Masticatory muscle function three years after surgical correction of class III dentofacial deformity

Individuals with dentofacial deformities have masticatory muscle changes. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of interdisciplinary treatment in patients with dentofacial deformities regarding electromyographic activity (EMG) of masticatory muscles three years after surgical correction. Thirteen patients with class III dentofacial deformities were studied, considered as group PI (before surgery) and group P3 (3 years to 3 years and 8 months after surgery). Fifteen individuals with no changes in facial morphology or dental occlusion were studied as controls. The participants underwent EMG examination of the temporal and masseter muscles during mastication and biting. Evaluation of the amplitude interval of EMG activity revealed a difference between P1 and P3 and no difference between P3 and the control group. In contrast, evaluation of root mean square revealed that, in general, P3 values were higher only when compared with PI and differed from the control group. There was an improvement in the EMG activity of the masticatory muscles, mainly observed in the masseter muscle, with values close to those of the control group in one of the analyses.

Masseter muscle thickness three years after surgical correction of class III dentofacial deformity

Objective: To analyse the effect of integrated orthodontic treatment, orthognathic surgery and orofacial myofunctional therapy on masseter muscle thickness in patients with class III dentofacial deformity three years after orthognathic surgery. Design: A longitudinal study was conducted on 13 patients with class III dentofacial deformities, denoted here as group P1 (before surgery) and group P3 (same patients 3 years to 3 years and 8 months after surgery). Fifteen individuals with no changes in facial morphology or dental occlusion were assigned to the control group (CG). Masseter muscle ultrasonography was performed in the resting and biting situations in the three groups. Data were analysed statistically by a mixed-effects linear model considering a level of significance of P < 0.05. Results: Significantly higher values (P < 0.01) of masseter muscle thickness (cm) were detected in group P3 (right rest: 0.82 +/- 0.16, left rest: 0.87 +/- 0.21, right bite: 1 +/- 0.22, left bite: 1.04 +/- 0.28) compared to group P1 (right rest: 0.63 +/- 0.19, left rest: 0.64 +/- 0.15, right bite: 0.87 +/- 0.16, left bite: 0.88 +/- 0.14). Between P3 and CG (right rest: 1.02 +/- 0.19, left rest: 1 +/- 0.19, right bite: 1.18 +/- 0.22, left bite: 1.16 +/- 0.22) there was a significant difference on the right side of the muscle (P < 0.05) in both situations and on the left side at rest. Conclusion: The proposed treatment resulted in improved masseter muscle thickness in patients with class III dentofacial deformity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of a food frequency questionnaire for assessing dietary nutrients in Brazilian children 5 to 10 years of age

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire.(FFQ), previously validated to measure usual intakes in adults, for measuring dietary intakes in children 5 to 10 y of age. Methods: Dietary intakes were measured using an FFQ and a 3-d dietary record. Healthy children, 5 to 10 y old (n = 151), were recruited from public schools and asked to answer the questions in the FFQ and to provide non-consecutive 3-d dietary records based on reported estimated portion sizes. Paired sample t tests and Pearson`s correlation coefficients were conducted to determine whether the two instruments reported similar values for energy and nutrients. The agreement of quartile categorization between the two instruments was also examined. Results: Estimated energy and nutrient intakes derived from the FFQ were significantly higher than those derived from 3-d dietary records. As expected, Pearson`s correlations increased after adjusting for residual measurement error, presumably due to exclusion of the high within-person variability in intake of these nutrients. Moderate to high (r > 0.50) correlation coefficients were verified for some nutrients such as calcium, folate, vitamin 132, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Conclusion: This FFQ, originally developed for use in adults, appears to overestimate usual energy and nutrient intakes in children 5 to 10 y of age. Further work is necessary to conduct a calibration study to establish adequate portion sizes before instrument adoption in this population. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond the middle: A report about literacy and numeracy development of target group students in the middle years of schooling: Volume 1

