Survival analysis of crown margin repair: A retrospective study in a dental school setting

BackgroundRepairing crowns with defective margins is minimally invasive and cost-effective compared with replacement. The authors’ objectives were to examine the survival trajectory of crown margin repairs and to determine the factors associated with survival.MethodsRecords of adult patients from January 2008 through August 2019 were reviewed for crown margin repairs completed at University of Iowa College of Dentistry. A total of 1,002 crown margin repairs were found. Each repair was followed through the end of study in 2019 or until an event (for example, additional repair, endodontic treatment, crown replacement, or extraction). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to study the relationship between selected covariates and time to event.ResultsDuring the follow-up period, 32.8% of the repairs needed reintervention. In the final model, repair material was the only significant covariate. No difference was found between the survival of repairs done with resin-modified glass ionomer and amalgam. However, the repairs done with resin-based composite and conventional glass ionomer were more likely (1.5 times: 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.10 times; and 2 times: 95% CI, 1.40 to 2.73 times, respectively) to need reintervention than were those done with amalgam.ConclusionsMedian survival time of crown margin repairs was 5.1 years (95% CI, 4.48 to 5.72 years). Median survival times for amalgam, resin-modified glass ionomer, resin-based composite, and glass ionomer repair materials were 5.7 years (95% CI, 4.80 to 6.25 years), 5.3 years (95% CI, 4.73 to 6.34 years), 3.2 years (95% CI, 2.51 to 6.19 years), and 3.0 years (95% CI, 2.53 to 3.62 years), respectively.Practical ImplicationsWhen considering crown margin repairs, resin-modified glass ionomer or amalgam is preferable to resin-based composite or glass ionomer.     

Measuring disease activity and response to treatment in rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction: Effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires suppression of the underlying inflammation. Measurement of such inflammation, the disease activity, is mandatory to target treatment and maximize outcomes. However, this is not as straightforward as it may seem.

Areas covered: The many tools developed to measure disease activity in RA, from composite scores and patient-reported outcomes, to laboratory markers and imaging are discussed, with a focus on their utility in guiding therapy and assessing response. The complex issues in measuring disease activity in RA, whether in clinical trials or normal clinical practice, and in the context of national guidelines and recommendations, available time, and resources are considered.

Expert commentary: The key to effective management of RA is the rapid suppression of inflammation, ideally to remission, with maintenance of such remission. The aim is to prevent disability and maximize quality of life. Central to this is the ability to determine disease activity (potentially open to suppression) as opposed to damage (irreversible). A variety of measures are currently available, allowing better assessment of response to treatment. In the future, the development of predictive biomarkers allowing targeting of drugs may revolutionize this field and render the tools of today redundant.     

Pathology of valved venous homografts used as right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduits in congenital heart disease surgery

Objectives

Although valved venous homografts (VVHs) are used for establishing right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery continuity in some complex heart defects, the tissue changes that occur in situ have not been described. We review the gross and microscopic changes observed in explanted VVH conduits and their effects on functionality.

健康管理对高危哮喘儿童家庭单元治疗依从性作用及肺功能指标的影响

目的 分析健康管理对提高以家庭为单位的高危哮喘儿童病情控制及肺功能指标的改善作用,为儿童哮喘防治提供新的思路。方法 选取2014年1月－2016年5月在山东省立医院就诊的93例高危哮喘儿童并随机分为实验组和对照组。实验组给予常规临床治疗加全程健康管理和定期随访;对照组只给予常规临床治疗,未贯穿健康管理,嘱定期随访。结果 实验组患儿的病情控制及各项肺功能指标较之于对照组有明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 加强高危哮喘儿童的家庭单元的防控意识,进行系统、持续的健康管理,定期随访和监测,能明显减少患儿病情发作,提高治疗依从性。     

