Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Verbal Fluency and Awareness of Functional Deficits in Early-Stage Dementia

Assessment of activities of daily living is an important element in the diagnosis of dementia, with research suggesting a link between functional ability and cognition. We investigated the relationship between self- and informant ratings of instrumental activities of daily living (iADL) and verbal executive functioning in early-stage dementia. A total of 96 people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or vascular or mixed dementia and their carers completed the Functional Activities Questionnaire; people with dementia also completed a test of letter fluency. Letter fluency was associated with self-ratings of iADL, while informant ratings of iADL were associated with the age and Mini-Mental State Examination score of the person with dementia. Self-ratings of perceived functioning suggested significantly less impairment than informant ratings. Those with impaired letter fluency rated themselves as having greater difficulties in iADLs than those who performed better. People with early-stage dementia vary in their subjective level of awareness of their iADL functioning, and difficulties with language production may contribute to better awareness of iADL impairments.
Fibre retention osseous resective surgery: how deep is the infrabony component of the osseous-resected defects?

BACKGROUND The Aims of this retrospective study were: (i) to describe the applicability of Fibre Retention Osseous Resective Surgery (FibReORS) to infrabony defects with different radiographic depths and (ii) to identify significant anatomical elements associated with the decision of tooth extraction or application of FibReORS in the context of a treatment approach aimed at pocket elimination. MATERIAL AND METHODS Baseline radiographs with detectable infrabony defects were collected from 68 periodontal patients. Selected teeth with radiographic evidence of infrabony defects had probing depths (PD) >4 mm at revaluation following non-surgical periodontal therapy. Teeth were then surgically treated with FibReORS or extracted on the basis of the decision making of an experienced periodontist and in the context of the overall treatment plan. The total root length and the defect depth were quantified for each selected tooth using radiographic reference points. RESULTS A total of 324 teeth with infrabony defects were identified. Fifty-three (16%) teeth with a mean radiographic infrabony defect of 8.5+/-1.7 mm (range 6-12 mm) were extracted; 271 (84%) teeth with a mean infrabony defect of 3.0+/-1.4 mm (1-8 mm) were surgically treated, achieving PD < or =3 mm in all sites at 6-month follow-up. Surgically treated teeth showed baseline radiographic infrabony defects < or =4 mm in 86% of the cases. Logistic multilevel modelling indicated that the probability of extraction was influenced by root length (p=0.0230) and by the radiographic defect depth (p=0.0112). CONCLUSION FibReORS is applicable in the treatment of shallow to moderate bony defects and deeper defects associated with longer roots.
Tissue alterations after tooth extraction with and without surgical trauma: a volumetric study in the beagle dog.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to evaluate whether tooth extraction without the elevation of a muco-periosteal flap has advantageous effects on the resorption rate after tooth extraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS In five beagle dogs polyether impressions were taken before the surgery. The roots of the first and second pre-molars (P(1) and P(2)) were extracted and the sites were assigned to one of the following treatments: treatment group (Tx) 1, no treatment; Tx 2, surgical trauma (flap elevation and repositioning); Tx 3, the extraction socket was filled with BioOss Collagen and closed with a free soft-tissue graft; Tx 4, after flap elevation and repositioning, the extraction socket was treated with BioOss Collagen and a free soft-tissue graft. Impressions were taken 2 and 4 months after surgery. The casts were scanned, matched together with baseline casts and evaluated with digital image analysis. RESULTS The "flapless groups" demonstrated significant lower resorption rates both when using socket-preservation techniques and without. Furthermore, socket-preservation techniques yielded better results compared with not treating the socket. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that leaving the periosteum in place decreases the resorption rate of the extraction socket. Furthermore, the treatment of the extraction socket with BioOss Collagen and a free gingival graft seems beneficial in limiting the resorption process after tooth extraction.
Clinical efficacy of a chlorhexidine-delivering toothbrush.

OBJECTIVES Evaluate the efficacy and safety of an experimental toothbrush with a slow-release system of chlorhexidine (CHX) and determine its ability to inhibit plaque, bleeding, staining and oral tissue abnormalities during 6 weeks of use. MATERIAL AND METHODS One hundred and fifty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the Test Brush group with a template slow-delivery system of CHX (Ttb), the Control Brush group without CHX (Ctb) and the Control Brush group without CHX but rinsing post-brushing with a 0.2% CHX mouthrinse (Ctb+R). At baseline as well as at 3 and 6 weeks, all clinical parameters were assessed. Following the baseline assessment, a supragingival prophylaxis was provided. RESULTS One hundred and forty subjects completed the study. The Ctb+R group had lower plaque and bleeding scores than the Ttb and the Ctb group and significantly (p=0.0001) higher stain scores. There were no significant differences in plaque, bleeding and stain scores between the Ttb and the Ctb group. No differences were detected in oral tissue changes, except for discoloration of the tongue. CONCLUSIONS In the present study, no beneficial effect could be demonstrated for the experimental CHX-releasing toothbrush. The use of a 0.2% CHX mouthrinse (in combination with brushing) remains the gold standard for additional chemical plaque control.
Influence of Nurses' Sense of Coherence on Their Stress and Quality of Life

