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Sample records for provisional index scores

  1. DK mini-culotte stenting in the treatment of true coronary bifurcation lesions: a propensity score matching comparison with T-provisional stenting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Lin; Chen, Lianglong; Luo, Yukun; Zhang, Linlin; Zhong, Wenliang; Lin, Chaogui; Chen, Zhaoyang; Peng, Yafei; Zhen, Xingchun; Dong, Xianfeng

    2016-03-01

    The conventional culotte technique remains not to be widely used for the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions due to its inherent drawbacks. Here, we developed a double kissing mini-culotte stenting (DK mini-culotte) and assessed its efficacy and safety by a propensity score matching comparison (PSM) with T-provisional stenting. From June 2010 to June 2012, a total of 223 consecutive patients with true coronary bifurcation lesions (TCBLs) were treated with DK mini-culotte (91 patients with 92 lesions) or T-provisional stenting (132 patients with 135 lesions). We performed a PSM to correct the confounders from clinical and lesion's characteristics. The primary endpoint was cumulative major adverse cardiac event (MACE) at 1 year including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization or target lesion revascularization (TVR/TLR). The secondary endpoint was the rate of side branch (SB) restenosis at 12 months. After a PSM, there were 66 patients in each group. Additional SB stenting in the T-provisional group was performed in 10 (15.2 %) lesions. The incidence of 1-year cumulative MACE was 4.55 % for the DK mini-culotte versus 13.6 % for T-provisional stenting (P = 0.127), the rate of TVR/TLR was 1.52 % for DK mini-culotte versus 12.12 % for T-provisional stenting (P = 0.033). The SB binary restenosis rate was 5.6 % in the DK mini-culotte group and 22.4 % in the T-provisional group (P = 0.014). In summary, despite that there is no difference in MACE between groups, DK mini-culotte significantly reduce TVR/TLR and SB restenosis in the treatment of true coronary bifurcation lesions.

  2. Creating Esthetic Harmony with Nonloading, Fixed Provisional Restoration using Extracted Teeth after Immediate Implant Placement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satwalekar, Parth; Satwalekar, Tanushree; Bondugula, Vasanthi; Bhuvaneshwari, B; Harshavardhan, K V; Pasula, Kiran

    2016-04-01

    To make use of fiber-reinforced composite and the patient's own extracted teeth in fabricating a provisional restoration following immediate implant placement. Fiber-reinforced composites offer various possibilities in temporization of osseointegrating implants in the esthetic zone. In this chairside technique, the patient's own extracted teeth with fiber-reinforced composite were used to fabricate a provisional restoration after immediate implant placement. A putty index was made before extracting the teeth and placing the implants as planned. The index and crowns of the extracted teeth were used to make a nonloading, esthetic, chair-side provisional restoration after immediate implant placement. By using the patient's own teeth for pro-visionalization immediately after implant placement, acceptance is greatly enhanced.

  3. Technology and the use of acrylics for provisional dentine protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapusevska, Biljana; Dereban, Nikola; Popovska, Mirjana; Nikolovska, Julijana; Radojkova Nikolovska, Vеrа; Zabokova Bilbilova, Efka; Mijoska, Aneta

    2013-01-01

    Acrylics are compounds polymerized from monomers of acrylic, metacrylic acid or acrylonitrates. The purpose of this paper is to present the technology and use of acrylics for provisional dentine protection in the practice of dental prosthodontics. For this reason, we followed 120 clinical cases from the everyday clinical practice, divided into 4 groups of 30 patients who needed prosthetic reconstruction. The first group included cases in which we applied celluloid crowns for dentine protection, for the second group we used acrylic teeth from a set of teeth for complete dentures; in the third and fourth groups the fabrication was done with the system of an impression matrix and the acrylic resin block technique respectively. In all the examined patients, the gingival index by Silness and Loe and the vitality of the dental pulp were verified clinically, after preparation and 8 days from the placement of the provisional crown. The value for dental sensitivity measured after preparation was 2.59, and 8 days after the placement of the provisional crown it bwas 3.1. From these results we can conclude that after the 8th day from the placement of the provisional crown, there was an adaptation period, characterized by a decrease in the painful sensations. The value of the Silness and Loe gingival index measured after the preparation was 1.34, and 8 days from the placement of the provisional crown was 0.94. The results inclined us to the fact that the provisional acrylic crowns facilitated the reparation of the periodontal tissue.

