A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Modified with a Computer-Simulative Magnetic Ion-Imprinted Membrane for Identification of Uranyl Ion.

In this paper, a novel ion-imprinted electrochemical sensor modified with magnetic nanomaterial Fe3O4@SiO2 was established for the high sensitivity and selectivity determination of UO22+ in the environment. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the interaction between templates and binding ligands to screen out suitable functional binding ligand for the reasonable design of the ion imprinted sensors. The MIIP/MCPE (magnetic ion imprinted membrane/magnetic carbon paste electrode) modified with Fe3O4@SiO2 exhibited a strong response current and high sensitivity toward uranyl ion comparison with the bare carbon paste electrodes. Meanwhile, the MCPE was fabricated simultaneously under the action of strong magnetic adsorption, and the ion imprinted membrane can be adsorbed stably on the electrode surface, handling the problem that the imprinted membrane was easy to fall off during the process of experimental determination and elution. Based on the uranyl ion imprinting network, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was adopted for the detection technology to realize the electrochemical reduction of uranyl ions, which improved the selectivity of the sensor. Thereafter, uranyl ions were detected in the linear concentration range of 1.0 × 10-9 mol L-1 to 2.0 × 10-7 mol L-1, with the detection and quantification limit of 1.08 × 10-9 and 3.23 × 10-10 mol L-1, respectively. In addition, the sensor was successfully demonstrated for the determination of uranyl ions in uranium tailings soil samples and water samples with a recovery of 95% to 104%.

Hollow polydopamine nanoparticles loading with peptide RL-QN15: a new pro-regenerative therapeutic agent for skin wounds.

BACKGROUND: Although the treatments of skin wounds have greatly improved with the increase in therapeutic methods and agents, available interventions still cannot meet the current clinical needs. Therefore, the development of new pro-regenerative therapies remains urgent. Owing to their unique characteristics, both nanomaterials and peptides have provided novel clues for the development of pro-regenerative agents, however, more efforts were still be awaited and anticipated. RESULTS: In the current research, Hollow polydopamine (HPDA) nanoparticles were synthesized and HPDA nanoparticles loading with RL-QN15 (HPDAlR) that was an amphibian-derived peptide with obvious prohealing activities were prepared successfully. The characterization, biodistribution and clearance of both HPDA nanoparticles and HPDAlR were evaluated, the loading efficiency of HPDA against RL-QN15 and the slow-releasing rate of RL-QN15 from HPDAlR were also determined. Our results showed that both HPDA nanoparticles and HPDAlR exerted no obvious toxicity against keratinocyte, macrophage and mice, and HPDA nanoparticles showed no prohealing potency in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, HPDAlR significantly enhanced the ability of RL-QN15 to accelerate the healing of scratch of keratinocytes and selectively modulate the release of healing-involved cytokines from macrophages. More importantly, in comparison with RL-QN15, by evaluating on animal models of full-thickness injured skin wounds in mice and oral ulcers in rats, HPDAlR showed significant increasing in the pro-regenerative potency of 50 and 10 times, respectively. Moreover, HPDAlR also enhanced the prohealing efficiency of peptide RL-QN15 against skin scald in mice and full-thickness injured wounds in swine. CONCLUSIONS: HPDA obviously enhanced the pro-regenerative potency of RL-QN15 in vitro and in vivo, hence HPDAlR exhibited great potential in the development of therapeutics for skin wound healing.

[Expert consensus on Antiviral Oral Liquid in treatment of influenza in clinical practice].

