Microscopic evaluation of the thickness and structure of the cement and cement–dentin interdiffusion zone after luting posts with three different luting cements

Clinical studies report that failures of fiber post cementation occur mainly at the cement–dentin interface. The aim of this in vitro study is to compare the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) evaluations of the cement thicknesses in the root canals and the thickness of cement–dentin interface zones obtained after luting standardized glass-fiber posts with three different types of luting cements. Thirty single-rooted mandibular premolars of similar sizes were prepared for post insertion after biomechanical preparation and obturation. They were divided into three groups containing 10 samples each. Standardized glass-fiber posts were cemented with zinc phosphate cement for ZNP group, with conventional adhesive resin cement for CAR group, and with self-adhesive resin cement for SAR group. The formation and thickness of cement and cement–dentin interface zone were evaluated by stereomicroscope and SEM using ×800 magnification, and the data were analyzed. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of cement thickness (p = 0.835); however, there were significant differences among the cement layer thicknesses measured at the three examined levels of the root canals (p = 0.000). The groups using conventional adhesive resin cement presented longer micromechanical interlocking while the groups using self-adhesive resin cement showed wide gaps and zinc phosphate cement showed no bonding between cement–dentin interdiffusion zones along the root canal. As a clinical consequence, the use of zinc phosphate cement may not provide strong bond between dentin–cement interface. Conventional adhesive resin cements showed reliable bond to dentin when compared to zinc phosphate and self-adhesive resin cement.     

Human Radiosensitivity and Radiosusceptibility: What Are the Differences?

The individual response to ionizing radiation (IR) raises a number of medical, scientific, and societal issues. While the term “radiosensitivity” was used by the pioneers at the beginning of the 20st century to describe only the radiation-induced adverse tissue reactions related to cell death, a confusion emerged in the literature from the 1930s, as “radiosensitivity” was indifferently used to describe the toxic, cancerous, or aging effect of IR. In parallel, the predisposition to radiation-induced adverse tissue reactions (radiosensitivity), notably observed after radiotherapy appears to be caused by different mechanisms than those linked to predisposition to radiation-induced cancer (radiosusceptibility). This review aims to document these differences in order to better estimate the different radiation-induced risks. It reveals that there are very few syndromes associated with the loss of biological functions involved directly in DNA damage recognition and repair as their role is absolutely necessary for cell viability. By contrast, some cytoplasmic proteins whose functions are independent of genome surveillance may also act as phosphorylation substrates of the ATM protein to regulate the molecular response to IR. The role of the ATM protein may help classify the genetic syndromes associated with radiosensitivity and/or radiosusceptibility.     

Metformin and Breast Cancer: Where Are We Now?

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. Type 2 diabetes–associated metabolic traits such as hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, and obesity are well-known risk factors for breast cancer. The insulin sensitizer metformin, one of the most prescribed oral antidiabetic drugs, has been suggested to function as an antitumoral agent, based on epidemiological and retrospective clinical data as well as preclinical studies showing an antiproliferative effect in cultured breast cancer cells and animal models. These benefits provided a strong rationale to study the effects of metformin in routine clinical care of breast cancer patients. However, the initial enthusiasm was tempered after disappointing results in randomized controlled trials, particularly in the metastatic setting. Here, we revisit the current state of the art of metformin mechanisms of action, critically review past and current metformin-based clinical trials, and briefly discuss future perspectives on how to incorporate metformin into the oncologist’s armamentarium for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.     

Corrosion resistance of new epoxy–siloxane hybrid coatings. A laboratory study

Traditional multilayer epoxy/polyurethane type anticorrosive paint systems are widely employed in the protection of steel structures due to their high efficiency against atmospheric corrosion. However, the use of isocyanate in the curing process, and the high volatile organic compound (VOC) content of such systems, makes it necessary to search for new isocyanate-free paints.     

