Dunn's Multiple Comparison Test Research Articles

Biomarkers for the severity of periodontal disease in patients with obstructive sleep apnea:IL-1 β, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-33

ObjectiveThis study aims to compare the salivary and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) concentrations of five cytokines: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-33, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) in patients with OSA and their association with periodontitis. MethodsSamples of saliva and GCF were obtained from 84 patients classified into four groups according to periodontal and OSA diagnosis: G1(H) healthy patients, G2(P) periodontitis and non-OSA patients, G3(OSA) OSA and non-periodontitis patients, and G4(P-OSA) periodontitis and OSA patients. The cytokines in the samples were quantified using multiplexed bead immunoassays. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's multiple comparisons test, and the Spearman correlation test. ResultsStage III periodontitis was the highest in patients with severe OSA (69%; p=0.0142). Similar levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in saliva were noted in G2(P) and G4(P-OSA). The IL-6, IL-17A and IL-33 levels were higher in the GCF of G4(P-OSA). There was a significant positive correlation between IL-33 in saliva and stage IV periodontitis in G4(P-OSA) (rs = 0.531). The cytokine profile of the patients in G4(P-OSA) with Candida spp. had an increase of the cytokine's levels compared to patients who did not have the yeast. ConclusionsOSA may increase the risk of developing periodontitis due to increase of IL-1β and IL-6 in saliva and IL-6, IL-17A and IL-33 in GCF that share the activation of the osteoclastogenesis. Those cytokines may be considered as biomarkers of OSA and periodontitis.

Case – Control study: Evaluation of plasma procalcitonin concentration as an indicator of inflammation in healthy and sick cows

This case – control study aims to evaluate Procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations in healthy and hospitalized cows with a conclusive diagnosis of inflammation due to bacterial infection. Thirty-four healthy and 131 sick cows were included. Procalcitonin concentrations were assessed using an ELISA kit for cattle. Depending on whether sick cows received antimicrobial treatments prior to admission or not, they were divided in treated (TP) or not treated (NTP) subgroups. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to determine differences between healthy vs sick cows, while Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's multiple comparison test were applied for healthy vs sick subgroups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the optimal cut-off value. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were determined for cows belonging to the groups with PCT values below and above ROC cut-offs.Plasma PCT concentration was 200.1 (147.8–324.1) pg/mL and 361.6 (239.7–947.1) pg/mL in the healthy control and in the sick group, respectively (P < 0.001). The optimal cut-off value of plasma PCT concentration was 244.4 pg/mL (sensitivity 73.6%, specificity 60.0%). The plasma PCT concentration was 267.5 (210.3–771.2) pg/mL in the TP subgroup and 425.6 (253.1–1242) pg/mL in the NTP subgroup (P = 0.03). Cows with PCT above the ROC cut-off value had a reduced survival percentage and a higher mortality risk (P < 0.05). Procalcitonin showed the ability of differentiate healthy cows from hospitalized cows with a conclusive diagnosis of inflammation due to bacterial infection. Moreover, PCT was a good predictor of negative prognostic outcome.

Comparison of attitudes to media representation of mental illness between journalists and mental health professionals in Russia with German-speaking countries of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

The media are an important source of information on mental health. They are often implicit in reinforcing negative stereotypes of people with mental health problems. There are no studies in German-speaking countries or Russia on media attitudes to mental health and mental health professionals' (MHP) attitudes to the media. This study explored journalists and MHPs attitudes to mental health media reporting in the German speaking countries of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria and in Russia. A cross-sectional online internet survey, of ten Likert scale statements to ascertain perceptions of stigma, role, and training needs following the STROBE guidance was conducted among journalists and MHPs via their professional organizations. A non-discriminatory exponential snowballing technique leading to non-probability sampling was used. Descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis, and a post hoc Dunn's multiple comparisons test using Bonferroni adjustment were used to analyze data. A total of 106 German-speaking and 78 Russian journalists, 109 German-speaking, and 82 Russian MHPs fully answered the survey. Journalists felt the media were more balanced about mental health than MHPs, and MHPs were wary of engagement with the media. Small minorities of journalists had engaged with mental health training, similarly few MHPs had engaged with media training, but both groups were interested in doing so in the future. Significant differences between German and Russian speaking respondents were found on a range of issues (e.g. stigmatization, image about psychotherapy, the media/MHPs, and their own role in engaging with the media/MHPs). Russians were more likely to know specialized (media/mental health awareness) training compared to German-speaking MHPs and journalists. There are potential opportunities to engage journalists and MHPs in training about each other's worlds and reducing stigma toward mental illness through engaging MHPs with the media.

