Accuracy of dental implant placement using different dynamic navigation and robotic systems: an in vitro study.

Computer-aided implant surgery has undergone continuous development in recent years. In this study, active and passive systems of dynamic navigation were divided into active dynamic navigation system group and passive dynamic navigation system group (ADG and PDG), respectively. Active, passive and semi-active implant robots were divided into active robot group, passive robot group and semi-active robot group (ARG, PRG and SRG), respectively. Each group placed two implants (FDI tooth positions 31 and 36) in a model 12 times. The accuracy of 216 implants in 108 models were analysed. The coronal deviations of ADG, PDG, ARG, PRG and SRG were 0.85 ± 0.17 mm, 1.05 ± 0.42 mm, 0.29 ± 0.15 mm, 0.40 ± 0.16 mm and 0.33 ± 0.14 mm, respectively. The apical deviations of the five groups were 1.11 ± 0.23 mm, 1.07 ± 0.38 mm, 0.29 ± 0.15 mm, 0.50 ± 0.19 mm and 0.36 ± 0.16 mm, respectively. The axial deviations of the five groups were 1.78 ± 0.73°, 1.99 ± 1.20°, 0.61 ± 0.25°, 1.04 ± 0.37° and 0.42 ± 0.18°, respectively. The coronal, apical and axial deviations of ADG were higher than those of ARG, PRG and SRG (all P < 0.001). Similarly, the coronal, apical and axial deviations of PDG were higher than those of ARG, PRG, and SRG (all P < 0.001). Dynamic and robotic computer-aided implant surgery may show good implant accuracy in vitro. However, the accuracy and stability of implant robots are higher than those of dynamic navigation systems.

A causal relationship between hypothyroidism and rheumatoid arthritis, but not hyperthyroidism: evidence from the mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic level causal association among hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We utilized the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data for exposure (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) and outcome (RA) from the IEU OpenGWAS database. We used two different sets of data (test cohort and validation cohort) for causal assessment of exposure and outcome. To establish a causal relationship between these conditions, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Subsequently, we evaluated the MR analysis results for heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, and outliers, aiming to assess the validity and reliability of the findings. Moreover, we conducted additional analyses to examine the robustness of the MR results, including a "Leave one out" analysis and the MR robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) method, ensuring the robustness and adherence to normal distribution assumptions. RESULTS: The findings from the test cohort indicated that hyperthyroidism did not exhibit a genetic causal association with RA (P = 0.702, odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.021 [0.918-1.135]). Conversely, hypothyroidism displayed a positive genetic causal relationship with RA (P < 0.001, OR 95% CI = 1.239 [1.140-1.347]). The analysis results of the validation cohort are consistent with those of the test cohort. Notably, our MR analysis results demonstrated no evidence of heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, or outliers. Furthermore, our MR analysis results remained unaffected by any single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and exhibited a normal distribution. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that hypothyroidism was positively correlated with RA, while hyperthyroidism was not causally correlated with RA. Hypothyroidism may as a risk factor of RA should be paid attention to in clinical work. Future studies are needed to further confirm this finding.

Effects of nanobubble water on digestate soaking hydrolysis of rice straw.

This study investigated the performance of combined nanobubble water (NW) and digestate in the soaking hydrolysis process. Two types of NW (CO2NW and O2NW) with digestate were used to soak rice straw for 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. During soaking process, the volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration in the treatment with O2NW and digestate for 3 days (O2NW-3 d) reached 7179.5 mg-HAc/L. Moreover, the highest specific methane yield (SMY) obtained in this treatment could reach 336.7 NmL/gVS. Although the addition of NW did not significantly increase SMY from digestate soaking, NW could accelerate the rate of methane production and reduce digestion time of T80. The enrichment of Enterobacter in the soaking process was observed when using CO2NW and O2NW as soaking solutions which played important roles in VFA production. This study provides a new insight into environment-friendly enhanced crop straw pretreatment, combining NW and digestate soaking hydrolysis.

