Jitter solution in parameter identification based on cross-time scale fusion algorithm of lithium-ion batteries.

Accurate state-of-charge (SOC) estimation is the core index of battery management system (BMS). When the battery equivalent circuit model (ECM) identifies the parameters under complex operating conditions, there is more jitter or even divergence, which will affect the estimation accuracy of battery SOC. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new algorithm, namely the cross time scale fusion (CTSF) algorithm. Firstly, the cross-time scales Δt1 and Δt2 are determined, the number of cross-time cycles is calculated according to the total amount of complex operating condition data N. Then the ECM parameters are identified in Δt1 by using forgetting factor recursive least square (FFRLS), and the battery SOC is estimated in Δt2 based on the identified parameters, finally the battery parameters are identified and the SOC is estimated by cycling in the cross-time. The experimental results show that, no matter at the same temperature in different conditions or at different temperatures in the same condition, The proposed algorithm not only effectively solves the ECM parameter identification jitter problem, but also improves the accuracy of SOC estimation, the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) minimum of SOC result is 1.42% for different operating conditions at the same temperature and 0.25% for different temperatures at the same operating conditions, respectively.

One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with an iliac flap: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: One-stage jaw reconstruction with fibular flap and prosthetic rehabilitation restores bony and dental continuity simultaneously. It was also called as "jaw-in-a-day (JIAD)" technique. However, bone volume and height of fibular flap may be insufficient for dental implant insertion. The provision of a considerable amount of bone makes an iliac flap the ideal choice in these cases. We present the first case report to document the use of one-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap. CASE PRESENTATION: We modified the conventional JIAD workflow to make it suitable for iliac flap. Two cases were presented who both underwent segmental mandibulectomy for ameloblastoma. Virtual surgical planning was performed in all cases. The iliac crest was positioned upward to provide cortical bone for achieving primary stability of dental implants. Similar to the "all-on-4" procedure, the iliac bone was placed 12 to 15 mm below the occlusal plane to create adequate space for the implant-retained prosthesis. Immediate implant-based dental rehabilitation was performed at same stage. The surgery was successful in all cases without any short-term complications. In the first postoperative week, patients were given a liquid diet through a nasal feeding tube. The liquid diet is advised until 1 month after the surgery. Thereafter, a soft diet is recommended. Patients were advised to resume routine mastication and normal diet 3 months after the surgery. Peri-implantitis occurred in one patient, and additional gingival graft was required. Postoperative function and esthetics were satisfactory at the last follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap are safe and useful for restoring postoperative function and esthetics. It should be used in more cases with a longer follow-up in further studies.

A comparison of accuracy among different approaches of static-guided implant placement in patients treated with mandibular reconstruction: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the accuracy of immediate intraoral, immediate extraoral, and delayed dental implant placement with surgical guides (static computer-aided implant surgery) in patients treated with mandibular reconstruction. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. The patients were divided into three groups: immediate intraoral placement (IIO), immediate extraoral placement (IEO), and delayed placement (DEL). Four variables were used to compare the planned and actual implant positions: angular deviation, three-dimensional (3D) deviation at the entry point of the implant, 3D deviation at the apical point of the implant, and depth deviation. RESULTS: The angular deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .05) groups. The 3D deviation at the entry point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .01) groups. The 3D deviation at the apical point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .01) and DEL (p < .01) groups. The depth deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .05) groups. There was no statistical difference between the IEO and DEL group in angular and 3D deviation. CONCLUSION: With surgical guides, among the different approaches for implant placement, delayed implant placement remains the most accurate approach for patients treated with mandibular reconstruction.

The accuracy of dynamic computer assisted implant surgery in fully edentulous jaws: A retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of implant placement using a dynamic navigation system in fully edentulous jaws and to analyze the influence of implant distribution on implant position accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Edentulous patients who received implant placement using a dynamic navigation system were included. Four to six mini screws were placed in the edentulous jaw under local anesthesia as fiducial markers. Then patients received CBCT scans. Virtual implant positions were designed in the planning software based on CBCT data. Under local anesthesia, implants were inserted under the guidance of the dynamic navigation system. CBCTs were taken following implant placement. The deviation between the actual and planned implant positions was measured by comparing the pre- and postsurgery CBCT. RESULTS: A total of 13 edentulous patients with 13 edentulous maxillae and 7 edentulous mandibles were included, and 108 implants were placed. The average linear deviations at the implant entry point and apex were 1.08 ± 0.52 mm and 1.15 ± 0.60 mm, respectively. The average angular deviation was 2.85 ± 1.20°. No significant difference was detected in linear and angular deviations between the maxillary and mandibular implants, neither between the anterior and posterior implants. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamic navigation system provides high accuracy for implant placement in fully edentulous jaws, while the distribution of the implants showed little impact on implant position accuracy.

