cells. Most of the dominant species are characteristic of perturbed environments, but in the oldest cells some species belong to the climax pampean steppe; so, an orientated human intervention would be necessary to achieve a dominance of natives