Use of transforming growth factor-β loaded onto β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold in a bone regeneration rat calvaria model.

Background: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β ) enhances mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation into osteoblasts.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess whether TGF-β loaded onto β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) synthetic scaffold enhances bone regeneration in a rat calvaria model. The release kinetics of TGF-β from β-TCP scaffold was evaluated in vitro.

Soft and Hard Tissue Changes around Tissue-Oriented Tulip-Design Implant Abutments: A 1-Year Randomized Prospective Clinical Trial.

Background: The advantages of platform switching using narrower abutments remain controversial. Many researchers suggest that platform switching can yield enhanced clinical results, while others remain skeptical. We hypothesize that the effectiveness of platform switching might be associated with the degree of reduction in size of the abutment.

Dynamic high-resolution sonography compared to magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disk displacement.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the value of dynamic high-resolution sonography for evaluation of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk displacement compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the mouth closed and during the maximal mandibular range of motion.

Methods: Dynamic high-resolution sonography with the mouth closed and during the maximal mandibular range of motion was performed on 39 consecutive patients (78 joints; 13 male and 26 female; age range, 18-77 years; mean age ± SD, 37.23 ± 16.

Oral and dental restoration of wide alveolar cleft using distraction osteogenesis and temporary anchorage devices.

Closure of large alveolar clefts and restoration by a fixed bridge supported by implants is a challenge in cleft alveolus treatment. A major aesthetic concern with distraction osteogenesis is obtaining a predictable position of the implant in relation to the newly generated bony alveolar ridge. We describe the treatment of a large cleft alveolus and palate reconstruction by distraction osteogenesis utilizing temporary anchorage devices (TADs) followed by a fixed implant-supported bridge.

Estimating health and economic benefits from using prescription omega-3 fatty acids in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Patients with increased triglyceride levels compared to those with normal levels are at higher risk for coronary heart disease. In patients with severe (≥500 mg/dl) hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG), clinical trials have demonstrated that prescription ω-3 fatty acids (P-OM3s) 4 g/day can decrease triglyceride levels by 45%. However, the precise health and economic benefits of decreasing SHTG with P-OM3 are unknown.

The role of activin A in the human osteoblast cell cycle: a preliminary experimental in vitro study.

Animal studies have previously shown that activin A enhances osteoblast proliferation IN VITRO and increases bone formation and bone mechanical strength IN VIVO. For the further understanding of its action in human osteoblast, we studied the pattern of a cell cycle response to the treatment with activin A. We hypothesize that activin A alters the cell cycle pattern of human osteoblast.

Short and long-term usage of a dental device in sleep apnea syndrome.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, the compliance, and the complications of the anterior mandibular positioning (AMP) device in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) patients.

Material & Methods: Polysomnographic sleep studies were performed on 38 patients before and two weeks (+/- 3 days) after continuous use of the AMP device. Twenty patients also underwent polysomnographic follow-up recordings after 1 year.

Breakdown limits on Gigavolt-per-meter electron-beam-driven wakefields in dielectric structures.

First measurements of the breakdown threshold in a dielectric subjected to GV/m wakefields produced by short (30-330 fs), 28.5 GeV electron bunches have been made. Fused silica tubes of 100 microm inner diameter were exposed to a range of bunch lengths, allowing surface dielectric fields up to 27 GV/m to be generated.

Hosing instability in the blow-out regime for plasma-wakefield acceleration.

The electron hosing instability in the blow-out regime of plasma-wakefield acceleration is investigated using a linear perturbation theory about the electron blow-out trajectory in Lu et al. [in Phys. Rev.

Dental implants for immediate fixed restoration of partially edentulous patients: a 1-year prospective pilot clinical trial in periodontally susceptible patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of dental implants in periodontally susceptible patients using immediate loading/restoration (ILR) protocols and the factors that modulate this response.

Methods: Systemically healthy patients who were treated previously for chronic periodontitis and who required implant therapy were recruited. Following data collection, "surgical templates" and provisional fixed restorations were fabricated.

Ionization-induced electron trapping in ultrarelativistic plasma wakes.

The onset of trapping of electrons born inside a highly relativistic, 3D beam-driven plasma wake is investigated. Trapping occurs in the transition regions of a Li plasma confined by He gas. Li plasma electrons support the wake, and higher ionization potential He atoms are ionized as the beam is focused by Li ions and can be trapped.

