Assessment of mandibular bony healing, mandibular condyle and angulus after orthognathic surgery using fractal dimension method.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare the trabeculation changes in the bone structure observed at the mandibular osteotomy line and the mandibular condyle in patients after single and double-jaw orthognathic surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 38 patients (23 female, 15 male) who underwent mandibular surgery with bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy technique. The patients were divided into two groups according to their surgical operation: single-jaw (bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy) or double-jaw (Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy) surgery. Trabecular changes seen in mandibular osteotomy lines, mandibular condyle and mandibular angulus were evaluated on panoramic radiographs of patients (preoperative, postoperative 2nd day, postoperative 3rd month and 12th month) using fractal analysis method. Fractal dimension analysis was calculated by box counting method. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the fractal analysis values in the mandibular condyle and angulus region preoperatively, postoperative 2nd day, postoperative 3rd month and postoperative 12th month in the single jaw group. There was no statistically significant difference between the fractal analysis values in the mandibular condyle and angulus region preoperatively, postoperative 2nd day, postoperative 3rd month and postoperative 12th month in the double jaw group. A significant difference was found in fractal analysis values in osteotomy lines in both groups. The lowest value was found on the 2nd postoperative day and reached the preoperative values in the 3rd and 12th months postoperatively. Fractal analysis values didn't show significant difference between the single, double-jaw groups in all periods. CONCLUSIONS: This result suggests that the fractal analysis method can be used to evaluate trabeculation in the bone healing process of the osteotomy lines and indirectly affected areas in the postoperative period after orthognathic surgery.

Lymphomas affecting the submandibular glands.

BACKGROUND: Lymphomas affecting the submandibular glands are very uncommon and few reports are currently available in the literature. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to describe the clinical and microscopic features of an original series of lymphomas affecting the submandibular glands. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The pathology files of two institutions were searched for lymphoma cases affecting the submandibular glands. The original hematoxylin and eosin, and immunohistochemical slides were revised by a pathologist for diagnosis confirmation following the revised 4th edition of the World Health Organization classification of tumours of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Clinical data regarding age, sex, clinical manifestation, treatment, follow-up and status at last appointment were retrieved from the patients' medical charts. RESULTS: During the period investigated, 16 cases were included in the study. Females predominated (10:6) with a mean age of 57.8 years-old. Tumors usually presented as asymptomatic swellings. MALT lymphoma represented the most common subtype, followed by diffuse large B cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Three patients died, one of them affected by plasmablastic lymphoma, one by DLBCL and one by MALT lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: Low-grade B cell lymphomas predominate in the submandibular glands, but DLBCL and other subtypes may also be rarely diagnosed in this salivary gland.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma arising from areas of Graft-versus-host disease: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an immune system reaction that occurs in patients with a history of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in which the grafted donor's cells attack those of the host. The objective of this systematic review was to present a study on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) that developed from GVHD areas in patients undergoing HSCT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search was conducted in the databases PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS, MEDLINE and SCIENCE DIRECT, according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 1582 results, 23 articles were included, resulting in 81 cases. The most common underlying disease for performing the transplant was Myeloid Leukemia (55.6%). The mean age was 39 years, with a predilection for males (64.2%). The tongue was the site of GVHD that most frequently underwent transformation to SCC (59.3%). The average time between transplantation and the development of GVHD was of approximately of 8 months, while the average period of development between transplantation and the development of OSCC was of approximately of 111 months. The most common treatment to GVHD was cyclosporine associated with corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: OSCCs arising from areas of GVHD present a different evolution from conventional oral carcinomas, since they affect younger patients, smoking and alcohol are not important etiological factors and finally because they present good prognosis, but further studies with larger number cases followed are needed to confirm our findings.

Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines on the integration of spirituality into mental health clinical practice: Part 1. Spiritual history and differential diagnosis

Objectives: To present evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice regarding religiosity and spirituality in mental health care in Brazil. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify potentially eligible articles indexed in the PubMed, PsycINFO, SciELO, LILACS, and Cochrane databases. A summary of recommendations and their levels of evidence was produced in accordance with Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine guidelines. Results: The systematic review identified 6,609 articles, 41 of which satisfied all inclusion criteria. Taking a spiritual history was found to be an essential part of a compassionate and culturally sensitive approach to care. It represents a way of obtaining relevant information about the patient's religiosity/spirituality, potential conflicts that could impact treatment adherence, and improve patient satisfaction. Consistent evidence shows that reported perceptual experiences are unreliable for differentiating between anomalous experiences and psychopathology. Negative symptoms, cognitive and behavioral disorganization, and functional impairment are more helpful for distinguishing pathological and non-pathological anomalous experiences. Conclusion: Considering the importance of religiosity/spirituality for many patients, a spiritual history should be routinely included in mental health care. Anomalous experiences are highly prevalent, requiring a sensitive and evidence-based approach to differential diagnosis.

