Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Which medication dosing devices are easier for parents to use when treating children, how the morphometric characteristics of glycine particles affect enamel polishing results, and what is the most effective way to remove the smear layer during root canal irrigation—a RUDN University student and staff presented their reports on these topics at the 12th All-Russian Scientific Conference of Young Scientists and Students with International Participation, "VolgaMed."
The event brought together students, residents, postgraduate students, and young scientists aged 35 and under. The conference featured sections covering key areas of medicine: fundamental sciences, internal medicine and dermatovenereology, surgery, neurosciences, public health, oncology, dentistry, pharmacy, and pharmacology.
Participants from RUDN University included fifth-year Pharmacy student Elizaveta Zhuchkova, assistants from the Department of Propaedeutics of Dental Diseases Zinaida Aimaletdinova and Anzhelika Kryuchkova, and postgraduate student from the Department of Propaedeutics of Dental Diseases Bogdan Pechersky, who presented an abstract (without speaking at the conference).
Analysis of consumer preferences
Elizaveta Zhuchkova, a fifth-year Pharmacy student, took first place in the "Organization of Pharmaceutical Business, General and Clinical Pharmacology" section for her paper entitled "Comparative Analysis of Pharmaceutical Workers' and Consumers' Opinions on the Use of Dosing Devices in Pediatric Practice." The paper's supervisor was Lyudmila Igorevna Sotnikova, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Management and Economics.
The study compared the opinions of pharmacists and parents (indirect consumers) regarding the use of dosing devices in pediatrics. The results showed that the two groups often disagree on the convenience, difficulty of use, and choice of devices.
Elizaveta noted that the relevance of this work stems from the importance of accurate medication dosing for the safety and effectiveness of therapy in children. At home, accuracy directly depends on how comfortable and intuitive parents are with using the devices. Despite the abundance of such devices on the market, the factors influencing their choice have not been sufficiently studied, making it particularly important to compare parents' actual needs with those of pharmacists.
The practical benefit of the study, according to the author, is that it helps pharmacists better understand consumers' real needs to provide more effective information and advice. During the study, the student identified specific problems faced by parents: difficulty reading scales, unfamiliarity with the correct position of the device when measuring, and child resistance to taking medication. The data obtained indicate which aspects should be emphasized during counseling.
Elizaveta reported that practical recommendations for pharmaceutical workers and consumers are currently being developed based on the data obtained. She also emphasized that the topic of pharmaceutical care for children is a priority for the Department of Pharmacy Management and Economics and its academic director. Plans include expanding the study to include the opinions of pediatricians and dosing device manufacturers to address the issue from multiple perspectives and develop specific guidelines.
"The feeling of winning was incredible! When they announced I'd won first place in the 'Organization of Pharmaceutical Business' section, I felt like all my work had been highly commended. The jury's comments were particularly memorable, as they paid close attention to the statistical analysis of the data. We didn't simply collect respondents' opinions; we analyzed them using the Python programming language: we used the t-test, the Mann-Whitney test, and created visualizations. This is rare for student work, and the jury noted that this approach made the conclusions more convincing and substantiated," shared Elizaveta Zhuchkova.
Research in dentistry
Zinaida Aimaletdinova, Assistant Professor in the Department of Dental Propaedeutics, presented a paper in the Therapeutic Dentistry section on "The Effect of Morphometric Characteristics of Glycine Particles on Enamel Roughness during Air-Water Polishing." The paper was conducted under the supervision of Svetlana Nikolaevna Razumova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of Dental Propaedeutics.
Zinaida's study focused on measuring the size and shape of abrasive particles (glycine) used in air-water polishing and comparing them with the manufacturer's specifications. Using a 3D confocal profilometer, she measured changes in the enamel surface after polishing. The study revealed that even with the manufacturer's stated "25-μm spherical particles," the actual powder is inhomogeneous: small particles clump together into large agglomerates, which can have varying effects on the enamel surface, explaining the unpredictability of polishing results. The practical significance of the study, according to the author, lies in helping manufacturers improve powder quality and dentists and hygienists more carefully select abrasive components.
"The conference trip was a success, with very interesting speakers from various universities. We gained new emotions and knowledge about dentistry," shared Zinaida Aimaletdinova.
Solutions for cleaning the root canal system
Another assistant professor in the Department of Propaedeutics of Dental Diseases, Anzhelika Kryuchkova, presented a paper entitled "Comparative Evaluation of the Efficiency of Smear Layer Removal with Various Root Canal Irrigation Protocols (In Vitro Study)." This paper was also supervised by Professor Svetlana Nikolaevna Razumova.
Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the young woman demonstrated that etidronic acid-based solutions effectively remove the smear layer in the apical third of the root canal. As Angelica noted, this opens the possibility of using a "continuous chelation" protocol, which significantly simplifies and accelerates root canal cleaning in clinical practice.
"The conference left a very positive impression. Events like these are an invaluable platform for exchanging experiences with colleagues. The jury members particularly noted the promising research and the high potential of the irrigation product produced by the Russian company VladMiva," noted Anzhelika Kryuchkova.
We congratulate Elizaveta on her victory and wish all RUDN University conference participants success in future competitions!
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.