Tag: pubmed

J Exp Med. 2023 Jan 2;220(1):e20220829. doi: 10.1084/jem.20220829. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

ABSTRACT

Defects in nucleic acid metabolizing enzymes can lead to spontaneous but selective activation of either cGAS/STING or RIG-like receptor (RLR) signaling, causing type I interferon-driven inflammatory diseases. In these pathophysiological conditions, activation of the DNA sensor cGAS and IFN production are linked to spontaneous DNA damage. Physiological, or tonic, IFN signaling on the other hand is essential to functionally prime nucleic acid sensing pathways. Here, we show that low-level chronic DNA damage in mice lacking the Aicardi-Goutières syndrome gene SAMHD1 reduced tumor-free survival when crossed to a p53-deficient, but not to a DNA mismatch repair-deficient background. Increased DNA damage did not result in higher levels of type I interferon. Instead, we found that the chronic interferon response in SAMHD1-deficient mice was driven by the MDA5/MAVS pathway but required functional priming through the cGAS/STING pathway. Our work positions cGAS/STING upstream of tonic IFN signaling in Samhd1-deficient mice and highlights an important role of the pathway in physiological and pathophysiological innate immune priming.

PMID:36346347 | DOI:10.1084/jem.20220829

Oral Health Prev Dent. 2022 Nov 8;20(1):433-448. doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556039.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To identify and assess any changes in the pulp tissue complex following orthodontic force application.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Published and unpublished literature was searched in seven databases until 9 August 2022 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective trials (nR-PCT). Representative key words included ‘pulp response’, ‘pulp tissue’, ‘orthodontic force’, and ‘tooth movement’. Study selection, data extraction, risk of bias and certainty of evidence assessment were conducted independently by two reviewers. Random effects meta-analyses with respective confidence intervals (95%CIs) were conducted where applicable.

RESULTS: A total of 363 records were screened, a final number of 24 articles were eligible for qualitative synthesis, while 8 of those contributed to meta-analyses. There was evidence that pulpal blood flow (PBF) decreased after 3 weeks of tooth movement compared to no force application (4 studies, mean difference: -1.68; 95% CI: -3.21, -0.15; p = 0.03). However, this was not the case after 6 months of treatment (p = 0.68). A rise in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was detected after 7 days of treatment, but combining 2 studies, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.25). Other outcomes were assessed through single studies. Risk of bias was within the range of ‘some concerns/moderate to high/critical overall’, while certainty of evidence was low to very low according to GRADE.

CONCLUSIONS: As a short-term effect, PBF decreased upon initiation of orthodontic force application, while enzymatic and peptide activity within the pulp was transiently affected. Further long-term evidence of improved quality and certainty is needed.

PMID:36346338 | DOI:10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556039

Oral Health Prev Dent. 2022 Nov 8;20(1):421-431. doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556037.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to analyse the use of hyaluronic acid injection in the interdental space to reconstruct the papilla in animal models and humans.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases were searched up to May 2022, and additional hand searching was performed. The search strategy was implemented according to the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria were: studies written in English, studies using hyaluronic acid, in vivo studies, studies with a precise number of specimens, case series with ≥6 patients, and studies published after 2010. The risk of bias was assessed for each study that could be evaluated.

RESULTS: A total of 19 articles were selected and reviewed in this review. Due to the great heterogeneity of the protocols and materials, comparison between studies was not possible. However, using this technique, the studies found statistically significant improvements in most cases. The filling percentages ranged from 19% to 100%. Regarding patient satisfaction, the few studies that evaluated this parameter found statistically significant results with most patients willing to repeat the experience. Regarding side effects, only two studies reported them. Moreover, the procedure does not seem to be very painful.

CONCLUSION: The results suggest that hyaluronic acid injections seem to be effective in reconstructing papillary volume. However, to date, too few clinical trials with a high level of proof have been conducted on this technique. Future studies will have to work on the size of the sample, the concentration of the product, the number of injections and the injection method.

PMID:36346337 | DOI:10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556037

Oral Health Prev Dent. 2022 Nov 8;20(1):413-419. doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.b3555989.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To explore the effects of oral health promotion management on the improvement of oral healthcare knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in pregnant women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomised study included pregnant women in Shanghai (China) who were randomly assigned to receive oral-health promotion management (intervention group) or no interventions (control group). The primary outcome for this study was overall oral health. The secondary outcomes included oral health awareness and attitudes, oral health knowledge, oral healthcare behaviours, medical visits, and risk factors. The Fourth National Oral Health Questionnaire was self-administered in this study, and oral examinations included caries and periodontal status. Data consistency was assessed by the Kappa coefficient.

