Activation and installation of orthodontic appliances temporarily impairs mastication: A systematic review with meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives To investigate the masticatory (masticatory performance, bite force, swallowing threshold, muscle activity, and questionnaires) and nutritional (nutrient intake) impacts of the activation and/or installation of different orthodontic appliances (fixed labial, lingual appliances, and clear aligners). Materials and Methods Six electronic databases and gray literature were searched (up to May 2021) for relevant studies evaluating mastication and nutrition after activation/installation of orthodontic appliances. This review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42020199510). The risk of bias (RoB 2 and ROBINS-I) and evidence quality Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation were analyzed. Results Of 4226 recorded and screened, 15 studies were finally included. Masticatory performance (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.069; 95% coefficient interval [CI]: 0.619 to 1.518) and bite force (SMD: -2.542; 95% CI: -4.867 to -0.217) reduced in the first 24 to 48 hours of fixed labial appliance installation/activation, but they were both normalized after 30 days (P > .05). The swallowing threshold remained constant (P > .05). Nutritional intake was rarely reported but showed copper (P = .002) and manganese (P = .016) reductions, with higher calorie and fat intake (P < .05). Lingual appliances impacted chewing more than labial, and clear aligner wearers reported fewer chewing problems (P < .001). Low to very low levels of evidence were found. Conclusions Based on low to very low levels of evidence, mastication was reduced during the first 24 to 48 hours of fixed labial appliance activation/installation, but it was transitory (up to 30 days). Due to insufficient data, the nutritional impact of orthodontic appliances was not conclusive.

Spectral and Spatial Feature Integrated Ensemble Learning Method for Grading Urban River Network Water Quality

Urban river networks have the characteristics of medium and micro scales, complex water quality, rapid change, and time–space incoherence. Aiming to monitor the water quality accurately, it is necessary to extract suitable features and establish a universal inversion model for key water quality parameters. In this paper, we describe a spectral- and spatial-feature-integrated ensemble learning method for urban river network water quality grading. We proposed an in situ sampling method for urban river networks. Factor and correlation analyses were applied to extract the spectral features. Moreover, we analyzed the maximum allowed bandwidth for feature bands. We demonstrated that spatial features can improve the accuracy of water quality grading using kernel canonical correlation analysis (KCCA). Based on the spectral and spatial features, an ensemble learning model was established for total phosphorus (TP) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N). Both models were evaluated by means of fivefold validation. Furthermore, we proposed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne water quality multispectral remote sensing application process for urban river networks. Based on the process, we tested the model in practice. The experiment confirmed that our model can improve the grading accuracy by 30% compared to other machine learning models that use only spectral features. Our research can extend the application field of water quality remote sensing to complex urban river networks.

Reflecting on Hospitality & Society: The first ten years

This editorial is the first of a two-part critical reflection upon the progress of Hospitality & Society in its first ten years in relation to the original aims and ambitions. Drawing primarily upon the Dimensions database, a field of research analysis indicates the journal achieving multidisciplinary coverage through its publications with the four most popular fields being: studies in human society; sociology; commerce, management, tourism and services; business and management. The wide range of authors’ disciplines and subjects suggests the metaphor of hospitality is mobilizing meanings across disciplines, geographies and sectors of hospitality studies. Academic journals and books publishing papers citing articles from Hospitality & Society further reflect the breadth of the journal’s impact and reach and the relevance of hospitality to many aspects of society. Evolution of the journal is considered in relation to the editorial team’s structure as well as that of the editorial and advisory boards’ composition, acknowledging implications for the types of knowledge generated. The goal of inclusivity is considered in relation to language and contributing authors’ geographical distribution. An interdisciplinary turn in hospitality studies is noted. Key steps in the journal’s development are noted in relation to sponsorship, journal quality grading and its implications, as well as the importance of the publisher’s values. The editors give thanks to all those involved.

1643 Quality Assessment of Intra-Oral Radiography Within Two Hospitals in South Wales, UK: A Two-Cycle Audit and Introduction to The Updated 2020 Public Health England Quality Grading System

Aim To evaluate the quality of intra-oral radiographs taken within two hospitals in South Wales, United Kingdom, and assess the impact of radiographer training, with the aim of reducing the percentage of undiagnostic radiographs to 10% or less in accordance with national performance targets. Method Details of intra-oral periapical and occlusal radiographs taken in the two hospitals between the 1st July 2015 and the 30th June 2016 were retrieved. 100 radiographs were randomly selected and assessed. Change was then implemented in the delivery of radiographer training workshops, which involved two hours of both didactic teaching and hands-on skills training. There were 10 workshops and 52 attendees. A second audit cycle was completed, with a further 100 radiographs randomly selected from the 1st December 2018 and 30th April 2019. Results There was a 33.2% reduction of undiagnostic radiographs, bringing the total down to 6.3%, meeting the standards of the audit. Feedback from the workshops were also extremely positive; 50% of radiographers grading the quality of the workshops at 10/10. Conclusions The workshops were successful in improving the quality of intra-oral radiographs, therefore improving the quality of this service. This blueprint can be shared amongst other hospitals, to sustainably improve the overall quality of dental radiography in the hospital setting. Recent updated guidance in 2020 introduced a new two-point scale radiograph grading system: ‘Acceptable’ and, ‘not acceptable’. Radiographs graded as, ‘not acceptable’, should account for no more than 5% of radiographs. Future audit cycles will follow this new grading system and standard.

Pricing and Ordering Strategies for Fresh Food Based on Quality Grading

Fresh food quality grading is the basis of fresh food marketization. On the one hand, it can effectively improve the market efficiency of fresh food and improve the earnings of retailers. On the other hand, it can alleviate the incompleteness of market information and help consumers better identify the quality characteristics of fresh food. To address the issue of quality grading for fresh food, this study constructs a retailer profit model for selling fresh food with two quality grades. Considering the quality level distribution of fresh food and based on the quality selection model, the retailer’s optimal grading, pricing, and ordering of fresh food are studied. Through numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis, some conclusions with managerial implications are drawn. We find that the retailer has the optimal quality grading strategy for fresh food, which is influenced by the minimum quality level and the unit cost of fresh food. Raising the quality standard at the lowest level or reducing the unit cost can help the retailer increase the profits.