Harm reductions of 20% or >= 50% were detected with adequate power by those CRR scenarios with at least 100 and 500 harm incidents respectively. The number of detected harm incidents was dependent on the baseline harm rate multiplied by: the period of time reviewed in each record; number of records reviewed per practice; number of practices who reviewed records; and the number of times each record was reviewed.

Conclusion: We developed Epigenetics inhibitor a simple formula to calculate the minimum

values of CRR parameters required to achieve adequate precision and acceptable power when monitoring harm rates. Our findings have practical implications for health care decision-makers, leaders SB203580 molecular weight and researchers aiming to measure and reduce harm at regional or national level.”
“Purpose. The Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire (PVAQ) has been shown to be a reliable measure for assessing attention to pain. Different factor structures have been reported in Western populations;

yet, whether the known factor models could be replicated in non-Western populations and the psychometric properties of the scale remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the factorial validity and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the PVAQ (ChPVAQ).

Methods. A total of 242 Chinese patients with chronic pain completed the ChPVAQ, the Chronic Pain selleck compound Grade questionnaire, the Chinese version of the 11-item version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (ChTSK-11), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and questions assessing socio-demographic characteristics.

Results. Results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that of the nine competing models tested, McCracken’s two-factor correlated model for the 13-item version of PVAQ (PVAQ-13) demonstrated the best data-model fit (CFI = 0.93). The two sub-scales and the entire scale of ChPVAQ-13

obtained moderately high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha s: 0.75-0.77). The ChPVAQ-13 scales showed significant positive correlations with HADS, ChTSK11, pain intensity, and disability scores. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed the ChPVAQ-13 scales predicted concurrent depression (F[4,187] = 6.01, P < 0.001) and pain disability (F[4,190] = 3.54, P < 0.05) scores. Passive Awareness emerged as significant independent predictor of concurrent depression (standardized beta coefficient [std beta] = 0.17, P < 0.05) and pain disability (std beta = 0.24, P < 0.01), while Active Vigilance (std beta = 0.19, P < 0.05) predicted concurrent pain disability.

Conclusions. Our results offer preliminary evidence for the factorial validity and reliability the ChPVAQ-13.

There were 60 (63.2%) male and 35 (36.8%) female patients, with a mean +/- SD age of 67.5 +/- 10.8 years. Comparison of the characteristics of the two groups revealed that the BiClamp((R)) group included significantly more cases of lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery and far fewer completely lobulated lungs; 6 of 66 patients (9.1%) compared with 9 of 29 (31.0%) of the staple group. Except for 18 patients who underwent division using staples owing to thick parenchyma

of the interlobar fissure, we attempted to divide the fissure of 42 patients in the BiClamp((R)) group. Solo use of the BiClamp((R)) was possible for 25 of 60 patients (41.7%) with an incomplete fissure. Eight patients (13.3%) needed one staple cartridge in combination with BiClamp((R)), five (8.3%) needed two cartridges and four (6.7%) patients needed three (combined use). In most cases, except for right upper or middle lobectomy, the Selleckchem Etomoxir division of the interlobar fissure could be performed Selleck E7080 by sole use of the BiClamp((R)). Incidence

rates of prolonged air leakage and pneumonia were not significantly different between the two groups (respectively, 6.9 and 3.4% in the staple group vs 10.6 and 9.1% in the BiClamp((R)) group).

The study results demonstrate that the division of the interlobar fissure in pulmonary lobectomy with BiClamp((R)) is safe and feasible in most cases. While the results point out the limitation that division of the right upper or middle lobe may still be a challenge, they show the

potential benefit of staple reduction. Less use of staples results in reduced medical costs and carbon dioxide emission, contributing to ‘ecosurgery’, which ultimately conserves the global PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor 3 Immunology & Inflammation inhibitor environment.”
“A novel terpenoid coumarin, clausmarin-C ( 1), has been isolated from Clausena pentaphylla. Its structure has been established by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR analysis and chemical transformation.”
“Objective: High frequency hearing loss following cisplatin chemotherapy is frequent in children and often necessitates the fitting of hearing aids. During therapy, hearing is usually monitored. Post-therapeutic follow-up does not routinely include monitoring of hearing, although there are indications that hearing thresholds can decline after therapy.

