Broad-spectrum ginsentides are principal bioactives in unraveling the cure-all effects of ginseng

Stress and illness connection is complex and involves multiple physiological systems. Panax ginsengs, reputed for their broad-spectrum "cure-all" effect, are widely prescribed to treat stress and related illnesses. However, the identity of ginseng's "cure-all" medicinal compounds that relieve stress remains unresolved. Here, we identify ginsentides as the principal bioactives that coordinate multiple systems to restore homeostasis in response to stress. Ginsentides are disulfide-rich, cell-penetrating and proteolytic-stable microproteins. Using affinity-enrichment mass spectrometry target identification together with in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo validations, we show that highly purified or synthetic ginsentides promote vasorelaxation by producing nitric oxide through endothelial cells via intracellular PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, alleviate α1-adrenergic receptor overactivity by reversing phenylephrine-induced constriction of aorta, decrease monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells via CD166/ESAM/CD40 and inhibit P2Y12 receptors to reduce platelet aggregation. Orally administered ginsentides were effective in animal models to reduce ADP-induced platelet aggregation, to prevent collagen and adrenaline-induced pulmonary thrombosis as well as anti-stress behavior of tail suspension and forced swimming tests in mice. Together, these results strongly suggest that ginsentides are the principal panacea compounds of ginsengs because of their ability to target multiple extra- and intra-cellular proteins to reverse stress-induced damages.

MOHS SURGERY: NARRATIVE REVIEW

Technique widely used in dermatology for the treatment of skin cancer. The historical perspective highlights the evolution of Mohs surgery since its development by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1930s, emphasizing its focus on basal cell carcinoma and subsequent renements in instrumentation, anesthesia, and tissue processing methods. Mohs surgery, which involves stepwise removal of cancerous tissue layers with immediate microscopic examination to ensure complete tumor removal while preserving healthy tissue. The advantages of Mohs surgery include high cure rates, tissue preservation, real-time margin assessment, and precise mapping. However, the procedure is time-consuming, requires specialized training, and may have higher costs compared to alternative treatments. Perioperative management considerations, including preoperative assessment, anesthesia techniques, surgical procedure, wound care, and follow-up, are discussed to ensure optimal outcomes and patient satisfaction. Understanding the historical context, surgical technique, advantages, and disadvantages of Mohs surgery is crucial for healthcare professionals involved in the management of skin cancer patients.

Difficultés diagnostiques de la tuberculose cérébrale / Diagnostic difficulties of cerebral tuberculosis

La tuberculose est une des maladies infectieuses les plus répandues dans le monde .Elle représente un problème de santé publique majeur dans les pays en voie de développe ment, y compris l'Algérie . À l'échelle mondiale et parmi tous les cas de tuberculose, l'OMS rapporte 14 % de tuberculose extra-pulmonaire (TEP) sans atteinte pulmonaire concomitante. Dans notre pays et durant ces dernières années, une recrudescence de la tuberculose extrapulmonaire a été observée. L'objectif de cet article était de présenter un cas atypique de tuberculose cérébrale dont le diagnostic a été tardif, posé par l'examen anatomopathologique avec une revue de la littérature. C'est le cas d'une jeune patiente hospitalisée dans le cadre de l'urgence pour un syn drome d'hypertension intracrânienne avec troubles neurologiques. La tomodensitomé trie cérébrale a objectivé de multiples localisations cérébrales avec une hydrocéphalie active. Le bilan d'extension était sans anomalie. La patiente avait bénéficié d'une inter vention chirurgicale, les suites opératoires ont été favorables. L'examen anatomo-pa thologique était en faveur d'une lésion inflammatoire spécifique granulomateuse faite de larges plages de nécrose caséeuse. La patiente a répondu au traitement antituber culeux. Le problème diagnosticque et les résultats seront discutés avec une revue de la littéra ture. La tuberculose cérébrale est une forme rare de la tuberculose extra-pulmonaire. Le tableau clinique ainsi que la neuro-imagerie (TDM, IRM) sont atypiques. Le diagnostic était postopératoire, reposant sur l'examen anatomopathologique. Le pronostic dépend de la précocité du diagnostic, du siège de la lésion et de la réponse au traitement antituberculeux.

