Tag: pubmed

J Clin Exp Dent. 2021 Sep 1;13(9):e920-e926. doi: 10.4317/jced.58368. eCollection 2021 Sep.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the masticatory efficiency, the maximum voluntary occlusal bite force (MVOBF) and the electrical activity (EMG) of masticatory muscles of practitioners of upper limb bodybuilding before and after physical activity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals (10 men and 10 women, age from 18 to 30 (mean of 24.7 years old) without masticatory system disorders, that regularly practice hypertrophic physical activity were submitted to the analyses of masticatory efficiency, MVOBF, and surface EMG of the temporalis and masseter muscles. The masticatory efficiency was analyzed by comminution of the artificial material (Optocal®) and a sieving method. The MVOBF was measured by a dynamometer, and EMG was evaluated during resting mandibular position, maximum voluntary clenching (MVC), and MVC with a Parafilm M tape between teeth, and free mastication of chewing gum. The analyses were made before (T0) and immediately after the performance of upper limb bodybuilding exercises (T1). The data of masticatory efficiency and MVOBF were submitted to the Student T-test, and their correlations were analyzed by the Pearson correlation test, and the EMG data were submitted to the 2-way repeated measures ANOVA, all tests with a 5% significance.

RESULTS: There was a significant decrease of masticatory efficiency after the training. No statistical difference in the MVOBF and EMG was found, and there was a positive correlation between masticatory efficiency and MVOBF.

CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, changes were found for masticatory efficiency only, which decreased after hypertrophic exercise. There was a positive correlation between masticatory efficiency and MVOBF. Key words:Masticatory efficiency, bite force, physical activity, electromyography.

PMID:34603621 | PMC:PMC8464386 | DOI:10.4317/jced.58368

J Clin Exp Dent. 2021 Sep 1;13(9):e859-e865. doi: 10.4317/jced.58064. eCollection 2021 Sep.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The first state of alarm due to COVID-19 in Spain led to limit dental treatment exclusively to emergencies. The objective of the survey was to evaluate the amount and type of emergencies attended during this period, as well as to know how they were solved, and what measures were adopted to carry out dental care in these exceptional circumstances.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 312 Spanish dentists, who fulfilled an online questionnaire with 22 closed questions, divided into five sections regarding to various aspects of professional dental profile and emergency care. Descriptive statistic and Chi-square tests were performed (p<0.05).

RESULTS: 75.64% of respondents attended emergencies in person only when required, being dental pain the main emergency (90.38%). Dental emergency care in person involved a prior telephone triage of the patient to identify possible COVID-19 symptoms, as well as protective measures implementation for both, the patient and the dentist, at dental office.

CONCLUSIONS: The number of dental emergencies decreased during the state of alarm, being dental pain the main cause of dental assistance via telephone or in person. Triage of patients before scheduling an in-person appointment and protective measures implementation were common features in dental emergency care during the first state of alarm period. Key words:Dental emergencies, COVID-19, state of alarm, survey.

PMID:34603614 | PMC:PMC8464389 | DOI:10.4317/jced.58064

Nutr Res Pract. 2021 Oct;15(5):541-554. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2021.15.5.541. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones (ISFs) are effective in preventing bone loss, but not effective enough to prevent osteoporosis. Mixtures of soy ISF and lecithin (LCT) were prepared and characterized in an attempt to improve the bone loss.

MATERIALS/METHODS: The daidzein (DZ) and genistein (GN) solubility in soy ISF were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The change in the crystalline characteristics of soy ISF in LCT was evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis. Pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to evaluate and compare ISF bioavailability. Animal studies with ovariectomized (OVX) mice were carried out to estimate the effects on bone loss. The Student’s t-test was used to evaluate statistical significance.

RESULTS: The solubility of DZ and GN in LCT was 125.6 and 9.7 mg/L, respectively, which were approximately 25 and 7 times higher, respectively, than those in water. The bioavailability determined by the area under the curve of DZ for the oral administration (400 mg/kg) of soy ISF alone and the soy ISF-LCT mixture was 13.19 and 16.09 µg·h/mL, respectively. The bone mineral density of OVX mice given soy ISF-LCT mixtures at ISF doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg daily was 0.189 ± 0.020 and 0.194 ± 0.010 g/mm³, respectively, whereas that of mice given 100 mg/kg soy ISF was 0.172 ± 0.028 g/mm³. The number of osteoclasts per bone perimeter was reduced by the simultaneous administration of soy ISF and LCT.

CONCLUSIONS: The effect of preventing bone loss and osteoclast formation by ingesting soy ISF and LCT at the same time was superior to soy ISF alone as the bioavailability of ISF may have been improved by the emulsification and solvation of LCT. These results suggest the possibility of using the combination of soy ISF and LCT to prevent osteoporosis.

