scholarly journals Virtual Reality as a Portable Alternative to Chromotherapy Rooms for Stress Relief: A Preliminary Study

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (21) ◽  
pp. 6211
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Vaquero-Blasco ◽  
Eduardo Perez-Valero ◽  
Miguel Angel Lopez-Gordo ◽  
Christian Morillas

Chromotherapy rooms are comfortable spaces, used in places like special needs schools, where stimuli are carefully selected to cope with stress. However, these rooms are expensive and require a space that cannot be reutilized. In this article, we propose the use of virtual reality (VR) as an inexpensive and portable alternative to chromotherapy rooms for stress relief. We recreated a chromotherapy room stress relief program using a commercial head mounted display (HD). We assessed the stress level of two groups (test and control) through an EEG biomarker, the relative gamma, while they experienced a relaxation session. First, participants were stressed using the Montreal imaging stress task (MIST). Then, for relaxing, the control group utilized a chromotherapy room while the test group used virtual reality. We performed a hypothesis test to compare the self- perceived stress level at different stages of the experiment and it yielded no significant differences in reducing stress for both groups, during relaxing (p-value: 0.8379, α = 0.05) or any other block. Furthermore, according to participant surveys, the use of virtual reality was deemed immersive, comfortable and pleasant (3.9 out of 5). Our preliminary results validate our approach as an inexpensive and portable alternative to chromotherapy rooms for stress relief.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1148
Author(s):  
Vipul Metta ◽  
Prabhat B. Nichkaode ◽  
Sunil V. Panchbhai ◽  
Sai Charan ◽  
Aishwarya Purohit

Background: Chronic non healing ulcers are a challenge to the patient and health care professional. They require special care and intensive treatment often for prolonged periods. These ulcers do not generally heal with conventional types of treatment within a reasonable time period and need special types of treatment like collagen particles, vacuum dressing, chemical debridement etc. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of sterile collagen particles with saline dressings in treatment of chronic non healing ulcers.Methods: 30 test subjects were dressed using sterile collagen particles and 30 controls using saline gauze on day 2 and every 3rd day. The condition of the ulcer was followed up using the Bates-Jensen wound assessment score (BJWA score).Results: BJWA score was significantly lesser at 4th week in test group. The p value was 0.00021. Test group mean score was 17.23 and for control group it was 21.467. BJWA score was significantly lesser even at 8th week in Test group. The p value was 0.00026. Test group mean score was 12.47 and control group it was 17.43. This signifies that healing rate is better in test group compared to control group.Conclusions: Comparing the components in BJWA score we can conclude from our study that; collagen dressings are superior to saline dressing in all type of ulcers and irrespective of gender and age of a person. The best response was seen in non diabetic ulcer without Saphenofemoral incompetence who are non smokers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Intan Gumilang Pratiwi ◽  
Baiq Yuni Fitri Hamidiyanti ◽  
Achmad Arifin ◽  
Farid Husin ◽  
Rai Pandudita ◽  
...  

IUD family planning users continue to decline from the 2012 IDHS as much as 4.9%, in 2017 IDHS data of 3.9%. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in NTB Province was 2.8 children higher than the national target of 2.36 children. This study aims to analyze the application of virtual reality technology to increase midwives' knowledge in installing IUD. The design of this research design is a quasi-experiment with a pre-post non-equivalent control group design. This research design uses two groups: the case group (the group that is given treatment or intervention using virtual reality) and the control group (the group that is not given treatment or not using virtual reality). The number of samples in this study was 30 respondents for each group (treatment and control). The results of this study that the average knowledge after the intervention group training has a higher average than the average in the control group with a p-value (0.000) <α (0.05).


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 1100-1104
Author(s):  
Hussein Naeem Aldhaheri ◽  
Ihsan Edan AlSaimary ◽  
Murtadha Mohammed ALMusafer

      The Aim of this study was to determine Immunogenetic expression of  Toll-like receptor gene clusters related to prostatitis, to give acknowledge about Role of TLR in prostatitis immunity in men from Basrah and Maysan provinces. A case–control study included 135 confirmed prostatitis patients And 50 persons as a control group. Data about age, marital status, working, infertility, family history and personal information like (Infection, Allergy, Steroid therapy, Residency, Smoking, Alcohol Drinking, Blood group, Body max index (BMI) and the clinical finding for all patients of Prostatitis were collected. This study shows the effect of PSA level in patients with prostatitis and control group, with P-value <0.0001 therefore the study shows a positive significant between elevated PSA levels and Prostatitis.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Nazli Zainuddin ◽  
Nurul Azira Mohd Shah ◽  
Rosdan Salim

