Predictability of anterior open bite treatment with Invisalign.

INTRODUCTION: Anterior open bite correction with Invisalign has been claimed to have relatively good predictability because of the proposed function of clear aligners to function as occlusal bite-blocks, limiting extrusion of the posterior teeth or possibly even intruding posterior teeth. This proposal, however, remains relatively unsubstantiated. The objective of this study was to investigate and determine the accuracy of Invisalign treatment in correcting anterior open bite by comparing the predicted outcome from ClinCheck to the achieved outcome for the initial aligner sequence. METHODS: A retrospective study used pretreatment and posttreatment intraoral scans and predicted outcomes (ClinCheck) stereolithography files of 76 adult patients from private specialist orthodontic practices. Inclusion criteria comprised nonextraction treatment, with a minimum of 14 dual arch Invisalign aligners. Geomagic Control X software was used to measure overbite and overjet in the pretreatment, posttreatment, and predicted outcomes stereolithography files for each patient. RESULTS: Approximately 66.2% of the programmed open bite closure was expressed compared with the prescribed ClinCheck outcome. The use of posterior occlusal bite-blocks and prescribed movement of teeth via anterior extrusion, posterior intrusion, or a combination of the 2 made no difference to the efficacy of open bite closure. Two-week aligner changes resulted in 0.49 mm more bite closure on average. CONCLUSIONS: The prescribed bite closure in ClinCheck software overestimates the bite closure that is clinically achieved.

Predictability of overbite control with the Invisalign appliance comparing SmartTrack with precision bite ramps to EX30.

INTRODUCTION: Although the Invisalign appliance has reported difficulty in achieving the overbite outcomes predicted by ClinCheck software (Align Technology, Santa Clara, Calif), the effect of modifications to the material and components of the appliance are largely unquantified. This study aimed to investigate and determine the accuracy of Invisalign in correcting a deep overbite by comparing the predicted outcome from ClinCheck to the achieved posttreatment outcome for treatment groups that use different components of the appliance system. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using pretreatment and posttreatment intraoral scans and predicted outcomes (ClinCheck) stereolithography files of 2 groups of consecutively treated adult patients from private specialist orthodontic practices, 1 group treated with EX30 material with no bite ramps (n = 29) and 1 treated with the newer SmartTrack material and precision bite ramps (n = 39). Inclusion criteria comprised nonextraction treatment, with a minimum of 14 dual arch Invisalign aligners using a 2-weekly aligner change protocol. Geomagic Control X software (3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC) was used to measure overbite in the pretreatment, posttreatment, and predicted outcome stereolithography files for each patient. Results were compared with a previously published treatment group that used SmartTrack material and no precision bite ramps. RESULTS: The regression coefficient analysis indicated that for both groups, the deeper the pretreatment overbite and the greater overbite reduction projected according to ClinCheck, there is a linear increase in the discrepancy of overbite expression posttreatment. ClinCheck overpredicted overbite reduction in 96.6% of patients with precision bite ramp in which, on average, 43.4% of the prescribed overbite reduction was expressed. For EX30 patients, ClinCheck overpredicted overbite reduction in 87.2% of patients in which, on average, 55.1% of the prescribed overbite reduction was expressed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of precision bite ramps does not appear to significantly improve the ability of SmartTrack material to predictably open the bite. SmartTrack material with or without bite ramps does not appear to produce better bite opening predictability than that seen with EX30 material.

Changes in Management After 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET in Patients Undergoing Postprostatectomy Radiotherapy, with Early Biochemical Response Outcomes.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) tracers have increased sensitivity in the detection of prostate cancer, compared with conventional imaging. We assessed the management impact of 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) and report early biochemical response in patients who underwent radiation treatment. Methods: One hundred patients were enrolled into a prospective study, with a prior RP for prostate cancer, a PSA of 0.2-2.0 ng/mL, and no prior treatment. All patients underwent diagnostic CT and PSMA PET/CT, and management intent was completed at 3 time points (original, post-CT, and post-PSMA) and compared. Patients who underwent radiotherapy with 6-mo PSA response data are presented. Results: Ninety-eight patients are reported, with a median PSA of 0.32 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.28-0.36), pT3a/b disease in 71.4%, and an International Society of Urological Pathology grade group of at least 3 in 59.2%. PSMA PET/CT detected disease in 46.9% of patients, compared with 15.5% using diagnostic CT (PSMA PET, 29.2% local recurrence and 29.6% pelvic nodal disease). A major change in management intent was higher after PSMA than after CT (12.5% vs. 3.2%, P = 0.010), as was a moderate change in intent (31.3% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.001). The most common change was an increase in the recommendation for elective pelvic radiation (from 15.6% to 33.3%), nodal boost (from 0% to 22.9%), and use of concurrent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (from 22.9% to 41.7%) from original to post-PSMA intent because of detection of nodal disease. Eighty-six patients underwent 18F-DCFPyL-guided radiotherapy. Fifty-five of 86 patients either did not receive ADT or recovered after ADT, with an 18-mo PSA response from 0.32 to 0.02 ng/mL; 94.5% of patients had a PSA of no more than 0.20 ng/mL, and 74.5% had a PSA of no more than 0.03 ng/mL. Conclusion: 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT has a significant impact on management intent in patients being considered for salvage radiotherapy after RP with PSA recurrence. Increased detection of disease, particularly in the pelvic lymph nodes, resulted in increased pelvic irradiation and concurrent ADT use. Early results in patients who are staged with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT show a favorable PSA response.

