Assessment of landmark detection in cephalometric radiographs with different conditions of brightness and contrast using the an artificial intelligence software.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of an artificial intelligence (AI) software in identifying cephalometric points on lateral cephalometric radiographs considering four settings of brightness and contrast. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Brightness and contrast of 30 lateral cephalometric radiographs were adjusted into four different settings. Then, the control examiner (ECont), the calibrated examiner (ECal), and the CEFBOT AI software (AIs) each marked 19 cephalometric points on all radiographs. Reliability was assessed with a second analysis of the radiographs 15 days after the first one. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Reliability of landmark identification was excellent for the human examiners and the AIs regardless of the type of brightness and contrast setting (mean intraclass correlation coefficient >0.89). When ECont and ECal were compared for reproducibility, there were more cephalometric points with significant differences on the x-axis of the image with the highest contrast and the lowest brightness, namely N(p = 0.033), S(p = 0.030), Po(p < 0.001), and Pog'(p = 0.012). Between ECont and AIs, there were more cephalometric points with significant differences on the image with the highest contrast and the lowest brightness, namely N(p = 0.034), Or(p = 0.048), Po(p < 0.001), A(p = 0.042), Pog'(p = 0.004), Ll(p = 0.005), Ul(p < 0.001), and Sn(p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: While the reliability of the AIs for cephalometric landmark identification was rated as excellent, low brightness and high contrast seemed to affect its reproducibility. The experienced human examiner, on the other hand, did not show such faulty reproducibility; therefore, the AIs used in this study is an excellent auxiliary tool for cephalometric analysis, but still depends on human supervision to be clinically reliable.

Comparison of the perception of orthodontists and general clinicians on the use of digital dental models in the city of Aracaju/Sergipe / Comparação da percepção de ortodontistas e clínicos gerais sobre o uso de modelos digitais odontológicos na cidade de Aracaju / Sergipe

ABSTRACT Context: Digital study models have become a safe and advantageous alternative for diagnosis and planning in dentistry. Despite the superior characteristics in comparison with traditional plaster models, professionals seem to resist the use of new technologies. Aims: To assess the level of knowledge and the use of digital models through a questionnaire applied to dental professionals. Methods: A questionnaire with 12 multiple-choice questions about plaster models, digital, and use of the 3Shape - 3D viewer software was answered by 76 orthodontists (42 women and 34 men; mean age =37.82 years (SD ± 7.60)) and 30 general dental surgeons (18 women and 12 men; mean age of 33.93 years (SD ± 8.45)) in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil. Data were tabulated in Excel spreadsheets and then analyzed using the SPSS statistical software version 20. An absolute analysis of frequency and percentage of responses was performed. Results: Most professionals reported using plaster models and claimed their low cost as justification for their use (P = 0.001). Aware of the benefits of digital models, professionals of both classes highlighted the facilitated storage and search for information as the main advantages, the cost and infrastructure as the main disadvantages. Regarding the use of the 3Shape - 3D viewer software, orthodontists showed better utilization of this resource than general dental surgeons (P = 0.0198). Conclusion: It verified that most professionals make use of plaster models. However, despite knowing the advantages of digital models, their cost is sees as a limiting factor for adherence to this technology.

RESUMO Contexto: Os modelos digitais de estudo têm se tornado uma alternativa segura e vantajosa para o diagnóstico e planejamento em odontologia. Apesar das características superiores em comparação aos modelos tradicionais de gesso, os profissionais parecem resistir ao uso de novas tecnologias. Objetivos: Avaliar o nível de conhecimento e a utilização de modelos digitais por meio de questionário aplicado a profissionais da área odontológica. Material e Métodos: Questionário com 12 questões de múltipla escolha sobre modelos de gesso, digitais e uso do software 3Shape - 3D viewer foi respondido por 76 ortodontistas (42 mulheres e 34 homens; idade média = 37,82 anos (DP = ± 7,60) ) e 30 cirurgiões-dentistas gerais (18 mulheres e 12 homens; média de idade de 33,93 anos (DP = ± 8,45)) em Aracaju, Sergipe, Brasil. Os dados foram tabulados em planilhas do Excel e posteriormente analisados no software estatístico SPSS versão 20. Foi realizada uma análise absoluta de frequência e percentual de respostas. Resultados: A maioria dos profissionais relatou utilizar modelos de gesso e alegou seu baixo custo como justificativa para seu uso (P = 0,001). Cientes dos benefícios dos modelos digitais, os profissionais de ambas as classes destacaram o armazenamento facilitado e a busca de informações como as principais vantagens, o custo e a infraestrutura como as principais desvantagens. Em relação à utilização do software 3Shape - 3D viewer, os ortodontistas apresentaram melhor aproveitamento desse recurso do que os cirurgiões-dentistas gerais (P = 0,0198). Conclusões: Verificou-se que a maioria dos profissionais faz uso de modelos de gesso. Porém, apesar de conhecer as vantagens dos modelos digitais, seu custo é visto como um fator limitante para a adesão a essa tecnologia.