Antiviral Oral Liquid is modified on the basis of Baihu Decoction in Treatise on Febrility Diseases by ZHANG Zhongjing and Qingwen Baidu Yin in Qing Dynasty, with effects in clearing toxic heat, repelling dampness and cooling blood. It is widely used in clinical treatment of common colds, influenza and upper respiratory tract infection, mumps, viral conjunctivitis and hand-foot-mouth disease, with a good clinical efficacy and safety. Based on a questionnaire survey of clinicians and a systematic review of study literatures on Antiviral Oral Liquid, the international clinical practice guidelines development method was adopted to analyze the optimal available evidences and expert experiences in the "evidence-based, consensus-based and experience-based" principles. The consensus was jointly reached by more than 30 multidisciplinary experts nationwide, including clinical experts of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the field of respiratory diseases and infectious diseases, and methodological experts. In the study, literatures were retrieved based on clinical problems in the clinical survey as well as PICO clinical problems. The GRADE system was used for the classification and evaluation of evidence, and fully combined with clinical expert experience, so as to reach expert consensus by the nominal grouping method. This expert consensus recommended or suggested indications, usage and dosage, course of treatment, intervention time for treatment, and the safety and precautions of Antiviral Oral Liquid for treatment of influenza, and can provide reference for the rational use of this drug in clinical practice.

Preparation and characterization of magnetic molecular imprinted polymers with ionic liquid for the extraction of carbaryl in food.

Magnetic molecular imprinted polymers with ionic liquid used as an auxiliary solvent (IL@MMIPs) for the recognition of the methyl carbamate pesticide carbaryl (CBR) in foodstuff have been synthesized. The properties and application of IL@MMIPs were determined. The kinetic and isotherm adsorption processes were found to follow the pseudo-second-order and the Scatchard models, respectively. The selective experiment showed that the IL@MMIPs exhibited good selectivity to CBR compared to magnetic nonimprinted polymers with IL (IL@MNIPs). By using the IL@MMIPs as an adsorbent for the enrichment of CBR in food samples, the limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ, S/N = 10) of this method were 3 µg kg-1 and 10 µg kg-1, respectively. Compared with the traditional method, the IL@MMIP method has better recoveries (83.23-99.83%), precision (1.12-2.09%), and stabilization (intraday, 1.08-2.81%; interday, 2.26-3.30%). IL@MMIPs are an ideal adsorbent that could be applied to conveniently detect CBR in complex food, and the proposed method can be considered as a selective and sensitive alternative to traditional methods with affordable cost, avoiding the complex pretreatment procedure. Graphical abstract .

A phosphorescent probe for cephalexin consisting of mesoporous thioglycolic acid-modified Mn:ZnS quantum dots coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer.

The authors have synthesized a phosphorescent probe of type SiO2-QD-MIP, where QD stands for Mn:ZnS quantum dots and MIP is a polymer coating that was molecularly imprinted with cephalexin. The nanoprobe with high specificity was prepared via sol-gel polymerization using thioglycolic acid (TGA)-modified QDs as luminescent materials, cephalexin as the template, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the functional monomer, and tetraethoxysilane as the crosslinking agent. The SiO2-QD-MIPs were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The orange emission of the probe, with excitation/emission maxima at 295/590 nm, decreases linearly in the 2.5-50 µg·L-1 cephalexin concentration range with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.81 µg·L-1. The nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of cephalexin in (spiked) raw milk and milk powder. The recoveries ranged from 91.7 to 103.7%.

Effect of PLA/PBAT Antibacterial Film on Storage Quality of Passion Fruit during the Shelf-Life.

In this experiment, we studied the effect of poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) blend films on the efficiency of passion fruit preservation at 20 °C. The weight loss, shrinkage index, firmness, and total sugar of passion fruit packaged with PLA/PBAT films had no significant differences compared with PE films during 21 days (p > 0.05). PLA/PBAT films can more effectively reduce the rising of ethanol content and delay the total acid, ascorbic acid, and sensory evaluation. Compared with unpackaged (CK) and polyethylene (PE) films, PLA/PBAT films are more conducive to preserve the overall flavor of passion fruit during storage time, in agreement with sensory evaluation, tested by E-nose, E-tongue, and GC-MS, which also proved that it can effectively maintain the edible quality of passion fruit during storage time. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to literature because it paves the way to the generalization and application of packaging films based on composite antibacterial polymers and facilitates the commercialization of fresh passion fruit as an important health food.

