The intervention of the emergency psychologist: The sipem sos emilia romagna during the first lockdown from covid-19. A retrospective study

Background and purpose of this work: WHO 11 March 2020 declares that Sars-Cov-2 infection is not only a health emergency but must be considered a pandemic. Covid-19 required the urgency of a new psychological intervention model to better address the crisis and ensure a direct support response to the people involved in the pandemic. The present study aimed to detect the symptoms and reactions of the population with respect to the event. The survey was carried out by describing the clinical symptoms that emerged from the triage card used by SIPEM SoS Emilia Romagna (Italy), connoting the criteria of emergency psychology. Methods: A retrospective quantitative study was conducted on 288 psychological triage cards. Results: only 11% of users who ask for support say they are positive while 85% report not having contracted the virus. Of the total, 40.9% call for psychological support in the management of anxiety symptoms, a need also reported by 55% of the subsample who declared previous psychological problems. In reaction to the pandemic event, 51.1% of the total refers to coping resources and availability for help. Discussions: the need for support of the population to manage symptoms highlights the need for early interventions, also to facilitate that slice of the population that does not have effective individual coping strategies and resources available to help. Conclusions: it can be deduced that interventions during these types of emergencies must be timely and aimed not only at those affected but also at the general population. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Mechanical performance of novel bioactive glass containing dental restorative composites

OBJECTIVES. Bioactive glass (BAG) is known to possess antimicrobial properties and release ions needed for remineralization of tooth tissue, and therefore may be a strategic additive for dental restorative materials. The objective of this study was to develop BAG containing dental restorative composites with adequate mechanical properties comparable to successful commercially available composites, and to confirm the stability of these materials when exposed to a biologically challenging environment. METHODS. Composites with 72 wt.% total filler content were prepared while substituting 0 – 15% of the filler with ground BAG. Flexural strength, fracture toughness, and fatigue crack growth tests were performed after several different soaking treatments: 24 hours in DI water (all experiments), two months in brain-heart infusion (BHI) media+S. mutans bacteria (all experiments) and two months in BHI media (only for flexural strength). Mechanical properties of new BAG composites were compared along with the commercial composite Heliomolar by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test (p≤0.05). RESULTS. Flexural strength, fracture toughness, and fatigue crack growth resistance for the BAG containing composites were unaffected by increasing BAG content up to 15% and were superior to Heliomolar after all post cure treatments. The flexural strength of the BAG composites was unaffected by two months exposure to aqueous media and a bacterial challenge, while some decreases in fracture toughness and fatigue resistance were observed. The favorable mechanical properties compared to Heliomolar were attributed to higher filler content and a microstructure morphology that better promoted the toughening mechanisms of crack deflection and bridging. SIGNIFICANCE. Overall, the BAG containing composites developed in this study demonstrated adequate and stable mechanical properties relative to successful commercial composites.Keywords: Fatigue, Hydration, Bacteria, Bioactive Glass, Fracture Toughness, Resin Composite, StrengthThis is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The article is copyrighted by the Academy of Dental Materials and published by Elsevier Ltd. It can be found at: http://www.demajournal.com/

Reduced habit-driven errors in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease can be understood as a disorder of motor habits. A prediction of this theory is that early stage Parkinson’s patients will display fewer errors caused by interference from previously over-learned behaviours. We test this prediction in the domain of skilled typing, where actions are easy to record and errors easy to identify. We describe a method for categorizing errors as simple motor errors or habit-driven errors. We test Spanish and English participants with and without Parkinson’s, and show that indeed patients make fewer habit errors than healthy controls, and, further, that classification of error type increases the accuracy of discriminating between patients and healthy controls. As well as being a validation of a theory-led prediction, these results offer promise for automated, enhanced and early diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

Academy of Dental Materials guidance-Resin composites: Part I-Mechanical properties

Objective. The objective of this project, which was initiated from the Academy of Dental Materials, was to review and critically appraise methods to determine fracture, deformation and wear resistance of dental resin composites, in an attempt to provide guidance for investigators endeavoring to study these properties for these materials. Methods. Test methods have been ranked in the priority of the specific property being tested, as well as of the specific test methods for evaluating that property. Focus was placed on the tests that are considered to be of the highest priority in terms of being the most useful, applicable, supported by the literature, and which show a correlation with clinical findings. Others are mentioned briefly for the purpose of being inclusive. When a standard test method exists, including those used in other fields, these have been identified in the beginning of each section. Also, some examples from the resin composite literature are included for each test method. Results. The properties for evaluating resin composites were ranked in the priority of measurement as following: (1) Strength, Elastic Modulus, Fracture toughness, Fatigue, Indentation Hardness, Wear abrasion (third body) and Wear attrition (contact/two body), (2) Toughness, Edge strength (chipping) and (3) Wear determined by toothbrush. Significance. The following guidance is meant to aid the researcher in choosing the proper method to assess key properties of dental resin composites with regard to their fracture, deformation and wear resistance

