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Editorial: Molecular Mechanisms Of Ion Channel Activation And Modulation, Meng Cui, Miao Zhang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Ion channels are integral membrane proteins that regulate the passage of ions across cell membranes, thereby shaping processes as diverse as neuronal signaling, muscle contraction, and hormone secretion. Channel activation is typically initiated by a stimulus such as voltage, ligand binding, or mechanical stress that induces conformational changes and opens the channel pore. Beyond activation, channels are subject to fine-tuned modulation by a wide range of endogenous and exogenous agents, from lipids and neurotransmitters to pharmacological drugs. Modulators can stabilize the open, closed, or inactivated states, shift ligand affinities, or alter gating kinetics. Dissecting the structural and dynamic basis of …

Human Cerebral Organoids Model Tumor Initiation And Infiltration In An Autologous Astrocyte-Supported Setting, Esther Schickel, Tamara Bender, Leon Kaysan, Simone Hufgard, Margot Mayer, David R Grosshans, Christiane Thielemann, Insa S Schroeder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Efforts to efficiently target brain tumors are constrained by the dearth of appropriate models to study tumor behavior toward treatment approaches as well as potential side effects to the surrounding normal tissue. We established a reproducible cerebral organoid model of brain tumorigenesis in an autologous setting by overexpressing

Epac1 Deletion Attenuates Müller Glial Pathological Activation And Mitigates Retinal Neurodegeneration In Ischemia-Induced Retinopathy, Shuizhen Shi, Fan Xia, Zhongqiao Lu, Erick Palacios, Fang Mei, Massoud Motamedi, Xiaodong Cheng, Hua Liu, Wenbo Zhang

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Introduction: Ischemia-induced retinopathies, such as retinopathy of prematurity and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, are major causes of vision loss. Both pathological neovascularization and neuronal damage contribute to vision impairment in these conditions, yet current therapies primarily target neovascularization and may further compromise neuronal health.

Objectives: Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a widely recognized second messenger regulating diverse physiological and pathological processes. Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) is a recently identified effector of cAMP signaling. This study aimed to investigate the role of Epac1 in ischemia-induced retinopathy and elucidate its underlying mechanisms using a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).

Methods: …

Two Essays On Health And Health Behavior In China, Jiamin Tan

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This thesis consists of two empirical studies on elderly mental health and on health behaviors. The first study investigates the long-term impact of childhood hunger on mental health in later life, using data from two nationally representative surveys in China. The study finds that childhood hunger exposure significantly increases the risks of depression and anxiety in later life. These effects are most pronounced among individuals exposed after age 5, suggesting that autobiographical memory formation plays an important role beyond socioeconomic and health pathways. The findings further indicate these impacts can be mitigated through economic interventions, such as welfare programs, and …

Prenatal Metabolomics Analysis And Fetal Congenital Anomalies And Genetic Conditions: A Review Of Current Literature, Sarah Araji, Onur Turkoglu, Mohamad Ali Maktabi, Tracy Ashby, Ignatia B Van Den Veyver

Library Staff Publications

Fetal congenital anomalies and genetic disorders complicate 3%-5% of pregnancies and can have a significant impact on pregnancy outcomes. Precise and individualized prenatal diagnosis is crucial for effective counseling and management. The identification of new biomarkers holds promise for enhancing prenatal screening, diagnosis, and prognostic counseling in affected pregnancies. Recently, metabolomics has emerged as a potential adjunct in the interpretation of genetic variants identified through genome-wide sequencing for rare genetic conditions. To assess the potential of metabolomic profiling as a functional assay capable of providing deeper insights into the pathological processes and genetic findings associated with prenatal congenital anomalies, we …

Protocol For Non-Invasive Pulsed-Doppler Evaluation Of Blood Flow In The Mouse Ophthalmic Artery, Radwa Awad, Emil Martin, Anilkumar K Reddy, Iraida Sharina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The number of reliable and non-invasive techniques to characterize ocular blood flow is limited. Here, we present a protocol for identifying a soft tissue window in the orbital aperture using pulsed-Doppler ultrasonography to offer real-time, non-invasive blood flow velocity monitoring in the mouse ophthalmic artery. We describe steps for preparing a mouse, positioning the ultrasound probe, and acquiring and recording signals. We then detail procedures for analyzing results using a workstation equipped with Doppler flow velocity software. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sharina et al.

