Peter Petocz

Macquarie University · Department of Statistics

Objective To assess the corrosion products and cytotoxicity of generic and proprietary fixed lingual retainers (FLRs). Materials and Methods Seven FLRs were investigated. Wires were submersed in solution for 34 days, at 37°C, under constant agitation. A proportion of this solution was analyzed to determine the concentration of metallic ions leachi...

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is a public health issue, with low dietary vitamin D intakes a contributing factor. Rates of vitamin D deficiency are 31% in Australia, and up to 72% in some regions globally. While supplementation is often prescribed as an alternative to additional sun exposure, complementary approaches including food-based s...

Objectives To assess the effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and LED – mediated Photobiomodulation(LED-PBM) on pulp volume of maxillary first premolars. Materials and Methods Seventy-six micro-CT scans of maxillary first premolars were collected as part of two randomized clinical trials. All premolars were subjected to 150g buccal tipping fo...

Objectives To examine the effects of light-emitting diode (LED)-mediated photobiomodulation (PBM) on orthodontic root resorption and pain. Methods Twenty patients (3 males, 17 females, mean age 15 years 6 months) needing bilateral maxillary first premolar extractions for orthodontic treatment were included in this single-centre, split-mouth random...

Aim: Determine the discretionary energy intake of Indigenous Australian adolescents and its relationship with sex, body image, health, and geographical remoteness. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2012 to 2013 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 264, 15-17 years). Dietary data were col...

Background The laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and the incisionless endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) weight loss procedures require further investigation of their efficacy, safety and patient-centered outcomes in the Australian setting. Methods The aim was to examine the 6- and 12-month weight loss efficacy, safety, and weight-related qu...

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of hybrid-Hyrax, Alt-RAMEC and applied, miniscrew reinforced, heavy intermaxillary elastics on a modified lingual arch in growing skeletal Class III patients. Methods Fifteen subjects (seven male, eight female) were included, with an average age of 12.52 ± 0.94 yea...

The high prevalence of non-communicable disease in New Zealand (NZ) is driven in part by unhealthy diet selections, with food costs contributing to an increased risk for vulnerable population groups. This study aimed to: (i) identify the nutrient density-to-cost ratio of NZ foods; (ii) model the impact of substituting foods with a lower nutrient de...

Background In Australia, orthodontic treatment may be performed by either a general dental practitioner (GDP) or a specialist orthodontist. However, the titles ‘specialist’ and ‘orthodontist’ are restricted to dentists who have undertaken an additional three years of full-time training in an accredited institution. Considering the increase in popul...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the effect of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate supplements on condylar remodelling in conjunction with bite-jumping functional appliance therapy in rats. Materials and methods The study involved 140 three-week-old, female rats which were divided into a...

Background With minimal manufacturer information, a variety of ‘generic’ orthodontic brackets are available online from overseas distributors. The present study investigated the metal composition of generic orthodontic brackets compared with two well-known ‘proprietary’ brands. Materials and methods Ranging in price from AU$2.99 to $65, five sets...

Background Carbohydrate quality influences major health outcomes; however, the best criteria to assess carbohydrate quality remain unknown. Objective The objectives were to: i) evaluate whether a diet that meets a carbohydrate ratio (simple, modified or dual ratio) is associated with higher nutrient intakes and diet quality, and ii) model the impa...

Background: European colonisation has disrupted Australian Indigenous traditional dietary patterns and hunter-gatherer traditions. Consequently, Indigenous diets are typically characterised by energy-dense, processed foods. Aims: To investigate the predictors of discretionary energy intake (DEI) among Indigenous Australian adolescents. Methods: D...

Food costs are a barrier to healthier diet selections, particularly for low socioeconomic households who regularly choose processed foods containing refined grains, added sugars, and added fats. In this study, the objectives were to: (i) identify the nutrient density-to-cost ratio of Australian foods; (ii) model the impact of substituting foods wit...

Objectives To (1) survey Australian orthodontists about their involvement with a government-funded scheme for patients with clefts, the Medicare Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Scheme (MCLCPS) and (2) investigate their attitude toward treating patients with clefts and their training in this respect. Design A 13-question online survey was distributed to...

Aim: There is limited information on the snacking behaviour of Australian adults, and the role of snacking in the diet may depend on how it is defined. This study aimed to compare the dietary snacking behaviours and associated nutritional intake and body composition in Australian adults, using an objective vs a subjective definition for snacking....

Little is known about the mineral composition of pink salt. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the mineral composition of pink salt available for purchase in Australia and its implications for public health. Pink salt samples were purchased from retail outlets in two metropolitan Australian cities and one regional town. Color...