Astrocyte-derived exosome-transported GJA1-20k attenuates traumatic brain injury in rats.

Astrocyte-derived exosome-transported GJA1-20k attenuates traumatic brain injury in rats.

Mandibular morphological analysis of rats with osteoporosis and periradicular lesions

The aim of the study was to perform a morphological analysis of the effects of osteoporosis on the periodontal ligament of rats with periradicular injury. Adult rats (n = 24), of the Wistar lineage, 3 months old, were included in the study. Twelve animals were ovariectomized (group OVX) and 12 were operated by simulation (group C). One hundred and twenty days after surgery, all animals were anesthetized, and in each animal, periradicular lesion was developed in the mandibular left first molar, by making a coronal opening in the mesial fossa on the occlusal surface until the pulp was exposed. At the end of each experimental time interval (21 and 40 days after the lesion developed), the animals were sacrificed, and blood was collected to confirm the effects of castration by serum estrogen measurement. The jaws were removed and prepared for quantitative analysis of the periodontal ligament thickness, by using an optical microscope. Comparative analysis of the data was performed using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn Multiple Comparison tests. A reduction in serum estrogen levels was observed in the OVX groups (p &lt;0.01), and a significant increase in the periodontal ligament thickness in Group C 21, when compared with Group OVX 40 days (p &lt;0.01), and Group C 40 compared with Group OVX 40 days (p&lt;0.01). In all samples with osteoporosis, there were signs of resorption in the alveolar bone, and significant periodontal ligament thickening in animals with longer exposure to the disease.

Usefulness of Breath-Hold Fat-Suppressed T2-Weighted Images With Deep Learning-Based Reconstruction of the Liver: Comparison to Conventional Free-Breathing Turbo Spin Echo.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of breath-hold turbo spin echo with deep learning-based reconstruction (BH-DL-TSE) in acquiring fat-suppressed T2-weighted images (FS-T2WI) of the liver by comparing this method with conventional free-breathing turbo spin echo (FB-TSE) and breath-hold half Fourier single-shot turbo spin echo with deep learning-based reconstruction (BH-DL-HASTE). The study cohort comprised 111 patients with suspected liver disease who underwent 3 T magnetic resonance imaging. Fifty-eight focal solid liver lesions ≥10 mm were also evaluated. Three sets of FS-T2WI were acquired using FB-TSE, prototypical BH-DL-TSE, and prototypical BH-DL-HASTE, respectively. In the qualitative analysis, 2 radiologists evaluated the image quality using a 5-point scale. In the quantitative analysis, we calculated the lesion-to-liver signal intensity ratio (LEL-SIR). Friedman test and Dunn multiple comparison test were performed to assess differences among 3 types of FS-T2WI with respect to image quality and LEL-SIR. The mean acquisition time was 4 minutes and 43 seconds ± 1 minute and 21 seconds (95% confidence interval, 4 minutes and 28 seconds to 4 minutes and 58 seconds) for FB-TSE, 40 seconds for BH-DL-TSE, and 20 seconds for BH-DL-HASTE. In the qualitative analysis, BH-DL-HASTE resulted in the fewest respiratory motion artifacts ( P < 0.0001). BH-DL-TSE and FB-TSE exhibited significantly less motion-related signal loss and clearer intrahepatic vessels than BH-DL-HASTE ( P < 0.0001). Regarding the edge sharpness of the left lobe, BH-DL-HASTE scored the highest ( P < 0.0001), and BH-DL-TSE scored higher than FB-TSE ( P = 0.0290). There were no significant differences among 3 types of FS-T2WI with respect to the edge sharpness of the right lobe ( P = 0.1290), lesion conspicuity ( P = 0.5292), and LEL-SIR ( P = 0.6026). BH-DL-TSE provides a shorter acquisition time and comparable or better image quality than FB-TSE, and could replace FB-TSE in acquiring FS-T2WI of the liver. BH-DL-TSE and BH-DL-HASTE have their own advantages and may be used complementarily.

