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Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of... Oct 2020The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize scientific evidence that evaluates in vitro fracture and fatigue strength of occlusal veneers in different...
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize scientific evidence that evaluates in vitro fracture and fatigue strength of occlusal veneers in different thicknesses, CAD/CAM materials, and under different aging methodologies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An electronic search of 3 English databases (The National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE/PubMed), ScienceDirect, and EBSCOhost) was conducted. Laboratory studies published between September 2009 and October 2019 that evaluated fracture or fatigue strength of CAD/CAM occlusal veneers and used human teeth were selected. The included studies were individually evaluated for the risk of bias following a predetermined criterion. The outcomes assessed included the types of the restorative material, the thickness of the veneers, and aging methods.
RESULTS
A total of 12 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies (86%) evaluated the fracture strength of occlusal veneers. Two studies evaluated fatigue resistance. There was a significant relationship between the choice of materials and fracture strength. Polymeric materials performed better in fatigue testing in comparison to ceramics. Lithium silicate-based glass ceramics showed more favorable outcomes in a thickness of 0.7-1.0 mm. Fracture resistance values in all the included studies exceeded maximum bite forces in the posterior region.
CONCLUSIONS
The outcomes of this systematic review suggest that occlusal veneers can withstand bite forces in the posterior region, whereas the measurement of thickness should be standardized in order to have a fair comparison. Further research needs to be conducted to evaluate the longevity of this type of restorations clinically.
Topics: Bite Force; Ceramics; Computer-Aided Design; Dental Porcelain; Dental Stress Analysis; Dental Veneers; Flexural Strength; Humans; Laboratories; Materials Testing
PubMed: 32957240
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103948 -
International Journal of Environmental... Sep 2020We aimed to synthesise the results of previous studies addressing the impact of overweight and obesity on plantar pressure in children and adolescents. An electronic...
We aimed to synthesise the results of previous studies addressing the impact of overweight and obesity on plantar pressure in children and adolescents. An electronic search of scientific literature was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus database, with keywords: "plantar pressure" AND "children" AND "obesity"; "plantar pressure" AND "adolescents" AND "obesity", "plantar pressure" AND "children" AND "overweight", "plantar pressure" AND "adolescents" AND "overweight". Twenty-two articles were included in the review and the following data were recorded: authors, publication year, type of technology (systems, software) for the determination of plantar pressure, study characteristics. Most of the articles used dynamic plantar pressure determination with only four using static plantar pressure measurement. Using ultrasonography with static plantar pressure determination, the correlation between structural and functional changes in the feet of obese children. In overweight and obese children and adolescents, important findings were recorded: higher contact area, increased maximum force beneath the lateral and medial forefoot, increased pressure-time integral beneath the midfoot and 2nd-5th metatarsal regions. Significantly increased foot axis angle and significantly flatter feet were observed in obese subjects in comparison to their normal-weight counterparts. The obese children presented increased midfoot fat pad thickness, with decreased sensitivity of the whole foot and midfoot.
Topics: Adolescent; Body Mass Index; Child, Preschool; Female; Foot; Foot Bones; Humans; Male; Obesity; Overweight; Pressure; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 32927870
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186600 -
Circulation Aug 2020To quantify the association between effects of interventions on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression and their effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
To quantify the association between effects of interventions on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression and their effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
METHODS
We systematically collated data from randomized, controlled trials. cIMT was assessed as the mean value at the common-carotid-artery; if unavailable, the maximum value at the common-carotid-artery or other cIMT measures were used. The primary outcome was a combined CVD end point defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization procedures, or fatal CVD. We estimated intervention effects on cIMT progression and incident CVD for each trial, before relating the 2 using a Bayesian meta-regression approach.
RESULTS
We analyzed data of 119 randomized, controlled trials involving 100 667 patients (mean age 62 years, 42% female). Over an average follow-up of 3.7 years, 12 038 patients developed the combined CVD end point. Across all interventions, each 10 μm/y reduction of cIMT progression resulted in a relative risk for CVD of 0.91 (95% Credible Interval, 0.87-0.94), with an additional relative risk for CVD of 0.92 (0.87-0.97) being achieved independent of cIMT progression. Taken together, we estimated that interventions reducing cIMT progression by 10, 20, 30, or 40 μm/y would yield relative risks of 0.84 (0.75-0.93), 0.76 (0.67-0.85), 0.69 (0.59-0.79), or 0.63 (0.52-0.74), respectively. Results were similar when grouping trials by type of intervention, time of conduct, time to ultrasound follow-up, availability of individual-participant data, primary versus secondary prevention trials, type of cIMT measurement, and proportion of female patients.
