Monolithic zirconia and digital impression: case report

The aim of this study is to present a clinical case of a full arch prosthetic rehabilitation on natural teeth, combining both digital work-flow and monolithic zirconi

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Family Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale Among Surrogate Decision-Makers of the Critically Ill

Objectives The purpose of this study was to report the psychometric properties, in terms of validity and reliability, of the Unconscious Version of the Family Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (FDMSE). Methods A convenience sample of 215 surrogate decision-makers for critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation was recruited from four intensive care units at a tertiary hospital. Cross-sectional data were collected from participants between days 3 and 7 of a decisionally impaired patient\u27s exposure to acute mechanical ventilation. Participants completed a self-report demographic form and subjective measures of family decision-making self-efficacy, preparation for decision-making, and decisional fatigue. Exploratory factor analyses, correlation coefficients, and internal consistency reliability estimates were computed to evaluate the FDMSE\u27s validity and reliability in surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients. Results The exploratory factor analyses revealed a two-factor, 11-item version of the FDMSE was the most parsimonious in this sample. Furthermore, modified 11-item FDMSE demonstrated discriminant validity with the measures of fatigue and preparation for decision-making and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability estimates. Significance of results This is the first known study to provide evidence for a two-factor structure for a modified, 11-item FDMSE. These dimensions represent treatment and palliation-related domains of family decision-making self-efficacy. The modified FDMSE is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to measure family decision-making self-efficacy among surrogate decision-makers of the critically ill

Digital impression on transmucosal vertical neck® implants: evaluation of soft tissues stability

BACKGROUND: The literature indicates that 0.5 to 1.5 mm of gingival recession most often occurs within the first months after implant placement or abutment connection. The aim of this study is to test the validity of the new Biotype implant design (Vertical Neck®) to evaluate the effect of a concave transmucosal profile on the vertical stability of soft tissues at the facial aspect of dental implants, taking advantage of the benefits deriving from intraoral digital impression. METHODS: The study was carried out at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Sapienza - University of Rome. A 45-years-old patient was selected. He didn’t show periodontal and systemic diseases. Mono edentulous sites were either in maxilla (1.6) and in mandible (3.6). After the sign of the informed consent form, according to the World Medical Declaration of Helsinki, the surgical phase was performed. Mini-invasive osteotome sinus floor elevation in atrophic maxilla was used to insert a transmucosal Vertical Neck® implant with 4.8 mm diameter and 8 mm length. In mandible was used a transmucosal Vertical Neck® implant with 4.1 mm diameter and 8 mm length. Six months later a digital impression was taken with an intraoral optical scanner (CS3500, Carestream Dental, Atlanta, GA, USA). A Simbiosi® Scan Body was applied on implants. Periapical radiographs were taken in order to show the right linkage between devices and implants. Straight titanium abutmentswere used and periapical radiographs were made to evaluate a correct marginal fit on implants. Two monolithic zirconia crowns were realized with a CAM system. RESULTS: No recession in soft tissue was observed. The gingival level remained stable at 12 months. Vertical Neck® implants have shown a good relationship with bone and soft tissues. Also the aesthetic goals have been reached. CONCLUSIONS: Biotype transmucosal Vertical Neck® implants have been projected to allow the placement of prosthetic border into an area of 2 mm of eight instead of predetermined point. Because of its intrinsic feature, the biological width is respected. Thanks to the management of the impression into a digital format (intraoral scan and CAD/CAM system), the final crowns resulted to be more accurate than with a traditional system; infact, common mistakes linked to clinical and laboratory process have been avoided

The non-euphoric phytocannabinoid cannabidivarin counteracts intestinal inflammation in mice and cytokine expression in biopsies from UC pediatric patients

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) using marijuana have been reported to experience symptomatic benefit. Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is a safe non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid able to activate and desensitize TRPA1, a member of the TRP channels superfamily, which plays a pivotal role in intestinal inflammation. Here, we have investigated the potential intestinal anti-inflammatory effect of CBDV in mice and in biopsies from pediatric patients with active UC. Colonic inflammation was induced in mice by dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS). The effect of orally administered CBDV on macroscopic and microscopic damage, inflammatory parameters (i.e. myeloperoxidase activity, intestinal permeability and cytokine production) and faecal microbiota composition, was evaluated 3 days after DNBS administration. TRPA1 expression was studied by RT-PCR in inflamed colons of mice as well as in mucosal colonic biopsies of children with active UC, whose response to incubation with CBDV was also investigated. CBDV attenuates, in a TRPA1-antagonist sensitive manner, DNBS-induced signs of inflammation including neutrophil infiltration, intestinal permeability, and cytokine (i.e. IL-1\u3b2, IL-6 and the chemokine MCP-1) production. CBDV also alters the dysregulation of gut microbiota associated to colitis. Finally, CBDV lessens cytokine expression in colonic biopsies from pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis, a condition in which TRPA1 was up-regulated. Our preclinical study shows that CBDV exerts intestinal anti-inflammatory effects in mice via TRPA1, and in children with active UC. Since CBDV has a favorable safety profile in humans, it may be considered for possible clinical trials in patients with UC

Differences among physical activity actigraphy algorithms in three chronic illness populations

Objectives: In three chronic illness populations and in a combined sample, we assessed differences in two algorithms to determine wear time (WT%) and four algorithms to determine: Kilocalories, light physical activity (PA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and metabolic equivalents (METs). Methods: Data were collected from 29 people living with HIV (PLHIV), 27 participants recovering from a cardiac event, and 15 participants with hypertension (HTN). Participants wore the ActiGraphTM wGT3X-BT for > 3 days on their hip. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess differences among the algorithms. Results: No differences were found between the two algorithms to assess WT% or among the four algorithms to assess kilocalories in each of the chronic illness populations or in the combined sample. Significant differences were found among the four algorithms for light PA (p < .001) and METs (p < .001) in each chronic illness population and in the combined sample. MVPA was significantly different among the four algorithms in the PLHIV (p=.007) and in the combined sample (p < .001), but not in the cardiac (p=.064) or HTN samples (p=.200). Discussion: Our findings indicate that the choice of algorithm does make a difference in PA determination. Differences in algorithms should be considered when comparing PA across different chronic illness populations.This work was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (grant numbers P30NR015326 and T32NR015433)

Ethnic differences in frequencies of gene polymorphisms in the MYCL1 region and modulation of lung cancer patients' survival

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis to refine a region associated with lung cancer progression on chromosome 1p34 identified a 106 kb LD block that includes MYCL1, TRIT1 (tRNA isopentenyltransferase 1) and MFSD2 (major facilitator superfamily domain-containing 2). Case-only association study on SNPs mapping in TRIT1 and MFSD2 indicated that the rare Leu allele (frequency: 0.04) of the TRIT1 Phe202Leu variation predicts short survival as compared to the common Phe/Phe genotype (hazard ratio (HR)=1.7; 95% CI, 1.03-2.86; P=0.039) in 335 Italian lung adenocarcinoma samples. A replication study in an independent population of 246 Norwegian lung cancer patients confirmed the significant association of the Phe202Leu polymorphism with patients' survival, but the rare allele was associated with better survival rate (HR=0.5; 95% CI, 0.26-0.91; P=0.023). The rare allele of TRIT1 Phe202Leu SNP was approximately seven-fold more frequent in Asian than in Caucasian subjects and three additional SNPs in the TRIT1 and MFSD2 genes showed ethnic differences in allelic frequencies. These results suggest that polymorphisms in the MYCL1 LD region affect lung cancer survival but that the functional element(s) may show population-specific patterns