Lingual bracket transfer accuracy of double vacuum-formed indirect bonding tray using 3D-printed model: an in vivo study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to assess the transfer accuracy of a digital indirect bonding method for lingual brackets using double vacuum-formed trays in vivo.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients in need of lingual orthodontic treatment were consecutively recruited. Bracket placement was performed on ideal setups, followed by fabricating indirect bonding trays through vacuum-forming on 3-dimensional printed models. Transfer accuracy was measured at each bracket after superimpositions of postbonding scans and reference data. One-tailed t tests were used to determine whether bracket deviations were within the limit of 0.5 mm and 2° for linear and angular dimensions, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 611 lingual brackets were evaluated. Mean linear transfer errors were 0.06 mm, 0.09 mm, and 0.12 mm, with frequencies of deviations within the 0.5 mm limit of 99.7%, 99.8%, and 98.0% for mesiodistal, buccolingual, and occlusogingival dimensions, respectively. Regarding angular measurements, mean transfer errors were 1.28°, 1.73°, and 2.96°, with frequencies of deviations within the 2° limit of 81.0%, 68.9%, and 51.1% for rotation, tip, and torque, respectively. Mean errors fell within the clinically accepted limits for all linear dimensions and rotation but exceeded the limit for tip and torque.

CONCLUSIONS

Lingual bracket indirect bonding using double vacuum-formed trays fabricated on 3-dimensional printed models has high transfer accuracy in the mesiodistal, buccolingual, and occlusogingival dimensions and rotation. However, the transfer of tip and torque is less accurate.

Management of moderate crowding by two-arch distalization using passive self-ligating lingual brackets, in-house digital indirect bonding, and mini-screw anchorage: A case report

This case report presents the management of an adult patient with moderate crowding in both arches and anterior crossbite with passive self-ligating lingual brackets. The orthodontic setup and bracket positioning was done digitally with an in-house approach. Virtual setup and bracket placement was performed on Autolign software (Diorco, Gyeonggi-do, Korea). The indirect bonding trays were vacuum-formed on printed malocclusion models with resin brackets. Two palatal and two buccal shelf miniscrews were used for two-arch distalization to correct proclined incisors and anterior open bite after leveling and alignment stage. After 12-month treatment, normal overbite,overjet and well-aligned dentition were achieved without premolar extraction. The incisors were uprighted slightly and the protrusive lower lip was retracted with improvement of facial harmony. One-year retention records confirmed that the outcome was stable. In-house digital setup and bracket placement could be a cost-effective approach for indirect lingual bracket bonding. Two-arch distalization with miniscrew anchorage may have the possibility of managing moderate crowding cases without premolar extraction or interproximal stripping.

VNU-diagnosis: A novel medical system based on deep learning for diagnosis of periapical inflammation from X-Rays images

Periapical Inflammation (PI) is one of the most popular diseases in adults due to complication of endodontitis or dental trauma with corresponding consequences to quality-of-life like tiredness and signs of infection. Specifically, patients having severe PI are often tiredness and high fever accompanied by signs of infection such as dry lips, dirty tongue, lymph node reaction in the area under the jaw. In X-Ray images, PI could be recognized by vague boundaries with signs of periapical ligament extensions. It is necessary to design a computerized diagnosis system based on the Deep Learning models for supporting clinicians in diagnosis of PI from X-Ray images. In this paper, we propose a new medical system called VNU for diagnosis of PI from X-Rays images. The VNU system uses Deep Learning to classify whether X-Ray images being PI or not. The Residual Neural Network (ResNet) with 34 layers is utilized with proper data augmentation and learning algorithms. The system is designed based on 7-layer enterprise architecture (User, Business, Application, Data, Technology, Infrastructure, and Security). It is used by both the clinicians and IT operators. The system has been validated on real data from Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam consisting of 900 images with PI and 500 normal images. Two scenarios of validation namely hyperparameter selection and performance comparison with other CNN-based Deep Learning models have been performed. It has been found from the experiments that the proposed system has better performance than the others in terms of sensitivity and specificity with the corresponding values of 96.70% and 93.87%. The system is deployed on the web interface that offers flexibility for clinicians in diagnosis and training.

