[Evaluation of red and white aesthetic effects of porcelain veneers in the restoration of developmental anterior dental gaps]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the red and white aesthetic effect of porcelain veneer in the restoration of developmental anterior interdental spaces.

METHODS

A total of 152 anterior teeth in 64 patients with developmental anterior dental gaps were restored using porcelain veneers, the aesthetic effects before and after restoration were evaluated by pink aesthetic index (PES) and white aesthetic index(WES), the aesthetic effect of gingival papilla filling and reconstruction was evaluated by interdental gingival papilla index (PIS), and visual analogue score (VAS) was used to compare the satisfaction of patients before and after restoration. SPSS 203.0 software package was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The overall mean scores of PES before and after restoration of 152 developmental anterior interdental teeth were 9.63±2.23 and 13.64±0.88, respectively. The average scores of WES before and after restoration were 6.85±1.87 and 9.81±0.58, respectively. There were significant differences of PES and WES scores before and after restoration(P＜0.01). According to the requirements of "near" perfect restoration(PES≥13 points, WES≥9 points), the red and white aesthetic effect after restoration was near the standard. The scores of PIS before and after restoration were 1.86±0.67 and 2.97±0.18, the interdental gingival papilla was completely filled with space, and the shape was ideal, there were significant statistical differences before and after restoration(P＜0.01). Patients were more satisfied with the smile curve and morphology of the restored anterior teeth than other parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The aesthetic effect of using porcelain veneers to repair developmental anterior interdental gaps is ideal, among which the filling of the papillae between the teeth can meet the expectations of patients, and the aesthetic effect evaluation of PIS and PES/WES applied to porcelain veneers to repair developmental anterior interdental spaces has practical guiding significance in clinical practice.

[Application of ultra-short echo time-T2* component analysis technology in monitoring morphological and biochemical changes of achilles tendon in amateur marathon athletes]

Objective: To explore the value of ultra-short echo time (UTE)-T₂* component analysis techniques in dynamic monitoring the morphological and biochemical changes in amateur marathon athletes' achilles tendon before and after the marathon. Methods: Twenty-nine amateur marathon runners were recruited between October 2020 and March 2021 in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, including 25 males and 4 females, aged from 24 to 50 (40±6) years old. All volunteers underwent bilateral achilles tendon MRI examination 1 week before the marathon, 48 hours after the race, and 1 month after the race. The shape and signal of the achilles tendon were evaluated by routine T1-weighted, proton density weighted with fat saturation sequence and different echo time (TE) UTE sequence, and the changes of achilles tendon after running was quantitatively analyzed by UTE-T2* sequence. The values of single-component analysis (T₂*_M), short T₂* components (T₂*_S), and long T₂* components (T₂*_L) and Fraction values were obtained using UTE-T₂* sequence. The value of the whole achilles tendon was measured on the sagittal images of achilles tendon, and the Achilles tendon was equally divided into three subregions [muscle-tendon junction (MTJ), middle (MID), and insertion (INS)]. The region of interest was delineated by two radiologists independently. The intra-group correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the consistency of the data measured by two radiologists. Nonparametric Friedman M test was used to compare the differences of T₂*_M, T₂*_S, T₂*_L and Fraction values in different time points and different subregions. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the difference between 48 h post-race and pre-race T₂*_S values (ΔT₂*_S) of different distance, different running posture, different pace and different amount of training, in which ΔT₂*_S equals the T₂*_S value of 48 h post-race minus the T₂*_S value of pre-race. Results: On the sequence of short TE (TE≤0.6 ms), achilles tendinopathy can manifest as scattered punctate hypointensity in areas of high signal intensity. The two radiologists showed a good consistency in measuring the T₂*_M, T₂*_S, T₂*_L and Fraction values of the achilles tendon, and the ICC values ​​were 0.96, 0.94, 0.83 and 0.94, respectively. The T₂*s values was significantly higher in the whole Achilles tendon, MTJ and MID segment at 48 h post-exercise compared to pre-exercise, and decreased after 1 month of exercise, [0.49 (0.45, 0.59) vs 0.54 (0.49, 0.59) vs 0.53 (0.49, 0.57), 0.48 (0.44, 0.54) vs 0.53 (0.47, 0.58) vs 0.50 (0.46, 0.57), 0.48 (0.43, 0.58) vs 0.54 (0.47, 0.59) vs 0.52 (0.46, 0.57); respectively, all P<0.05]. The changes in T₂*_M, T₂*_L and Fraction values are not statistically significant (all P>0.05). In different running gestures, the ΔT₂*_S of achilles tendon who using the postures of front-middle feet is higher than that using the postures of back feet (0.03(-0.05, 0.07) vs -0.03(-0.17, 0.11), P=0.001). Conclusion: The Bi-component analysis of UTE-T₂* technology is superior to single component analysis in monitoring the dynamic changes of achilles tendon before and after exercise, and T₂*_S is a more sensitive sequence to evaluate the subtle changes in the chemical composition of achilles tendon.

Quality of life and personality in adults with epilepsy

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to understand the quality of life, personality, and associated factors in patients with epilepsy.

METHODS

117 patients with epilepsy and 84 healthy people were studied and tested using the Social Support Scale, the General Well-being Schedule, the Life-Event Scale, the Behavior Pattern Scale, and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the patients with epilepsy and the control group in the Social Support Scale results. The General Well-being Schedule scores were lower for the case patients than for the control group (p < 0.01). Scores for patients with frequent seizures (once a month or more) were lower than those without frequent seizures (less than once per month). The case patients had higher negative scores in the family-related problem section of the Life Events Scale, compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The patients with epilepsy were also more likely to lie (p < 0.05); their emotions were more changeable (p < 0.01), and their character more introverted (p < 0.05), although their behavior patterns were similar to the controls. We also studied associated factors related to personality, general well-being, and familial-negative life-events.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide information about patients with epilepsy that may be useful in their psychological treatment.