General and disease-specific scales in children with asthma and their parents

Objective

To investigate and compare the efficiency of general and disease-specific life quality scales in children with asthma.

Methods

Children with asthma, and their parents completed the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT), Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and also underwent spirometry.

Results

82 children (55 males) with a median (IQR) age of 10.1 (8.9-10.5) years were included. C-ACT, PAQLQ and PedsQL child scores were significantly higher in children with controlled asthma.

Conclusions

Quality of life in children, assessed using diseasespecific quality of life measures, is better for children with good asthma control.

     

The Association of Oncology Social Work's Project to Assure Quality Cancer Care (APAQCC)

In 2014, the Association for Oncology Social Work (AOSW) established A Project to Assure Quality Cancer Care (APAQCC), a group of oncology social workers representing sixty-five Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited cancer programs across the US (including two in Canada). Its aims were (1) to examine the capacity of cancer programs to provide quality psychosocial support services, and (2) to evaluate the implementation of distress screening. The purpose of this paper is to describe how this collaborative research program was created and implemented under the auspices of AOSW, and to report on its impact on the oncology social workers who participated.     

Fluoride in dental plaque after a single toothbrushing with monofluorophosphate dentifrice

Many studies have shown that topical fluoride applications can produce a fluoride reservoir in dental plaque. Since the most common topical fluoride application is via toothbrushing with fluoridated dentifrices, the aim of this study was to measure fluoride uptake by dental plaque after a single toothbrushing with monofluorophosphate (MFP) toothpaste and to follow the plaque until its fluoride concentration returned to the prebrushing levels. In a fluoridated area, plaque samples were collected from 26 children who brushed with MFP toothpaste, 22 children who brushed with a fluoride-free control toothpaste, before brushing and at intervals of 10 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours after brushing. A combination fluoride electrode was used to determine the fluoride content of the samples. In conclusion, our study has shown that brushing with fluoridated water has a positive effect on the fluoride level of the plaque and the addition of MFP did not make a significant change, although it had a short term effect. A negative correlation was established between plaque wet weight and its fluoride content whenever the plaque equilibrated.     

Abamectin intoxication with coma and hypotension

Abamectin is a potent antihelmintic, insecticide, and miticide used to control pests of humans, veterinary animals, and crops. The toxic effects of abamectin are usually seen after oral ingestions. These are altered mental status, respiratory failure, and hypotension. We report a case of acute abamectin intoxication who presented with altered mental status to the emergency department after oral ingestion.     

The efficacy of urinalysis,plain films,and spiral CT in ED patients with suspected renal colic

We determined the diagnostic value of urinalysis and plain films in patients with suspected renal colic presenting to an emergency department (ED). Over a 1-year period, 138 patients presented to the ED during the daytime with suspected renal colic, but for technical reasons the diagnostic modalities used in the study could be completed for only 99 patients, and 34 patients were lost to follow-up. A urinalysis; kidney, ureter, and bladder film; and spiral computed tomography (CT) were performed on each patient. The presence of urinary tract stones was determined by their definite presence on helical CT and/or passage of a stone on clinical follow-up (average follow-up = 3 months). A urinary stone was visualized on spiral CT or passed in the urine in 54 of the patients. Using helical CT findings or passage of a stone as the gold standard, plain radiography had a sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 82%. Urinalysis had a sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 27%. The sensitivity increased to 89% if either test was positive, but the specificity remained low at 27%. The sensitivity and specificity of CT in the diagnosis of urinary stones was 91%. Urinalysis and plain films are much less accurate than helical CT for confirming the diagnosis of acute urolithiasis. Further evaluation of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of helical CT should be done to determine its role in the work-up of these patients.     

Microleakage of repaired class V silorane and nano-hybrid composite restorations after preparation with erbium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet laser and diamond bur

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the microleakage of repaired class V resin composite restorations prepared either by Er:YAG laser or a diamond bur. Ninety-six intact human molar teeth were randomly distributed into eight groups. In the first four groups, class V cavities (3 × 3 × 3 mm) prepared on the buccal and lingual surfaces of the teeth using an erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (VersaWave, HOYA ConBio, Japan). Similar class V cavities were prepared in the second four groups using a diamond bur (S-Class, Komet, UK). Teeth in groups 1, 2, and 5, 6 were restored with a nano-ceramic composite (Ceram.X duo, DENTSPLY), whereas a silorane material (Filtek Silorane, 3M ESPE) was used to restore cavities in groups 3, 4, and 7, 8. Two different adhesive systems (XP Bond, DENTSPLY, and Silorane System Adhesive, 3M ESPE) were also used. All specimens were aged for 7 days. New cavities (3 × 3 × 3 mm) were prepared adjacent to the old restorations with Er:YAG laser (groups I–IV) or diamond bur (groups V–VIII). Different repair materials were then applied to the new cavities using the previous two restorative materials and two adhesive systems. All teeth were subjected to thermocycling (5,000 cycles between 5 and 55°C) and axial loadcycling (30 N, 1 Hz, 2,000 cycles). Specimens were immersed in 50% w/w silver nitrate solution. Teeth were sectioned longitudinally in buccolingual direction. Stereomicroscope (Nikon SMZ 800) and SEM (JEOL JSM 5600) were used to evaluate the microleakage that existed at the interface between the old restorations and the repair materials. Data were analyzed statistically with one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p < 0.05). Even though no statistically significant differences were found between any of the groups, the cavities repaired with different restoratives showed slight microleakage, especially those prepared by Er:YAG laser (p > 0.05). No microleakage scores were obtained in the groups repaired with Filtek Silorane/Filtek Silorane and Ceram.X/Ceram.X. All the substances tested can be used as repair materials for immediate repair after Er:YAG laser and diamond bur. All substances tested in this study can be used as immediate repair materials after cavity preparations with Er:YAG laser or diamond bur.