Whole systems approach to diet and healthy weight: a longitudinal process evaluation in East Scotland.

AIMS: Obesity contributes to morbidity and early mortality, affecting people of all ages and sociodemographic backgrounds. Despite attempts to address obesity, efforts to date have only had limited success. Adopting a whole systems approach (WSA) may potentially address obesity and emphasise complex inter-relating factors beyond individual choice. This study aimed to assess implementation of WSA to diet and healthy weight in two council areas of Scotland, longitudinally exploring enablers and barriers. One area followed a Leeds Beckett WSA model (LBM) of implementation, while the other used a hybrid model incorporating existing working systems. METHODS: To assess the process of implementing a WSA, interviews and focus groups were conducted after initiation and 1 year later. RESULTS: Main enablers included: belief in WSA effectiveness; positive relationships between key personnel; buy-in at community and national levels; funding availability; the working group responsible for coordinating the system development comprising individuals with diverse expertise; good communication; and existing governance structures. Barriers included: insufficient funding; high staff turnover; inadequate training in WSA methodology; engaging all relevant stakeholders and reverting to 'old ways' of non-WSA working. The LBM provided a framework for system setup and generating an action plan. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first independent longitudinal process evaluation of WSAs that have incorporated Leeds Beckett methodology, and offers insights into how a WSA can be implemented to address diet and healthy weight.

Trimethylsilyl Compounds for the Interfacial Stabilization of Thiophosphate-Based Solid Electrolytes in All-Solid-State Batteries.

Argyrodite-type Li6 PS5 Cl (LPSCl) has attracted much attention as a solid electrolyte for all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) because of its high ionic conductivity and good mechanical flexibility. LPSCl, however, has challenges of translating research into practical applications, such as irreversible electrochemical degradation at the interface between LPSCl and cathode materials. Even for Li-ion batteries (LIBs), liquid electrolytes have the same issue as electrolyte decomposition due to interfacial instability. Nonetheless, current LIBs are successfully commercialized because functional electrolyte additives give rise to the formation of stable cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) and solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers, leading to supplementing the interfacial stability between electrolyte and electrode. Herein, inspired by the role of electrolyte additives for LIBs, trimethylsilyl compounds are introduced as solid electrolyte additives for improving the interfacial stability between sulfide-based solid electrolytes and cathode materials. 2-(Trimethylsilyl)ethanethiol (TMS-SH), a solid electrolyte additive, is oxidatively decomposed during charge, forming a stable CEI layer. As a result, the CEI layer derived from TMS-SH suppresses the interfacial degradation between LPSCl and LiCoO2 , thereby leading to the excellent electrochemical performance of Li | LPSCl | LiCoO2 , such as superior cycle life over 2000 cycles (85.0% of capacity retention after 2000 cycles).

Operando Spatial Pressure Mapping Analysis for Prototype Lithium Metal Pouch Cells Under Practical Conditions.

Monitoring and diagnosing the battery status in real-time are of utmost importance for clarifying failure mechanism, improving battery performance, and ensuring safety, particularly under fast charging conditions. Recently, advanced operando techniques have been developed to observe changes in the microstructures of lithium deposits using laboratory-scale cell designs, focusing on understanding the nature of Li metal electrodes. However, the macroscopic spatial inhomogeneity of lithium electroplating/stripping in the prototype pressurized pouch cells has not been measured in real-time under practical conditions. Herein, a new noninvasive operando technique, spatial pressure mapping analysis, is introduced to macroscopically and quantitatively measure spatial pressure changes in a pressurized pouch cell during cycling. Moreover, dynamic spatial changes in the macroscopic morphology of the lithium metal electrode are theoretically visualized by combining operando pressure mapping data with mechanical analyses of cell components. Additionally, under fast charging conditions, the direct correlation between abrupt capacity fading and sudden increases in spatial pressure distribution inhomogeneity is demonstrated through comparative analysis of pouch cells under various external pressures, electrolyte species, and electrolyte weight to cell capacity (e/c) ratios. This operando technique provides insights for assessing the current battery status and understanding the complex origin of cell degradation behavior in pressurized pouch cells.