A novel necroptosis-related lncRNA based signature predicts prognosis and response to treatment in cervical cancer.

Background: Necroptosis has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the prognosis prediction and assessment of treatment outcome in cancers, including cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential prognostic value of necroptosis-related lncRNAs and their relationship with immune microenvironment and response to treatment in cervical cancer. Methods: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were collected to obtain synthetic data matrices. Necroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified by Pearson Correlation analysis. Univariate Cox and multivariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso regression were used to construct a necroptosis-related LncRNAs signature. Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram, and calibration curves analysis were performed to validate this signature. Gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA), immunoassays, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were also analyzed. Results: Initially, 119 necroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified based on necroptosis-related genes and differentially expressed lncRNAs between normal and cervical cancer samples. Then, a prognostic risk signature consisting of five necroptosis-related lncRNAs (DDN-AS1, DLEU1, RGS5, RUSC1-AS1, TMPO-AS1) was established by Cox regression analysis, and LASSO regression techniques. Based on this signature, patients with cervical cancer were classified into a low- or high-risk group. Cox regression confirmed this signature as an independent prognostic predictor with an AUC value of 0.789 for predicting 1-year OS. A nomogram including signature, age, and TNM stage grade was then established, and showed an AUC of 0.82 for predicting 1-year OS. Moreover, GSEA analysis showed that immune-related pathways were enriched in the low-risk group; immunoassays showed that most immune cells, ESTIMAT scores and immune scores were negatively correlated with risk score and that the expression of immune checkpoint-proteins (CD27, CD48, CD200, and TNFRSF14) were higher in the low-risk group. In addition, patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to Rucaparib, Navitoclax and Crizotinib than those in the high-risk group. Conclusion: We established a novel necroptosis-related lncRNA based signature to predict prognosis, tumor microenvironment and response to treatment in cervical cancer. Our study provides clues to tailor prognosis prediction and individualized immunization/targeted therapy strategies.

Emerging Therapeutic Strategies of Different Immunotherapy Approaches Combined with PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade in Cervical Cancer.

Currently, therapeutic methods for advanced and recurrent cervical cancer patients are limited and unsatisfactory. Immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. However, its investigation and application in cervical cancer remain slow. Although pembrolizumab is a remarkable milestone as the first anti-PD-1 mAb approved by the FDA for treating cervical cancer, it shows relatively low response rate. It is noticed that multiple novel immune checkpoints have emerged in recent years, such as CTLA-4, TIGIT, LAG-3, TIM-3, and A2AR. Accumulated studies have suggested that strategies combining the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and different immunotherapies or biotherapies could enhance the antitumor efficacy in human cancers. In this review article, we provide an overview of anti-PD-1/PD-L1-based immunotherapy in cervical cancer treatment. We further summarize the developmental strategies of different immunotherapies or biotherapies combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade for treating cervical cancer. We also discuss how these new combined therapies increase the therapeutic benefit gained from experimental evidence in cervical cancer.

Effect of Dental Rehabilitation on Masticatory Function Following Jaw Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of dental implant rehabilitation on masticatory function following jaw reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who received dental rehabilitation after jaw reconstruction with a fibular or iliac bone flap from 2012 to 2018 were examined for masticatory efficiency, electromyographic (EMG) activity of the masticatory muscles, and the distribution of occlusal force. The masticatory efficiency was measured by a spectrophotometer. The asymmetry index of the masticatory muscle was calculated by EMG measurement, and the asymmetry index of the occlusal force was calculated by T-scan analysis. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients were examined, 13 with implant-retained fixed dental prostheses, 9 with implant-retained removable dental prostheses, and 10 with removable dental prostheses. Masticatory efficiency was significantly lower in the removable dental prosthesis group (2.29 ± 0.19) than in the implant-retained removable dental prosthesis (2.45 ± 0.03, P < .05) and implant-retained fixed dental prosthesis groups (2.45 ± 0.03, P < .05). Moreover, the asymmetry index of the masticatory muscle while chewing and clenching was significantly higher in the removable dental prosthesis group (0.099 ± 0.046 and 0.107 ± 0.042, respectively) than in the implant-retained removable dental prosthesis (0.032 ± 0.019 and 0.035 ± 0.021, respectively; P < .01) and implant-retained fixed dental prosthesis groups (0.038 ± 0.021 and 0.046 ± 0.023, respectively; P < .01). The asymmetry index of the occlusal force was also significantly higher in the removable dental prosthesis group than in the implant-retained removable dental prosthesis (0.38 ± 0.08, P < .01) and implant-retained fixed dental prosthesis groups (0.36 ± 0.11, P < .05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that dental implant prostheses have a greater effect on masticatory function following jaw reconstruction, improving masticatory efficiency, EMG activity of the masticatory muscles, and occlusal force.

