A retrospective study on iRoot BP Plus full pulpotomy for primary molars with partial irreversible pulpitis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to observe the outcomes of iRoot BP Plus full pulpotomy in primary molars with partial irreversible pulpitis retrospectively. METHODS: Collect 102 cases of primary molars with partial irreversible pulpitis undergoing iRoot BP Plus full pulpotomy from January 2019 to August 2023, with a follow-up period of 24-47 months. Based on the presence of irreversible pulpitis symptoms before surgery, the included cases will be divided into asymptomatic group (n=53) and symptomatic group (n=49). Observe the clinical and imaging success rates of both groups. RESULTS: Clinical success rates were 96.2% and 97.9% in asymptomatic and symptomatic groups, and radiographic success rates were 96.2% and 93.9% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: iRoot BP Plus full pulpotomy can be used for the treatment of primary molars with partial irreversible pulpitis under an enhanced pulpotomy protocol.

Facilitating safe and sustained submucosal lift through an endoscopically injectable shear-thinning carboxymethyl starch sodium hydrogel.

Traditional submucosal filling materials frequently show insufficient lifting height and duration during clinical procedures. Here, the anionic polysaccharide polymer sodium carboxymethyl starch and cationic Laponite to prepare a hydrogel with excellent shear-thinning ability through physical cross-linking, so that it can achieve continuous improvement of the mucosal cushion through endoscopic injection. The results showed that the hydrogel (56.54 kPa) had a lower injection pressure compared to MucoUp (68.56 kPa). The height of submucosal lifting height produced by hydrogel was higher than MucoUp, and the height maintenance ability after 2 h was 3.20 times that of MucoUp. At the same time, the hydrogel also showed satisfactory degradability and biosafety, completely degrading within 200 h. The hemolysis rate is as low as 0.76 %, and the cell survival rate > 80 %. Subcutaneous implantation experiments confirmed that the hydrogel showed no obvious systemic toxicity. Animal experiments clearly demonstrated the in vivo feasibility of using hydrogels for submucosal uplift. Furthermore, successful endoscopic submucosal dissection was executed on a live pig stomach, affirming the capacity of hydrogel to safely and effectively facilitate submucosal dissection and mitigate adverse events, such as bleeding. These results indicate that shear-thinning hydrogels have a wide range applications as submucosal injection materials.

Thermally-treated asbestos-cement wastes as supplementary precursor for geopolymeric binders: CO2 emission and properties.

This article explores the impact of thermally treated asbestos-cement waste (ACWT) on metakaolin-based geopolymers, using liquid sodium silicate (LSS) and liquid potassium silicate (LKS) as alkali activators. Through statistical mixture design, various formulations were tested for rheological parameters, mineralogical composition, efflorescence mass, electrical conductivity, compressive strength, and CO2 emissions. Formulations with sodium silicate exhibited higher yield stress compared to those with potassium silicate, while flash setting occurred in LKS-activated mixtures with high ACWT content. Alkali activator content significantly affected mechanical strength and leachate electrical conductivity. CO2 emissions were higher for LKS-activated formulations but lower for those with more ACWT. Finally, by incorporating ACWT, it was possible to optimize the formulations, resulting in high compressive strength, reduced free ions, and reduced negative environmental impact.

Failed Regenerative Endodontic Case Treated by Modified Aspiration-irrigation Technique and Apexification.

