Corrigendum to "Addressing docking pose selection with structure-based deep learning: Recent advances, challenges and opportunities" [Comput Struct Biotechnol J vol. 23 (2024) 2141-2151].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.024.].

Myopic shift in pediatric cataract surgery associated with age and surgical complications.

PURPOSE: To investigate predictors for myopic shift after pediatric cataract surgery after at least 3 years follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional and retrospective study. METHODS: This study included patients treated for congenital or infantile cataract operated up to 5 years of age between 2010 and 2017. Patients were recruited for ophthalmologic evaluation. Surgical and medical data were acquired in medical charts. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariate and multivariate regressions were performed to look for potential risk factors for myopic shift. RESULTS: This study evaluated 81 eyes of 50 patients, with 62 (77%) being bilateral cases, 48 (59%) with intraocular lens implantation, and 37 (74%) patients being strabismic. Age at surgery was 7.7 (3.7-30.5) months and at evaluation was 93.5 (55.1-113.0) months. Total myopic shift was Symbol -4.32 ± 3.25 D, significantly greater in patients operated on up to 6 months of life (-5.73 ± 3.14 D). The distant best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.6 (0.3-1.0) log of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). Regarding myopic shift, in univariate analysis, older age at surgery is a protective factor (+0.08 D for each month older, P = 0.001). The presence of strabismus (-2.52 D, P = 0.014), aphakia (-2.45 D, P = 0.006), distant BCVA (-0.15 D per 0.1 logMAR, P = 0.024), and surgical complications (-3.02 D, P = 0.001) are risk factors. In multivariate analysis, older age at surgery (+0.06 D, P = 0.012) and surgical complications (-2.52 D, P = 0.001) remain significant. CONCLUSION: In pediatric cataract surgery, myopic shift is greater when surgery is performed in a younger age and if associated with surgical complications.

Can milk replacer allowance affect animal performance, body development, metabolism, and skeletal muscle hypertrophy in pre-weaned dairy kids?

We aimed to evaluate performance, body development, metabolism, and expression of genes related to skeletal muscle hypertrophy in non-castrated male dairy kids fed with different levels of MR during the pre-weaning period. Sixty newborn male kids, not castrated, from Saanen and Swiss Alpine breeds, with an average body weight (BW) of 3.834 ± 0.612 kg, were distributed in a randomized block design. Breeds were the block factor in the model (random effect). Kids were allocated into 2 nutrition plans (n = 30 kids per treatment) categorized as follows: low nutritional plan (LNP; 1L MR/kid/day) or high nutritional plan (HNP; 2L MR/kid/day). All kids were harvested at 45 d of life. The majority of nitrogen balance variables were affected by the nutritional plan (P < 0.050). Morphometric measures and body condition score (2.99 - LNP vs. 3.28 - HNP) were affected by nutritional plan (P < 0.050), except hip height, thoracic depth and hip width. The nutritional plan affected the body components (P < 0.050), except esophagus and trachea. Animal performance and carcass traits were influenced by nutritional plan (P < 0.050), except carcass dressing (48.56% on average). Nutritional plan affected (P < 0.050) some blood profile variables as the total cholesterol (141.35 vs. 113.25 mg/dL), triglycerides (60.53 vs. 89.05 mg/dL), LDL (79.76 vs. 33.66 g/mL) and IGF-1 (17.77 vs. 38.55 ng/mL) for LNP and HNP respectively. Hypertrophy was greater in HNP than LNP animals (P < 0.050), being represented by the proportion of sarcoplasm (39.76 vs. 31.99%). LNP had a greater mTOR abundance than HNP (P = 0.045), but AMPK was not affected by the nutritional plan. Our findings show that a higher milk replacer allowance enhances animal performance, body development, metabolic parameters, and cellular hypertrophy in pre-weaned dairy kids.

Effect of Knee Angle, Contractile Activity, and Intensity of Force Production on Vastus Lateralis Stiffness: A Supersonic Shear Wave Elastography Pilot Study.