Blue-Shifted Ancyromonad Channelrhodopsins For Multiplex Optogenetics, Elena G Govorunova, Oleg A Sineshchekov, Hai Li, Yueyang Gou, Hongmei Chen, Shuyuan Yang, Yumei Wang, Stephen Mitchell, Alyssa Palmateer, Leonid S Brown, François St-Pierre, Mingshan Xue, John L Spudich

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Light-gated ion channels from protists (channelrhodopsins or ChRs) are optogenetic tools widely used for controlling neurons and cardiomyocytes. Multiplex optogenetic applications require spectrally separated molecules, which are difficult to engineer without disrupting channel function. Scanning numerous sequence databases, we identified three naturally blue-shifted ChRs from ancyromonads. They form a separate branch on the phylogenetic tree and contain residue motifs characteristic of anion ChRs (ACRs). However, only two conduct chloride, whereas the closely related Nutomonas longa homolog generates inward cation currents in mammalian cells under physiological conditions, significantly exceeding those by previously known tools with similar spectral maxima (peak absorption at …

1,2,4-Triazole-Based First-In-Class Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors Of The Bacterial Enzyme Mray, Tomayo Berida, Tzu-Yu Huang, Stefanie C Weck, Marcel Lutz, Samuel R Mckee, Nathalie Kagerah, Destinee L Manning, Mohamed E Jahan, Sushil Mishra, Jennifer Herrmann, Rolf Müller, Robert J Doerksen, Christina L Stallings, Christian Ducho, Sudeshna Roy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MraY is an essential bacterial enzyme for peptidoglycan synthesis in cell walls and serves as a promising but unrealized target for developing effective antibacterial drugs. Nature has provided a remarkable array of nucleoside inhibitors of MraY, and researchers have skillfully refined these structures to develop inhibitors that effectively mimic natural products. Yet, both natural products and their synthetic variants often face challenges regarding inadequate

A Day In The Life Of An Orbital And Oculoplastic Surgeon, Alexis Duffy, Ba

inSIGHT

Have you ever heard of an oculoplastic surgeon before? And if so, ever wonder what they do or how they differ from plastic surgeons? Treating the periocular region requires an in-depth understanding not only of the eye, but also its complex interplay with adjacent orbital, sinus, and craniofacial anatomy; there is much more than meets the eye! The most common pathway to become an oculoplastic surgeon includes completion of a four-year ophthalmology residency, followed by one to two years of subspecialized oculoplastic fellowship. Oculoplastic fellowships provide surgical and medical experience managing pathology of the eyelid and orbit, and different programs …

Miconazole Induces Cell Cycle Arrest And Apoptosis In Prostate Cancer Cells Via A P53-Mediated Pathway: A Drug Repurposing Strategy, Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Lindsey Shim, Rahul Tiwari, Rajasekhar Baru, Anupam Dhasmana, Ryan Chang, Sung Yun Jung, Vivek K. Kashyap, Neeraj Chauhan, Subhash Chauhan, Murali Yallapu

Research Colloquium

Aim: Repurposing of FDA-approved antifungal drugs to combat prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among men in the United States, second only to non-melanoma skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 313,780 new cases and 35,770 deaths from prostate cancer in 2025. Despite various treatments such as radiation therapy (both external beam and internal), chemotherapy, hormone therapy, cryotherapy, biological therapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound, men are monitored for side effects over many years. Therefore, new drugs and treatment strategies are urgently needed to address this challenge.

