Comparing the Use of 80% Trichloroacetic Acid and 50% Trichloroacetic Acid for the Treatment of Ice Pick Acne Scars.

BACKGROUND: Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) using high concentration trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is a safe, effective, and low-cost treatment for ice pick acne scars. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and effectiveness of the CROSS technique using 50% TCA and 80% TCA for treating ice pick scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nonrandomized, single-blinded, and self-controlled clinical trial was undertaken. Four CROSS sessions were conducted using 50% TCA on the left hemiface and 80% TCA on the right hemiface. The E' chelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA) acne grading scale was used to assess the scars pretreatment and posttreatment. Complications were evaluated after each session. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients participated in our study. Significant differences were found between pretreatment and posttreatment ECCA scores ( p < .0001) on both hemifaces. Scores were significantly lower on the side treated with 80% TCA; however, there was no statistical significance in mean ECCA score differences (pretreatment minus posttreatment) between the 2 treatment sides. The adverse events were more serious on the sides treated with 80% TCA. CONCLUSION: The CROSS method using TCA was well-tolerated and effective for treating ice pick acne scars. Less severe complications were associated with 50% TCA, whereas efficacy was the same as 80% TCA.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition studies of alkaloid components from Crinum asiaticum var. sinicum: in vitro assessments by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

Alkaloids are among the most important and best-known secondary metabolites as sources of new drugs from medicinal plants and marine organisms. A phytochemical investigation of the whole plant of Crinum asiaticum var. sinicum resulted in the isolation of seven alkaloids (1-7), including one new dimeric compound, bis-(-)-8-demethylmaritidine (1). Their structures were elucidated using NMR and HR-ESI-MS. The absolute configuration of new compound 1 was established by circular dichroism spectroscopy. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in vitro. Among them, compound 1 exhibited the most potent AChE inhibition. Moreover, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out for the most active compound to investigate their binding interactions and dynamics behavior of the AChE protein-ligand complex. Therefore, compound 1 may be a potential candidate for effectively treating Alzheimer's disease.

Evolution and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Enterovirus A71 Subgenogroups in Vietnam.

Background: Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is the major cause of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease and viral encephalitis in children across the Asia-Pacific region, including in Vietnam, which has experienced a high burden of disease in recent years. Multiple subgenogroups (C1, C4, C5, and B5) concurrently circulate in the region with a large variation in epidemic severity. The relative differences in their evolution and epidemiology were examined within Vietnam and globally. Methods: A total of 752 VP1 gene sequences were analyzed (413 generated in this study combined with 339 obtained from GenBank), collected from patients in 36 provinces in Vietnam during 2003-2013, along with epidemiological metadata. Globally representative VP1 gene datasets of subgenogroups were used to coestimate time-resolved phylogenies and relative genetic diversity to infer virus origins and regional transmission network. Results: Despite frequent virus migration between countries, the highest genetic diversity of individual subgenogroups was maintained independently for several years in specific Asian countries representing genogroup-specific sources of EV-A71 diversity. Conclusion: This study highlights a persistent transmission network of EV-A71, with specific Asian countries seeding other countries in the region and beyond, emphasizing the need for improved EV-A71 surveillance and detailed genetic and antigenic characterization.

Treatment effects of a modified palatal anchorage plate for distalization evaluated with cone-beam computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment effects of maxillary posterior tooth distalization performed by a modified palatal anchorage plate appliance with cephalograms derived from cone-beam computed tomography. METHODS: The sample consisted of 40 lateral cephalograms obtained from the cone-beam computed tomography images of 20 Class II patients (7 men, 13 women; average age, 22.9 years) who underwent bilateral distalization of their maxillary dentition. The lateral cephalograms were derived from the cone-beam computed tomography images taken immediately before placement of a modified palatal anchorage plate appliance and at the end of distalization. Paired t tests were used for comparisons of the changes. RESULTS: The distal movement of the maxillary first molar was 3.3 ± 1.8 mm, with distal tipping of 3.4° ± 5.8° and intrusion of 1.8 ± 1.4 mm. Moreover, the maxillary incisors moved 3.0 ± 2.7 mm lingually, with lingual tipping of 6.2° ± 7.6° and insignificant extrusion (1.1 mm; P = 0.06). The occlusal plane angle was increased significantly (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The maxillary first molar was distalized by 3.3 mm at the crown and 2.2 mm at root levels, with distal tipping of 3.4°. It is recommended that clinicians should consider using the modified palatal anchorage plate appliance in treatment planning for patients who require maxillary total arch distalization.