CONCLUSIONS
The extent of intervention effects on cIMT progression predicted the degree of CVD risk reduction. This provides a missing link supporting the usefulness of cIMT progression as a surrogate marker for CVD risk in clinical trials.
Topics: Carotid Artery, Common; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Female; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stroke
PubMed: 32546049
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.046361 -
Menopause (New York, N.Y.) Mar 2020This systematic review included clinical trials of Food and Drug Administration-approved vaginal estrogens. The primary objective of this systematic review was to...
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review included clinical trials of Food and Drug Administration-approved vaginal estrogens. The primary objective of this systematic review was to examine the comparative safety of the Food and Drug Administration-approved vaginal estrogen preparations among postmenopausal women.
METHODS
We performed a PubMed search of the primary literature from January 1, 1966 to July 16, 2019 for English-language clinical trials. Manual review of retrieved citations identified additional citations.
RESULTS
Of 882 retrieved citations, 75 clinical trials met inclusion criteria. Maximum trial duration was 52 weeks. None of the trials predesignated breast or endometrial cancer, cardiovascular events, or venous thromboembolism as primary outcomes. Studies were not designed to rule out an increase in endometrial carcinoma risk with long-term use of vaginal estrogen. There were few head-to-head comparisons. Fifty trials examined serum sex steroid and gonadotrophin levels; assay methodologies varied. Serum estradiol levels were 11 pg/mL at baseline or during placebo use and increased to a mean of 30 pg/mL after treatment. Estradiol levels were usually highest during the first 12 weeks of treatment, and were higher for estrogen creams than for inserts or rings. The 22 trials of endometrial thickness and the 15 trials of endometrial biopsy did not clearly demonstrate endometrial proliferation after vaginal estrogen treatment, but data were limited, and studies did not always perform systematic endometrial biopsy.
CONCLUSIONS
Newer low-dose estradiol rings, tablets, and inserts appear to induce the least increases in serum hormones, possibly indicating greater safety. Limited evidence in trials lasting up to 52 weeks suggest endometrial safety of vaginal estrogen use. Long-term trials are needed. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A513.
Topics: Administration, Intravaginal; Atrophy; Clinical Trials as Topic; Endometrium; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Estrogens; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Postmenopause; Treatment Outcome; Vagina; Vaginal Diseases
PubMed: 31913230
DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001468 -
European Journal of Preventive... Oct 2021Smoking has been consistently associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults. Although exposure to tobacco products often starts in early life, evidence for the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Smoking has been consistently associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults. Although exposure to tobacco products often starts in early life, evidence for the possible adverse effects on the cardiovascular system of the young is scarce. We sought to derive pooled estimates of smoking effects on indices of early vascular damage in children and adolescents.
DESIGN AND METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies involving young individuals up to 21 years old that provided data on smoking exposure (active or passive) and flow-mediated dilatation, carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity and maximum carotid intima-media thickness. We employed three distinct methodologies of random-effects data synthesis, including the Sidik-Jonkman estimator, the Hartung and Knapp correction and a Bayesian method with a well-informed prior on the level of between-study variance.
RESULTS
In 12 studies and 5279 individuals in total, smoking exposure was related to deterioration in all three outcomes (mean adjusted flow-mediated dilatation decrease: -0.77%, 95% confidence interval -1.38--0.15, mean adjusted pulse wave velocity increase: 0.1 m/s, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.17 and mean adjusted carotid intima-media thickness increase: 0.35 mm, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.55, for the Sidik-Jonkman estimator). No difference was established between active and passive smoking on associations with arterial damage.
CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to tobacco products is associated with subclinical vascular damage early in life, even from childhood. Public health initiatives should target these very young age groups to prevent early smoking exposure and associated arterial damage and its sequelae.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bayes Theorem; Carotid Arteries; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Child; Humans; Pulse Wave Analysis; Risk Factors; Smoking; Nicotiana
PubMed: 31747795
DOI: 10.1177/2047487319883557 -
Respiratory Care Apr 2020Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been widely applied to different populations, including the general population of older adults. In addition to increasing... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been widely applied to different populations, including the general population of older adults. In addition to increasing inspiratory muscle strength, other benefits of IMT in the health of this population have been reported. The primary aim of this study was to review the effects of IMT on the general parameters of health (eg, respiratory, functional, physical, and other variables) in older adults (≥ 60 y), and the secondary aim was to analyze the main IMT protocol used in the studies.
