Feasibility of clinical evaluation of individuals with increased risk for HPV‐associated oropharynx cancer

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Feasibility of clinical evaluation of individuals with increased risk for HPV‐associated oropharynx cancer via Head & Neck Abstract Background Human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC) has no known pre-malignant lesion. While vaccination offers future primary prevention, there is current interest in secondary prevention. The feasibility of clinical evaluation of individuals at increased risk for HPV-OPSCC is unclear. Methods Individuals with risk factors for HPV-OPSCC were enrolled in a prospective study (MOUTH). Participants positive for biomarkers associated with HPV-OPSCC were eligible for a clinical evaluation which comprised a head and neck examination and imaging with ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study was designed to evaluate feasibility of clinical evaluation in a screening study. Results Three hundred and eighty-four participants were eligible for clinical evaluation. Of the 384, 204 (53%) completed a head and neck examination or imaging. Of these, 66 (32%) completed MRI (n = 51) and/or ultrasound (n = 64) studies. Conclusions Clinical evaluations, including head and neck examination and imaging, are feasible in the context of a screening study for HPV-OPSCC. View on Web

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Protective assessment of progesterone and its receptor on experimental diabetic neuropathy: Anti‐oxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Protective assessment of progesterone and its receptor on experimental diabetic neuropathy: Anti‐oxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects via Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology Abstract Introduction Diabetes induces a disorder in mitochondrial activity, which causes damage to the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, and ultimately increases the release of inflammatory cytokines and damages the sciatic nerve and dorsal root ganglion and induces neuropathy. It has been shown that progesterone has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects and prevents nerve cell damage. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of progesterone receptor neuroprotection on diabetic neuropathy. Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups, including control group, diabetic control group, diabetic control group+Progesterone(30mg/kg), diabetic control group+combination of Progesterone(30mg/kg) and RU486(10mg/kg). After the induction of diabetes, blood glucose level, body weight, behavioral tests, electrophysiological tests, oxidative and inflammatory factors, and histological parameters were measured. Results Progesterone treatment significantly reduced the level of sensitivity to hot plate without significant effect on glucose level, and significant changes were also observed in the results of tail flake test. In addition, the results showed that the administration of progesterone can improve MNCV and significantly reduce the serum levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, as well as inflammation and edema around the sciatic nerve. However, RU486 inverted the beneficial effects of progesterone. Conclusion Progesterone can be considered as a protective agent in reducing DN because of its ability to reduce inflammation and nerve damage. In addition, RU486, a progesterone receptor blocker, inhibits the beneficial effects of progesterone on the DN, thus progesterone receptors play an important role in the neuroprotective effect of progesterone. View on Web

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Automated Detection of Smiles as Discrete Episodes

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Automated Detection of Smiles as Discrete Episodes via Journal of Oral Rehabilitation Abstract Background Patients seeking restorative and orthodontic treatment expect an improvement in their smiles and oral health-related quality of life. Nonetheless, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of dynamic smiles are yet to be understood. Objective To develop, validate, and introduce open-access software for automated analysis of smiles in terms of their frequency, genuineness, duration, and intensity. Materials and Methods A software script was developed using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and artificial intelligence to assess activations of (1) cheek raiser, a marker of smile genuineness; (2) lip corner puller, a marker of smile intensity; and (3) perioral lip muscles, a marker of lips apart. Thirty study participants were asked to view a series of amusing videos. A full-face video was recorded using a webcam. The onset and cessation of smile episodes were identified by two examiners trained with FACS coding. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was then used to assess detection accuracy and optimise thresholding. The videos of participants were then analysed off-line to automatedly assess the features of smiles. Results The area under the ROC curve for smile detection was 0.94, with a sensitivity of 82.9% and a specificity of 89.7%. The software correctly identified 90.0% of smile episodes. While watching the amusing videos, study participants smiled 1.6 (±0.8) times per minute. Conclusions Features of smiles such as frequency, duration, genuineness, and intensity can be automatedly assessed with an acceptable level of accuracy. The software can be used to investigate the impact of oral conditions and their rehabilitation on smiles. View on Web

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Effect of Ceftriaxone on Intestinal Transit Time

