Tag: pubmed

J Periodontol. 2025 Oct 29. doi: 10.1002/JPER.24-0707. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A self-reported questionnaire developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Periodontology (CDC/AAP) has demonstrated adequate reliability for evaluating periodontal status in national surveillance surveys–which has been translated and validated in multiple languages–but has not yet been tested in Thai. Therefore, this cross-sectional study evaluated the validity of the CDC/AAP self‑report questionnaire for periodontitis in a Thai population.

METHODS: The Thai version of CDC/AAP self-reported questionnaire was developed. Full-mouth periodontal examinations were performed, and periodontitis was diagnosed using CDC/AAP 2012 or European Federation of Periodontology (EFP)/AAP 2018 case definition. Association between questionnaire responses and a periodontitis diagnosis was assessed using multiple regression modeling. Several predictive models were constructed and their validity assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS: The study included 250 participants resided in Chiang Mai, Thailand, aged 20-82 years, with 83.6% and 84.4% diagnosed with periodontitis based on CDC/AAP 2012 and EFP/AAP 2018 case definitions, respectively. CDC/AAP questions revealed a satisfactory performance in predicting CDC/AAP-defined severe periodontitis and EFP/AAP-defined stage III/IV periodontitis. Additional questions regarding demographic data and periodontal risk factors improved the performance. Reduced model constructed using stepwise regression yielded sensitivity versus specificity of 57.8% versus 84.0% and 79.4% versus 81.4% for predicting CDC/AAP-defined severe periodontitis and EFP/AAP-defined stage III/IV periodontitis, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire in Thai version demonstrated better performance in predicting advanced stages of periodontitis when combined with demographic variables and periodontal risk factors. Our findings highlight the potential utility of this tool in diverse populations.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Despite being one of the most common diseases in humans, periodontal disease diagnosis is not easy at the individual and surveillance levels. Efforts have been made to assemble tools to ease the process, and questionnaires are an auspicious tool. This study aimed to validate the self-reported questionnaire developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the American Academy of Periodontology for predicting periodontal disease in the Thai population. The validity of the questionnaires was assessed by comparing the self-reported responses to the data collected through a full-mouth examination by a third-year resident from the Periodontology Residency Training Program. In our study, questions related to signs of the disease showed promising validity as a predictive variable for periodontitis, especially its severe form, and the questionnaires performed better when used together with other questions, such as age and education level.

PMID:41159894 | DOI:10.1002/JPER.24-0707

J Infect Dis. 2025 Oct 29:jiaf544. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf544. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis and malaria are major poverty-related parasitic infectious diseases. They are often co-endemic and affect similar target populations. Mass drug administration and intermittent preventive treatment programs are commonly used for their control. From a programmatic perspective the conception of preventive treatment programs targeting both diseases simultaneously would be a great advantage. While there is preliminary evidence that certain anti-malarial drugs exert a clinically important effect on Schistosomes, little is known on whether praziquantel (PZQ), the only licensed drug to treat schistosomiasis, has activity against Plasmodium parasites. Therefore, the CORMA-MAL study was conducted to evaluate anti-malarial activity of PZQ.

METHODS: This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIb trial was conducted in Lambaréné, Gabon and recruited semi-immune adults with an asymptomatic P. falciparum parasitemia. Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive placebo or 40mg/kg PZQ once daily for three days and followed up for a total of seven days.

RESULTS: 44 participants were recruited. Analytical models indicated a highly significant hourly reduction of microscopically-determined parasitemia in the PZQ arm and a non-significant decreasing trend in the placebo group (regression slopes of log10-transformed parasitemia: β=-0.006 [p<0.001] and β=-0.0013 [p=0.3], respectively). However, in total only 9/22 (41%) in the PZQ arm compared to 6/22 (27%) in the placebo arm reached parasite clearance by D7.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate a statistically significant anti-malarial activity of PZQ; however, the observed effect is only moderate compared to current first-line anti-malarial treatments. Future research should investigate the synergistic potential of combining PZQ and antimalarial drugs in malaria and schistosomiasis control.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR); Registration number: PACTR202206584817951; Date of Approval: 10/JUN/2022; URL: https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=22586).