The challenge of survivors of gynecological carcinomas: a retrospective study on occurrence of second tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the epidemiologic characteristics and risk of other tumors in survivors of gynecological tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER). RESULTS: The morbidity of other malignant tumors in patients with gynecological cancer was 8.07%. The most common subsequent tumors are breast, lung, colorectal, thyroid, and bladder cancers. Taking the incidence rate of the general population as reference, the second tumor with the highest relative risk in patients with cervical cancer is vulvar cancer. Bladder cancer is the second tumor with the highest relative risk value both in patients with corpus and ovarian cancer. The median period from the diagnosis of the initial tumor to the diagnosis of the second tumor was 5 years. Most patients with other tumors following gynecological cancer showed worse prognosis than patients with gynecological tumors only. However, thyroid cancer following ovarian cancer is a protective factor in survival. CONCLUSION: Patients with gynecological tumors have a significantly higher risk of malignant tumors in other systems compared to ordinary population. It is necessary to be vigilant against subsequent high-risk tumors and tumors with poor prognosis within 5 years of initial diagnosis.

DCPIB Attenuates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Regulating Microglial M1/M2 Polarization and Oxidative Stress.

The inflammatory response plays an indispensable role in ischemia-reperfusion injury, the most significant of which is the inflammatory response caused by microglial polarization. Anti-inflammatory therapy is also an important remedial measure after failed vascular reconstruction. Maintaining the internal homeostasis of the brain is a crucial measure for suppressing the inflammatory response. The mechanism underlying the relationship between DCPIB, a selective blocker of volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC), and inflammation induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury is currently unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between DCPIB and microglial M1/M2 polarization-mediated inflammation after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). DCPIB was administered by a lateral ventricular injection within 5 min after reperfusion. Behavioral assessments were conducted at 1, 3, and 7 days after tMCAO/R. Pathological injuries were evaluated using TTC assay, HE and Nissl staining, brain water content measurement, and immunofluorescence staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were analyzed using qPCR and ELISA. Additionally, the phenotypic variations of microglia were examined using immunofluorescence staining. In mouse tMCAO/R model, DCPIB administration markably reduced mortality, improved behavioral performance, and alleviated pathological injury. DCPIB treatment significantly inhibited the inflammatory response, promoted the conversion of M1 microglia to M2 microglia via the MAPK signaling pathway, and ultimately protected neurons from the microglia-mediated inflammatory response. In addition, DCPIB inhibited oxidative stress induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. In conclusion, DCPIB attenuates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating microglial M1/M2 polarization and oxidative stress.

Genetic Association between Lipid-Regulating Drug Targets and Diabetic Retinopathy: A Drug Target Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic microvascular complication and a leading cause of vision loss. However, there is a lack of effective strategies to reduce the risk of DR currently. The present study is aimed at assessing the causal effect of lipid-regulating targets on DR risk using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Method: Genetic variants within or near drug target genes, including eight lipid-regulating targets for LDL-C (HMGCR, PCSK9, and NPC1L1), HDL-C (CETP, SCARB1, and PPARG), and TG (PPARA and LPL), were selected as exposures. The exposure data were obtained from the IEU OpenGWAS project. The outcome dataset related to DR was obtained from the FinnGen research project. Inverse-variance-weighted MR (IVW-MR) was used to calculate the effect estimates by each target. Sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the results. Results: There was suggestive evidence that PCSK9-mediated LDL-C levels were positively associated with DR, with OR (95% CI) of 1.34 (1.02-1.77). No significant association was found between the expression of HMGCR- and NPC1L1-mediated LDL-C levels; CETP-, SCARB1-, and PPARG-mediated HDL-C levels; PPARA- and LPL-mediated TG levels; and DR risk. Conclusions: This is the first study to reveal a genetically causal relationship between lipid-regulating drug targets and DR risk. PCSK9-mediated LDL-C levels maybe positively associated with DR risk at the genetic level. This study provides suggestive evidence that PCSK9 inhibition may reduce the risk of DR.

De novo urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract symptoms after colpocleisis: A single-center prospective study.