Methods: Pure-tone audiograms taken from 27 children (17 males, 10 females) treated with cisplatin at Muenster university hospital (mean age 9.84 years, standard deviation 3.67 years) including an audiological follow-up at least 6 months after therapy, were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: In follow-up tests after completion of therapy, 24.1% of all ears showed an increase in mean high frequency hearing thresholds (4-8 kHz). Post-therapeutic hearing deterioration was significant at 4 kHz and significantly more pronounced in children without measurable spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE) before therapy.

The questionnaire included questions related to research activities, the desire to develop a national research network and the design and potential advantages of such a network. Qualitative analyses were performed using Mayring’s content analysis.

RESULTS: A total

of 337 out of 749 (45%) questionnaires were returned. LY2606368 In all, 156/337 (46.3%) surgeons were engaged in research activities. During the past five years, 212/337 (62.9%) of the participants had participated at least in one multi-centre study. Out of 337, 88 (26.1%) surgeons were members of an established research association in Switzerland. Interest in a national surgical research network was reported by 266 (78.9%) participants. The reported advantages were “”power”" (53.1%), “”teamwork effects”" (23.7%), “”efficiency”" (12.2%) and “”quality aspects”" (8.0%). The most frequently named design proposal was based on a clinic for coordinating research, while the younger participants also suggested a web-based platform.

CONCLUSIONS: Due to the significant interest of participants, the establishment of a national research network should be considered. An established clinic for coordinating research alongside

an additional web-based platform to target young surgeons could function as an umbrella organisation.”
“The buy C59 Wnt electric field dependence of the dielectric constant (dc-tunability) as a function of temperature for a few compositions of Ba(Sn,Ti)O-3 ceramics was investigated. Dense and homogeneous BaSnxTi1-xO3 ceramics (ferroelectric for x = 0.05 and x = 0.10, relaxor for x = 0.15 and 0.20) with high dielectric constant and low dielectric losses were prepared by solid state reaction. Their dc-tunability characteristics were investigated at a few temperatures from 20-120 degrees C, including the Curie range. The tunability data were discussed in terms of the Johnson

model completed with a Langevin term that describes the “”extrinsic”" contribution to the nonlinear epsilon(E) dependences. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3567947]“
“BACKGROUND: Intra-operative parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels have successfully been used to assess surgical ablation of parathyroid Dibutyryl-cAMP chemical structure adenomas, the use of this same test to predict preservation of viable gland has not been widely used.

AIM: to test the sensitivity and specificity of intraoperative rapid PTH assay test in predicting permanent postoperative hypoparathyroidism, and applicability to guide the search for inadvertently removed parathyroid glands for possible auto transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 52 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for non-malignant thyroid diseases were included. Intraoperative rapid PTH assay test was performed. If levels were reduced, or less than 3 parathyroid glands were detected, removed thyroid gland was examined for unintentionally removed parathyroid tissue for possible auto transplantation.

Using a post mortem survey we investigated the prevalence of non-clinical M. tuberculosis infection and clinical TB disease in a high-risk population of dogs and developed and utilised a novel interferon-gamma release assay to determine the risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis from TB patients to contact dogs. The prevalence of clinical TB in dogs from a high-risk setting was 1% (95% CI: 0-5%) while the prevalence of immunological sensitization to M. tuberculosis antigens in dogs living in GSK461364 price contact with sputum smear-positive TB patients was 50%. The IGRA proved a useful test of M. tuberculosis infection in dogs and

the high levels of transmission of this pathogen from humans to companion dogs should be considered when assessing the zoonotic risks associated with such animals.

