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Prof. Zahid Akhter Rao and Prof. Saera Suhail Kidwai represented the Fatima Jinnah Medical University at the Fourth China-Pak Congress in Shanghai. Prof. Zahid discussed the prevalence, symptoms, and management of Post-COVID Syndrome, emphasizing the importance of early identification. Prof. Saera highlighted the issue of osteoporosis, focusing on its impact on the elderly population and advocating for its inclusion as a reportable disease. She also stressed the importance of Vitamin-D and Calcium supplementation in children and teenagers to prevent future morbidity. The conference also included discussions on cancer burden and pandemic challenges. [Extracted from the article]

Prof. Zahid Akhter Rao and Prof. Saera Suhail Kidwai represented FRPMC at the Fourth China-Pak Congress in Shanghai from June 28-30, 2024. They participated in a session on Public Health, with Prof. Zahid presenting data on Post-COVID Syndrome and its impact on productivity, while Prof. Saera highlighted the issue of osteoporosis and advocated for its inclusion as a reportable disease. The conference also included discussions on cancer burden and challenges faced during a pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of International Journal of Canadian Studies is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Modern methods of rehabilitation of patients with chronic pulmonary pathology are becoming increasingly important, given the growing number of people suffering from such diseases. This work explores various approaches to the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pulmonary pathology, such as bronchial asepsis, physical rehabilitation, drug treatment, respiratory gymnastics and psychological support. The authors also consider the role of multidisciplinary healthcare teams in providing optimal care and rehabilitation for these patients. The article presents the results of research supporting the effectiveness of various rehabilitation methods, as well as assesses the limitations and challenges faced by patients and medical professionals in the rehabilitation of chronic lung diseases. The conclusions emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and an integrated approach to the treatment of patients with chronic pulmonary pathology. This is an important area of medicine that requires constant improvement and cooperation between medical specialists of different disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Field trips to disaster-affected areas (FTDAs) without a specific purpose, such as medical cooperation, are widely used in medical education. However, what medical students gain from FTDAs remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify what medical students gain from FTDAs. Five medical students who had visited the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan participated in a semi-structured group interview to ask what they gained from such a visit. The narratives were analysed using open coding. Results: The following four themes emerged: "Spirit of scientific inquiry", "Foundation for lifelong education and personal growth", "Broadened understanding of the medical profession", and "Importance of practicing medicine in the community setting". The ambiguity of medical students' specific roles in the field trip compared to the fieldwork may have encouraged them to make sense of the experience from their perspective. As a result, students may have gained a broader perspective of their future work and career through the FTDA. If medical educators can gain consensus from the residents of a disaster site, different disaster-affected areas can be potential sites for medical education using FTDAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust-related issues have attracted much attention from researchers recently. In the studies on trust, little attention has been paid to its interrelations with cooperativity and reliability. This paper sheds light on the relationship among trust, cooperation, and reliability in a medical context. Through a discourse analysis of the conversations between doctors and patients (including the patients' relatives) in China, this paper finds that: (i) cooperativity will not directly lead to trust in a medical context; (ii) being cooperative or using strategies to disclaim responsibility will lead to high reliability and will indirectly construct trust; (iii) reliability is a premise for trust in the medical context, and it can be repaired through rapport management strategies, such as empathy discourse if that reliability has been broken down. The research findings in this paper possess both theoretical and practical signifi- cance because they will refresh our understanding of the interrelationship among trust, cooperation, and reliability and contribute to the maintenance or enhancement of trust relations between doctors and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Cuba's medical cooperation globally, particularly in the Pacific, and New Zealand's involvement and contributions. Topics discussed include the impact of Cuban doctors in the Pacific region, New Zealand's support for Cuban medical training programs, and potential future collaborations between Cuba and New Zealand in healthcare, including vaccine development.

Korean medical personnel migrated across the globe since 1964, including Africa. However, analyses of the transnational nature of Korean medicine have largely focused on the influence of Korea as a recipient, particularly the United States. This study attempts to understand the formation of Korean medicine in a wider geographical space, beyond the entrenched dichotomy of donor and recipient countries, which has often been centered on the United States or Japan. This paper examines how the diplomatic competition between North and South Korea unfolded in the geopolitical context of the Cold War and how medicine was mobilized to achieve its goals. In the 1960s, medical diplomacy was effective in establishing diplomatic relations and gaining the cooperation of recipient ‘Third World’ countries. In the 1970s, however, South Korea's episodic medical aid was no longer well-received in the face of aggressive North Korean aid, and South Korean medical missions became more of an ‘export’ rather than ‘cooperation’.

Trust is the most important prerequisite for the emergence and effectiveness of interorganisational innovation cooperation, due to uncertainty and contract incompleteness. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the question of whether the trust of principals in a cooperation depends on different preconditions than that of agents. Based on a sample of 364 scientists from 100 German publicly funded interdisciplinary cooperations in medical research, we find that the trust of principals mainly depends on their partners' reputation of ability, whereas the trust of agents on their partners' reputation of benevolence. Surprisingly, culture- and personality-related factors prove to be ineffective. These results are of major relevance for the trust generation in innovation cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intradialytic exercise is feasible and yields substantial clinical benefits in middle-aged patients. However, evidence is scarce in older hemodialysis patients. Objective: To assess the feasibility and clinical benefits of supervised, intradialytic exercise in older patients. Methods: Multicenter one-arm feasibility study. The main outcome was feasibility (ease of recruitment, dropout rate, adherence, affective valence, and adverse events). The secondary outcomes were physical capacity (five-repetition sit-to-stand, 60-s sit-to-stand tests, and grip strength), quality of life (36-Item Short-Form Health Survey), quality of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), and dialysis efficacy (Kt/V and urea reduction ratio). Results: About 79% of the screened patients agreed to participate (n = 25, 73 [66–77] years). The dropout rate was high (32%), but adherence remained high among the participants who completed the study (94%). Improvements were found in the five-repetition sit-to-stand (p <.001), 60-s sit-to-stand tests (p =.028), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey mental component score (p =.008), depressive symptoms (p =.006), and quality of sleep (p =.035). Conclusion: Supervised intradialytic exercise seems safe and beneficial in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter study, 100 patients who were clinically diagnosed with sarcopenia were assigned to either a home-based exercise group or a control group. The home-based training program included exercises with gradually increasing intensity comprising posture, stretching and upper- and lower-extremity muscle-strengthening exercises, balance and coordination exercises, and gait training. Before and 3 months after the exercise program, all the patients were evaluated. The 6-min walking test and Berg Balance Scale