Assessment of bowel movement dysfunction following laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer: a single-center study from Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative bowel movement dysfunction is a challenging problem greatly affecting patients' quality of life after low anterior resection. We aimed to evaluate the bowel movement function of patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study recruited 82 rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection from July 2018 to July 2020 at 108 Military Central Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 62.3±11.6 (28-84) years, 54 (65.9%) were males, and 28 (34.1%) were females. Bowel movement function changed significantly after one year: the average score for low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) after three months, six months, and one year was 17.6, 14.0, and 10.6, respectively. The rate of patients with major LARS decreased from 26.8% after three months to 14.6% after one year. The Wexner score also decreased from 5.9 after three months to 3.4 after one year. The rate of patients with normal bowel movement increased from 28.0% after three months to 46.3% after one year. The rate of patients with complete fecal incontinence decreased from 11.0% after three months to 7.3% after one year. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (p=0.017), tumor location (p=0.02), method of anastomosis (p=0.01), and anastomosis location (p=0.000) were risk factors associated with major LARS after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel movement dysfunction in rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection is a common and persistent problem after surgery. However, bowel function gradually recovers over time. Therefore, patients should be monitored and supported for a better quality of life.

Gingival neoplasms: a multicenter collaborative study of 888 patients in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prevalence and clinicopathological features of a large series of gingival neoplasms in Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS:  All gingival benign and malignant neoplasms were retrieved from the records of six Oral Pathology Services in Brazil, during a 41-year period. Clinical and demographic data, clinical diagnosis, and histopathological data were collected from the patients' clinical charts. For statistical analysis, the chi-square, median test of independent samples and the U Mann-Whitney tests were used, considering a significance of 5%. RESULTS:  From 100,026 oral lesions, 888 (0.9%) were gingival neoplasms. There were 496 (55.9%) males, with a mean age of 54.2 years. Most cases (70.3%) were malignant neoplasms. Nodules (46.2%) and ulcers (38.9%) were the most common clinical appearance for benign and malignant neoplasms, respectively. Squamous cell carcinoma (55.6%) was the most common gingival neoplasm, followed by squamous cell papilloma (19.6%). In 69 (11.1%) malignant neoplasms, the lesions were clinically considered to be inflammatory or of infectious origin. Malignant neoplasms were more common in older men, appeared with larger size, and with a time of complaint shorter than benign neoplasms (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:  Benign and malignant tumors may appear as nodules in gingival tissue. In addition, malignant neoplasms, especially squamous cell carcinoma, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent single gingival ulcers.

Oral amyloidosis: an update.

BACKGROUND: Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the progressive deposition of abnormal proteins that can occur in any organ. In the oral cavity, the tongue is the most common affected site, usually causing macroglossia. Biopsy is essential for the diagnosis and the occurrence of its systemic form is mandatory to be investigated. This systematic review evaluated the existing information in the literature on Amyloidosis in the oral cavity to allow a more comprehensive and updated analysis of its clinicopathological characteristics, as well as to explore the main forms of treatment and prognostic factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Electronic searches were undertaken in five databases supplemented by manual scrutiny. RESULTS: A total of 111 studies were included with 158 individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The disease had a higher prevalence in women, the tongue was the most affected site, as well as the systemic form of the disease. The worst prognosis was for cases of systemic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma.

Diagnostic and treatment preferences for cracked posterior teeth.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal cracks in teeth are common and often present challenges in diagnosis and management. This study investigated the preferred diagnostic process and treatment modalities for these cracked teeth. METHODS: Dentists currently registered with Dental Board of Australia and practising within Australia were invited to complete an online Qualtrics-based survey on their perspectives on the presentations, diagnosis, and treatment preferences for cracked teeth. RESULTS: Of respondents, 56.8% chose to place an indirect cuspal-coverage restoration on an asymptomatic cracked vital tooth. When the tooth was mildly cold sensitive, direct cuspal-coverage restoration was favoured (64.9%), while 36.8% preferred placing an orthodontic band in a tooth with biting pain. Respondents had higher odds of recommending indirect restoration when CAD-CAM milling was available on-site or magnification was routinely used, regardless of presenting symptoms. Almost half (46.8%) preferred to extract if the tooth undergoing root canal treatment had a crack with a 5 mm probing pocket depth. Most (71.4%) demonstrated a poor understanding of cracked tooth biomechanics. CONCLUSION: Australian dentists varied in their diagnostic and treatment preferences for cracked teeth, reflecting a need for more well-controlled clinical studies in the diagnostic process, clinical biomechanics and treatment modalities for these teeth. © 2023 Australian Dental Association.