Reducing Peak Energy Demand among Residents Who Are Not Billed for Their Electricity Consumption: Experimental Evaluation of Behaviour Change Interventions in a University Setting.

Behaviour change interventions aiming to reduce household energy consumption are regarded as an effective means to address disparities between demand and supply and reduce emissions. Less recognised is their success in shifting consumers' energy consumption from peak demand periods to off-peak times of the day. This study reports two experiments that test the effect of feedback and reminder notifications on energy consumption in university halls-of-residence. A quasi-experiment and a randomised controlled experiment were conducted with residential students to evaluate behaviour change interventions aimed at reducing daily peak and critical peak demand, respectively. The results of Experiment One (n = 143) demonstrated significant reductions in the energy use of the treatment group relative to the control. On average, the treatment group's energy use was 12.4 per cent lower than their pre-intervention baseline. In Experiment Two (n = 88), normative elements of the intervention were supplemented with a reminder notification prior to the onset of the simulated critical peak demand period. The results showed that, relative to the control condition, the 8-h notification reduced demand by 20% on average with a 12% decrease for the 24-h notification (with 2-h follow-up). These results indicate that peak energy issues can be alleviated using low-cost and easily implemented behaviour change strategies.

Patterns of disease detection using [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT imaging in patients with detectable PSA post prostatectomy being considered for salvage radiotherapy: a prospective trial.

PURPOSE: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT is increasingly used in patients with biochemical recurrence post prostatectomy to detect local recurrence and metastatic disease at low PSA levels. The aim of this study was to assess patterns of disease detection, predictive factors and safety using [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT versus diagnostic CT in patients being considered for salvage radiotherapy with biochemical recurrence post prostatectomy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective trial recruiting 100 patients with detectable PSA post prostatectomy (PSA 0.2-2.0 ng/mL) and referred for salvage radiotherapy from August 2018 to July 2020. All patients underwent a PSMA PET/CT using the [18F]DCFPyL tracer and a diagnostic CT. The detection rates of [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT vs diagnostic CT were compared and patterns of disease are reported. Clinical patient and tumour characteristics were analysed for predictive utility. Thirty-day post-scan safety is reported. RESULTS: Of 100 patients recruited, 98 were suitable for analysis with a median PSA of 0.32 ng/mL. [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT was positive 46.4% and equivocal 5.2%, compared to 15.5% positivity for diagnostic CT. Local recurrence was detected on [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT in 28.5%, nodal disease in 27.5% and bony metastases in 6.1% of patients. Both ISUP grade group (p < 0.001) and pre-scan PSA (p = 0.029) were significant predictors of [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT positivity, and logistic regression generated probabilities combining the two showed improved prediction rates. No significant safety events were reported post [18F]DCFPyL administration. CONCLUSIONS: [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT increases detection of disease in patients with biochemical recurrence post prostatectomy compared to diagnostic CT. Patients being considered for salvage radiotherapy with a PSA >0.2 ng/mL should be considered for [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT scan. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12618001530213 ( http://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375932&isReview=true ).

Autism Traits, Sensory Over-Responsivity, Anxiety, and Stress: A Test of Explanatory Models.

The relationship between autistic traits, stress, and anxiety experienced by the general population was investigated using an adult sample that evaluated the suitability of three theoretical models proposed by Green and Ben-Sasson. Participants completed online questionnaires that were analysed using structural equation modelling and partial correlation analyses. Of the models tested, the model that proposed SOR and stress as mediators of the relationship between autistic traits and anxiety was able to explain the variance in the data better than the other models. Based on these findings, we suggest that sensory neutral environments should be considered for the prevention and management of anxiety and stress symptoms for people in the general population with higher levels of autistic traits.

Concept mapping to improve team work, team learning and care of the person with dementia and behavioural and psychological symptoms.

The incidence of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential aged care facilities is high. Effective team work and knowledgeable staff are cited as important facilitators of appropriate care responses to clients with these symptoms, but to achieve this within a resource-poor workplace can be challenging. In the study reported in this paper, concept mapping was trialled to enhance multifocal person-centred assessment and care planning as well as team learning. The outcomes of team concept mapping were evaluated using a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-testing in 11 selected Australian residential aged care facilities , including two control residential aged care facilities , over a nine-month period. It was demonstrated that use of concept mapping improved team function, measured as effectiveness of care planning, as well as enhancing learning, with increased knowledge of dementia care even amongst staff who were not directly involved with the process. It is suggested that these results may be generalizable to other countries and care settings.

The relationship between student engagement with online content and achievement in a blended learning anatomy course.

