Biomechanical analysis of initial incisor crowding alignment in the periodontally reduced mandible using the finite element method.

Aims: To reduce remaining plaque niches due to dental malocclusion after periodontal treatment and to avoid reinflammation of periodontitis, severe anterior crowding can be treated orthodontically. The treatment indication is motivated by aesthetic and functional needs. In this study the biomechanical behaviour of crowded lower front teeth in reduced periodontium is analysed.

MicroRNAs as possible indicators of drug sensitivity in breast cancer cell lines.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. In this way they might influence whether a cell is sensitive or resistant to a certain drug. So far, only a limited number of relatively small scale studies comprising few cell lines and/or drugs have been performed.

The stability of different housekeeping genes in human periodontal ligament cells under inflammatory conditions.

Purpose: Stability of housekeeping genes as internal reference for RT-qPCR analyses is mandatory for a correct interpretation of results. As no normalization benchmark exists and reference gene validation is highly specific for individual experiments, it was the purpose of this study to identify stable candidates for investigations on periodontal inflammation.

Basic Procedures: Human PDL cells from one cell line (Lonza) and three primary donors were challenged with IL-1ß (5 ng/ml) or centrifugation (170 × g) for 6 h under serum-free conditions.

Investigating causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-performing gilts and sows1.

Efficient management of swine production systems requires understanding of complex reproductive physiological mechanisms. Our objective in this study was to investigate potential causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-producing gilts and sows. Data originated from a nutrition experiment and consisted of 200 sows and 440 gilts arranged in body weight blocks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments during late gestation at a commercial swine farm.

Impact of Curcumin (with or without Piperine) on the Pharmacokinetics of Tamoxifen.

Tamoxifen is a prodrug that is primarily metabolized into the pharmacologically active metabolite endoxifen and eventually into inactive metabolites. The herb curcumin may increase endoxifen exposure by affecting phase II metabolism. We compared endoxifen and tamoxifen exposure in breast cancer patients with or without curcumin, and with addition of the bio-enhancer piperine.

US Physicians' Work Motivation and Their Occupational Health: A National Survey of Practicing Physicians.

Background: Poor occupational health among physicians poses a serious risk both to physicians themselves and the patients under their care. Prior research has found that occupational health among nonphysicians is associated with both degree and type of work motivation.

Objective: The main purpose of this article was to assess the association between physician work motivation and their occupational health.

Heat shock protein 70 dampens the inflammatory response of human PDL cells to mechanical loading in vitro.

Background And Objective: Previously, we demonstrated an inflammatory response of human PDL (hPDL) cells to mechanical loading. The cellular reaction was dampened by heat pre-treatment suggesting a protective role for heat shock proteins (HSP) during stress-induced ischemia. Here we explored if HSP70, which has already been documented in the pressure zone of tooth movement, might be regulatorily involved in the attenuation of the inflammatory response.

Inhibitory control in BALB/c mice sub-strains during extinction learning.

Dysregulation of executive function (EF) involves alterations in cognitive flexibility / control and is underscored by learning impairments in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we examine cognitive inflexibility in BALB/cJ mice (a mouse model showing diminished sociability, increased anxiety and inattentive behaviour) and closely related "reference" BALB/cByJ mice. We used an appetitive extinction paradigm to investigate if cognitive flexibility measures are different between learning acquisition and extinction.

Potential impact of lingual retainers on oral health: comparison between conventional twistflex retainers and CAD/CAM fabricated nitinol retainers : A clinical in vitro and in vivo investigation.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a novel computer-fabricated lingual nitinol retainer compared to a conventional lingual flexible spiral wire twistflex retainer on oral health.

Methods: The study was based on a retrospective controlled clinical study with pilot character, an in vitro investigation of material-dependent biofilm formation and an analysis of biofilm formation after intraoral incubation. Sixty-one patients with completed fixed orthodontic treatment and retention phase for at least 6 months with twistflex retainers (group 1, n = 31) or computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) nitinol retainers (group 2, n = 30) were included and examined regarding plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depths, bleeding on probing (BOP) and marginal recessions (MR).