AIM: This report addresses the management of a large persistent discharging lesion in an 11-year-old boy. The report describes the use of aspiration-irrigation technique for the management of immature necrotic tooth with persistent discharge after a failed regenerative procedure. BACKGROUND: Regenerative endodontics aim to provide an increase in root canal width, length, and in apical closure. Alternative procedures, such as apexification, should be attempted when regeneration fails. If the canal cannot be dried to persistent discharge, the aspiration-irrigation technique can be used. The technique relies on using aspiration along with irrigation to remove pus from the periapical area. CASE DESCRIPTION: This is a case for an 11-year-old patient who had trauma to tooth #11, which resulted in the complicated crown fracture. He had an emergency management that included pulpectomy and intracanal medication at another clinic. Two years later, the patient was presented to our clinic. Upon examination, the diagnosis was previously initiated therapy with asymptomatic apical periodontitis in immature tooth #11. Regeneration was attempted first but failed. The mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) plug was removed, and the canal had persistent pus discharge. The canal was filled with intracanal medication, and then 2 weeks later, the canal was filled with triple antibiotic paste (TAP). Next visit, and due to continuous discharge, tooth #11 was treated conservatively with an intracanal aspiration-irrigation technique. An IrriFlex needle attached to a high-volume suction was used to aspirate the cystic fluid. Mineral trioxide aggregate plug apexification was performed in a later visit and the tooth was restored. CONCLUSION: During the 3-month and 16-month follow-up, there was resolution of the symptoms, a decrease in the periapical lesion size, and soft tissues appeared within normal limits. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Regenerative procedures are a good option for immature necrotic teeth. These procedures may fail due to persistent pus discharge from the root canals. The aspiration-irrigation technique is a good treatment option in cases of consciously discharging canals. How to cite this article: Alsofi L, Almarzouki S. Failed Regenerative Endodontic Case Treated by Modified Aspiration-irrigation Technique and Apexification. J Contemp Dent Pract 2024;25(1):92-97.

Development of a tannic acid- and silicate ion-functionalized PVA-starch composite hydrogel for in situ skeletal muscle repairing.

The repair capacity of skeletal muscle is severely diminished in massive skeletal muscle injuries accompanied by inflammation, resulting in muscle function loss and scar tissue formation. In the current work, we developed a tannic acid (TA)- and silicate ion-functionalized tissue adhesive poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-starch composite hydrogel, referred to as PSTS (PVA-starch-TA-SiO32-). It was formed based on the hydrogen bonding of TA to organic polymers, as well as silicate-TA ligand interaction. PSTS could be gelatinized in minutes at room temperature with crosslinked network formation, making it applicable for injection. Further investigations revealed that PSTS had skeletal muscle-comparable conductivity and modulus to act as a temporary platform for muscle repairing. Moreover, PSTS could release TA and silicate ions in situ to inhibit bacterial growth, induce vascularization, and reduce oxidation, paving the way to the possibility of creating a favorable microenvironment for skeletal muscle regeneration and tissue fibrosis control. The in vivo model confirmed that PSTS could enhance muscle fiber regeneration and myotube formation, as well as reduce infection and inflammation risk. These findings thereby implied the great potential of PSTS in the treatment of formidable skeletal muscle injuries.

CO2 sequestration in microbial electrolytic cell-anaerobic digestion system combined with mineral carbonation for sludge hydrolysate treatment.

The combination of microbial electrolytic cells and anaerobic digestion (MEC-AD) became an efficient method to improve CO2 capture for waste sludge treatment. By adding CaCl2 and wollastonite, the CO2 sequestration effect with mineral carbonation under 0 V and 0.8 V was studied. The results showed that applied voltage could increase dissolved chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) degradation efficiency and biogas yield effectively. In addition, wollastonite and CaCl2 exhibited different CO2 sequestration performances due to different Ca2+ release characteristics. Wollastonite appeared to have a better CO2 sequestration effect and provided a wide margin of pH change, but CaCl2 released Ca2+ directly and decreased the pH of the MEC-AD system. The results showed methane yield reached 137.31 and 163.50 mL/g SCOD degraded and CO2 content of biogas is only 12.40 % and 2.22 % under 0.8 V with CaCl2 and wollastonite addition, respectively. Finally, the contribution of chemical CO2 sequestration by mineral carbonation and biological CO2 sequestration by hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was clarified with CaCl2 addition. The chemical and biological CO2 sequestration percentages were 46.79 % and 53.21 % under 0.8 V, respectively. With the increased applied voltage, the contribution of chemical CO2 sequestration rose accordingly. The findings in this study are of great significance for further comprehending the mechanism of calcium addition on CO2 sequestration in the MEC-AD system and providing guidance for the later engineering application.

