1,720,964 research outputs found
Use of two virtual dissection tables in a postgraduate oral anatomy course: feedback from the students
Full text linkBACKGROUND: Advancements in medical education technologies transformed the teaching and learning of several disciplines, including human anatomy, which is considered the core of health sciences education. Recent technological innovations, including virtual dissection tables like the Anatomage® and SECTRA® table, provided interactive 3D models and clinical imaging that address these limitations. This study aims to evaluate the rating of two different VDTs in teaching clinical anatomy to post-graduate dental doctors, emphasizing their perceived advantages for clinical practice. METHODS: A population (N = 24) of post-graduate students in oral surgery (N = 7) and orthodontics (N = 17) were enrolled in this study. The design of the lecture included practical sessions on the Anatomage® and SECTRA® table, including cases evaluations on anatomy structures. Anonymous surveys were used to evaluate the grade of perception on the use of both VDTs. The software used for statistical calculations was GraphPad Prism version 10.4.0 (621) for Windows. RESULTS: The post-graduate students significantly positively considered the use of VDTs as very useful and user-friendly learning instruments, offering very satisfying quality of the digital images. The level of clinical self-confidence and satisfaction of the proposed teaching method lecture was considered statistically positive. CONCLUSIONS: The integration and the diversification of the anatomy teaching strategies, using innovation technologies, increase the learning processes and improve the clinical self-confidence in post-graduate dental students
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Scanning electron microscopy approach for evaluation of hair dyed with lawsonia inermis powder: In vitro study
Full text linkDuring aging, usually graying of the hair occurs as a result of oxidative stress. Driven by social acceptance and self-perception of the exterior appearance, both men and women rely on hair dyeing products, in order to mask the graying hair. At the same time, a frequent use of synthetic products and treatment can damage the hair shaft; for this reason, this study aimed to evaluate the morphological effect of the herbal dye derived from Lawsonia inermis (henna), on hair. Dyed hairs were evaluated by means of SEM. Subsequently, they were compared, qualitatively and quantitatively, with undyed hairs. Results showed a positive impact on the cuticula pattern and on the diameters of the examined samples, after henna application. Different results, about the degree and the type of morphological changes occurring on pigmented hairs, may depend on the phenotype and on the health condition of hair, before dye treatment
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Regenerative Potential of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Maxillary Sinus Floor Lift Techniques: A Systematic Review
Full text linkBackground: Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) represents a type of autologous biomaterial investigated through the years by in vitro and in vivo studies to assess the real inductivity properties, presumed due to the growth factors presence. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of PRF in sinus lift procedures, compared and/or in addition to Deproteinized Bovine Bone Materials (DBBM) according to emerging scientific evidence. Materials and Methods: Selected databases were PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. The search strategy included the following terms: "PRF", "platelet concentrate", "autologous platelet concentrate", "platelet-rich fibrin", "bone grafts" or "DBBM", "xenografts" or "Bio-Oss", "maxillary sinus lift", "maxillary sinus elevation", "maxillary sinus augmentation". Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Results: Four studies were included in the systematic review, evaluating clinical, histological, histomorphometric, and radiological data. Three of four studies reported no statistically significant differences between the test and control groups. In one study, the presence of Leukocyte-Platelet Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) could allow earlier implant placement, achieving the same clinical, histological, histomorphometric, and radiological results of bone regeneration at an earlier time, compared to the DBBM used Conclusions: The regenerative potential of PRF associated with DBBM resulted in a valid alternative in the bone regeneration procedure to DBBM grafts. Further new studies are needed, with more rigid protocols, to investigate the potential of platelet concentrates in sinus lift techniques and to evaluate the real inductivity properties of DBBM
Platelets’ Role in Dentistry: From Oral Pathology to Regenerative Potential
Full text linkPlatelets are a cellular subgroup of elements circulating in the bloodstream, responsible for the innate immunity and repairing processes. The diseases affecting this cellular population, depending on the degree, can vary from mild to severe conditions, which have to be taken into consideration in cases of minor dental procedures. Their secretion of growth factors made them useful in the regenerative intervention. The aim of this review is to examine the platelets from biological, examining the biogenesis of the platelets and the biological role in the inflammatory and reparative processes and clinical point of view, through the platelets’ pathology and their use as platelets concentrates in dental regenerative surgery
Bidirectional Relationship Between Periodontal Disease and Reproductive Disorders: Focus on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Full text linkBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, irregular ovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology. The severity of periodontal inflammation in PCOS may be linked to elevated levels of inflammatory mediators, like interleukins (IL-6, IL-17), and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), found in both serum and saliva samples. This systematic review aims to assess the presence, nature, and variations in salivary inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with PCOS and their potential connection to periodontal disease (PD). Materials and Methods: Selected databases were PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The search strategy included the following terms: “oral inflammatory biomarkers”, “Salivary mediators,” “metabolic indicators,” “periodontal diseases,” “periodontitis,” “polycystic ovary syndrome,” “PCOS,” and “ovulatory dysfunction.” Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Results: Several salivary inflammatory biomarkers are present in women with PCOS, including cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), MMPs, and microbial diversity alterations. Additionally, the reviewed studies suggest a correlation between PCOS and PD, as patients with PCOS exhibit greater periodontal alterations compared to healthy women. The heightened periodontal response in PCOS appears to be associated with a systemic inflammatory state, probably increasing the susceptibility to PD. Conclusions: Salivary inflammatory biomarkers in PCOS patients are a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating the heightened risk of periodontal disease. Further research with stricter protocols is necessary to better define the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers for PCOS patients and determine their role in the early detection of periodontal disease
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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