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Review: Recent Advances in Functionalized Electrospun Membranes for Periodontal Regeneration
No full textPeriodontitis is a global, multifaceted, chronic inflammatory disease caused by bacterial
microorganisms and an exaggerated host immune response that not only leads to the destruction of
the periodontal apparatus but may also aggravate or promote the development of other systemic
diseases. The periodontium is composed of four different tissues (alveolar bone, cementum, gingiva,
and periodontal ligament) and various non-surgical and surgical therapies have been used to restore
its normal function. However, due to the etiology of the disease and the heterogeneous nature of
the periodontium components, complete regeneration is still a challenge. In this context, guided
tissue/bone regeneration strategies in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have
gained more and more interest, having as a goal the complete restoration of the periodontium and
its functions. In particular, the use of electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds has emerged as an effective
strategy to achieve this goal due to their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix and simultaneously
exert antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and regenerative activities. This review provides an overview
of periodontal regeneration using electrospun membranes, highlighting the use of these nanofibrous
scaffolds as delivery systems for bioactive molecules and drugs and their functionalization to promote
periodontal regeneration
Safe long-term therapy of Cushing’s syndrome over 37 years with mitotane
No full textWhile suggested, surgery is not always possible as a first-line treatment of
Cushing’s Disease (CD). In such cases, patients require medical therapy in
order to prevent complications resulting from hypercortisolism. Although there
has been a wide expansion in pharmacological options in recent years, mitotane
was the agent of choice for treating hypercortisolism decades ago. Due to the
introduction of other therapies, long-term experience with mitotane remains
limited. Here, we report the case of a woman with CD who was treated with
mitotane for 37 years. During the treatment period, biochemical and clinical
disease control was achieved and the patient had two uncomplicated
pregnancies. Drug-related side effects remained moderate and could be
controlled by several dose adjustments. Our case highlights the ability of
mitotane to allow an effective control of hypercortisolism and to represent a
safe treatment option in special situations where CD requires an alternative
therapeutic approach. Furthermore, we provide a literature review of the long-
term use of mitotane and reported cases of pregnancy in the context of
mitotane therapy
Sequence and structural insights of monoleucine-based sorting motifs contained within the cytoplasmic domains of basolateral proteins
No full textDelivery to the correct membrane domain in polarized epithelial cells is a critical
regulatory mechanism for transmembrane proteins. The trafficking of these
proteins is directed by short amino acid sequences known as sorting motifs.
In six basolaterally-localized proteins lacking the canonical tyrosine- and
dileucine-based basolateral sorting motifs, a monoleucine-based sorting motif
has been identified. This review will discuss these proteins with an identified
monoleucine-based sorting motif, their conserved structural features, as well as
the future directions of study for this non-canonical basolateral sorting motif
Medial or Lateral, That Is the Question: Medial or Lateral, That Is the Question
No full textBackground: Mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis (KOA) can be successfully treated using intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IA-HA). The medial infrapatellar (MIP) approach and lateral infrapatellar (LIP) approach are two of the most used techniques for performing IA-HA, but it is still not clear which one is preferable. Objectives: The study aims to find the best knee injection technique between MIP and LIP approaches. Methods: In total, 161 patients were enrolled, divided into two groups (MIP or LIP). Each technique was performed once a week for three weeks. Patients were evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Roles and Maudsley Score (RMS) at T0 (before the first injection), T1 (one week after the third injection) and T2 (six months after). Results: NRS, KOOS and RMS showed a statistically significant improvement in both groups at all the detection times, without significant differences. No differences were detected between the groups in terms of systemic effect effusions, while the MIP group presented a mildly higher number of bruises in comparison with the LIP group (p = 0.034). Conclusions: Both the IA-HA techniques are equally effective in measured outcomes. The MIP approach seems to produce some local and transient side effects. So, the choice of the LIP or MIP approach depends on the operator’s skill and experience
Radiation damping at clinical field strength: Characterization and compensation in quantitative measurements
No full textIn any MR experiment, the bulk magnetization acts on itself, caused by the induced current in the RF receiver circuit that generates an oscillating damping field. This effect, known as “radiation damping” (RD), is usually weak and, therefore, unconsidered in MRI, but can affect quantitative studies performed with dedicated coils that provide a high SNR. The current work examined RD in a setup for investigations of small tissue specimens including a quantitative characterization of the spin-coil system
Equine Models of Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: A Review of Feasibility, Biomarkers, and Molecular Signaling
No full textOsteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) occurs spontaneously in humans
and various animal species, including horses. In humans, obtaining tissue samples is challenging and
clinical symptoms appear late in the disease progression. Therefore, genetically modified, induced,
and naturally occurring animal models play a crucial role in understanding the pathogenesis and
evaluating potential therapeutic interventions for TMJ OA. Among the naturally occurring models,
the equine TMJ OA model is characterized by slow, age-related progression, a wide range of clinical
examinations, and imaging modalities that can be performed on horses, as well as easy tissue and
synovial fluid collection. The morphological and functional similarities of TMJ structures in both
species make the equine model of TMJ OA an excellent opportunity to track disease progression
and response to treatment. However, much work remains to be carried out to determine the utility
of human TMJ OA biomarkers in horses. Among the main TMJ OA biomarkers, IL-1, IL-6, TGF-β,
TNF-α, and PGE2 have been recently investigated in the equine model. However, the majority of
biomarkers for cartilage degradation, chondrocyte hypertrophy, angiogenesis, and TMJ overload—as
well as any of the main signaling pathways—have not been studied so far. Therefore, it would be
advisable to focus further research on equine specimens, considering both mediators and signaling
The interplay of family history of depression and early trauma: associations with lifetime and current depression in the German national cohort (NAKO)
No full textFamily history of depression and childhood maltreatment are established risk factors for depression. However, how these factors are interrelated and jointly influence depression risk is not well understood. The present study investigated (i) if childhood maltreatment is associated with a family history of depression (ii) if family history and childhood maltreatment are associated with increased lifetime and current depression, and whether both factors interact beyond their main effects, and (iii) if family history affects lifetime and current depression via childhood maltreatment
The Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Parenting Stress among Parents of Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textEven though it is already known that parents of children with developmental delays
or disabilities experience higher parenting stress than families of typically developing children,
the contributing factors need to be analyzed in more detail. The aim of this cross-sectional study
was to examine the influence of demographic characteristics on parenting stress from caring for a
disabled child and to identify possible protective or additional stressful social factors. A total of
611 mothers and fathers of children with developmental delays, chronic diseases, or disabilities
completed two questionnaires during their medical appointments at the Children’s Development
Center (CDC) of Leipzig University Hospital between June 2020 and February 2021. These consisted
of the German versions of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the Impact on Family Scale (IOFS).
To determine differences between the various groups, we used parametric and non-parametric tests.
Mothers and single parents are significantly more strained than fathers and non-single parents.
Parents with vocational training, those who graduated with a higher-level diploma, and those
within employment report a higher financial burden. While unemployed and full-time workers
experience the lowest stress, parents who work part-time or exclusively take care of their child
show higher levels of stress. Looking at the age of the child, parents of children of young primary
school age are the most stressed, and those of infants are the least stressed. These findings suggest
that mothers and single parents especially should receive more support, and parents need to be
provided with more attention during their child’s entry into school. Possible limitations and the
influence of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed
