Evaluating the effectiveness of a virtual reality simulation for preclinical local anaesthesia dental education.

Introduction: Traditional manikin training has limitations that virtual reality can address. This study investigated the effectiveness of two part-task training simulation methods, a virtual reality (VR Sim) vs a plastic manikin (PM Sim), on learning outcomes for local anaesthesia skills for second-year pre-clinical dental students.

Methods: In an experimental study, 58 second-year students were randomly assigned to one of two groups, VR Sim or PM Sim.

The ultimatum bargaining game: An adaptation for teaching ethics.

Purpose: The ultimatum bargaining game has been devised by economists to measure fairness and generosity during negotiations. This study sought to adapt the game to classroom application with the intent of (a) determining whether the known outcomes would be replicated given modifications needed to make the game suitable as an educational tool and (b) sharing the resulting self-appraisal with students themselves.

Methods: A total of 452 first-year dental students participated in this adaptation as part of a classroom exercise.

A question of intent: Application of the Knobe effect in teaching ethics.

Purpose/objectives: The Knobe effect refers to a measurable tendency among people to believe that undesirable side effects are brought about intentionally while desirable side effects are brought about unintentionally. People blame decision-makers for bad outcomes but do not credit them for good outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the same is true for dental students and whether, as health care practitioners, students might mistakenly expect a benefit-of-the-doubt entitlement for themselves that the public is unwilling to bestow when an outcome is bad.

Ruthenium-arene complexes of curcumin: X-ray and density functional theory structure, synthesis, and spectroscopic characterization, in vitro antitumor activity, and DNA docking studies of (p-cymene)Ru(curcuminato)chloro.

The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the title compound on five tumor cell lines shows preference for the colon-rectal tumor HCT116, IC(50) = 13.98 μM, followed by breast MCF7 (19.58 μM) and ovarian A2780 (23.

Taurolidine antiadhesive properties on interaction with E. coli; its transformation in biological environment and interaction with bacteria cell wall.

The taurine amino-acid derivative, taurolidine, bis-(1,1-dioxoperhydro-1,2,4-thiabiazinyl-4)methane, shows broad antibacterial action against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria and some clinically relevant fungi. It inhibits, in vitro, the adherence of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to human epithelial and fibroblast cells. Taurolidine is unstable in aqueous solution and breaks down into derivatives which are thought to be responsible for the biological activity.

Inhibitory effect of beta-diketones and their metal complexes on TNF-alpha induced expression of ICAM-1 on human endothelial cells.

Recent reports show that the natural beta-diketone curcumin displays important biological properties regarding the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which plays a critical role in the immune responses and inflammation. In this study the ICAM-1 inhibitory activity of beta-diketone compounds, which are curcumin models lacking aromatic peripheral hydroxyl and methoxy groups, along with some metal derivatives is investigated. Beta-diketones are systematically more active than metal complexes and the best obtained inhibition is 75% for both groups.

Crystal and molecular structure of piceatannol; scavenging features of resveratrol and piceatannol on hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals and docking with transthyretin.

The mechanism by which the naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds resveratrol (RES), C(14)H(12)O(3), and its metabolite piceatannol (PIC), C(14)H(12)O(4), scavenge free radicals is studied using experimental and density functional theory (DFT) methods. PIC's crystal structure shows a strong intermolecular hydrogen bond network, which, through a concerted motion of the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms, can produce a second hydrogen bond chain. This reorganization offers a low-energy pathway for the transfer of hydrogen atoms and is a contributing factor to PIC's biological activity.

Structural features of antitumor titanium agents and related compounds.

Previous studies established some Ti compounds as having marked activity against tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and lack of side effects common to widely used cytostatic agents. We describe pertinent structural features of known antitumor Ti agents and other potentially active compounds. Particularly noteworthy features are that Ti-O bonds are short and Ti-O-Ti bond angles are large, demonstrating that in these compounds the O binding has high s-character approaching sp hybridization.