PMID:41159886 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiaf544

Dent Med Probl. 2025 Oct 28. doi: 10.17219/dmp/210478. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cohen has emphasized that the recommended thresholds for effect sizes should only be used in the absence of detailed information about effect size distributions within specific fields.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to establish updated effect size thresholds (Cohen’s d, Hedges’ g and Pearson’s r) tailored for research in dentistry.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following methodologies from prior research on effect sizes, the data was extracted from meta-analyses published in the top 10 ranked dentistry journals. The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles were calculated for Pearson’s r values, as well as for Cohen’s d or Hedges’ g. A total of 4,250 studies were analyzed, with statistical analyses conducted using the R programming language.

RESULTS: The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles for Pearson’s r in individual differences research were 0.16, 0.40 and 0.67, respectively. For Hedges’ g, the percentiles corresponding to small, medium and large effect sizes were 0.10, 0.35 and 0.86, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: In light of these findings, researchers in the field of dentistry are encouraged to adopt the following thresholds: for Pearson’s r, 0.20 for small effects, 0.40 for medium effects and 0.70 for large effects; and for Cohen’s d or Hedges’ g, 0.10 for small effects, 0.40 for medium effects and 0.90 for large effects. These updated thresholds can improve the rigor and quality of dental research, ultimately benefiting patients through enhanced diagnostics and treatment strategies.

PMID:41159861 | DOI:10.17219/dmp/210478

J Clin Psychiatry. 2025 Oct 27;86(4):25m15881. doi: 10.4088/JCP.25m15881.

ABSTRACT

Objective: Brief social contact-based video interventions are effective in decreasing self-stigma and increasing treatment-seeking intentions. The present study is the first to target essential workers with self-reported anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that viewers of the intervention would show greater increases in treatment-seeking intentions than nonviewers and that those without prior mental health diagnoses or care would have larger increases than those with past mental health care engagement. Additionally, participants who were more emotionally engaged with the intervention would experience greater treatment-seeking intention increases.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial recruited 1,309 essential workers via crowdsourcing who self-reported threshold levels of anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms to view either a brief social contact-based video intervention or a control video. Participants’ treatment-seeking intentions were assessed using 3 items from the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 30 days afterward.

Results: Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses revealed an immediate group-by-time effect of increased treatment-seeking intentions in the intervention group (P = .006, Cohen d = 0.22). Further GEE analyses revealed significant effects among individuals in the intervention group without prior psychiatric diagnoses (P < .001, Cohen d = 0.41), as compared to those with psychiatric diagnoses, and among those without prior treatment experience (P < .001, Cohen d = 0.40) compared to those who had. Participants who were more emotionally engaged experienced significantly greater increases in treatment-seeking intentions (P < .001).

Conclusion: All hypotheses were supported, indicating the efficacy of a brief video intervention in increasing treatment-seeking intentions among essential workers with clinical needs. These results highlight the ability of brief, easily disseminated interventions to reach those most in need of care and effectively increase treatment-seeking intentions.

Trial Registration: Trial identifier: NCT05826132.

PMID:41159853 | DOI:10.4088/JCP.25m15881

Arch Iran Med. 2025 Sep 1;28(9):506-513. doi: 10.34172/aim.34624. Epub 2025 Sep 1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs), particularly after spinal procedures, remain a major concern despite advances in infection control. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of postoperative spinal infections in northwestern Iran.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 adult patients (≥18 years) who underwent spinal surgery in two referral hospitals in Tabriz (Imam Reza and Shohada) between March 2019 and February 2024. Postoperative infections were confirmed by infectious disease specialists. Data on demographics and surgical variables (including surgical site, approach, duration, blood loss, and transfusion) were collected using a standardized checklist. Statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS version 23.0 using Chi-squared and independent samples t-tests. Logistic regression was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: The prevalence of postoperative spinal infections was 6%. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (66.7%). Significant risk factors included female sex, older age, corticosteroid use, diabetes mellitus, longer surgery duration (>4 hours), blood loss (>1 liter), and blood transfusion (P<0.05). Diabetes (OR=5.90, 95% CI: 2.30-15.20) and prolonged surgery (OR=6.90, 95% CI: 2.50-19.00) showed the strongest associations. No significant associations were found for BMI, smoking, hypertension, CRP, ESR, surgical site, or technique.

CONCLUSION: A 6% infection rate was identified, with several clinical and demographic factors increasing risk. Recognizing these predictors is essential for prevention. Broader, multi-center studies are recommended to validate findings and inform national surgical infection control policies.