Methods: In this study, we …

Hfd Feeding For Seven Months Abolishes Sting Disruption-Driven But Not Female Sex-Based Protection Against Hepatic Steatosis And Inflammation In Mice, Xinlei Guo, Honggui Li, Bilian Zhu, Xiaoxiao Wang, Qian Xu, Eduardo A. Aquino, Minji Koo, Qingsheng Li, James Cai, Shannon Glaser, Chaodong Wu

Research Colloquium

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is positively correlated with the degrees of liver inflammation in human metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In addition, STING disruption alleviates MASLD in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 3 months (3- m-HFD). Here we investigated the role of the duration of dietary feeding in regulating MASLD in mice and explored the involvement of STING in sex differences in MASLD. Both male and female STING-disrupted (STINGgt) and wild-type C57BL/6J mice were fed an HFD for 3 or 7 months (7-m-HFD). Additionally, female STINGgt mice upon ovariectomy (OVX) and 3-m-HFD were analyzed for MASLD. …

Generation Of Functional Hepatocytes From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Daniela Gonzalez, Miriam Aceves, Lorena Guerra, Jose C. Granados, Felicia Juarez, Earl Novilla, Ana C. Leandro, Marcelo Leandro, Joanne E. Curran, John Blangero, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Satish Kumar

Research Colloquium

Background: One of the most common forms of chronic liver disease is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a condition of hepatic steatosis, excess fat accumulation in hepatocytes. It affects about 38% adults worldwide and about 50% adults in the Rio Grande Valley, and is a major risk factor for more serious nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The risk for NAFLD is likely due to a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Other metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, that have a high prevalence in the Valley, likely contribute to …

From Venom To Medicine: Harnessing Animal Toxins For Drug Discovery, Christine Vega, Ying Jia

Research Colloquium

Background: Drug development research has long focused on synthesizing novel therapeutics while overlooking isolation from naturally available sources such as animal venoms. Recently, the discovery of the therapeutic effects of highly bioavailable animal venom caused the field of venom research to soar in popularity. Animal venom serves as a natural, sophisticated tool optimized over millions of years by evolution with the ability to bind to ion channels such as nAChRs, non-specific ligand-gated ion channels distributed throughout the human nervous system. However, purifying individual venom toxins from crude venom is challenging due to its availability. Therefore, synthesizing large quantities of venom …

The South Texas Center Of Excellence In Cancer Research Core Facilities, Bianca Jimenez, Joel De Los Santos, Lindsey Shim, Iris Enriquez, Subhash Chauhan, Murali Yallapu

Research Colloquium

Background: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley-School of Medicine (UTRGV-SOM) has founded the South Texas Centre of Excellence in Cancer Research to address disproportionate cancer related health issues in the Valley. UTRGV-SOM established an Integrated Cancer Research Core (ICRC, CPRIT/UT System), Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine Core (DDNC, CPRIT), and Research Capacity (RCMI) Facilities at the UTRGV campus to provide cutting-edge technologies to support cancer research investigators of the Rio Grande Valley. The ICRC will house technologies like Flow Cytometry, CyTOF, Image Stream Flow, Droplet Digital PCR, molecular and microPET/CT imaging. Our expertise and focus on this presentation will be …

The Intersection Of Obesity And Breast Cancer In South Texas: Clinical Implications And Regional Disparities, Aura M. C. Calderon, Ivan Mogollon, Luis Salcedo, Jose Loayza, Diane Nguyen

Research Colloquium

Introduction: Breast cancer continues to be the most frequently identified malignancy among females in both Texas and the broader United States. Although South Texas presents a marginally diminished incidence rate overall, the area persists in confronting significant disparities in terms of disease burden and health outcomes. These discrepancies are particularly pronounced among Hispanic women residing in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), who encounter heightened probabilities of receiving diagnoses at advanced stages despite a lower general incidence rate. Structural inequities, such as restricted access to healthcare services, socioeconomic deprivation, and inadequate health literacy, interact with obesity-associated biological risk factors, thereby engendering …