(C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The frontal-subcortical pathways play a role in governing behavior. Injury may disrupt their functioning and produce neuropsychiatric symptoms. The authors discuss the kindling theory in the possible production of these symptoms, which significantly improved with the potent antikindling agent, carbamazepine. (The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 2009; 21: 323-327)”
“The cDNAs of three cytokines, viz., IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma from Dromedary camels were amplified by PCR using Bactrian camel sequences and subsequently cloned for sequence analysis. Relationship based on amino acid sequences revealed that Dromedary camel IL-2 shared 99.5% and 99.3% identity at the nucleotide and amino acid levels with Bactrian camel GW2580 IL-2. In the case of IL-4, the identity of Dromedary camel was 99.7% and 99.2% at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively with that of Bactrian camel. The Dromedary camel IFN-gamma shared 100% identity both at nucleotide and amino acid levels with Bactrian camel IFN-gamma. Phylogenetic analysis based on

amino acid sequences indicated the close relationship in these cytokine genes between the Dromedary camel and other camelids. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“LiF GSK3235025 concentration single crystal was used as transparent window (anvil) to tamp the shock-induced free surface expansion of Ta specimen, and the Ta/LiF interface temperature was measured under shock compression using optical pyrometry technique. The shock temperatures and/or melting temperatures of Ta up to similar to 400 GPa were extracted from the observed interface temperatures based on the Tan-Ahrens’ model for one-dimensional heat conduction across metal/window ideal interface in which initial melting and subsequent solidification were considered under shock loading. The obtained data within the experimental uncertainties are consistent with the results from high-pressure sound velocity measurements. The temperature of the partial melting on Ta Hugoniot is estimated to be similar to 9700 K at 300 GPa, supported by available results from theoretical calculations.

Febrile morbidity was, however, lower among women with previous cesarean delivery. These differential findings should further inform our perinatal counseling of women contemplating trial of labor after a previous cesarean delivery.”
“Short-segment Barrett’s esophagus (SSBE) or long-segment Barrett’s esophagus (LSBE) is the consequence of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is frequently associated with obesity. Obesity is a significant risk factor for the GDC-0994 inhibitor development of GERD symptoms, erosive esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Morbidly obese patients who submitted to gastric bypass have

an incidence of GERD as high as 50% to 100% and Barrett’s esophagus reaches up to 9% of patients.

In this prospective study, we evaluate the postoperative results after three different procedures-calibrated fundoplication + posterior gastropexy (CFPG), fundoplication + vagotomy VX-765 in vitro + distal gastrectomy + Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy (FVDGRYGJ), and laparoscopic resectional Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRRYGBP)-among obese patients.

In patients with SSBE who submitted to CFPG, the persistence of reflux symptoms and endoscopic erosive esophagitis was

observed in 15% and 20.2% of them, respectively. Patients with LSBE were submitted to FVDGRYGJ or LRRYGBP which significantly improved their symptoms and erosive esophagitis. No modifications of LESP were observed in patients who submitted to LRRYGBP before or after the operation. Acid reflux diminished after the three types of surgery were employed. Patients who submitted to LRRYGBP presented a significant reduction of BMI from 41.5 +/- 4.3 to 25.7 +/- 1.3 kg/m(2) after 12 months.

Among patients with LSBE, FVDGRYGJ presents very good results in terms of improving GERD and Barrett’s esophagus, but the reduction of weight is limited. LRRYGBP improves GERD disease and Barrett’s esophagus with proven reduction in body weight and BMI, thus becoming the procedure

of choice for obese patients.”
“A case of the Guillain-Barre syndrome occurring after otherwise uneventful cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass is presented. Though the Guillain-Barre syndrome has been reported after surgical procedures, there are very buy Copanlisib few case reports after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in the literature. The exact pathophysiological cause of the syndrome is still unknown. However, the most widely accepted hypothesis is that the syndrome is the result of an immune-mediated process. Cardiac surgery may be a trigger for immune-mediated response.”
“Purpose. aEuro integral To estimate the influence of the uterine leiomyomas on the first and second trimester serum markers concentrations.