PMID:41159353 | DOI:10.34172/aim.34624

Arch Iran Med. 2025 Aug 1;28(8):443-451. doi: 10.34172/aim.34506. Epub 2025 Aug 1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic low-grade inflammation is implicated in diabetic microvascular complications, but the relationship between circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains incompletely defined. We evaluated whether plasma hs-CRP levels are independently associated with DR presence and severity in a cohort of T2DM patients.

METHODS: In this analytical cross-sectional study, 149 T2DM patients referring to endocrinology and ophthalmology clinics at Babol University of Medical Sciences (April 2022-June 2023) were categorized into no DR (n=50), non-proliferative DR (NPDR; n=49), and proliferative DR (PDR; n=50) groups. Comprehensive ophthalmic examination classified DR stage. We measured hs-CRP (low: 0-1 mg/L, moderate: 1-3 mg/mL, high:>3 mg/mL), HbA1c, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and total cholesterol in fasting blood samples. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v.22.

RESULTS: Mean hs-CRP concentrations rose progressively with DR severity: 2.71±1.14 mg/L (no DR), 4.89±5.31 mg/L (NPDR), and 10.60±9.24 mg/L (PDR; P=0.023). After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, HbA1c, BMI, hypertension, smoking, cholesterol, and treatment, each 1 mg/L increase in hs-CRP was associated with 1.40-fold higher odds of DR (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.08-1.94; P=0.011). Other independent predictors included longer diabetes duration (OR 1.19 per year; 95% CI 1.10-1.29; P<0.001), higher HbA1c (OR 1.62 per %; 95% CI 1.06-2.48; P=0.023), and female sex (OR 3.25; 95% CI 1.11-9.52; P=0.031).

CONCLUSION: High hs-CRP levels correlate with DR severity in T2DM, highlighting inflammation’s role and potential for early detection strategies.

PMID:41159344 | DOI:10.34172/aim.34506

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2025 Oct 29. doi: 10.1039/d5cp02522b. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

It has been demonstrated that quantum effects play an important role in nitrogen adatom diffusion over partially Ga-covered GaN(0001) surfaces. This is partially related to the bonding in both the initial and activated complex states. It is shown that wurtzite gallium nitride is bonded differently from standard semiconductors having two separate valence subbands: upper by gallium 4sp³ hybridized orbitals and nitrogen resonant 2p states, and lower by gallium 3d and nitrogen 2s orbitals. Second, the diffusion energy barrier may be changed owing to the quantum statistics of electrons governed by the Fermi energy, as shown in the case of nitrogen diffusion over a clean and gallium-covered Ga-terminated GaN(0001) surface. Under fractional Ga coverage of the GaN(0001) surface, the nitrogen diffusion energy barrier is at the saddle point. The barrier affects the electron redistribution between the surface quantum states at both the initial and saddle points. In the case of full GaN coverage, the diffusion path is from the top N adatom configuration to the H3 site, which corresponds to the maximal energy. Therefore the diffusion barrier is ΔE_bar = 1.18 eV for clean and ΔE_bar = 0.92 eV for (1/6) ML to finally ΔE_bar = 1.23 eV for full Ga coverage. Thus, the overall barrier was ΔE_bar = 0.92 eV. The identified stable N-on-top configuration for Ga coverage is essential for the GaN growth mechanism.

PMID:41159340 | DOI:10.1039/d5cp02522b

Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2025 Oct 1;43(5):689-695. doi: 10.7518/hxkq.2025.2024462.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the influence of the dimensional stability of 3D printed resin master model on the replication accuracy of implant replicas.

METHODS: Ten digital impressions of patients undergoing continuous crowns or fixed bridge restoration supported by two implants were obtained, and resin models with implant replicas were 3D printed. Scanning rods were fixed on the replicas 3, 7, and 14 days after printing. The 3D, linear, and angular deviations of the scanning rods at different times were analyzed through Geomagic Wrap 2021 software.

RESULTS: The position of the replicas shifted mesiolingually, in the same direction as the shrinkage of the model. From day 7 onward, the 3D, distance linear, and angular deviations of the replicas (scanning rod) significantly increased compared with those on the 3rd day (P<0.05). On the 14th day, the changes were even more pronounced, with the above deviations showing statistical significance (P<0.05) compared with those for the 3-day and 7-day groups. No statistical difference in height linear deviation was observed among the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The insufficient dimensional stability of 3D printed resin models can lead to changes in the relative position and angle of the replicas, thereby affecting the accuracy of the replicas in recreating the implant’s position. Complete manufacturing of prosthesis is recommended within 7 days after the model is printed.

