Retention Period Research Articles

Пшенично-ржаные хлебобулочные изделия c добавлением соевой окары

The enrichment of mass-produced varieties of bakery products, such as wheat and rye, is an urgent task at the present time. The use of soy okara for this purpose is due to its rich chemical composition and high ability to swell and bind moisture. The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of replacing dry soy okara flour on the properties of semi-finished products and the quality of wheat-rye bakery products. The technological properties of okara, flour and their mixtures were determined by the indicators of water binding capacity, the degree of swelling, the quantity and quality of gluten and the number of drops. Soy okara was added in an amount of 3–12% in increments of 3% instead of flour. Okara was not added to the control sample. In the test, the acidity was determined by titration, the maximum shear stress and adhesion on the device Structurometer ST-1. The quality of the finished bread was evaluated according to the indicators of the mass fraction of moisture, porosity, specific volume, organoleptic indicators by standard and generally accepted methods. The preservation of the freshness of bakery products was assessed by the change in the moisture content of the crumb and its swelling during storage. It was found that in soy okara, the water binding capacity and the degree of swelling are higher than in flour by 2,45–2,8 times and 20–25%, respectively. The introduction of soy okara helps to reduce the amount of raw gluten by 0,45–1,8%, the IDC­index by 2–8 units of the device, and also reduces the number of drops by 8–35 seconds compared to the control. As a result of the conducted studies, it was found that the moisture, acidity, viscosity increases in the experimental samples of the test with soy okara and the adhesion decreases accordingly by 1,8–5,2%, 0,1–0,7%, 7,2–28,8%, 2,3–11,2%. The introduction of 9% soy okara instead of flour does not reduce the quality of finished products. At the same time, the yield increases by 13,7%, the freshness retention period by 24 hours, the calcium and fiber content increases by 20,3% and 4 times, respectively, the biological value increases by 3%, and the energy value decreases by 10% compared to the control.

Ability of piezocision to retain orthodontically moved teeth in a goat model: A split-mouth study.

OBJECTIVES:to evaluate the effectiveness of piezocision in enhancing retention when performed after orthodontic tooth movement.METHODS:Four mature goats had their second incisors removed bilaterally. For each goat, the two sides of the mandible were either treated with piezocision or served as a positive control. Using fixed orthodontic appliance, the first and third incisors on each side were approximated and then retained in place for two weeks. Relapse was measured by the amount of space developed between the approximated incisors after six weeks from the end of the retention period. The periodontal ligament of all incisors was assessed histologically with micro computed tomography and regular hematoxylin and eosin staining.RESULTS:A significantly less relapse was observed in the piezocision group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Bone formation occurs in the vicinity and periphery of the periodontal ligament and thus results in the narrowing of the periodontal ligament.CONCLUSION:A protocol of post-orthodontic retention involving piezocision can be promising to enhance stability of orthodontic treatment outcome.

Retrospective Study Regarding Orthodontic Retention Complications in Clinical Practice

At the end of any orthodontic treatment, retention is a necessary phase. Unfortunately, the current retention devices and the lack of proper oral hygiene on the part of patients lead to the accumulation of dental plaque, periodontal inflammation, and gingival retraction. Our retrospective study included 116 adult patients wearing various types of orthodontic retainers. To quantitatively determine the accumulation of dental plaque, we used the Quigley–Hein plaque index modified by Turesky and the Navy plaque index modified by Rustogi. Another studied parameter was related to the gingival recession associated with retention devices. We had investigated the correctness of patients’ dental hygiene, their preferences for auxiliary means of oral hygiene, the consistency with which they wear the mobile retainers, and respect the orthodontist’s instructions; we also investigated the inconveniences and the accidents that may occur during the retention period. Statistical analysis showed that plaque accumulation is significantly lower in the case of mobile retainer than fixed retainer wearers; the exception was the Hawley plate, where the interdental plaque was more than in all the other studied retainers. Periodontal recessions were more frequent in the case of fixed retainer wearing. Flossing was the most commonly used auxiliary mean for oral hygiene. The compliance of women in wearing vacuum-formed retainers was better than that of men. Patients with a class III history had more plaque accumulation, and class II/1 had the most problems related to detachment/damage of fixed retainers. Mobile retainers proved better results for oral hygiene, but fixed retainers cannot be waved.

