Tissue Fixation

There are various techniques to study root canal morphology and diaphonization is one of them. There are various methods of decalcification and diaphonization, cited in literature and the main aim of this paper was to give a brief account of the various techniques and share our experience of the technique at a teaching institution in Karachi, Pakistan. Diaphonization is one of the oldest methods and is based on decalcification of teeth followed by clearing and dye penetration. The specimen is later studied under microscope without sectioning. After the process of clearing a three-dimensional (3D) structure of the internal canal anatomy was visible with naked eye. This paper entails a detailed historical background as well as the author's technique including percentages of various chemicals used and the timing of immersion of teeth into these agents. The read out is simple and can be subjected to interpretation by direct observation under microscope and can be helpful for student...

Background: DNA extraction from paraffin wax embedded tissue requires special protocols, and most described methods report an amplification success rate of 60–80%.Aims: To propose a simple and inexpensive protocol consisting of xylene/ethanol dewaxing, followed by a kit based extraction.Method: Xylene/ethanol dewaxing was followed by a long rehydration step and a kit based DNA extraction step.Results: This method produced a 100%

The percutaneous Hartel transoval route goes through an inverted pyramid, with an inferior summit and a superior base that includes three compartments. The danger of the inferior compartment is the parotid duct. The middle compartment contains many branches of the mandibular nerve. The superior compartment is crossed by the internal maxillary artery and its branches, as well as the auditory tube. The base of the pyramid presents not only the foramen ovale, but also the foramen lacerum, where the trocar may injure the internal carotid, and the foramen jugulare, where the trocar may meet the internal jugular vein and nerves of the pars nervosa (IX, X, XI). The trigeminal cave contains, within the trigeminal cistern, the trigeminal ganglion, extended backward by the triangular plexus (the target for thermocoagulation). These structures are undercrossed by the masticatory motor branch of the trigeminal nerve.

X-gal staining is a rapid and convenient histochemical technique used to detect reporter gene expression. A prerequisite is the creation or acquisition of transgenic reporter mouse lines, in which the bacterial LacZ gene has been knocked into the gene of interest or placed under the control of regulatory elements corresponding to the gene of interest. Expression is marked by a dark blue stain and can be detected at the single cell level, providing a robust visual readout of gene expression in the developing kidney. Here, we describe the methodology, applications, and limitations of this technique.

The presence of a unique population of Lagoa crispata, puss caterpillar, in western Oklahoma is reported. A detailed microscopic examination shows the structure of the L. crispata spines resemble the type 4 spines described by [Kawamoto, F., Kumada, N., 1984. Biology and venoms of lepidoptera. In: Tu, A.T. (Ed.), Handbook of Natural Toxins, Insect Poisons, Allergens and other invertebrate venoms, vol. 2, pp. 291-332 (ch. 9)]. The major food source of L. crispata are the leaves of oak (shin oak). The high tannin content of this food source results in spine extracts high in oak tannins. These extracts have activity but enzyme and toxin activity is lost with time. The gel filtration protein fractions are colored from brown to yellow and are inactive as enzymes or toxins. No hyaluronidase, protease or phosphohydrolase activity is detected in these protein fractions. The life cycle shows these caterpillars have 6 instars. Characterizations and annual emerging times of each instar are included.

Myelin damage, as seen in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases, impairs axonal conduction and can also be associated with axonal degeneration. Accurate assessments of these conditions may be highly beneficial in evaluating and selecting therapeutic strategies for patient management. Recently, an analytical approach examining diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived parameters has been proposed to assess the extent of axonal damage, demyelination, or both. The current study uses the well-characterized cuprizone model of experimental demyelination and remyelination of corpus callosum in mouse brain to evaluate the ability of DTI parameters to detect the progression of myelin degeneration and regeneration. Our results demonstrate that the extent of increased radial diffusivity reflects the severity of demyelination in corpus callosum of mouse brain affected by cuprizone treatment. Subsequently, radial diffusivity decreases with the progression of remyelination. Furthermore, radial diffusivity changes were specific to the time course of changes in myelin integrity as distinct from axonal injury, which was detected by βAPP immunostaining and shown to be most extensive prior to demyelination. Radial diffusivity offers a specific assessment of demyelination and remyelination, as distinct from acute axonal damage.