scores increased significantly after 3 months in the home-based exercise group compared with the controls. There was also a significant decrease in timed up and go test scores and a significant improvement in quality of life in the exercise group compared with the control group. Our findings indicated that a home-based exercise program can have a positive effect on physical function, balance, and quality of life in patients with sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The team developed the newly compiled eight methods and five steps of Tai Chi (EMFSTC), which includes introductory routines to Tai Chi characterized by simple structures. This study examined the effectiveness of EMFSTC practice on balance control. A total of 31 participants were randomly assigned to EMFSTC (n = 15, age = 66.4 ± 1.7 years, received 16-week EMFSTC practice) or control (n = 16, age = 66.7 ± 1.8 years, received no practice) groups. Significant group by training interactions were observed. After EMFSTC practice, balance control improved, as indicated by decreased root mean square and mean velocity of center of pressure, proprioception threshold during knee extension, and plantar tactile sensitivity threshold at the arch. EMFSCT can be an effective rehabilitation modality to improve balance control among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To systematically review all in vitro studies focusing on the durability of different bonding protocols applied to zirconia restorations with different types of tooth or implant abutments.Materials and Methods: English-language articles published in dental journals up to March 2020 were searched using a combination of free text words and MeSH terms, as follows: zirconia; Y-TZP; zirconium; zirconia restoration; enamel; dentin; titanium abutment; titanium base; ceramic abutment; dental core; ceramic or metal post and core; composite build-up; bonding; adhesive cement; resin cement; adhesion; cementation; test; material testing; laboratory; and in vitro. Studies were identified for review based on certain inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: A total of 3,339 titles were identified. After a successive filtering process, a final total of 28 studies were included. The included studies featured different types of surface pretreatment methods, primers, resin cements, tooth and implant abutments, laboratory test outcomes, and designs. The relatively limited number of the identified studies and the heterogeneity of the extracted data did not allow for meta-analysis.Conclusions: Zirconia surface pretreatment is an essential step in the bonding protocol. Airborne-particle abrasion surface pretreatment had a positive influence on zirconia resin bonding to most types of tooth and implant abutments identified. Chemically activating the treated zirconia surfaces with an MDP monomer-based primer, along with an MDP monomer or phosphate ester monomer-based resin cement, seems to be a durable bonding protocol. Type of resin cement seems to be a less influential factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of liver cancer and imposes an enormous social and economic burden. The blood-borne virus screening policy for preventing iatrogenic infections renders hospitals important for identifying individuals infected with hepatitis C. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the establishment of a multi-disciplinary cooperation model in medical institutions to leverage the screening results of patients with hepatitis C. Our objective is to ensure that patients receive timely and effective diagnosis and treatment, thereby enabling the elimination of hepatitis C by 2030. Method: A multi-disciplinary cooperation model was established in October 2021. This retrospective study was based on the establishment of antibody-positive and HCV RNA-positive patient databases. A Chi-square test was used to compare the HCV RNA confirmation rate in anti-HCV-positive patients, as well as the hepatitis C diagnosis rate and treatment rate in RNA-positive patients before and after the multi-disciplinary cooperation. A multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse the factors affecting the treatment of patients with hepatitis C. In addition, we examined changes in the level of hepatitis C knowledge among medical staff. Results: After the implementation of the multi-disciplinary cooperation model, the RNA confirmation rate of hepatitis C antibody-positive patients increased from 36.426% to 88.737%, the diagnostic accuracy rate of RNA-positive patients increased from 67.456% to 98.113%, and the treatment rate of patients with hepatitis C increased from 12.426% to 58.491%. Significant improvements were observed among the clinicians regarding their ability to understand the characteristics of hepatitis C (93.711% vs. 58.861%), identify people at high risk (94.340% vs. 53.797%), manage patients with hepatitis C after diagnosis (88.679% vs. 67.089%), and effectively treat hepatitis C (84.277% vs. 51.899%). Multi-disciplinary cooperation in medical institutions was the most important factor for patients to undergo HCV treatment (odds ratio: 0.024, 95% confidence interval: 0.007–0.074). Conclusions: This study showed that the use of a multi-disciplinary cooperation model to utilise the results of HCV antibody screening fully in patients through further tracking, referral, and treatment may facilitate the detection and treatment of patients with hepatitis C and accelerate the elimination of HCV in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There is a lack of consensus on the best management approach for lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET). Recently, scapular stabilizer strength impairments have been found in individuals with LET. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of local therapy (LT) treatment to LT treatment plus a scapular muscle-strengthening (LT + SMS) program in patients diagnosed with LET. Design: Prospective randomized clinical trial. Setting: Multisite outpatient physical therapy. Patients: Thirty-two individuals with LET who met the criteria were randomized to LT or LT + SMS. Interventions: Both groups received education, a nonarticulating forearm orthosis, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and thermal modalities as needed. Additionally, the LT + SMS group received SMS exercises. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome measure was the patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation; secondary outcomes included global rating of change (GROC), grip strength, and periscapular muscle strength. Outcomes were reassessed at discharge, 6, and 12 months from discharge. Linear mixed-effect models were used to analyze the differences between groups over time for each outcome measure. Results: The average duration of symptoms was 10.2 (16.1) months, and the average total number of visits was 8.0 (2.2) for both groups. There were no significant differences in gender, age, average visits, weight, or height between groups at baseline (P >.05). No statistical between-group differences were found for any of the outcome measures. There were significant within-group improvements in all outcome measures from baseline to all follow-up points (P <.05). Conclusion: The results of this pilot study suggest that both treatment approaches were equally effective in reducing pain, improving function, and increasing grip strength at discharge as well as the 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Our multimodal treatment programs were effective at reducing pain and improving function up to 1 year after treatment in a general population of individuals with LET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multicenter retrospective study assessed clinical and radiographic outcomes of 686 parallel-walled conical-connection implants consecutively placed in 281 partially and fully edentulous patients. Implants were placed in healed and postextraction sites and subjected to immediate, early, or delayed loading. With a mean follow-up of 10 ± 6.7 months, the implant survival rate was 97.7%, while mean marginal bone loss was 0.7 ± 1.5 mm between implant placement and 1 year (n = 290 implants) and 0.1 ± 0.6 mm between 1 and 2 years (n = 72 implants). Advanced patient age and longer implants were associated with fewer implant failures, while different crestal positions at implant placement were not associated with differences in implant survival or changes in marginal bone level over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the short-term outcomes of two different conservative preparation designs for posterior zirconia inlay-retained fixed dental prostheses (IRFDPs) and to analyze the marginal integrity of such restorations.Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with a missing maxillary first molar participated in this study and were divided randomly into two groups: one that received abutment preparations for inlay retainers (ID group, n = 20), including a proximal box and an occlusal extension, and one that received only proximal box preparations (PB group, n = 10). Zirconia IRFDPs were bonded in position and followed up after 2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and then annually. The in situ restorations were duplicated utilizing a single-step putty/wash impression technique at the 2-week and 2-year follow-up visits. Restoration margins were evaluated under scanning electron microscopy, and marginal continuity was calculated as a percentage of the whole margin at the tooth-cement (TC) interface and the zirconia-cement (ZC) interface.Results: After a mean observation period of 26.2 months, all restorations were still in function. The only complication encountered was debonding of restorations; however, they were re-bonded back in place without issue. The cumulative Kaplan-Meier 2-year survival rate for the IRFDPs was 86.6%. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding percentage of continuous margins (P < .05) after 2 years, with the percentage of continuous margins in the ID group at 92.8% and 91.5% at the TC and ZC interfaces, respectively, and in the PB group at 84.1% and 78.6% at the TC and ZC interfaces, respectively.Conclusion: Zirconia-based monolithic IRFDPs can be recommended for short-term replacement of a single maxillary molar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report changes in denture satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in edentulous patients treated with two-implant mandibular overdentures (IODs) over a follow-up of 8 to 10 years.Materials and Methods: This is a follow-up of a previous study carried out between 1997 and 2005. The patients were originally randomly divided into one group receiving IODs and another group who had their conventional mandibular dentures relined (RCD group). The RCD group was offered and received IODs at the 2-year follow-up. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire containing demographics, 15 variables related to denture satisfaction, and 20 questions from the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-20). Changes over time were analyzed using multilevel linear models for denture satisfaction and multilevel ordinal regression analyses for OHIP-20 variables. Comparisons between groups were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal and t test for metric data.Results: Disregarding patients who passed away during follow-up, the 29 responders represented a response rate of 76%. The degree of denture satisfaction and the OHIP-20 scores remained high and stable in the IOD group over the 10-year observation period for all but one variable. The same factors showed only a modest improvement in the RCD group for the first 2 years; however, during the subsequent 8 years of the observation period (after receiving IODs), denture satisfaction and OHIP-20 scores improved to the same level as the original IOD group.Conclusion: The positive effect on denture satisfaction and OHRQoL of edentulous patients treated with two-implant mandibular overdentures remained unchanged 8 to 10 years after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of complete dentures (CD) with anatomical and nonanatomical teeth in completely edentulous elderly individuals regarding oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), satisfaction, masticatory performance (MP), need for adjustment after CD placement, and patient preference for occlusal type.Materials and Methods: A randomized crossover clinical trial comprising 50 edentulous elderly individuals was conducted. The participants were divided into two groups: AT-NT (rehabilitated initially with anatomical teeth and 3 months later with nonanatomical teeth) and NT-AT (rehabilitated initially with nonanatomical teeth and 3 months later with anatomical teeth). OHRQoL was analyzed using the OHIP-EDENT; a satisfaction questionnaire was applied; MP was evaluated by the median particle size (×50) after chewing an artificial test food; and the number of adjustments of the prosthesis base was assessed quantitatively.Results: Overall, 34 elderly individuals (mean age: 69 years) were analyzed. No significant difference was observed between CD users with anatomical and nonanatomical teeth for OHRQoL (P = .674), satisfaction (P = .725), MP (P = .849), or number of adjustments (P = .135). Most subjects (52.9%) did not express a preference for any occlusal surface type. However, among those with a preference, the majority (32.4%) opted for nonanatomical teeth.Conclusion: Both posterior tooth types are eligible for oral rehabilitation in elderly users of conventional CDs, as the variables were not influenced by occlusal morphology. However, further studies are warranted in highly resorbed mandibular edges or in cases of adaptation difficulties, as the results may differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of 0.2% sodium hypochlorite, Efferdent (Prestige Consumer Healthcare), and 6.25% Ricinus communis on biofilm removal and antimicrobial action on dentures and brushes using nonimmersion or immersion protocols for the brushes.Materials and Methods: A total of 45 denture wearers were randomly assigned to a denture immersion protocol for 7 days: 0.85% saline solution for 20 minutes (control); 0.2% sodium hypochlorite for 20 minutes (SH); Efferdent for 3 minutes; or 6.25% Ricinus communis for 20 minutes (RC). The participants were also randomized to immersion (n = 23) or no immersion (n = 22) of their brushes with their dentures in the same solutions. For biofilm evaluation, the dentures were stained and photographed, and the area of the biofilm was measured using Image Tool 3.0 (University of Texas Health Science Center). To evaluate microbial load on dentures and brushes, the biofilm was collected, and the Candida spp and Streptococcus mutans colonies were counted.Results: The SH, Efferdent, and RC groups showed reduced biofilm and Candida spp on dentures regardless of the immersion protocol for the brushes. However, no difference was found in the Candida spp counts collected from the brushes immersed compared to the brushes not immersed in the solutions. The SH and Efferdent groups showed reduced S mutans on both dentures and brushes, except for in the nonimmersion subgroups.Conclusion: All solutions reduced denture biofilm and microbial load. However, immersion of brushes in the solutions did not contribute to reducing the microbial load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The authors aimed to develop a moral intervention and to determine whether it was more effective in preventing doping than an educational (i.e., knowledge-based) intervention; their primary outcome was doping likelihood, and the secondary outcomes were moral identity, moral disengagement, moral atmosphere, and anticipated guilt.Methods: Eligible athletes (N = 303) in the United Kingdom and Greece took part in the study. The authors randomly assigned 33 clubs to either the moral or the educational intervention. They measured outcomes pre- and postintervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-up.Results: Athletes in both interventions in both countries reported lower doping likelihood and moral disengagement and higher guilt from pre- to postintervention. These effects were maintained at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups. There were no effects on moral identity or moral atmosphere.Conclusions: In addition to disseminating information about doping, doping prevention programs should include content that focuses on moral variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to quantify the probability of implant failure over time from intrinsic patient factors using a population of patients from multiple private practices. Materials and Methods: The records for this retrospective, multicenter cohort study were randomly selected from eight private practices. The primary outcome variable was time to event (implant failure or last known follow-up). The included independent variables were age, sex, diabetes status, smoking status, and arch location. Analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards on three models: univariate, full multivariate, and systemic factor multivariate. The probability of implant survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was calculated using univariate time-to-event modeling on log-normal distribution with 95% CIs and Cox proportional hazard tests for significance. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was calculated for patients < 71 years of age. Results: Eight hundred thirty-five implant-level records from 378 patients were collected for analyses. The mean patient age was 60 years, and 48% were men, 15% reported a history of smoking, and 16% reported having diabetes. The follow-up time was as long as 17 years, with a mean of 23.1 months, and a median of 7 months. The hazard ratio (HR) for implant failure due to sex (HR = 1.18; 95% CI: 0.52 to 2.66), smoking (HR = 1.30; 95% CI: 0.49 to 3.46), diabetes (HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.35 to 3.86), and arch location (HR = 2.13 to 3.39) failed to reach the threshold within any Cox proportional hazards model (P > .05). Conclusion: The implant survival probability for patients = 70 years of age is 86.4% at 10 years in the course of routine private practice by experienced providers. Cautious interpretation of these results is critical, as the effects of known systemic risk factors are likely tempered by effective modifications in clinical decisions and protocols with short- and long-term follow-up maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To systematically review the influence of abutment material and configuration on the soft tissue esthetic outcomes of implant-supported single crowns (iSCs) after 3 years.Materials and Methods: An electronic search on MEDLINE (PubMed) from January 2000 to July 2019 was conducted for clinical trials with no language restrictions. The focus question was: In partially edentulous patients with iSCs, does the abutment material (metal vs ceramic) or the configuration (standardized vs customized) have an effect on the soft tissue esthetic outcomes? Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, and prospective or retrospective case series with at least 10 patients and a minimum of 3 years of follow-up were included. The esthetic outcomes Pink Esthetic Score (PES), PES/White Esthetic Score (WES; ie, modPES), Papilla Index (PI), soft tissue recession, and papilla height change were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed when applicable.Results: Of the 6,399 titles identified, 27 studies were included. Combined mean PES/modPES scores, translated into a scale of 0 to 100, were 68.8 for ceramic, 74.2 for metal (P = .392), 71.9 for customized, and 71.3 for standard (P = .981) abutments. Mean soft tissue recession was also similar between the abutment groups, abutment material (P = .850), and configuration (P = .849), ranging from -1.09 mm to +0.59 mm gain. Papilla height changes ranged from -1.22 mm to +1.0 mm gain. The reported mean PI was 2.16 for customized, 2.06 for standard (P = .552), 2.01 for ceramic, and 2.28 for metallic (P = .04) abutments.Conclusion: This systematic review showed that the abutment material and configuration had minimal impact on the evaluated soft tissue esthetic outcomes. Future research focusing on the included parameters in a randomized controlled manner is needed to validate the present findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To systematically evaluate and compare the clinical performance of lithium disilicate (LDS)- and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2)-based ceramic monolithic crowns in the posterior dentition.Materials and Methods: Treatment was administered by two experienced general dental practitioners in two public dental health care clinics. Forty-four patients received 60 crowns randomized to be either LDS or ZrO2 and cemented with resin cement. Evaluations were performed after 3 years using California Dental Association criteria.Results: The mean follow-up time was 40 months (range: 31 to 50). No crown fractured during the observation time, and no chip-off fractures occurred. The success rate for ZrO2 was 80%, and the survival rate was 93.3%. For LDS, the success rate was 89.7%, and the survival rate was 100%. Survival after 3 years for all crowns together was 96.6%, and success was 84.7%. There was no significant difference between the two materials.Conclusion: Crowns made of monolithic translucent ZrO2 and LDS show equal and promising clinical results from a short-term perspective. There seems to be a difference between how patients and professionals rate crowns concerning esthetics (color and shape), with patients rating the restorations more favorably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown how lifelong digital media users such as young adult women perceive exercise information found online. A total of 141 women aged 18-30 years and residing in Canada were randomized to read either a factually incorrect or a factually correct blog article. Participants completed Go/No-Go tasks to measure automatically activated believability and evaluations and questionnaires to explicitly measure believability, affective evaluations, and intentions to exercise. Participants did not show evidence of automatically activated believability of the content found in either blog article. However, participants reading the factually correct article reported significantly greater explicit disbelief than those reading the factually incorrect article, though this did not predict intentions. Being factually correct may not be an important component of message believability. Exercise professionals need to remain aware of the content of popular online sources of information in an effort to curb misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two experiments, the authors investigated the influence of stress type (i.e., low/no stress, mental, and physical), level (i.e., low, moderate, and high), and Type × Level interaction on intuitive decision frequency, decision quality, and decision speed. Participants were exposed to mental (i.e., color word task, mental arithmetic) and/or physical stress (i.e., running) and then required to make decisions regarding videotaped offensive situations in basketball. Intuitive decision frequency, decision quality, and decision speed were measured for each trial. Study 1 used a between-subjects design whereby 20 participants were randomly assigned to each of the five stress conditions. Results revealed that moderate stress was associated with faster decisions. Study 2 replicated the design and aim of Study 1 using a within-subject methodology (n = 42). Results suggested that moderate stress levels produced better, faster decisions. In conclusion, moderate levels of stress were associated with the most desirable decision outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors performed a clustered randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of an aerobic and a cognitively demanding exercise intervention on executive functions in primary-school-age children compared with the regular physical education program (N = 856). They hypothesized that both exercise interventions would facilitate executive functioning, with stronger effects for the cognitively demanding exercise group. The interventions were provided four times per week for 14 weeks. Linear mixed models were conducted on posttest neurocognitive function measures with baseline level as covariate. No differences were found between the exercise interventions and the control group for any of the measures. Independently of group, dose of moderate to vigorous physical activity was positively related to verbal working memory and attention abilities. This study showed that physical exercise interventions did not enhance executive functioning in children. Exposure to moderate to vigorous physical activity is a crucial aspect of the relationship between physical activity and executive functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review addressed flap designs in endodontic surgery which can have an impact on the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL).Materials and Methods: Four electronic databases were searched (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus) to identify all studies up to November 2019 that investigated the effect of flap designs on gingival recession and quality of life among healthy adults.Results: The initial search identified 2701 references. Ten studies were included in this systematic review; two were randomised clinical trials and eight were non-randomised clinical trials. Studies showed that sulcular incision increases the risk of gingival recession and decreases OHRQoL. Two studies were included in the meta-analysis in relation to gingival recession. The pooled results demonstrated that submarginal incision showed a decreased weighted mean difference in gingival recession by 0.31 mm (95% CI: 0.12 - 0.51) (p = 0.002) compared to sulcular incision.Conclusion: Sulcular incision flap unfavourably affect the level of gingiva and OHRQoL. All nonrandomised studies had a statistically significant bias and the sample sizes in all studies were relatively small. More gingival recession and lower OHRQoL were associated with sulcular incision. Additional investigations are warranted to provide more evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of a 40% miswak compared to a 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash.Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients aged 20-55 years who attended the Periodontics Clinics at the College of Dentistry, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq, were allocated into 2 groups to use either 40% miswak mouthwash or 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate Kin Gingival (Laboratorios KIN) twice daily for 2 months. Gingival, bleeding, and plaque indices were assessed.Results: There were statistically significant differences between the effectiveness of miswak and chlorhexidine mouthwashes in terms of gingivitis. The means of gingival, bleeding, and plaque indices using miswak mouthwash were 1.2, 0.4, and 0.53, respectively, i.e. indicating lower effectiveness, than when 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash was used (0.87, 0.43, 0.23, respectively).Conclusion: Miswak mouthwash is a good oral hygiene agent especially for long-term use even if its efficacy is lower than chlorhexidine mouthwash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A novel anhydrous toothpaste formulation has been developed containing the anti-dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) ingredient stannous fluoride (SnF2).Materials and Methods: This randomised, controlled, examiner-blind, parallel-group, stratified (by baseline Schiff sensitivity score) study compared efficacy of an experimental 'Test' toothpaste (n = 67) containing 0.454% SnF2, 0.072% sodium fluoride and 5% sodium tripolyphosphate (all percentages w/w) with a negative 'Control' 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate toothpaste (n = 68) in relieving DH in healthy Chinese adults. After 4-6 weeks acclimatisation, DH was assessed at baseline and following 4 and 8 weeks' twice-daily brushing by response to evaporative (air) (Schiff sensitivity score) and tactile (Yeaple probe) stimuli. An analysis of covariance model was used (factor: treatment group; covariate: baseline Schiff sensitivity score).Results: Both Test and Control toothpastes statistically significantly reduced Schiff sensitivity score from baseline after 8 weeks' use; the Test toothpaste also statistically significantly reduced the score after 4 weeks' use (all p < 0.001). The Test toothpaste reduction was statistically significantly superior to the Control toothpaste reduction at both timepoints (p < 0.001). Percentage differences in treatment effects between Test and Control groups were 24.1% at 4 weeks and 31.7% at 8 weeks. Tactile threshold scores for both treatments statistically significantly increased from baseline at both timepoints (all p < 0.001); however, there were no statistically significant differences between Test and Control groups. Both toothpastes were well-tolerated with no adverse events reported.Conclusion: The Test toothpaste containing 0.454% SnF2 reduced DH statistically significantly more than the Control as evaluated by the Schiff sensitivity score, but not by tactile threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this multicenter randomized controlled study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed ionic-sonic electric toothbrush in terms of plaque removal and reduction of gingival inflammation. A total of 78 subjects from three dental centers were invited to join the study. They were randomized to receive either a manual toothbrush (control group) or an ionic-sonic electric brush (test group). Full-mouth prophylaxis and oral hygiene instructions based on the stationary bristle technique were provided 1 week prior to the baseline visit. At baseline and at each follow-up appointment, Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) were recorded. In addition, probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing were recorded at baseline and at the last appointment (week 5). At completion of the study, subjects in the test group were given a questionnaire regarding their satisfaction with the toothbrush. Sixty-four subjects completed the study (control: 28; test: 36). The mean age of the subjects was 36.90 ± 12.19 years. No significant difference between the baseline and 5-week PD was found. Plaque removal efficacy and reduction in gingival inflammation were more significant for the test group at week 2. Both the control and test groups showed statistically significant improvement in PI and GI from baseline to week 5. The ionic-sonic toothbrush was more effective than manual toothbrush after a 1-week application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In the present pilot, multicenter, randomized, single- blinded, controlled study, surgical treatment with or without the administration of D-PLEX500 (a biodegradable prolonged release local doxycycline formulated with β-tricalcium phosphate bone graft) was accessed for the treatment of peri-implantitis. Method and materials: Subjects undergoing surgical treatment for intrabony peri-implantitis defects after flap elevation were randomly assigned, to adjunct D-PLEX500 placement group or to control group. Clinical and radiographic parameters were measured at 6 and 12 months. Results: Twenty-seven subjects (average age: 64.81 ± 7.61 years) were enrolled; 14 patients (18 implants) were randomized to the test group and 13 (14 implants) to the control group. There was no difference in plaque scores between the groups. There was no difference in the changes of mean periodontal probing depth between the test and control groups between baseline and the 6-month follow-up, whereas statistically significant difference was observed after 12 months' follow- up when analyzed for all sites averaged. There was a statistically significant difference in the changes of clinical attachment levels and radiographic bone levels between the groups between baseline and 12 months. These improvements were demonstrated when analyzed at both implant and subject levels. Only D-PLEX500 treatment led to improved bone levels at both time points. The improvement in bone levels was significant in the D-PLEX500 treatment group already after 6 months, and further improved over the 12-month follow-up. Implants were lost only in the control group (14%). Conclusions: D-PLEX500 sustained release local antibiotic formulated with bone filler showed promising results in enabling healing of peri-implantitis lesions. The antibacterial component of the bone graft material might create favorable conditions that enable implant surface decontamination and soft and hard tissue healing over a prolonged period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Oral mucositis (OM) is the most frequent side effect of radiation. Selenium deficiency leads to increased levels of free oxygen radicals and the selenium level tends to fall during radiotherapy. Hence, in this double-blind randomised controlled clinical trial, the effect of selenium was assessed in patients receiving radiation.Materials and Methods: Patients with head and neck cancer who were candidates to receive radiation were instructed to use selenium 200 mcg tablets twice daily. The grade of OM was evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) grading system on a weekly basis. The selenium level was measured at baseline and at the end of the radiation.Results: Seventy-one patients with head and neck cancer (37 in the selenium group, 34 in the placebo group) were enrolled in the study. The cumulative incidence of OM (grade 1-4) was 97.3% in the selenium and 100% in placebo group (p value: 0.79), and difference in the mean serum selenium level at the end of radiation was not statistically significant between the two groups (p value 0.24) Conclusion: Selenium supplementation does not appear to affect the selenium level as well as the severity and duration of OM. It is supposed that higher doses may be effective in the prevention of RT-mucositis. This trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials accessible at www.irct.ir (ID No. IRCT2014072718612N1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the present randomised controlled trial (RCT), the authors hypothesise that herbal-based oral rinses are as effective as 0.12% chlorhexidine when used as adjuncts to non-surgical mechanical debridement (MD) in the management of peri-implant mucositis. The aim of the present RCT was to compare the efficacy of an herbal oral rinse with a 0.12% chlorhexidine-based oral rinse when used as adjuncts to non-surgical MD in the treatment of peri-implant mucositis.Materials and Methods: Adult patients with peri-implant mucositis were included. Participants were randomly allocated into 3 groups. In group 1, patients only underwent non-surgical MD. In groups 2 and 3, patients underwent non-surgical MD with adjunct rinsing with an herbal- and 0.12% CHX-based oral rinse, respectively. Peri-implant plaque index (PI) and bleeding-on-probing (BOP) and probing-depth (PD) were assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. Group comparisons were done and p < 0.01 was considered statistically significant.Results: Forty-eight patients with peri-implant mucositis (16, 16, and 16 in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively) were included. At baseline, there was no difference in PI, PD, BOP in all groups. In group 1, there was no statistically significant difference in PI and BOP at 6, and 12 weeks of follow-up compared with baseline. In groups 2 and 3, PI (p < 0.01) and BOP (p < 0.01) were