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sense of coherence (SOC) on occupational stress, psychosocial stress and quality of life (QOL) of nurses working in a hospital. Methods: The participants were 401 nurses working in S hospital in Seoul. A stratified random sampling was performed for the all nurses in S hospital which were grouped by age and work unit. Data were collected by a self-report survey. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlations, multiple linear regressions, and ANOVA. Results: This study showed nurses’ occupational stress was at high risk and their psychosocial stress, at low risk. It also showed that those two types of stress are mutual predictors for each other and that SOC was a predictor for both types of stress. For QOL, SOC was also a predictor in SF-36 and MCS (Mental Component Summary). Therefore, SOC may be considered as a major controlling factor for stress and QOL. Conclusion: The results indicate the need to develop programs that enhances nurses' SOC, programs that could be utilized as an intervention to reduce nurses' stress and to promote nurses' QOL.
Reflections from the salt mine ‐ 8 years’ experience of problem‐based learning

W e have been running a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum in Liverpool for 8 years. The whole exercise of changing from a proudly traditional course to a student-centred course, which meets the aims and objectives set by successive versions of Tomorrow’s Doctors has been, and remains, a challenge. The invitation to write this came after a chance conversation on a bleak day, beset by problems and bad news. I felt as though I had served my time in the salt mines of medical education. Mercifully, not all days are like that.
Systematic Variation of the Severity of Motor Vehicle Accident-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Vignettes Produces Different Post-Concussion Symptom Reports

This study investigated the specificity of the post-concussion syndrome (PCS) expectation-as-etiology hypothesis. Undergraduate students (n = 551) were randomly allocated to one of three vignette conditions. Vignettes depicted either a very mild (VMI), mild (MI), or moderate-to-severe (MSI) motor vehicle-related traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants reported the PCS and PTSD symptoms that they imagined the depicted injury would produce. Secondary outcomes (knowledge of mild TBI, and the perceived undesirability of TBI) were also assessed. After data screening, the distribution of participants by condition was: VMI (n = 100), MI (n = 96), and MSI (n = 71). There was a significant effect of condition on PCS symptomatology, F(2, 264) = 16.55, p < . 001. Significantly greater PCS symptomatology was expected in the MSI condition compared to the other conditions (MSI > VMI; medium effect, r = .33; MSI > MI; small-to-medium effect, r = .22). The same pattern of group differences was found for PTSD symptoms, F(2, 264) = 17.12, p < . 001. Knowledge of mild TBI was not related to differences in expected PCS symptoms by condition; and the perceived undesirability of TBI was only associated with reported PCS symptomatology in the MSI condition. Systematic variation in the severity of a depicted TBI produces different PCS and PTSD symptom expectations. Even a very mild TBI vignette can elicit expectations of PCS symptoms.
Polymorphisms of xenobiotic‐metabolizing genes and colorectal cancer risk in patients with lynch syndrome: A retrospective cohort study in Taiwan

Cytochrome P450 (CYP), glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST), and N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) are crucial for metabolism and clearance of xenobiotics. This study investigated whether CYP, GST, and NAT single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with Lynch syndrome. The interaction between these SNPs and cigarette smoking or meat consumption was also explored. We identified 270 patients with Lynch syndrome from the Taiwan Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Consortium. A weighted Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs). The GSTA1 rs3957356 TT (HR = 5.36, 95% CI = 2.39–12.0) and CYP1B1 rs1056836 CC (HR = 7.24, 95% CI = 3.51–14.9) were significantly associated with CRC risk when compared to wild‐type CC and GG genotypes, respectively. However, the CYP1A1 rs4646903 CC genotype significantly reduced the risk of CRC (HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12–0.89) when compared to TT genotype. Moreover, significant interactions were observed between NAT1 acetylation and CYP1B1 rs1056827 and meat consumption.Our results suggest that xenobiotic‐metabolizing SNPs are not only associated with CRC risk in patients with Lynch syndrome in Taiwan but also interact with meat consumption to modify the disease risk. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:69–78, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bassoon‐disruption slows vesicle replenishment and induces homeostatic plasticity at a CNS synapse