Investigation of the electromagnetic characteristics and operating performance of a bidirectional PM excited machine.

This paper presents a study of bidirectional permanent magnet excited machine (BPMEM) based on the study of field-modulation permanent magnetic gear machine (FPGM). The BPMEM structure includes the installation of consequent-pole permanent magnets (PMs) on both the stator and rotor sides of the FPGM so that the stator and rotor can be bidirectionally excited to increase the working airgap flux density amplitude, reduce the flux leakage between poles, and increase the torque density. Therefore, the paper first analysis the influence of different airgap structures and PM arrangements on the airgap flux density and studies the winding slot-pole combination and the resulting working flux density harmonics to analyse the electromagnetic torque generation mechanism. By using the finite element analysis (FEA), the quantitative analysis and comparison of the FPGM, slot-wedge-less FPGM (SWL-FPGM), consequent-pole FPGM (CP-FPGM) and BPMEM verify the superiority of BPMEM in improving electromagnetic torque. In addition, the paper also studies the key performance of BPMEM's overload capacity, power factor and flux-weakening capability. Finally, no-load and independent load experiments are carried out on the FPGM prototype to verify the correctness of the FEA model and analysis method of the machine in this paper.

Reversal of the intrusion of a natural tooth located between two implant-supported crowns: A 7-year follow-up report.

In patients with implant-supported restorations, intrusion rarely occurs in nonconnected natural teeth. This clinical report describes the intrusion of a natural tooth located between 2 implant-supported crowns after 4 months of normal function. The second premolar was intruded by 3 mm. The intrusion was completely reversed after interproximal contact adjustments, and the tooth position was stable at the 7-year follow-up.

A New HPV score System Predicts the Survival of Patients With Cervical Cancers.

Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection is confirmed as the major cause of cervical cancer. According to the HPV infection status, cervical cancer could be generalized as following three subgroups: HPV-negative, pure HPV-infection, and HPV-integration. Currently, the impact of HPV status on cervical cancer prognosis remains under dispute. Therefore, we explored the potential correlation between HPV status and the clinical outcome of cervical cancer, by establishing a robust prognostic predicting model based on a cervical cancer cohort using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We performed an iCluster algorithm incorporating DNA copy number variation, SNP, DNA methylation, mRNA expression, and miRNA expression profile together and classified the cohort into three clusters. According to defined clusters, we established an HPV score system by weighing resultant gene alterations through random forest and COX models. This prediction tool could help to identify cervical cancer prognosis through evaluating individual HPV infection status and subsequent genetic modification, which might provide insights into HPV-related gene driven cervical cancer treatment strategies, yet its predictive power and robustness need to be further verified with independent cohorts.

The Effectiveness of Waist-Shaped and Straight-Shaped Interdental Brushes in Cleaning Implant Overdenture Attachments: A Self-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Elderly patients often find it challenging to remove plaque accumulated on the attachments of implant overdentures (IODs) using conventional cleaning instruments. Further, excessive plaque accumulation can lead to peri-implant diseases and occasionally to respiratory diseases. Therefore, here, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of waist-shaped interdental brushes (WIBs) with that of straight-shaped interdental brushes (SIBs) in plaque removal from the locator attachments of IODs. Twenty participants with 2 locator attachments retaining mandibular IODs participated in this study. After the baseline cleaning, the participants refrained from oral hygiene maintenance for 3 days. A dentist cleaned 1 of the attachments using the WIB and the other attachment using the SIB. The pre- and post-cleaning modified plaque index (mPLI) scores were recorded. After another 3 days free from oral hygiene maintenance, the trained participants repeated the same cleaning procedure using the WIB and SIB. Pre- and post-cleaning mPLI scores were recorded. Regardless of the type of brush used, the post-cleaning mPLI scores were lower than the pre-cleaning scores. After the cleaning procedure, the overall mean mPLI score was lower in the WIB group than in the SIB group. The post-cleaning mPLI scores at the line angles and on the axial surfaces of the attachments were also lower in the WIB group than in the SIB group. There was no difference in the cleaning effectiveness between the dentist and participants when they used the same type of interdental brush. The WIB was significantly more efficient in plaque removal than the SIB, especially at the line-angle sites.