Assessing the Quality of Life in Patients With Dentofacial Deformities Before and After Orthognathic Surgery.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the effect of health-related quality of life (QoL) among patients with dentofacial deformities who underwent orthognathic surgery compared with a control group without dentofacial deformities by use of generic oral health and condition-specific approaches. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 2 questionnaires were administered to 85 patients (31 male and 54 female patients) who were evaluated before undergoing orthognathic surgery. The Short Form Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire (OHIP-14) and the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) were administered before and 5 to 7 months after orthognathic surgery. The control group comprised 96 young university student volunteers without dentofacial deformities. RESULTS: The questionnaires were collected 5 to 7 months after surgery. The preoperative scores of the patients and the control group were contrasted separately. The respondents' postoperative OHIP-14 and OQLQ scores were significantly lower (P < .001 for total scores). The preoperative OQLQ scores for all domains were significantly higher among the patients than among the controls (P < .001 for total scores), whereas the total scores and 3 subscale scores of the OHIP-14 in the functional and psychological domains were significantly higher among the patients than among the controls (P < .05 for total scores). The preoperative and postoperative OQLQ total scores were remarkably different between male and female patients (P < .05). The postoperative OQLQ total scores were considerably higher in older patients than in younger patients (P < .05). All patients in the Class III group who underwent double-jaw surgery showed remarkable changes after surgery (P < .001 for total scores). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with dentofacial deformities had a poorer QoL compared with the healthy population, especially in functional and psychological aspects. Orthognathic surgery had a significant positive impact on QoL. Patients with Class III malocclusion who underwent double-jaw surgery seemingly benefitted the most after surgery.

Development of lipid-shell and polymer core nanoparticles with water-soluble salidroside for anti-cancer therapy.

Salidroside (Sal) is a potent antitumor drug with high water-solubility. The clinic application of Sal in cancer therapy has been significantly restricted by poor oral absorption and low tumor cell uptake. To solve this problem, lipid-shell and polymer-core nanoparticles (Sal-LPNPs) loaded with Sal were developed by a double emulsification method. The processing parameters including the polymer types, organic phase, PVA types and amount were systemically investigated. The obtained optimal Sal-LPNPs, composed of PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers and lipids, had high entrapment efficiency (65%), submicron size (150 nm) and negatively charged surface (-23 mV). DSC analysis demonstrated the successful encapsulation of Sal into LPNPs. The core-shell structure of Sal-LPNPs was verified by TEM. Sal released slowly from the LPNPs without apparent burst release. MTT assay revealed that 4T1 and PANC-1 cancer cell lines were sensitive to Sal treatment. Sal-LPNPs had significantly higher antitumor activities than free Sal in 4T1 and PANC-1 cells. The data indicate that LPNPs are a promising Sal vehicle for anti-cancer therapy and worthy of further investigation.

[Preparation of herpetin lyophilized liposome and evaluation on its safety and pharmacodynamics].

In this study, the herpetin (HPT) lyophilized liposome was prepared, and its saftey and pharmacodynamics were evaluated. HPT lyophilized liposome was prepared by thin-film ultrasonication method. The lyoprotectant was optimized using particle size and encapsulation efficiency as indexes. Then, the influencing factors of HPT lyophilized liposome were investigated. In addition, preliminary safety and therapy efficiency of HPT lyophilized liposome to liver injury induced by CCl4 in the mice. The optimal lyoprotectant was 5% sucrose plus 5% lactose and the dispersed HPT lyophilized liposomes were spherical with the mean diameter of (107.0 ± 1.2) nm and the mean encapsulation efficiency of (99.7 ± 0.50)%. The lyophilized powder was sensitive to temperature, humidity and illumination. None of hemolysis, hemagglutination and vein irritation was observed after intravenous injection of HPT lyophilized liposomes into rabbits. HPT lyophilized liposome showed obviously therapy efficiency to liver injury induced by CCl4 in the mice. The improvements of ALT, AST and ALP were better than that in HPT free drug. The obtained HPT lyophilized liposome met the standard of CP with fine particle size and encapsulation efficiency after dispersion. The HPT lyophilized liposome showed good safety and enhanced the treatment efficacy of HPT. The HPT lyophilized liposome should be stored in low temperature, sealed condition far away from light.

