Orthodontic practice marketing: The orthodontist and laypeople's perspective.

Objective: This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the perceptions of laypeople and orthodontists regarding the usefulness of orthodontic practice websites (OPWs) and Internet-based social media (ISM) and to assess whether the content, features, and design of these online information sources meet the expectations of laypeople compared to orthodontists.

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional, nationwide study was conducted using a pretested and validated electronic questionnaire administered separately to specialist orthodontists and laypeople. A total of 136 orthodontists and 1038 laypeople voluntarily participated.

A method for authenticating the fidelity of knockout collections.

Gene knockout strain collections are important tools for discovery in microbiology. The only available genome-wide deletion collection for a human pathogenic fungus, , is utilized widely for genetic studies. We uncovered mix-ups in the assembly of the commercially available deletion collection of ~6,000 unique strains acquired by our lab.

Artificial intelligence and health-related data: The patient's best interest and data ownership dilemma.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize the global healthcare sector and medicine in general. However, integrating AI technologies in healthcare requires access to large amounts of personal health-related data (HRD), which raises concerns regarding confidential personal information considering unregulated and not transparent data ownership. Setting up the patient's welfare as an unquestionable principle, this commentary explores the various ethical aspects of using HRD in AI applications, focusing on informed consent, data ownership, data sharing, financial considerations, accountability, and ethical standards.

The Knowledge and Attitude of Undergraduate Dental Students toward Dental Ergonomic Principles in Occupational Health.

Background: Undergraduate dental curricula and courses containing ergonomic principles are introduced to students from the very beginning of dental education. Still, dentists present a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, which are a direct burden on quality of life, leading to early retirement from the profession. This study aimed to assess the state of students' knowledge and awareness regarding the role of ergonomics in dentistry and its practical implementation.

Physical, mechanical and antibacterial properties of the orthodontic adhesive doped with S-TiO.

Orthodontic adhesive doped with sulfur-modified TiO promotes antibacterial effect. The objective of the study was to characterize the physical, mechanical and antibacterial properties of the orthodontic bracket adhesive, doped with modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Sulfur-doped TiO was synthetized and morphological topography was analyzed with TEM and SEM imaging.

Stem cell therapy for COVID-19 treatment: an umbrella review.

Background: COVID-19 has presented significant obstacles to healthcare. Stem cell therapy, particularly mesenchymal stem cells, has emerged as a potential treatment modality due to its immunomodulatory and regenerative properties. This umbrella review aims to synthesize current evidence from systematic reviews on the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy in COVID-19 treatment.

Effect of human H3N2 influenza virus reassortment on influenza incidence and severity during the 2017-18 influenza season in the USA: a retrospective observational genomic analysis.

Background: During the 2017-18 influenza season in the USA, there was a high incidence of influenza illness and mortality. However, no apparent antigenic change was identified in the dominant H3N2 viruses, and the severity of the season could not be solely attributed to a vaccine mismatch. We aimed to investigate whether the altered virus properties resulting from gene reassortment were underlying causes of the increased case number and disease severity associated with the 2017-18 influenza season.

Incidence and Association of Uveitis with COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines have been pivotal in curbing disease spread and severity. However, concerns over post-vaccination adverse events, including uveitis, an inflammatory ocular condition, have been noted. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the incidence and association of uveitis following COVID-19 vaccination.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The unprecedented emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the development and global distribution of vaccines, making the understanding of global vaccine acceptance and hesitancy crucial to overcoming barriers to vaccination and achieving widespread immunization.

Objective: This umbrella review synthesizes findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide insights into global perceptions on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy across diverse populations and regions.

Methods: We conducted a literature search across major databases to identify systematic reviews and meta-analysis that reported COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy.

Risk of Corneal Transplant Rejection Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an unparalleled global vaccination campaign, raising concerns about the vaccine's effects on various health conditions, including the risk of corneal transplant rejection. This systematic review aimed to identify the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and rejection of corneal transplant, filling a significant gap in the existing medical literature.

Methods: A literature search was performed across multiple databases up to February 12, 2024, to identify studies evaluating the risk of corneal transplant rejection post-COVID-19 vaccination.

Surgical interventions for intractable migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Migraine affects ~14-15% of the global population, contributing to nearly 5% of the world's health burden. When drug treatments prove ineffective for intractable migraines, highly specific surgical interventions emerge as potential solutions. The authors aimed to analyze surgical approaches for these refractory or intractable migraines through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Power of Psychobiotics in Depression: A Modern Approach through the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: A Literature Review.

The microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis is a complex communication network linking the gut, microbiota, and brain, influencing various aspects of health and disease. Dysbiosis, a disturbance in the gut microbiome equilibrium, can significantly impact the MGB axis, leading to alterations in microbial composition and function. Emerging evidence highlights the connection between microbiota alterations and neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression.

Targeting Vascular Impairment, Neuroinflammation, and Oxidative Stress Dynamics with Whole-Body Cryotherapy in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), traditionally perceived as a neurodegenerative disease, exhibits significant vascular alternations, including blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, which may predispose patients to increased cardiovascular risks. This vascular dysfunction is intricately linked with the infiltration of immune cells into the central nervous system (CNS), which plays a significant role in perpetuating neuroinflammation. Additionally, oxidative stress serves not only as a byproduct of inflammatory processes but also as an active contributor to neural damage.

Caregivers' Experience with Lip Taping as a Presurgical Orthopedic Treatment for Cleft Lip and Palate Defects.

Background: This study aimed to assess caregivers' experiences and perceptions of applying lip taping as presurgical orthopedic therapy (PSO) for infants with a cleft lip and palate.

Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted, inviting parents to respond to a series of structured questions between September 2022 and June 2023. The questionnaire focused on evaluating parents' experience with lip taping, a crucial component of PSO.

Quantitative and structural changes of blood platelet cytoskeleton proteins in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Epidemiological studies show that cardiovascular events related to platelet hyperactivity remain the leading causes of death among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Quantitative or structural changes of platelet cytoskeleton alter their morphology and function. Here, we demonstrated, for the first time, the structural changes in MS platelets that may be related to their hyperactivity.

Planar Thermoelectric Microgenerators in Application to Power RFID Tags.

This paper presents an innovative approach to the integration of thermoelectric microgenerators (μTEGs) based on thick-film thermopiles of planar constantan-silver (CuNi-Ag) and calcium cobaltite oxide-silver (CaCoO-Ag) thick-film thermopiles with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The goal was to consider using the TEG for an active or semi-passive RFID tag. The proposed implementation would allow the communication distance to be increased or even operated without changing batteries.

Decentralised, collaborative, and privacy-preserving machine learning for multi-hospital data.

Background: Machine Learning (ML) has demonstrated its great potential on medical data analysis. Large datasets collected from diverse sources and settings are essential for ML models in healthcare to achieve better accuracy and generalizability. Sharing data across different healthcare institutions or jurisdictions is challenging because of complex and varying privacy and regulatory requirements.

The accuracy and retention of presurgical infant orthopaedics constructed from different polymer materials: A comparative study.

Objectives: This laboratory-based study aimed to evaluate and compare the accuracy and retention of moulding plates when used as pre-surgical orthopaedic appliances (PSIOs) for infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P).

Methods: Ten moulding plates were fabricated from three different materials (total sample size: 30), including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a hard clear aligner (PET-G polymer), and a dual-layered hard and soft clear aligner (mixed PET-G/EVA) on ten three-dimensional (3D) printed working models. Accuracy was evaluated by measuring the virtual gap between the data acquired from the moulding plate and the working model after the optical scanning at each of the designated 36 points for each plate.

Efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

Background: Stem cell therapy (SCT) has emerged as a potential therapeutic avenue, with various cell types being explored for their efficacy in treating dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the safety and efficacy of these therapies have been the subject of numerous systematic reviews. This umbrella review aims to consolidate the existing evidence on stem cell interventions for DCM, providing a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape.

Enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine-encapsulated halloysite nanotubes incorporated in presurgical orthopedic appliances: an in vitro, controlled study.

Aims And Objective: Presurgical infant's orthopedic appliances (PSIOs) play an increasingly crucial role in the interdisciplinary management of neonatal CLP, aiming to improve and maintain adequate nasolabial aesthetics, followed by primary lip/nasal surgery in both unilateral and bilateral CLP cases. The use of PSIOs in cleft lip and palate patients can lead to contamination with oral microflora, acting as a potential reservoir for infectious microorganisms. Acrylic surfaces might provide retention niches for microorganisms to adhere, and inhabit, which is difficult to control in immunocompromised patients, thus predisposing them to increased infection risks.