Mutagenicity in oral cells of individuals exposed to radiofrequency generated by different smartphones

Aim: This study aimed to investigate whether non-ionizing radiation emitted by smartphones is likely to cause genotoxic effects on oral epithelial cells. Methods: Thirty adults were distributed into two groups according to the mobile phone brand used, namely Samsung (Samsung, Seoul, South Korea) and Apple (Apple, California, USA). The material was collected with gentle swabbing of the right and left buccal mucosa using a cervical brush, then the micronucleus test was performed. Results: The Mann-Whitney test with a 5% significance level did not reveal statistically significant differences in micronuclei frequency between the exposed and non-exposed sides (p=0.251). The different brands do not seem to cause risks of inducing genetic damage because there were no statistically significant differences between them (p=0.47). Conclusion: Therefore, our results suggest no correlations of micronuclei frequency in the exposed buccal cells of mobile phone users at the exposure standard levels observed

Artificial intelligence-based cephalometric landmark annotation and measurements according to Arnett's analysis: can we trust a bot to do that?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of CEFBOT, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based cephalometry software, for cephalometric landmark annotation and linear and angular measurements according to Arnett's analysis. METHODS: Thirty lateral cephalometric radiographs acquired with a Carestream CS 9000 3D unit (Carestream Health Inc., Rochester/NY) were used in this study. The 66 landmarks and the 10 selected linear and angular measurements of Arnett's analysis were identified on each radiograph by a trained human examiner (control) and by CEFBOT (RadioMemory Ltd., Belo Horizonte, Brazil). For both methods, landmark annotations and measurements were duplicated with an interval of 15 days between measurements and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine reliability. The numerical values obtained with the two methods were compared by a t-test for independent variables. RESULTS: CEFBOT was able to perform all but one of the 10 measurements. ICC values > 0.94 were found for the remaining eight measurements, while the Frankfurt horizontal plane - true horizontal line (THL) angular measurement showed the lowest reproducibility (human, ICC = 0.876; CEFBOT, ICC = 0.768). Measurements performed by the human examiner and by CEFBOT were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of our methodology, we concluded that the AI contained in the CEFBOT software can be considered a promising tool for enhancing the capacities of human radiologists.

Avaliação do nível de conhecimento de cirurgiões-dentistas e graduandos em Odontologia quanto ao manejo de indivíduos em uso de anticoagulantes orais / Assessment of dentists and dental students' level of knowledge in the management of individuals using oral anticoagulants

Introdução: Diante da alta incidência das doenças cardiovasculares, muitos são os pacientes que fazem uso de medicações para prevenção e tratamento dessas desordens. Consequentemente, o número de pessoas em uso de anticoagulantes orais a serem submetidas a tratamento odontológico é crescente e o manejo desses indivíduos requer criteriosa avaliação da condição clínica e do procedimento a ser realizado. Objetivo: Avaliar o nível de conhecimento de cirurgiões-dentistas e graduandos em Odontologia quanto ao manejo de indivíduos em uso de anticoagulantes orais a serem submetidos a tratamento odontológico. Material e método: Investigação descritiva, quantitativa, de corte transversal, com base em um questionário respondido por 100 indivíduos, sendo 70 cirurgiões-dentistas e 30 graduandos do curso de Odontologia, escolhidos por conveniência, para avaliar o conhecimento sobre o tema proposto. Para comparação das variáveis quantitativas, foi utilizado o Teste t de student, para comparação de duas amostras, e o Teste ANOVA, com pós-teste de Bonferroni, para comparação de três amostras. Resultado: Dentre os entrevistados, 74,5% dos cirurgiões-dentistas e 54,2% dos graduandos relataram já ter atendido um paciente que faz uso de anticoagulante oral. Não houve diferença estatística quanto ao desempenho entre profissionais e alunos acerca do manejo odontológico de pacientes em uso de anticoagulantes. Dentre o grupo de cirurgiões-dentistas, os profissionais da cirurgia bucomaxilofacial e os que fizeram residência multiprofissional apresentaram melhor desempenho quando comparados aos clínicos gerais. Conclusão: Pôde-se concluir que, para os grupos estudados, o manejo de pessoas em uso de anticoagulantes orais ainda é um desafio.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases have a high incidence and due to that there is a large amount of patients who take medications for prevention and treatment of these disorders. Consequently, the number of people to be submitted to dental treatment and also under oral anticoagulant therapy is increasing and the management of these individuals requires a careful evaluation of the clinical condition and the procedure to be performed. Objective: To evaluate the level of knowledge of dentists and undergraduate dental students in the management of individuals using oral anticoagulants to be submitted to dental treatment. Material and method: Descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire answered by 100 individuals (70 dentists and 30 undergraduate dental students), chosen for convenience to evaluate their knowledge about the proposed topic. To compare the quantitative variables, the Student's T test was used to compare two samples and the ANOVA test with Bonferroni's post test to compare three samples. Result: Among the interviewees, 74.5% of dental surgeons and 54.2% of undergraduates reported having attended a patient under oral anticoagulant therapy. There was no statistical difference regarding the performance between professionals and students in the dental management of patients taking anticoagulants. Among the group of dental surgeons, the professionals of the bucomaxillofacial surgery and those who had multiprofessional residency presented better performance when compared to the general practitioners. Conclusion: The management of patients using oral anticoagulants stills a challenge for the groups studied.