Tuberculosis is one of the most widespread infectious diseases in the world. It constitutes a major public health problem, especially in developing countries, including Algeria. Globally and among all tuberculosis cases, WHO reports 14% extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPT) without concomitant pulmonary involvement. In our country and in recent years, an upsurge in extrapulmonary tuberculosis has been observed. The objective of this article was to present an atypical case of cerebral tuberculosis whose diagnosis was late, made by anatomopathological examination with a review of the literature. We report the case of a young patient hospitalized in emergency for an intracranial hypertension syndrome with neurological disorders. Cerebral computed tomography revealed multiple brain locations with active hydrocephalus. The extension assessment was without anomaly. The patient underwent a surgical intervention, the operative consequences were favorable. The pathological examination was in favor of a specific inflammatory granulomatous lesion made up of large areas of caseous necrosis. The patient was cured under anti-tuberculosis treatment. The diagnostic problem and the results will be discussed with a review of the literature. Cerebral tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The clinic as well as the neuroimaging (CT, MRI) are atypical. The diagnosis is postoperative, based on the pathological examination. The prognosis depends on the early diagnosis, the site of the lesion and the response to anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Progress of mobile medical technology in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot / 中国实用护理杂志

The article summarized and analyzed the application status, specific application methods, shortcomings and prospects of mobile medical technology in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot, and to provide reference for the application and future research of mobile medical technology in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot in our country.

Is There a Cure in Psychoanalysis? A Clinic for the Untreatable / Existe Cura em Psicanálise? Uma Clínica para o Intratável

ABSTRACT This work aims to explore the dynamics of the cure in psychoanalysis, passing through a literary perspective. We begin by locating the idea of cure in psychoanalysis as the cure of the intractable, by thinking the logic of the cure through an aesthetic dimension. Next, we advance the idea of a literary subject, with the myth as a guiding element of a literary body that sustains its own existence. We adopt Kafka's idea of minor literature to understand the fragmented subject inserted in the culture. We then propose the neologism 'vereedades', playing on the proximity of the words 'truth' and 'path' in Portuguese ('verdade' and 'veredas') to explore curative dynamics, in which the subject explores his/her own style.

RESUMO Este trabalho visa explorar a dinâmica da cura em psicanálise, passando por uma perspectiva literária. Iniciamos localizando a ideia de cura em psicanálise como a cura do intratável, pensando a lógica da cura via uma dimensão estética. Na sequência, seguimos com a noção de sujeito literário, com o mito como um norte de um corpo literário que sustenta a própria existência do sujeito. Adotamos a ideia de uma literatura menor de Kaka para compreender o sujeito fragmentado em sua inserção na cultura. Então propomos o neologismo 'veredades', brincando com a proximidade das palavras 'verdade' e 'veredas' para explorar a dinâmica da cura, em que o sujeito explora seu próprio estilo.

Clinical study of hepatitis B vaccine in achieving hepatitis B surface antibody seroconversion in patients with functional cure

Abstract Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance is the highest treatment goal recommended by the current guidelines for hepatitis B. Levels of antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) are strongly associated with HBsAg recurrence, but hepatitis B vaccination may increase the anti-HBs seroconversion rate and reduce recurrence. We conducted a retrospective clinical study to ascertain the effect of this vaccination on the seroconversion rate and levels of protective anti-HBs after HBsAg. In this retrospective study, we distributed a questionnaire through an online survey platform to collect information related to hepatitis B vaccination in patients with functional cure of hepatitis B with Interferon-α (IFNα) therapy. We enrolled 320 patients who achieved functional cure from IFNα therapy. Of these, 219 patients had received hepatitis B vaccination according to their personal preference and drug accessibility after HBsAg seroclearance, whereas the remaining 101 patients did not receive hepatitis B vaccination. The anti-HBs seroconversion rate of 78.1% in the vaccinated group was significantly greater than that in the unvaccinated group (41.6%) (p < 0.001). Stratified comparisons with anti-HBs of ≥ 100 IU/L and ≥ 300 IU/L showed that both proportions in the vaccinated group were greater than those in the unvaccinated group (71.2% vs. 32.7% and 56.2% vs. 17.8%, respectively, all p-values < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio of vaccination was 4.427, which was the strongest influencing factor for anti-HBs, reaching 100 IU/L or higher. Hepatitis B vaccination in patients after HBsAg seroclearance not only increased the anti-HBs seroconversion rate but also significantly increased antibody levels, with good safety, indicating the clinical value of vaccine therapy for patients with functional cure.

Effect of restrictive fluid resuscitation on the coagulation function and hemodynamic parameters in patients with hemorrhagic traumatic shock

Abstract Objectives To investigate the changes in the coagulation function and hemodynamic parameters in patients with Hemorrhagic Traumatic Shock (HTS) after restrictive fluid resuscitation. Methods A total of 139 patients with HTS admitted to our hospital were enrolled, among which 69 HTS patients were divided into the control group and the remaining 70 HTS patients as the observation group. Patients in the control group underwent regular fluid resuscitation, while those in the observation group underwent restrictive fluid resuscitation. Results During treatment, 70 patients in the observation group had a lower bleeding amount, infusion amount, and blood transfusion volume than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After treatment, patients in the observation group had better hemodynamic parameters and blood coagulation than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the incidence rate in the observation group was only 12.9%, which was significantly lower than 60.87% in the control group, while the cure rate in the observation group was 100%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Restrictive fluid resuscitation could remarkably increase the cure rate and reduce the bleeding amount during HTS treatment, thereby benefiting the recovery of the patient's blood coagulation.