Energy doubling of 42 GeV electrons in a metre-scale plasma wakefield accelerator.

The energy frontier of particle physics is several trillion electron volts, but colliders capable of reaching this regime (such as the Large Hadron Collider and the International Linear Collider) are costly and time-consuming to build; it is therefore important to explore new methods of accelerating particles to high energies. Plasma-based accelerators are particularly attractive because they are capable of producing accelerating fields that are orders of magnitude larger than those used in conventional colliders. In these accelerators, a drive beam (either laser or particle) produces a plasma wave (wakefield) that accelerates charged particles.

Positron production by x rays emitted by betatron motion in a plasma wiggler.

Positrons in the energy range of 3-30 MeV, produced by x rays emitted by betatron motion in a plasma wiggler of 28.5 GeV electrons from the SLAC accelerator, have been measured. The extremely high-strength plasma wiggler is an ion column induced by the electron beam as it propagates through and ionizes dense lithium vapor.

Mandibular defect repair by TGF-beta and IGF-1 released from a biodegradable osteoconductive hydrogel.

Purpose: Bone regeneration is crucial in the healing of defects in the craniofacial complex. The ability of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), incorporated into a hydrogel scaffold to induce bone regeneration, was evaluated in a rat mandible defect model.

Material And Methods: Hydrogel scaffolds containing either transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), TGF-beta+ IGF-1, or saline, were implanted in rat mandibular bone defects.

Bone defect repair in rat tibia by TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 released from hydrogel scaffold.

Bone repair is one of the major challenges facing reconstructive surgery. Bone regeneration is needed for the repair of large defects and fractures. The ability of TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 incorporated into hydrogel scaffold to induce bone regeneration was evaluated in a rat tibia segmental defect model.

Metalloproteinases (MMPs -2, -3) are involved in TGF-beta and IGF-1-induced bone defect healing in 20-month-old female rats.

Matrix metalloproteinases are important in the physiological and pathological degradation of extracellular matrix including that of bone and cartilage. The process of bone defect healing is associated with formation of cartilage callus and cancelous bone. With maturation and aging, the response of skeletal tissues to injury is limited.

Association of metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, and proteoglycans with development, aging, and osteoarthritis processes in mouse temporomandibular joint.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an important growth and articulation center in the craniofacial complex. In aging it develops spontaneous degenerative osteoarthritic (OA) lesions. Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPS) play key roles in extracellular matrix remodeling and degradation.

Early nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities.

Congenital auricular deformation is not an uncommon phenomenon, and it may cause substantial annoyance to the growing child. Many parents of affected children will seek surgical correction of the deformed auricles. The variety of techniques that have been described for the correction of this anomaly suggests that none has been considered satisfying.

Enhancement of bone defect healing in old rats by TGF-beta and IGF-1.

Bone defects are often created in order to repair bone pathologies. In the aging population, the healing of such defects is very limited. Bone healing in aging depends on the availability of various hormone and growth factors.

[Vertical alveolar ridge augmentation using distraction osteogenesis].

Alveolar ridge atrophy can be acquired or congenital. Alveolar ridge augmentation can be performed using bone grafting but a donor site morbidity is unavoidable and some resorption of the grafted bone occurs. Distraction osteogenesis offers an alternative method for bone reconstruction without donor site morbidity and sufficient stability of the final results.

Differential metabolic responses to local administration of TGF-beta and IGF-1 in temporomandibular joint cartilage of aged mice.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by destruction of the articular cartilage in aging and senescence. The aim of this study was to study the possible treatment of this disease by intraarticular injection of growth factors to osteoarthritic joints of aged animals. 20-month-old female ICR mice were injected with insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) or TGF-beta+IGF-1 on days 1, 4, and 7.

Enhancement of toluidine blue staining by transforming growth factor-beta, insulin-like growth factor and growth hormone in the temporomandibular joint of aged mice.

Osteoarthritic lesions appear in the articular cartilage of the temporomandibular joint of mice aged 7 months and older. Reduced rate of proteoglycan (PG) synthesis leading to destruction of the articular cartilage was observed in this joint. The purpose of the present study was to test the ability of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH) to induce PG synthesis in joint cartilage of aged animals and to compare it with the effect of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha).