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Background: In recent years, there has been a gradual increase in cases of dentin hypersensitivity, often related to gingival recession, enamel abrasion from brushing, and wear of root cementum. This condition can affect patients of all ages but is more common between 20 and 40 years of age, especially in females and individuals with periodontal disease. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy over time of a product for at-home treatment of dentin hypersensitivity., Methods: One hundred five patients aged between 28 and 65 years were recruited, each with at least two hypersensitive teeth due to erosions, abrasions, gingival recessions, and/or periodontal diseases. Participants were selected through the Schiff Test and anamnestic evaluations, with compilation of periodontal records. Patients are instructed to use the product three times a day, to be applied with a soft-bristled toothbrush and/or topically as a gel on teeth with strong sensitivity and deep cervical lesions and gingival recessions., Results: There were no statistically significant differences between measurements at baseline and after scaling. However, significant differences were observed in follow-ups from the 1 st to the 8 th week, with a progressive decrease in values. The average trend of product efficacy increases over time according to the Schiff Test, with a significant improvement observed at follow-ups conducted after four and eight weeks., Conclusions: The results indicate that the product enriched with biomimetic hydroxyapatite and lactoferrin is effective in reducing the painful symptoms of dentin hypersensitivity and in counteracting the inflammatory state of the supporting tissues.

Background: The goal is to analyze the need for reinterventions under deep sedation to treat oral pathologies in a population of children with special health care needs (SHCNs) and healthy children who followed a prevention program and to study the influence of parental motivation and child collaboration on the need for reinterventions under deep sedation. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out in a private clinic in Cartagena (Murcia, Spain), with patients treated under deep sedation from 2006 to 2018, both years included, following the Strobe statement. Results: In this study with 230 children who were treated under deep sedation, 23.92% underwent two or more sedations. The mean time elapsed between the first and the second sedations was 21.64 ± 15.87 months, and the main cause for reinterventions was the occurrence of new pathologies. Significantly more pulp treatments were performed in the first sedation than in the second ( p = 0.013) and in the third ( p = 0.007). Healthy children required fewer reinterventions under deep sedation than children with special needs (6.42% vs. 39.67%). Similarly, patients who followed the preventive program and required some type of dental treatment were reoperated fewer times than those who did not follow the preventive program (35.8 vs. 50%); than "cooperative" children as opposed to "non-cooperative" (12.12% vs. 60.93%) and than patients with "motivated" parents as opposed to those with "non-motivated" parents (20.83% vs. 46.34%). A total of 50% of the children who participated in the preventive program became "cooperative", and 100% were able to receive some treatment in the dental chair. Conclusions: Prevention programs, including motivational interviewing, are essential to improve children's behavior in the dental chair and reduce the need for reinterventions under general anesthesia or deep sedation. Although patients with special needs do require more sedation during their lifetime due to their inability to cooperate, these programs are necessary for the maintenance of oral health status and for the early diagnosis of caries lesions. Pediatric dentists should implement a quarterly preventive program because it improves patient collaboration. It is essential to achieve the motivation of parents in the oral care of their children.

Herein, the integration of SnO 2 nanoparticles with two Zn(II) porphyrins─Zn(II) 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) and its perfluorinated counterpart, Zn(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (ZnTPPF 20 )─was investigated for the sensing of gaseous acetone at 120 °C, adopting three Zn-porphyrin/SnO 2 weight ratios (1:4, 1:32, and 1:64). For the first time, we were able to provide evidence of the correlation between the materials' conductivity and these nanocomposites' sensing performances, obtaining optimal results with a 1:32 ratio for ZnTPPF 20 /SnO 2 and showcasing a remarkable detection limit of 200 ppb together with a boosted sensing signal with respect to bare SnO 2 . To delve deeper, the combination of experimental data with density functional theory calculations unveiled an electron-donating behavior of both porphyrins when interacting with tin dioxide semiconductor, especially for the nonfluorinated one. The study suggested that the interplay between electrons injected, from the porphyrins' highest occupied molecular orbital to SnO 2 conduction band, and the latter's available electronic states has a dramatic impact to boost the chemiresistive sensing. Indeed, we highlighted that the key lies in preventing the full saturation of SnO 2 electronic states concomitantly increasing the materials' conductivity: in this respect, the best compromise turned out to be the perfluorinated porphyrin. A further corroboration of our findings was obtained by illuminating the sensors during measurements with light-emitting diode (LED) light. Actually, we demonstrated that it does not have any impact on improving the sensing behavior, most probably due to the electronic oversaturation and scattering caused by LED excitation in porphyrins. Lastly, the most effective hybrids (1:32 ratio) were physicochemically characterized, confirming the physisorption of the macrocycles onto the SnO 2 surface. In conclusion, herein, we underscore the feasibility of customizing the porphyrin chemistry and porphyrin-to-SnO 2 ratio to enhance the gaseous sensing of bare metal oxides, providing valuable insights for the engineering of highly performing light-free chemiresistors.

An efficient treatment plan using a temporary anchorage device should be built following the principle of reducing the number of tads to obtain a multiple biomechanical advantage. The following case report concerns the Biga system, a strategy that supports orthodontists during class II corrections and vertical control through treatment. A 12-year-old girl with a high angle of skeletal class II was selected. A novel biomechanical strategy was effectively applied using two tads on the upper arch to obtain sequential distalization of the upper teeth and to correct the lower arch spee curve using third-class elastics. Eventually, on the same tads, a double cantilever was applied to control the overbite and intrusion during incisors' retraction. The Biga system is an easy biomechanical strategy that ensures the three-dimensional control of treatment mechanics in class II patients.

This research introduces a novel series of perfluorinated Zn(II) porphyrins with positive oxidation potentials designed as sensitizers for photoelectrosynthetic cells, with a focus on promoting the oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BzOH) mediated by the 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine N -oxyl (TEMPO) organocatalyst. Three dyes, CLICK-3 , CLICK-4 , and BETA-4 , are meticulously designed to explore the impact of substituents and their positions on the perfluorinated porphyrin ring in terms of redox potentials and energy level alignment when coupled with SnO 2 /TiO 2 -based photoanodes and TEMPO mediator. A comprehensive analysis utilizing spectroscopy, electrochemistry, photophysics, and computational techniques of the dyes in solution and sensitized thin films unveils an enhanced charge-separation character in the 4D-π-1A type BETA-4 . Incorporating four dimethylamino donor groups at the periphery of the porphyrin ring and a BTD-accepting linker at the β-pyrrolic position equips the structure with a more efficient donor-acceptor system. This enhancement ensures improved light-harvesting capacity, resulting in a doubled incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE% ≃30%) in the presence of LiI compared to meso -substituted dyes CLICK-3 and CLICK-4 . Sensitizing SnO 2 /TiO 2 thin films with BETA-4 successfully promotes the photooxidation of benzyl alcohol (BzOH) in the presence of the rapid TEMPO radical catalyst, yielding photocurrents of approximately 125 μA/cm 2 in an optimized TBPy/LiClO 4 /ACN electrolyte. Notably, when lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) replaces TBPy as the base for TEMPO-catalyzed BzOH oxidation, a remarkable photocurrent of around 800 μA/cm 2 is achieved, marking one of the highest values reported for this photoelectrochemical reaction to date. This study underscores that the proper functionalization of perfluorinated zinc porphyrins positions these dyes as ideal candidates for sensitizing SnO 2 /TiO 2 in the photodriven oxidation of BzOH. It also highlights the crucial role of carefully tuning electrolyte composition based on the electronic properties of molecular sensitizers.