The anxiety and depression disorder in adults with atopic dermatitis: experience of a dermatology hospital.

The objectives of this study are to identify the proportion of atopic dermatitis adult patients having anxiety and depression disorder and to measure the relationship between anxiety and depression disorder and characteristics of atopic dermatitis. A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted. Diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis were based on modified Hanifin and Raijka criteria and the severity of anxiety-depression disorder was evaluated using the hospital anxiety and depression scale. In this study, 208 patients were enrolled. The percentage of patients with anxiety and subthreshold anxiety were 11.1% and 34.1%, respectively. 5.3% of patients had depression and 39.4% of patients suffered from subthreshold depression. The proportion of patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder was 1.44%. Patients with severe atopic dermatitis were more likely to endure anxiety but not depression. Allergies or autoimmune diseases and scoring atopic dermatitis C were two independent risk factors of depression whereas edema and excoriation were two independent risk factors related to anxiety in atopic dermatitis patients. These findings suggest that atopic dermatitis is associated with anxiety and depression. Allergies, autoimmune diseases, pruritus, and insomnia had a correlation with anxiety and depression disorder.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Policy of Holding the Second Dose of Vaccination: Lessons from the Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a lot of ethical controversy in the equal provision of healthcare, including vaccination. Therefore, our study was designed to assess the impact of Ho Chi Minh City's policy to hold the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Using a cross-sectional study design to assess low saturation of peripheral oxygen (SPO2) risk based on vaccination status, we included patients who were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 and were treated at home. The stepwise method was used to determine participants' low SPO2 risk-related factors. The average age of the 2836 respondents was 46.43 ± 17.33 (years). Research results have shown that seven factors are related to the low SPO2 status of participants, including age, sneezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and fainting as COVID-19 symptoms, the number of people living with COVID-19, and a history of lung disease. A statistically significant (p = 0.032) finding in this study was that fully vaccinated patients had a 6% lower risk of low SPO2 compared to the first dose less than 21 days group. This result was similar in the vaccine holder group (p < 0.001). Holding the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is associated with a lower SPO2 risk than that of fully vaccinated patients. Therefore, this approach should be considered by governments as it could bring a greater benefit to the community.

Predicting Anxiety and Depression Among Patients With COVID-19 in Concentrated Isolation at Medical Camps in Vietnam: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: This study aims to assess the requirement for anxiety and depression treatment for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in medical camps in Bac Giang province, Vietnam. This information can help improve the government policy to reduce anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19. Methods: A total of patients with 427 COVID-19 participated in the survey conducted from 5 to 15 June 2021 in Bac Giang province. The survey included 17 questions about the general characteristics of the patients, 15 questions to assess common COVID-19 symptoms, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores, and four questions to assess hospital reviews, including facilities, food, medical staff, and living conditions. Logistics regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between COVID-19 symptoms and high anxiety and depression (HAD) status. Results: A logistic regression analysis evaluated the risk factors in need of intervention. Our study showed that lower hospital review scores (odd ratio = 0.98; 95% confident interval = 0.97-0.99) were found to be a risk needing intervention. It was also identified that older patients (odd ratio = 1.1; 95% confident interval = 1.03-1.18), women (odd ratio = 1.31; 95% confident interval = 1.09-1.31), patients who were primary income earners in the family (odd ratio = 1.15; 95% confident interval = 1.03-1.28), patients who had headaches (odd ratio = 1.16; 95% confident interval = 1.06-1.21), and patients who had joint pain (odd ratio = 1.17; 95% confident interval = 1.06- 1.3) were risk factors for HAD status. Conclusion: Our research shows that every 10-year age increase was associated with a 10% increase in the likelihood of HAD status. Study subjects being primary income earners were also associated with a 15% increased risk of having HAD status. This study showed that a decrease in family income due to COVID-19 caused an increase in high-level anxiety/depression status.

