Selection Criteria Research Articles

The impact of eccentric muscle contractions on peripheral nerve integrity.

Besides muscle damage, eccentric contractions also impose significant mechanical loads on peripheral nerves. However, the impact of eccentric contractions on peripheral nerve properties remains unclear. We aimed to reveal the immediate (i.e., <2 h and short-term (i.e., <10 days) effects of eccentric contractions on functional, structural, morphological, physiological and biomechanical properties of peripheral nerves. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, PEDro and Cochrane) were searched for animal and human studies which evaluated the immediate and/or short-term impact of eccentric contractions of upper or lower limb muscles on outcomes related functional, structural, morphological, physiological and biomechanical properties of peripheral nerves. From a total of 2415 articles, two human and two animal studies met the selection criteria. Several signs of nerve damage following eccentric exercises were observed, such as reductions in myelin sheath thickness, nerve fibre diameter, sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity, and protein zero levels, alongside increased levels of macrophage-related protein and tropomyosin receptor kinase C. No significant changes were identified in growth-associated protein 43. It is worth noting that some variables exhibited differences in their time course between human and animal studies. Animal studies revealed that the effects were more pronounced when eccentric contractions were performed at higher velocities. Current evidence is suggestive that eccentric contractions has the potential to alter the peripheral nerves structural, morphological, functional and physiological properties, which are indicative of nerve damage. CRD42021285767.

Hotel Guests’ Customer Value: LGBTQ Perspective

The LGBTQ hotel selection criteria are considered one of the most important determinants to improve and maintain global hotel room occupancy. However, the existing literature has failed to offer a holistic taxonomy of such phenomenon because the current researchers have concentrated primarily on Western locations and overlooked Asian contexts. Gaining insights from the Asian context, Cambodia in particular, may provide a better picture of such a phenomenon. LGBTQ online comments on the TripAdvisor website were analyzed, and the findings suggest that six dimensions of customer value (condition, function, emotion, reputation, epistemic, and social value) are accountable for LGBTQ hotel selection criteria. The findings are important because they guide hoteliers in building their marketing strategies to attract this target market.

Direct minimization of normal-tissue toxicity via an NTCP-based IMPT planning method.

Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) planning often relies on physical dose constraints to balance tumor control and sparing of organs at risk (OARs). However, focusing solely on these dose objectives does not always minimize the normal-tissue toxicity, which is quantified as normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). NTCP is also a quantitative criterion for patient selection between proton and photon treatments. This study introduces an NTCP-based IMPT planning (NTCP-IMPT) method designed to directly minimize normal-tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor coverage. NTCP-IMPT simultaneously optimizes NTCP and dose-volume histogram (DVH)-based physical dose objectives while adhering to the minimum-monitor-unit (MMU) constraint for plan deliverability. The optimization problem is solved by the interior-point method. To assess its efficacy in reducing normal-tissue toxicity, NTCP-IMPT is compared with standard IMPT (without NTCP optimization) for four head-and-neck (HN) cancer patients in terms of physical dose quality and NTCP of xerostomia and dysphagia. Across all four patients, NTCP-IMPT plans met target dose criteria (D95%≥100% and D2%≤110%) while maintaining maximum doses to the spinal cord and brainstem comparable to standard IMPT. NTCP-IMPT also reduced mean doses to parotid glands, submandibular glands, oral cavity, and pharyngeal constrictor muscles (PCMs). Compared to the standard IMPT, NTCP-IMPT achieved average reductions in NTCP for xerostomia (grade≥2: 3.67%; grade≥3: 1.07%) and dysphagia (grade≥2: 7.54%; grade≥3: 3.72%). NTCP-IMPT effectively minimizes normal-tissue toxicity and improves the sparing of OARs associated with side effects while maintaining comparable tumor coverage compared to standard IMPT.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of 418 tomato cultivars based on single nucleotide polymorphism markers

IntroductionTomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a highly valuable fruit crop. However, due to the lack of scientific and accurate variety identification methods and unified national standards, production management is scattered and non-standard, resulting in mixed varieties. This poses considerable difficulties for the cataloging and preservation of germplasm resources as well as the identification, promotion, and application of new tomato varieties.MethodsTo better understand the genetic diversity and population structure of representative tomato varieties, we collected 418 tomato varieties from the past 20 years and analyzed them using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We initially assessed the population structure, genetic relationships, and genetic profiles of the 418 tomato germplasm resources utilizing simplified genome sequencing techniques. A total of 3,374,929 filtered SNPs were obtained and distributed across 12 chromosomes. Based on these SNP loci, the 418 tomatoes samples were divided into six subgroups.ResultsThe population structure and genetic relationships among existing tomato germplasm resources were determined using principal component analysis, population structure analysis, and phylogenetic tree analysis. Rigorous selection criteria identified 15 additional high-quality DNA fingerprints from 50 validated SNP loci, effectively enabling the identification of the 418 tomato varieties, which were successfully converted into KASP (Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR) markers.DiscussionThis study represents the first comprehensive investigation assessing the diversity and population structure of a large collection of tomato varieties. Overall, it marks a considerable advancement in understanding the genetic makeup of tomato populations. The results broadened our understanding of the diversity, phylogeny, and population structure of tomato germplasm resources. Furthermore, this study provides a scientific basis and reference data for future analysis of genetic diversity, species identification, property rights disputes, and molecular breeding in tomatoes.

Disinfection of dental root canals by cold atmospheric plasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of dental biofilm

AimThe intricate structure of the tooth root canals has a role in the colonization and biofilm formation in hidden areas that are hardly reached by standard endodontic treatments. This review aims at summarizing data from in vitro and ex vivo studies for a better understanding of the application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) for the disinfection of dental root canals.MethodsPubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were screened. Characteristics of the included studies were extracted, and a meta-analysis on ex vivo studies was carried out to evaluate the effect of CAP on colony forming unit assay of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). The study was performed following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.ResultsA total of 31 studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Only 2 investigations reported an indirect plasma treatment, 28 trials used direct CAP administration, while 1 study applied both methods. Most of the studies were conducted on E. faecalis using as carrier gas Helium or Argon alone or in combination with Oxygen as well air. A considerable heterogeneity among studies was found regarding treatments which varied for source type, settings, and protocols of application. Despite this, CAP showed effectiveness in reducing E. faecalis colony forming unit with a standardized mean difference of 4.51, 95% C.I. = 2.55–6.48, p-value &amp;lt; 0.001.ConclusionThe data demonstrated the antimicrobial effect of direct CAP application against microorganisms. In-vitro studies showed an effect that depended on the time and distance of treatment, while the meta-analysis performed on ex vivo studies showed that the effect of CAP was independent of time and distance.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BJ59V, identifier OSF registries.

IMPACTO DO TRATAMENTO FISIOTERAPÊUTICO EM CRIANÇAS COM SÍNDROME DE DOWN COM O USO DA REALIDADE VIRTUAL

This study presents a systematic literature review on the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in the physiotherapeutic treatment of children with Down Syndrome (DS). The research explores how VR can be an innovative tool to overcome the challenges of engagement and adherence to treatment, often observed in conventional therapies. The main objective is to evaluate the impact of VR on motor development and quality of life of these children. The methodology employed included the analysis of recent publications in electronic databases, focusing on studies involving children with DS aged 3 to 18 years. The selection criteria prioritized research addressing the use of VR in physiotherapeutic treatment and evaluating its impact on motor development, balance, and muscle strength. The review results indicate that VR offers a motivating experience, favoring engagement in Physiotherapy sessions. Efficacy was observed in stimulating mental, sensory, and neuromusculoskeletal functions, with adaptations to facilitate the understanding of games and concepts worked on. Improvements were notable in areas such as balance, global motor skills, and spatial organization. The review highlights the significant potential of VR as a complementary tool in the physiotherapeutic treatment of children with DS. The combination of VR with traditional Physiotherapy emerges as a promising approach, optimizing treatment and addressing various needs of these children. This study emphasizes the importance of future research with larger samples and long-term evaluations to more robustly establish the effectiveness of VR in this context.

