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Sfdda Newsletter Fall 2022

SFDDA Newsletter

SFDDA Newsletter includes regular columns with regional news impacting the South Florida District membership including: columns from the President and editor, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Sfdda Newsletter Summer 2022

SFDDA Newsletter

SFDDA Newsletter includes regular columns with regional news impacting the South Florida District membership including: columns from the President and editor, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Sfdda Newsletter Spring 2022

SFDDA Newsletter

SFDDA Newsletter includes regular columns with regional news impacting the South Florida District membership including: columns from the President and editor, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Dentists: Habit 5 "Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood.", Mark Limonsani

SFDDA Newsletter

Series based on Steven Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" seeks to inspire and guide readers on their journey to personal and professional excellence. This article focuses on the fifth habit of building understanding.

Medication Access And Training Expandsion (Mate) Act, Richard A. Mufson

SFDDA Newsletter

Article provides helpful answers in regards to the new eight hour CE requirement for DEA license renewal.

Sfdda Newsletter Summer 2023

SFDDA Newsletter

SFDDA Newsletter includes regular columns with regional news impacting the South Florida District membership including: columns from the President and editor, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Implementing A Sustainability Approach By Converting Plastic Bottle Waste From A Mischievous Substance To A Beneficial Material By Means Of Zero Residue Level Concept, Younus Mohammed Abed, Fatima Allawi, Shahad Mudhafar Ali, Salem Jawad Alhamd, Thekra Atta Ibrahim, Mohammed Nsaif Abbas

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Plastic waste represents a serious environmental and health hazard due to its non-biodegradability and toxic leachates. This study investigates the potential conversion of plastic waste into a sustainable raw material for producing a useful substance. This investigation focuses on repurposing PET beverage bottles—a major contributor to microplastic pollution—into high-value activated carbon (AC) for water treatment, aligning with circular economy principles. The chemical preparation method for AC using phosphoric acid as an activating agent was evaluated. Results demonstrated the successful conversion of 68% of plastic waste into AC under the following conditions: pyrolysis temperature of 700°C, pyrolysis time of 7 hours, …

Deep Neck Space Infection As A Complication Of Transesophageal Echocardiogram For Atrial Flutter Ablation, Anish K Shrestha, Naffa Faisal, Kanchana Bali, Nadine Safi, Maria E. Mesalles, Nahar Saleh

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Transesophageal echocardiography is a relatively safe procedure; however, there are rare complications associated with it. Multiple attempts during TEE can lead to injury of hypopharyngeal or parapharyngeal wall leading to an infection. Here, we describe a case of hypopharyngeal-parapharyngeal abscess resulting from multiple TEE attempts during cardioversion leading to a prolonged hospital course.

A Rare, Cephalosporin-Induced Rash: Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis, Mark A. Colantonio, Danielle Sblendorio, Elizabeth Hart, Vincent Melemai, Joshua Wiley

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis is an uncommon cause of rash, typically presenting with pustules with an erythematous base and associated skin-peeling. Frequently caused by medications, including penicillins and quinolones, cephalosporins are rarely reported as an offending agent. Here, we present a case of rare acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis secondary to recent cephalosporin use presenting to our rural healthcare facility. We aim to raise awareness of this unusual rash secondary to cephalosporin use.

First Report Of Successful Rituximab Therapy In Idiopathic Sclerosing Mesenteritis, Indira Acharya, Carey Field, Mary E. Clark

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Sclerosing mesenteritis (SM) is a rare idiopathic fibroinflammatory disorder of the bowel mesentery adipose tissue.While the use of rituximab has been documented in IgG4-related SM, its effectiveness in idiopathic, IgG4-unrelatedSM remains unknown. We present a case of idiopathic SM successfully managed with rituximab, suggesting thatthis treatment may be an option for patients who either have contraindications to or have not responded to current first-line therapies.

Walking Pneumonia - Not Always So Timid A Case Of Severe Ards Due To Fulminant Mycoplasma Pneumonia, Tharun Shyam, Momna Noor, Yan Naing Tun, Saumya Nanda, Omair Khan, Ravikaran Patti

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) most commonly presents as bronchitis or as a self-limited ‘walking’ community acquired pneumonia. A fulminant form of MPP may occur in 0.5% to 2% of patients and is characterized by rapidly progressive respiratory failure and Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Our case highlights the importance of considering fulminant MPP as a cause of ARDS, especially in the young adult and middle-aged population. We review the current literature and management principles of this rare disease with an emphasis on antibiotic stewardship and corticosteroid therapy. Further research is needed to better understand patterns of antibiotic resistance and to …