Heterodimeric BMP-2/7 exhibits different osteoinductive effects in human and murine cells.

As robust osteoinductive cytokines, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play a significant role in bone tissue engineering. Constituted of two different polypeptides, heterodimeric BMPs are more effective than the homodimers in bone formation. While most studies focused on the murine cell lines, such as murine preosteoblasts MC3T3-E1, the role of heterodimeric BMPs in the osteogenic differentiation of human cells remains uncertain, which hinders their application to practical treatment. In this study, we compared the osteoinductive effects of BMP-2/7 heterodimer in human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) with their homodimers BMP-2 and BMP-7, in which MC3T3-E1 cells were utilized as a positive control. The results indicated that BMP-2/7 was not a stronger inducer during the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs as that for MC3T3-E1, and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase signaling played a role in the different effects of BMP-2/7 between hASCs and MC3T3-E1. Our study demonstrates the osteoinductive effects of heterodimeric BMP-2/7 present in a cell-specific pattern and cautions should be taken when applying heterodimeric BMP-2/7 to clinical practice.

Human adipose-derived stem cells and simvastatin-functionalized biomimetic calcium phosphate to construct a novel tissue-engineered bone.

To repair bone defects, we evaluate the in-vitro and in-vivo osteogenic activities of a novel tissue-engineered bone (TEB) by elaborately combining biomimetic calcium phosphate (BioCaP) granules with internally-incorporated simvastatin (SIM) and human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). First, we constructed BioCaP with SIM internally incorporated (SIM-BioCaP). Then we characterized the morphology and chemical composition of SIM-BioCaP. The release kinetics of SIM was monitored in vitro spectroscopically. Thereafter, we explored the in-vitro cellular responses of hASCs to SIM-BioCaP by performing scanning electron microscopy observation, proliferation assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, alizarin red staining and real-time PCR. Finally, we investigated the in-vivo osteogenic activities of the novel TEB in a subcutaneous bone induction model in nude mice. We found that SIM was successfully incorporated internally in BioCaP and showed a slow release manner without significantly affecting the attachment and proliferation of hASCs. The released SIM from BioCaP could significantly enhance the proliferation, ALP activities, mineralized nodules formation and osteogenic genes of hASCs. The in-vivo tests showed this TEB could induce new bone formation while the other groups could not. Taken together, the present data show that this novel TEB represented a very promising construct to treat critical-volume bone defects.

Biodegradation and tissue integration of various polyethylene glycol matrices: a comparative study in rabbits.

OBJECTIVES: To test whether or not chemical and/or physical modifications of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels influence degradation time, matrix/membrane stability, and integration into surrounding hard and soft tissues. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 28 rabbits, six treatment modalities were randomly applied to six sites on the rabbit skull: a dense network PEG hydrogel (PEG HD), a medium-dense network PEG hydrogel (PEG MD), a medium-dense network PEG hydrogel modified with an RGD sequence (PEG MD/RGD), a medium-dense network PEG hydrogel modified with RGD with reduced carboxymethyl cellulose (PEG MD/RGD_LV), a loose network PEG hydrogel modified with RGD (PEG LD/RGD), and a collagen membrane (BG). Descriptive histology and histomorphometry were performed at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. RESULTS: PEG HD revealed the highest percentage of residual matrix at all time points starting with 47.2% (95% CI: 32.8-63.8%) at 1 week and ending with 23.4% (95% CI: 10.3-49.8%) at 6 weeks. The hydrogel with the loosest network (PEG LD/RGD) was stable the first 2 weeks and then degraded continuously with a final area of 8.3% (95% CI: 3.2-21.2%). PEG HD was the most stable and densely stained membrane, whereas PEG MD and PEG LD matrices integrated faster, but started to degrade to a higher degree between 2 and 4 weeks. PEG MD degradation was dependent on the addition of RGD and the amount of CMC. CONCLUSIONS: Chemical and/or physical modifications of PEG hydrogels influenced matrix stability. PEG MD/RGD demonstrated an optimal balance between degradation time and integration into the surrounding soft and hard tissues.

