An Operating Stiffness Controller for the Medical Continuum Robot Based on Impedance Control.

Continuum manipulators can conform to curvilinear paths and manipulate objects in complex environments, which makes it emerging to be applied in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). However, different and controllable operating stiffness of the continuum manipulator is required during different stages of surgery to achieve safe access or stable and precise operation. This work proposes an operating stiffness controller (OSC) for the typical tendon-driven continuum manipulator based on the variable impedance control method with Lagrangian dynamic modeling. This controller can adjust the operating stiffness by modifying the driving forces along the driving tendons of the continuum manipulator without changing its material or structure. The proposed OSC converts the damping and stiffness matrices of the impedance control into variable parameters. This merit allows it to dynamically adjust the operating stiffness of the continuum manipulator according to the desired constant or time-varying stiffness. Furthermore, the OSC stability can be proven based on a Lyapunov function, and its stiffness control performances have been analyzed and evaluated in both simulations and experiments. The OSC controller generated average relevant error values of 7.82% and 3.09% for the operating stiffness control experiments with constant and time-varying desired stiffness, respectively. These experimental results indicate that the OSC has high accuracy, stability, and strong robustness in the operating stiffness control tasks.

Near-infrared fluorescent indolizine-dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran hybrids for viscosity imaging in living cells.

The development of near-infrared organic fluorescent dyes with tunable emission profiles is highly required in the field of biological sensing and imaging. In this paper, we designed and synthesized two organic fluorescent dyes, DCM-1 and DCM-2, through the hybridization of indolizine and dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran skeleton. These two compounds show near-infrared fluorescence with emission maximum approximately at 640 and 680 nm, respectively. Notably, both DCM-1 and DCM-2 have specific responses to viscosity without being interfered by biological relevant species. Cell experiments demonstrate that DCM-1 and DCM-2 can detect dynamic changes in viscosity within living cells, suggesting their potential applications in chemical biology research.

Digitally measured exposed root surface area for predicting the effectiveness of modified coronally advanced tunnel combined de-epithelialized gingival grafting in the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive value of baseline digitally measured exposure root surface area (ERSA) on the effectiveness of modified coronally advanced tunnel and de-epithelialized gingival grafting (MCAT + DGG) technique for the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGRs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 96 gingival recessions (48 RT1 and 48 RT2) from 30 subjects were included. ERSA was measured on the digital model obtained by intraoral scanner. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the possible correlation of ERSA, Cairo recession type (RT), gingival biotype, keratinized gingival width (KTW), tooth type, and cervical step-like morphology on the mean root coverage (MRC) and complete root coverage (CRC) at 1-year after MCAT + DGG. The predictive accuracy of CRC is tested using receiver-operator characteristic curves. RESULTS: At 1-year postoperatively, the MRC for RT1 was 95.14 ± 10.25%, which was significantly higher than 78.42 ± 22.57% for RT2 (p < 0.001). ERSA (OR:1.342, p < 0.001), KTW (OR:1.902, p = 0.028) and lower incisors (OR:15.716, p = 0.008) were independent risk factors for predicting MRC. ERSA and MRC showed significant negative correlation in RT2(r = -0.558, p < 0.001), but not in RT1(r = 0.220, p = 0.882). Meanwhile, ERSA (OR:1.232, p = 0.005) and Cairo RT (OR:3.740, p = 0.040) were independent risk factors for predicting CRC. For RT2, the area under curve was 0.848 and 0.898 for ERSA without or with other correction factors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Digitally measured ERSA may provide strong predictive values for RT1 and RT2 defects treated with MCAT + DGG. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrates that digitally measured ERSA is a valid outcome predictor for root coverage surgery, especially applicable for predicting RT2 MAGRs.

Inflammation markers and the risk of hypertension in people living with HIV.