Introduction: The role of virgin coconut oil in the treatment of allergic rhinitis is controversial. Thus, the aim of the present study is to determine the effects of virgin coconut oil ingestion, in addition to standard medications, on allergic rhinitis. We also studied the side effects of consumption of virgin coconut oil. Methods: Fifty two subjects were equally divided into test and control groups. All subjects received a daily dose of 10mg of loratadine for 28 days. The test group was given 10ml of virgin coconut oil three times a day in addition to loratadine. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis were scored at the beginning and end of the study. Results:, the symptom score were divided into nasal and non-nasal symptom scores. Sneezing score showed a significant difference, however the score was more in control group than test group, indicating that improvement in symptom was more in control group. The rest of the nasal symptom and non-nasal symptom score showed no significant difference between test and control groups. Approximately 58% of the test subjects developed side effects from consumption of virgin coconut oil, mainly gastrointestinal side effects. Conclusion: In the present study, ingestion of virgin coconut oil does not improve the overall and individual symptoms of allergic rhinitis, furthermore it has side effects.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-55
Author(s):  
Syahredi Syaiful Adnani ◽  
Hafni Bachtiar

In the last few decades, the incidence of caesarean section is increasing in the world, especially in Indonesia. One of the way to treat tissue scar is through biologic and synthetic dressing where nowadays, amnion has been used as biologic dressing frequently. This study was conducted to determine the effect of the use of fresh amniotic membrane on wound incision Caesarean section compared with Caesarean section incision wound covered using regular gauze bandages and fixated with plaster in RS. Dr. Reksodiwiryo Padang. The design of this study is an experimen-tal study with Post test design with control group design. Sampling was done using a formula consecutive sampling two different test samples obtained an average of 72 people for each group. The analysis used include univariate and bivariate analyzes. The average wound healing time the difference was statistically significant (p value <0.05) in the treatment and control groups. There was highly significant difference in the proportion of local infection on day 3 between the treatment and control groups (p value <0.05). There were very significant differences in the proportion of local allergic reactions at day 3, and 5 between the treatment and control group (p <0.05). There are significant differences in terms of the cost of care per day between treatment and control groups (p <0.05). From this study, the average wound healing time has a very significant difference.Keywords: Fresh Amniotic Membrane, Wound Cesarean Section, Wound Healing


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2604
Author(s):  
Jin-Young Park ◽  
Kyung-A Ko ◽  
Ji-Yeong Lee ◽  
Jae-Woon Oh ◽  
Hyun-Chang Lim ◽  
...  

Background: Mangosteen and propolis extracts (MAEC) have been potential therapeutic agents known to exhibit powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the clinical and immunological efficacy of MAEC as well as safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) on gingivitis and incipient periodontitis. Methods: This study was performed on 104 patients diagnosed with gingivitis or incipient periodontitis. At baseline, the participants were randomly allocated to either the test group, with daily intake of a single capsule containing 194 mg of MAEC for eight weeks, or control group, with placebo. Clinical periodontal evaluation and immunological parameters from saliva and gingival sulcular fluid were assessed at baseline, four, and eight weeks. Individual PROMs were assessed by OHIP-14 questionnaires. Results: There was a significant difference of modified gingival index at four and eight weeks between the test and control groups. In the test group, crevicular interleukin (IL)-6 was reduced, and the salivary matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 was increased after eight weeks. PROMs were improved up to four weeks compared to placebo. Conclusion: Oral administration of MAEC would have a potential to reduce gingival inflammation clinically and immunologically in the patients with gingivitis and incipient periodontitis.


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
Javier Aragoneses ◽  
Ana Suárez ◽  
Nansi López-Valverde ◽  
Francisco Martínez-Martínez ◽  
Juan Manuel Aragoneses

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of implant surface treatment with carboxyethylphosphonic acid and fibroblast growth factor 2 on the bone–implant interface during the osseointegration period in vivo using an animal model. The present research was carried out in six minipigs, in whose left tibia implants were inserted as follows: eight implants with a standard surface treatment, for the control group, and eight implants with a surface treatment of carboxyethylphosphonic acid and immobilization of FGF-2, for the test group. At 4 weeks after the insertion of the implants, the animals were sacrificed for the histomorphometric analysis of the samples. The means of the results for the implant–bone contact variable (BIC) were 46.39 ± 17.49% for the test group and 34.00 ± 9.92% for the control group; the difference was not statistically significant. For the corrected implant–bone contact variable (BICc), the mean value of the test group was 60.48 ± 18.11%, and that for the control group, 43.08 ± 10.77%; the difference was statistically significant (p-value = 0.035). The new bone formation (BV/TV) showed average results of 27.28 ± 3.88% for the test group and 26.63 ± 7.90% for the control group, meaning that the differences were not statistically significant (p-value = 0.839). Regarding the bone density at the interthread level (BAI/TA), the mean value of the test group was 32.27 ± 6.70%, and that of the control group was 32.91 ± 7.76%, with a p-value of 0.863, while for the peri-implant density (BAP/TA), the mean value of the test group was 44.96 ± 7.55%, and that for the control group was 44.80 ± 8.68%, without a significant difference between the groups. The current research only found a significant difference for the bone–implant contact at the cortical level; therefore, it could be considered that FGF-2 acts on the mineralization of bone tissue. The application of carboxyethylphosphonic acid on the surface of implants can be considered a promising alternative as a biomimetic coating for the immobilization of FGF-2. Despite no differences in the new bone formation around the implants or in the interthread or peri-implant bone density being detected, the biofunctionalization of the implant surface with FGF-2 accelerates the mineralization of the bone–implant interface at the cortical level, thereby reducing the osseointegration period.


