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Objective To assess the benefits of bimodal listening (i.e., addition of contralateral hearing aid) for cochlear implant (CI) users on real-world tasks involving high-talker variability speech materials, environmental sounds, and self-reported quality of life (quality of hearing) in listeners' own best-aided conditions. Study design Cross-sectional study between groups. Setting Outpatient hearing clinic. Patients Fifty experienced adult CI users divided into groups based on normal daily listening conditions (i.e., best-aided conditions): unilateral CI (CI), unilateral CI with contralateral HA (bimodal listening; CIHA), or bilateral CI (CICI). Intervention Task-specific measures of speech recognition with low (Harvard Standard Sentences) and high (Perceptually Robust English Sentence Test Open-set corpus) talker variability, environmental sound recognition (Familiar Environmental Sounds Test-Identification), and hearing-related quality of life (Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire). Main outcome measures Test group differences among CI, CIHA, and CICI conditions. Results No group effect was observed for speech recognition with low or high-talker variability, or hearing-related quality of life. Bimodal listeners demonstrated a benefit in environmental sound recognition compared with unilateral CI listeners, with a trend of greater benefit than the bilateral CI group. There was also a visual trend for benefit on high-talker variability speech recognition. Conclusions Findings provide evidence that bimodal listeners demonstrate stronger environmental sound recognition compared with unilateral CI listeners, and support the idea that there are additional advantages to bimodal listening after implantation other than speech recognition measures, which are at risk of being lost if considering bilateral implantation.

The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 has aroused widespread concern around the world and poses a severe threat to public health worldwide. In this paper, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to predict the epidemic trend of COVID-19 in mainland of China. We collected the cumulative cases, cumulative deaths, and cumulative recovery in mainland of China from January 20 to June 30, 2020, and divided the data into experimental group and test group. The ARIMA model was fitted with the experimental group data, and the optimal model was selected for prediction analysis. The predicted data were compared with the test group. The average relative errors of actual cumulative cases, deaths, recovery and predicted values in each province are between −22.32%−22.66%, −9.52%−0.08%, −8.84%−1.16, the results of the comprehensive experimental group and test group show The error of fitting and prediction is small, the degree of fitting is good, the model supports and is suitable for the prediction of the epidemic situation, which has practical guiding significance for the prevention and control of the epidemic situation.Highlights:We predicted future COVID-19 occurrences in mainland of China based on ARIMA model.We validated the model based on the previous outbreak data with actual data for June, 2020.The measures taken by the government have contained spread of the epidemicThe combination of multiple models may improve the robustness of the model

Objective To investigate the relationship between CT radiomic features, pathological classification of pulmonary nodules, and evaluate the prediction effect of different stratified progressive radiomic models on the pathological classification of pulmonary nodules. Methods Altogether, 189 patients pathologically confirmed with pulmonary nodules from July 2017 to August 2019 who had complete data were enrolled, including 71 patients with benign nodules, 51 with malignant non-invasive nodules, and 67 with invasive nodules. Three CT radiomic models were established respectively. Model 1 classified benign and malignant nodules (including malignant non-invasive and invasive nodules). Model 2 classified malignant non-invasive and invasive nodules. Model 3 classified benign, malignant non-invasive, and invasive nodules. High-throughput feature collection was carried out for all delineated regions of interest (ROIs), and the best models were established by screening features and classifiers using intelligent methods. ROC curves and areas under the curve (AUCs) were used to evaluate the prediction efficacy of the models by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, accuracies, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values. Results Through Models 1, 2, and 3, we screened out 20, 2, and 20 radiomic features, respectively, and plotted the ROC curves. In the test group, the AUC values were 0.85, 0.89, and 0.84, respectively; the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 79.66 %, 70.42 %, 84.59 %, and 81.74 % and 67.57％ for Model 1, 88.06 %, 74.51 %, 82.2 %, 81.94 %, and 82.61 % for Model 2, and 71.34 %, 85.05 %, 70.37 %, 83.2 %, and 76.3 % for Model 3. Conclusion The radiomic feature models based on CT images could well reflect the differences between benign nodules, malignant non-invasive nodules, and invasive nodules, and assist in their classification.

Electronic and mobile health (eHealth/mHealth) are rapidly growing areas in medicine and digital technologies are gaining importance. In dentistry, digitalization is also an emerging topic, whereby more and more applications are being offered. As an example, using real-time feedback, digital application software (an app) was designed to help users brush their teeth more accurately. However, there is no data on the effectiveness and haptic of such apps. Therefore, a single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial was designed: twenty volunteers received an electric toothbrush with an associated app to assess whether the app-assisted toothbrushing is better than without. After a short period of familiarization with the electric toothbrush, plaque index (O&lsquo, Leary et al. 1972) was recorded and subjects were assigned to the test (with app, n = 10) or the control group (no app, n = 10). At the end of the 2-week pilot study period, plaque was again assessed and participants in the test group completed a questionnaire about the app&rsquo, s user-friendliness. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the test and control groups. The plaque index improved on average by 8.5% points in the test and 4.7% points in the control group. Fifty percent of the test group participants were of the opinion that they had achieved better cleaning results and would recommend the app to others, although the app contributed only marginally to increased plaque removal. However, such apps may nevertheless be helpful as motivational tools, especially when tracking and monitoring cleaning data. Therefore, more development and research on this topic is indicated.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the UAV manufacturing technology, great progress has also been made in the Quadcopter. Usually, the small Quadcopter is flexible and easy to be operated. The stability is one of the most important evaluation indexes for the flight quality of the Quadcopter. However, external environmental impacts (such as the wind power) or internal design problems often cause the Quadcopter to deviate to one side during the flight. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, this paper adopts the method of physical weight gain and low-cost design. Then, we did experiments in the windless condition indoors and in the windy condition outdoors. We test and analyze how weight gain affects the Quadcopter’s flight stability. By comparing the test group and control group, we find that test group is more stable and faster than the control group. Also, the experiments show that when the weight of the Quadcopter increases, with the help of the low-cost design and the mathematic model, the flight offset can be reduced to 20% at most. Thus, the flight stability of the Quadcopter is improved as well. In addition, our stability design is not affected by the environment. Also, this design doesn’t need to change the internal structure of the Quadcopter.

Efficient snail production is essential for the proper maintenance of the Schistosoma mansoni life cycle in the laboratory. In order to improve the breeding of Biomphalaria glabrata under laboratory conditions, this study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a handmade shell-based substrate on the physiological performance of B. glabrata. The shells used to make the substrate were cleaned, sterilized and macerated until a powder was obtained (yield of 92.3%). B. glabrata specimens were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: negative control group (NCG) exposed to a clay-only substrate; a positive control group (PCG) containing clay, oyster flour and calcium carbonate; and the test group (TG) with the shell-based substrate and clay. B. glabrata bred in the test group showed improved growth, sexual maturity, fertility, mortality rate, and shell morphology when compared to the NCG, and similar to the PCG. Therefore, the shell-based substrate proved to be efficient and has a low cost for the breeding of B. glabrata.