statistically significantly higher at baseline than 3, 6, and 12 weeks of follow-up. In group 1, there was no statistically significant difference in PD at all time intervals. In groups 2 and 3, PD was statistically significantly higher at baseline than 3, 6, and 12 weeks of follow-up. In groups 2 and 3, there was no statistically significant difference in PI, BOP and PD at all intervals.Conclusion: Herbal- and 0.12% CHX-based oral rinses are useful adjuncts to MD for the treatment of peri-implant mucositis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This nonrandomized, retrospective multicenter study aimed to evaluate success rates, peri-implant marginal bone loss, and clinical parameters around single implants with and without laser-microgrooved collars placed and loaded using different protocols after 7 to 10 years of function. Materials and Methods: A chart review was used to select patients treated at five private dental clinics with single dental implants with and without laser-microgrooved collars. Cumulative success rates, peri-implant marginal bone loss, probing depth, Plaque Index, bleeding on probing, and gingival recession were recorded at baseline examinations (ie, definitive restoration delivery) and at each year during the follow-up period. Results: Three hundred single implants (140 without laser-microgrooved collars and 160 with 1.7-mm laser-microgrooved collars) in 300 patients were selected. At the completion of the study period, 26 patients and 26 implants (17 with and 9 without a laser-microgrooved collar) were classified as "dropouts." Implants and restorations were categorized into two subgroups each for a total of four study groups: group 1, immediate implant placement; group 2, delayed implant placement; group 3, immediate nonocclusal loading of prostheses; and group 4, delayed loading of prostheses. Nineteen implants (6.9%) failed clinically (4 [2.7%] with and 15 [11.4%] without a laser-microgrooved collar). The difference in cumulative success rates was statistically significant (P < .05). Radiographically, at the end of the follow-up period, the laser-microgrooved group showed a mean peri-implant marginal bone loss of 0.64 mm compared with 1.82 mm for the non-laser-microgrooved group. At the same time point, a mean probing depth of 0.76 mm was observed for the lasermicrogrooved group compared with 2.75 mm for the non-laser-microgrooved group. A statistically significant difference in peri-implant marginal bone loss and probing depth between the two types of implant collars was evident (P < .05). No statistically significant correlation was noted between the types of implant placement/prosthetic restoration and clinical parameters. Conclusion: Implants with a laser-microgrooved collar appear to influence the peri-implant soft and hard tissue stability, reducing the probing depth levels and the peri-implant marginal bone loss by more than 50% after 10 years of function, regardless of the type of implant placement and loading protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate differences in the performance of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) frameworks vs traditional metal frameworks for removable partial dentures (RPDs) in terms of OHRQoL, patient preference, periodontal indices, and denture satistfaction.Materials and Methods: Twenty-six participants were recruited to a randomized controlled crossover trial and were provided with either PEEK or cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) RPDs. After 4 weeks, the participants were provided with the other RPD. After both 4-week testing periods, the participants chose their preferred RPD and were followed up again at 6 months and 1 year. The primary outcome measure was effect on OHIP-20 score, which was compared among patients using repeated measures ANOVA. Secondary outcomes were participant preference compared using chi-square analysis; Plaque Index and Gingival Bleeding Index (PI and GBI, respectively) compared using repeated measures ANOVA; and McGill Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire (MDSQ) score compared between the two 4-week follow-ups using paired-samples t test.Results: Both Co-Cr and PEEK frameworks resulted in a significant improvement in OHIP-20 score (P < .001), but the material was not a significant factor in changes over 1 year (P = .87). There were no statistically significant differences in participant preference at 1 year (P = .491), nor between RPD materials in their effect on GBI (P = .476), PI (P = .967), or MDSQ (P = .368).Conclusion: Both Co-Cr and PEEK RPDs improved OHRQoL to a degree greater than the minimum clinically important difference at 4 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year compared to baseline. No significant preference or improved denture satisfaction score was seen for either material. PEEK frameworks seem to be associated with similar degrees of periodontal effects as Co-Cr frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMCs) are thought to be caused by dehydration and/or electrolyte losses. In this multicenter, cross-sectional study, the authors determined whether sweat rates (SRs), sweat electrolyte concentrations, or sweat electrolyte content differed in athletes with (i.e., crampers) and without (i.e., noncrampers) a history of EAMCs and whether these variables could predict EAMC-prone athletes. Male and female collegiate athletes (N = 350) from 11 sports with (n = 245) and without (n = 105) a self-reported history of EAMCs completed a typical exercise or conditioning session. SRs, calculated from body mass, and posterior forearm sweat were analyzed for sweat sodium concentration ([Na+]sw), sweat potassium concentration ([K+]sw), and sweat chloride concentration ([Cl-]sw). The authors used SRs and sweat electrolyte concentrations to calculate sweat electrolyte content lost. Within each gender, no differences in SRs (204 males, p = .92; 146 females, p = .24); [Na+]sw (191 males, p = .55; 126 females, p = .55); Na+sw content (191 males, p = .59; 126 females, p = .20); [K+]sw (192 males, p = .57; 126 females, p = .87); K+sw content (192 males, p = .49; 126 females, p = .03); [Cl-]sw (192 males, p = .94; 77 females, p = .57); and Cl-sw content (192 males, p = .55; 77 females, p = .34) occurred between crampers and noncrampers. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that sweat electrolyte content and SRs were predictive of EAMC-prone athletes in American football (area under curve = 0.65-0.72, p ≤ .005), but not in any other sport. EAMCs may not be solely caused by fluid or electrolyte losses in most athletes. Fluid and electrolyte replacement may help American footballers. Clinicians should individualize fluid and electrolyte replacement and understand different etiologies for EAMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Bisphosphonates and non-bisphosphonate antiangiogenic and antiresorptive agents are widely used in the management of bone diseases and cancer. A subset of patients receiving these drugs can manifest with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) and it is one of the major complications faced in dental practice. Dentoalveolar and periodontal surgery are the major risk factors associated with it. Therefore, a dentist must have adequate knowledge to promptly identify patients at risk and efficiently manage the condition. This multicentre study was designed with an aim to assess the level of knowledge and awareness regarding MRONJ among dentists from six dental schools.Methods and Materials: An online self-administered questionnaire was sent to all the dentists from six dental schools through Google forms. The results obtained were statistically analysed. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to check for normality of data, while the Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-square test were used to compare the responses to each question.Results: The questionnaire was sent to 570 dentists, out of which 234 responses were obtained. The majority of participants were aware of the term 'MRONJ' (83.3%), clinical indications of bisphosphonates (61.5%) and its mechanism of action (72.2%). However, 68.4% and 61.5% of dentists had no knowledge about the 'drug holiday' concept and risk factors associated with MRONJ, respectively.Conclusion: Although most of the participants had knowledge regarding certain aspects of MRONJ, such as mechanism of action and clinical indications of bisphosphonates, there was a lack of awareness about the drug holiday concept and drug-associated risk factors. This emphasises the need to spread awareness among the dental community, not only in tertiary healthcare centres, but also among private dentists and dental interns to prevent cases of MRONJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyse the effect of information technologies on improving the frequency of the use of dental floss among adolescents.Materials and Methods: A randomised, controlled clinical trial was conducted with 291 adolescents (mean age: 16.1 years) in three phases. Phase I involved the application of a questionnaire and clinical examinations using the simplified Oral Hygiene Index and gingival bleeding index. In phase II, the adolescents were randomly allocated to four groups: oral counseling (OR) and the use of an application (App) for smartphones; OR without the app; video (VD) and app; and VD without app. Messages were set through the app for 30 days. Phase III involved the second administration of the questionnaire and clinical examination. The frequency of dental floss use was evaluated in phases I and III. The groups were categorised into the use of technology (VD and/or App) and non-use of technology (OR alone).Results: Statistically significant reductions in the clinical indices were found with all educational methods (p < 0.005) and improvements were found in the use of dental floss (p < 0.001). Moreover, information technologies were associated with an improvement in the frequency of dental floss use (p < 0.033).Conclusion: All methods were effective at improving clinical indicators. The use of information technologies can be considered an effective tool for improving dental floss use among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the effect of oral comprehensive healthcare on the prevalence of early childhood caries in urban areas of China.Materials and Methods: A total of 398 children aged 4-5 years from six different kindergartens in Qingdao were recruited to participate in a 1-year single-blind randomised controlled clinical trial. They were randomly assigned into either an experimental group (187 children) or a control group (211 children). The experimental group received comprehensive oral healthcare including oral health examinations, oral health education for children and their guardians, and local fluoride application and dental treatment, whereas children in the control group only received oral health examinations twice a year. The children's parents finished a comprehensive oral health questionnaire before and after the experiment. After a year, the oral health status of two groups of children was statistically analysed to determine the effect of oral comprehensive healthcare on early childhood caries.Results: After 1 year, the numbers of decayed teeth (dt), decayed tooth surfaces (ds), filled teeth (ft), and filled tooth surfaces (fs) in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group (p <0.001). The dmft and dmfs were also significantly different between the two groups (p <0.05). Statistically significant differences were additionally shown in oral hygiene habits and eating habits of both the children and their parents in the two groups compared with 1 year before (all p <0.001).Conclusion: Implementation of comprehensive oral healthcare measures both prevents and reduces early childhood caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the relationship between periodontitis and nosocomial pneumonia in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and registered (CRD42018105124) with PROSPERO (International prospective register for systematic reviews, University of York, York, UK). A search was conducted in five databases without restrictions regarding language or date of publication. From 560 studies selected, 10 underwent full-text analysis. Five studies were eligible (five case-control studies), and all were entered in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was performed with tests for sensitivity and statistical heterogeneity. Summary effect measures were calculated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: There was a significant association between periodontitis and nosocomial pneumonia in the meta-analysis (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.68 to 3.86). In this meta-analysis, I2 = 0%.Conclusions: The evidence demonstrates a positive association between periodontitis and nosocomial pneumonia. Individuals with periodontitis admitted to the ICU were more likely to present nosocomial pneumonia than individuals without periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To clinically evaluate a recently developed, standardized, three-implant-supported full-arch treatment concept for fully edentulous mandibles. Materials and Methods: This ongoing multinational prospective cohort study is evaluating the performance of the treatment concept over 5 years in patients who were fully edentulous or had failing dentition of the mandible. The primary outcome was the cumulative survival rate of implants (CSRI). Secondary outcomes included the cumulative survival rate of the prostheses (CSRP), marginal bone level change, soft tissue outcomes, impact on quality of life, and patient and clinician satisfaction. The 1-year report is presented here. Results: In total, 110 patients (330 implants) were included. Prostheses underwent immediate loading in 76.4% of cases and early loading in 23.6% of cases. The mean surgical time was 1.60 ± 0.78 hours, and the mean laboratory time was 3.99 ± 1.74 hours. At 1 year, eight implants and three prostheses failed, yielding an implant-level CSRI of 97.5% and a CSRP of 97.3%. All prosthetic failures were due to loss of two implants in the patient. The mean marginal bone level change at 1 year was -0.62 ± 1.39 mm. Among soft tissue outcomes, the Bleeding Index improved significantly between the 6-month and 1-year follow-up, and 242 implants (75%) were surrounded by keratinized mucosa by the 6-month follow-up. Patients reported a significant improvement in quality of life between prosthesis placement and the 6-month follow-up based on the Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous 21 questionnaire. Both patient and clinician satisfaction with function and esthetics were high throughout treatment. Conclusion: This novel treatment concept using a passively fitting standardized framework with simplified surgical and prosthetic workflow demonstrated high survival and excellent outcomes at 1 year while reducing chair and fabrication time. This concept may offer patients a safe and efficient option for fullarch mandibular prostheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic poses a substantial risk of disease spread among healthcare workers (HCWs), making it important to understand what impacts perceived risk of COVID‐19 spread in hospital settings and what causes HCWs to mitigate COVID‐19 spread by following COVID‐19 safety measures. One determinant of risk perception and safe behaviors is the influence of seeing others as group members. The current study aims to (a) evaluate how social identification as an HCW and trust in co‐workers may influence perceived risk of COVID‐19 spread and (b) explore how communication transparency, trust in leaders, and identity leadership are associated with self‐reported adherence to COVID‐19 safety guidance. Using a correlational design, HCWs of a Scottish hospital were invited to participate in an online questionnaire measuring their perceptions of risk of COVID‐19 transmission, measures of social identification as an HCW, perception of leaders as members of the team, trust in co‐workers to follow the COVID‐19 guidelines and perception of leaders to manage COVID‐19 prevention effectively. Results showed that increased trust in co‐workers was associated with reduced risk perception of COVID‐19 transmission. Perceptions of transparent communication about COVID‐19 were found to be associated with increased adherence to COVID‐19 safety guidelines. Findings show the importance of the association between social identity processes and reduced risk perception and highlight the relationship between transparent communication strategies and self‐reported adherence to COVID‐19 guidelines, identity leadership, and trust in leaders to manage COVID‐19 appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most important contributors to mortality from non-communicable diseases, the number of nephrologists is limited worldwide. Medical cooperation is a system of cooperation between primary care physicians and nephrological institutions, consisting of nephrologists and multidisciplinary care teams. Although it has been reported that multidisciplinary care teams contribute to the prevention of worsening renal functions and cardiovascular events, there are few studies on the effect of a medical cooperation system. Methods: We aimed to evaluate the effect of medical cooperation on all-cause mortality and renal prognosis in patients with CKD. One hundred and sixty-eight patients who visited the one hundred and sixty-three clinics and seven general hospitals of Okayama city were recruited between December 2009 and September 2016, and one hundred twenty-three patients were classified into a medical cooperation group. The outcome was defined as the incidence of all-cause mortality, or renal composite outcome (end-stage renal disease or 50% eGFR decline). We evaluated the effects on renal composite outcome and pre-ESRD mortality while incorporating