Category: Nevin Manimala

Lasers Med Sci. 2023 Jun 22;38(1):145. doi: 10.1007/s10103-023-03809-y.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of preparation techniques on marginal adaptation and sealing of Biodentine™ and TotalFill® RRM bioceramic retrograde fillings. Fifty-two single-root teeth extracted for periodontal reasons were used. Root canals were instrumented using Reciproc Blue #25 and obturated using a single cone technique with an AH Plus® root canal sealer. Retrograde cavities were prepared with Piezomed device (Piezo), Er:YAG laser in short-pulse(SP) and quantum square pulse(QSP) modes and filled with Biodentine™ (BD) or TotalFill® RRM (TF). There were 6 groups (n=8): (1) Piezo BD, (2) Piezo TF, (3) SP BD, (4) SP TF, (5) QSP BD, and (6) QSP TF, and positive and negative controls (n=2). Micro-CT analysis was performed on two samples from each group. Percentage volumes of internal and external voids in apical 1.5 mm were determined. Rhodamine B dye leakage was done on six samples. The samples were cut longitudinally and examined under a stereomicroscope. Digital recordings were analyzed in ImageJ software. The deepest penetration of color in mm was recorded. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan’s test at the level of significance α=0.05. TotalFill® RRM performed significantly better than Biodentine™ in terms of sealing (p<0.05) and marginal adaptation, as evaluated by micro-CT. Sealing was significantly better in SP compared to QSP mode preparations (p<0.05). Differences between Piezomed and laser modes were not significantly different (p>0.05). Sealing was statistically significantly better with TotalFill® RRM compared to Biodentine™ and in Er:YAG SP preparations compared to Er:YAG QSP.

PMID:37347307 | DOI:10.1007/s10103-023-03809-y

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2023 Jun 22. doi: 10.1007/s00404-023-07097-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: For many couples, bearing children is a common life goal; however it cannot always be fulfilled. Undergoing infertility treatment does not always guarantee pregnancies and live births. Couples experience miscarriages and even discontinue infertility treatment. Significant medical predictors for the outcome of infertility treatment have yet to be fully identified.

METHODS: To further our understanding, a cross-sectional 5-year follow-up survey was undertaken, in which 95 women and 82 men that have been treated at the Women’s Hospital of Heidelberg University participated. Binary logistic regressions, parametric and non-parametric methods were used for our sample to determine the relevance of biological (infertility diagnoses, maternal and paternal age) and lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, over- and underweight) on the outcome of infertility treatment (clinical pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage, dropout rate). In addition, chi-square tests were used to examine differences in the outcome depending on the number of risk factors being present.

RESULTS: In the binary logistic regression models for clinical pregnancies, live births and drop outs were statistically significant only for the maternal age, whereas the maternal and paternal BMI, smoking, infertility diagnoses and infections showed no significant predicting effect on any of the outcome variables. A correlation between the number of risk factors and the outcome of infertility treatment could not be excluded.

CONCLUSION: The results confirm that maternal age has an effect on infertility treatment, whereas the relevance of other possible medical predictors remains unclear. Further large-scale studies should be considered to increase our knowledge on their predictive power.

PMID:37347283 | DOI:10.1007/s00404-023-07097-3

Support Care Cancer. 2023 Jun 22;31(7):410. doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-07871-8.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the experience of Swiss oncological patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: A national multi-center study including five hospitals covering the three main language regions of Switzerland was conducted between March and July 2021. Patients with melanoma, breast, lung, or colon cancer receiving active systemic anti-cancer treatment at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic were included. We conducted semi-structured telephone or onsite interviews alongside the administration of distress and resilience-validated questionnaires. Thematic analysis was performed for the qualitative data and descriptive statistics for the quantitative data.

RESULTS: Sixty-two cancer patients with a mean age of 61 (SD=14) (58% female) were interviewed. Based on the interviews, we identified that the experience of having cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic was related to five dimensions: psychological, social, support, healthcare, and vaccination. Three themes transverse the five dimensions: (a) needs, (b) positive changes, and (c) phases of the pandemic. In general, patients did not experience delays or disruptions in their cancer treatment nor felt additionally burdened by the pandemic. Lockdown and isolation were reported as mixed experiences (positive and negative), and access to vaccination reassured patients against the risk of infection and instilled hope to return to normalcy. Additionally, we found low distress levels (M=2.9; SD=2.5) and high resilience scores (M=7; SD=1.3) in these patients.

CONCLUSION: Swiss patients with cancer did not express major needs or disruptions in their care during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results identify the mixed experiences of patients and highlight the high resilience levels.

