Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels inversely correlate with lung function improvement (delta FEV1) in cystic fibrosis patients receiving ivacaftor treatment

Background

We have recently shown that human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels correlate with the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. However, there are no data on how HE4 levels alter in patients receiving CFTR modulating therapy.

Age-specific trends in health-related quality of life among US adults: findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2016

Quality of Life Research - Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important indicator of population health, yet no age-specific trend analyses in HRQoL have been conducted with a nationally...     

Social media and cadaveric dissection: A survey study

The use of social media opens content to the general public and, as a result, places images of cadaveric dissection in an open forum. This raises the question: should the general public have access to such material? A survey was conducted examining whether the general public should have access to gross cadaveric dissection images and videos for educational purposes via social media. Both medical and laypersons were queried. Questions included in the survey considered whether images were too graphic, whether online cadaveric content should be age‐restricted, and whether consent by the deceased was necessary. A link to the survey was accessible to 63,562 followers through the Seattle Science Foundation's Facebookpage for 3 weeks. Among 300 responders, 89% (267/300) agreed that portrayals of cadaveric specimens/dissection on social media should be accessible by the general public for anatomical education, and 84.67% (254/300) stated that cadaveric dissection is not too graphic for untrained eyes. There was agreement by 60.33% (181/300) that an age restriction should be in place for the viewing of cadaveric dissection on social media, and 39.33% (253/300) of responders suggested restriction to 18 years and older. No statistically significant association was noted between a prior or current history of anatomy education and the frequency of positive responses to the survey questions. Social media is an innovative tool for dispensing anatomical education. The use of cadaveric images and videos provides accessibility to the general public who wish to learn more about human anatomy and their own body. Clin. Anat. 32:1033–1041, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Survey of End-of-Life Care in Intensive Care Units in Ain Shams University Hospitals,Cairo, Egypt

HEC Forum - Studies on end-of-life care reveal different practices regarding withholding and/or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments between countries and regions. Available data about...     

Brushing with a potassium nitrate dentifrice to reduce bleaching sensitivity

OBJECTIVE: This research systematically evaluated the use of a clinically proven desensitizing dentifrice prior to a bleaching regimen in a randomized, multi-center, parallel group, open label clinical study following Good Clinical Practice guidelines. METHODOLOGY: Fourteen dental offices in West Palm Beach, Florida participated in the study during April/May 2004. Fourteen days prior to bleaching, impressions and oral soft tissue assessments were performed, and patients were randomized to either a KNO3 plus fluoride dentifrice (Sensodyne Fresh Mint), or a standard fluoride dentifrice (Crest Regular), brushing 2x per day. On Day 14, patients returned to the dental office for their custom tray and the dispensation of a bleaching kit (Day White Excel 3; 9.5% hydrogen peroxide and KNO3). This was used daily according to the manufacturer's instructions for 30 minutes, and normal oral hygiene continued to be performed using the assigned toothbrush and dentifrice, brushing 2x per day. At the end of each bleaching day, patients answered diary questions about the occurrence and intensity of sensitivity. At the conclusion of the 14-day bleaching period (Day 28), patients returned to their dental office for re-examination, returning all products and diaries. Within seven days of completing the study, patients answered a telephone patient satisfaction survey. RESULTS: A total of 202 patients in fourteen (14) dental offices completed all aspects of the study and were used for the analysis. The professionally dispensed bleaching product provided an improvement of approximately 4.4 Vita shades, regardless of whether it was used with the KNO3 plus fluoride (Sensodyne) or a standard fluoride (Crest) dentifrice. The patient perception of increased sensitivity caused by the bleaching treatment was low but measurable. In the first week of the bleaching, significantly more patients using the KNO3 plus fluoride dentifrice were free from sensitivity (58%) than the standard fluoride dentifrice group (42%). During the 14-day bleaching treatment period, the KNO3 dentifrice patients experienced significantly more "sensitivity free days" (average = 10.1) compared to the standard fluoride dentifrice group (average = 8.6). CONCLUSION: The use of the KNO3 plus fluoride dentifrice (Sensodyne), two weeks prior to and throughout bleaching, may be a useful adjunct for the management of sensitivity caused by professionally dispensed bleaching products. With the bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity, those patients in the KNO3 plus fluoride toothpaste group were significantly more satisfied with their whitening experience and willing to repeat the bleaching treatment.