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Nutrients Dec 2023In recent years, orthodontics, a specialized branch of dentistry, has evolved considerably in terms of both techniques and materials used. Aimed at correcting dental... (Review)
Review
In recent years, orthodontics, a specialized branch of dentistry, has evolved considerably in terms of both techniques and materials used. Aimed at correcting dental malocclusions and craniofacial anomalies, it improves the functionality and aesthetics of the face and oral cavity. However, orthodontic treatment, in its developmental stages, may induce oxidative stress (O.S.) phenomena, with an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), damaging the dental and periodontal tissues involved, affecting the short-, medium- and long-term results. Studies on the antioxidant effects of natural products (e.g., resveratrol, green tea, turmeric, etc.) in the medical field have aroused considerable interest in recent years. A systematic literature review was conducted on the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using natural products (N.P.s), O.S., and orthodontic as keywords. The study aims to consider the determinants of the increase in ROS occurring during orthodontic treatment and the possibility of natural products being able to control and neutralize biochemical phenomena by restoring the physiological process in which the balance between the production of ROS and the ability of the body's antioxidant system to neutralize them is in favor of the latter.
Topics: Reactive Oxygen Species; Biological Products; Oxidative Stress; Antioxidants; Curcuma
PubMed: 38201943
DOI: 10.3390/nu16010113 -
PloS One 2024The body of evidence has shown that the external focus of attention (EF) rather than the internal focus of attention (IF) enhances motor skill learning and performance.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The body of evidence has shown that the external focus of attention (EF) rather than the internal focus of attention (IF) enhances motor skill learning and performance. Within racket sports which require a high level of motor control, anticipation skills, and mental preparedness, effectively directing attention is essential to elicit improvements in athletic performance. The present review aimed to evaluate the scientific evidence concerning the effects of attentional focus instructions on motor learning and performance in racket sports. We systematically reviewed the literature according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The study was registered with the Open Science Framework (osf.io/m4zat). Four electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus) were searched for original research publications. Inclusion criteria were: peer-reviewed journals; healthy and free from injury participants; attentional focus literature specific to the external or internal focus; attentional focus related to motor learning or motor performance; studies included at least one comparator (e.g., different attentional focus group, or control groups with neutral or no specific instruction); publications in which task(s) or skill(s) related to one of the racket sports (tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, or padel). The initial search yielded 2005 studies. Finally, 9 studies were included in the quantitative analysis. Overall, the results indicated that EF benefits the learning and performance of racket sport skills, compared to IF and over control conditions. The findings suggest that coaches and practitioners should consider the adoption of EF to optimize racket skills performance, particularly in novice or low-skilled athletes.
Topics: Humans; Athletes; Attention; Learning; Racquet Sports; Tennis
PubMed: 38181000
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285239 -
Psychology Research and Behavior... 2023During the COVID-19 pandemic, general population's mental health may be influenced by their perceptions of major pandemic issues. Therefore, a systematic search was... (Review)
Review
During the COVID-19 pandemic, general population's mental health may be influenced by their perceptions of major pandemic issues. Therefore, a systematic search was conducted to screen out those concerns and analyse the impacts. EBSCO, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for publications from inception to 1 February 2023. Nineteen articles were extracted and four issues were screened out as general population's major concerns, namely "Risk perception", "Government trust", "Media coverage and authenticity", and "Conspiracy theory". The population's perceptions of those issues could affect their mental health by arousing emotional reactions, which vary in different countries, social classes and groups, and would change in different stages of virus outbreak. The findings suggest that the general population's attitudes towards COVID-19-related social issues could affect their psychological health and should receive more concerns. As different issues are related to one another, an integrated solution system is in need, which would be helpful for coping with similar public emergencies in the future.
PubMed: 38107446
DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S440942 -
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) Jan 2024Imaging awake animals is quickly gaining traction in neuroscience as it offers a means to eliminate the confounding effects of anesthesia, difficulties of inter-species...