The present in vitro study evaluated a new drill design to improve the temperature control during the osteotomies for dental implant installation, comparing with two drill designs that use conventional external irrigation. Three blocks of synthetic cortical bone were used for osteotomy procedures. Three groups were created: control group 1 (Con1), where a conical multiple drill system with a conventional external irrigation system was used; control group 2 (Con2), where a single bur with a conventional external irrigation system was used; and, test group (Test), where the new single bur (turbo drill) with a new irrigation system was used. Twenty osteotomies were made without irrigation and with intense irrigation, for each group. A thermocouple was used to measure the temperature produced during the osteotomies. The measured temperature were: 28.9 ± 1.68 °C for group Con1; 27.5 ± 1.32 °C for group Con2; 26.3 ± 1.28 °C for group Test. Whereas, the measured temperatures with irrigation were: 23.1 ± 1.27 °C for group Con1; 21.7 ± 1.36 °C for group Con2; 19.4 ± 1.29 °C for group Test. The single drill with a new design for improving the irrigation and temperature control, in comparison with the drill designs with conventional external irrigation.

The aim of this trial was to determine whether a toothpaste with microcrystalline hydroxyapatite is not inferior to a fluoride toothpaste in prevention of caries in children. This double-blinded randomized control trial compared two toothpastes regarding the occurrence of caries lesions using International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) ≥ code 1 on the primary dentition within 336 days. The test group used a fluoride-free hydroxyapatite toothpaste three times daily while control group used a toothpaste with fluoride. 207 children were included in the intention-to-treat analysis; 177 of them finished the study per protocol. An increase in caries ICDAS ≥ code 1 per tooth was observed in 72.7% of the hydroxyapatite-group (n = 88), compared with 74.2% of the fluoride-group (n = 89). The exact one-sided upper 95% confidence limit for the difference in proportion of participants with ICDAS increase ≥ 1 (-1.4%) was 9.8%, which is below the non-inferiority margin of 20% demonstrating non-inferiority of hydroxyapatite compared to the fluoride control toothpaste. This RCT showed for the first time, that in children, the impact of the daily use of a toothpaste with microcrystalline hydroxyapatite on enamel caries progression in the primary dentition is not inferior to a fluoride control toothpaste (Clinical Trials NCT03553966).

(1) Background: dental lasers have numerous applications for periodontal therapy which include surgical procedures of soft tissue and osseous structures, and non-surgical treatments such as pathogen reduction, removal of surface accretions, and photobiomodulation. The aim of this review was to evaluate the scientific literature to ascertain whether lasers have a beneficial role when used adjunctively in initial non-surgical periodontal therapy. (2) Methods: A PubMed search was performed specifically for randomized clinical trials where a dental laser was used adjunctively for initial periodontal therapy on human patients published from January 2010–April 2020. The first search identified 1294 eligible studies. After additional criteria and filters were applied, 20 manuscripts were included in this review. (3) Results: The chosen manuscripts reported on investigations into initial therapy for patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. After periodontal charting, conventional instrumentation such as hand and ultrasonic scaling was performed on all patients in the studies, and then a test group or groups of patients were treated adjunctively with a laser. That adjunctive laser group’s periodontal findings showed various degrees of improved health compared to the group treated with only conventional methods. (4) Conclusion: This systematic review found that 70% of the included studies reported significantly better outcomes in certain clinical parameters, but no improvement in others. The remaining 30% of the manuscripts reported no significant difference in any of the measurements. With consideration to correct parametry, lasers have an adjunctive role in initial non-surgical periodontal therapy.

Background: The long-term stability after soft tissue graft for covering gingival recession remains a pivotal goal for both patient and periodontist. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the four-year outcomes of the coronally advanced flap (CAF) versus the pouch/tunnel (POT) technique, both combined with connective tissue graft (CTG), for gingival recession treatment. Methods: Forty patients were initially randomly assigned to the control group (CAF + CTG, N = 20) and the test group (POT + CTG, N = 20). Clinical outcomes included mean root coverage (MRC) and complete root coverage (CRC), gingival thickness (GT), and keratinized tissue (KT) gain. Esthetic outcomes were also analyzed using the pink esthetic score (PES) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). All outcomes initially assessed at six months were extended to four years post-surgery. Results: No significant differences were observed between the two patient groups in terms of MRC and CRC. At four years, significantly greater GT and KT gain were noted in the POT + CTG group, and tissue texture enhancement was also more prominent in the test group. Conclusions: The POT + CTG technique allows for long-term clinical coverage of gingival recessions comparable to that of the CAF + CTG technique, but it potentially improves gingival thickness, keratinized tissue and esthetic results.

The aim of this study was to clinically and radiographically compare extra short and standards implants. Forty-two implants were installed in 10 selected patients. They received prosthetic loading only after the conventional waiting time for osseointegration and the prostheses were made ferulized. Radiographic shots were performed to evaluate vertical and horizontal bone losses at times T1 (prosthetic installation), T2 (6 months follow-up) and T3 (12 months follow-up). Biological parameters such as bone level around the implants (CBL) were evaluated, CBL alteration (CBLC), total crown length (TCL) and implant/crown ratio (ICR) were digitally calculated. All implants included in the study were submitted to the analysis of the implant stability quotient (ISQ) at the time of implant installation (T0) and at 12 months of prosthetic function (T3). Data were statistically tested. The ICR was higher in the test group than in the control group (p0.05). No correlation was found between CBLC and ICR parameters, as well as between ISQ and implant length. We may conclude that standards and extra short implants can provide similar clinical results in prosthetic rehabilitation of the atrophic jaw over 12 months of follow-up. Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar clínica e radiograficamente implantes extra curtos e padrões. Quarenta e dois implantes foram instalados em 10 pacientes selecionados. Eles receberam carga protética somente após o tempo de espera convencional para a osseointegração e as próteses foram feitas ferulizadas. As imagens radiográficas foram realizadas para avaliar as perdas ósseas verticais e horizontais nos tempos T1 (instalação protética), T2 (6 meses de acompanhamento) e T3 (12 meses de acompanhamento). Parâmetros biológicos como nível ósseo ao redor dos implantes (CBL) foram avaliados, alteração CBL (CBLC), comprimento total da coroa (TCL) e relação implante / coroa (ICR) foram calculados digitalmente. Todos os implantes incluídos no estudo foram submetidos à análise do quociente de estabilidade do implante (ISQ) no momento da instalação do implante (T0) e aos 12 meses de função protética (T3). Os dados foram testados estatisticamente. A ICR foi maior no grupo teste do que no grupo controle (p0,05). Não foi encontrada correlação entre os parâmetros CBLC e ICR, bem como entre o ISQ e o comprimento do implante. Podemos concluir que padrões e implantes extra curtos podem fornecer resultados clínicos semelhantes na reabilitação protética da mandíbula atrófica ao longo de 12 meses de acompanhamento.