METHODS
We searched the MEDLINE, PEDro, SciELO, and LILACS databases to identify relevant randomized controlled clinical trials, and we assessed their methodological quality according to the PEDro scale. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide the development of the protocol for this systematic review.
RESULTS
The search yielded 7 studies involving 248 participants from 917 titles. The main outcomes investigated in response to IMT were related to the respiratory, functional, and physical variables. The results indicate that IMT promotes an increase of inspiratory muscle strength and diaphragmatic thickness in older adults. There was heterogeneity in the protocols described for this population with respect to the total training time (4-8 weeks), intensity (30-80% of the maximum inspiratory pressure), and weekly frequency (5 or 7 sessions).
CONCLUSIONS
The reviewed studies revealed a positive trend for the effectiveness of IMT in improving inspiratory muscle performance in elderly subjects. More randomized studies are needed to evaluate other outcomes (eg, functional capacity, exercise capacity, cardiac autonomic control, quality of life, and others) to provide robust evidence that this training modality can promote improvements in health parameters in this population. In addition, the usual IMT prescription in this population is based on sets and repetitions, of mild to moderate intensity, performed on most days of the week, for ≥ 4 weeks.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Breathing Exercises; Female; Humans; Inhalation; Male; Muscle Strength; Quality of Life; Respiratory Muscles
PubMed: 31662444
DOI: 10.4187/respcare.06945 -
Frontiers in Physiology 2019Space Agencies are planning human missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. Consideration of how physiological system adaptation with microgravity (μG) will be managed during...
Space Agencies are planning human missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. Consideration of how physiological system adaptation with microgravity (μG) will be managed during these mission scenarios is required. Exercise countermeasures (CM) could be used more sparingly to decrease limited resource costs, including periods of no exercise. This study provides a complete overview of the current evidence, making recommendations on the length of time humans exposed to simulated μG might safely perform no exercise considering muscles only. Electronic databases were searched for astronaut or space simulation bed rest studies, as the most valid terrestrial simulation, from start of records to July 2017. Studies were assessed with the Quality in Prognostic Studies and bed rest analog studies assessed for transferability to astronauts using the Aerospace Medicine Systematic Review Group Tool for Assessing Bed Rest Methods. Effect sizes, based on no CM groups, were used to assess muscle outcomes over time. Outcomes included were contractile work capacity, muscle cross sectional area, muscle activity, muscle thickness, muscle volume, maximal voluntary contraction force during one repetition maximum, peak power, performance based outcomes, power, and torque/strength. Seventy-five bed rest μG simulation studies were included, many with high risk of confounding factors and participation bias. Most muscle outcomes deteriorated over time with no countermeasures. Moderate effects were apparent by 7-15 days and large by 28-56 days. Moderate effects (>0.6) became apparent in the following order, power and MVC during one repetition maximum (7 days), followed by volume, cross sectional area, torques and strengths, contractile work capacity, thickness and endurance (14 days), then muscle activity (15 days). Large effects (>1.2) became apparent in the following order, volume, cross sectional area (28 days) torques and strengths, thickness (35 days) and peak power (56 days). Moderate effects on a range of muscle parameters may occur within 7-14 days of unloading, with large effects within 35 days. Combined with muscle performance requirements for mission tasks, these data, may support the design of CM programmes to maximize efficiency without compromising crew safety and mission success when incorporated with data from additional physiological systems that also need consideration.
PubMed: 31474878
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01046 -
International Ophthalmology Nov 2019To compare the one-year efficacy of accelerated and standard 5.4 J/cm protocols of cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of progressive keratoconus.
PURPOSE
To compare the one-year efficacy of accelerated and standard 5.4 J/cm protocols of cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of progressive keratoconus.
METHODS
In this systematic review, two members of the research team searched Scopus, Pubmed, ISI, Ovid, Science Direct, and Cochrane databases independently for publications between January 2010 and December 2016. The majority of retrieved studies were not randomized clinical trials (RCT), or the second arm of the RCT was either untreated or customized CXL. The outcomes of interest were uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction spherical equivalent, maximum keratometry in the central 3 mm, minimum keratometry in the central 3 mm, and corneal thickness in the apex or thinnest point at baseline and 1 year after CXL.
RESULTS
Of the 453 papers found in the preliminary search, 23 papers were included in the final analysis. Analysis of variance of one-year changes showed that longer irradiation times were associated with a greater corneal flattening effect, although there was no difference in terms of improvement in vision or refraction.
