Volumetric Soft Tissue Changes After Using Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin (I-PRF) Versus Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft in Interdental Papillae Defects: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Study

Background: Lost interdental papillae in the esthetic region are of great concern from the esthetic and functional point of view. We elicit a clinical study of papillary reconstruction in this article using injectable platelet-rich fibrin (I-PRF) as a nonsurgical procedure and compare its results to those of the subepithelial connective tissue graft (SECTG), being considered the gold standard method used to reconstruct interdental papillae. Methods: Twenty-four patients seeking treatment for black triangles were randomized into two groups: group A patients were treated with the SECTG technique, and group B patients were treated with I-PRF. Four injections were given at each papilla site at baseline, two-, four-, and six-week intervals to ensure optimal esthetics. Pain, clinical, and volumetric assessments were done. Volumetric assessment was completed through intraoral scanning of the papilla site at baseline and after six months, after which the results were obtained by superimposition of both scans. Results: Group A (5.08 ±2.15) had a significantly higher mean pain score value than group B (1.17 ±0.94) (p < 0.001). Group B (0.31 ±0.21) had a higher mean value of volumetric changes at the interdental papillae than group A (0.25 ±0.17), yet the difference was not significant (p = 0.517). Conclusion: Injectable platelet-rich fibrin gave comparable results to SECTG in Nordland Class I defects only, provided that the injection protocol was once every 15 days for a two-month period. Patients treated with I-PRF were more satisfied with the procedure and the results than patients who were treated with SECTG

Synthesis and biological evaluation of phthalimide dithiocarbamate and dithioate derivatives as anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic agents-I

A facile synthesis of new phthalimide dithiocarbamate and dithioate analogs 8a-j, 9a-e and 9g-j were achieved by the reaction of N-chloromethyl and N-bromoethylphthalimide with carbon disulfide (CS2) and various amines. The structures of the synthesized analogs were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR, and ESI-HRMS techniques. The antiproliferative activity of the newly synthesized compounds was also evaluated against various human cancer cell lines. The compound 9e and 9i exhibited the highest activity against human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Compound 8f showed better antiproliferative effect against colon carcinoma HCT-116 and cervical carcinoma HeLa compared to thalidomide. The binding affinity to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) of some compounds was assessed in addition to molecular docking study. Compounds 9e and 9i showed high docking score values and they significantly declined the concentration of VEGFR

Physicochemical characterization of natural hydroxyapatite/ cellulose composite

The natural hydroxyapatite (HAp, activated at different temperatures)/ cellulose composites have been prepared by usingsonication method to improve the physical properties of the cellulose fibre. The molecular level interaction and the physicalproperties of the hydroxyapatite/cellulose composite are examined using FTIR, X-ray diffraction, SEM, and thermalanalysis. The absorption bands at around 660 cm1 confirm the O–P–O bending vibration in the HAp/cellulose composites.There is a difference in the d-spacing of the HAp /cellulose composite, indicating that the HAp is reactive towards cellulose.SEM indicates that HAp could penetrate the cellulose network structure to form particles that is helpful to improve themechanical properties of the cellulose. The porosities of HAp/cellulose composites decrease, and their compressive strengthincrease as compared to those of cellulose. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms the highest thermal stability of theprepared composites

Eugenia supra-axillaris Essential Oil and Its Nanoemulsion: Chemical Characterization, In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic, and Antipyretic Activities

The use of standard synthetic medications to treat inflammatory illnesses is associated with several negative effects. It has been shown that medicinal plants and their by-products are useful for safely treating inflammation. Herein, the essential oil of Eugenia supra-axillaris (family: Myrtaceae, ESA-EO) was isolated and further chemically characterized by GC-MS, and then, its nanoemulsion (ESA-EO-NE) was prepared. In addition, the anti-inflammation against the carrageenan-induced rats, the analgesic, and antipyretic activities of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE were evaluated in rats. Forty-three compounds were identified via GC-MS and categorized as mono- (61.38%) and sesquiterpenes (34.86%). d-limonene (32.82%), α-pinene (24.33%), germacrene-D (4.88%), α-humulene (4.73%), α-cadinol (3.39%), and trans-caryophyllene (3.15%) represented the main components. The administration of ES-EO and ES-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) demonstrated strong, dose-dependent inflammation inhibition capabilities in the model of rat paw edema, in comparison with both the reference drug and control. Reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased levels of glutathione (GSH), and decreased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α), nitrosative (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in paw tissues all contributed to these substantial reductions in inflammation. Moreover, the oral administration of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) exhibited potent analgesic and antipyretic activities in rats. Although the higher dose of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg) displayed delayed anti-inflammatory activity, they have long-lasting inflammation inhibition with fast onset and long-standing analgesic effects better than reference drugs. Furthermore, the most effective antipyretic efficacy was provided by ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg). These results provide insight into the possible therapeutic application of ESA-EO and its nanoemulsion against various inflammatory and painful illnesses as well as hyperthermia ailments

Comparison of ethanol septal reduction therapy with surgical myectomy for the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

