Spindle cell lesions of the superficial soft tissues often pose a diagnostic challenge due to frequently non-specific clinico-radiologic presentation and overlapping microscopic features, therefore immunohistochemistry remains a favored approach in separating them.
A photochemical strategy for the sequential dual compaction of single polymer chains is introduced. Two photoreactive methacrylates, with side chains bearing either a phenacyl sulfide (PS) or an α-methylbenzaldehyde (photoenol, PE) moiety, are selectively incorporated by one-pot iterative reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization into the outer blocks of a well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate) based ABC triblock copolymer possessing a nonfunctional spacer block (Mn = 23 400 g mol−1, Đ = 1.2; ≈15 units of each photoreactive moieties of each type) as well as in model statistical copolymers bearing only one type of photoreactive unit. Upon UVA irradiation, PS and PE lead to highly reactive thioaldehydes and o-quinodimethanes, which rapidly react with dithiol and diacrylate linkers, respectively. The monomerfunctional copolymers are employed to establish the conditions for controlled intramolecular photo-crosslinking, which are subsequently applied to the bifunctional triblock copolymer. All compaction/folding experiments are monitored by size-exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering. The dual compaction consists of two events of dissimilar amplitude: the first folding step reveals a large reduction in hydrodynamic diameters, while the second compaction lead to a far less pronounced reduction of the single-chain nanoparticles size, consistent with the reduced degrees of freedom available after the first covalent compaction step.
Photochemical stepwise compaction of single polymer strands becomes possible by the design of photoreactive polymers based on photoenol and phenacyl sulfide chemistry, enabling the dual sequential reduction in polymer coil size by two independent photochemical events.
Increased visceral sensitivity is observed in up to 60% of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Mucosal inflammation, altered neuroendocrine activity and intraluminal metabolic processes may contribute to the development of visceral hypersensitivity. Previously, we demonstrated that biomarkers, indicative for these biological processes, were altered in IBS patients compared to healthy controls. However, how these processes relate to visceral hypersensitivity is unknown.
The aim of this study was to provide insight in biological processes associated with visceral hypersensitivity. Fecal and plasma biomarkers were measured in normosensitive and hypersensitive IBS patients.
A total of 167 IBS patients underwent a rectal barostat procedure to assess visceral sensitivity to pain. Based on the outcome, patients were classified into a normosensitive or hypersensitive group. Calprotectin, human β-defensin 2 (HBD2), chromogranin A (CgA), and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured in feces, citrulline in plasma, and serotonin and its main metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in platelet-poor plasma.
Fecal markers and plasma citrulline were measured in 83 hypersensitive and 84 normosensitive patients, while platelet-poor plasma for the assessment of serotonin and 5-HIAA was available for a subgroup, i.e. 53 hypersensitive and 42 normosensitive patients. No statistically significant differences were found in concentrations of biomarkers between groups. Adjustment of the analyses for potential confounders, such as medication use, did not alter this conclusion.
Our findings do not support a role for the biological processes as ascertained by biomarkers in visceral hypersensitivity in IBS patients. This study is registered in the US National Library of Medicine (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00775060).
We report the production of functional inulin-type fructooligosaccharides such as trisaccharide 1-kestose, O–β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)-β-d-fructofuranosyl α-d-glucopyranoside, and tetrasaccharide nystose, O-β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)–β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)–β-d-fructofuranosyl α-d-glucopyranoside, from sucrose by an enzyme from Penicillium citrinum. Sucrose acted as a fructosyl donor and acceptor for the enzyme. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzymatic reaction were 5 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range of 4.5–7 and at 50 °C. The maximum concentration of 1-kestose obtained was 110 mg/ml, and the maximum production efficiency was 37.3% after a 48-h reaction. The maximum efficiency of combined fructooligosaccharide (1-kestose and nystose) production was 47.1% after a 72-h reaction. Fructooligosaccharides were therefore successfully produced via a fructosyl transfer reaction catalyzed by an enzyme from P. citrinum.
What is the central question of this study?
Does activation of serotonergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract, shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex?
What is the main finding and its importance?
We found that serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the nucleus of the solitary tract to terminate reflex apnoea. Failure or deficiency of this arousal-related process is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome.