  4. Predictable repair of provisional restorations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, Barry D; Cooper, Jeril R; Lazarchik, David A

    2009-01-01

    The importance of provisional restorations is often downplayed, as they are thought of by some as only "temporaries." As a result, a less-than-ideal provisional is sometimes fabricated, in part because of the additional chair time required to make provisional modifications when using traditional techniques. Additionally, in many dental practices, these provisional restorations are often fabricated by auxillary personnel who may not be as well trained in the fabrication process. Because provisionals play an important role in achieving the desired final functional and esthetic result, a high-quality provisional restoration is essential to fabricating a successful definitive restoration. This article describes a method for efficiently and predictably repairing both methacrylate and bis-acryl provisional restorations using flowable composite resin. By use of this relatively simple technique, provisional restorations can now be modified or repaired in a timely and productive manner to yield an exceptional result. Successful execution of esthetic and restorative dentistry requires attention to detail in every aspect of the case. Fabrication of high-quality provisional restorations can, at times, be challenging and time consuming. The techniques for optimizing resin provisional restorations as described in this paper are pragmatic and will enhance the delivery of dental treatment.

  5. Evaluation of a nutrient-rich food index score in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sluik, D.; Streppel, M.T.; Lee, van L.; Geelen, A.; Feskens, E.J.M.

    2015-01-01

    Nutrient-rich food (NRF) index scores are dietary quality indices based on nutrient density. We studied the design aspects involved in the development and validation of NRF index scores, using the Dutch consumption data and guidelines as an example. We evaluated fifteen NRF index scores against the

  6. Correlation of fracture index with BMD T score in postmenopausal females

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaudhary, U.J.; Osman, S.S.; Moazam, S.; Shah, S.I.A.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To find the correlation between fracture index and BMD T-score so that fracture index can be used as a predictive tool for fracture risk estimation in post menopausal females. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 396 women age 50 years and above. BMD T-score measurements using ultrasound and fracture index calculation based on the risk factor assessment were performed. Results: The study results showed that when fracture index increases BMD T-score decreased to osteoporotic range and correlation coefficient is -0.162. Conclusion: When fracture index increases, BMD T-score decreases therefore we can use fracture index as an assessment tool for predicting fracture risk in postmenopausal females. (author)

  7. Oswestry Disability Index scoring made easy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehra, A; Baker, D; Disney, S; Pynsent, P B

    2008-09-01

    Low back pain effects up to 80% of the population at some time during their active life. Questionnaires are available to help measure pain and disability. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is the most commonly used outcome measure for low back pain. The aim of this study was to see if training in completing the ODI forms improved the scoring accuracy. The last 100 ODI forms completed in a hospital's spinal clinic were reviewed retrospectively and errors in the scoring were identified. Staff members involved in scoring the questionnaire were made aware of the errors and the correct method of scoring explained. A chart was created with all possible scores to aid the staff with scoring. A prospective audit on 50 questionnaires was subsequently performed. The retrospective study showed that 33 of the 100 forms had been incorrectly scored. All questionnaires where one or more sections were not completed by the patient were incorrectly scored. A scoring chart was developed and staff training was implemented. This reduced the error rate to 14% in the prospective audit. Clinicians applying outcome measures should read the appropriate literature to ensure they understand the scoring system. Staff must then be given adequate training in the application of the questionnaires.