[Study on preparation process and formulation optimization of herpetin liposomes].

Herpetin (HPT) is an active monomer constituent isolated from lignanoid in seeds of Herpetospermum caudigerum. HPT shows inhibitory effects in hepatic injury and HBV-DNA and the replication. In the study, we successfully prepare herpetin liposomes by film dispersion method for the first time. The prescription process was optimized, with the entrapment efficiency as the index. According to the optimized prescription, the mass ratio of HPT: phospholipids: cholesterol was 2.44:78.05: 19.51, the hydration and de-molding process was performed with 0.5% F68 solution at 50 degrees C, and the water-bath ultrasonic time was 20 min. The HPT liposomes prepared by this method showed an average entrapment efficiency of (94.50 +/- 2.15)% and a particle size of (119.2 +/- 10.7) nm, which was consistent with the trial expectations and will lay a solid foundation for the hepatic targeting delivery system in future.

Natural lignocellulosic biomass structure inspired CNF/Lignin/PBAT composite film with thermoplastic, antibacterial and UV-blocking abilities.

The development of a thermoplastic, biodegradable composite material to replace conventional polymers derived from petroleum was the main area of concentration. Herein, a method for preparing antibacterial, UV-blocking and degradable CNF/Lignin/PBAT composite films (CLP) using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), lignin, and Poly (butylene adipate-terephthalate) (PBAT) as raw materials by solution casting method was described. With the adding of PBAT, the thermal stability, thermoplastic, mechanical properties were enhanced by improving the compatibility between components. The maximum tensile strength of CLP could reach 189.72 MPa, which increased 25.5 % compared to CNF/Lignin film. The average initial decomposition temperature could reach 321 °C, which was much higher than that of CNF and lignin. At the same time, its good heat-sealing performance made it suitable for practical use. Meanwhile, the composite films had excellent UV resistance and could block over 95 % of UV light. The antibacterial results indicated that the films had a good inhibitory effect on E. coli and S. aureus, with a maximum inhibitory ring diameter of 5.56 and 6.36 mm. In addition, the composite film also had excellent barrier capability to liquid and gas. The prepared film had potential to produce flexible packing, industrial compositing and biomedical fields.

iTRAQ-based proteomic profiling of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite in response to the antifouling compound meleagrin.

Marine biofouling refers to the unwanted accumulation of fouling organisms, such as barnacles, on artificial surfaces, resulting in severe consequences for marine industries. Meleagrin is a potential nontoxic antifoulant that is isolated from the fungus Penicillium sp.; however, its mechanistic effect mode of action on larval settlement remains unknown. Here, we applied iTRAQ coupled with 2D LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis to investigate the effect of meleagrin on the proteomic expression profile of cyprid development and aging in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite . Fifty proteins were differentially expressed in response to treatment with meleagrin, among which 26 proteins were associated with cyprid development/aging and 24 were specifically associated with the meleagrin treatment. The 66 proteins that were associated with aging only remained unaltered during exposure to meleagrin. Using KEGG analysis, those proteins were assigned to several groups, including metabolic pathways, ECM-receptor interactions, and the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Among the 24 proteins that were not related to the development/aging process, expression of the cyprid major protein (CMP), a vitellogenin-like protein, increased after the meleagrin treatment, which suggested that meleagrin might affect the endocrine system and prevent the larval molting cycle. With the exception of the chitin binding protein that mediates the molting process and ATPase-mediated energy processes, the majority of proteins with significant effects in previous studies in response to cyprid treatment with butenolide and polyether B remained unchanged in the present study, suggesting that meleagrin may exhibit a different mechanism.