Effect of low temperature and room temperature on the depth of cure of bulk-fill composite resins

The study analyzed the influence of temperature on the depth of cure of bulk-fill composite resins. Three discs (ISO 4049/2000) from each group were made, and four restorative materials were investigated: Opus Bulk-Fill Flow, Opus Bulk-Fill APS, Filtek™ One Bulk-Fill, and Filtek™ Bulk-Fill Flow. They were light-cured (Gnatus ± 1,200 mW/cm2) for 20 seconds, varying the temperature (23°C and 5°C) and simulating the use of the product both at room temperature and under refrigeration. The materials were inserted in aluminum matrices with 10 mm in depth and 4 mm in diameter. A clear film strip and a glass microscope slide were positioned at the top and bottom surfaces. The material was condensed and light-cured with the tip of the light source in close contact, for 20 seconds on the top surface. Immediately after irradiation, the samples were removed from the mold, and the uncured part was removed with a plastic spatula. The measurement was performed with a micrometer ± 0.1 mm, and the value was divided by 2. The data were analyzed with two-way ANOVA at a significance of 0.05. There was a statistical difference in the temperature between the results obtained in Opus Bulk-Fill APS (p <0.001) and Filtek™ Bulk-Fill Flow (p = 0.018) resins. For the temperature of 5°C, Filtek™ Bulk-Fill Flow showed a statistical difference compared to the other resins, while Opus Bulk-Fill Flow and Opus Bulk-Fill APS did not. For the temperature of 23°C, Filtek™ Bulk-Fill Flow maintained the statistical difference from the others, but Filtek™ One Bulk-Fill and Opus Bulk-Fill APS did not present statistical differences. Storing the Filtek™ Bulk-Fill Flow composite resin in the refrigerator caused a greater depth of cure than the other resins, and the depth of cure decreased at room temperature. As for Opus Bulk-Fill APS, the depth of cure decreased proportionally to the temperature decrease. The temperature may affect the depth of cure of some composite resins.

Pre-Heating effect on the microhardness and depth of cure of Bulk-Fill composite resins / Efecto del precalentamiento de las resinas compuestas Bulk-Fill en la microdureza y la profundidad de curado

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preheating three bulk-fill and one conventional composite resin on the Vickers microhardness and depth of cure of these composites. In this study, three bulk-fill composites- SDR Plus (SDR), Estelite BULK FILL Flow (EST), Admira® Fusion x-tra (AFX), and one conventional composite resin G-ænial POSTERIOR (GP) were used as the control group. The samples were obtained at room temperature (24°C) and at 55°C in T2 mode after being placed in a heating device for 10 minutes. The samples were divided into eight groups (n=10) according to the type of material and heating process that was utilized (preheated and nonheated). All samples were tested with a Vickers microhardness (VHN) tester on the bottom and top surfaces. The first measurements were obtained at baseline; the second set of measurements was performed after the samples were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. The depth of cure was calculated using a bottom/top hardness ratio of measurements. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing the SPSS V23 and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Lastly, the Duncan test was used for multiple comparisons (p<0.05). While the VHN increased after the preheating procedure in bulk-fill composites, it decreased in GP. There was no difference between the baseline and the 24-hour VHN values in SDR and GP. After 24 hours, while the VHN of EST increased, the VHN of AFX decreased. There was no difference between the hardness ratios of the AFX and EST samples (p<0.001) and hardness ratios were greater than GP and SDR. When comparing the baseline and the 24- hour values, the VHN depended on the type of materials. Sufficient curing depth was obtained in all groups with a thickness of 2mm.

Resumen El objetivo fue investigar el efecto del precalentamiento de tres resinas Bulk-fill, una resina compuesta convencional sobre la microdureza Vickers y la profundidad de curado de estas resinas. Se utilizaron tres composites Bulk-Fill-SDR Plus (SDR), Estelite BULK FILL Flow (EST), Admira® Fusion x-tra (AFX), y una resina compuesta convencional G-ænial POSTERIOR (GP) como grupo de control. Las muestras se obtuvieron a temperatura ambiente (24°C) y a 55°C en modo T2 después de haber sido colocadas en un dispositivo de calentamiento durante 10 minutos. Se dividieron en ocho grupos (n=10) según el tipo de material y el proceso de calentamiento que se utilizó (precalentado y no calentado). Se probaron con un medidor de microdureza Vickers (VHN) en las superficies inferior y superior. Las primeras mediciones se obtuvieron en la línea de base; la segunda se realizó después de que las muestras se almacenaran en agua destilada a 37°C durante 24 horas. La profundidad de curado se calculó utilizando una relación de dureza inferior/ superior de las mediciones. El análisis estadístico se realizó utilizando el SPSS V23 y las pruebas de Shapiro-Wilk. Por último, se utilizó la prueba de Duncan para las comparaciones múltiples (p<0,05). VHN aumentó tras el procedimiento de precalentamiento en las resina Bulk-Fill, disminuyó en los GP. No hubo diferencias entre los valores de VHN de referencia y de 24 horas en SDR y GP. Después de 24 horas, mientras que el VHN de EST aumentó, el VHN de AFX disminuyó. No hubo diferencias entre los ratios de dureza de las muestras de AFX y EST (p<0,001) y los ratios de dureza fueron mayores que los de GP y SDR. Al comparar los valores de referencia y los de 24 horas, el VHN dependió del tipo de materiales. Se obtuvo una profundidad de curado suficiente en todos los grupos con un grosor de 2mm.

