Analysis of family shared leisure time in early childhood and their relation with parental competencies

ABSTRACT

Family leisure activities require both parental interaction and supervision. This research involved 488 parents of children between 3 and 8 years old from public schools of early childhood and primary education at Gran Canaria, one of the Eastern Canary Islands (Spain); the aim was to analyze the shared leisure in family and its connection with parental competencies. The instruments used in the study were two 6-point Likert scales that measured family leisure activities and parental competencies. The results indicated that mothers, more often than fathers, are still the ones who do more leisure activities with their children, except for both the activities with video games and the sporting events. Four types of family shared leisure activities were found as well: recreational, digital, physical-sporting activities and spending free time with family and friends. The digital activities were shared less often in family. Finally, families with more parental competencies shared more leisure time.     

Moderate alcohol consumption and the immune system: a review

Increasing evidence suggests that light to moderate amounts of polyphenol-rich alcoholic beverages like wine or beer could have health benefits. Scientists have long debated the effects of alcohol on immune function, showing on the one hand, that high doses of alcohol consumption can directly suppress a wide range of immune responses, and that alcohol abuse is associated with an increased incidence of a number of infectious diseases. On the other hand, moderate alcohol consumption seems to have a beneficial impact on the immune system compared to alcohol abuse or abstinence. Therefore, the link between alcohol consumption, immune response, as well as infectious and inflammatory processes remains not completely understood. With this in mind, it is important to realise that other factors, unrelated or indirectly related to immune function, like drinking patterns, beverage type, amount of alcohol, or gender differences, will affect the influence that alcohol consumption may have on the immune system. This review summarises published data describing the effects that light to moderate amounts of polyphenol-rich beverages like wine or beer seem to have on immunity in healthy adults.     

2-OHOA supplementation reduced adiposity and improved cardiometabolic risk to a greater extent than n-3 PUFA in obese mice

ObjectiveWe aimed to assess whether 2-hydroxyoleic acid (2-OHOA) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) could counteract changes on adipokine secretion and cardiometabolic risk biomarkers associated with high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice.MethodsFemale ICR/CD1 mice (8 weeks old) were divided into four groups receiving different diets (n = 8/group): (1) standard chow (control) for 18 weeks; (2) 22% fat for 4 weeks + 60% fat for 14 weeks (obesogenic diet, OD); 3) OD + 2-OHOA (1500 mg kg^?1 diet) for the last 6 weeks (ODHO); and 4) OD + n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic + docosahexaenoic acids, 1500 + 1500 mg kg^?1 diet) for the last 6 weeks (OD-N3). After 18 weeks, body weight, periovarian visceral fat, heart and liver weights were measured, as well as cardiometabolic parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin, HOMA index, triglycerides, total cholesterol, apolipoproteins A1 and E), plasma adipokines and inflammatory proteins (leptin, adiponectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 [PAI1], soluble E-selectin [sE-selectin], matrix metalloproteinase-9 [MMP-9], fibrinogen, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule [sICAM] and soluble vascular adhesion molecule [sVCAM]), and secretion of pro-inflamatory cytokines and inflammatory biomarkers from periovarian adipocytes.ResultsOD mice had greater body and heart weights, and plasma leptin, and lower adiponectin and resistin secretion from adipocytes. Supplementation with 2-OHOA reduced body and heart weights, blood pressure, triglycerides and leptin, and restored adiponectin and resistin secretion, while n-3 PUFA only reduced triglyceride levels (all P < 0.05).Conclusion2-OHOA supplementation was more effective in reducing adiposity, modulating adipokine secretion and ameliorating cardiometabolic risk than n-3 PUFA.     

Lifestyle-related determinants of inflammation in adolescence

Inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases and may also play an important initiating role in their development. Only recently have inflammatory markers been included in epidemiological studies focusing on nutritional status, body composition and physical activity. We are just starting to understand how different lifestyles can determine basal levels of inflammatory biomarkers in early ages. This review aims to summarise what is known about the relationships between lifestyle-related determinants (focusing on overweight, physical activity and dietary habits) and inflammatory markers in apparently healthy young populations. Obesity is the most widely studied determinant. Several large-scale studies have now demonstrated that healthy young subjects with more body fat or higher BMI have moderately higher concentrations of inflammatory markers than their leaner peers, supporting the idea that obesity should be considered as a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. Less data is available to allow us to elucidate how physical activity/fitness or dietary patterns may have a direct effect on inflammation in apparently healthy, disease-free young populations.     