  8. Apparently abnormal Wechsler Memory Scale index score patterns in the normal population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrasco, Roman Marcus; Grups, Josefine; Evans, Brittney; Simco, Edward; Mittenberg, Wiley

    2015-01-01

    Interpretation of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition may involve examination of multiple memory index score contrasts and similar comparisons with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition ability indexes. Standardization sample data suggest that 15-point differences between any specific pair of index scores are relatively uncommon in normal individuals, but these base rates refer to a comparison between a single pair of indexes rather than multiple simultaneous comparisons among indexes. This study provides normative data for the occurrence of multiple index score differences calculated by using Monte Carlo simulations and validated against standardization data. Differences of 15 points between any two memory indexes or between memory and ability indexes occurred in 60% and 48% of the normative sample, respectively. Wechsler index score discrepancies are normally common and therefore not clinically meaningful when numerous such comparisons are made. Explicit prior interpretive hypotheses are necessary to reduce the number of index comparisons and associated false-positive conclusions. Monte Carlo simulation accurately predicts these false-positive rates.

  9. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1975-11-06

    The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency, as amended up to 19 September 1975 by the Board of Governors, are set forth in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency. When an individual provision of the Regulations and the Annexes thereto has been amended since their approval by the Board in 1957, this is indicated by a footnote giving the date on which the current text became effective. There is a subject index at the end of the document.

  10. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-01-01

    The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency, as amended up to 19 September 1975 by the Board of Governors, are set forth in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency. When an individual provision of the Regulations and the Annexes thereto has been amended since their approval by the Board in 1957, this is indicated by a footnote giving the date on which the current text became effective. There is a subject index at the end of the document

  11. Microleakage of Glass Ionomer-based Provisional Cement in CAD/CAM-Fabricated Interim Crowns: An in vitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farah, Ra'fat I; Al-Harethi, Naji

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study was to compare in vitro the marginal microleakage of glass ionomer-based provisional cement with resin-based provisional cement and zinc oxide non-eugenol (ZONE) provisional cement in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)-fabricated interim restorations. Fifteen intact human premolars were prepared in a standardized manner for complete coverage of crown restorations. Interim crowns for the prepared teeth were then fabricated using CAD/CAM, and the specimens were randomized into three groups of provisional cementing agents (n = 5 each): Glass ionomer-based provisional cement (GC Fuji TEMP LT™), bisphenol-A-glycidyldimethacrylate (Bis-GMA)/ triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) resin-based cement (UltraTemp® REZ), and ZONE cement (TempBond NE). After 24 hours of storage in distilled water at 37°C, the specimens were thermocycled and then stored again for 24 hours in distilled water at room temperature. Next, the specimens were placed in freshly prepared 2% aqueous methylene blue dye for 24 hours and then embedded in autopolymerizing acrylic resin blocks and sectioned in buccolingual and mesiodistal directions to assess dye penetration using a stereomicroscope. The results were statistically analyzed using a nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Dunn's post hoc test with a Bonferroni correction test was used to compute multiple pairwise comparisons that identified differences among groups; the level of significance was set at p provisional cement demonstrated the lowest microleakage scores, which were statistically different from those of the glass ionomer-based provisional cement and the ZONE cement. The provisional cementing agents exhibited different sealing abilities. The Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resin-based provisional cement exhibited the most effective favorable sealing properties against dye penetration compared with the glass ionomer-based provisional cement and conventional ZONE cement. Newly introduced glass

  12. Provisional Restorations – A Permanent Problem?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keys, William F; Keirby, Naomi; Ricketts, David N J

    2016-12-01

    Provisional restorations play an important role when providing indirect restorations. There are a number of materials and techniques available for their construction. Careful planning and construction can protect the prepared tooth surface, improve the periodontal condition and help plan for the definitive restoration. A good provisional restoration can save time, money and effort. Clinical relevance: Provisional restoration construction is an integral part of the indirect restorative process for inlays, onlays, crowns and bridges.

