Effects of 10-MDP calcium salt on osteoblasts and fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE: 10-methacryloyloxidecyl dihydrogen phosphate monomer (10-MDP) is commonly used as a bonding monomer in universal adhesives. Adhesives that contain this monomer can directly contact the surrounding periodontium due to the chemical binding of 10-MDP with hydroxyapatite in hard tissue to form calcium salts. However, the effect of these calcium salts on the periodontium in the case of subgingival fillings remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of 10-MDP calcium salts on osteoblasts and fibroblasts in the periodontal tissues. METHODS: This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of 10-MDP calcium salts on the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) and fibroblasts (L929); additionally, the effect on apoptosis and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression in these cells was evaluated. Cell proliferation assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed to determine the effects. RESULTS: The 10-MDP calcium salts (within a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL) showed no cytotoxicity and did not seem to influence the apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the cells. However, they had an inhibitory effect on the secretion of MMP2 and MMP9 in the osteoblasts and fibroblasts. The ALP activity assay and Alizarin Red staining did not reveal any significant effects of the 10-MDP calcium salts on osteoblast differentiation. SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that applying 10-MDP-containing adhesives to subgingival fillings may be safe and beneficial for the periodontal tissues.

A Retrospective Comparison of Low-Temperature Plasma Ablation and Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation of the Thoracic Nerve Root for Refractory Postherpetic Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the thoracic nerve root is commonly employed in treating medication-refractory thoracic post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). However, RFT procedures' suboptimal pain relief and high occurrence of postoperative skin numbness present persistent challenges. Previous single-cohort research indicated that the low-temperature plasma coblation technique may potentially improve pain relief and reduce the incidence of skin numbness. Nevertheless, conclusive evidence favoring coblation over RFT is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical outcomes associated with coblation to those associated with RFT in the treatment of refractory PHN. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective matched-cohort study. SETTING: Affiliated Hospital of Capital Medical University. METHODS: Sixty-eight PHN patients underwent coblation procedures between 2019 and 2020, and 312 patients underwent RFT between 2015 and 2020 in our department. A matched-cohort analysis was conducted based on the criteria of age, gender, weight, pain intensity, pain duration, side of pain, and affected thoracic dermatome. Pain relief was assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS), the Medication Quantification Scale (MQS) Version III and the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI), which were employed to indicate pain intensity, medication burden, and comprehensive pain remission at 6, 12, and 24 months. Numbness degree scale scores and complications were recorded to assess safety. RESULTS: We successfully matched a cohort of 59 patients who underwent coblation and an equivalent number of patients who underwent RFT as a PHN treatment. At the follow-up time points, both groups' NRS, MQS, and NPSI scores exhibited significant decreases from the pre-operation scores (P < 0.05). The coblation group's NRS scores were significantly lower than the RFT group's at the sixth and the twenty-fourth months (P < 0.05). At 24 months, the MQS values in the coblation group were significantly lower than those in the RFT group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the coblation group's total intensity scores on the NPSI were significantly lower than the RFT group's at the 12- and 24-month follow-ups (P < 0.05). At 6 months, the coblation group's temporary intensity scores on the NPSI were significantly lower than the RFT group's (P < 0.05). Notably, the occurrence of moderate or severe numbness in the coblation group was significantly lower than in the RFT group at 6 and 12 months (P < 0.05). No serious adverse effects were reported during the follow-up. LIMITATIONS: This analysis was a single-center retrospective study with a small sample size. CONCLUSION: In this matched cohort analysis, coblation achieved longer-term pain relief with a more minimal incidence rate of skin numbness than did RFT. Further randomized controlled trials should be conducted to solidify coblation's clinical superiority to RFT as a PHN treatment.

Analyzing the Effect of Intraoperative Stimulation Voltage on Facial Numbness Following Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation in the Treatment of Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia.

INTRODUCTION: Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) effectively alleviates idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN); however, postoperative facial numbness poses a significant challenge. This issue arises due to the close proximity of high-temperature thermocoagulation, which not only ablates pain-related nociceptive fibers but also affects tactile fibers. Intraoperative sensory stimulation voltage (SV), which reflects the distance between the RFT cannula and the target nerve, potentially possesses the ability to prevent tactile fiber injury. This study aimed to investigate the influence of SV on postoperative facial numbness and provide valuable insights to mitigate its occurrence. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 72 ITN patients with maxillary division (V2) pain who underwent RFT between 2020 and 2022. Among them, 13 patients with SV ≤ 0.2 V constituted the low SV group. Subsequently, a matched-cohort analysis was conducted on the remaining 59 patients. The patients paired with the low SV patients were subsequently enrolled in the high SV group, adhering to a 1:1 match ratio. The primary outcome was the facial numbness scale assessment at 3 days, 3 months and 6 months post-surgery. The pain intensity and medication burden served as the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: We successfully matched a cohort consisting of 12 patients in the low SV group and 12 patients in the high SV group. Each patient experienced various degrees of facial numbness at 3 days post-RFT. Notably, the low SV group exhibited a higher incidence of moderate numbness (66.7% vs. 16.67%, P = 0.036), whereas the high SV group had more cases of mild numbness at the 6-month follow-up (25% vs. 83.3%, P = 0.012). Both groups demonstrated significant decreases in pain intensity and medication burden compared to before the operation. CONCLUSIONS: SV proved to be a reliable parameter for mitigating the degree of postoperative facial numbness in RFT treatment for ITN. A relatively high sensory SV ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 V during the RFT procedure results in less facial numbness in the treatment of ITN.

