Objectives: Bone remodeling usually depends on complex molecular signaling, where receptor activator of NF-B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) serve as key modulators that regulate osteoclastogenesis and overall bone metabolism process. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the influence of different graft materials on RANKL and OPG expression following alveolar ridge preservation. Methods: An electronic search of the literature was performed in Embase via Ovid, Medline via Ovid, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases, in addition to a manual search regarding all related articles. PRISMA guidelines and PICO framework were followed in this systematic review. The inclusion criteria were limited to English-published studies focusing on RANKL and/or OPG biomarkers’ outcomes in post-extraction dental sockets preserved with various types of bone grafts. The extracted data were synthesized in a standardized excel form including general study characteristics, graft interventional details, and RANKL/OPG expressions in addition to other outcomes regarding bone healing. Risk of bias, using ROBINS-I and RYRCLE tools, as well as certainty of evidence were assessed within included studies. Results: The initial search resulted in a total of 307 articles. After thorough screening and reviewing stages, 12 studies were finally selected to be included for comprehensive analysis. The findings revealed that socket preservation with different grafts demonstrated statistically significant differences in favor of RANKL downregulation and OPG upregulation compared to controls; the composite graft demonstrated superior outcomes to other types. The lowest RANKL/OPG ratio (0.11) was reported in the biologically enhanced autograft while synthetic graft alone showed the highest value (1.88). Conclusion: Bone substitutes that combine bioactive agents with scaffolds may offer potential benefits for socket preservation, possibly through modulation of the RANKL/OPG axis. However, their superiority over other grafts and the reliability of the RANKL/OPG ratio as a predictive biomarker remain uncertain, warranting further clinical investigation.
Crop diseases are usually caused by inoculum of pathogens which might exist on alternate hosts or weeds as endophytes. These endophytes, cum pathogens, usually confer some beneficial attributes to these weeds or alternate hosts from protection against herbivores, disease resistance, stress tolerance to secondary metabolites production. This study was therefore carried out to isolate potential crop pathogens which exist as endophytes on weed species in the University of Ilorin plantations. Green asymptomatic leaves were collected from 10 weed species across the plantations, and processed for their endophytic fungi isolation. Isolates were purified into pure cultures and used for molecular identification using the internal transcribed spac
... Show MoreBackground: There are several diseases in the body following recovery from COVID-19 infection because this virus operates on human genes in various types of peripheral tissue in the human body. It penetrates host cells via Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptors and may have effects on bone remodeling, leading to osteopenia or osteoporosis, which are characterized by low bone mineral density, resulting in diminished bone strength. Bone Alkaline Phpsphatase is an enzyme released into the bloodstream as a soluble homodimer after being cleaved by a phospholipase and can be utilized as a biomarker of bone development. Objective: This research was designed to investigate the alteration of bone homeostasis balance in Iraqi post-COVID-19
... Show MoreOsteoporosis is a systemic disease of the skeleton, characterized by low bone mass and alteration in the micro-architecture of the bone tissue that lead to an increase in brittleness with the ensuing predisposition to bone fracture. Global statistics shows that women are more exposed to this disease than men and in particular at menopause. This study was designed to evaluate the use of some bone markers: serum osteocalcin (Ost), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as bone formation markers, also parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and inorganic phosphate level, for the assessment of patients with osteoporosis and to evaluate their role in monitoring of several types of therapeutic interventions (such as bisphosphonates, hormonal replacement thera
... Show MoreBackground: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a prevalent condition commonly treated with phototherapy. While effective, phototherapy can cause adverse effects such as dehydration and maternal separation, necessitating complementary care strategies. Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of foot reflexology and related tactile interventions on bilirubin levels and physiological parameters in neonates undergoing treatment for hyperbilirubinemia. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library) for studies published between 2019 and 2025. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and PICOS framework. Twenty studies,
... Show MoreTesting is a vital phase in software development, and having the right amount of test data is an important aspect in speeding up the process. As a result of the integrationist optimization challenge, extensive testing may not always be practicable. There is also a shortage of resources, expenses, and schedules that impede the testing process. One way to explain combinational testing (CT) is as a basic strategy for creating new test cases. CT has been discussed by several scholars while establishing alternative tactics depending on the interactions between parameters. Thus, an investigation into current CT methods was started in order to better understand their capabilities and limitations. In this study, 97 publications were evalua
... Show MoreThe aim of this study was to critically appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions suitable for delivery by nurses, designed to enhance cardiac patients' adherence to their prescribed medications.
Cardiac medications have statistically significant health benefits for patients with heart disease, but patients' adherence to prescribed medications remains suboptimal.
A systematic quantitative review of intervention effects.
Limitations of the conventional diagnostic techniques urged researchers to seek novel methods to predict, diagnose, and monitor periodontal disease. Use of the biomarkers available in oral fluids could be a revolutionary surrogate for the manual probing/diagnostic radiograph. Several salivary biomarkers have the potential to accurately discriminate periodontal health and disease. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of salivary interleukin (IL)‐17, receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), RANKL/OPG for differentiating (1) periodontal health from disease and (2) stable a
A growing and pressing need for Speech Enhancement Algorithms (SEAs) has emerged with the proliferation of hearing devices and mobile devices that aim to improve speech intelligibility without sacrificing speech quality. Recently, a tremendous number of studies have been conducted in the field of speech enhancement. This study aims to map the field of speech enhancement by conducting a systematic literature review to provide comprehensive details of recently proposed SEAs. This systematic review aims to highlight research trends in SEAs and direct researchers to the most important topics published between 2015 and 2024. It attempts to address seven key research questions related to this topic. Moreover, it covers articles available
... Show MoreSome species, such as the Eurasian Collared-Dove (S. decaocto) are fast expanding around the planet, while others, such as the European Turtle-Dove (S. turtur), are experiencing precipitous population declines. Climate change, habitat loss, greater cultivated areas, and hunting pressure are the major threats to the diversity of Streptopelia. A few species require urgent conservation action. Priority for subsequent research should be to redress outstanding taxonomic uncertainties, ascertain the effect of climate change on distributions, and put in place conservation measures for declining taxa. We provide here a detailed review on how it is possible to understand the diversity of Streptopelia and how such an understanding can con
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