  13. Sequential provisional implant prosthodontics therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinner, Ira D; Markovits, Stanley; Jansen, Curtis E; Reid, Patrick E; Schnader, Yale E; Shapiro, Herbert J

    2012-01-01

    The fabrication and long-term use of first- and second-stage provisional implant prostheses is critical to create a favorable prognosis for function and esthetics of a fixed-implant supported prosthesis. The fixed metal and acrylic resin cemented first-stage prosthesis, as reviewed in Part I, is needed for prevention of adjacent and opposing tooth movement, pressure on the implant site as well as protection to avoid micromovement of the freshly placed implant body. The second-stage prosthesis, reviewed in Part II, should be used following implant uncovering and abutment installation. The patient wears this provisional prosthesis until maturation of the bone and healing of soft tissues. The second-stage provisional prosthesis is also a fail-safe mechanism for possible early implant failures and also can be used with late failures and/or for the necessity to repair the definitive prosthesis. In addition, the screw-retained provisional prosthesis is used if and when an implant requires removal or other implants are to be placed as in a sequential approach. The creation and use of both first- and second-stage provisional prostheses involve a restorative dentist, dental technician, surgeon, and patient to work as a team. If the dentist alone cannot do diagnosis and treatment planning, surgery, and laboratory techniques, he or she needs help by employing the expertise of a surgeon and a laboratory technician. This team approach is essential for optimum results.

  14. Provisional crown failures in dental school predoctoral clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyde, Jeffrey D; Bader, James A; Shugars, Daniel A

    2007-11-01

    Following a preliminary study indicating that at least 10 percent of single-unit crown temporary restorations failed in patients who received treatment by predoctoral students, a comprehensive examination of provisional crown failure was initiated to identify strategies to reduce the failure rate. For all provisionalized, natural tooth, single-unit crown preparations in University of North Carolina School of Dentistry predoctoral clinics for one year (N=1008), we noted tooth type, type of crown, student level, faculty coverage experience, treatment clinic, temporary material and luting agent, and retreatment (failure) of the provisional restoration. For failures, we also noted the stage of crown preparation at failure and the time since initial placement of the temporary. We analyzed these data using simple cross-tabs and logistic regression on need for retreatment (alpha =0.05). The failure rate was 18.75 percent (N=189). The median time to failure was twelve days; the 25(th) and 75(th) percentiles were six and twenty-six days. Significant risk factors, in order of odds ratio estimates, were molar tooth, second- or third-year student, and inexperienced faculty. Most provisional failures occurred during the final preparation phase of treatment. Provisional restoration failure is more frequent than was initially suspected from preliminary studies. Strategies for institutional intervention to reduce provisional restoration failure include greater attention to evaluating provisional crowns placed by inexperienced students (sophomores and juniors) and placing more emphasis on the retentiveness of provisional restorations reused following the final impression. Review of provisional evaluation procedures is also indicated for faculty who do not routinely supervise these procedures.

  15. 42 CFR 431.710 - Provisional licenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Licensing Nursing Home Administrators § 431.710 Provisional licenses. To fill a position of nursing home... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Provisional licenses. 431.710 Section 431.710 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...

  16. Comparison of 4 established DASH diet indexes: examining associations of index scores and colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Paige E; Cross, Amanda J; Subar, Amy F; Krebs-Smith, Susan M; Park, Yikyung; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany; Hollenbeck, Albert; Reedy, Jill

    2013-09-01

    Multiple diet indexes have been developed to capture the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and examine relations with health outcomes but have not been compared within the same study population to our knowledge. We compared 4 established DASH indexes and examined associations with colorectal cancer. Scores were generated from a food-frequency questionnaire in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study (n = 491,841). Separate indexes defined by Dixon (7 food groups, saturated fat, and alcohol), Mellen (9 nutrients), Fung (7 food groups and sodium), and Günther (8 food groups) were used. HRs and 95% CIs for colorectal cancer were generated by using Cox proportional hazard models. From 1995 through 2006, 6752 incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained. In men, higher scores were associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence by comparing highest to lowest quintiles for all indexes as follows: Dixon (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.87), Mellen (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.86), Fung (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.83), and Günther (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.90). Higher scores in women were inversely associated with colorectal cancer incidence by using methods defined by Mellen (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91), Fung (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), and Günther (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73.0.97) but not Dixon (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.28). The consistency in findings, particularly in men, suggests that all indexes capture an underlying construct inherent in the DASH dietary pattern, although the specific index used can affect results.