PMID:37347278 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-023-07871-8

Tuberk Toraks. 2023 Jun;71(2):148-155. doi: 10.5578/tt.20239918.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We analyzed the effects of mepolizumab treatment on symptoms, asthma attacks, pulmonary function test parameters peripheral blood eosinophil level, and percentage in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma receiving mepolizumab treatment as the baseline, sixth and twelfthmonth data.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of patients diagnosed with severe eosinophilic asthma and treated with mepolizumab at our clinic were retrospectively reviewed for the period between January 2018 and December 2021. Demographic data of the patients, duration of asthma disease, comorbidities such as a nasal polyp, eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exacerbated respiratory disease were investigated. A comparison was made of various factors before initiating mepolizumab treatment, as well as at the sixth and twelfth month after treatment initiation. These factors include asthma control test scores, frequency of asthma attacks (including emergency admissions, hospitalizations, and intensive care admissions), peripheral blood eosinophil levels and percentages, and pulmonary function test parameters. Clinic and laboratory parameters that provide a prediction of being a responder and super responder were evaluated.

RESULT: A total of 21 patients were included in the study. Their mean age was 50.7 ± 11.9 years, and four (19%) were males. The mean duration of asthma diagnosis was 17.5 ±13.7 years. 14 patients (66.7%) were atopic. 4 patients (19%) had nasal polyps and four patients (19%) had NERD. Before mepolizumab, 13 (61.9%) patients had received omalizumab. The duration of receiving mepolizumab treatment was 29.2 ± 9.9 months. A statistically significant decrease was observed in both the number and percentage of eosinophils at months six and 12 (p<0.01). There was a statistically significant increase in FEV1 values both as a percentage and in milliliters at month 12. There was an increase in both percentage and milliliters in FEF25-75 values, but this increase did not reach statistical significance. There was a decrease in service admissions, intensive care admissions, and emergency admissions due to asthma exacerbations. Out of 21 patients, 11 (52.4%) were classified as responders, while 10 (47.6%) were classified as super responders.

CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of patients in our study was limited, mepolizumab improved symptom scores in severe eosinophilic asthma, reduced the number of attacks, and improved pulmonary function test values.

PMID:37345397 | DOI:10.5578/tt.20239918

Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2023 Jun 22. doi: 10.5603/FM.a2023.0045. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The temporomandibular joint is one of the most complex anatomic structures. It takes a great role in masticatory system and helps to make possible some functions such as speaking, chewing and swallowing. Clinicians should have sufficient anatomical knowledge to assess relationships of the hard and soft tissues, including the mandibular condyle, glenoid fossa, articular eminence of the temporal bone, the articular disc and its attachments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of different types of mandibular condyles and its distribution according to the age and gender. It was also evaluated whether the condyle types were bilaterally symmetrical or not.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1315 digital panoramic images which obtained from the patients suffering from the dental problems were assessed. Demographic data, condylar morphology were noted. All obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Morphology of mandibular condyles were classified into four shapes as identified in other studies, namely: Type I – Oval shape, Type II – Diamond shape, Type III – Bird beak shape, Type IV – Crooked finger shape. Two independent examiners, who have 19 and 7 years of experience in oral and dentomaxillofacial radiology, made a consensus and evaluated all images.

RESULTS: A total of 1315 digital panoramic images were assessed. 767[58.3%] of the patients were female and 548[41.6%] were male. The age range of patients was from 18 to 84 years. Right-left condyle types were found to be symmetrical in the range of 67% of the subpopulation examined in the study. For the consensus, ‘oval’ condyle was common on both the right and left, while ‘crooked finger’ condyle was the rarest.

CONCLUSIONS: The TMJ is the most important structure for all jaw functions such as speech, swallowing. In order for all these functions to continue in a healthy way, the anatomical structure should be known very well down to the finest detail. Identification of anatomical structures and their variations can play an important role in implant dentistry. Clinicians commonly prefer conventional radiologic methods to evaluate dentomaxillofacial region. Although the most of the variations are asymptomatic and require no treatment, correct identification of these findings will reduce unnecessary further diagnostic assessments and will provide more appropriate treatment plans.

PMID:37345390 | DOI:10.5603/FM.a2023.0045

Am J Bot. 2023 Jun 21:e16200. doi: 10.1002/ajb2.16200. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pollen plays a key role in plant reproductive biology. Despite the long history of research on pollen and pollination, recent advances in pollen-tracking methods and statistical approaches to linking plant phenotype, pollination performance, and reproductive fitness yield a steady flow of exciting new insights. In this introduction to the Special Issue “Pollen as the Link Between Phenotype and Fitness,” we start by describing a general conceptual model linking functional classes of floral phenotypic traits to pollination-related performance metrics and reproductive fitness. We use this model as a framework for synthesizing the relevant literature, highlighting the studies included in the Special Issue, and identifying gaps in our understanding and opportunities for further development of the field. The papers that follow in this Special Issue provide new insights into the relationships between pollen production, presentation, flower morphology, and pollination performance (e.g., pollen deposition onto stigmas), the role of pollinators in pollen transfer, and the consequences of heterospecific pollen deposition. Several of the studies demonstrate exciting experimental and analytical approaches that should pave the way for continued work addressing the intriguing role of pollen in linking plant phenotypes to reproductive fitness.