Investigation on synthesis and properties of isosorbide based bis-GMA analogue

The aim of this work was to synthesize and investigate properties of a novel dimethacrylic monomer based on bioderived alicyclic diol—isosorbide. Its potential as a possible substitute of 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane (BISGMA), widely used in dental restorative materials and suspected for toxicity was assessed. The novel monomer was obtained in a three-step synthesis. First, isosorbide was etherified by a Williamson nucleophilic substitution and subsequently oxidized to isosorbide diglycidyl ether (ISDGE). A triphenyl phosphine catalyzed addition of methacrylic acid to ISDGE resulted in 2,5-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)- 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-sorbitol (ISDGMA). The monomer obtained was photopolymerized using camphorquinone/2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate initiating system. Next, compositions with triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) were prepared and polymerized. Double bond conversion, polymerization shrinkage and water sorption of resulting polymers were determined. Selected mechanical (flexular strength and modulus, Brinell hardness) and thermomechanical (DMA analysis) properties were also investigated. BISGMA based materials were prepared as reference for comparison of particular properties

Tooth micro-hardness changes after applying bioactive glass-containing, anti-microbial sealants

The AAPD recommends placement of dental pit and fissure sealants on surfaces that are high risk or that already exhibit incipient carious lesions. Protection provided by sealants may be enhanced by the addition of ion-releasing, anti-microbial filler particles of bioactive glass. Objective: We prepared novel dental pit and fissure sealant materials containing bioactive glass (BAG) fillers and tested their ability to prevent tooth demineralization in a bacterial broth. Methods: Two types of BAG were synthesized in our lab: BAG1 (61 wt% silica - 31 wt% calcia - 4 wt% phosphate - 4 wt% flouride); and BAG2 (81 wt% silica - 11 wt% calcia - 4 wt% phosphate - 4 wt% flouride). Ultraseal XT (USXT) resin without filler was supplied by the manufacturer (Ultradent Products, Inc. South Jordan, UT). BAGs were individually incorporated into the resin (25 wt%) and provided handling properties similar to USXT. Caries-free teeth (n=5 each) were randomly assigned to three groups (BAG1-sealant, BAG2-sealant,or USXT) and sealants were placed by the same practitioner. Acid-resistant nail polish was used to cover half of the tooth surface. Teeth were immersed in a bacterial culture system of sucrose-rich brain-heart infusion (BHI) media containing Streptococcus mutans strain #25175, an acid-producing microbe and incubated at 37˚C, 5%CO2; media was changed every other day. Bacterial growth was confirmed throughout the test period. At two weeks, teeth were sectioned sagitally and microhardness testing compared changes in hardness as a function of location on the tooth. Results : Overall, the BAG2-sealant samples were significantly harder than the BAG1-sealant or USXT samples. Areas adjacent to the BAG2-sealant were harder than the original tooth surface. (ANOVA/Tukey’s; α=0.05). Conclusion: The inclusion of anti-bacterial, ion-releasing BAG as a filler component results in a harder tooth that may be better able to resist demineralization.This presentation was presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Pacific Division 93rd Annual Meeting in Boise, Idaho. It was also presented at the American Association for Dental Research Annual Conference in 2012 (AADR)

Dental sealant knowledge, opinion, values and practice of Spanish dentists

[Background] Multiple guidelines and systematic reviews recommend sealant use to reduce caries risk. Yet, multiple reports also indicate that sealants are significantly underutilized. This study examined the knowledge, opinions, values, and practice (KOVP) of dentists concerning sealant use in the southwest region of Andalusia, Spain. This is a prelude to the generation of a regional plan for improving children’s oral health in Andalusia.[Methods] The survey’s target population was dentists working in western Andalusia, equally distributed in the provinces of Seville, Cadiz, and Huelva (N=2,047). A convenience sample of meeting participants and meeting participant email lists (N=400) were solicited from the annual course on Community and Pediatric Dentistry. This course is required for all public health sector dentists, and is open to all private sector dentists. Information on the dentist’s KOVP of sealants was collected using four-part questionnaire with 31, 5-point Likert-scaled questions.[Results] The survey population demographics included 190 men (48%) and 206 women (52%) with an average clinical experience of 10.6 (± 8.4) years and 9.3 (± 7.5) years, respectively. A significant sex difference was observed in the distribution of place of work (urban/suburb) (p=0.001), but no sex differences between working sector (public/private). The mean ± SD values for each of the four KOVP sections for pit and fissure sealants were: knowledge = 3.57 ± 0.47; opinion = 2.48 ± 0.47; value = 2.74 ± 0.52; and practice = 3.48 ± 0.50. No sex differences were found in KOVP (all p >0.4). Independent of sex: knowledge statistically differed by years of experience and place of work; opinion statistically differed by years of experience and sector; and practice statistically differed by years of experience and sector. Less experienced dentists tended to have slightly higher scores (~0.25 on a Likert 1–5 scale). Statistically significant correlations were found between knowledge and practice (r=0.44, p=0.00) and between opinion and value (r=0.35, p=0.00).[Conclusions] The results suggest that, similar to other countries, Andalusian dentists know that sealants are effective, have neutral to positive attitudes toward sealants; though, based on epidemiological studies, underuse sealants. Therefore, methods other than classical behavior change (eg: financial or legal mechanisms) will be required to change practice patterns aimed at improving children's oral health.We acknowledge the following sources for invaluable financial support NIMHD 1 R34 DE022272 (NIH2385) and NIDCR 1 U24 MD006964