Material and methods. aEuro integral The studied group consisted of 127 women between 11 and 20 weeks of normal singleton pregnancy.

Results: It was displayed that DAT availability of striatum was significantly CA3 decreased and the V. Wand Ra were greatly reduced in the CCS-dependent group compared to controls (for each comparison p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that chronic CCS abuse may cause serious damage to the brain and the neuroimaging findings further illustrate the mechanism of CCS dependence. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) frequently results in maxillofacial injuries. The purpose of this study is to compare 2 protocols to identify women who self-report IPV-related injuries.

Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we enrolled a sample of check details injured women who presented to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation and treatment. The predictor variable was the protocol used to identify injury etiology, that is, an innovative diagnostic protocol (DP) or the ED’s standard operating procedure (SOP). The outcome variable was self-reported injury etiology categorized as IPV or other. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were Computed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value,

and odds ratios were Computed (with P <= .05 being considered statistically significant).

Results: The sample was composed of 286 women with a mean age of 45.8 years. The self-reported prevalence of IPV-related injuries was 11.5% and 5% for the DP and SOP, respectively (P = .03). The diagnostic statistics for the DP and SOP, respectively, were as follows: sensitivities, 94%

and 50%; specificities, 76% and 95%; positive predictive values, 34% and 50%; and negative predictive values, 98% and 95%. In the adjusted model the women evaluated find more with the DP had a 38-fold increased likelihood of reporting IPV (P < .01) when compared with the SOP.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the proposed DP is associated with an increased frequency of self-reported IPV-related injuries when compared with the ED’s SOP. (C) 2009 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons J Oral Maxillofac Surg 67:1453-1459, 2009″
“Ganciclovir-resistant (GanR) cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after organ transplantation is emerging as a significant therapeutic challenge. We report two cases of GanR CMV infection successfully managed by switching immunosuppression from calcineurin inhibitors to an mTOR inhibitor-based regimen. This salvage therapy should be considered when other options are not available.”
“Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been proven to be highly effective in adults with newly diagnosed or relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Only very limited data are published on the use of ATO as a single agent for first-line therapy of relapsed APL.

Two mechanisms are considered to account for this behavior. First, we analyze contribution from the channel charges that exist in excess of the steady-state distribution. Although the linear dependency on the drain bias is correctly this website predicted, its time dependence underestimates the observed drain current. This suggests that the number of mobile carriers in the channel is more than those balancing the gate potential during the early stage. Second, we consider relaxation of this excess current. Its decay is well fit by a stretched

exponential function. Using an empirical expression for the data at a certain low drain bias, transient drain current at other drain biases is calculated. The resultant output curves more or less reproduce the measurement.”
“The use of open carriers for embryo vitrification has raised safety concerns and therefore vitrification in closed systems has been proposed. However, the drop in the cooling rate emerges as a major drawback. The objective of the present study was to compare the efficiency of vitrification in open versus closed 3-Methyladenine inhibitor conditions. Blastocysts were randomly allocated either to open ultra-rapid vitrification (group I) or closed aseptic vitrification (group II). In group I, blastocysts were exposed to two solutions of ethylene glycol/dimethylsulphoxide

(10%/10% and 20%/20%), while in group II, blastocysts were pretreated with a solution Defactinib order of lower concentration (5%/5%).

A total of 208 and 224 vitrification-warming cycles were performed for groups I and II, respectively. Both groups were equal in terms of maternal age, sperm parameters and number and quality of blastocysts vitrified, warmed and transferred per cycle. Importantly, there was no significant difference between the groups in the analysed outcomes; embryo survival rate (84.1% versus 82.1%), clinical pregnancy rate (45.9% versus 42.4%), implantation rate (25.6% versus 24.5%), cycle cancellation rate (6.7% versus 8.5%) and live birth rate (41.2% versus 41.0%). These data suggest that ultra-rapid vitrification may be replaced by aseptic vitrification without affecting clinical efficiency. (C) 2013, Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Lemierre’s syndrome is a rare disease that results in an oropharyngeal infection, which precipitates an internal jugular vein thrombosis and metastatic infection. Fusobacterium necrophorum is an anaerobic Gram-negative bacillus and has been identified as the causative agent. We describe the case of a young girl whose presentation and diagnosis were confounded by a history of valvular heart disease. Infection of heart valves can produce many of the signs and symptoms associated with Lemierre’s syndrome. We describe the diagnosis, investigation and optimal management of this rare disorder.