Enamel Surface Roughness Evaluation after Bracket Debonding: Comparison between Light Cure and Self Cure Adhesive Resin 3-Dimensional Profilometric Study

Introduction: After fixed orthodontic treatment, following bracket removal, the debonding procedure should lead to restitutio ad integrum of the enamel or, at least, restore the enamel surface as closely as possible to its pretreatment condition. Adhesion of brackets in orthodontics is that they should be strong enough to prevent failure during all treatment but also low enough, so that enamel damage would be minimal during bracket removal after treatment. Material and Methods: A total of 60 premolars were collected and stored in distilled water. The extracted teeth were divided into two groups of 30 each, group A was to be bonded with self?cure adhesive while group B light cure adhesive was to be used. A standardised protocol was followed for adhering the brackets to the tooth surfaces. All the teeth were bonded with metal brackets (3M Unitek, Gemini Twin Brackets 0.022 slot). In group A, bonding adhesive (3M Unitek self cure adhesive primer) was applied. In group B, the bonding adhesive (3M Unitek light cure adhesive primer) was photopolymerized for 10 seconds after application. Results: Surface roughness of enamel as assessed by profilometry shows that light cure adhesive creates more roughness as compared to self cure adhesive. To conclude, self cure adhesive is clinically better than light cure adhesive. Discussion: In the present study enamel surface roughness were compared after debonding. Enamel surface roughness after bracket debonding depends o

Epidemiological analysis of incidence rate, surgical rate and spontaneous cure of indirect inguinal hernia in children of Xinjiang region / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the incidence rate, surgical rate and spontaneous cure of indirect inguinal hernia in children of Xinjiang region.Methods:Children, aged from 4?14 years, coming from 24 kindergartens, 18 primary schools and 9 junior middle schools of 3 countries and 5 cities in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were recruited to participate as respondents. The survey time for baseline data collection was from May 2013 to June 2014 and the retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted. Parents of children were investigated by questionnaire, and children were examined on site. Observation indicators: (1) results of questionnaire survey; (2) illness and treatment of children involved in the study; (3) follow-up. Follow-up was conducted using telephone interview. Children who had been diagnosed and not been treated surgically at the time of questionnaire survey were followed up to detect disease progression and treatment in the past 5 years. If the symptoms of a child had disappeared during follow-up, parents of the child should accompany the child to hospital for physical examination and B-ultrasound examination to confirm the diagnosis, and then follow-up was conducted by telephone interview. The follow-up was up to January 2020. Count data were described as absolute numbers and percentages, and compari-son between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results:(1) Results of questionnaire survey. A total of 19 132 question-naires were distributed, and 19 132 complete questionnaires were recovered. Of the 19 132 children who completed the questionnaire survey, there were 9 670 males and 9 462 females. (2) Illness and treatment of children involved in the study. ① Incidence of indirect inguinal hernia in children with different sexes. Of the 19 132 children, 498 cases were diagnosed as indirect inguinal hernia, including 368 boys and 130 girls, with the prevalence as 3.806%(368/9 670) and 1.374%(130/9 462), respectively. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of indirect inguinal hernia between boys and girls ( χ2=111.54, P<0.05). The proportion of boys and girls in children with indirect inguinal hernia was 73.896%(368/498) and 26.104%(130/498), respectively, with the ratio of 2.8:1. The prevalence of boys was higher than girls ( odds ratio=2.84, 95% confidence interval as 2.32?3.48).② Age of children at first onset. Of the 498 children with indirect inguinal hernia, 59 cases were aged 1?4 years at first onset including 54 boys and 5 girls, 264 cases were aged 5?8 years including 196 boys and 68 girls, 148 cases were aged 9?12 years including 104 boys and 44 girls, 27 cases were aged 13?14 years including 14 boys and 13 girls. There was a significant difference in the age of children at first onset between boys and girls ( χ2=17.33, P<0.05). ③ Pathogenic factors in children with indirect inguinal hernia. Of the 498 children with indirect inguinal hernia, 457 cases had complete family history and crying history, and 41 cases were missing. Family history: of the 457 children with indirect inguinal hernia who had complete family history, there were 175 cases with the family history of indirect inguinal hernia and 282 cases without the family history. Of the 478 healthy children surveyed in the same period, there were 25 cases with the family history and 453 cases without the family history. There was a significant difference in the family history between the 457 children with indirect inguinal hernia and the 478 healthy children ( χ2=515.89, P<0.05). Crying history: of the 457 children with indirect inguinal hernia who had complete crying history, there were 194 cases with obvious crying history and 263 cases without obvious crying history. Of the 496 healthy children surveyed in the same period, there were 99 cases with obvious crying history and 397 cases without obvious crying history. There was a significant difference in the crying history between the 457 children with indirect inguinal hernia and the 496 healthy children ( χ2=56.51, P<0.05). ④ Surgical treatment. Of the 498 children with indirect inguinal hernia, 233 cases underwent surgical treatment including 217 boys and 16 girls, 265 cases were followed up without surgical treatment including 151 boys and 114 girls. The surgical rate for indirect inguinal hernia in boys and girls was 58.967%(217/368) and 12.308%(16/130), respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=84.01, P<0.05). The operation ratio of boys and girls was 13.6:1, and the surgical rate of boys was higher than girls ( odds ratio=10.24, 95% confidence interval as 5.83?17.98). (3) Follow-up. All the 265 children without surgical treatment for indirect inguinal hernia were followed up for 5 years. During the follow-up, there were 142 of 151 boys with surgical treatment and 9 boys without surgical treatments, showing negative in spontaneous cure. There were 27 of 114 girls with surgical treatment and 87 girls without surgical treatment, showing 55 cases positive in spontaneous cure and 32 cases still with indirect inguinal hernia. There was a significant difference in spontaneous cure between the 151 boys and the 114 girls ( χ2=143.79, P<0.05). Conclusion:In Xinjiang region, the incidence rate and surgical rate of indirect inguinal hernia are lower in girls compared with boys, and the spontaneous cure rate is higher in girls compared with boys.