A chlorogenic acid-chitosan complex bifunctional coating for improving osteogenesis differentiation and bactericidal properties of zirconia implants.

Poor osteogenesis caused by limited bioactivity and peri-implantitis caused by bacterial colonization are the main challenges affecting the use of zirconia-based materials in dental implants. Accordingly, the development of a surface treatment method with an antibacterial effect and that promotes osteogenesis without damage to cells is crucial for yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) implants. Herein, we have developed a functional surface modification strategy whereby a poly (ethylene imine)/hyaluronic acid /chitosan-chlorogenic acid (PEI/HA/CGA-CS) conjugate is deposited on a zirconia surface by the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique, enhancing its osteogenic differentiation and antibacterial activities. The results showed that the PEI/HA/CGA-CS coating improved the wettability of the zirconia surface and maintained stable release of CGA. The PEI/HA/CGA-CS functional coating was found to promote early cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and calcification. The results of bacterial adhesion and activity tests showed that the coating effectively inhibits the proliferation and activity of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) without impairing the biological activity of osteoblasts. In addition, we found that the PEI/HA/CGA-CS coating enhances the osteogenesis of MC3T3-E1 cells by promoting the protein expression of Nephronectin (NPNT) and activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. The above results are of profound significance for the practical application of zirconia-based implants. DATA AVAILABILITY: Data will be made available on request.

[Effects of fine particulate matter on cognitive function and gut microbiota in adult male mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5))exposure to cognitive function and intestinal flora abundance and diversity in adult male mice. METHODS: The SPF grade male C57 BL/6 J mice with 8 weeks old were randomly divided into control group(NS group), PM_(2.5) exposure group(PM_(2.5) group), probiotic group(VSL#3 group) and PM_(2.5) + VSL#3 group(PMV group), with 8 mice in each group. The PM_(2.5) group and PMV group mice were exposed to PM_(2.5) using animal exposure system equipped with real-time PM_(2.5) concentration, and concentrated 6 times the outdoor PM_(2.5) concentration, 8 h every day, 5 d every week for 4 weeks. The VSL#3 group and PMV group mice were given VSL#3, 0.5 mL, 2×10~9 CFU/mL. After four weeks of exposure, feces from mice were collected for 16 s rRNA high-throughput sequencing, and the cognitive function was evaluated using Morris water maze and object recognition experiments. RESULTS: The escape latency of PM_(2.5) group in four-day training [(54.99±6.77) s, (41.21±9.98) s, (36.27±13.11) s, (30.01±14.80) s] were higher than that of NS group [(32.19±4.59) s, (20.50±6.77) s, (19.93±7.30) s, (16.94±9.91) s], and the difference were statistically significant(P<0.05). The escape latency of PMV group on the first and second day of training [(39.02±6.23) s, (28.83±9.53) s] were lower than that of PM_(2.5) group(P<0.05). The target quadrant residence time of mice in PM_(2.5) group [(18.30± 8.88) s] was lower than that in NS group and PMV group [(30.53±9.10) s, (30.00±10.61) s]. Compared with NS group(6.09±0.40), the shannon index of PM_(2.5) group and PMV group(5.05±0.65 and 5.46±0.52) were significantly reduced(P<0.05). The target quadrant time was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Actinomyces(r=0.576, P<0.05), and the recognition index was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Firmicutes(r=0.612, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PM_(2.5) could lead to cognitive dysfunction in mice, which is related to diversity and abundance of the intestinal flora. Probiotic can improve cognitive function.

Low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation for the management of refractory cluster headache.

INTRODUCTION: Although the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) has been considered a site of therapeutic potential for cluster headache (CH), the optimal technique of SPG is still to be determined. Low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation (LTPRA) has been proposed as an alternative treatment for several neuropathic pain diseases. AIM: To evaluate the effect of LTPRA of SPG in treating chronic and episodic CH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patients with CH, who achieved temporary pain relief following SPG block, treated using LTPRA between January 2015 and October 2017 were reviewed. Seventy-six patients were included: 50 patients suffered from episodic CH and the remaining 26 patients from chronic CH. The primary outcomes were clinical improvement rate, defined as the percentage of partial and complete pain relief results at 1 day, 12 months, and 24 months of follow-up after the operation. RESULTS: Clinical improvement rates were 92.3%, 92.3% and 73.1% in chronic CH and 73.1%, 84% and 68% in episodic CH at each follow-up time point, respectively. 3 chronic CH patients and 7 episodic CH patients showed no pain relief after the operation. Drooping eyelids were found in 2 cases, one recovered at the 3-month follow-up but another one did not in the 24-month follow-up. No serious complications occurred intraoperatively or postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: LTPRA can be considered an effective and alternative surgical modality in treating patients with chronic and episodic CH, based on SPG block.