RESULTS: After intervention, periodontal outcomes in the intervention group had improved statistically significantly, and the proportion of those without periodontal diseases had statistically significantly increased to 14.4% (p < 0.05). In the intervention group, statistically significant improvements were also observed in the number of active caries (p < 0.001), number of filled teeth (p = 0.014), and community periodontal index (CPI) scores (p < 0.001). Overall, after intervention, pregnant women demonstrated comprehension of the importance of children’s deciduous teeth, and their knowledge of the importance of good oral health had greatly improved. Further, oral healthcare habits in the intervention group also showed statistically significant improvement: 56.8% established the habit of cleaning the tongue every week (p < 0.05) and 39.6% established the habit of regular oral examination (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Oral healthcare education and promotion management for pregnant women can effectively improve their oral health, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of oral health care.

PMID:36346336 | DOI:10.3290/j.ohpd.b3555989

Oral Health Prev Dent. 2022 Nov 8;20(1):401-412. doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556031.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of three techniques for preventing dental erosion and thereby identify effective methods. The three techniques were: 1) adding calcium to fermented milk (2% Ca and 0.5% Ca); 2) topical application of fluoride to the teeth before exposure to fermented milk (acidulated phosphate fluoride [APF] gel and 0.05% NaF); and 3) a combination of the two techniques (APF gel + 0.5% Ca, 0.05% NaF + 0.5% Ca).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: pH cycling was performed on bovine-tooth specimens alternately immersed in experimental solutions and artificial saliva. After treatment, the microhardness and roughness of the enamel surfaces were measured, and changes in the surface morphology were observed using atomic force microscope images.

RESULTS: Microhardness did not differ statistically significantly between the 2% Ca and mineral water (negative control) groups (2% Ca: 295.34 ± 11.50; mineral water group: 294.76 ± 10.67; p > 0.05). Surface roughness did not differ statistically significantly between the 2% Ca, 0.05% NaF + 0.5% Ca, and mineral water groups (2% Ca: 16.81 ± 7.23; 0.05% NaF + 0.5% Ca: 15.77 ± 2.86; mineral water group: 13.35 ± 5.53; p > 0.05). The surface morphology did not change in the mineral water and 2% Ca groups.

CONCLUSION: Considering that 2% calcium is a high concentration, adding a low concentration of calcium to fermented milk and applying a low concentration of fluoride daily decreased the reduction of surface microhardness and reduced the increase in surface roughness without causing marked changes in surface morphology. This confirms that combining the two techniques is an effective strategy to prevent dental erosion in-vitro.

PMID:36346335 | DOI:10.3290/j.ohpd.b3556031

Arch Argent Pediatr. 2022 Nov 10:e202202672. doi: 10.5546/aap.2022-02672.eng. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of reference tables to monitor the growth pattern and nutritional status of children and adolescents. Body mass index (BMI), weight, and height are the most commonly used variables. The objective of this study was to estimate the BMI, weight, and height percentiles for school-aged children (2009-2011) living in the department of San Rafael (Mendoza) and compare them to the international World Health Organization reference to establish their relevance for the evaluation of the growth pattern and nutritional status of this population. Population and methods. A cross-sectional anthropometric study was conducted in 3448 school-aged children aged 4.00 to 13.49 years. The LMS ChartMarker Pro software was used to estimate the BMIfor-age, weight-for-age, and height-for-age percentiles, by sex and age, and they were compared with the WHO curves. Besides, percentage differences (%D) were calculated to estimate the differences and their statistical significance using the Wilcoxon test. Results. The population of boys and girls in San Rafael showed higher weight and BMI (%D ≈ 7% and 9%, respectively) percentiles, and lower height (%D ≈ 0.8%) values than WHO reference (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion. The differences found warn about the use of the WHO reference in the school-aged population of San Rafael since it would overestimate the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and chronic malnutrition and underestimate the prevalence of acute and global malnutrition. This situation highlights the importance of having a local reference resource.

PMID:36346326 | DOI:10.5546/aap.2022-02672.eng

Radiology. 2022 Nov 8:220522. doi: 10.1148/radiol.220522. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background Portable, low-field-strength (0.064-T) MRI has the potential to transform neuroimaging but is limited by low spatial resolution and low signal-to-noise ratio. Purpose To implement a machine learning super-resolution algorithm that synthesizes higher spatial resolution images (1-mm isotropic) from lower resolution T1-weighted and T2-weighted portable brain MRI scans, making them amenable to automated quantitative morphometry. Materials and Methods An external high-field-strength MRI data set (1-mm isotropic scans from the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies data set) and segmentations for 39 regions of interest (ROIs) in the brain were used to train a super-resolution convolutional neural network (CNN). Secondary analysis of an internal test set of 24 paired low- and high-field-strength clinical MRI scans in participants with neurologic symptoms was performed. These were part of a prospective observational study (August 2020 to December 2021) at Massachusetts General Hospital (exclusion criteria: inability to lay flat, body habitus preventing low-field-strength MRI, presence of MRI contraindications). Three well-established automated segmentation tools were applied to three sets of scans: high-field-strength (1.5-3 T, reference standard), low-field-strength (0.064 T), and synthetic high-field-strength images generated from the low-field-strength data with the CNN. Statistical significance of correlations was assessed with Student t tests. Correlation coefficients were compared with Steiger Z tests. Results Eleven participants (mean age, 50 years ± 14; seven men) had full cerebrum coverage in the images without motion artifacts or large stroke lesion with distortion from mass effect. Direct segmentation of low-field-strength MRI yielded nonsignificant correlations with volumetric measurements from high field strength for most ROIs (P > .05). Correlations largely improved when segmenting the synthetic images: P values were less than .05 for all ROIs (eg, for the hippocampus [r = 0.85; P < .001], thalamus [r = 0.84; P = .001], and whole cerebrum [r = 0.92; P < .001]). Deviations from the model (z score maps) visually correlated with pathologic abnormalities. Conclusion This work demonstrated proof-of-principle augmentation of portable MRI with a machine learning super-resolution algorithm, which yielded highly correlated brain morphometric measurements to real higher resolution images. © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Ertl-Wagner amd Wagner in this issue.

