Abstract The objective was to test the hypothesis of no difference in long-term (≥5 years) implant treatment outcomes after maxillary sinus floor augmentation (MSFA) with autogenous bone graft ...compared to a mixture of autogenous bone graft and bone substitutes or bone substitutes alone. A MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Library search in combination with a hand-search of relevant journals was conducted. Human studies published in English between January 1, 1990 and October 1, 2016 were included. Nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The survival of suprastructures has never been compared within the same study. The 5-year implant survival after MSFA with autogenous bone graft was 97%, compared to 95% for Bio-Oss; the reduction in vertical height of the augmented sinus was equivalent with the two treatment modalities. Non-comparative studies demonstrated high survival rates for suprastructures and implants regardless of the grafting material used. Meta-analysis revealed an overall estimated patient-based implant survival of 95% (confidence interval 0.92–0.96). High implant stability quotient values, high patient satisfaction, and limited peri-implant marginal bone loss were revealed in non-comparative studies. No long-term randomized controlled trial comparing the different treatment modalities was identified. Hence, the conclusions drawn from the results of this systematic review should be interpreted with caution.
Central pain mechanisms may be prominent in subsets of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and other spondyloarthritis (SpA). The painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ) ...identifies neuropathic pain features, which may act as a proxy for centrally mediated pain. The objectives were to quantify and characterize pain phenotypes (non-neuropathic vs. neuropathic features) among Danish arthritis patients using the PDQ, and to assess the association with on-going inflammation.
The PDQ was included onto the DANBIO touch screens at 22 departments of Rheumatology in Denmark for six months. Clinical data and patient reported outcomes were obtained from DANBIO. A PDQ-score >18 indicated neuropathic pain features, 13-18 unclear pain mechanism and <13 non-neuropathic pain.
Pain data (visual analogue scale, VAS) was available for 15,978 patients. 7,054 patients completed the PDQ (RA: 3,826, PsA: 1,180, SpA: 1,093). 52% of all patients and 63% of PDQ-completers had VAS pain score ≥ 30 mm. The distribution of the PDQ classification-groups (<13/ 13-18/ >18) were; RA: 56%/24%/20%. PsA: 45%/ 27%/ 28%. SpA: 55% / 24%/ 21%. More patients with PsA had PDQ score >18 compared to RA and SpA (p<0.001). For PDQ > 18 significantly higher scores were found for all patient reported outcomes and disease activity scores. No clinical difference in CRP or swollen joint count was found. Logistic regression showed increased odds for having VAS pain ≥39 mm (the median) for a PDQ-score >18 compared to <13 (OR = 10.4; 95%CI 8.6-12.5).
More than 50% of the Danish arthritis patients reported clinically significant pain. More than 20% of the PDQ-completers had indication of neuropathic pain features, which was related to a high pain-level. PDQ-score was associated with DAS28-CRP and VAS pain but not with indicators of peripheral inflammation (CRP and SJC). Thus, pain classification by PDQ may assist in mechanism-based pain treatment.
It has been suggested that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) may be used to identify those at greatest risk for severe COVID-19 illness. However, no study to date has examined the association between ...CRF and COVID-19. The objectives of this study were to determine whether CRF is independently associated with testing positive with or dying from COVID-19.
This is a prospective cohort study of 2,690 adults from the UK Biobank Study that were followed from March 16th, 2020 to July 26th, 2020. Participants who were tested for COVID-19 and had undergone CRF assessment were examined. CRF was estimated (eCRF) and categorized as low (<20th percentile), moderate (20th to 80th percentile) and high (≥80th percentile) within sex and ten-year age groups (e.g. 50-60 years). Participants were classified as having COVID-19 if they tested positive (primarily PCR tests) at an in-patient or out-patient setting as of July 26, 2020. Participants were classified as having died from COVID-19 if the primary or underlying cause of death was listed ICD-10 codes U071 or U072 by June 30th, 2020. Adjusted risk ratios (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated and a forward model building approach used to identify covariates.
There was no significant association between eCRF and testing positive for COVID-19. Conversely, individuals with moderate (aRR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.75) and high fitness (aRR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.85) had a significantly lower risk of dying from COVID-19 than those with low fitness.
While eCRF was not significantly associated with testing positive for COVID-19, we observed a significant dose-response between having higher eCRF and a decreased risk of dying from COVID-19. This suggests that prior gains in CRF could be protective against dying from COVID-19 should someone develop the virus.