Phytoremediation of Physico-chemical Parameters in Wastewater Effluents from Car Wash Bays in Yenagoa Metropolis, Nigeria

Surface water pollution through the discharge of untreated wastewater is on the increase globally. Efforts made using conventional techniques had not yielded the needed results. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of some native aquatic plants for the removal of some physico–chemical parameters from car wash wastewater effluents in Yenagoa metropolis. The plants used for this study were lemna minor, nymphaea nouchalli, pistia-stratiotes, eichhornia crassipes and ceratophyllum demersum; while the physico-chemical parameters investigated in this study include pH, DO, COD, BOD5, NO3, PO4 and turbidity. The wastewater samples collected from car wash bays were analysed to determine the level of the physico-chemical parameters concentrations using standard methods. The experiment was conducted in a green house for 42 days retention period. The results indicated that the cultured plants reduced the physico-chemical parameters to a minimum level, except DO, which increased in concentration. Therefore, they are considered good bioremediators of the parameters under review and the bioremediation potentials of the plants are in the order of P. stratiotes > L. minor > E. crassipes > N. nouchalli> C. demersum. It is therefore recommended that these plants should be used to treat wastewater effluents based on the investigated physico-chemical parameters.

Postural Control in Older Adults During and Following a 12-Week Balance Training Intervention With Attentional Focus Instructions

Adults (N = 54, 80.78 ± 6.08 years) who reported falling during the previous 12 months participated in a 12-week wobble board training program with internal focus or external focus (EF) instructions. Verbal manipulation checks were performed after training sessions as a self-report of the attentional foci used. The percentage of sessions in which participants reported using an EF (EFSR) was subsequently calculated. Mean velocity and mean power frequency in the anterior–posterior (MVELOAP and MPFAP) and medial–lateral (MVELOML and MPFML) direction were assessed during a 35-s wobble board task at Weeks 0, 6, 12, 13, 16, and 20, with the latter three as retention tests. Piecewise linear growth models estimated treatment effects on individual growth trajectories of MVELOAP and ML and MPFAP and ML during intervention and retention periods. Regardless of condition, MVELOML significantly decreased (π = −.0019, p = .005) and MPFML increased (π = .025, p < .02) during the intervention period. In analyses including interaction terms, participants in the EF group who reported greater EFSR had superior progression of MPFAP during the intervention (π = .0013, p = .025). Verbal manipulation checks suggest a preference for and advantage of EF for facilitating postural control performance and automaticity.

Effects of nitrogen reduction combined with organic materials on crop yield, photosynthetic characteristics, and product quality of corn-cabbage rotation system

