Oral cancer knowledge among dental patients in Isfahan.

Background: Diagnosis of oral cancer in the early stages is the most effective tool to improve survival and reduce complications caused by the disease. The aim of this study was investigating the dental patients' knowledge of oral cancer in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 334 patients referred to dental centers in Isfahan, Shahinshahr, Najafabad, Khomeini Shahr, Harand, and Zarrinshahr cities. Data were collected by a researcher-made 25-item questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS (version 26) software using the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficient (P < 0.05). Results: The patients' mean score of knowledge was 49.3 ± 21.4 in Isfahan city and 53.1 ± 18.4 in the other cities of Isfahan province. There was no significant difference between knowledge of oral cancer and gender, marital status, and residence, but there was a significant difference between employment status and knowledge (P = 0.03). The mean score of knowledge was significantly higher in patients who had a history of oral cancer in relatives than in other patients (P = 0.03). Virtual networks (Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram), journals, and books were the most common sources for patients about oral cancers. Conclusion: Dental patients' knowledge of oral cancer in Isfahan province and its cities was moderate, so it is necessary to increase their level of knowledge through more education.

Fabrication of green colorimetric smart packaging based on basil seed gum/chitosan/red cabbage anthocyanin for real-time monitoring of fish freshness.

Novel green intelligent films based on basil seed gum (BSG)/chitosan containing red cabbage extract (RCA) (0, 2.5, 5, and 10, % (v/v)) as a colorimetric indicator for food freshness detection were fabricated by casting method. The physicochemical, barrier, mechanical, and antioxidant characteristics, as well as sensitivity to pH and ammonia gas of smart edible packaging films, were investigated. The interaction of anthocyanin extract as a natural dye with biopolymers in films characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and SEM images revealed their suitable compatibility. The film with maximum anthocyanin content (10% (v/v)) appeared robust color changes against various pH and ammonia gas levels. The color of indicator films when exposed to alkaline, neutral and acidic buffers are indicated with green, blue, and red colors, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of smart BSG/chitosan films improved from 23% to 90.32% with increasing RCA content from 2.5 to 10% (v/v). Generally, the incorporation of RCA in film structure enhanced their solubility, WVP, ΔE, turbidity, and flexibility, and reduced tensile strength. The observations successfully confirmed the efficacy of pH-sensitive indicator smart film based on BSG/chitosan for evaluation of fish spoilage during storage.

Topology optimization on metamaterial cells for replacement possibility in non-pneumatic tire and the capability of 3D-printing.

One of the applications of mechanical metamaterials is in car tires, as a non-pneumatic tire (NPT). Therefore, to find a suitable cell to replace the pneumatic part of the tire, three different solution methods were used, including topology optimization of the cubic unit cell, cylindrical unit cell, and fatigue testing cylindrical sample (FTCS). First, to find the mechanical properties, a tensile test was conducted for materials made of polylactic acid (PLA) and then, the optimization was done based on the weight and overhang control for the possibility of manufacturing with 3D printers, as constraints, besides, the objective of minimum compliance. In the optimization of the cubic unit cell, the sample with a minimum remaining weight of 35% was selected as the optimal sample. However, for the cylindrical unit cell, a sample with a weight limit of 20% was the most optimal state. In contrast, in the FTCS optimization, a specimen with lower remaining weight equal to 60% of the initial weight was selected. After obtaining the answer, five cells in the FTCS and two mentioned cells were evaluated under compressive testing. The samples were also subjected to bending fatigue loadings. The results demonstrated that cellular structures with 15% of lower weight than the optimized samples had the same fatigue lifetime. In the compressive test, the line slope of the specimens with cellular structures in the elastic region of the force-displacement diagram was reduced by 37%, compared to the completely solid samples. However, the weight of these samples decreased by 59%. Furthermore, the fracture surface was also investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that a weak connection between the layers was the cause of failure.

Retracted: Preparation and optimization of soy (Katul cultivar) protein isolate cold-set gels induced by CaCl2 and transglutaminase.

Preparation and optimization of soy (Katul cultivar) protein isolate cold-set gels induced by CaCl2 and transglutaminase. Food Science & Nutrition, https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3158. The above article, published online on December 8, 2022 in Wiley Online Library (https://wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief Y. Martin Lo, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed upon due to an error in which the incorrect version of the article was published.

The present and future status of oral and maxillofacial pathology in Iran: A multicenter study.