Assessment of oral manifestations in pediatric patients with celiac disease in relation to marsh types.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the presence of molar-incisor hypoplasia and recurrent aphthous ulcers, the level of caries experience, and oral hygiene status, and to measure salivary flow rate, salivary buffer capacity, and salivary cariogenic microflora with Marsh types. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-blind, prospective clinical study with 62 pediatric patients diagnosed with celiac disease with 64 controls. Clinical identification of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) was followed according to the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry criteria. DMFS and dfs index were used for the caries experience of each child. The clinical diagnosis of RAU was present or not. Oral hygiene was surveyed by recording the OHI-S and the CRT® Bacteria and Buffer Test was used to examine the cariogenic microflora of each child. RESULTS: The prevalence of MIH was 61% and the number of recurrent aphthous ulcers were significantly higher in children with celiac disease. There was no statistically significant difference in the CD group, when DMFS, dfs, and MIH parameters were investigated according to dietary compliance. Higher dietary compliance resulted in better oral hygiene status. There was an inverse relationship between the duration of celiac diagnosis and the presence of MIH. A positive relation was found between the duration of the disease and the severity of MIH. In addition to the higher S. mutans counts, the salivary flow rate was very low in children with celiac disease, indicating a positive correlation between poor dietary compliance and poorer oral hygiene. CONCLUSIONS: In children, enamel defects and recurrent mucosal lesions may be a sign of celiac disease. Higher numbers of dental caries in permanent teeth of children with celiac disease may be related to Marsh 2 type. The pediatricians and/or pediatric gastroenterologists should refer the chin with celiac disease to the pediatric dentist for the accurate treatment of intraoral manifestations of the disease itself.

A novel nano-formulation of olmesartan medoxomil with improved delivery and efficacy in the treatment of indomethacin-induced duodenitis in rats

There are few studies addressing duodenal inflammation. This study was designed to investigate the effects of a recently developed biotechnological product, a nano-formulation of olmesartan medoxomil (OM) - olmesartan medoxomil zeinmersomes (OMZ) - for the treatment of indomethacin-induced duodenitis in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were given indomethacin (10 mg/kg/day) for four weeks. They were divided into a positive control group (PC, untreated) and two groups treated orally with 3 mg/kg per day of OM or OMZ for the last two weeks of the 4-week indomethacin-treatment. At end of the four weeks, blood and duodenum were collected. Duodenal homogenate was used for measurement of levels of myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione (GSH), and cleaved caspase-3. Duodenal sections were stained with H&E. Gene expressions of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB p65), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) by RT-PCR, and protein expression of survivin by western blot were assessed. Plasma and duodenal olmesartan concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The duodenitis rats showed significantly higher duodenal levels of myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, IL-6, malondialdehyde, and cleaved caspase-3, a significantly lower GSH level, and histopathological alterations. Moreover, they showed upregulated gene expressions of NF-κB p65 and Bax, downregulated gene expression of Bcl-2, decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and lower protein expression of survivin. OMZ was more effective in protecting the duodenum from indomethacin-induced injuries compared to OM due to improved delivery, higher bioavailability, and better anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effects. OMZ could be a better choice for hypertensive patients with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-induced duodenitis.

Discrimination between glioblastoma and solitary brain metastasis: a quantitative analysis based on FLAIR signal intensity.

