ABSTRACT
Objective@#This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of medication therapy combined with transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in improving problem-solving and emotion regulation abilities of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) type I. @*Methods@#This is a randomized clinical trial conducted on 30 patients with BD I, randomly assigned into two groups of Medication (n = 15, receiving mood stabilizers including 2−5 tablets of lithium 300 mg, sodium valproate 200 mg, and carbamazepine 200 mg) and Medication + tDCS (n = 15, receiving mood stabilizers plus tDCS with 2 mA intensity over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 10 days, two sessions per day each for 20 minutes). The Tower of London (TOL) test and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) were used for assessments before, immediately, and 3 months after interventions. @*Results@#There was a significant difference between groups in total ERQ (p = 0.001) and its cognitive reappraisal domain (p = 0.000) which were increased, but the difference was not significant in its expressive suppression domain (p ＞ 0.05). After 3 months, their level decreased. In examining problem-solving variable, the combined therapy could significantly reduce only the total number of errors under TOL test (p = 0.00), but it remained unchanged after 3 months. @*Conclusion@#Medication therapy plus tDCS is effective in improving problem-solving and emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal) skills of patients with BD I.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to evaluate the root canal system and its curvature and the relationship between the root concavity and the dentin thickness of danger zone in the mandibular first molar using the cone beam CT method. A sum of 101 fresh extracted mandibular first molar were gathered and scanned by CBCT [planmeca romexis 3D] machine. The root canal configuration was evaluated according to Vertucci's classification. Then, the canal curvature was evaluated according to schneider's method in clinical and proximal views. Finally, the relationship between the root concavity and the dentin thickness of danger zone was evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The most common canal configuration of the mesial roots was vertucci type IV [49.5%], followed by type II [46.5%]. Root canal configuration of the distal root revealed type I in 50.5% and type II in 29.7%. The average angles in proximal dimension for MB, ML, DB and DL canals were 18.80, 18.77, 8.22 and 16.86, respectively. These values in clinical dimension were 22.50, 21.90, 13.83 and 12.04, respectively. No meaningful relationship was found between the dentin thickness and the root concavity of danger zone. The clinician's awareness of the anatomy of the root canal system and the canal curvatures and the internal and external anatomy of the root is helpful and necessary in diagnosis and treatment of the endodontic cases
ABSTRACT
The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the effect of hand and rotary instruments on fracture strength of tooth roots. Thirty two teeth were randomly divided into two experimental groups of 15 each and one negative control group with two samples. In group 1, step-back technique with conventional stainless steel K-files was used, and in group 2, instrumentation was performed using rotary Ni-Ti Hero642. Samples in control group did not receive cleaning or shaping after access cavity preparation. After obturating each canal, tip of the spreader was locked within canal. The required force for root fracture was measured using Instron testing machine. Recorded data was statistically analyzed using t-test. The mean and standard deviation force required for vertical root fracture were 50.33 +/- 19.1 and 63.1 +/- 25.46 N for hand and rotary groups respectively. However, no significant difference was found between experimental groups. The results indicate that the manual technique did not lower fracture strength of obturated roots in comparison with the rotary preparation technique