Ethical Issues Involved In Solid Organ Xenotransplantation., Daniel J Hurst, Chris Bobier, Luz A Padilla

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Xenotransplantation (specifically, genetically modified pig-to-human transplant of organs, tissues, or cells) clinical trials are set to begin in the United States after decades of pre-clinical studies and recent decedent and compassionate use investigations. This article provides a primer on the key ethical issues attendant with this emerging therapy. We explore four central areas of concern: (i) the use of animals to meet human transplant needs, as well as their welfare since they are housed in non-natural conditions, (ii) the risk of infectious disease transfer from the porcine graft to the human recipient, known as xenozoonosis, (iii) patient selection criteria for …

A Case Study Of Long-Term Disease Burden In A Rural Community Near An Open Burn Facility, Arundhati Bakshi, Liana Baconguis, Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, Qingzhao Yu, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Stephania A. Cormier

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of explosive and hazardous wastes creates various toxic waste products, including particulate matter, that is released into the atmosphere and capable of generating significant health impacts upon exposure. The last commercially run OB/OD thermal treatment facility in operation in the United States is located near the rural community of Colfax in central Louisiana. To evaluate the community’s concerns about the potential health impacts from air pollution due to the facility’s regular open burning of explosive and hazardous wastes, we examined the disease burden in Colfax compared to the surrounding parish and state. In a …

Integrated Mirna-Mrna Analyses Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer In Black And White Patients With Or Without Obesity, Fokhrul Hossain, Martha I. Gonzalez-Ramirez, Jone Garai, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Li Li, Farzeen Nafees, Md Manirujjaman, Bolin Liu, Samarpan Majumder, Xiao Cheng Wu, Chindo Hicks, Luis Del Valle, Denise Danos, Augusto Ochoa, Lucio Miele, Jovanny Zabaleta

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer. miRNAs play an essential role in TNBC pathogenesis and prognosis. Obesity is linked with an increased risk for several cancers, including breast cancer. Obesity is also related to the dysregulation of miRNA expression in adipose tissues. However, there is limited knowledge about race- and obesity-specific differential miRNA expression in TNBC. We performed miRNA sequencing of 48 samples (24 tumor and 24 adjacent non-tumor tissues) and RNA sequencing of 24 tumors samples from Black (AA) and White (EA) TNBC patients with or without obesity. We identified 55 miRNAs exclusively …

Rapid Mapping Of Spinal And Supraspinal Connectome Via Self-Targeting Glucose-Based Carbon Dots, Yasin B. Seven, Elif S. Seven, Emel Kirbas Cilingir, Komal Parikh, Mehmet Aydin, Edward K. Luca, Jayakrishnan Nair, Roger M. Leblanc

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

The spinal cord is a highly dynamic network, playing significant roles in the vital functions of the brain. Disorders of the spinal cord, such as spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are associated with neurodegeneration, often resulting in morbidity and mortality. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a major challenge to imaging and therapeutic agents because less than 2% of small-molecule drugs and almost no large-molecule drugs can cross the BBB. Furthermore, spatial spectroscopy studies have shown highly heterogeneous BBB crossing with significant accumulation at the unintended brain regions. Thus, targeting systems that can cross the BBB at the …

Rat Somatic Genome Editing Enables Er+ Breast Cancer Modeling, Wen Bu, Tobie Lee, Meenakshi Anurag, Yunfeng Ding, Ruixin Xu, Lillian He, Alexandria Z Bu, Chandandeep Nagi, Carolina Gutierrez, Susan Hilsenbeck, Chonghui Cheng, Bing Zhang, Shixia Huang, Jianming Xu, C Kent Osborne, Arun Sreekumar, Eric Chang, Chad J Creighton, Xiang Zhang, Yi Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genetically engineered mouse models have advanced cancer research but often fail to capture key features of certain human tumors. Rats, with distinct physiology and tumor biology, offer a powerful alternative, yet their use has been constrained by technical barriers to genome editing. Here, we report efficient somatic genome editing in rats, enabling both Indel and substitution mutations. We then apply this approach to model estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, which accounts for ~70% of human cases but remains poorly represented in mice. The resulting rat tumors reproduce hallmarks of human ER+ breast cancer, including ductal histology, hormone responsiveness, and immune-microenvironmental …