A systematic review and meta-analysis: prevalence and clinical implications of anatomical variants of the hepatic portal vein

The hepatic portal vein is the main vascular route responsible for collecting blood from the liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, and intestines. Its key function is to metabolize the components acquired from the blood. The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of HPV variants and understand the possible clinical considerations that arise with them. The databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences were researched until January 2024. Tree authors independently performed the search, study selection and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated with an assurance tool for anatomical studies. Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. A total of 31 studies met the established selection criteria. In this study, 21 articles were included for the meta-analysis with a total of 51,244 subjects. Of these 21 articles, the topics studied came mainly from Europe and Asia, with three (n = 554; 1.08%) and 11 articles (n = 50,090; 97.75%) respectively, also having six articles from North America (n = 442; 0.86%) and one from Africa (n = 158; 0.31%), discarding the articles from Oceania and South America. For the HPV trifurcation variant, it was 8% (CI = 7-10%). Apropos the right posterior portal vein variant, as the primary tributary from the main HPV, it was 7% (CI = 4-11%). About the right anterior portal vein variant originating from the left portal vein, it was 4% (CI = 1-6%). Finally, the prevalence of the isolated variants was 2% (CI = 1-3%). The knowledge of HPV and its anatomical variants is of utmost importance for both medical professionals and anatomists, as it is one of the vessels that collects blood from many important viscera found in the abdominal cavity, any structural alteration could be crucial in diagnosis and surgical procedures.

Theory and fast learned solver for $\ell^1$-TV regularization

Abstract The $\ell^1$ and total variation (TV) penalties have been used successfully in many areas, and the combination of the $\ell^1$ and TV penalties can lead to further improved performance. In this work, we investigate the mathematical theory and numerical algorithms for the $\ell^1$-TV model in the context of signal recovery: we derive the sample complexity of the $\ell^1$-TV model for recovering signals with sparsity and gradient sparsity. Also we propose a novel algorithm (PGM-ISTA) for the regularized $\ell^1$-TV problem, and establish its global convergence and parameter selection criteria. Furthermore, we construct a fast learned solver (LPGM-ISTA) by unrolling PGM-ISTA. The results for the experiment on ECG signals show the superior performance of LPGM-ISTA in terms of recovery accuracy and computational efficiency.

Maternal genetic risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

AbstractBackgroundDespite various genomic approaches used in prior studies investigating the association of maternal genetic variability with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), results show inconsistency and contradictions.ObjectivesTo conduct a systematic review of studies analyzing the association between maternal genetic variants and sPTB, evaluate retrieved studies based on selection criteria, classify studies into hypothesis‐based and hypothesis‐free, and perform a meta‐analysis to identify the strongest associations.Search strategyPubMed, Scopus, and reference lists were searched until October 2024.Selection criteriaEnglish‐language, case–control, cross‐sectional, and prospective cohort studies examining the association between maternal genetic variations and sPTB were included.Data collection and analysisData on authors, publication year, ethnicity, genes/variants, P values, study type, sample size, inclusion criteria, and methods were collected. The association strength was estimated using odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsEighty‐one studies met eligibility criteria: 73 utilized a hypothesis‐based and 14 a hypothesis‐free approach. Thirty‐five studies qualified for a meta‐analysis, revealing a significant association in tumor necrosis factor α (rs1800629) gene for alleles and additive and recessive genetic models (P ≤ 0.05). From the hypothesis‐free approach, 13 genes reached global significance in association with sPTB (P &lt; 5 × 10−8).ConclusionsNo single gene or variant was consistently associated with sPTB risk among studies. Hypothesis‐based analyses highlighted tumor necrosis factor α (rs1800629) as a modest signal, while hypothesis‐free approaches identified 13 genes with genome‐wide significance, pointing to new research directions in understanding sPTB genetics.