Awareness and preparedness of healthcare workers against the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey across 57 countries.

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been concerns related to the preparedness of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to describe the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital HCWs at the time of the first wave. METHODS: This multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital HCWs from February to May 2020. We used a hierarchical logistic regression multivariate analysis to adjust the influence of variables based on awareness and preparedness. We then used association rule mining to identify relationships between HCW confidence in handling suspected COVID-19 patients and prior COVID-19 case-management training. RESULTS: We surveyed 24,653 HCWs from 371 hospitals across 57 countries and received 17,302 responses from 70.2% HCWs overall. The median COVID-19 preparedness score was 11.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0-14.0) and the median awareness score was 29.6 (IQR = 26.6-32.6). HCWs at COVID-19 designated facilities with previous outbreak experience, or HCWs who were trained for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, had significantly higher levels of preparedness and awareness (p<0.001). Association rule mining suggests that nurses and doctors who had a 'great-extent-of-confidence' in handling suspected COVID-19 patients had participated in COVID-19 training courses. Male participants (mean difference = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.22, 0.46; p<0.001) and nurses (mean difference = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.81; p<0.001) had higher preparedness scores compared to women participants and doctors. INTERPRETATION: There was an unsurprising high level of awareness and preparedness among HCWs who participated in COVID-19 training courses. However, disparity existed along the lines of gender and type of HCW. It is unknown whether the difference in COVID-19 preparedness that we detected early in the pandemic may have translated into disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease by gender or HCW type.

Evaluation of arch form between Vietnamese and North American Caucasians using 3-dimensional virtual models.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) morphologic differences in the mandibular arch of Vietnamese and North American White subjects. The sample included 113 Vietnamese subjects (41 Class I, 37 Class II and 35 Class III) and 96 White subjects (29 Class I, 30 Class II and 37 Class III). The samples were regrouped according to arch form types (tapered, ovoid, and square) to compare the frequency distribution of the three arch forms between ethnic groups in each angle classification. The facial axis point of each tooth was digitized on 3D virtual models. Four linear and two ratio variables were measured. In comparing arch dimensions, the intercanine and intermolar widths were wider in Vietnamese than in Whites (p < 0.001, p = 0.042, respectively). In the White group, there was even frequency distribution of the three arch forms. However, in the Vietnamese group, the square arch form was the most frequent followed by tapered and ovoid arch forms. The arch forms of Whites were narrower than Vietnamese. In North American Whites, the distribution of the arch form types showed similar frequency. In Vietnamese, the square arch form was more frequent.

Comparison of mandibular arch forms of Korean and Vietnamese patients by using facial axis points on three-dimensional models.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at comparing the mandibular arch forms of Korean and Vietnamese patients by using facial axis (FA) points on three-dimensional (3D) models. METHODS: Mandibular casts of 68 Korean (Class I malocclusion, 30; Class II malocclusion, 38) and 78 Vietnamese (Class I malocclusion, 41; Class II malocclusion, 37) patients were scanned in their occluded positions and grouped according to arch form (tapered, ovoid, and square). The FA point of each tooth was digitized on the 3D mandibular models. The measurements and frequency distributions of the arch forms were compared between the ethnic groups. RESULTS: The Vietnamese patients had significantly greater intercanine depth and intercanine and intermolar width-to-depth ratios than the Korean patients (p < 0.05). The frequency distributions of the arch forms were also significantly different (p = 0.038), but no sexual dimorphism was found. CONCLUSIONS: Vietnamese people tend to have deeper and wider arches than Korean people. The three arch forms are evenly distributed in Korean people, but Vietnamese people frequently have square arches. Clinicians should identify the correct arch form of an ethnic group before initiating orthodontic treatment.