Diagnostic Value of Fluorescence Methods, Visual Inspection and Photographic Visual Examination in Initial Caries Lesion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of fluorescence-based methods, visual inspections, and photographic visual examinations in initial caries detection. A literature search was undertaken in the PubMed and Cochrane databases. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, and eligible articles published from 1 January 2009 to 30 October 2019 were included if they met the following criteria: they (1) assessed the accuracy of methods of detecting initial tooth caries lesions on occlusal, proximal, or smooth surfaces in both primary and permanent teeth (in clinical); (2) used a reference standard; (3) reported data regarding the sample size, prevalence of initial tooth caries, and accuracy of the methods. Data collection and extraction, quality assessment, and data analysis were conducted according to Cochrane standards Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 14.0. A total of 12 eligible articles were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of fluorescence-based methods were 80% and 80%, respectively; visual inspection was measured at 80% and 75%, respectively; photographic visual examination was measured at 67% and 79%, respectively. We found that the visual method and the fluorescence method were reliable for laboratory use to detect early-stage caries with equivalent accuracy.

Bruxism, Related Factors and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Among Vietnamese Medical Students

Although bruxism is a common issue with a high prevalence, there has been a lack of epidemiological data about bruxism in Vietnam. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of bruxism and its impact on oral health-related quality of life among Vietnamese medical students. Bruxism was assessed by the Bruxism Assessment Questionnaire. Temporomandibular disorders were clinically examined followed by the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders Axis I. Perceived stress, educational stress, and oral health-related quality of life were assessed using the Vietnamese version of Perceived Stress Scale 10, the Vietnamese version of the Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents, and the Vietnamese version of the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile, respectively. The prevalence of bruxism, sleep bruxism, awake bruxism, and both conditions in Vietnamese medical students were 51.2%, 38.2%, 23.4%, and 10.4% respectively. Stress, temporomandibular joint pain, masticatory muscle pain, and tooth attrition were associated with the presence of bruxism. Vietnamese medical students were negatively affected by bruxism in terms of oral health-related quality of life.

The Combination of Adaptive Convolutional Neural Network and Bag of Visual Words in Automatic Diagnosis of Third Molar Complications on Dental X-Ray Images

In dental diagnosis, recognizing tooth complications quickly from radiology (e.g., X-rays) takes highly experienced medical professionals. By using object detection models and algorithms, this work is much easier and needs less experienced medical practitioners to clear their doubts while diagnosing a medical case. In this paper, we propose a dental defect recognition model by the integration of Adaptive Convolution Neural Network and Bag of Visual Word (BoVW). In this model, BoVW is used to save the features extracted from images. After that, a designed Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model is used to make quality prediction. To evaluate the proposed model, we collected a dataset of radiography images of 447 patients in Hanoi Medical Hospital, Vietnam, with third molar complications. The results of the model suggest accuracy of 84% ± 4%. This accuracy is comparable to that of experienced dentists and radiologists.

Perceptions of Dentists and Non-Professionals on Some Dental Factors Affecting Smile Aesthetics: A Study from Vietnam

Aim: It is important to meet the aesthetic expectation regarding the smile concept of both dentists and non-professionals after treatment is complete. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the effects of altered displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors on dentists’ vs. non-professionals’ aesthetics perceptions. Materials and method: We altered the features of 42 digital smile photographs to generate the changed displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors. Then, these altered photographs were presented to 51 dentists and 51 non-professionals, and each picture was rated by each participant with a visual analog scale ranging from 0 (very ugly) to 100 (very beautiful). Results: We found that the alterations in incisors, gingival margin, and other factors affected studied groups’ aesthetic perception of smile. The ugly smile threshold rated by both groups for crown length of maxillary central incisors was 2.0 mm. This threshold was 2.5 mm for dentists, with moving the gingival margin of maxillary lateral incisors to the incisal ridge. The ugly thresholds for other smile-related-factors were different between studied groups; for example, the ugly thresholds for gingival exposure levels were 3 and 4mm for dentists and non-professionals, respectively. Thus, our data indicate that altered displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors affected perceptions of both studied groups on smile aesthetics, but dentists tended to feel more refined than non-professionals. Dentists and non-professionals had significantly different aesthetic perceptions of the alteration of the gingival exposure level. Conclusion: Both dentists and non-professionals’ perceptions should be fully considered during orthodontic and prosthodontic treatment to achieve optimum aesthetic results.