Early predictors for clinical cure by sequential combined interferon therapy in nucleos(t)ide analogues experienced patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To explore the early predictors for clinical cure by sequential combined interferon therapy in nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) experienced patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB).Methods:CHB patients received NAs treatment≥one year with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) ≤1 500 IU/mL, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA <100 IU/mL in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 2016 to September 2019 were included. According to the different treatment regimens, the patients were divided into interferon alone for 48 weeks group (group A), interferon combined with NAs for 12 weeks and continued NAs treatment for 48 weeks group (group B), interferon combined with NAs for 48 weeks group (group C). Basic data such as age and gender of patients were collected. HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were monitored at week 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48. The decline of HBsAg from baseline, and the rates of clinical cure at 48 weeks were analyzed. The independent sample t test, chi-square test and rank sum test were used for statistical analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to achieve the early prediction index of clinical cure at week 48. Results:A total of 1 020 CHB patients were followed up regularly for at least five time points. The rates of clinical cure at week 48 in group A, B and C were 34.6%(157/454), 32.7%(69/211) and 33.5%(119/355), respectively, with no statistical significance ( χ2=0.25, P=0.883). Patients were divided into the cured group (345 cases) and the uncured group (675 cases) according to the clinical outcomes at week 48. The age ((38±13) years old vs (43±12) years old), baseline HBsAg (131.00(359.80) IU/mL vs 437.60(531.50) IU/mL) and the proportion of male patients (81.7%(282/345) vs 89.5%(604/675)) of patients in the cured group were all lower than those of patients in the uncured group. The differences were all statistically significant ( t=6.32, Z=12.67, χ2=11.99, respectively, all P<0.050). There were 212 patients in the cured group who achieved clinical cure within 24 weeks of treatment. The rate of clinical cure at 48 weeks in patients whose HBsAg at week 4 decreased from baseline was higher than that in patients with increased HBsAg (41.6%(149/358) vs 28.2%(108/383)). The difference was statistically significant ( χ2=14.13, P<0.001). The rate of clinical cure at week 48 in patients with HBsAg at week 12 decreased ≤34.03% of baseline was only 6.9%(13/188). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio ( OR)=0.962, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.936 to 0.989, P=0.006), HBsAg level at week 24 ( OR=0.950, 95% CI 0.934 to 0.966, P<0.001) and anti-HBs level at week 24 ( OR=1.012, 95% CI 1.005 to 1.019, P=0.001) were early predictors for clinical cure at week 48 of treatment in NAs experienced CHB patients. Conclusions:Clinical cure of NAs experienced CHB patients received sequential combined interferon therapy mostly occurs in the early stage (within 24 weeks). Age, HBsAg level at week 24, and anti-HBs level at week 24 are early predictors for clinical cure of 48-week sequential combined interferon treatment.

