Chairside CAD/CAM Materials: Current Trends of Clinical Uses

Restorative materials are experiencing an extensive upgrade thanks to the use of chair- side Computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) restorations. There- fore, due to the variety offered in the market, choosing the best material could be puzzling for the practitioner. The clinical outcome of the restoration is influenced mainly by the material and its handling than by the fabrication process (i.e., CAD/CAM). Information on the restorative materials performances can be difficult to gather and compare. The aim of this article is to provide an over- view of chairside CAD/CAM materials, their classification, and clinically relevant aspects that en- able the reader to select the most appropriate material for predictable success

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Experimental investigation on fast pyrolysis of freshwater algae. Prospects for alternative bio-fuel production

Several technologies have been developed with the aim of obtaining fuels from algae. In the present work, the fast pyrolysis of three different types of microalgae (Botryococcus braunii, Spirulina platensis, and Pithophora sp.) is investigated focusing on the quality and yield of the liquid product as a potential biofuel. The characterization of microalgae shows an elevated content of lipids in Botryococcus braunii, higher levels of proteins in Spirulina, and an equal number of proteins and carbohydrates in Pithophora sp. A fixed bed reactor, connected to a vacuum system, and nitrogen as inert gas flow are used in the pyrolysis experiments at 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C. At 500 °C, Botryococcus braunii produces the maximum amount of pyrolytic oil (65% yield) while Spirulina and Pithophora sp. affords the greatest amount at 600 °C, in 45% and 28% yield, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of the Botryococcus braunii-derived oils shows a high content of long-chain derivatives of alcohols, carboxylic acids, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. On the other hand, Spirulina-derived oil consists mostly of nitrogenated compounds while oil from Pithophora sp. is composed of oxygenated and/or nitrogenated products, depending on the reaction temperature. The measured higher heating value (HHV) of Botryococcus braunii-derived oil produced at 500 °C is 45 MJ/kg and this bio-oil could be used as a feedstock for fuel production after chemical upgrading to decrease the oxygen content (6.59 wt%).Fil: Piloni, Roxana Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Daga, Ines Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Urcelay, Roberto Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Moyano, Elizabeth Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentin

Chairside CAD/CAM Materials: Current Trends of Clinical Uses

Restorative materials are experiencing an extensive upgrade thanks to the use of chairside Computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) restorations. Therefore, due to the variety offered in the market, choosing the best material could be puzzling for the practitioner. The clinical outcome of the restoration is influenced mainly by the material and its handling than by the fabrication process (i.e., CAD/CAM). Information on the restorative materials performances can be difficult to gather and compare. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of chairside CAD/CAM materials, their classification, and clinically relevant aspects that enable the reader to select the most appropriate material for predictable success

Preliminary results on zinc, copper, selenium and manganese concentration in donkey milk

Donkey milk is well tolerated by infants suffering of cow milk protein allergy. Only few or no data is available on trace elements content of donkey milk. Aim of this study was to determine the content of Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Selenium (Se) and Manganese (Mn) in donkey milk. Individual milk samples were obtained from 16 lactating donkeys (46-72 days from parturition) fed 8 kg of coarse hay and 2.5 kg of commercial concentrate daily. During the experimental period (3 months), donkeys were housed with their foals which was separated from the mother 3 hours before milking. Individual milk samples were collected by mechanical milking (11:00 a.m.) each 2 weeks (6 sampling time). Milk samples were analyzed for Zn, Cu, Se, and Mn concentration by inductively coupled plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Average Zn, Cu, Se and Mn milk concentration (mean±SE) was respectively 2246.92±8.12 μg/L, 97.57±2.98 μg/L, 4.48±0.15 μg/L and 3.57±0.11 μg/L. The concentration of all elements was significantly affected by the stage of lactation. A clear decrease of approximately 38% was observed for Cu (from 122 to 73 μg/L) and Se (from 5.31 to 3.3 μg/L) with the advancing of lactation. On the contrary, Zn and Mn tended to increase during the trial. Milk Zn was positively correlated with Mn (r=0.40) but inversely correlated with Cu (r= -0.28), and Se (r= -0.24). Copper was positively correlated with Se (r=0.63) and inversely correlated with Mn (r= -0.40). Correlations were also significant between Mn and Se (r= -0.27)

Evaluating the stability of extended-pour alginate impression materials by using an optical scanning and digital method

Statement of problem: The dimensional stability of alginate dental impressions is a key factor for the reliability of delayed gypsum pouring and digital scanning. However, studies of the dimensional stability of alginates with conventional methods that consider the dimensional variations of large impressions are lacking. Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate and compare 2 digital methods for the analysis of dimensional stability of large impressions made with 5 different extended-pour alginates and to assess dimensional stability up to 5 days. Material and methods: Impressions of a simplified master maxillary model were made with Alginoplast, Blueprint, Hydrogum 5, Orthoprint, and Phase Plus and then analyzed at different time points. Digital scans of the alginate impression surfaces were obtained with a desktop scanner and analyzed by evaluating the linear measurements between reference points and by using a novel method that consists of the analysis of the entire scanned surface to evaluate the expansion and contraction of the impressions. Results: The first method revealed that the dimensional changes did not exceed 0.5%, with the exception of Phase Plus at day 3 (-0.6 \ub10.7%), and the average dimensional variation was always lower than or equal to 0.2 mm. Blueprint was the most stable material (-0.2 \ub10.6%). The second method revealed dimensional variations always lower than 0.03 mm and confirmed Blueprint as the best performing material (0.001 \ub10.006 mm) and Phase Plus the worst (-0.019 \ub10.006 mm). Conclusions: Both the methods used to evaluate alginate stability showed that the analyzed materials remain stable over time; the dimensional variations showed a similar trend, with differences in the absolute values depending on the applied method. Linear measurements are affected by the operator and choice of reference points; however, by evaluating the average variations of the entire structure surfaces, local variations should be minimized. The evaluation of the average variations with the second method offers the advantage of a rapid visual representation of these variations

