Search

This study aimed to describe orthodontic treatment patterns of children in Australia.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations of oral health literacy (OHL), sense of coherence (SOC) and other covariates with self-reported school performance (SRSP) in adolescents enrolled in public schools in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with adolescents aged from 14 to 18 years enrolled in 6 public schools in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Researchers carried out data collection at schools using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The dependent variable was SRSP. The explanatory factors included were sociodemographic characteristics, OHL, SOC, self-rated oral health, health behaviors, and experience of bullying. Analyses included simple and multiple logistic regression models. Results: The final sample consisted of 385 adolescents with a mean age of 16 years. Poor school performance was associated (95%CI) with being male, with more than 1 sibling, individual whose last visit to the dentist was due to dental pain, with a lower level of OHL and SOC. Conclusions: OHL and SOC were important factors associated with SRSP performance together with other sociodemographic and oral health-related variables in high school students. Our findings reinforce the importance of intersectoral actions between the health and education sectors to promote better school performance among adolescents, including actions to improve OHL and SOC.

: Objective: Despite the colonial roots and modern presence of systemic racism within academic institutions, Indigenous researchers have successfully led a change in expectations of what constitutes ‘good’ research with Indigenous Communities. From a mixed Indigenous and non‐Indigenous research perspective, this paper explores the processes that enable meaningful and ethical Indigenous oral health research. Methods: This paper utilises Yarning as its methodology to capture our research process and identify our core values. The idea for this paper was a result of social and collaborative yarns, which were used as the framework for a final research topic yarn. Results: We propose Relational Yarning as a mechanism to ensure the prioritisation of six core values in our research approach: respect, relationships, advocacy, reciprocity, time and gratitude. Conclusions: We argue that these values are not only essential at the individual or team level but must extend to all institutions in which Indigenous research operates. Therefore, academic institutions, funding bodies and academic journals are compelled to mandate policies that disrupt patterns of symbolic violence and eliminate institutional racism. Implications for public health: Our framework provides an opportunity for all researchers engaging with Indigenous Communities to facilitate meaningful and ethical research and prioritise culturally secure research environments., Despite the growing Indigenous leadership in the exploration and documentation of Indigenous knowledges, traditions, and practices; these understandings are often filtered through Western pedagogies and fitted to academic expectations of [...]

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a tropical fruit tree that grows abundantly in many Pacific Islands and is an important starch source. Breadfruit is a fruit fly host and, therefore, requires high temperature forced air (HTFA) treatment before entering New Zealand, whereby the centre of the fruit is raised to 47.2°C and held for 20 min. Anecdotal evidence suggests that breadfruit can be damaged after HTFA treatment, particularly in the 'hot-spot' of an HTFA chamber, where the centre of breadfruit can experience higher temperatures for a longer time, while waiting for fruit in the 'cold-spot' to reach the target temperature/time conditions. Recent research suggests less severe hot air treatments were sufficient to eliminate fruit fly risk, but no data are available about whether these treatments improved fruit quality. This study assessed the fruit quality of two breadfruit cultivars following four hot air treatments, i.e. the current approved treatment compared with three less severe treatments. Breadfruit exposed to the less severe treatments had better fruit quality, but this was not statistically significant from the approved treatment. A less severe treatment would ensure that breadfruit can then tolerate temperature conditions in the 'hot-spots' of a commercial HTFA chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to describe orthodontic treatment patterns of children in Australia. Methods: Using data from the 2012-2014 National Child Oral Health Study (NCOHS), a cross-sectional survey representative of children in Australia aged 5 to 14 years involving parental-completed questionnaires, standardised oral examinations and malocclusion severity assessment, the present study examined: sociodemographic characteristics, types and providers of orthodontic treatment, extraction rates, treatment need levels and orthodontic service access. Results: Adolescents (31.7%), children from higher-income households (22.0%), and those with handicapping malocclusions (46.6%) accessed services more than their counterparts. Of those who had ever accessed services, pre-adolescents mostly had a consultation only (46.5%) and were predominantly treated using removable appliances (25.1%). Adolescents mostly had fixed appliances (38.0%). Extractions were involved in 31.0% of fixed appliance treatments. Private orthodontists provided the majority of treatment services (80.6%). There were greater numbers of higher-severity malocclusions affecting males, indigenous children, and children from lower-income households compared with their counterparts. In those with higher-severity malocclusions, males, children with high-school-only-educated parents, and children from lower-income households accessed services less than their counterparts. Conclusions: The present study provides baseline information for Australian orthodontic services. Disparities in malocclusion severity and service access were noted. Increased malocclusion severity did not necessarily increase the likelihood of accessing services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphine (PH3) is a methyl bromide alternative with the potential to control surface pests of New Zealand avocados as a pre-export disinfestation treatment. 'Hass' avocado fruit were treated with PH3 (as ECO2FUME® (2% PH3, 98% CO2 (w/w); Cytec Industries Inc.)). at 500, 750 and 1,500 ppm for 24, 48 and 72 h at 5–6 °C, along with vials containing mould mites (Tyrophagus communis) and greenhouse thrips (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis). Fruit were then stored at 5 °C for three weeks, external quality assessed, and internal fruit quality assessed after ripening at 20 °C. PH3 treatments had no impact on external fruit quality, nor on skin colouration, and only minor increase in softening compared to control at 24 h, but not 48 or 72 h. Complete (100%) mortality was achieved for thrips at all PH3 concentrations for 48 h. However, only ∼50% mould mite mortality was achieved at the highest PH3 concentration of 1,500 ppm for 72 h; although this treatment did provide a significant reduction in rots and internal disorders. This initial study demonstrates that longer-duration treatments and higher PH3 concentrations improves fruit quality compared with controls, mainly by reducing rots. These treatments fully controlled thrips but provided only partial control of mould mites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]