Learning to Chill: The Role of Design Schools and Professional Training to Improve Urban Climate and Urban Metabolism

The increased frequency of heat-related mortality and morbidity in urban environments indicates the importance of urban climate studies. As most of the world’s population lives in cities, the education of designers, planners and policy makers is crucial to promote urban sustainability This paper, firstly, focuses on the different factors causing the urban heat islands in large cities. Secondly, it considers how these factors are reflected in higher education programmes. Examples are shown from courses in UK higher education, explaining the common software tools used for simulating urban spaces, and student field measurements are drawn on to illustrate how urban climate studies are included in higher education curricula. Urban metabolism is used to conceptualise the main approach to systemic resource-use assessments and as a holistic framework to investigate the main drivers of the urban heat island phenomenon. To sum up, this paper reflects on the importance of training climatically-aware graduates from design schools

Novel approach to three-dimensional intermaxillary skeletal assessment

Purpose: The present study aimed to compare and correlate the ANB angle with the bisector Wits appraisal for a three-dimensional (3D) assessment of the maxillomandibular sagittal relationship using a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) dataset. Methods: After outlier removal, 351 CBCT scans were chosen based on inclusion criteria (high quality, full-cranium field of view [FOV], slice thickness 150–300 μm) and analyzed using 3DSlicer software (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, version 5.2.2). Eight anatomical landmarks were manually annotated, identified on axial views, and confirmed on the rendered volume image. The coordinates of each landmark were exported and the ANB (°) and bisector–Wits (mm) measurements were constructed. Dahlberg’s D tested the intraobserver reliability and two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was executed to assess normality and to select the subsequent tests. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was utilized to correlate the angular (ANB) and linear (bisector–Wits) measurements, whereas the Siegel estimator for nonparametric linear regression was employed to establish norm values by the correlation equation. Significance was set at p < 0.05 with correlation coefficients exceeding ρ > 0.70 deemed clinically relevant. Results: High (ρ = 0.773) and statistically significant (p < 0.001) correlations between the ANB and bisector–Wits measurements were found. The obtained equation was the following: bisector–Wits = 1.06 × ANB – 6.32. Therefore, the obtained rounded norm range for bisector–Wits for skeletal class I sagittal relationship was determined to be from −6.3 to −2.1 mm (−4.2 ± 2.1 mm). Values less than −6.3 mm correspond to a class III, whereas greater than −2.1 mm correspond to a class II skeletal relationship. Conclusion: The study revealed a statistically significant correlation between the ANB and bisector–Wits. From a 3D perspective, the bisector–Wits represents a reliable parameter to assess maxilla–mandibular skeletal discrepancies instead of the ANB angle, also adhering to radioprotection principles by limiting the FOV to the maxillary complex only and potentially reducing the radiation exposure in CBCT-based cephalometry

Split crest technique for implant treatment of agenesis of the upper lateral incisors: results of a randomized pilot histological and clinical study at 24-month follow-up

Agenesis of lateral incisors, besides the functional issues, represents a great esthetic drawback. The selection of an appropriate treatment is a complex decision, which should consider the stability of the clinical outcomes over time. The aim of the present study was a histological and clinical comparison of two-stage split crest technique (SCT), with bone chips alone or mixed with porcine bone in patients affected by unilateral and bilateral agenesis of the upper lateral incisors. Eleven patients were enrolled, and randomly assigned to receive a treatment with autologous bone chips (group 1) or autologous bone chips mixed 1:1 to porcine-derived xenogenic bone (group 2). After a 2-month healing period, implants were placed and biopsies harvested for histomorphometrical evaluation. Clinical assessment, according to ICOI PISA health scale, and radiographic marginal bone loss evaluation at 12- and 24-month follow-ups were conducted. The histomorphometry showed significantly greater new bone formation (p > 0.0229) in group 2. At 12- and 24-month follow-ups, all the evaluated implants, regardless of the group they were allocated, could be categorized as "success" in the ICOI Pisa Health Scale for Dental Implants, and did not show significant difference in crestal bone loss. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first histological and clinical outcomes indicating that the use of bone chips mixed 1:1 to porcine bone in SCT could be a promising technique for the rehabilitation of patients with agenesis of the upper lateral incisors, although studies with a larger number of patients and implants, and a longer follow up are needed

Randomised study for the 1-year crestal bone maintenance around modified diameter implants with different loading protocols: a radiographic evaluation.

This study evaluated by standardised digitised periapical radiography the crestal bone maintenance around modified diameter internal hex implants with variable thread design and narrow neck loaded with different procedures. Forty implants were placed in 25 patients. Twenty implants were conventionally loaded, 20 ones immediately loaded. Radiographs were taken with a customised bite record and processed with software. Measurements of bone from the fixture–abutment junction to mesial and distal marginal bone levels were made. Student’s t test statistical analysis was adopted. Baseline data were variable; at 1-year follow-up, there were no significant differences for marginal bone loss between immediately and conventionally loaded maxillary implants (p=0.1031), whilst there were slight significant differences between immediately and conventionally loaded implants in the mandible (p=0.0141). Crestal bone maintenance around conventionally and immediately loaded modified diameter implants was similar, with slight significant differences in mandible where a lower marginal bone loss was observed

Rehabilitation of postextractive socket in the premaxilla : A 12-year study on 27 titanium plasma spray resorbable calcium phosphate coated single implants

