Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric dental care in two epicenters: Italy and Brazil.

The study aimed to compare the adherence of Brazilian and Italian pediatric dentists to the biosafety measures and operative protocols recommended by the health authorities during COVID-19 pandemic and to classify the participants according to their risk of infection. An online questionnaire with 34 questions about sociodemographic and occupational data, dental practice organization, biological risk management, and clinical operative protocols was sent to Brazilian and Italian pediatric dentists using a convenience sampling strategy. Chi-square test and multivariate analysis (two-step cluster) were performed (α = 5%).

Exploring the role of flavonoids in caries-affected dentin adhesion: A comprehensive scoping review.

Objectives: The aim of this scoping review was to evaluate the available scientific evidence regarding the use of flavonoids in the treatment of caries-affected dentin focusing on bonding to dentin.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in five databases from March 2022 and updated in April 2023: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Scielo. Additionally, the references of included studies were manually searched.

Survival of a probiotic-containing product using capsule-within-capsule technology in an model of the stomach and small intestine (TIM-1).

The aim of the research was to compare the survival of a blend of five probiotic strains (2 bifidobacteria and 3 lactobacilli) in a capsule within capsule (Duocap) containing Ahiflower oil, as compared to the strains in the powder (with or without Ahiflower oil), or the strains when present in the inner capsule only. This was tested in a validated, dynamic model of the stomach and small intestine (TIM-1), simulating human adults. Experiments were performed both in the gastric compartment of the model, as well as in the complete system (stomach + small intestine).

Therapeutic plasma exchange may improve hemodynamics and organ failure among children with sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome receiving extracorporeal life support.

Objective: To determine the effect of therapeutic plasma exchange on hemodynamics, organ failure, and survival in children with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome due to sepsis requiring extracorporeal life support.

Design: A retrospective analysis.

Setting: A PICU in an academic children's hospital.

Impact of axillary ultrasound and core needle biopsy on the utility of intraoperative frozen section analysis and treatment decision making in women with invasive breast cancer.

Background: Our objective was to evaluate the impact of preoperative axillary ultrasound and core needle biopsy (CNB) on breast cancer treatment decision making. A secondary aim was to evaluate the impact on the utility of intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) frozen section.

Methods: A review of 84 patients with clinically negative axilla who underwent axillary ultrasound was performed.

District nurses' use for an assessment tool in their daily work with elderly patients' medication management.

Aim: To explore the capability of the Safe Medication Assessment (SMA) tool in identifying factors highly related to unsafe medication management among elderly patients and to investigate the district nurses' (DNs) opinions of the SMA's usefulness as a tool in their daily primary healthcare practice.

Introduction: Elderly patients who experience many medical conditions often use multiple drugs. As well as the combined decline in physical and cognitive functions, the elderly are at high risk for medication-related problems.

Acute but not chronic differences in skilled reaching for food following motor cortex devascularization vs. photothrombotic stroke in the rat.

The variability in the behavioral outcome of human and nonhuman animals after stroke raises the question whether the way that a stroke occurs is a contributing factor. Photothrombotic stroke in rats has been reported to produce especially variable results, with some animals showing either slight to no impairment to other animals displaying severe impairments. The present study investigated this variability.

Marrow cell therapies for cardiovascular diseases.

The nascent field of regenerative medicine has taken root in cardiovascular disease. Preclinical data demonstrating hemangioblast potential of marrow cells and cardioprotective effects of growth factors served as the basis for numerous early phase clinical trials. With the first wave of safety and efficacy trials complete, much is still unknown regarding optimal cell dose and type, timing of injection, route of administration, mechanisms of action, and achievable response measures.

Standard versus fiberoptic pulmonary artery catheterization for cardiac surgery in the Department of Veterans Affairs: a prospective, observational, multicenter analysis.

Background: Controversy exists regarding the utility of continuous monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation (STvo2) during cardiac surgery. During a multicenter, prospective, observational study in the Department of Veterans Affairs (Cooperative Study #5), frequency of use of standard pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) and STvo2-PAC was recorded. Here the authors relate these data to clinical outcomes.

Intracarotid pressure measurements in the evaluation of a computer model of the cerebral circulation.

Background: It is difficult to predict which patients will tolerate occlusion of the internal carotid artery. This difficulty arises primarily because of uncertainties in the prediction of the adequacy of collateral circulation. Because of these uncertainties, balloon test occlusion and other methods have been developed to determine a priori the safety of carotid occlusion.

