Effect of COVID-19 on Oral Cancer Search

Objective: Oral cancer is one of the most common malignancies in developing countries, but studies using global data are scarce. The aim of this study is to analyze the search interests for oral cancer using mouth cancer, tongue cancer, gum cancer, and lip cancer as common keywords. Methods: Internet searches relating to oral cancer from 2010 to 2020, from 250 countries and dependent areas, were retrieved from Google Trends. Color densities in a heat map were used to show geographic differences. Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc Dunn’s analysis was used to perform yearly comparisons of searches for mouth cancer, tongue cancer, gum cancer, and lip cancer. Search results within 2020 were also compared to determine differences. Forecasting searches from 2021 to 2022 were done by fitting time series models. Results: From 29 of 250 (11.6%) countries, the highest search values were observed for mouth cancer in Sri Lanka, Qatar, Bangladesh, Finland, Netherlands, Spain, and France. Compared to 2020, greater searches were seen in 2018 (Mdn = 91%, P = 0.023) and 2019 (Mdn = 94%, P = 0.012) for mouth cancer, and 2019 (Mdn = 17%, P = 0.035) for lip cancer. The relative search volumes for gum cancer and lip cancer were substantially lower than mouth cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Higher-income countries tend to be more interested in seeking information about oral cancer. Noteworthy decline in the interest in seeking information online for oral cancer may have crucial implications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Google Trends offer an invaluable and inexpensive means for oral cancer surveillance and health-seeking behavior

Global Interest for Health Professions Education: A Geographic and Temporal Analyses Through Web Search Differences from 2010-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal differences in web search trends for dental degrees (DD), medical degrees (MD), and nursing degrees (ND) across 197 countries from 2010 to 2019. Method: A search string was used to initiate a search query using Google Trends. The parameters used were DD, MD, and ND as search terms; worldwide as Location; 2010 to 2019 as time range; health education & medical training as category; and web search as database. Data were downloaded and analyzed. Results: Via one-way ANOVA and post hoc Dunnett test, the searches for DD were found to be significantly lower in 2011 (3.2 ± 0.3, p = .044), 2012 (2.6 ± 0.2, p \u3c .001), 2013 (2.8 ± 0.3, p = .006), 2014 (3.0 ± 0.3, p = .017), and 2015 (2.9 ± 0.3, p = .010) compared to the year 2010 (4.5 ± 0.6); the searches for MD was significantly higher in 2019 (84.5 ± 2.5, p = .002) compared to the year 2010 (73.0 ± 1.7); and the searches for ND were statistically significantly higher in 2015 (28.9 ± 1.1, p = .024) and 2019 (31.7 ± 1.1, p = .001) compared to the year 2010 (24.5.0 ± 1.2). The search trend for MD increased in 31 countries and decreased in 14 countries while searches for ND increased in 40 countries and decreased in 5 countries as determined by a two-way ANOVA with Holm-Sidak’s multiple comparison test. The 12-month forecast for the search interests of these health professions predicted a rise in the third quarter and an abrupt decline at the end of the year. Conclusions: Geographic and time factors affect the search interests for health professions. In a span of a decade, the disparity of interests shown by the low interests for DD and ND compared to MD in some countries underscores the need to promote these professions to fill the future health care workforce

Filipinos’ Interest in Oral Cancer

Objective: This study analyzed the health-seeking behavior of Filipinos through relative search volume in Google Trends using oral cancer, mouth cancer, tongue cancer, gum cancer, and lip cancer as predetermined search terms. Methods: Comma-separated values files containing relative search volumes of search trends pertaining to oral cancer from 2009 to 2019 were assessed. Brown-Forsythe one-way ANOVA was used to measure differences of oral cancer between years and among months. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA measured differences among the searches for mouth cancer, tongue cancer, gum cancer, and lip cancer through the years. Time series models were fitted and used to forecast search interests. Results: The results revealed that interests in oral cancer were significantly higher in 2019 (43.75±5.5, p<0.05) compared to 2009 (29.0 ± 6.7). In terms of months, searches were higher in February (45.0 ± 6.6) compared to May (24.8 ± 3.4, p=0.015), June (25.3 ± 4.4, p=0.020), and December (26.5 ± 4.0, p=0.038). Search interests for gum cancer and lip cancer remained significantly lower from 2011 to 2019, and tongue cancer from 2016 to 2018 but approximated mouth cancer in 2019. The forecast shows mouth cancer (31.67%), tongue cancer (23.75%), and lip cancer (3.83%) fluctuating through the year, while gum cancer (8%) will remain steady in 2020. Conclusion: Health-seeking behavior through search trends show an increased interest in oral cancer in 2019 and during February. Search interests will fluctuate in 2020, but at the end of the year will decrease for mouth cancer and tongue cancer, will increase for lip cancer, and will remain steady for gum cancer