Beyond Atrial Fibrillation And Heart Failure: Ibrutinib-Induced Pericardial Effusion, Anaiya Singh, Kathryn Ruckstuhl, Viraj Panchal, Poornima Ramadas

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Ibrutinib, a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has transformed the management of various hematological malignancies. However, its association with cardiovascular toxicities, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF), hypertension, and heart failure (HF), has raised clinical concerns. Pericardial effusion, though rare, is an emerging complication warranting attention. We present the case of a 62-year-old male with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, initially treated with Bendamustine and Rituximab, which was discontinued due to significant neutropenia. Ibrutinib therapy was initiated, leading to a partial response at three months. Approximately ten months into ibrutinib treatment, the patient developed new-onset dyspnea, palpitations, and dizziness. ECG revealed AF with rapid ventricular response, …

Pasteurella Multocida Bacteremia In A Patient With Chronic Liver Disease, Jose Orsini, Vladimir Sabayev

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Pasteurella multocida is a non-spore forming gram-negative organism characterized morphologically as coccobacillus. It is frequently isolated from the nasopharynx of domestic and wild animals, and is the most common cause of soft-tissue infection in humans following bites or scratches from dogs and cats. It is easily overgrowth by other flora in the sputum and may be regularly overlook, as it resembles Haemophilus influenzae, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis. The five species that cause the majority of pasteurellosis are: multocida, septica, canis, stomatis, and dagmatis. Pasteurella multocida is infrequently encounter in clinical settings, …

A Rare Case Of Familial Hypocalciuric Hypercalcemia In Patient With Pancreatitis, Muhammad Ijaz Khan, Tanvi Jain, Muhammad Mohsin Abid, Samra Israr, Muhammad Haris Khan

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is a rare autosomal dominant condition caused by mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor gene (CASR), leading to asymptomatic hypercalcemia. Here, we report a case of hypercalcemia in a patient with acute pancreatitis, subsequently diagnosed with FHH. A 41-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and elevated pancreatic enzymes. Imaging revealed changes consistent with acute pancreatitis. Surprisingly, serum calcium was elevated, which is uncommon in acute pancreatitis. Further work-up demonstrated normal parathyroid hormone (PTH), PTH-related peptide (PTHrp), and vitamin D levels. A 24- hour urinary calcium excretion of 24 mg/24 hr and a calcium-to-creatinine clearance ratio (CCCR) of …

An Unusual Presentation Of Iga Vasculitis And Iga Nephropathy: A Case Report, Mark A. Colantonio, Nicholas Condiles, Alan P. Lim, Khaled Shawwa

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is the most common glomerulonephritis worldwide. While IgA nephropathy mainly presents with renal manifestations, systemic symptoms associated with vasculitis are uncommon. Oftentimes, creatinine is used as a serum marker for renal dysfunction; however, it may not always be sensitive, especially in patients with low muscle mass. In such cases, cystatin C may prove to be a better indicator of renal function. Here, we present a case of IgA nephropathy with a normal serum creatinine and elevated cystatin C, highlighting the utility of cystatin C in the setting of a normal creatinine and high suspicion for renal …

Hydralazine-Induced Anca-Associated Vasculitis With Lupus Nephritis Features And A Unique Antibody Profile, Mahiar Rabie, Melissa Scalise

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Drug-induced antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a condition caused by a few culprit medications, notably hydralazine. Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with this condition, its rarity makes timely diagnosis challenging. A 68 year-old female presented to her nephrologist for a routine follow up of her chronic kidney disease stage III secondary to hypertension. Routine lab work noted worsened creatinine and protein to creatinine ratios. Additionally, her hypertension became more difficult to control, and she suffered from malaise, poor appetite, joint aches/pains and lower extremity edema. Given her sudden worsening of renal function, a serologic investigation was …

Intradialytic Atrial Fibrillation With Rapid Ventricular Response From Catheter-Related Right Atrial Thrombus, Anish K. Shrestha, Sakthi Gautham, Shiavax J. Rao, Khalid K. Al-Talib, Sriram Padmanabhan

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Right atrial thrombus is a rare complication of hemodialysis catheter with an incidence of

The Diagnostic Maze: Challenges In Autoimmune Hepatitis Lab Interpretation, Tina C. L. Phan, Esther Blondeau-Lecomte, Christopher D. Jackson

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease characterized by the presence of circulating autoantibodies. The spectrum of disease manifestations extends from asymptomatic cases to mild symptoms and, in rare instances, acute liver failure. AIH is a diagnosis of exclusion, supported by the detection of autoantibodies such as anti-smooth-muscle antibody (ASMA). This case describes a 43-year-old female with myasthenia gravis, receiving monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions, who presented with persistently elevated liver enzymes and mildly elevated ASMA titers across multiple clinical encounters. A liver biopsy revealed severe acute hepatitis. While drug-induced liver injury (DILI) secondary to IVIG was initially …

Diagnostic Challenges In Concurrent Primary Biliary Cholangitis And Secondary Syphilis: A Case Report, Rakahn Haddadin, Danny Aboujamra, Emon Javadi, Humzah Iqbal, Pinak Shah, Homayon Iraninezhad

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Concurrent Secondary syphilis and Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) presenting with liver dysfunction is exceedingly rare, warranting detailed examination and documentation. Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection, and PBC, an autoimmune liver disease, rarely coexist, let alone concurrently manifesting liver complications. Our case report delves into the intricacies of such a unique presentation, highlighting the challenges in diagnosis, management, and the implications for patient care.

Pulmonary Mycobactetrium Kumamotonense With Hepatosplenic Dissemination In An Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report And Review, Michael S. Wang, Jeremiah Chang, Tiffany Whelan, Bo Liu, Katie Fitton, Jeffrey J Grondin

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

We report a 69-year-old with a past medical history of prostate cancer and arsenic poisoning, who was incidentally found to have multiple pulmonary nodules and hepatosplenic lesions on CT imaging. He denied respiratory symptoms, but was noted to have significant weight loss. A bronchoscopy revealed mycobacterium kumamotonense on culture. He was treated presumptively for pulmonary and disseminated infection with azithromycin and ethambutol for 16 months, and 12 months of rifabutin after four months of rifampin which was discontinued due to resistance. Patient’s weight loss resolved and CT imaging appeared significantly improved.

When Patients Ask Chatgpt About Statins: Clinical Implications In The Community Setting, Jayashree Ravikumar

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

No abstract for this article type.

The Role Of Sglt2 Inhibitors In Atherosclerosis: A Systematic Review, Mohammad Hamza Bin Abdul Maik, Muhammad Ibtisam, Sarah Sheikh, Muhammad Awais Bin Abdul Malik, Ayesha Ihsan, Muhammad Arham, Usman Haq, Abida Parveen

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background

Atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, involves lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, initially developed for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits beyond glycemic control. Emerging evidence suggests their potential role in slowing atherosclerosis progression and enhancing plaque stability.

Methods

A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify preclinical and clinical studies on SGLT2 inhibitors and atherosclerosis. Studies published in English up to December 2024 were screened using predefined criteria. Data on mechanisms, lipid metabolism, endothelial function, vascular inflammation, and …

Acute Kidney Injury (Aki) In Adults With Leukemia: A Nationwide Inpatient Retrospective Analysis, Barath Prashanth Sivasubramanian, Sindhu Chandra Pokhriyal, Shashvat Joshi, Diviya Bharathi Ravikumar, Viraj Panchal, Ibthisam Ismail Sharieff, Tenzin Tamdin, Madhumithaa Jagannathan, Parvathy Anitha Rajeev, Idopise Umana

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Leukemia ranks among the top three cancers in those who have Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), with an incidence of 7.5 % in hematological malignancies. Through this study, we aimed to assess the mortality of severe sepsis (SS), thrombocytopenia, and metabolic encephalopathy (MetE) in Leukemia with AKI.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis using the National Inpatient Sample (2018e2021). Adults with Leukemia primarily admitted with AKI were included, and mortality was calculated. Patients were stratified by SS, thrombocytopenia, and MetE. Propensity matching for age over 60 and gender, and multivariate regression were performed with p ≤ 0.05.

Results: Among 388,449 …

The Association Of Non-Invasive Ventilation And Mortality In Covid-19 Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Chahat Puri, Akshay Duddu, Gina Patel, Sahib Singh, Juan Negrin, Lauren Greenburg, David Vitberg, Elisabeth M. Carr

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

BACKGROUND - The COVID-19 pandemic caused a major burden on the healthcare system. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the timing of intubation in patients with COVID-19 induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remained an area of debate. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS - A single-center, retrospective cohort study of all adult patients (n=161) with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU with acute hypoxic respiratory failure were included. The group was divided into patients intubated after a trial of NIV (N=100) and patients intubated without a trial of NIV (N=61). The primary outcome was to compare the mortality rates between the two …