Factors Affecting Sorption and Solubility of Denture Base Acrylic Materials: A Review

@#Heat-cured PMMA is one of the most frequently used materials in the manufacture of removable dentures. Heat-cured material used to fabricate dentures contain soluble elements, allowing the material to absorb and release substances. These factors all directly affect the longevity and performance of protheses fabricated from polymethyl methacrylate denture base material. Various procedures associated with fabrication of removable dentures from heat-cure denture base material are reported to significantly influence the sorption and solubility experienced by the prosthesis. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed journals located within academic databases was conducted to identify relevant literature pertaining to sorption and solubility of denture base materials. Key aspects of each paper were captured in Microsoft® Excel® to record author/s, location, study design, sample size, methodology, results and conclusions. Mixing ratios and polymerisation cycles have been identified as variables that can negatively influence the rate of sorption and solubility of denture base materials during the fabrication process. Certain surface treatment procedures, as well as storing the denture in artificial saliva solution may reduce the levels of sorption and solubility experienced and optimise its lifespan. In this review we identify these factors and consider the detrimental effects of sorption and solubility on denture base acrylic materials.

A short half-life of cccDNA offer or ignite hope for hepatitis B cure under nucleos(t)ide analogues treatment / 中华肝脏病杂志

Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the template for HBV replication. Currently, there is a lack of therapeutic drugs that directly target cccDNA. Therefore, blocking cccDNA supplements as fast as possible and reducing the existing cccDNA is the key to achieving a complete cure of chronic hepatitis B. Previous studies have suggested that cccDNA had a long half-life, but a recent study showed that it only took a few months to update cycle of cccDNA pool, and its number was much less than previously predicted. In the future, with the advent of new antiviral drugs that can completely inhibit HBV replication, it is expected that the cccDNA pool will be completely cleared due to its supplement complete blockade, so as to achieve virological cure of chronic hepatitis B.

Overview of Perinatal Palliative Care in Brazil

Abstract Significant attention to palliative care in terminally ill patients has only been effective in Brazil since the year 2000, although there have been isolated actions since the 1980s. When the case involves fetuses or neonates unable to cure, communication and care with the family members only received attention and effective organization starting in 2017. Notably in the years 2015 and 2016 there was an epidemic of microcephaly and along with the persistent crisis of drug users has raised the indices of malformations to a level higher than 3 % of the world average. Here we aim the evaluation of: a) social, educational and spiritual profile of the mothers; b) structure of the specific teams related to palliative care in neonatology; c) recommendations and protocols currently used in the country. The method used is an electronic retrospective on databases and government data; evaluation of the location and composition of palliative care teams in the country. The data found clearly point out that for Brazilian women, the characteristics of regionality in the country, educational level, religiousness and quality of life directly influence pregnancy and the acceptance or not of the possibility of death, directly influencing perinatal palliative care, which, by the way, is still developing methodologies for this type of action.

Discoloration of Bulk-Fill Versus Conventional Composites: A Spectrophotometric Evaluation / Decoloración de resinas Bulk vs resinas convencionales: Evaluación espectrofotométrica

ABSTRACT: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discoloration of a dual-cure bulk-fill (DCBF) and light-cure bulk-fill (LCBF) composites relative to conventional composites (CC) after water and coffee immersion. Methods: One- hundred disc-shaped specimens (8mm in diameter × 4mm thickness) were prepared using five commercially available composites (n=10); two LCBF (XB-X-trafil Voco, FB-FiltekTM Bulk Fill), one DCBF (FU-Fill-upTM Coltene), and two CC (CE-Clearfil Majesty ES2, EQ-Estelite ΣQuick). Initial and final color readouts were measured with a spectrophotometer (Easyshade,Vita) according to the CIELAB color system. Statistical analyses were performed using 2-way ANOVA with Bonferroni adjustment to evaluate ΔE, ΔL, Δa, and Δb parameters (pFB≥XB>EQ≥CE in water immersion groups and XB>FB>EQ≥FU≥CE in coffee immersion groups. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, DCBF composite is more susceptible to intrinsic discoloration compared to LCBF and CC. However, DCBF exhibited lower extrinsic discoloration than LCBF and comparable with CC after coffee immersion. Depending on their chemical and structural compositions, composites will exhibit color change, which compromises the esthetic performance of composite restorations.