AbstractOBJECTIVESThis study was designed to compare the hemodynamic efficacy of nonsurgical septal reduction therapy (NSRT) by intracoronary ethanol with standard therapy (surgical myectomy) for the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).BACKGROUNDNonsurgical septal reduction therapy has gained interest as a new treatment modality for patients with drug-refractory symptoms of HOCM; however, its benefits in comparison to surgery are unknown.METHODSForty-one consecutive NSRT patients at Baylor College of Medicine with one-year follow-up were compared with age- and gradient-matched septal myectomy patients at the Mayo Clinic. All patients had left ventricular outflow obstruction with a resting gradient ≥40 mm Hg and none had concomitant procedures.RESULTSThere were no baseline differences in New York Heart Association class, severity of mitral regurgitation, use of cardiac medications or exercise capacity. One death occurred during NSRT because of dissection of the left anterior descending artery. At one year, all improvements in both groups were similar. After surgical myectomy, more patients were on medications (p < 0.05) and there was a higher incidence of mild aortic regurgitation (p < 0.05). After NSRT, the incidence of pacemaker implantation for complete heart block was higher (22% vs. 2% in surgery; p = 0.02). However, seven of the nine pacemakers in the NSRT group were implanted before a modified ethanol injection technique and the use of contrast echocardiography.CONCLUSIONSNonsurgical septal reduction therapy resulted in a significantly higher incidence of complete heart block, but the risk was reduced with contrast echocardiography and slow ethanol injection. Surgical myectomy resulted in a significantly higher incidence of mild aortic regurgitation. Nonsurgical septal reduction therapy, guided by contrast echocardiography, is an effective procedure for treating patients with HOCM. The hemodynamic and functional improvements at one year are similar to those of surgical myectomy

Chemical Profiling of Significant Antioxidant and Phytotoxic Microwave-Extracted Essential Oil from Araucaria heterophylla Resin

Due to the various hazards of using synthetic chemical compounds in pharmaceutics, agriculture, and industry, scientists and researchers do their best to explore and assess new green natural compounds from natural resources with potent activity. The essential oil (EO) from the resin collected from Araucaria heterophylla Salisb. was extracted by the microwave technique and chemically characterized via GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, the extract EO was assessed for its antioxidant and phytotoxic activities. The EO has 33 compounds, mainly terpenes (98.23%), and the major compounds were α-pinene (62.57%), β-pinene (6.60%), germacrene D (5.88%), and β-caryophyllene (3.56%). The extracted EO showed substantial antioxidant activity, where it showed IC50 values of 142.42 and 118.03 mg L−1 for DPPH and ABTS, respectively. On the other hand, the EO revealed considerable phytotoxicity against the weed Chenopodium murale, where the EO showed IC50 values of 304.0, 230.1, and 147.1 mg L−1, for seed germination, seedling shoot growth, and seedling root growth, respectively. Moreover, the EO showed the same pattern of allelopathic inhibition against the weed Sonchus oleraceus, where it showed IC50 values of 295.7, 224.5, and 106.1 mg L−1, for seed germination, seedling shoot growth, and seedling root growth, respectively. The present study showed that the extraction technique affects the constituents of the EO, particularly the quantitative composition. The EO of A. heterophylla resin also revealed considerable antioxidant and phytotoxic activity against weeds. Therefore, it can be considered a promising natural resource that could be integrated into the weed management approach. However, further study is recommended for deep characterization of their authentic compounds and evaluation of their mode of action(s) on a wide spectrum of weeds

Chemical Profile of Cyperus laevigatus and Its Protective Effects against Thioacetamide-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats

Cyperus species represent a group of cosmopolitan plants used in folk medicine to treat several diseases. In the current study, the phytochemical profile of Cyperus laevigatus ethanolic extract (CLEE) was assessed using UPLC-QTOF–MS/MS. The protective effect of CLEE at 50 and 100 mg /kg body weight (b.w.) was evaluated on hepatorenal injuries induced by thioacetamide (100 mg/kg) via investigation of the extract’s effects on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. UPLC-QTOF–MS/MS analysis of CLEE resulted in the identification of 94 compounds, including organic and phenolic acids, flavones, aurones, and fatty acids. CLEE improved the antioxidant status in the liver and kidney, as manifested by enhancement of reduced glutathione (GSH) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), in addition to the reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Moreover, CLEE positively affected oxidative stress parameters in plasma and thwarted the depletion of hepatorenal ATP content by thioacetamide (TAA). Furthermore, treatment of rats with CLEE alleviated the significant increase in plasma liver enzymes, kidney function parameters, and inflammatory markers. The protective effect of CLEE was confirmed by a histopathological study of the liver and kidney. Our results proposed that CLEE may reduce TAA-hepatorenal toxicity via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties suppressing oxidative stress

Metamorphic concentrator solar cells with over 40% conversion efficiency

ABSTRACT: Multijunction III-V concentrator cells have attracted much interest for concentrator photovoltaic (PV) systems recently due to their unparalleled conversion efficiencies. As high as these efficiencies are, they can be made even higher if the combination of subcell bandgaps for the multijunction solar cell are chosen from metamorphic semiconductors that are not all lattice-matched to the same growth substrate. Advances in the design of metamorphic subcells to reduce carrier recombination and increase voltage, wide-bandgap tunnel junctions capable of operating at high concentration, metamorphic buffers to transition from the substrate lattice constant to the active subcells, concentrator cell AR coating and grid design, and integration into 3-junction cells current matched under the terrestrial spectrum have resulted in new heights in solar cell performance. A metamorphic Ga 0.44 In 0.56 P/ Ga 0.92 In 0.08 As/ Ge 3-junction solar cell from this research has reached a record 40.7% efficiency at 240 suns, under the standard reporting spectrum for terrestrial concentrator cells (AM1.5 direct, low-AOD, 24.0 W/cm 2 25°C), and experimental lattice-matched 3-junction cells have now also achieved over 40% efficiency, with 40.1% measured at 135 suns. This metamorphic 3-junction device is the first solar cell to reach over 40% in efficiency, and has the highest solar conversion efficiency for any type of photovoltaic cell developed to date