Blended learning has become increasingly common in higher education. Recent findings suggest that blended learning achieves better student outcomes than traditional face-to-face teaching in gross anatomy courses. While face-to-face content is perceived as important to learning there is less evidence for the significance of online content in improving student outcomes. Students enrolled in a second-year anatomy course from the physiotherapy (PT), exercise physiology (EP), and exercise science (ES) programs across two campuses were included (n = 500). A structural equation model was used to evaluate the relationship of prior student ability (represented by grade in prerequisite anatomy course) and final course grade and whether the relationship was mediated by program, campus or engagement with the online elements of the learning management system (LMS; proportion of documents and video segments viewed and number of interactions with discussion forums). PT students obtained higher grades and were more likely to engage with online course materials than EP and ES students. Prerequisite grade made a direct contribution to course final grade (P < 0.001) but was also mediated by engagement with LMS videos and discussion forums (P < 0.001). Student learning outcomes in a blended anatomy course can be predicted the by level of engagement with online content. Anat Sci Educ 11: 471-477. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

The use of team-based, guided inquiry learning to overcome educational disadvantages in learning human physiology: a structural equation model.

The study of human bioscience is viewed as a crucial curriculum in allied health. Nevertheless, bioscience (and particularly physiology) is notoriously difficult for undergraduates, particularly academically disadvantaged students. So endemic are the high failure rates (particularly in nursing) that it has come to be known as "the human bioscience problem." In the present report, we describe the outcomes for individual success in studying first-year human physiology in a subject that emphasises team-based active learning as the major pedagogy for mastering subject learning outcomes. Structural equation modeling was used to develop a model of the impact team learning had on individual performance. Modeling was consistent with the idea that students with similar academic abilities (as determined by tertiary entrance rank) were advantaged (scored higher on individual assessment items) by working in strong teams (teams that scored higher in team-based assessments). Analysis of covariance revealed that students who studied the subject with active learning as the major mode of learning activities outperformed students who studied the subject using the traditional didactic teaching format (lectures and tutorials, P = 0.000). After adjustment for tertiary entrance rank (via analysis of covariance) on two individual tests (the final exam and a late-semester in-class test), individual student grades improved by 8% (95% confidence interval: 6-10%) and 12% (95% confidence interval: 10-14%) when students engaged in team-based active learning. These data quantitatively support the notion that weaker students working in strong teams can overcome their educational disadvantages.

The multifaceted nature of access to compounded progesterone: a cross-sectional study from Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influences on accessibility of compounded progesterone therapy for Australian women. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of a stratified sample of Australian women who use progesterone only products using the 'Perspectives on Progesterone' questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Principle components analysis (PCA) to determine components of access to progesterone treatment and multi-way analysis of variance to compare groups. RESULTS: Women using compounded progesterone were likely to have made at least one lifestyle adaptation (73%), and to have tried and stopped using at least one complementary and alternative medicine therapy (63%) or conventional hormone therapy (41%). PCA revealed six components of access to progesterone treatment: affordable, values natural treatments and is concerned about other treatments, conventionally available, perceived knowledge, values information gathered from a variety of sources, and rural & disadvantaged. The multifaceted nature of progesterone use illustrates that there are multiple aspects to use of non-conventional medicines. Women looking for non-conventional treatment are neither stupid nor uninformed, their understandings, based on experience and research, need to be addressed by health professionals while assessing their condition prior to discussing the risks and benefits of non-conventional medicines. CONCLUSION: Access to compounded progesterone is multifaceted, and many of the women who use it have tried other treatments first. Despite the clinical ambivalence towards progesterone as an alternative for women who may have tried and rejected other treatments, including conventional hormone therapy, the women described in this paper are using it.

Compounded progesterone: why is it acceptable to Australian women?

OBJECTIVES: To determine factors influencing compounded progesterone products' acceptability amongst Australian women who use them. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of 366 women from all states of Australia who had been dispensed a compounded progesterone product, using the 'Perspectives on Progesterone' questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model of acceptability. Acceptability was measured by respondents' willingness to recommend progesterone therapy to other women with a similar condition to their own and whether they had talked about their experience to other women. RESULTS: Australian women who use compounded progesterone tend to be highly educated. They were treating symptoms associated with menopause transition or hormone deficiency. The most common dosage form being used was transdermal cream. More than half the respondents reported improvement for mood swings or irritability (73%), foggy thinking (58%), hot flushes (56%), sleeping problems (55%), and anxiety (54%). Side effects were minimal with the weight gain being the most frequently reported (10%). There was no difference in symptom improvement between those who use progesterone alone or in combination with other hormones. The compounded progesterone acceptability model contains symptom improvement (very large effect size) perception that progesterone is natural and safe (large effect size), number of unexpected benefits (medium effect size) and treatment tailored to suit them (medium effect size). Concerns about other treatments or other treatments being ineffective did not contribute to acceptability. CONCLUSIONS: Acceptance of compounded progesterone therapy depends on symptom improvement, perception of safety and naturalness and tailored therapy.