Guided bone regeneration and abutment connection augment the buccal soft tissue contour: 3-year results of a prospective comparative clinical study.

AIM: To test whether implant placement with simultaneous guided bone regeneration (GBR) differs from implant placement without GBR regarding the change in marginal mucosal contour. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 28 patients, single implants were placed >4 months after tooth extraction. Eighteen implants were completely surrounded by native bone, and no bone augmentation was performed. At 10 implant sites, bone defects and thin bone plates were grafted with deproteinized bovine-derived bone mineral and covered with collagen membrane. Impressions were taken prior to implant placement (baseline), at 3 months before abutment connection, at 6 months immediately after crown insertion, at 1 year, and at 3 years. Models were optically scanned and 3D images were superimposed for the evaluation of mucosal contour changes at the mid-buccal aspect. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test was applied to detect differences. RESULTS: From baseline to 6 months, horizontal contour change at the level 1 and 2 mm apical to the mucosal margin measured 0.65 ± 0.74 mm and 0.55 ± 0.56 mm at sites without GBR, and 1.92 ± 0.87 mm and 1.76 ± 0.70 mm at sites with GBR (P < 0.05). In the period from baseline to 1 year, the corresponding values amounted to 0.81 ± 0.67 mm and 0.60 ± 0.55 mm in the group without GBR, and to 1.81 ± 0.86 mm and 1.37 ± 0.62 mm in the group with GBR (P < 0.05). From baseline to 6 months, mucosal margin moved 0.16 ± 0.49 mm in the coronal direction in the group without GBR and 0.82 ± 0.65 mm in the group with GBR (P < 0.05). In the period from baseline to 1 year, vertical change of mucosal margin amounted to 0.64 ± 0.54 mm in the group without GBR and to 1.17 ± 0.53 mm in the GBR group (P < 0.05). From 1 to 3 years, the mucosal contours remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Implant placement with simultaneous GBR resulted in more gain of buccal soft tissue contour in comparison with implant placement without GBR. Abutment connection increased the contour of the marginal mucosa at the augmented and the nonaugmented sites. GBR procedure contributed more to the contour gain than did the abutment connection. The augmented and the nonaugmented ridges exhibited stable peri-implant mucosal contour over a 3-year period.

Osteoinductive Effects of Free and Immobilized Bone Forming Peptide-1 on Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

Most synthetic polymeric materials currently used for bone tissue engineering lack specific signals through which cells can identify and interact with the surface, resulting in incompatibility and compromised osteogenic activity. Soluble inductive factors also have issues including a short half-live in vivo. Bone forming peptide-1 is a truncated peptide from the immature form of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) that displays higher osteogenic activity than full-length, mature BMP-7. In this study, we used a mussel-inspired immobilization strategy mediated by polymerization of dopamine to introduce recently discovered stimulators of bone forming peptide-1 (BFP-1) onto the surface of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) substrate to form a biomaterial that overcomes these challenges. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs), being abundant and easy accessible, were used to test the osteogenic activity of BFP-1 and the novel biomaterial. Under osteoinductive conditions, cells treated with both BFP-1 alone and BFP-1-coated biomaterials displayed elevated expression of the osteogenic markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC), and RUNX2. Furthermore, hASCs associated with poly-dopamine-assisted BFP-1-immobilized PLGA (pDA-BFP-1-PLGA) scaffolds promoted in vivo bone formation in nude mice. Our novel materials may hold great promise for future bone tissue engineering applications.

[Ectopic osteogenesis of stromal cell-derived factor 1 combined with simvastatin-loaded collagen scaffold in vivo].