Following some previous work by some of us on the second order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Zn(II) meso -tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnP), fullerene, and ferrocene (Fc) diads and triads, in the present research, we explore the NLO response of some new hybrids with two-dimensional graphene nanoplates (GNP) instead of a zero-dimensional fullerene moiety as the acceptor unit. The experimental data, collected by Electric Field Induced Second Harmonic generation (EFISH) technique in CH 2 Cl 2 solution with a 1907 nm incident wavelength, combined with Coupled-Perturbed (CP) and Finite Field (FF) Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, show a strongly enhanced contribution of the cubic electronic term γ(-2ω; ω, ω, 0), due to the extended π-conjugation of the carbonaceous acceptor moiety.

Stress is a physiological response of the body to stressful life events but may not be when the individual is persistently exposed to the stress trigger, and it negatively affects certain physiological functions, thus triggering psychosomatic diseases. In literature, chronic stress and inadequate coping strategies are found to mediate the risk and development of periodontitis; mechanisms have therefore been proposed to explain the effects of stress on the periodontium. Since stress is a prevalent problem in modern life and given the importance of maintaining oral health, the present literature review aimed to estimate the association between stress and periodontal disease. The research question adopted is the following: "Are psychological stress and periodontal disease related?" The search was conducted in August 2022 and limited to articles in electronic databases from 2017 to 2022 in English, excluding reviews and literature reviews. From the electronic databases, a total of 532 articles were identified and became 306 after reviews and duplicates were removed. An additional bibliographic search was conducted through the same electronic databases, controlled terms and keywords including only systematic reviews, which were previously excluded. Through the bibliography cited in the systematic reviews, an additional 18 articles were identified, with a new total of 324. As a result of reading the title and abstract of these 324 articles, an additional 295 were excluded. Reading the full text of the remaining 29 studies, 2 articles were excluded due to non-adherence to the eligibility criteria. The remaining 27 results were included in our literature review. It has been suggested in the literature that adverse socioeconomic conditions elicit a stress response, which can trigger periodontal inflammation. Most of the 27 articles included in the study confirm and demonstrate a positive association between psychological stress and periodontal disease. Numerous studies have shown the mechanisms through which chronic stress negatively affects periodontal tissues. Therefore, in the light of the results obtained from this review, it is important that oral health professionals, also for general health purposes, consider stress factors among the risk factors of periodontal disease, its severity and decreased efficacy of treatments. It is therefore advisable to act preventively through the interception of chronic stress.

Introduction: Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a relevant public health problem; dentists can play an important role in screening patients with sleep disorders by using validated tools and referring patients to a specialist, thereby promoting an interdisciplinary approach. The aim of the study is to identify if the OSAS severity, measured by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and some anthropometric measurements are associated with the Friedman Tongue Position (FTP) within a population with dysmetabolic comorbidities., Materials and Methods: A questionnaire containing information about clinical data including height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference and FTP was administered. The AHI value was measured by means of an unattended home polysomnography device. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and Kruskal-Wallis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (both nonparametric) and independence tests were performed to probe the possible relationships. The significance was set at p ≤ 0.05., Results: A total of 357 subjects were analyzed. The association between the FTP and AHI was not statistically significant. On the contrary, the AHI showed a positive correlation with BMI and neck circumference. A statistically significant association between the number of subjects with a larger neck and an increasing FTP class was found. BMI, neck, hip and waist circumference was associated with the FTP scale., Conclusions: although the FTP was not directly associated with OSAS severity, there was also evidence that an FTP increase is associated with an increase in the considered anthropometric parameters, and FTP can be a clinical tool used in the assessment of risk for OSAS risk factors.

Background: Two-stage exchange (TSE) arthroplasty is currently considered the gold standard for chronic periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs), despite a failure rate reported in up to 10% of patients. Little is known about the risk factors that may compromise successful TSE arthroplasty management in such patients. The main purpose of the current study was to highlight the potential risk factors of patients with chronic PJIs after THA managed by implant removal, outlining the differences between reimplanted patients and those that were never reimplanted because of a non-eradicated infection., Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patient candidates for TSE arthroplasty surgery, managed at the authors' institution, over a four-year timeframe. The data were retrieved from the hospital's information database. The enrolled population was divided into two Groups: A, reimplanted; B, non-reimplanted because of a non-eradicated infection within one year. For each Group, demographic information, PJI-related risk factors, type of pathogen and presence of single or polymicrobial infection, were collected and analyzed., Results: In total, 21 patients were included in the study, 14 patients in Group A and 7 in Group B. Major Depression ( p = 0.049) and polymicrobial infection ( p = 0.04) were more commonly observed in patients that were not reimplanted in the study period. No differences between the two groups were observed when other characteristics were compared., Conclusions: Patients with major depression, or those hosting polymicrobial periprosthetic hip infections, are more susceptible to failure of TSE arthroplasty procedures for chronic PJIs, hampering THA reimplantation. Current findings may drive further research and contribute to the understanding of the role of these risk factors in chronic PJI patients.

