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Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate long-term outcomes after temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discectomy., Methods: Included patients (n = 64) had undergone discectomy during 1989-1998 at Umeå University Hospital. A questionnaire was used to evaluate pre- and postoperative symptoms, postoperative complications, general pain, and subjective opinion about the outcome of the surgery., Results: The results are based on responses from 47 patients (40 women/7 men), including 36 (30 women/6 men) who completed the questionnaire and 11 (10 women/1 man) who were contacted by telephone and answered selected questions. Seventeen patients were excluded because of death, a move abroad, declining to participate, or no available patient information. Among the respondents, 41 (87%) were satisfied with the results, five (11%) were unsatisfied, and one (2%) patient did not answer the question. The results showed a significant long-term improvement in locking, clicking/crepitation, and pain when chewing or opening the jaw (p = 0.001). The prevalence of headaches had decreased significantly at follow-up (p = 0.001). Reported impaired jaw-opening capacity showed no significant improvement (p = 0.08). Of the 47 respondents, 19 (40%) had asked for additional treatment after the discectomy, and six of the 19 patients (13%) had undergone more surgery of the joint., Conclusion: The results of this retrospective long-term follow-up study indicate that TMJ discectomy has a high success rate, as most patients were satisfied with the postoperative results. Discectomy is thus an effective surgical intervention for patients with disabling TMJ pain and dysfunction when conservative interventions have been unsuccessful., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The aim was to assess skeletal stability after maxillary advancement using either distraction osteogenesis (DO) or conventional Le Fort I osteotomy (CO) in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) or cleft palate (CP) utilising a new superimposition-based cephalometric method., Method: This retrospective study included patients who were treated with DO (N = 12) or CO (N = 9). Sagittal and vertical changes after surgery, and skeletal stability at 18 months post-operatively were assessed with superimposition-based cephalometry, comparing lateral cephalograms performed pre-operatively (T0), post-operatively after CO or immediately after completed distraction in DO (T1), and at 18 months of follow-up (T2)., Results: The mean sagittal movements from T0 to T2 in the DO and CO groups were 5.9 mm and 2.2 mm, respectively, with a skeletal relapse rate of 16% in the DO group and 15% in the CO group between T1 and T2. The vertical mean movement from T0 to T2 in the DO and CO groups was 2.8 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively, and the skeletal relapse rate between T1 and T2 was 36% in the DO group and 32% in the CO group., Conclusion: Sagittal advancement of the maxilla was stable, in contrast to the vertical downward movement, which showed more-extensive relapse in both groups. Despite more-extensive maxillary advancement in the DO group, the rates of skeletal relapse were similar., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: In patients who underwent virtual planning and guided flapless implant surgery for teeth missing in the anterior maxilla, we compared buccal bone loss between those treated with and without autogenous bone augmentation., Methods: Of 22 patients with teeth missing because of trauma or aplasia, 10 (18 implant sites) were reconstructed with buccally placed bone graft harvested from the mandibular ramus, and 12 were non-reconstructed (16 sites). Baseline cone-beam computed tomography allowed for implant planning using the NobelClinician® software and was performed again at 1 year after functional loading. The marginal bone level was assessed radiographically at post-implant baseline and at follow-up., Results: At follow-up, buccal bone loss differed significantly between groups at the central level of the implant (p = 0.0005) but not at the coronal level (p = 0.329). The mean marginal bone level change was 0.6 mm, with no significant between-group difference (p = 0.876). The actual implant position often deviated in the vertical or sagittal plane by an average of 0.3-0.6 mm from the planned position., Conclusion: Compared with non-reconstructed patients, reconstructed patients experienced significantly more buccal bone loss at the central level of implants. The groups did not differ at the coronal level or in marginal bone loss, possibly because of the more augmented bone at the central level among reconstructed patients. Differences between planned versus actual implant positions should be considered in situations of limited bone volume at the planned implant site., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation., Methods: Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust < 4 µm, and particles of 0.1-10 µm (PM 0.1-10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers. Paired t tests were performed evaluating changes before and after vacation., Results: Sixty-five workers participated. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher with increasing concentrations (mg/m 3 ) of respirable silica, respirable dust, and PM 0.1-10, and pulse rate with higher levels of respirable dust and dust of PM 0.1-10. Homocysteine levels were also positively correlated to number of years of dust exposure, as were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. A clear recovery effect was present for LDL after vacation, but not for homocysteine., Conclusions: Occupational dust exposure was associated with some CVD risk markers, even at mean exposure concentrations below the Swedish occupational exposure limits for respirable silica and respirable dust, respectively. Vacation resulted in recovery for some risk markers. However, the change of the homocysteine and LDL levels suggest a long-term effect. Reduction of occupational exposure to dust may decrease the risk of CVD among exposed workers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The aim was to investigate whether there was an association between amino acid (AA) intake and physical fitness and if so, to assess whether this association was independent of carbohydrates intake. European adolescents (n = 1481, 12.5-17.5 years) were measured. Intake was assessed via two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Lower and upper limbs muscular fitness was assessed by standing long jump and handgrip strength tests, respectively. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20-m shuttle run test. Physical activity was objectively measured. Socioeconomic status was obtained via questionnaires. Lower limbs muscular fitness seems to be positively associated with tryptophan, histidine and methionine intake in boys, regardless of centre, age, socioeconomic status, physical activity and total energy intake (model 1). However, these associations disappeared once carbohydrates intake was controlled for (model 2). In girls, only proline intake seems to be positively associated with lower limbs muscular fitness (model 2) while cardiorespiratory fitness seems to be positively associated with leucine (model 1) and proline intake (models 1 and 2). None of the observed significant associations remained significant once multiple testing was controlled for. In conclusion, we failed to detect any associations between any of the evaluated AAs and physical fitness after taking into account the effect of multiple testing.