Androgen receptor expression in circulating tumor cells of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

The androgen receptor (AR) has potential clinical relevance in metastatic breast cancer (mBC) since it might be a treatment target and has been associated with endocrine resistance. A minimal-invasive way to determine AR expression on metastatic tumor cells is by characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Here, we assessed AR mRNA expression in CTCs (CTC-AR) and in matched primary tumor samples from mBC patients representing different breast cancer subtypes.

Comparison of force loss due to friction of different wire sizes and materials in conventional and new self-ligating orthodontic brackets during simulated canine retraction.

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare force loss due to friction (Fr) during simulated canine retraction using different archwire dimensions and materials between conventional and new self-ligating brackets.

Methods: The tested brackets were (1) conventional brackets (Victory series, GAC twin and FLI twin), (2) self-ligating brackets (Damon-Q, FLI-SL, new/improved FLI-SL (I FLI-SL), SPEED, GAC innovation (R) and Ortho Classic) and (3) a low-friction bracket (Synergy). All brackets had a 0.

53BP1 as a potential predictor of response in PARP inhibitor-treated homologous recombination-deficient ovarian cancer.

Objective: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have shown substantial activity in homologous recombination- (HR-) deficient ovarian cancer and are undergoing testing in other HR-deficient tumors. For reasons that are incompletely understood, not all patients with HR-deficient cancers respond to these agents. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that changes in alternative DNA repair pathways affect PARP inhibitor (PARPi) sensitivity in ovarian cancer models.

Comparative study on serum-induced arthritis in the temporomandibular and limb joint of mice.

Introduction: The subject of the present study was a systematic comparative analysis of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-induced pathomechanisms in the temporomandibular joint with those of the limb joints using the serum-induced arthritis K/BxN model.

Methods: In 18 BALB/c mice the induction of RA was performed according to the Kouskoff method. Another healthy cohort served as controls (n = 12).

Regulation of somatostatin receptor 2 by proinflammatory, microbial and obesity-related signals in periodontal cells and tissues.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic disease characterized by a progressive and irreversible destruction of the tooth-supporting tissues, including gingiva and periodontal ligament (PDL). Microorganisms, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, evoke an inflammatory host response, which leads to increased levels of inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin (IL)-1β. Periodontitis has been linked to obesity, and adipokines have been suggested to represent a pathomechanistic link.

Aggression in BALB/cJ mice is differentially predicted by the volumes of anterior and midcingulate cortex.

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and midcingulate cortex (MCC) have been implicated in the regulation of aggressive behaviour. For instance, patients with conduct disorder (CD) show increased levels of aggression accompanied by changes in ACC and MCC volume. However, accounts of ACC/MCC changes in CD patients have been conflicting, likely due to the heterogeneity of the studied populations.

Selecting the optimal position of CDK4/6 inhibitors in hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer - the SONIA study: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Combining cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors with endocrine therapy is an effective strategy to improve progression-free survival in hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer. There is a lack of comparative data to help clinicians decide if CDK4/6 inhibitors can best be added to first- or second-line endocrine therapy. Improvement in median progression-free survival in first-line studies is larger than in second-line studies, but CDK4/6 inhibitors have not consistently shown to improve overall survival or quality of life.

The influence of enamel sandblasting on the shear bond strength and fractography of the bracket-adhesive-enamel complex tested in vitro by the DIN 13990:2017-04 standard.

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to investigate whether enamel sandblasting as an adjunct or substitute to the acid-etch technique has an effect on the shear bond strength (SBS) and fractography of the bracket-adhesive-enamel complex using the DIN 13990:2017-04 standard.

