Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

The potential of PLA based dental models by material extrusion 3D printing: an in vitro study investigating mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy

J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2025 Jun 10;36(1):50. doi: 10.1007/s10856-025-06899-y.

ABSTRACT

The rapid advancement of three-dimensional (3D) printing in dentistry has prompted comparisons between the mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) samples fabricated using material extrusion (MEx) and resin samples produced using digital light processing (DLP). This study aims to assess the potential of replacing resin-based models with PLA models in clinical settings by evaluating the mechanical properties and accuracy of MEx-printed PLA and DLP-printed resin samples. The investigated materials include pure PLA, a PLA composite containing gypsum, and a clinically approved resin material. Strength and hardness tests were conducted using custom-made samples measuring 16 × 4 × 2 mm3. Additionally, oral cavity scans were used to generate oral models for each material to assess their accuracy, trueness, and precision. The results indicated that pure PLA exhibited the highest flexural modulus (2055 ± 217.70 MPa) and compression modulus (2.40 ± 0.14 GPa). The PLA-Gypsum composite displayed the highest hardness (19.48 ± 2.12 HV1). As for the trueness of the oral models, there were no statistically significant differences between the models made from the three materials. However, the PLA-Gypsum composite demonstrated the best precision (23.84 ± 4.12 μm). These findings suggest that both PLA materials have significant potential to replace DLP-produced resin models in the clinical applications.

PMID:40493269 | DOI:10.1007/s10856-025-06899-y

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Clinical investigation of levels of lipopolysaccharides and lipoteichoic acid after antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in teeth with secondary endodontic infection: an observational study

Lasers Med Sci. 2025 Jun 10;40(1):267. doi: 10.1007/s10103-025-04523-7.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in reducing lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) levels in secondary endodontic infections and assess their correlation with clinical symptoms.

MATERIALS & METHODS: Seventy patients requiring nonsurgical endodontic retreatment were selected for this study and divided into two groups: one group received photodynamic therapy (PDT), while the other was treated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Using ELISA and chromogenic assays, endodontic samples were collected to measure lipoteichoic acid (LTA) levels and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Strict aseptic techniques and contamination prevention measures were adhered to throughout the procedures. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, applying descriptive statistics and significance tests with a p-value threshold of 0.05, a 95% confidence level, and 80% power.

RESULTS: The study found that photodynamic therapy significantly reduced lipoteichoic acid and lipopolysaccharides levels compared to sodium hypochlorite irrigation, with mean changes of 253.78 and 154.35 (p = 0.02). Additionally, a significant mean reduction in lipopolysaccharide levels favored PDT (p = 0.013). Symptomatic patients exhibited a higher mean level of lipoteichoic acid (507.48) than asymptomatic patients (210.14, p = 0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between lipopolysaccharide levels and symptoms (p = 0.606). Endodontic infections and to assess their correlation with clinical symptoms.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that photodynamic therapy (PDT) significantly reduces lipoteichoic acid and lipopolysaccharides levels, outperforming sodium hypochlorite irrigation in secondary apical periodontitis management. It also reveals a strong correlation between higher lipoteichoic acid levels and clinical symptoms, with no significant link found for lipopolysaccharide levels.

PMID:40493268 | DOI:10.1007/s10103-025-04523-7

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Does the operator’s generational cohort influence the accuracy of orthodontic miniscrews insertion in the palatine vault in dynamic computer-guided surgery? A randomized prospective study

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2025 Jun 10;29(1):120. doi: 10.1007/s10006-025-01414-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate intergenerational differences in miniscrew placement accuracy in the palatine vault using dynamic computer-assisted surgery (d-CAS), and to assess the correlation between the number of surgeries, and both accuracy variables and procedure duration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 72 subjects were enrolled and for each two miniscrews were inserted in the paramedian region via d-CAS (144 overall). Subjects were randomly allocated into three groups according to the operator’s generation: Group A (Generation X), Group B (Generation Y), and Group C (Generation Z). CBCT scans were superimposed to evaluate five variables: Entry-3D, Entry-2D, Apex-3D, Apex-Vertical, and angular deviation. Procedure duration was calculated. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Tukey and Dunn’s tests and Pearson Correlation. P-value was set at ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS: ANOVA test demonstrated significant differences between the three groups in Entry-3D (P < 0.001), Entry-2D (P < 0.001), and Apex-3D (P = < 0.001) parameters, while Kruskal-Wallis test found a significant difference in angular deviation (P = 0.003). Post-hoc comparison revealed significant differences between groups A and C, and groups B and C. Pearson correlation indicated a negative correlation between intervention time and number of surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS: Miniscrew insertion using d-CAS is operator-dependent, and the generational cohort of the operator is a factor that influences certain accuracy parameters. There is a correlation between the progression of surgeries and a reduction in the time employed. Understanding the impact of generational differences can encourage the use of digital technologies for novices in clinical practice.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT06661551 (clinicaltrials.gov; 10/25/2024).

PMID:40493264 | DOI:10.1007/s10006-025-01414-7

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Impact of smoking, diabetes, and exercise on dementia risk in women with osteoporosis: a nationwide cohort study

Osteoporos Int. 2025 Jun 10. doi: 10.1007/s00198-025-07524-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Having osteoporosis significantly increases the risk of having dementia, particularly when combined with smoking and diabetes, but regular exercise can reduce this risk. Implementing a national health screening program is crucial for early detection of these modifiable risk factors and prevention of dementia in aging populations.

PURPOSE: To assess osteoporosis as a risk factor for dementia in the general population using nationwide dataset.

METHODS: This study included 261,343 women aged 66 years who participated in the National Screening Program for Transitional Ages for Koreans and underwent their first medical checkup between January 2013 and December 2016. Participants were categorized into three groups based on bone mineral density (BMD): normal BMD, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. We investigated participants’ demographic characteristics and chronic comorbidities that could affect dementia incidence. The hazard ratios (HRs) for dementia in individuals with osteoporosis and osteopenia were calculated and adjusted based on several risk factors.

RESULTS: Despite adjusting for demographic characteristics and chronic comorbidities, the risk of dementia was 1.18-fold higher in the osteoporosis group than in the normal BMD group. Regarding Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, the risk was 1.18- and 1.25-fold higher in the osteoporosis group, respectively. Notably, participants with osteoporosis who smoked had a 1.82-fold higher HR than that of nonsmoking participants with normal BMD; participants with diabetes mellitus (DM) had a 1.92-fold higher HR than that of participants with normal BMD without DM. The HR for participants with osteoporosis who exercised regularly was 1.00, whereas it was 1.18 for those who did not exercise.

CONCLUSION: This population-based cohort study demonstrates that having osteoporosis significantly increases dementia risk, which is amplified by smoking and diabetes but reduced by regular exercise.

PMID:40493245 | DOI:10.1007/s00198-025-07524-y

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Optimizing region of interest size and placement for clinical opportunistic CT trabecular bone Hounsfield unit measurements

Osteoporos Int. 2025 Jun 10. doi: 10.1007/s00198-025-07529-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: No formal guidance exists regarding optimal opportunistic computed tomography (CT) region of interest (ROI) size or placement to clinically obtain bone Hounsfield unit (HU) data. Using clinical CT scans, this study evaluated ROI size/placement and assessed HU reproducibility.

METHODS: Three non-radiologists independently identified the L1 and L4 vertebral body centroid and then placed varying size circular ROIs on axial and sagittal images of 30 clinical CT scans. A 200-mm2 ROI location was varied left to right, anterior to posterior, and cranial to caudal. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). ROI size and axial/sagittal HU comparison was performed by ANOVA and t-test. Precision of 200-mm2 axial and sagittal ROIs was assessed in a second cohort of 30 patients with two scans obtained within 16 days.

RESULTS: Vertebral body centroid placement was nearly identical between readers (ICC > 0.99). Intra- and inter-observer reliability was excellent for all ROI sizes on both projections (ICC > 0.95). Statistically, but not clinically, significant differences, less than 8 HU, were present between various sized ROIs at L1, with no difference at L4. Axial HU was generally higher than sagittal for all ROI sizes at L1 and L4 by ~ 5-12 HU. In the precision cohort, L1 and L4 HU %CV was 4.8-7.9% yielding least significant change values of 10-16 HU.

