Dental Disorders and Salivary Changes in Patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

Background: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a common inflammatory condition of the upper aerodigestive tract tissues related to the effects of gastroduodenal content reflux, characterized by a wide variety of clinical manifestations. The aim of our study was to evaluate the possible association between dental disorders and LRP, focusing on the role of salivary changes. Methods: Patient’s dental status was evaluated according to Schiff Index Sensitivity Scale (SISS), Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) scores. Reflux-associated symptoms were assessed according to Reflux symptom index (RSI). A qualitative and quantitative examination of saliva was performed. Results: Patients suffering from LPR had a higher incidence of dental disorders, regardless the presence of salivary pepsin, and thus, statistically significant higher scores of RSI (p = 0.0001), SISS (p = 0.001), BEWE (p < 0.001) and VAS (p < 0.001). Moreover, they had lower salivary flow compared with healthy patients. Conclusions: The finding of demineralization and dental caries on intraoral evaluation must raise the suspicion of LRP. Reflux treatments should also be aimed at correcting salivary alterations, in order to preserve the buffering capacity and salivary pH, thus preventing mucosal and dental damage.

Meaning-Change Through the Mistaken Mirror: On the Indeterminacy of “Wundt” and “Piaget” in Translation

What does a name mean in translation? Quine argued, famously, that the meaning of gavagai is indeterminate until you learn the language that uses that word to refer to its object. The case is similar with scientific texts, especially if they are older; historical. Because the meanings of terms can drift over time, so too can the meanings that inform experiments and theory. As can a life’s body of work and its contributions. Surely, these are also the meanings of a name; shortcuts to descriptions of the author who produced them, or of their thought (or maybe their collaborations). We are then led to wonder whether the names of scientists may also mean different things in different languages. Or even in the same language. This problem is examined here by leveraging the insights of historians of psychology who found that the meaning of “Wundt” changed in translation: his experimentalism was retained, and his Völkerpsychologie lost, so that what Wundt meant was altered even as his work—and his name—informed the disciplining of Modern Psychology as an experimental science. Those insights are then turned here into a general argument, regarding meaning-change in translation, but using a quantitative examination of the translations of Piaget’s books from French into English and German. It is therefore Piaget who has the focus here, evidentially, but the goal is broader: understanding and theorizing “the mistaken mirror” that reflects only what you can think to see (with implications for replication and institutional memory).

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH INTO STEREOSCOPIC VISION

Stereopsis (or stereoscopic) vision is the ability to see depth of perception, which is created by the difference in angle of view between both eyes. The first process is known as simultaneous perception. Objects will fall on each corresponding retina and there will be a process of fusion of the two images into one. Then, the brain initiates three-dimensional perception in visual cortex, creating stereoscopic vision. Stereoscopic vision will rapidly develop, especially at the age of 6-8 months of life. Stereoscopic is important in daily activities. There are many stereoacuity tests to evaluate stereoscopic vision. Stereoscopic examinations are based on the principle of haploscope, anaglyph, or polaroid vectograph. There are qualitative and quantitative examination methods to assess stereoscopic vision. Qualitative examinations such as Horizontal Lang Two Pencil test and Synoptophore. Quantitative examination including Contour stereopsis test and Clinical random dot stereopsis test. The inability of the eye to see stereoscopic can be called stereoblindness. This can be affected by amblyopia, decreased visual acuity, or the presence of ocular misalignment. Inability to achieve stereoscopic vision will impact an individual to perform some daily life activities, and lead to an increase in difficulty interacting in the world.

Optimizing the distribution of food based on the vogel method

Currently, numerous people still suffer from hungry and food insecurity. To solve the problem of production and distribution of food, we firstly set up a quantitative examination on food system from four dimensions, including equitability, efficiency, stability, and sustainability. As we choose 2 to 4 indexes for each dimension, we applied entropy weight method to decide the weight of each index. Secondly, we used BP neural network by MATLAB to simulate the rising trend of population based on the data of population in recent years, and predicted the population until 2030, which is about 8.5 million. In the same way, we forecast that food yield will maintain at 1.63*109 litres approximately till 2030 in the whole world. With certain assumptions, we set a model about Transportation Problem, which help us optimize the food transportation system at present. We use the Vogel method to calculate the results and chose 9 ports for exporting countries and 10 ports for importing countries. After that, we calculate the minimum costs of transportation all over the world is $4979628112343. At the end of our paper, we make sensitively analysis, the result of which proves that our model has a good stability.