Background: At present, the status of oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP) in the country is not properly good. This study aimed to investigate the current status and develop practical approaches to improve occupational condition of the specialty in the future from the viewpoint of the beneficiaries. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants were oral and maxillofacial pathologists of the country (200 individuals), OMFP residents (9 individuals), and final year dental students at six dentistry school of the country at 2020 (200 individuals) through multicenter design. At the first phase, the related questionnaires were developed and assessed psychometrically. Reliability of the questionnaires, internal consistency, and repeatability were computed and confirmed. At the second phase, the survey questionnaires on the current and future condition were sent electronically to the study groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests (mean, standard deviation, percentage) and the Pearson test using SPSS. Results: At the first phase, after primary design of the study too, 23 variables with content validity ratio below 0.56 and content validity index (CVI) below 0.79 were omitted. The questionnaire for the specialists was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.75 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) as 0.83, and the questionnaire for the students and the residents were confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and ICC of 0.80. Results of the second phase showed that score of tendency of students to select OMFP specialty to continue education was 1.58 ± 0.57 from 5. Satisfaction score of specialists on specialized activity of this specialty is 2.7 ± 1.52 from 5. The most important reason for the students to select this specialty was "interest in being faculty member," and the "difficulty of the specialty" was the most probable reason for not selecting this specialty. The most important priority of the residents was "interest in specialty" and for the specialists was "being faculty member." The most important reason to change attitude regarding the specialty by the specialists was mentioned as "high occupational and profession responsibility as well as low income" with the score of 1.38 ± 3.99. "Fundamental revision in the educational curriculum of the specialty" with a score of 4.60 ± 0.93 from 5 was considered as the most important revisionary approach from the viewpoint of specialists. Conclusion: At present, the main problem regarding the OMPF specialty in the country is "high number of graduates and lack of the present occupational opportunities." Evaluation and validation of the relevant specialized departments, producing occupational opportunities, and fundamental revision in the educational curriculum to train well-powered specialists are necessary.

A Comparative Analysis of Dominant Dietary Patterns in Patients with and without Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: As a modifiable risk factor, nutrition plays a pivotal role in the prevention or delay of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study was aimed to investigate and compare the dominant dietary patterns in the patients with and without OSCC. Materials and Methods: This case-control study evaluated the usual dietary intake of 80 cases and 120 controls during 2019-2020 using the 117-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, with confirmed validity and reliability. Factor analysis was used to detect the dominant dietary patterns. Data analysis was done by SPSS (version 21) using the Chi-square test, ANOVA, logistic regression analysis, and independent t-test (P < 0.05). Results: Three dietary patterns were identified, including the western dietary pattern, health dietary pattern, and traditional dietary pattern. The odds ratio (OR) = 1.181 and confidence interval (CI) = 0.671 and 2.082 were found for the western dietary pattern, OR = 1.087 and CI = 0.617 and 1.914 were detected for the healthy dietary pattern, and OR = 0.846 and CI = 0.480 and 1.491 were reported for the traditional dietary pattern. No significant difference was found between the study groups in the dietary pattern and the risk of disease. This relationship remained insignificant after adjustment for the energy intake and confounding factors. Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between adherence to healthy, traditional, and western dietary patterns and OSCC. Consumption of vegetables and nuts had a protective role against the disease, but risky behaviors such as smoking and alcohol use were directly associated with the incidence of the disease.

Amniotic membrane as an accelator in mandibular bone defects repair.

Background: The fetal amniotic membrane is a biological graft with unique qualities which all lead to wound protection, reducing discomfort, and achieving adequate epithelialization. Materials and Methods: In this animal study, the second and third premolars of the mandible of 4 dogs were extracted. After 4 weeks, 20 mm of mandibular premolar site area were resected on both sides. The created defects on both sides were filled with xenograft. On one side, an amniotic membrane was placed over the graft particles and the reflected flap was sutured. The amount of bone formation in the defects was measured after 4 weeks for two of the dogs and after 8 weeks for the other two, using a caliper. Three histopathological samples from both sides were taken. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis (Wilcoxon signed-rank and paired sample t-test) using SPSS software at a significant P = 0.05. Results: In the test group, the quantity of bone was 56.81, whereas in the control group bone quantity was 37.38 with statistically significant differences (P = 0.025). In the amniotic membrane group, the inflammation intensity after the graft procedure was moderate (50%) in comparison to the control group where the inflammation was severe (62.5%) (P = 0.041). Conclusion: The amniotic membrane can induce positive osteoinduction effects and be helpful in repairmen of bone defects such as the natural periosteum.