Background and objective: This study was aimed to determine the effect of addition of 3% of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles (MgONPs) on the surface hardness (SH) and tensile bond strength (TBS) of asilicone based denture liner at various time intervals. Method: The SH and TBS of a silicone denture liner were studied after addition of 3% by weight of MgONPs. A total of 140 samples were constructed. The samples were divided into two main groups, control group and test group to which 3% of MgONPs were added. Results: The SH of all the samples for both groups was significantly higher after a period of 6 months. For TBS the pattern was reversed in which there was a decrease in the mean of TBS for both control and test groups significantly. Conclusion: The addition of 3%(MgONPs) to Silicone denture liner causes a non significant effect in the SH but significantly improves TBS.

INTRODUCTION In a prior study, we validated the FAST workstation as an objective evaluator of hand-tied surgical knots. The goal of this study was to determine whether guided practice with the FAST workstation could lead to objective improvement in hand-tied surgical knot performance. METHODS Sixty participants were randomized into 1 of 2 groups: a control group, with access to only the knot-tying station, and a test group, with access to the knot-tying station plus the knot testing station. The study was divided into 3 phases: prepractice, practice, and postpractice. Using the FAST workstation, participants hand-tied 5 knots, 15 knots, and 5 knots using 0 Vicryl suture in the prepractice, practice, and postpractice phases, respectively. Knots for each participant from the prepractice and postpractice phases were collected, tested, and compared. RESULTS Within the control group, the average number of prepractice knot successes was 2.63, and the average number of postpractice knot successes was 3.40, which resulted in an improvement of average knot successes of 0.77 (P < 0.01). Within the test group, the average number of prepractice knot successes was 2.40, and the average number of postpractice knot successes was 4.10, which resulted in an improvement of average knot successes of 1.70 (P < 0.01). The difference in average improvement of knot-tying successes (0.93 knots) between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). DISCUSSION A knot-tying trainer that provides objective feedback on knot performance may better improve hand-tied surgical knot proficiency compared with one without objective feedback.

This study aims to investigate interpretive reading; as a strategy to construct meaning among English as a foreign language (EFL) beginner level students at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University(KKU). It will also suggest ways in which instructors can incorporate this strategy into their teaching. Reading appears to be one of the challenging skills for EFL Saudi students for various reasons; among them, the primary one can be that students are usually less motivated towards self-reading. The Interpretive reading strategy could go a long way to bridge the gaps in understanding comprehension passages, as it is a performance/rhetoric-related strategy and lies at a more intuitive level. Engaging and motivating students in learning requires a few essential factors, such as exciting tasks, the sociocultural background of the learners, and people who manage the delivery of the course (Marshall,1992). An experimental and control group of students will be selected, enrolled in the reading course, at level 1. The test group will get training in the interpretive reading techniques through their EFL instructors, having excellent in-depth knowledge of the skill of interpretive reading techniques. After teaching for more than eight weeks, a proficiency test will gauge student's performance. The obtained results are compared using SPSS software to see the significant achievements and suggestions, and necessary recommendations are made.

BACKGROUND: Deep learning has had a large effect on medical fields, including ophthalmology. The goal of this study was to quantitatively analyze the functional filtering bleb size with Mask R-CNN. METHODS: This observational study employed eighty-three images of post-trabeculectomy functional filtering blebs. The images were divided into training and test groups and scored according to the Indiana Bleb Appearance Grading Scale (IBAGS) system. Then, 70 images from the training group were used to train an automatic detection system based on Mask R-CNN and perform a quantitative analysis of the function bleb size. Thirteen images from the test group were used to evaluate the model. During the training process, left and right image-flipping algorithms were used for data augmentation. Finally, the correlation between the functional filtering bleb area and the intraocular pressure (IOP) was analyzed. RESULTS: The 83 functional filtering blebs have similar morphological features. According to IBAGS, the functional filtering blebs have a high incidence of E1/E2, H1/H2, and V0/V1. Our Mask R-CNN-based model using the selected parameters achieves good results on the training group after a 200-epoch training process. All the Intersection over Union (IoU) scores exceeded 93% on the test group. The Spearman correlation coefficient between the area of functional filtering blebs and the IOP value was −0.757 (P

Objective: Proper apical seal plays an important role in the success of root canal treatment. The most common cause of failure of root canal therapy is known as the lack of adequate apical seal. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the apical microleakage of MTA Fillapex, , and Endofill sealers using dye penetration method. Material and Methods: In this in vitro study, 72 single-rooted extracted human teeth were selected. The teeth were randomly divided into three experimental groups of 20 and two positive and negative control groups of 6. The canals were prepared by step-back technique and then filled with gutta-percha and one of the sealers mentioned. In the positive control group, the canals were filled with gutta-percha without sealer, and in the negative control group, the canals were prepared but not filled. The teeth were immersed in 2% methylene blue dye for 72 hours. The teeth were then cut longitudinally and the level of dye penetration was measured under a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed by SPSS ver. 19 software, ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests. Results: The mean level of dye penetration in the Endofill test group was significantly higher than that in the and MTA Fillapex test groups. While, the observed difference between and MTA Fillapex groups was not statistically significant (p

Aim To compare outcomes of rhFGF-2 + DBBM therapy with rhFGF-2 alone in the treatment of intrabony defects. This study provides 2-year follow-up results from the previous randomized controlled trial. Materials and methods Defects were randomly allocated to receive rhFGF-2 + DBBM (test) or rhFGF-2 (control). Treated sites were re-evaluated at 2 years postoperatively, using original clinical and patient-centred measures. Results Thirty-eight sites were available for re-evaluation. At 2 years, both groups showed a significant improvement in clinical attachment level (CAL) from baseline. A gain in CAL of 3.4 ± 1.3 mm in the test group and 3.1 ± 1.5 mm in the control group was found. No significant inter-group difference was noted. Both groups showed a progressive increase in radiographic bone fill (RBF). The test treatment yielded greater RBF (56%) compared with the control group (41%). The control treatment performed better in contained defects in terms of CAL and RBF. There was no significant difference in patient-reported outcomes between groups. Conclusions At 2-year follow-up, the test and cotrol treatments were similarly effective in improving CAL, whereas the test treatment achieved a significantly greater RBF. In both treatments, favourable clinical, radiographic, and patient-reported outcomes can be sustained for at least 2 years. Trial registration The University Hospital Medical Information Network-Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) 000025257.

