[Two cases of orthoptic training in middle-aged patients]

To report the results of orthoptic training in two middle-aged patients according to current theories. A 56-year-old female with decompensated exophoria and myopia and a 68-year-old male with decompensated esophoria and moderate hyperopia underwent vision therapy according to standard procedures for improving fusional vergences and ocular accommodation. Sheard and Percival criteria and reduction of patient's symptoms showed binocular visual improvement. Orthoptic training may improve binocular visual function [fusional vergence and accommodation] in middle-aged patients. Therefore, patient motivation and knowledge about orthoptic advantages and disadvantages and explaining the orthoptic methods in comparison with other methods in middle age patients may be helpful for reducing some binocular vision problems

[Comparison of pulmonary function parameters changes among professional and semi-professional basketball athletes]

Bronco constriction is induced by exercise. There are several studies on pulmonary function in athletes during exercise, but there is not a specific study on basketball athletes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pulmonary function changes during basketball in professional players. This study was a before and after study on spirometric parameters during basketball play. Respiratory function was assessed in participants before and 6 to 9 minutes after exercise with a spirolab 2. The study was conducted in three groups, National team of basketball as professional athletes, university team of basketball as semi-professional athletes and medical students as non-athletes group. Thirty five professional athletes, 12 semi-professional athletes and 34 non-athletes participated in this study. Overall, forced vital capacity [FVC] was significantly decreased after exercise [p=0.000], but this change was significant in professional athletes [p=0.05]. Although forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] didn't have significant changes after exercise, there was a significant reduction in this parameter among professional athletes. There were not any significant changes in other spirometric parameters. The reduction in FVC and FEV1 were not more than 6%. We concluded that changes in pulmonary function parameters in professional basketball players were more than semi-professional and non-athletes people

[ in vitro evaluation of canal preparation by passive step back and rotary profile system on canal curvature of human first molar teeth]

Statement of Problem: One of the difficulties that a dentist encounter during root canal treatment is the cleaning and shaping of curved root canals. While doing this procedure the probability of zipping, perforation, apical transportation and canal curvature change increases that all of those are the result of not following the original root canal path by the file. This will fail the prognosis of root canal treatment

Purpose: This in vitro study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of a hand and a rotary instrumentation technique [passive step back and profile system] on canal curvature of mesial roots of human extracted molar teeth

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 mesial roots of first molar teeth with [20-40 degree] curvature were used. The roots were divided randomly into two groups of 20 and the canals were prepared by a hand instrumentation technique [passive step-back] and a rotary [profile system]. Pre and post instrumentation radiographs were taken by radiographic platform. The amounts of alteration in canal curvature were measured by the aid of Adobe Photoshop 7 and Auto CAD 2000 software. Results were analyzed using Man Whitney test

Results: After instrumentation, canal curvature showed 85% reduction in passive-step back and 65% in profile system experimental groups. Mean canal curvature reduction in passivestep back was 3.15+1.94 while in profile system was 1.85+1.67. There was statistically significant difference between two experimental groups [p<0.05]

Conclusion: Under the condition of this study, it seems that better maintenance of the original canal curvature in profile systems was due to the difference, between the properties of Niti and Stainless steel files