ABSTRACT
In modern drug delivery, seeking a drug delivery system (DDS) with a modifiable skeleton for proper targeting of loaded actives to specific sites in the body is of extreme importance for a successful therapy. Magnetically guided nanosystems, where particles such as iron oxides are guided to specific regions using an external magnetic field, can provide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while delivering a therapeutic payload at the same time, which represents a breakthrough in disease therapy and make MNPs excellent candidates for several biomedical applications. In this review, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) along with their distinguishable properties, including pharmacokinetics and toxicity, especially in cancer therapy will be discussed. The potential perspective of using other elements within the MNP system to reduce toxicity, improve pharmacokinetics, increase the magnetization ability, improve physical targeting precision and/or widen the scope of its biomedical application will be also discussed.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of bone texture fractal dimension (FD) analysis method in predicting implant stability from intraoral periapical radiographs using two implant protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 22 subjects who needed dental implants. The participants were randomized into two groups, the control group with standard implant protocol treatment and the intervention group with added low-intensity power ultrasound treatment (LIPUS) besides the standard implant protocol. The FD values of bone density were carried out on the mesial and distal sides of the implant on digital intraoral radiographs using the box-counting method. Both resonance frequency (RF) and fractal dimension (FD) were assessed in three time intervals: after surgery and before and after loading. RESULTS: FD on both the mesial and distal sides serve as very good-to-excellent tests with high validity (ROC area exceeding 0.8) in predicting high implant stability (ISQ ≥ 70). The mesial side measurements were consistently better than the distal side among the intervention groups. The optimum cutoff value for the FD-mesial side that predicts a highly stable implant (ISQ ≥ 70) is ≥1.505. At this optimum cutoff value, the mesial side FD is associated with a perfect sensitivity (100%) and fairly high specificity (86.5%). CONCLUSION: The FD analysis could be recommended as an adjunctive quantitative method in prediction of the implant stability with very high sensitivity and specificity. This trial is registered with ISRCTN72648040.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to investigate the condylar position and its relation to articular eminence and axial condylar angle in temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) patients and in normal controls using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CBCT temporomandibular joint (TMJ) images of 70 participants (38 males and 32 females, mean age 26.4 years) were analyzed. They were divided into control group (including 35 subjects) and study group (including 35 subjects). Linear measurements of joint space and condyle determined the condylar position of each TMJ. Articular eminence height and inclination were also measured with axial condylar angle to determine its relation to condylar position. Independent and paired sample t-test was applied to compare between the groups and TMJ sides of the same group at significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Statistical significant differences were found between males and females of both groups regarding superior joint space (SJS), lateral joint space, A-P, and M-L condyle distance (P < 0.05). SJS, medial joint space (MJS), and eminence angle were greater (P < 0.01) in male's joints with TMD with flatter axial condylar angle (P < 0.05), when compared with normal TMJ counterpart. Females TMJs showed significantly higher values of MJS of affected side when compared with normal counterpart with flatter axial condylar angle (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Superior and MJS parameters were the ones that showed significant differences between affected and nonaffected joints. The mean axial condylar angle was smaller in joints with abnormal TMJ. This indicates that the condyles of the affected joints may rotate inward.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of carotid calcification on digital dental panoramic tomography in a group of the Iraqi population who have some stroke-related vascular and or metabolic disease. STUDY DESIGN: Digital dental panoramic tomographic images of 157 adult patients of age range 40-80 years having chronic illnesses such as coronary heart diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia and of 43 control subjects (age range 40-71 years, free of systemic diseases) were made and examined for the presence of carotid artery calcification adjacent or just below the intervertebral space between C3, C4, and C5 on both sides of patient's neck. The study group was subclassified into vascular, metabolic, and vascular-metabolic groups. Determinations were made of the prevalence, number, and distribution of carotid area calcifications. Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine which risk factor is more liable to develop carotid artery area calcification. RESULTS: The statistical difference between patients with stroke-related diseases (vascular, metabolic, and vascular-metabolic groups) versus patients in the control group was highly significant concerning the prevalence of carotid area calcifications (P < .01). Carotid area calcification was identified in 38.8% of the study group. Bilateral calcifications were observed more than unilateral calcification for both genders (26.6% vs. 13.9% for men; 24.4% vs. 12.8% for women). CONCLUSION: People with stroke-related vascular and/or metabolic diseases have greater prevalence of calcified area calcifications seen on panoramic radiographs than people who are otherwise healthy.