We used five machine-learning algorithms to predict cancer-specific mortality after surgical resection of primary non-metastatic invasive breast cancer. This study was a secondary analysis of data for 1661 women with primary non-metastatic invasive breast cancer. The overall patient population was divided into a training group and a test group at a ratio of 8:2 and python was used for machine learning to establish the prognosis model. The machine-learning Gbdt algorithm for cancer-specific death caused by various factors showed the five most important factors, ranked from high to low as follows: the number of regional lymph node metastases, LDH, triglyceride, plasma fibrinogen, and cholesterol. Among the five algorithm models in the test group, the highest accuracy rate was by DecisionTree (0.841), followed by the gbm algorithm (0.838). Among the five algorithms, the AUC values from high to low were GradientBoosting (0.755), gbm (0.755), Logistic (0.733), Forest (0.715), and DecisionTree (0.677). Machine learning can predict cancer-specific mortality after surgery for patients with primary non-metastatic invasive breast.

Objective: To test the advantages and disadvantages of the system through the intervention of artificial intelligence video feedback system in college tennis teaching. Methods: 64 male and female students of school tennis team in XX University were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=32) and the control group (n=32). The experimental group and the control group had eight weeks of tennis learning (The same learning content), during which the experimental group had video feedback system intervention. Results: 1) The scores of the forehand and backhand batting techniques and the movement technique evaluation in the experimental group were significantly better than those before the experiment (p

In this work we present our approach of measuring the influence, importance and immersion of haptic feedback in a virtual reality learning environment. Participants were given the goal to improve themselves to their best ability on a task involving virtual weights supported by real world objects in a mixed reality environment. Conducting pre- and post-surveys, assessing the immersion and putting the resulting data in comparison with the test group, which used a pure virtual reality environment. We found correlations bolstering our initial assumption of the importance of haptic feedback in understanding and usage of virtual reality learning environments for specific functions.

The objective of the work was to develop a 70% cocoa chocolate containing ursolic and oleanolic acids isolated from Mansoa hirsuta DC and to evaluate the effects of its consumption on the health of individuals. Physical-chemical, microbiological and sensorial analyzes were made in the chocolates. In order to evaluate the health of individuals, a clinical trial was conducted with the developed chocolate, in which 45 volunteers, during 04 weeks, were divided into three groups: a test group, a placebo group and a control group. The individuals were submitted to laboratory and anthropometric tests on two occasions, before and after the clinical trial weeks. The analyzes revealed that the developed chocolate presented physical-chemical and microbiological characteristics within the standards accepted for bitter chocolate and presented good sensorial acceptance. The results of the clinical trial showed that the volunteers presented reduction in the anthropometric measurements and changes in the laboratory tests.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of wideband energy absorbance in diagnosing otosclerosis by comparing the differences in acoustic absorbance between otosclerotic and normal ears. Exactly 90 surgically confirmed otosclerotic ears were included in the test group. The control group consisted of 126 matched normal-hearing subjects. The Titan hearing test platform (Interacoustics) was used for absorbance and acoustic immittance tests. Energy absorbance, measured at tympanometric peak pressure, was analyzed in the range 226&ndash, 8000 Hz. Differences between normal and otosclerotic ears were analyzed in quarter-octave bands. Wideband absorbance, i.e., absorbance averaged over the 226&ndash, 2000 Hz band, and resonance frequency were calculated and compared between normal and otosclerotic ears. Significant differences between the absorbance of normal and otosclerotic ears were found, especially at low and middle frequencies. No significant effect of ear side or gender was observed. For average wideband absorbance and resonance frequency, less pronounced (although significant) differences were found between normal and otosclerotic ears. Measurement of peak-pressure energy absorbance, averaged over a frequency band around 650 Hz, provides a valid criterion in testing for otosclerosis. The test is highly effective, with a sensitivity and specificity of over 85% and area under receiver operating characteristic curve above 0.9. Average wideband absorbance can also be used, but its effectiveness is lower. Other immittance-related measures are considerably less effective.

PURPOSE To evaluate long-term uveal and capsular biocompatibility of a new fluid-filled modular accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) consisting of base and fluid lenses. SETTING John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. DESIGN Experimental study. METHODS Bilateral phacoemulsification was performed on 8 rabbits; 1 eye received the test IOL (Juvene) and the other a hydrophobic acrylic control IOL (SA60AT). Slitlamp examinations were performed at postoperative weeks 1 and 4, and at months 2, 3, and 6. The rabbits were killed humanely at 6 months. After gross examination from the Miyake-Apple view, IOLs were removed for implant cytology. All globes were then processed for histopathologic examination. RESULTS Uveal biocompatibility was similar between test and control IOLs up to 6 months postoperatively. Anterior capsule opacification appeared absent in the test group, and posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was significantly less in comparison with the control group throughout the study. At 6 months, central PCO was scored as 0.12 ± 0.23 with test IOLs and as 4.0 ± 0 with control IOLs (P < .0001, 2-tailed t test: paired 2-sample for means). Histopathologic examination confirmed the relative lack of capsular opacification in test eyes in comparison to controls and the absence of toxicity in any eye. CONCLUSIONS Six weeks in the rabbit model corresponds to approximately 2 years in the human eye for PCO. In this model, the Juvene IOL maintained an open and expanded capsular bag, preventing overall capsular bag opacification while retaining excellent uveal and capsular biocompatibility.

Background: Problems with dialysis cause dramatic changes in these patients. Treatment of dialysis patients without the patient’s participation and self-care activities cannot be effective enough. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of telephone follow-up care on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 60 hemodialysis patients in Hamedan, in two groups of tests and controls in 2018. Both groups of patients benefited from routine care and training in the ward, and then, in the test group, these patients were followed up by telephone for 6 weeks. The KDQOL-SF (short form) Demographic and Quality of Life questionnaire was used before and after the intervention to collect data. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 software using a t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square test. Results: The mean and standard deviation of quality of life in the experimental group changed from 52.33 ± 14.37 to 57.89 ± 12.02 and in the control group from 52.62 ± 13.05 to 41.85 ± 0.23 that indicates there was a significant increase in the quality of life of hemodialysis patients in the experimental group. The results showed that the average difference in quality of life after the intervention in the experimental group in terms of understanding public health (P = 0.002), physical performance (P = 0.002), symptoms and signs of the disease (P < 0.001) area of the disease, (P = 0.012), pain (P < 0.001), social support (P < 0.001 and general health (P < 0.001) were significant. Conclusions: According to the findings of the study, it can be concluded that telephone follow-up care has been effective on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients.

