Safety and efficacy of a novel toothbrush utilizing RF energy for the reduction of plaque, calculus and gingivitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the ToothWave radiofrequency (RF) toothbrush in the reduction of plaque, calculus and gingival inflammation, as compared to a standard powered toothbrush accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA). METHODS: This was a single-blind, double arm, prospective study. Subjects were randomized to one of two treatment groups, receiving either the RF powered toothbrush or a control powered toothbrush, and performing twice daily brushing for a test period of 6 weeks. Plaque (RMNPI), calculus (V-MI), gingival inflammation (MGI) and bleeding (GBI) were assessed at baseline, after 4 and 6 weeks. Comparisons were completed both within and between each treatment group. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Mann Whitney non-parametric model. RESULTS: 85 subjects completed the study and had fully evaluable data. No significant differences between the groups were found in the baseline scores (P≥ 0.165). Following 6 weeks, the RF test group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in plaque, gingivitis and calculus compared to the control powered toothbrush (P≤ 0.001). Both toothbrushes were well-tolerated and no device-related adverse events were reported. The RF-utilizing powered toothbrush produced statistically significant reductions in dental plaque, calculus deposition, gingival inflammation and gingival bleeding as compared to a control powered toothbrush. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The RF powered toothbrush used twice daily resulted in an overall improvement in oral health.

Effect of high ß-palmitate content in infant formula on the intestinal microbiota of term infants.

OBJECTIVES: Palmitic acid (PA) constitutes 17% to 25% of the human milk fatty acids, and ~70% is esterified in the sn-2 position of triglycerides (ß-palmitate). In the sn-2 position, PA is not hydrolyzed and thus is efficiently absorbed. The PA in palm oils, commonly used in infant formulas, is esterified in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. In these positions, PA is hydrolyzed and forms poorly absorbed calcium complexes. The present study assessed whether high ß-palmitate in infant formulas affects the intestinal flora. METHODS: Thirty-six term infants were enrolled: 14 breast-fed (BF group) and 22 formula-fed infants who were randomly assigned to receive formula containing high ß-palmitate (HBP group, n=14), or low ß-palmitate (LBP group, n=8), where 44% and 14% of the PA was ß-palmitate, respectively. The total amount of PA in the formulas was 19% and 22% in the LBP and HBP groups, respectively. Neither formula contained pre- or probiotics. Stool samples were collected at enrollment and at 6 weeks for the quantification of bacteria. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, the HBP and BF groups had higher Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria counts than the LBP group (P<0.01). The Lactobacillus counts at 6 weeks were not significantly different between the HBP and BF groups. Lactobacillus counts were 1.2×10¹°, 1.2×10¹¹, and 5.6×10¹° CFU/g for LBP, HBP, and BF groups, respectively. Bifidobacteria counts were 5.1×109, 1.2×10¹¹, and 3.9×10¹° CFU/g for LBP, HBP, and BF groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HBP formula beneficially affected infant gut microbiota by increasing the Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria counts in fecal stools.

Clinical efficacy of a novel radiofrequency toothbrush for tooth stain reduction and tooth whitening: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The authors aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel radiofrequency (RF) toothbrush on tooth stains and shades compared with a sonic vibrating toothbrush (CVS Health SmileSonic Pro Advanced Clean Sonic Toothbrush, Ranir) that earned the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. METHODS: The authors conducted a single-blind prospective study over 6 weeks. Participants were randomized to 1 of 2 study groups to receive either an RF toothbrush (ToothWave, Home Skinovations [test]) or a sonic vibrating toothbrush (SmileSonic powered toothbrush, Ranir [control]) and performed twice-daily toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste (Crest Cavity Protection, Procter & Gamble) for 6 weeks. Tooth stains and shades were assessed using the Lobene Stain Index and VITA Bleachedguide 3D-MASTER shade guide (VITA North America) at baseline and after 4 and 6 weeks of toothbrushing. In addition, the VITA Easyshade Advance 4.0 spectrophotometer (VITA North America) was used for shade evaluation. Safety was evaluated by means of oral soft-tissue examinations at each visit. Percentage reduction from baseline was compared between the groups. Statistical analyses were conducted using Mann-Whitney nonparametric model. RESULTS: Eighty-six participants (43 in each group) completed the study with fully evaluable data. At baseline, the groups did not differ significantly in mean measurement scores. Percentage reductions of the measured scores were significantly greater (more extrinsic stain removal and whitening) in the test group than in the control group (P < .001). Both toothbrushes were well-tolerated, and no device-related adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The RF toothbrush produced substantial benefits in the reduction of tooth stains and whitening of tooth shade compared with a powered toothbrush (CVS Health SmileSonic Pro Advanced Clean Sonic Toothbrush, Ranir) that earned the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The novel RF toothbrush is a safe and effective tool for stain removal and tooth whitening and can serve as an alternative to other whitening agents. This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The registration number is NCT03885609.

A brief review of coarse-grained and other computational studies of molecularly imprinted polymers.