PMID:37345378 | DOI:10.1002/ajb2.16200

Epigenomics. 2023 Jun 21. doi: 10.2217/epi-2023-0145. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: We performed an epigenome-wide longitudinal DNA methylation study on an Indian cohort of pregnant women, GARBH-Ini, at three time points during pregnancy and at delivery. Aim & objective: Our aim was to identify temporal DNA methylation changes in maternal peripheral blood during the period of gestation and assess their impact on biological pathways critical for term delivery. Results: Significantly differentially methylated CpGs were identified by linear mixed model analysis (Bonferroni p < 0.01) and classified into two distinct temporal methylation trends: increasing and decreasing during gestation. Genes with upward methylation trend were enriched for T-cell activity, while those with a downward trend were enriched for solute transport and cell structure organization functions. Conclusion: Consistent trends of DNA methylation in maternal peripheral blood point to the sentinel function of T cells in the maintenance of pregnancy, and the importance of coordinated cellular remodeling to facilitate term delivery.

PMID:37345372 | DOI:10.2217/epi-2023-0145

J Small Anim Pract. 2023 Jun 21. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13647. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe a perioperative protocol for dogs recovered from anaesthesia with the owners and discharged from the hospital on the same day after surgical management of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and to determine whether implementation of this protocol was associated with reduced incidence of complications compared with standard anaesthesia recovery and 24 hours hospitalisation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of dogs that underwent brachycephalic obstructive airway surgery over two consecutive years (June 2017 to May 2019) were reviewed retrospectively. Signalment, clinical signs, diagnostic findings, surgical procedures and postoperative respiratory complications were recorded. Data were compared using the chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests.

RESULTS: Sixty-three dogs met the inclusion criteria for the study. Forty-two dogs underwent owner-assisted recovery and 21 dogs standard recovery. No statistical difference was found between groups in age, breed, gender, severity of respiratory or gastrointestinal clinical signs and surgical techniques employed. The incidence of postoperative complications was higher in dogs that received standard recovery (28%) compared to dogs recovered with the owners (2%). None of the dogs recovered with the owners and discharged the same day required veterinary assistance after discharge from the hospital.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Corrective surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome was associated with lower postoperative respiratory complications when dogs were discharged on the same day after recovery with the owners. Owner-assisted recovery and early discharge are possible and safe and may decrease the incidence of postoperative complications. However, other unmeasured factors may have contributed to the lower complication rate in dogs recovered with the owners during the course of this study.

PMID:37345349 | DOI:10.1111/jsap.13647

Ann Neurol. 2023 Jun 21. doi: 10.1002/ana.26727. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine early MRI features of new multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions that will develop into paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs), which have been associated with progressive tissue injury in MS.

METHODS: New contrast enhancing lesions (CELs) observed on routine clinical MRI were imaged at 7-tesla (T) within 4 weeks of observation, and 3 and 6 months later. The 6-month MRI was used to classify PRL status (PRL or non-PRL). The relationship between early lesion characteristics and subsequent PRL status was assessed using generalized linear mixed effects models. Random forest classification was performed to classify early predictors of subsequent PRL status.

RESULTS: From 93 CELs in 23 MS patients, 37 lesions developed into a PRL. In lesions that developed into PRLs compared to those that did not, the average lesion T₁ on the initial 7T MRI was 1994 ms compared to 1670 ms (p-value < 0.001) and the average volume was 168.7 mL compared to 44 mL (p-value < 0.001) in lesions that did not. These volume differences were also found on 3T scans (p-value < 0.001) and for intensity-normalized T₁ -w (p-value = 0.011) and FLAIR (p-value = 0.005). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the random forest classification with leave-one-out cross validation was found to be 0.86 using initial 7T features.

INTERPRETATION: New MS lesions that evolve into PRLs can be identified early in lesion evolution. These findings suggest that biological mechanisms underlying PRL development begin early, which has important implications for clinical trials targeting PRLs development and subsequent therapeutics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:37345334 | DOI:10.1002/ana.26727

Turk J Ophthalmol. 2023 Jun 21;53(3):154-160. doi: 10.4274/tjo.galenos.2022.68302.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to investigate vascular alterations in the non-glaucomatous eyes of patients with unilateral primary open angle glaucoma using optical coherence tomography angiography and to evaluate the role of vascular damage in glaucoma pathogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 60 eyes of 30 patients with unilateral glaucoma (63.4±8.8 years) and 30 eyes of 30 healthy subjects (65.6±9.1 years). Three groups were formed: group A, affected eyes of unilateral glaucoma patients; Group B, non-glaucomatous eyes of unilateral glaucoma patients; and group C, healthy controls.

RESULTS: When group A was compared with groups B and C, significant differences were detected in rim area, cup volume, mean cup/disc ratio, and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness parameters (p<0.001 for all). No significant difference was detected between groups B and C (p>0.05 for all). In peripapillary and macular vessel density (VD) comparisons, all parameters except intradisc VD were found to be lower in group A (p<0.0167 for all). No statistically significant difference was detected between groups B and C (p>0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION: The VD values in eyes with glaucoma were found to be lower than in the other two groups. However, no difference was observed between the non-glaucomatous eyes of glaucoma patients and those of healthy individuals. Thus, the results did not support our hypothesis that VD alterations would be observed in the fellow eyes of patients with unilateral glaucoma if the vascular pathway were responsible in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

PMID:37345299 | DOI:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2022.68302