An Update on the Progress of Isolation, Culture, Storage, and Clinical Application of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs), which are known as multipotent cells, are widely used in the treatment of various diseases via their self-renewable, differentiation, and immunomodulatory properties. In-vitro and in-vivo studies have supported the understanding mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of BMSCs therapy in clinical applications. The number of clinical trials in phase I/II is accelerating; however, they are limited in the size of subjects, regulations, and standards for the preparation and transportation and administration of BMSCs, leading to inconsistency in the input and outcome of the therapy. Based on the International Society for Cellular Therapy guidelines, the characterization, isolation, cultivation, differentiation, and applications can be optimized and standardized, which are compliant with good manufacturing practice requirements to produce clinical-grade preparation of BMSCs. This review highlights and updates on the progress of production, as well as provides further challenges in the studies of BMSCs, for the approval of BMSCs widely in clinical application.

Quality of Life and Suitability with Vietnamese Harmonious Face Index in Class III Malocclusion Patients

BACKGROUND:

Maxillary Lefort I osteotomy, mandibular bilateral sagittal split ramus was frequently used in correcting skeletal class III malocclusion. There was a lack of research on class III malocclusion patients’ quality of life (QoL) after bimaxillary osteotomy.

AIM:

Class I Intermaxillary relationship was achieved, aesthetic was significantly improved. Significant improvement in Class III skeletal patients’ quality of life was acquired. The achievement of harmonious face would be beneficial to the facial aesthetics of patients, thus improving the quality of life.

METHODS:

Harmonious face index is an effective criterion in assessing the surgery’s outcome. In this study was conducted on 30 patients at Hanoi National Hospital of Odontostomatology, Viet Duc Hospital, and Hong Ngoc Hospital from April 2017 to April 2018, and it was a quasi-experimental study with self-comparison, 12 months follow up.

RESULTS:

Orthognathic surgery effectively corrected malocclusion crossbite, dental compensation, and helped to improve facial aesthetics. 100% of patients had the quality of life improved, good quality of life consisted of 86.7%. In comparison with a harmonious facial index of Kinh ethnic in Vietnam, 70% of patients achieved skeletal harmony, 63.3% of patients achieved dental harmony, 80% achieved soft tissue harmony.

CONCLUSIONS:

Vietnamese harmonious facial index should be used in planning and pre-surgical simulation.

Anatomical Characteristics of Thalamus-Cortical Sensory Tract in the Human Brain Using Diffusion Tensor Tractography at 3.0 Tesla Scanner

BACKGROUND:

Our knowledge about characteristics of the thalamocortical tract (THT) according to the cerebral origin is still few of studies about this structure on Vietnamese.

AIM:

Here, we aim to characterise the morphology of the thalamocortical tract in the human brain using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) at 3.0 tesla scanner.

METHODS:

Fifty healthy subjects have enrolled in this study. Reconstructed images of the thalamocortical tract in the human brain were built using DTT at 3.0 tesla scanner.

RESULTS:

The median length of the right thalamocortical tract was 130.64 mm, and the left THT was 123.14 mm, and an average of two sides was 126.34 mm. The difference between the two sides was statically significance (p < 0.001). The median fibre number of the right THT was 401.50, and the left THT was 315.00, and an average of two sides was 365.50. There was a diverse branch of THT: two branches (5%); three branches (25%); four branches (42%); five branches (16%); six branches (12%); in which branched contralateral for the right was 50%, and for the left was 50%.