Challenges following CRS and HIPEC surgery in cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis: a comprehensive review of clinical outcomes

Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) are a pair of relatively modern therapeutic surgical methods in advanced cancerous patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM). The goal of CRS + HIPEC is treatment or to improve survival outcomes, which are linked to high morbidity side effects and complications, even with their possible advantages. Surgical-related, chemotherapy-related, anesthetic-related, gastrointestinal, organs and systemic complications are the categories into which complications are separated according to frequency, risk factors, and effect on patient outcomes. In this narrative review of the literature, the side effects and complications of HIPEC + CRS in cancer patients with PM are examined. The present knowledge on the incidence, frequency, kinds, and risk factors of acute complications following CRS + HIPEC is summarized in this study. This review emphasizes the need for careful patient selection criteria, precise surgical technique, and thorough intraoperative care to reduce or manage these risks. Moreover, it highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in treating these patients. This study aims to know these complications, improve clinical practice, and guide future studies to increase the safety and efficacy of CRS + HIPEC in treating metastatic colorectal cancer.

Artificial Intelligence–Assisted Colonoscopy for Detecting Polyps, Adenomas, Precancerous Lesions, and Colorectal Cancer

What Is the Issue? Colorectal cancer is 1 of the most common cancers globally. In Canada, it is estimated that more than 25,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2024 and that more than 9,000 people will die of it. To reduce the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer, screening programs across various jurisdictions in Canada have implemented screening strategies involving routine fecal testing and colonoscopy. While colonoscopy is often considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening, missed polyps remain a challenge with this modality. In recent years, many artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled polyp detection systems have been developed for use during colonoscopy. A review of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of these systems could help clarify their potential role in clinical practice. What Did We Do? To inform decisions regarding the use of AI-assisted colonoscopy, we conducted a rapid review to identify and summarize evidence that compared the clinical and cost-effectiveness of AI-assisted colonoscopy to conventional colonoscopy and among different AI-assisted colonoscopy systems. We searched key resources, including journal citation databases, and conducted a focused internet search for relevant evidence published since 2019. One reviewer screened articles for inclusion based on predefined criteria, critically appraised the included studies, and narratively summarized the findings. What Did We Find? We found 1 health technology assessment (HTA), 3 systematic reviews (SRs), and 1 randomized controlled trial (RCT) that evaluated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of AI-assisted colonoscopy for detecting polyps, adenomas, precancerous lesions, and colorectal cancer. AI-assisted colonoscopy may improve clinical outcomes compared to conventional colonoscopy, including adenoma detection rates, the number of adenomas detected per procedure, and adenoma miss rates, although it may also lead to longer withdrawal times. However, not all studies included in this report demonstrated statistically significant differences between the groups for each of these outcomes. The included RCT allocated participants to receive AI-assisted colonoscopy with either Deep-GI or CAD EYE, but the authors did not perform statistical testing to compare the outcomes between these 2 treatment groups. Findings from 6 economic evaluations summarized in the HTA suggest that AI-assisted colonoscopy is likely to be cost-effective or dominant — meaning it is less costly and more effective — compared to conventional colonoscopy. We did not find any studies on the relative cost-effectiveness of different AI-assisted colonoscopy systems that met our selection criteria for this review. None of the included studies reported long-term outcomes, such as colorectal cancer incidence and mortality; therefore, the impact of AI-assisted colonoscopy on these outcomes is unknown. What Does This Mean? AI-assisted colonoscopy may improve clinical outcomes and be more cost-effective than conventional colonoscopy for detecting polyps, adenomas, precancerous lesions, and colorectal cancer. The clinical and cost-effectiveness of different types of AI-assisted colonoscopy systems compared to each other is unknown. Clinicians and decision-makers can use the evidence summarized in this review to inform decisions regarding the implementation of AI-assisted colonoscopy.