038). The mean operative time was shorter in group 2 than in group 1 (P=0.001). An increase in RI and a decrease in parenchymal thickness in the midterm follow-up period were noted when compared https://www.selleckchem.com/products/blz945.html with the preoperative RI kidneys that had undergone operations in the lower pole. Conclusions: Although tubeless PCNL was

successful and was associated with a shorter hospital stay and less kidney damage in the short-term period compared with standard PCNL, both procedures may cause an almost equal degree of damage in the midterm.”
“Objective To develop and assess canine corneal epithelial cell sheets cultivated from limbal stem cells on amniotic membrane.

Procedures Canine corneal limbal segments were obtained from six beagle dogs. Cryopreserved denuded amniotic membranes (obtained from Miniature Dachshund and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeds) Histone Methyltransf inhibitor from which the epithelial cells were removed were used as scaffolds. The limbal segments were cultured on these amniotic membranes with 3T3 feeder cells for 2 weeks. The harvested corneal epithelial cell sheets were stained with H&E for histologic analysis. The harvested sheets were analyzed immunohistochemically using a corneal epithelium-specific marker keratin 3(K3) and putative stem cell markers ABCG2, p63, and vimentin.

Results Cultivated

cells from the corneal limbal tissues reached confluency in 7-8 days. The cultivated cells adhered to the denuded amniotic membrane and formed a sheet. The cultivated cell sheet was transparent and selleck chemicals consisted of five to eight layers. K3 was observed in all layers and ABCG2, p63, and vimentin were notably present in the

basal layer of the cultivated canine epithelium by immunofluorescence.

Conclusions Canine corneal epithelial cells were successfully cultivated on the canine amniotic membrane. The cultivated epithelial sheets contained putative stem cells in the basal layer and had a stratified epithelium.”
“OBJECTIVE: To assess the agreement of a self-completed diary to monitor respiratory symptoms in children aged 6-12 years with parental symptom reports and fluctuations in lung function.

DESIGN: We created a text- and symbol-based questionnaire for daily completion by children at school. Using a screening questionnaire completed by the parents, we selected 101 children with lower respiratory symptoms in the last year or doctor-diagnosed asthma to complete the diary. We assessed the agreement with a parent-completed daily symptom diary and measurements of peak expiratory flow (PEF) over 5 weeks, estimating 0% agreement and the kappa statistic (kappa) for pairwise comparisons.

RESULTS: Simple agreement between PEF variability, parent-reported and child-reported symptoms was moderate to high. Using K, agreement between children’s and parents’ reports of respiratory symptoms was only fair to moderate, and agreement with lung function measurements was poor for both parent- and child-reported symptoms.

9%, 84.8%, 81.7%, and 68.5%, respectively, for the no treatment, medical therapy only, surgical treatment only, and medical plus surgical therapy groups. Recurrent fracture-free rates were significantly different for patients who received surgical or medical or surgical plus medical therapy (P = .0007), with patients in the medical

plus surgical group having the shortest time to refracture, although these patients may have been sicker and more frail than the other groups.