CONCLUSION:

Using the DTI and 3D image reconstruction techniques allow to build the image of sensory THT intuitively and accurately, which helps to identify the morphological characteristic of the thalamocortical tract of healthy people without invasive effects.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography Application in Finding Ectopic Tooth: A Systemic Analysis and a Case Report

BACKGROUND:

Nowadays, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) are commonly used in dentistry with an advantage about significantly lower dose comparing with CT-Scanner. Utilizing CBCT images which are indicated in dentistry like orthodontics can help diagnose diseases beyond dentistry field. One rare phenomenon can be seen in maxillary sinus, which is often overlooked by dentists, is ectopic teeth.

CASE REPORT:

This article describes one orthodontic case found accidentally an ectopic tooth in maxillary sinus by inspecting CBCT images.

CONCLUSION:

Dentists and oral radiologists should carefully inspect non-dental structures, like maxillary sinus, even its distance from the dentoalveolar region, especially in asymptomatic patients.

HMU Fluorinze Mouthwash Enhances Enamel Remineralization: An In Vitro Study

BACKGROUND:

Fluoride therapy has long been used extensively to prevent dental caries. Fluoride appears in a variety of dental care products such as mouth rinses, dentifrices, gels, etc. HMU Fluorinze is the first mouthwash containing fluoride in Vietnam.

AIM:

This research was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of HMU Fluorinze mouthwash on remineralizing enamel in laboratory conditions.

METHODS:

20 third molar teeth were cleaned and covered with nail polish, except for a 3 x 3 mm square on their buccal surfaces. These teeth underwent two steps: demineralization using Coca-cola and remineralization for 20 daysusing standard calcifying solution (control group) and standard calcifying solution + HMU Fluorinze mouthwash 2 times/day (experimental group). The index measured of enamel structure after demineralization and remineralization was assessed by a DIAGNOdent pen 2190.

RESULTS

The indices measured of the control group and experimental group at baseline were 3.65 ± 0.76 and 3.35 ± 0.64 respectively. After demineralization the control group measured 21.78 ± 4.48 and the experimental group, 20.25 ± 2.26. Following remineralization, the control group scores were 6.30 ± 1.03 and the experimental group, 3.90 ± 1.24, demonstrating statistical significance (p < 0.01) between the two groups. After 20 days, the results for the experimental group did not differ from the original results (p = 0.272), in contrast with the control group (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Results show that HMU Fluorinze mouthwash is better at remineralizing than standard calcifying solution.

Torsion of Ileum Due To Giant Meckel's Diverticulum - A Case Report

BACKGROUND:

Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) is detected in approximately 2% of all individuals and only 2-4% MD patients may develop symptoms. Small intestinal obstruction is a frequent complication in adults.

CASE REPORT:

A 48-year-old male was admitted to emergency department for high intestinal obstruction symptoms. The imaging examinations were failed to detect the underlying causes. A median laparotomy revealed small bowel obstruction (SBO) due to a segment of ileum twisted around a giant MD axis.

CONCLUSION:

Thus, a giant MD generating torsion of ileum is an unusual complication. Preoperative diagnosis is challenging. Emergency surgery is preferred to make an accurate diagnosis and for treatment.

Autologous Transplantation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Treat Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Evaluation of Clinical Signs, Mental Signs, and Quality of Life

BACKGROUD

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage that can cause a temporary or permanent change in spinal cord functions.

AIM:

This work evaluates clinical signs, mental signs, and quality of life (QoL) after autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) transplantation to treat acute spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODS:

In this study, 47 SCI patients were recruited and divided into two groups: intervention and control. ADSCs were isolated and cultured under the cell culture quality control procedure. All patients in both groups underwent neurosurgery with or without ADSC transplantation. The recovery regarding neurological muscle, QoL, neurogenic bladder, and mental improvement was assessed after transplantation.