Nitrogen reduction combined with organic materials is an important measure to achieve or even increase crop yield retention at the background of fertilizer reduction. We conducted a pot experiment to explore the effects of nitrogen reduction combined with organic materials on yield, photosynthetic characteristics, and product quality of agricultural products of maize-cabbage rotation system in yellow soil area of Guizhou. There were five treatments, including no fertilizer (CK), conventional fertilizer (CF), nitrogen reduction (20%, the same below) combined with biochar (RF+B), nitrogen reduction combined with rapeseed cake (RF+O), and nitrogen reduction combined with both biochar and rapeseed cake (RF+BO). Leaf photosynthetic characteristics were measured in maize (seedling stage, jointing stage, heading stage, and mature stage) and cabbage (seedling stage, growing stage and harvest stage). The biological characters, yield and quality indices were investigated in the harvest period. Compared with CF, RF+BO significantly enhanced the yield of corn and cabbage by 9.7% and 39.2%, respectively, while RF+O had no effect, and RF+B did not affet maize yield. RF+BO improved the biological properties of maize and cabbage, including the 100-kernel weight of maize, and plant height, maximum leaf length and total biomass of cabbage. Furthermore, the green holding period and high photosynthetic duration of maize and cabbage were prolonged, among which, maize leaf SPAD was increased respectively by 42.7%, 11.0%, 12.8%, and 30.3% at seedling, jointing, heading, and mature stages, the cabbage leaf SPAD was increased by 13.5%, 9.2%, and 30.3% in seedling, growing and harvest stages, respectively. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of maize was increased by 11.1%, 10.9%, and 119.8% in seedling, jointing, and mature stages, while that of cabbage was increased by 12.7% and 14.6% in growing and harvest stages, respectively. The stomatal conductance (gs) of maize was increased by 58.3% and 41.7% in jointing and harvest stages, while that of cabbage was increased by 10%, 64.7%, and 19.2% in seedling, growing, and harvest stages, respectively. The transpiration rate (Tr) of maize was increased by 55.0%, 10.6%, 14.0%, and 143.9% in seedling, jointing, heading, and mature stages, respectively, while that of cabbage was increased by 26.1% in growing stage. The nutritional quality of maize and cabbage was significantly improved. The contents of reducing sugar, starch, and crude protein in maize were increased by 16.2%, 3.5% and 20.3%. The contents of Vc, amino acid, and reducing sugar in cabbage were increased by 26.3%, 21.0% and 27.8%, separately. In conclusion, 20% nitrogen reduction combined with biochar and rapeseed cake had positive effects on crop growth, yield increase, green retention period, high photosynthetic duration, and agricultural product quality improvement in Guizhou yellow soil maize-cabbage rotation system, the overall effect of which was the best. Nitrogen reduction combined with single organic material overally did not affect crop yield, photosynthetic characteristics, and quality.

Clinical Management of End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis Receiving Radioactive Iodine Treatment.

Radioactive iodine (RAI) is used to treat thyroid cancer patients with a clear paradigm for most patients. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients pose several challenges when undergoing RAI treatment, primarily due to the lack of renal clearance. We retrospectively report our experience with RAI treatment in a cohort of patients with ESRD and provide a set of recommendations on aspects such as the need for adjusted dose activity, balancing scheduling between RAI therapy and dialysis, and radiation safety precautions. In this study, we report on 5 patients (6 cases), with ESRD on dialysis, treated with RAI for thyroid cancer. Retention measurements to determine individual biological clearance of RAI from the patient's body before and after dialysis sessions were assessed using external exposure dose rates measured at 1 m. Delayed biological clearance of RAI, after the first hemodialysis session, resulted in a longer RAI effective half-life as a consequence of longer retention periods, consistent with observations reported in scientific literature. To achieve a much closer radiation exposure compared with a nondialysis patient, one would recommend administering ~20%-30% of the dose activity normally administered to a thyroid cancer patient based on their medical history, histopathology, and uptake with the appropriate dialysis schedule. Special precautions should be taken with the administration of RAI in ESRD patients by adjusting the prescribed dose activity, dialysis sessions, and paying special attention to wastes. Pooling data from multiple centers may be useful to build a consensus and substantiated recommendations.

Effect of methylphenidate at different doses on new bone formation with rapid maxillary expansion: A micro-CT and histomorphometric study in rats.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of systemically administered methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH) on new bone formation in premaxillary suture after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Thirty-three Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Group 1 (high dose, 30/60mg/kg MPH), Group 2 (low dose, 4/10mg/kg MPH), Group 3 (positive control) and Group 4 (negative control). RME was applied on the 70th day of the study. A 5-day RME period was followed by a 12-day retention period. The experiment was terminated on the 87th day. Micro-CT for radiological evaluation, haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining methods were used for histomorphometric evaluation. Among experimental groups with RME, the lowest number of osteoblasts and capillaries in Group 1 (P<.05). New bone formation, fibrous callus formation, distal osteotomy line, proximal osteotomy union and cortex remodelling were observed to be lower in Group 1 and Group 2 than Group 3 (P<.05). There was a statistically significant difference between Group 4 and each of the other groups (P=.000) in the evaluation of the results for bone mineral density, bone volume, bone volume percentage, trabecular thickness and trabecular number. MPH reduces cellular activity for new bone formation in suture in RME groups. Before performing rapid maxillary expansion in patients using MPH, the use of the drug should be postponed after a multidisciplinary decision process or clinical doses should be lowered.