We aimed to examine the associations of sleep duration with time spent on sedentary, moderate and vigorous activities in children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 2,241 (53.5% girls) Estonian and Swedish children (9-10 years) and adolescents (15-16 years), from the European Youth Heart Study, in 1998-1999. Sleep duration was calculated by the difference between self-reported bedtime and time for getting up on a normal weekday. Sedentary time/physical activity was measured by accelerometry (valid data on 1,462 participants). Adolescents had lower odds than children, and Swedish higher odds than Estonian, of meeting the sleep recommendations (>9 h) (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.17-0.27; and 1.32, 1.07-1.61, respectively). Participants sleeping longer than 10 h spent more time on physical activities (all intensities) and less time on sedentary activities than those sleeping shorter durations (all P < 0.001). The associations with physical activity became non-significant after additional adjustment for age or sexual maturation (Tanner stages), whereas the associations with sedentary time became borderline significant (P = 0.09/0.03, for age and Tanner, respectively). In conclusion, these results do not suggest a link between sleep durations and activity in a relatively large sample of children and adolescents from two European countries. Consequently, the common assumption that physical activity is a mediator in the relationship between short sleep durations and obesity is not supported by our findings.

The objective of this study is to analyse the association of objectively assessed physical activity (PA) with muscular strength and fat-free mass in adolescents, and to determine whether meeting the current PA recommendations is associated with higher levels of muscular strength and fat-free mass. The present cross-sectional study comprised 363 Spanish adolescents (180 females) aged 12.5-17.5 years. PA was assessed by accelerometry and expressed as average PA (counts/min), and min/day of inactive, light, moderate, vigorous and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). MVPA was dichotomized into < 60 min/day and > or = 60. Upper body muscular strength was measured with the handgrip strength test, and lower body muscular strength was measured with the standing broad jump, squat jump, counter movement jump and Abalakov tests. Fat-free mass was measured by DXA. We observed positive associations between vigorous PA and all the lower body muscular strength tests except for the counter movement jump in males. PA was not associated with fat-free mass in both males and females. Male adolescents engaged in at least 60 min/day MVPA performed better in the standing broad jump test. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggest that only vigorous PA is associated with muscular strength, particularly lower-body muscular strength in male adolescents.