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the peri-implant bone tissue level on postextractive resorbable calcium phosphate coated single implants placed in premaxillary sites grafted with autologous bone, anorganic bovine bone (ABB), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and keratinized epithelial connective graft over 12 years. Materials and Methods: A total of 27 patients received a postextractive single implant in premaxillary sites grafted with ABB and PRP. Two months later, a keratinized epithelial connective graft was applied and the implants loaded. Clinical and radio-graphical evaluations were performed at baseline, 6 and 18 months, 4 and 6 years after the implant insertion, and then every 2 years up to the 12th year. Results: After 12 years, a total of 22 implants (81.48%), were available for the final data analysis; the implants achieved a 100% cumulative survival rate, and only a mild degree of periodontal tissue inflammation was recorded. The radiographic evaluation revealed a physiological marginal bone remodeling over the follow-up. Conclusion: Although a good preservation of the residual bone tissue in postextraction implant sites treated with keratinized epithelial connective tissue grafts was observed, the low number of treated cases does not allow us to propose this experimental protocol to all cases of bone defects but it certainly represents a new option. Further studies on a greater number of patients and using implants with different surface characteristics should be conducted for a better understanding of the indications of the proposed treatment

Mass spectrometry and multivariate analysis to classify cervical intraepithelial neoplasia from blood plasma: an untargeted lipidomic study

Cervical cancer is still an important issue of public health since it is the fourth most frequent type of cancer in women worldwide. Much effort has been dedicated to combating this cancer, in particular by the early detection of cervical pre-cancerous lesions. For this purpose, this paper reports the use of mass spectrometry coupled with multivariate analysis as an untargeted lipidomic approach to classifying 76 blood plasma samples into negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM, n = 42) and squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL, n = 34). The crude lipid extract was directly analyzed with mass spectrometry for untargeted lipidomics, followed by multivariate analysis based on the principal component analysis (PCA) and genetic algorithm (GA) with support vector machines (SVM), linear (LDA) and quadratic (QDA) discriminant analysis. PCA-SVM models outperformed LDA and QDA results, achieving sensitivity and specificity values of 80.0% and 83.3%, respectively. Five types of lipids contributing to the distinction between NILM and SIL classes were identified, including prostaglandins, phospholipids, and sphingolipids for the former condition and Tetranor-PGFM and hydroperoxide lipid for the latter. These findings highlight the potentiality of using mass spectrometry associated with chemometrics to discriminate between healthy women and those suffering from cervical pre-cancerous lesions

Evaluation of the effect of air polishing with different abrasive powders on the roughness of implant abutment surface : An in vitro study

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of air polishing on the implant abutment surface using different abrasive powders: sodium bicarbonate and amino acid glycine. Fifteen grade III machined surface titanium disks with 8-mm diameter and 2-mm thickness were divided in 3 groups of 5 samples each and subjected to air polishing for 20 seconds with an Ultrajet Flex air-abrasive device and a distinct prophylaxis protocol: air and water (G1); air, water, and sodium bicarbonate (G2); and air, water; and amino acid glycine (G3). After the air polishing, the average roughness (Ra) of the samples was measured using an optical profilometer, and the obtained data were statistically analyzed. We found that G1 and G3 had similar Ra, while Ra values for G2 were significantly higher. This study demonstrated that air-polishing powders containing glycine had less of an effect on the roughness of the surface of titanium disks compared with sodium bicarbonate powders. Future in vivo studies will be conducted to investigate the clinical relevance of the present results

3D Computed Tomography vs. 2D radiography: comparison of 3D direct anthropometry with 2D norm calculations and analysis of differences in soft tissue measurements

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to compare soft tissue measurements of the same distances obtained from 3D computed tomography reconstructions with 2D cephalometric radiograms, (2) to compare data from 3D measurements from direct anthropometry and 2D “norms” for the facial measurements. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 40 Caucasian patients that had their CBCT scans for various dental and dentoskeletal reasons were enrolled in this study. All the patients had large field of view (from the forehead to the chin). The data were stored in DICOM format and imported into a software for 3D reconstructions. After 3D facial soft tissue model generation, the distances between 18 soft tissue points were measured. The 3D soft tissue analysis was performed, and the facial indices were calculated. The mean 3D values were compared with 2D measurements performed on lateral cephalograms and Arnett's and Farkas' norms. The measurements were statistically compared using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Assessments from 2D and 3D measurements showed no statistical difference except for the distance Pogonion (for both male and female) and Labial superius prominence (females) to the True Vertical Line in 2D/Plane in case of 3D measurements. There was a significant difference between all 3D measurements and Arnett's and anthropometric Farkas' “norms”. The mean difference between Farkas' “norms” and 3D measurements was within 3 mm for 70% of measurements. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, 3D soft tissue analysis allows for complete diagnostic determination. The 3D “norms” are to be verified on a greater sample

A familial t(4;8) translocation segregates with epilepsy and migraine with aura

Three relatives carrying a t(4;8)(p15.2;p23.2) translocation had juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, self-limited photosensitive occipital epilepsy and migraine with aura. The t(4;8) translocation interrupted the coding sequence of CSMD1 gene and occurred immediately to the 3’UTR of STIM2 gene. STIM2 was overexpressed in the patient carrying the unbalanced translocation, and all three individuals had a single functional copy of CSMD1. Array CGH study disclosed that these three individuals also carried a deletion at 5q12.3 that involves the RGS7BP gene. The overall results favor the view that CSMD1, STIM2, and RGS7BP genes could contribute to epilepsy and migraine phenotypes in our family