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the diagnostic performance of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) signal intensity (SI) in discriminating between glioblastoma (GBM) and solitary brain metastasis (SBM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited 40 patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of GBM or SBM who underwent conventional 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging before surgery or biopsy between August 2020 and January 2022. Three regions of interest were placed to assess FLAIR SI: the enhancing region (eFLAIR), the peritumoral region (pFLAIR), and the contralateral normal white matter (nFLAIR). The diagnostic performance of significantly different parameters between the two tumor entities was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The pFLAIR SI was significantly lower in GBM than in SBM (p < 0.05). The eFLAIR SI and the SI ratio eFLAIR and nFLAIR (e/nFLAIR) were significantly higher in GBM than in SBM (p < 0.05). On ROC curve analysis, the e/nFLAIR ratio provided the highest area under the curve value of 81%, with a sensitivity of 80.8% and a specificity of 85.7%, for distinguishing between the two tumor types. CONCLUSIONS: The eFLAIR, pFLAIR, and e/nFLAIR parameters are useful for differentiating between GBM and SBM.

Racial disparity and prognosis in patients with mouth and oropharynx cancer in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Populations in situations of social vulnerability tend to have higher incidences of cancer, a higher proportion of late diagnosis, greater difficulties in accessing health services, and, consequently, worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between race/skin color and OPC prognosis in Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study using OPC data from the National Cancer Institute between the years 2000 and 2019. The selected variables were: gender, race/skin color, age, education, smoking and alcohol consumption, stage of the disease and disease status at the end of the 1st treatment. RESULTS: 154,214 cases were recorded. Black men, in the 6th decade of life, were the most affected population. Blacks had a lower level of education when compared to non-blacks (p<0.001). Blacks were more exposed to smoking and alcohol consumption (p<0.001). At the time of diagnosis, the black population was at the most advanced stage when compared to non-blacks (p<0.001). At the end of the 1st treatment, more black patients had disease in progression, as well as more black patients died (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Blacks had a worse prognosis for OPC in Brazil. Despite the limitations, these results are important to elucidate the scenario of health disparities in relation to the race/skin color of the Brazilian population.

Soluble signal inhibitory receptor on leukocytes-1 is released from activated neutrophils by proteinase 3 cleavage

Signal inhibitory receptor on leukocytes-1 (SIRL-1) is an immune inhibitory receptor expressed on human granulocytes and monocytes which dampens antimicrobial functions. We previously showed that sputum neutrophils from infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis have decreased SIRL-1 surface expression compared to blood neutrophils, and that SIRL-1 surface expression is rapidly lost from in vitro activated neutrophils. This led us to hypothesize that activated neutrophils lose SIRL-1 by ectodomain shedding. Here, we developed an ELISA and measured the concentration of soluble SIRL-1 (sSIRL-1) in RSV bronchiolitis and hospitalized COVID-19 patients, which are both characterized by neutrophilic inflammation. In line with our hypothesis, sSIRL-1 concentration was increased in sputum compared to plasma of RSV bronchiolitis patients, and in serum of hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to control serum. In addition, we show that in vitro activated neutrophils release sSIRL-1 by proteolytic cleavage, which can be prevented by proteinase 3 inhibition. Finally, we found that SIRL-1 shedding is prevented by extracellular adherence protein (Eap) from S. aureus. Notably, we recently showed that SIRL-1 is activated by PSM3 from S. aureus, suggesting that S. aureus may counteract SIRL-1 shedding to benefit from preserved inhibitory function of SIRL-1. In conclusion, we are the first to report that SIRL-1 is released from activated neutrophils by proteinase 3 cleavage and that endogenous sSIRL-1 protein is present in vivo.

Prognostic importance of DNA from human papillomavirus in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is generally low, with the likelihood of locoregional recurrence or disease progression (LR/DP). Knowledge of prognostic factors for survival is key to achieving an understanding and increased survival. The present study aimed to identify prognostic factors for patients with OSCC, especially the presence of DNA from human papillomavirus (HPV). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study including 119 patients with OSCC treated at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico City (2009-2013). Clinical information was obtained from patient records including LR/DP. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were obtained and used for detecting DNA from different types of HPV. Potential prognostic factors for Overall Survival (OS) were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: After model adjustment, factors associated with longer OS were a pre-treatment platelet count above 400,000/mm3 (HR=0.09, p=0.026) and response to primary treatment (HR=0.26, p=0.001). HPV DNA was present in 23 (19.3%) of the patients and importantly, type 16 found in 19 of them. Although survival of HPV-positive patients was longer, difference was not significant. However, among patients with LR/DP, HPV positivity was significantly associated with increased survival (HR=0.23, p=0.034). Importantly, survival was significantly different for HPV-positive patients with LR/DP > 6 months (HR=0.20, p=0.002), had higher absolute lymphocyte count at start of treatment (HR=0.50, p=0.028) or had local rescue treatment (HR=0.24, p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Although HPV positivity was not associated with a longer OS of OSCC patients, a better prognosis was significantly associated with HPV positivity and recurring or progressing disease, particularly with HPV type 16.

