Parameters such as inflammatory cell infiltration, osteoclast number, alveolar bone and cementum integrity were determined in a single-blind manner and graded, by scores varying from 0 to 3, based on the intensity of findings, as follows: Score 0: absence of or only discrete cellular infiltration, few osteoclasts, preserved alveolar process and cementum; Score 1: moderate cellular infiltration, presence of some osteoclasts, some but minor alveolar process resorption and intact cementum;

Score 2: accentuated cellular infiltration, large number of osteoclasts, accentuated degradation of the alveolar process and partial destruction of cementum; and Score 3: accentuated cellular infiltrate and total destruction of alveolar process and cementum.9 Blood samples were collected from the buy NVP-BKM120 Belnacasan datasheet orbital plexus of anaesthetised

animals (saline and ALD) before the experiment and on the 11th day. The BALP was evaluated using the thermoactivation method, by heating the sample at 56 °C for 10 min,10 since BALP is a thermosensible isoform of total alkaline phosphatase (TALP). BALP serum levels were obtained by the subtraction of heated alkaline phosphatase from TALP serum levels. The methodology used to evaluate the enzymes’ serum levels followed the manufacturers’ directions (Labtest®, Lagoa Santa-MG, Brazil). On the baseline and on the 11th day of the assay, blood samples were collected from the orbital plexuses of anaesthetised animals (saline and ALD). Liver function was evaluated through serum dosage of transaminases: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). TALP serum levels were also evaluated. Specific kits were used, and methodology followed the manufacturer’s instructions (Labtest®, Lagoa Santa-MG, Brazil). The method used to analyse white blood cell counts, as well as its subpopulation (neutrophil and mononuclear cells), was as follows: 20 μl of blood, taken from the rat tail, was added to 380 μl of Turk solution. Total white blood cell counts Isotretinoin were performed using a Neubauer chamber and the differential counts were made using smears stained by

rapid Instant Prov Stain Set (Newprov Produtos para Laboratório; Pinhais-PR, Brazil). A leucogram of the groups of animals (saline and ALD) was performed before periodontitis induction, at the 6th hour and 2nd, 7th and 11th days after the ligature. Animals from saline and ALD groups had their body mass measured before periodontitis induction and after that, daily until the 11th day. Values were expressed as body mass variation (g) compared to the initial body mass. The data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) or median (and range), where appropriate. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Bonferroni’s test or Student’s t-test, were used to compare means, and Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn tests were used to compare medians. A p < 0.

[16]), was designed to have intrinsic eddy-current compensation. However, this sequence is less suitable for cardiac imaging due to a lack of velocity compensation resulting in a higher likelihood of intravoxel dephasing caused by myocardial motion during the diffusion pulses. Secondly, concomitant gradient fields are unbalanced in PD0325901 mw the TRSE sequence (whereas they are cancelled out in the bipolar spin-echo sequence due to the symmetry). Lastly, the addition of an extra refocusing pulse makes the sequence

more susceptible to RF pulse imperfections. Although adjustments to the gradients and RF pulses can be made to reduce concomitant gradient fields and RF pulse imperfections, the lack of velocity compensation in the TRSE sequence leads to signal loss in the Panobinostat chemical structure presence of motion. Such signal loss cannot easily be corrected by retrospective methods, and thus, the TRSE sequence is left out of the comparison in this study. One aim of this study is to investigate the higher-order spatial effects of eddy currents and their time-varying nature [17], [18], [19], [20] and [21] in the unipolar and bipolar sequences. Correction of higher-order effects have led to improved image quality in previous studies [20], [21] and [22]. However, the temporal dynamics and relative magnitudes of higher-order effects among different sequences have received less attention. The reason for measuring higher-order effects

is that unlike linear offsets, dynamic higher-order phase variations cannot be corrected for by standard pre-emphasis techniques ([23] and references therein). It is possible to characterize eddy-current induced phase offsets at very high temporal resolution using NMR field probes [24], [25] and [26]. A dynamic field camera with 16 NMR probes is capable of measuring isothipendyl eddy-current phases up to 3rd spatial order. This technique has recently been used to monitor such phase contributions with first applications to diffusion imaging [20] and phase-contrast imaging [27]. The purpose of the present study is to use a field-monitoring approach to measure, characterize and

correct for linear and higher-order eddy-current effects in the unipolar and bipolar sequences. Eddy currents are not patient-specific and the field-monitoring approach potentially allows calibration scans to be used for the correction of temporal and higher-order spatial effects during reconstruction for any organ imaged with a given sequence. As such, this study has been restricted to a phantom study to minimize the confounding effects of additional artifacts, including bulk motion, as found in in vivo studies. All scans were performed on a 3T Philips Achieva TX system (Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands) operated in a gradient mode that provides 63 mT/m maximal strength and 100 mT/m/ms slew rate. Unipolar and bipolar diffusion sequence diagrams are shown in Fig. 1a and b.