OBJECTIVE: To construct and evaluate a novel tissue-engineered bone composed of murine stromal cell-derived factor 1(mSDF-1), simvastatin (SIM) and collagen scaffold (Bio-Oss®), serving as a cell-homing approach for bone formation. METHODS: In the study, 32 ICR mice were randomly divided into 4 groups,each group including 8 mice. The drug-loaded collagen scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously onto the cranium of each mouse according to the groups: (1) 1:50 (volume ratio) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution + collagen scaffold (blank control group); (2) 10⁻³ mol/L SIM solution + collagen scaffold (SIM group); (3) 200 mg/L mSDF-1 solution + collagen scaffold (mSDF-1 group); and (4) 10® mol/L SIM +200 mg/L mSDF-1 solution + collagen scaffold (SIM + mSDF-1 group). One week after implantation, the mice were treated by injecting the same drug solution mentioned above around the scaffold once a day for two days. The specimens were harvested 6 weeks after implantation and the bone formation was evaluated by soft X-ray analysis, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining. Angiogenesis of each group was checked by calculation of vessels in each tissue section. RESULTS: Six weeks after implantation, the collagen scaffolds were retrieved. The value of gray scale for the SIM+mSDF-1 group [(421 836.5 ± 65 425.7)pixels] was significantly higher than that of the blank control group[(153 345.6 ± 45 222.2) pixels, P<0.01], the SIM group [(158 119.2 ± 100 284.2)pixels, P<0.01], and the mSDF-1 group[(255 529.5 ± 152 142.4)pixels, P<0.05]; HE staining analysis revealed that significant bone formation was achieved in the SIM + mSDF-1 group; The immunohistochemical staining showed the existence of osteopontin and osteocalcin in the SIM + mSDF-1 group; There were more vessels in the SIM+mSDF-1 group[(46 ± 8)vessels/mm²] than in the blank control group [(23 ± 7) vessels/mm2, P<0.01], and the SIM group[(24 ± 6) vessels/mm2, P<0.01]. CONCLUSION: The novel tissue-engineered bone composed of mSDF-1, SIM and collagen scaffolds has the potential to form bone subcutaneously in vivo. It represents a novel method of in vivo bone re-generation without seed cell delivery.

Application of a novel resorbable membrane in the treatment of calvarial defects in rats.

Diplen-Gam (DG) is a novel absorbable guided bone regeneration (GBR) membrane. This study was designed to evaluate the capacity of bone repair of DG compared with that of Bio-Gide (BG). Critical size defects were created in both sides of the calcarium of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats. Defects were assigned to six groups and each group was subjected to one of the following treatments: (A1) unfilled defects, (A2) Bio-Oss (BO) grafts, (B1) DG membrane, (B2) BG membrane, (C1) DG membrane + BO grafts and (C2) BG membrane + BO grafts. The animals were killed at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the operation. The defects and surrounding tissues were examined by gross observation and X-ray examination. The paraffin sections were subjected to HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining and IHC (immunohistochemistry) for bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). The X-rays showed that, at 12 weeks, the DG and BG group exhibited more new bone formation than CSD blank group did; the BG group exhibited more new bone formation than the DG group did (t = 5.240, P = 0.035), the BG + BO group showed no significant differences in bone formation compared with the DG + BO group (t = 1.246, P = 0.339). By IHC staining, BMP-2-positive results could be seen inside the DG membrane, on the surface of the new bone, and inside the new bone. It can be suggested that BG membrane achieved better effects in guided bone regeneration compared with DG membrane. No significant differences were found between the two membranes in their bone healing ability when they are used with BO. Therefore, DG membrane shows clinical effectiveness, but should be used in combination with bone substitute.

[Correlation between the phenotype and genotype of tooth agenesis patients by tooth agenesis code].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between the phenotype and genotype of tooth agenesis using the tooth agenesis code (TAC) and the traditional descriptor for missing teeth. METHODS: Patients with isolated hypodontia caused by PAX9 or MSX1 mutation reported before May 2007 were enrolled. The teeth missing rate and TAC code were recorded. The missing teeth patterns caused by the two mutations were compared. RESULTS: The teeth missing rates in each teeth positions were significantly different between maxillary and mandibular except maxillary central incisor, lateral incisor and mandibular canine, first molar (P<0.05, P<0.001). MSX1 gene mutation often led to the loss of maxillary first premolar, maxillary second premolar, and mandibular second premolar, while PAX9 gene mutation often led to the loss of the first, second, and third molars. The results were similar when analyzed either by TAC code analysis or by traditional descriptor. CONCLUSIONS: PAX9 and MSX1 gene mutation can cause different phenotypes of tooth agenesis. The TAC code can be used in the analysis of the correlation between phenotype and genotype of the missing teeth patients.