Background: Colpocleisis is one of traditional surgical procedures for elderly and frail women with advanced pelvic organ prolapse. The occurrence of de novo urinary incontinence following colpocleisis was considered to impair the postoperative quality of life. The incidence of de novo urinary incontinence after colpocleisis has been reported to be ranging from 6.6 % to 27 %. There was an absence of prospective large-sample study to investigate the accurate incidence of de novo urinary incontinence following colpocleisis and the impact on the quality of life till now. Purpose: s The primary objective was to report the incidence of de novo urinary incontinence after colpocleisis. The second objectives were to evaluate the long-term quality of life in patients with de novo urinary incontinence, and to conduct detailed pre- and post-operative evaluations of lower urinary tract symptoms. Methods: This prospective study included 253 patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse who underwent colpocleisis between 2009 and 2021. De novo urinary incontinence was defined as the occurrence of urinary incontinence 3 months postoperatively. All patients were required to complete the Urinary Distress Inventory questionnaire and the Urinary Impact Questionnaire for the evaluation of patients' quality of life, and the Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire for the evaluation of patients' satisfaction. Results: 245 patients (245/253, 96·8 %) completed the 3-month follow-up, and were included in the final analysis. The incidence of de novo urinary incontinence was 5.4 % (10/185). There was no significant difference in the Urinary Distress Inventory -6 scores (22.50 vs. 10.30, P = 0.276) or the subjective satisfaction rate (100 % vs. 98.9 %, P = 0.250) between the patients with or without de novo urinary incontinence at the long-term follow-up. The incidence of voiding difficulty was significantly reduced after colpocleisis (27.8 % vs. 0.0 %, P < 0.001). The patients' quality of life indicated by Urinary Distress Inventory-6 and Urinary Impact Questionnaire-7 scores were significantly improved postoperatively (26.27 vs. 13.39, and 19.13 vs. 6.05, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of de novo urinary incontinence after colpocleisis was very low. Patients' quality of life, and low urinary tract symptoms were significantly improved after colpocleisis.

Assessment of the correlation between supracrestal gingival tissue dimensions and other periodontal phenotypes components via the digital registration method: a cross­sectional study in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Supracrestal gingival tissue dimensions (SGTDs) has been considered to be an essential element of periodontal phenotype (PP) components. This study aimed to explore the relationship between SGTDs and other PP components by digital superposition method that integrated cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with intraoral scanning. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Stomatology Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Participants were recruited based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data obtained from the digital scanner (TRIOS 3, 3Shape, Denmark) and CBCT images were imported into the TRIOS software (Implant Studio, 3Shape, Denmark) for computing relevant parameters. The significant level was set at 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 83 participants with 498 maxillary anterior teeth were finally included. The mean values of supracrestal gingival height (SGH) and the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the crest of the alveolar ridge (CEJ-ABC) on the buccal site were significantly higher than palatal SGH (SGH-p) and palatal CEJ-ABC (CEJ-ABC-p). Men exhibited taller CEJ-ABC and SGH-p than women. Additionally, tooth type was significantly associated with the SGH, SGH-p and CEJ-ABC-p. Taller SGH was associated with wider crown, smaller papilla height (PH), flatter gingival margin, thicker bone thickness (BT) and gingival thickness (GT) at CEJ, the alveolar bone crest (ABC), and 2 mm apical to the ABC. Smaller SGH-p displayed thicker BT and GT at CEJ, the ABC, and 2 and 4 mm apical to the ABC. Higher CEJ-ABC showed lower interproximal bone height, smaller PH, flatter gingival margin, thinner GT and BT at CEJ, and 2 mm apical to the ABC. Smaller CEJ-ABC-p displayed thicker BT at CEJ and 2 and 4 mm apical to the ABC. On the buccal, thicker GT was correlated with thicker BT at 2 and 4 mm below the ABC. CONCLUSION: SGTDs exhibited a correlation with other PP components, especially crown shape, gingival margin and interdental PH. The relationship between SGTDs and gingival and bone phenotypes depended on the apico-coronal level evaluated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of Stomatology Hospital of Fujian Medical University (approval no. 2023-24).

Interleukin-4 from curcumin-activated OECs emerges as a central modulator for increasing M2 polarization of microglia/macrophage in OEC anti-inflammatory activity for functional repair of spinal cord injury.

