5%). A total of 73.25% reported that price was the main barrier to the use of dental loupes. Lower back (63.5%), neck (65.25%), and shoulder (46.25%) pain were the most frequently reported areas of discomfort. There was a significant relationship (<0.05) between the use of dental loupes and lowered levels of reported discomfort in the lower back, neck, shoulders, elbows, upper back, and feet. There are few dental professionals who use dental loupes in Saudi Arabia. There was a significant relationship between dental loupes use and reduction of musculoskeletal disorders among dental students and dentists. There are few dental professionals who use dental loupes in Saudi Arabia. There was a significant relationship between dental loupes use and reduction of musculoskeletal disorders among dental students and dentists. The purpose of the study is to evaluate a user-friendly, comprehensive, fully integrated web- and mobile-based application that was specifically developed to guide learners and help them practice and train in pulpal and periapical diagnosis. The software was designed for assistance in the diagnosis of the pulpal and the periapical area. The software contained questions and tests, e.g., presence or absence of signs and symptoms, cold test, percussion, palpation, and radiographic examination that the user must answer to arrive at the final diagnosis. An electronic survey was prepared to evaluate the effectiveness, productivity, and accurateness of the software. The software and the electronic evaluation survey were sent by e-mail to dental students, endodontist, general dentists, and dental interns who study or work in four Saudi dental colleges. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 203 questionnaires were completed. Results showed that 29% of the participants were highly satisfied with the software; 40% gave a very good rating about the application satisfaction, while only 2% reported a poor degree of satisfaction with the software. Results also showed that students accurately selected the correct diagnosis but received relatively low diagnostic proficiency scores because they did not request diagnostic data in a pattern similar to experts. In conclusion, the software is promising as an effective and efficient tool for teaching and assessing the diagnostic skills of learners. In conclusion, the software is promising as an effective and efficient tool for teaching and assessing the diagnostic skills of learners.A number of factors have been cited as determinants for choosing a career in dentistry around the globe. The purpose of this study was to determine motivations for a career in dentistry among dental students and dental interns in Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study where 293 individuals participated by filling and returning self-administered questionnaires. The mean age of all respondents was 22.3 years. Overall, 59.5% of the respondents had selected dentistry as their preferred career at the end of high school. Majority (76.1%) of the respondents agreed that personal interest in dentistry was an important motivating factor for them. This was followed closely by a desire to help or serve people (74%), a desire for a flexible work schedule (63%), and an aspiration to be self-employed (61.8%). There was no difference between males and females regarding these as motivating factors. On the other hand, among factors that the respondents felt had the lowest influence on their choice of dentistry was parental influence, where only 22% of the respondents indicated that this was a motivating factor for them. Other potential motivating factors such as influence by friends and siblings (30.3%) as well as career talk and guidance (41.3%) were also ranked low. In general, the respondents indicated that they were motivated much more by personal and humanitarian factors, when compared to financial and societal factors. We performed this study to investigate the risk factors for postoperative hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection (CLND). . This was a single-center prospective study based on 176 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. . Patients were recruited between January 2016 and June 2018. . Patients who underwent bilateral (  = 155, bilateral group) and ipsilateral CLND (  = 21) after total thyroidectomy were included. The preoperative and postoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium levels were detected. The risk factors for transient hypocalcemia were identified using logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Fifty-one (28.98%) patients developed transient hypocalcemia, and 2 patients (1.14%) developed permanent hypoparathyroidism. There was no difference in the gender ratio or the morbidity of hypocalcemia between the patients who underwent bilateral and ipsilateral CLND. On postoperative day 1, PTH decrease was a risk factor for transient hypocalcemia in the whole cohort (  = 0.043, OR = 1.044, 95% CI 1.023-1.065, < 0.001), bilateral group (  = 0.042, OR = 1.043, 95% CI 1.022-1.064, < 0.001), and female patients (  = 0.049, OR = 1.050, 95% CI 1.026-1.075, < 0.001). Tumor diameter was a risk factor for transient hypocalcemia in female patients (  = 0.499, OR = 1.647, 95% CI 1.003-2.704, =0.049). The ROC curve analysis illustrated that 65.58%, 71.00%, and 71.00% PTH level reduction had high accuracy in predicting transient hypocalcemia in the whole cohort, bilateral group, and female patients, respectively (AUC = 0.986, 0.987, and 0.987). Asymptomatic female patients with bilateral CLND and a 71.00% PTH level reduction were at a high risk of transient hypocalcemia. Asymptomatic female patients with bilateral CLND and a 71.00% PTH level reduction were at a high risk of transient hypocalcemia. Serum bilirubin is an endogenous antioxidant that has protective effects against obesity-related metabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) and their relationships with insulin sensitivity in obese patients with impaired glucose regulation and type 2 diabetes mellitus (IGR/T2DM) in China. . Cohort 1 comprised obese patients (  = 71) was divided into the IGR/T2DM group (  = 38, obesity with IGR/T2DM) and control group (  = 33, obesity without IGR/T2DM). Insulin sensitivity was evaluated using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique (HEC) with glucose disposal rate (GDR, value). Cohort 2 comprised obese patients with IGR/T2DM who underwent metabolic surgery (    109) as complementary to cohort 1. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ins018-055-ism001-055.html Insulin sensitivity was evaluated with the Matsuda Index and homeostatic model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IS). In cohort 1, TBIL, DBIL, and IBIL were higher within the physiological range in the IGR/T2DM group compared with the control group; IBIL was positively correlated with value (    0.