Potential hazard characteristics of trees with hollows, cavities and fruiting bodies growing along pedestrian routes

This article is a study of risk assessment of trees with hollows, cavities and fruiting bodies for the improvement of the management and protection of urban trees growing along pedestrian routes. 317 trees were examined using TRAQ risk classes, VTA and ISA BMP methodology, Roloff's vitality classification, and sonic tomography (SoT) during the spring and summer of 2021. The collected data was analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis H-test, the Dunn multiple comparison test, the pairwise comparison of proportions with Holm correction, the U-Manna-Whitney test, and the Fisher exact test. The analysed trees grow alongside public footpaths and footways in central Zakopane, Poland. The study results indicate that tree trunk hollows are judged to have no adverse effects on a tree’s vitality when assessed using visual methods and are deemed to have a limited effect on vitality estimated with SoT. Though most high and moderate-risk trees, according to SoT (88% and 80%, respectively), had hollows, such trees were a small fraction of all 171 trees with hollows, cavities and/or fruiting bodies, 2.3% and 8.8%, respectively. Therefore, the decision to remove a tree should be based on advice from a professional arborist, supported by sonic tomography (SoT) or similar objective methods.

Should We Hire Our Current Fellow? Hiring Trends and Preferences in Spine Surgery.

To provide insight into hiring trends/preferences in Academic Orthopaedic Spine Surgery after fellowship training. Fellowship directors (FDs) listed by the North American Spine Society were surveyed regarding new faculty hiring preferences. Surveys were analyzed/stratified by response using the Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn multiple comparisons test, the Fisher exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U test for univariate comparisons. Thirty-two of 52 (61.5%) FDs responded. 32.3% of graduated fellows pursued academic medicine, which was preferred by FDs (3.59 ± 0.67; 1 to 5 scale). From 2015 to 2020, of the 2.25 ± 1.46 faculty members hired per program, 45.8% were former residents/fellows. Top listed hiring qualities were "strong recommendation from a trusted colleague" (84.4%), "prior personal experience, as a resident/fellow" (78.1%), and "amicable personality" (53.1%). Twelve (38%) answered "no", six (19%) "yes", and 14 (44%) "other", regarding if hiring former residents/fellows benefits the field of spine surgery. "Other" answers endorsing in-house hiring most commonly mentioned consistency/stability (28.6%) while those opposed most commonly mentioned lack of diversity of training/novel techniques (42.9%). When considering programmatic size, while the stated perception of FDs regarding in-house hiring at larger (>2 fellows) versus smaller (1 to 2 fellows) programs was equivalent, the mean percentage of in-house hires at larger programs (67.8% ± 35.8%) was significantly greater than that of smaller programs (33.3% ± 44.8%, P = 0.04). In-house hiring in spine surgery appears to occur more commonly than perceived by program leadership, particularly at larger fellowship programs. Further study of hiring preferences and their impact on the field of spine surgery is warranted. Prospective Survey Study.

Phosphorus metabolism in the brain of cognitively normal midlife individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease

BackgroundNeurometabolic abnormalities and amyloid-beta plaque deposition are important early pathophysiologic changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigated the relationship between high-energy phosphorus-containing metabolites, glucose uptake, and amyloid plaque using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) and positron emission tomography (PET). MethodsWe measured 31P-MRS, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET, and Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB)-PET in a cohort of 20 cognitively normal middle-aged adults at risk for AD. We assessed 31P-MRS reliability by scanning a separate cohort of 13 healthy volunteers twice each. We calculated the coefficient-of-variation (CV) of metabolite ratios phosphocreatine-to-adenosine triphosphate (PCr/α-ATP), inorganic phosphate (Pi)-to-α-ATP, and phosphomonoesters-to-phosphodiesters (PME/PDE), and pH in pre-defined brain regions. We performed linear regression analysis to determine the relationship between 31P measurements and tracer uptake, and Dunn's multiple comparison tests to investigate regional differences in phosphorus metabolism. Finally, we performed linear regression analysis on 31P-MRS measurements in both cohorts to investigate the relationship of phosphorus metabolism with age. ResultsMost regional 31P metabolite ratio and pH inter- and intra-day CVs were well below 10%. There was an inverse relationship between FDG-SUV levels and metabolite ratios PCr/α-ATP, Pi/α-ATP, and PME/PDE in several brain regions in the AD risk group. There were also several regional differences among 31P metabolites and pH in the AD risk group including elevated PCr/α-ATP, depressed PME/PDE, and elevated pH in the temporal cortices. Increased PCr/α-ATP throughout the brain was associated with aging. ConclusionsPhosphorus spectroscopy in the brain can be performed with high repeatability. Phosphorus metabolism varies with region and age, and is related to glucose uptake in adults at risk for AD. Phosphorus spectroscopy may be a valuable approach to study early changes in brain energetics in high-risk populations.