RESULTS:

All patients had improved in terms of motor function, bladder function, and daily living. No patients reported any side effect. MRI imaging showed significant changes in the lesion length of the spinal canal and the thickening of the spinal cord. Mental improvement was highest at six months after transplantation and lowest at one month after transplantation. The proportion of patients whose quality of life improved after treatment was 100%, while 80% of patients were satisfied with treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, our data suggested that ADSCs transplantation was safe and effective for the treatment of SCI patients. Neurological muscle and neurogenic bladder were improved significantly after transplantation.

Endodontic Retreatment of an Upper First Molar with Bifurcated Palatal Canal Using Preoperative Cone-beam Computed Tomography: A Case Report

BACKGROUND:

Anatomic variations in palatal canal morphology in maxillary first molars (MFMs) are relatively rare occurrences. Therefore, omission is common unless clinicians recognize their presence.

CASE REPORT:

The aim of this report is to point out new signs that can be viewed as indicators of the existence of additional canals in the palatal root (PR) in this upper first molar endodontic retreatment case. Moreover, the role of preoperative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in both discovering and determining the location of those additional canals will also be discussed.

CONCLUSION:

Besides formerly discussed signs that indicate the existence of this canal, clinicians should also pay attention to other signals on periapical radiograph, including the aberrant divergence of a palatal canal at apical third and an unusual lesion occurring laterally in the periapical area of palatal root.

Author Correction: Evaluation of dental arch dimensions in 12 year-old Vietnamese children - A cross-sectional study of 4565 subjects

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Reduced Need of Infiltration Anesthesia Accompanied With Other Positive Outcomes in Diode Laser Application for Frenectomy in Children

Introduction: The abnormal maxillary labial frenum is common in children during the primary or mixed dentition stage. A conventional surgery for this abnormality usually requires infiltration anesthesia which leads to fear in children and consequent noncooperation during the surgery. The aim of present study was to evaluate the reduction in the need of infiltration anesthesia, intraoperative bleeding control and postoperative pain and wound healing in children when using the diode laser for abnormal labial frenum in the maxilla. Methods: The present study was carried out among 30 children attending the Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam. A Diode Laser with 810 nm wavelength and power of 0.8 W was used for frenectomy. Results: The proportion of procedures without any need of infiltration anesthesia was 70%, while 93.34% of children demonstrated positive and very positive behavior. Proportion of indolence on the first day after surgery was 83.3%. While 83.3% of children did not take any analgesics, not a single child complained of any pain 3 days after surgery. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the use of diode laser showed several benefits in maxillary labial frenectomy in children. These included reducing the need of infiltration anesthesia, increasing the children's cooperation as well as decreasing the postoperative pain.

School education and childhood obesity: A systemic review

Childhood obesity prevalence is shooting up at a phenomenal rate worldwide, leading to long-term devastating consequences. A great number of studies have investigated factors contributing to the increase in BMI of children and adolescents. School-based, home-based and clinic-based solutions have been suggested as possible viable strategies, among which school-based interventions is believed to produce a noticeable effect on a massive scale. However, the question of whether school interventions, especially school education exert significant impact on childhood obesity or not, is left with mixing results. This article aims to holistically review the relationship between school education and childhood obesity. Various factors are covered, including health education, nutrition education, school nutrition, physical education, teachers' awareness, teaching practice and school stress, In all, school education is not the answer to childhood obesity but just part of it. More attempts from other stakeholders (parents, community, policy makers, researchers, etc.) should be made in order to solve this complicated puzzle.

The dental arch dimensions in Vietnamese children at 7 years of age, and their variation by gender and ethnicity

Purpose

Dental arch dimensions are important not only in dentistry (e.g. orthodontists and prosthodontists, and forensic odontology), but also other medical fields, biology, biometrics, painting or sculpture. This study aimed to determine these dimensions in Vietnamese children and compare these measurements across four ethnic groups and genders.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3204 Vietnamese children at 7 years of age from four major ethnic groups in Vietnam (Kinh, Tay, Thai and Muong).