An improved susceptibility test based on Amberlite reveals the potential antilisterial activity of fosfomycin in vitro.

Listeria monocytogenes is resistant to fosfomycin in vitro but is susceptible in vivo due to increased expression of positive regulator factor A (PrfA) and its dependent factor, hexose phosphate transporter (Hpt), upon infection of host cells. Amberlite, a polymeric adsorbent resin, could induce PrfA-dependent gene expression and thus, in theory, improve the sensitivity of L. monocytogenes to fosfomycin in vitro. In the current study, an improved susceptibility test based on Amberlite was developed using reference strains. Thirty-five clinical isolates were further examined to verify those preliminary results. Briefly, Amberlite increased in vitro fosfomycin sensitivity of all strains. Optimal Amberlite concentrations, as evaluated through the expression of phospholipase B (PlcB) and Hpt, were 10% and 15% (w/v) in agar media and 3% (w/v) in broth media. Mueller-Hinton (MH) medium, tryptone soya (TS) medium, and brain heart infusion (BHI) medium were used to verify the results in the control strains using agar dilution and broth micro- and macro-dilution methods. Better listerial growth was shown in TS and BHI than in MH. Both broth dilution methods yielded lower minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fosfomycin than the agar dilution method. The MIC of fosfomycin for 35 clinical isolates was 2-32 µg/mL, suggesting improved susceptibility. In conclusion, in vitro sensitivity of L. monocytogenes to fosfomycin was substantially improved in the presence of 3% Amberlite-supplemented TSB or BHIB and the broth microdilution method. This improved method revealed the potential antilisterial activity of fosfomycin in vitro and could facilitate the therapy of listeriosis using fosfomycin.

Fluoride induces osteoblast autophagy by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Fluorosis primarily manifests as bone damage in the form of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis and represents a critical global public health challenge. However, few studies have examined autophagy-related signaling pathways in skeletal fluorosis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of fluoride on autophagy in osteoblasts using comprehensive methods and to explore the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in regulating fluoride-induced autophagy in osteoblasts. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to different concentrations of fluoride (NaF: 5, 50, and 100 mg/L) for six months. Primary osteoblasts were treated with 0.5, 1.0, or 3.0 mM NaF. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting were performed to evaluate morphological changes in bone tissues and autophagosomes and to detect the protein expression of autophagy-related markers and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related molecules both in vivo and in vitro. The bone tissues of fluoride-exposed rats showed osteosclerosis, autophagosomes and autolysosomes. LC3B immunofluorescence staining revealed an increase in autophagosomes in the primary osteoblasts treated with fluoride. The LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio and levels of autophagy-related markers (Beclin 1 and Atg7) were increased, whereas P62 levels were decreased in bone tissues and primary osteoblasts in the fluoride groups. Simultaneously, p-AKT and p-mTOR levels were reduced in bone tissues and primary osteoblasts in the fluoride groups. Moreover, a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) further downregulated p-AKT and p-mTOR protein expression but slightly increased the LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio in primary osteoblasts. These results demonstrate that fluoride induces autophagy in osteoblasts by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which deepens our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying fluoride-induced bone damage and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of skeletal fluorosis.

Preparation of biochar-based surface molecularly imprinted polymers and evaluation of their selective adsorption and removal of carbaryl from rice and corn.