104. Effects of cannabinoids on spinal fusion in a rat model

<h3>BACKGROUND CONTEXT</h3> The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis causing significant morbidity, mortality and economic costs nationwide. As a result, discovering alternative forms of pain management is becoming imperative. Medical marijuana is an option for a nonopioid analgesic and is under investigation for potential uses in fields such as oncology and chronic pain, but it is yet to be studied in the surgical setting. Specifically, its effects on bone healing are not fully understood, significantly affecting its potential analgesic efficacy for postorthopaedic surgical care. <h3>PURPOSE</h3> The goal of this this study is to determine the effect of cannabis derivatives, D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on bone healing. The effects of marijuana on spinal arthrodesis specifically have yet to be investigated. We hypothesized that THC and CBD will not decrease bone healing in a rat model for spinal fusion. <h3>STUDY DESIGN/SETTING</h3> A basic science study utilizing a validated experimental model to assess spinal fusion performed on rats. <h3>PATIENT SAMPLE</h3> N/A (Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this basic science study). <h3>OUTCOME MEASURES</h3> Manual palpation was done to assess strength of the L4-L5 arthrodesis on all rats. Twelve rats underwent lumbar three-dimensional micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging and histological analysis. The remaining half were subjected to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses which are currently pending. The μCT bone analysis was comprised of quantifying the ratio of bone volume (BV) to total volume (TV) within each volume of interest (VOI), as well as bone mineral density (BMD) and tissue mineral density (TMD) for the corresponding VOI. During follow-up, one animal from the saline and one from the combination group were lost due to wound dehiscence. Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test was performed using GraphPad Prism. Two-tailed values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. <h3>METHODS</h3> Animal procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Twenty-eight adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. Utilizing allogenic bone graft (4 donor rats), posterolateral inter-transverse lumbar fusion at the L4-L5 level was performed under surgical microscopy. The animals were divided into four groups of 6, each receiving 0.1ml intraperitoneal injections weekly as follows: placebo (saline), 5 mg/kg THC, 5 mg/kg CBD, and a combination of 5 mg/kg THC and 5 mg/kg CBD (combo). Eight weeks postsurgery, animals were euthanized and fusions were assessed. <h3>RESULTS</h3> The combination treatment group had the highest fusion rates, with 66.7% demonstrating full fusion and 33.3% demonstrating partial fusion. This was followed by the THC group demonstrating 60% of rats with full fusion, 20% with partial fusion, and 20% with no fusion. Fusion rates were lower in the CBD and saline groups. However, the fusion rates were not significantly different between the treatment groups based on our manual palpation scoring. Callus formation was visually more extensive in THC and Combo treatments on μCT 3D reconstruction images. This observation was confirmed though μCT data, in which bone volume fraction (BV/TV) was significantly higher for the CBD and THC treatment groups compared to the saline treatment group (P <0.05). BMD and TMD values were higher for all cannabis treatment groups compared to the saline treatment group, though not statistically significant. <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3> This study preliminarily demonstrates that CBD and THC have no adverse effect on bone regeneration and rate of spinal fusion in rats. Cannabinoids may possess osteoinductive properties which require further investigation. Future larger animal studies should further investigate the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists on bone healing and formation, with additional exploration of cannabinoid receptor agonists as a potential alternative approach to postoperative analgesia following spinal fusion and other procedures requiring bone formation. <h3>FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS</h3> This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.

Comparison of ophthalmic loteprednol etabonate and prednisolone acetate effects on adrenocortical response to ACTH in dogs.