  17. Comparative evaluation of marginal leakage of provisional crowns cemented with different temporary luting cements: In vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, Sheen Juneja; Arora, Aman; Upadhyaya, Viram; Jain, Shilpi

    2016-01-01

    As, the longevity of provisional restorations is related to, a perfect adaptation and a strong, long-term union between restoration and teeth structures, therefore, evaluation of marginal leakage of provisional restorative materials luted with cements using the standardized procedures is essential. To compare the marginal leakage of the provisional crowns fabricated from Autopolymerizing acrylic resin crowns and bisphenol A-glycidyl dimethacrylate (BIS-GMA) resin crowns. To compare the marginal leakage of the provisional crowns fabricated from autopolymerizing acrylic resin crowns and BIS-GMA resin crowns cemented with different temporary luting cements. To compare the marginal leakage of the provisional crowns fabricated from autopolymerizing acrylic resin (SC-10) crowns cemented with different temporary luting cements. To compare the marginal leakage of the provisional crowns fabricated from BIS-GMA resin crowns (Protemp 4) cemented with different temporary luting cements. Freshly extracted 60 maxillary premolars of approximately similar dimensions were mounted in dental plaster. Tooth reduction with shoulder margin was planned to use a customized handpiece-holding jig. Provisional crowns were prepared using the wax pattern fabricated from computer aided designing/computer aided manufacturing milling machine following the tooth preparation. Sixty provisional crowns were made, thirty each of SC-10 and Protemp 4 and were then cemented with three different luting cements. Specimens were thermocycled, submerged in a 2% methylene blue solution, then sectioned and observed under a stereomicroscope for the evaluation of marginal microleakage. A five-level scale was used to score dye penetration in the tooth/cement interface and the results of this study was analyzed using the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test and the results were statistically significant P provisional crowns cemented with three different luting cements along the axial walls of

  18. Provisional materials: advances lead to extensive options for clinicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comisi, John C

    2015-01-01

    The progression of provisional materials to bis-acrylics has lead to such improvements as easier handling, improved compressive and tensile strength, less water sorption, and less shrinkage. The end-result is more options for clinicians for high-quality chairside provisional restorations. Newer provisional materials are easy to manipulate and bring increased comfort to the patient. This review of current products affirms that the choices of provisional materials available for the dental professional today are quite extensive and have advanced the quality of interim restorations.

  19. Florida creativity index scores, conservatism, and openness in 268 U.S. regions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCann, Stewart J H

    2011-02-01

    This study assessed whether Florida's Creativity Index (2002) scores for 268 U.S. regions were related to levels of conservatism and openness in the states in which the regions were situated. State conservatism was measured as the percentage voting for Bush in 2000. State openness z scores were taken from a survey of 619,397 residents (Rentfrow, Gosling, & Potter, 2008). Creativity scores correlated negatively with conservatism (r = -.22) and positively with openness (r = .23). Regression showed that the two predictors accounted jointly (7%) and separately for significant variance in the Creativity Index. The findings contribute evidence for the construct validity of Florida's composite Creativity Index and some, albeit moderate to weak, support of the Rentfrow, et al. conclusion that state-aggregated openness reflects the unconventionality, tolerance, and creativity of a state.

  20. Techniques of Fabrication of Provisional Restoration: An Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. M. Regish

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A properly fabricated provisional restoration is important in achieving a successful indirect restoration. The importance of provisional restorations as an integral part of fixed prosthodontic treatment is evident from the abundance of the literature pertaining to their importance regarding margin fidelity, function, occlusion, and esthetics. There are a variety of techniques available to suit the individual needs of the clinician and of the clinical situation, from a single unit to a complete-arch provisional fixed prostheses.

