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The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry Jun 2024While the presence of a ferrule has been reported to be essential for post-and-core restorations, many extensively damaged teeth lack complete ferrules. The outcome of...
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
While the presence of a ferrule has been reported to be essential for post-and-core restorations, many extensively damaged teeth lack complete ferrules. The outcome of post-and-core restorations for these teeth remains uncertain.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to assess the outcome of cast alloy post-and-cores and knife-edged crowns for the restoration of teeth lacking complete ferrules.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 106 participants with endodontically treated teeth with 2 or fewer walls with ferrules who had received cast precious metal alloy post-and-cores along with knife-edged crowns between 2013 and 2022 were recalled for a clinical examination. The minimum follow-up time was 5 months after restoration, and restoration failure and the periodontal status difference between restored teeth and reference teeth were determined. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to obtain success curves. The influence of age, sex, jaw position, tooth type, and antagonistic dentition upon the success function was analyzed with the log-rank or Breslow test (α=.05).
RESULTS
A total of 100 participants with 130 restorations were studied. The success rate of the restorations was 93.85% in a mean ±standard deviation period of 48.3 ±26.1 months. The estimated 5-year cumulative success probability was 91.61%. No significant effect on the success of restorations was found regarding age, sex, jaw position, tooth type, or antagonistic dentition (P>.05). The main failure types were post debonding, root fracture, and apical periodontitis. No statistical difference in tooth mobility (Z=-1.265, P=.206) was found between the restored and the reference teeth, but the plaque index and calculus index of the restored teeth were significantly lower than of the reference teeth (Z=-7.216, P<.001; Z=-7.044, P<.001). Teeth that had received cast post-and-cores and knife-edged crowns were found to have no significant correlation with periodontal disease (χ²=1.131, P=.288) or bleeding on probing (χ²=3.436, P=.064).
CONCLUSIONS
The clinical outcomes for the restoration of teeth with 2 or fewer walls with ferrules using cast precious metal alloy post-and-cores and knife-edged crowns were favorable, exhibiting a high 5-year cumulative success probability and no increased periodontal health risk.
PubMed: 38942716
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2024.05.015 -
Journal of the American Society of... Jun 2024Cardiac amyloidosis is a diffuse disease affecting all cardiac chambers. The value of right ventricular free-wall (RVfw) strain is uncertain as an echocardiographic red...
AIMS
Cardiac amyloidosis is a diffuse disease affecting all cardiac chambers. The value of right ventricular free-wall (RVfw) strain is uncertain as an echocardiographic red flag. We hypothesized that RVfw strain is of added value for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA).
METHOD
ATTR-CA diagnosis required positive Tc-99m pyrophosphate (PYP) scintigraphy and negative serum clonal dyscrasia. Patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (interventricular septal thickness ≥1.2cm) by echocardiography and negative PYP scintigraphy served as controls after exclusion of AL-CA. Longitudinal strain was computed with speckle tracking echocardiography.
RESULTS
We studied, 108 subjects with ATTR-CA and 106 controls with LVH, retrospectively. RVfw strain was independently associated with the diagnosis of ATTR-CA after adjusting for classical echocardiographic parameters, namely, relative apical sparing (RAS), e' and E/e'. RVfw strain ≥-16% was incremental to LV RAS in the overall group and in the subgroup without extreme wall thickness (≤1.4 cm) (Harrell's-C, net reclassification improvement (NRI) = 0.213, p<0.001and NRI 0.463, p=0.015, respectively). Major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: heart failure hospitalization, stroke, death) occurred in 47 ATTR-CA patients, during follow-up (median: 38, range: 6-60 months). RVfw strain ≥-16% was associated with 3-fold increased risk of MACCE in ATTR-CA patients independently of age, comorbidities, BNP and tafamidis treatment. RVfw strain was additive to LVEF for risk stratification (X 10.2, p =0.017).
CONCLUSION
RVfw strain >-16% has incremental value to LV RAS for the differential diagnosis of ATTR-CA among LVH phenotypes, and is associated with poor prognosis.
PubMed: 38942217
DOI: 10.1016/j.echo.2024.06.006 -
Developmental Biology Jun 2024In most mollusks (conchiferans), the early tissue responsible for shell development, namely, the shell field, shows a common process of invagination during...