PMID:36346311 | DOI:10.1148/radiol.220522

Crisis. 2022 Nov 8. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000885. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Research suggests construction industry workers (CIWs) face increased suicide vulnerability. Aims: The current study synthesizes international evidence examining rates, risk, and drivers of CIW suicide. Method: Comprehensive searches of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, Scopus, and gray literature were undertaken, identifying studies that discussed, theorized about, or demonstrated risks and/or rates and/or drivers of CIW suicide, without inclusion of other industries. Results: A number of included studies statistically analyzed suicide outcomes in a variety of CIW populations, with the majority reporting increased rate and/or risk, however significant heterogeneity limited comparisons. Twenty-five potential drivers were identified and classified as personal- or industry-related. Disentanglement highlighted the relevance of previously understood personal drivers, need for future focus on industry drivers, and potential interplay between drivers. Limitations: Exclusion of non-English articles as well as inability to extend analysis to fully understand rates and/or risk of CIW suicide and tenuous links between suggested drivers and suicide outcomes. Conclusion: Despite limitations, this paper aids understanding in relation to the suggestion that CIWs are at increased suicide vulnerability. Disentanglement of potential drivers demonstrates the importance of future research focused on industry drivers to assist in prevention strategies.

PMID:36345928 | DOI:10.1027/0227-5910/a000885

Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2022 Nov 8:47885. doi: 10.5114/pedm.2022.119782. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a complex condition with multifactorial aetiopathogenesis. Adipose tissue is reservoir of many adipokines which play a great role in proinflammatory response in obesity. Aim of the study: Comparative assessment of ghrelin, leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) salivary concentration among children having proper and excess of body mass. Analysis of the interrelationship between the obtained concentrations of substances and selected anthropometric parameters and blood pressure values in the studied children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group comprised 102 children aged 7-10 years. The nutritional status of children was assessed by the use of the BMI index. The control group (n = 74) comprised children with proper body mass, and the study group (n = 28) contained children having overweight/obesity. Saliva samples were taken from all children at school. Subsequently, some anthropometric parameters and blood pressure values of the children were measured. The laboratory assessment of substances was made by ELISA method. Next, statistical analysis of all obtained results was performed using professional software.

RESULTS: Salivary ghrelin, leptin, and IL-6 concentrations were statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p = 0.001). The study revealed a positive correlation between salivary ghrelin concentration and BMI in the whole study population (p = 0.001), and between ghrelin concentration and body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio in all subjects. In the study group, the BMI value was positively correlated only with IL-6 saliva concentration (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed significant differences between saliva ghrelin, leptin, and IL-6 concentration between the control group and the study group. The above findings can be a good predictor with which to detect co-existing metabolic alternations in obese patients.

PMID:36345925 | DOI:10.5114/pedm.2022.119782

Health Informatics J. 2022 Oct-Dec;28(4):14604582221137446. doi: 10.1177/14604582221137446.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria contributes 20% of outpatient cases in health facilities in Uganda. Data also show that there is a severe shortage of skilled health care personnel in sub-Saharan Africa. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems have been shown to provide benefits to health care providers and patients alike, making them important for low resourced settings.

METHODS: A comparative study was performed from March 2018 to March 2019 in which an integrated EMR system was implemented with treatment guidelines for malaria, and its effect was evaluated on malaria outpatient case management in one Ugandan health facility. Another health facility was used as a control site.

RESULTS: Malaria outpatient visits were 1.3 h shorter in the EMR group (p < .0001), and 80% more participants in the EMR group had age and weight information available to clinicians at the point of prescribing (p < .0001). Fewer participants in the EMR group had recurring malaria with no statistical significance (p = .097). Malaria surveillance reporting was significantly more accurate at the EMR intervention site (p < .05).

CONCLUSION: The EMR system probably improved malaria outpatient case management by reducing outpatient visit durations, improving the availability of patient age and weight information to inform prescribing and improving the accuracy of malaria surveillance reporting.

PMID:36345921 | DOI:10.1177/14604582221137446