Failure to terminate apnoea and arouse is likely to contribute to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS. We tested the hypothesis that activation of serotoninergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), would shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR). We studied anaesthetized neonatal rat pups between postnatal days 9 and 17. We injected 5–40 μl of water into the larynx to elicit the LCR and measured the duration of respiratory disruption. Microinjection of 50 nl of 100 μm AMPA into the caudal medullary raphe shortened the apnoeas (P < 0.001) and respiratory inhibition (P < 0.005) associated with the LCR. When 50 nl of 30 mm ondansetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, was microinjected bilaterally into the NTS, AMPA microinjected into the caudal raphe no longer shortened the LCR. After bilateral microinjection of vehicle into the NTS, AMPA microinjection into the caudal raphe significantly shortened the LCR. AMPA, a glutamate receptor agonist, may activate many neurons within the caudal raphe, but blocking the 5-HT3 receptor-dependent responses in the NTS prevented the shortening of the LCR associated with AMPA microinjections into the caudal raphe. Thus, serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the NTS to terminate or shorten the LCR. Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS, and deficient serotonergic termination of apnoea is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of SIDS.
Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inborn errors of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene (PAH). PKU has wide allelic heterogeneity, and over 600 different disease-causing mutations in PAH have been detected to date. Up to now, there have been no reports on the minihaplotype (VNTR/STR) analysis of PAH locus in the Iranian population. The aims of the present study were to determine PAH mutations and minihaplotypes in Iranian families with PAH deficiency and to investigate the correlation between them. A total of 81 Iranian families with PAH deficiency were examined using PCR-sequencing of all 13 PAH exons and their flanking intron regions to identify sequence variations. Fragment analysis of the PAH minihaplotypes was performed by capillary electrophoresis for 59 families. In our study, 33 different mutations were found accounting for 95% of the total mutant alleles. The majority of these mutations (72%) were distributed across exons 7, 11, 2 and their flanking intronic regions. Mutation c.1066-11G > A was the most common with a frequency of 20.37%. The less frequent mutations, p.Arg261Gln (8%), p.Arg243Ter (7.4%), p.Leu48Ser (7.4%), p.Lys363Asnfs*37 (6.79%), c.969 + 5G > A (6.17%), p.Pro281Leu (5.56), c.168 + 5G > C (5.56), and p.Arg261Ter (4.94) together comprised about 52% of all mutant alleles. In this study, a total of seventeen PAH gene minihaplotypes were detected, six of which associated exclusively with particular mutations. Our findings indicate a broad PAH mutation spectrum in the Iranian population, which is consistent with previous studies reporting a wide range of PAH mutations, most likely due to ethnic heterogeneity. High prevalence of c.1066-11G > A mutation linked to minihaplotype 7/250 among both Iranian and Mediterranean populations is indicative of historical and geographical links between them. Also, strong association between particular mutations and minihaplotypes could be useful for prenatal diagnosis (PND) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in affected families.
Autophagy is a life phenomenon in which autophagosomes remove damaged or aging organelles and long-lived circulating proteins to maintain the cell's stability. However, disorders of excessive autophagy are a response of cancer cells to a variety of anticancer treatments which lead to cancer cell death. The Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways are both involved in nutrient-induced autophagic phenomenon and exhibit vital relevance to oncogenesis in various cancer cell types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the influence of autophagy for cancer cell death remains controversial and few scientists have investigated the variation of these two signaling pathways in cancer cell autophagic phenomenon induced by anticancer treatment simultaneously. Here, we explored the anticancer efficacy and mechanisms of glycyrrhizin (GL), a bioactive compound of licorice with little toxicity in normal cells. It is interesting that inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling in concurrence with enhanced ERK1/2 activity exists in GL-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity in HepG2 and MHCC97-H hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results imply that the GL-related anticancer ability might correlate with the induction of autophagy. The influence of induced autophagic phenomenon on cell viability might depend on the severity of autophagy and be pathway specific. In the subsequent subcutaneous xenograft experiment in vivo with MHCC97-H cells, GL obviously exhibited its inhibitory efficacy in tumor growth via inducing excess autophagy in MHCC97-H cells (P < 0.05). Our data prompt that GL possesses a property of excess autophagic phenomenon induction in HCC and exerts high anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. This warrants further investigation toward possible clinical applications in patients with HCC.
