Conservative endodontic management using a calcium silicate bioceramic sealer for delayed root fracture: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUNDThe success rate of conservative endodontic management for root fracture varies greatly based on different methods used. It has been rarely reported that calcium silicate-based materials are applied in root fracture treatment. CASE SUMMARYA 38-year-old male patient presented with spontaneous pain from the upper left anterior teeth for 1 wk. The spontaneous pain was subsequently relieved, but pain on mastication persisted for 3 d. The patient had a dental trauma from a boxing match 15 years ago. Cone beam computed tomography showed that the maxillary left central incisor had oblique fracture lines and a radiolucent lesion around the fracture line. The tooth was diagnosed with an oblique root fracture with no healing and symptomatic apical periodontitis. In the following conservative endodontic management, the coronal and apical fragments of the canal both were chemo-mechanically prepared and obturated using a single cone gutta-percha with iRoot SP (Innovative BioCreamix Inc, Vancouver, Canada), a new calcium silicate-based bioceramic root canal sealer. At follow-ups at 1, 6, 12, and 24 mo, the patient was asymptomatic and the radiolucency around the fracture line was healing radiographically. CONCLUSIONConservative root canal treatment is an alternative treatment in some cases of oblique root fracture with no healing. The application of bioceramic sealers and single core obturation techniques may also be essential to obtain an excellent outcome.     

Flow-through arterialized venous free thenar flaps for palmar soft tissue defects in fingers

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of venous free thenar flaps for reconstructing palmar soft tissue defects in fingers.MethodsFrom December 2018 to October 2019, 11 patients with palmar soft tissue defects in fingers were treated using venous free thenar flaps. At the final follow-up, the range of thumb radial and palmar abduction on the injured side and opposite side was calculated. The total active movement (TAM) of the injured and opposite fingers and flap sensibility recovery were also recorded.ResultsThe mean follow-up time was 13.4 months, all flaps survived, and all wounds at the donor sites healed with no skin necrosis. At the last follow-up, the average range of thumb radial abduction and thumb palmar abduction on the injured side was 96.6% and 95.9% of the value on the opposite side, respectively. The average TAM of the injured fingers was 98.2% of the value of the opposite fingers. Sensation in the flaps was restored to grade S2 to S3.ConclusionVenous free thenar flaps can be alternatives for reconstructing palmar soft tissue defects in fingers.     

手术备血现况调查及优化手术备血策略的应用价值探讨

目的回顾分析本院手术备、用血情况,探讨优化手术备血策略的应用价值。方法收集四川大学华西医院2012~2018年的手术备、用血数据,计算输血率、备血输注率、输血指数等指标,评判手术备血合理性,并分别以输血指数≥0.3、输血率≥5%、输血指数≥0.5推荐备血来计算可节省的费用。结果 1)手术备血相对合理的外科科室有心脏外科和烧伤整形科,其他外科科室手术备血存在过度的现象,尤以胸外科最为明显;2)备血率排前15位的手术中,备血较合理的手术有二尖瓣置换术、室间隔修补/封堵、主动脉瓣置换,其他12种手术均存在备血过度的情况,尤以肺切除术最为严重;3)分别用3个指标推荐手术备血,备血人数理论上可减少19%~80%,每年节约检测费用39~128万元。结论本院心脏外科和烧伤整形科的手术备血较为合理,其他科室手术备血过度的现象较普遍,尤其是胸外科,通过建立手术最大备血量目录可减少不必要的备血,从而提高血液资源利用率,节省人力物力资源,减少患者的住院费用。     

Reprograming the tumor immunologic microenvironment using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in osteosarcoma

Tumor‐infiltrating immune cells play a crucial role in tumor progression and response to treatment. However, the limited studies on infiltrating immune cells have shown inconsistent and even controversial results for osteosarcoma (OS). In addition, the dynamic changes of infiltrating immune cells after neoadjuvant chemotherapy are largely unknown. We downloaded the RNA expression matrix and clinical information of 80 OS patients from the TARGET database. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate the proportion of 22 immune cell types in patients based on gene expression data. M2 macrophages were found to be the most abundant immune cell type and were associated with improved survival in OS. Another cohort of pretreated OS samples was evaluated by immunohistochemistry to validate the results from CIBERSORT analysis. Matched biopsy and surgical samples from 27 patients were collected to investigate the dynamic change of immune cells and factors before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with increased densities of CD3+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, Ki67 + CD8+ T cells and PD‐L1+ immune cells. Moreover, HLA‐DR‐CD33+ myeloid‐derived suppressive cells (MDSC) were decreased after treatment. We determined that the application of chemotherapy may activate the local immune status and convert OS into an immune “hot” tumor. These findings provide rationale for investigating the schedule of immunotherapy treatment in OS patients in future clinical trials.     

