Clinical efficacy of early and delayed loading implants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Whether early loaded implants have similar clinical outcomes to delayed loaded implants is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the outcomes of early and delayed loading dental implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Comprehensive searches of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Ovid databases were enriched by hand searches. Only human randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the clinical efficacy of early and delayed loading were included. The survival rates and marginal bone level (MBL) changes were pooled and analyzed by risk ratios (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs), respectively. The subgroup analyses, which were based on the Mantel-Haenszel and inverse-variance methods, included the types of prosthesis, implant time, occlusion, number of missing teeth, operation methods, dental position, healing methods, and type of first restoration. A funnel plot was used for heterogeneity analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen trials were included from the initial 601 articles. The dental implant survival rates for the early and delayed loading were similar (P>.05). Regarding the marginal bone level changes, the 2 loading protocols also reached a comparable clinical outcome (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early implant loading should achieve the same clinical efficacy as the delayed loading method.

Effect and possible mechanism of network between microRNAs and RUNX2 gene on human dental follicle cells.

To investigate whether crosstalk between RUNX2 and miRNAs is involved in tooth eruption regulated by dental follicle cells (DFCs) and the possible molecular mechanism. Blood samples and embedded dental follicles were collected from patients with cleidocranial dysplasia, and RUNX2 gene mutations were analyzed, then RUNX2(+/m) DFCs were isolated and identified. The characteristics of RUNX2(+/m) DFCs were analyzed. The differential expression of miRNAs was detected between the RUNX2(+/m) DFCs and RUNX2(+/+) DFCs by microarray, and target genes were predicted by miRGen. miR-146a was chosen for further investigation, and its effects in DFCs were analyzed by transfecting its mimics and inhibitors, and expression of genes involved in tooth eruption were detected. A novel insertion mutation (c.309_310insTG) of RUNX2 gene was identified which had an effect on the characteristics of DFCs. Compared with the RUNX2(+/+) DFCs, there were 69 microRNAs more than twofold up-regulated and 54 microRNAs more than twofold down-regulated in the RUNX2(+/m) DFCs. Among these, miR-146a decreased significantly in RUNX2(+/m) DFCs, and expression of RUNX2, CSF-1, EGFR, and OPG was significantly altered when miR-146a was overexpressed or inhibited. RUNX2 gene mutation contributes to the characteristic change of DFCs, and the crosstalk between RUNX2 gene and miRNAs may be one of the key regulatory mechanisms of differentiation of DFCs.

Efficacy and inflammatory responses of root canal therapy plus periodontal non-surgical treatment for periodontal-endodontic combined dental lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and inflammatory responses of treating periodontal-endodontic combined lesions (PECLs) with root canal therapy (RCT) alone versus RCT combined with periodontal non-surgical treatment (PNST). METHODS: A total of 103 patients with PECLs admitted between January 2019 and January 2020 to Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital were divided into control (RCT alone, 50 cases) and combined (RCT + PNST, 53 cases) groups. Comparative analyses included efficacy assessment, probing depth (PD), bleeding index (BI), plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), serum levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), pain severity during RCT, incidence of adverse reactions, post-treatment tooth conditions, and recurrence rates at 6 and 12 months. Univariate analysis identified factors associated with poor treatment outcome in PECL patients. RESULTS: The combined group demonstrated a higher total effective rate (90.57%) compared to the control group (74.00%) (P < 0.05). Patients receiving combined therapy showed significantly lower PD, BI, PLI, GI, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and hs-CRP levels, as well as reduced pain severity and lower recurrence rates at 6 and 12 months (all P < 0.05). The combined group also had a lower incidence of adverse (periodontal distending pain and local foreign body sensation) reactions (7.54%) compared to the control group (26.00%) (P < 0.05). After treatment, the incidence of periodontitis, percussion tenderness, and loosening of teeth in the combined group was lower than that of the control group, and the retention rate of affected teeth was significantly higher (all P < 0.05). Factors such as history of alcoholism, betel nut chewing, and treatment method (RCT) were significantly associated with poorer prognosis in PECL patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined RCT and PNST improves clinical efficacy, reduces pain severity and inflammation levels, decreases adverse reactions, and enhances tooth retention in PECL patients. This treatment approach should be considered the preferred option for managing PECLs.

Vehicle cabin air quality: influence of air recirculation on energy use, particles, and CO2.

