Arthrocentesis versus conservative treatments for temporomandibular joint disorders: A systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses.

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of arthrocentesis compared to conservative treatments for symptomatic temporomandibular joint disorders. A systematic search for randomized, prospective and retrospective controlled trials was undertaken in five electronic databases. Various patient outcomes and economic evaluations were analysed for short-term (<6 months), intermediate-term (6 months to 5 years) and long-term (≥5 years) follow-up periods.

Association of the Cervical Canal Area With Disability and Progression in People With Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Objectives: In multiple sclerosis (MS), brain reserve serves as a protective factor against cognitive impairment. Previous research has suggested a structural counterpart in the spine-spinal cord reserve-seemed to be associated with physical disability. This study aimed to investigate the potential of the cervical canal area (CCaA) as a proxy for spinal cord reserve in a multicentric cohort of people with MS (PwMS).

Prenatal and Early Childhood Exposure to Proton Pump Inhibitors and Antibiotics and the Risk of Childhood Cancer: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Our microbiome is established during infancy, a time important for later health and long-term effects. Proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics are regularly prescribed during pregnancy. Both drugs cause microbiome disturbance and have been associated with increased cancer risk in adults, but effects of these drugs on the growing foetus and infant remain understudied.

Bedaquiline Monotherapy for Multibacillary Leprosy.

Background: Standard multidrug therapy for leprosy may be associated with severe side effects, which add to the stigma and discrimination that affect persons with the disease. In addition, the threat posed by drug-resistant leprosy shows the need for alternative drug combinations and shorter, safer regimens of multidrug therapy.

Methods: In this open-label, proof-of-concept study conducted in Brazil, we assigned patients with previously untreated multibacillary leprosy to receive bedaquiline monotherapy for 8 weeks.

Simple carbenes as hydrogen bond acceptors: determination of nucleophilicities and reduced nucleophilicities.

Nucleophilicities for a range of simple carbene molecules acting as hydrogen bond acceptors B in forming complexes B⋯HX are reported. The carbenes chosen to fulfil the roles of a Lewis base are B = RM, -(CH)M, HCCM and two N-heterocyclic carbenes, where M is one of the group 14 tetrel atoms, C, Si, Ge or Sn and R = H, CH, and F. All the carbenes but CH have a singlet electronic ground state.

Visual Improvement With Wavefront-Guided Scleral Lenses for Irregular Corneal Astigmatism.

Purpose: To report interim results of a single center, randomized, double-blind, crossover-controlled clinical trial comparing wavefront-guided (wfg) scleral lenses (SLs) to traditional scleral lenses (tSLs) for patients with a history of irregular corneal astigmatism (ICA).

Methods: Thirty-one ICA eyes of 18 participants were reviewed, 23 with keratoconus, six postcorneal refractive ectasia, and two postpenetrating keratoplasty. Patients with corneal or lens opacities were not excluded from participating.

High-affinity T cell receptor ImmTAC® bispecific efficiently redirects T cells to kill tumor cells expressing the cancer-testis antigen PRAME.

Background: PRAME (eferentially expressed ntigen in lanoma) is a cancer-testis antigen expressed in several tumor indications, representing an attractive anticancer target. However, its intracellular location limits targeting by traditional methods. PRAME peptides are presented on the surface of tumor cells by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules, indicating that a T cell receptor (TCR)-based strategy that redirects T cells to kill PRAME tumors could be a novel immunotherapeutic option.

Effect of Fiber Reinforcement on the Flexural Strength of Long-Span, 3D-Printed, Interim Fixed Dental Prosthesis.

Purpose: To inspect the impact of polyethylene fiber (Ribbond) on the long-span, 3D-printed, interim fixed dental prosthesis regarding fracture strength.

Materials And Methods: A stainless steel platform was fabricated to replicate the partial edentulism for a maxillary four-unit fixed dental prosthesis. The prosthesis was fabricated by a Formlabs SLA 3D printer.

Cell stretching devices integrated with live cell imaging: a powerful approach to study how cells react to mechanical cues.

Mechanical stimuli have multiple effects on cell behavior, affecting a number of cellular processes including orientation, proliferation or apoptosis, migration and invasion, the production of extracellular matrix proteins, the activation and translocation of transcription factors, the expression of different genes such as those involved in inflammation and the reprogramming of cell fate. The recent development of cell stretching devices has paved the way for the study of cell reactions to stretching stimuli, reproducing physiological situations that are experienced by cells in many tissues and related to functions such as breathing, heart beating and digestion. In this work, we review the highly-relevant contributions cell stretching devices can provide in the field of mechanobiology.

Identifying and Quantifying Borate Environments in Borosilicate Glasses: B NMR-Peak Assignments Assisted by Double-Quantum Experiments.

