Assessing the Effect of Toothpastes on Enamel Surface Roughness Using a Custom-Designed and Fabricated Toothbrush Simulator Device for Evaluation.

The primary objective of this study is to emphasize the importance of maintaining optimal oral health through regular toothbrushing practices. To achieve this objective, a custom-designed electromechanical toothbrush simulator device was developed. This innovative tool enables researchers to investigate the impact of abrasive-based whitening toothpastes on enamel surface roughness compared to brushing without toothpaste.

Advancing clinical understanding of surface electromyography biofeedback: bridging research, teaching, and commercial applications.

Introduction: Expanding the use of surface electromyography-biofeedback (EMG-BF) devices in different therapeutic settings highlights the gradually evolving role of visualizing muscle activity in the rehabilitation process. This review evaluates their concepts, uses, and trends, combining evidence-based research.

Areas Covered: This review dissects the anatomy of EMG-BF systems, emphasizing their transformative integration with machine-learning (ML) and deep-learning (DL) paradigms.

Hypokalemia as a responsible factor related with the severity of hepatic encephalopathy: a wide multination cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: Several precipitating factors of hepatic encephalopathy have been recognized and studied. Hepatic encephalopathy which is a frequent and grave complication of liver failure, is associated with multiple biochemical changes like high serum ammonia, mercaptan and phenol levels, low albumin levels and derangements in electrolytes. It is characterized by a range of neuronal and psychological aberrations mainly due to the inability of liver to metabolize different neurotoxic chemicals produced in the body.

Large mural thrombus in the distal arch of the aorta without atherosclerotic disease.

Aortic mural thrombus (AMT) is an uncommon cause of arterial thromboembolism. It is very rare in patients without significant cardiovascular risk factors. Many aetiologies can cause AMT, but there are no clear guidelines for the evaluation and treatment.

Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Prior Stroke.

It has not been well studied whether transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) have lower risk of ischemic stroke (IS) in those with prior history of IS. From the Nationwide Readmission Database from October 2015 to November 2017, TAVI and SAVR above age 50 were identified with the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification/Procedure Coding System codes. Transapical TAVI and SAVR with concomitant bypass, mitral, or tricuspid surgery were excluded.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Affected Cardiology Fellow Training.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, resources have been reallocated and elective cases have been deferred to minimize the spread of the disease, altering the workflow of cardiac catheterization laboratories across the country. This has in turn affected the training experience of cardiology fellows, including diminished procedure numbers and a narrow breadth of cases as they approach the end of their training before joining independent practice. It has also taken a toll on the emotional well-being of fellows as they see their colleagues, loved ones, patients or even themselves struggling with COVID-19, with some succumbing to it.

Hospital variation of 30-day readmission rate following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objectives: Thirty-day readmission rate is one of the hospital quality metrics. Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have improved significantly, but it remains unclear whether hospital-level variance in 30-day readmission rate exists in the contemporary TAVI era.

Methods: From the 2017 US Nationwide Readmission Database, endovascular TAVI were identified.

MitraClip to Treat Severe Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation During Impella CP Support in a 70-Year-Old Woman.

Acute mitral regurgitation is a life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction. We present the case of a 70-year-old woman who had acute myocardial infarction complicated by severe mitral regurgitation and cardiogenic shock. Although current guidelines recommend mitral valve surgery for such patients, surgery often carries prohibitive risk of morbidity and mortality.

In-Hospital Outcomes and Trends of Endovascular Intervention vs Surgical Revascularization in Octogenarians With Peripheral Artery Disease.

It is unknown whether endovascular intervention (EVI) is associated with superior outcomes when compared with surgical revascularization in octogenarian. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to compare the outcomes of limb revascularization in octogenarians who had surgical revascularization versus EVI. The NIS database's information on PAD patients ≥80-year-old who underwent limb revascularization between 2002 and 2014 included 394,504 octogenarian patients, of which 184,926 underwent surgical revascularization (46.

Palliative Care in Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

We assessed the trend of palliative care (PC) referrals and its effect on hospitalization cost and length of stay (LOS) in ruptured aortic aneurysm (rAA). The Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2014 was used to identify admissions with age ≥50 and rAA. A total of 54 134 rAA admissions were identified and 5019 (9.

Palliative care referral in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated with cardiogenic shock in the United States.

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated with cardiogenic shock (STEMI-CS) is associated with high mortality but the trends of utilization and predictors of palliative care (PC) referral in this population have not been well described.

Objectives: To investigate the utilization trends and predictors of PC referral in STEMI-CS.

Methods: Nationwide inpatient sample from 2005-2014 was queried to identify patients with STEMI-CS of age ≥18.

Keeping up to date: a current review of wearable cardioverter defibrillator use.

The introduction of wearable cardioverter defibrillators (WCD) provides a novel means of protection in select patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death. The WCD can safely record and terminate life-threatening arrhythmias. In this review, we explore the data behind indications for WCD use and discuss its limitations.

Large Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm.

Complications of aneurysm include thrombosis and distal embolization, rupture, and vasospasm. The natural history and prognosis remain obscure. Controversies persist regarding the use of surgical or medical management.

Molecular Detection of spp. in Skin and Blood of Stray Dogs from Endemic Areas of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Dogs can act as reservoirs of canine leishmaniasis, caused by species. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis using a PCR technique among stray dogs living in three provinces of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Al-Ahsa Oasis and Al-Qaseem, where the disease is endemic; and to identify and document different to species levels.

Methods: This cross-sectional investigation was conducted, from Mar 2016 to Apr 2018, in three parts of Saudi Arabia: Central province (Riyadh), Eastern province (Al-Ahsa Oasis) and Al-Qaseem province.

Impact of Chronic Thrombocytopenia on Outcomes After Transcatheter Valvular Intervention and Cardiac Devices Implantation (From a National Inpatient Sample).

To evaluate the impact of chronic thrombocytopenia (cTCP) on outcomes of transcatheter valvular procedures such as aortic valve implantation (TAVI), MitraClip, permanent pacemaker (PPM), implantable-cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), left atrial appendage closure, and pericardiocentesis. Impact of cTCP on clinical outcomes following TAVI, Mitraclip, PPM, ICD, CRT, left atrial appendage closure, and pericardiocentesis procedures is not well described. Utilizing the National Inpatient Sample and (ICD-9-CM) procedural codes, we evaluated patients (age ≥18 years) who underwent these procedures, from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2014, with or without cTCP as a chronic condition variable indicator.

Apical Ballooning of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Due to Right Coronary Artery Stenosis: The Trapped Octopus Got a Heart Attack.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by apical ballooning with basal preservation in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) that can otherwise explain wall motion abnormalities. However, there is increasing evidence that acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) may coexist with TCM. This report describes a 61-year-old man with a previous medical history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia, who presented with acute chest pain and associated shortness of breath.

In-Hospital Outcomes of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated With Cardiogenic Shock at Safety-Net Hospitals in the United States (from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample).

Safety-net hospitals (SNHs) are hospitals that serve a higher proportion of patients insured by Medicaid or uninsured and have been reported to have poor outcomes compared with non-SNHs. Procedural and clinical outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (STEMI-CS) at SNHs have not been well described. Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2011 was queried to identify STEMI-CS and age ≥18.

Meta-Analysis of Effectiveness and Safety of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-to-Intermediate Surgical Risk Cohort.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been used to treat high surgical risk cohorts but has been expanded to treat low-to-intermediate risk cohort as well. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the outcomes between TAVI and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in low-to-intermediate risk cohort. We queried PUBMED, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrial.

Incidence and predictors of readmissions to non-index hospitals after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and the impact on in-hospital outcomes: From the nationwide readmission database.

Introduction: Whether readmission to non-index hospitals (where the initial procedure was not performed) could result in adverse outcomes and increased utilization of healthcare resources compared with readmission to index hospitals after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear.

Methods: From January 2012 to September 2015, a nationwide readmission database was queried to identify those who were older than 50 years and had endovascular TAVR, using the International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code 35.05.

Comparative ultrastructural observations of the Egyptian schistosomes: and .

An ultrastructural topography has been made to the tegumental architectures of two Egyptian schistosomes namely and hosted in a model animal namely The distribution of sensory papillae on the oral sucker were arranged in one circle around the rim in addition to some papillae in upper part of inner zone in male, female and in male The differences in the types of papillae, their distribution and shape of ridges on various parts of the body surface which are quite specific for each species was studied. Also, the ventral tegument of female's displays larger and more numerous sensory papillae. Both ciliated and non-ciliated papillae were observed in this work which makes a link with another species of schistosome .

Species Diversity and Seasonal Distribution of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting Mammalian Hosts in Various Districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia.

Hard ticks are among the most important blood sucking arthropods that transmit pathogens to humans and animals. This study was designed to determine prevalence, mapping, geographical distribution, and seasonal activity of hard tick species infesting the most common domestic and wild mammals in various districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, during the period January to December 2017. In total, 10,832 adult hard ticks were collected from the bodies of 8,435 animals belonging to 18 different mammalian species.

Predictors of Hospital Cost After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in the United States: From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

We aimed to identify risk factors of high hospitalization cost after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). TAVI expenditure is generally higher compared with surgical aortic valve replacement. We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from January 2011 to September 2015 to identify those who underwent endovascular TAVI.