Background: The incidence of hypertension is high in people living with HIV (PLWH). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), and neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR) are considered economic and convenient parameters that reflect the levels of inflammation in patients. Our aim was to explore whether indirect inflammation markers are associated with hypertension in PLWH. Methods: This was a case-control study. The case group (hypertension) comprised PLWH with hypertension, and the control group (non-hypertension) comprised sex- and age-(± 3 years)-matched PLWH without hypertension. Demographic parameters, hsCRP, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune- inflammation index (SII), SIRI, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-to-neutrophil ratio (PNR), platelet-to-monocyte ratio (PMR), NMR, time to HIV diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy (ART) duration, recent CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts, recent CD4+/CD8+ ratio, recent HIV viral load (HIV-RNA),and recent ART regimen were obtained from the patients' electronic medical records. A t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed to compare differences between the two groups, and conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of hypertension. Correlations between inflammation markers and CD4+ cell counts, CD8+ cell counts, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were analyzed using Spearman's correlation. Results: In the hypertension group, body mass index (BMI), hsCRP, NLR, SII, SIRI, NMR, time to HIV diagnosis, ART duration, CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio, the ratio of HIV-RNA < 100 copies/mL were all higher than those in the non-hypertension group, while the PNR was lower than that in the non-hypertension group. ART duration, CD4+ cell counts, HIV-RNA < 100 copies/mL, hsCRP, SIRI, and NMR were positively associated with hypertensive risk in PLWH. CD8+ cell counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratio was negatively associated with hypertensive risk in PLWH. SIRI was negatively correlated with CD4+ cell counts and CD8+ cell counts, but positively correlated with CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Conclusions: We identified positive associations between inflammation markers hsCRP, SIRI, NMR and hypertensive risk in PLWH. Alleviating inflammation may help control or delay the occurrence of hypertension in PLWH.

Clinical and computed tomographic evaluations of periodontal phenotypes in a Chinese population: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic value of probe transparency related to gingival thickness (GT) and keratinized gingival width (KGW) at individual and site levels and explore the relationship of buccal bone plate thickness (BT) with GT and KGW. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1,606 teeth from 167 patients with periodontally healthy maxillary anterior region were included. GT was measured with probe transparency and transgingival probing. KGW was measured directly. BTs were assessed at the level 1 mm apical to the alveolar crest (BT1) and midpoint of the root (BT2) and evaluated at individual and tooth levels along with their mutual associations. RESULTS: The prevalence of thick gingiva was 53% with probe transparency measurement and 51% with transgingival probing. The cutoff gingival thickness was 0.8 mm, which correlated moderately with a Cohen's kappa of 0.386. The mean GT, KGW, and BTs (BT1 and BT2) in the maxillary anterior region were 0.97 ± 0.46, 5.51 ± 1.62, 0.85 ± 0.31, and 0.79 ± 0.32 mm, respectively. GT and KGW correlated mildly (r = 0.261), and GT and BTs correlated moderately (BT1: r = 0.298; BT2: r = 0.338). GT and BTs differed significantly between men and women and among different tooth sites. CONCLUSIONS: GT and BTs correlated positively in the maxillary anterior region and varied within and among individuals. Sex was a factor influencing the gingival phenotype and bone morphotype. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: GT measured with transgingival probing, with a cutoff of 0.8 mm, could serve as an objective measure to distinguish different gingival phenotypes.

CircKRT14 upregulates E2F3 by interacting with miR-1256 to act as an oncogenic factor in esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: A growing number of studies have focused on the regulatory role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in a variety of cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of circRNA Keratin 14 (circKRT14) on the progression of esophageal cancer (EC). METHODS: The levels of circKRT14, miR-1256 and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. The circular structure of circKRT14 was confirmed by RNase R digestion assay. Cell apoptosis, migration and invasion were detected by flow cytometry and transwell assay. The protein levels of related factors were determined by western blot. The relationship between miR-1256 and circKRT14 or E2F3 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The in vivo function of circKRT14 was studied by xenograft tumor assay. RESULTS: CircKRT14 was significantly increased in EC tissues and cells. CircKRT14 silencing inhibited EC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, but promoted EC cell apoptosis in vitro. CircKRT1 acted as a sponge for miR-1256 in EC, and in-miR-1256 abolished the inhibitory effect of circKRT14 suppression on EC cell progression. E2F3 was a target of miR-1256 and functioned as an oncogene in EC cells. MiR-1256 curbed EC progression by downregulating E2F3. CircKRT14 could affect E2F3 expression by targeting miR-1256. CircKRT14 regulated EC progression in vivo through miR-1256/E2F3 axis. CONCLUSIONS: These results uncovered that circKRT14 up-regulated the expression of E2F3 and promoted the malignant development of EC through sponging miR-1256.