Supersonic shear image (SSI) ultrasound elastography provides a quantitative assessment of tissue stiffness using the velocity of shear waves. SSI's great potential has allowed researchers in fields like biomechanics and muscle physiology to study the function of complex muscle groups in different conditions. The aim of this study is to use SSI to investigate changes in the stiffness of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle as a consequence of passive elongation, isometric contraction, and repeated muscle activity. In a single session, 15 volunteers performed a series of isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions. SSI images were collected from the VL to assess its stiffness before and after the contractions and at various knee angles. Two-way within-subjects ANOVA was used to test the effects of muscle contraction type and knee angle on VL stiffness. Linear regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between muscle stiffness and the intensity of isometric contractions. After maximal contractions, VL stiffness increased by approximately 10% compared to baseline values, and following maximal isometric (p < 0.01) and eccentric contractions (p < 0.05). Yet, there was no change in VL shear modulus at the end of concentric contractions. The relaxed VL shear modulus increased with knee flexion both before and after the knee extensor contractions (p < 0.001). A linear relationship between the shear modulus and the degree of isometric contraction was observed, although with notable individual variation (R2 = 0.125). Maximal contractile activity produces modest increases in relaxed muscle stiffness. The SSI-measured shear modulus increases linearly with the degree of isometric contraction.

Cytomegalovirus in Adenoma and Carcinoma Lesions: Detecting Mono-Infection and Co-Infection in Salivary Glands.

Salivary glands' neoplasms are hard to diagnose and present a complex etiology. However, several viruses have been detected in these neoplasms, such as HCMV, which can play a role in certain cancers through oncomodulation. The co-infections between HCMV with betaherpesviruses (HHV-6 and HHV-7) and polyomaviruses (JCV and BKV) has been investigated. The aim of the current study is to describe the frequency of HCMV and co-infections in patients presenting neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions, including in the salivary gland. Multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for betaherpesvirus and polyomavirus quantification purposes after DNA extraction. In total, 50.7% of the 67 analyzed samples were mucocele, 40.3% were adenoma pleomorphic, and 8.9% were mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Overall, 20.9% of samples presented triple-infections with HCMV/HHV-6/HHV-7, whereas 9.0% were co-infections with HCMV/HHV-6 and HCMV/HHV-7. The largest number of co-infections was detected in pleomorphic adenoma cases. All samples tested negative for polyomaviruses, such as BKV and JCV. It was possible to conclude that HCMV can be abundant in salivary gland lesions. A high viral load can be useful to help better understand the etiological role played by viruses in these lesions. A lack of JCV and BKV in the samples analyzed herein does not rule out the involvement of these viruses in one or more salivary gland lesion subtypes.

The regulation of the thermal stability and affinity of the HSPA5 (Grp78/BiP) by clients and nucleotides is modulated by domains coupling.

The HSPA5 protein (BiP/Grp78) serves as a pivotal chaperone in maintaining cellular protein quality control. As a member of the human HSP70 family, HSPA5 comprises two distinct domains: a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and a peptide-binding domain (PBD). In this study, we investigated the interdomain interactions of HSPA5, aiming to elucidate how these domains regulate its function as a chaperone. Our findings revealed that HSPA5-FL, HSPA5-T, and HSPA5-N exhibit varying affinities for ATP and ADP, with a noticeable dependency on Mg2+ for optimal interactions. Interestingly, in ADP assays, the presence of the metal ion seems to enhance NBD binding only for HSPA5-FL and HSPA5-T. Moreover, while the truncation of the C-terminus does not significantly impact the thermal stability of HSPA5, experiments involving MgATP underscore its essential role in mediating interactions and nucleotide hydrolysis. Thermal stability assays further suggested that the NBD-PBD interface enhances the stability of the NBD, more pronounced for HSPA5 than for the orthologous HSPA1A, and prevents self-aggregation through interdomain coupling. Enzymatic analyses indicated that the presence of PBD enhances NBD ATPase activity and augments its nucleotide affinity. Notably, the intrinsic chaperone activity of the PBD is dependent on the presence of the NBD, potentially due to the propensity of the PBD for self-oligomerization. Collectively, our data highlight the pivotal role of allosteric mechanisms in modulating thermal stability, nucleotide interaction, and ATPase activity of HSPA5, underscoring its significance in protein quality control within cellular environments.