In most mollusks (conchiferans), the early tissue responsible for shell development, namely, the shell field, shows a common process of invagination during morphogenesis. Moreover, lines of evidence indicated that shell field invagination is not an independent event, but an integrated output reflecting the overall state of shell field morphogenesis. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of this conserved process remain largely unknown. We previously found that actomyosin networks (regularly organized filamentous actin (F-actin) and myosin) may play essential roles in this process by revealing the evident aggregation of F-actin in the invaginated region and demonstrating that nonmuscle myosin II (NM II) is required for invagination in the gastropod Lottia peitaihoensis (= Lottia goshimai). Here, we investigated the roles of the Rho family of small GTPases (RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42) to explore the upstream regulators of actomyosin networks. Functional assays using small molecule inhibitors suggested that Cdc42 modulates key events of shell field morphogenesis, including invagination and cell rearrangements, while the roles of RhoA and Rac1 may be nonspecific or negligible. Further investigations revealed that the Cdc42 protein was concentrated on the apical side of shell field cells and colocalized with F-actin aggregation. The aggregation of these two molecules could be prevented by treatment with Cdc42 inhibitors. These findings suggest a possible regulatory cascade of shell field morphogenesis in which Cdc42 recruits F-actin (actomyosin networks) on the apical side of shell field cells, which then generates resultant mechanical forces that mediate correct shell field morphogenesis (cell shape changes, invagination and cell rearrangement). Our results emphasize the roles of the cytoskeleton in early shell development and provide new insights into molluscan shell evolution.
PubMed: 38942110
DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.06.012 -
European Journal of Dentistry Jun 2024The current research aimed to evaluate the histopathological pulpal alterations in dogs' teeth following direct pulp capping using either mineral trioxide aggregate...
OBJECTIVE
The current research aimed to evaluate the histopathological pulpal alterations in dogs' teeth following direct pulp capping using either mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or human placenta extract (HPE).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-eight incisors with mature apices from four dogs were involved. The teeth were randomly allocated to three groups ( = 16) based on the material utilized for direct pulp capping: MTA, HPE, and Teflon as the negative control group. All involved teeth were capped and restored at the same session. Each group was subsequently divided into two subgroups ( = 8) based on the post treatment evaluation period: 2 and 4 weeks. The histopathologic changes in each specimen's pulp tissues, including pulp inflammation, hyperemia, necrosis, and dentin bridge development, were assessed. Then, all the data were statistically analyzed using chi-square, -test, and one-way analysis of variance ( < 0.05).
RESULTS
At 2 weeks, chronic inflammation was observed in 100% of MTA and 50% of HPE subgroups with a significant difference between them whereas the remaining 50% exhibited no inflammation. In contrast to Teflon that showed acute inflammation, remission of inflammation was time-dependent at both MTA and HPE subgroups as there was a substantial difference between the 2- and 4-weeks evaluation periods within the same group. However, throughout the initially observed 2 weeks, all subgroups exhibited essentially no complete calcified bridge; at 4 weeks, all MTA and HPE subgroups developed dentin bridge formation, with a significant difference between them regarding its thickness.
CONCLUSION
HPE is a promising pulp-capping material inducing less intense chronic inflammation accompanied with thicker dentine bridge formation in comparison to MTA.
PubMed: 38942055
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1786841 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Notch is a conserved cell-signaling pathway involved in spermatogenesis regulation. This study firstly evaluated the presence, localization patterns, acquisition origin...
Notch is a conserved cell-signaling pathway involved in spermatogenesis regulation. This study firstly evaluated the presence, localization patterns, acquisition origin and relation to acrosome reaction of Notch proteins in bull sperm. Western Blot analysis detected all Notch proteins in ejaculated bull sperm, and immunostaining described their specific sperm localization. Recovery of sperm from different segments showed that Notch proteins have testicular origin (NOTCH1, NOTCH2, DLL4), are sequentially acquired during sperm maturation along epididymal transit (NOTCH3, DLL3, JAGGED1-2), or post-ejaculation (DLL1, NOTCH4). Testis NOTCH2 is ubiquitously expressed in all germ-cell lines, whereas DLL4 is expressed in round and elongated spermatids during the Golgi, Cap, Acrosome and Maturation phases. In vitro spontaneous and induced sperm acrosome reaction induce consistent sperm regional relocation of NOTCH2, DLL4 and JAGGED1, and these relocation patterns are significantly associated to sperm acrosome status. NOTCH2 and JAGGED1 are relocated from the head apical to the post-equatorial regions, whereas DLL4 is lost along with the acrosome, evidencing that sperm spatial redistribution of NOTCH2 and JAGGED1 is linked to acrosome reaction onset, whereas DLL4 loss is linked to AR completion. Overall, results prompt for a relevant Notch role in bull sperm acrosome testicular development, epididymal maturation and acrosome reaction.
Topics: Male; Animals; Cattle; Acrosome Reaction; Spermatozoa; Receptors, Notch; Testis; Spermatogenesis; Epididymis; Acrosome
PubMed: 38942812
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65950-0 -
Journal of Neurosurgery. Spine Jun 2024This study aimed to provide a method for determining the apical vertebra for pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) in corrective surgery for patients with ankylosing...
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to provide a method for determining the apical vertebra for pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) in corrective surgery for patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK).
