Abstract Deep fat frying is a common cooking procedure; however, its effects on food can produce carcinogenic compounds, namely heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) that are detrimental to the health of the consumer. The influence of frying process conditions (temperature, time, meat shape, oil type, oil oxidation) on the formation of HAAs in deep fat fried chicken meat was explored. The concentrations of HAAs increased with frying temperature and time, and higher amounts were found in samples with higher surface areas. The type of oil influenced the formation of HAAs, and more HAAs were found in the samples fried in peanut and rapeseed oils. Oxidation of frying oil also elevated HAAs in fried meat. Understanding how to reduce the formation of HAAs in deep fat frying is essential for reducing the health risks associated with consuming HAAs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether thawing rate could be a novel predictor of acute pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and explore the predictive value of thawing rate as a factor ensuring long-term PVI (vagus reflex). METHODS: A total of 151 patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) were enrolled in this retrospective study between January 2017 and June 2018. The thawing rate was calculated using the thawing phase of the cryoablation curve. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the thawing rate for acute PVI and vagus reflex. RESULTS: ROC curve analyses revealed that the interval thawing rate at 15°C (ITR15) was the most valuable predictor of PVI, with the highest area under curve (AUC) value of the ROC curve. The best cut-off value of ITR15 for PVI was ≤2.14°C/S and its sensitivity and specificity were 88.62% and 67.18%, respectively. In addition, the ITR15 of the successful PVI group after cryoballoon ablation was significantly slower than the failed PVI group. ITR15 was a predictor of vagus reflex and the occurrence of vagus reflex group had a slower ITR15 compared to the non-occurrence group. CONCLUSIONS: Thawing rate was a novel predictor of acute PVI and the ITR15 was the most valuable predictor of acute PVI. In addition, ITR15 was a predictive factor ensuring long-term PVI (vagus reflex). Our study showed that thawing rate may serve in the early identification of useless cryoballoon ablation.

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale – Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II). Method: A total of 86 adults with a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ranging in age from 15 to 78 years, participated in the study. Participants were administered the Y-BOCS-II by a trained clinician who also rated overall illness severity on two additional measures. Patients completed the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Results: Results indicated high internal consistency and fair 1-week test retest reliability. The Y-BOCS-II scales correlated strongly with clinician-rated obsessive-compulsive severity and modestly with self-reported obsessive-compulsive symptom frequency and distress. The relationship between Y-BOCS-II total score and depressive and anxiety symptoms was strong, which may reflect high rates of comorbid conditions in this sample or the linkage between obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and distress. Factor analysis demonstrated a two-factor structure consisting of obsession and compulsion factors, with interference due to obsessions cross-loading. Conclusions: Overall, these results support the use of the Y-BOCS-II among individuals from China. Future study by an independent group is necessary to replicate these findings, as well as investigate interrater reliability and treatment sensitivity.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the relation between biofilm formation ability and quorum sensing gene LuxS/AI-2. Materials and Methods: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) standard strain ATCC 29212 was used in the study. Long flanking homology polymerase chain reaction method was used to build the LuxS gene knockout strain. Sequential culture turbidity measurement and CFU counting were used to assess the proliferation ability of E. faecalis after the depletion of LuxS. 96-well plate assay was used to quantify the biofilm formation ability; CLSM was used to observe the attached bacteria areas, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to observe biofilm microstructure conditions. Results: LuxS gene knockout strains were successfully constructed and identified. The results showed that proliferation ability of E. faecalis was not affected by the depletion of the luxS gene, and the biofilm formation ability of ΔLuxS 29212 significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusions: Collectively, our studies provide the LuxS gene's key role in controlling biofilm formation of E. faecalis, which presented a negative regulation, and furthermore, providing us a possible way to conquer the persistent apical periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined periarticular multimodal drug injection and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for an early analgesic effect after total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty. Patient satisfaction and benefits from the treatment were also assessed. METHODS: A total of 110 patients who were scheduled to undergo total knee arthroplasty and 86 patients who were scheduled to undergo total hip arthroplasty were divided into two groups, the study group and the control group. The study group received a periarticular multimodal drug injection during surgery. The control group received an equal volume of normal saline. All patients received an analgesia pump and a moderate dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Resting and motion Numeric Rating Scale scores, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, knee or hip joint range of motion, length of postoperative hospital stay, patient satisfaction, total nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: Both study groups exhibited significant improvement in pain Numeric Rating Scale scores during rest and exercise several days after the surgery. The range of joint motion was greater in the study group, and the length of postoperative hospital stay was shorter than that in the control group. Patients in the study group consumed fewer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and reported greater satisfaction with surgery. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative periarticular multimodal drug injection significantly relieved pain after surgery and reduced nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption. These patient had a better postoperative experience, including satisfaction and rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the stability of prostheses supported by zygoma implants and remaining teeth for subjects who had undergone hemi-maxillectomy. METHODS: Ten patients were included in the study. Oral rehabilitation was performed using a temporary prosthesis that was supported by remaining teeth for the first three months. Then, a zygoma implant was placed to provide support for a final prosthesis in addition to the remaining teeth. Each prosthesis was tailor-made according to biomechanical three-dimensional finite element analysis results. The patients were assessed using the prosthesis functioning scale of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In addition, retention and bite force were recorded for both the temporary prosthesis and the final prosthesis. RESULTS: The mean bite force of the prosthetic first molar was increased to 69.2 N. The mean retentive force increased to 13.5 N after zygoma implant insertion. The bite force on the prosthetic first molar was improved to 229.3 N. CONCLUSION: Bite force increased significantly with the support of a zygoma implant. The use of zygoma implants in the restoration of maxillary defects improved functional outcome and patient satisfaction.

Objective: To review the current situation in the treatment of oral mucosal melanoma. To describe the treatment protocol that has shown better results, given the experience and studies by the reference institution. Methods: The authors conducted an extensive review of the literature addressing the new lines of therapeutic research. Results: Description of the treatment regimen followed at one of the most experienced centers in the international literature. Conclusions: Oral mucosal melanoma is a rare malignancy with an unknown etiology and pathogenesis and poor prognosis. Treatment should be centered on early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach.

Objetivo: Realizar una revisión de la situación actual en el tratamiento del melanoma de mucosa oral (MMO). Describir el protocolo de tratamiento que haya demostrado mejores resultados dada la experiencia y los estudios realizados por la institución de referencia. Material y métodos: Los autores realizan una amplia revisión de la literatura abordando las nuevas líneas terapéuticas de investigación. Resultados: Descripción del protocolo de tratamiento que siguen en uno de los centros con mayor cáustica en la literatura internacional. Conclusiones: El MMO es una neoplasia maligna poco frecuente, con etiología y patogenia desconocida y un pronóstico infausto. El tratamiento debe basarse en un diagnóstico temprano y un abordaje multidisciplinar.

The development of an array of chemically-responsive dyes on a porous membrane and in its use as a general sensor for odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is reviewed. These colorimetric sensor arrays (CSA) act as an "optoelectronic nose" by using an array of multiple dyes whose color changes are based on the full range of intermolecular interactions. The CSA is digitally imaged before and after exposure and the resulting difference map provides a digital fingerprint for any VOC or mixture of odorants. The result is an enormous increase in discriminatory power among odorants compared to prior electronic nose technologies. For the detection of biologically important analytes, including amines, carboxylic acids, and thiols, high sensitivities (ppbv) have been demonstrated. The array is essentially non-responsive to changes in humidity due to the hydrophobicity of the dyes and membrane.