  1. Comparison of 4 established DASH diet indexes: examining associations of index scores and colorectal cancer123

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cross, Amanda J; Subar, Amy F; Krebs-Smith, Susan M; Park, Yikyung; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany; Hollenbeck, Albert; Reedy, Jill

    2013-01-01

    Background: Multiple diet indexes have been developed to capture the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and examine relations with health outcomes but have not been compared within the same study population to our knowledge. Objective: We compared 4 established DASH indexes and examined associations with colorectal cancer. Design: Scores were generated from a food-frequency questionnaire in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study (n = 491,841). Separate indexes defined by Dixon (7 food groups, saturated fat, and alcohol), Mellen (9 nutrients), Fung (7 food groups and sodium), and Günther (8 food groups) were used. HRs and 95% CIs for colorectal cancer were generated by using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: From 1995 through 2006, 6752 incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained. In men, higher scores were associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence by comparing highest to lowest quintiles for all indexes as follows: Dixon (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.87), Mellen (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.86), Fung (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.83), and Günther (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.90). Higher scores in women were inversely associated with colorectal cancer incidence by using methods defined by Mellen (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91), Fung (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), and Günther (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73.0.97) but not Dixon (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.28). Conclusion: The consistency in findings, particularly in men, suggests that all indexes capture an underlying construct inherent in the DASH dietary pattern, although the specific index used can affect results. PMID:23864539

  2. Validation of a new prognostic index score for disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinoma

    OpenAIRE

    Toh, C-K; Heng, D; Ong, Y-K; Leong, S-S; Wee, J; Tan, E-H

    2005-01-01

    Patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma have variable survival outcomes. We previously designed a scoring system to better prognosticate these patients. Here, we report results on validation of this new prognostic index score in a separate cohort of patients. Clinical features and laboratory parameters were examined in 172 patients with univariate and multivariate analyses and a numerical score was derived for each independent prognostic variable. Significant independent prognostic ...

  3. Effect of provisional cements on shear bond strength of porcelain laminate veneers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altintas, Subutay Han; Tak, Onjen; Secilmis, Asli; Usumez, Aslihan

    2011-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of three provisional cements and two cleaning techniques on the final bond strength of porcelain laminate veneers. The occlusal third of the crowns of forty molar teeth were sectioned and embedded in autopolymerizing acrylic resin. Dentin surfaces were polished and specimens were randomly divided into four groups (n=10). Provisional restorations were fabricated and two provisional restorations were cemented onto each tooth. Restorations were fixed with one of three different provisional cements: eugenol-free provisional cement (Cavex), calcium hydroxide (Dycal), and light-cured provisional cement (Tempond Clear). Provisional restorations were removed with either a dental explorer and air-water spray, or a cleaning bur (Opticlean). In the control group, provisional restorations were not used on the surfaces of specimens. IPS Empress 2 ceramic discs were luted with a dual-cured resin cement (Panavia F). Shear bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey's HSD and Dunnett tests. Surfaces were examined by scanning electronic microscopy. Significant differences were found between the control group and both the light-cured provisional cement groups and the eugenol-free provisional cement-cleaning bur group (Pprovisional cement showed the lowest bond strength values. Selection of the provisional cement is an important factor in the ultimate bond strength of the final restoration. Calcium hydroxide provisional cement and cleaning with a dental explorer are advisable.

  4. The provisional ACR/EULAR definition of remission in RA : a comment on the patient global assessment criterion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeer, Marloes; Kuper, Hillechiena H.; van der Bijl, Arie E.; Baan, Henriette; Posthumus, Marcel D.; Brus, Herman L. M.; van Riel, Piet L. C. M.; van de Laar, Mart A. F. J.

    Objectives. The provisional ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) definition of remission in RA requires a score of 41 on the patient global assessment (PGA, 0-10 scale). We explored the relation between the PGA criterion and the patient's clinical disease state in an observational dataset.