This study served to compare the degree of adrenocortical suppression following a 2-week administration of loteprednol etabonate (LE) and prednisolone acetate (PA) ophthalmic drops. In this prospective double-masked triple-crossover study, 21 clinically healthy dogs were randomized to receive loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5%, prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension 1%, or artificial tears (AT). Each group (LE, PA, and AT) received one drop in each eye every 12 h for 2 weeks, followed by a 3-week washout period between treatment blocks. ACTH stimulation tests were performed before and after each treatment block. Serum cortisol samples were drawn before and 60 min after administration of 1μg/kg cosyntropin IV. Repeated-measurement ANOVA followed by a Tukey's multiple comparisons test (or a Friedman test followed by a Dunn's multiple comparisons test) were used to compare pre- and post-treatment cortisol values between each group. A p-value of ≤.05 was considered significant. A total of 18 dogs completed the study. Prestimulation cortisol values were lower in the PA group compared to the LE (p=.0106), but not AT (p=.0589) groups, and post-stimulation cortisol values were lower in the PA group than either LE (p=.0005) or AT (p=.0002) groups. There was no significant difference detected in pre- or post-stimulation cortisol values after the treatment periods between LE and AT. Based on the reduced suppression of cortisol values, LE caused significantly less hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression than PA. A topical steroid with minimal adrenocortical suppression, such as LE, may be favorable in patients where systemic glucocorticoid effects should be avoided.

UTE-T2* versus conventional T2* mapping to assess posterior cruciate ligament ultrastructure and integrity-an in-situ study.

BackgroundClinical-standard morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is limited in the refined diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries. Quantitative MRI sequences such as ultrashort echo-time (UTE)-T2* mapping or conventional T2* mapping have been theorized to quantify ligament (ultra-) structure and integrity beyond morphology. This study evaluates their diagnostic potential in identifying and differentiating partial and complete PCL injuries in a standardized graded injury model.MethodsTen human cadaveric knee joint specimens were imaged on a clinical 3.0 T MRI scanner using morphologic, conventional T2* mapping, and UTE-T2* mapping sequences before and after standardized arthroscopic partial and complete PCL transection. Following manual segmentation, quantitative T2* and underlying texture features (i.e., energy, homogeneity, and variance) were analyzed for each specimen and PCL condition, both for the entire PCL and its subregions. For statistical analysis, Friedman’s test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison test was used against the level of significance of P≤0.01.ResultsFor the entire PCL, T2* was significantly increased as a function of injury when acquired with the UTE-T2* sequence [entire PCL: 11.1±3.1 ms (intact); 10.9±4.6 ms (partial); 14.3±4.9 ms (complete); P<0.001], but not when acquired with the conventional T2* sequence [entire PCL: 10.0±3.2 ms (intact); 11.4±6.2 ms (partial); 15.5±7.8 ms (complete); P=0.046]. The PCL subregions and texture variables showed variable changes indicative of injury-associated disorganization.ConclusionsIn contrast to the conventional T2* mapping, UTE-T2* mapping is more receptive in the detection of structural damage of the PCL and allows quantitative assessment of ligament (ultra-)structure and integrity that may help to improve diagnostic differentiation of distinct injury states. Once further substantiated beyond the in-situ setting, UTE-T2* mapping may refine diagnostic evaluation of PCL injuries and -possibly- monitor ligament healing, ageing, degeneration, and inflammation.

Evaluation of Pentoxifylline efficacy in Socket healing in Type-2 Diabetic adult males

Introduction: because of lack of proper documented literature, many oral health professionals in diabetic patients citing reasons like delayed wound healing, dry socket and pain defer minor oral surgical treatments including extractions. All of those factors can have significant implications and negative impacts on the standard of lifetime of the individuals. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Pentoxifylline (PTX) on socket healing after mandibular molar tooth extraction in diabetic males in Syria. Various parameters like post-extraction pain (PeP) and the number of leukocytes and epithelial cells, which are initial parameters for healing socket. Methods: 22 older than 40 years male participants were divided into 3 group. Group 1(Control) was 8 participants, group 2 (Case) was 8 participants and group 3 (Case+Treated) was 6 participants got 400 mg sustained release tablet of PTX once a day for a week before of mandibular molar tooth extraction. For three days after the extraction, non-parametric pain values were as assessed by the participant and dry socket was diagnosed. Non-stimulated mixed saliva samples were collected by draining method to count leukocytes and epithelial cells. The sample was stained with Giemsa’s stain and examined microscopically. The statistical analyses were done using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Sidak's multiple comparison test for the parameter data and also the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test for non-parametric data. Results: on comparing PeP in group 1 against group 2 or group 2 against group 3 was no statistical significance altogether studied days. On comparing dry socket, presence in group 1 against group 2 or group 2 against group 3 was no statistical significance all told studied days. On comparing epithelial cells count in group 1 against group 2 was a statistically significant difference (P value =0.0011) but in group 2 against group 3 was no statistical significance. On comparing leukocytes count in group 1 against group or group 2 against group 3 was a statistically significant difference (P value =0.0140) (P value =0.0458). Conclusion: PTX increased leukocytes number 1 h after extraction, which is critical for socket healing as acute response during a heamostasis and inflammatory phase, but it did not improve of pain or prevent dry socket incidence. The sample of study was small and limited, so larger samples of other research studies are needed to substantiate our findings.

