The key research and development steps for bioactive glass (45S5 Bioglass) are documented from the date of discovery in 1969 through FDA approvals of the first dental, ENT, maxillo-facial and orthopedic clinical produ...The key research and development steps for bioactive glass (45S5 Bioglass) are documented from the date of discovery in 1969 through FDA approvals of the first dental, ENT, maxillo-facial and orthopedic clinical products. Understanding the mechanisms and quantifying the rapid surface reactions to form a bone-bonding hydroxyl-carbonate apatite (HCA) layer on the bioactive glass in contact with living bone was a vital part of the early development of this class of biomaterials. A key later discovery was enhanced osteogenesis and in situ bone regeneration by controlled release of ionic dissolution products from the bioactive glass particulates that leads to up-regulation and activation of seven families of genes, a process called osteostimulation.展开更多
Objectives: An Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinic is an integral part of any modern tertiary center outpatient department. The objective of this article is to present our experience in developing a local ele...Objectives: An Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinic is an integral part of any modern tertiary center outpatient department. The objective of this article is to present our experience in developing a local electronic Makkah Otolaryngology—Head and Neck DATABASE (MO-HND) and provide a roadmap for the development of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinics in other tertiary centers. Methods: This is a prospective audit of all patients attending our clinic over 3 months period (July to September 2014). The data were recorded using our MO-HND. Results: A total of 1178 patients were included. The mean age was 27.7 ± 6.7 years. Participants included 586 males (49.7%) and 592 females (50.3%). There were 1139 (96.6%) Saudi and 39 (3.4%) non-Saudi patients. The specialist clinic undertook most of the workload (66%). The majority of surgery bookings (94%) were carried out through a consultant clinic. Of all participants, 80% were diagnosed with general ENT conditions, 21% underwent a procedure in the clinic, and 29% required further investigations. The surgical conversion rate was 16.3%. Conclusion: Electronic DATABASES have become important tools for improving medical services. Primary and secondary level medical centers and hospitals should increase their role in alleviating pressure from tertiary and quaternary level hospitals. In turn, a model concentrated on subspecialty clinics and services should be developed.展开更多
Background: With the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant the high rate of vaccination breakthroughs showed that current vaccines against COVID-19 can no longer provide adequate protection against infection. H...Background: With the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant the high rate of vaccination breakthroughs showed that current vaccines against COVID-19 can no longer provide adequate protection against infection. However, it is still assumed that vaccination might have a positive effect on the course of the disease. In Germany, general practitioners and specialists are usually the first treatment providers for acute illnesses. In addition, patients with infections of the upper respiratory tract often primarily consult an ear, nose and throat specialist. Most of the Omicron-infected people have a mild course of the disease and, if necessary, receive medical care on an outpatient basis. Little is known about the effectiveness of corona vaccinations on Omicron infections in relation to the clinical symptoms. In our outpatient office, we recorded a sharp increase of corona positive Omicron-infections in the beginning of 2022, despite of vaccinations against COVID-19. In a retrospective analysis, we evaluated the data of our SARS-CoV-2 tested patients with regard to clinical symptoms reported and vaccination status. The focus was particularly on the question to what extent the vaccination status in the case of Omicron infections influences the symptoms of the disease. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the data of all patients in the first quarter of 2022 who were suspected for COVID-19. At that time, the Omicron variant was dominant in Germany. Clinical symptoms, cycle threshold (Ct) values, and the vaccination status were recorded. Symptomatic patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 served as a control group. Results: Of the total cohort (n = 353), 241 (68%) patients were tested SARS-CoV-2 positive. The symptoms of the corona-positive patients were essentially similar to those of a mild to moderate cold, but compared to SARS-CoV-2-negative patients (n = 69) with a clear shift in favor of fever (35% versus 16%), cough (76% versus 52%) and increased feeling of illness (59% versus 43%), respectively. Ct values revealed no difference between unvaccinated (mean 19.15;SD 3.52) and vaccinated cases (mean 18.15;SD 3.87;p = 0.272). There was no significant correlation between the vaccination status and clinical symptom score in different age groups (age 12 to 17, r (28) = 0.26, p = 0.26;age > 18 to 60, r (191) = 0.06, p = 0.378). Conclusions: According to our results with infections with the Omicron variant, there were no differences between unvaccinated and vaccinated patients concerning clinical symptoms or potential infectivity, especially in children and adolescents. This might have impact on further vaccination programs.展开更多
文摘The key research and development steps for bioactive glass (45S5 Bioglass) are documented from the date of discovery in 1969 through FDA approvals of the first dental, ENT, maxillo-facial and orthopedic clinical products. Understanding the mechanisms and quantifying the rapid surface reactions to form a bone-bonding hydroxyl-carbonate apatite (HCA) layer on the bioactive glass in contact with living bone was a vital part of the early development of this class of biomaterials. A key later discovery was enhanced osteogenesis and in situ bone regeneration by controlled release of ionic dissolution products from the bioactive glass particulates that leads to up-regulation and activation of seven families of genes, a process called osteostimulation.