Synergistic effects of calcium silicate/zinc silicate dual compounds andin-situinterconnected pores on promoting bone regeneration of composite scaffolds.

Rapid bone regeneration in implants is important for successful transplantation. In this regard, we report the development of calcium silicate/zinc silicate (CS/ZS) dual-compound-incorporated calcium phosphate cement (CPC) scaffolds with a three-dimensional poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) network that synergistically promote bone regeneration.In vitroresults demonstrated that the incorporation of CS/ZS dual compounds into the CPC significantly promoted the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells compared to the addition of CS or ZS alone. Moreover, the bone-regeneration efficacy of the composite scaffolds was validated by filling in femur condyle defects in rabbits, which showed that the scaffolds with CS and ZS possessed a great bone repair effect, as evidenced by more new bone formation and a faster scaffold biodegradation compared to the scaffold with CS alone.

Crystal scatter effects in a large-area dual-panel Positron Emission Mammography system.

Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) is a valuable molecular imaging technique for breast studies using pharmaceuticals labeled with positron emitters and dual-panel detectors. PEM scanners normally use large scintillation crystals coupled to sensitive photodetectors. Multiple interactions of the 511 keV annihilation photons in the crystals can result in event mispositioning leading to a negative impact in radiopharmaceutical uptake quantification. In this work, we report the study of crystal scatter effects of a large-area dual-panel PEM system designed with either monolithic or pixelated lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO) crystals using the Monte Carlo simulation platform GATE. The results show that only a relatively small fraction of coincidences (~20%) arise from events where both coincidence photons undergo single interactions (mostly through photoelectric absorption) in the crystals. Most of the coincidences are events where at least one of the annihilation photons undergoes a chain of Compton scatterings: approximately 79% end up in photoelectric absorption while the rest (<1%) escape the detector. Mean positioning errors, calculated as the distance between first hit and energy weighted (assigned) positions of interaction, were 1.70 mm and 1.92 mm for the monolithic and pixelated crystals, respectively. Reconstructed spatial resolution quantification with a miniDerenzo phantom and a list mode iterative reconstruction algorithm shows that, for both crystal types, 2 mm diameter hot rods were resolved, indicating a relatively small effect in spatial resolution. A drastic reduction in peak-to-valley ratios for the same hot-rod diameters was observed, up to a factor of 14 for the monolithic crystals and 7.5 for the pixelated ones.

Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant's minerals: a case study.

This study assessed the radioactivity levels and associated risks in the black sand-separated products obtained from the black sand separation plant in Delta, Egypt. A total of sixteen samples were taken from hot spots during and after the separation process. These include water samples and other samples that represent monazite, rutile, zircon, granite, ilmenite, and silica products. The hot spots included the area where the ore was stored. The activity concentrations of 232 T h , 226 R a , and 40 K were determined in these samples using a p-type HPGe detector. Based on gamma spectrometric analysis, samples of rutile, zircon, and monazite had the highest amounts of radioactivity because they contained the highest NORM's activity concentrations. In addition, it indicated that the radiological hazard indices of the collected samples were higher than the average world limits for sand texture. These findings suggest that the black sand separation process reveals potential risks to human health and the environment, and therefore, appropriate measures need to be taken to mitigate these risks, especially for the safety of the workers on-site. Reducing the risk associated with those sites should be controlled by implementing the recommendations declared for the series of International Basic Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (GSR) Part 3, as affirmed in Document No. 103 of 2007 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as will be presented in the paper body.