Designing blenderized tube feeding diets for children and investigating their physicochemical and microbial properties and Dietary Inflammatory Index.

BACKGROUND: Due to the benefits of blenderized tube feeding (BTF) diets, the interest in using them is increasing. This study aimed to design BTFs for children and investigate their physicochemical and microbial properties, as well as Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). METHODS: Five BTF diets were formulated mainly with fresh foods; their DII, physical (viscosity), and chemical (moisture, ash, protein, fat, energy, and micronutrients) characteristics were assessed. Also, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system was implemented for quality assurance of preparation, storage, and delivery of BTFs to patients in hospital. The microbial contamination (total count, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus coagulase positive, mold, and yeast) was analyzed. RESULTS: Energy and percentages of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in BTFs were in the range of 103-112 kcal/100 ml, 16%-22%, 28%-34%, and 48%-52%, respectively. The viscosity of the five developed BTFs was between 29 and 64 centipoises, which allows the formulas to flow without syringe pressure. The DII of all BTFs was between -0.73 and -2.24. Due to the implementation of HACCP, monitoring the production line of BTFs, and performance of corrective measures, no microbial contamination was observed by indicator pathogenic microorganisms. CONCLUSION: A planned BTF diet can be an excellent selection for children using enteral nutrition with tube feeding especially when they are made from fresh and anti-inflammatory foods such as recipes prepared in this study.

Effect of local injection of injectable platelet-rich fibrin on bone remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement in dogs.

Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of local injection of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) on bone remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement in dogs. Materials and Methods: In this animal study, the maxillary first premolars of four adult male mixed-breed dogs were bilaterally extracted, and a nickel-titanium closed coil spring with 150 g force was placed between the canine and second premolar teeth. One quadrant of the maxilla was randomly selected as the test quadrant, and 0.5 cc i-PRF was injected into the periodontal ligament (PDL) around the second premolar at 1, 21, and 42 days. The other quadrant served as the control group and received saline injections. The dogs were sacrificed after 63 days, histological sections were prepared, and changes in bone remodeling were assessed by comparing the percentage of osteogenesis and number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts between the two groups by the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U-tests (α = 0.05). Results: The percentage of osteogenesis (16.0% ± 4.96% in i-PRF and 13.5% ± 4.43% in the control), the percentage of newly formed lamellar bone (10.25% ± 2.87% in i-PRF and 8.75% ± 2.36% in the control), the percentage of woven bone (5.75% ± 2.21% in i-PRF and 4.75% ± 2.36% in the control), the number of osteoblasts (15.0 ± 3.46 in i-PRF and 11.75 ± 2.36 in the control), and the number of osteoclasts (11.25 ± 4.34 in i-PRF and 6.25 ± 2.62 in the control) were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: PDL injection of i-PRF around the second premolars of dogs under orthodontic force had no significant effect on bone remodeling.

Effect of local administration of injectable platelet-rich fibrin on root resorption during orthodontic tooth movement in dogs.

Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of local administration of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) on root resorption during orthodontic tooth movement in dogs. Materials and Methods: This animal study was conducted on 4 adult male mongrel dogs. The right and left maxillary first premolars of the dogs were extracted, and a Nickel-Titanium closed coil spring was used to connect the canine to the second premolar with 150 g load. Next, 0.5 cc of i-PRF was injected in one quadrant of the maxilla around the second premolar into the periodontal ligament. The other quadrant of the maxilla served as the control group and received saline injection. Injections were performed at 1, 21, and 42 days, and the dogs were sacrificed after 63 days. Histological sections were prepared and cementum resorption, secondary cementum formation, and number of cementoblasts and cementoclasts were compared between the two groups by the Friedman test, Wilcoxon test, and Mann-Whitney test (α = 0.05). Results: The mean percentage of cementum resorption (17.75% ± 5.56%) and secondary cementum formation (14.50% ± 6.65%), and the mean number of cementoblasts (10.25 ± 2.36) and cementoclasts (9.75 ± 4.71) were insignificantly higher in the i-PRF group than the corresponding values (13.75% ± 4.34%, 8.50% ± 2.88%, 7.75 ± 1.25, and 6.50 ± 3.10, respectively) in the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Administration of i-PRF insignificantly increased the percentage of cementum resorption, secondary cementum formation, number of cementoblasts, and number of cementoclasts.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level and adrenal deficiency in patients with mucocutaneous pemphigus.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and adrenal insufficiency in patients with mucocutaneous pemphigus lesions who use oral corticosteroids. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 54 patients (48.44 ± 12.74 years) with mucocutaneous pemphigus in 2019. Those patients taken corticosteroids in different doses and way. At first, collected patients information including age, sex, type of pemphigus, duration of use, patient dosage, duration of corticosteroid administration, and method of administration were collected daily. Adrenal gland function was measured by evaluating ACTH levels. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test. RESULTS: Our study showed that 37 cases (68.5%) had normal ACTH average hormone level (7.3-63.3 mL/pg), 11 cases (20.4%) were lower levels (<7.2 mL/pg), and 6 cases (11.1%) were higher levels (63.3 > mL/pg). Wo observed no significant relationship between ACTH and duration of corticosteroids usage (p=0.207). CONCLUSIONS: Taking a maintenance dose of between 12.5 and 25 mg daily does not usually lead to adrenal insufficiency. The present study showed that the lower the daily dose of corticosteroids, the lower the likelihood of adrenal insufficiency.

