Comparison of three dentine replacement materials in terms of different characteristics.

This in vitro study evaluated three dentine replacement materials: Biodentine, Ketac Molar and TheraBaseCa. Specimens of each material (n = 19) were prepared for investigations of hardness, calcium release, pH and water sorption-solubility. SEM and EDX analysis were also used for these investigations.

Excess Diagnosis Coding In Medicare Advantage: Evidence From Skilled Nursing Facility Clinical Assessments.

Some research suggests that risk adjustment plays a substantial role in explaining the high levels of government spending on Medicare Advantage (MA). We studied whether the reliance on diagnosis codes to risk-adjust payments to MA plans leads to the inflation of submitted diagnoses. Our approach relied on a comparison among diagnoses included in hospital claims, health status measures from similarly timed health assessments completed by skilled nursing facility (SNF) clinicians, and short-term mortality data.

Effects of 10 weeks of walking-based exercise training on resting substrate oxidation in postmenopausal women with obesity.

Background And Aims: Accumulating evidence supports the effectiveness of moderate-intensity aerobic training on metabolic health, with limited studies investigating change in resting substrate oxidation. The aim of this study was to explore whether 10 weeks of walking-based aerobic training would alter substrate oxidation in postmenopausal women with obesity.

Methods And Results: Twenty-four postmenopausal women with obesity who were assigned into the control (n = 12) or exercise groups (n = 12) undertook a 10-week aerobic training program (3 d·week) that involved walking exercises at 50-70% of heart rate reserve on a treadmill, with exercise volume increased from 25 to 40 min·day.

Loss of β-catenin reveals a role for glutathione in regulating oxidative stress during cholestatic liver disease.

Background: Cholestasis is an intractable liver disorder that results from impaired bile flow. We have previously shown that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulates the progression of cholestatic liver disease through multiple mechanisms, including bile acid metabolism and hepatocyte proliferation. To further explore the impact of these functions during intrahepatic cholestasis, we exposed mice to a xenobiotic that causes selective biliary injury.

Computation of molecular description of supramolecular Fuchsine model useful in medical data.

Supramolecular chemistry is a fascinating field that explores the interactions between molecules to create higher-order structures. In the case of the supramolecular chain of Fuchsine acid, which is a type of dye molecule, several chemical applications are possible. Fuchsine acid helps to make better medicine carriers that deliver drugs where they're needed in the body, making treatments more effective and reducing side effects.

Nurse Practitioner Care, Scope of Practice, and End-of-Life Outcomes for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia.

Importance: Nursing home residents with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) often receive burdensome care at the end of life. Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide an increasing share of primary care in nursing homes, but how NP care is associated with end-of-life outcomes for this population is unknown.

Objectives: To examine the association of NP care with end-of-life outcomes for nursing home residents with ADRD and assess whether these associations differ according to state-level NP scope of practice regulations.

Medicare Advantage Health Risk Assessments Contribute Up To $12 Billion Per Year To Risk-Adjusted Payments.

With Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment surpassing 50 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, accurate risk-adjusted plan payment rates are essential. However, artificially exaggerated coding intensity, where plans seek to enhance measured health risk through the addition or inflation of diagnoses, may threaten payment rate integrity. One factor that may play a role in escalating coding intensity is health risk assessments (HRAs)-typically in-home reviews of enrollees' health status-that enable plans to capture information about their enrollees.

Evacuation and Health Care Outcomes Among Assisted Living Residents After Hurricane Irma.

Importance: Evacuation has been found to be associated with adverse outcomes among nursing home residents during hurricanes, but the outcomes for assisted living (AL) residents remain unknown.

Objective: To examine the association between evacuation and health care outcomes (ie, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, mortality, and nursing home visits) among Florida AL residents exposed to Hurricane Irma.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Retrospective cohort study using 2017 Medicare claims data.

Standardizing urethral stricture models in rats: a comprehensive study on histomorphologic and molecular approach.

Purpose: To create a reproducible and standardized urethral stricture model in rats, evaluating both histomorphologic findings and gene expression data. In studies involving experimental animals, more standardization is needed for the creation of a urethral stricture model.

Methods: Sixteen male rats were randomized into two groups.

Exploring the Sensing Potential of g-CN versus Li/g-CN Nanoflakes toward Hazardous Organic Volatiles: A DFT Simulation Study.

calculations were performed to determine the sensing behavior of g-CN and Li metal-doped g-CN (Li/g-CN) quantum dots toward toxic compounds acetamide (AA), benzamide (BA), and their thio-analogues, namely, thioacetamide (TAA) and thiobenzamide (TAA). For optimization and interaction energies, the ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level of theory was used. Interaction energies () illustrate the high thermodynamic stabilities of the designed complexes due to the presence of the noncovalent interactions.

Determining the safety margin of mandibular lingula in sagittal split ramus osteotomy.

Purpose: The anatomical position of the lingula is clinically very important to prevent injuries during sagittal split ramus osteotomy. Our study aims to evaluate the localisation of the lingula by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to compare the localisation of the lingula between malocclusion, gender, and lingula types.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the shape and location of the lingula using CBCT.

The effects of the use of hyoscine-N-butylbromide during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Objectives: Hyoscine-N-butylbromide is used by some surgeons during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) to loosen gastric smooth muscles and to provide a more effective LSG. However, evidence-based data on the effects of hyoscine-N-butylbromide in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are limited and its effect on sleeve gastrectomy surgery and weight loss is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of intraoperatively administered hyoscine-N-butylbromide on stomach resection volume, weight loss and complications seen in patients undergoing LSG.

