Anatomical and functional custom made restoration techniques with Direct Metal Laser Forming technology: systematic workflow and CAD-CAM

Introduction Bone defects are usually repaired by the body’s healing process itself. If severe fracture, tumor or infection occur on large bones, it poses a serious challenge to the regeneration ability of the bones. One of the latest advancement in medical science is the rapid prototyping technologies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was the developing and testing of a reliable workflow to fabricate custom-made grafts in the field craniofacial surgery. Material and Methods In this study 14 patients with different cranio-facial bone defects were enrolled. Two evaluation methods were associated to test the results of the workflow. Surveys were given to patients undergone surgery and their surgeons to have a subjective analysis of the workflow. For each patient the produced prosthesis was superimposed on the original prosthesis design, the displacement between was evaluated. Results Significant level of discomfort at 4 weeks after surgery compared to 2 days after surgery, aesthetic improvement significant improved 1 year after surgery compared to 4 weeks after surgery. Aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation, aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation. The mean distance of the printed model was significant smaller than the virtual model, with a mean difference of -0.075 mm. Conclusion According to the results of the present study custom made bone graft made with laser sintering technique represents a valid alternative to traditional bone grafts with high clinical accuracy and the advantage to avoid morbidity of the donor site or of the patient due to animal grafting

Enhancing SEM positioning precision with a LEGO®-based sample fitting system

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a precious tool in materials science and morphology sciences, enabling detailed examination of materials at the nanoscale. However, precise and accurate sample repositioning during different observation sessions remains a significant challenge, impacting the quality and repeatability of SEM analyses. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a LEGO (R)-based sample positioning system for SEM analysis. The system was designed to consistently identify and align features across multiple repositioning cycles, maintain accurate positioning along the z-axis, minimize distortion, and provide repeatable and reliable results. The results indicated a high degree of precision and accuracy in the repositioning process, as evidenced by the minimal displacements, deviations in scaling and shearing, and the highly significant results (p < 0.001) obtained from the analysis of absolute translations and rotations. Moreover, the analyses were consistently replicated across six repetitions, underscoring the reliability of the observed results. While the findings suggest that the LEGO-based sample positioning system is promising for enhancing SEM analyses' quality and repeatability, further studies are needed to optimize the system's design and evaluate its performance in different SEM applications. Ultimately, this study contributes to the ongoing efforts to develop cost-effective, customizable, and accurate solutions for sample positioning in SEM, contributing to the advancement of materials science research and all SEM analysis requiring overtime observations of the same sample

Human Dental Pulp Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Soluble Factors Combined with a Nanostructured Scaffold Support theGeneratio of a Vascular Network In Vivo

Among all strategies directed at developing new tools to support re-vascularization of damaged tissues, the use of pro-angiogenic soluble factors, derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appears a promising approach for regenerative medicine. Here, we compared the feasibility of two devices, generated by coupling soluble factors of human dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells (DPSCs), with a nanostructured scaffold, to support angiogenesis once transplanted in mice. DPSCs were obtained from impacted wisdom tooth removal, usually considered surgical waste material. After 28 days, we verified the presence of active blood vessels inside the scaffold through optical and scansion electron microscopy. The mRNA expression of surface antigens related to macrophage polarization (CD68, CD80, CD86, CD163, CD206), as well as pro-angiogenic markers (CD31, CD34, CD105, Angpt1, Angpt2, CDH5) was evaluated by real-time PCR. Our results demonstrate the capability of DPSC–scaffold and DPSC soluble factors–scaffold to support angiogenesis, similarly to adipose stem cells, whereas the absence of blood vessels was found in the scaffold grafted alone. Our results provide evidence that DPSC-conditioned medium can be proposed as a cell-free preparation able to support angiogenesis, thus, providing a relevant tool to overcome the issues and restrictions associated with the use of cells

Analysis of shared common genetic risk between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy

Because hyper-excitability has been shown to be a shared pathophysiological mechanism, we used the latest and largest genome-wide studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 36,052) and epilepsy (n = 38,349) to determine genetic overlap between these conditions. First, we showed no significant genetic correlation, also when binned on minor allele frequency. Second, we confirmed the absence of polygenic overlap using genomic risk score analysis. Finally, we did not identify pleiotropic variants in meta-analyses of the 2 diseases. Our findings indicate that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy do not share common genetic risk, showing that hyper-excitability in both disorders has distinct origins

Anatomical and functional custom made restoration techniques with Direct Metal Laser Forming technology: systematic workflow and CAD-CAM

