Need for outreach dental service in Chinese kindergarten children

IADR Oral Communication (III) - Parallel Session 7: Behavioural Science and Health Services ResearchJournal of Dental Research, 2003, v. 82 Spec. Iss. C, p. C-660, abstract no. VO-30published_or_final_versio

Pediatric spinal cord lipoma - operative experience

The Abstracts in pdf format are available for download at the HKNS website: http://www.ns.org.hk/asmSession - Free Paper 5Meeting Theme: Degenerative Lumbar SpineBACKGROUND: Spinal cord lipoma causes tethered cord syndrome. The tethering produces neurological, urological and orthopaedic problems which cause significant morbidity in both children and adult. Prophylactic surgery was shown to have a trend in minimizing tethered cord syndrome in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patient.1,2 Long term results are …published_or_final_versio

Experience of using bevacizumab in epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers in a single centre

Objectives: To review the use of bevacizumab in epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers in our centre. Methods: Patients receiving bevacizumab for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer at the Division of Gynaecological Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong between January 2011 and December 2015 were included. A retrospective chart review was performed. Main outcome measures were adverse events and progression-free survival. Results: Overall, 41 patients received bevacizumab for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, of which 24 were for primary treatment and 17 for recurrent disease. Of 24 patients who received bevacizumab as primary treatment, the median age was 52 years, and 12.5% of the patients had early-stage high-risk disease, 87.5% had FIGO stage III or IV disease, 45.8% had a serous adenocarcinoma, and 54.2% had residual disease after debulking surgery. Of 17 patients who received bevacizumab for recurrent disease, the median age was 52 years, and 94.1% of the patients were having their first recurrence, 64.7% had platinum-sensitive disease and 41.2% had a serous adenocarcinoma. Grade 2 or higher hypertension and proteinuria occured in 24.4% and 12.2% of patients, respectively. Bevacizumab was discontinued in 7.3% of patients due to adverse events and 31.7% due to inadequate therapeutic response. The median progression free survival was 18.0 months (95% CI 13.6 to 22.4) for primary treatment and 11.0 months (95% CI 8.4 to 13.6) for recurrent disease. Conclusions: With acceptable toxicity, combination of bevacizumab and chemotherapy may be considered as treatment modality in newly diagnosed suboptimally debulked stage III or stage IV ovarian cancer as well as in recurrent ovarian cancer.postprin

Herpetic shoulder paresis in a Chinese elderly patient

A patient with left shoulder girdle weakness secondary to herpetic myotomal paresis is reported. Needle electromyography revealed denervational discharge from the left supraspinatus, deltoid, and brachioradialis muscles, compatible with a radiculopathy that was relevant to his myotomes affected by zoster infection. The patient was managed with range-of-movement and strengthening exercises as well as pain relief for post-herpetic neuralgia. Further studies are required to determine whether antiviral treatment can limit the extent of motor deficit and hasten recovery. Zoster paresis should be one of the differential diagnoses of girdle muscle weakness.published_or_final_versio

Medical treatment of viral pneumonia including SARS in immunocompetent adult

Since no randomized controlled trials have been conducted on the treatment of viral pneumonia by antivirals or immunomodulators in immunocompetent adults, a review of such anecdotal experience are needed for the more rational use of such agents. Case reports (single or case series) with details on their treatment and outcome in the English literature can be reviewed for pneumonia caused by human or avian influenza A virus (50 patients), varicella zoster virus (120), adenovirus (29), hantavirus (100) and SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) (841). Even with steroid therapy alone, the mortality rate appeared to be lower when compared with conservative treatment for pneumonia caused by human influenza virus (12.5% vs. 42.1%) and hantavirus (13.3% vs. 63.4%). Combination of an effective antiviral, acyclovir, with steroid in the treatment of varicella zoster virus may be associated with a lower mortality than acyclovir alone (0% vs. 10.3%). Combination of interferon alfacon-1 plus steroid, or lopinavir/ritonavir, ribavirin plus steroid were associated with a better outcome than ribavirin plus steroid (0% vs. 2.3% vs. 7.7%, respectively). Combination of lopinavir/ritonavir plus ribavirin significantly reduced the virus load of SARS-CoV in nasopharyngeal, serum, stool and urine specimens taken between day 10 and 15 after symptom onset when compared with the historical control group treated with ribavirin. It appears that the combination of an effective antiviral and steroid was associated with a better outcome. Randomized therapeutic trial should be conducted to ascertain the relative usefulness of antiviral alone or in combination with steroid. © 2004 The British Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.postprin

The effectiveness of the biannual application of silver nitrate solution followed by sodium fluoride varnish in arresting early childhood caries in preschool children: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

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MMP14 regulates the lineage progression of hypertrophic chondrocytes

It is traditionally believed that chondrocytes and osteoblasts are two separate lineages with hypertrophic chondrocytes (HCs) being the terminal stage of chondrocyte differentiation, culminating in apoptosis. However, we have shown that HCs can contribute to the full osteoblast (Obs) lineage in vivo. MMP14 is a transmembrane matrix metalloproteinase responsible for matrix remodeling that is highly expressed at the chondro‐osseous junction which coincides with the transition from HCs to Obs. Knockout of Mmp14 in mice results in impaired endochondral ossification. To test whether loss of MMP14 has an impact on the HC to Obs transition, we have employed a genetic recombination approach to track and compare the fate of HCs in wild‐type and Mmp14 conditional and total null mutants. Both complete and conditional deletion of MMP14 activity results in increased number of HC‐descendent cells in the trabecular bone. Surprisingly, conditional knockout of Mmp14 in HC‐descendent cells results in increased trabecular bone formation. Our results suggest that MMP14 in general negatively regulates HC to Obs transition.postprin

An evaluative study on the effectiveness of a parent-child parallel group model

Objective; To examine the effectiveness of a parent-child parallel group model that attempted to reduce parent-adolescent conflict. Method: A single group research design with pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments was employed. Results: Results showed that the level of mother-adolescent conflict at posttest was lower than the level at pretest. The findings, based on the target problem rating, indicated that after the group intervention, both the mothers and adolescents perceived that the problems they had identified in the mother-child relationship had become less severe. The findings, based on subjective outcome measures, were also positive. Conclusion: The present study provides some evidence to support the effectiveness of the parallel group intervention for social work practice.preprin

Treatment time for non-surgical endodontic therapy with or without a magnifying loupe

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