Micromorphology of resin–dentin interfaces using self-adhesive and conventional resin cements: A confocal laser and scanning electron microscope analysis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the resin–dentin morphology created by four dual-cured resin cements. Materials and Methods: Two self-adhesive resin cements (RelyX Unicem, 3 M ESPE and Clearfil SA Luting, Kuraray Med.) and two conventional resin cementing systems (RelyX ARC, 3 M ESPE and Clearfil Esthetic Cement, Kuraray Med.) were evaluated. Occlusal dentin surfaces of 32 extracted human third molars were flattened to expose coronal dentin. Teeth were assigned to 8 groups (n=4), according to resin cement products and microscope analysis (SEM: scanning electron microscope or CLSM: confocal laser scanning microscopy). For CLSM, two different fluorescent dyes, fluorescein isothiocyanate–dextran and rhodamine B, were incorporated into the adhesive system and resin cement, respectively. The resin cements were applied to indirect composite resin disks, which were cemented to dentin surface according to manufacturer's instructions. After 24 h, all restored teeth were vertically sectioned into 1-mm-thick slabs for SEM or CLSM analyses. Results: Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus/RelyX ARC cementing system formed a thin hybrid layer and resin tags penetration into the dentin tubules. Clearfil DC Bond/Clearfil Esthetic Cement showed only short resin tags. Neither hybrid layer nor resin tags were detected for self-adhesive resin cements. Conclusion: Representative SEM and CLSM images provided resin–dentin interfaces variability among resin cements studied.     

Asthma and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: How Similar Are They in Pathogenesis and Treatment Responses?

Severe asthma and rhinosinusitis represent frequent comorbidities, complicating the overall management of the disease. Both asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can be differentiated into endotypes: those with type 2 eosinophilic inflammation and those with a non-type 2 inflammation. A correct definition of phenotype/endotype for these diseases is crucial, taking into account the availability of novel biological therapies. Even though patients suffering from type 2 severe asthma—with or without CRS with nasal polyps—significantly benefit from treatment with biologics, the existence of different levels of patient response has been clearly demonstrated. In fact, in clinical practice, it is a common experience that patients reach a good clinical response for asthma symptoms, but not for CRS. At first glance, a reason for this could be that although asthma and CRS can coexist in the same patient, they can manifest with different degrees of severity; therefore, efficacy may not be equally achieved. Many questions regarding responders and nonresponders, predictors of response, and residual disease after blocking type 2 pathways are still unanswered. In this review, we discuss whether treatment with biological agents is equally effective in controlling both asthma and sinonasal symptoms in patients in which asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps coexist.     

Effect of post-restoration on stresses in premolars with endodontic–periodontal lesion: an FEA study

Aim: This finite elemental stress analysis (FEA) study was aimed to test the effect of fiber and metal posts on stress distribution in premolar teeth with endodontic–periodontal (EP) lesion. Methodology: Three FEA models representing different EP lesions (primary endodontic disease (PED), PED with periodontal involvement and true-combined) were created. Tooth-model without EP lesion was used as control. The root-canals were assumed as root-filled, restored using glass-fiber or metal posts, resin composite build-up, and ceramic crown. A 300 N load was applied from the palatal surface of the crown with a 135° angle. The SolidWorks/Cosmosworks structural analysis program was used for FEA analysis. Results were presented by considering von Mises criteria. Results: Maximum stress values for PED, PED with periodontal-involvement and true-combined lesions were 2.26, 1.25, 0.74 MPa for glass-fiber post; 2.08, 1.51, 1.18 MPa for metal post, respectively. If there is PED, fiber-post gave an advantage to the tooth at core structure and coronal third of the root. Metal post kept the stress inside its body however caused small, high stress concentrated areas at cervical. When there is PED with periodontal-involvement, metal post forwarded less stress toward the apical while fiber-post saved the coronal structure. In true-combined lesion model, metal post kept the stresses within its body and forwarded less stress toward the remaining root structure and periodontium. Conclusion: EP lesions have an effect on stress distribution therefore the post material selection should be done based on the severity of the lesion. Metal posts might be preferrable since it forwards less stress toward the surrounding periodontal tissues during wound healing.     