The aims of this study were, in a group of adolescents, firstly to identify the absolute heart rates (HR) and the percentages of maximal heart rates (HRmax) corresponding to 40%, 60% and 80% of peak oxygen uptake (PVO2), secondly to identify absolute and relative (%PVO2) oxygen uptakes (VO2) corresponding to HR of 120, 140 and 160 beats.min-1, and thirdly to examine a possible effect of fatness and fitness on the relationship between HR and VO2. The subjects were 127 (60 boys, 67 girls) adolescents with a mean age of 14.8 (SD 0.3) years. The HR and VO2 were measured by means of an incremental exercise test to exhaustion. Linear regressions were performed for the HR-VO2 and VO2-HR relationships using absolute and relative (%HRmax, %PVO2) data for each individual. From these regressions, target HR and VO2 were computed. Average target HR corresponding to 40%, 60% and 80% of PVO2 were: 119 (SD 9), 145 (SD 9), 171 (SD 8), and 120 (SD 10), 146 (SD 8), 172 (SD 8) beats.min-1 for boys and girls, respectively. Average VO2 corresponding to HR of 120, 140 and 160 beats.min-1 were: 22 (SD 5), 30 (SD 5), 38 (SD 6) and 18 (SD 4), 24 (SD 4), 31 (SD 4) mlO2.kg-1.min-1 for boys and girls, respectively. An analysis of covariance showed a significant fitness effect (P < 0.001) for predicted VO2 at all HR studied. The results suggest that the use of absolute HR to define exercise intensity levels when assessing young people's physical activity using HR monitoring detracts from the validity of the interpretation of the data.

The purpose of this study was to examine the strength of the relationship between different variables of physical activity and aerobic fitness and body fat in adolescent boys and girls. Activity energy expenditure (AEE), time spent in a sedentary state, and time spent engaged in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA, > or = 50% peak oxygen uptake, VO2peak) were assessed by the minute-by-minute heart rate monitoring method in 82 randomly selected 14- to 15-year olds (42 boys, 40 girls). Body fat was determined by measuring skinfold thicknesses. VO2peak was measured by indirect calorimetry. Somatic maturity level was determined by percentages of adult (i.e. 18 years) height attained at examination. AEE was related to aerobic fitness for both genders (boys, r = 0.30, P = 0.056; girls, r = 0.45, P = 0.003). For boys, there was a significant relationship between maturity level and VO2peak (r = 0.48, P < 0.001). For both genders, body fat was significantly and negatively related to VO2peak (r = -0.48 and r = -0.43, P < 0.01). Body fat and maturity explained 47% of the variation in VO2peak in boys, whereas AEE and body fat explained 22% of the variation in VO2peak in girls. No significant associations between physical activity variables and the data on body fat were observed. The total amount of physical activity (AEE) was related to VO2peak, at least in adolescent girls. Although VO2peak seems to be influenced by the maturity level in adolescent boys, the data support the promotion of a daily active lifestyle among young people.

Chicken breast muscle is usually considered to be a relatively homogeneous white muscle and has therefore been widely used for studies of muscle proteins. In a previous study, however, we have found different M-region structures in different fibres from this muscle. Because of this result, we have now carried out a combined histochemical and ultrastructural survey of this muscle. In particular, we have made use of large transverse cryo-sections that include most of the muscle cross-section. Although the white region is fairly homogeneous in fibre content according to normal histochemical criteria (mATPase), we have found that there is a gradation of fibre structure across the muscle. The bulk of the muscle stains conventionally for Type-II fibres according to mATPase tests (the "white" part) but, in the small "red" part of the muscle, there are also Type-I fibres together with the Type-II fibres. Superimposed on this division into Type-I and Type-II fibres are variations in fibre size, oxidative and glycolytic staining properties, and variations of Z-band width and M-band structure; there is no strict correlation among any of these parameters. The apparently uniform staining across most of the muscle when tested for myofibrillar ATPase may be a misleading indicator of fibre properties.

The 20 naturally occurring amino acids are characterized by 20 variables: pKNH2, pKCOOH, pI, molecular weight, substituent van der Waals volume, seven 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance shift variables, and eight hydrophobicity-hydrophilicity scales. The 20-dimensional data set is reduced to a few new dimensions by principal components analysis. The three first principal components reveal relationships between the properties of the amino acids and the genetic code. Thus the amino acids coded for by adenosine (A), uracil (U), or cytosine (C) in their second codon position (corresponding to U, A, or G in the second anticodon position) are grouped in these components. No grouping was detected for the amino acids coded for by guanine (G) in the second codon position (corresponding to C in the second anticodon position). The results show that a relationship exists between the physical-chemical properties of the amino acids and which of the A (U), U (A), or C (G) nucleotide is used in the second codon (anticodon) position. The amino acids coded for by G (C) in the second codon (anticodon) position do not participate in this relationship.