With the development of the modern concept of tissue engineering approach and the discovery of the potential of stem cells in dentistry, the regeneration of hard dental tissues has become a reality and a priority of modern dentistry. The present review reports the recent advances on stem-cell based regeneration strategies for hard dental tissues and analyze the feasibility of stem cells and of growth factors in scaffolds-based or scaffold-free approaches in inducing the regeneration of either the whole tooth or only of its component structures.

(1) Background: In patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia, especially moderate and severe forms, a cytokine storm may occur, characterized by the worsening of symptoms and the alteration of biological parameters on days 8–12 of the disease. The therapeutic options for cytokine storms are still controversial, requiring further clarification; (2) Methods: Our study included 344 patients with moderate and severe pneumonia admitted to the internal medicine department who developed a cytokine storm (diagnosed by clinical and biochemical criteria). In group A, 149 patients were treated with Remdesivir and Tocilizumab (together with other drugs, including corticosteroids, antibiotics and anticoagulants), and in group B, 195 patients received Remdesivir and Anakinra. Patients were monitored clinically and by laboratory tests, with the main biochemical parameters being CRP (C-reactive protein), LDH (lactic dehydrogenase) and ferritin; (3) Results: Patients were followed up from a clinical point of view and also by the measurement of CRP, LDH and ferritin at the beginning of therapy, on days three to four and on the tenth day. In both groups, we registered a clinical improvement and a decrease in the parameters of the cytokine storm. In group A, with the IL-6 antagonist Tocilizumab, the beneficial effect occurred faster; in group B, with the IL-1 antagonist Anakinra, the beneficial effect was slower. (4) Conclusions: The use of the immunomodulators, Tocilizumab and Anakinra, in the cytokine storm showed favorable effects, both clinical and biochemical.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are placed among the most interesting nanomaterials due to their remarkable performances in optics, electronics, semiconducting materials, photocatalysis. Recent literature reports synthesis and characterization of ZnO -polymer nanocomposites which are more flexible materials for various applications. This paper is concerned with synthesis of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) nanofiber mats useful as substrates for growing of ZnO nanocrystals. CAB nanofibers and CAB nanofibers containing zinc acetate as precursor for ZnO nanoparticles are prepared via electrospinning from adequate solvents: 2-methoxyethanol and 2-methoxyethanol-DMFwater mixture, respectively. Formation and growing of ZnO nanocrystals are performed using a chemical deposition technique that implies multiple alternative dipping in an ammonium zincate bath and hot water bath, respectively. The morphology of CAB nanofibers and CAB-ZnO nanocomposites is studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of ZnO nanocrystals is evidenced by X-ray diagrams and FTIR analysis. The potential of the obtained composites as photocatalysts for dye degradation is investigated over two organic pollutants: Rhodamine B and methylene blue, in visible light, and the results of UV-VIS analysis are reported.

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