  5. Occlusal wear of provisional implant-supported restorations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santing, Hendrik J; Kleverlaan, Cornelis J; Werner, Arie; Feilzer, Albert J; Raghoebar, Gerry M; Meijer, Henny J A

    2015-02-01

    Implant-supported provisional restorations should be resistant to occlusal wear. The purpose of this laboratory study was to evaluate three-body wear of three indirect laboratory composite resins, five chair side bis-acryl resin-based materials, and two chair side methacrylate-based materials used to fabricate provisional implant-supported restorations. The materials were handled and cured according to the manufacturers' instructions. The three-body wear was measured 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after curing using the ACTA wear device. Wear rate decreased significantly after 8 weeks compared with the first day for all tested materials, except for Estenia C&B. The three-body wear of two indirect laboratory composite resins, that is, Estenia C&B and Solidex, was significantly less compared with all other tested materials used for fabricating provisional implant-supported restorations. Of the chair side materials, the wear rate of Protemp Crown Paste was significantly less compared with the others materials used to fabricate chair side provisional implant-supported restorations. The methacrylate-based materials, Temdent Classic and Trim, showed extreme high wear rates. Based on the results of this laboratory study on long-term wear, the use of indirect composite resin is preferred over chair side methacrylate-based materials when the provisional implant-supported restoration has to be in service for a long period of time. Of the investigated materials, only Estenia C&B and Solidex showed wear rate comparable with posterior resin composites. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. The provisional ACR/EULAR definition of remission in RA: a comment on the patient global assessment criterion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeer, M.; Kuper, Hillechina H.; van der Bijl, Arie E.; Baan, H.; Posthumus, Marcel D.; Brus, Herman L.M.; van Riel, Piet L.C.M.; van de Laar, Mart A F J

    2012-01-01

    Objectives. The provisional ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) definition of remission in RA requires a score of ≤1 on the patient global assessment (PGA, 0–10 scale). We explored the relation between the PGA criterion and the patient's clinical disease state in an observational dataset.

  7. A scoring system for ascertainment of incident stroke; the Risk Index Score (RISc).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass-Hout, T A; Moyé, L A; Smith, M A; Morgenstern, L B

    2006-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a computer-based statistical algorithm that could be translated into a simple scoring system in order to ascertain incident stroke cases using hospital admission medical records data. The Risk Index Score (RISc) algorithm was developed using data collected prospectively by the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project, 2000. The validity of RISc was evaluated by estimating the concordance of scoring system stroke ascertainment to stroke ascertainment by physician and/or abstractor review of hospital admission records. RISc was developed on 1718 randomly selected patients (training set) and then statistically validated on an independent sample of 858 patients (validation set). A multivariable logistic model was used to develop RISc and subsequently evaluated by goodness-of-fit and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. The higher the value of RISc, the higher the patient's risk of potential stroke. The study showed RISc was well calibrated and discriminated those who had potential stroke from those that did not on initial screening. In this study we developed and validated a rapid, easy, efficient, and accurate method to ascertain incident stroke cases from routine hospital admission records for epidemiologic investigations. Validation of this scoring system was achieved statistically; however, clinical validation in a community hospital setting is warranted.

  8. Immediate functional loading of provisional implants in the reconstructed atrophic maxilla: preliminary results of a prospective study after 6 months of loading with a provisional bridge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenssen, O; Barbier, L; De Clercq, C

    2011-09-01

    Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of atrophic maxillae remains a challenging problem. The aim of this paper is to describe a novel treatment for functional rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla and to discuss preliminary results of this treatment protocol. A prospective pilot study was carried out in 10 patients who underwent bony reconstruction of atrophic maxillae under general anaesthesia, with autologous calvarial bone grafts and simultaneous placement of six provisional implants. The provisional implants were loaded with a provisional acrylic bridge 1 day after surgery. After 6 months, the provisional implants were removed and final implants were placed under local anaesthesia, again in an immediate loading concept with a provisional bridge, followed by a final bridge after another 6 months of healing. The bone grafts integrated well in all 10 patients without infectious complications. The prosthetic survival of the provisional bridge at the time of placing the implants was 100%. All final implants could be placed and immediately loaded with a second provisional bridge. Patient satisfaction was high due to limited postoperative inconvenience and immediate fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. The preliminary results of this pilot study demonstrate that this treatment protocol is a well tolerated treatment for patients with maxillary atrophy desiring dental rehabilitation. Copyright © 2011 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Is there a relation between priapism occurring after penile doppler ultrasonography and international erectile function index score and erection hardness score levels?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sönmez, Mehmet Giray; Öztürk, Ahmet