Conclusion: We found that surgical treatment with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty did not decrease recurrent vertebral fractures in patients presenting with an initial vertebral fracture. Medical and surgical therapies together may shorten the time to refracture, but the observed elevated risk may be due to other confounding factors. We found no difference in survival in patients undergoing MLN2238 solubility dmso kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty PX-478 Angiogenesis inhibitor in comparison with medical or no treatment groups. The relationship between surgical and medical therapy and vertebral refracture rates should be further evaluated with use of a prospective cohort design. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:499-507)”
“The obesity epidemic, including a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity among pregnant women, represents a critical public health problem in the United States

and throughout the world. Over the past two decades, it has been increasingly recognized that the risk of adult health disorders, XMU-MP-1 particularly metabolic syndrome, can be markedly influenced by prenatal and infant environmental exposures (ie, developmental programming). Low birth weight, together with infant catch-up growth, is associated with a significant risk of adult obesity and cardiovascular disease, as well as adverse effects on pulmonary, renal, and cerebral function. Conversely, exposure to maternal obesity or high birth weight also represents an increased risk for childhood and adult obesity. In addition, fetal exposure to select chemicals (eg, phytoestrogens) or environmental pollutants (eg, tobacco smoke) may

affect the predisposition to adult disease. Animal models have confirmed human epidemiologic findings and provided insight into putative programming mechanisms, including altered organ development, cellular signaling responses, and epigenetic modifications (ie, control of gene expression without modification of DNA sequence). Prenatal care is transitioning to incorporate goals of optimizing maternal, fetal, and neonatal health to prevent or reduce adult-onset diseases. Guidelines regarding optimal pregnancy nutrition and weight gain, management of low-and high-fetal-weight pregnancies, use of maternal glucocorticoids, and newborn feeding strategies, among others, have yet to fully integrate long-term consequences on adult health. (Obstet Gynecol 2011;117:978-85) DOI: 10.1097/AOG.

Acute and fulminant liver failure patients had significantly high and comparable NKT cells compared to controls,

respectively. Importantly, NKT cells were significantly lower in fulminant HBV liver failure than acute HBV patients. Circulating peripheral CD4/CD8 T-cell subsets among the patient categories and controls were comparable. In acute HBV patients, a significant increase in IFN-gamma release was recorded (ELISPOT) by the unstimulated, antigen-stimulated and mitogen-stimulated cells when compared to controls. Comparisons of cytokines and chemokines among the disease categories revealed significantly lower levels of CCL4 in fulminant liver failure patients. NKT cells and CCL4 might be playing a pivotal role in limiting HBV infection among SBE-β-CD mouse GSK1120212 research buy the patients investigated.”
“Alternating dc bias enables eliminating offset in orthogonal fluxgates operated in fundamental mode. However, the alternating dc bias reversals increase the fluxgate magnetic noise. It is shown in this work that the excess magnetic noise is related to the dynamics of the magnetic domains in the fluxgate core. The alternating dc bias reverses the fluxgate core magnetization causing nucleating domains and generating an intensive magnetic noise. To suppress the excess noise, two methods are suggested. The first method

is based on eliminating the adequate parts of the fluxgate output appearing right after each dc bias reversal. The second method is based on introducing idle intervals between the dc bias reversals and subsequently eliminating the corresponding idle samples in the fluxgate output. check details Both methods suppress one and the same noise attributed to the domains relaxation dynamics and, hence, lead to similar results. In both cases, the fluxgate noise has been reduced down to its value in the excitation mode, where the dc bias is constant, and there are no reversals in the fluxgate core magnetization. The second method, however, has an advantage of lower power consumption due to the absence of both the ac and dc excitations during the idle intervals. Reducing the excess noise in the

alternating dc bias mode, paves the way for developing a low-noise orthogonal fluxgates with practically no offset. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3562979]“
“Objective. Many dental patients take bisphosphonates to reduce the risk of hip and vertebral fractures. In vivo micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was used to examine the longitudinal inhibitory effect of alendronate on the healing of extraction sockets in ovariectomized rats.

Study design. Twenty 5-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 groups: sham-operated (n = 5), and 2 ovariectomized (OVX) groups: saline treated (0.1 mL/100 g/d, n = 7) and alendronate treated (1 mg/kg/d, n = 8). Before micro-CT scanning, the left maxillary first molars of the rats were extracted.