Efficacy of the systemic co-administration of vitamin D3 in reversing the inhibitory effects of sodium alendronate on orthodontic tooth movement: A preliminary experimental animal study.

INTRODUCTION: Bisphosphonates can severely slow down orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) by reducing bone turnover. This calls for materials and methods to reverse or neutralize their effects on OTM. We propose systemic vitamin D3 (D3) for this purpose. METHODS: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups of 8 each. Three groups were administered D3 (3 systemic doses of 24,000 IU/kg each), alendronate (ALN) (5 doses of 7 mg/kg each), and ALN+D3 (same doses as mentioned above). One group served as the negative control. The incisors were distalized at 30 g of force for 2 weeks. OTMs were measured blindly. Radicular pressure areas were searched histologically (blindly) for capillaries, Howship's lacunae, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts. Data were analyzed statistically (α = 0.05, α = 0.0083, ß <0.1). RESULTS: OTMs in the groups D3, ALN+D3, ALN, and control were 1.900 ± 0.237, 1.629 ± 0.219, 0.975 ± 0.145, and 1.565 ± 0.324 mm (analysis of variance, P <0.001), respectively. OTM in the ALN group was smaller than all other groups (Tukey, P <0.001). OTM in the D3 group was greater than in the control group (P = 0.054). The ALN+D3 group had greater OTM than the ALN group (P <0.001) but was not significantly different from the D3 (P = 0.153) or control (P = 0.951) groups. All histologic variables were significantly different across groups (Kruskal-Wallis, P <0.001). All the markers in the D3 group were more frequent than those of the other groups (Mann-Whitney U, P <0.001). There were fewer markers in the ALN group than in the control group (P ≤0.001). The ALN+D3 group had more markers than the ALN group in terms of capillaries, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts (P ≤0.007). The ALN+D3 group was similar to the control group regarding capillaries, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts (P ≥0.382). CONCLUSIONS: Systemic vitamin D3 may accelerate OTM and increase histologic biomarkers of bone turnover. ALN reduces OTM and its histologic biomarkers. Systemic vitamin D3 can reverse this inhibitory effect of ALN on OTM back to normal.

Fabrication and characterization of biodegradable active films with modified morphology based on polycaprolactone-polylactic acid-green tea extract.

This research focused on developing an eco-friendly packaging for food products through blending polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) as two biodegradable polymers, and green tea extract (GTE) as a natural antioxidant pushing the films toward active packaging; thereby, the morphological, mechanical, thermal, barrier, antioxidant, and biodegradation features of the composite films were analyzed. The films containing 30% PLA exhibited a reduction of 14.96%, 38.89%, 8.75%, and 35.55% in the hydrophilicity, water-solubility, water vapor permeability (WVP), and oxygen transition rate (OTR), respectively. Furthermore, GTE incorporation led to antioxidant behavior as well as better barrier properties (up to 6.25% decrease in WVP and 55.78% in OTR), mechanical properties (an increase of 14.96%, 38.89%, and 8.75% in elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break, respectively) and biodegradable rate (124.13%). Indeed, the presence of polyphenol compounds in green tea improved molecular interaction between the polymers and launched a co-continuous structure and an unparalleled level of compatibility, which was also approved by the changes in FTIR spectra of the PCL/PLA films. These results demonstrate the benefits of blending PLA with PCL and GTE integration in terms of operational enhancement and film activating, respectively, to provide reliable food packaging.