Reprint of: The Effect of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Obturation Levels on the Outcome of Endodontic Retreatment: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: No clinical studies have examined the effect of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) obturation levels on the outcome of endodontic retreatment. This retrospective study examined treatment outcomes in three cohorts that compared overfilling, flush filling, and underfilling after orthograde retreatment using MTA. METHODS: Two hundred fifty patients with 264 teeth diagnosed with previously treated root canals and apical periodontitis retreated in a private endodontic practice were included. All teeth received MTA obturation and the extent of the final filling level was measured in relation to the major apical foramen. After 6-month follow-ups, all nonhealing cases were treated surgically. After 24- to 72-month reviews, the effect of preoperative lesion size and the degree of MTA obturation level were assessed. Multiple linear regression and time-to-event analysis using Stata 17 software (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX) were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS: Within the three cohorts, 99 out of 108 overfilled teeth (91.7%), 90 out of 103 flush fills (87.4%), and 10 out of 53 underfilled teeth (18.9%) healed and were successfully retreated without surgery at 48-months. When surgical outcomes were included, the combined healed proportion was 93.2%. Preoperative lesion size was found to be an important predictor for retreatment nonhealing. A 1-mm increase in lesion size at baseline resulted in an estimated 11% (95% CI 1.04, 1.18)-38% (95% CI 1.22, 1.58) increase in the risk of surgery. Compared to overfilling and flush filling, underfilling was associated with an approximately three-fold increase in requiring surgery and characterized by delayed healing. CONCLUSION: MTA obturation is a viable retreatment option for teeth with nonhealing endodontic treatment. MTA overfills or flush fillings do not adversely affect healing outcomes. However, MTA underfilling increases the chances for nonhealing and surgical intervention.

In silico toxicity and immunological interactions of components of calcium silicate-based and epoxy resin-based endodontic sealers.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine in silico toxicity predictions of test compounds from hydraulic calcium silicate-based sealers (HCSBS) and AH Plus and computationally simulate the interaction between these substances and mediators of periapical inflammation via molecular docking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All chemical information of the test compounds was obtained from the PubChem site. Predictions for bioavailability and toxicity analyses were determined by the Molinspiration Cheminformatics, pkCSM, ProTox-II and OSIRIS Property Explorer platforms. Molecular docking was performed using the Autodock4 AMDock v.1.5.2 program to analyse interactions between proteins (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α) and ligands (calcium silicate hydrate, zirconium oxide, bisphenol-A epoxy resin, dibenzylamine, iron oxide and calcium tungstate) to establish the affinity and bonding mode between systems. RESULTS: Bisphenol-A epoxy resin had the lowest maximum dose tolerated in humans and was the test compound with the largest number of toxicological properties (hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity and irritant). All systems had favourable molecular docking. However, the ligands bisphenol-A epoxy resin and dibenzylamine had the greatest affinity with the cytokines tested. CONCLUSION: In silico predictions and molecular docking pointed the higher toxicity and greater interaction with mediators of periapical inflammation of the main test compounds from AH Plus compared to those from HCSBS. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first in silico study involving endodontic materials and may serve as the basis for further research that can generate more data, producing knowledge on the interference of each chemical compound in the composition of different root canal sealers.

Recent treatment and prognosis in 643 patients with extramammary Paget's disease.

Information about extramammary Paget's (EMPD) treatment is limited because of the rarity of the disease. The prognosis differs between in situ EMPD and invasive EMPD; therefore, therapy should be planned according to the disease stage. We collected data on 643 EMPD cases treated between 2015 and 2019 in Japan and assessed recent trends in EMPD treatment and prognosis based on the EMPD-oriented TNM staging. Among the 643 patients, 317 had stage 0 (49.3%), 185 had stage I (28.8%), 51 had stage II (7.9%), 18 had stage IIIA (2.8%), 48 had stage IIIB (7.5%) and 24 had stage IV (3.7%) disease. Each stage showed a distinct survival curve, with the exception of stages II and IIIA. Curative surgery was most common in patients with stage 0-III disease. Chemotherapy was the first-line therapy, mainly in patients with stage IIIB and IV disease, most commonly with docetaxel (DTX), followed by DTX + tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium (TS-1) and TS-1. Patients with local disease exhibited a 4.4% recurrence rate. Univariate analysis revealed no prognostic differences according to age, sex or primary tumour site. SLNB was not related to disease-specific survival. In multivariate analysis, female sex significantly predicted local relapse in stage 0-I (HR 3.09; 95% CI, 1.13-8.43), and initial treatment with curative surgery was significantly protective in terms of disease-specific survival in stage II-IIIA (HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04-0.71) and stage IIIB-IV (HR 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05-0.51). Further clinical studies are needed to improve the prognosis of patients with stage II-IV EMPD.

Optimized silicate nanozymes with atomically incorporated iron and manganese for intratumoral coordination-enhanced once-for-all catalytic therapy.

Although plant-derived cancer therapeutic products possess great promise in clinical translations, they still suffer from quick degradation and low targeting rates. Herein, based on the oxygen vacancy (OV)-immobilization strategy, an OV-enriched biodegradable silicate nanoplatform with atomically dispersed Fe/Mn active species and polyethylene glycol modification was innovated for loading gallic acid (GA) (noted as FMMPG) for intratumoral coordination-enhanced multicatalytic cancer therapy. The OV-enriched FMMPG nanozymes with a narrow band gap (1.74 eV) can be excited by a 650 nm laser to generate reactive oxygen species. Benefiting from the Mn-O bond in response to the tumor microenvironment (TME), the silicate skeleton in FMMPG collapses and completely degrades after 24 h. The degraded metal M (M = Fe, Mn) ions and released GA can in situ produce a stable M-GA nanocomplex at tumor sites. Importantly, the formed M-GA with strong reductive ability can transform H2O2 into the fatal hydroxyl radical, causing serious oxidative damage to the tumor. The released Fe3+ and Mn2+ can serve as enhanced contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, which can track the chemodynamic and photodynamic therapy processes. The work offers a reasonable strategy for a TME-responsive degradation and intratumoral coordination-enhanced multicatalytic therapy founded on bimetallic silicate nanozymes to achieve desirable tumor theranostic outcomes.

Nanoengineered Supramolecular Adhesive Sponge for Rapid Hemostasis and Abdominal Wall Wound Healing.

Multifunctional dressing biomaterials that can promote tissue adhesion, hemostasis, and soft-tissue wound healing are of great clinical significance. Here, we report a nanocomposite supramolecular sponge constructed by an air-in-water emulsion template composed of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA), Laponite nanoclay, and branched supramolecular polymer (PAMU). The sponge has an interconnected macroporous structure and exhibits tunable mechanical properties with varying Laponite concentration. The nanoengineered sponge is endowed with tissue adhesion by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions contributed by the supramolecular polymer and the Laponite nanoclay. The biocompatible sponge facilitates cell proliferation and blood coagulation in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In addition, the results of the rat external abdominal wall defect model show that the sponge can promote angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and granulation tissue formation to accelerate wound repair. These findings suggest that the unique air-in-water templated sponge is a promising candidate for applications in hemostasis and wound healing.

Environmental and mineralogical studies on the stream sediments of Baltim-El Burullus coastal plain, North Delta, Egypt.

This work is mainly concerned with the effect of anthropogenic activities and natural radioactivity due to the presence of highly radioactive black sand spots, factory construction, and shipping, in addition to other activities like agriculture on human beings. Forty samples were collected along Baltim-El Burullus coastal plain to detect the effect of these problems and determine the suggested solutions. The black sand of the Baltim-El Burullus coastal plain exhibits a considerable amount of economically heavy minerals, their ratio relative to the bulk composition in the investigated samples ranges from 3.18 to 10.5% with an average of 5.45%. The most important of them are magnetite, ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, garnet, zircon and monazite. The existence of some radioactive-bearing accessory mineral deposits like zircon and monazite led to measuring the naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K to evaluate the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). The results showed that these concentrations are 19.1 ± 9.73, 14.7 ± 9.53 and 211 ± 71.34 Bq kg-1 were lower than the corresponding reported worldwide average of 35, 45, and 412 Bq kg-1 for each radionuclide (226Ra, 232Th, and 40 K). The gamma hazard indices such as absorbed dose rate (Dair), the annual effective dose (AED), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) factor were computed in the investigated sediments and all the results were found (Dair = 26.4 nGy h-1, AED = 0.03 mSv year-1, ELCR = 0.0001) to be lower than the values suggested by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the effect of Atomic Research (59 nGy h-1, 0.07 mSv year-1 and 0.0029 for Dair, AED and ELCR, respectively). The study suggests that the black sand is safe to use in various infrastructure applications at Baltim-El Burullus coastal plain. The levels of radioactivity are not high enough to pose a risk to human health.