Rinsing postprocessing procedure of a 3D-printed orthodontic appliance material: Impact of alternative post-rinsing solutions on the roughness, flexural strength and cytotoxicity

ObjectiveThe present study evaluated the effect of different rinsing postprocessing solutions on surface characteristics, flexural strength, and cytotoxicity of an additive manufactured polymer for orthodontic appliances. These solutions have been deemed an alternative to the standard isopropanol which is a flammable liquid, known to have toxic effects. MethodsTested specimens were manufactured using direct light processing of an orthodontic appliance polymer (FREEPRINT® splint 2.0, Detax) and post-processed with different post-rinsing solutions, including isopropanol (IPA), ethanol (EtOH), EASY 3D Cleaner (EYC), Yellow Magic7 (YM7), and RESINAWAY (RAY), respectively. All groups were post-cured following the manufacturer’s instructions. Surface topography and roughness (Ra and Rv) were evaluated. In addition, flexural strength was measured by a three-point bending test. An extract test was performed to evaluate cytotoxicity. The data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's multiple comparisons test (p < 0.05). ResultsVarious post-rinsing solutions did not significantly affect the roughness values (Ra and Rv). Specimens post-processed with EtOH (98.1 ± 12.4 MPa) and EYC (101.1 ± 6.3 MPa) exhibited significantly lower flexural strength compared to the groups of IPA (110.7 ± 5.3 MPa), RAY (112.1 ± 5.6 MPa) and YM7 (117.3 ± 5.9 MPa), respectively. Finally, there were no cytotoxic effects of parts cleaned with different post-rinsing solutions. SignificanceConsidering the use of 3D-printed orthodontic appliance materials, different rinsing postprocessing procedures did not affect surface characteristics. However, the flexural strength was significantly influenced, which could be attributed to the chemical ingredients of the post-rinsing solutions. Various post-rinsing treatments had no alternation concerning cytocompatibility.

Association between academic degrees and research productivity: an assessment of Canadian academic general surgeons.

Background:For academic hiring committees and surgical trainees, the benefits of a graduate degree are unclear. We sought to identify if graduate degrees or professorship status were associated with increased research productivity among Canadian academic surgeons.Methods:We included general surgeons from the largest hospitals associated with accredited residency programs. We classified staff surgeons active between 2013 and 2018 by degree (MD only, master’s degree, PhD) and professorship (assistant, associate, professor) status. We identified their publications from January 2013 to December 2018. Variables of interest included publications per year, citations per article, journal of publication, CiteScore, author’s Hirsch (h) index and the revised h-index (r-index). We used Kruskal–Wallis tests and the Dunn multiple comparison test to assess statistical significance.Results:We identified 3262 publications from 187 surgeons, including 78 (41.7%) with no graduate degree, 84 (44.9%) with master’s degrees and 25 (13.4%) with PhDs. Surgeons with graduate degrees had more publications per year, higher CiteScores, more citations per article, and higher h- and r-indices than those without graduate degrees. Surgeons with doctorates had the highest median values in all domains, but differences were not significant compared with surgeons with master’s degrees. Seventy-seven (41.8%) surgeons were assistant professors, 63 (34.2%) were associate professors and 44 (23.9%) were full professors. Statistically, full professors had a greater number of publications per year and higher h- and r-indices than their counterparts.Conclusion:Surgeons with graduate degrees or more advanced professorships had the greatest research productivity. Surgeons with doctorates trended toward greater research productivity than those holding master’s degrees.

Kinetics of cellular and humoral responses to third BNT162B2 COVID-19 vaccine over six months in heart transplant recipients - implications for the omicron variant.