The report was commissioned by the Department of Education, Science and Training to investigate the perceived efficacy of middle years programmes in all States and Territories in improving the quality of teaching, learning and student outcomes, especially in literacy and numeracy and for student members of particular target groups. These target groups included students from lower socio-economic communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, students with a language background other than English, rural and remote students, and students struggling with the transition from middle/upper primary to the junior secondary years. The project involved large scale national and international literature reviews on Australian and international middle years approaches as well as an analysis of key literacy and numeracy teaching and learning strategies being used. In the report, there is emergent evidence of the relative efficacy of a combination of explicit state policy, dedicated funding and curriculum and professional development frameworks that are focused on the improvement of classroom pedagogy in the middle years. The programs that evidenced the greatest current and potential value for target group students tended to have developed in state policy environments that encouraged a structural rather than adjunct approach to middle years innovations. The authors conclude that in order to translate the gains made into sustainable improvement of educational results in literacy and numeracy for target groups, there is a need for a second generation of middle years theorising, research, development and practice.

Poor ovarian response in patients younger than 35 years: Is it also a qualitative decline in ovarian function?

Objective. To investigate whether poor response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) is due to a qualitative decline in ovarian function. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included 436 patients younger than 35-years old, undergoing COS for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Patients with four or fewer MII oocytes after COS (poor-responder group, PR, n = 52) were age-matched with normoresponder patients (NR, n = 364). Results. Although similar duration of stimulation (10.5 +/- 0.4 and 9.3 +/- 0.8 days; p = 0.1358), increased doses of gonadotrophins (2510 +/- 865 and 2253 +/- 572 IU; p = 0.0061) were used in the PR. The results show a increased chance of cycle ending of PR (PR: 26.9% and NR: 3.1%; p < 0.0001). Although the lower total number of oocytes retrieved (2.4 +/- 1.4 and 16.2 +/- 9.3; p < 0.0001), equal rate of fertilization (70.2% and 72.0%, p = 0.1190) and high quality embryos were obtained (50.0% and 45.2%; p = 0.4895), resulting in similar implantation (14.5% and 19.7%; p = 0.2246) and abortion (10.0% and 15.4%; p = 1.00) rates, respectively. A trend towards increased pregnancy rate per embryo transfer in NR group was noted (PR: 26.3% and NR: 42.2%; p = 0.0818). Conclusions. Low ovarian response could be associated mainly with a quantitative rather than a qualitative decline in ovarian function. Therefore, even if the ovarian response to stimulation is low, patients aged <= 35 years should process to oocyte retrieval.

Beyond the middle: A report about literacy and numeracy development of target group students in the middle years of schooling: Volume 2 (Appendices)

This research project was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training to investigate the perceived efficacy of middle years programs in all States and Territories in improving the quality of teaching, learning and student outcomes - especially in literacy and numeracy and for student members of particular target groups. The latter groups included students from lower socio-economic communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) communities, students with a Language Background Other than English (hereafter LBOTE), rural and remote students, and students struggling with the transition from middle/upper primary to the junior secondary years.

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma: Report of a case with 11 years` evolution and peculiar macroscopical and clinical characteristics

Central mucoepidermoid carcinomas (CMC) are uncommon tumours, comprising 2-3% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas reported. They have been reported in patients of all ages, ranging from 1 to 78-years, with the overwhelming majority occurring in the 4th and 5th decades of life. They are histologically low-grade cancers, usually affecting the mandible as uniocular or multiocular radiographic lesions. The authors report a case of CMC of the mandible with a long evolution, and peculiar clinical and macroscopical features related with the long term evolution of the disease. A 53-year-old male patient had expansion of buccal and lingual cortices of the anterior region of the mandible, covered by ulcerated mucosa, with 11 years evolution. An incisional biopsy was performed, and the histopathological findings confirm low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The patient was treated with a mandibulectomy, followed by supraomohyoid neck dissection. There was no evidence of local recurrence, regional or distant metastasis revealed; and the patient was alive and without disease after a follow-up interval of 36 months.