Mitigation of bio-corrosion characteristics of coronary artery stent by optimising -laser micromachining parameters.

Cardiovascular diseases, particularly coronary artery disease, pose big challenges to human life. Deployment of the stent is a preferable treatment for the above-mentioned disease. However, stents are usually made up of shape memory alloy called Nitinol.

Evaluating whether the proportional odds models to analyse ordinal outcomes in COVID-19 clinical trials is providing clinically interpretable treatment effects: A systematic review.

Background: After an initial recommendation from the World Health Organisation, trials of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 often include an ordinal clinical status outcome, which comprises a series of ordered categorical variables, typically ranging from 'Alive and discharged from hospital' to 'Dead'. These ordinal outcomes are often analysed using a proportional odds model, which provides a common odds ratio as an overall measure of effect, which is generally interpreted as the odds ratio for being in a higher category. The common odds ratio relies on the assumption of proportional odds, which implies an identical odds ratio across all ordinal categories; however, there is generally no statistical or biological basis for which this assumption should hold; and when violated, the common odds ratio may be a biased representation of the odds ratios for particular categories within the ordinal outcome.

Periradicular tissue fluid-derived biomarkers for apical periodontitis: An in vitro methodological and in vivo cross-sectional study.

Background: Periradicular tissue fluid (PTF) offers a source of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers for endodontic disease.

Aims: (1) To optimize basic parameters for PTF paper point sampling in vitro for subsequent in vivo application. (2) To compare proteomes of PTF from teeth with normal apical tissues (NAT) and asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AAP) using high-throughput panels.

Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Post-Viral Syndromes, Including Long COVID: A Systematic Review.

Background: Post-viral syndromes (PVS), including Long COVID, are symptoms sustained from weeks to years following an acute viral infection. Non-pharmacological treatments for these symptoms are poorly understood. This review summarises the evidence for the effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments for PVS.

The intersections of socioeconomic position, gender, race/ethnicity and nationality in relation to oral conditions among American adults.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate how gender, socioeconomic position (SEP), race/ethnicity and nationality intersect to structure social inequalities in adult oral health among American adults.

Methods: Data from adults aged 20 years or over who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2018 were analysed. The outcomes were poor self-rated oral health and edentulism among all adults (n = 24 541 and 21 446 participants, respectively) and untreated caries and periodontitis among dentate adults (n = 16 483 and 9829 participants, respectively).

Trends in the prevalence of dental caries in the US pediatric population 2011-2020.

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide statistics on the trends and changes in the distribution of dental caries in the United States (US) pediatric population for the 10-year period 2011 through 2020.

Study Design: Using data from the 2011 to 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, estimates were derived for the prevalence of decayed and filled teeth in the US population aged between 2 to 11 years. Analyses were stratified by primary and permanent dentition, and prevalence was assessed amongst the various sociodemographic and body mass index (BMI) subgroups.

Multi-Objective Optimization of Process Parameters during Micro-Milling of Nickel-Based Alloy Inconel 718 Using Taguchi-Grey Relation Integrated Approach.

This research investigates the machinability of Inconel 718 under conventional machining speeds using three different tool coatings in comparison with uncoated tool during milling operation. Cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut were selected as variable machining parameters to analyze output responses including surface roughness, burr formation and tool wear. It was found that uncoated and AlTiN coated tools resulted in lower tool wear than nACo and TiSiN coated tools.

Removable partial dentures and mortality among partially edentulous adults.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the use of removable partial dentures (RPDs) has an effect on long-term survival outcomes amongst partially edentulous adults.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and linked to public-use mortality files for the period up to 2019. Partially edentulous adults with fewer than 20 teeth were included.

Symptoms and risk factors for long COVID in non-hospitalized adults.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with a range of persistent symptoms impacting everyday functioning, known as post-COVID-19 condition or long COVID. We undertook a retrospective matched cohort study using a UK-based primary care database, Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum, to determine symptoms that are associated with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection beyond 12 weeks in non-hospitalized adults and the risk factors associated with developing persistent symptoms. We selected 486,149 adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 1,944,580 propensity score-matched adults with no recorded evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Systematic comparison of machine learning algorithms to develop and validate predictive models for periodontitis.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the validity of different machine learning algorithms to develop and validate predictive models for periodontitis.