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Effect of Ceftriaxone on Intestinal Transit Time via Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology Abstract Background Ceftriaxone reduces gallbladder and ileal contractility. Many studies have shown that ceftriaxone causes biliary sludge and pseudolithiasis. However, its effect on intestinal transit time has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ceftriaxone on intestinal transit time. Material and Method Sixteen rats were examined in two groups: The study group (GroupA, n=8) was administered 100mg/kg ceftriaxone intramuscularly for 7 days. The control group (GroupB, n=8) was administered intramuscular distilled water for 7 days. On the 7th day, amixture of 2 cc barium and saline was given orally to both groups. Barium transit was evaluated using serial digital X-ray images. Results The stomach was full and transition into the small intestine loop was observed in all rats at 45 min in both groups. At the 2nd hour, colonic transition was observed in two rats in group A (2/8, 25%) and in seven in group B (7/8, 87.5%). At the 4th hour, five (62.5%) rats in group A had transverse colonic transition, and all rats in group B (8/8, 100%) had transverse and/or left colonic transition. At the 6th hour, no rat in group A had rectal transition, and all rats in group B (8/8, 100%) had complete passage of colonic contrast material. Conclusion Ceftriaxone significantly prolongs the small intestine transit time, large intestine transit time, and total intestinal transit times. View on Web

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Hybrid mandibular Bologna midline distractor in combination with surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion for transverse facial expansion: clinical and cephalometric results

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Hybrid mandibular Bologna midline distractor  in combination with surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion for transverse facial expansion: clinical and cephalometric results via International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery via MedWorm.com Transverse maxillomandibular hypoplasia can be treated with surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) in association with mandibular symphyseal distraction (MSD). This paper introduces a hybrid mandibular Bologna midline distractor (BMD); the effectiveness of the distractor in combination with SARME for the treatment of transverse skeletal deficiency was evaluated. This two-centre study included 10 patients with a transverse arch width deficit>7  mm and dental crowding, in both the maxilla and mandible, treated with SARME and MSD. (Source: International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery) View on Web

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Effectiveness of pulpotomy compared with root canal treatment in managing non‐traumatic pulpitis associated with spontaneous pain: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Effectiveness of pulpotomy compared with root canal treatment in managing non‐traumatic pulpitis associated with spontaneous pain: A systematic review and meta‐analysis via International Endodontic Journal Abstract Abstract Background Pulpitis characterized by spontaneous pain can result in debilitating pain. Dogma has existed to offer only have two treatment options, namely, root canal treatment (RCT) or extraction although, pulpotomy has always remained a potential treatment modality. Objective This review aimed to answer the following research question: "Does pulpotomy (partial or full)(I) result in better patient and clinical reported outcomes (O), compared to RCT (C) in permanent teeth with pulpitis characterized by spontaneous pain (P) evaluated at various time intervals? (T). Methods Two authors independently performed study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. The literature search was conducted in the following electronic databases: Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. English language clinical trials comparing the patient and clinical reported outcomes between RCT and pulpotomy were included. The meta-analysis was performed on a fixed-effect model and the quality of evidence assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Results Two randomised clinical trials, were included. Among two trials, one has published four reports at different time points involving same cohorts. The meta-analysis revealed no difference in postoperative pain (Day 7) between RCT and pulpotomy (OR= 0.99,95% CI 0.63 – 1.55,I2=0%) and quality of evidence was graded as "High". Clinical success was high at year 1, 98% for both interventions, however decreased over time to 78.1% (pulpotomy) and 75.3% (RCT) at 5 years. Discussion Pulpotomy is a definitive treatment modality that is as effective as RCT . This could have a significant impact on treatment of such patients affording the advantages of retaining a vital pulp and preventing the need for RCT. Conclusion This review could only include two trials, hence there is insufficient evidence to draw robust conclusions. The clinical data accumulated so far suggests no difference in pain between RCT and pulpotomy at day 7 postoperatively and a single randomised control trial suggests that the clinical success rate for both treatment modalities is similar long term. There is a need for more well-designed trials by different research groups to develop a stronger evidence base in this area. View on Web

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