A high-stability biphasic layered cathode for sodium-ion batteries.

A novel biphasic layered Na0.62Ni0.33Mn0.62Sb0.05O2 cathode is introduced which can be easily synthesized via a solid-state reaction method. Compared with its monophasic counterpart Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2, biphasic Na0.62Ni0.33Mn0.62Sb0.05O2 displays a smoother (dis)charge profile, superior rate capability along with splendid cycling performance. Structural and kinetic studies respectively demonstrate extremely small volume strain and rapid charge transfer during the electrochemical process.

[Effects of PM_(2. 5) exposure on synaptic plasticity and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in rat hippocampus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of PM_(2. 5) exposure on the development of synaptic plasticity and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in hippocampus of offspring rats. METHODS: Healthy 7-week-old SPF SD rats(n=36) mated with a male to female ratio of 2∶1. Pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups, including control group, low PM_(2. 5) group, and high PM_(2. 5) group, with eight rats in each group. The low and high PM_(2. 5) concentrations in dynamic exposure cabinet were approximately two times and four times higher than the annual average PM_(2. 5) concentration in Tangshan city respectively. The exposure started from pregnant day 0, until postnatal day 21(PND21) of offspring rats. After weaning, the offspring rats continued to be exposed to PM_(2. 5) until PND42. PND21 and PND42 pups were subjected to Morris water maze and new object recognition experiments. Western blot was used to detect post synaptic density-95(PSD-95), synaptophysin(SYN), growth associated protein(GAP-43), glycogen synthase kinase 3ß(GSK-3ß), ß-catenin protein levels and phosphorylation levels of GSK-3ß and ß-catenin in the hippocampus of offspring rats. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the learning and memory abilities of the pups of each PM_(2. 5) group were significantly decreased with a dose dependent manner. Compared with the control group, the protein level of SYN, GAP-43 and PSD-95 in hippocampus of PND0 rats of each PM_(2. 5)groups were decreased(P<0. 05), and the protein level of SYN of each PM_(2. 5)group and PSD-95 of high PM_(2. 5) group in PND21 and PND42 were decreased(P<0. 05), and the level of GAP-43 of low PM_(2. 5) group in PND42 were decreased(P<0. 05). Compared with the low PM_(2. 5) group, the level of PSD-95 of high PM_(2. 5) group in PND0 and PND21, the level of PSD-95 of high PM_(2. 5) group in PND0 and PND42 were decreased(P<0. 05). Compared with the control group, the level of p-GSK-3ß in hippocampus of each PM_(2. 5)group in PND0, PND21 and PND42 was decreased(P<0. 05), and with the increase of PM_(2. 5) exposure dose, the trend is more obvious. The protein level of p-ß-catenin in hippocampus of high PM_(2. 5) group in PND0 and PND42 was significantly increased(P<0. 05). The level of p-ß-catenin in high-dose PND21 pups compared with the control group was significantly reduced(P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: Exposure to PM_(2. 5) in early life can damage the synaptic plasticity and decrease the protein levels of ß-catenin and p-GSK-3ß in the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway of hippocampus in offspring rats.

Long-term outcome of computed tomography-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation for classic trigeminal neuralgia patients older than 70 years.

The incidence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in elderly patients is higher. However, for those with poor fitness, the optimal surgical treatment for those refractory to medical treatment is controversial. The aim of current study was to investigate the long-term outcome of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRT) for 304 TN patients 70 years or older. We conducted a retrospective study of 304 elderly patients with TN who were treated with CT-guided PRT between 2002 and 2012. Follow-up was censored at the time of last contact, additional surgery, or death. Sixty-seven patients (22.1%) were of more than American Society of Anesthesiologists classification system physical status II. Excellent pain relief was 100% at discharge, 85% at 1 year, 75% at 3 years, 71% at 5 years, and 49% at 10 years. Pain relief outcomes were correlated with facial numbness. Lower temperature group (≤75°C) can attain the same long-term pain relief as higher temperature group (≥80°C); however, the incidence of painful dysesthesia rate of higher temperature group was higher than lower temperature group. Postoperative morbidity included facial numbness, masseter weakness, corneitis, hearing loss, dropping eyelid, and limited mouth opening. There were no mortalities observed during or after PRT. Our result showed CT-guided PRT is safe and effective for classic TN patients 70 years or older, including poor-fitness patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists classification system physical status >II). Lower temperature (≤75°C) is recommended for PRT in the treatment of TN.