New tools for the investigations of Neuro-AIDS at a molecular level: The potential role of data-mining.

Cognitive impairment represents the most significant and devastating neurological complication associated with HIV infection. Despite recent advances in our knowledge of the clinical features, pathogenesis, and molecular aspects of HIV-related dementia, current diagnostic strategies are associated with significant limitations. It has been suggested that the use of some biomarkers may assist researchers and clinicians in predicting the onset of the disease process and in evaluating the effects of new therapies.

Leader genes in osteogenesis: a theoretical study.

Little is still known about the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of osteogenesis. In this paper, the leader genes approach, a new bioinformatics method which has already been experimentally validated, is adopted in order to identify the genes involved in human osteogenesis. Interactions among genes are then calculated and genes are ranked according to their relative importance in this process.

Immediate rehabilitation of completely edentulous jaws with fixed prostheses supported by implants placed into fresh extraction sockets and in healed sites: a 4-year clinical evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of treatment in the rehabilitation of edentulous jaws with early loaded full-arch screw-retained prostheses after up to 4 years of function.

Methods: Patients with completely edentulous maxillae and/or mandibles, or presenting natural teeth with a poor or hopeless prognosis, received 6 implants each in the mandible and/or 8 in the upper jaw. All patients received a full-arch prosthetic reconstruction.

A 10-year evaluation of implants placed in fresh extraction sockets: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The placement of an implant into a fresh extraction socket has been identified as a reliable technique, allowing a reduction in the time needed for prosthetic rehabilitation. This treatment modality is widely reported in the scientific literature; however, the long-term outcomes and the need for guided bone regeneration (GBR) are still topics of debate. The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the clinical and radiologic findings from the 10-year follow-up of immediately placed implants, with and without the GBR procedure.

A randomized clinical trial to evaluate and compare implants placed in augmented versus non-augmented extraction sockets: 3-year results.

Background: The alveolar ridge undergoes reabsorption and atrophy subsequent to tooth removal and thus exhibits a wide range of dimensional changes. Preservation of the alveolar crest after tooth extraction is essential to enhance the surgical site before implant fixture placement. The aim of this randomized clinical study is to investigate and compare the need for additional augmentation procedures at implant insertion, as well as the success rate and marginal bone loss for implants placed in the grafted sites versus those placed in naturally healed sites.

Surface roughness of commercial composites after different polishing protocols: an analysis with atomic force microscopy.

Background And Aims: Polishing may increase the surface roughness of composites, with a possible effect on bacterial growth and material properties. This preliminary in vitro study evaluates the effect of three different polishing systems (PoGo polishers, Enhance, Venus Supra) on six direct resin composites (Gradia Direct, Venus, Venus Diamond, Enamel Plus HFO, Tetric Evoceram, Filtek Supreme XT).

Materials And Methods: For each composite, 12 square specimens were prepared: 9 specimens were polished, three for each different method, while three specimens were used as controls.

Implant survival after sinus elevation with Straumann(®) BoneCeramic in clinical practice: ad-interim results of a prospective study at a 15-month follow-up.

Objectives: Elevation of the sinus floor with Straumann(®) BoneCeramic gave promising results in some recent clinical studies. However, no study has evaluated the long-term survival of implants after this surgical procedure. We are conducting a prospective, observational study to evaluate the long-term implant survival after this surgical procedure in clinical practice.

Coupled plasma filtration adsorption reduces serum bilirubine in a case of acute hypoxic hepatitis secondary to cardiogenic shock.

Hypoxic hepatitis (HH) is a severe complication of postoperative low output syndrome, associated with high mortality rates despite appropriate drug therapy. Recently several extracorporeal supportive techniques have become available. We describe the case of a 70-year-old woman who developed HH secondary to cardiogenic shock after cardiac surgery.

Insertion torque in different bone models with different screw pitch: an in vitro study.

Purpose: Orthopedic surgeons use different types of screws for bone fixation. Whereas hard cortical bone requires a screw with a fine pitch, in softer cancellous bone a wider pitch might help prevent micromotion and eventually lead to greater implant stability. The aim of this study was to validate the assumption that fine-pitch implants are appropriate for cortical bone and wide-pitch implants are appropriate for cancellous bone.

Survival rate for implants placed in the posterior maxilla with and without sinus augmentation: a comparative cohort study.

Background: The reduced bone height and proximity of the maxillary sinus are the most common limitations for placement of dental implants in the posterior maxilla. Reconstruction of the atrophic posterior maxilla can be performed with a sinus augmentation procedure. The aim of this cohort study is to compare the survival rate of implants placed in augmented sinus to implants placed in native bone in the posterior maxilla.

Chondrocalcinosis of the temporomandibular joint: clinical considerations and case report.

The calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease (CPPD) is a disorder that occasionally affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and is characterized by the presence of crystals in the intra-articular and peri-articular tissues. Diagnosis of CPPD is challenging because clinical symptoms and imaging features are not characteristic and may mimic a chondrosarcoma. A case of a 74-year-old woman with CPPD of the TMJ is reported.

Deep-frozen allogeneic onlay bone grafts for reconstruction of atrophic maxillary alveolar ridges: a preliminary study.

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to evaluate the suitability of deep-frozen allograft for ridge augmentation procedures in severely atrophic maxillae and to evaluate the clinical success of dental implants inserted after grafting and before prosthetic rehabilitation.

Patients And Methods: This study included 13 patients (3 men and 10 women) aged 36 to 65 years. All the patients selected for this study required bone augmentation procedures because of severe alveolar ridge atrophy and were scheduled for onlay bone allograft and titanium implants in a 2-stage procedure.

Occlusal features and masticatory muscles activity. A review of electromyographic studies.

Objective: Since there is no consensus on the association between occlusion and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), the aim of the present paper was to conduct a review of electromyographic studies, in order to asses the relationship between various occlusal features and masticatory muscles' activity.

Material And Methods: An exhaustive MEDLINE computer search was performed to identify all experimental studies present in the English literature describing the relationship between the electromyographyc evaluation of patients and their occlusal morphology.

Results: The search methodology provided a total of 102 abstracts and from these 11 full reports were required as full text.

Risk of temporomandibular joint effusion related to magnetic resonance imaging signs of disc displacement.

Background: It has been suggested that TMJ effusion may represent an inflammatory response to a dysfunctional disc-condyle relationship. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the status of the disc in the temporomandibular joint, as depicted in magnetic resonance (MR) images, is predictive of the presence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) effusion.

Methods: The relationship between disc displacement and TMJ effusion was analyzed in MR images of 154 TMJs in 77 patients complaining for pain and/or dysfunction in the TMJ area and referred from medical practitioners to specialist consultation.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of biobehavioral therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a literature review.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) involve a heterogeneous group of clinical conditions affecting the stomatognathic system and its related structures. Because the etiology of these disorders is still unclear, a wide range of therapeutic solutions has been proposed in the literature, including occlusal appliances, physical therapies, drugs, and biobehavioral modalities. Biobehavioral therapy could have a beneficial effect in the treatment of TMDs because of the reportedly high prevalence of psychological dysfunction in TMD patients.