文摘Objectives: An Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinic is an integral part of any modern tertiary center outpatient department. The objective of this article is to present our experience in developing a local electronic Makkah Otolaryngology—Head and Neck DATABASE (MO-HND) and provide a roadmap for the development of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery clinics in other tertiary centers. Methods: This is a prospective audit of all patients attending our clinic over 3 months period (July to September 2014). The data were recorded using our MO-HND. Results: A total of 1178 patients were included. The mean age was 27.7 ± 6.7 years. Participants included 586 males (49.7%) and 592 females (50.3%). There were 1139 (96.6%) Saudi and 39 (3.4%) non-Saudi patients. The specialist clinic undertook most of the workload (66%). The majority of surgery bookings (94%) were carried out through a consultant clinic. Of all participants, 80% were diagnosed with general ENT conditions, 21% underwent a procedure in the clinic, and 29% required further investigations. The surgical conversion rate was 16.3%. Conclusion: Electronic DATABASES have become important tools for improving medical services. Primary and secondary level medical centers and hospitals should increase their role in alleviating pressure from tertiary and quaternary level hospitals. In turn, a model concentrated on subspecialty clinics and services should be developed.
文摘Background: With the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant the high rate of vaccination breakthroughs showed that current vaccines against COVID-19 can no longer provide adequate protection against infection. However, it is still assumed that vaccination might have a positive effect on the course of the disease. In Germany, general practitioners and specialists are usually the first treatment providers for acute illnesses. In addition, patients with infections of the upper respiratory tract often primarily consult an ear, nose and throat specialist. Most of the Omicron-infected people have a mild course of the disease and, if necessary, receive medical care on an outpatient basis. Little is known about the effectiveness of corona vaccinations on Omicron infections in relation to the clinical symptoms. In our outpatient office, we recorded a sharp increase of corona positive Omicron-infections in the beginning of 2022, despite of vaccinations against COVID-19. In a retrospective analysis, we evaluated the data of our SARS-CoV-2 tested patients with regard to clinical symptoms reported and vaccination status. The focus was particularly on the question to what extent the vaccination status in the case of Omicron infections influences the symptoms of the disease. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the data of all patients in the first quarter of 2022 who were suspected for COVID-19. At that time, the Omicron variant was dominant in Germany. Clinical symptoms, cycle threshold (Ct) values, and the vaccination status were recorded. Symptomatic patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 served as a control group. Results: Of the total cohort (n = 353), 241 (68%) patients were tested SARS-CoV-2 positive. The symptoms of the corona-positive patients were essentially similar to those of a mild to moderate cold, but compared to SARS-CoV-2-negative patients (n = 69) with a clear shift in favor of fever (35% versus 16%), cough (76% versus 52%) and increased feeling of illness (59% versus 43%), respectively. Ct values revealed no difference between unvaccinated (mean 19.15;SD 3.52) and vaccinated cases (mean 18.15;SD 3.87;p = 0.272). There was no significant correlation between the vaccination status and clinical symptom score in different age groups (age 12 to 17, r (28) = 0.26, p = 0.26;age > 18 to 60, r (191) = 0.06, p = 0.378). Conclusions: According to our results with infections with the Omicron variant, there were no differences between unvaccinated and vaccinated patients concerning clinical symptoms or potential infectivity, especially in children and adolescents. This might have impact on further vaccination programs.
