Fear of COVID-19 among dental students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

OBJECTIVE: To examine fear levels of COVID-19 among dental students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Participants-162 first through fourth year dental students who were enrolled at the HBCU dental school between January 27, 2021 and May 3, 2021. METHODS: Students completed an online survey that included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and information on demographic variables. RESULTS: Associations were observed between the fear of COVID-19 and the dental student's gender, ethnicity, marital status and self-rated health. Those in the highest quartile for the fear scale were less likely to be African American and more likely to be Asian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic or of Middle Eastern descent as compared to those in the lowest quartile. CONCLUSION: Dental students at an HBCU are a population particularly vulnerable to fear of COVID-19 possibly due to the high demands and mental stress of dental school.

A systematic review of splenic artery variants based on cadaveric studies.

PURPOSE: The splenic artery (SA) is the largest and most tortuous branch of the celiac trunk with a wide spectrum of variants, particularly in its terminal branches. METHODS: The current study presents a systematic review of the English literature on the SA variations, with emphasis on its terminal branching patterns. RESULTS: Thirty cadaveric studies (3132 specimens) were included in the analysis. The SA originated from the celiac trunk in 97.2%, from the abdominal aorta in 2.1% and from the superior mesenteric or the common hepatic artery in 0.7% of cases. A suprapancreatic course was observed in 77.4%, retropancreatic course in 17.8%, anteropancreatic course in 3.4% and intrapancreatic course in 1.3%. In the majority of cases, the SA bifurcated into superior and inferior lobar arteries (83.4%), with trifurcation and quadrifurcation in 11.3% and 2.7%, respectively. Five or more lobar branches (1.4%) and a single lobar artery (1.2%) were rarely identified. The distributed branching pattern was found in 72.7%, whereas the magistral pattern in 26.9%. The inferior and superior polar arteries (IPA and SPA) were found in 47.7% and 41.7% of cases, respectively, while polar artery agenesis was recorded in 28.2%. The SPA usually originated from the SA main trunk (53.6%) or from the superior lobar artery (33.1%). The IPA emanated mainly from the left gastroepiploic artery (53%), from the SA (23.5%) or the inferior lobar artery (21.9%). Intersegmental anastomoses between adjacent arterial segments were identified in 14.2%. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the SA aberrations is important for surgeons and radiologists involved in angiographic interventions.

Current criteria for return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an evidence-based literature review.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has continued to be a popular surgical option in the last decade, and frequently we have seen athletes complete successful surgical intervention and rehabilitation. Even more so, the time that it takes some athletes to return to play (RTP) has gained a lot of media attention. In light of these conditions, we set out to examine the status of research on rehabilitation protocols, tests and measures, and criteria for RTP after ACLR, especially bone-tendon-bone (BTB) procedures. An evidence-based literature review was conducted. PubMed and CINAHL database searches were performed using various combinations of the following keywords: ACL reconstruction, bone to bone graft, rehabilitation. The search was limited to systematic reviews of randomized control trials (RCT) published within the last 10 years in the English language. Ten systematic reviews were identified and nine of them were included in this review. Conflicting and inconsistent evidence exists for determining RTP criteria for athletes following ACLR. None of the systemic reviews established strong evidence for the specific qualities a patient should possess prior to returning to sport in order to minimize reinjury of the same knee or sustaining a new injury to the contralateral limb. There appears to be little consensus on what exactly should constitute RTP testing criteria following an ACLR. In addition, variance exists within the exact rehabilitation timeline and goals used to determine how ACLR rehabilitation protocols are structured. What is currently agreed upon for individuals participating in sports involving side to side/pivoting movements, ACLR is the preferred surgical procedure for returning these individuals back to their respective field of play after an ACL injury.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Hepatic Metastases of Intracranial Hemangiopericytoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Hemangiopericytoma is a rare primary tumor originating from Zimmerman's pericytes, with significant metastatic potential. Hepatic metastatic disease requires an aggressive approach by a multidisciplinary team of dedicated oncology specialists, to prolong survival in selected patients. We report on a patient with recurrent hepatic metastases of grade II intracranial hemangiopericytoma 5 years after initial treatment, managed by a stepwise combination of liver resection, radiofrequency ablation, and transarterial embolization. Although metastatic disease implies hematogenous dissemination, long-term survival after liver resection has been reported and major hepatectomies are justified in patients with adequate local control. Liver resections combined with transarterial embolization are highly recommended, due to hypervascularity of the tumor.

Peripheral arterial disease and the ankle-brachial index: what home healthcare clinicians need to know.

Registered nurses and physical therapists working in home healthcare are ideally situated to identify individuals with undiagnosed peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This article focuses on identifying PAD in the lower extremities. The purpose of this continuing education article is to assist the reader in recognizing the role of the home healthcare clinician in identifying and managing PAD. At completion of this module, participants will be able to identify key factors related to PAD, including use of the ankle-brachial index (ABI), and to identify individuals with the disease.

[Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis A infection in an HIV-infected French population]. / Prévalence et facteurs de risque de l'hépatite A au sein d'une population de patients infectés par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine.

BACKGROUND: There are common risk factors between hepatitis A virus (HAV) and human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) infections. OBJECTIVES: We tried to evaluate if HIV-infected patients could be at risk for HAV. More over, HAV could worsen prognosis of HIV infection and HAV vaccination was then to be considered. Thus we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of HAV infection in an HIV-infected population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seroprevalence and risk factors for HAV were studied among 154 HIV-positive patients followed in a Parisian hospital (mean age: 42 years, male patients: 70.8%, female patients: 29.2%). They were screened for HAV antibodies and answered a questionnaire on risk factors for HAV and means of HIV contamination. RESULTS: The global prevalence was 72.7% [IC95%: 65.7-79.7]. We excluded patients who were born in highly endemic areas where seroprevalence reached 60% [IC95%: 51.2-70]. The HAV seroprevalence was almost 100% in migrants from highly endemic countries and for those born before 1946. The multivariate analysis showed that risk factors were the geographic origin [OR=20.88; IC95%: 2.40-181], age [OR = 2.33; IC95%: 1.24-4.39], and hemophilia [OR = 13.78; IC95%: 1.34-141]. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that a screening test for HAV antibodies should be performed before vaccination, especially in HIV-infected patients born after 1946 or in non-endemic countries.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA, but also nonantibody factors, account for in vitro neutralization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 primary isolates by serum and plasma of HIV-infected patients.

The factors present in serum and plasma samples of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients that are responsible for the neutralization of four HIV type 1 (HIV-1) primary isolates in vitro have been analyzed. Purification of immunoglobulins (Ig) by affinity chromatography showed that the activities were mostly attributable to IgG and less frequently to IgA. For two samples, we have shown that the high-level and broad-spectrum inhibitory activity was essentially caused by non-Ig factors interfering with the measurement of antibody-specific neutralizing activity.