(1) The evolution of techniques and materials used in dentistry has led to the introduction of a technique known as micro-infiltration, using ICON infiltrating resin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the resin infiltrant can remain stable in the enamel color of human teeth over time or if it causes discoloration and review current knowledge on color stability based on the literature selected solely on studies performed on human teeth and to provide a perspective on the methods proposed by clinicians in the infiltration procedure; (2) Methods: This systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement; (3) Results: Twelve studies were selected for this review. The study results suggest that the device content is sufficiently comprehensive. The reviewers expressed strong support for the device's content for assessing the quality of reviews. The paper summarizes current reports regarding the color stability assessment of enamel treated by in- filtration resin confirmed in in vitro and in vivo studies; (4) Conclusions: Based on these considerations, the resin infiltration method can be recommended to improve the appearance of enamel lesions. The infiltrated lesions remained chromatically stable, showing no significant color changes in the long term.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is an under-recognized clinical condition and is correlated with sleepiness and impaired cognitive function. Objectives: The primary aim of this systematic review, developed within the Sleep@OSA project, was to determine the correlations of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, daytime sleepiness and sleep-disordered breathing with the risk of car accidents in adult working populations; a secondary aim was to analyze the epidemiologic data with a gender-based approach to identify differences between women and men in the data and in associated risk factors. Methods: Clinical trials and studies reporting data on the frequency of car accidents involving adult working population with daytime sleepiness and/or OSAS compared with a control group of participants were included. Literature searches of free text and MeSH terms were performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library and Scopus from 1952 to 3 May 2021. Results and Conclusions: The search strategy identified 2138 potential articles. Of these, 49 papers were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 30 were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with controls, the odds of car accidents were found to be more than double in subjects with OSAS (OR = 2.36; 95% CI 1.92−2.91; p < 0.001), with a similar risk between commercial motor vehicle drivers (OR = 2.80; 95% CI 1.82−4.31) and noncommercial motor vehicle drivers (OR = 2.32; 95% CI 1.84−2.34). No significant correlation was found between sleepiness and car crashes, but subjects with sleep-disordered breathing were at increased risk of car accidents (OR = 1.81; 95% CI 1.42−2.31; p < 0.001). To our surprise, although epidemiological studies on the risk of road accidents in the adult population with OSAS and daytime sleepiness are currently very abundant, specific data on the female population are not available.

Background: Several data have demonstrated the occurrence of erosive arthritis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients. However, a few studies have focused on the pathogenic mechanisms involved in this feature. The implication of oral pathogens has been proved in Rheumatoid Arthritis: in particular, Porphyromonas gingivalis ( Pg ), by inducing citrullination, could trigger autoimmune response. Here, we evaluated amount of Pg on the tongue in a cohort of SLE patients with arthritis, focusing on the association with the erosive phenotype., Methods: SLE patients with arthritis were enrolled. DAS28 was applied to assess activity. Erosive damage was evaluated by ultrasound at level of MCP (metacarpophalangeal) and PIP (proximal interphalangeals) joints. All subjects underwent a tongue cytologic swab in order to quantify the amount of Pg (real-time PCR). The bacterium expression was obtained from the ratio between the patient's DNA amount and that obtained from healthy subjects., Results: 33 patients were enrolled (M/F 3/30; median age 47 years, IQR 17; median disease duration 216 months, IQR 180): 12 of them (36.4%) showed erosive damage, significantly associated with ACPA positivity ( p = 0.03) and higher values of DAS28 ( p = 0.01). A mean ratio of 19.7 ± 31.1 was found for Pg amount. Therefore, we used Pg mean values as threshold, identifying two groups of patients, namely, high Pg and low Pg. Erosive damage was significantly more frequent in high Pg patients in comparison with low Pg (60.0% vs 26.0%, p = 0.001). Furthermore, high Pg patients showed higher prevalence of skin manifestations, serositis, and neurological involvement ( p = 0.005, p = 0.03, p = 0.0001, respectively)., Conclusion: The possible contribution of oral microbiota in SLE erosive arthritis was here evaluated for the first time, finding a significant association between erosive damage and higher expression of Pg at tongue level.

Artificial intelligence (AI) models and procedures hold remarkable predictive efficiency in the medical domain through their ability to discover hidden, non-obvious clinical patterns in data. However, due to the sparsity, noise, and time-dependency of medical data, AI procedures are raising unprecedented issues related to the mismatch between doctors' mentalreasoning and the statistical answers provided by algorithms. Electronic systems can reproduce or even amplify noise hidden in the data, especially when the diagnosis of the subjects in the training data set is inaccurate or incomplete. In this paper we describe the conditions that need to be met for AI instruments to be truly useful in the orthodontic domain. We report some examples of computational procedures that are capable of extracting orthodontic knowledge through ever deeper patient representation. To have confidence in these procedures, orthodontic practitioners should recognize the benefits, shortcomings, and unintended consequences of AI models, as algorithms that learn from human decisions likewise learn mistakes and biases.

Introduction: OSAS is an emerging public health problem. Early diagnosis in adults with comorbidities is the gold standard to avoid complications caused by a late diagnosis. The aim of the study, part of the SLeeP@SA project, was to identify within a population with dysmetabolic comorbidities the association of occlusal clinical signs, defined by orthodontic parameters, and of the anthropometric phenotype, with the severity of OSAS., Materials and Methods: A dedicated questionnaire containing questions regarding the presence of deep bite, augmented overjet, partial edentulism, and bruxism was completed by clinic staff. OSAS was evaluated using an unattended home PSG device, which recorded the AHI value. BMI and neck circumference were also measured. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to evaluate the association of the AHI with occlusal clinical signs. The significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. The association of AHI with BMI and neck circumference was evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient., Results: In total, 199 subjects were evaluated. No statistically significant association between occlusal parameters and AHI was found, while the AHI showed a positive correlation with BMI and neck circumference. The neck circumference seemed to be a better clinical predictor for OSAS severity than BMI, especially for females., Conclusions: These results highlight how the orthodontic clinical data alone are not sufficient to establish an association between occlusal anomalies and OSAS severity, but further investigation involving a specialist orthodontic diagnosis is necessary.