Appraisal of Cumulative Volume of Biogas Produced from Water Hyacinth and Selected Animal Dungs Co-Digestion Mixes

Water Hyancinth (WH) was co-digested with different mix ratios of poultry manure (PM), cow dung (CD) and pig dung (PD). A comparative analysis of the cumulative volume of gas produced from the different co-digestion mixes was carried out. The monitoring of the digestion process was done on a daily basis for a retention period of 40 days. The efficacy of the digestion process as well as the best mix ratio of water hyacinth to the different animal dungs was also evaluated in terms of the volume of gas produced. A rotameter with a capacity of 0.1-1L/Min equipped with a measuring tube was used for the gas flow measurements. From the results obtained the best mix of the PD-aided WH digestion is 3 WH:7 PD while CD - aided WH digestion is 2 WH:8 CD and PM-aided WH digestion is 2 WH: 8 PM. The study also revealed that the PM-aided WH mix produced more biogas compared to the CD-aided and PD-aided WH digestion mix.

Biogas Quantity and Quality from Digestion and Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Cow Dung

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The aim of this study is to assess the quantity and quality of biogas produced from single substrate digestion of food waste and cow dung as well as co-digestion of food waste and cow dung. Laboratory sized 25 litre plastic biodigesters were used in this study and the digestion processes was carried out for a 30 day retention period. The results revealed that the cumulative biogas production for the single substrate digestion of cow dung was 7,975 ml, the cumulative biogas produced for the single substrate digestion of food waste was 7,742.5 ml while the cumulative volume of biogas produced for the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste was 16,482.5 ml. The results also showed that the total volume of methane produced for the single substrate digestion of cow dung was 955 ml while the total methane produced for the single substrate digestion of the food waste was 765. The total production of methane for the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste was found to be 2,655 ml. This study revealed that though the co-digestion process improved biogas quantity and quality, the percentage methane present in the biogas very low. There would be a need to stimulate the digestion and co-digestion process in order to improve the quality of biogas produced.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Analgesic Mechanisms of Steroid Ointment against Oral Ulcerative Mucositis in a Rat Model.

Despite the long history of use of steroid ointments for oral mucositis, the analgesic mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of triamcinolone acetonide (Tmc) on oral ulcerative mucositis-induced pain in conscious rats by our proprietary assay system. Based on evaluations of the physical properties and retention periods in the oral mucosa of human volunteers and rats, we selected TRAFUL® ointment as a long-lasting base. In oral ulcerative mucositis model rats, TRAFUL® with Tmc suppressed cyclooxygenase-dependent inflammatory responses with upregulations of glucocorticoid receptor-induced anti-inflammatory genes and inhibited spontaneous nociceptive behavior. When an ointment with a shorter residual period was used, the effects of Tmc were not elicited or were induced to a lesser extent. Importantly, TRAFUL® with Tmc also improved oral ulcerative mucositis-induced mechanical allodynia, which has been reported to be independent of cyclooxygenase. Ca2+ imaging in dissociated trigeminal ganglion neurons showed that long-term preincubation with Tmc inhibited the hypertonic stimulation-induced Ca2+ response. These results suggest that the representative steroid Tmc suppresses oral ulcerative mucositis-induced pain by general anti-inflammatory actions and inhibits mechanical sensitivity in peripheral nerves. For drug delivery, long-lasting ointments such as TRAFUL® are needed to sufficiently induce the therapeutic effects.

One-year comparative assessment of retention of arch width increases between modified vacuum-formed and Hawley retainers.

To compare the clinical effectiveness of Hawley retainers (HRs) and modified vacuum-formed retainers (mVFRs) with palatal coverage in maintaining transverse expansion during a 12-month retention period. Data were collected from postorthodontic treatment patients who met the inclusion criteria. A total of 35 patients were randomly allocated using a centralized randomization technique into either mVFR (n = 18) or HR group (n = 17). The outcome assessor and data analyst were blinded to the retention method. Dental casts of patients were evaluated at debond, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months of retention. Intercanine width (ICW), interpremolar width (IPMW), interfirst molar mesiobuccal cusp width 1 (IFMW1), and interfirst molar distobuccal cusp width 2 (IFMW2) were compared between groups over time using mixed analysis of variance. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for ICW (P = .76), IPMW (P = .63), IFMW1 (P = .16), and IFMW2 (P = .40) during the 12-month retention period. The null hypothesis could not be rejected. HR and mVFR had similar clinical effectiveness in the retention of transverse expansion cases during a 12-month retention period.