Dissolved silica affects the bulk iron redox state and recrystallization of minerals generated by photoferrotrophy in a simulated Archean ocean.

Chemical sedimentary deposits called Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) are one of the best surviving records of ancient marine (bio)geochemistry. Many BIF precursor sediments precipitated from ferruginous, silica-rich waters prior to the Great Oxidation Event at ~2.43 Ga. Reconstructing the mineralogy of BIF precursor phases is key to understanding the coevolution of seawater chemistry and early life. Many models of BIF deposition invoke the activity of Fe(II)-oxidizing photoautotrophic bacteria as a mechanism for precipitating mixed-valence Fe(II,III) and/or fully oxidized Fe(III) minerals in the absence of molecular oxygen. Although the identity of phases produced by ancient photoferrotrophs remains debated, laboratory experiments provide a means to explore what their mineral byproducts might have been. Few studies have thoroughly characterized precipitates produced by photoferrotrophs in settings representative of Archean oceans, including investigating how residual Fe(II)aq can affect the mineralogy of expected solid phases. The concentration of dissolved silica (Si) is also an important variable to consider, as silicate species may influence the identity and reactivity of Fe(III)-bearing phases. To address these uncertainties, we cultured Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 as a photoferrotroph in synthetic Archean seawater with an initial [Fe(II)aq ] of 1 mM and [Si] spanning 0-1.5 mM. Ferrihydrite was the dominant precipitate across all Si concentrations, even with substantial Fe(II) remaining in solution. Consistent with other studies of microbial iron oxidation, no Fe-silicates were observed across the silica gradient, although Si coprecipitated with ferrihydrite via surface adsorption. More crystalline phases such as lepidocrocite and goethite were only detected at low [Si] and are likely products of Fe(II)-catalyzed ferrihydrite transformation. Finally, we observed a substantial fraction of Fe(II) in precipitates, with the proportion of Fe(II) increasing as a function of [Si]. These experimental results suggest that photoferrotrophy in a Fe(II)-buffered ocean may have exported Fe(II,III)-oxide/silica admixtures to BIF sediments, providing a more chemically diverse substrate than previously hypothesized.

Biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate and biodentine as root-end filling materials: an in vivo study.

This study evaluated the biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine (BD) as root-end filling materials. Six mongrel dogs were divided into two equal groups according to the evaluation period; group A: one month and group B: three months. Three premolars of the same quadrant in each arch were used, summing up 36 teeth (6 teeth/dog). These teeth were randomly subdivided into three subgroups according to the root-end filling material used: MTA, BD and no root-end filling material (control). Endodontic access cavities were performed for induction of periapical pathosis. After the infection period, root canal instrumentation and obturation were accomplished. One day after root canal procedures, root-end surgery was performed. Surgical access was achieved and the root-end was resected approximately 3 mm above the apex. Root-end cavity was prepared ultrasonically and filled with the tested materials. All samples were evaluated by radiography and histopathology (Inflammation and new hard tissue formation). Data were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. In group A, MTA subgroup exhibited significant higher mean inflammatory score than BD subgroup (P < 0.05) while no significant difference was recorded between MTA and BD subgroups in group B (P > 0.05). Regarding mean mineralization score, there was no significant difference between all subgroups in both groups A and B (P > 0.05). Biodentine exhibited favorable biocompatibility in the initial stage of healing than MTA and comparable biomineralization. Clinical relevance: Biodentine could be considered as an acceptable alternative to MTA in peri-radicular surgeries.