The objective was to test the hypothesis of no difference in the treatment outcome after the installation of short implants (≤8mm) in the posterior part of the maxilla compared to standard length ...implants (>8mm) in conjunction with maxillary sinus floor augmentation (MSFA) using the lateral window technique, after an observation period of ≥3years. A search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, in combination with a hand-search of relevant journals, was conducted. The search yielded 1102 titles. Finally, three studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included. All were considered to have a low risk of bias. Meta-analyses revealed no significant differences in implant survival or peri-implant marginal bone loss between the two treatment modalities. However, the use of standard length implants in conjunction with MSFA was characterized by a tendency towards more peri-implant marginal bone loss. There was no statistically significant difference between the two treatment modalities with regard to overall patient satisfaction. Short implants seem to be a suitable alternative to standard length implants in conjunction with MSFA. However, further randomized controlled trials with larger patient samples and an observation period of more than 3years are needed before one treatment modality might be considered superior to the other.
Non-indigenous species (NIS) can impact marine biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Once introduced into a new region, secondary dispersal is limited by the physiology of the organism ...in relation to the ambient environment and by complex interactions between a suite of ecological factors such as presence of predators, competitors, and parasites. Early prediction of dispersal potential and future 'area of impact' is challenging, but also a great asset in taking appropriate management actions. Aerobic scope (AS) in fish has been linked to various fitness-related parameters, and may be valuable in determining dispersal potential of aquatic invasive species in novel environments. Round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, one of the most wide-ranging invasive fish species in Europe and North America, currently thrives in brackish and fresh water, but its ability to survive in high salinity waters is unknown to date. We show that AS in round goby is reduced by 30% and blood plasma osmolality increased (indicating reduced capacity for osmoregulation) at salinities approaching oceanic conditions, following slow ramping (5 PSU per week) and subsequent long-term acclimation to salinities ranging between 0 and 30 PSU (8 days at final treatment salinities before blood plasma osmolality measurements, 12-20 additional days before respirometry). Survival was also reduced at the highest salinities yet a significant proportion (61%) of the fish survived at 30 PSU. Reduced physiological performance at the highest salinities may affect growth and competitive ability under oceanic conditions, but to what extent reduced AS and osmoregulatory capacity will slow the current 30 km year-1 rate of advance of the species through the steep salinity gradient from the brackish Baltic Sea and into the oceanic North Sea remains speculative. An unintended natural experiment is in progress to test whether the rate of advance slows down. At the current rate of advance the species will reach the oceanic North Sea by 2018/2019, therefore time for taking preventative action is short.
Plants rely on complex blends of constitutive and dynamically produced specialized metabolites to mediate beneficial ecological interactions and protect against biotic attack. One such class of ...metabolites are terpenoids, a large and structurally diverse class of molecules shown to play significant defensive and developmental roles in numerous plant species. Despite this, terpenoids have only recently been recognized as significant contributors to pest resistance in maize (Zea mays), a globally important agricultural crop. The current review details recent advances in our understanding of biochemical structures, pathways and functional roles of maize terpenoids. Dependent upon the lines examined, maize can harbor more than 30 terpene synthases, underlying the inherent diversity of maize terpene defense systems. Part of this defensive arsenal is the inducible production of volatile bouquets that include monoterpenes, homoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, which often function in indirect defense by enabling the attraction of parasitoids and predators. More recently discovered are a subset of sesquiterpene and diterpene hydrocarbon olefins modified by cytochrome P450s to produce non-volatile end-products such kauralexins, zealexins, dolabralexins and ß-costic acid. These non-volatile terpenoid phytoalexins often provide effective defense against both microbial and insect pests via direct antimicrobial and anti-feedant activity. The diversity and promiscuity of maize terpene synthases, coupled with a variety of secondary modifications, results in elaborate defensive layers whose identities, regulation and precise functions are continuing to be elucidated.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 377–383
Summary
Background Vitamin D has immune‐regulatory functions in experimental colitis, and low vitamin D levels are present in Crohn’s disease.
Aim To assess ...the effectiveness of vitamin D3 treatment in Crohn’s disease with regard to improved disease course.
Methods We performed a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial to assess the benefits of oral vitamin D3 treatment in Crohn’s disease. We included 108 patients with Crohn’s disease in remission, of which fourteen were excluded later. Patients were randomized to receive either 1200 IU vitamin D3 (n = 46) or placebo (n = 48) once daily during 12 months. The primary endpoint was clinical relapse.
Results Oral vitamin D3 treatment with 1200 IU daily increased serum 25OHD from mean 69 nmol/L standard deviation (s.d.) 31 nmol/L to mean 96 nmol/L (s.d. 27 nmol/L) after 3 months (P < 0.001). The relapse rate was lower among patients treated with vitamin D3 (6/46 or 13%) than among patients treated with placebo (14/48 or 29%), (P = 0.06).
Conclusions Oral supplementation with 1200 IE vitamin D3 significantly increased serum vitamin D levels and insignificantly reduced the risk of relapse from 29% to 13%, (P = 0.06). Given that vitamin D3 treatment might be effective in Crohn’s disease, we suggest larger studies to elucidate this matter further. ClinicalTrial.gov(NCT00122184).