In this study, simulations were performed to investigate the influence of different vehicle climate ventilation strategies, mainly the air recirculation (REC) degree, on the cabin air quality and climate system power. The focus of air quality is on the cabin particle concentrations including PM2.5 (particles of aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm), UFP (ultrafine particles of aerodynamic diameter less than 100 nm), and cabin CO2 concentration. Three outside climates (cold, intermediate, and warm) and three outside particle concentrations are studied. The studied vehicle originally shows possibilities to meet WHO PM2.5 guideline of 15 µg/m3 with a new filter. The aged filter have reduced performance, especially when outside concentration is high. Increased REC shows advantages in all the three climates in reducing particles and climate power for the studied vehicle. Application of 70% REC (70% of ventilation air is recirculated air) on average lowers PM2.5 by 55% and 39% for a new and aged filter, respectively. 70% REC with a new filter reduces cabin PM2.5 below guideline of 15 µg/m3 in all conditions. The reduction of UFP counts results are generally similar to that of PM2.5. Increased REC also lessens the average climate system power by up to 27% on average. When REC is increased, the cabin CO2 concentration arises accordingly, and the magnitude is relevant to the passengers. In all studied conditions with 1 passenger, 70% REC does not increase CO2 above the common guideline of 1000 ppm. 70% REC is not recommended with more than 1 passengers in cold and intermediate climate and 2 passengers in warm climate. Besides, to avoid the potential windscreen fog risk in cold climate, REC should be avoided when passengers are more than 3. Except for constant REC values, a sample study investigates a dynamic control of the REC. It shows the possibility of continuously optimizing REC to reduce the climate power and particles, while maintaining the CO2 concentration below 1000 ppm. In warm climate with 1 passenger boarded, the average optimized REC is 90%, which in comparison with base case lead to 44% PM2.5 reduction and 12% climate power reduction.

Size-resolved simulation of particulate matters and CO2 concentration in passenger vehicle cabins.

The main aim of this study is to develop a mathematical size-dependent vehicle cabin model for particulate matter concentration including PM2.5 (particles of aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) and UFPs (ultrafine particles of aerodynamic diameter less than 100 nm), as well as CO2 concentration. The ventilation airflow rate and cabin volume parameters are defined from a previously developed vehicle model for climate system design. The model simulates different filter statuses, application of pre-ionization, different airflow rates and recirculation degrees. Both particle mass and count concentration within 10-2530 nm are simulated. Parameters in the model are defined from either available component test data (for example filter efficiencies) or assumptions from corresponding studies (for example particle infiltration and deposition rates). To validate the model, road measurements of particle and CO2 concentrations outside two vehicles were used as model inputs. The simulated inside PM2.5, UFP and CO2 concentration were compared with the inside measurements. Generally, the simulation agrees well with measured data (Person's r 0.89-0.92), and the simulation of aged filter with ionization is showing higher deviation than others. The simulation using medium airflows agrees better than the simulation using other airflows, both lower and higher. The reason for this may be that the filter efficiency data used in the model were obtained at airflows close to the medium airflow. When all size bins are compared, the sizes of 100-300 nm were slightly overestimated. The results indicated that among others, expanded filter efficiency data as a function of filter ageing and airflow rate would possibly enhance the simulation accuracy. An initial application sample study on recirculation degrees presents the model's possible application in developing advanced climate control strategies.

PM2.5 and ultrafine particles in passenger car cabins in Sweden and northern China-the influence of filter age and pre-ionization.

The main aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of filter status (new and aged), pre-ionization, on the particle filtration in modern passenger cars. Measurements of in-cabin and outside PM2.5 (dp < 2.5 µm) concentration and UFP (ultrafine particle, dp < 100 nm) counts, to calculate I/O (indoor to outdoor) ratios, were performed. They were done at two locations, to study the influence of different outside conditions on the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system. The measurements were performed in two new cars, with similar HVAC systems and settings, using a new filter and an aged synthetic filter. Furthermore, an ionization unit was installed upstream of the filter in both cars. This enabled the study of filter status, with and without ionization, under common driving conditions. The results show that the HVAC system performances were very similar at the two locations, with average I/O ratios of 0.35-0.40 without ionization and 0.15-0.20 with ionization applied, although the outside conditions were considerably different. Furthermore, the aged filter clearly worsened the filtration ability. Considering the corresponding average PM2.5 I/O ratios in one location as an example, the average for the new filter was 0.20 and 0.60 for the aged filter. The corresponding UFP I/O ratios were 0.24 and 0.57. Other findings are that the aged filter with ionization reached a performance close to the new filter (without ionization), and that increased ventilation airflow and decreased recirculation degree, as expected, led to an increase in the I/O ratio for both particle sizes.