Creation and evaluation of a three-dimensional-printed synthetic vas deferens for microsurgical training.

Introduction: Individuals choose to undergo vasectomy reversal for a variety of reasons, including remarriage or due to the death of a child. To be proficient in this procedure, the surgeons need to be high volume and the trainees require a safe environment to develop their microsurgical skills. To overcome this challenge, we used three-dimensional (3D) printing to create a synthetic model of the vas deferens with properties similar to the human vas deferens.

Combination of a monofocal and one type of extended depth-of-focus (zonal refractive) intraocular lens (COMEDI) in bilateral cataract surgery protocol: a monocentric, randomised, parallel group trial in cataract surgery.

Introduction: Modern intraocular lens (IOL) designs for cataract treatment can be broadly classified into three focal range categories; monofocal, extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) and multifocal IOLs.Monofocal IOLs allow spectacle independence for one focus, typically distance. In contrast, EDOF IOLs provide a greater range of vision, extending spectacle independence to intermediate distance, while multifocal IOLs enable spectacle independence at all distances with the drawback of positive dysphotopsias and reduced contrast perception.

Adapting the Diabetes Prevention Program for low- and middle-income countries: preliminary implementation findings from lifestyle Africa.

Rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes are rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), but there is a dearth of research devoted to developing and evaluating chronic disease interventions in these settings, particularly in Africa. Lifestyle Africa is a novel, culturally adapted version of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) being evaluated in an ongoing community-based cluster-randomized trial in an underresourced urban community in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to describe the adaptations and adaptation process used to develop the program and to report preliminary implementation findings from the first wave of groups (n = 11; 200 individuals) who participated in the intervention.

Reasons for nonadherence and response to treatment in an adherence intervention trial for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

Objectives: To explore whether patients in an adherence trial who appeared not to take disease modifying therapy (DMT) for avoidance reasons could be reliably identified, by observational coding, for their main reason of not taking DMT. To determine whether reason groups could be distinguished by clinical and self-report psychological characteristics and intervention outcomes.

Method: Participants were multiple sclerosis patients (N = 78, 88.

Forty years of IVF.

This monograph, written by the pioneers of IVF and reproductive medicine, celebrates the history, achievements, and medical advancements made over the last 40 years in this rapidly growing field.

Phenomics for photosynthesis, growth and reflectance in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals circadian and long-term fluctuations in heritability.

Background: Recent advances in genome sequencing technologies have shifted the research bottleneck in plant sciences from genotyping to phenotyping. This shift has driven the development of phenomics, high-throughput non-invasive phenotyping technologies.

Results: We describe an automated high-throughput phenotyping platform, the Phenovator, capable of screening 1440 Arabidopsis plants multiple times per day for photosynthesis, growth and spectral reflectance at eight wavelengths.

The use of a xenogeneic collagen matrix at the time of implant placement to increase the volume of buccal soft tissue.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Mucograft (MG; a porcine-derived purified collagen membrane) to increase the thickness and height of the buccal soft tissue when placed at the time of implant placement in patients with thin or deficient keratinized tissue (KT). The primary endpoint of the study was the change in thickness and height of the buccal KT. Secondary endpoints included stability of the midbuccal soft tissue level; clinician rating of color, texture, and contour of treatment site; probing pocket depths (PPDs); assessment of satisfaction outcome; and patient assessment of pain/discomfort.

The 4 Questions to Ask and Answer Regarding ICD-10: First of a 2-Part Series.

Introduction: On October 1, 2015 the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 9th revision (ICD-9) will be replaced by the 10th revision (ICD-10) for coding medical encounters in the United States. This transition will fundamentally change how medical care is documented, how health care is delivered and how delivery systems operate. We will shed light on the ICD-10 transition and answer 4 questions we believe to be important to this transition.

The 4 Questions to Ask and Answer Regarding ICD-10: Second of a 2-Part Series.

Introduction: On October 1, 2015 the United States will transition from the decades-old 9th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) set of diagnoses for coding medical encounters and inpatient procedure codes to the far more contemporary, vastly larger and much more detailed 10th revision of those code sets (ICD-10). In this second part of a 2-part series we will address the 2 remaining questions about this transition, namely why you should check your codes to ensure correct coding and how to best prepare for the transition.

Methods: A search was undertaken to determine how ICD-10 codes are organized and the best techniques to choose correct codes, and how to best prepare for the transition.

Septic arthritis of the shoulder in a dental patient.

Septic arthritis of the glenohumoral joint is rare following dental procedures, comprising approximately 3% of all joint infections. Septic arthritis following bacteremia from dental procedures is uncommon and generally occurs in prosthetic joints. Predisposing causes may include immunocompromising diseases such as diabetes, HIV infection, renal failure and intravenous drug abuse.

Septic arthritis of the shoulder in a dental patient: a case report and review.

Septic arthritis of the glenohumoral joint is rare following dental procedures, comprising approximately 3% of all joint infections. Septic arthritis following bacteremia from dental procedures is uncommon and generally occurs in prosthetic joints. Predisposing causes may include immunocompromising diseases such as diabetes, HIV infection, renal failure and intravenous drug abuse.

A qualitative assessment of provider perspectives on smoking cessation counselling.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Few studies have examined doctors' views about counselling unmotivated smokers. This study explored doctors' perceptions of useful strategies to motivate patients to quit, how receptive they felt patients were to these strategies, and the benefits and drawbacks of discussing smoking cessation with patients.

Methods: Fourteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with doctors and resident doctors.

Physician smoking cessation counseling and adherence to a clinical practice guideline.