Objectives This study aims to explore the clinical effect of Arbidol (ARB) combined with adjuvant therapy on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Methods The study included 62 patients with COVID‐19 admitted to the First Hospital of Jiaxing from January to March, 2020, and all patients were divided into the test group and the control group according to whether they received ARB during hospitalization. Various indexes in the two groups before and after treatment were observed and recorded, including fever, cough, hypodynamia, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, diarrhea, C‐reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), blood routine indexes, blood biochemical indexes, time to achieve negative virus nucleic acid and so on. Results The fever and cough in the test group were relieved markedly faster than those in the control group (p0.05); the time for two consecutive negative nucleic acid tests in the test group were shorter than that in the control group; the hospitalization period of the patients in the test group and control group were (16.5 ± 7.14) d and (18.55 ± 7.52) d, respectively. Conclusion ARB combined with adjuvant therapy might be able to relieve the fever of COVID‐19 sufferers faster and accelerate the cure time to some degree, hence it's recommended for further research clinically. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Decompression or healing chambers between the threads have been proposed to improve and accelerate the osseointegration process of dental implants. The aim of the present work was to test, in an in vivo sheep study, if healing chambers between the threads could produce a better osseointegration process. Thirty titanium implants (15 conventional design (control) and 15 implants with healing chambers (test)) were inserted in a random fashion in the tibia of 3 sheep. The animals were euthanized after 30 days of healing, and the retrieved specimens treated to obtain thin ground sections. Histological observations showed that the quantity of newly formed bone growing in an apical direction was lower in the control group (1095 &micro, m) when compared to the Test group (1658 &micro, m). This difference was statistically significant. Moreover, a layer of osteogenic matrix was present around the portion of implants immersed in the marrow spaces. This osteogenic tissue was thicker in the test group. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the very good results in implants with healing chambers that presented a higher percentage of new bone formation.

Threatened preterm labor (TPL) is the most common cause of hospitalization in the second half of pregnancy and entails high costs for health systems. Currently, no reliable labor proximity prediction techniques are available for clinical use. Regular checks by uterine electrohysterogram (EHG) for predicting preterm labor have been widely studied. The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of predicting labor with a 7- and 14-day time horizon in TPL women, who may be under tocolytic treatment, using EHG and/or obstetric data. Based on 140 EHG recordings, artificial neural networks were used to develop prediction models. Non-linear EHG parameters were found to be more reliable than linear for differentiating labor in under and over 7/14 days. Using EHG and obstetric data, the &lt, 7- and &lt, 14-day labor prediction models achieved an AUC in the test group of 87.1 &plusmn, 4.3% and 76.2 &plusmn, 5.8%, respectively. These results suggest that EHG can be reliable for predicting imminent labor in TPL women, regardless of the tocolytic therapy stage. This paves the way for the development of diagnostic tools to help obstetricians make better decisions on treatments, hospital stays and admitting TPL women, and can therefore reduce costs and improve maternal and fetal wellbeing.

The aim of this randomized, controlled animal exploratory trial was to investigate the influence of local application of aminobisphosphonate pamidronate during the socket preservation procedure. Mandibular premolars were extracted in five G&ouml, ttingen minipigs. Two animals underwent socket preservation using BEGO OSS (n = 8 sockets) and three animals using BEGO OSS + Pamifos (15 mg) (n = 12 sockets). After jaw impression, cast models (baseline, eight weeks postoperative) were digitized using an inLab X5 scanner (Dentsply Sirona) and the generated STL data were superimposed and analyzed with GOM Inspect 2018 (GOM, Braunschweig). After 16 weeks, the lower jaws were prepared and examined using standard histological methods. In the test group (BEGO OSS + pamidronate), buccooral dimensional loss was significantly lower, both vestibulary (0.80 &plusmn, 0.57 mm vs. 1.92 &plusmn, 0.63 mm, p = 0.00298) and lingually (1.36 &plusmn, 0.58 mm vs. 2.56 &plusmn, 0.65 mm, p = 0.00104) compared with the control group (BEGO OSS). The test group showed a significant difference between vestibular and lingual dimensional loss (p = 0.04036). Histology showed cortical and cancellous bone in the alveolar sockets without signs of local inflammation. Adjuvant application of pamidronate during socket preservation reduces alveolar dimensional loss significantly. Further investigations with regard to dose&ndash, response relationships, volume effects, side effects, and a verification of the suitability in combination with other bone substitute materials (BSMs) are necessary.

Background: To investigate the treatment efficacy of radioactive iodine therapy on patients after total thyroidectomy and its effect on the quality of life. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 120 thyroid cancer patients admitted to Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China from February 2014 to February 2017 was performed. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into observation group of 62 cases and control group of 58 cases. Both groups were treated with total thyroidectomy. The control group was treated with anti-infection and prevention of complications after operation, the observation group with radioactive iodine therapy. Treatment efficacy, quality of life score, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and postoperative survival rate were compared between the two groups. Results: The total effective rate of treatment in the test group was 98.39%, significantly higher than 72.41% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P

This prospective study compared the stability of implants placed using piezoelectric surgery (piezo group) and those placed using conventional rotary drills (bur group) during the first 90 days postoperatively. Teeth in the posterior maxillary regions of 21 patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) was measured at days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, and 90 postoperatively. Twenty-eight of 29 implants were successfully integrated at day 90 (1 implant in the test group was lost). Although both groups showed a significant overall increase in implant stability with time (P < .0001) and a high final mean ISQ value, no statistically significant difference in stability was seen between the groups. The bur group showed greater variance in ISQ values than the piezo group did (P < .001) at all time points. Long-term studies with larger samples are needed to investigate the bone response to the use of piezoelectric surgery for implant preparation.

Objective To evaluate the effect of online follow-up on the quality of life of patients who undergo extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Materials and methods This study enrolled patients with impacted mandibular third molars who were treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Stomatological Hospital at Southern Medical University and divided them into test and control groups. The test group received an online follow-up on the first, third, and fifth days after tooth extraction, while the control group was not followed up with. Patients in both groups were reexamined on the postoperative seventh day, completing the postoperative symptom severity (PoSSe) scale to comprehensively and quantitatively evaluate their quality of life after tooth extraction. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the degree of approval for an online follow-up after tooth extraction by 20 senior doctors (≥ 40 years old) and 20 young doctors (

Objective: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of adjunctive hyaluronic acid (HA) application to non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) on periodontal parameters and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume in smoking patients with stage III and grade C periodontitis.Methods: Records of patients who underwent previously NSPT with or without HA gel application were reviewed. The clinical examinations and radiographs of patients, which were collected, are used as data. At baseline, 1 and 3 months, periodontal parameters such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL), and GCF volume were assessed. Results: Total 20 patients (male/female: 15/5) were included in the study who met the eligibility criteria. For 10 of these patients only NSPT was performed (Control group), the other 10 patients received NSPT with HA gel application (Test group). Intra‐group differences in both groups were significant in periodontal parameters: PI (both, p0.05) nor in the changes (∆) with time (all, p>0.05).Conclusion: Compared to NSPT alone, the application of HA as adjunct to NSPT did not have any additional clinical effectiveness in smokers having periodontitis.