RESUMEN: Propósito: El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la decoloración de resinas bulk de curado dual (DCBF) y bulk activadas por fotopolimerización (LCBF) en relación con las resinas convencionales (CC) después de la inmersión en agua y café. Métodos: Se prepararon cien muestras en forma de disco (8mm de diámetro × 4mm de espesor) utilizando cinco resinas compuestas disponibles comercialmente (n=10); dos LCBF (XB-X-trafil Voco, FB-FiltekTM Bulk Fill), un DCBF (FU-Fill-upTM Coltene) y dos CC (CE-Clearfil Majesty ES2, EQ-Estelite ΣQuick). Las lecturas de color inicial y final se midieron con un espectrofotómetro (Easyshade, Vita) de acuerdo con el sistema de color CIELAB. Los análisis estadísticos se realizaron utilizando ANOVA de 2 vías con ajuste de Bonferroni para evaluar los parámetros ΔE, ΔL, Δa y Δb (pFB≥XB>EQ≥CE en los grupos de inmersión en agua y XB>FB>EQ≥FU≥CE en los grupos de inmersión en café. Conclusión: Dentro de las limitaciones de este estudio, la resina DCBF es más susceptible a la decoloración intrínseca en comparación con LCBF y CC. Sin embargo, DCBF mostró una decoloración extrínseca más baja que LCBF y comparable con CC después de la inmersión en café. Dependiendo de sus composiciones químicas y estructurales, los composites mostrarán cambios de color, lo que compromete el desempeño estético de las restauraciones de resinas con el tiempo.

Escala de Crenças sobre a "Cura" da Homossexualidade (ECCH): desenvolvimento e evidências psicométricas / Escala de creencias sobre la "Cura" de la homosexualidad (ECCH): desarrollo y evidencias psicométricas / Scale of Beliefs on the "Cure" of Homosexuality (ECCH): Development and Psychometric Evidences

Resumo O presente estudo teve como objetivo desenvolver a Escala de Crenças sobre a Cura da Homossexualidade (ECCH), reunindo evidências de validade fatorial, discriminante e convergente, bem como sua consistência interna. Para tal, realizou-se um estudo com 225 estudantes universitários (Midade = 21,3 e DP = 5,78, variando entre 18 a 59 anos; 68.5 % do sexo feminino). Estes responderam a ECCH, Escala de Crenças sobre Homossexualidade (ECH), Escala de Desejabilidade Social (EDSMC) e perguntas demográficas. Uma análise de componentes principais permitiu identificar uma estrutura com cinco componentes: crenças religiosas (α = 0.95), crenças morais (α = 0.95), crenças biológicas (α = 0.96), crenças desfavoráveis à reversão sexual (α = 0.93) e crenças psicológicas (α = 0.92). Corroborando evidências de validade convergente e discriminante, as dimensões da ECCH apresentaram correlações na direção esperada com as medidas de ECH e EDSMC. Conclui-se que a versão final da ECCH, formada por 20 itens, apresenta evidências psicométricas adequadas para avaliar crenças sobre a cura da homossexualidade, podendo ser utilizada em pesquisas no contexto brasileiro, permitindo conhecer seus possíveis correlatos.

Abstract The present study aimed to develop the Belief on the Cure of Homosexuality Scale (BCHS), gathering evidence of factorial, discriminant, and convergent validity, as well as its internal consistency. For this, a study was conducted with 225 university students (mean age = 21.3 and SD = 5.78, ranging from 18 to 59 years; 68.5 % female), who answered the BCHS, the Beliefs about Homosexuality Scale (BHS), Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS), and demographic questions. An analysis of the principal components allowed to identify a structure with five components: religious beliefs (α = 0.95), moral beliefs (α = 0.95), biological beliefs (α = 0.96), beliefs unfavorable to sexual reversion (α = 0.93), and psychological beliefs (α = 0.92). Corroborating evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, the BCHS dimensions correlated in the expected direction with the BHS and MC-SDS measures. Results allowed concluding that the final version of the BCHS, consisting of 20 items, presents adequate psychometric evidence to evaluate beliefs about the cure of homosexuality and can be used in research in the Brazilian context, allowing to know its possible correlates.

Resumen Este estudio tuvo como objetivo desarrollar la Escala de Creencias sobre la Cura de la Homosexualidad (ECCH), reuniendo evidencia de validez factorial, discriminante y convergente, así como su consistencia interna. Para ello, se realizó un estudio con 225 estudiantes universitarios (media de edad = 21.3 y DP = 5.78, rango de 18 a 59 años; 68.5 % mujeres). Estos respondieron la ECCH, la Escala de Creencias sobre Homosexualidad (ECH), la Escala de Deseabilidad Social (EDSMC) y preguntas demográficas. Un análisis de componentes principales permitió identificar una estructura con cinco componentes: creencias religiosas (α = 0.95), creencias morales (α = 0.95), creencias biológicas (α = 0.96), creencias desfavorables a la reversión sexual (α = 0.93) y creencias psicológicas (α = 0.92). Corroborando la evidencia de validez convergente y discriminante, las dimensiones de la ECCH mostraron correlaciones en la dirección esperada con las medidas de ECH y EDSMC. Se concluye que la versión final de la ECCH, formada por 20 ítems, presenta evidencia psico-métrica adecuada para evaluar creencias sobre la cura de la homosexualidad, la cual puede ser utilizada en investigaciones en el contexto brasileño, permitiendo conocer sus posibles correlatos.