Quantitative assessments of late radiation-induced skin and soft tissue toxicity and correlation with RTOG scales and biological equivalent dose in breast cancer

Purpose Radiation-induced toxicity (RIT) is usually assessed by inspection and palpation. Due to their subjective and unquantitative nature, objective methods are required. This study aimed to determine whether a quantitative tool is able to assess RIT and establish an underlying BED-response relationship in breast cancer. Methods Patients following seven different breast radiation protocols were recruited to this study for RIT assessment with qualitative and quantitative examination. The biologically equivalent dose (BED) was used to directly compare different radiation regimens. RIT was subjectively evaluated by physicians using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) late toxicity scores. Simultaneously an objective multiprobe device was also used to quantitatively assess late RIT in terms of erythema, hyperpigmentation, elasticity and skin hydration. Results In 194 patients, in terms of the objective measurements, treated breasts showed higher erythema and hyperpigmentation and lower elasticity and hydration than untreated breasts (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.019, respectively). As the BED increased, Δerythema and Δpigmentation gradually increased as well (p = 0.006 and p = 0.002, respectively). Regarding the clinical assessment, the increase in BED resulted in a higher RTOG toxicity grade (p < 0.001). Quantitative assessments were consistent with RTOG scores. As the RTOG toxicity grade increased, the erythema and pigmentation values increased, and the elasticity index decreased (p < 0.001, p = 0.016, p = 0.005, respectively). Conclusions The multiprobe device can be a sensitive and simple tool for research purpose and quantitatively assessing RIT in patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. Physician-assessed toxicity scores and objective measurements revealed that the BED was positively associated with the severity of RIT.

Akurasi Diagnostik Kecacingan Metode Direct Slidedan Kato Katzpada Penderita Helminthiasis Di Kota Mataram

Worms are diseases caused by the entry of parasites (in the form of worms) into the human body. The types of worms that are often found to cause infection are roundworms (Ascarislumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necatoramericanus) which are transmitted through the soil (Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis. Examination of helminth infections can be done qualitativelyand quantitative. The qualitative examination that is often used is the Direct slide method. while the quantitative examination that is often used is the Kato Katz method. This study aims to compare the accuracy of the worm infection examination between the Direct slide method and the Kato Katz method by examining stool samples. This research was conducted on 47 Ampenan Elementary School Students located on the coast in Mataram City, where the coastal area is one of the good breeding grounds for worms. This study used a comparative analytical research design with a cross sectional approach. To establish the diagnosis of helminthiasis and the type of worm that infects, an examination of worm eggs in stool samples is carried out using the Direct slide and Kato Katz methods. The results showed that the number of samples infected with STH was more commonly found by the Kato-Katz method. The results of measurements using the Direct slide method and the Kato Katz method showed that the highest prevalence of STH infection was Ascaris lumbricoides infection. Direct slide method produces a sensitivity level of 95.16% and a specificity of 100%.

Quantitative Examination of Five Stochastic Cell-Cycle and Cell-Size Control Models for Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

We examine five quantitative models of the cell-cycle and cell-size control in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis that have been proposed over the last decade to explain single-cell experimental data generated with high-throughput methods. After presenting the statistical properties of these models, we test their predictions against experimental data. Based on simple calculations of the defining correlations in each model, we first dismiss the stochastic Helmstetter-Cooper model and the Initiation Adder model, and show that both the Replication Double Adder (RDA) and the Independent Double Adder (IDA) model are more consistent with the data than the other models. We then apply a recently proposed statistical analysis method and obtain that the IDA model is the most likely model of the cell cycle. By showing that the RDA model is fundamentally inconsistent with size convergence by the adder principle, we conclude that the IDA model is most consistent with the data and the biology of bacterial cell-cycle and cell-size control. Mechanistically, the Independent Adder Model is equivalent to two biological principles: (i) balanced biosynthesis of the cell-cycle proteins, and (ii) their accumulation to a respective threshold number to trigger initiation and division.

Media events, speech events and propagandistic techniques of legitimation: a multimodal analysis of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ public addresses on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The increased information need after the outburst of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to the enhanced role of public addresses and press conferences that can broadcast important information simultaneously to a large number of people through a number of different media outlets (TV, radio, internet). Thus, government leaders worldwide have opted for the frequent broadcast of public addresses, reviving the rationale of media events as a way to disseminate their messages concerning the pandemic as widely as possible. The current paper focuses on the Greek case, scrutinizing the public addresses of the Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis in terms of both structural and content characteristics. Through the use of multimodal analysis, we figure out the visual and linguistic characteristics in K. Mitsotakis public addresses. At the same time, we setup a research framework for the qualitative and quantitative examination of similar public addresses in various countries, by combining the theories of media events, propaganda, and linguistic techniques of political legitimization. Our main findings suggest that K. Mitsotakis in his public addresses has made use of direct visual and verbal connections to aspects of “Greekness” in a nation-centric rationale. He relies predominantly on the evocation of positive sentiments and rationalization (as a means of legitimization), in order to achieve political benefits by incorporating the management of the pandemic into the Greek government’s nationalist agenda.