Complications following bilateral simultaneous versus staged total knee arthroplasty in the Japanese population: a propensity-matched case-control study

Although bilateral simultaneous total knee arthroplasty (BSTKA) is an effective treatment for bilateral knee osteoarthritis, safety concerns and lack of precise patient selection criteria persist. This study aimed to determine the differences in perioperative parameters and complication rates between BSTKA and staged TKA in the Japanese population. We retrospectively reviewed 531 patients who underwent BSTKA or staged TKA between 2012 and 2021. Propensity score matching, performed on a 1:1 nearest neighbor basis for age, BMI, diagnosis, ASA score, and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, yielded matched cohorts of 94 patients (188 knees) for each group. Outcome measures included operative time, perioperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and nonmechanical complications after surgery. The BSTKA group had a shorter median operative time and hospital stay (111 min and 16 days) than the staged TKA group (159 min and 33 days) (p < 0.001). Overall complication rates were higher in the BSTKA group than in the staged TKA group (26% vs. 13%, p = 0.026), with anemia requiring transfusion being the most common. Cardiovascular complications were more frequent in the BSTKA group (4.3% vs. 0%, p = 0.043). These findings emphasize the importance of careful patient selection and risk assessment when considering BSTKA.

An Empirical Study on the Development and Assessment of a Supplier Selection Model based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process in the Al Kharj Industrial Sector

Selecting a supplier is a critical strategic decision for supply chain management in today's global context. The process involves evaluating suppliers based on core competencies, pricing, delivery timeframes, location, data gathering, and related risks. Suppliers play a crucial role in an organization's profitability and stability. Finding the most optimal supplier can help industries reduce material expenses and maintain their competitive advantage. The supplier not only impacts the organization's profit margin but also its economic strength. Choosing a supplier requires considering qualitative and quantitative elements, making it a decision issue with several criteria. This study aims to create and evaluate a supplier selection model using the analytical hierarchy approach, focusing on a specific case study. When selecting the best supplier, it is crucial to consider tangible and intangible elements that may conflict. The supplier selection process considers several criteria, including qualitative and quantitative variables. The proposed methodology involved a literature review and informal interviews with industry experts and academics to establish the selection criteria. "Quality Supplier Co." was chosen due to the paramount importance of their quality. This research will comprehensively analyze several criteria to identify suppliers accurately.

Establishing an Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Program

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a complex, life-saving procedure that uses mechanical support for patients with refractory cardiac arrest, representing the pinnacle of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) applications. Effective ECPR requires precise patient selection, rapid mobilization of a multidisciplinary team, and skilled cannulation techniques. Establishing a program necessitates a cohesive ECMO system that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, which is essential for managing acute cardiogenic shock and severe pulmonary failure. ECPR is suited for selected patients, emphasizing the need to optimize every step of cardiac arrest management—from public education to advanced post-resuscitation care. The flexibility of ECMO teams allows them to manage various emergencies such as cardiogenic shock, massive pulmonary embolism, and severe asthma, showcasing the program’s adaptability. Launching an ECPR program involves addressing logistical, financial, and organizational challenges. This includes gaining administrative approval, assembling a diverse team, and crafting detailed protocols and training regimens. The development process entails organizing teams, refining protocols, and training extensively to ensure operational readiness. A systematic approach to building an ECPR program involves establishing a team, defining patient selection criteria, and evaluating caseloads. Critical elements like patient transport protocols and anticoagulation management are vital for the program’s success. In conclusion, initiating an ECPR program demands thorough planning, collaborative effort across specialties, and ongoing evaluation to improve outcomes in critical cardiac emergencies. This guide offers practical insights to support institutions in navigating the complexities of ECPR program development and maintenance.