Analysis of risk factors for clinical cure and biochemical recurrence in patients after radical prostatectomy / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the risk factors of clinical cure and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP).Methods:The clinical data of 896 patients who underwent RP at Peking University First Hospital from April 2001 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Average age was (65.90±6.3) years, median preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 10.75 (0.36-264.20) ng/ml, median prostate volume was 40.0 (12.0-220.9) ml, median PSA density (PSAD) was 0.27 (0.02-3.42) ng/(ml·g). Clinical staging: 432 cases in T 1c stage, 333 cases in T 2a/bstage, 76 cases in T 2c stage, and 55 cases in ≥T 3 stage. Preoperative Gleason score of biopsy: 193 cases in 3+ 3, 315 cases in 3+ 4, 162 cases in 4+ 3, 226 cases in ≥8. The RP surgery was operated by open or laparoscopic or robot-assisted approach. Clinical cure and BCR were used as the end points for analysis. Clinical cure was defined as a decrease in serum PSA level below 0.03 ng/ml 6 weeks after surgery. BCR was defined as the 2 consecutive serum PSA >0.2ng/ml during the follow-up after RP. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of clinical cure. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the biochemical recurrence-free survival curve, the log-rank method was used for univariate analysis of BCR, and the Cox regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results:All 896 patients were followed-up for 58 (5-241) months, 678 cases (75.7%) achieved clinical cure. Based on univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, among the preoperative indicators, whether the proportion of positive biopsy needles ≥33% ( P=0.007) and preoperative Gleason score of biopsy ( P=0.041) were independent risk factors of clinical cure. A total of 890 cases were included in the analysis of risk factors of BCR, of whom 172 cases (19.3%) had BCR. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year biochemical recurrence-free survival(BFS)rates were 98.1%, 83.1% and 68.4% respectively. The median BFS has not been reached, and the average BFS was 181 months (95% CI 172-189). The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that whether achieved clinical cure ( P=0.001) and postoperative pathological staging ( P<0.001) were independent risk factors of BCR. Conclusions:Whether the proportion of positive biopsy needles≥33% and preoperative Gleason score of biopsy were independent risk factors of clinical cure. Postoperative pathological staging and whether achieved clinical cure may be independent risk factors of BCR.

Research progress on HIV latency-reversing agents and its mechanism / 中华临床感染病杂志

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection causes severe systemic immune system damage and ultimately leads to patient death. Despite the success of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), which can effectively supress viral replication, there is currently no cure for HIV infection, which requires lifelong treatment. Due to the presence of HIV latent reservoir, the virus persists during antiretroviral treatment. "Shock and Kill" is currently one of the most recognized strategies for removing HIV latent reservoir. The solution is mainly to reactivate viral transcription by using latency-reversing agents (LRAs), which triggers cell lysis or immune-mediated clearance to kill the reactivated HIV infected cells and achieve functional cure. This article gives an overview of current research progress on HIV LRAs and their mechanism of action.

Reliability of the Penny and Beit CURE Radiologic Classifications of Pediatric Patients with Chronic Hematogenous Osteomyelitis in the Philippine General Hospital

@#OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the inter- and intraobserver reliability of the Penny and Beit CURE radiologic classifications of pediatric patients with Chronic Hematogenous Osteomyelitis (CHOM) in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). METHODS: Thirty-four pre-operative radiographs of PGH pediatric patients with CHOM were classified by seven orthopedic surgeons using both Penny and Beit CURE Classification systems. Two sets of radiographs were sent to the surgeons twice, four weeks apart, to classify. The Fleiss and Cohen κ statistics were used to determine inter- and intraobserver reliabilities, respectively. RESULTS: The Penny Classification had a slight to fair interobserver reliability (Fleiss κ = 0.17 and 0.24) and a fair intraobserver reliability (Cohen κ =0.35) with a 49.58% average intraobserver agreement. The interobserver reliability when including all Beit CURE classification subtypes was fair (κ = 0.28 and 0.31). This improved to moderate (κ = 0.41 and 0.54) when using only the four main types of the Beit CURE classification with a 77.31% intraobserver agreement. CONCLUSION: The Beit CURE classification for pediatric CHOM had higher inter- and intraobserver agreement rates than the Penny classification. Further improvement in reliability can be made by combining B2 and B3 subtypes under the Beit CURE classification.