Naltrexone accelerated oral traumatic ulcer healing and downregulated TLR-4/NF-kB pathway in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of naltrexone on oral mucosal healing using a traumatic ulcer model DESIGN: Wistar rats (n = 112) received distilled water (control) or naltrexone (0.5, 10, or 50 mg/kg/day). Ulcers were induced on the buccal mucosa using a round skin biopsy punch (diameter 6 mm). Euthanasia was performed on days 1, 3, 7, and 14. Healing was assessed by ulcer area, histological scores, histomorphometric analysis (number of polymorphonuclears, mononuclears, and fibroblasts), and collagen percentage. Immunohistochemistry for TLR-2, TLR-4, NF-kB, and CD31 was evaluated. Nociceptive threshold was measured daily. RESULTS: The 50 mg/kg group showed reduced ulcer area on days 1 (p < 0.001), 3 (p < 0.05), and 14 (p < 0.01). In this group, there was, on day 14, an increase in the percentage of reepithelization (p = 0.043) and collagen (p < 0.05), an increase in connective tissue maturation (p = 0.016), and on day 7 an increase in fibroblasts (p < 0.001). The 10 mg/kg dose reduced the ulcer area on day 1 (p < 0.001). The 50 mg/kg group showed lower expression of TLR-4 (p < 0.001) on day 1, NF-kB on days 1 (p < 0.05) and 14 (p < 0.05), and CD31 on day 14 (p < 0.05). The 0.5 and 10 mg/kg doses reduced TLR-4 expression on day 1 (p < 0.05; p < 0.01, respectively). Nociceptive threshold increased in the 50 mg/kg group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Naltrexone enhanced traumatic oral ulcer healing by reducing TLR-4/NF-kB signaling and promoting fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition. Additionally, naltrexone reduced pain in rats.

Health and Wellness Characteristics of Employees Enrolled in a Workplace Wellness Study in the United Arab Emirates: A Descriptive Analysis of a Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Modifiable health behaviors have the power to increase (or decrease) the risk of chronic diseases, impacting a population's health. Health and wellness programs can potentially play a major role in initiating and supporting positive changes in health behaviors, which may lead to reducing the risk of premature mortality. A better understanding of the health and well-being status of the population is crucial to the design of proper and effective interventions. This pilot study aimed to describe the health and well-being status of a cohort of employees in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: This pilot study reports the demographic characteristics, body composition, cardiovascular fitness, functional fitness, biological age, and well-being of employees from a large health sector company enrolled in a workplace wellness study in the UAE. Employees were invited to participate in an intervention that was designed to validate the efficacy of weekly health and wellness challenges. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the employees' distribution. RESULTS: Of the 123 selected, 116 employees participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 39.2 years old, 80% of them were non-Emirati, and the majority were from Middle-Eastern and South Asian ethnicities. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, prediabetes, and diabetes was 35%, 29%, 34%, 79%, 30%, and 7%, respectively. Almost half of the participants (47%) were prehypertensive for systolic blood pressure (BP), 80% had the fitness category of poor-very poor, and the majority (60%) reported exercising <150 minutes/week. The mean functional fitness score was 12.2 points, which indicated an increased risk of injury with physical activity. CONCLUSION: The findings of this pilot study suggest that despite the advancements in healthcare in the UAE, several key preventable risk factors are still prevalent in its population. The introduction of comprehensive health and wellness programs at a broader scale holds the potential to facilitate the adoption of healthier lifestyle behaviors, thereby contributing to improvements in the overall quality of life across the population.

Evaluation of pathogenic variants detected in high homology regions of the PMS2 gene. How effective is long-range PCR?