Levobupivacaine induces vasodilatation, but not vasoconstriction, in rat mesenteric artery / Levobupivacaína induz vasodilatação, mas não vasoconstrição em artéria mesentérica de rato

Introduction: Levobupivacaine (LEVO) can replace analgesia because it exhibits low toxicity and causes minor vasoconstriction, enabling its use in patients in whom vasoconstrictors are contraindicated. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of LEVO in isolated rat superior mesenteric artery by using the vascular reactivity technique and compare its effect to that of lidocaine. Material and method: Arterial rings were obtained from the mesenteric artery of male Wistar rats and kept in organ baths. For recording isometric contractions, each ring was suspended by cotton threads from a force transducer, which was connected to a data acquisition system. Result: Both lidocaine and LEVO did not show a vasoconstrictor effect on the basal tone of the arterial rings with functional endothelium. However, when the rings were pre-contracted with phenylephrine, both drugs were able to induce concentration-dependent vasodilatation. The vasodilator effect induced by LEVO did not change after removal of the endothelium, or with the addition of tetraethylammonium (1 mM), a non-selective K+ channel blocker. In the rings without functional endothelium, which were pre-contracted with depolarizing Tyrode's solution (KCl 80 mM), LEVO-induced vasodilatation was not significantly different from that observed in the rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Moreover, it did not show a significant additional vasodilator effect compared to the maximal vasodilator effect of nifedipine. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that LEVO produces a vasodilator effect in the rat superior mesenteric artery in an endothelium-independent manner. This effect seems to be mediated via Ca2+ channel blockade in the vascular smooth muscle cells.

Introdução: Levobupivacaína pode ser uma nova alternativa para analgesia por apresentar baixa toxicidade e vasoconstrição, permitindo sua utilização em pacientes que apresentam contra-indicação no uso de vasoconstritores. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos da levobupivacaína utilizando a técnica de reatividade vascular em artéria mesentérica isolada de rato e comparar este efeito à lidocaína. Material e método: Anéis foram obtidos da artéria mesentérica de ratos machos Wistar e foram mantidos em cubas. Para o registro das contrações isométricas, cada anel foi suspenso por linhas de algodão fixadas a um transdutor de força acoplado a um sistema de aquisição. Resultado: Tanto a lidocaína como a levobupivacaína não apresentaram efeito vasocontritor sobre o tônus basal em anéis com endotélio functional. No entanto, quando os anéis foram pré-contraídos com fenilefrina, ambas as drogas induziram um vasorrelaxamento concentração-dependente. O efeito vasorrelaxante causado pela levobupivacaína não foi diferente após a remoção do endotélio, ou com o tetraetilamônio (1mM), um bloqueador não seletivo dos canais para. K+. Em anéis sem endotélio funcional e pré-contraídos com solução despolarizante de Tyrode (KCl 80mM), o vasorelaxamento induzido pela levobupivacaína não foi significativamente diferente daquele observado em anéis pré-contraídos com fenilefrina e não apresentou um efeito adicional significativo sobre o relaxamento máximo da nifedipina. Conclusão: Este estudo demonstrou que a levobupivacaína produz efeito vasorrelaxante em artéria mesentérica de rato, que é endotélio independente. Este efeito parece envolver os bloqueadores de canais para Ca2+ em célula muscular vascular lisa.