The effects of pterygomaxillary disjunction in surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the expansive effects of pterygomaxillary disjunction (PMD) in surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) surgery using a meta-analysis approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study conducted a comprehensive literature search across five databases: PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane, adhering to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Dental alterations were assessed using either cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) or dental casts, while skeletal changes were exclusively measured from CBCT scans. We analysed the dentoskeletal changes between PMD +/- groups and conducted a within-group comparison. The primary focus of the results was on the mean differences observed in pre- and post-operative measurements. RESULTS: Dental expansion was larger in the PMD+ group but not statistically significant. Skeletal expansion showed a significantly larger expansion in the posterior region in the PMD+ group (P = .033). Without PMD, anterior palatal expansion was significantly larger (P = .03), and the buccal tipping of posterior teeth was also significantly larger (P = .011) to achieve acceptable dental expansion outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Both PMD +/- groups of SARME surgery can achieve satisfactory dental expansion outcomes. However, bone expansion and tooth inclination are also important factors that influence orthodontic treatment and post-expansion stability. By reducing the bony resistance with PMD, larger posterior palatal expansion and more parallel bony expansion are observed. In contrast, without PMD, there is smaller palatal expansion and greater tooth inclination in the posterior region. This could potentially lead to compromised periodontal conditions following expansion.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals Cilostazol's role in ameliorating cardiovascular disease: Inhibition of monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and reduction of endothelial cell reactive oxygen species production.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of death, with atherosclerosis as the primary cause. Chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and the role of molecules like nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species are crucial in this context. Our previous research indicated that cilostazol and ginkgo biloba extract could enhance the ability of endothelial cells to dissolve blood clots, but the effects of cilostazol on monocytes remain unexplored. Method: This study utilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 healthy donors, treated ex vivo with cilostazol. RNA-sequencing, over-representation analysis, xCell stromal cell analysis, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis were employed to investigate the gene expression changes and biological pathways affected by cilostazol treatment. Results: The study identified specific gene sets and pathways that were enriched or reduced in response to cilostazol treatment, providing insights into its effects on monocytes and potential therapeutic applications in CVD. The analysis also revealed the potential impact of cilostazol on the stromal cell compartment, further broadening our understanding of its multifaceted role. Conclusion: The findings offer a nuanced understanding of the advantages and mechanisms of cilostazol in CVD, uncovering novel therapeutic targets and strategies to enhance the clinical application of cilostazol and contributing to the broader implications of this therapy in cardiovascular health.

Effects of dexmedetomidine on renal microcirculation in ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury in rats.

Microcirculatory dysfunction plays a crucial role in renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR)-induced injury. Dexmedetomidine was reported to ameliorate IR-induced acute kidney injury. This study investigated the effects of dexmedetomidine on renal microcirculation after IR-induced acute kidney injury in rats. In total, 50 rats were randomly allocated to the following five groups (10 in each group): Sham, Control‒IR, Dex (dexmedetomidine) ‒Sham, Dex‒IR, and IR‒Dex group. The microcirculation parameters included total small vessel density, perfused small vessel density (PSVD), proportion of perfused small vessels, microvascular flow index, and tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) were recorded. The repeated measures analysis showed that PSVD on renal surface was higher in the Dex‒IR group than in the Control‒IR group (3.5 mm/mm2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6 to 6.4 mm/mm2, P = 0.01). At 240 min, StO2 on renal surface was lower in the Control‒IR group than in the Sham group (- 7%, 95% CI - 13 to - 1%, P = 0.021), but StO2 did not differ significantly among the Sham, Dex‒IR, and IR‒Dex groups. Our results showed that pretreatment with dexmedetomidine improved renal microcirculation in rats with IR-induced acute kidney injury. However, the adverse effects of low mean arterial pressure and heart rate might offset the protective effect of dexmedetomidine on organ injury.

Comparing effects of intraoperative fluid and vasopressor infusion on intestinal microcirculation.

Several studies have revealed that vasopressor may be more appropriate for treating intraoperative hypotension and preventing hypervolemia. This study compared the effects of vasopressor infusion and fluid supplementation on intestinal microcirculation during treating intraoperative hypotension. Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: Light Anesthesia group (LA, 0.8-1% isoflurane); Deep Anesthesia group (DA, 1.5-1.8% isoflurane); Fluid DA group (1.5-1.8% isoflurane and fluid supplementation); and Norepinephrine DA group (1.5-1.8% isoflurane and norepinephrine infusion). At 240 min, perfused small vessel density (PSVD) of the mucosa did not differ significantly between the Fluid DA and Norepinephrine DA groups [26.2 (3.2) vs 28.9 (2.5) mm/mm2, P = 0.077], and tissue oxygen saturation of the mucosa was lower in the Fluid DA groups than in the Norepinephrine DA groups [ 48 (7) vs 57 (6) %, P = 0.02]. At 240 min, TSVD and PSVD of the seromuscular layer were higher in the Norepinephrine DA group than in the Fluid DA group. Fluid administration was higher in the Fluid DA group than in the Norepinephrine DA group [66 (25) vs. 9 (5) µL/g, P = 0.001]. Our results showed that norepinephrine can resuscitate intraoperative hypotension related microcirculatory alteration and avoid fluid overload.