Imaging awake animals is quickly gaining traction in neuroscience as it offers a means to eliminate the confounding effects of anesthesia, difficulties of inter-species translation (when humans are typically imaged while awake), and the inability to investigate the full range of brain and behavioral states in unconscious animals. In this systematic review, we focus on the development of awake mouse blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Mice are widely used in research due to their fast-breeding cycle, genetic malleability, and low cost. Functional MRI yields whole-brain coverage and can be performed on both humans and animal models making it an ideal modality for comparing study findings across species. We provide an analysis of 30 articles (years 2011-2022) identified through a systematic literature search. Our conclusions include that head-posts are favorable, acclimation training for 10-14 d is likely ample under certain conditions, stress has been poorly characterized, and more standardization is needed to accelerate progress. For context, an overview of awake rat fMRI studies is also included. We make recommendations that will benefit a wide range of neuroscience applications.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Rats; Animals; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Wakefulness; Brain; Brain Mapping; Anesthesia
PubMed: 38100331
DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad478 -
Therapeutic Advances in Urology 2023The leakage of urine during sexual arousal, known as climacturia, is an under-recognized clinical condition often overshadowed by erectile dysfunction in men who have... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The leakage of urine during sexual arousal, known as climacturia, is an under-recognized clinical condition often overshadowed by erectile dysfunction in men who have undergone radical prostatectomy.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to determine and evaluate the role of the Mini-Jupette technique and its alternatives in the treatment of climacturia.
DATA SOURCES AND METHODS
We conducted a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for systematic reviews. We searched Medline PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases until October 2022.
RESULTS
We included seven studies involving 120 patients with climacturia. Different types of grafts were used, ranging from synthetic mesh to autologous grafts. In all seven studies, the use of the Adrianne Mini-Jupette (AMJ) and its alternatives showed a high percentage of improvement in climacturia, with reported complete resolution ranging from 65% to 93%. Regarding postoperative complications, one study reported the highest sling explantation rate at 11% (4/38), while other studies reported complications ranging from subjective symptoms such as dysuria and perineal pain to the need for subsequent artificial urinary sphincter placement.
CONCLUSION
The AMJ sling and its variations are low-cost, time-efficient, and relatively safe procedures with high patient satisfaction rates among those treated for climacturia.
PubMed: 38090352
DOI: 10.1177/17562872231215180 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2023Sensorimotor synchronization strategies have been frequently used for gait rehabilitation in different neurological populations. Despite these positive effects on gait,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Sensorimotor synchronization strategies have been frequently used for gait rehabilitation in different neurological populations. Despite these positive effects on gait, attentional processes required to dynamically attend to the auditory stimuli needs elaboration. Here, we investigate auditory attention in neurological populations compared to healthy controls quantified by EEG recordings. Literature was systematically searched in databases PubMed and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were investigation of auditory attention quantified by EEG recordings in neurological populations in cross-sectional studies. In total, 35 studies were included, including participants with Parkinson's disease (PD), stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A meta-analysis was performed on P3 amplitude and latency separately to look at the differences between neurological populations and healthy controls in terms of P3 amplitude and latency. Overall, neurological populations showed impairments in auditory processing in terms of magnitude and delay compared to healthy controls. Consideration of individual auditory processes and thereafter selecting and/or designing the auditory structure during sensorimotor synchronization paradigms in neurological physical rehabilitation is recommended.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Attention; Parkinson Disease; Gait; Electroencephalography
PubMed: 38030693
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47597-5 -
Addiction & Health Jul 2023Although some studies have examined the determinants of problematic pornography use (PPU), few systematic comparisons of risk profiles have been conducted so far.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Although some studies have examined the determinants of problematic pornography use (PPU), few systematic comparisons of risk profiles have been conducted so far. Research on risk profiles can shed a bright light on our knowledge of both the early diagnosis and etiology of such highly prevalent disorders. Accordingly, the present study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the determinants of PPU.
METHODS
Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched, and relevant English articles, including longitudinal and cross-sectional studies on risk factors published from January 2000 to February 2022 were reviewed.
FINDINGS
The determinants of PPU extracted from the investigated studies (=66) were summarized and clustered into biological, psychological, and social categories. The findings indicated that ventral striatum activity is a consistent biological factor which plays a key role in the development of PPU, while there were other psychological factors influencing PPU as mentioned in several studies, including craving, low self-esteem, sexual arousal, coping styles, stress, frequent pornography watching, avoidance, negative beliefs, and emotional deficiency. In addition, the social factors affecting PPU have been reported to be male gender, age, religion, moral incompatibility, and loneliness. According to these results, the identified factors could be considered in preventive treatment.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review provided a comprehensive overview of the biopsychosocial determinants of PPU by analyzing 66 articles mostly from Europe and North America. Most studies showed that ventral striatum activity, craving, self-esteem, stress, frequent pornography watching, gender, age, and religion are related to PPU.