Distractor filtering and its electrophysiological correlates in schizophrenia

ObjectivePatients with schizophrenia are characterized by compromised working memory (WM) performance and increased distractibility. Theta synchronization (especially over the frontal midline areas) is related to cognitive control and executive processes during WM encoding and retention. Alpha event-related desynchronization (ERD) is associated with information processing and attention. MethodsParticipants (35 patients and 39 matched controls) performed a modified Sternberg WM task, containing salient and non-salient distractor items in the retention period. A high-density 128 channel EEG was recorded during the task. Theta (4–7 Hz) and fast alpha (10–13 Hz) event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) were analyzed during the retention and encoding period. ResultsPatients with schizophrenia showed worse WM performance and increased attentional distractibility in terms of lower hit rates and increased distractor-related commission errors compared to healthy controls. Theta synchronization was modulated by condition (learning vs. distractor) in both groups but it was modulated by salience only in controls. Furthermore, salience of distractors modulated less the fast alpha ERD in patients. ConclusionsOur results suggest that patients with schizophrenia process salient and non-salient distracting information less efficiently and show weaker cognitive control compared to controls. SignificanceThese differences may partly account for diminished WM performance and increased distractibility in schizophrenia.

A comparison of simultaneously-obtained measures of listening effort: pupil dilation, verbal response time and self-rating

Objective The aim of this study was to assess to what extent simultaneously-obtained measures of listening effort (task-evoked pupil dilation, verbal response time [RT], and self-rating) could be sensitive to auditory and cognitive manipulations in a speech perception task. The study also aimed to explore the possible relationship between RT and pupil dilation. Design A within-group design was adopted. All participants were administered the Matrix Sentence Test in 12 conditions (signal-to-noise ratios [SNR] of −3, −6, −9 dB; attentional resources focussed vs divided; spatial priors present vs absent). Study sample Twenty-four normal-hearing adults, 20–41 years old (M = 23.5), were recruited in the study. Results A significant effect of the SNR was found for all measures. However, pupil dilation discriminated only partially between the SNRs. Neither of the cognitive manipulations were effective in modulating the measures. No relationship emerged between pupil dilation, RT and self-ratings. Conclusions RT, pupil dilation, and self-ratings can be obtained simultaneously when administering speech perception tasks, even though some limitations remain related to the absence of a retention period after the listening phase. The sensitivity of the three measures to changes in the auditory environment differs. RTs and self-ratings proved most sensitive to changes in SNR.

Investigating the efficacy of CeO2 multi-layered triangular nanosheets for augmenting cathodic hydrogen peroxide production in microbial fuel cell

The current investigation deals with the synthesis of multi-layered triangular nanosheets of CeO2 with a quasi-planar geometry and its application as a cathode catalyst for accelerated cathodic reduction of O2 to H2O2 in a dual chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating simulated domestic wastewater. The unique structure of CeO2 facilitated local storage of oxygen at nanoscale level and high oxygen reduction activity as evident from the cyclic voltammogram, which enabled a higher rate of cathodic H2O2 electrosynthesis. The MFC containing CeO2 catalyst (MFC-CAT) exhibited the highest H2O2 production of 221.4 ± 18.94 mg L−1 in 24 h; while the MFC with bare carbon electrode (MFC-C) exhibited 133.4 ± 11.16 mg L−1 under similar operating conditions. The highest specific H2O2 yield achieved with an influent COD of 1000 mg L−1 in the anodic chamber and an external resistance of 10 Ω was 13.16 ± 2.22 mg L−1 h−1 at the end of 4 h for MFC-CAT. The power density of 179.23 mW m−2 was observed for MFC-CAT in the same operational stage. In comparison, MFC-C exhibited a maximum specific H2O2 yield of 7.44 ± 0.89 mg L−1 h−1 for a retention period of 8 h and a power density of 96.1 mW m−2. Results of the present investigation revealed that synthesized ceria as cathode catalyst can facilitate a higher yield of H2O2 in the catholyte, while simultaneously enhancing the electrical performance compared to bare carbon catalyst.