Results

The means variables in study subjects were 33.72 ± 2.16 mm for upper inter-canine width (UCW); 52.74 ± 2.55 mm for upper inter-molar width (UMW); 8.69 ± 1.79 mm for upper anterior length (UAL); 29.59 ± 1.97 mm for upper posterior length (UPL); 26.94 ± 2.49 mm for lower inter-canine width (LCW); 45.89 ± 2.59 mm for lower inter-molar width (LMW); 5.04 ± 1.53 mm for lower anterior length (LAL); and 26.22 ± 2.07 mm for lower posterior length (LPL). The UCM, UMW, and LMW of Muong were significantly wider in males, but narrower in females compared with other ethnic groups. The Kinh, Tay and Thai groups had no significant differences between genders in all dimensions, but these sizes were significantly larger in males than females of Muong group.

Conclusions

This study presents the means of dental arch dimensions in 7 year-old Vietnamese children, and there is no statistical differences in these dimensions between genders of almost studied groups, except Muong group. Ethnic differences are observed only in UCW, UMW and LMW of Muong vs other groups. Furthermore, Vietnamese children have dental arch width similar to the African and Caucasian.

Interventional Treatment of Lymphatic Leakage Post Appendectomy: Case Report

BACKGROUND:

Postoperative lymphatic complications are not common, and lymphatic leakage complication post appendectomy (LLCPC) is even rarer. However, the number of this operation is high so LLCPC can occur.

CASE REPORT:

Here, we report a female patient post appendectomy with severe chylous ascites. This patient underwent six operations. A leakage point at the right iliac-fossa, which was embolized successfully after two sessions, was spotted during intranodal lymphangiography. After 6 months, the ascites were significantly reduced while some lymphatic aneurysms still existed in the lumbar-retroperitoneal region.

CONCLUSIONS:

Basing the knowledge of this clinical case and literature, we have concluded that lymphatic leakage can be diagnosed and embolized by percutaneous intervention.

Zika virus in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia: are there health risks for travelers?

Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia have reported first cases of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection since 2010 (Cambodia) and 2016 (Vietnam and Laos). One case of ZIKV-related microcephaly was recognized among a hundred infected cases in these areas, raising a great concern about the health risk related to this virus infection. At least 5 cases of ZIKV infection among travelers to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were recorded. It is noticeable that ZIKV in these areas can cause birth defects. This work aims to discuss the current epidemics of ZIKV in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and update the infection risk of ZIKV for travelers to these areas.

An Update on Anti-CD137 Antibodies in Immunotherapies for Cancer

The selective expression of CD137 on cells of the immune system (e.g., T and DC cells) and oncogenic cells in several types of cancer leads this molecule to be an attractive target to discover cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, specific antibodies against CD137 are being studied and developed aiming to activate and enhance anti-cancer immune responses as well as suppress oncogenic cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that anti-CD137 antibodies can be used separately to prevent tumor in some cases, while in other cases, these antibodies need to be co-administered with other antibodies or drugs/vaccines/regents for a better performance. Thus, in this work, we aim to update and discuss current knowledge about anti-cancer effects of anti-CD137 antibodies as mono- and combined-immunotherapies.

An Unusual Tooth Shedding with Internal Resorption: A Case Report

Humans have two sets of teeth, deciduous teeth and permanent teeth. When primary teeth fall out, permanent teeth erupt to maintain the chewing function and jaw development. Shedding occurs with increasing level of mobility in primary teeth as a result of root resorption. This report describes an uncommon clinical case that occurred in primary molars with internal resorption and pinkish discoloration. Pink tooth is worrisome for children and parents. Children should have their teeth examined on a regular basis to detect any problems in the process of tooth shedding and eruption.