Glycyrrhizin can induce excessive autophagic phenomenon in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Autophagy-mediated cell death is also a credible route of tumor suppression pathway.
Evidence has suggested survival benefits of maintenance for advanced NSCLC patients not progressing after first-line chemotherapy. Additionally, particular first-line targeted therapies have shown survival improvements in selected populations. Optimal first-line and maintenance therapies remain unclear. Here, currently available evidence was synthesized to elucidate optimal first-line and maintenance therapy within patient groups. Literature was searched for randomized trials evaluating first-line and maintenance regimens in advanced NSCLC patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed within molecularly and clinically selected groups. The primary outcome was combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits. A total of 87 records on 56 trials evaluating first-line treatments with maintenance were included. Results showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits with particular first-line with maintenance treatments, (1) first-line intercalated chemotherapy+erlotinib, maintenance erlotinib in patients with EGFR mutations, (2) first-line afatinib, maintenance afatinib in patients with EGFR deletion 19, (3) first-line chemotherapy + bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab in EGFR wild-type patients, (4) chemotherapy+conatumumab, maintenance conatumumab in patients with squamous histology, (5) chemotherapy+cetuximab, maintenance cetuximab or chemotherapy + necitumumab, maintenance necitumumab in EGFR FISH-positive patients with squamous histology, and (6) first-line chemotherapy+bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab or first-line sequential chemotherapy+gefitinib, maintenance gefitinib in patients clinically enriched for EGFR mutations with nonsquamous histology. No treatment showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients with EGFR L858R or nonsquamous histology. Particular first-line with maintenance treatments show meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients selected by EGFR mutation or histology. Further research is needed to achieve effective therapy for patients with EGFR mutation L858R or nonsquamous histology.
First-line with maintenance therapies have shown benefits in selected advanced NSCLC populations. Here, first-line with maintenance treatments are compared within patient groups and clinically meaningful benefits are shown for particular first-line with maintenance therapies in selected patients.
Cardiotocography (CTG) is a standard tool for the assessment of fetal well-being during pregnancy and delivery. However, its interpretation is associated with high inter- and intra-observer variability. Since its introduction there have been numerous attempts to develop computerized systems assisting the evaluation of the CTG recording. Nevertheless these systems are still hardly used in a delivery ward. Two main approaches to computerized evaluation are encountered in the literature; the first one emulates existing guidelines, while the second one is more of a data-driven approach using signal processing and computational methods. The latter employs preprocessing, feature extraction/selection and a classifier that discriminates between two or more classes/conditions. These classes are often formed using the umbilical cord artery pH value measured after delivery. In this work an approach to Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) classification using pH is presented that could serve as a benchmark for reporting results on the unique open-access CTU-UHB CTG database, the largest and the only freely available database of this kind. The overall results using a very small number of features and a Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) classifier, are in accordance to the ones encountered in the literature and outperform the results of a baseline classification scheme proving the utility of using advanced data processing methods. Therefore the achieved results can be used as a benchmark for future research involving more informative features and/or better classification algorithms.
A novel, fast and reliable sample preparation procedure for the simultaneous separation of Sr, Pb, and Nd has been developed for subsequent isotope ratio analysis of sediment digests. The method applying a fully automated, low-pressure chromatographic system separates all three analytes in a single-stage extraction step using self-packed columns filled with DGA Resin. The fully automated set-up allows the unattended processing of three isotopic systems from one sediment digest every 2 h, offering high sample throughput of up to 12 samples per day and reducing substantially laboratory manpower as compared to conventional manual methods. The developed separation method was validated using the marine sediment GBW-07313 as matrix-matched certified reference material and combines quantitative recoveries (>90% for Sr, >93% for Pb, and >91% for Nd) with low procedural blank levels following the sample separation (0.07 μg L−1 Sr, 0.03 μg L−1 Pb, and 0.57 μg L−1 Nd). The average δ values for Sr, Pb, and Nd of the separated reference standards were within the certified ranges (δ (87Sr/86Sr)NIST SRM 987 of −0.05(28) ‰, δ(208Pb/206Pb)NIST SRM 981 of −0.21(14) ‰, and δ(143Nd/144Nd)JNdi-1 of 0.00(7) ‰). The DGA Resin proved to be reusable for the separation of >10 sediment digests with no significant carry-over or memory effects, as well as no significant on-column fractionation of Sr, Pb, and Nd isotope ratios. Additional spike experiments of NIST SRM 987 with Pb, NIST SRM 981 with Sr, and JNdi-1 with Ce revealed no significant impact on the measured isotopic ratios, caused by potential small analyte peak overlaps during the separation of Sr and Pb, as well as Ce and Nd.
Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inborn errors of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene (PAH). PKU has wide allelic heterogeneity, and over 600 different disease-causing mutations in PAH have been detected to date. Up to now, there have been no reports on the minihaplotype (VNTR/STR) analysis of PAH locus in the Iranian population. The aims of the present study were to determine PAH mutations and minihaplotypes in Iranian families with PAH deficiency and to investigate the correlation between them. A total of 81 Iranian families with PAH deficiency were examined using PCR-sequencing of all 13 PAH exons and their flanking intron regions to identify sequence variations. Fragment analysis of the PAH minihaplotypes was performed by capillary electrophoresis for 59 families. In our study, 33 different mutations were found accounting for 95% of the total mutant alleles. The majority of these mutations (72%) were distributed across exons 7, 11, 2 and their flanking intronic regions. Mutation c.1066-11G > A was the most common with a frequency of 20.37%. The less frequent mutations, p.Arg261Gln (8%), p.Arg243Ter (7.4%), p.Leu48Ser (7.4%), p.Lys363Asnfs*37 (6.79%), c.969 + 5G > A (6.17%), p.Pro281Leu (5.56), c.168 + 5G > C (5.56), and p.Arg261Ter (4.94) together comprised about 52% of all mutant alleles. In this study, a total of seventeen PAH gene minihaplotypes were detected, six of which associated exclusively with particular mutations. Our findings indicate a broad PAH mutation spectrum in the Iranian population, which is consistent with previous studies reporting a wide range of PAH mutations, most likely due to ethnic heterogeneity. High prevalence of c.1066-11G > A mutation linked to minihaplotype 7/250 among both Iranian and Mediterranean populations is indicative of historical and geographical links between them. Also, strong association between particular mutations and minihaplotypes could be useful for prenatal diagnosis (PND) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in affected families.
Autophagy is a life phenomenon in which autophagosomes remove damaged or aging organelles and long-lived circulating proteins to maintain the cell's stability. However, disorders of excessive autophagy are a response of cancer cells to a variety of anticancer treatments which lead to cancer cell death. The Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways are both involved in nutrient-induced autophagic phenomenon and exhibit vital relevance to oncogenesis in various cancer cell types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the influence of autophagy for cancer cell death remains controversial and few scientists have investigated the variation of these two signaling pathways in cancer cell autophagic phenomenon induced by anticancer treatment simultaneously. Here, we explored the anticancer efficacy and mechanisms of glycyrrhizin (GL), a bioactive compound of licorice with little toxicity in normal cells. It is interesting that inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling in concurrence with enhanced ERK1/2 activity exists in GL-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity in HepG2 and MHCC97-H hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results imply that the GL-related anticancer ability might correlate with the induction of autophagy. The influence of induced autophagic phenomenon on cell viability might depend on the severity of autophagy and be pathway specific. In the subsequent subcutaneous xenograft experiment in vivo with MHCC97-H cells, GL obviously exhibited its inhibitory efficacy in tumor growth via inducing excess autophagy in MHCC97-H cells (P < 0.05). Our data prompt that GL possesses a property of excess autophagic phenomenon induction in HCC and exerts high anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. This warrants further investigation toward possible clinical applications in patients with HCC.
Glycyrrhizin can induce excessive autophagic phenomenon in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Autophagy-mediated cell death is also a credible route of tumor suppression pathway.