the competing risk for the alternate outcome into a Fine–Gray subdistribution hazard model. Results: The medical cooperation group had more patients with glomerulonephritis (35.0% vs. 2.2%) and less nephrosclerosis (35.0% vs. 64.5%) than the primary care group. Throughout the follow-up period of 5.59 ± 2.78 years, 23 participants (13.7%) died, 41 participants (24.4%) reached 50% decline in eGFR, and 37 participants (22.0%) developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD). All-cause mortality was significantly reduced by medical cooperation (sHR 0.297, 95% CI 0.105–0.835, p = 0.021). However, there was a significant association between medical cooperation and CKD progression (sHR 3.069, 95% CI 1.225–7.687, p = 0.017). Conclusion: We evaluated mortality and ESRD using a CKD cohort with a long-term observation period and concluded that medical cooperation might be expected to influence the quality of medical care in the patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aiman,2,* Mohammad Abu-Tineh,2,* Mohamed A Yassin2,*1Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Cooperation, Doha, Qatar; 2Department of Medical Oncology/Hematology, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Doha, Qatar*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Mohammad Abu-Tineh, Department of Oncology/Hematology and BMT, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Alrayan Road, Doha, Qatar, Tel +97455003969, Email [email protected] Methemoglobinemia (MetHb) is a rare hematological condition characterized by high methemoglobin levels in the blood. It happens when hemoglobin is oxidized, resulting in hypoxia and cyanosis, which may occur in inherited or acquired forms. Inherited or congenital methemoglobinemia is a rare autosomal recessive condition and has never been reported in the Arab population. Here we report a case of a 22-year-old Arab man with a positive family history who presented with bluish discoloration of the fingers and lips and was found to have methemoglobinemia. Genetic study on the patient and his family revealed compound heterozygous variants in the CYB5R3 Exon 5 c.431G>A p.Gly144Asp likely pathogenic variant and CYB5R3 Exon 9 c.871G>A p.Val291Met variant of unknown significance. We suggest that the novel c.871G>A p.Val291Met variant could be causative for methemoglobinemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Career prospects in academic medicine are strongly linked to scientific authorship and this marker has been widely used as an indicator of gender equity in academia. However, direct comparisons of medical disciplines regarding their proportion of female physicians (FP) in different countries are missing. This study examines the gender parity and gender cooperation using first authorships (FA) and senior authorships (SA) of scientific publications in five medical disciplines and six different OECD countries over a 10-year time-trend. Methods: Articles from three high-impact journals in each of the medical discipline radiology, urology, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics from the years 2007/8 and 2017/18 were retrospectively reviewed. The gender and affiliation location of the FA and SA of original research articles and reviews were assigned and compared with the proportion of in each discipline for the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. Mantel-Haenszel test and multinomial logistic regression models were used to calculate differences in proportions of women authors and FP and to assess trends and proportions of FA and SA. Results: 30,803 articles were evaluated. Equally, with rising proportions of FP in all disciplines, the number of women authors increased across years. The shares of women FAs were either significantly higher (urology/surgery/gynecology) or balanced (pediatrics/radiology) compared to the proportion of FP. In contrast, the shares of women SA were balanced only in disciplines with a low proportion of FP (urology and surgery) and otherwise reduced. Women same-gender cooperation was as common as men same-gender cooperation and preferred over a women-led mixed gender cooperation in disciplines where this seemed to be practicable due to the high proportions of FP. Conclusion: In contrast to FA, a significant disparity persists in SA, particularly in disciplines with a high proportion of FP. The discrepancy between FA and SA may reflect, among others, dropout from an academic career in early or mid-academic levels, for example, due to structural inequality; together with the findings on gender preference in authorship collaborations, this may inform future strategies for promoting equal career advancement for women physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KID-PROTEKT is a child-centred psychosocial healthcare intervention which aims at improving the identification of psychosocial needs and navigation in the outpatient gynaecologic and paediatric setting. In this cluster randomizedcontrolled trail we examined the effect of KID-PROTEKT on the referrals (to support services) in comparison to the regular gynaecologic and paediatric outpatient healthcare . A variant based on the qualification of the healthcare providers (qualified treatment, QT) and a variant with social worker (supported treatment, ST) were compared to the regular healthcare (treatment as usual, TAU). Twenty-four gynaecologic and paediatric practices were randomized to one of three study arms. Therefore 8,458 pregnant women and families recruited in one of these practices were enrolled in the study. Participating patients reported on average 1.73 (SD = 1.34) psychosocial risks. In total 522 patients were linked to a support service. Compared to TAU, the probability of a referral was significantly higher in QT (OR = 10.70) and ST (OR = 11.28). Also, a higher number of psychosocial risks were linked to a referral (OR = 2.72). These findings support the importance of a psychosocial assessment in the gynaecologic and paediatric setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multicenter study retrospectively evaluated implant survival and bone growth in atrophic ridges that were augmented with titanium mesh and 100% mineralized solvent-dehydrated bone allografts (MSDBA). A secondary objective of this study was to evaluate differences in outcomes by diagnostic model type. Titanium mesh was shaped on a diagnostic wax-up of the patient's jaw: Twenty-three patients (Group 1) had wax-ups on dental stone models, and 16 patients (Group 2) had wax-ups on models fabricated with three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Clinical and histologic data were analyzed. The average bone gain ranged from 5.94 to 6.91 mm horizontally and 5.76 to 6.99 mm vertically and was not significantly different between the two model groups (P > .05). Implant survival was 100% after 18 to 48 months. Although model type had no significant influence on outcomes, 3D-printed models allowed for faster surgery and served as visual aids for patient education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective randomized clinical trial was to test the hypothesis that narrow-diameter titanium-zirconium (Ti-Zr) alloy implants with a chemically modified hydrophilic surface are not inferior in regard to crestal bone level change compared to standard-diameter implants with the same implant surface and material. Materials and Methods: This multicenter study included 50 patients in need of a single tooth replacement in the anterior (canine to canine) or premolar region of the mandible or maxilla. Patients were included if the site could accommodate a 4.1-mm-diameter implant. Implants were temporarily restored at 3 to 4 weeks after placement. Definitive restorations were delivered 4 to 6 months after placement. Patients returned 1 year after implant loading for clinical measurements and radiographic examination. The primary outcome was mean crestal bone level changes measured between implant loading and 12 months postloading. Secondary outcomes included implant success, survival, gingival recession, and patient satisfaction. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled; 47 completed the study. Twenty-three patients were in the narrow-diameter implant group (test), and 24 patients were in the standard-diameter implant group (control). The success and survival rates at 12 months postloading were 100% for both groups. The change in the mean crestal bone level from implant loading to 12 months postloading around narrowdiameter implants was -0.27 ± 0.34 mm. For the standard-diameter implants, the change was significantly higher at -0.48 ± 0.67 mm (P = .02). No significant difference was found in gingival recession and patient satisfaction. Conclusion: The results of this prospective randomized clinical trial suggest noninferiority of the narrow- vs standard-diameter Ti-Zr implant. In addition, bone remodeling was less pronounced for the narrow-diameter implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]