The paper proposes a fractional generalization of the Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt rheological models for a description of dynamic behavior of biopolymer materials. It was found that the rheological models of Maxwell-type do not work in the case of modeling of viscoelastic solids, and the model which significantly better describes the nature of changes in rheological properties of such media is the modified fractional Kelvin-Voigt model with two built-in springpots (MFKVM2). The proposed model was used to describe the experimental data from the oscillatory and creep tests of 3% (w/v) kuzu starch pastes, and to determine the values of their rheological parameters as a function of pasting time. These parameters provide a lot of additional information about structure and viscoelastic properties of the medium in comparison to the classical analysis of dynamic curves G’ and G” and shear creep compliance J(t). It allowed for a comprehensive description of a wide range of properties of kuzu starch pastes, depending on the conditions of pasting process.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions that affect the function of the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints and surrounding structures. The objective of the preliminary investigation was to develop an initial questionnaire for emotional assessment, pre-designed for TMD patients, and provide guidance for further management through referral to psychological and/or psychiatric counseling. Additionally, we aimed to compare the results of tests carried out in TMD patients with those of healthy subjects. The study involved 260 patients who reported for dental treatment. The TMD study group (Group 1, n = 130) consisted of patients diagnosed with TMD, and the control group (Group 2, n = 130) had TMD diagnostically excluded. The questionnaire included 30 questions about the emotional state of the patients in the past 4 weeks. The mean scores were 37.715 points for Group 1 (median (Me) = 35.5, standard deviation (SD) = 12.58 and 24.938 points for Group 2 (Me = 24, SD = 7.95) (p < 0.001). The research suggests that the developed questionnaire is useful for an initial assessment of the psycho-emotional state of TMD patients. Furthermore, the results emphasize a greater need for psychological counseling in TMD patients compared to their healthy counterparts.