血糖变异性与重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的相关性

目的 探讨血糖变异性对重症急性脑出血患者神经功能恢复的影响及血糖变异性在重症脑出血患者发病时间轴上的表现特点。方法 选取2018年1月1日-2019年7月1日收入河南科技大学第一附属医院重症外科的脑出血患者,根据患者入院30 d后改良Rankin(Modified Rankin scale,mRS)评分将患者分为神经功能恢复良好组(mRS≤2分),和神经功能恢复不良组(mRS>2分)(残疾/死亡),比较2组入院时高血糖、平均血糖、血糖标准差、入院24 h内血糖变异性(CV1)、入院1～3 d血糖变异性(CV2)、入院3～7 d血糖变异性(CV3)、入院7 d内血糖平均变异性(CV7)、最低血糖水平以及其他临床资料,应用多变量logistic回归分析确定入院30 d后神经功能恢复的独立预测因素。结果 单因素分析显示年龄、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平、血糖标准差是影响重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的相关因素(P<0.05); 多因素logistic逐步回归模型分析显示血糖标准差、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平能独立预测重症脑出血患者神经功能的恢复情况; 神经功能恢复良好组和神经功能恢复不良组患者的血糖变异性在入院24 h内、入院1～3 d和入院3～7 d时间轴上的变化特点不同(F=5.000,P=0.029),进一步分析可以看出神经功能恢复不良组的血糖变异性平均幅度较神经功能恢复良好组高,但2组在时间轴上的变化趋势基本相同,均在急性期(入院1～3 d)呈线性上升趋势,之后趋于下降; 组内效应显示患者的血糖变异性在3个时间段上的变化具有显著差异(F=11.663,P<0.001)。结论 血糖标准差、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平是影响重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的独立危险因素; 在重症脑出血患者超急性期、急性期、亚急性期过程中血糖变异性的变化具有显著差异,临床工作中重症脑出血患者应在入院早期密切监测血糖,并积极干预,减小血糖波动范围,以期减少不良预后的发生。     

Effects of social defeat stress and fluoxetine treatment on neurogenesis and behavior in mice that lack zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) and vesicular zinc

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, in part because the available treatments are inadequate and do not work for many people. The neurobiology of depression, and the mechanism of action of common antidepressant drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is not well understood. One mechanism thought to underlie the effects of these drugs is upregulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Evidence indicates that vesicular zinc is required for modulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, at least under some circumstances. Vesicular zinc refers to zinc that is stored in the synaptic vesicles of certain neurons, including in the hippocampus, and released in response to neuronal activity. It can be eliminated from the brain by deletion of zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3), as is the case in ZnT3 knockout mice. Here, we examined the effects of repeated social defeat stress and subsequent chronic treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine on behavior and neurogenesis in ZnT3 knockout mice. We hypothesized that fluoxetine treatment would increase neurogenesis and reverse stress‐induced behavioral symptoms in wild type, but not ZnT3 knockout, mice. As anticipated, stress induced persistent depression‐like effects, including social avoidance and anxiety‐like behavior. Fluoxetine decreased social avoidance, though the effect was not specific to the stressed mice, but did not affect anxiety‐like behavior. Surprisingly, stress increased the survival of neurons born 1 day after the last episode of defeat stress. Fluoxetine treatment also increased cell survival, particularly in wild type mice, though it did not affect proliferation. Our results did not support our hypothesis that vesicular zinc is required for the behavioral benefits of fluoxetine treatment. As to whether vesicular zinc is required for the neurogenic effects of fluoxetine, our results were inconclusive, warranting further investigation into the role of vesicular zinc in adult hippocampal neurogenesis.     

The molecular genetics of human sleep

It has been known for many years that genetic influences account for some of the individual differences in human sleep parameters, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. With major advances of molecular biology and the recognition of heritable sleep behaviors in humans over the past 30 years, a number of genetic variants have been identified to be associated with human sleep timing, duration and quality, both in healthy individuals and under pathological conditions. Some of these variants were further validated and characterized in animal models, shedding light on the mechanism of how these variants likely alter sleep in humans, which may provide new insights into developing more effective treatments to improve human sleep.