Introduction: Lynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited cancer predisposition syndrome characterized by a high risk of colorectal and extracolonic tumors. Germline pathogenic variants (GPV) in the PMS2 gene are associated with <15% of all cases. The PMS2CL pseudogene presents high homology with PMS2, challenging molecular diagnosis by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Due to the high methodological complexity required to distinguish variants between PMS2 and PMS2CL, most laboratories do not clearly report the origin of this molecular finding. Objective: The aim of this study was to confirm the GPVs detected by NGS in regions of high homology segments of the PMS2 gene in a Brazilian sample. Methods: An orthogonal and gold standard long-range PCR (LR-PCR) methodology to separate variants detected in the PMS2 gene from those detected in the pseudogene. Results: A total of 74 samples with a PMS2 GPV detected by NGS in exons with high homology with PMS2CL pseudogene were evaluated. The most common was NM_000535.6:c.2182_2184delinsG, which was previously described as deleterious mutation in a study of African-American patients with LS and has been widely reported by laboratories as a pathogenic variant associated with the LS phenotype. Of all GPVs identified, only 6.8% were confirmed by LR-PCR. Conversely, more than 90% of GPV were not confirmed after LR-PCR, and the diagnosis of LS was ruled out by molecular mechanisms associated with PMS2. Conclusion: In conclusion, the use of LR-PCR was demonstrated to be a reliable approach for accurate molecular analysis of PMS2 variants in segments with high homology with PMS2CL. We highlight that our laboratory is a pioneer in routine diagnostic complementation of the PMS2 gene in Brazil, directly contributing to a more assertive molecular diagnosis and adequate genetic counseling for these patients and their families.

Litigation in access to universal health coverage for children and adolescents in Brazil.

Background: Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS) ensures universal, equitable, and excellent quality health coverage for all. The broad right to health, supported by the Constitution, has led to excessive litigation in the public sector. This has negatively impacted the financial stability of SUS, created inequality in children and adolescents' access to healthcare, and affected communication between the healthcare system and the judiciary. The enactment of Law Number 13.655 on 25 April 2018, proposed significant changes in judicial decisions. This study aimed to investigate decision-making changes in health litigation involving children and adolescents following the implementation of the new normative model. Methods: The study is cross-sectional, analyzing 3753 national judgment documents from all State Courts of Brazil, available on their respective websites from 2014 to 2020. It compares regional legal decisions before and after the promulgation of Law Number 13.655/2018. Data tabulation, statistical analysis, textual analysis, coding, and counting of significant units in the collected documents were performed. The results of data cross-referencing are presented in tables and diagrams. Results: The majority (96.86%) of legal claims (3635 cases) received partial or total provision of what was prescribed by the physician. The Judiciary predominantly handled these cases individually. The analysis indicates that the decisions made did not adhere to the norms established in 2018. Conclusion: Regional heterogeneity in health litigation was observed, and there was no significant variability in decisions during the studied period, even after the implementation of the new normative paradigm in 2018. Technical-scientific support was undervalued by the magistrates. Prioritizing litigants undermines equity in access to Universal Health Coverage for children and adolescents.

Injury Risk Estimation in Mandible-Related Surgical Procedures: A CBCT Study Based on Vital Interforaminal Anatomical Structures.

The mandibular interforaminal region has been considered safe for surgical procedures; nevertheless, the risk of injury to neurovascular structures, such as the mental foramen (MF) and its related structures (anterior loop [AL] and lingual foramina [LF]) should not be overlooked. The study aimed to evaluate the relative risk of injury to these structures during surgical procedures in the anterior region of the mandible based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. A retrospective cross-sectional and observational study was performed on 250 CBCTs from adults (18-69 years) with dentate jaws. Linear measurements of the MF, AL, and LF were evaluated to estimate the risk of injury to these structures during chin-related surgical procedures. The most frequent distance between the base of the mandible (BM) and MF was 8 mm (30.2%). In addition, 20.4% of the CTs had 6 mm from the vestibular cortical bone to the LF. The commonly found measurement from LF to the apex of the nearest tooth was 7 mm (24.0%); 64.2% of the CTs showed a 2-mm distance between the most distal point of the dental implant site to the most anterior point of the AL. Safety distances for genioplasty techniques (MF to mandible base > 6 mm, 96.6% [CI 95%, 95.0%-98.2%]) were observed. Considering the 5-mm cut-off point between the lower limit of a hypothetical bone graft and the chin, 65.4% (CI 95%, 58.9%-71.9%) of CTs were within this distance. Regarding the safety margin of 8 mm, 85.6% (CI 95%, 80.8%-90.4%) were up to this value. This study found safety margins for genioplasty and chin bone grafting surgical techniques that adopt a 5-mm cut-off point. Further similar studies assessing other surgical methods and employing larger samples from different geographical origins may contribute to this field of investigation.

Addressing docking pose selection with structure-based deep learning: Recent advances, challenges and opportunities.

