Analysis of 55 cases of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor in an Indian population and review of literature

Background This study reviews the demographic, clinical and radiographic features of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor(AOT) diagnosed in an Indian population over 50 years and also evaluate and compare follicular AOT(F-AOT) and extra-follicular AOT(EF-AOT).Material and Methods 55 diagnosed cases of AOT from 1971-2020 were studied retrospectively. The data regarding the age, sex, location, variant of AOT, duration, clinical features, radiographic appearance, treatment and recurrence were collected and analysed.Results Of the 722 odontogenic tumors diagnosed, 7.6% were AOTs with higher prevalence of extra-follicular (67.3%) than follicular (32.7%) variant. All the tumors were intraosseous with a marked predilection for maxilla over mandible, ratio 2:1. The patients mean age was 19.8 years with slightly higher female predilection (male:female ratio - 1:1.5). The anterior region (76.4%) was more frequently affected and entire quadrant was involved in 21.8% cases. Clinically, asymptomatic, slow-growing swelling was seen in 81.8% cases with duration of 15 days to 10 years. Radiographically, AOT appeared as well-corticated radiolucent lesion. Canine was the most commonly impacted tooth. Recurrence was seen in 3 cases.Conclusions Interestingly, in this series extra-follicular was twice more common than follicular AOT. Few cases involved the entire quadrant or crossed the midline of either jaws. Key words:Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), follicular AOT, extrafollicular AOT, Indian population, odontogenic tumor.     

Gelatin- and Papaya-Based Biodegradable and Edible Packaging Films to Counter Plastic Waste Generation

Most of the food packaging materials used in the market are petroleum-based plastics; such materials are neither biodegradable nor environmentally friendly and require years to decompose. To overcome these problems, biodegradable and edible materials are encouraged to be used because such materials degrade quickly due to the actions of bacteria, fungi, and other environmental effects. In this work, commonly available household materials such as gelatin, soy protein, corn starch, and papaya were used to prepare cost-effective lab-scale biodegradable and edible packaging film as an effective alternative to commercial plastics to reduce waste generation. Prepared films were characterized in terms of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), optical transparency, and tensile strength. FTIR confirmed the addition of papaya and soy protein to the gelatin backbone. WVTR of the gelatin-papaya films was recorded to be less than 50 g/m²/day. This water vapor barrier was five times better than films of pristine gelatin. The gelatin, papaya, and soy protein films exhibited transparencies of around 70% in the visible region. The tensile strength of the film was 2.44 MPa, which improved by a factor of 1.5 for the films containing papaya and soy protein. The barrier qualities of the gelatin and gelatin-papaya films maintained the properties even after going through 2000 bending cycles. From the results, it is inferred that the prepared films are ideally suitable for food encapsulation and their production on a larger scale can considerably cut down the plastic wastage.     

A Review of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Technique to Analyze the Stability and Degradation Mechanism of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode Materials

Nondestructive characterization of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials has drawn attention owing to the advances in instrumentation that enable in situ characterization during high-temperature cell operation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is widely used to investigate the surface of SOFC cathode materials because of its excellent chemical specificity and surface sensitivity. The XPS can be used to analyze the elemental composition and oxidation state of cathode layers from the surface to a depth of approximately 5–10 nm. Any change in the chemical state of the SOFC cathode at the surface affects the migration of oxygen ions to the cathode/electrolyte interface via the cathode layer and causes performance degradation. The objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the adoption of XPS for the characterization of SOFC cathode materials to understand its degradation mechanism in absolute terms. The use of XPS to confirm the chemical stability at the interface and the enrichment of cations on the surface is reviewed. Finally, the strategies adopted to improve the structural stability and electrochemical performance of the LSCF cathode are also discussed.     

The effects of intrahypothalamic injections of norepinephrine upon affective defense behavior in the cat

The effects of norepinephrine microinjected into the anterior hypothalamus were examined in feline affective defense behavior elicited by electrical stimulation of the region of the ventromedial nucleus. Anterior hypothalamic sites from which affective defense behavior could also be elicited by electrical stimulation and which are known to receive inputs from both the ventromedial nucleus and brainstem noradrenergic neurons were selected for pharmacological analysis. Intracerebral injections of 250 ng (1 nM) and 500 ng (2 nM) quantities of norepinephrine placed into the anterior hypothalamus resulted in a significant lowering of the attack thresholds. These reductions in response thresholds which were reversed by either pre- or post-treatment with yohimbine, indicate that the noradrenergic system may play an important role in the regulation of affective defense behavior.     

Entamoeba histolytica induces human neutrophils to form NETs

Entamoeba histolytica invades the intestine and other organs during the pathogenesis of amoebiasis. In the early stages, the host organism responds with an inflammatory infiltrate composed mostly of neutrophils. It has been reported that these immune cells, activated by E. histolytica, exert a protective role by releasing proteolytic enzymes and generating reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and antimicrobial peptides. It is now known that neutrophils also produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are able to damage and kill pathogens. Studies have shown that intracellular protozoan pathogens, including Toxoplasma gondi, Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania spp, induce neutrophils to release NETs and are damaged by them. However, the action of this mechanism has not been explored in relation to E. histolytica trophozoites. Through scanning electron, epifluorescence microscopy and viability assays, we show for first time that during in vitro interaction with E. histolytica trophozoites, human neutrophils released NETs that covered amoebas and reduced amoebic viability. These NETs presented histones, myeloperoxidase and decondensed chromatin. The results suggest that NETs participate in the elimination of the parasite.