Editorial: Wearable Technology: The New Ornament Of Network Physiology, Ankita Srivastava, Santosh Kumar Yadav

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Introduction: The landscape of personal health monitoring is rapidly transforming, driven by advances in wearable technology. These devices, designed to be worn comfortably on the body, can capture real-time physiological data often difficult to obtain in traditional clinical settings. What began as a simple device for activity trackers for walking steps, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation has evolved to play a crucial role in monitoring more complex physiological parameters critical for chronic disease management and preventative health.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is further expanding the potential of wearable devices, enabling deeper analysis and predictive modeling of the …

Disparities In Liver Transplantation For Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma, David W Victor, Sudha Kodali, Mazen Noureddin, Elizabeth W Brombosz, Analisa Lopez, Tamneet Basra, Edward A Graviss, Duc T Nguyen, Ashish Saharia, Ashton A Connor, Maen Abdelrahim, Yee Lee Cheah, Caroline J Simon, Mark J Hobeika, Constance M Mobley, R Mark Ghobrial

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is increasingly common, as is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the background of MASH. Liver transplantation (LT) provides superior long-term survival for patients with unresectable MASH-HCC, but not all patients have equal access to transplant. MASH-HCC disproportionately affects Hispanic patients, but minorities are less likely to undergo LT for HCC. Additionally, females also undergo LT at lower rates than males.

Aim: To investigate whether race/ethnicity and sex affect LT waitlist outcomes.

Methods: Records of adults with MASH-HCC in the United States Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database listed for LT between 1/2015 and 12/2021 were analyzed. …

Semilunar Valve Replacement With A Telescoping Arterial Trunk Valve, Edo Bedzra, Herra Javed, James E. O'Brien, Taufiek Konrad Rajab

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

A bicuspid aortic valve, from autologous tissue, with growth potential can be constructed using the simple, and reproducible telescoping arterial trunk technique.

Cetuximab Increases Lgr5 Expression And Augments Lgr5-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate Efficacy In Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Models, Peyton C High, Zhengdong Liang, Cara Guernsey-Biddle, Shraddha Subramanian, Yueh-Ming Shyu, Adela M Aldana, Yukimatsu Toh, Kendra S Carmon

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second-leading cause of cancer-associated deaths, indicating an urgent need for improved therapeutic options. We previously generated antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting the cancer stem-like cell marker leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5). However, tumor relapse due to LGR5 downregulation and suboptimal payload selection warrants strategies to improve ADC efficacy. Here, we report that cetuximab, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting monoclonal antibody indicated for RASWT metastatic CRC, augments LGR5 expression independent of RAS/PIK3CA mutation status and promotes EGFR-LGR5 interactions. Furthermore, we describe the development of LGR5 ADCs incorporating a camptothecin-derived payload that is well tolerated …

Connecting Innovation And Trust Through Translational Sciences – A Need For A Community Focus And Effective Education Strategiess, Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Michelle Borrero, Josué Pérez-Santiago, Rubén García-García, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Report of a conference held in Puerto Rico, this article highlights how interdisciplinary translational science-anchored in education, public trust, and equity-can accelerate innovation in cancer therapy while empowering underserved communities through inclusive training, collaboration, and research participation.