Nature and size of rodent cages vary from one laboratory or country to another. Little is however known about the physiological implications of exposure to diverse cage sizes in animal-based experiments.Here, two groups of male Swiss mice (Control group - Cage stationed, and Test group - Cage migrated) were used for this study. The cage-migrated mice were exposed daily to various cage sizes used across laboratories in Nigeria while the cage-stationed mice exposed daily to different but the same cage size and shape. At the end of the 30 days exposure, top-rated paradigms were used to profile changes in physiological behaviours, and this was followed by evaluation of histological and biochemical metrics.The study showed a significant (p 0.05) decrease in blood glucose levels (at 60 and 120 min of oral glucose tolerance test) in the cage-migrated mice compared to cage-stationed mice. Strikingly, peripheral oxidative stress (plasma malondialdehyde) and pain sensitivity (formalin test, hot-and-cold plate test, and von Frey test) decreased significantly in cage-migrated mice compared to cage-stationed animals. Also, the pro-inflammation mediators (IL-6 and NF-κB) increased significantly in cage-migrated mice compared to cage-stationed mice. However, emotion-linked behaviours, neurotransmitters (serotonin, noradrenaline and GABA), brain and plasma electrolytes were not significantly difference in cage-migrated animals compared to cage-stationed mice.Taken together, these results suggest that varied size cage-to-cage exposure of experimental mice could affect targeted behavioural and biomolecular parameters of pain and inflammation, thus diminishing research reproducibility, precipitating false negative/positive results and leading to poor translational outcomes.

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of two different bioactive glasses, a hydroxyapatite-containing, fluoride-free toothpaste (HTP) and a fluoride toothpaste (FTP) on the remineralization behavior of initial caries lesions. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 bovine enamel samples were randomly allocated to five groups of 20 samples each: NC = negative control group (artificial saliva); HTP = HTP group (Karex); FTP = FTP group (Elmex caries protection, 1,400 ppm); FTP + BGnano = FTP followed by Actimins bioactive glass; FTP + BGamorph = FTP followed by Schott bioactive glass. Radiographic documentation (advanced transversal microradiography; aTMR) was applied before and after all samples were exposed to a demineralizing gel for 10 days. Over a period of 28 days, samples were covered twice a day (every 12 h) with a toothpaste slurry of the respective test group or with artificial saliva in NC for 60 s and brushed with 15 brushing strokes. Samples in FTP + BGnano and FTP + BGamorph were additionally treated with the respective bioactive glass slurry for 30 s after brushing with the FTP. In the meantime, all samples were stored in artificial saliva. After 28 days, the structure of all samples was assessed again using aTMR and compared to the values measured after demineralization. The statistical evaluation of the integrated mineral loss was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a post hoc Conover test. Results: The FTP revealed the significantly highest increase of mineral content while the HTP showed the significantly lowest remineralization. Compared to artificial saliva, the use of the HTP or the combined application of FTP followed by bioactive glasses (FTP + BGnano and FTP + BGamorph) showed no significant remineralization. Conclusion: Under remineralizing in vitro conditions, brushing with 1,400 ppm FTP induced significantly more remineralization compared to storage in artificial saliva. The additional administration of both bioactive glasses as well as the substitutional brushing with an HTP resulted in significantly less remineralization compared to brushing with 1,400 ppm FTP.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the clinical outcomes of modified coronally advanced tunnel technique (MCAT) with subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) with and without recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) for mandibular multiple recessions. Twenty-four Miller Class I and III recessions were randomly assigned to a group: test (MCAT+SCTG+rhPDGF-BB) or control (MCAT+SCTG). After 6 months, mean recession-depth reduction was higher in the test group (2.08 ± 0.90 mm) than the control (1.83 ± 0.93 mm). Mean root coverage was achieved, favoring the test group (82.6% ± 23.69%) instead of the control (56.2% ± 28.55%). Complete root coverage for the test group was 58.3%, which was significantly superior to control (16.7%). The use of rhPDGF-BB+SCTG using MCAT offered an advantage of a minimally invasive, predictable method for achieving optimal outcomes.

Background The aim of the randomized double-blinded clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of tooth brushing with Salvadora persica (miswak) sticks on Streptococcus mutans count and the mean plaque score relative to brushing with fluoridated tooth paste (FTP). Methods Our sample included 94 healthy, high caries-risk, 8 to 9-year-old students recruited from a government school, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between February and April 2016. Subjects were randomly grouped into test (provided with miswak sticks) and control groups (provided with FTP and soft brushes). Both groups were introduced to a preparatory period (PPP) of 3 weeks. Plaque score and saliva sampling were conducted prior to the PPP and in follow-up visits by a single, calibrated and blinded dentist. Results Both groups showed a statistically significant decrease in the mean plaque score across the study (P = 0.007 and P = 0.001, respectively). In addition, subjects in the test group with abundant S. sanguinis increased from zero to six after 3 months. Conclusions Salvadora Persica (miswak) and brushing with FTP significantly reduced plaque scores among school children. In addition, Salvadora persica was found to change the proportions of salivary bacteria in favor of species with less risk of inducing caries. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID #: NCT04137393.

