The importance of Ombudsman programs in supporting the transition from medicare-medicaid plans to dual special needs plans.

In this paper, we examine the critical role of Ombudsman programs in facilitating the transition from Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs) to Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPS) for dual-eligible members. As states implement this federally mandated transition, Ombudsman programs serve as essential supports for the dual-eligible population who are navigating complex healthcare changes. Through analysis of Ombudsman programs in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Michigan, we highlight how these services address beneficiary concerns, resolve access issues, and provide valuable insights to policymakers.

Zirconia Barriers in Bone Regeneration Procedures: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: To identify the current status and development of zirconia barriers in bone augmentation procedures in the maxillofacial area of adult human patients.

Materials And Methods: Two independent reviewers conducted an electronic literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, the Cochrane Library, and LILACS databases, as well as a manual search to identify eligible clinical studies up to April 15, 2024. The protocol was designed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.

Evaluation of the Accuracy, Surgical Time, and Learning Curve of Freehand, Static, and Dynamic Computer-Assisted Implant Surgery in an In Vitro Study.

Objectives: This experimental study compared the accuracy of implant insertion using the free-hand (FH) technique, static computer-aided surgery (S-CAIS), or dynamic computer-assisted surgery (D-CAIS) and to evaluate the correlation of learning curves between surgeons' experience and surgical time.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six models were randomly assigned to three groups (FH, n = 12; S-CAIS, n = 12; D-CAIS, n = 12). Each model was planned to receive four implants in the maxillary anterior and posterior regions.

Marine actinobacteria metabolites: unlocking new treatments for acne vulgaris.

Marine-derived actinobacteria isolated from sponge and soft coral were screened for antibacterial activity against acne-related bacteria, specifically ATCC 14990, methicillin-resistant ATCC BAA44, and ATCC 6919. Cytotoxicity assays were performed on human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) and keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines to assess the safety profile of the extracts. Chemical characterization was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Electrochemical Leaching of Cobalt from Cobaltite: Box-Behnken Design and Optimization with Response Surface Methodology.

Cobalt, a critical metal, is anticipated to increase in market demand in the next couple of decades, particularly as a battery material used in electric vehicle application. To boost the domestic production of cobalt in the United States, an electrochemical process has been developed to recover cobalt from a cobaltite-rich concentrate and produce cobalt- and arsenic-rich leachate. The leaching efficiency of cobalt was optimized with a response surface methodology by modifying the electrochemical parameters.