Efficacy And Safety Of Rigosertib In Patients With Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa-Associated Advanced/Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Martin Laimer, Andrew P. South, Elisabeth Mayr, Sophie Kitzmueller, Lauren Banner, Michael Alexander, Linda Hosler, Henry Yang, Matthew Parris, Meena Arora, Georg Zimmermann, Gregor Schweighofer-Zwink, Johann Bauer, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is an epithelial fragility disease primarily affecting the skin and is caused by variants in the COL7A1 gene. Individuals with RDEB are predisposed to develop highly aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) which are the most common cause of premature death. There is a lack of effective prevention or treatment options for patients with RDEB-SCC.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the antitumour activity and safety of the polo-like kinase-1 (PLK1) inhibitor, rigosertib, two investigator-initiated open-label, single-arm phase II studies were opened in Europe and the USA and enrolled five patients with RDEB diagnosed with locally advanced …

Wmdds Bulletin Summer 2025

West Michigan District Dental Society Bulletin

In the Summer 2025 issue, the reader will find the following feature articles:

• Dr. Colette Rumann Smiley: A Life in Dentistry, Advocacy, and Reinvention
• Mothers, Dentists, Business Owners
• An Interfaith Dental Program Update
• Pearls from Local Dentists

Also included are your monthly tripartite update, news from West Michigan counties, the President's Message and Editor's Letter.

Efficacy Of Pethidine And Tramadol In The Suppression Of Postoperative Shivering: A Comparative Study, Ahmed Jaber Ibrahim, Hussien Ibrahim Hayal, Ahmed R.Y. Al-Sawad, Shahab Abdulla, Ralela Makline

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Postoperative shivering is a common complication that can affect patient comfort and stability. Pethidine and tramadol are widely used to relieve this symptom, but their relative effectiveness and safety remain under investigation. In this randomized trial, 50 patients (aged 25–35 years) with postoperative shivering were divided into two groups: one group receiving intravenous tramadol (n = 25 patients) and one group receiving pethidine (n = 25 patients). Onset of drug action, vital signs, and side effects were systematically assessed. Pethidine had a significantly faster onset of action than tramadol (12.20 ± 0.35 min vs 7.16 ± 0.28 min, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding body temperature, heart rate, oxygen saturation, or blood pressure (P < 0.05). Side effects, such as dizziness (16% vs. 8%), nausea and vomiting (20% vs. 8%), and nausea alone (48% vs. 20%), were more common and showed a statistically significant increase in the tramadol group. Both drugs were effective in suppressing postoperative tremor, but pethidine demonstrated superior efficacy, a faster onset of action, and a better safety profile. These results confirm pethidine as the recommended choice at an intravenous dose of 0.5 mg/kg.

Reducing Stigma And Enhancing Outcomes: An Antistigma Education Program For Mental Healthcare Professionals, Chidi Oriaku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a staff education project that addressed the stigmatization of patients with mental illness (PMI) within psychiatric contexts. The project site healthcare organization’s mental health professionals had a high rate of stigmatization of PMI. Stigma is linked to poor medication adherence rates, delays in accessing healthcare, lower healthcare utilization among PMI, psychiatric morbidity and mortality, and poor quality of life. Despite recognizing this problem, the healthcare organization had no targeted antistigma interventions. I developed an antistigma education to improve outcomes. The practice-focused question was: In mental health staff, will an educational program on …

Effect Of Gingival Pigmentations And Anterior Crown Heights On Smile Attractiveness Regarding Gingival Exposure Assed By Orthodontists, Dentists, And Laypeople: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Ziad Tannoury, Marianne Moussallem, Joseph Ghoubril, Adib Kassis, Elie Khoury

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gingival pigmentations and anterior crown heights in conjunction with the maxillary gingival display on the perception of smile attractiveness assessed by orthodontists, dentists, and laypersons.

Methods: Frontal intraoral photograph of ideally aligned teeth was modified to generate 3 levels of gingival smile exposure (2 mm, 3 mm, and 4 mm) with 4 different degrees of gingival pigmentation index according to DOPI and 5 different central incisors crown heights (7.7 mm, 8.7 mm, 9.7 mm, 10.7 mm, and 11.7 mm). Attractiveness of these 24 smiles was evaluated by orthodontists …