BackgroundThe durability of the immune response following the 3-dose BNT162b2 vaccination is unknown. The complexity of the situation is enhanced by the threat that highly transmissible variants may further accelerate the decline in the protection afforded by mRNA vaccines.MethodsOne hundred and three 3-dose-vaccinated heart transplant recipients were longitudinally assessed for the kinetics of variant-specific neutralization (Cohort 1, n = 60) and SARS-CoV-2-specific-T-cell response (Cohort 2, n = 54) over 6 months. Neutralization and T-cell responses were compared between paired samples at 2 time points, using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test for continuous variables and McNemar's test for dichotomous variables. The Bonferroni method of p values adjustment for multiple comparison was applied.ResultsThe third dose induced high neutralization of the wild-type virus and delta variant (geometric mean titer [GMT], 137.2 [95% CI, 84.8-221.9] and 80.6, [95% CI, 49.3-132.0], respectively), and to a lesser degree of the omicron variant (GMT, 10.3 [95% CI, 5.9-17.9]). At 6 months, serum neutralizing activity declined but was still high for the wild-type virus and for the delta variant (GMTs 38.1 [95% CI, 21.2-69.4], p = 0.011; and 28.9 [95% CI, 16.6-52.3], p = 0.022, respectively), but not for the omicron variant (GMT 5.9 [95% CI, 3.4-9.8], p = 0.463). The percentages of neutralizing sera against the wild-type virus, delta and omicron variants increased from 70%, 65%, and 38%, before the third dose, to 93% (p < 0.001), 88% (p < 0.001), and 48% (p = 0.021) at 3 weeks after, respectively; and remained high through the 6 months for the wild-type (80%, p = 0.06) and delta (77%, p = 0.102). The third dose induced the development of a sustained SARS-CoV-2-specific-T-cell population, which persisted through 6 months.ConclusionsThe third BNT162b2 dose elicited a durable SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell response and induced effective and durable neutralization of the wild-type virus and the delta variant, and to a lesser degree of the omicron variant.

The Effect of Breastfeeding Versus Sensorial Saturation on Infants' Behavioral Responses of Pain following Pentavalent Vaccination on 4 and 6 Month Old Infants: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Study.

ABSTRACTBackground: Pain is the fifth vital sign and its proper management in infants is important. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of breastfeeding versus sensorial saturation on infants’ behavioral responses of pain following Pentavalent vaccination on 4 and 6-month old babies.Methods: This single blind randomized controlled clinical trial study was conducted on Shahid Dastgheib Health center in Yasuj, from May to September 2016. Eligible infants (N=180) were selected using convenience sampling method. Then, using block randomization method, we assigned the participants to one of the three groups of Breastfeeding (N=60), Sensorial saturation (N=60), and Control (N=60). The infants’ behavioral responses of pain were measured using the Modified Behavioral Pain Scale (MBPS) and duration of crying following Pentavalent vaccination. Data were analyzed through SPSS software 22 using Chi square, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunn ’s multiple comparison tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The results of the study showed that the MBPS mean scores for breast feeding, sensorial saturation, and control groups in 4-month old infants were 6.60±1.60, 5.40±1.30 and 8.90±0.40, and those of 6-month old ones were 7.20±1.10, 6.10±0.90 and 9±0.50, respectively. Also, both the breastfeeding and the sensorial saturation groups scored significantly lower in behavioral responses of pain and crying duration on both 4 and 6-month old infants compared to the control group (P<0.05). Sensorial saturation group significantly scored lower in behavioral responses of pain and crying duration on 4 and 6 month old infants than the breastfeeding group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Both breastfeeding and sensorial saturation could diminish the infants’ behavioral responses of pain following Pentavalent vaccination; however, sensorial saturation was more effective than breastfeeding.Trail Registration Number: IRCT2016051527916N1