Introduction Bone defects are usually repaired by the body\u2019s healing process itself. If severe fracture, tumor or infection occur on large bones, it poses a serious challenge to the regeneration ability of the bones. One of the latest advancement in medical science is the rapid prototyping technologies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was the developing and testing of a reliable workflow to fabricate custom-made grafts in the field craniofacial surgery. Material and Methods In this study 14 patients with different cranio-facial bone defects were enrolled. Two evaluation methods were associated to test the results of the workflow. Surveys were given to patients undergone surgery and their surgeons to have a subjective analysis of the workflow. For each patient the produced prosthesis was superimposed on the original prosthesis design, the displacement between was evaluated. Results Significant level of discomfort at 4 weeks after surgery compared to 2 days after surgery, aesthetic improvement significant improved 1 year after surgery compared to 4 weeks after surgery. Aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation, aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation. The mean distance of the printed model was significant smaller than the virtual model, with a mean difference of -0.075 mm. Conclusion According to the results of the present study custom made bone graft made with laser sintering technique represents a valid alternative to traditional bone grafts with high clinical accuracy and the advantage to avoid morbidity of the donor site or of the patient due to animal grafting

Anatomical and functional custom made restoration techniques with Direct Metal Laser Forming technology: systematic workflow and CAD-CAM

Introduction Bone defects are usually repaired by the body’s healing process itself. If severe fracture, tumor or infection occur on large bones, it poses a serious challenge to the regeneration ability of the bones. One of the latest advancement in medical science is the rapid prototyping technologies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was the developing and testing of a reliable workflow to fabricate custom-made grafts in the field craniofacial surgery. Material and Methods In this study 14 patients with different cranio-facial bone defects were enrolled. Two evaluation methods were associated to test the results of the workflow. Surveys were given to patients undergone surgery and their surgeons to have a subjective analysis of the workflow. For each patient the produced prosthesis was superimposed on the original prosthesis design, the displacement between was evaluated. Results Significant level of discomfort at 4 weeks after surgery compared to 2 days after surgery, aesthetic improvement significant improved 1 year after surgery compared to 4 weeks after surgery. Aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation, aesthetic improvement 1 year after surgery and aesthetic improvement according to expectations showed correlation. The mean distance of the printed model was significant smaller than the virtual model, with a mean difference of -0.075 mm. Conclusion According to the results of the present study custom made bone graft made with laser sintering technique represents a valid alternative to traditional bone grafts with high clinical accuracy and the advantage to avoid morbidity of the donor site or of the patient due to animal grafting

Caprioglio A. Role of mandibular displacement and airway size in improving breathing after rapid maxillary expansion. Prog Orthod

Abstract Background: Oral breathing and maxillary deficiency are often associated with steep mandibular plane angle, and retrognathic mandible compared with the faces of healthy controls. Some studies suggested that after rapid maxillary expansion, improvement in nasal breathing and repositioning of mandible with transitory increasing of facial height and, in some cases, spontaneous forward repositioning might occur. The abovementioned mandibular effects could contribute to enlarge oropharynx volume with repositioning of tongue and soft palate with an improvement of upper airway volume after treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate by cone beam computed tomography the role of oropharyngeal volume and mandibular position changes after rapid maxillary expansion in patients showing improved breathing pattern confirmed by polysomnography exam. Methods: The final sample of this retrospective study comprised 14 Caucasian patients (mean age 7.6 years) who undergone rapid maxillary expansion with Haas-type expander banded on second deciduous upper molars. Cone beam computed tomography scans and polysomnography exams were collected before placing the appliance (T0) and after 12 months (T1). Mandibular landmarks localization and airway semiautomatic segmentation on cone beam computed tomography scans allowed airway volume computing and measurements

The chondro-osseous junction of articular cartilage

In the synovial joints the transition between the soft articular cartilage and the subchondral bone is mediated by a layer of calcified cartilage of structural and mechanical characteristics closer to those of bone. This layer, buried in the depth of articular cartilage, is not directly accessible and is mostly visualized in histological sections of decalcified tissue, where it appears as a darker strip in contact with the subchondral bone. In this study conventional histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with secondary electron imaging (SE) or backscattered electron imaging (BSE) were used to discriminate the calcified and the uncalcified cartilage in high resolution on native, untreated tissue as well as in deproteinated or demineralized tissue. This approach evidenced a high heterogeneity of the calcified layer of articular cartilage. High resolution pictures revealed that the mineralization process originates by progressive accretion and confluence of individual, small mineral clusters, in a very different way from other hard tissues such as bone, dentin and mineralized tendons. Finally, selective removal of the soft matrix by thermal treatment allowed for the first time a face-on, unrestricted 3D view of the mineralization front