Universal Solution Synthesis of Sulfide Solid Electrolytes Using Alkahest for All-Solid-State Batteries.

The wet-chemical processability of sulfide solid electrolytes (SEs) provides intriguing opportunities for all-solid-state batteries. Thus far, sulfide SEs are wet-prepared either from solid precursors suspended in solvents (suspension synthesis) or from homogeneous solutions using SEs (solution process) with restricted composition spaces. Here, a universal solution synthesis method for preparing sulfide SEs from precursors, not only Li2 S, P2 S5 , LiCl, and Na2 S, but also metal sulfides (e.g., GeS2 and SnS2 ), fully dissolved in an alkahest: a mixture solvent of 1,2-ethylenediamine (EDA) and 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) (or ethanethiol). Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations reveal that the exceptional dissolving power of EDA-EDT toward GeS2 is due to the nucleophilicity of the thiolate anions that is strong enough to dissociate the GeS bonds. Solution-synthesized Li10 GeP2 S12 , Li6 PS5 Cl, and Na11 Sn2 PS12 exhibit high ionic conductivities (0.74, 1.3, and 0.10 mS cm-1 at 30 °C, respectively), and their application for all-solid-state batteries is successfully demonstrated.

Minimally invasive surgery for intradural spinal meningioma: A new standard? A comparative study between minimally invasive and open approaches.

BACKGROUND: Some authors used minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in the treatment of spinal cord tumor, but these studies had a small sample sizes and mixed extra- and intra-medullary tumors, resulting in confounding biases. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of MIS for spinal meningioma resection in comparison with open surgery (OS). METHODS: Consecutive patients with spinal meningioma who received either MIS or OS were included. Data for extent of resection, functional outcome, postoperative morbidity and recurrence were collected. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients (with 51 spinal meningiomas) were included. Eighteen underwent MIS and 30 OS. Meningioma volume and location did not differ significantly between groups: tumors were predominantly thoracic (n=39, 76.5%) and voluminous (occupying more than 50% of the spinal canal: n=43, 84.3%). In the MIS group, patients were older (mean age: 66.5 vs. 56.4years, P=0.02) and more fragile (mean ASA score: 2.0 vs. 1.6, P=0.06). In the MIS group, the surgical procedure was shorter (mean duration: 2.07 vs. 2.56h, P=0.04), blood loss lower (mean: 252 vs. 456mL, P=0.02), and hospital stay shorter (mean: 6.6 vs. 8.1days). Surgery improved the modified McCormick scale (P<0.0001) irrespective of the surgical technique. MIS led to no significant differences in extent of resection or postoperative morbidity. Mean follow-up was 46.6 months. At last follow-up, 91.7% (n=44) of patients were free of progression; all cases of tumor progression (n=4) occurred in the OS group. CONCLUSIONS: MIS outperformed OS in the management of intradural spinal meningioma, irrespective of location and volume. MIS appears to be particularly suitable for elderly and fragile patients.

Non-grafted versus grafted sinus lift procedures for implantation in the atrophic maxilla: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to critically evaluate the currently existing clinical evidence on the efficacy of graftless maxillary sinus membrane elevation for implantation in the atrophic posterior maxilla. A search protocol without limitations to November 2020 was followed by two independent researchers. Randomized controlled trials using the lateral window approach for graftless sinus membrane elevation were included. Uncontrolled, retrospective, non-comparative studies, case reports, and experimental studies in animals or cadavers were excluded. The search identified 2777 studies. Critical selection by two independent researchers then led to the inclusion of a total of nine studies. A risk of bias assessment was applied using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. A meta-analysis was conducted for seven studies. Results showed a high overall implant survival rate in both the graftless and bone-grafted sinus lift groups (97.92% and 98.73%, respectively). The graftless sinus lift group showed a significantly lower vertical bone height gain, with a mean difference of -1.73mm (P=0.01), and a significantly lower bone density, with a mean difference of -94.7 HU (P<0.001). The implant stability quotient values did not differ significantly between the test and control groups (P=0.07).