METHODS
The medical records of AS patients with TLK who underwent PSO between May 2009 and August 2022 were retrospectively reviewed, and 235 patients were included in the study. Using the proposed method, choosing the vertebra based on Kim's apex (KA), which is defined as the farthest vertebra from a line drawn from the center of the T10 vertebral body to the midpoint of the S1 upper endplate, the authors analyzed 229 patients with apices at T12, L1, or L2 (excluding L3 because of the small sample size, n = 6). They divided all patients into two groups. Group A (n = 144) underwent PSO at the KA vertebra, while group B (n = 85) underwent PSO at a different level. Demographic and radiological data, including sagittal spinopelvic parameters of the entire spine, were collected. An additional analysis was performed on patients with the same KA vertebra.
RESULTS
The vertebra distributions of patients based on KA were T12 (28 [12.2%]), L1 (119 [52.0%]), and L2 (82 [35.8%]). The corrections of sagittal vertical axis (SVA; 101.0 ± 48.5 mm vs 82.0 ± 53.8 mm, p = 0.010), global kyphosis (GK; 31.6° ± 10.0° vs 26.4° ± 10.5°, p = 0.005), and TLK (29.4° ± 10.2° vs 24.2° ± 12.9°, p = 0.012) in group A were significantly greater than those in group B, and there was no difference in the corrections of thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis, and pelvic incidence between the two groups. On further analysis, group A showed greater correction in TK (26.2° ± 13.7° vs 0.1° ± 8.1°, p = 0.013) for patients with T12 as the KA; greater improvements in SVA (101.5 ± 44.2 mm vs 73.4 ± 48.7 mm, p = 0.020), GK (30.6° ± 11.0° vs 25.0° ± 10.4°, p = 0.046), and TLK (32.6° ± 7.8° vs 26.7° ± 9.9°, p = 0.012) for those with L1 as the KA; and significant correction in TLK (30.0° ± 6.3° vs 4.3° ± 19.5°, p = 0.008) for patients with L2 as the KA, compared with group B.
CONCLUSIONS
PSO at the apical vertebra provides a greater degree of correction of sagittal imbalance. The proposed method, selecting the vertebra based on KA, is easily reproducible for determining the apex level in AS patients with TLK.
PubMed: 38941634
DOI: 10.3171/2024.4.SPINE231218 -
BdRCN4, a Brachypodium distachyon TFL1 homologue, is involved in regulation of apical meristem fate.Plant Molecular Biology Jun 2024In higher plants, the shift from vegetative to reproductive development is governed by complex interplay of internal and external signals. TERMINALFLOWER1 (TFL1) plays a...
In higher plants, the shift from vegetative to reproductive development is governed by complex interplay of internal and external signals. TERMINALFLOWER1 (TFL1) plays a crucial role in the regulation of flowering time and inflorescence architecture in Arabidopsis thaliana. This study aimed to explore the function of BdRCN4, a homolog of TFL1 in Brachypodium distachyon, through functional analyses in mutant and transgenic plants. The results revealed that overexpression of BdRCN4 in B. distachyon leads to an extended vegetative phase and reduced production of spikelets. Similar results were found in A. thaliana, where constitutive expression of BdRCN4 promoted a delay in flowering time, followed by the development of hypervegetative shoots, with no flowers or siliques produced. Our results suggest that BdRCN4 acts as a flowering repressor analogous to TFL1, negatively regulating AP1, but no LFY expression. To further validate this hypothesis, a 35S::LFY-GR co-transformation approach on 35::BdRCN4 lines was performed. Remarkably, AP1 expression levels and flower formation were restored to normal in co-transformed plants when treated with dexamethasone. Although further molecular studies will be necessary, the evidence in B. distachyon support the idea that a balance between LFY and BdRCN4/TFL1 seems to be essential for activating AP1 expression and initiating floral organ identity gene expression. This study also demonstrates interesting conservation through the molecular pathways that regulate flowering meristem transition and identity across the evolution of monocot and dicot plants.
Topics: Brachypodium; Meristem; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Flowers; Plants, Genetically Modified; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins
PubMed: 38940986
DOI: 10.1007/s11103-024-01467-4 -
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging :... Jun 2024Cardiac MRI feature tracking (FT) allows objective assessment of segmental left ventricular (LV) function following a myocardial infarction (MI), but its utilization in...
BACKGROUND
Cardiac MRI feature tracking (FT) allows objective assessment of segmental left ventricular (LV) function following a myocardial infarction (MI), but its utilization in sheep, where interventions can be tested, is lacking.
PURPOSE
To apply and validate FT in a sheep model of MI and describe post-MI LV remodeling.
STUDY TYPE
Animal model, longitudinal.
ANIMAL MODEL
Eighteen lambs (6 months, male, n = 14; female, n = 4; 25.2 ± 4.5 kg).
FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE
Two-dimensional balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) and 3D inversion recovery fast low angle shot (IR-FLASH) sequences at 3 T.
ASSESSMENT
Seven lambs underwent test-retest imaging to assess FT interstudy reproducibility. MI was induced in the remaining 11 by coronary ligation with MRI being undertaken before and 15 days post-MI. Injury size was measured by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and LV volumes, LV mass, ejection fraction (LVEF), and wall thickness (LVWT) were measured, with FT measures of global and segmental radial, circumferential, and longitudinal strain.
STATISTICAL TESTS
Sampling variability, inter-study, intra and interobserver reproducibility were assessed using Pearson's correlation, Bland-Altman analyses, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Diagnostic performance of segmental strain to predict LGE was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Significant differences were considered P < 0.05.
RESULTS
Inter-study reproducibility of FT was overall good to excellent, with global strain being more reproducible than segmental strain (ICC = 0.89-0.98 vs. 0.77-0.96). MI (4.0 ± 3.7% LV mass) led to LV remodeling, as evident by significantly increased LV volumes and LV mass, and significantly decreased LVWT in injured regions, while LVEF was preserved (54.9 ± 6.9% vs. 55.6 ± 5.7%; P = 0.778). Segmental circumferential strain (CS) correlated most strongly with LGE. Basal and mid- CS increased significantly, while apical CS significantly decreased post-MI.
DATA CONCLUSION
FT is reproducible and compensation by hyperkinetic remote myocardium may manifest as overall preserved global LV function.
EVIDENCE LEVEL
N/A TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
PubMed: 38940396
DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29496 -
Development (Cambridge, England) Jul 2024During heart development, the embryonic ventricle becomes enveloped by the epicardium, which adheres to the outer apical surface of the heart. This is concomitant with...
During heart development, the embryonic ventricle becomes enveloped by the epicardium, which adheres to the outer apical surface of the heart. This is concomitant with onset of ventricular trabeculation, where a subset of cardiomyocytes lose apicobasal polarity and delaminate basally from the ventricular wall. Llgl1 regulates the formation of apical cell junctions and apicobasal polarity, and we investigated its role in ventricular wall maturation. We found that llgl1 mutant zebrafish embryos exhibit aberrant apical extrusion of ventricular cardiomyocytes. While investigating apical cardiomyocyte extrusion, we identified a basal-to-apical shift in laminin deposition from the internal to the external ventricular wall. We find that epicardial cells express several laminin subunits as they adhere to the ventricle, and that the epicardium is required for laminin deposition on the ventricular surface. In llgl1 mutants, timely establishment of the epicardial layer is disrupted due to delayed emergence of epicardial cells, resulting in delayed apical deposition of laminin on the ventricular surface. Together, our analyses reveal an unexpected role for Llgl1 in correct timing of epicardial development, supporting integrity of the ventricular myocardial wall.
Topics: Animals; Laminin; Zebrafish; Pericardium; Heart Ventricles; Zebrafish Proteins; Myocytes, Cardiac; Cell Polarity; Mutation
PubMed: 38940292
DOI: 10.1242/dev.202482 -
Journal of Arrhythmia Jun 2024Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared clinical, echocardiographic, and electrophysiological parameters...
BACKGROUND
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared clinical, echocardiographic, and electrophysiological parameters between HCM subtypes and those without HCM at AF catheter ablation (AFCA) and analyzed post-AFCA reverse remodeling and AF recurrence based on HCM presence and subtype.
METHODS
Among 5161 consecutive patients who underwent de novo AFCA, we included HCM patients and control patients who were age-, gender-, and AF type-matched. Between AF-HCM patients and controls, we compared baseline values for left atrium (LA) wall thickness (LAWT), reverse remodeling at 1-year follow-up, and procedural outcomes over the course of follow-up between two groups.
RESULTS
A total of 122 AF-HCM patients and 318 control patients were included. AF-HCM patients had more frequent heart failure and higher LA diameter, E/Em, and LA pressure (all, < .001). However, LAWT did not differ from control group. A year after AFCA, degree of LA reverse remodeling was significantly lower in AF-HCM than in control group (ΔLA dimension, = .025). Nonapical HCM (HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.05-2.80), persistent AF (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.05-2.04), and LA dimension (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.06) were independent risk factors for AF recurrence. During 78.0 months of follow-up, nonapical HCM patients showed higher AF recurrence rate than both apical HCM (log-rank = .005) and control patients (log-rank = .002).
CONCLUSIONS
The presence of HCM, particularly nonapical HCM, displayed increased LA hemodynamic loading with diastolic dysfunction and had poorer rhythm outcomes after AFCA compared to both apical HCM and control group.
PubMed: 38939784
DOI: 10.1002/joa3.13061