The role of chemical transmitters in neuron-glia interaction and pain in sensory ganglion

Neuropathic pain (NP) develops because of damage to the peripheral or central nervous system. It results in the hyperalgesia and allodynia. In the recent years, various researchers have studied the involvement of neuro-immune system in causing persistence of pain. The absence of synaptic contacts in the sensory ganglion makes them distinctive in terms of pain related signalling. In sensory ganglia, the neurotransmitters or the other modulators such as inflammatory substances produced by the ganglion cells, because of an injury, are responsible for the cross-excitation between neurons and neuron-glial interaction, thus affecting chemical transmission. This chemical transmission is considered mainly responsible for the chronicity and the persistent nature of neuropathic pain. This review examines the pain signalling due to neurotransmitter or cytokine release within the sensory ganglia. The specific areas focused on include: 1) the role of neurotransmitters released from the somata of sensory neurons in pain , 2) neuron-glia interaction and 3) role of cytokines in neuromodulation and pain

軽度な慢性ストレスはマウスの睡眠を障害し疼痛感受性を増大させる

Even though it has been well documented that stress can lead to the development of sleep disorders and the intensification of pain, their relationships have not been fully understood. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of predictable chronic mild stress (PCMS) on sleep–wake states and pain threshold, using the PCMS rearing conditions of mesh wire (MW) and water (W) for 21 days. Exposure to PCMS decreased the amount of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep during the dark phase. Moreover, the chronicity of PCMS decreased slow-wave activity (SWA) during NREM sleep in the MW and W groups in both the light and dark phases. Mechanical and aversively hot thermal hyperalgesia were more intensified in the PCMS groups than the control. Higher plasma corticosterone levels were seen in mice subjected to PCMS, whereas TNF-α expression was found higher in the hypothalamus in the W and the trigeminal ganglion in the MW group. The W group had higher expression levels of IL-6 in the thalamus as well. The PCMS paradigm decreased SWA and may have intensified mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. The current study also suggests that rearing under PCMS may cause impaired sleep quality and heightened pain sensation to painful mechanical and aversively hot thermal stimuli

歯科インプラント周囲の骨吸収に関する臨床疫学研究

Background: During functional loading, the design of the dental implant may have an effect on the response of marginal bone. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the prevalence of peri-implantitis, and to compare radiographic parameters around Brånemark and Replace Select dental implants and evaluate whether disparities in the morphologic features of these two indistinct implant systems, particularly their abutment-implant attachment, had an influence on the health of surrounding tissues and marginal bone loss (MBL). Materials and Methods: Collection of data was done at the Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, the Department of Maxillo-Facial Prosthodontics, and Oral Implant Center of Tokushima University Hospital, in Tokushima, Japan; between March 2003 and followed until January 2017. Patients who have been treated with the Replace Select internal type implant and the Brånemark variety were selected as cohort. Marginal bone level measurements were evaluated via periapical and panoramic radiographs taken at regular follow-up visit. These dimensions were calculated, starting from the orientation mark at the implant abutment interface to the bottommost perceived contact area of marginal bone with the aforementioned implant system. The change in the level of bone was estimated by calculating the variation involving an initial reference value and the follow-up values. Results: An average loss of bone at 0.65 ± 1.51 mm (range 0.36 to 7.89 mm) in the Replace Select group was observed, while in the Brånemark group 0.7 ± 1.32 mm (range 0.62 to 8.64 mm) was observed. Spearman rank correlation exhibited a statistically significant positive correlation between progress of bone loss around implant body and interval from implantation in the Brånemark group, whereas in the Replace Select group it was not significant. The Brånemark group exhibited significant (P = 0.0269) negative correlation of MBL and its diameters, whereas the Replace Select group did not exhibit such correlation. Conclusion: Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that deviations in the morphologic attributes of these two diverse implant systems had an influence on the health of surrounding tissues and MBL. The Brånemark implants showed a significant increase in MBL (> 1.8mm) as the time of placement elapses. This marked MBL was greater in females than males, in posterior than in anterior, and in the narrow platform implants than the regular platform implants or the wide platform implants. On the other hand, results suggested that this bone loss was greater in the mandible than the maxilla, in single-unit implant crowns than multiple implant restorations in the Replace Select group

Forecasting Interest in Health Professions Education Based on Relative Search Volume Trends From the Philippines