Survival of nonsurgically splinted mandibular anterior teeth during supportive maintenance care in periodontitis patients.

Background/purpose: Splinting mobile teeth is a choice to improve the patient's oral comfort. The purpose of this study was to assess the survival and stability of mobile anterior mandibular teeth after splinting in patients with periodontitis undergoing supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Materials and methods: Patients with splinted mobile anterior mandibular teeth were assessed retrospectively. Periodontal statuses were recorded at baseline and follow-up visits. Tooth and splint survival as well as splint repairs were recorded. Multilevel Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate patient- and tooth-related factors that might have influenced the survival rates of splints. Results: Sixty-one patients, collectively having 161 splints, were followed for an average of 5.44 years. On average, probing depth (PD) of splinted teeth decreased from 4.31 mm to 2.93 mm and clinical attachment loss (CAL) decreased from 5.02 mm to 4.58 mm. Alveolar bone was stable in the follow-up period. None of the splinted teeth were extracted, The overall survival rate of the splints was 65.2%. Splints made of composite resin alone were associated with a higher risk of breakage when compared to splints composed of composite resin with mesh grid strips. Conclusion: Splinting showed long-term survival and splinting combined with periodontal supportive treatment is a feasible option to maintain mobile mandibular anterior teeth.

Periodontitis induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis drives impaired glucose metabolism in mice.

Periodontitis has been demonstrated to be bidirectionally associated with diabetes and has been recognized as a complication of diabetes. As a periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis is a possible pathogen linking periodontal disease and systemic diseases. It has also been found to be involved in the occurrence and development of diabetes. In this study, 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were orally administered the P. gingivalis strain ATCC381 for 22 weeks. Histological analysis of the gingival tissue and quantified analysis of alveolar bone loss were performed to evaluate periodontal destruction. Body weight, fasting glucose, glucose tolerance test (GTT), and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were used to evaluate glucose metabolism disorder. We then analyzed the expression profiles of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in gingival tissue, the liver, and adipose tissue, as well as in serum. The results showed that mice in the P. gingivalis-administered group developed apparent gingival inflammation and more alveolar bone loss compared to the control group. After 22 weeks of P. gingivalis infection, significant differences were observed at 30 and 60 min for the GTT and at 15 min for the ITT. P. gingivalis-administered mice showed an increase in the mRNA expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL8, and CXCL10) in the gingiva and serum. The expression levels of the glucose metabolism-related genes were also changed in the liver and adipose tissue. Our results indicate that oral administration of P. gingivalis can induce changes in the inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the gingiva and blood, can lead to alveolar bone loss and to inflammatory changes in the liver and adipose tissues, and can promote glucose metabolism disorder in mice.

Evaluation of salivary biomarkers for the diagnosis of periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Salivary interleukin (IL)-1ß, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, pyridinoline cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) are related to periodontitis. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers and to build a prediction panel for diagnosing periodontal disease. METHODS: A total of 80 participants were enrolled in a cross-sectional study and divided into healthy (n = 25), gingivitis (n = 24), and periodontitis (n = 31) groups based on their periodontal exam results. A full mouth periodontal examination was performed and unstimulated saliva was collected. Salivary IL-1ß, MMP-8, ICTP, and Pg were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). Their potentials for diagnosing periodontal disease were analyzed and combined prediction panels of periodontal disease were evaluated. RESULTS: As a single marker, IL-1ß showed the best diagnostic value of the four markers evaluated and exhibited an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.88 with 90% sensitivity and 76% specificity for discriminating periodontitis subjects from healthy subjects, an AUC value of 0.80 with 83% sensitivity and 76% specificity for discriminating gingivitis subjects from healthy subjects and an AUC value of 0.66 with 68% sensitivity and 64% specificity for differentiating periodontitis subjects from gingivitis subjects. The combination of IL-1ß, ICTP, and Pg exhibited the highest efficacy for discriminating periodontitis subjects from healthy subjects (AUC = 0.94) and gingivitis subjects (AUC = 0.77). The combination of IL-1ß and MMP-8 exhibited the best ability to discriminate gingivitis from healthy subjects (AUC = 0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Salivary IL-1ß, MMP-8, ICTP, and Pg showed significant effectiveness for diagnosing periodontal disease. The combination of IL-1ß, ICTP, and Pg can be used to discriminate periodontitis subjects from healthy subjects and gingivitis subjects, and the combination of IL-1ß and MMP-8 can be used to discriminate gingivitis subjects from healthy subjects.