The residue of carbaryl in food is a threat to human health. In this study, activated soybean shell biochar (A-SBC) was used as a carrier, methacrylic acid (MAA) was used as a functional monomer, and carbaryl was used as a template molecule to synthesize the activated biochar surface molecularly imprinted polymer (A-SBC@MIP). The synthesized A-SBC@MIP was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD and XPS techniques, and then applied as adsorbent for carbaryl removal. The adsorption capacity of A-SBC@MIP for carbaryl was 8.6 mg‧g-1 and the imprinting factor was 1.49 at the optimum ionic strength and pH. The kinetic and isothermal data indicated that it had fast mass transfer rate and high binding capacity(Qmax=47.9 mg‧g-1). A-SBC@MIP showed good regenerative properties and the adsorption of carbaryl was excellent in its structural analogues. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) column composed of A-SBC@MIP was developed for the detection of rice and corn under optimized conditions, with recoveries of 93-101% for the spiked carbaryl. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was 3.6 µg‧kg-1 with good linearity (R2=0.994) in the range of 0.01-5.00 mg‧L-1. The results show that the developed MIPs-SPE can enrich carbaryl from food samples as a specific and cost-effective method.

A randomized, controlled trial to investigate cognitive behavioral therapy in prevention and treatment of acute oral mucositis in patients with locoregional advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: Oral mucositis is a common side effect of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). This study aimed to determine whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) could help prevent oral mucositis during chemoradiation therapy for locoregional advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). Methods and materials: Between July 15, 2020, and January 31, 2022, a randomized controlled phase II trial was conducted. Eligible patients (N=282, 18-70 years old) with pathologically diagnosed LA-NPC were randomly assigned to receive CBT or treatment as usual (TAU) during CCRT (computer-block randomization, 1:1). The primary endpoints were the incidence and latency of oral mucositis. Results: The incidence of oral mucositis was significantly lower in the CBT group (84.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78.7%-90.9%) than in the TAU group (98.6%; 95% CI, 96.6%-100%; P<0.001). The median latency period was 26 days and 15 days in the CBT and TAU groups, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.12-0.22; P<0.001). CBT significantly reduced ≥ grade 3 oral mucositis (71.9% vs. 22.5%, P<0.001), dry mouth (10.8% vs. 3.7%, P=0.021), dysphagia (18% vs. 5.1%, P=0.001), and oral pain (10% vs. 3.6%, P=0.034) compared with TAU. Patients receiving CBT and TAU during CCRT had similar short-term response rates. Conclusions: CBT reduced the occurrence, latency, and severity of oral mucositis in patients with LA-NPC during CCRT.

Rehabilitation of severe dentofacial deformity after early radiotherapy of retinoblastoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma is an intraocular cancer of infancy and childhood, which has been treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Radiation on growing patients can cause deterioration in maxillofacial growth and development that leads to severe skeletal discrepancies between the maxilla and mandible, and dental problems such as crossbite, openbite, and hypodontia. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 19-year-old Korean man with chewing disability and dentofacial deformities. He had undergone enucleation of the right eye and radiation therapy of the left eye due to retinoblastoma 100 days after birth. Subsequently, he received cancer therapy for the secondary nasopharyngeal cancer at the age of 11 years. He was diagnosed with severe skeletal deformity including sagittal, transverse, and vertical growth deficiency of the maxilla and midface, and with class III malocclusion, severe anterior and posterior crossbite, posterior openbite, multiple missing upper incisors, right premolars, and second molars, and impaction of the lower right second molars. To restore impaired functions and esthetics of the jaw and dentition, the orthodontic treatment combined with two jaw surgery was performed. At the end of surgical orthodontics, dental implants were placed for prosthetic treatment of missing teeth. Additional plastic surgery for zygoma elevation was done with calvarial bone graft followed by fat graft. Facial esthetics and occlusal functions of patient were favorably enhanced with the improvement of skeletal discrepancy and the rehabilitation of maxillary dentition by prosthetic work. At the 2-year follow-up, the skeletal and dental relationships and implant prosthetics were well maintained. CONCLUSION: In an adult patient with dentofacial deformities caused by early cancer therapy in the head and neck area, interdisciplinary interventions including additional plastic surgery of zygoma depression and prosthetic work of missing teeth as well as surgical-orthodontic treatment could establish favorable facial esthetics and oral rehabilitation.