Proximal femoral replacement (PFR) is a well-established treatment for neoplasia of the proximal femur. The use of this surgical technique for non-neoplastic conditions has increased over the years. We carried out a systematic review of the literature to study the indications, complications, and functional results when PFR is used for non-neoplastic conditions. Twenty-seven studies were included in the review with a total of 828 PFRs with a mean follow-up of 50 months (range 1-225 months). The main indications were infection (28%), periprosthetic fracture (27%), aseptic loosening (22%), and fracture (16%). The rate of reoperation was 20.3% overall. The overall revision rate was 15.4%. The main complications were dislocation (10.2%) and infection (7.3%). After 2010, the rates of reoperation (25.5% versus 18.2%), loosening (9.4% versus 3.2%), and dislocation (15.7% versus 7.9%) were lower than before 2010. The 30-day mortality ranged from 0% to 9%. The hip function scores improved post-surgery. In conclusion, the use of PFR in non-neoplastic conditions remains a marginal tool, associated with low direct mortality and high complication rates, but we expect its use to increase in the near future., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: The interaction between skeletal class and upper airway has been extensively studied. Nevertheless, this relationship has not been clearly elucidated, with the heterogeneity of results suggesting the existence of different patterns for patients' classification, which has been elusive so far, probably due to oversimplified approaches. Hence, a network analysis was applied to test whether different patterns in patients' grouping exist., Settings and Sample Population: Ninety young adult patients with no obvious signs of respiratory diseases and no previous adeno-tonsillectomy procedures, with thirty patients characterized as Class I (0 < ANB < 4); 30 Class II (ANB > 4); and 30 as Class III (ANB < 0)., Materials and Methods: A community detection approach was applied on a graph obtained from a previously analysed sample: thirty-two measurements (nineteen cephalometric and thirteen upper airways data) were considered., Results: An airway-orthodontic complex network has been obtained by cross-correlating patients. Before entering the correlation, data were controlled for age and gender using linear regression and standardized. By including or not the upper airway measurements as independent variables, two different community structures were obtained. Each contained five modules, though with different patients' assignments., Conclusion: The community detection algorithm found the existence of more than the three classical skeletal classifications. These results support the development of alternative tools to classify subjects according to their craniofacial morphology. This approach could offer a powerful tool for implementing novel strategies for clinical and research in orthodontics., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Procedures and models of computerized data analysis are becoming researchers' and practitioners' thinking partners by transforming the reasoning underlying biomedicine. Complexity theory, Network analysis and Artificial Intelligence are already approaching this discipline, intending to provide support for patient's diagnosis, prognosis and treatments. At the same time, due to the sparsity, noisiness and time-dependency of medical data, such procedures are raising many unprecedented problems related to the mismatch between the human mind's reasoning and the outputs of computational models. Thanks to these computational, non-anthropocentric models, a patient's clinical situation can be elucidated in the orthodontic discipline, and the growth outcome can be approximated. However, to have confidence in these procedures, orthodontists should be warned of the related benefits and risks. Here we want to present how these innovative approaches can derive better patients' characterization, also offering a different point of view about patient's classification, prognosis and treatment., (© 2021 The Authors. Orthodontics & Craniofacial Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Childhood is an ontogenetic stage unique to the modern human life history pattern. It enables the still dependent infants to achieve an extended rapid brain growth, slow somatic maturation, while benefitting from provisioning, transitional feeding, and protection from other group members. This tipping point in the evolution of human ontogeny likely emerged from early Homo. The GAR IVE hemi-mandible (1.8 Ma, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia) represents one of the rarely preserved early Homo infants (~ 3 years at death), recovered in a richly documented Oldowan archaeological context. Yet, based on the sole external inspection of its teeth, GAR IVE was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease-amelogenesis imperfecta (AI)-altering enamel. Since it may have impacted the child's survival, this diagnosis deserves deeper examination. Here, we reassess and refute this diagnosis and all associated interpretations, using an unprecedented multidisciplinary approach combining an in-depth analysis of GAR IVE (synchrotron imaging) and associated fauna. Some of the traits previously considered as diagnostic of AI can be better explained by normal growth or taphonomy, which calls for caution when diagnosing pathologies on fossils. We compare GAR IVE's dental development to other fossil hominins, and discuss the implications for the emergence of childhood in early Homo., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The focus of this paper is the pediatric dental care of Cleft Lip and Palate (CLP) children and the role of the pediatric dentist in the CLP team. The management of children with cleft lip and palate presents many challenges and a multidisciplinary and prepared team is always required. Affected individuals present a multiplicity of problems: effective management involves a wide range of specialities. The value of a multidisciplinary team is widely known and mentioned in the literature, but very few papers focus on the role and the importance of the pediatric dentist. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to underline the role of the pediatric dentist as a member of the cleft lip and palate team which ranges from prenatal counseling, presurgical prevention and orthopedics, to post-treatment rehabilitation and restoration.

In this research, we investigated the second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of multicomponent hybrid materials formed by meso -tetraphenylporphyrin P (both as free base and Zn II complex), carrying in 2 or 2,12 β-pyrrolic position an electron donor ferrocene (Fc), and/or an electron acceptor fullerene (C60) moiety, connected to the porphyrin core via an ethynyl or an ethynylphenyl spacer. We measured the NLO response by the electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation (EFISH) technique in CH 2 Cl 2 solution with a 1907 nm incident wavelength, recording for all the investigated compounds unexpected negative values of μβ 1907 . Since density functional theory (DFT) calculations evidenced for P-Fc dyads almost null ground state dipole moments and very low values for P-C60 dyads and Fc-P-C60 triads, our EFISH results suggested a significant contribution to γ EFISH of the purely electronic cubic term γ(-2ω; ω, ω, 0), which prevails on the quadratic dipolar orientational one μβ(-2ω; ω, ω)/5kT, as confirmed by computational evidence.

Metal oxide semiconductors, such as amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), have made impressive strides as alternatives to amorphous silicon for electronics applications. However, to achieve the full potential of these semiconductors, compatible unconventional gate dielectric materials must also be developed. To this end, solution-processable self-assembled nanodielectrics (SANDs) composed of structurally well-defined and durable nanoscopic alternating organic (e.g., stilbazolium) and inorganic oxide (e.g., ZrO x and HfO x ) layers offer impressive capacitances and low processing temperatures ( T ≤ 200 °C). While SANDs have been paired with diverse semiconductors and have yielded excellent device metrics, they have never been implemented in the most technologically relevant top-gate thin-film transistor (TFT) architecture. Here, we combine solution-processed a-IGZO with solution-processed four-layer Hf-SAND to fabricate top-gate TFTs, which exhibit impressive electron mobilities (μ SAT = 19.4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ) and low threshold voltages ( V th = 0.83 V), subthreshold slopes (SS = 293 mV/dec), and gate leakage currents (10 -10 A) as well as high bias stress stability.

This paper provides results from a suite of analyses made on human dental material from the Late Palaeolithic to Neolithic strata of the cave site of Grotta Continenza situated in the Fucino Basin of the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The available human remains from this site provide a unique possibility to study ways in which forager versus farmer lifeways affected human odonto-skeletal remains. The main aim of our study is to understand palaeodietary patterns and their changes over time as reflected in teeth. These analyses involve a review of metrics and oral pathologies, micro-fossils preserved in the mineralized dental plaque, macrowear, and buccal microwear. Our results suggest that these complementary approaches support the assumption about a critical change in dental conditions and status with the introduction of Neolithic foodstuff and habits. However, we warn that different methodologies applied here provide data at different scales of resolution for detecting such changes and a multipronged approach to the study of dental collections is needed for a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of diachronic changes.

Low-temperature, solution-processable, high-capacitance, and low-leakage gate dielectrics are of great interest for unconventional electronics. Here, we report a near room temperature ultraviolet densification (UVD) methodology for realizing high-performance organic-inorganic zirconia self-assembled nanodielectrics (UVD-ZrSANDs). These UVD-ZrSAND multilayers are grown from solution in ambient, densified by UV radiation, and characterized by X-ray reflectivity, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and capacitance measurements. The resulting UVD-ZrSAND films exhibit large capacitances of >700 nF/cm 2 and low leakage current densities of <10 -7 A/cm 2 , which rival or exceed those synthesized by traditional thermal methods. Both the p-type organic semiconductor pentacene and the n-type metal oxide semiconductor In 2 O 3 were used to investigate UVD-ZrSANDs as the gate dielectric in thin-film transistors, affording mobilities of 0.58 and 26.21 cm 2 /(V s), respectively, at a low gate voltage of 2 V. These results represent a significant advance in fabricating ultra-thin high-performance dielectrics near room temperature and should facilitate their integration into diverse electronic technologies.

