The Healthy for Life Taekwondo pilot study: A preliminary evaluation of effects on executive function and BMI, feasibility, and acceptability

There is growing consensus that exercise improves cognitive functioning, but research is needed to identify exercise interventions that optimize effects on cognition. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate Taekwondo implemented in public middle school physical education (PE). Two classes were randomly assigned to either: five sessions per week of PE or three sessions of PE and two sessions of Taekwondo. In PE sessions, evidence-based curriculum to address the Presidential Core Fitness Guidelines and California Physical Fitness Tests was implemented. Taekwondo sessions included traditional techniques and forms taught in an environment emphasizing respect and self-control. Sixty students were evaluated at baseline and during the last week of the intervention (nine months later). Differences in mean residualized change scores for parent-rated inhibitory behavioral control yielded a significant, large effect size (d =.95, p =.00), reflecting greater improvement among Taekwondo students. Results from an executive function computer-administered task revealed greater accuracy on the congruent trial (d = 2.00, p = .02) for Taekwondo students. Differences in mean residualized change scores for BMI z scores yielded a moderate, non-significant effect size (d = − .51, p = .16). The majority of Taekwondo students reported positive perceptions of Taekwondo and perceived self-improvement in self-control and physical fitness. Results suggest that Taekwondo is an exercise program that improves cognitive functioning and is both feasible and acceptable to implement in a public school setting

In vitro microleakage comparison of flowable nanocomposites and conventional materials used in the treatment of pit and fissure sealant

Background and objectives: Pit and fissure sealant is recognized as an effective preventive approach in pediatric dentistry. The most commonly used sealant material is resin composite. Adding nanoparticles to resin composites could result in production of flowable material with both higher mechanical properties and better flow characteristics than previous sealants. This study aimed to compare the microleakage of a flowable nanocomposite and conventional materials used in the treatment of pit and fissure sealants. Methods: A total of 185 extracted mandibular third molar teeth were selected and randomly divided into 5 groups of 36 according to material used as pit and fissure sealant, and the microleakage of flowable nanocomposite, flowable composite, filled sealants, nano-filled sealants and unfilled sealants were compared. Five teeth were reserved for examination under the scanning electron microscope. The samples were thermocycled (5 - 55 degrees C, 1-minute dwell time) at 1000 cycles and immersed in 0.2% fuchsine solution for 24h. teeth were sectioned buccolingually . Microleakage was assessed by means of dye penetration and scanning electron microscope. Data were analyzes using Kruskal-Wallis non- parametric test (p<0.05), Mann-Whitney test p <0.005, and SPSS ver.16.  Results: The nanofilled flowable composite and unfilled fissure sealant showed the lowest and highest rates of microleakage, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between two flowable composite (P=0.317). Filled resin-based sealant had significantly lower microleakage than unfilled resin-based sealant (P<0.001). Conclusion:  Concerning the microleakage data, use of a flowable nanocomposite is more effective in sealing mechanically prepared occlusal fissures in comparison to the unfilled sealant

Narrative Review: Disc Herniation After Motor Vehicular Trauma

Spinal pain that arises from motor vehicular trauma is challenging to the treating physician due to the wide spectrum of presenting symptoms and responses to treatment, including traumatic disc herniations.  The severity of injuries varies from patient to patient, with imaging often not strictly correlating to symptomatology.  However, with a systematic approach, including an understanding of the limitations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the role of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, the treatment and diagnosis from patients suffering from traumatic disc herniations can be improved1,2.  Furthermore, evidence supports conservative management before escalation to more invasive procedures such as epidurals or surgery, specifically in uncomplicated spinal injury patients with no evidence of neural compromise warranting emergency surgery3,4.   Should surgery be needed, mounting evidence supports intervention with minimally invasive discectomy for lumbar herniations and cervical disc arthroplasty for cervical herniations5–8

Narrative Review: Disc Herniation After Motor Vehicular Trauma

Spinal pain that arises from motor vehicular trauma is challenging to the treating physician due to the wide spectrum of presenting symptoms and responses to treatment, including traumatic disc herniations.  The severity of injuries varies from patient to patient, with imaging often not strictly correlating to symptomatology.  However, with a systematic approach, including an understanding of the limitations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the role of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, the treatment and diagnosis from patients suffering from traumatic disc herniations can be improved1,2.  Furthermore, evidence supports conservative management before escalation to more invasive procedures such as epidurals or surgery, specifically in uncomplicated spinal injury patients with no evidence of neural compromise warranting emergency surgery3,4.   Should surgery be needed, mounting evidence supports intervention with minimally invasive discectomy for lumbar herniations and cervical disc arthroplasty for cervical herniations5–8

Neural‐hematopoietic‐inflammatory axis in nonsmokers, electronic cigarette users, and tobacco smokers

Amygdala activity in context of the splenocardiac model has not been investigated in healthy, young adults and has not been compared between nonsmokers, electronic cigarette users, and smokers. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography (FDG PET/CT) scans would demonstrate positively correlated metabolic activity in the amygdala, bone marrow, spleen, and aorta, elucidating activation of the splenocardiac axis in otherwise healthy young people who use tobacco products compared to nonusers. Moreover, the study was conducted to evaluate whether electronic cigarette users and tobacco smokers have similar levels of inflammation compared to nonusers. In 45 healthy adults (mean age&nbsp;=&nbsp;25 years), including nonsmoker (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;15), electronic cigarette user (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;16), and smoker (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;14) groups, metabolic activity in the amygdala, spleen, aorta, bone marrow of thoracic vertebrae, and adjacent erector spinae skeletal muscle was quantified through visualization of radioactive glucose (18 FDG) uptake by FDG-PET/CT. The maximum standardized uptake value for each region was calculated for correlation analyses and comparisons between groups. In correlation analyses, metabolic activity of the amygdala correlated with metabolic activity in the aorta (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.757), bone marrow (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.750), and spleen (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.665), respectively. Metabolic activity in the aorta correlated with 18 FDG uptake in the thoracic vertebrae (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.703) and spleen (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.594), respectively. Metabolic activity in the spleen also correlated with 18 FDG uptake in the bone marrow (r&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.620). Metabolic activity in the adjacent erector spinae skeletal muscle (our control tissue) was not positively correlated with any other region of interest. Finally, there were no statistically significant mean differences in metabolic activity between the three groups: nonsmokers, electronic cigarette users, and smokers in any target tissue. Amygdala metabolic activity, as measured by 18 FDG uptake in FDG-PET/CT scans, positively correlated with inflammation in the splenocardiac tissues, including: the aorta, bone marrow, and spleen, underscoring the existence of a neural-hematopoietic-inflammatory axis in healthy, young adults