CONCLUSIONS
In other words, efficacy is comparable among different CXL protocols, so it is recommended to use the standard method in cases where maximum flattening is expected, such as young people and severe cases.
Topics: Collagen; Cornea; Corneal Topography; Cross-Linking Reagents; Humans; Keratoconus; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Riboflavin; Visual Acuity
PubMed: 31222533
DOI: 10.1007/s10792-019-01091-y -
Thorax May 2019Conventional measures to evaluate COPD may fail to capture systemic problems, particularly musculoskeletal weakness and cardiovascular disease. Identifying these... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Conventional measures to evaluate COPD may fail to capture systemic problems, particularly musculoskeletal weakness and cardiovascular disease. Identifying these manifestations and assessing their association with clinical outcomes (ie, mortality, exacerbation and COPD hospital admission) is of increasing clinical importance.
OBJECTIVE
To assess associations between 6 min walk distance (6MWD), heart rate, fibrinogen, C reactive protein (CRP), white cell count (WCC), interleukins 6 and 8 (IL-6 and IL-8), tumour necrosis factor-alpha, quadriceps maximum voluntary contraction, sniff nasal inspiratory pressure, short physical performance battery, pulse wave velocity, carotid intima-media thickness and augmentation index and clinical outcomes in patients with stable COPD.
METHODS
We systematically searched electronic databases (August 2018) and identified 61 studies, which were synthesised, including meta-analyses to estimate pooled HRs, following Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
RESULTS
Shorter 6MWD and elevated heart rate, fibrinogen, CRP and WCC were associated with higher risk of mortality. Pooled HRs were 0.80 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.89) per 50 m longer 6MWD, 1.10 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.18) per 10 bpm higher heart rate, 3.13 (95% CI 2.14 to 4.57) per twofold increase in fibrinogen, 1.17 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.28) per twofold increase in CRP and 2.07 (95% CI 1.29 to 3.31) per twofold increase in WCC. Shorter 6MWD and elevated fibrinogen and CRP were associated with exacerbation, and shorter 6MWD, higher heart rate, CRP and IL-6 were associated with hospitalisation. Few studies examined associations with musculoskeletal measures.
CONCLUSION
Findings suggest 6MWD, heart rate, CRP, fibrinogen and WCC are associated with clinical outcomes in patients with stable COPD. Use of musculoskeletal measures to assess outcomes in patients with COPD requires further investigation.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42016052075.
Topics: Biomarkers; Exercise Test; Hemodynamics; Humans; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Respiratory Function Tests; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 30617161
DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-211855 -
Electronic Physician Sep 2018The relation of epicardial fat thickness (EFT) to coronary artery disease (CAD) has recently been reported in multiple studies. Echocardiography is a safe and relatively...
BACKGROUND
The relation of epicardial fat thickness (EFT) to coronary artery disease (CAD) has recently been reported in multiple studies. Echocardiography is a safe and relatively inexpensive and accessible approach to assess regional EFT, which can be performed easily in many centers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between echocardiographic EFT and the presence or the absence of CAD.
METHODS
This was a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on literature available in electronic databases up to March 2018. The articles measuring EFT by echocardiography in the right ventricular (RV) free wall were included in the study. The quality of the enrolled items was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) checklist. The analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2 software. Cochran's Q test and I index were used to evaluate heterogeneity.
RESULTS
This meta-analysis was performed on 13 studies involving 2,436 patients (1,622 with CAD, and 814 without CAD). The maximum EFT reported by echocardiography was 12.9±2.7 mm in the CAD group and 8.4±2.5 mm in the non-CAD group. The minimum EFT reported by echocardiography was 2.2±1.8 mm in the CAD group and 1.8±1.4 mm in the non-CAD group. The heterogeneity was found among the researched studies (I=91.8%, p=0.000, Q-value=146.43, df [Q] =12) using the random effect model. The patients with CAD had a significantly higher echocardiographic EFT than those without CAD (SMD=1.03, 95% CI= 0.70-1.37, p=0.000).
CONCLUSION
According to the findings of this meta-analysis, the echocardiographic EFT in the subjects with CAD was significantly higher than that of those without CAD. The measurement of echocardiographic EFT seems to be an acceptable strategy for risk stratification of heart diseases considering ease of use, cost-effectiveness and non-exposure characteristics, compared to other imaging interventions.
PubMed: 30258557
DOI: 10.19082/7249