Hybrid Polydopamine/Ag Shell-Encapsulated Magnetic Fe3O4 Nanosphere with High Antibacterial Activity.

The bacteria, which usually contaminate water environment, often cause terrible infectious diseases thus seriously threaten people's health. To meet the increasing requirement of the public health care, an easily separable nanomaterial with sustainable anti-bacteria performance is required. This work reports a Fe3O4@PDA/Ag/PDA core-shell nanosphere in which the Ag nanocrystals immobilized on the magnetic carrier are protected by an external polydopamine (PDA) layer. The magnetic hybrid nanospheres are constructed by a tunable coating method and the particle parameters can be effectively controlled by the experimental condition. The antibacterial potential of the nanospheres is evaluable by using the Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli as the models. The results indicate the Fe3O4@PDA/Ag/PDA core-shell nanospheres have a high antibacterial performance by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration. Finally, the product is expected to have a sustainable activity because the protecting PDA layer reduce the releasing rate of the Ag+ ions and the materials can be magnetically recovered from the media after the disinfection procedure.

Polydopamine protected hollow nanosphere with AuAg-nanoframe-core@Carbon@AuAg-nanocrystals-satellite hybrid nanostructure (AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA) for enhancing nanocatalysis.

This work reported a facile method for fabricating multi-layered polydopamine (PDA) encapsulated AuAg@C@AuAg core/shell nanosphere with a hollow interior. During the synthetic process, the preliminary Ag@C nanosphere is easily covered by an AuAg/PDA hybrid layer through the in situ redox-oxidized polymerization to form the Ag-AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA precursor, in which the AuAg bimetallic nanocrystals are simultaneously obtained via the electrochemical substitution reaction. After etching the residue Ag core, the final AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA hybrid nanosphere is achieved and the inner AuAg shows a unique nanoframe-like nanostructure. The carbon shell plays an important role for the formation and structure evolution of the AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA, and the composition can be modulated by varying the polymerization process. Owing to the well distributed AuAg nanocrystals and inner AuAg nanoframes, the AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA shows better performance than Ag-AuAg@C@AuAg/PDA precursor in catalyzing 4-nitrophenol, and the rate constant (K) to catalyst weight ratio reaches as high as 3.63 min-1 •mg-1. As a result, this work not only offers a hybrid bi-metallic nanocatalyst with excellent performance, but also has valuable implications for compositional modulation of hollow interior multi-layered nanostructure in adsorption, drug delivery, and nanocatalysis.

In situ redox-oxidation polymerization for magnetic core-shell nanostructure with polydopamine-encapsulated-Au hybrid shell.

This work reports a facile one-step method for the fabricating Fe3O4@Au/polydopamine sandwich-like core-shell nanostructure, in which the Au/polydopamine (Au/PDA) hybrid shell is obtained via an in situ redox-oxidation polymerization between the HAuCl4 and dopamine. The content of Au nanocrystals, shell thickness, and particle sizes are tunable by varying the experimental parameters. Intriguingly, this general method can be applied for different functional nanostructures such as the ß-FeOOH@Au/PDA, SiO2@Au/PDA, and CNT@Au/PDA nanocomposites. A possible formation mechanism is proposed and it is found that the surface interaction plays a key role in determining the final nanostructure. The as-prepared Fe3O4@Au/PDA exhibited eminent catalytic activity on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Since the external PDA shell prevents the Au nanocrystals from leaching during the reduction, the cycling activity has been maintained as high as 95% after seven times of catalytic reaction.

