METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 30 undergraduate dental students were shown a CEREC demonstration video. Each operator then captured a digital impression using the intra-oral scanner, and a crown was subsequently milled. All participants underwent a training course before repeating the process. Marginal discrepancy for each crown on its abutment tooth was measured before and after training using a stereomicroscope and was evaluated using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The duration taken for the process was recorded before and after training and evaluated using paired t-test.
RESULTS: The overall mean ±standard deviation marginal adaptation for the CEREC crowns was 78.15 ± 42.83 μm before training and 52.41 ± 17.12 μm after training. The Wilcoxon signed rank test found significant difference (p
METHODS: A total of 613 patients were recruited for the study from the dental clinic at the Faculty of Dentistry, Najran University, Saudi Arabia. The data collection was done in three parts from the patients who visited the hospital to receive dental treatment. The first part included the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and the COVID-19 swab tests performed within the past 14 days. The second part was the clinical examination, and the third part was a confirmation of the swab test taken by the patient by checking the Hesen website using the patient ID. After data collection, statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 26.0. Descriptive analysis was done and expressed as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage (%). A cross-tabulation, also described as a contingency table, was used to identify trends and patterns across data and explain the correlation between different variables.
RESULTS: It was seen from the status of the swab test within 14 days of the patient's arrival at the hospital for the dental treatment that 18 (2.9%) patients lied about the pre-treatment swab test within 14 days, and 595 (97.1%) were truthful. The observed and expected counts showed across genders and diagnosis a statistically significant difference (p
OBJECTIVE: This paper analyzed the correlation between the brain and skin activities in rest and stimulations by information-based analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR) signals.
METHODS: We recorded EEG and GSR signals of eleven subjects during rest and auditory stimulations using three pieces of music that were differentiated based on their complexity. Then, we calculated the Shannon entropy of these signals to quantify their information contents.
RESULTS: The results showed that music with greater complexity has a more significant effect on altering the information contents of EEG and GSR signals. We also found a strong correlation (r= 0.9682) among the variations of the information contents of EEG and GSR signals. Therefore, the activities of the skin and brain are correlated in different conditions.
CONCLUSION: This analysis technique can be utilized to evaluate the correlation among the activities of various organs versus brain activity in different conditions.
CASE PRESENTATION: An assemblage of unidentified, incomplete, highly fragmented skeletal remains were found scattered on a bare area of land in a forest. There was evidence of an explosion given the pattern of scattered evidentiary material of explosive and ballistic nature. Laboratory analysis of white powder found within the explosive material confirmed the presence of high impact C4-explosive trace containing cyclotrimethylene trinitramin [Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX)] & pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). It took meticulous multidisciplinary efforts to confirm the identity of the victim that was marred by the severe fragmentation and skeletalization of the remains. The initial radiologic interpretation focused more on identification of foreign bodies and supporting documentation of fragmentation. With the current availability of post computed tomography (PMCT) in our center, we reexamined the value and potential of PMXR and PMCT as an adjunctive tool for biological profiling.
CONCLUSION: This was the first case of C4-blast related death reported in Malaysia. The multidisciplinary approach in efforts to identify the victim may serve as a guide in managing, coordinating and maximizing the expertise of different forensic specialists, with emphasis on anthropologic and radiologic collaboration.
METHOD: The study team based this qualitative study on Alfred Schütz's social phenomenology framework. The study team planned for fourteen in-depth interviews with patients registered at a Quit Smoking Clinic. Each in-depth session lasted 45-60 min and we audio recorded them with consent. Following full verbatim transcription, the study team carried out detailed thematic analysis using Nvivo software.
RESULTS: Out of a total of 14 patients, 10 agreed to participate (response rate 71.4%). Seven participants (70%) had successfully quit smoking, while the remaining 30% relapsed after the first quit attempt. The study team extracted from the data three key themes with eight child nodes: barriers to quitting smoking, reasons for quit attempt, and how to quit. Unsuccessful attempts were related to tobacco addiction and successful attempts were based on the need to improve one's health and family. The study explored two intrinsic (self-realization and healthy lifestyle) and two extrinsic motivations (family's health and role model for children) for attempting to quit.
CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of psychological support in successful quit attempts. Treatment providers should encourage behavior change through intrinsic goals, as such goals, compared to extrinsic goals, have a long-term and positive impact because they can activate autonomous motivation.
OBJECTIVE: This proposed study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Stroke Riskometer™ app in improving stroke awareness and stroke risk probability amongst the adult population in Malaysia.
METHODS: A non-blinded, parallel-group cluster-randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio will be implemented in Kelantan, Malaysia. Two groups with a sample size of 66 in each group will be recruited. The intervention group will be equipped with the Stroke Riskometer™ app and informational leaflets, while the control group will be provided with standard management, including information leaflets only. The Stroke Riskometer™ app was developed according to the self-management model of chronic diseases based on self-regulation and social cognitive theories. Data collection will be conducted at baseline and on the third week, sixth week, and sixth month follow-up via telephone interview or online questionnaire survey. The primary outcome measure is stroke risk awareness, including the domains of knowledge, perception, and intention to change. The secondary outcome measure is stroke risk probability within 5 and 10 years adjusted to each participant's socio-demographic and/or socio-economic status. An intention-to-treat approach will be used to evaluate these measures. Pearson's χ2 or independent t test will be used to examine differences between the intervention and control groups. The generalized estimating equation and the linear mixed-effects model will be employed to test the overall effectiveness of the intervention.
CONCLUSION: This study will evaluate the effect of Stroke Riskometer™ app on stroke awareness and stroke probability and briefly evaluate participant engagement to a pre-specified trial protocol. The findings from this will inform physicians and public health professionals of the benefit of mobile technology intervention and encourage more active mobile phone-based disease prevention apps.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04529681.