The authors evaluated the local accuracy of intraoral scanning (IOS) systems for single-tooth preparation impressions with an in vitro setup.The authors digitized a mandibular complete-arch model with 2 full-contour crowns and 2 multisurface inlay preparations with a highly accurate reference scanner. Teeth were made from zirconia-reinforced glass ceramic material to simulate toothlike optical behavior. Impressions were obtained either conventionally (PRESIDENT, Coltène) or digitally using the IOS systems TRIOS 3 and TRIOS 3 using insane scan speed mode (3Shape), Medit i500, Version 1.2.1 (Medit), iTero Element 2, Version 1.7 (Align Technology), CS 3600, Version 3.1.0 (Carestream Dental), CEREC Omnicam, Version 4.6.1, CEREC Omnicam, Version 5.0.0, and Primescan (Dentsply Sirona). Impressions were repeated 10 times per test group. Conventional (CO) impressions were poured with type IV gypsum and digitized with a laboratory scanner. The authors evaluated trueness and precision for preparation margin (MA) and preparation surface (SU) using 3-dimensional superimposition and 3-dimensional difference analysis method using (95% - 5%) / 2 percentile values. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Results were presented as median (interquartile range) values in micrometers.The authors found statistically significant differences for MA and SU among different test groups for both trueness and precision (P.05). Median (interquartile range) trueness values ranged from 11.8 (2.0) μm (CO) up to 40.5 (10.9) μm (CEREC Omnicam, Version 5.0.0) for SU parameter and from 17.7 (2.6) μm (CO) up to 55.9 (15.5) μm (CEREC Omnicam, Version 5.0.0) for MA parameter.IOS systems differ in terms of local accuracy. Preparation MA had higher deviations compared with preparation SU for all test groups.Trueness and precision values for both MA and SU of single-unit preparations are equal or close to CO impression for several IOS systems.

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical, aesthetic, and functional outcomes between amniotic membrane (test group) and split-thickness skin grafts (control group) used for radial forearm free flap defect closure. The primary outcome measurement for both groups was assessment of the defect closure healing process. In addition, aesthetic (Vancouver Scar Scale) and functional outcomes (skin sensitivity, hand/wrist functionality, grip strength) were evaluated. Fifty eligible patients with radial forearm free flap donor site defects were randomly assigned to two groups receiving either amniotic membrane (test group; n = 25) or split-thickness skin graft (control group; n = 25) for defect covering. Forty-seven of the 50 patients (n = 47) were able to be followed up for 6 months and showed a significantly longer healing process (p 0.001) with amniotic membrane (64.5 ± 38.4 days; n = 24) than with split-thickness skin grafts (29.2 ± 8.9 days; n = 23); however, there were no differences in the prevalence of healing defects/dehiscence and/or wound infections. Forty-two of the 47 patients (21 in each group) were able to be continually followed up for 12 months, and showed no differences in terms of clinical outcome as well as the subjective and objective aesthetic and functional results evaluated. With regard to the clinical, aesthetic, and functional outcomes evaluated for radial forearm free flap defects, coverage with amniotic membrane offers an excellent alternative treatment approach, avoiding secondary induced donor site morbidity.

Gout is arthritis caused due to Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals deposition occurring particularly in patients with associated comorbidities limiting the use of conventional therapies. This study was planned to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of urinile (a herbal drug) for the treatment of gouty arthritis. Allopurinol was used as standard drug (positive control). The study population of 250 volunteers (gouty arthritis patients) were divided into 2 groups as test and control group (n = 125 each). Gouty arthritis patients in test and control group were treated with 300 mg each of urinile and allopurinol, respectively. Clinical symptoms of all the study volunteers were recorded and serum uric acid was determined. Significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum uric acid level toward normal was found in test group individuals. Clinical symptoms of gouty arthritis patients were also improved in test group compared to control group. Results showed that urinile has the potential to decrease serum uric acid level in gouty arthritis patients probably because of its antioxidant potential and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. It can be concluded that the tested herbal drug urinile is more potent in treating gouty arthritis patients and can be used as an effective alternative to the most commonly used allopathic drugs.

The aim of this study is to investigate the use of a porcine-derived acellular dermal matrix (MD) in root coverage procedures combined with extended coronally positioned flap (eCAF), in comparison to the subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) associated with the eCAF. Eighteen adult patients presenting bilateral type 1 gingival recession were randomly assigned to SCTG or MD groups. Clinical and patient-based outcomes were recorded at 3 and 6 months after the surgical procedure. Both groups showed a significant reduction in the mean recession height of 3.33 ± 0.89 mm to 1.24 ± 1.10 mm (MD) and 3.21 ± 0.8 mm to 0.83 ± 0.86 mm (SCTG) without difference between groups. Six patients in the test group and eight in the control group obtained complete root coverage. The keratinized tissue height and thickness (KTT) showed a significant increase after 3 and 6 months in both groups. The average KTT gains were 0.39 ± 0.4 mm (MD) and 0.51 ± 0.5 mm (SCTG) (p

AIM: The present study was to investigate the effect of a three-month strict oral hygiene phase on key parameters of periodontitis: plaque, bleeding on probing and probing pocket depth.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients with severe periodontal disease were randomly allocated to a test or a control group. The test group completed a three months strict oral hygiene phase. The control group did not receive any instructions or motivation on oral hygiene until after the three months period. Plaque, bleeding on probing and probing pocket depths were registered on four sites of each tooth at baseline and after three months in both groups, as well as after the postponed hygiene phase in the control group.RESULTS: A statistically significant and profound reduction of plaque, bleeding on probing and probing pocket depth was observed after the three months in the test group. No change to the better occurred in the control group.CONCLUSION: A three-month strict oral hygiene phase in patients referred for periodontal therapy reduced plaque, bleeding on probing and pocket depth to such an extent that it could affect therapy planning.

Nowadays, the application of typical game elements in non-ludic environments has been extended. Gamification has become a very interesting resource to promote engagement and participation in a wide variety of areas including education. For this reason, researchers are increasingly interested in the study of gamification. There are many papers related to the impact that this methodology has on the student’s motivation, engagement or satisfaction. The aim of this paper is to analyze four aspects: “Pressure/tension”, “Perceived choice”, “Perceived competence” and “Effort/importance”. The first part of the study analyzes the aspects at two weeks between a test group and a control group. The second part is even more novel, because it analyzes the aspects when the test group is no longer gamified. Most studies focus on what happens when gamifying, but not when a group of students stops gamifying. The results obtained will serve to advance a part of the knowledge about gamification.

