Aim: This research aimed to optimize electrospray-operating parameters in producing alginate-RJ microbeads.
Materials and Methods: Optimization of alginate-RJ microbeads electrospray parameters was carried out using 24 factorial design with three center points (19 runs). The studied parameters were flow rate, high voltage, nozzle size, and tip-to-collector distance, whereas the responses were particle size, particle size distribution, and sphericity factor. The responses of each run were analyzed using Design-Expert software.
Results: Nozzle size is a significant parameter that influences the particle size. Flow rate is a significant parameter influencing the sphericity factor.
Conclusion: Screening of the electrospray-operating parameters paves the way in determining the significant parameters and their design space to produce consistent alginate-RJ microbeads.
METHOD: English language literature in major databases from the last 20 years was searched using controlled vocabulary and keywords. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed for selection of studies. The quality assessment was done as per the QUADAS tool 2 by three independent reviewers. The metanalysis was performed by using random effect model. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was considered as the effect measure. Statistical software used was STATA version 13.1.
RESULTS: With all inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight studies could qualify for metanalysis. The pooled estimate is found to be 0.13 (-0.35, 0.62), P = .585, which is statistically not significant. This indicates that there is a no significant difference in the fold change between metastasis and no metastasis groups. P-value of chi-square statistic for heterogeneity is
METHODS: A sample of 111 plaster study models of Down syndrome (DS) patients were digitized using a blue light three-dimensional (3D) scanner. Digital and manual measurements of defined parameters were performed using Geomagic analysis software (Geomagic Studio 2014 software, 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, USA) on digital models and with a digital calliper (Tuten, Germany) on plaster study models. Both measurements were repeated twice to validate the intraexaminer reliability based on intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) using the independent t test and Pearson's correlation, respectively. The Bland-Altman method of analysis was used to evaluate the agreement of the measurement between the digital and plaster models.
RESULTS: No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the manual and digital methods when measuring the arch width, arch length, and space analysis. In addition, all parameters showed a significant correlation coefficient (r ≥ 0.972; p