Background : Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRDB) are a group of pathological conditions characterized by a dysfunction of the upper airways. The value of SRDB's prevalence, in the pediatric population, ranges from 2 to 11% depending on the different methodologies used in measure and the difficulties in the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of SRDB using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). Methods : 668 patients were enrolled from the Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and from the Unit of Integrated Pediatric Dentistry, University of Murcia, Spain. The questionnaires were administered to patients with no previous orthodontic and surgical treatment who attended on the first visit at the two units of pediatric dentistry. Data regarding general health status were extracted from the standard anamnestic module for first visit. Prevalence and logistic regression models were computed. Results : The ages ranged from 2 to 16 years old (average 7 years old). The prevalence of SRDB was 9.7% for the entire sample. The models showed a positive correlation between three variables (snoring, bad habits, and anxiety) and SRDB. Conclusions : The prevalence obtained demonstrates the relevance of sleep disorders in the pediatric population and highlights the central role of pediatric dentists in the earlier diagnosis of these disorders.

Introduction: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the three-dimensional (3D) changes occurring at short- and long-term follow-up after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in nasal cavity (NC) and upper airway (UA) in growing patients., Methods: A literature search up to 1 July 2019 was performed. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials and cohort studies comparing the effects of RME in a paediatric population using 3D analyses based on computed tomography (CT), cone-beam CT and MRI were included. The risks of bias of the included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool, the GRADE approach and a customized tool. The random-effects meta-analyses of the mean differences and 95% confidence intervals of NC and UA volume changes were carried out, followed by subgroup analyses., Results: Twenty-seven studies were included, with 18 selected for quantitative synthesis. Immediately after expansion, the nasopharynx and oropharynx increased significantly. After 3 months of retention, only the NC and nasopharynx showed a significant volume increase. Two studies mentioned the use of a sleep-disordered breathing questionnaire, and one study reported the difference before and after RME. None of the 27 articles included assessed the correlation between the skeletal widening and NC or UA volume changes after RME., Conclusions: The existing evidence confirmed only the short-term positive effect of RME on expanding the volume of the NC and the upper part of the UA. However, long-term stability could not be sustained., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In this work, we have prepared a series of A 4 Zn II porphyrins, carrying in the β-pyrrolic-position one or two π-delocalized ethynylphenyl moieties with a -NO 2 acceptor or a -NMe 2 donor pendant, and measured their second-order NLO response in CHCl 3 solution at 1907 nm via the electric-field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) technique. For some of these compounds, we have recorded an unexpected sign and/or absolute value of μβ 1907 . Since their sterically hindered A 4 structure should ensure the lack of significant aggregation processes in solution, we explain such anomalous EFISH results by invoking a non-negligible contribution of the electronic cubic term γ(-2ω; ω, ω, 0) to γ EFISH , as supported by a qualitative evaluation of the third-order response through the measure of the cubic hyperpolarizability (γ THG ) and by computational evidence.

We investigated the impact of singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) energy on the n-doping efficiency of benzimidazole derivatives. By designing and synthesizing a series of new air-stable benzimidazole-based dopants with different SOMO energy levels, we demonstrated that an increase of the dopant SOMO energy by only ∼0.3 eV enhances the electrical conductivity of a benchmark electron-transporting naphthalenediimide-bithiophene polymer by more than 1 order of magnitude. By combining electrical, X-ray diffraction, and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements with density functional theory calculations and analytical transport simulations, we quantitatively characterized the conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, spin density, and crystallinity of the doped polymer as a function of the dopant SOMO energy. Our findings strongly indicate that charge and energy transport are dominated by the (relative) position of the SOMO level, whereas morphological differences appear to play a lesser role. These results set molecular-design guidelines for next-generation n-type dopants.

Three perfluorinated Zn II porphyrins were evaluated as n-type sensitizers in photoelectrosynthetic cells for HBr and water splitting. All the dyes are featured by the presence of pentafluorophenyl electron-withdrawing groups to increase the ground-state oxidation potential and differ for the nature and position of the π-conjugate linker between the core and anchoring group tasked to bind the metal oxide, in order to assess the best way of coupling with the semiconductor. A phenyl-triazole moiety was used to link the carboxylic anchoring group onto the meso position, while an ethynyl-phenyl linker was chosen to bridge carboxylic and cyanoacrylic groups onto the β-pyrrolic position. A combination of electrochemical, computational, and spectroscopic investigations confirmed the strong electron-withdrawing effect of the perfluorinated porphyrin core, which assures all the investigated dyes of the high oxidation potential required to the coupling with water oxidation catalysts (WOC). Such an electron-poor core, however, affects the charge separation character of the dyes, as demonstrated by the spatial distribution of the excited states, leading to a nonquantitative charge injection, although tilting of the molecules on the semiconductor surface could bring the porphyrin ring closer to the semiconductor, offering additional charge-transfer pathways. Indeed, all the dyes demonstrated successful in the splitting of both aqueous HBr and water, with the best results found for the SnO 2 /TiO 2 photoanode sensitized with the β-substituted porphyrin equipped with a cyanoacrylic terminal group, achieving 0.4 and 0.1 mA/cm 2 photoanodic currents in HBr and water under visible light, respectively. The faradaic yield for oxygen evolution in the presence of an Ir IV catalyst was over 95%, and the photoanode operation was stable for more than 1000 s. Thus, the perfluorinated porphyrins with a cyanoacrylic anchoring group at the β-position should be considered for further development to improve the charge-transfer character.

Purpose of Review: To explore the pathogenic association between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis focusing on the role of Porphyromonas gingivalis., Recent Findings: In the last decades our knowledge about the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis substantially changed. Several evidences demonstrated that the initial production of autoantibodies is not localized in the joint, rather in other immunological-active sites. A central role seems to be played by periodontal disease, in particular because of the ability of P. gingivalis to induce citrullination, the posttranslational modification leading to the production of anticitrullinated protein/peptide antibodies, the most sensitive and specific rheumatoid arthritis biomarker., Summary: The pathogenic role of P. gingivalis has been demonstrated in mouse models in which arthritis was either triggered or worsened in infected animals. P. gingivalis showed its detrimental role not only by inducing citrullination but also by means of other key mechanisms including induction of NETosis, osteoclastogenesis, and Th17 proinflammatory response leading to bone damage and systemic inflammation.