MicroRNA-146a-loaded magnesium silicate nanospheres promote bone regeneration in an inflammatory microenvironment.

Reconstruction of irregular oral-maxillofacial bone defects with an inflammatory microenvironment remains a challenge, as chronic local inflammation can largely impair bone healing. Here, we used magnesium silicate nanospheres (MSNs) to load microRNA-146a-5p (miR-146a) to fabricate a nanobiomaterial, MSN+miR-146a, which showed synergistic promoting effects on the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). In addition, miR-146a exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect on mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway via targeting tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), and MSNs could simultaneously promote M2 polarization of BMMs. MiR-146a was also found to inhibit osteoclast formation. Finally, the dual osteogenic-promoting and immunoregulatory effects of MSN+miR-146a were further validated in a stimulated infected mouse mandibular bone defect model via delivery by a photocuring hydrogel. Collectively, the MSN+miR-146a complex revealed good potential in treating inflammatory irregular oral-maxillofacial bone defects.

Particle Morphology and Elemental Analysis of Lung Tissue from Post-9/11 Military Personnel with Biopsy-Proven Lung Disease.

The relationship between exposure to inhaled inorganic particulate matter and risk for deployment-related lung disease in military personnel is unclear due in part to difficulties characterizing individual exposure to airborne hazards. We evaluated the association between self-reported deployment exposures and particulate matter (PM) contained in lung tissue from previously deployed personnel with lung disease ("deployers"). The PM in deployer tissues was compared to normal lung tissue PM using the analytical results of scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The majority of PM phases for both the deployers and the controls were sub-micrometer in size and were compositionally classified as aluminum and zirconium oxides, carbonaceous particles, iron oxides, titanium oxides, silica, other silicates, and other metals. The proportion of silica and other silicates was significantly higher in the retained dust from military veterans with biopsy-confirmed deployment-related lung disease compared to the control subjects. Within the deployer population, those who had combat jobs had a higher total PM burden, though the difference was not statistically significant. These findings have important implications for understanding the role of inhaled inorganic dusts in the risk for lung injury in previously deployed military veterans.

Evaluation of the genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and bioactivity of calcium silicate-based cements.

BACKGROUND: As calcium silicate-based cements (CSCs) have found success in various vital pulp therapy applications, several new CSC products have emerged. This study aimed to assess the genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and bioactivity of four CSCs by comparing the newly introduced materials Bio MTA+ and MTA Cem with previously studied materials, Biodentine and NeoMTA. METHODS: Genotoxicity was evaluated using the micronucleus (MN) assay in human peripheral blood lymphocyte cells, measuring MN frequency and nuclear division index (NDI). Cytotoxicity was assessed in human dental pulp stem cells through the Water-Soluble Tetrazolium Salt-1 (WST-1) colorimetric assay. Bioactivity was determined by ELISA, measuring the levels of angiogenic and odontogenic markers (BMP-2, FGF-2, VEGF, and ALP). Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Dunnet and Sidak tests, and Wald chi-square test. (p < .05). RESULTS: The MN frequency in the groups was significantly lower than that in the positive control group (tetraconazole) (p < .05). NDI values decreased with increasing concentration (p < .05). Bio MTA+ and NeoMTA showed decreased cell viability at all concentrations in 7-day cultures (p < .01). All materials increased BMP-2, FGF-2, and VEGF levels, with Biodentine and NeoMTA showing the highest levels of BMP-2 and FGF-2 on day 7. Biodentine displayed the highest VEGF levels on day 7. Biodentine and NeoMTA groups exhibited significantly higher ALP activity than the Bio MTA+ and MTA Cem groups by day 7. CONCLUSION: Bio MTA+ and MTA Cem demonstrated no genotoxic or cytotoxic effects. Moreover, this study revealed bioactive potentials of Bio MTA+ and MTA Cem by enhancing the expression of angiogenic and osteogenic growth factors.