Purpose: Health professions education (HPE), particularly dental education, nursing education, and medical education, had been standardized in the Philippines and the rest of the Southeast Asian nations. This study evaluated the interests of Filipinos in HPE through relative search volume (RSV) trends of search terms including dental degree (DMD), bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), and medical degree (MD). Methods: A search query was done on Google Trends using the search terms DMD, BSN, and MD under the degree category. Restriction of data originating from the Philippines, from December 2009 to December 2019, under the health category, and the web search database were ensured to these parameters. Results: ANOVA with post hoc Tukey's multiple comparison test further revealed significant differences F (2, 30) = 59.12 between DMD and MD (p < 0.0001), and BSN and MD (p < 0.0001), but not in DMD and BSN (p = 0.481) within the framework of Filipino search trends. Simple Seasonal Model for DMD, and the Winters' Multiplicative for BSN and MD were found to fit their individual trends. The series chart showed a slight increase for the DMD, a decline for the BSN, and a steady progression for the MD. Conclusion: The interests of HPE in the Philippines will continue. Interests in MD showed the highest, while lower but comparable peak popularity in DMD and RN is reemerging

デュアルオレキシン受容体拮抗薬であるスボレキサントは軽度な慢性ストレスが誘発する痛覚過敏を改善する

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the involvement of the orexin system in predictable chronic mild stress (PCMS) and the effects of suvorexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, on nociceptive behavior in PCMS. Materials and methods: Male C57BL/6 J mice were separated into various PCMS groups: a control group with sawdust on the floor of the rearing cage (C), a group with mesh wire on the floor (M), and a group with water just below the mesh wire (W). Activation of lateral hypothalamic orexin neurons was assessed using immunofluorescence. In another experiment, half of the mice in each group were administered an intraperitoneal injection of suvorexant (10 mg/kg), and the remaining mice were injected with the same amount of vehicle (normal saline). Thermal hyperalgesia was examined using tail immersion and hot plate tests, while mechanical hyperalgesia was investigated using the tail pinch test after 21 days of PCMS. Key findings: Animals subjected to PCMS showed an increased percentage of activated orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamic region after 21 days. Mice raised in the PCMS environment showed increased pain sensitivity in several pain tests; however, the symptoms were significantly reduced by suvorexant administration. Significance: The findings revealed that PCMS activates hypothalamic orexin neuronal activity, and the use of suvorexant can help attenuate PCMS-induced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia

Comparison between Flipped Classroom and Team-based Learning

Active learning is a concept that allows students to study and learn actively by themselves to get knowledge. There are several methods of active learning, including flipped classroom (FC) and team-based learning (TBL). In FC, students are required to study before classes. In TBL, students also study before class, take individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) and team readiness assurance test (tRAT), then discuss group assignment projects (GAPs) during class. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness between FC and TBL. The effectiveness of FC and TBL was assessed from the results of the term-end examinations, questionnaires and practice examinations. To check the difficulty of the term-end examinations, control dentists took the same examinations and we calculated the equating score with item response theory. Statistical analysis showed that the correct answer rate in term-end examinations was significantly different in comparison with the time of the trial, and for the participants (students and dentists). The term-end examination score of FC and TBL did not show a statistical difference. The student questionnaire showed that TBL had higher scores than FC on various factors such as student positive attitude, preparation, ingenuity of teacher and achieving the class goals. The crown & bridge score from the practice examination of 6th-year students who had FC + TBL were constantly higher than the Japanese national average score. The identification index of FC and TBL did not show the statistical difference and there was no statistical difference on item response theory between FC and TBL

Quality of Life and Job Satisfaction among Female Dentists in Japan

Background: In the current social scene of Japan, there has been a steady growth of female dentists. Nevertheless, studies that delve into the female Japanese perceptions have been scarce. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of life (QoL) and evaluate the factors affecting job satisfaction of female dentists in Japan. Materials and Methods: Via a researcher-made questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was done on a total of 156 Japanese female dentists. Results: As per the outcome, 80.8% agreed that they have attained satisfaction with their QoL, while 30.8% strongly agreed. The job satisfaction factors were then listed in descending order of statistical significance as ownership type, having children, pursue PhD, marital status, and annual income. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed significance in the participants' responses pertaining to ownership type (OR = 2.833, p = 0.013) and the pursuance of a post-graduate course immediately after attaining undergraduate education (OR = 0.425, p = 0.046). Conclusion: Findings suggest that majority of the female dentists in Japan perceive to have attained satisfaction in their QoL. Actual ownership type and immediate pursuance of a post-graduate course were found to be the significant factors related to job satisfaction. This implies that Japanese universities and dental colleges should focus on promoting immediate post-graduate opportunities for female dental graduates