Background: Observational data have established a link between the consumption of whole grains and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, there is a need to review interventional research. Objective: Our aim was to determine whether interventions providing whole grain or whole pseudo-grain for dietary consumption improved CVD-rel...

Fasting for over 24 h is associated with worsening glucose tolerance, but the effect of extending the overnight fast period (a form of time-restricted feeding) on acute metabolic responses and insulin sensitivity is unclear. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the acute impact of an increased fasting period on postprandial glycaemia, insul...

Introduction In Australia and Sweden, orthodontic treatments may be performed by either a general dental practitioner (GDP) or a specialist orthodontist. Evidence suggests that the public may easily confuse a GDP who provides orthodontic treatment with a specialist orthodontist. We conducted a survey of people in Australia and Sweden to assess thei...

Bringing real problems into curriculum is not an easy job but assessing such student work is even harder, especially when universities are run like businesses where academics are given only limited hours to assess student work. The literature documents that authentic problems are more engaging for students and thus there is no argument against havi...

Objective We aimed to profile vegetable consumption and its association with dietary and sociodemographic factors. Design Secondary analysis of a nationally representative nutrition survey. ‘Vegetables’ refers to non-discretionary ‘vegetables and legumes/beans’ as defined by the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG). Prevalence of vegetable consumpt...

Introduction: Neopterin, kynurenine and tryptophan can be used to measure activation of monocytes and macrophages during immunological events such as exercise inducing inflammation. Endurance exercise and high-impact sports have shown significant increases in these biomarkers. Measurement is typically conducted by high-performance liquid chromatogr...

Dairy is important for children and adolescents' bone development and nutritional needs, and it is not known how the type of milk consumed relates to overall dietary intakes. This study assessed the hypothesis that Australian children and adolescents who drink milk have greater milk, dairy, and micronutrient intakes compared to those who consume mi...

Objective To profile discretionary food and beverage (DF) consumption among Australian adults. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Dietary and sociodemographic data were used to profile DF intake. Prevalence of DF consumption, DF servings (1 serving=600 kJ), nutrient contribution from DF and top DF food groups by self-reported eating occasions were d...

Breakfast choice is correlated with daily nutrient intakes, but this association may not be solely explained by the breakfast meal. We profiled breakfast consumer groups among Australian adults and compared the role that breakfast versus the rest of the day had on daily intakes of the Five Food Groups, discretionary foods, and nutrients. Breakfast...

Background/Aims The involvement of zinc in multiple physiological systems requires tight control of cellular zinc concentration. The current study aims to explore the relationships among cellular zinc transporters (ZnT and ZIP) and metallothioneins (MT) in a healthy population and a cohort with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Baseline dat...

Maternal diet and gestational hyperglycaemia have implications for offspring health. Leptin (LEP) and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) alleles are known to influence body fat mass in humans, potentially via effects on appetite. We hypothesized that expression of Fto, Lep, and other appetite-related genes (Argp, Npy, Pomc, Cart, Lepr) in the of...

Background: Salivary α-amylase gene (AMY1) copy number (CN) correlates with the amount of salivary α-amylase, but beyond this, the physiologic significance is uncertain. Objective: We hypothesized that individuals with higher AMY1 CN would digest starchy foods faster and show higher postprandial responses and lower breath hydrogen excretion comp...

Intakes of dietary fibre in Australia are lower than recommended. An understanding of food choices associated with fibre intake can help to inform locally relevant dietary interventions that aim to increase its consumption. This study aimed to profile the relationship between dietary choices and fibre intake of Australians. Using Day 1 data from th...

Introduction: The purpose of this 2-arm-parallel split-mouth trial was to investigate the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the repair of orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR). Methods: Twenty patients were included in this study, with 1 side randomly assigned to receive LLLT, and the other side served as a sham....

Background: The use of low-level laser therapy is growing in the field of dentistry especially in orthodontics to speed up tooth movement and in implantology to aid osseointegration. In these dental applications, the laser energy needs to penetrate through the periodontium to the target site to stimulate photobiomodulation. The percentage of energ...

Dietary fibre is important for regular laxation and reduces chronic disease risk. The National Health and Medical Research Council outlines daily fibre intake targets, yet the proportion of the population that meets these targets is unknown. Using the 2011⁻2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, we profiled fibre intake among Australi...

Background Zinc is an essential trace element that has been implicated in numerous biological functions, including immunity, energy metabolism and antioxidative processes. Recent evaluations of the literature have provided evidence of significant acute changes in zinc metabolism following a bout of aerobic exercise. Objective The aim of this study...

Introduction: Studies have demonstrated the potential efficacy of micro-osteoperforations in accelerating tooth movement by amplifying the expression of inflammatory markers. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effects of micro-osteoperforations on orthodontic root resorption with microcomputed tomography. Methods: This prospective...