Evidence has suggested survival benefits of maintenance for advanced NSCLC patients not progressing after first-line chemotherapy. Additionally, particular first-line targeted therapies have shown survival improvements in selected populations. Optimal first-line and maintenance therapies remain unclear. Here, currently available evidence was synthesized to elucidate optimal first-line and maintenance therapy within patient groups. Literature was searched for randomized trials evaluating first-line and maintenance regimens in advanced NSCLC patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed within molecularly and clinically selected groups. The primary outcome was combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits. A total of 87 records on 56 trials evaluating first-line treatments with maintenance were included. Results showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits with particular first-line with maintenance treatments, (1) first-line intercalated chemotherapy+erlotinib, maintenance erlotinib in patients with EGFR mutations, (2) first-line afatinib, maintenance afatinib in patients with EGFR deletion 19, (3) first-line chemotherapy + bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab in EGFR wild-type patients, (4) chemotherapy+conatumumab, maintenance conatumumab in patients with squamous histology, (5) chemotherapy+cetuximab, maintenance cetuximab or chemotherapy + necitumumab, maintenance necitumumab in EGFR FISH-positive patients with squamous histology, and (6) first-line chemotherapy+bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab or first-line sequential chemotherapy+gefitinib, maintenance gefitinib in patients clinically enriched for EGFR mutations with nonsquamous histology. No treatment showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients with EGFR L858R or nonsquamous histology. Particular first-line with maintenance treatments show meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients selected by EGFR mutation or histology. Further research is needed to achieve effective therapy for patients with EGFR mutation L858R or nonsquamous histology.
First-line with maintenance therapies have shown benefits in selected advanced NSCLC populations. Here, first-line with maintenance treatments are compared within patient groups and clinically meaningful benefits are shown for particular first-line with maintenance therapies in selected patients.
Decompressive craniectomy (DC) has been the classical management for malignant middle cerebral artery infarctions (mMCAI) in clinical practice. However, the association between DC and mMCAI remains unclear. This review went to evaluate the efficacy of DC in treating mMCAI patients.
Studies were entirely searched since the foundation dates of multiple databases to June 2016. All major databases were involved, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and other sources. the bias risk of studies involved were evaluated. Modified Rankin Scale was defined as Primary outcome, Odds Ratio and 95% confidence intervals was taken as measurements. T2 (tau-squared) test, I2 test, and chi-square tests were used for statistical heterogeneity evaluation for each meta-analysis result, followed by fixed-effect model. Mantel-haenszel method was used in the process of summary estimations. All of the meta-analysis was conducted by Review Manager 5.3.
One thousand one hundred forty-five records of data were critically identified and collected through databases and 14 studies were finally involved. Result suggested that DC can ameliorate the suboptimal outcome of mMCAI patients.
Animal trypanosomosis is a devastating parasitic disease that is of economic importance to livestock production. The infection includes animal African trypanosomosis, surra, and dourine. The treatment is based solely on few compounds that were discovered decades ago and which are associated with severe toxicity. Furthermore, it is likely that the parasite has developed resistance towards them. Thus, there is an urgent need for new, accessible, and less toxic drugs. Azithromycin is an antibiotic with documented efficacy against Toxoplasma, Babesia, and Plasmodium. The current study investigated its effects against animal trypanosomes. An in vitro system was used to determine the trypanocidal effects of azithromycin against Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and Trypanosoma evansi, and cytotoxicity in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) and NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, the trypanocidal effects of azithromycin were investigated in T. congolense-infected mice. In vitro, azithromycin had an IC50 of 0.19 ± 0.17; 3.69 ± 2.26; 1.81 ± 1.82 μg/mL against T. congolense, T. b. brucei, and T. evansi, respectively. No cytotoxic effects were observed in MDBK and NIH 3T3 cells. The efficacy of orally administered azithromycin was investigated in short-term and long-term treatment protocols. Although the short-term treatment protocol showed no curative effects, the survival rate of the mice was significantly prolonged (p < 0.001) in comparison to the control group. The long-term treatment yielded satisfying curative effects with doses of 300 and 400 mg/kg achieving 80 and 100% survival, respectively. In conclusion, long-term oral azithromycin treatment has trypanocidal effects against T. congolense.
In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.
New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.
Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).
Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.
Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.
In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.
New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.
Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).
Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.
Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.
In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.
New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.
Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).
Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.
Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.