Magnetically Separable Nanocatalyst with the Fe3O4 Core and Polydopamine-Sandwiched Au Nanocrystal Shell.

This work reports a novel Fe3O4@polydopamine/Au/polydopamine core/shell nanocomposite toward a magnetically separable nanocatalyst. Because the polydopamine (PDA) layer-sandwiched Au nanocrystals were prepared by a layer-by-layer method, the content of Au could be controlled by varying the Au shell number (such as burger-like Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA/Au/PDA). Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA exhibited excellent catalytic activity in reducing p-nitrophenol because the substrate could penetrate the PDA shell. Owing to the protection of the PDA shell, Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA presented higher cyclability than Fe3O4@PDA/Au. The activity of Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA maintained 95% after 7 cycles, while that of Fe3O4@PDA/Au was only 61%. The detailed cycling catalytic mechanism was investigated, and it was found that the catalytic rate of Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA/Au/PDA was faster than that of Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA because of the higher Au content. Interestingly, this method could be extended for other magnetic nanocomposites with two different kinds of noble metal nanocrystals integrated within one particle, such as Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA/Ag/PDA and Fe3O4@PDA/Au/PDA/Pd/PDA.

The effect of concentrated growth factors in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects.

AIM: To investigate the effect of concentrated growth factors (CGFs) in human intrabony defect treatment. METHODS: Thirty-one intrabony defects were randomly treated with CGFs + bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM) or BPBM alone. Probing depth, clinical attachment level and hard tissue fill were evaluated at baseline and 1 year post surgery. RESULTS: No differences in any of the investigated parameters were observed at baseline. At 1 year post therapy, both groups showed significant improvement in clinical parameters (p < 0.001). CGFs + BPBM was more effective than BPBM alone at decreasing probing depth (4.2 ± 1.3 mm vs 3.0 ± 1.6 mm) and clinical attachment level gain (3.7 ± 1.3 mm vs 2.4 ± 1.1 mm; p ≤ 0.05). A favorable increase of hard tissue fill was noted in CGFs + BPBM group compared with BPBM group (p > 0.05). The contents of growth factors in CGFs were statistically higher than those in platelet poor plasma (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Addition of CGFs significantly improved clinical effectiveness of BPBM for intrabony defect treatment.

[Effect of regenerative therapy for the furcation involvements of mandibular molars evaluated by cone-beam computed tomography].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of regenerative therapy for the treatment of furcation involvements of mandibular molars with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: In the study, 38 furcation involvements of mandibular molars were included and randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group accepted guided tissue regeneration and bone graft therapy, and the control group only flap surgery. The clinical examination and CBCT examination were performed at baseline and 1 year post-surgery. RESULTS: The clinical and CBCT data of both groups were not statistically different at baseline (P>0.05). At the end of 1 year post-surgery, except gingival recession, the clinical parameters of both groups were significantly improved (P<0.001). The vertical and horizontal attachment gains of the experimental group were (3.20 ± 1.82) mm and (2.05 ± 1.27) mm, respectively, and significantly higher than the changes of the control group (P<0.001). And at the end of 1 year post-surgery, the experimental group showed significantly higher bone gain at the vertical and horizontal directions compared with those of the control group: (2.82 ± 0.97) mm and (2.24 ± 0.92) mm, respectively (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: With the limitation of this study, the effect of guided tissue regeneration surgery and bone graft therapy for the treatment of furcation involvements of mandibular molars is significantly better than that of the flap surgery. CBCT can reflect the horizontal and vertical bone changes of furcation area, which is more comprehensive than traditional periapicals.

Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 is regulated by porphyromonas gingivalis through nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-containing proteins 1 and 2 molecules in periodontal fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism by which Porphyromonas gingivalis regulates intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression in human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) and human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate whether nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD) 1 and NOD2 are involved in this process and the clinical significance of ICAM-1 in periodontitis. METHODS: hPDLCs and hGFs were treated with P. gingivalis, l-Ala-γ-d-glutamyl-mesodiaminopimelic acid (an agonist for NOD1), and muramyl dipeptide (an agonist for NOD2). Alternatively, cells transfected with small interfering RNA targeting NOD1and NOD2 were treated with P. gingivalis. ICAM-1, NOD1, and NOD2 were detected at mRNA and protein levels. In addition, clinical examinations were performed in 30 healthy controls and 40 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) before and after treatment, and serum-soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) levels in these individuals were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: This study shows that P. gingivalis caused an increase in ICAM-1, NOD1, and NOD2 expression in periodontal fibroblasts. There was a linear correlation between ICAM-1 and NOD1 and NOD2 levels. Activation of NOD1 and NOD2 by the specific agonist led to the upregulation of ICAM-1, whereas knocking down NOD1 and NOD2 caused a reduction in P. gingivalis-induced ICAM-1 production. Furthermore, sICAM-1 levels were higher in patients with CP than in healthy controls and were positively related to the clinical periodontal parameters. After periodontal treatment, sICAM-1 levels decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that sICAM-1 levels are correlated to the severity of periodontitis. NOD1 and NOD2 mediate P. gingivalis-induced ICAM-1 production in periodontal fibroblasts. NOD1 and NOD2 could be considered potential targets for periodontal therapy.

The accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography in assessing maxillary molar furcation involvement.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in assessing maxillary molar furcation involvement (FI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with generalized chronic periodontitis after initial therapy were recruited. CBCT was performed in maxillary molars with probing pocket depths of ≥6 mm and advanced FI, and CBCT images were analysed. Furcation surgery was performed in 20 maxillary molars. Lastly, intra-surgical FI assessments were compared with CBCT-based data. RESULTS: Intra-surgical findings confirmed 82.4% of the CBCT data, with a weighted kappa of 0.917. The agreement between both assessments was the highest in buccal furcation entrances, followed by distopalatal and mesiopalatal furcation entrances. Of the four parameters tested of detailed root anatomy and furcation morphology, the mean length of the root trunk and the width of the furcation entrance revealed by CBCT were consistent with their respective intra-surgical values (p > 0.05). Horizontal bone loss and vertical bone loss were underestimated by CBCT relative to their respective intra-surgical classifications (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cone-beam computed tomography images demonstrate a high accuracy in assessing the loss of periodontal tissue of the FI and root morphologies in maxillary molars.

[Effect of periodontal initial therapy on the serum level of lipid in the patients with both periodontitis and hyperlipidemia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of periodontal initial therapy on the serum level of lipid in the patients with both periodontitis and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: Twenty patients with both hyperlipidemia and moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were enrolled in this study. Periodontal parameters [plaque index (PLI), bleeding on probing (BOP), bleeding index (BI), probing depth (PD) and attachment level (AL)] were evaluated prior to and 3 months after periodontal initial therapy. Simultaneously, the patients' serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-lipoprotein cholesterol, low-lipoprotein cholesterol were also measured. RESULTS: (1) Three months after periodontal therapy, the periodontal infection and inflammation in patients reduced comparing with baseline. The PD, PLI, BI, and BOP decreased significantly (the PD, PLI, BI, and BOP reduced from 3.98+/-0.12 to 2.39+/-0.13, 1.23+/-0.10 to 0.84+/-0.08, 2.63+/-0.14 to 1.48+/-0.08 and 94.26+/-1.84 to 33.57+/-2.06, respectively; P<0.05), and the attachment level increased significantly after periodontal treatment (AL decreased from 5.17+/-0.21 to 3.92+/-0.16, P<0.05). (2) The total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in these patients also reduced significantly (reducing 0.25 mmol/L and 0.20 mmol/L respectively, P<0.05) at 3 month after periodontal therapy comparing with baseline. At the same time, high-lipoprotein cholesterol levels in these patients increased significantly (increasing 0.18 mmol/L, P<0.05). Eight out of 20 patients showed their serum levels of lipid down to the normal levels. CONCLUSION: Our observation indicated that periodontal initial therapy could reduce the serum lipid levels of patients with both periodontitis and hyperlipidemia, which might be helpful for decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease such as coronary heart disease.