Healing environment in pediatric dentistry: strategies adopted by “Sapienza” University of Rome

Children’s dental anxiety has been of great worry for many years and it is still a barrier for dental care. According to recent guidelines for oral health prevention in childhood, additional strategies for a preventive care should be applied for pediatric patients. So it’s important to encourage pediatric dentists to develop a “child-friendly” environment for treating children. Environmental elements that produce positive feelings can reduce anxiety. The analysis of environmental design and features applied in Pediatric Dentistry Unit, Department of Oral and Maxillo-facial sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, highlighted special attention to the aspects supporting sensory conditions (colors, light, spatial organization); reassurance strategies (decorations, dental team attire, drawings); anxiety control strategies (playing area, TV, comics, toys); behavioral management strategies (positive reinforcement, modeling); in-formation (brochures, posters)

Cluster Analysis for Driver Aggressiveness Identification

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Characteristics of Social Entrepreneur: An Explorative Analysis

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Transbulbar B-Mode Sonography in Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Biological Relevance

Abstract Optic nerve sheath diameter quantification by transbulbar B-mode sonography is a recently validated technique, but its clinical relevance in relapse-free multiple sclerosis patients remains unexplored. In an open-label, comparative, cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess possible differences between patients and healthy controls in terms of optic nerve sheath diameter and its correlation with clinical/paraclinical parameters in this disease. Sixty unselected relapse-free patients and 35 matched healthy controls underwent transbulbar B-mode sonography. Patients underwent routine neurologic examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging and visual evoked potential tests. The mean optic nerve sheath diameter 3 and 5 mm from the eyeball was 22–25% lower in patients than controls and correlated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (r = −0.34, p = 0.048, and r = −0.32, p = 0.042, respectively). We suggest that optic nerve sheath diameter quantified by transbulbar B-mode sonography should be included in routine assessment of the disease as an extension of the neurologic examination

Inhibitory effect of vitamin K1 on growth and polyamine biosynthesis of human gastric and colon carcinoma cell lines

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Peek polymer in orthodontics : a pilot study on children

The purpose of the study has been making the orthodontic space maintainers in PEEK polymer (Polyetheretherketone) through a digital workflow. New digital technologies are taking hold in diagnosis, therapy and in dental laboratories. The digital world can help dentist in diagnosis and therapy: -diagnosis through the acquisition of radiographic images (CBCT) or scanners which allow the creation of 3D digital models ? about therapy thanks to dental CAD CAM system. It consists of design devices through an dedicated software CAD and then realize devices through CAM system. We used digital system to improve the quality of the treatment and reduce costs. Peek polymer, subject of studies in recent years, thanking to its characteristics, resulted useful for this study. According to a nine month- follow up the devices were found comfortable, satisfying, personalized and minimally visible for the patients. These devices were found suitable to maintain the space. About material, thanks to its dimensional stability, mechanical strength but specially, thanks to its biocompatibility, PEEK was found as a very good material to build space maintainers. The workflow allowed a simulation of the treatment plan with a better collaboration and acceptance of the patient. Digital system reduced the systematic mistakes during the various phases and the production time. The digital system saved space creating a virtual plaster casts collection

Le Soft skills nei futuri insegnanti: Un'indagine esplorativa

Soft skills are of fundamental importance in the performance of all work activities, particularly teaching, because they are strongly related to personal qualities and attitudes and social and management skills. Even in school settings, therefore, soft skills are needed to interpret and understand complex situations in the design of instructional pathways useful for enhancing students’ personal qualities (Ngang, Yie & Shahid, 2015). Difficult to recognize, quantify, assess and develop, this paper aims to investigate the self-perception of them among preschool and elementary school teachers-in-training. Awareness of their own transversal competencies, in addition to promoting personal professional growth in young teachers, prepares them to take this important dimension in their future students and design teaching actions aimed at their enhancement.Le Soft skills sono di fondamentale importanza nell’espletamento di tutte le attività lavorative, in particolare dell’insegnamento, perché fortemente connesse alla qualità e agli atteggiamenti personali e alle abilità sociali e gestionali. Anche in ambiente scolastico, pertanto, le Soft skills sono necessarie per interpretare e comprendere situazioni complesse nella progettazione di percorsi didattici utili a valorizzare le qualità personali degli alunni (Ngang, Yie & Shahid, 2015). Difficili da riconoscere, quantificare, valutare e sviluppare, questo lavoro si propone di indagare sulla autopercezione che ne hanno gli insegnanti della scuola dell’infanzia e della scuola primaria in formazione. La consapevolezza delle proprie competenze trasversali, oltre che favorire la personale crescita professionale nei giovani insegnanti, li prepara a tener conto di questa importante dimensione nei loro futuri alunni e progettare azioni didattiche volte al loro potenziamento

A “pay-how-you-drive” car insurance approach through cluster analysis

As discussed in the recent literature, several innovative car insurance concepts are proposed in order to gain advantages both for insurance companies and for drivers. In this context, the “pay-how-you-drive” paradigm is emerging, but it is not thoroughly discussed and much less implemented. In this paper, we propose an approach in order to identify the driver behavior exploring the usage of unsupervised machine learning techniques. A real-world case study is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution. Furthermore, we discuss how the proposed model can be adopted as risk indicator for car insurance companies

The application of a fluoride-and-vitamin D solution to deciduous teeth promotes formation of persistent mineral crystals: a morphological ex-vivo study

Background: The use of effective, low-cost, and easy-to-use products for early caries management will avoid loss of dental vitality and impairment in oral function. The ability of fluoride to re-mineralize dental surfaces has been widely reported as well as vitamin D demonstrated to have significant potential in improving the remineralization of early lesions on enamel surfaces. The aim of the present ex vivo study was to evaluate the effect of a fluoride and vitamin D solution in terms of formation of mineral crystals on the enamel of primary teeth, and their permanence over time on dental surfaces. Methods: Sixteen extracted deciduous teeth were cut to obtain 64 specimens that were divided into two groups. The first consisted of immersion of specimens for 4 days in a fluoride solution (T1); in the second group, the specimens were immersed for 4 days (T1) in fluoride and Vitamin D solution, and for a further 2 (T2) and 4 days (T3) in saline solution. Then, samples were morphologically analyzed by using Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (VPSEM) and underwent 3D surface reconstruction. Results: After a 4-day immersion in both solutions, octahedral-shaped crystals were formed on the enamel surface of primary teeth, demonstrating any statistically significant differences in terms of number, size, and shape. Moreover, the binding of the same crystals seemed to be strong enough to be maintained until 4 days in saline solution. However, a partial dissolution was observed in a time-dependent manner. Conclusions: A topical application of fluoride and Vitamin D promoted the formation of persistent mineral crystals on enamel surfaces of deciduous teeth and should be further studied to be potentially used as an alternative strategy in preventive dentistry