Denial of Human Rights: We Must Change the Paradigm of Dementia Care

In far too many instances treatment of persons with dementia has reflected a fundamental denial of basic human rights. At times, these individuals are treated worse than the treatment of animals when the five basic freedoms of animals, described by Pachana in her editorial, are implemented. A number of such examples of dehumanizing (and “de-animalizing”) persons with dementia are presented. A case is made for the position that this is the direct result of the “medicalization” of dementia and “Alzheimer Disease.” This has led to the disenfranchisement of persons with dementia and their caregivers regarding the treatment of dementia, while medical “expertise” has led to a paradigm of learned helplessness while waiting for “the cure.” While the medicalization of dementia has been a financial success in terms of funding failed researcher to find a cure, it has been a catastrophe for the quality of life of persons with dementia and their caregivers. It is time to take control of the treatment of dementia back, and especially to listen to the voices of persons with dementia. It is time to take action NOW – to become disruptive to the current paradigm. The emperor and his cure have no clothes. We deserve better. We must make this change in paradigm our mission, to demand it, and to accept nothing less. Power to the people.     

Learners’ acceptance of a webinar for continuing medical education

The aim of this study was to evaluate learners’ acceptance of a webinar for continuing medical education that was instigated by the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAOMS). A live, interactive webinar on orthognathic surgery was broadcast via the Internet. The learners’ acceptance of the webinar was evaluated using a standardized, validated questionnaire (Student Evaluation of Educational Quality, SEEQ). One hundred and fifty-three participants attended the webinar; 55 participants (46 male, nine female) completed the questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 41.6 ± 10.0 years. The age of male and female respondents did not differ significantly. The respondents were spread over five continents, with the highest number from Brazil. The SEEQ showed a high level of acceptance for almost all subscales. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female respondents concerning acceptance of the webinar (P = 0.614). The wide distribution of participants shows the potential for webinars as facilitators of barrier-free distribution of knowledge. The webinar was well accepted by the attendees independent of sex, specialty, and work experience. However, the sex ratio reflects the underrepresentation of women in oral and maxillofacial surgery.     

Economic Evaluation of Factorial Trials: Cost-Utility Analysis of the Atorvastatin in Factorial With Omega EE90 Risk Reduction in Diabetes 2 × 2 × 2 Factorial Trial of Atorvastatin,Omega-3 Fish Oil,and Action Planning

ObjectivesWe applied principles for conducting economic evaluations of factorial trials to a trial-based economic evaluation of a cluster-randomized 2 × 2 × 2 factorial trial. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of atorvastatin, omega-3 fish oil, and an action-planning leaflet, alone and in combination, from a UK National Health Service perspective.MethodsThe Atorvastatin in Factorial With Omega EE90 Risk Reduction in Diabetes (AFORRD) Trial randomized 800 patients with type 2 diabetes to atorvastatin, omega-3, or their respective placebos and randomized general practices to receive a leaflet-based action-planning intervention designed to improve compliance or standard care. The trial was conducted at 59 UK general practices. Sixteen-week outcomes for each trial participant were extrapolated for 70 years using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study Outcomes Model v2.01. We analyzed the trial as a 2 × 2 factorial trial (ignoring interactions between action-planning leaflet and medication), as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial trial (considering all interactions), and ignoring all interactions.ResultsWe observed several qualitative interactions for costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) that changed treatment rankings. However, different approaches to analyzing the factorial design did not change the conclusions. There was a ≥99% chance that atorvastatin is cost-effective and omega-3 is not, at a £20 000/QALY threshold.ConclusionsAtorvastatin monotherapy was the most cost-effective combination of the 3 trial interventions at a £20 000/QALY threshold. Omega-3 fish oil was not cost-effective, while there was insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions about action planning. Recently-developed methods for analyzing factorial trials and combining parameter and sampling uncertainty were extended to estimate cost-effectiveness acceptability curves within a 2x2x2 factorial design with model-based extrapolation.     

Diagnostic sensitivity of electrophysiology and ultrasonography in ulnar neuropathies of different severity

ObjectiveTo assess the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying clinical severity in 135 consecutive patients.MethodsClinical severity of ulnar neuropathy was graded on a 4 point scale from very mild (symptoms only) to severe (marked atrophy of intrinsic hand muscles). Sensitivity and localization ability of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound were assessed for each point of the scale.ResultsUltrasound had higher sensitivity than electrophysiology in clinically very mild (20% and 3% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) and mild (62% and 47% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) neuropathies, had greater localizing ability in axonal ulnar neuropathies, and identified nerve hypermobility.Ultrasound nerve cross-sectional area had strong positive correlation with both clinical and electrophysiological severity scores, but with significant overlap across the severity groups.ConclusionThe diagnostic work-up of ulnar neuropathies was improved by using both electrophysiology and ultrasound at all levels of clinical severity. Ultrasound increased the diagnostic yield in very mild and mild neuropathies, localized all the ulnar neuropathies with abnormal non-localizing electrophysiology and identified nerve hypermobility.SignificanceThis is the first detailed analysis of the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying severity.     

ELAM-1在鼻咽癌裸鼠移植瘤中的表达及其与转移的关系

目的 建立裸鼠鼻咽癌转移模型并探讨 E-选择素（ELAM-1）与鼻咽癌转移的相关性。方法 将鼻咽癌5-8F细胞悬液注射于裸鼠左后肢爪垫，观察裸鼠状态、成瘤情况并测量裸鼠体重及移植瘤长短径；采用连续病理切片苏木精-伊红染色观察移植瘤及转移情况，将16只人鼻咽癌荷瘤裸鼠分为转移组和非转移组；采用免疫组织化学法检测两组移植瘤组织中ELAM-1的表达。 结果 16只裸鼠均成瘤，成瘤率为100.0%，其中10只裸鼠出现转移瘤，转移率为62.5%。建模前，两组裸鼠体重差异无统计学意义［（13.83±0.56）g vs （14.62±0.30） g，t=1.026，P=0.071］。建模后4~7周，裸鼠瘤体体积呈指数增长，且转移组移植瘤增长速度较非转移组快，非转移组裸鼠瘤体体积小于转移组［（198.91 ± 163.29） mm³ vs （268.76 ±174.31） mm³，t=4.376，P=0.005］。ELAM-1在鼻咽癌裸鼠移植瘤、淋巴结转移灶及远处转移灶中的表达均为阳性，主要表达于细胞膜。转移组移植瘤光密度值高于非转移组（0.4497±0.0705 vs 0.0435±0.0082，t=4.388，P＝0.001）。结论 本研究成功构建稳定性好、转移率高的鼻咽癌裸鼠移植瘤转移模型，且ELAM-1在裸鼠移植瘤中高表达，可促进鼻咽癌裸鼠移植瘤生长和转移。