The use of a flowable ormocer for bonding brackets

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the ormocer Admira Flow for bonding brackets. METHODS: 45 extracted human premolars were used. They were divided into two groups: (1) Brackets cemented with the traditional resin orthodontic bonding system Transbond XT, and (2) Brackets bonded with Admira Flow. Shear bond strength was measured with a universal testing machine with a cross-head speed of 1 mm/minute. The adhesive remnant on the tooth after debonding was quantified using image analysis equipment. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in bond strength for Transbond XT and that of Admira Flow, nor were there significant differences in the quantity of adhesive remnant left on the teeth after debonding (P < 0.05).     

Canting of the occlusal plane: Perceptions of dental professionals and laypersons

Objectives: To determine if canting of the occlusal plane influences esthetic evaluation of the smile among orthodontists, dentists and laypersons. Study Design: A frontal photo of a smile with 0º occlusal plane canting in relation to the bipupillary plane was modified using Adobe Photoshop C3 (Adobe Systems Inc, San José, California) to generate two images with occlusal plane inclinations of 2º and 4º. The three images were evaluated esthetically by orthodontists (n=40) general dentists (n=40) and laypersons (n=40). Each image was awarded a score as follows: 1=esthetically acceptable; 2=moderately acceptable; 3=esthetically unacceptable. Evaluators also placed the three images in order in preference. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis (p<0.05) and the Mann-Whitney tests, applying the Bonferroni Correction (p<0.016). Results: No significant differences (p> 0.05) were found between the three groups for 0º and 2º cants (median for orthodontists=1; general dentists=1; laypersons=1). Orthodontists (median score=3) made evaluations of the image with 4º occlusal plane that were significantly different from general dentists (median=2) and laypersons (median=2). All three groups put the 0º image in first place in order of esthetic acceptability, the 2º image in second place and the 4º image in third place. Orthodontists placed the 0º image in first place with significantly greater frequency (p<0.016) than laypersons. Conclusions: Occlusal plane canting of 0º and 2º were evaluated as esthetically acceptable by the three groups. The 4º occlusal plane cant was evaluated more negatively by orthodontists than by general dentists and laypersons. All three groups placed the 0º image in first place of esthetic acceptability, 2º in second place and 4º in third. Orthodontists put the 0º image in first place with significantly greater frequency than laypersons. Key words:Canting, perception, smile, orthodontics, dental esthetics.     

Short-term effect of zoledronic acid upon fracture resistance of the mandibular condyle and femoral head in an animal model

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects in terms of resistance to fracture of the mandibular condyle and femoral head following different doses of zoledronic acid in an animal model. Study design: A total of 80 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in a prospective randomized study. The animals were randomly divided into four groups of 20 rats each. Group 1 (control) received sterile saline solution, while groups 2, 3 and 4 received a accumulated dose of 0.2 mg, 0.4 mg and 0.6 mg of zoledronic acid, respectively. The animals were sacrificed 28 days after the last dose, and the right hemimandible and the right femur were removed. The fracture strength was measured (in Newtons) with a universal test machine using a 1 kN load connected to a metal rod with one end angled at 30 degrees. The cross-head speed was 1 mm/min. Later, the specimens were observed under a scanning electron microscope with backscattered electron imaging (SEM-BSE). At last, chemical analysis and elemental mapping of the mineral bone composition were generated using a microanalytical system based on energy-dispersive and X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Results: A total of 160 fracture tests were performed. The fracture resistance increased in mandible and femur with a higher accumulated dose of zoledronic acid. Statistically significant differences were recorded versus the controls with all the studies groups. The chemical analysis in mandible showed a significantly increased of calcium and phosphorous to compare the control with all of the study groups; however, in femur no statistically significant differences between the four study groups were observed. Conclusions: The administration of bisphosphonates increases the fracture resistance in mandible and femur. Key words:Zoledronic acid, bisphosphonates, animal experimentation, fracture test.