PMID:41159330 | DOI:10.7518/hxkq.2025.2024462

Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2025 Oct 1;43(5):679-688. doi: 10.7518/hxkq.2025.2024449.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were utilized to evaluate changes in mucosal vascular parameters and the osteogenic effects following guided bone regeneration (GBR) in the maxillary anterior region using trapezoidal or modified triangular flaps.

METHODS: Patients undergoing single maxillary anterior dental implant surgery with GBR were randomly allocated into two groups: a trapezoidal flap group and a modified triangular flap group. After GBR surgery, the mucosal vascular parameters at the surgical site were assessed at various time intervals (preoperative, 2 h, 1 and 3 days, and 1, 2, and 4 weeks postoperative) using CDFI. In addition, the effects of bone augmentation were evaluated through the analysis of CBCT images obtained preoperatively, 2 h, and 6 months postoperative.

RESULTS: The buccal mucosa in the edentulous area had a lower blood flow rate than the corresponding tooth in the same jaw, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The mucosal blood flow rate in the surgical area increased compared with that in the preoperative period. The peak flow rate was recorded at 2 weeks postoperatively and then decreased to levels comparable to those of the reference tooth. A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (P<0.05). The buccal alveolar ridge width of the implant platform was reduced by (1.3±0.9) mm in the trapezoidal flap group and (0.9±0.7) mm in the modified triangular flap group, respectively, at 6 months postoperatively, compared with 2 h postoperative. The buccal alveolar ridge width of the 5 mm from the implant platform was reduced by (0.9±0.6) mm and (0.3±0.6) mm, respectively. The buccal alveolar ridge width of the 10 mm from the implant platform was reduced by (0.6±0.8) mm and (0.2±0.6) mm, respectively. The height of the alveolar ridge was reduced by (1.9±1.4 ) mm and (1.4±1.3) mm. The change in graft volume was (136±78 ) mm³ and (114±85) mm³. However, the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: When a tooth is missing, blood flow to the buccal mucosa on the side of the missing tooth is reduced. The modified triangular flap group demonstrated superior microcirculation of blood flow in the operative area after GBR of the maxillary anterior teeth. Trapezoidal and modified triangular flaps achieved the anticipated bone augmentation during bone augmentation surgery in the maxillary anterior region, with no considerable effect on the changes in alveolar bone size parameters.

PMID:41159329 | DOI:10.7518/hxkq.2025.2024449

Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2025 Oct 1;43(5):671-678. doi: 10.7518/hxkq.2025.2025013.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical effects of concentrated growth factor (CGF) membrane and Bio-Gide ^® collagen membrane, combined with Bio-Oss ^® sticky bone respectively in alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) of maxillary anterior teeth.

METHODS: Thirty patients who needed alveolar ridge preservation after maxillary anterior tooth extraction were selected and randomly assigned to the Bio-Gide group and the CGF group. In both groups, the extraction sockets were tightly filled with the Bio-Oss^® sticky bone. In the Bio-Gide group used Bio-Gide^® collagen membrane to cover the upper edge of the Bio-Oss^® sticky bone and closed the wound. The CGF group, the CGF membrane was covered on the upper edge of the Bio-Oss^® sticky bone and the wound was closed. The soft tissue wound healing status at 10 days after ARP, the changes in alveolar ridge height and width immediately after ARP and at 6 months after ARP, and the doctor-patient satisfaction at 6 months after ARP were compared and evaluated between the two groups.

RESULTS: At 6 months after ARP, there was no statistically significant difference in the changes of alveolar bone width and height between the two groups (P>0.05). However, the CGF group showed better performance in soft tissue healing after ARP and doctor-patient satisfaction, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the Bio-Gide^® collagen membrane, the combined application of CGF membrane and Bio-Oss^® sticky bone can lead to better soft tissue healing after ARP of maxillary anterior teeth and higher doctor-patient satisfaction, showing obvious advantages in ARP of maxillary anterior teeth.

PMID:41159328 | DOI:10.7518/hxkq.2025.2025013