Reducing Target Volumes of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy After Induction Chemotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Long-Term Results of a Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to estimate the long-term survival, late toxicity profile, and quality of life of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with combined induction chemotherapy (IC) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy from a clinical trial focused on reducing the target volume of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: This prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted across 6 Chinese hospitals and included 212 patients with stage III-IVB NPC who were randomly allocated to a pre-IC or post-IC group. Eligible patients were treated with 2 cycles of IC + CCRT. All patients underwent radical IMRT. Gross tumor volumes of the nasopharynx were delineated according to pre-IC and post-IC tumor extent in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 98.4 months, 32 of 97 (32.9%) and 33 of 115 (28.7%) patients experienced treatment failure or died in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. None of the patients developed grade 4 late toxicity. Late radiation-induced toxicity predominantly manifested as grade 1 to 2 subcutaneous fibrosis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and xerostomia, whereas grade 3 late toxicity included xerostomia and hearing loss. The 5-year estimated overall, progression-free, locoregional recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates in the pre-IC and post-IC groups were 78.2% versus 83.3%, 72.0% versus 78.1%, 90.2% versus 93.5%, and 78.1% versus 82.1%, respectively. The pre-IC group had a significantly higher incidence of xerostomia and hearing damage than the post-IC group. In terms of quality of life, compared with the pre-IC group, the post-IC group showed significant improvement in cognitive function (P = .045) and symptoms including dry mouth (P = .004), sticky saliva (P = .047), and feeling ill (P = .041). CONCLUSIONS: After long-term follow-up, we confirmed that reducing the target volumes of IMRT after IC in locoregionally advanced NPC showed no inferiority in terms of the risk of locoregional relapse and potentially improved quality of life and alleviated late toxicity.

A comparison of pressure generated by cordless gingival displacement techniques.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Handling properties of cordless gingival displacement materials is not well understood, resulting in incorrect use. Insufficient displacement of the gingival margin may result in a poor impression. PURPOSE: This study investigated the pressure generated by a cordless displacement paste with respect to different techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two chambers with dimensions of 5 × 5 × 2 mm were made from Type IV stone and silicone material to simulate a rigid and elastic environment. A pressure gage was embedded into the wall of the chamber, and a paste material (Expasyl) was injected into the different chambers. The final pressures generated by the Expasyl were recorded by Chart 5 software and Power Lab system. This was repeated by using a displacement cord (KnitTrax) as a control for the study. The different loading methods for the Expasyl material were compared with 1-way ANOVA (α=.05). RESULTS: The mean pressure generated during placement of the Expasyl paste material in the silicone chamber was 143 kPa, which is significantly lower (P=.001) than the pressure generated by the KnitTrax cord (5396 kPa). Manipulating Expasyl after placement resulted in a pressure reduction of 73% in the stone chamber and 29% in the silicone chamber. CONCLUSIONS: Pressure generated by Expasyl is minimal compared to the cord system. Pressure is generated during the injection of the Expasyl, and subsequent manipulation reduced the final pressure. Handheld and motorized delivery guns produce similar pressure, but the motorized gun was found to have a more constant pressure delivery.

Development of a dental model hardener.

The paper presents a novel method of strengthening dental gypsum materials by infiltrating with a low-viscosity autopolymerising monomer. Gypsum specimens were infiltrated with diluted butyl-cyanoacrylate monomer at different concentrations. Nanoindentation was employed to measure their hardness and elastic modulus. A standard single-edge-notched beam (SENB) method was used to measure fracture toughness. Biaxial strength was measured using a universal test machine with a piston-on-ring jig. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and affiliated energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to observe the fracture topography and the depth of infiltration. Infiltration and autopolymerisation of the cyanoacrylate improved the biaxial strength and fracture toughness of the gypsum by around 39% and around 30%, respectively. The hardness and elastic modulus for the treated specimens were also higher, albeit slightly. The proposed method provides a convenient way to strengthen and repair dental gypsum models in situ.