Group 2 ITI Consensus Report: Prosthodontics and implant dentistry

ObjectivesWorking Group 2 was convened to address topics relevant to prosthodontics and dental implants. Systematic reviews were developed according to focused questions addressing (a) the number of implants required to support fixed full‐arch restorations, (b) the influence of intentionally tilted implants compared to axial positioned implants when supporting fixed dental prostheses (FDPs), (c) implant placement and loading protocols, (d) zirconia dental implants, (e) zirconia and metal ceramic implant supported single crowns and (f) zirconia and metal ceramic implant supported FDPs.Materials and methodsGroup 2 considered and discussed information gathered in six systematic reviews. Group participants discussed statements developed by the authors and developed consensus. The group developed and found consensus for clinical recommendations based on both the statements and the experience of the group. The consensus statements and clinical recommendations were presented to the plenary (gathering of all conference attendees) and discussed. Final versions were developed after consensus was reached.ResultsA total of 27 consensus statements were developed from the systematic reviews. Additionally, the group developed 24 clinical recommendations based on the combined expertise of the participants and the developed consensus statements.ConclusionsThe literature supports the use of various implant numbers to support full‐arch fixed prostheses. The use of intentionally tilted dental implants is indicated when appropriate conditions exist. Implant placement and loading protocols should be considered together when planning and treating patients. One‐piece zirconia dental implants can be recommended when appropriate clinical conditions exist although two‐piece zirconia implants should be used with caution as a result of insufficient data. Clinical performance of zirconia and metal ceramic single implant supported crowns is similar and each demonstrates significant, though different, complications. Zirconia ceramic FDPs are less reliable than metal ceramic. Implant supported monolithic zirconia prostheses may be a future option with more supporting evidence.</p

Floral odors and the interaction between pollinating Ceratopogonid midges and Cacao

Most plant species depend upon insect pollination services, including many cash and subsistence crops. Plants compete to attract those insects using visual cues and floral odor which pollinators associate with a reward. The cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, has a highly specialized floral morphology permitting pollination primarily by Ceratopogonid midges. However, these insects do not depend upon cacao flowers for their life cycle, and can use other sugar sources. To understand how floral cues mediate pollination in cacao we developed a method for rearing Ceratopogonidae through several complete lifecycles to provide material for bioassays. We carried out collection and analysis of cacao floral volatiles, and identified a bouquet made up exclusively of saturated and unsaturated, straight-chain hydrocarbons, which is unusual among floral odors. The most abundant components were tridecane, pentadecane, (Z)-7-pentadecene and (Z)-8-heptadecene with a heptadecadiene and heptadecatriene as minor components. We presented adult midges, Forcipomyia sp. (subgen. Forcipomyia), Culicoides paraensis and Dasyhelea borgmeieri, with natural and synthetic cacao flower odors in choice assays. Midges showed weak attraction to the complete natural floral odor in the assay, with no significant evidence of interspecific differences. This suggests that cacao floral volatiles play a role in pollinator behavior. Midges were not attracted to a synthetic blend of the above four major components of cacao flower odor, indicating that a more complete blend is required for attraction. Our findings indicate that cacao pollination is likely facilitated by the volatile blend released by flowers, and that the system involves a generalized odor response common to different species of Ceratopogonidae

Disposable platform for bacterial lysis and nucleic acid amplification based on a single USB-powered printed circuit board.

Recent advances in electronics and microfluidics have enabled several research groups to develop fully integrated, sample-to-result isothermal nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) platforms for the point of care. However, high component counts and costs have limited translation of these platforms beyond the clinic to low-resource settings-including homes. Many NAATs include complex, multi-component heater electronics based on flex circuits or multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs) to support essential NAAT steps such as lysis, sample deactivation, and nucleic acid amplification. In contrast, current commercial assays for home use, such as those for pregnancy or ovulation that include electronics, typically have just one onboard PCB. This work describes a generalizable strategy to integrate all heaters and the electronics needed to control them onto a single low-cost, USB-powered PCB. We built a multiplexable disposable NAAT ("MD NAAT") platform that applies these principles, integrating small-area heaters that heat small regions to near-boiling (for pathogen lysis and deactivation) and large-area heaters (for amplification) on the same PCB. We show that both classes of heaters have high intra-board and inter-device reproducibility despite only heating a NAAT cartridge from below. We validated the small-area heaters by lysing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cells and the large-area heaters by performing two types of isothermal NAATs (isothermal strand displacement amplification (iSDA) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)). These results demonstrate the merit of integrating NAAT heaters and control electronics onto a single printed circuit board and are a step toward translating NAATs to the home

Disposable platform for bacterial lysis and nucleic acid amplification based on a single USB-powered printed circuit board

Recent advances in electronics and microfluidics have enabled several research groups to develop fully integrated, sample-to-result isothermal nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) platforms for the point of care. However, high component counts and costs have limited translation of these platforms beyond the clinic to low-resource settings—including homes. Many NAATs include complex, multi-component heater electronics based on flex circuits or multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs) to support essential NAAT steps such as lysis, sample deactivation, and nucleic acid amplification. In contrast, current commercial assays for home use, such as those for pregnancy or ovulation that include electronics, typically have just one onboard PCB. This work describes a generalizable strategy to integrate all heaters and the electronics needed to control them onto a single low-cost, USB-powered PCB. We built a multiplexable disposable NAAT (“MD NAAT”) platform that applies these principles, integrating small-area heaters that heat small regions to near-boiling (for pathogen lysis and deactivation) and large-area heaters (for amplification) on the same PCB. We show that both classes of heaters have high intra-board and inter-device reproducibility despite only heating a NAAT cartridge from below. We validated the small-area heaters by lysing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cells and the large-area heaters by performing two types of isothermal NAATs (isothermal strand displacement amplification (iSDA) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)). These results demonstrate the merit of integrating NAAT heaters and control electronics onto a single printed circuit board and are a step toward translating NAATs to the home

Design of a New Type of Compact Chemical Heater for Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification.

Previous chemical heater designs for isothermal nucleic acid amplification have been based on solid-liquid phase transition, but using this approach, developers have identified design challenges en route to developing a low-cost, disposable device. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of a new heater configuration suitable for isothermal amplification in which one reactant of an exothermic reaction is a liquid-gas phase-change material, thereby eliminating the need for a separate phase-change compartment. This design offers potentially enhanced performance and energy density compared to other chemical and electric heaters

Enhancing Food Safety, Product Quality, and Value-Added in Food Supply Chains Using Whole-Chain Traceability

A robust whole chain traceability system can limit consumers’ exposure to potentially hazardous foods, improve supply chain management, and add value to consumer products. However, fragmented supply chains present special challenges. In the beef industry, for example, producers have resisted participation in whole chain traceability because of high cost relative to value and concerns about disclosing proprietary information, among others. A multi-disciplinary team from universities, private firms, and a foundation has developed and tested a pilot proprietary centralized data whole chain traceability system that addresses many of these obstacles. This system would facilitate a precision agriculture approach to beef production and marketing. While the remaining challenges are serious, the benefits to society, consumers, and businesses from widespread adoption of whole-chain traceability systems are potentially large