Molecular docking is a widely used technique in drug discovery to predict the binding mode of a given ligand to its target. However, the identification of the near-native binding pose in docking experiments still represents a challenging task as the scoring functions currently employed by docking programs are parametrized to predict the binding affinity, and, therefore, they often fail to correctly identify the ligand native binding conformation. Selecting the correct binding mode is crucial to obtaining meaningful results and to conveniently optimizing new hit compounds. Deep learning (DL) algorithms have been an area of a growing interest in this sense for their capability to extract the relevant information directly from the protein-ligand structure. Our review aims to present the recent advances regarding the development of DL-based pose selection approaches, discussing limitations and possible future directions. Moreover, a comparison between the performances of some classical scoring functions and DL-based methods concerning their ability to select the correct binding mode is reported. In this regard, two novel DL-based pose selectors developed by us are presented.

Acid Adaptation Enhances Tolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma in Raw Pineapple Juice.

Pathogens that adapt to environmental stress can develop an increased tolerance to some physical or chemical antimicrobial treatments. The main objective of this study was to determine if acid adaptation increased the tolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to high voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) in raw pineapple juice. Samples (10 mL) of juice were inoculated with non-acid-adapted (NAA) or acid-adapted (AA) E. coli to obtain a viable count of ~7.00 log10 CFU/mL. The samples were exposed to HVACP (70 kV) for 1-7 min, with inoculated non-HVACP-treated juice serving as a control. Juice samples were analyzed for survivors at 0.1 h and after 24 h of refrigeration (4 °C). Samples analyzed after 24 h exhibited significant decreases in viable NAA cells with sub-lethal injury detected in both NAA and AA survivors (p < 0.05). No NAA survivor in juice exposed to HVACP for 5 or 7 min was detected after 24 h. However, the number of AA survivors was 3.33 and 3.09 log10 CFU/mL in juice treated for 5 and 7 min, respectively (p < 0.05). These results indicate that acid adaptation increases the tolerance of E. coli to HVACP in pineapple juice. The potentially higher tolerance of AA E. coli O157:H7 to HVACP should be considered in developing safe juice processing parameters for this novel non-thermal technology.

Investigation of Oral Shedding of Torquetenovirus (TTV) in Moderate-to-Severe COVID-19 Hospitalised Patients.

BACKGROUND: Torquetenovirus (TTV) is a small DNA virus constituting the human virome. High levels of TTV-DNA have been shown to be associated with immunosuppression and inflammatory chronic disorders. AIM: To assess the possible association between the salivary viral load of TTV-DNA in patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 and disease severity. METHODS: Saliva samples collected from 176 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were used to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and TTV-DNA by use of real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: The majority of patients were male with severe COVID-19. Presence of SARS-CoV-2 was observed in the saliva of 64.77% of patients, showing TTV-DNA in 55.68% of them. Patients with impaired clinical conditions (p < 0.001), which evolved to death (p = 0.003), showed a higher prevalence of TTV-DNA. The median viral load in patients with severe condition was 4.99 log10 copies/mL, in which those who were discharged and those evolving to death had values of 3.96 log10 copies/mL and 6.27 log10 copies/mL, respectively. A statistically significant association was found between the distribution of TTV-DNA viral load in saliva samples and severity of COVID-19 (p = 0.004) and disease outcomes (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that TTV-DNA in saliva could be a useful biomarker of COVID-19 severity and prognosis.

Potential role of the sella turcica X-ray imaging aspects for sex estimation in the field of forensic anthropology: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Several studies have evaluated the parameters of normality of the sella turcica (ST), which is important to face different craniofacial syndromes that may affect this structure. Therefore, this research summarized the scientific evidence on the role of ST in the sex estimation of non-syndromic individuals. The research protocol was registered (Prospective International Registry of Systematic Reviews # CRD42021256469), followed by an electronic search in six databases (PubMed, LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and LIVIVO) and gray literature (Google Scholar and OpenGrey). Meta-analysis of linear (width, length, height, and diameter) and volumetric measurements, in addition to an assessment of risk of bias (RoB) and certainty of evidence, were performed. After the screening of 986 articles, 13 were evaluated by meta-analysis (1 307 males and 1 231 females). In subgroup analysis, females had lower values for width (lateral radiograph; -0.67 mm; P = 0.040), length (computed tomography; -0.23 mm; P = 0.020), and diameter (computed tomography; -0.27 mm; P < 0.001) compared to males. There was no statistically significant difference regarding height (P = 0.95), area (P = 0.72), and volume (P = 0.21). Most studies exhibited moderate RoB, and the certainty of evidence of the outcomes was very low. In this review, significant differences were observed between the sexes for the length and diameter of the ST; however, the heterogeneity of the studies must be considered. Key points: Studies from different geographic regions evaluated the morphology of ST according to sex and showed this anatomical structure as an important indicator of dimorphism.Meta-analysis showed shorter ST length and diameter in women.Subgroup analysis found lower ST width in women based on lateral skull radiographs.Subgroup analysis found smaller lengths and diameters in women based on CT scans.

