Aligner therapy in adolescents: first-year results on the impact of therapy on oral health-related quality of life and oral hygiene

Clinical Oral Investigations - The aim of this multicenter clinical study was to examine the oral health-related quality of life and oral hygiene in adolescents before and during aligner therapy....     

Identifying performance-based outcome measures of physical function in people with haemophilia (IPOP)

Introduction

Recent recommendations of core outcome sets for haemophilia highlight the need for including measures of performance-based physical health and physical function sustainability. To date, there is no consensus on what outcomes might be of value to clinicians and patients.

Aim

To identify instruments of performance-based physical function to monitor musculoskeletal health in people with haemophilia that are practical in the clinical setting.

Methods

Utilising components from the Activities and Participation Category of the WHO International Classification of Functioning (WHO-ICF), a consensus-based, decision analysis approach was used to: identify activities people with haemophilia have most difficulty performing; identify quantitative performance-based measures of identified activities via a scoping review; and obtain views on acceptability of the tests utilising a DELPHI approach.

Results

Eleven activities were identified: maintaining a standing position, walking long distances, walking up and down stairs, walking on different surfaces, running, hopping, jumping, squatting, kneeling, undertaking a complex lower limb task, undertaking a complex upper limb task. Following a 2-round DELPHI survey of international physiotherapists, the 6-min walk test, timed up and down stairs, 30-s sit to stand, single leg stance, tandem stance, single hop for distance (children only) and timed up and go (adults only) reached consensus.

Conclusion

This study is the first step in defining a core set of performance-based instruments to monitor physical health and sustainability of physical function outcomes in people with haemophilia. Establishing the psychometric properties of the instruments and whether they are meaningful to people with haemophilia is essential.     

Generation of multifunctional murine monoclonal antibodies specifically directed to the VP1unique region protein of human parvovirus B19

Little is known about the VP1unique region (VP1u), a part of one major capsid protein of human parvovirus B19 (B19), concerning its involvement in viral replication and infection cycle. Showing a phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-like activity, which is discussed to be necessary for viral release from host cell, its precise function remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to generate multifunctional monoclonal antibodies (mabs) for different applications that may be useful in investigating VP1u's relevance. To establish antiVP1u antibodies, spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with purified recombinant viral protein were used for generating antibody-producing hybridoma cell lines. Usability of the antibodies was tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western-blot analysis, immunofluorescence and an inhibition assay of enzymatic activity of PLA2. Three hybridoma cell lines secreting mab's specifically directed against the VP1u protein of B19 could be generated and functioned in every screening method used in this study. These antibodies are helpful tools for investigations in B19 research and diagnosis. Furthermore, the antibodies could help in gaining a deeper understanding of VP1u's role in viral replication and infection especially in the importance of its constitutive PLA2-like activity.     

反相高效液相色谱法测定岩黄连药材中岩黄连碱的含量

目的建立岩黄连药材中岩黄连碱的含量测定方法。方法采用反相高效液相色谱(RP-HPLc)法,以乙腈:水(50:50,内含0.34%磷酸二氢钾和0.17%十二烷基硫酸钠)为流动相,流速为1mL/min,检测波长为347nm,柱温20℃,进样量为20μl,外标法计算含量。结果岩黄连碱在0.1404～2.808μg内峰面积与对照品的进样量呈良好的线性关系,其回归方程为Y=2×10~6X-5 639.1(r=0.999 98)。平均回收率分别为98.8%,99.4%,99.3%,RSD分别为1.27%。1.11%,1.06%。结论所建立的RP-HPLC含量测定方法简便、准确、专属性强、重现性好。为控制药材岩黄连质量标准提供了依据。     

Cognitive antecedents of coronary heart disease

The purpose was to explore cognitive antecedents of CHD proneness in an attempt to avoid some of the problems besetting research focused on type A. The theoretical framework was the cognitive orientation theory by Kreitler and Kreitler which shows how cognitive contents, primarily beliefs about goals, norms, the self and reality guide human behavior and enable its prediction and change. The hypotheses referred to endorsement of beliefs orienting towards CHD-involved behaviors, inconsistencies among belief types and the relation of the beliefs to risk factors in CHD patients as compared to the controls. A self-administered questionnaire was constructed assessing endorsement of four belief types. Subjects were 92 males under 60: 44 with CHD, and two control groups: 28 orthopedic patients without CHD, and 20 healthy subjects. Results showed that CHD individuals scored higher than the controls on the overall beliefs measure, beliefs about norms and about self, had higher inconsistency scores, and had more correlations between belief measures and risk factors (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol). Discussion centered on suggesting a definition of CHD-proneness as consisting of a sustained externally-maintained tension-producing cognitive-motivational conflict, and on the psychometric and practical implications of the findings.     

Zwitterionic Polymer Brushes and Core-Shell Particles Based thereon for Control of Biofouling

Biofilm formation on material surfaces – biofouling – has a significant economic impact on a wide range of applications and industries. There is a huge need for the prevention of undesired interactions of coatings with proteins, cells, and bacteria in biomaterials, biosensors, and other applications. In this work, the preparation and characterization as well as the comparison of bio-fouling properties of surfaces based on planar zwitterionic polymer brushes made of poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) P(SBMA-3), poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) P(CBMA-2), or poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) P(MPC-2) are reported. Since polymer brushes on planar surfaces have disadvantages with regard to layer stability, industrial scaling, and the coating of complex geometries, nano- and microstructured coatings based on polymer-functionalized core-shell particles are subsequently produced. It is found that coatings based on poly(phosphorylcholine) P(MPC-2) modified particles with a diameter of 100 nm have the lowest bioadhesion compared to other particle sizes and chemical compositions. The particle-based coatings developed can pave the way for developing scalable anti-fouling coatings in the future.     

The effect of ferritin-guided iron supplementation among Danish female first-time blood donors

Background

The identification of blood donors at risk of developing low hemoglobin (Hb) and subsequent intervention is expected to reduce donation-induced iron deficiency and low Hb among blood donors. This study explores the effects of ferritin-guided iron supplementation for female first-time donors implemented in four of five administrative regions in Denmark.

Study Design and Methods

We included 45,919 female first-time donors in this study. Hb values were determined in donations of included donors during a 2-year follow-up period. For each region, an intervention group (after implementation) and a control group (before implementation) were defined. The primary outcome was Hb below the donation threshold (7.8 mmol/L ~ 12.5 g/dL) at the time of donation, in the control group, and the intervention group, using logistic regression. The secondary outcome was the number of donations per donor given during the follow-up period.

Results

We observed a statistically significant decrease in the risk of female first-time donors experiencing a donation with low Hb after ferritin-guided iron supplementation was introduced: Odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71–0.95. We found a statistically significant increase in the number of donations per donor during the follow-up period after intervention; rate ratio: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.08.

Discussion

Ferritin-guided iron supplementation led to a significant reduction in the occurrence of low hemoglobin (Hb) levels among Danish female first-time blood donors. The intervention was additionally associated with an increase in the number of donations per donor.     

整合型支付:内涵、作用和实现条件*

医疗服务纵向整合是分级诊疗的重要内容，然而现有的医保支付方式的支付对象多为单个医疗机构，对机构间协作的激励不足。文章以“支付方式促进医疗服务体系纵向整合”为出发点，提出了“整合型支付”的概念，即以促进医疗机构间纵向服务连续和功能整合为目标的医保支付方式，并对其作用路径进行了分析，从管理考核、利益分配、薪酬绩效、 服务设计、信息建设等几个方面提出了整合型支付的实现条件。