CONCLUSIONS: Non-radiologists can reliably identify the vertebral body centroid and measure HU. For clinical use, we recommend a 200-mm2 circular ROI placed at the vertebral body centroid on L1 axial imaging.

PMID:40493237 | DOI:10.1007/s00198-025-07529-7

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Take charge after long COVID: a mixed methods randomised controlled pilot study protocol

Ann Med. 2025 Dec;57(1):2516694. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2025.2516694. Epub 2025 Jun 10.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Post COVID-19 condition is a debilitating illness with over 200 symptoms across 10 organ systems and is presently impacting millions worldwide. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends a multidisciplinary treatment approach including person-centred self-management strategies, however evidence for specific programs is lacking. The Take Charge intervention is a person-centred, self-management rehabilitation approach that has been effective in recovery after stroke, but not yet tested in post COVID-19 condition.

METHODS & ANALYSIS: A prospective, single-centre, parallel, 2 group, mixed methods, randomized controlled trial with embedded process evaluation of the Take Charge intervention in individuals living with post COVID-19 condition. Participants will be at least 18 years of age, have a confirmed diagnosis of post COVID-19 condition with ongoing symptoms, and be known to a hospital clinic for assessment and treatment of patients with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. The primary outcomes are the Modified COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale and the COVID-19 Core Outcome Measure for Recovery. The secondary outcomes include physical and self-report measures, and feasibility measures. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted to understand the clinicians’ and participants’ experiences. Statistical analysis will be performed on an intention-to-treat basis using a multivariate mixed-effect linear regression model.

ETHICS & DISSEMINATION: This study adheres to the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was approved by the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number: 2022/SSA00695/OFR: 219.22, protocol version 3.3 19 February 2024). The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, and media.

PMID:40492405 | DOI:10.1080/07853890.2025.2516694

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Penalized Bayesian methods for product ranking using both positive and negative references

J Biopharm Stat. 2025 Jun 10:1-17. doi: 10.1080/10543406.2025.2489287. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Product ranking according to pre-specified criteria is essential for developing new technologies, allowing identification of more preferable candidates for further development. Such ranking often builds on the results of a network meta-analysis, where the relative or absolute performances of the various products are synthesized across multiple clinical studies, each of which considered only a subset of the products. Ranking involving both a negative and a positive reference enables the scientist to directly compare tested products against known benchmarks. Here, more preferable candidates are those products that approach the positive reference while remaining distant from the negative reference. We provide a new metric to quantify this multivariate distance following Bayesian meta-analysis. Our method does not simply rely on point estimates to perform the comparisons, but also accounts for their uncertainties via their posterior distributions. For each product, posterior probabilities of being comparable to the positive reference are computed, and subsequently penalized by the posterior probability of performing worse than the negative reference. Each product is then compared to a hypothetical product about which we have no knowledge, as captured by a uniform distribution. The result is a prospective metric that is directly interpretable as the improvement of any product beyond this state of ignorance. We illustrate our approach using a case study, in which the goal is to rank 16 antiperspirant products. Here, the FDA-recommended summary statistic (a measure of the relative sweat reduction between each product and no treatment) intrinsically features both positive and negative references. We then offer a brief simulation study to check our metric’s performance in less complex, idealized settings where the true ranking is known. Our results indicate that our Bayesian approach is a novel and useful addition to the statistical ranking toolkit.

PMID:40492403 | DOI:10.1080/10543406.2025.2489287

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Approximate Bayesian estimation of time to clinical benefit using Frequentist approaches: an application to an intensive blood pressure control trial

J Biopharm Stat. 2025 Jun 10:1-11. doi: 10.1080/10543406.2025.2512985. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Time to Benefit (TTB) is a critical metric in clinical practice, reflecting the duration required to achieve therapeutic goals post-treatment. Traditionally, TTB estimation has relied on Bayesian Weibull regression, which, despite its merits, can be computationally intensive. To address this, we propose and evaluate Frequentist methods as efficient alternatives to approximate Bayesian TTB estimation.

