Success of miniscrews used as anchorage for orthodontic treatment: analysis of different factors

ObjectivesTo examine factors involved in clinical success of miniscrew implants used for orthodontic anchorage in the upper jaw.Materials and methodsOne hundred and forty-four patients (93 females and 51 males) were fitted with a total of 324 miniscrew implants of two different morphologies (cylindrical and conical), and of different lengths and diameters. The clinical factors examined were screw length, side of insertion, miniscrew shape and diameter, bone quality, skeletal type, and relationship between bone quality and skeletal type and patient age.ResultsThe mean overall success rate of the implants was 91.4%. The length and shape of the miniscrews significantly influenced the success rate, whereas side of insertion (left or right), screw diameter and skeletal type showed no significant effects. Poor (soft) bone quality and good (hard) bone quality are risk factors for miniscrew failure, with the best results obtained when the screws are inserted into bone of medium quality (10-15 Ncm).ConclusionIn the posterior areas of the upper jaw, long, conical miniscrews showed a significantly greater success rate. An insertion torque of 10 Ncm to 15 Ncm is also a significant index of higher success rate.     

The use of nasotracheal Airtraq® laryngoscope with reinforced endotracheal tube: our experience

The authors describe the use of nasotracheal AirtraQ^® laryngoscope to perform orotracheal intubation with reinforced endotracheal tube in patients with difficult airways. The choice of nasotracheal AirtraQ^® instead of orotracheal device resulted from the difficulty that they sometimes found using orotracheal AirtraQ^® with reinforced endotracheal tube. The nasotracheal AirtraQ^® may be successfully used to perform orotracheal intubation with styletted reinforced endotracheal tube, specially in case of difficulty in advancing it inside the tube‐guiding channel of orotracheal AirtraQ^®.     

Multiplex targeted high‐throughput sequencing in a series of 352 patients with congenital limb malformations

Congenital limb malformations (CLM) comprise many conditions affecting limbs and more than 150 associated genes have been reported. Due to this large heterogeneity, a high proportion of patients remains without a molecular diagnosis. In the last two decades, advances in high throughput sequencing have allowed new methodological strategies in clinical practice. Herein, we report the screening of 52 genes/regulatory sequences by multiplex high‐throughput targeted sequencing, in a series of 352 patients affected with various CLM, over a 3‐year period of time. Patients underwent a clinical triage by expert geneticists in CLM. A definitive diagnosis was achieved in 35.2% of patients, the yield varying considerably, depending on the phenotype. We identified 112 single nucleotide variants and 26 copy‐number variations, of which 52 are novel pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. In 6% of patients, variants of uncertain significance have been found in good candidate genes. We showed that multiplex targeted high‐throughput sequencing works as an efficient and cost‐effective tool in clinical practice for molecular diagnosis of congenital limb malformations. Careful clinical evaluation of patients may maximize the yield of CLM panel testing.     

Effect of surface morphology on methane interaction with calcite: a DFT study

Natural gas, consisting primarily of methane, is found in carbonate reservoirs of which calcite is major component. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of carbonate reservoirs remain a major challenge in estimating ultimate recovery. Herein, density functional theory calculations are employed to study the effect of surface morphology on the adsorption of CH₄ on the surface of CaCO₃ (calcite). Among the 9 different surface symmetries considered, the strongest adsorption (and consequently the largest adsorption capacity) of methane is found for the 110 surface of the material. In fact, the adsorption capacity of this surface is more than an order of magnitude larger than the one for the 104 surface, which is the lowest energy surface for the calcite. The obtained results are explained by structural analysis and charge calculations. These findings can be useful for the estimation of the ultimate gas recovery taking into account heterogeneous porosity and permeability of the carbonate reservoirs.

Adsorption and surface energies of methane on different calcite morphologies.