Purpose: Upper airway (UA) assessment after orthognathic surgery should rely on a verified method of UA analysis. Therefore, the authors applied a new validated UA evaluation method to determine the effect of bimaxillary surgery (BMS) on UA parameters and hyoid bone and epiglottis displacement evaluated immediately and 2 years after surgery., Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was implemented of patients without obstructive sleep apnea who had undergone BMS for maxillomandibular deficiencies. A new validated UA cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) analysis, based on stable anatomic landmarks, was applied to CBCT scans acquired before initiation of treatment (T0), immediately after surgery (T1), and 2 years postoperatively (T2). A quality assessment was performed before analysis. The primary predictor variable consisted of time points during treatment (T0, T1 and T2), and UA volumes, cross-sectional area (CSA), and hyoid bone and epiglottis displacement were the outcome variables. Descriptive statistics and t test were performed and the P value was set at .05., Results: Fifty patients (16 men and 34 women) with a mean age of 25.7 ± 8.2 years at time of surgery were included. CBCT scans were acquired at T0 (20 ± 9 months before surgery), T1 (14 ± 2 days after surgery), and T2 (30 ± 6 months after surgery). Immediately after surgery (T1 vs T0), BMS resulted in a statistically relevant UA volume increase of 26%. At 2-year follow-up (T2 vs T0), UA volume showed a statistically relevant increase by 20%. CSA increased by approximately 26 and 19% (P < .001) at T1 versus T0 and T2 versus T0, respectively. Two years after surgery, epiglottis displacement was 2 mm (P < .001) and hyoid bone displacement was 3 mm (P < .001) in a cranial direction and hyoid bone anterior displacement measured 3 mm (P < .001)., Conclusions: Based on an objective, standardized, and validated CBCT UA analysis, BMS was associated with increased UA volume and CSA measures evaluated immediately and 2 years after surgery., (Copyright © 2019 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The strict link between periodontitis (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been widely demonstrated by several studies. PD is significantly more frequent in RA patients in comparison with healthy subjects: this prevalence is higher in individuals at the earliest stages of disease and in seropositive patients. This is probably related to the role of P. gingivalis in inducing citrullination and leading to the development of the new antigens. Despite the many studies conducted on this topic, there is very little data available concerning the possibility to use the same biomarkers to evaluate both RA and PD patients. The aim of the review is to summarize this issue. Starting from genetic factors, data from literature demonstrated the association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and PD susceptibility, similar to RA patients; moreover, SE-positive patients showed simultaneously structural damage to the wrist and periodontal sites. Contrasting results are available concerning other genetic polymorphisms. Moreover, the possible role of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF and IL6 and autoantibodies, specifically anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, has been examined, suggesting the need to perform further studies to better define this issue.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) are a highly promising alternative to conventional photovoltaic silicon-based devices, due to the potential low cost and the interesting conversion efficiencies. A key-role is played by the dye, and porphyrin sensitizers have drawn great interest because of their excellent light harvesting properties mimicking photosynthesis. Indeed, porphyrins are characterized by strong electronic absorption bands in the visible region up to the near infrared and by long-lived π * singlet excited states. Moreover, the presence of four meso and eight β-pyrrolic positions allows a fine tuning of their photoelectrochemical properties through structural modification. Trans -A 2 BC push-pull Zn II porphyrins, characterized by a strong and directional electron excitation process along the push-pull system, have been extensively investigated. On the other hand, A 4 β-pyrrolic substituted tetraaryl Zn II porphyrins, which incorporate a tetraaryl porphyrinic core as a starting material, have received lower attention, even if they are synthetically more attractive and show several advantages such as a more sterically hindered architecture and enhanced solubility in most common organic solvents. The present contribution intends to review the most prominent A 4 β-substituted Zn II porphyrins reported in the literature so far for application in DSSCs, focusing on the strategies employed to enhance the light harvesting capability of the dye and on a comparison with meso -substituted analogs.

Background: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate if an orthodontic population of Class III malocclusion patients shows a different prevalence of maxillary canine impaction than Class I subjects., Material and Methods: Fifty-eight subjects were retrospectively selected and assigned to the Class I group (n= 32) or the Class III group (n= 26), depending on the ANB and WITS values. Lateral cephalograms were used to collect angular and linear measurements that described the skeletal and dental maxillary features of the subjects, while orthopantomography was used to assess the impaction or the correct eruption of the maxillary canines. An independent samples T-test or a Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the cephalometric values between the two groups, while a chi-squared test was used to evaluate the distribution of maxillary canine impaction between the two groups., Results: No statistically significant difference was found for the cephalometric variables, and the frequency of canine impaction showed no difference between the Class III and Class I subjects., Conclusions: Patients with skeletal Class III malocclusions did not show a different prevalence of canine impaction; therefore, such skeletal features cannot be used as a diagnostic aid for assessment of the risk of maxillary canine impaction. Key words: Skeletal Class III, Angle Class III, maxillary canine impaction, tooth impaction., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement:The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Firstly used in the early 90s to generate 3-dimensional projections of X-ray images, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has resulted in a large application in dentomaxillofacial imaging, even in children. CBCT uses ionizing radiation that may cause damage to the DNA, and children are at the greatest carcinogenesis risk due to their higher tissue radiosensitivity and their longer life expectancy compared to adults. The questions of whether the cancer risk is really increased after repeated dental CBCT in childhood and of what the underlying biological basis is have become hot topics in the field of dentistry and radiobiology. We performed an overview of the current literature to assess an acceptable role of CBCT in pediatric dentistry., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess three-dimensionally the upper airway changes following functional appliance treatment in growing Class II patients., Materials and Methods: Pre-and post-treatment Cone beam computed tomography scans of 20 patients (age range: 9 to 12; mean: 11.4 ± 1.0 years) were retrieved from the list of patients previously treated with functional appliances in the Postgraduate Clinic at the Section of Orthodontics, Aarhus University, Denmark. Total and partial volumes of the upper airway (ie, lower nasopharynx, velopharynx, and oropharynx) were calculated. To rule out the effect of growth, the changes in the functional appliance group were compared to an age-matched Class I group of 18 patients (age range: 8 to 14; mean: 11.8 ± 1.4 years)., Results: In the functional appliance group, all the partial and total volumes were significantly larger at the end of treatment when compared to the start of treatment ( P < .003). On the other hand, when comparing the changes for the total and partial volumes of the upper airway in the functional appliance group with the Class I group, a statistical difference was seen only for the oropharynx ( P = .022) and total volume ( P = .025), with the functional appliance group showing a larger volume increment., Conclusions: An increase in the upper airway volume was found after treatment with functional appliances. This difference was mainly related to the changes at the oropharynx level, which differed significantly from what was observed in the Class I group.