The 'light scattering factor'. Importance of stimulus geometry, contrast definition, and adaptation.

Purpose: Paulsson and Sjöstrand have suggested that the light scattering factor (LSF) can be estimated by using the equation: LSF = L/E (M2/M1-1). Here L is the space average luminance of the target, E is the illuminance of the glare source, and M2 and M1 are modulation contrast thresholds in the presence and absence of the glare source. To compensate for change of adaptation.

Confocal fundus imaging with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope in eyes with cataract.

Aims/background: The study aimed to determine the influence of increased intraocular light scatter on the contrast in scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) images and to examine to what extent SLO images can visualise the fundus through media opacities due to cataract.

Methods: Intraocular light scatter was estimated from measurements of letter contrast sensitivity before and after cataract surgery in five eyes. SLO images were obtained before and after surgery using confocal apertures of 1, 2, 4, and 10 mm, at laser wavelengths of 633 and 780 nm.

Disputing Viking navigation by polarized skylight.

The widely held notion that the Vikings utilized polarization of skylight on overcast days for navigational purposes is demonstrated to have no scientific basis. The use of polarized skylight for navigation under partly cloudfree skies should be treated with caution and skepticism.

Intraocular light scattering in vision, artistic painting, and photography.

Light scattering in the eye is reviewed, and its influence on vision is discussed in some detail. Isotropic scattering and formation of halos around point sources are described with reference to theory and experiments. Artists usually take intraocularly scattered light into account when painting natural scenes.

Glare and contrast sensitivity before and after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy.

The benefits of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy on visual performance were evaluated in 13 patients with after-cataract following extracapsular cataract extraction. Besides clinical evaluation we measured: visual acuity, letter contrast sensitivity with and without the presence of a circular glare source (glare angle: 8 degrees). Finally, the patients were asked to evaluate their subjective glare problems.

Glare measurements before and after cataract surgery.

The efficacy of cataract surgery in improving visual performance was evaluated in 10 patients by measuring changes in intraocular light scatter, contrast sensitivity and glare induced visual loss. Two different methods were used to estimate these functions before and after cataract extraction with implantation of a monofocal posterior intraocular lens. By one method intraocular light scattering was assessed.

Comparison of two glare measurement methods through light scattering modeling.

Two methods used for evaluation of glare in patients with opacities of the ocular media are compared. One is a low contrast letter test and the other is a direct light scattering meter. Theoretical expressions for the measures obtained from the two different glare tests are derived in terms of the point spread function.

Optical properties of diffractive, bifocal, intraocular lenses.

The resolution of diffractive, bifocal, intraocular lenses was studied with regard to pupil displacement and diameter size through computer simulations, bench measurements, and patient vision-acuity measurements. Good agreement was obtained between these three methods of investigation. In particular, we find that pupil displacements of the order of 1 mm reduce the resolution considerably for these lenses.

Comparison of three methods of evaluating glare.

A Humphrey Automatic Refractor Model 570 was used to measure the impairment of visual acuity for low contrast optotypes as a result of glare for normal subjects and for subjects with cataracts. This was compared with a direct measure of intraocular light scatter as measured by a compensating technique and with a subjective assessment of glare determined by a questionnaire. Only a weak correlation (r = 0.

Evaluation of a clinical glare test based on estimation of intraocular light scatter.

A glare test based on psychophysical estimation of intraocular light scatter and using a flickering, annular glare source was evaluated. The parameters determining the accuracy of the test were studied. In particular the influence of background light and flicker frequency were investigated and optimum values for best accuracy were found.

5' Nucleotide sequences influence serum-modulated expression of a human dihydrofolate reductase minigene.

Human dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene sequences were isolated from DHFR gene-amplified breast cancer cell line MCF-7. These genomic sequences plus human DHFR cDNA sequences were used to construct a DHFR minigene. Calcium phosphate-mediated transfer of minigene DNA into DHFR gene-deleted Chinese hamster ovary cells converted these cells to a DHFR+ phenotype at a frequency of 0.

Evaluation of a clinical program. Applying the concept of trustworthiness.

The criteria of trustworthiness developed by Guba (1981) can be utilized to both plan and judge evaluations within the naturalistic inquiry paradigm. This article (1) describes the process and results of a study done to evaluate an educational program developed to increase faculty-student contact in a clinical clerkship, (2) applies the criteria of trustworthiness to the evaluation methodology, and (3) identifies some issues and problems that may affect an evaluator's ability to apply the criteria of trustworthiness as completely as theoretically desirable.