This chapter sketches in broad strokes and critically examines several aspects of the world of research that pertain to the teaching, learning, understanding and using of statistics and probability in diverse contexts, both formal and informal. It reflects on the methods and conceptual schemes that underlie the research activity in this field (the...

Background: There are limited data on the evolution of eating habits, including snacking, in Australia. This study aimed to understand snacking trends among Australian children over three previous National Nutrition Surveys. Methods: Data were analysed from a single weekday 24-h recall in the National Nutrition Surveys 1995, 2007, 2011-12 among...

There is limited evidence in Australia that compares the nutritional impact of a breakfast cereal breakfast to a non-cereal breakfast, and includes the type of cereal. This study investigated the impact of breakfast choice and the total sugar content of breakfast cereal on nutrient intakes and anthropometric measures among Australian children and a...

Zinc is an essential mineral of which its functions have potential implications on exercise performance and beneficial adaptations of physical activity. While the effects of aerobic exercise on zinc metabolism acutely have been well described, the effect of long-term exercise training on zinc status remains unclear. The present review aims to deter...

Risk of bias assessment of included studies. (DOCX)

Background: The effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on accelerating orthodontic tooth movement has been extensively studied; however, there is limited knowledge on the use of LLLT on orthodontic root resorption. Objective: To investigate the effect of LLLT on orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR) and to compare the di...

Aims Biological and lifestyle factors, such as daily rhythm, caffeine ingestion, recent infection, and antibiotic intake, have been shown to influence measurements of salivary cortisol (SC) and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). Current methodology in unsynchronized, field-based biomarker studies does not take these effects into account. Moreover,...

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to explore how the type of allomorph (e.g., past tense buzz[d] vs. nod[əd]) influences the ability to perceive and produce grammatical morphemes in children with typical development (TD) and with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Method: The participants were monolingual Australian-English-speaking children. Th...

Opening Real Science (ORS) is a three-year government initiative developed as part of the Mathematics and Science Teachers program. It is a collaboration across universities involving teacher educators, scientists, mathematicians, statisticians and educational designers aimed at improving primary and secondary pre-service teachers' competence and c...

Morphophonological alternations can make target-like production of grammatical morphemes challenging due to changes in form depending on the phonological environment. This paper explores the acquisition of morphophonological alternations involving the interacting patterns of vowel deletion and stress shift in Russian-speaking children (aged 4;0–7;1...

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommended “grain (cereal)” core food group includes both refined and whole grain foods, but excludes those that are discretionary (i.e., cakes). We investigated the association between daily serves from the “grain (cereal)” group and its effect on fibre and adiposity. Data from Australian adults in the 2011–2012...

Objective: Various factors have been examined in the literature in an attempt to reduce the incidence and severity of root resorption. The purpose of the present investigation is to test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in relation to force level using gradually increasing (ascending) and decreasing (descending) orthodontic force ge...

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of piezocision on orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption. Methods: Fourteen patients were included in this split-mouth study; 1 side was assigned to piezocision, and the other side served as the control. Vertical corticotomy cuts of 4 to 5 mm in length were perfo...

Objectives: To assess the potential effects of casein phosphopeptides (CPPs) on orthodontically induced iatrogenic root resorption (OIIRR) and orthodontic teeth movement. Materials and methods: Forty Wistar rats (aged 11 weeks) were randomly divided into experimental group (EG; n = 20) that received a diet supplemented with CPP and control group...

Background Exercise and the subsequent recovery processes have been proposed to induce disturbances in zinc homeostasis. We previously reported acute increase in serum zinc concentration immediately after aerobic exercise; the change in the indices of zinc status during exercise recovery was not explored. Objective The aim of the current analysis i...

Scope: The involvement of zinc in multiple physiological systems requires tight control of cellular zinc concentration. This study aims to explore the relationships among selected mediators of cellular zinc homeostasis in an apparently healthy (AH) population and a cohort with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods and results: Baseline data o...

A single question (SQ) and a twenty-eight-item FFQ to measure takeaway meal intake were compared with two 7-d estimated food records (EFR; reference method). Test methods were completed after the reference period and repeated 6–8 d later for repeatability. The SQ asked about intake of high-SFA takeaway meals. FFQ items included low- and high-SFA me...

International and national testing of numerical and language skills has become a regular part of educational systems in many countries. In Australia, the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has been used since 2008 to carry out regular tests of literacy and numeracy amongst school students nationally. Since the numeracy compo...

Background: Cystic fibrosis is a genetically inherited, life-threatening condition that affects major organs. The management of cystic fibrosis involves a multi-faceted daily treatment regimen that includes airway clearance techniques, pancreatic enzymes and other medications. Previous studies have found that compliance with this intensive treatme...