Gill Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA) in teleost fishes is involved in ion regulation in both freshwater and seawater. We have developed and validated rabbit polyclonal antibodies specific to the NKA alpha1a ...and alpha1b protein isoforms of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar Linnaeus), and used western blots and immunohistochemistry to characterize their size, abundance and localization. The relative molecular mass of NKA alpha1a is slightly less than that for NKA beta1b. The abundance of gill NKA alpha1a was high in freshwater and became nearly undetectable after seawater acclimation. NKA alpha1b was present in small amounts in freshwater and increased 13-fold after seawater acclimation. Both NKA isoforms were detected only in chloride cells. NKA alpha1a was located in both filamental and lamellar chloride cells in freshwater, whereas in seawater it was present only as a faint background in filamental chloride cells. In freshwater, NKA alpha1b was found in a small number of filamental chloride cells, and after seawater acclimation it was found in all chloride cells on the filament and lamellae. Double simultaneous immunofluorescence indicated that NKA alpha1a and alpha1b are located in different chloride cells in freshwater. In many chloride cells in seawater, NKA alpha1b was present in greater amounts in the subapical region than elsewhere in the cell. The combined patterns in abundance and immunolocalization of these two isoforms can explain the salinity-related changes in total NKA and chloride cell abundance. The results indicate that there is a freshwater and a seawater isoform of NKA alpha-subunit in the gills of Atlantic salmon and that they are present in distinct chloride cells.
In the last decades, sexual abuse and violence in institutions against minors has been a repeated topic of discussion in politics and among experts in the field in Germany. The alleged abuse scandal ...in 2010 marks a central event. At that time, sexual abuse in institutions became public again starting in January 2010. This was mainly due to the confession made by the Canisius College in Berlin admitting that cases of sexual abuse had been covered up in the institution for years. Subsequently, cases also became known from other Catholic institutions. At the end of February 2010, it was reveiled that the former director had sexually abused pupils during his years of service at the Odenwaldschule Oberhambach, which was one of the flagship projects of reform pedagogy. In the course of 2010, other teachers of this school and other institutions of reform pedagogy were accused of having committed sexual assaults. These revelations about the scope and severity of past cases of child sexual abuse in German institutions set off a broad public debate. The debate led to the establishment of a politically appointed Round Table committee and an Independent Commissioner whose mandates were to reappraise the issue and develop recommendations for future policies. The Round Table Committee demanded that structural measures be implemented in institutions to protect children and adolescents from (sexual) abuse. In Germany, these measures are summarized as “Schutzkonzepte” (Safeguarding measures). The goal of these measures is to better ensure the protection of children and adolescents from sexual abuse and violence in an institution. In its final report, the Round Table Committee defined components for the safeguarding measures (see Table 1) and recommended the implementation of these measures to all institutions.
Smartphones are increasingly integrated into everyday life, but frequency of use has not yet been objectively measured and compared to demographics, health information, and in particular, sleep ...quality.
The aim of this study was to characterize smartphone use by measuring screen-time directly, determine factors that are associated with increased screen-time, and to test the hypothesis that increased screen-time is associated with poor sleep.
We performed a cross-sectional analysis in a subset of 653 participants enrolled in the Health eHeart Study, an internet-based longitudinal cohort study open to any interested adult (≥ 18 years). Smartphone screen-time (the number of minutes in each hour the screen was on) was measured continuously via smartphone application. For each participant, total and average screen-time were computed over 30-day windows. Average screen-time specifically during self-reported bedtime hours and sleeping period was also computed. Demographics, medical information, and sleep habits (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-PSQI) were obtained by survey. Linear regression was used to obtain effect estimates.
Total screen-time over 30 days was a median 38.4 hours (IQR 21.4 to 61.3) and average screen-time over 30 days was a median 3.7 minutes per hour (IQR 2.2 to 5.5). Younger age, self-reported race/ethnicity of Black and "Other" were associated with longer average screen-time after adjustment for potential confounders. Longer average screen-time was associated with shorter sleep duration and worse sleep-efficiency. Longer average screen-times during bedtime and the sleeping period were associated with poor sleep quality, decreased sleep efficiency, and longer sleep onset latency.
These findings on actual smartphone screen-time build upon prior work based on self-report and confirm that adults spend a substantial amount of time using their smartphones. Screen-time differs across age and race, but is similar across socio-economic strata suggesting that cultural factors may drive smartphone use. Screen-time is associated with poor sleep. These findings cannot support conclusions on causation. Effect-cause remains a possibility: poor sleep may lead to increased screen-time. However, exposure to smartphone screens, particularly around bedtime, may negatively impact sleep.
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