Remote control of mechanochemical reactions under physiological conditions using biocompatible focused ultrasound.

External control of chemical reactions in biological settings with spatial and temporal precision is a grand challenge for noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic applications. While light is a conventional stimulus for remote chemical activation, its penetration is severely attenuated in tissues, which limits biological applicability. On the other hand, ultrasound is a biocompatible remote energy source that is highly penetrant and offers a wide range of functional tunability. Coupling ultrasound to the activation of specific chemical reactions under physiological conditions, however, remains a challenge. Here, we describe a synergistic platform that couples the selective mechanochemical activation of mechanophore-functionalized polymers with biocompatible focused ultrasound (FUS) by leveraging pressure-sensitive gas vesicles (GVs) as acousto-mechanical transducers. The power of this approach is illustrated through the mechanically triggered release of covalently bound fluorogenic and therapeutic cargo molecules from polymers containing a masked 2-furylcarbinol mechanophore. Molecular release occurs selectively in the presence of GVs upon exposure to FUS under physiological conditions. These results showcase the viability of this system for enabling remote control of specific mechanochemical reactions with spatiotemporal precision in biologically relevant settings and demonstrate the translational potential of polymer mechanochemistry.

Custom allogeneic block graft for ridge augmentation: Case series.

INTRODUCTION: Alveolar bone deficiency is a common postextraction sequela that adversely affects implant placement. Therefore, ridge augmentation is often required to obtain proper bone quantity and quality for restoratively driven implant placement. This case series describes the successful horizontal and vertical alveolar ridge augmentation using custom-fabricated allogeneic block bone grafts. CASE SERIES: Two healthy partially edentulous patients presented to private practice seeking dental implant treatment. Initial clinical examination and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographic analysis showed moderate to large horizontal ridge defects. Treatment options were discussed for alveolar ridge augmentation and the patients elected to undergo the custom allogeneic block graft procedure to regenerate the atrophied alveolar ridges. The CBCT scan in conjunction with computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology was used to fabricate customized allogeneic block grafts based on alveolar ridge topography. The custom allogeneic block graft allowed less surgical time and decreased postoperative morbidity. The grafted area was allowed 6 months of healing time. Follow-up radiographs showed the stability of the graft followed by dental implant placement. The dental implants were functionally loaded, and successful implant esthetics and function achieved. CONCLUSION: Custom allogeneic block grafts could provide a promising innovative method for optimal ridge augmentation. Why are these cases new information? Less invasive procedure as an alternative conventional two-stage block augmentation. More predictable outcome due to customized block graft. What are the keys to successful management of these cases? It is important determining the type of bone defect. Vertical and horizontal bone loss. Primary closure. What are the primary limitations to success in these cases? Limited data from prospective clinical trials documenting the effectiveness of custom allogeneic block grafts. Limited data are available to confirm accuracy of the CAD/CAM process. Passive flap closure is needed.

Lipid domain pixelation patterns imposed by e-beam fabricated substrates.

This work describes a technique for forming nanometer-scale pixilated lipid domains that are self-organized into geometric patterns residing on a square lattice. In this process, a lipid multibilayer stack is deposited onto a silica substrate patterned with a square lattice array of bumps, hemispherical on their sides, formed by electron beam lithography. Domain patterns are shown to be confined to the flat grid between the bumps and composed of connected and individual domain pixels. Analysis of lattices of varying sizes shows that domain pattern formation is driven by mechanical energy minimization and packing constraints. We demonstrate single lattice sizes and a gradient in lattice size varying from the micrometer to the 100 nm scale applicable to precise arraying, patterning, and transport of biomolecules that partition to lipid domains.