Author(s):  
Ifra Abdul Qaiyyum ◽  
Mohammad Nawab ◽  
Munawwar Husain Kazmi

Abstract Objectives Kalaf (Melasma) is an acquired facial hypermelanism. It has direct impact on patient’s quality of life and leads to development of various personality disorders. Lack of effective treatment and recurrences have drawn the attention of researcher to find alternative treatment. This study aimed to evaluate safety and efficacy of a topical Unani formulation in the management of melasma. Methods We conducted a prospective randomized controlled clinical study on the participants diagnosed with melasma. The participants (n=72) randomized into test (n=36) and control (n=36) groups. Sixty participants (n=30 in each group) completed the duration of therapy. The participants of the test group were treated with a classical Unani formulation and control group with hydroquinone 4%. The primary end point was change in mean MASI score and secondary end point was improvement in quality of life after eight weeks of treatment. Results The Unani formulation reduced 40.5% mean MASI score (17.31 ± 9.58 to 10.28 ± 5.92) in comparison to 32% reduction in mean MASI score (20.58 ± 9.49 to 13.92 ± 7.38) in the control group after eight weeks of treatment. When comparing with baseline the difference in MASI score was found statistically significant in both groups (p<0.05). On intergroup comparison, the change in MASI score between both groups was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In addition, MQOL and DQLI also improved significantly in both groups. Conclusions This study concluded that the Unani formulation and the control drug were equally effective and safer in the management of melasma.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 312-316
Author(s):  
Mishra Neha Sanjeev ◽  
Harsimran Kaur ◽  
Sandeep Singh Mayall ◽  
Rishika ◽  
Ramakrishna Yeluri

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of placing a resorbable collagen barrier in impeding the extrusion of obturation material in primary molars undergoing resorption. Study design: All the 94 canals in 47 mandibular molars were allocated to 2 groups- Group ‘A’- 47 canals with collagen barrier (Test group) and Group ‘B’- 47 canals without collagen barrier (Control group) based on randomization protocol. Pulpectomy was performed and obturation of both test and control canals were radiographically assessed. Pearson’s chi – square test was applied to analyze the results. The significance level was predetermined at p &lt; 0.05. Results: Among the test group, 93.6% of the canals showed no extrusion while, 6.4% showed visible extrusion of the material outside the apex. In the control group, 83% showed no extrusion whereas 17% of the canals showed visible extrusion outside the apex. But no significant difference was noted (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: The placement of resorbable collagen barrier in the apical third of the canal prevented the extrusion of obturating material beyond the apex in resorbing primary molars.


2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-346
Author(s):  
Ricardo Silva Tavares ◽  
Fábio Oliveira de Souza ◽  
Isabel Cristina Carvalho Medeiros Francescantonio ◽  
Weslley Carvalho Soares ◽  
Mauro Meira Mesquita

Summary Objective: To evaluate the levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients heterozygous for hemoglobin variants and compare the results of this test with those of a control group. Method: This was an experimental study based on the comparison of HbA1c tests in two different populations, with a test group represented by individuals heterozygous for hemoglobin variants (AS and AC) and a control group consisting of people with electrophoretic profile AA. The two populations were required to meet the following inclusion criteria: Normal levels of fasting glucose, hemoglobin, urea and triglycerides, bilirubin > 20 mg/dL and non-use of acetylsalicylic acid. 50 heterozygous subjects and 50 controls were evaluated between August 2013 and May 2014. The comparison of HbA1c levels between heterozygous individuals and control subjects was performed based on standard deviation, mean and G-Test. Results: The study assessed a test group and a control group, both with 39 adults and 11 children. The mean among heterozygous adults for HbA1c was 5.0%, while the control group showed a rate of 5.74%. Heterozygous children presented mean HbA1c at 5.11%, while the controls were at 5.78%. G-Test yielded p=0.93 for children and p=0.89 for adults. Conclusion: Our study evaluated HbA1c using ion exchange chromatography resins, and the patients heterozygous for hemoglobin variants showed no significant difference from the control group.


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