Endbulb of Held terminals of auditory nerve fibers (ANF) transmit auditory information at hundreds per second to bushy cells (BCs) in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN). Here, we studied the structure and function of endbulb synapses in mice that lack the presynaptic scaffold bassoon and exhibit reduced ANF input into the AVCN. Endbulb terminals and active zones were normal in number and vesicle complement. Postsynaptic densities, quantal size and vesicular release probability were increased while vesicle replenishment and the standing pool of readily releasable vesicles were reduced. These opposing effects canceled each other out for the first evoked EPSC, which showed unaltered amplitude. We propose that ANF activity deprivation drives homeostatic plasticity in the AVCN involving synaptic upscaling and increased intrinsic BC excitability. In vivo recordings from individual mutant BCs demonstrated a slightly improved response at sound onset compared to ANF, likely reflecting the combined effects of ANF convergence and homeostatic plasticity. Further, we conclude that bassoon promotes vesicular replenishment and, consequently, a large standing pool of readily releasable synaptic vesicles at the endbulb synapse.
Internet addiction disorder and youth

Although ‘Internet addiction disorder' is not officially recognized as a disorder by the psychiatric community—it was not included in the recently released Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder V (DSM‐V), published by the American Psychiatric Association—an alarming number of people show what appear to be signs of addiction to the digital world. Young people seem especially vulnerable, with case studies highlighting students whose academic performance plummets as they spend more and more time online. Some also suffer health consequences from loss of sleep, as they stay up later and later to chat online, check for social network status updates or to reach the next game levels. There have been a number of tragic cases that have grabbed headlines and heightened the public's concerns about compulsive Internet use. A young couple in Korea, for example, spent so much time raising a virtual daughter online that they neglected their own actual daughter, who eventually died. In China, two students from Chongqinq who had been playing an online game for 2 days straight passed out on railroad tracks and were killed by an oncoming train. While it is presumptuous to blame ‘Internet addiction’ for such tragedies—the young people involved may have suffered from other pathologies that led to such negative outcomes—the cases certainly draw attention to the darker side of Internet use. Putting aside for a moment the debate over whether such problems should be framed as ‘Internet addiction disorder’, research into these behaviors has grown dramatically since the mid‐1990s, particularly as more and more cases among college students have come to the attention of university health professionals. Besides ‘Internet addiction’, terms such as ‘problematic Internet use’, ‘dysfunctional Internet use’, ‘Internet dependency’, ‘pathological Internet use’, and ‘compulsive Internet use’ have been proposed as ways to describe these behaviors. For this article, I will …
Tooth loss and cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES Chronic subclinical inflammation may elevate the risk of cognitive impairment. Periodontitis is associated with subclinical inflammation and accounts in part for tooth loss. The hypothesis was tested that periodontitis and tooth loss as a proxy of chronic periodontitis is associated with cognitive impairment in the elderly. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The population-based Study of Health in Pomerania comprises 1336 subjects (60-79 years). Cognitive impairment was assessed with the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). Tobit regression analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS A decreased number of teeth was associated with lower MMSE scores in females (p<0.001) and males (p=0.007) in age-adjusted models. In the fully adjusted models, tooth loss was associated with cognitive impairment in females (p=0.002) but not in males (p=0.825). CONCLUSIONS A significant association between tooth loss and cognitive impairment was found in females that was not accounted for by potential confounders. Former periodontitis may account for this association as periodontitis was frequently the cause for tooth extractions.
Official Position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology Social Security Administration Policy on Validity Testing: Guidance and Recommendations for Change

The milestone publication by Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) of criteria for determining malingered neurocognitive dysfunction led to extensive research on validity testing. Position statements by the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) recommended routine validity testing in neuropsychological evaluations. Despite this widespread scientific and professional support, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continued to discourage validity testing, a stance that led to a congressional initiative for SSA to reevaluate their position. In response, SSA commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to evaluate the science concerning the validation of psychological testing. The IOM concluded that validity assessment was necessary in psychological and neuropsychological examinations (IOM, 2015). Objective: The AACN sought to provide independent expert guidance and recommendations concerning the use of validity testing in disability determinations. Method: A panel of contributors to the science of validity testing and its application to the disability process was charged with describing why the disability process for SSA needs improvement, and indicating the necessity for validity testing in disability exams. Results: This work showed how the determination of malingering is a probability proposition, described how different types of validity tests are appropriate, provided evidence concerning non-credible findings in children and low-functioning individuals, and discussed the appropriate evaluation of pain disorders typically seen outside of mental consultations. Conclusions: A scientific plan for validity assessment that additionally protects test security is needed in disability determinations and in research on classification accuracy of disability decisions.
Guided tissue regeneration combined with a deproteinized bovine bone mineral (Bio-Oss) in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects: 6-year results from a randomized-controlled clinical trial.