We discuss the prospects for accurate B magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral deconvolutions for reaching beyond the readily extracted borate speciations offered by the integrated resonances of the coexisting B and B species of the respective BO and BO network groups in borosilicate (BS) glasses. We critically review hitherto proposed B and B NMR-peak assignments relating to their neighboring Si, B and B species, as quantified by MAS NMR spectral deconvolution. Guidance to these resonance assignments was offered from double-quantum-single-quantum (2Q-1Q) B MAS NMR experiments that inform about the B-O-B network linkages.

Flavopiridol restores granulopoiesis in experimental models of severe congenital neutropenia.

Severe congenital neutropenia (CN) patients require life-long treatment with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), but some show no response. We sought to establish a therapy for CN that targets signaling pathways causing maturation arrest of granulocytic progenitors. We developed an isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) in vitro model of CN associated with ELANE mutations (ELANE-CN) and performed an in silico drug repurposing analysis of the transcriptomics of iPSC-generated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

Gut microbiota in inflammation and colorectal cancer: A potential Toolbox for Clinicians.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide public health issue specifically in patients with chronic diseases associated with a western lifestyle, such as metabolic diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Interestingly, both metabolic disorders and IBD are characterized by a chronic state of inflammation that contributes to the carcinogenesis with specific alteration of the gut microbiota composition and function. Evidence now shows that this altered gut microbiota contributes fueling a chronic pro-inflammatory state in a vicious circle that can favor CRC development.

Association between paramagnetic rim lesions and pulvinar iron depletion in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Background: The deep gray matter (DGM), especially the pulvinar, and the white matter surrounding chronic active lesions have demonstrated depleted iron levels, indicating a possible mechanistic link. However, no studies have investigated the potential relationship between these phenomena.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine whether PRLs were associated with pulvinar iron depletion and, if so, whether this relationship was spatially mediated.

tp53 R217H and R242H mutant zebrafish exhibit dysfunctional p53 hallmarks and recapitulate Li-Fraumeni syndrome phenotypes.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome associated with a highly penetrant cancer spectrum characterized by germline TP53 mutations. We characterized the first LFS zebrafish hotspot mutants, tp53 R217H and R242H (human R248H and R273H), and found these mutants exhibit partial-to-no activation of p53 target genes, have defective cell-cycle checkpoints, and display partial-to-full resistance to apoptosis, although the R217H mutation has hypomorphic characteristics. Spontaneous tumor development histologically resembling human sarcomas was observed as early as 6 months.

The menopausal transition and multiple physiologic measures of early brain health in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study.

Objective: This study proposed to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of menopausal status with physiologic brain magnetic resonance imaging measures.

Methods: The sample included women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study who self-reported their reproductive histories and participated in the brain magnetic resonance imaging substudies at the year 25 (n = 292) and year 30 (n = 258) follow-up examinations. Menopausal status was classified based on natural menstrual cycle regularity/cessation at both time points.

Hybrid nanostructures of urchin-like MnCoO micro flowers on N, B co-doped rGO for electrochemical determination of paracetamol.

This work aims to create an electrochemical sensor to detect paracetamol (PAR). The sensor is constructed by modifying an electrode with carbon paste and incorporating nanostructures of manganese cobaltite (MnCoO) onto reduced graphene oxide that is doped with nitrogen and boron (BN-rGO). MnCoO provides a stable structure and N, B-doped rGO enhances conductivity and provides additional active sites.

Evidentiary basis of the first regulatory qualification of a digital primary efficacy endpoint.

Stride velocity 95th centile (SV95C) is a wearable-derived endpoint representing the 5% fastest strides taken during everyday living. In July 2023, SV95C received European Medicines Agency (EMA) qualification for use as a primary endpoint in trials of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) aged ≥ 4 years-becoming the first digital endpoint to receive such qualification. We present the data supporting this qualification, providing insights into the evidentiary basis of qualification as a digital clinical outcome assessment.

Adenosine relaxes vagina smooth muscle through the cyclic guanosine monophosphate- and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent pathways.

Background: In males, adenosine (ADO) is known to relax penile smooth muscles, although its role in the vagina is not yet fully elucidated.

Aim: This study investigated the effect of ADO on vagina smooth muscle activity, using a validated female Sprague-Dawley rat model.

Methods: Contractility studies, using noradrenaline-precontracted vaginal strips, tested the effects of ADORA1/3 antagonists and ADORA2A/2B antagonists and agonists.

Exploring Photoreceptor Gene Expression and Seasonal Physiology in Mediterranean Swordfish ().

Mature and immature female swordfish show different gonadal expression patterns of melatonin synthesis-related and opsin genes, indicating that seasonality affects gonadal circadian genes, especially through opsin modulation. The high energy demands of reproduction may cause mature female swordfish to become more susceptible to environmental stressors/changes, potentially affecting their health post-reproduction. The modulation of melatonin and opsin expression may also influence swordfish biology, impacting basal metabolism and stress responses.