Objective: The U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline recommends that physicians provide tobacco cessation interventions to their patients at every visit.

Histomorphometric comparison of different concentrations of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein with allogeneic bone compared to the use of 100% mineralized cancellous bone allograft in maxillary sinus grafting.

The purpose of this study was to histomorphometrically evaluate the percentage of vital bone after grafting of maxillary sinuses using two different concentrations of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein/acellular collagen sponge (rhBMP-2/ACS) combined with mineralized cancellous bone allograft (MCBA) and to compare the results to a control sinus grafted with MCBA only. Thirty-six sinuses in 18 patients had two of three of the graft combinations including: (1) control, MCBA only; (2) test one, MCBA + 5.6 mL of rhBMP-2/ACS (containing 8.

A histomorphometric comparison of Bio-Oss alone versus Bio-Oss and platelet-derived growth factor for sinus augmentation: a postsurgical assessment.

The purpose of this study was to assess vital bone formation at 4 to 5 months and 7 to 9 months following sinus augmentation with anorganic bovine bone matrix (ABBM) with and without recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF). Twenty-four subjects received bilateral sinus elevation surgery with ABBM on one side and ABBM and rhPDGF on the contralateral side. Twelve patients had core sampling at 4 to 5 months and 12 patients at 7 to 9 months postoperatively.

A laboratory goniometer system for measuring reflectance and emittance anisotropy.

In this paper, a laboratory goniometer system for performing multi-angular measurements under controlled illumination conditions is described. A commercially available robotic arm enables the acquisition of a large number of measurements over the full hemisphere within a short time span making it much faster than other goniometers. In addition, the presented set-up enables assessment of anisotropic reflectance and emittance behaviour of soils, leaves and small canopies.

A novel intraoral diabetes screening approach in periodontal patients: results of a pilot study.

Background: This pilot study examines whether a novel diabetes screening approach using gingival crevicular blood (GCB) could be used to test for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) during periodontal visits.

Methods: Finger-stick blood (FSB) samples from 120 patients and GCB samples from those patients with adequate bleeding on probing (BOP) were collected on special blood collection cards and analyzed for HbA1c levels in a laboratory. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure correlation between FSB and GCB HbA1c values for 75 paired FSB and GCB samples.

Mesenchymal stem cells and their challenges for bone regeneration and osseointegration.

Bone regeneration is an indispensable procedure for implant placement. Original techniques based on mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy are emerging with the goal of speeding up biology, thereby reducing the osseointegration period. Many products found their way in clinical application, yet their reliability remains uncertain because many in vitro culture-related challenges are facing these cells once they are out of their biologic environment.

New York state ear, nose, and throat specialists' views on pre-sinus lift referral.

Background: Dental implant surgery in the posterior maxilla often involves the maxillary sinuses. Sinus surgery for dental implants is highly successful, but the preoperative risk is difficult to assess because a routine preoperative evaluation does not include an intranasal examination by an otolaryngologist. The purpose of the present study is to obtain the opinions of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists located within New York state in an effort to establish a referral protocol before performing a maxillary sinus elevation.

The potential use of gingival crevicular blood for measuring glucose to screen for diabetes: an examination based on characteristics of the blood collection site.

Background: This study examined conditions under which gingival crevicular blood (GCB) could be used to obtain a useful glucose reading to screen for undiagnosed diabetes during routine dental visits.

Methods: GCB and capillary finger-stick blood (CFB) glucose readings obtained with a glucometer were compared for 46 patients recruited from an urban university dental clinic. Study participants were divided into two groups based on probing depth or bleeding on probing (BOP) at the site of collection of the GCB sample.

Gingival enlargement as a manifestation of tuberous sclerosis: case report and periodontal management.

Background: Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal-dominant inherited disease involving many organs of the body. Oral manifestations include gingival enlargement, fibromas, and dental enamel pitting. The report presents a case of tuberous sclerosis with gingival enlargement histologically consistent with angiofibroma, describes its successful periodontal management, and reviews the literature associated with oral manifestations of tuberous sclerosis.

Hematoma following periodontal surgery with a torus reduction: a case report.

Background: There are no published case reports that hematomas occur on the floor of the mouth as a result of periodontal surgery.

Report: These three case reports document post surgical hematoma formation on the floor of the mouth that pose problems with the diagnosis, prognosis, and patient management. All cases involved periodontal surgery where extensive reduction of tori and bony exostoses were required.

Periodontitis as a manifestation of chronic benign neutropenia.

Background: A subcategory of chronic neutropenia is chronic benign neutropenia, which is characterized by a prolonged non-cyclic neutropenia as the sole abnormality, with no underlying disease to which the neutropenia can be attributed. Chronic neutropenia is defined as a low absolute neutrophil count for >6 months. In this presentation, periodontitis seems to be the sole manifestation of a juvenile patient with chronic benign neutropenia.

Tongue piercing as risk factor to periodontal health.

Body piercing has grown in popularity among teenagers and young adults. Dating back to antiquity, piercing is a cultural practice used in ceremonial or religious rites; however, today, it is commonly exercised as a method of self-expression. Different complications and side effects are associated with intraoral piercing, including pain, swelling, infection, gingival trauma, chipped or fractured teeth, increased salivary flow, calculus buildup, and interference with speech and swallowing.

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome: a successful outcome.

Background: Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is a rare autosomal recessive condition manifested clinically by hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles and rapidly progressive periodontitis resulting in loss of deciduous and permanent teeth. This case report describes the clinical periodontal findings and treatment of a 10-year-old male patient with PLS. The patient provided informed consent, and the study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.