Objective: The relation between nasal flow and malocclusion represents a practical concern to pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists, orthodontists, allergists and speech therapists. If naso-respiratory function may influence craniofacial growth is still debated. Chronic mouth-breathing is reported to be associated also with a characteristic pattern of dental occlusion. On the other hand, also malocclusion may reduce nasal air flows promoting nasal obstruction. Hereby, the aim of this review was to describe the relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion in children., Methods: An electronic search was conducted using online database including Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase. All studies published through to January 30, 2017 investigating the prevalence of malocclusion in children and adolescents (aged 0-20 years) affected by rhinitis and the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion were included. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO - International prospective register of systematic reviews under CRD42016053619., Results: Ten studies with 2733 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of malocclusion in children with rhinitis was specified in four of the studies ranging from as high as 78.2% to as low as 3%. Two out of the studies reported the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion with a rate ranging from 59.2 to 76.4%., Conclusion: The results of this review underline the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of the nasal obstruction at an early age to prevent an altered facial growth, but the data currently available on this topic do not allow to establish a possible causal relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion.

Oral signs are frequently the first manifestation of autoimmune diseases. For this reason, dentists play an important role in the detection of emerging autoimmune pathologies. Indeed, an early diagnosis can play a decisive role in improving the quality of treatment strategies as well as quality of life. This can be obtained thanks to specific knowledge of oral manifestations of autoimmune diseases. This review is aimed at describing oral presentations, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, pemphigus vulgaris, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and Behcet disease.

Objectives: To develop and validate a new reproducible 3D upper airway analysis based on skeletal structures not involved in the modification, which occur during orthognathic surgery., Methods: From retrospective cohort of orthognathic surgically treated patients, pre- and postsurgical CBCT-scans of 10 post-pubertal patients were randomly selected. Two operators identified the landmarks, calculated the airway volumes, cross sections and linear measurements on the 10 scans twice at two different time intervals. Statistical analysis included test for normal distribution, technical error measurements, and intra- and inter-observers reliability., Results: Intra- and inter-observer reliability was excellent for volumes and cross sections. The entire data sets exhibited normal distribution. Technical error of measurements showed an error in the range of 1.6 to 10.2% for volume, 1.6 to 12.2% for cross-sectional measurements, and 0.3 to 2.5% for linear measurements. No systematic errors were detected., Conclusions: This new proposed definition of upper airway boundaries was shown to be technical feasible and tested to be reliable in measuring upper airway in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

The combination of β-substituted Zn 2+ porphyrin dyes and copper-based electrolytes represents a sustainable route for economic and environmentally friendly dye-sensitized solar cells. Remarkably, a new copper electrolyte, [Cu(2-mesityl-1,10-phenanthroline) 2 ] +/2+ , exceeds the performance reached by Co 2+/3+ and I - /I 3 - reference electrolytes.

Background: Data from epidemiological studies investigating the prevalence and severity of malocclusions in children are of great relevance to public health programs aimed at orthodontic prevention. Previous epidemiological studies focused mainly on the adolescence age group and reported a prevalence of malocclusion with a high variability, going from 32% to 93%. Aim of our study was to assess the need for orthodontic treatment in a paediatric sample from Southern Italy in order to improve awareness among paediatricians about oral health preventive strategies in pediatric dentistry., Material and Methods: The study used the IOTN-DHC index to evaluate the need for orthodontic treatment for several malocclusions (overjet, reverse overjet, overbite, openbite, crossbite) in a sample of 579 children in the 2-9 years age range., Results: The most frequently altered occlusal parameter was the overbite (prevalence: 24.5%), while the occlusal anomaly that most frequently presented a need for orthodontic treatment was the crossbite (8.8%). The overall prevalence of need for orthodontic treatment was of 19.3%, while 49% of the sample showed one or more altered occlusal parameters. No statistically significant difference was found between males and females., Conclusions: Results from this study support the idea that the establishment of a malocclusion is a gradual process starting at an early age. Effective orthodontic prevention programs should therefore include preschool children being aware paediatricians of the importance of early first dental visit. Key words: Orthodontic treatment, malocclusion, oral health, pediatric dentistry., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement:The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Both linear- and nonlinear-optical properties of Bu 4 N[Pt(L1)(L2)] (1; L1 = [4',5':5,6][1,4]dithiino[2,3-b]quinoxaline-1',3'dithiolato; L2 = (R)-α-MBAdto dithiooxamidate, where (R)-α-MBA = (R)-(+)-α-methylbenzyl) upon HCl addition at room temperature change dramatically: the color turns from deep blue to green; the luminescence switches from deep red to green; the nonlinear-optical response (first hyperpolarizability) increases by a factor of 12. Thus, 1 behaves as a unique multiresponsive optical switch whose properties can be followed by the naked eye.

A series of 5,15 push-pull meso-diarylzinc(II) porphyrinates, carrying one or two -COOH or -COOCH 3 acceptor groups and a -OCH 3 or a -N(CH 3 ) 2 donor group, show in N,N-dimethylformamide and CHCl 3 solutions a negative and solvent-dependent second-order nonlinear-optical (NLO) response measured by the electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation (EFISH) technique, different from the structurally related zinc(II) porphyrinate carrying a -N(CH 3 ) 2 donor group and a -NO 2 acceptor group, where a still solvent-dependent but positive EFISH second-order response was previously reported. Moreover, when a -N(CH 3 ) 2 donor group and a -COOH acceptor group are part of a sterically hindered 2,12 push-pull β-pyrrolic-substituted tetraarylzinc(II) porphyrinate, the EFISH response is positive and solvent-independent. In order to rationalize these rather intriguing series of observations, EFISH measurements have been integrated by electronic absorption and IR spectroscopic investigations and by density functional theory (DFT) and coupled-perturbed DFT theoretical and 1 H pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR investigations, which prompt that the significant concentration effects and the strong influence of the solvent nature on the NLO response are originated by a complex whole of different aggregation processes induced by the -COOH group.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the quality of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) studies evaluating the effects of rapid maxillary expansion on upper airway morphology., Materials and Methods: A database search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane Library up to December 2016. Studies in which CBCT was adopted to visualize the upper airway before and after rapid maxillary expansion were included. The population target was growing patients. Methodological quality assessment was performed., Results: The screening process resulted in the exclusion of 1079 references, resulting in only 9 remaining papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. No randomized clinical trials were found. The quality scores ranged from 36% to 68% of the maximum achievable, and the mean quality score of the studies was 50%. No good quality studies were detected in our sample., Conclusions: Inconsistencies in the CBCT protocols utilized were detected between studies. Head posture, tongue position, and segmentation protocols were not consistent. These discrepancies were reflected in the different results obtained in the studies. A valid and consistent protocol with regard to head and tongue positioning, as well as nasal cavity volume segmentation, is required.