METHODS: We evaluated three Frequentist methods, parametric delta, Monte Carlo, and nonparametric bootstrap, for TTB estimation, comparing their performance with the Bayesian approach.

RESULTS: Extensive simulations demonstrated that the proposed Frequentist methods outperformed the Bayesian method in efficiency. Real-world data applications further validated these findings, with the Monte Carlo (MC) method exhibiting significantly faster computational speed compared to the nonparametric bootstrap, while the Bayesian method was the least efficient.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed Frequentist methods offer significant advantages to approximate the Bayesian approach for TTB estimation, particularly in efficiency and practicality. The Monte Carlo method, with its median point estimate and percentile confidence intervals, is the recommended choice for its balance of efficacy and expedience.

PMID:40492388 | DOI:10.1080/10543406.2025.2512985

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Multivariable Modeling of Postoperative Risk in Infant Cardiac Surgery: Integrating Clinical Variables and 20 Inflammatory Biomarkers

Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2025 Jul;69(6):e70073. doi: 10.1111/aas.70073.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac surgery in infants often triggers a severe inflammatory response. The role of biomarkers in predicting clinical outcomes in this group of patients has been debated in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of 20 inflammatory biomarkers, in combination with clinical data, for acute kidney injury, ventilator support duration, and inotropic score following infant cardiac surgery by developing and comparing three models: Clinical-Data-Only, Biomarker-Only, and Combined.

METHODS: This secondary analysis of the MiLe-1 study included infants undergoing surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Biomarkers were measured before and after CPB. Using BIC-guided logistic regression, we developed and compared three multivariable models-Clinical-Data-Only, Biomarker-Only, and Combined-for each outcome. Model performance was assessed using c-statistics and p-contrast tests.

RESULTS: Regarding AKI risk prediction, the c-statistics for Biomarker-Only, Clinical-Data-Only, and Combined Model were 0.79, 0.60, and 0.78 respectively. The difference in performance between the Combined and Clinical-Data-Only Models was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Concerning ventilator support time prediction, the c-statistics were 0.80, 0.72, and 0.77 for the models respectively (p-contrast = 0.10). As for inotropic score prediction, the c-statistics were 0.83, 0.77, and 0.85 for the models (p-contrast = 0.007).

CONCLUSION: Inflammatory biomarkers may enhance risk stratification for postoperative outcomes in infant cardiac surgery. However, given the exploratory nature of this study, further validation in larger and more diverse cohorts is needed.

PMID:40492379 | DOI:10.1111/aas.70073

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Comparison of Surgical Outcomes Between Vaginally Assisted NOTES Hysterectomy and Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Primary Hospitals: A Prospective Cohort Study

J Invest Surg. 2025 Dec;38(1):2515054. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2025.2515054. Epub 2025 Jun 10.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the operative outcomes of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). We also aimed to determine the feasibility of performing vNOTES hysterectomy in primary hospitals.

METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled 54 patients with indications for hysterectomy related to benign uterine disease without prolapse, between September 1, 2020, and November 30, 2024. The patients were categorized into two groups: vNOTES hysterectomy and TLH (n = 27 each). Surgical outcomes, including operative time, blood loss, recovery parameters, and complications, were assessed.

RESULTS: Preoperative baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The vNOTES group had a longer mean operative time (187.6 vs. 154.4 min, p < 0.05) and greater median blood loss (100 vs. 30 mL, p < 0.05) compared to the TLH group. However, there were no significant differences in conversion rates, uterine weights, complications, 24-h pain scores, hospital stay, costs, or readmission rates. The vNOTES group demonstrated shorter times to postoperative ambulation, earlier return of bowel function (anal exhaust), and reduced urinary catheter insertion duration (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: vNOTES hysterectomy is feasible in primary hospitals, with surgical outcomes comparable to those of TLH. Patients who underwent vNOTES experienced faster recovery, indicating that it serves as a potential minimally invasive alternative to TLH. However, the small sample size warrants further studies to validate these findings.

PMID:40492370 | DOI:10.1080/08941939.2025.2515054