Management of a Periodontal Patient With Dermatomyositis: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Dermatomyositis is an uncommon inflammatory disease marked by muscle and joint weakness with skin rash. Dermatomyositis affects adults and children, with higher prevalence for females aged 40 to 60 years. Most common oral lesions include mucosal edema, erythema, and telangiectasia. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old white female with an unremarkable medical history presented for periodontal evaluation in 2010. She reported a 6-month history of gingival inflammation and skin irritation on her hands and a rash on the center of her chest and forehead. Other complaints included fatigue, hot flashes, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Periodontal examination revealed generalized acute marginal erythema, with localized slight incipient bone loss. Oral hygiene was deemed good to fair. Oral hygiene instructions were reviewed and a prescription for chlorhexidine gluconate was given. The patient was then referred to an allergist and dermatologist where a diagnosis of dermatomyositis was made. After the initial diagnosis, localized scaling and root planing was performed using local anesthetic. The patient was managed medically using prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil, and methotrexate and a 3-month periodontal maintenance recall interval. The patient remained stable over an 8-year period. CONCLUSIONS: Dermatomyositis is an uncommon inflammatory disease that requires medical and dental teams for proper diagnosis and management. Although the condition is chronic in nature with no definitive cure, signs, and symptoms can be managed with steroids and immunosuppressants to delay progression of the disease and improve quality of life for the patient.

Encapsulation Effect on the In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Sacha Inchi Oil (Plukenetia volubilis L.) by Soft Capsules Composed of Gelatin and Cactus Mucilage Biopolymers.

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) seed oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that are beneficial for human health, whose nutritional efficacy is limited because of its low water solubility and labile bioaccessibility (compositional integrity). In this work, the encapsulation effect, using blended softgels of gelatin (G) and cactus mucilage (CM) biopolymers, on the PUFAs' bioaccessibility of P. volubilis seed oil was evaluated during in vitro simulated digestive processes (mouth, gastric, and intestinal). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) were used for determining the chemical composition of P. volubilis seed oil both before and after in vitro digestion. The most abundant compounds in the undigested samples were α-linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids with 59.23, 33.46, and 0.57 (g/100 g), respectively. The bioaccessibility of α-linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acid was found to be 1.70%, 1.46%, and 35.8%, respectively, along with the presence of some oxidation products. G/CM soft capsules are capable of limiting the in vitro bioaccessibility of PUFAs because of the low mucilage ratio in their matrix, which influences the enzymatic hydrolysis of gelatin, thus increasing the release of the polyunsaturated content during the simulated digestion.

Efecto antimicrobiano del aceite de coco sobre cepas de Estreptococos mutans. Estudio in vitro / Antimicrobial effect of coconut oil on strains of mutans streptococci. In vitro study

La planta de coco (Cocos nucifera L) llamada el árbol de la vida, se encuentra en los primeros lugares de las especies de plantas alimenticias vitales para el hombre; debido a las múltiples propiedades que posee es que se planteó la presente investigación con el objetivo fundamental de determinar el efecto antimicrobiano del aceite de coco sobre las cepas ATCC25175 de Estreptococos mutans, considerando que este microorganismo es el principal causante de la formación de la caries, por encontrarse presente en la placa dental y es uno de los productores de ácidos que erosionan el esmalte dando inicio a lesiones cariosas. Por otro lado, a nivel mundial se está consolidando la consciencia sobre la necesidad de utilizar productos naturales en la terapéutica humana, es por ello que la Organización Mundial de la Salud, propuso como objetivo a cumplir el programa "salud para todos" considerando la importancia de establecer estrategias formales de atención primaria en salud con medicina tradicional y elementos terapéuticos naturales de reconocida utilidad lo cual se ha estado realizando en muchas partes del mundo. El presente estudio fue in vitro, realizado en el laboratorio de microbiología de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Central aplicando procedimientos que permitieron conocer el efecto antimicrobiano del aceite de coco mediante la determinación del grado de inhibición sobre cepas ATCC25175 de Estreptococos mutans, estableciendo una comparación con el efecto de la clorhexidina al 0,12%. Los resultados obtenidos manifiestan que el aceite de coco a diferentes concentraciones presenta efecto inhibitorio sobre las cepas de Estreptococos mutans ATCC25175, por lo tanto el microorganismo es "sensible o inhibido", sin demostrar diferencias significativas en el efecto producido por las tres concentraciones. Se evidencia que el microorganismo presenta significativamente mayor sensibilidad frente a la clorhexidina al 0,12% que al aceite de coco en sus tres concentraciones.