PubMed: 38026725
DOI: 10.34172/ahj.2023.1395 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023Conventional Buddhist texts illustrate meditation as a condition of relaxed alertness that must fend against extreme hypoarousal (sleep, drowsiness) and extreme...
Conventional Buddhist texts illustrate meditation as a condition of relaxed alertness that must fend against extreme hypoarousal (sleep, drowsiness) and extreme hyperarousal (restlessness). Theoretical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging investigations of meditation have highlighted the relaxing effects and hypoarousing without emphasizing the alertness-promoting effects. Here we performed a systematic review supported by an activation-likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis in an effort to counterbalance the surfeit of scholarship emphasizing the hypoarousing and relaxing effects of different forms of Buddhist meditation. Specifically, the current systematic review-cum-meta-analytical review seeks to highlight more support for meditation's wake-promoting effects by drawing from neuroimaging research during wakefulness and meditation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 fMRI studies, we aim to highlight support for Buddhist meditation's wake-promoting or arousing effects by identifying brain regions associated with alertness during meditation. The most significant peaks were localized medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and precuneus. We failed to determine areas ostensibly common to alertness-related meditation such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), superior parietal lobule, basal ganglia, thalamus, most likely due to the relatively fewer fMRI investigations that used wakefulness-promoting meditation techniques. Also, we argue that forthcoming research on meditation, related to alertness or wakefulness, continues to adopt a multi-modal method to investigate the correlation between actual behaviors and neural networks connected to Buddhist meditation. Moreover, we recommend the implementation of fMRI paradigms on Buddhist meditation with clinically diagnosed participants to complement recent trends in psychotherapy such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
PubMed: 38022985
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136983 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2023Psychological factors may have a precipitant role in takotsubo syndrome (TS). Aberrant Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been reported in TS, suggesting inflexibility of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Psychological factors may have a precipitant role in takotsubo syndrome (TS). Aberrant Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been reported in TS, suggesting inflexibility of the autonomous nervous system. Nevertheless, results on HRV alterations and their link with psychological factors in TS are conflicting. This work aimed to systematically explore whether TS may be associated with HRV alterations and their association with specific psychological profiles in TS patients. A literature search was conducted across databases (Pubmed, Scopus, PsycInfo, Web of Science) and empirical studies including TS patients which were evaluated in one or more HRV indices were retrieved. HRV and psychological outcomes were extracted. 10 empirical studies with 194 TS patients were included. Results showed significant alteration of HRV in TS patients, with indices compared to controls, and a progressive increase over time. Nevertheless, retrieved data presented mixed results, as also shown by a large heterogeneity in the meta-analytic findings. 2 studies found significant relationships between HRV alterations and trait-rather than state-psychological outcomes (i.e., coping strategies and emotional arousal), pointing to the need to explore the role of psychological vulnerabilities, rather than single traumatic stressors, in the association between HRV and TS.
Topics: Humans; Heart Rate; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy; Autonomic Nervous System; Adaptation, Psychological; Emotions
PubMed: 38007581
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47982-0 -
PloS One 2023Evidence suggests affective responses to exercise can influence exercise adherence. However, there is a limited understanding of how and when to measure core affect in...
Evidence suggests affective responses to exercise can influence exercise adherence. However, there is a limited understanding of how and when to measure core affect in resistance training. As such, the objective of this systematic review was to analyze how the Feeling Scale and/or the Felt Arousal Scale have been used in resistance training to assess core affect. Focus was given to the contextual feasibility, timing, and frequency of assessment. A search in PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO databases was conducted (last search date July, 2022) with the purpose of including experimental and non-experimental studies, utilizing the Feeling Scale and/or the Felt Arousal Scale in resistance training, and focused on apparently healthy individuals of any age. Twenty-seven studies (N = 718 participants) published between 2009-2022 were qualitatively analyzed. Both scales appeared to be able to detect core affect within a wide array of intensities, ages, and equipment. As for the timing and frequency of measurement, no apparent standardization was evident. The use of the Feeling Scale, the Felt Arousal Scale, or both, to measure core affect appears to be feasible in resistance training practices. However, a lack of methodological background raises concerns regarding the quality of previous studies' assessments and comparisons of results across studies.
Topics: Humans; Resistance Training; Exercise; Arousal; Emotions; Affect
PubMed: 37972201
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294529