Molecular imprinting is an established method for the creation of artificial recognition sites in synthetic materials through polymerization and cross-linking in the presence of template molecules. Removal of the templates leaves cavities that are complementary to the template molecules in size, shape, and functionality. In recent years, various theoretical and computational models have been developed as tools to aid in the design of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) or to provide insight into the features that determine MIP performance. These studies can be grouped into two general approaches-screening for possible functional monomers for particular templates and macromolecular models focusing on the structural characterization of the imprinted material. In this review, we pay special attention to coarse-grained models that characterize the functional heterogeneity in imprinted pores, but also cover recent advances in atomistic and first principle studies. We offer a critical assessment of the potential impact of the various models towards improving the state-of-the-art of molecular imprinting.

Clinical evaluation of a novel radiofrequency-based toothbrush for teeth whitening and reduction of teeth stains: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of a novel radiofrequency (RF)-utilizing toothbrush on reduction of stains and improvement of teeth shade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an open label, prospective study, including six clinical visits that were conducted over a period of 8 weeks. Subjects performed twice daily brushing using a novel RF-utilizing toothbrush, used manually with no mechanical vibration. Teeth shade and stains were assessed using Vita Easyshade advanced 4.0 device and a visual assessment of standardized digital photographs, before, and following 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Twelve subjects completed the study with fully evaluable data. A notable shade improvement (whitening) was observed between the visits according to the average scores of teeth whitening index per subject. Statistical analysis conducted by the unstructured mix model confirmed a significant reduction in the average score of whitening index between baseline and visit 5 (p < 0.001) as well as between baseline and visit 6 (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the average teeth shade in visit 5 as compared to visit 6 (p = 0.918). No significant difference was found in teeth shade between females and males; however, subjects age was significantly correlated with teeth shade (p < 0.001). Digital photographs indicated a notable reduction in visible dark stains. The toothbrush was well tolerated and no device-related adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The novel RF-utilizing toothbrush produced significant benefits relating to teeth whitening and stains reduction, following one and 8 weeks of brushing.

Safety, efficacy, and usage compliance of home-use device utilizing RF and light energies for treating periorbital wrinkles.

BACKGROUND: The aging process is often associated with undesirable effects on facial skin such as skin redundancy, reduction of elasticity, and increased wrinkling. Radiofrequency (RF) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used, clinically proven technologies for skin rejuvenation. STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and usage compliance of the home-use device, utilizing RF and LED energies, for self-treatment of periorbital wrinkles and improvement of skin appearance. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-three subjects performed 21 treatment sessions every other day, over 6 weeks on the periorbital areas. In addition, two maintenance treatments were conducted 1 and 2 months following treatment end. Each subject served as his/her own control, comparing results before treatment, and 3 months following treatment end. RESULTS: Thirty subjects completed the study. A blinded, independent photographs assessment of three dermatologists demonstrated an average reduction of 1.49 Fitzpatrick scores (P < 0.001). Analysis revealed improvement (downgrade of at least 1 score) in almost all subjects. No unexpected adverse events were reported. Post-treatment erythema was seen in all subjects and disappeared within 1 h. In some subjects, post-treatment edema was detected and resolved within 24 h. High satisfaction with the device operation, ease of treatments, safety, and wrinkle reduction was reported. CONCLUSIONS: The Silk'n Home Skin Tightening (HST) device offers a safe and effective in-home noninvasive technique to improve the appearance of age-related periorbital wrinkles.

High beta-palmitate fat controls the intestinal inflammatory response and limits intestinal damage in mucin Muc2 deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Palmitic-acid esterified to the sn-1,3 positions of the glycerol backbone (alpha, alpha'-palmitate), the predominant palmitate conformation in regular infant formula fat, is poorly absorbed and might cause abdominal discomfort. In contrast, palmitic-acid esterified to the sn-2 position (beta-palmitate), the main palmitate conformation in human milk fat, is well absorbed. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of high alpha, alpha'-palmitate fat (HAPF) diet and high beta-palmitate fat (HBPF) diet on colitis development in Muc2 deficient (Muc2(-/-)) mice, a well-described animal model for spontaneous enterocolitis due to the lack of a protective mucus layer. METHODS: Muc2(-/-) mice received AIN-93G reference diet, HAPF diet or HBPF diet for 5 weeks after weaning. Clinical symptoms, intestinal morphology and inflammation in the distal colon were analyzed. RESULTS: Both HBPF diet and AIN-93G diet limited the extent of intestinal erosions and morphological damage in Muc2(-/-) mice compared with HAPF diet. In addition, the immunosuppressive regulatory T (Treg) cell response as demonstrated by the up-regulation of Foxp3, Tgfb1 and Ebi3 gene expression levels was enhanced by HBPF diet compared with AIN-93G and HAPF diets. HBPF diet also increased the gene expression of Pparg and enzymatic antioxidants (Sod1, Sod3 and Gpx1), genes all reported to be involved in promoting an immunosuppressive Treg cell response and to protect against colitis. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time that HBPF diet limits the intestinal mucosal damage and controls the inflammatory response in Muc2(-/-) mice by inducing an immunosuppressive Treg cell response.