Calcium and Heart Failure: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?

The occurrence and prevalence of heart failure remain high in the United States as well as globally. One person dies every 30 s from heart disease. Recognizing the importance of heart failure, clinicians and scientists have sought better therapeutic strategies and even cures for end-stage heart failure. This exploration has resulted in many failed clinical trials testing novel classes of pharmaceutical drugs and even gene therapy. As a result, along the way, there have been paradigm shifts toward and away from differing therapeutic approaches. The continued prevalence of death from heart failure, however, clearly demonstrates that the heart is not simply a pump and instead forces us to consider the complexity of simplicity in the pathophysiology of heart failure and reinforces the need to discover new therapeutic approaches.     

Acid- and base-catalyzed epoxy-phenol thermosets from catechol,resorcinol and hydroquinone: A structure–property study

In order to better understand the design rules of epoxy–phenol thermosets we will report on the chemistry and (thermo)mechanical properties of cured epoxy–phenol thermoset films. Ortho-, meta- and para-isomers of dihydroxybenzene (DHB) were reacted with the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) in the presence of an acid catalyst or triphenylphosphine (PPh₃). The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the cross-linked films decreases in the order of meta- (T_g = 115°C) > ortho- (T_g = 102°C) > para-DHB (T_g = 96°C) as measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Uniaxial tensile testing of cross-linked films showed excellent stress–strain behavior. The average ultimate strength values ranged from 65 to 82 MPa and the average values of the strain-at-break ranged from 4.8% to 6.9% at 25°C for all cross-linked films. When a PPh₃ was used, the network properties were profoundly different. The base catalyzed thermoset of DGEBA and meta-DHB shows a T_g of 85°C, which is 30°C lower than the T_g of the acid-catalyzed analog. Tensile films appear to be more ductile, as they exhibit a strain-at-break of 20%. The results of this study confirm that simple dihydroxybenzene hardeners can be used to prepare cross-linked films with excellent thermomechanical properties.     

Pure vs ultra-pure γ-alumina: A spectroscopic study and catalysis of ethanol conversion

Spectroscopic and catalytic properties of “pure” and “ultrapure” γ-Al₂O₃ samples, both from Sasol, are compared. The “pure” sample has additional absorption in the UV region, much stronger luminescence in the Raman scattering experiments, slightly different skeletal surface OH groups IR spectra, and more evident features of weakly adsorbed pyridine. These effects are attributed to small amounts of Fe^3 +, Ti^4 +, surface silanol groups and Na⁺ ions. The “ultrapure” sample is more selective for the production of ethylene from ethanol at total conversion, while in the presence of oxygen is less active in oxidizing ethanol to other oxygenates and to CO_x.     

Selected Biomarkers of Depression: What Are the Effects of Cytokines and Inflammation?

Depression is one of the leading mental illnesses worldwide and lowers the quality of life of many. According to WHO, about 5% of the worldwide population suffers from depression. Newer studies report a staggering global prevalence of 27.6%, and it is rising. Professionally, depression belonging to affective disorders is a psychiatric illness, and the category of major depressive disorder (MDD) comprises various diagnoses related to persistent and disruptive mood disorders. Due to this fact, it is imperative to find a way to assess depression quantitatively using a specific biomarker or a panel of biomarkers that would be able to reflect the patients’ state and the effects of therapy. Cytokines, hormones, oxidative stress markers, and neuropeptides are studied in association with depression. The latest research into inflammatory cytokines shows that their relationship with the etiology of depression is causative. There are stronger cytokine reactions to pathogens and stressors in depression. If combined with other predisposing factors, responses lead to prolonged inflammatory processes, prolonged dysregulation of various axes, stress, pain, mood changes, anxiety, and depression. This review focuses on the most recent data on cytokines as markers of depression concerning their roles in its pathogenesis, their possible use in diagnosis and management, their different levels in bodily fluids, and their similarities in animal studies. However, cytokines are not isolated from the pathophysiologic mechanisms of depression or other psychiatric disorders. Their effects are only a part of the whole pathway.     