Materials And Methods: Using national survey data from Taiwan (n = 3453) and the United States (n = 3685), predictors of periodontitis were extracted from the datasets and pre-processed, and then 10 machine learning algorithms were trained to develop predictive models. The models were validated both internally (bootstrap sampling) and externally (alternative country's dataset).

Non-pharmacological therapies for postviral syndromes, including Long COVID: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Introduction: Postviral syndromes (PVS) describe the sustained presence of symptoms following an acute viral infection, for months or even years. Exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent development of COVID-19 has shown to have similar effects with individuals continuing to exhibit symptoms for greater than 12 weeks. The sustained presence of symptoms is variably referred to as 'post COVID-19 syndrome', 'post-COVID condition' or more commonly 'Long COVID'.

Update on the prevalence of untreated caries in the US adult population, 2017-2020.

Background: Untreated caries is a prevalent disease that is associated with a substantial health and economic burden. Many past efforts have assessed the epidemiology of untreated caries, and this study provides the most up-to-date figures on the distribution and determinants of the disease in the adult US population for the period 2017 through 2020.

Methods: Using data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the author derived estimates for untreated caries prevalence in the adult US population.

Exploiting Dentine Matrix Proteins in Cell-Free Approaches for Periradicular Tissue Engineering.

The recent discovery of mesenchymal stem cells within periapical lesions (PL-MSC) has presented novel opportunities for managing periradicular diseases in adult teeth by way of enhancing tissue regeneration. This discovery coincides with the current paradigm shift toward biologically driven treatment strategies in endodontics, which have typically been reserved for non-vital immature permanent teeth. One such approach that shows promise is utilizing local endogenous non-collagenous dentine extracellular matrix components (dECM) to recruit and upregulate the intrinsic regenerative capacity of PL-MSCs .

Clarithromycin as an adjunct to periodontal therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To collate the literature evaluating the efficacy of clarithromycin as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy and conduct meta-analyses for changes in probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL).

Methods: Five electronic databases were searched from inception to May 2020 (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE via OVID, Web of Science and OpenGrey). Clinical outcomes were extracted, pooled and meta-analyses conducted using mean difference with standard deviations.

Indocyanine green-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as an adjunct to periodontal therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of indocyanine green-mediated photodynamic therapy (ICG-PDT) as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT), in the management of chronic periodontitis.

Materials And Methods: Four electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase via OVID, Web of Science) were searched for randomised controlled trials comparing NSPT with ICG-PDT to NSPT without laser therapy. Primary outcome measures were changes in probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL).

Boric acid as an adjunct to periodontal therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of boric acid as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy, in comparison with a placebo adjunct, in terms of changes in probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL), in patients with periodontitis.

Methods: Four electronic databases were searched from inception to May 2020 (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE via OVID and Web of Science). Clinical outcomes were extracted, pooled and meta-analyses conducted using mean difference with standard deviations.

The role of insulin-like growth factors in modulating the activity of dental mesenchymal stem cells.

Regenerative treatment protocols are an exciting prospect in the management of oral pathology, as they allow for tissues to be restored to their original form and function, as compared to the reparative healing mechanisms which currently govern the outcomes of the majority of dental treatment. Stem cell therapy presents with a great deal of untapped potential in this pursuit of tissue regeneration, and, in particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from dental tissues are of specific relevance with regards to their applications in engineering craniofacial tissues. A number of mediatory factors are involved in modulating the actions of dental MSCs, and, of these, insulin like growth factors (IGFs) are known to have potent effects in governing the behavior of these cells.

Mechanical and tribological performance of a hybrid MMC coating deposited on Al-17Si piston alloy by laser composite surfacing technique.

Laser composite surfacing (LCS) is a photon driven manufacturing technology that can be utilized for depositing hybrid metal matrix composite coatings (HMMC) on softer Ti/Al/Mg alloys to enhance their tribo-mechanical properties. LCS offers the advantages of higher directionality, localized microstructural refinement and higher metallurgical bonding between coating and substrate. The current research presents the tribo-mechanical evaluation and characterization of solid lubricant based Ni-WC coatings deposited by LCS on Al-Si piston alloy by varying the concentration of graphite between 5-to-15-weight percentage.