碳纤维复合材料人工颅骨板急性期生物相容性的研究

目的 评价碳纤维复合材料人工颅骨板在急性期的生物相容性。方法 制作碳纤维复合材料、含重组人骨形态发生蛋白-2（rhBMP-2）的碳纤维复合材料、钛网、MEM培养基、含有0.64%苯酚的MEM培养基的浸出液，用于测试。采用L929小鼠成纤维细胞进行细胞毒性试验，采用健康ICR小鼠进行急性毒性试验，采用新西兰大白兔耳静脉血进行急性溶血试验，采用白化豚鼠进行皮肤致敏试验。结果 碳纤维复合材料、含rhBMP-2的碳纤维复合材料、钛网浸提液对L929细胞的相对增殖率均在75%以上，细胞毒性1级，无明显细胞毒性；小鼠腹腔注射相应材料的浸提液后，均活动良好，均无不良反应，均无明显急性毒性；碳纤维复合材料、含rhBMP-2的碳纤维复合材料、钛网浸提液溶血率均小于5%，均不引起溶血反应；碳纤维复合材料、含rhBMP-2的碳纤维复合材料、钛网浸提液不引起致敏性。结论 碳纤维复合人工颅骨板急性期生物相容性良好。     

桂枝芍药知母汤对类风湿性关节炎患者实验室指标和免疫功能的影响

目的:探讨桂枝芍药知母汤对类风湿性关节炎患者实验室指标和免疫功能的影响。方法:选取2014年12月至2016年12月南京中医药大学附属南京市中西医结合医院收治的类风湿关节炎患者110例作为研究对象，按照随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组，每组55例。对照组采用常规西医治疗，观察组在对照组的基础上联合桂枝芍药知母汤治疗，2组均治疗1个月。比较2组临床效果、临床症状改善情况、实验室指标及免疫功能指标水平；统计2组不良反应发生率。结果:观察组总有效率为92.73%，高于对照组（78.18%，P<0.05）。与治疗前比，治疗1个月后，2组握力均增大，且观察组大于对照组（P<0.05）；2组晨僵时间、20 m步行时间均缩短，且观察组短于对照组（P<0.05）；2组关节压痛数、关节肿胀数、ESR、MPV、PDW及血清CRP、血浆IgA、IgG、IgM、RF水平均降低，且观察组低于对照组（P<0.05）；2组血清C3水平均升高，且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗期间，观察组不良反应发生率为0.00%，低于对照组（10.91%，P<0.05）。结论:桂枝芍药知母汤治疗类风湿性关节炎，可改善患者实验室指标，增强免疫功能，提高疗效，安全性较高。     

Effect of carbon-rich biochar on mechanical properties of PLA-biochar composites

Agricultural biomass residues are emerged from harvesting and processing of agricultural crops. When the crop production increases, a large amount of biomass residues is produced and remained after cutting of peel, bunch, straw and stalk of crops. In this work, agricultural biomass residues (cassava rhizome, durian peel, pineapple peel and corncob) were selected as feedstock for carbon-rich biochar (CRB) production using a facile pyrolysis method. Proximate analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterize biomass feedstock. The results showed that the percentage of fixed carbon in biomass feedstock ranged between 11.91% and 17.51%. Characteristic differences of the CRB were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The carbon content in the CRB was found to significantly depend on biomass origin. Interestingly, cassava rhizome, which has a higher percentage of fixed carbon, is a superior precursor for CRB production. The study of different pyrolysis temperature indicated that the carbon content of cassava rhizome derived CRB is increased with pyrolysis temperature. The tensile properties of composite between poly(lactic acid) PLA and different types of biomass-derived CRB were investigated. PLA composite incorporated with a higher carbon content-CRB tended to exhibit improved mechanical properties. Specifically, the elastic modulus and impact energy of PLA/CRB composite specimens increased remarkably with the incorporation of CRB powder. The current research indicates that CRB prepared from agricultural biomass residues could be a sustainable material for utilization in PLA biocomposites.