Mortality And Readmission Outcomes For Intensive And Conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation (Mr-Oficr) Study, Yash Bharatkumar Patel, Agara Kumar, Marianne Huebner, Mohammed El Nayir, Anupam Suneja, Frank Smith

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Cardiac rehabilitation programs are offered in two major formats: Conventional Cardiac Rehab (CCR), which is primarily based on exercise interventions, and Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR), which is a holistic approach including dietary modifications with a plant-based diet and wellness counseling. We performed a retrospective cohort study to compare the CCR and ICR groups for the primary composite outcome of Major Adverse Cardiac Event (MACE) at two years. The MACE outcome was 2-year mortality, unstable angina requiring hospitalization, Myocardial Infarction (MI), Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), and stroke. Secondary outcomes were overall mortality, and number of readmissions. …

Ownership And Perceived Usefulness Of Digital Health Tools (Dht) For Health Promotion Among Individuals With Rheumatologic Diseases In The United States, Ufuoma Nene Mamoh, Soziema Juliet Salia, Joseph Okiemute Atarere, Andrew Kamsoko Ndakotsu, Alejandro Jaller, David S. Weisman

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction: Research on digital health tools (DHT) use in RD patients is lacking.

Method: Data from the 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) were used to compare DHT ownership and perceived usefulness between individuals with and without RD and to evaluate how health applications usage influenced health behaviors in RD patients.

Results: No significant differences in smartphone or health applications ownership were found between the groups. Among RD patients, older males and those with lower incomes were less likely to use DHT. DHT users reported better communication with healthcare providers, but no significant impact on health behaviors. …

Incidence, Associated Abnormalities, And Outcomes Of Dextrocardia: A Registry-Based Study In Saudi Arabia, Naif Saad Alghasab, Bandar Alshehri, Sulaman Almesned, Hassan Harbi, Reem Alameer, Fahad Alshehri, Ahmad Alzeid, Meshari Alzhrani, Ghazi T. Almutiri, Sara Abou Al-Saud, Fahad Alobaid, Khalid S. Alnajashi, Federica Fogacci, Arrigo F.G. Cicero, Suleiman M. Kharabsheh

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Objective: The right-sided positioning of heart during embryonic development is termed dextrocardia, and it may be isolated or associated with visceral dextroposition or malformation. However, there are few studies on the condition. This study aimed to determine the incidence of cardiac and non-cardiac malformations, long-term follow-up, and survival analysis of patients with dextrocardia. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of dextrocardia cases at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from April 22, 1975, to December 31, 2016. A total of 259,246 transthoracic echocardiograms from that period were reviewed, and 357 patients were included in …

Artificial Intelligence Policies In Bioethics And Health Humanities: A Comparative Analysis Of Publishers And Journals, Christopher Bobier, Daniel Rodger, Daniel Hurst

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) pose novel ethical and practical challenges for scholarly publishing. Although AI-related policies are emerging in many disciplines, little is known about the extent and clarity of AI guidance in bioethics and health humanities journals.

METHODS: A search of publicly available journal lists from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, Health Humanities Consortium, and Association for Medical Humanities was supplemented with Google Scholar's top 20 bioethics journals ranked by h5-index. This yielded 54 unique journals, of which 50 remained after excluding those without a functional website or recent publications. AI policies were reviewed …

Wrapped In The American Flag: Liberal Activism And Queer Political Organizing Post-1940s, Sam Markley

IdeaFest

By analyzing the United States Lavender Scare and immigration policy of the 1950s, this paper attempts to shed light on how the distinction between “American” and “Un-American” remains at the center of Queer rights advocacy. The heightened fear over the survival of the nation, along with the view of Queer immigrants as threats to the nation, was used to tighten immigration restrictions. This restriction, however, is complicated by existing prejudices against racial minorities and women. Queer rights groups began to rise to prominence during this time and mobilize against claims that they were anti-American or subversive deviants, working through the …

Building Belonging Infrastructure In Cities: Arts/Culture-Based Critical Participatory Action Research And Youth, Kimberly Rae Nightingale

Dissertations and Theses

Belonging is a critical human need. Urban planning's history of bureaucratic expertise continues to champion the powerful, resulting in structures and procedures that still separate and damage city communities. This research challenges the current hegemony of urban planning that centers geography--the container of land--in its practice. Instead, centering the belonging of people to each other is the essential quality of healthy urban planning. A people-centered urban planning practice where the community's people are the experts and decision-makers of their own cities--and belonging is the primary objective--is long overdue.

Arts/culture-based critical participatory action research (PAR)--where the research questions, design, data collection, …