BackgroundLittle is known about differences between mini‐implants and conventional immediately loaded implants for overdentures.ObjectivesTo compare clinical outcomes using two immediately loaded conventional or mini‐implants for mandibular overdentures.Materials and MethodsEdentulous patients receiving either conventional (4.1 mm) or mini‐implants (2.9 mm or less), based on available bone width were analyzed. All implants were immediately loaded with mandibular overdentures installed using locator attachments. Digital periapical radiographs for measuring marginal bone loss and clinical outcomes (ie, periodontal probing, plaque, and bleeding indices) were assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12‐month follow‐up periods.ResultsFifty patients (25 receiving conventional implants—12 females, mean age of 65.3 ± 7.3 years; and 25 receiving mini‐implants—11 females, mean age of 66.8 ± 8.1 years) was analyzed. Peak insertion torque (P = .001) and bone loss (P = .02), as well as change in plaque (P = .02) and bleeding (P = .04) indices at 12 months differed significantly between groups. Furthermore, linear regression revealed the height of the locator as a risk factor for bone loss (P = .038).ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that two mini‐implants are significantly more susceptible to bone loss after immediate loading, for which the height of locator might be considered a risk factor.

Background: Fractures in mandibular implant-retained overdentures are a common complication. However, little is known on the related risk factors and outcome differences when using two conventional diameter or two mini implants. Purpose: The purpose of this study was first, to evaluate the required maintenance and complications with the overdentures and second, to analyze risk factors for overdenture fractures. Materials and Methods: This cohort study was conducted in edentulous patients with complete dentures. Patients received either two conventional (4.1 mm in diameter) and two mini (2.9 mm or less in diameter) implants, based on available buccal-lingual ridge width. All implants were immediately loaded with mandibular overdentures retained by Locator abutments. The number of prosthodontic after care visits (scheduled and unscheduled) were recorded and compared between the two implant diameter groups. Fracture occurrence was the primary outcome variable. Risk estimates were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The ORs were adjusted for potential clinical confounders (ie, necessity of relining, matrix recapture, abutment loosening, implant diameter, height of the Locator, and retention force). Results: A total of 50 edentulous patients were analyzed. One conventional diameter and three mini implants failed within a 1-year follow-up period. Prosthetic maintenance requirements for overdentures on both implant diameter groups were comparable. A total of 12 overdenture fractures (four in the mini implant group and eight in the conventional diameter group) occurred. Adjusted OR (AOR) analysis showed a significant association between abutment loosening and overdenture fracture (AOR = 12.00, 95% CI = 1.11-129.45; P = .041). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the present findings suggest that implant diameter does not affect number of prosthetic maintenance and complications, and that abutment loosening is a risk factor for overdenture fractures, regardless of the implant diameter used.

Background: Little is known on the effect of varying implant diameters, especially with mini implants (ie, less than 3 mm in diameter), on oral health-related quality of life (OHrQoL). Purpose: To compare OHrQoL and satisfaction in patients with mandibular overdentures immediately retained by either two conventional or two mini-implants. Materials and methods: Edentulous patients receiving immediately loaded overdentures retained by Locators on either two conventional diameter (4.1 mm) or two mini (2.9 mm or less) implants were selected based on available buccal-lingual ridge width in the intraforaminal area. Two questionnaires were used (Oral Health Impact Profile-14 [OHIP-14]; and Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire [DSQ]) to determine OHrQoL and overall denture satisfaction. Questionnaires were filled out at six different time points up to a 1-year follow-up. Mann-Whitney U test was used for group comparisons. Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used to identify changes within group along the time points. Correlation between OHIP-14 and DSQ was assessed with Spearman test. Results: A total of 48 patients were analyzed and equally distributed to each group. The conventional group presented a significantly smaller change of OHIP functional score from the baseline to the first week of follow-up after surgery (P = .017). In addition, total DSQ scores were significantly higher for the conventional group at 12 weeks (P = .022) and there was a significant difference between groups in satisfaction with mandibular prosthesis at 24 weeks (P = .034). Correlation between OHIP-14 and DSQ was not significant (P > .05). Individual results of each group (ie, within group analysis) over all assessed time points revealed a significant OHrQoL (P = .001 for conventional, P = .006 for mini-implants) and satisfaction (P < .001 for both groups) improvement in both groups. Conclusion: Mandibular overdentures retained by two conventional or mini-implants lead to a significant and comparable improvements in OHrQoL and satisfaction over a 1-year follow-up.

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The research aims to give new insights on the effect of administering selected bacterial strains, isolated from honey bee gut, and/or a commercial plant extract blend (HiveAlive®) on Nosema ceranae. Analyses were first performed under laboratory conditions such as different infective doses of N. ceranae, the effect of single strains and their mixture and the influence of pollen administration. Daily survival and feed consumption rate were recorded and pathogen development was analysed using qPCR and microscope counts. Biomarkers of immunity and physiological status were also evaluated for the different treatments tested using one bacterial strain, a mixture of all the bacteria and/or a plant extract blend as treatments. The results showed an increase of abaecin transcript levels in the midgut of the honey bees treated with the bacterial mixture and an increased expression of the protein vitellogenin in the haemolymph of honey bees treated with two separate bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium coryneforme and Apilactobacillus kunkeei). A significant effectiveness in reducing N. ceranae was shown by the bacterial mixture and the plant extract blend regardless of the composition of the diet. This bioactivity was seasonally linked. Quantitative PCR and microscope counts showed the reduction of N. ceranae under different experimental conditions. The antiparasitic efficacy of the treatments at field conditions was studied using a semi-field approach which was adapted from research on insecticides for the first time, to analyse antiparasitic activity against N. ceranae. The approach proved to be reliable and effective in validating data obtained in the laboratory. Both the mixture of beneficial bacteria and its association with Hive Alive® are effective in controlling the natural infection of N. ceranae in honey bee colonies.

IntroductionApis mellifera evolved mainly in African, Asian, and European continents over thousands of years, leading to the selection of a considerable number of honey bees subspecies that have adapted to various environments such as hot semi-desert zones and cold temperate zones. With the evolution of honey bee subspecies, it is possible that environmental conditions, food sources, and microbial communities typical of the colonized areas have shaped the honey bee gut microbiota.MethodsIn this study the microbiota of two distinct lineages (mitochondrial haplotypes) of bees Apis mellifera ruttneri (lineage A) and Apis mellifera ligustica and carnica (both lineage C) were compared. Honey bee guts were collected in a dry period in the respective breeding areas (the island of Malta and the regions of Emilia-Romagna and South Tyrol in Italy). Microbial DNA from the honey bee gut was extracted and amplified for the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and for ITS2 for fungi.ResultsThe analyses carried out show that the Maltese lineage A honey bees have a distinctive microbiota when compared to Italian lineage C honey bees, with the most abundant genera being Bartonellaceae and Lactobacillaceae, respectively. Lactobacillaceae in Maltese Lineage A honey bees consist mainly of Apilactobacillus instead of Lactobacillus and Bombilactobacillus in the lineage C. Lineage A honey bee gut microbiota also harbors higher proportions of Arsenophonus, Bombella, Commensalibacter, and Pseudomonas when compared to lineage C.DiscussionThe environment seems to be the main driver in the acquisition of these marked differences in the gut microbiota. However, the influence of other factors such as host genetics, seasonality or geography may still play a significant role in the microbiome shaping, in synergy with the environmental aspects.