Milk and blood serum concentration of selected trace elements in lactating donkeys

Donkey milk can be considered a functional food for sensitive consumers such as infants and elderly people but the concentration of minor and potentially toxic trace elements is not well documented. The aim of this study was to measure the concentrations of Ti, V, As, Mo, Cd, Cs, and Pb in donkey milk and blood serum. Sixteen clinically healthy lactating donkeys (Martina Franca derived population) were used to provide individual milk and blood samples (n = 112) during a 3months period. Milk and blood samples were collected every 2 weeks. Milk and blood serum samples were analysed for Ti, V, As, Mo, Cd, Cs, and Pb by Inductively Coupled PlasmaMass Spectrometry. Data were processed by analysis of variance for repeated measures. More than 80% of samples were below the limit of detection for V, As, and Cd in milk and for Cd, and Pb in blood serum. The average milk concentrations (± SD) of Ti, Mo, Cs, and Pb were 77.3 (± 7.7), 4.5 (± 1.6), 0.49 (± 0.09), and 3.2 (± 2.7) μg/L, respectively. The blood serum concentrations of Ti, V, As, Mo, and Cs averaged 12.4 (± 3.7), 1.0 (± 0.38), 0.49 (± 0.12), 28.5 (± 13.8), and 0.17 (± 0.05) μg/L, respectively. The effect of the stage of lactation was significant for all the measured elements in milk and blood serum but only small changes or inconsistent trends were observed. The average milk concentrations of Ti and Cs was higher than those of blood serum whereas that of Mo was lower. Current results suggest that the mammary gland play a role in determining the milk concentrations of Ti, Mo, and Cs

Chemical properties of biosilica and bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis of Melosira varians

This study examined bio-oil and solid products generated from the diatom Melosira varians by fast pyrolysis using a fixed-bed reactor with inert gas flow and a vacuum medium. The effect of temperature (300–700 °C) on product yields, the bio-oil composition and the properties of the solid fraction were evaluated. It was found that the most suitable temperature to obtain significant amounts of high-quality bio-oil (29% yield) was 450 °C, at which point fatty acids appeared as main components. Under all operating conditions a solid material, mainly composed of siliceous frustules, was the most abundant product (59–88% yield). These materials were exhaustively characterized by SEM microscopy, Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, elemental analysis and BET surface analyses. The structure and morphology of the biosilica were practically unaltered in the studied temperature range. The conductivity properties of the solids derived from diatom and their composites with carbon nanotubes were determined using cyclic voltammetry.Fil: Piloni, Roxana Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Brunetti, Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Urcelay, Roberto Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Daga, Ines Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Moyano, Elizabeth Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentin

Selected trace element concentrations in goat milk

Goat milk is used for human consumption in both developed and developing country and is suggested as a dietary supplement for consumers with inflammatory conditions and for elderly people. As milk from other species goat milk contains, besides known essential trace elements, also potentially toxic trace elements and other less known minor trace elements whose role, if any, is not known. The aim of this study was to measure the concentrations of Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Co, Se, Mo, Li, Ti, V, Co, As, Rb, Sr, Cd, Cs, and Pb in goat milk. Individual milk samples were obtained by machine milking (8:30 am) from 18 Saanen goats at approximately 30 days from parturition. The milk concentrations of the aforementioned elements were analyzed by Inductively Coupled PlasmaMass Spectrometry. The average (± SD) milk concentrations (μg /L) of the investigated elements were as follow: Essential Zn 2138 ± 356; Fe 326 ± 65.6; Cu 48.7 ± 14.2; Mn 19.9 ± 6.1; Co 1.4 ± 0.2; Se 9.3 ± 1.4; Mo 111 ± 36.7; Li 23.7 ± 6.3; Ti 299 ± 24.0; V 0.67 ± 0.09; As 0.57 ± 0.09; Rb 1144 ± 102; Sr 1001 ± 136; Cs 0.9 ± 0.18; Pb 3.6 ± 0.6. The milk concentration of Cd was below the limit of detection, calculated at 0.3 μg/L of milk. Significant (P<0.05) correlation coefficients were observed between some investigated elements: the correlations were positive between Fe and Co (r = 0.81), Ti (r = 0.65), V (r = 0.58), and Sr (r = 0.55), between Cu and Mn (r = 0.53), between Co and Ti (r = 0.71), V (r = 0.66), and Sr (r = 0.49), and between Cs and Sr (r = 0.66), whereas Li was negatively correlated with Mn (r = 0.53) and Ti (r = 0.52). The current study added new data and provided novel information on the concentration of essential, potentially toxic, and minor trace elements in donkey milk