Association Between Temporomandibular Disorders and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) encompass various clinical conditions associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the masticatory muscles. TMD symptoms include pain in the orofacial region, restricted or altered mandibular movement, and sounds associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This condition adversely affects quality of life, social functioning, and daily activities, and may also contribute to widespread pain syndromes and comorbidities, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is a common chronic functional disorder of the lower gastrointestinal tract, characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with impaired bowel symptoms. Previous studies indicate an association between TMD and IBS. This scoping review examined the correlation between TMD and IBS concerning their pathology, frequency, and severity, and the potential similarities in how the nervous and endocrine systems influence them. PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engines were utilized to identify suitable studies for this article. Following the application of selection criteria, a total of 58 clinical papers met the eligibility requirements for inclusion in the systematic review. Research showed that both conditions significantly enhance the development of one another and have mutual comorbidities. Both ailments were proven to modify central nervous system processing, leading to high comorbidity in patients. Combining dental and gastroenterological treatments, including a simultaneous therapeutic approach, can significantly enhance patients’ quality of life, but further research is needed for a holistic approach.

Assessing the impact of salinity stress on some morpho-physiological traits of two chickpea genotypes under hydroponic conditions

Evaluating the performance of crop species to salinity stress is considered an intricate task due to differences in performance, response and susceptibility at different phenological stages of chickpea crop. Assessment of the performance of chickpea genotypes in response to NaCl-induced salinity stress at the initial vegetative phase is of great importance to have a crystal idea about the threshold level of tolerance. An experiment was carried out under hydroponic conditions to evaluate the performance of two chickpea genotypes (ELMO and ORION), in response to different salinity levels (0, 25, 50 and 75 mM NaCl) as factorial arrangement under completely randomized design with three replications. The average of shoot and root dry matter weight was significantly higher for the ELMO genotype at the control treatment (1.143, 0.4133 g respectively), while it was significantly lower in the two genotypes ORION and ELMO at the highest salinity level (0.267 and 0.2700; 0.0433 and 0.0533 g respectively). The root to shoot ratio was significantly higher in both genotypes in the control and the lowest salt level (25 mM NaCl), without significant differences among them (47.98, 43.30, 37.10 and 36.25% respectively). The relative water content and stomatal conductance were significantly higher in the ORION genotype (88.01%; 335.40 mmol m-2 s-1) compared to ELMO (84.09%; 299.10 mmol m-2 s-1), and increasing salinity level caused a proportional decline in both traits, where they were significantly lower at the highest salt level (75Mm) (77.45%; 87.50 mmol m-2 s-1). Results indicate genotypic variability in response to NaCl-induced salinity stress under hydroponic conditions and the physiological traits are more expressive and reliable as selection criteria than morphological ones.

Developing standard criteria for robotic process automation candidate process selection

&lt;p&gt;Robotic process automation (RPA) is a cutting-edge technology that provides software robots to repeat and mimic the repeatable tasks that a human user earlier performed. The use of software robots is encouraging because of their cost efficiency and easy implementation. Selecting and prioritizing a candidate process for automation is always challenging as all the business processes in an organization are not equally suitable for RPA implementation. Various studies have highlighted several criteria found in the literature for determining, prioritising, and selecting a business process for RPA. Nevertheless, there are no set standards for evaluating and analyzing a certain process or its tasks to determine whether they may be automated to use RPA. This paper aims to develop standard criteria and propose a consistent model to select and prioritize candidate process for RPA projects. To assess these criteria's applicability in the context of RPA, surveys among subject matter experts (SMEs) are used to validate them. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation are used to identify the top 20 criteria. Naïve Bayes algorithm is applied on the collected data for decision-making. The developed multi-criteria model exhibits strong precision and recall measures, with training and validation accuracy of 96% and 90%, respectively.&lt;/p&gt;

Modifiers for the preparation of starch composites under mechanochemical activation: An extended set of criteria