Shear bond strength of calcium silicate-based cements to composite resin using a universal adhesive in different application modes: an in vitro study.

Background: To assess the shear bond strength (SBS) of four calcium silicate-based cements (CSCs) to composite resin using a universal adhesive in self-etch (SE) and etch-and-rinse (ER) modes and to evaluate surface microstructure and chemical composition of CSCs after acid-etching.

Methods: In total, 30 specimens of each cement, Biodentine (BD), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Angelus (MTA-A), ProRoot MTA (MTA-P) and MTA Repair HP (MTA-HP), were prepared and assigned into 2 groups (n = 15) according to universal adhesive (Clearfil Universal Bond Quick) applied in SE and ER mode. After composite resin (Clearfil Majesty Esthetic) was applied, the SBS was measured.

Inhibiting Wnt Signaling Reduces Cholestatic Injury by Disrupting the Inflammatory Axis.

Background & Aims: β-Catenin, the effector molecule of the Wnt signaling pathway, has been shown to play a crucial role in bile acid homeostasis through direct inhibition of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), which has pleiotropic effects on bile acid homeostasis. We hypothesize that simultaneous suppression of β-catenin signaling and activation of FXR in a mouse model of cholestasis will reduce injury and biliary fibrosis through inhibition of bile acid synthesis.

Methods: To induce cholestasis, we performed bile duct ligation (BDL) on wild-type male mice.

Platform Reagents Enable Synthesis of Ligand-Directed Covalent Probes: Study of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 in Live Cells.

Pharmacological modulation of cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CBR) holds promise for the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. Despite the importance of CBR, its expression and downstream signaling are insufficiently understood in disease- and tissue-specific contexts. Herein, we report the first ligand-directed covalent (LDC) labeling of CBR enabled by a novel synthetic strategy and application of platform reagents.

Advanced practice clinician care and end-of-life outcomes for community- and nursing home-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries with dementia.

Introduction: Older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) often face burdensome end-of-life care transfers. Advanced practice clinicians (APCs)-which include nurse practitioners and physician assistants-increasingly provide primary care to this population. To fill current gaps in the literature, we measured the association between APC involvement in end-of-life care versus hospice utilization and hospitalization for older adults with ADRD.

Evaluation of non-gastric upper gastrointestinal system polyps: an epidemiological assessment.

Non-gastric upper gastrointestinal system polyps are detected rarely and mostly incidentally during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. While the majority of lesions are asymptomatic and benign, some lesions have the potential to become malignant, and may be associated with other malignancies. Between May 2010 and June 2022, a total of 127,493 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were retrospectively screened.

Risk of Discharge to Lower-Quality Nursing Homes Among Hospitalized Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias.

Importance: Individuals with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) frequently require skilled nursing facility (SNF) care following hospitalization. Despite lower SNF incentives to care for the ADRD population, knowledge on how the quality of SNF care differs for those with vs without ADRD is limited.

Objective: To examine whether persons with ADRD are systematically admitted to lower-quality SNFs.

Coupling high-rate activated sludge process with aerobic granular sludge process for sustainable municipal wastewater treatment.

Achieving a neutral/positive energy balance without compromising discharge standards is one of the main goals of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in terms of sustainability. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology promises high treatment performance with low energy and footprint requirement. In this study, high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) process was coupled to AGS process as an energy-efficient pre-treatment option in order to increase energy recovery from municipal wastewater and decrease the particulate matter load of AGS process.

Determination of miRNA expression profile in patients with prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

Background: It is a known fact that the role of microRNAs (miRNA) has a very important place in cancer development and progression. miRNAs target a significant part of pathways as well as genes. This study aimed to compare the differential expression profiles of miRNAs in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia patients.

Apically extruded debris of different file systems used with various kinematic movements during retreatment: An in vitro study.

This study aimed to examine the amount of apically extruded debris and time during retreatment with five current file systems, which exhibit various kinematic movements. One hundred upper central incisors were shaped with manual files and filled using the thermoplastic injection method. The root canal fillings in each group (n = 20) were removed using the Genius (GN), ProTaper Next (PTN), Reciproc (RCP) Blue, Tango-Endo (TE) and Twisted File Adaptive (TFA) file systems.

Ten weeks of low-volume walking training improve cardiometabolic health and body composition in sedentary postmenopausal women with obesity without affecting markers of bone metabolism.

This study aimed to determine the effects of walking exercise to induce a mild energy deficit and to improve body composition and metabolic status in postmenopausal women (PMW) with obesity as means of minimizing endocrine disruption and maintaining bone health. Twenty-four PMW with obesity (age: 55.0 ± 3.

Evaluation of a state-wide effort to improve COVID-19 infection control in Massachusetts nursing homes.

Background: During the deadly 2020 SARS-CoV-2 surge in nursing homes (NHs), Massachusetts (MA) initiated a multicomponent infection control intervention to mitigate its spread.

Methods: We aimed to assess the intervention's impact by comparing the weekly risk of PCR-confirmed infections among MA NH residents to those in neighboring New England states, all managed similarly by a single NH provider. We studied 2085 residents in 20 MA NHs and 4493 residents in 45 comparator facilities.

Six Sessions of Low-volume High-intensity Interval Exercise Improves Resting Fat Oxidation.

It remains unclear whether a practical model of low-volume high-intensity interval exercise improves resting fat oxidation (FatOx) that is associated with metabolic health. We aimed to determine the effects of a short-term practical model of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on resting FatOx in young, healthy males. Thirty healthy males were randomly assigned to either single (HIIT; n=13) or double HIIT (HIIT; n=17) group.