Microglia/macrophages are major contributors to neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) injury and exhibit either pro- or anti-inflammatory phenotypes in response to specific microenvironmental signals. Our latest in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that curcumin-treated olfactory ensheathing cells (aOECs) can effectively enhance neural survival and axonal outgrowth, and transplantation of aOECs improves the neurological outcome after spinal cord injury (SCI). The therapeutic effect is largely attributed to aOEC anti-inflammatory activity through the modulation of microglial polarization from the M1 to M2 phenotype. However, very little is known about what viable molecules from aOECs are actively responsible for the switch of M1 to M2 microglial phenotypes and the underlying mechanisms of microglial polarization. Herein, we show that Interleukin-4 (IL-4) plays a leading role in triggering the M1 to M2 microglial phenotype, appreciably decreasing the levels of M1 markers IL­1ß, IL­6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and elevating the levels of M2 markers Arg-1, TGF-ß, IL-10, and CD206. Strikingly, blockade of IL-4 signaling by siRNA and a neutralizing antibody in aOEC medium reverses the transition of M1 to M2, and the activated microglia stimulated with the aOEC medium lacking IL-4 significantly decreases neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. In addition, transplantation of aOECs improved the neurological function deficits after SCI in rats. More importantly, the crosstalk between JAK1/STAT1/3/6-targeted downstream signals and NF-κB/SOCS1/3 signaling predominantly orchestrates IL-4-modulated microglial polarization event. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of aOECs driving the M1-to-M2 shift of microglia and shed light on new therapies for SCI through the modulation of microglial polarization.

Synergistic effect of hydrothermal sludge and food waste in the anaerobic co-digestion process: microbial shift and dewaterability.

While thermal hydrolysis technology is commonly employed for sewage sludge treatment in extensive wastewater treatment facilities, persistent challenges remain, including issues such as ammonia-induced digestive inhibition and reduced productivity stemming from nutrient deficiency within the hydrothermal sludge. In this study, the effects of hydrothermal sludge-to-food waste mixing ratios and fermentation temperatures on anaerobic co-digestion were systematically investigated through a semi-continuous experiment lasting approximately 100 days. The results indicated that anaerobic co-digestion of hydrothermal sludge and food waste proceeded synergistically at any mixing ratio, and the synergistic effect is mainly attributed to the improvement of carbohydrate removal and digestive system stability. However, thermophilic digestion did not improve the anaerobic performance and methane yield. On the contrary, mesophilic digestion performed better in terms of organic matter removal, especially in the utilization of soluble carbohydrates, soluble proteins, and VFAs. Microbial community analysis revealed that the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion prompts changes in the methane-producing pathways. Specifically, the transition entails a gradual shift from pathways involving acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis to a singular hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway. This shift is driven by thermodynamic tendencies, as reflected in Gibbs free energy, as well as environmental factors like ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids. Lastly, it is worth noting that the introduction of food waste did lead to a reduction in cake solids following dewatering. Nevertheless, it was observed that thermophilic digestion had a positive impact on dewatering performance.

Efficacy and safety of transvaginal mesh repair in a cohort with a minimum of 10-year follow-up.

Although transvaginal mesh (TVM) repair is no longer used in some countries, long-term outcomes after TVM surgery are of great importance globally. However, reports with follow-up >10 years are limited. Thus, this study aimed to report outcomes in a prospective cohort with at least 10 years of follow-up. Women with stage III-IV symptomatic prolapse were approached consecutively from 2008 to 2013 at one tertiary hospital. The main outcome measure was symptomatic failure. Secondary outcomes included anatomic failure, recurrence, patient satisfaction, complications, and reoperation. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to estimate the cumulative failure rate. Of the 121 patients enrolled in the study, 103 (85.1%) completed a median follow-up of 11 years. The estimated probability rates of symptomatic and anatomic failure were 17.6% and 8.8% in 11 years, respectively. The estimated incidence of symptomatic failure increased by 8.2% between 5 and 11 years; however, the corresponding rate for anatomic failure was 3.7%. The most common complication was vaginal mesh exposure, and its estimated probability increased from 19.3% to 28.4% from 5 to 11 years, respectively. Office trimming resolved 80.0% of vaginal exposures. These patients did not report decreased overall satisfaction. Patients with vaginal mesh exposure requiring>3 office procedures or mesh removal in the operating room (5.8% by 11 years) had lower satisfaction rates (P<0.01) and were defined as having severe mesh exposure. The rates of postoperative pain, reoperation, and Patient Global Impression of Improvement ⩾2 were 2.5%, 3.3%, and 94.2%, respectively. The results of this study implied that TVM treatment gradually increased the symptomatic failure rate but provided durable anatomical support of the vaginal wall. Vaginal mesh exposure was common in women who were largely not sexually active; however, 80% of the cases could be managed in the outpatient clinic, which did not affect patient satisfaction.