The effects of green tea on lipid metabolism and its potential applications for obesity and related metabolic disorders - An existing update

Obesity is one of the top global issues, which induces several serious health consequences both physically and mentally, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, eating disorders, depression and stress. However, the effective therapy to prevent and treat obesity and overweight, up to now, cannot be found nowadays. Several methods/medicines namely diet control, energy balance, environmental changes, genetic and stem cell therapies, new drugs/chemicals have been extensively studied to enhance the ability to control bodyweight and prevent obesity. Of all the aforementioned methods, green tea, used as a daily beverage, has shown beneficial impacts for the health, especially its anti-obesity effects. Available evidence shows that green tea can interrupt lipid emulsification, reduce adipocyte differentiation, increase thermogenesis, and reduce food intake, thus green tea improves the systemic metabolism and decreases fat mass. Here, we highlight and sum up the update investigations of anti-obesity effect of green tea as well as discuss the potential application of them for preventing obesity and its related metabolic disorders.

On-site treatment of oral ulcers caused by cheek biting: A minimally invasive treatment approach in a pediatric patient

In small children, it would be desirable for oral lesions, especially on the symmetrical sides, to be screened carefully, and for treatment to begin with minimal interventions including on-site medication and remedies to discontinue the bad routine. Minimal invasive approach and differential diagnosis are considered to be the main solutions for oral ulcers in pediatric patients.

Evaluation of dental arch dimensions in 12 year-old Vietnamese children - A cross-sectional study of 4565 subjects

This study aimed to define the width and length of the dental arch in 12-year-old Vietnamese children, and to elucidate differences between genders and among ethnic groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 4565 12 years-old children from the 4 major ethnic groups in Vietnam (Kinh, Muong, Thai, and Tay), with a healthy and full set of 28 permanent teeth that had never had any orthodontic treatment and with no reconstructive materials at the measured points. The mean variables in all subjects were 36.39 mm for upper inter-canine width; 46.88 mm for upper inter-first molar width; 59.43 mm for upper inter-second molar width; 10.41 mm for upper anterior length; 32.15 mm for upper posterior length 1; 45.52 mm for upper posterior length 2; 28.31 mm for lower inter-canine width; 41.63 mm for lower inter-first molar width; 54.57 mm for lower inter-second molar width (LM2W); 7.06 mm for lower anterior length (LAL); 26.87 mm for lower posterior length 1 (LP1L); and 41.29 mm for lower posterior length 2. Significant differences in these parameters between genders were found in all ethnic groups, except for LAL in the Kinh and Thai groups, and LP1L in the Tay group. Significant ethnic differences were also found in almost all parameters except LM2W in both males and females. Taken together, the representative sizes of dental arches of 12-year-old Vietnamese children have been defined. Our data indicate that there are some variations in dental arch dimensions among ethnic groups and between genders.

Zoonotic diseases from birds to humans in Vietnam: possible diseases and their associated risk factors

In recent decades, exceeding 60% of infectious cases in human beings are originated from pathogenic agents related to feral or companion animals. This figure continues to swiftly increase due to excessive exposure between human and contaminated hosts by means of applying unhygienic farming practices throughout society. In Asia countries-renowned for lax regulation towards animal-trading markets-have experienced tremendous outbreaks of zoonotic diseases every year. Meanwhile, various epidemic surges were first reported in the residential area of China-one of the largest distributor of all animal products on the planet. Some noticeable illnesses comprising of A/H5N1 or H7N9-known as avian influenza which transmitted from poultry and also wild birds-have caused inevitable disquiet among inhabitants. Indeed, poultry farming industry in China has witnessed dynamic evolution for the past two decades, both in quantity and degree of output per individual. Together with this pervasive expansion, zoonotic diseases from poultry have incessantly emerged as a latent threat to the surrounding residents in entire Asia and also European countries. Without strict exporting legislation, Vietnam is now facing the serious problem in terms of poultry distribution between the two countries' border. Even though several disease investigations have been conducted by many researchers, the disease epidemiology or transmission methods among people remained blurred and need to be further elucidated. In this paper, our aim is to provide a laconic review of common zoonotic diseases spread in Vietnam, outstanding cases and several factors predisposing to this alarming situation.