Optimisation of Mechanical Properties in Saw-Dust/Woven-Jute Fibre/Polyester Structural Composites under Liquid Nitrogen Environment Using Response Surface Methodology.

Natural fibre-based composites are replacing traditional materials in a wide range of structural applications that are used in different environments. Natural fibres suffer from thermal shocks, which affects the use of these composites in cold environment. Considering these, a goal was set in the present research to investigate the impact of cryogenic conditions on natural fibre composites. Composites were developed using polyester as matrix and jute-fibre and waste Teak saw-dust as reinforcement and filler, respectively. The effects of six parameters, viz., density of saw-dust, weight ratio of saw-dust, grade of woven-jute, number of jute layers, duration of cryogenic treatment of composite and duration of alkaline treatment of fibres on the mechanical properties of the composite was evaluated with an objective to maximise hardness, tensile, impact and flexural strengths. Taguchi method was used to design the experiments and response-surface methodology was used to model, predict and plot interactive surface plots. Results indicated that the duration of cryogenic treatment had a significant effect on mechanical properties, which was better only up to 60 min. The models were found to be statistically significant. The study concluded that saw-dust of density 300 kg/m3 used as a filler with a weight ratio of 13 wt.% and a reinforcement of a single layer of woven-jute-fibre mat of grade 250 gsm subjected to alkaline treatment for 4 h in a composite that has undergone 45 min of cryogenic treatment presented an improvement of 64% in impact strength, ca. 21% in flexural strength, ca. 158% in tensile strength and ca. 28% in hardness.

Efficient Improvement in Fracture Toughness of Laminated Composite by Interleaving Functionalized Nanofibers.

Functionalized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were used in the present investigation to enhance the fracture behavior of carbon epoxy composite in order to prevent delamination if any crack propagates in the resin rich area. The main intent of this investigation was to analyze the efficiency of PAN nanofiber as a reinforcing agent for the carbon fiber-based epoxy structural composite. The composites were fabricated with stacked unidirectional carbon fibers and the PAN powder was functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and then used as reinforcement. The fabricated composites' fracture behavior was analyzed through a double cantilever beam test and the energy release rate of the composites was investigated. The neat PAN and functionalized PAN-reinforced samples had an 18% and a 50% increase in fracture energy, respectively, compared to the control composite. In addition, the samples reinforced with functionalized PAN nanofibers had 27% higher interlaminar strength compared to neat PAN-reinforced composite, implying more efficient stress transformation as well as stress distribution from the matrix phase (resin-rich area) to the reinforcement phase (carbon/phase) of the composites. The enhancement of fracture toughness provides an opportunity to alleviate the prevalent issues in laminated composites for structural operations and facilitate their adoption in industries for critical applications.

Experimental Investigation of Thrust Force, Delamination and Surface Roughness in Drilling Hybrid Structural Composites.

Filled hybrid composites are widely used in various structural applications where machining is critical. Hence, it is essential to understand the performance of the fibre composites' machining behaviour. As such, a new hybrid structural composite was fabricated with redmud as filler and sisal fibre as reinforcement in polyester matrix. The composite was then tested for its drilling performance. A comprehensive drilling experiment was conducted using Taguchi L27 orthogonal array. The effect of the drill tool point angle, the cutting speed, the feed rate on thrust force, delamination, and burr formation were analysed for producing quality holes. The significance of each parameter was analysed, and the experimental outcomes revealed some important findings in the context of the drilling behaviour of sisal fibre/polyester composites with redmud as a filler. Spindle speed contributed 39% in affecting the thrust force, while the feed rate had the maximum influence of ca. 38% in affecting delamination.

Evaluating high pressure-treated corn and waxy corn starches as novel fat replacers in model low-fat O/W emulsions: A physical and rheological study.