Shielding working-memory representations from temporally predictable external interference

Protecting working-memory content from distracting external sensory inputs and intervening tasks is an ubiquitous demand in daily life. Here, we ask whether and how temporal expectations about external events can help mitigate effects of such interference during working-memory retention. We manipulated the temporal predictability of interfering items that occurred during the retention period of a visual working-memory task and report that temporal expectations reduce the detrimental influence of external interference on subsequent memory performance. Moreover, to determine if the protective effects of temporal expectations rely on distractor suppression or involve shielding of internal representations, we compared effects after irrelevant distractors that could be ignored vs. interrupters that required a response. Whereas distractor suppression may be sufficient to confer protection from predictable distractors, any benefits after interruption are likely to involve memory shielding. We found similar benefits of temporal expectations after both types of interference. We conclude that temporal expectations may play an important role in safeguarding behaviour based on working memory – acting through mechanisms that include the shielding of internal content from external interference.

Tango Together: Developing and Implementing Dance Workshops in a Memory Care Center

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> The objectives of this program were to examine the feasibility of a dance program for persons with dementia and their family caregivers in a memory center and to examine its impact on physical function and socialization. <h3>Design</h3> Pre-post design. <h3>Setting</h3> The intervention and data collection took place at a memory care center in Boerne, Texas. <h3>Participants</h3> 37 community members completed the dance program, and 6 of those individuals participated in the pilot study. Of the sample who completed pre and post testing (n=6), 5 were female, living with dementia and 1 was a male caregiver, with an average age of 85 years. <h3>Interventions</h3> The Tango Together program was designed by an interdisciplinary team of students to improve balance, sensory stimulation, fine motor skills and motivation. Students also incorporated fall-prevention and caretaker education into the program. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Data were collected before and after completion of the Tango Together dance program. Gait parameters were recorded from the Strideway gait mat including gait velocity (cm/sec), step length and stride length (cm) for both right and left legs. <h3>Results</h3> All 6 participants completed the dance program successfully with no adverse events. Gait velocity (54.8±20.7 to 68.6±23.1 cm/s), step length for right side (34±10.6 to 40.4±11.3 cm) and stride length for both right (70.5±20.5 to 81.2±23 cm) and left (70.9±21.2 to 80.9±22.5 cm) improved significantly (p < 0.05) after completion of the Tango Together program. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Development of this program provides the groundwork for delivering a dance-based program for individuals with dementia. Results from this pilot study indicate the feasibility of a community based dance intervention in improving gait parameters for individuals with dementia. Future studies with larger sample sizes and including a retention period need to be conducted. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> Each of the authors declares that he or she has no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this abstract.

Retention Rates and the Associated Risk Factors of Turnover among Newly Hired Nurses at South Korean Hospitals: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

This retrospective cohort study analyzed the turnover rate and the risk factors of turnover among newly hired nurses at tertiary and secondary hospitals in South Korea. Using National Health Insurance Service data, this study created a cohort of 21,050 newly hired nurses across 304 hospitals in 2018, with a follow-up period of 18 months. Retention and turnover risk factors were analyzed at 6-month intervals. Differences in retention period according to hospitals’ organizational characteristics and nurses’ individual characteristics were analyzed using the chi-squared test. The likelihood of staying at work was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival curves with the log-rank test, and the hazard ratios of turnover at each retention period were analyzed using multilevel Cox proportional hazards analysis. The turnover rate of newly hired nurses within 1 year of employment was 26.4%, with 20.1% resigning within 6 months, and 6.3% resigning between 7 and 12 months. For all retention periods, turnover risk was associated with a higher bed-to-nurse ratio and older age. Higher standardized monthly income was associated with lower turnover between 13 and 18 months. Hospitals should develop nurse-retention strategies that consider risk factors for turnover. To reduce turnover, adequate nursing personnel should be maintained and fair compensation should be offered.