Correlation between peri-implant bone mineral density and primary implant stability based on artificial intelligence classification.

Currently, the classification of bone mineral density (BMD) in many research studies remains rather broad, often neglecting localized changes in BMD. This study aims to explore the correlation between peri-implant BMD and primary implant stability using a new artificial intelligence (AI)-based BMD grading system. 49 patients who received dental implant treatment at the Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology of Fujian Medical University were included. Recorded the implant stability quotient (ISQ) after implantation and the insertion torque value (ITV). A new AI-based BMD grading system was used to obtain the distribution of BMD in implant site, and the bone mineral density coefficients (BMDC) of the coronal, middle, apical, and total of the 1 mm site outside the implant were calculated by model overlap and image overlap technology. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between primary implant stability and BMDC values obtained from the new AI-based BMD grading system. There was a significant positive correlation between BMDC and ISQ value in the coronal, middle, and total of the implant (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between BMDC and ISQ values in the apical (P > 0.05). Furthermore, BMDC was notably higher at implant sites with greater ITV (P < 0.05). BMDC calculated from the new AI-based BMD grading system could more accurately present the BMD distribution in the intended implant site, thereby providing a dependable benchmark for predicting primary implant stability.

Effects and mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles induced cardiovascular injury.

BACKGROUND: The outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) have long been acknowledged for their crucial role in the initiation of periodontitis. However, the implications of P. gingivalis OMVs in the context of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to clarify both the impact and the underlying mechanisms through which P. gingivalis OMVs contribute to the propagation of distal cardiovascular inflammation and trauma. METHODS: In this study, various concentrations (0, 1.25, 2.5, and 4.5 µg/µL) of P. gingivalis OMVs were microinjected into the common cardinal vein of zebrafish larvae at 48 h post-fertilization (hpf) to assess changes in cardiovascular injury and inflammatory response. Zebrafish larvae from both the PBS and the 2.5 µg/µL injection cohorts were harvested at 30 h post-injection (hpi) for transcriptional analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was employed to evaluate relative gene expression. RESULTS: These findings demonstrated that P. gingivalis OMVs induced pericardial enlargement in zebrafish larvae, caused vascular damage, increased neutrophil counts, and activated inflammatory pathways. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed the involvement of the immune response and the extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction signaling pathway in this process. CONCLUSION: This study illuminated potential mechanisms through which P. gingivalis OMVs contribute to CVD. It accentuated their involvement in distal cardiovascular inflammation and emphasizes the need for further research to comprehensively grasp the connection between periodontitis and CVD.

Changes in vegetation in China's drylands are closely related to afforestation compared with climate change.

The response of vegetation to climate change and human activities has attracted considerable attention. However, quantitative studies on the effects of climate change and human activities on dryland vegetation in different seasons remain unclear. This study investigated the impacts of precipitation, temperature, soil water storage (SWS) (top [0-7 cm], shallow [7-28 cm], and middle [28-100 cm] layers), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and afforestation on vegetation as well as their relative contribution rates during the rainy season ([RS], June to September), dry season ([DS], November to April), transition season ([TS], May and October), and all year period (AY) in China's drylands from 2001 to 2020 using the first-difference method. Areas with precipitation and SWS showing significant positive correlation with dryland vegetation (p < 0.05) were found to be larger in RS than in DS and TS, and the positive effect of SWS increased with soil depth in the 0-28 cm interval. Increasing VPD induced a significant negative effect on vgetation during RS but it was not predominant in DS and TS. Afforestation showed an extremely significant positive correlated with dryland vegetation across >60 % of China's dryland areas (p < 0.01), but this improvement was found to be limited to regions with the highest afforestation area. Moreover, dryland vegetation dynamics were driven by afforestation in all seasons, with contribution rates of 64.23 %-71.46 %. The effects of SWS and VPD on vegetation driven by precipitation and temperature exceeded the direct effects of precipitation and temperature. Among climatic factors, VPD showed a major regulating effect on dryland vegetation at the top and shallow soil layers in almost all seasons, whereas the relative contribution rate of SWS increased with soil layer. The findings can provide a scientific reference for the sustainable development and protection of drylands under global warming.