High hydrostatic pressure-treated corn starch (HPCS) and waxy corn starch (HPWCS) at three concentrations (10%, 15%, and 20%) were applied as novel fat replacers in a model low O/W emulsion at three fat reduction levels (FR, 25%, 50%, and 75%) and some physical, textural and rheological characteristics and stability of the samples were examined and compared with the control. Applying higher concentrations of HPCS and HPWCS increased the zeta potential, hardness and consistency (mainly for HPWCS samples), reversely decreased the Z-average particle size and polydispersity index of the reduced-fat emulsions, but augmenting FR levels caused a reverse inclination. The rheological assay cleared that the emulsions prepared with HPWCS had greater elastic modulus (G') and more gap between G' and viscous modulus (G″) at all concentrations than the HPCS-contained samples. The critical stress (τc) of 25FR samples were significantly higher than the control, showing the well stability of reduced-fat samples. Also, the τc of the HPCS-contained emulsions reduced meaningfully when the FR level increased from 25% to 75%, but for the HPWCS samples, fat reduction didn't change the τc value significantly up to 50% fat reduction. Based on Tangδs(n-LVE), HPWCS contained samples showed more spreadability than the HPCS-contained emulsions.

Cress seed gum improves rheological, textural and physicochemical properties of native wheat starch-sucrose mixture.

In this paper, the impact of different substitution levels of cress seed gum (CSG, 0, 5, 10, and 15%) and sucrose (SUC, 0, 5, and 10%) on the rheological properties, textural attributes, syneresis, FTIR and microstructure of native wheat starch (NWS, 4%) gel was investigated. According to the rheological tests, the NWS-CSG and NWS-CSG-SUC gels showed thixotropic behavior and all the samples exhibited shear-thinning flow behavior. Increasing the CSG substitution level up to 15% elevated the apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient whereas the SUC substitution with NWS reduced these values. The higher apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient, and stronger pseudoplastic behavior were obtained for NWS-CSG-SUC gel than NWS gel. The addition of CSG greatly decreased hardness and consistency from 140 to 55.5 g and from 6.9 to 3.0 mJ, respectively during storage at 4 °C for 14 days; while in the presence of SUC these values slightly decreased. After storage, syneresis of NWS and NWS-10%SUC gels increased by 46.78% and 32.11%, respectively; whereas it decreased 19.88% for NWS-15%CSG gel. The SEM images showed that the mixed gels had a denser structure with a smaller pore size. The results indicated that CSG had positive effect in modifying the properties of NWS-SUC mixed gels.

Providing new formulation for white compound chocolate based on mixture of soy flour, sesame paste, and emulsifier: An optimization study using response surface methodology.

This study was aimed at evaluating the suitability of sesame paste as an ingredient in white compound chocolate using response surface methodology. A D-optimal combined mixture-process design with three mixture components, sesame paste (15%-30% w/w), soy flour (0%-15% w/w), and milk powder (0%-15% w/w) under variable amount of emulsifier was used to optimize textural (hardness, cohesiveness, and adhesive force) and thermal (T onset and T m) properties of white compound chocolate containing sesame paste. The results showed that the linear effect of all the mixture components was significant (p < .05) on the responses. Applying a desirability function method, the optimum proportion of mixture components, and emulsifier level were as follows: sesame paste 15.5% w/w, milk powder 7.5% w/w, soy four 7% w/w, and emulsifier 0% w/w, respectively. At optimum point, hardness, cohesiveness, adhesive force, T onset, and T m were 367.07 (N), 0.63, 8.46 (N), 28.1 (°C), and 33.7 (°C), respectively. The predicted values were confirmed through validation experiment.

Histological and Radiological Evaluation of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Versus Whole Body Vibration on Healing of Mandibular Bone Defects in Rats.

Background and Objectives: Mechanical stimulation can improve the structural properties of the fracture site and induce the differentiation of different cell types for bone regeneration. This study aimed to compare the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS) versus whole body vibration (WBV) on healing of mandibular bone defects. Materials and Methods: A mandibular defect was created in 66 rats. The rats were randomly divided into two groups of rats. Each group was subdivided randomly by three groups (n = 11) as follows: (I) control group, (II) treatment with LIPUS, and (III) treatment with WBV. The radiographic changes in bone density, the ratio of lamellar bone to the entire bone volume, the ratio of the newly formed bone to the connective tissue and inflammation grade were evaluated after 1 and 2 months. Results: LIPUS significantly increased the radiographic bone density change compared to the control group at the first and second month postoperatively (p < 0.01). WBV only significantly increased the bone density compared to the control group at the second month after the surgery (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Application of LIPUS and WBV may enhance the regeneration of mandibular bone defects in rats. Although LIPUS and WBV are effective in mandibular bone healing, the effects of LIPUS are faster and greater than WBV.