PMID:34603603 | PMC:PMC8446686 | DOI:10.4162/nrp.2021.15.5.541

J Clin Exp Dent. 2021 Sep 1;13(9):e849-e858. doi: 10.4317/jced.58025. eCollection 2021 Sep.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Oral care products containing bioactive agents obtained from extracts of plant drugs were launched. This in vitro study investigated the effects of herbal-containing toothpastes associated or not with fluoride to remineralize the enamel after cariogenic challenge with pH cycling. The chemical and physical factors of toothpastes and the enamel surface roughness after brushing were also analyzed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty bovine enamel blocks were obtained and divided into 3 thirds: intact (untreated), demineralized (artificial caries lesion), and treated (caries lesion, pH cycling, and brushing with toothpastes). Toothpastes containing herbal compounds contained no fluoride [Galla chinensis (GCH)], low-F concentration [D’Or (DOR); Herbal Bliss (HBL)], or a different fluoride type [Elmex Anticaries (EAC)]. The results were compared to NaF-containing toothpastes: 1450 and 5000 ppm. Enamel blocks were brushed with the toothpastes using a pH-cycling model (7 days). The Knoop hardness (25g/10s) of the surface and the longitudinal sections were then evaluated. The percentage of surface hardness recovery (%SHR) was calculated. The enamel surface roughness, pH, particle size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index of toothpaste slurries were also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed (α=5%).

RESULTS: No significance was observed when %SHR was compared (p>0.05). DOR, GCH, and HBL were more effective in remineralizing the enamel subsurface. Significantly higher surface roughness was observed when treated with EAC and GCH (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: All toothpastes were able to remineralize the enamel, especially the subsurface, with results equal or better than that of standard toothpastes. Key words:Enamel, hardness, roughness, toothpaste, tooth remineralization.

PMID:34603613 | PMC:PMC8464391 | DOI:10.4317/jced.58025

Bioenergy Res. 2021 Sep 28:1-27. doi: 10.1007/s12155-021-10333-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The excessive utilization of petroleum resources leads to global warming, crude oil price fluctuations, and the fast depletion of petroleum reserves. Biodiesel has gained importance over the last few years as a clean, sustainable, and renewable energy source. This review provides knowledge of biodiesel production via transesterification/esterification using different catalysts, their prospects, and their challenges. The intensive research on homogeneous chemical catalysts points to the challenges in using high free fatty acids containing oils, such as waste cooking oils and animal fats. The problems faced are soap formation and the difficulty in product separation. On the other hand, heterogeneous catalysts are more preferable in biodiesel synthesis due to their ease of separation and reusability. However, in-depth studies show the limited activity and selectivity issues. Using biomass waste-based catalysts can reduce the biodiesel production cost as the materials are readily available and cheap. The use of an enzymatic approach has gained precedence in recent times. Additionally, immobilization of these enzymes has also improved the statistics because of their excellent functional properties like easy separation and reusability. However, free/liquid lipases are also growing faster due to better mass transfer with reactants. Biocatalysts are exceptional in good selectivity and mild operational conditions, but attractive features are veiled with the operational costs. Nanocatalysts play a vital role in heterogeneous catalysis and lipase immobilization due to their excellent selectivity, reactivity, faster reaction rates owing to their higher surface area, and easy recovery from the products and reuse for several cycles.

PMID:34603592 | PMC:PMC8476987 | DOI:10.1007/s12155-021-10333-w

Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Jul 15;39:201. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2021.39.201.24420. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be affected by the existence of long-term medical conditions. This study compared the HRQoL of male and female patients living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who sought care at the antiretroviral clinic in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS: a comparative cross-sectional study with 512 female and 512 male HIV outpatients receiving care at the antiretroviral clinic in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The WHOQoL-HIV-BREF which conceptualized HRQoL as a function of six factors – physical, psychological, social, environment, independence and spiritual health was administered. The gender difference in HRQOL was determined by the independent sample t-test, mean difference and standardized mean difference in items and domain scores. Meta-analytic approach was used to deduce the overall potential effect of gender on HIV infection. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to control for potential confounders of HRQoL among the study participants.

RESULTS: the mean age of the sampled population was 35.9 ± 11.8 years for the male and 35.3 ± 9.8 years for the female category. Male HIV patients reported significantly higher mean HRQoL scores across all domains of the scale except the spiritual domain. The 4.51% (95% CI of 3.63 to 5.39%) overall difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Other factors associated with good HRQoL were marriage status, monogamous family type and a higher level of education.

CONCLUSION: the significantly lower HRQoL among female HIV patients calls for a multiprong approach towards strengthening gender mainstreaming in the management and control of HIV patients in Nigeria.

PMID:34603582 | PMC:PMC8464207 | DOI:10.11604/pamj.2021.39.201.24420

Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Jul 16;39:203. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2021.39.203.28266. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the prolonged use of facemasks by healthcare workers. Facemask non-compliance has been largely blamed on discomfort associated with the mask, and apprehension regarding potential health hazards such as asphyxia from mask usage. We sought to evaluate the impact of different respiratory mask types on the comfort of healthcare workers and their arterial oxygen saturation during periods of active clinical duty.

