[Rehabilitation of a periodontally compromised dentition with implant-supported zirconia bridges. Case report]

Clinical aspects of reconstruction with fix prosthesis and dental implants in a patient with a history of periodontitis is shown. A successful stabilization and rehabilitation of the periodontally involved dentition can be achieved with tooth-worn crown and bridge reconstructions. From a functional and aesthetic point of view the result may not be satisfying due to mobility and overlength of the teeth and open approximal spaces. Today, dentist and patient have often to weigh if teeth shall be maintained or replaced by dental implants. Thereby, both must be aware of the fact that in complex cases long-term success and aesthetic outcome may be difficult to predict. An intense discussion with the patient on his expectations, invasive treatment, risks with regard to biologic and prosthetic aspects is mandatory and must be based on the best scientific evidence available. The present case report shows different considerations and describes a radical solution which meets the patient's needs and is based on modern CAD-CAM technology

[Implant-supported bridges in the edentulous jaw. Clinical aspects of a simple treatment concept]

Clinical aspects of a simple treatment concept with fixed prostheses in the edentulous jaw are described. Fixed implant-supported reconstructions in the edentulous jaw require multiple implants, are technically complex, aesthetically demanding and metal-ceramic solutions are expensive. Specific surgical techniques to enhance the hard and soft tissue conditions become often necessary. Thus the bar-supported overdenture may be preferred, because problems with aesthetics and alveolar ridge deficiencies can be solved more easily and the number of implants is reduced. Both, the "All-on-Four" technique and the "Procera implant bridge" are simple type of fixed prostheses, comparable to overdentures or complete dentures with regard to design and technology. They present a cost-effective alternative, with predictable aesthetics and optimum passive fit

[Titanium-alloy vs. CoCr-alloy in removable prosthodontics--a clinical study]

Different types of titanium-alloys instead of CoCr-alloys have been tested as material for the framework of removable partial dentures (RPD). Adequate casting and processing techniques have been developed which enable to fabricate frameworks of complex designs and the problem limits porosity. This opened new possibilities for the use of titanium-alloys with improved properties (E-module). The aim of this study was to summarise the use of titanium in removable prosthodontics and to evaluate prospectively the use of the Ti6A17Nb-alloy for RPDs in a small group of patients. Two identically designed RPDs from CoCr-alloy (remanium GM 800+) and Ti6A17Nb-alloy (girotan L) were produced for ten patients. They had to wear each RPD during six months, first the CoCr-RPD and then the Ti6A17Nb-RPD. A questionnaire (visual analogue scale = VAS) was completed by the patients after one, three and six months of function for each RPD. Prosthetic complications and service needed were recorded. After the end of the entire observation period of twelve months, the patients remained with the Ti6A17Nb-RPD and answered the questionnaire after another six months. All parameters regarding the design of the RPDs were positively estimated by the dentist. Minimal, not significant differences were noted by the patients concerning comfort, stability and retention (VAS). Clinically, no differences in technical aspects or regarding biological complications were observed after six-months periods. The Ti6A17Nb-alloy (girotan L) for the framework of RPDs was judged by patients and professionals to be equivalent to RPDs made from CoCr-alloy. No differences in material aspects could objectively be observed. The Ti6A17Nb-alloy can be beneficial for patients with allergies or incompatibility with one or several components of the CoCr-alloy

Proteome analysis of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) chromoplasts

We report a comprehensive proteome analysis of chromoplasts from bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The combination of a novel strategy for database-independent detection of proteins from tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data with standard database searches allowed us to identify 151 proteins with a high level of confidence. These include several well-known plastid proteins but also novel proteins that were not previously reported from other plastid proteome studies. The majority of the identified proteins are active in plastid carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Among the most abundant individual proteins are capsanthin/capsorubin synthase and fibrillin, which are involved in the synthesis and storage of carotenoids that accumulate to high levels in chromoplasts. The relative abundances of the identified chromoplast proteins differ remarkably compared with their abundances in other plastid types, suggesting a chromoplast-specific metabolic network. Our results provide an overview of the major metabolic pathways active in chromoplasts and extend existing knowledge about prevalent metabolic activities of different plastid types

Magnesium sensing via LFA-1 regulates CD8+ T cell effector function.

The relevance of extracellular magnesium in cellular immunity remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the co-stimulatory cell-surface molecule LFA-1 requires magnesium to adopt its active conformation on CD8+ T cells, thereby augmenting calcium flux, signal transduction, metabolic reprogramming, immune synapse formation, and, as a consequence, specific cytotoxicity. Accordingly, magnesium-sufficiency sensed via LFA-1 translated to the superior performance of pathogen- and tumor-specific T cells, enhanced effectiveness of bi-specific T cell engaging antibodies, and improved CAR T cell function. Clinically, low serum magnesium levels were associated with more rapid disease progression and shorter overall survival in CAR T cell and immune checkpoint antibody-treated patients. LFA-1 thus directly incorporates information on the composition of the microenvironment as a determinant of outside-in signaling activity. These findings conceptually link co-stimulation and nutrient sensing and point to the magnesium-LFA-1 axis as a therapeutically amenable biologic system