Impact of Cadmium Contamination on Fertilizer Value and Associated Health Risks in Different Soil Types Following Anaerobic Digestate Application.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in the soil potentially hampers microbial biomass and adversely affects their services such as decomposition and mineralization of organic matter. It can reduce nitrogen (N) metabolism and consequently affect plant growth and physiology. Further, Cd accumulation in plants can pose health risks through vegetable consumption. Here, we investigated consequences of Cd contamination on fertilizer value and associated health risks following the application of biogas residues (BGR) to various soil types. Our results indicate that the application of BGR to all soil types significantly increased dry matter (DM) yield and N uptake. However, the Cd contamination negatively affected DM yield and N recovery from BGR in a dose-dependent manner. Organic N mineralization from BGR also decreased in Cd-contaminated soils. The highest DM yield and N recovery were recorded in sandy soil, whereas the lowest values were observed in clay soil. Cadmium was accumulated in spinach, and health risk index (HRI) associated with its dietary intake revealed that consuming spinach grown in Cd-contaminated soil, with or without BGR, is unsafe. Among the soil types, values of daily intake of metals (DIM) and HRI were lowest in clay soil and highest in sandy soil. However, the application of BGR curtailed HRI across all soil types. Notably, the application of BGR alone resulted in HRI values < 1, which are under the safe limit. We conclude that soil contamination with Cd reduces fertilizer value and entails implications for human health. However, the application of BGR to the soil can decrease Cd effects.

Demineralized dentin matrix promotes gingival healing in alveolar ridge preservation of premolars extracted for orthodontic reason: a split-mouth study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) in decreasing the initial inflammatory response of the gingiva and facilitating the repair and regeneration of soft tissue in alveolar ridge preservation. Methods: This clinical study employed a split-mouth design. Fourteen patients with a total of forty-four sites underwent extraction and alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) procedures. A Bilaterally symmetrical extraction operation were conducted on the premolars of each patient. The experimental group received DDM as a graft material for ARP, while the control group underwent natural healing. Within the first month postoperatively, the pain condition, color, and swelling status of the extraction sites were initially assessed at different time points Subsequently, measurements were taken for buccal gingival margin height, buccal-lingual width, extraction socket contour, and the extraction socket area and healing rate were digitally measured. Additionally, Alcian Blue staining was used for histological evaluation of the content during alveolar socket healing. Results: Both groups experienced uneventful healing, with no adverse reactions observed at any of the extraction sites. The differences in VAS pain scores between the two groups postoperatively were not statistically significant. In the early stage of gingival tissue healing (3 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in gingival condition and buccal gingival margin height between the two groups. In the later stage of gingival tissue healing (7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in buccal-lingual width, extraction socket healing area, and healing rate between the two groups. Furthermore, the histological results from Alcian Blue staining suggested that the experimental group may play a significant role in promoting gingival tissue healing, possibly by regulating inflammatory responses when compared to the control group. Conclusion: The application of DDM in alveolar ridge preservation has been found to diminish initial gingival inflammation after tooth extraction. Additionally, it has shown the ability to accelerate early gingival soft tissue healing and preserve its anatomical contour. Clinical trial registration: chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100050650.

Progress in the application of graphene and its derivatives to osteogenesis.

As bone and joint injuries from various causes become increasingly prominent, how to effectively reconstruct and repair bone defects presents a difficult problem for clinicians and researchers. In recent years, graphene and its derivatives have been the subject of growing body of research and have been found to promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. This provides a new idea for solving the clinical problem of bone defects. However, as as numerous articles address various aspects and have not been fully systematized, there is an urgent need to classify and summarize them. In this paper, for the first time, the effects of graphene and its derivatives on stem cells in solution, in 2D and 3D structures and in vivo and their possible mechanisms are reviewed, and the cytotoxic effects of graphene and its derivatives were summarized and analyzed. The toxicity of graphene and its derivatives is further reviewed. In addition, we suggest possible future development directions of graphene and its derivatives in bone tissue engineering applications to provide a reference for further clinical application.