Physical exercise with heavy and tiring intensity can cause the formation of free radicals and the potential for oxidative stress. This oxidative stress due to strenuous and exhausting physical exercise is a physiological process that can cause the immune system to become depressed or decrease immune function. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sports massage to prevent decreased immunity after sub maximal physical exercise. The study design was an experimental pre and post test group design. The subjects were 20 students from the Department of Sport Science, Universitas Negeri Medan, randomly divided into 2 groups, group 1: given sub-maximal physical exercise and without sports massage; Group 2: sub-maximal physical exercise and given a sports massage. The results showed that the values of leukocytes and lymphocytes in the sub-maximal exercise group given sports massage were lower than the sub-maximal physical exercise group and without sports massage (p

Aim: To evaluate the effect of Irvingia gabonensis ethanol extract on the growth-rate and haematological parameters in Wistar rats. Method: This research was a randomized-controlled study of two groups using ten Male Wistar strain rats within the age of two months, weighing 80 g-146 g. Group one as the control and Group two as the test. During the study, distilled water and rat feed was given to the group one, and an oral administration of 250 mg/kg Irvingia gabonensis was given to group two for 14 days using oral gavage. The growth rate of the Wistar rats was measured as its length using a tape rule within 3 days throughout the study period. Finally, blood samples were obtained for haematological analysis using the BC-5380 Auto Haematology Analyzer. Result: We discovered that an oral administration of 250 mg/kg Irvingia gabonensis significantly increased (p

Background Titanium- prepared platelet rich fibrin (T-PRF) is an autologous hemo-component with a high concentration of platelets that also incorporates leukocytes, and growth factors into the dense fibrin matrix and can be used as a healing biomaterial. This study assesses the adjunctive use of T-PRF in intrabony defects (IBDs) with open flap debridement (OFD) in comparison with guided tissue regeneration (GTR) as a gold standard and OFD alone as a control. Material and Methods A total of 45 patients (15 per group) were randomized as either T-PRF (test group), GTR (test group), or OFD alone (control group) sites. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and IBD were recorded. The radiographic depth of IBD was also measured. Primary outcomes assessed were changes in PD, CAL, and radiographic IBD that were assessed at the beginning and nine months later. Results The PRF and GTR group showed significant improvement in clinical parameters compared with the OFD alone (control group) at nine months. While there were no significant differences in PD and CAL between test groups (T-PRF and GTR groups), the significant difference was found in radiographic IBD depth. Conclusions T-PRF may give similar successful results as GTR in the treatment of IBDs with endo-perio lesions. Key words:Flap surgery, guided tissue regeneration, intrabony defects, periodontitis, root canal therapy.

Background The purpose of this investigation was to compare shear force of different glass-ionomer cements on 3D printed interim material in combination with and without surface pretreatment. Material and Methods 120 rectangular specimens made of printable provisional material (Bego, Bremen, Germany) were used. After post-processing the specimens were blasted with aluminum oxide 110µm (Bego, Bremen, Germany). Extra 120 non-surface treated specimens were used as an experimental negative test group. All 240 specimens were divided randomly into 6 groups. All were cemented with a compressive load of 20 N using universal testing machine Z010 (Zwick/Roell, Ulm, Germany) to ensure a comparable cementing process. Each of the six groups were cemented with different cements (CX Plus (Shofu, Ratingen, Germany), Vivaglass CEM PL (Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein), Aqua Cem (Dentsply Sirona, Bensheim, Germany), Ketac Cem (3M, Neuss, Germany), Meron Plus AC (Voco, Cuxhaven, Germany), and Fuji 1 (GC, Tokyo, Japan). Shear force test was performed, and forces were statistically analyzed via Anova test (significance level p

Highly automated vehicles control the lateral and longitudinal movement of the vehicle in defined use cases, without being monitored by the human driver. The amendment of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic [1] allows such self-driving vehicles, but requires that the driver is able to switch off or to overwrite the automated system at any time. However, interventions by the driver can lead to critical situations, especially in highly dynamic driving situations. Therefore, this paper investigates at which point driver interventions during highly automated driving can be critical and how the driver can be assisted in order to avoid dangerous driver inputs. To answer these questions, this paper presents test group studies conducted in a driving simulator and a concept for an intervention assistance system.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential of minimally invasive periodontal treatment using repeated photo-activated oral disinfection (PAD) with red light emitting diodes as an adjunct to ultrasonic scaling (US) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. In a single-centred, randomized clinical trial involved 40 patients with untreated chronic periodontitis received US with repeated 3 episodes of PAD (test group) or US alone (control group). Clinical parameters (plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL)) were recorded for 12 months and subgingival biofilm analyses for five periodontal pathogens (A. actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), P. gingivalis (Pg), P. intermedia (Pi), T. forsythia (Tf), T. denticola (Td)) were performed for 6 months. Supportive periodontal treatment (SPT) was repeated every 3 months during the clinical trial, additional one episode of PAD was also applied in the test group. Both treatment modalities improved clinical parameters after 3 months and SPT maintained favourable clinical outcomes during 12 months. There were no statistical significant differences between the treatment groups. Statistical significant reduction of Aa, Pg, Tf, Td (p

In this study, the effects of number sense-based instruction on students’ mathematics-related self-efficacy and performance were studied. Self-efficacy relates to both mathematics and number sense, while student performance consists of their number sense, problem solving, general mathematical achievement, and recognition of mathematics in daily life. This was an experimental study where both quantitative research and pretest/posttest control group designs were utilized. The fifteen-week study was conducted with a group of sixth-grade students attending a public school located in the Cankaya district in Ankara Province, Turkey, including thirteen weeks to implement the instructional plan and two weeks for employing the scales. During this process, while students in the test group were introduced to number sense-based training, the control group adhered to the regular syllabus where teachers based most of their instruction on textbooks. The study, beyond its demonstration of number sense, also evaluates number sense development in the context of an instructional plan designed for long-term implementation and contributes to the study of changes in other variables involved in development. Throughout the study, the Number Sense Test was used to identify the number sense of students. The Mathematics Self-Efficacy Perception Scale was used to assess their self-efficacy. The Number Sense Self-Efficacy Scale was used to identify their number sense self-efficacy. The Mathematics in Daily Life Survey was used to assess their recognition of mathematics in daily life. The Problem-Solving Test was used to assess their achievement in solving problems, and end-of-term grading was used to identify their overall mathematical achievement. Data were analyzed with multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests using SPSS 15.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Il). The results of the analyses revealed that students who received instruction based on number sense experienced significant improvement in their number sense, their recognition of mathematics in daily life, and their problem-solving achievements compared to students who received only regular instruction. Number sense-based instruction did not create any significant changes in mathematics self-efficacy, number sense self-efficacy, or the overall mathematical achievements of the students.

Recent studies showed an evident correlation between the stomatognathic system and the visual system. These results suggest that subjects who are affected by both temporomandibular (TMD) disorders and refractive disorders present with altered control of pericranial musculature tone and higher open-eye electromyographic (EMG) values. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of standard vision correction on EMG in subjects suffering from TMD compared with application of the same vision treatments to non-TMD subjects. 40 subjects were enrolled in this study. The test group included 20 myopic subjects and also included patients with TMD. The control group included 20 healthy myopic subjects. All of the participants underwent a complete ocular examination and a sEMG analysis. The results showed that TMD subjects with vision disorders that are corrected with standard glasses present EMG values that are significantly higher than those presented by non-TMD subjects with vision disorders and standard glasses. Infact, in TMD subjects, eye correction did not have a positive effect on the stomatognathic or pericranial musculature.