The possible zoonotic diseases transferring from pig to human in Vietnam

Southeast Asia is considered one of worldwide hotspots consisting many distinct zoonotic infections. With optimal condition for the development of various pathogens, Vietnam is facing serious risks of zoonotic diseases. Besides, more than 50% Vietnamese people settle in rustic areas and earn their livings through small-scale animal breeding. It is possible that zoonotic diseases can be easily spread to the population by close contact with the infected animals, their infected residues, contaminated water, soil, or other possible means of transmission. In fact, zoonotic infections-transmissible infections between vertebrate animals and humans-cover a wide range of diseases with distinctive clinical and epidemiological highlights. With insufficient understanding and swift alteration in toxicity of the pathogens, these infections have gained more concerns due to sophisticated routes of transmission and harmful threats to humans. Recently emerging viral diseases exerted potential dangers to human beings, which required many countries to impose immediate actions to prevent any complications. Vietnam has recorded several cases of zoonotic diseases, especially pig-related illnesses; however, the studies on these diseases in this country remain limited. This work aims to highlight the zoonotic diseases transferring from pigs to humans and discuss risk factors of these diseases in Vietnam.

An update on obesity: Mental consequences and psychological interventions

Besides physical consequences, obesity has negative psychological effects, thereby lowering human life quality. Major psychological consequences of this disorder includes depression, impaired body image, low self-esteem, eating disorders, stress and poor quality of life, which are correlated with age and gender. Physical interventions, mainly diet control and energy balance, have been widely applied to treat obesity; and some psychological interventions including behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy have showed some effects on obesity treatment. Other psychological therapies, such as relaxation and psychodynamic therapies, are paid less attention. This review aims to update scientific evidence regarding the mental consequences and psychological interventions for obesity.

An update on physical health and economic consequences of overweight and obesity

Overweight and obesity (OW and OB) have been on the increase globally and posed health risks to the world's population of all ages, including pre-born babies, children, adolescents, adults and elderly people, via their comorbid conditions. Excellent examples of comorbidities associated with obesity include cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this article, we aimed to review and update scientific evidence regarding the relationships between obesity and its common physical health consequences, including CVD, T2DM, hypertension, ischemic stroke, cancer, dyslipidemia and reproductive disorders. In addition, the economic burden of OW and OB will be discussed. Abundant evidence is found to support the associations between obesity and other diseases. In general, the odd ratios, risk ratios or hazard ratios are often higher in OW and OB people than in the normal-weight ones. However, the molecular mechanism of how OW and OB induce the development of other diseases has not been fully understood. Figures also showed that obesity and its-related disorders exert enormous pressure on the economy which is projected to increase. This review highlights the fact that obesity can lead to numerous lethal health problems; therefore, it requires a lot of economic resources to fight against this epidemic.

Conventional digital subtractional vs non-invasive MR angiography in the assessment of brain arteriovenous malformation

OBJECTIVES

Digital subtractional angiography (DSA) is the standard method for diagnosis, assessment and management of arteriovenous malformation in the brain. Conventional DSA (cDSA) is an invasive imaging modality that is often indicated before interventional treatments (embolization, open surgery, gamma knife). Here, we aimed to compare this technique with a non-invasive MR angiography (MRI DSA) for brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fourteen patients with ruptured brain AVM underwent embolization treatment pre-operation. Imaging was performed for all patients using MRI (1.5 T). After injecting contrast Gadolinium, dynamic MRI was performed with 40 phases, each phase of a duration of 1.2 s and having 70 images. The MRI results were independently assessed by experienced radiologist blinded to the cDSA.

RESULTS

The AVM nidus was depicted in all patients using cDSA and MRI DSA; there was an excellent correlation between these techniques in terms of the maximum diameter and Spetzler Martin grading. Of the fourteen patients, the drainage vein was depicted in 13 by both cDSA and MRI DSA showing excellent correlation between the techniques used.

CONCLUSION

MRI DSA is a non-invasive imaging modality that can give the images in dynamic view. It can be considered as an adjunctive method with cDSA to plan the strategy treatment for bAVM.