Finite element analysis of the effect of power arm locations on tooth movement in extraction space closure with miniscrew anchorage in customized lingual orthodontic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: More patients are choosing customized orthodontic appliances because of their excellent esthetics. It is essential that clinicians understand the biomechanics of the tooth movement tendency in customized lingual orthodontics. This study aimed to evaluate the tooth movement tendency during space closure in maxillary anterior teeth with the use of miniscrew anchorage in customized lingual orthodontics with various power arm locations. METHODS: Three-dimensional finite element models of the maxilla were created with miniscrews and power arms; the positions were varied to change the force directions. A retraction force (1.5 N) was applied from the top of the miniscrews to the selected points on the power arm, and the initial displacements of the reference nodes of the maxillary teeth were analyzed. RESULTS: After applying force in different directions, power arms located at the distal side of the canines led to larger initial lingual crown tipping and occlusal crown extrusion of the maxillary incisors compared with power arms located at the midpoint between the lateral incisors and canines, and caused a decreasing trend of the intercanine width. CONCLUSIONS: In customized lingual orthodontic treatment, power arms located at the distal side of the canines are unfavorable for anterior teeth torque control and intercanine width control. Power arms located at the midpoint between the lateral incisors and canines can get better torque control, but still cannot achieve excepted torque without extra torque control methods, no matter whether its force application point is higher than, lower than, or equal to the level of the top of the miniscrews.

Combustion Synthesis of Nanostructured ZrC: Formation Process and Influencing Factors.

ZrC was produced by the combustion synthesis technology using Cu, Zr, and graphite as the starting element powders. The synthesis mechanism of ZrC was investigated by the combustion wave quenching experiment. Furthermore, the effects of sizes of C and Cu on the combustion synthesis behavior and products were also explored. Results revealed that ZrC was fabricated through the displacement reaction between C and Cu-Zr liquid. The Cu size hardly affected the combustion temperature and resultant products, indicating that the preparation cost of ZrC could be decreased by employing coarse Cu powders. With increasing C size, the burning temperature and ceramic particle size reduced. Graphite with size of 2.6 µm was used as the C source, and only ZrC nanoparticles and Cu were obtained. The products could be employed to prepare nano-sized ZrC/Cu composites without the elimination of by-products.

Association between esophageal cancer risk and EPHX1 polymorphisms: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To summarize the relationship between p.Tyr113His and p.His139Arg polymorphisms in microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1) and risk for esophageal cancer (EC). METHODS: The MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for studies of the association between EPHX1 polymorphisms and EC risk that were published from the database inception date to April 2013. A total of seven case-control studies, including seven on p.Tyr113His (cases, n = 1118; controls, n = 1823) and six on p.His139Arg (cases, n = 861; controls, n = 1571), were included in the meta-analysis. After data extraction by two investigators working independently, the meta-analyses were carried out with STATA 11.0 software. Pooled odds ratios and 95%CI were calculated using a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model, as appropriate. RESULTS: The pooled EPHX1 p.Tyr113His polymorphism data showed no significant association with EC in any of the genetic models (OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.70-1.48 for Tyr/His vs Tyr/Tyr; OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 0.77-1.57 for His/His vs Tyr/Tyr; OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 0.75-1.49 for a dominant model; OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 0.89-1.34 for a recessive model). Similar results were obtained from the p.His139Arg polymorphism analysis (Arg/His vs His/His: OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.84-1.23; Arg/Arg vs His/His: OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.60-1.54; OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.78-1.37 for the dominant model; OR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.61-1.56 for the recessive model). Subgroup analyses for ethnicity, subtype of EC, and source of controls (population-based or hospital-based) showed trends that were consistent with the pooled analysis (reported above), with no significant associations found. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that the p.Tyr113His and p.His139Arg polymorphisms in EPHX1 may not be associated with EC development.