Does orthognathic treatment improve patients’ psychosocial well-being?

Objective To analyse changes in patients’ psychosocial well-being from before treatment until post-surgical orthodontic treatment (including retention) is completed. Materials and methods Data was collected six times: before treatment (T0), 6–8 weeks after the placement of orthodontic appliances (T2), 3–4 weeks before surgery (T3), six weeks after surgery (T4), one year after surgery (T5) and after completing orthodontic treatment (T6; 20–57 months after surgery). At T0, 60 patients participated while at T6, data was available for 15 patients. All patients completed the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire (RSES), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II) and the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). All pairwise comparisons between variables were conducted with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results OQLQ function, RSES, AAQ-II and SCL GSI worsened from T0 to T2. At T5, improvements compared to T0 were found in all aspects of OQLQ and SCL GSI. When comparing results at T6 to T0, improvements where only found in OQLQ sum, OQLQ facial aesthetics and OQLQ function. Conclusions Although well-being of orthognathic patients seems to improve during treatment, many improvements cannot be verified anymore at the completion of the retention period. Most stable changes are found in the oral function component and in the facial aesthetics component of the OQLQ.

Assessment of the effects of maternal deprivation in offspring treated with ultra-high diluted Zincum metallicum in rats

Introduction: Clinical studies have shown that adverse events in childhood can lead to the development of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, in adolescence and adulthood in humans. Manipulations with laboratory animals, such as maternal deprivation (MD), are a source of stress for the offspring and can be a useful tool for the understanding how these events in the early period of development can lead to behavioral changes in adulthood. Studies about the use of homeopathic ultra-high dilutions as tools to minimize stress are found in the literature, i.e. Zincum metallicum is used for the treatment of neurological and behavioral symptoms, including: weakening of intellectual functions with brain and nervous exhaustion, loss of vitality, slow comprehension, memory disorder, general tremor and constant movements. These alterations can be characterized as stress-related phenomena in different species. &#x0D; Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of homeopathic treatment in animals subjected to stress in their early days (maternal deprivation). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Santo Amaro (UNISA), according to Process number 11/2014.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In this study, newborn female rats were subjected to maternal deprivation and treated from the 10th day of lactation (PND10) until weaning (PND21). The animals were divided in 4 groups: 8 treated with Zincum metallicum 30 cH (Zn30cH); 8 treated with Zincum metallicum 6 cH (Zn6cH); 8 treated with 10% hydroalcoholic solution (medicines in blind trials, identified by codes); and 8 animals who had neither taken anything (“blank control”) nor experienced deprivation. The animals were weighed weekly, from weaning until the end of the experiment, and evaluated in the Open Field (OF) and in the Plus Maze (PM) devices to measure mobility, emotionality and anxiety, in 3 moments: in PND21 (childhood), during puberty (PND 40) and adulthood (PND75). Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA, followed by the Bartlett's Test and Bonferroni's Multiple Comparison Test, being p≤0.05. &#x0D; Results and Discussion: In the OF, it was observed reduction of immobility in Zn6cH group (p≤0.05) at PND21. At PND40, the Zn30cH group showed higher activity than the other groups, with increased rearing and decreased immobility (p≤0.05). Finely, at PND75 (adulthood) no change occurred, and Zincum metallicum treated rats presented similar behavior to the undeprived animals. In the PM, at PND21, the Zn30cH treated deprived group showed decrease in the open arm entry and retention period in the Maze, compared to the control undeprived group (p≤0.05). The time in the closed arm was higher than the undeprived control group and the number of head dips was lower (p≤0.05). The PM observation at 45 and 75 days showed no statistical difference among groups. The deprived animals which took Zn30cH obtained the same gain that the undeprived animals did (p≤0.05). Therefore, the deprived animals that presented anxiety during childhood were in accordance to other studies, showing that maternal deprivation is a stress factor that causes anxiety. However, the time of emotional unbalance was shorter in rats treated with Zincum metallicum. &#x0D; Conclusion: Zincum metallicum 30 cH seems to be a potential medicine to manage troubles in the childhood derived from stress caused by maternal deprivation. However, other studies are already underway with male offspring and neurochemical measurements, for a better parameter of results.