Mapping trends in preemptive analgesia related to oral surgery with the use of Ibuprofen: a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of bibliometric parameters.

PURPOSE: This study aims to conduct a thorough analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, of bibliometric parameters related to preemptive analgesia (PA) in oral surgical procedures (OSP). METHODS: Research trends on PA in OSP using ibuprofen were reviewed through bibliometric analysis of 68 journal articles published from 1991 to 2022 in the Web of Science database. Bibliometric indicators were applied to analyze the journal article data, including the annual distribution of publications and literature growth, document types, citation indicators to measure qualitative research performance, and keyword mapping to identify research trends. The results were imported into RStudio, and the Bibliometrix package was used to prepare and analyze the metadata. RESULTS: The 68 included articles received a total of 900 citations, ranging from 1 source to 72 citations with some fluctuations. The papers on PA in OSP using ibuprofen had an average of 16.85 citations per paper. These publications were originated from 25 countries, with the highest contributions from Brazil (n = 17), the USA (n = 13), and Turkey (n = 8). The top five major contributing journals were the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Journal of Periodontology, and Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, representing more than half of all selected papers. CONCLUSION: Papers focused on PA in OSP received numerous citations. The citation per article correlated with the number of publications at the affiliation, author, country, and journal levels. However, there is still a scarcity of studies in this field.

Pandemic policies and sleeping problems in older adults.

Sleep quality is fundamental to physical and mental health. Recent research shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected individuals' sleep quality. This study aims to investigate whether the containment and health policies (Oxford Coronavirus Government Response Tracker indexes) adopted by European countries and Israel during the pandemic are related to sleep problems in people aged 50 and over. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a logistic regression analysis based on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, collected in 27 European countries and Israel, in 2021. The results show that containment and health policies affect older adults' sleep, once we neutralise the influence of the sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics of the individuals and close contact with COVID-19. In fact, the more containment and health policies, the fewer chances of sleep problems. A possible explanation for this is that these policies give people over 50 a sense of safety and security in relation to COVID-19, which may reduce sleep problems.

Forensic study of the mechanical properties of prosthetic materials: Submersion in mangrove environment - A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: It is crucial for dental surgeons to use the mechanical properties of dental prosthetic materials to correlate the submersion time in a mangrove environment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to submerge dental prosthetic materials, such as acrylic resin and zirconia, contained within acrylic resin disks in a mangrove environment, and analyze the alterations in mechanical parameters, such as surface roughness and microhardness, to estimate submergence time in similar forensic situations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 6 specimens was embedded in acrylic resin disks numbered from 1 to 6. The materials were polished for initial parameter readings a day before submersion, and new readings were obtained 1after submersion. All specimens were subjected to surface roughness analysis, in addition to Knoop microhardness analysis for acrylic resin and Vickers microhardness analysis for zirconia. After the experiment, the data were computed for statistical comparation of the materials properties different parameters. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in surface roughness and Knoop microhardness was reduced in the Acrylic Resin samples (p< 0.05); however, no statistically significant differences were observed in the roughness or Vickers microhardness values of the zirconia samples. CONCLUSION: Zirconia prosthetics were more resistant to degradation when submerged in a mangrove environment compared to acrylic resin ones; however, owing to the obstacles inherent in this study, we suggest further research on the properties of prosthetic materials submerged in mangroves or other environments, which could bolster the work of dental professionals in forensic medical institutes.