Modification of starch with synthetic polymers under mechanochemical activation is a convenient way to regulate the operational properties of composite materials. The widespread use of this approach is limited by the lack of data on the influence of synthetic polymer nature on the properties of starch and the absence of clear criteria for modifiers selection in the form of aqueous dispersions. To eliminate existing problems, the work proposes to use five integral criteria − polarity, hydrophilicity, and flexibility of synthetic modifiers, as well as particle size and ζ-potential of their aqueous dispersions. To achieve this goal, we studied the dielectric constant, contact angles, IR spectra, and dynamic mechanical properties of four acrylic copolymers and an aliphatic polyurethane. Using the mechanochemical activation, blends and composite films based on corn starch and synthetic modifiers (80:20) were manufactured. Methods of rotational viscometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, DMA, mechanical tests, and moisture permeability allowed us to reveal the influence of the modifier integral parameters on the rheological characteristics of the molding blends and the impact of joint mechanical activation on them, as well as on the crystal structure of the composites, their storage modulus, strength, and transport characteristics.

Characterization of two potential probiotic strains of Levilactobacillus brevis isolated from carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) with strong immunostimulatory activity on pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) head kidney cells

Aquaculture is inextricably linked to fish health problems, and the use of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) makes it possible to reduce losses caused mainly by bacterial pathogens. The aim of the present study was to isolate, characterize and select potential probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria from the gut of common carp. We focused on obtaining strains that grow well under aerobic conditions to facilitate their future application through feed. After excluding strains with unwanted characteristics in vitro, two isolates of Levilactobacillus brevis were selected for this study. Despite belonging to the same species, the strains were biochemically different. However, both isolates met the in vitro selection criteria for potential probiotics. The tested L. brevis strains showed antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria isolated from carp and rainbow trout (Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas salmonicida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Acinetobacter junii) and demonstrated co-aggregation ability with pathogens. Both strains tolerated stress well under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions (i.e., showed acid and bile tolerance) and exhibited auto-aggregation capacity. The tested isolates were nonhemolytic, gelatinase negative and susceptible to most of the antibiotics tested. The cell-free supernatants of both L. brevis isolates exhibited strong immunostimulatory effects on pikeperch head kidney immune cells and immunomodulatory effects on carp immune cells. The results of in vitro tests encourage further research into the probiotic potential of these strains under in vivo conditions.

Comprehensive clinical evaluation of indirect and direct bonding techniques in orthodontic treatment: a single-centre, open-label, quasi-randomized controlled clinical trial.

Few prospective investigations have compared direct and indirect techniques through comprehensive and detailed clinical evaluations, considering the impact of all factors. This study aimed to compare and evaluate direct and indirect bonding methods at a single institution and to clarify the selection criteria for the bonding method. This single-centre, quasi-randomized controlled clinical trial included 153 patients who required fixed orthodontic treatment. They were randomly divided into indirect and direct binding groups by the project lead (K.K.), who was blinded to all clinical data, and performed the allocation using medical record numbers. The chair time for bracket bonding, discomfort during bracket bonding, oral hygiene after bonding, number of bracket failures, number of intentional bracket reattachments, post-treatment occlusal index, and total treatment time were assessed. Outcomes were compared using a two-sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test (P < .05). Fifty-eight patients were included in the indirect bonding group (20 male, 38 female; mean age: 20.63 ± 5.69 years) and 66 (14 male, 52 female; mean age: 23.17 ± 8.83 years) in the direct bonding group. Compared to the direct bonding group, the indirect bonding group had shorter chair time (P < .001), a shorter total treatment period (P < .01), and a better final occlusal relationship (P < .001). The number of bracket detachments was higher (P < .001) in the indirect bonding group, but the number of intentional reattachments was lower (P < .001). Indirect bonding may improve the efficiency of orthodontic treatment. No harm was observed during the study. This trial was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Okayama University (approval number: d10001), UMIN registration number 000022182.