Safe Nanoparticles: Are We There Yet?

The field of nanotechnology has grown over the last two decades and made the transition from the benchtop to applied technologies. Nanoscale-sized particles, or nanoparticles, have emerged as promising tools with broad applications in drug delivery, diagnostics, cosmetics and several other biological and non-biological areas. These advances lead to questions about nanoparticle safety. Despite considerable efforts to understand the toxicity and safety of these nanoparticles, many of these questions are not yet fully answered. Nevertheless, these efforts have identified several approaches to minimize and prevent nanoparticle toxicity to promote safer nanotechnology. This review summarizes our current knowledge on nanoparticles, their toxic effects, their interactions with mammalian cells and finally current approaches to minimizing their toxicity.     

Ester-based surfactants: Are they stable enough?

Surfactants with an ester bond connecting the polar headgroup and the hydrophobic tail are common. They are easy to synthesize, they can often be made from natural raw materials and their biodegradation profile is generally good, partly due to lipase or esterase catalyzed breakdown of the ester bond in sewage plants. A labile ester bond in the molecule may cause problems, however. Surfactants are often formulated at relatively high pH and it is important that they remain intact for a given period of time. In this article we discuss alkaline hydrolysis of different types of ester-based surfactants—cationic, anionic and nonionic—and also of surfactant mixtures. We show that the ester bond in a surfactant has a different hydrolysis pattern than ester bonds in non-surface active uncharged molecules. Cationic ester-based surfactants are hydrolyzed rapidly while anionic and also nonionic ester-containing surfactants are relatively resistant to hydrolysis.     

Infections and Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer: A Bad Relationship?

Infectious diseases represent a relevant issue in lung cancer patients. Bacterial and viral infections might influence the patients’ prognosis, both directly affecting the immune system and indirectly impairing the outcome of anticancer treatments, mainly immunotherapy. In this analysis, we aimed to review the current evidence in order to clarify the complex correlation between infections and lung cancer. In detail, we mainly explored the potential impact on immunotherapy outcome/safety of (1) bacterial infections, with a detailed focus on antibiotics; and (2) viral infections, discriminating among (a) human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), (b) hepatitis B/C virus (HBV-HCV), and (c) Sars-Cov-2. A series of studies suggested the prognostic impact of antibiotic therapy administration, timing, and exposure ratio in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, probably through an antibiotic-related microbiota dysbiosis. Although cancer patients with HIV, HBV, and HCV were usually excluded from clinical trials evaluating immunotherapy, some retrospective and prospective trials performed in these patient subgroups reported similar results compared to those described in not-infected patients, with a favorable safety profile. Moreover, patients with thoracic cancers are particularly at risk of COVID-19 severe outcomes and mortality. Few reports speculated about the prognostic implications of anticancer therapy, including immunotherapy, in lung cancer patients with concomitant Sars-Cov-2 infection, showing, to date, inconsistent results. The correlation between infectious diseases and immunotherapy remains to be further explored and clarified in the context of dedicated trials. In clinical practice, the accurate and prompt multidisciplinary management of lung cancer patients with infections should be encouraged in order to select the best treatment options for these patients, avoiding unexpected toxicities, while maintaining the anticancer effect.     

Drying kinetics study of irregular fibril materials in a “differential” laboratory rotary dryer: Case study for cut tobacco

Rotary dryers are commonly used in the modern large-scale tobacco drying industry that consumes huge amounts of energy. In fact, rotary dryers are commonly used in chemical industry in general. It is difficult to investigate the drying behavior at industrial scale. A “differential” laboratory rotary dryer was therefore designed and tested. The large diameter of the industrial dryer was preserved, but the width was a section of the industrial dryer. The drying characteristics of cut tobacco from top leaves and bottom leaves with initial moisture contents (22.5?±?1.0% on the wet basis) were studied in the “differential” dryer at air temperatures of 65, 85, 105, 125, and 145°C, respectively. The results show that increasing drying temperature accelerated the drying process, whereas the surface temperatures of the cut tobacco samples stayed in the temperature range of 48–71°C when their moisture contents were reduced to 12.0?±?1.0% (wb). This 12.0% (wb) was required by commercial operations. Uniquely, the drying kinetics was captured using the reaction engineering approach (REA). Although different settings were applied, the model can be used to describe all the data well. The unique relationship between the normalized activation energy and the moisture content is approximated which is independent of the drying air temperature and the tobacco origin. The different drying behaviors for the cut tobacco from top leaves and bottom leaves can be attributed to their different equilibrium isotherms. Through controlling the drying time as predicted by REA model, the outlet moisture contents of cut tobacco from top leaves dried at 95°C/RH0.034/320?s and 115°C/RH0.017/250?s were shown to be 12.3 and 11.8% (wb), with the relative deviations of 2.5 and 1.7%, respectively, and these were within the industrial permissible range.     

Glycemic Variability and Oxidative Stress: A Link between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease?

Diabetes is associated with a two to three-fold increase in risk of cardiovascular disease. However, intensive glucose-lowering therapy aiming at reducing HbA1c to a near-normal level failed to suppress cardiovascular events in recent randomized controlled trials. HbA1c reflects average glucose level rather than glycemic variability. In in vivo and in vitro studies, glycemic variability has been shown to be associated with greater reactive oxygen species production and vascular damage, compared to chronic hyperglycemia. These findings suggest that management of glycemic variability may reduce cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes; however, clinical studies have shown conflicting results. This review summarizes the current knowledge on glycemic variability and oxidative stress, and discusses the clinical implications.     

The ZrC–C eutectic structure and melting behaviour: A high-temperature radiance spectroscopy study

A fast spectro-pyrometer has been employed for radiance measurements of zirconium carbide samples laser-heated to very high temperature, for compositions 0.7 ≤ C/Zr ≤ 2.61 and in a spectral range 0.550 μm ≤ λ ≤ 0.900 μm. The ZrC–C eutectic temperature has been taken as the radiance reference. The measured normal spectral emissivity (NSE) ?_λ of solid zirconium carbide is close to 0.6 at 0.650 μm, in agreement with previous literature. Its high-temperature behaviour, value in the liquid, carbon-content and wavelength dependences in the visible-near infrared range have been determined here for the first time. Liquid zirconium carbide seems to interact with electromagnetic radiation in a more metallic way than the solid. A considerable NSE increase has been observed at increasing carbon content, which can be interpreted on the basis of preferential growth along the “c” plane of the carbon lamellae in the eutectic structure.     

Are There Differences in Inflammatory and Fibrotic Pathways between IPAF,CTD-ILDs,and IIPs? A Single-Center Pilot Study

In this pilot study, we aim to determine differences in pathogenetic pathways between interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF), connective-tissue-disease-associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILDs), and idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). Forty participants were recruited: 9 with IPAF, 15 with CTD-ILDs, and 16 with IIPs. Concentration of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1), surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A, SP-D), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and chemokine 1 (CXCL1) were assessed with ELISA assay in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. We revealed that IL-8 and TGF-β1 concentrations were significantly lower in the IPAF group than in the CTD-ILD group (p = 0.008 and p = 0.019, respectively), but similar to the concentrations in the IIP group. There were significant correlations of IL-8 (rs = 0.46; p = 0.003) and CXCL1 (rs = 0.52; p = 0.001) and BAL total cell count (TCC). A multivariate regression model revealed that IL-8 (β = 0.32; p = 0.037) and CXCL1 (β = 0.45; p = 0.004) are significant predictors of BAL TCC. We revealed that IL-8 and TGF-β1 BAL concentrations vary in patients with different ILDs and found that IL-8 is a predictor of BAL TCC in IPAF. However, this needs to be confirmed in a multicenter cooperative study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT03870828","term_id":"NCT03870828"}}NCT03870828).