Photobiomodulation Can Prevent Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Formation in Tooth Extraction Site of Rat Model.

Objective: This study aims to explore the preventive potential of photobiomodulation (PBM) in bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) using a rat model. Methods: An experimental rat model was established, exposing rats to zoledronic acid (ZA), a primary risk factor for BRONJ. An 810 nm diode laser was applied with parameters of 0.33 W/cm2 power density and 10 J/cm2 energy density for 30 sec. PBM was initiated 1 day pre-extraction and continued for 2 weeks. The impact of PBM on wound healing in both soft and hard tissues was evaluated post tooth extraction. Results: ZA exposure hindered wound healing in both soft and hard tissues after tooth extraction. PBM intervention effectively mitigated the adverse effects of ZA, promoting healing processes in both tissue types. This suggests the potential of PBM as a preventive strategy for BRONJ in patients on long-term bisphosphonate treatment. Moreover, PBM exhibited enhanced wound healing in normal rats, indicating its broader applicability beyond BRONJ cases. Conclusions: PBM shows promise in preventing and improving wound healing in BRONJ and normal cases. These findings underscore the significance of optimizing PBM parameters and suggest its potential clinical relevance as a preventive intervention for BRONJ and a promoter of wound healing.

Immunological evaluation of patients with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia: CD4+ and CD16+ cells may predict severity and prognosis.

PURPOSE: Available but insufficient evidence shows that changes may occur in the immune system following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present study aimed at evaluating immunological changes in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia compared with the control group. METHOD: The present study was performed on 95 patients with COVID-19 (32 severe and 63 moderate cases) and 22 healthy controls. Relationship between immune cells, disease severity and lung involvement was assessed. Binary logistic regression and ROC curve tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A significant decrease was observed in CD20+ cell counts of the patients. To differentiate patients from healthy individuals, the cutoff point for the CD4+ cell count was 688 /µL, sensitivity 0.96, and specificity 0.84. An increase in CD4+ cells reduces the odds of severe disease (odds ratio = 0.82, P = 0.047) and death (odds ratio = 0.74, P = 0.029). CD4+ cells play a pivotal role in the severity of lung involvement (P = 0.03). In addition to CD4+ cells, Fc gamma receptor III (FcγRIII) (CD16) also played a significant prognosis (odds ratio = 0.55, P = 0.047). In severe cases, C-reactive protein, Blood urea nitrogen, and Creatine phosphokinase levels, as well as neutrophil counts, were significantly higher than those of moderate ones whereas lymphocyte count in severe cases was lower than that of moderate ones. CONCLUSION: The number of total T-cells and B-cells in patients with COVID-19 was lower than that of controls; however, their NK cells increased. FcγRIII and CD4+ cells are of great importance due to their association with COVID-19 prognosis.

Sophisticated polycaprolactone/gelatin nanofibrous nerve guided conduit containing platelet-rich plasma and citicoline for peripheral nerve regeneration: In vitro and in vivo study.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a devastating condition that may result in loss of sensory function, motor function, or both. In the present study, we construct an electrospun nerve guide conduit (NGC) based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and gelatin filled with citicoline bearing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel as a treatment for PNI. The NGCs fabricated from PCL/Gel polymeric blend using the electrospinning technique. The characterizations demonstrated that the fabricated nanofibers were straight with the diameter of 708 ±â€¯476 nm, the water contact angle of 78.30 ±â€¯2.52°, the weight loss of 41.60 ±â€¯6.94% during 60 days, the tensile strength of 5.31 ±â€¯0.97 MPa, and the young's modulus of 3.47 ±â€¯0.10 GPa. The in vitro studies revealed that the PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGC was biocompatible and hemocompatible. The in vivo studies conducted on sciatic nerve injury in rats showed that the implantation of PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGC induced regeneration of nerve tissue, demonstrated with histopathological assessments. Moreover, the sciatic function index (SFI) value of -30.3 ±â€¯3.5 and hot plate latency time of 6.10 ±â€¯1.10 s revealed that the PCL/Gel/PRP/Citi NGCs recovered motor and sensory functions. Our findings implied that the fabricated NGC exhibited promising physicochemical and biological activates favorable for PNI treatment.