Objectives: Natural head position is recommended to be optimal at cone-beam computed tomography acquisition. For standardization purposes in control of treatment outcome, it is clinically relevant to discuss, if a change of posture from natural head position may have an effect on the pharyngeal airway dimensions and morphology, during computed tomography, cone-beam computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. This was the aim of the present literature review study for purposes of valid evidence, which was hypothesized, to be present., Material and Methods: This systematic literature review has been registered in PROSPERO database with following number: CRD42015024567. A systematic literature search performed in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane was carried out in order to evaluate if the effect of human head or tongue posture has an effect on upper airway dimensions and morphology in CT, CBCT or MRI. Study quality assessment was performed. Predictor variable was head and tongue posture. Endpoints were numerical values of upper airway dimensions and morphology., Results: Overall 1344 articles (Embase 1063, PubMed 269, and Cochrane 12) resulted in four included publications. Quality assessments revealed poor quality and low-level evidence by 46 - 67% of the maximum achievable score. Heterogeneous methodology made a meta-analysis impossible, consequently a narrative synthesis was performed., Conclusions: Limited, poor quality and low evidence level literature is available on the effect of head posture on upper airway dimensions and morphology in three-dimensional imaging. Valid evidence requires a standardized method of head and tongue posture during image acquisition in future studies.

Pierre Robin Sequence is a congenital pathology defined by the triad micrognathia, glossoptosis and often a U-shaped cleft of soft palate. Newborns affected by airways obstruction may necessitate more invasive options: tongue-lip adhesion, tracheostomy and mandibular distraction osteogenesis. The authors analyzed the effect of fast and early mandibular osteodistraction on deciduous dental development in patients affected by Pierre Robin Sequence. Analysis of the patients treated for severe form was performed by a team composed by maxillofacial surgeons and dentists. Five patients were included for the analysis: before and long term clinical and radiological assessments were considered. All patients underwent fast and early mandibular osteodistraction; two years follow up computed tomography and panorex reconstructions showed bone consolidation, 33 of 35 teeth analyzed before ostedistraction are present after distraction protocol; no positional changes were detected at the follow up analysis either deciduous teeth and molar permanent buds. No deformities regarding molar buds were detected. In conclusion external mandibular distractor devices have been associated with dental injuries and facial scaring. Even though, the dental complications identified can not be unambiguously connected to the external distractor devices.

The antipodal introduction of two bromine atoms on the 2,12 β-pyrrolic position of 5,10,15,20-tetra(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)porphyrin was successfully achieved by a light-induced reaction of the substrate with excess NBS. Complexation with Ni(II) of the major regioisomer led to good quality crystals, suitable for X-ray structure determination with unprecedented probability levels. The regiospecific character of the synthetic procedure and the exactness of the bromine atom position assignment were thus confirmed, suggesting an unexpected electrophilic aromatic substitution pathway rather than a free-radical halogenation process. A QTAIM topological analysis on the DFT-optimized wave function of the monosubstituted free-base porphyrin intermediate carrying a bromine atom in C2 β-pyrrolic position confirmed the largest negative charge for the C12 carbon atom in antipodal position, in agreement with the proposed electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism.

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the survival of dental implants placed after ablative surgery, in patients affected by oral cancer treated with or without radiotherapy., Methods: We collected data for 34 subjects (22 females, 12 males; mean age: 51 ± 19) with malignant oral tumors who had been treated with ablative surgery and received dental implant rehabilitation between 2007 and 2012. Postoperative radiation therapy (less than 50 Gy) was delivered before implant placement in 12 patients. A total of 144 titanium implants were placed, at a minimum interval of 12 months, in irradiated and non-irradiated residual bone., Results: Implant loss was dependent on the position and location of the implants (P = 0.05-0.1). Moreover, implant survival was dependent on whether the patient had received radiotherapy. This result was highly statistically significant (P < 0.01). Whether the implant was loaded is another highly significant (P < 0.01) factor determining survival. We observed significantly better outcomes when the implant was not loaded until at least 6 months after placement., Conclusions: Although the retrospective design of this study could be affected by selection and information biases, we conclude that a delayed loading protocol will give the best chance of implant osseointegration, stability and, ultimately, effective dental rehabilitation.

Silicon nanocrystals functionalized with tetraphenylporphyrin Zn(II) chromophores at the periphery perform as light harvesting antennae: excitation of the porphyrin units in the visible spectral region yields sensitized emission of the silicon nanocrystal core in the near infrared with a long lifetime (λ(max) = 905 nm, τ = 130 μs). This result demonstrates that this hybrid material has a potential application as a luminescent probe for bioimaging.

Time-resolved photophysical and photoelectrochemical investigations have been carried out to compare the electron transfer dynamics of a 2-β-substituted tetraarylporphyrinic dye (ZnB) and a 5,15-meso-disubstituted diarylporphyrinic one (ZnM) at the electrolyte/dye/TiO2 interface in PSSCs. Although the meso push-pull structural arrangement has shown, up to now, to have the best performing architecture for solar cell applications, we have obtained superior energy conversion efficiencies for ZnB (6.1%) rather than for ZnM (3.9%), by using the I(-)/I3(-)-based electrolyte. To gain deeper insights about these unexpected results, we have investigated whether the intrinsic structural features of the two different porphyrinic dyes can play a key role on electron transfer processes occurring at the dye-sensitized TiO2 interface. We have found that charge injection yields into TiO2 are quite similar for both dyes and that the regeneration efficiencies by I(-), are also comparable and in the range of 75-85%. Moreover, besides injection quantum yields above 80%, identical dye loading, for both ZnB and ZnM, has been evidenced by spectrophotometric measurements on transparent thin TiO2 layers after the same adsorption period. Conversely, major differences have emerged by DC and AC (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) photoelectrochemical investigations, pointing out a slower charge recombination rate when ZnB is adsorbed on TiO2. This may result from its more sterically hindered macrocyclic core which, besides guaranteeing a decrease of π-staking aggregation of the dye, promotes a superior shielding of the TiO2 surface against charge recombination involving oxidized species of the electrolyte.

Background: Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) is a potential ideal biomaterial for bone regeneration. However, studies have yet to characterize the behavior of human osteoblasts derived from alveolar bone on nHA. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of nHA on the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of these alveolar bone-derived cells., Methods: Primary human alveolar osteoblasts were collected from the alveolar ridge of a male periodontal patient during osseous resective surgery and grown on culture plates coated with either polylysine or polylysine with nano-hydroxyapatite (POL/nHA) composite. The cells were grown and observed for 14 days, and then assessed for potential modifications to osteoblasts homeostasis as evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR), scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy., Results: Real time PCR revealed a significant increase in the expression of the selected markers of osteoblast differentiation (bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2,-5,-7, ALP, COLL-1A2, OC, ON) in cells grown on the POL/nHA substrate. In addition, as compared with the POL surface, cells grown on the POL/nHA substrate demonstrated better osteoconductive properties, as demonstrated by the increase in adhesion and spreading, likely as a result of the increased surface roughness of the composite., Conclusions: The increased expression of BMPs and osteoinductive biomarkers suggest that nano-hydroxyapatite may stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of local alveolar osteoblasts and thus encourage bone regeneration at sites of alveolar bone regeneration.