Materials And Methods: Upper central incisor brackets (discovery®, Dentaurum, Germany) were bonded using Transbond XT™ (3M Unitek, Germany) on bovine incisors prepared by four different methods (15 samples each): sandblasting with 27 μm AlO at 1.2 bar (s), acid etching with 37.

Novel methods to diagnose leptomeningeal metastases in breast cancer.

Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) in breast cancer patients are rare but often accompanied by devastating neurological symptoms and carry a very poor prognosis, even if treated. To date, two diagnostic methods are clinically used to diagnose LM: gadolinium MRI of the brain and/or spinal cord and cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Both techniques are, however, hampered by limited sensitivities, often leading to a long diagnostic process requiring repeated lumbar punctures and MRI examinations.

Distribution of FMRFamide-related peptides and co-localization with glutamate in Cupiennius salei, an invertebrate model system.

FMRFamide-related proteins have been described in both vertebrate and invertebrate nervous systems and have been suggested to play important roles in a variety of physiological processes. One proposed function is the modulation of signal transduction in mechanosensory neurons and their associated behavioral pathways in the Central American wandering spider Cupiennius salei; however, little is known about the distribution and abundance of FMRFamide-related proteins (FaRPs) within this invertebrate system. We employ immunohistochemistry, Hoechst nuclear stain and confocal microscopy of serial sections to detect, characterize and quantify FMRFamide-like immunoreactive neurons throughout all ganglia of the spider brain and along leg muscle.

Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase in periodontal fibroblasts and tissues by obesity-associated stimuli.

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of catecholamines and has been connected to aggravated progression of periodontal disease under chronic stress. Obesity is known to increase the risk of periodontitis and adipokines have been suggested to be a pathomechanistic link. This study examines if obesity-associated stimuli have regulatory effects on TH levels in periodontal cells and tissues.

An Optimized Workflow to Evaluate Estrogen Receptor Gene Mutations in Small Amounts of Cell-Free DNA.

The detection of mutated genes in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in plasma has emerged as an important minimally invasive way to obtain detailed information regarding tumor biology. Reliable determination of circulating tumor-derived DNA, often present at a low quantity amidst an excess of normal DNA in plasma, would be of added value for screening and monitoring of cancer patients and for hypothesis-generating studies in valuable retrospective cohorts. Our aim was to establish a workflow to simultaneously assess four hotspot estrogen receptor mutations (mESR1) in cfDNA isolated from only 200 μL of plasma by means of uniplex or multiplex pre-amplification combined with digital PCR.

Role of HSP70 protein in human periodontal ligament cell function and physiology.

Objective: Heat pre-treatment of mechanically loaded human periodontal ligament cells (hPDL) dampens the inflammatory cellular response, as evidenced by a reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of monocyte adhesion and osteoclastic differentiation. These findings imply heat shock proteins (HSP) as cell protective molecules acting in the PDL that are up-regulated upon ischemia caused by mechanical loading. HSP70 and its inhibition by VER155008 as the active agent in several pharmaceuticals are established targets and strategies, respectively, in the treatment of neoproliferative diseases.

Placental insufficiency contributes to fatty acid metabolism alterations in aged female mouse offspring.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an accepted risk factor for metabolic disorders in later life, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. The level of metabolic dysregulation can vary between subjects and is dependent on the severity and the type of IUGR insult. Classical IUGR animal models involve nutritional deprivation of the mother or uterine artery ligation.

Functional Assay Reveals Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Breast Cancer Beyond BRCA Gene Defects.

Purpose: Tumors of germline mutated carriers show homologous recombination (HR) deficiency (HRD), resulting in impaired DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and high sensitivity to PARP inhibitors. Although this therapy is expected to be effective beyond germline mutated carriers, a robust validated test to detect HRD tumors is lacking. In this study, we therefore evaluated a functional HR assay exploiting the formation of RAD51 foci in proliferating cells after irradiation of fresh breast cancer tissue: the recombination REpair CAPacity (RECAP) test.