AIM To present the 6-year results of a randomized-controlled clinical trial evaluating guided tissue regeneration (GTR) combined with or without deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) in intrabony defects. MATERIAL & METHODS In each of 45 patients, one defect was treated with GTR combined with DBBM hydrated in saline (DBBM-) or gentamicin sulphate (DBBM+) or with GTR alone. Clinical parameters were recorded pre-surgery, at 1 and 6 years postsurgery. RESULTS Thirty-six patients/33 teeth were available for the 6-year control. Statistically significant clinical improvements were observed for all treatments. Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain averaged 2.5 mm (DBBM-), 4.1 mm (DBBM+), and 3.0 mm (GTR) at 1 year postsurgery, and remained stable over 5 additional years (2.3, 4.1, and 2.7 mm, respectively). Treatment did not appear to influence residual probing depths (PDs) or CAL gains at 6 years postsurgery, or the extent of PD and CAL change from 1 to 6 years, and did not associate with sites losing CAL during follow-up. No association of grafting with sites showing CAL gain >or=4 mm at the 1- or 6-year control was observed. CONCLUSION The improvements in periodontal conditions obtained after GTR treatment with or without the adjunct use of DBBM can be preserved on a long-term basis.
A randomized clinical trial of an identity intervention programme for women with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE Findings of a randomized trial of an identity intervention programme (IIP) designed to build new positive self-schemas that are separate from other conceptions of the self in memory as the means to promote improved health in women diagnosed with eating disorders are reported. METHOD After baseline data collection, women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were randomly assigned to IIP (n = 34) or supportive psychotherapy (SPI) (n = 35) and followed at 1, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. RESULTS The IIP and supportive psychotherapy were equally effective in reducing eating disorder symptoms at 1 month post-intervention, and changes were stable through the 12-month follow-up period. The IIP tended to be more effective in fostering development of positive self-schemas, and the increase was stable over time. Regardless of baseline level, an increase in the number of positive self-schemas between pre-intervention and 1-month post-intervention predicted a decrease in desire for thinness and an increase in psychological well-being and functional health over the same period. DISCUSSION A cognitive behavioural intervention that focuses on increasing the number of positive self-schemas may be central to improving emotional health in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Detection of the highly leucotoxic JP2 clone of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in members of a Caucasian family living in Sweden.

BACKGROUND carriers of the JP2 clone of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans exhibit an enhanced risk for developing aggressive periodontitis compared with individuals carrying non-JP2 clones. While the JP2 clone is almost exclusively detected among adolescents of African descent, reports on Caucasians colonized with the JP2 clone are remarkably few. OBJECTIVE the aim of this paper is to report on the history of periodontal disease and microbiological findings in a Caucasian family. MATERIAL AND METHODS a. actinomycetemcomitans and other periodontitis-associated bacterial species in subgingival plaque samples were quantified by conventional culture technique. Leucotoxin promoter typing, serotyping and further characterizations of A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates were performed by PCR. DNA sequencing of the pseudogene, hbpA was performed to determine the origin of the detected JP2 clones. Further, genetically ancestry testing of family members was carried out. RESULTS the JP2 clone was detected in samples from two of the family members, a 33-year-old daughter and her 62-year-old mother. Relationship of their JP2 clones with JP2 clone strains from the Mediterranean area of Africa was indicated. Genotyping confirmed the Caucasian origin of all family members. CONCLUSIONS Caucasian JP2 carriers exist and older subjects can carry the JP2 clone of A. actinomycetemcomitans.
Dimensional changes of peri-implant soft tissue over 2 years with single-implant crowns in the anterior maxilla.

OBJECTIVE To compare the peri-implant soft tissue dimensions after insertion of single-implant crowns in the anterior maxilla. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty patients were accepted according to well-defined inclusion criteria and randomized to porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) or all-ceramic groups. Follow-up was at: Baseline (B), Crown Insertion (CI), 1-year (1Y), and 2-year (2Y). The following parameters were statistically analysed: distance implant shoulder to marginal peri-implant mucosa (DIM), papilla height (PH), width of keratinized mucosa (KM), crestal bone level (CBL), full mouth plaque score (FMPS), full mouth bleeding score (FMBS), and probing pocket depth. RESULTS Between groups measurements for DIM, PH, KM, CBL, FMPS, and FMBS showed no statistically significant differences except the distal CBLs to adjacent tooth. DIM (mid-facial) decreased from B to CI remaining stable at 1Y and 2Y (p-value 0.0014). DIM mesial and distal aspects significantly increased from B to CI showing signs of stability at the 2Y. PH between B and CI increased at the mesial site and at the distal site, thereafter, peri-implant soft tissues were stable at the 2Y. CONCLUSION The insertion of an implant crown affects the peri-implant mucosa morphology by an apical displacement at the mid-facial aspect and coronal at mesial and distal sites.
Tumor Volume as a Prognostic Factor in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Primary Radiotherapy

Objectives/Hypothesis: Tumor volume has been demonstrated to play a prognostic role in many head and neck cancers. The purpose of this study was to conduct an institutional review analyzing the correlation between tumor volume and locoregional control of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer treated with primary radiotherapy.