Simulation of protein-imprinted polymers. 3. Imprinting selectivity.

Molecular imprinting has been extensively studied and applied as a simple technique for creating artificial polymer-based recognition gels for a target molecule. Although this technique is effective when targeting small molecules, attempts to extend it to larger templates, such as proteins, have, for the most part, failed to show similar success. Our group has developed a simple simulation model to study protein imprinting. In our previous studies, we investigated the structure of the protein-imprinted pore and imprinting factors of various model proteins. Here, we concentrate on imprinting conditions that affect the separation factor, or the ratio between the interaction energies of the template and a competitor protein. We study the effect of size, charge density, and surface charge distribution of the template protein and calculate the separation factor for various polymerization conditions. Our model captures the known effect of increasing imprinting factor (ratio of binding of the protein in an imprinted polymer to that of a nonimprinted polymer) with increasing surface functionality of the polymer but at the cost of reduced selectivity. Most interestingly, we observe that the surface charge distribution of the protein plays an important role in selectivity of the protein-imprinted polymer, suggesting that some proteins may be better candidates for molecularly imprinted polymers than others.

Simulation of protein-imprinted polymers. 2. Imprinting efficiency.

Molecular imprinting allows the creation of artificial recognition sites in synthetic materials through polymerization and cross-linking in the presence of template molecules. Removal of the templates leaves cavities that are complementary to the template molecules in size, shape, and functionality. Although this technique is effective when targeting small molecules, attempts to extend it to larger templates, such as proteins, have failed to show similar success. Here we present the second report on our model simulation study of protein imprinting, in which we apply on-lattice Monte Carlo simulations for an imprinting process using radical polymerization of hydrogels as a simple model for protein-imprinted polymers (PIPs). In this part we focus on two gel types: PIPs and templated polymers (TPs), which are polymerized in the presence of charged and neutral proteins, respectively. We calculate the imprinting factor (IF) for gels formed at various conditions and compare it for both gel types. Our results show a significantly higher IF for PIPs, and though the strongest influence on IF is found to be the monomer concentration (Φ), charge concentrations on the protein and in solution also affect IF. The percolation limit of protein-sized pores is found to be a significant turning point for the effect of concentration of functional sites within the gels on IF.

Simulation of protein-imprinted polymers. 1. Imprinted pore properties.

Molecular imprinting is an established method for the creation of artificial recognition sites in synthetic materials through polymerization and cross-linking in the presence of template molecules. Removal of the templates leaves cavities that are complementary to the template molecules in size, shape, and functionality. Although this technique is effective when targeting small molecules, attempts to extend it to larger templates, such as proteins, have failed to show similar success. As opposed to small molecules, proteins are characterized by large size, flexible structure, and large number of functional groups available for recognition, which make it impossible to use imprinting protocols of small molecules for protein imprinting. In this research we use lattice Monte Carlo simulations of an imprinting process using radical polymerization of hydrogels as a simple model for protein-imprinted polymers (PIPs). We investigate the properties of the resulting polymer gel by studying the effects of initiator, cross-linker, and monomer concentrations and the presence of protein on gel structure and porosity. The structure and functionality of the imprinted pore is studied through diffusion of the protein inside the pore immediately following polymerization. The imprinting effect is evaluated by comparing the interaction energy of the protein in the imprinted gel with the energy of a random process.

Disruption of a Quorum Sensing mechanism triggers tumorigenesis: a simple discrete model corroborated by experiments in mammary cancer stem cells.

BACKGROUND: The balance between self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells is expected to be tightly controlled in order to maintain tissue homeostasis throughout life, also in the face of environmental hazards. Theory, predicting that homeostasis is maintained by a negative feedback on stem cell proliferation, implies a Quorum Sensing mechanism in higher vertebrates. RESULTS: Application of this theory to a cellular automata model of stem cell development in disrupted environments shows a sharply dichotomous growth dynamics: maturation within 50-400 cell cycles, or immortalization. This dichotomy is mainly driven by intercellular communication, low intensity of which causes perpetual proliferation. Another driving force is the cells' kinetic parameters. Reduced tissue life span of differentiated cells results in uncontrolled proliferation. Model's analysis, showing that under the Quorum Sensing control, stem cell fraction within a steady state population is fixed, is corroborated by experiments in breast carcinoma cells. Experimental results show that the plating densities of CD44+ cells and of CD44+/24lo/ESA+ cells do not affect stem cell fraction near confluence. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that stem cell immortalization may be triggered by reduced intercellular communication, rather than exclusively result from somatic evolution, and implies that stem cell proliferation can be attenuated by signal manipulation, or enhanced by cytotoxics targeted to differentiated cells. In vivo verification and identification of the Quorum Sensing mediating molecules will pave the way to a higher level control of stem cell proliferation in cancer and in tissue engineering.