METHODS: we conducted a cross-sectional study on healthcare workers donning different types of facemasks in the normal course of duty. Objective non-invasive determination of arterial oxygen saturation of each participant was done using a portable pulse oximeter. Subjective self-assessment of global discomfort was scored by means of a 11-point numerical scale from 0 (no discomfort) to 10 (worst discomfort imaginable). The user’s perceived elements of the discomfort were also evaluated. A statistical significance was accepted when P <0.05.

RESULTS: seventy-six healthcare workers completed the study, and wore the masks for periods ranging from 68-480 minutes. The discomfort experienced with the use of the N95 mask; 4.3 (2.0) was greater than the surgical mask; 2.7 (1.8); P=0.001. No significant change in arterial oxygen saturation was observed with the use of either of the mask types. The tight strapping of the N95 mask was perceived as a contributor to the discomfort experienced with mask usage; P=0.009.

CONCLUSION: the N95 masks imposed greater discomfort than the surgical masks, but neither of the masks impacted on the arterial oxygen saturation of the healthcare workers.

PMID:34603584 | PMC:PMC8464215 | DOI:10.11604/pamj.2021.39.203.28266

Dis Markers. 2021 Sep 24;2021:1588220. doi: 10.1155/2021/1588220. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

METHODS: In this study, qRT-PCR was used to investigate the expression levels of the SOX15 gene and of miR-182, miR-183, miR-375, and miR-96 in thyroid tumors and adjacent noncancerous tissues. We also investigated the methylation status of the SOX15 promoter by methylation-specific PCR in tumors and adjacent noncancerous tissues.

RESULTS: We observed a statistically significant downregulation of SOX15 expression in tumors compared to noncancerous tissue samples. The methylation levels of tumors and matched noncancerous tissues were similar, but miR-182, miR-183, and miR-375 expression levels were elevated in tumor tissues compared to noncancerous tissue samples.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that SOX15 gene expression is associated with the pathogenesis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and the epigenetic control of the SOX15 gene is regulated by miRNAs rather than by promoter methylation.

PMID:34603557 | PMC:PMC8486500 | DOI:10.1155/2021/1588220

Dis Markers. 2021 Sep 24;2021:1683129. doi: 10.1155/2021/1683129. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has implicated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in glioma progression. Here, we aimed to explore the potential roles of a novel lncRNA, LINC00355, in glioma and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: RT-PCR was used to examine the relative expressions of LINC00355 in glioma cell lines and specimen samples. The clinicopathological and prognostic significances of LINC00355 in glioma patients were statistically analyzed. To determine cell activities, CCK-8, clonogenic assays, flow cytometry, migration, and invasion assays were performed. Moreover, the potential mechanisms of LINC00355 were investigated by bioinformatics assays and luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS: LINC00355 expression was increased in glioma cell lines and specimens, and higher LINC00355 expression predicted advanced clinical progress and reduced overall survival and disease-free survival in glioma patients. Functionally, LINC00355 depletion promoted cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in glioma cells and induced apoptosis of glioma cells, whereas LINC00355 upregulation resulted in the opposite effects in vitro. Mechanistic assays revealed that LINC00355 as a sponge for miR-1225 repressed fibronectin type III domain-containing 3B (FNDC3B) expressions.

CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed the tumor-promotive roles of LINC00355 in the progression of glioma, indicating that LINC00355 exhibited ceRNA functions via modulating miR-1225/FNDC3B axis.

PMID:34603558 | PMC:PMC8486503 | DOI:10.1155/2021/1683129

Cogn Neurodyn. 2021 Oct;15(5):873-886. doi: 10.1007/s11571-021-09669-y. Epub 2021 Feb 21.

ABSTRACT

Objective The stimulus color of P300-BCI systems has been successfully modified. However, the effects of different color combinations have not been widely investigated. In this study, we designed new stimulus patterns to evaluate the influence of color modulation on the BCI performance and waveforms of the evoked related potential (ERP).Methods Comparison was performed for three new stimulus patterns consisting of red face and colored block-shape, namely, red face with a white rectangle (RFW), red face with a blue rectangle (RFB), and red face with a red rectangle (RFR). Bayesian linear discriminant analysis (BLDA) was used to construct the individual classifier model. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni correction were applied for statistical analysis. Results The RFW pattern obtained the highest average online accuracy with 96.94%, and those of RFR and RFB patterns were 93.61% and of 92.22% respectively. Significant differences in online accuracy and information transfer rate (ITR) were found between RFW and RFR patterns (p < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with RFR and RFB patterns, RFW yielded the best performance in P300-BCI. These new stimulus patterns with different color combinations have considerable importance to BCI applications and user-friendliness.

PMID:34603548 | PMC:PMC8448814 | DOI:10.1007/s11571-021-09669-y