Publications by authors named "Ola Maria"

Background: Conventional techniques used in oral and maxillofacial reconstruction focus mainly on utilizing autologous tissues that have unquestionably improved function and esthetics for many patients, worldwide. However, the success depends on countless factors such as: donor and recipient sites conditions, patient's medical history, surgeon's experience, restricted availability of high-quality autogenous tissues or stem cells, and increased surgical cost and time.

Materials And Methods: Lately, teaming researchers, scientists, surgeons, and engineers, to address these limitations, have allowed tremendous progress in recombinant protein therapy, cell-based therapy, and gene therapy.

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Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) form commonly in the stomach, small intestine, colorectum, and esophagus. Metastatic GIST occurs in up to 50% of patients at presentation. The liver and peritoneal cavity are the most common (93%) metastatic sites; head and neck metastases are extremely rare.

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Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and destruction of exocrine glands. The disease manifests primarily in the salivary and lacrimal glands, but other organs are also involved, leading to dry mouth, dry eyes, and other extra-glandular manifestations. Studying the disease in humans is entailed with many limitations and restrictions; therefore, the need for a proper mouse model is mandatory.

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Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor commonly used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Its use has been associated with increased bone mass in humans and animals. However, the effect of postoperative administration of donepezil on bone healing remains unknown.

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Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) is a debilitating side effect that occurs in up to 30% of thoracic irradiations in breast and lung cancer patients. RIPF remains a major limiting factor to dose escalation and an obstacle to applying more promising new treatments for cancer cure. Limited treatment options are available to mitigate RIPF once it occurs, but recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and a drug treatment stimulating endogenous stem cells (GM-CSF) have been investigated for their potential in preventing this disease onset.

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Head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy commonly experience hyposalivation and oral/tooth infections, leading to a reduced quality of life. Clinical management is currently unsatisfactory for dry mouth. Thus, there is a need for growing salivary fluid-secreting (acinar) cells for these patients.

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Lung tissue exposure to ionizing irradiation can invariably occur during the treatment of a variety of cancers leading to increased risk of radiation-induced lung disease (RILD). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess the potential to differentiate into epithelial cells. However, cell culture methods of primary type II pneumocytes are slow and cannot provide a sufficient number of cells to regenerate damaged lungs.

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Aim: Early loading of dental implants can simplify treatment and increase patient's satisfaction. This 1-year preliminary clinical trial aimed to clinically and radiographically evaluate early-loaded one-piece implants that had either laser-sintered or acid-etched surfaces.

Materials And Methods: Sixty patients with missing mandibular premolars received 60 implants of one-piece type that were subjected to early loading after 3 weeks of initial placement.

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This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

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This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

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Background: Immediate implant insertion in mandibular molar extraction sockets raises a series of challenges for clinicians.

Purpose: This preliminary study demonstrates the use of a modified insertion technique of implant placement at the time of mandibular molar extraction.

Materials And Methods: Immediate implants were placed at the time of molar extraction in 20 patients; a sulcular buccal incision with releasing periosteal incisions were made around the mandibular molar to be replaced, and implant insertion into the interseptal/interradicular bone was performed.

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Background: There are reports that bone marrow cell (BM) transplants repaired irradiated salivary glands (SGs) and re-established saliva secretion. However, the mechanisms of action behind these reports have not been elucidated.

Methods: To test if a paracrine mechanism was the main effect behind this reported improvement in salivary organ function, whole BM cells were lysed and its soluble intracellular contents (termed as "BM Soup") injected into mice with irradiation-injured SGs.

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Unlabelled: Dental amalgam is the most common restorative material used in dentistry. It was reported that amalgam might constitute potential toxic hazards to pregnant patients and foetuses through mercury release and absorption. The present study aimed to investigate the vital tissue response in contact to dental amalgam plus determination of blood mercury levels in mother and offspring Wistar strain albino rats.

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This study was designed to evaluate laser-sintered early-loaded 1-piece implants (OPI) based on clinical and radiographic findings. Thirty OPI were placed in the mandibular premolar area and subjected to early loading after 3 weeks of initial placement; patients were followed up for 6 months. Clinical evaluation included pocket depth, gingival health, implant stability, and esthetics.

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Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the potential cytotoxicity (apoptosis-induction) of three types of self-etch dental adhesives: two-component one-step (Xeno III), two-component two-steps (Clearfil Protect Bond) and one-component one-step (Xeno V) on cultured odontoblasts.

Methods: Each adhesive was prepared to simulate its clinical manipulation. Cured sterile individual masses were immersed in DMEM and left at 37 °C for 24 h.

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Sjogren's syndrome and radiotherapy for head and neck cancers result in irreversible damage to functional salivary tissue, for which no adequate treatment is available. The microenvironment for salivary gland cell cytodifferentiation is critical for the future development of salivary gland regeneration, repair and tissue engineering treatments. Results from this study indicate that human submandibular cell line (HSG) cultured on Matrigel (2mg/ml) could be induced to differentiate into polarized secretory acinar-like cells.

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Currently, there is no effective treatment available to patients with irreversible loss of functional salivary acini caused by Sjogren's syndrome or after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. A tissue-engineered artificial salivary gland would help these patients. The graft cells for this device must establish tight junctions in addition to being of fluid-secretory nature.

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Sjogren's syndrome and radiotherapy for head and neck cancer result in severe xerostomia and irreversible salivary gland damage for which no effective treatment is currently available. Cell culture methods of primary human salivary gland epithelial cells (huSGs) are slow and cannot provide a sufficient number of cells. In addition, the majority of cultured huSGs are of a ductal phenotype and thus not fluid/saliva secretory cells.

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Treatment for most patients with head and neck cancers includes ionizing radiation. A consequence of this treatment is irreversible damage to salivary glands (SGs), which is accompanied by a loss of fluid-secreting acinar-cells and a considerable decrease of saliva output. While there are currently no adequate conventional treatments for this condition, cell-based therapies are receiving increasing attention to regenerate SGs.

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Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice develop Sjögren's-like syndrome (Ss) and a gradual loss of saliva secretory function. Our previous study showed that injections of matched normal spleen cells with Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) reversed salivary gland dysfunction in 14-week-old NOD mice, which had established Ss. The spleen and bone marrow are closely related organs, and both are among the first sites of hematopoiesis during gestation.

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Tight junctions (TJs) are an essential structure of fluid-secreting cells, such as those in salivary glands. Three major families of integral membrane proteins have been identified as components of the TJ: claudins, occludin, and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs), plus the cytosolic protein zonula occludens (ZO). We have been working to develop an orally implantable artificial salivary gland that would be suitable for treating patients lacking salivary parenchymal tissue.

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