Shaping Ability of Reciprocating and Rotary Systems After Root Canal Retreatment: a CBCT Study.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the shaping ability of reciprocating and continuous rotary systems after root canal retreatment. After preparation and root canal filling, mesial canals of 54 mandibular molars were distributed into 3 groups (n=18), according to the filling material removal and re-instrumentation protocols: WOG group - WaveOne Gold system; PTN group - ProTaper Next system; and PTU group - ProTaper Universal system. Cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images acquisition of the mesial root canals was performed at different moments: (1) before instrumentation (unprepared root canals), (2) after preparation and filling, (3) after filling material removal and (4) re-instrumentation. The apical transportation (AT), centering ability (CA) and change in root canal diameter were assessed by CBCT analysis. The remaining filling material quantification was performed by radiographic examination. The statistical analyses were performed using the 3-way ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn multiple Comparison tests (p<0.05). The tested instruments did not show full CA (=1.0). PTN group had greater AT at the 5th mm in comparison with the WOG group (p<0.05). After re-instrumentation, WOG group had greater root canal diameter change at the 1st and 5th mm than PTN and PTU groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among groups when comparing the amount of remaining filling material after re-instrumentation (p>0.05). The tested systems provided minimal alteration in root canal morphology at the apical portion after root canal retreatment. However, WOG promoted greater change in root canal diameter.

Evaluation of digital construction, production and intraoral position accuracy of novel 3D CAD/CAM titanium retainers.

New opportunities have arisen to manufacture three-dimensional computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (3D CAD/CAM) retainers from titanium blocks by digital cutting technology. These novel technologies need to fulfill requirements regarding digital planning and position accuracy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the digital construction, the CAD/CAM production and the intraoral positioning accuracy of custom-manufactured novel 3D CAD/CAM titanium retainers. Atotal of 37prime4me® RETAIN3R (Dentaurum, Ispringen, Germany) retainers were inserted to stabilize the upper anterior front teeth. Following insertion, an intraoral scan was used to record the position. The intraoral position was compared to the virtual setup using 3D superimposition software. Measurement points were evaluated in all three dimensions (horizontal, sagittal and vertical planes). Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test. Atotal of 185 measurements were performed. The horizontal plane and the sagittal plane demonstrated ahigh level of positioning accuracy between the planned and the intraoral position. Statistically significant deviations between the preceding virtual setup and the intraoral situation were observed in the vertical dimension. Within the retainer, the intraoral positioning accuracy decreased for the measurement points in the direction of the distal retainer segment. Based on the results, the present study shows ahigh level of congruence between the 3D virtually planning and the final intraoral position of the fabricated novel 3D CAD/CAM titanium retainers.

A machine learning approach for identification of gastrointestinal predictors for the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalization.

Background and aimCOVID-19 can be presented with various gastrointestinal symptoms. Shortly after the pandemic outbreak, several machine learning algorithms were implemented to assess new diagnostic and therapeutic methods for this disease. The aim of this study is to assess gastrointestinal and liver-related predictive factors for SARS-CoV-2 associated risk of hospitalization.MethodsData collection was based on a questionnaire from the COVID-19 outpatient test center and from the emergency department at the University Hospital in combination with the data from internal hospital information system and from a mobile application used for telemedicine follow-up of patients. For statistical analysis SARS-CoV-2 negative patients were considered as controls in three different SARS-CoV-2 positive patient groups (divided based on severity of the disease). The data were visualized and analyzed in R version 4.0.5. The Chi-squared or Fisher test was applied to test the null hypothesis of independence between the factors followed, where appropriate, by the multiple comparisons with the Benjamini Hochberg adjustment. The null hypothesis of the equality of the population medians of a continuous variable was tested by the Kruskal Wallis test, followed by the Dunn multiple comparisons test. In order to assess predictive power of the gastrointestinal parameters and other measured variables for predicting an outcome of the patient group the Random Forest machine learning algorithm was trained on the data. The predictive ability was quantified by the ROC curve, constructed from the Out-of-Bag data. Matthews correlation coefficient was used as a one-number summary of the quality of binary classification. The importance of the predictors was measured using the Variable Importance. A 2D representation of the data was obtained by means of Principal Component Analysis for mixed type of data. Findings with the p-value below 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 710 patients were enrolled in the study. The presence of diarrhea and nausea was significantly higher in the emergency department group than in the COVID-19 outpatient test center. Among liver enzymes only aspartate transaminase (AST) has been significantly elevated in the hospitalized group compared to patients discharged home. Based on the Random Forest algorithm, AST has been identified as the most important predictor followed by age or diabetes mellitus. Diarrhea and bloating have also predictive importance, although much lower than AST.ConclusionSARS-CoV-2 positivity is connected with isolated AST elevation and the level is linked with the severity of the disease. Furthermore, using the machine learning Random Forest algorithm, we have identified the elevated AST as the most important predictor for COVID-19 related hospitalizations.