    2017-12-01

    The relation between Erection Hardness Score (EHS) and The International Erectile Function Index (IIEF) Questionnaire- Erectile Function Domain Score (IIEF-EF score) used in erectile dysfunction (ED) evaluation and the prevalence of priapism after penile Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) was examined in this study. A total of 62 patients who had PDU were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups; there were 33 patients in IIEF-EF score ≤10, EHS 10, EHS ≥2 group (Group 2). The two groups separated according to their scores were compared for age, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of priapism, vascular comorbidities and duration of erection. When compared to Group 2, median age, rate of vascular comorbidities rate and BMI were detected to be higher in Group 1 with IIEF-EF score ≤10 and EHS 10 and EHS ≥2 (p<0.001, p=0.027, p=0.049 respectively). High IIEF-EF and EHS scores, younger ages and lower rates of vascular comorbidities in patients from whom PDU was demanded increase the prevalence of priapism.

  10. WAIS-III index score profiles in the Canadian standardization sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Rael T

    2007-01-01

    Representative index score profiles were examined in the Canadian standardization sample of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III). The identification of profile patterns was based on the methodology proposed by Lange, Iverson, Senior, and Chelune (2002) that aims to maximize the influence of profile shape and minimize the influence of profile magnitude on the cluster solution. A two-step cluster analysis procedure was used (i.e., hierarchical and k-means analyses). Cluster analysis of the four index scores (i.e., Verbal Comprehension [VCI], Perceptual Organization [POI], Working Memory [WMI], Processing Speed [PSI]) identified six profiles in this sample. Profiles were differentiated by pattern of performance and were primarily characterized as (a) high VCI/POI, low WMI/PSI, (b) low VCI/POI, high WMI/PSI, (c) high PSI, (d) low PSI, (e) high VCI/WMI, low POI/PSI, and (f) low VCI, high POI. These profiles are potentially useful for determining whether a patient's WAIS-III performance is unusual in a normal population.

  11. 19 CFR 210.58 - Provisional acceptance of the motion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Provisional acceptance of the motion. 210.58 Section 210.58 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.58 Provisional acceptance of...

  12. The effect of provisional restoration type on micromovement of implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holst, Stefan; Geiselhoeringer, Hans; Wichmann, Manfred; Holst, Alexandra Ioana

    2008-09-01

    The osseointegration or fibrous encapsulation of immediately loaded dental implants depends largely on the extent of implant micromovement. The impact of acrylic resin or metal-reinforced acrylic resin provisional restorations on this movement is currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to isolate and measure the effect of provisional restoration type on the vertical displacement of adjacent implants under load at 2 locations. Vertical loads ranging from 10-200 N were applied to polymethyl methacrylate resin (n=56) or metal-reinforced acrylic resin provisional restorations (n=56) supported by 4 implants inserted into homogenous artificial bone in a "u-shaped" alignment. Provisional restorations were first loaded in the anterior segment where the provisional restoration was supported by a mesial and distal implant, followed by loading on an extension 8 mm distal to the last implant. Vertical displacement of the 2 implants nearest the load application was measured and recorded using an optical image correlation technique based on photogrammetric principles. Data were subjected to a nonparametric multivariate analysis (generalized Wilcoxon test) and a Mann-Whitney test with a 2-tailed P value (alpha=.05). There was no significant difference in the vertical implant displacement of the 2 provisional restoration groups when they were loaded in the anterior segment. However, when loads were applied to the distal cantilever, metal reinforcement resulted in less vertical displacement of the next-to-last implant. The mean vertical displacement of the next-to-last implant when supporting an acrylic resin provisional restoration increased from 20 microm +/-3 microm (pooled loads of 10-50 N) to 130 microm +/-21 microm (pooled loads of 160-200 N), while the vertical displacement of the implant when retaining a metal-reinforced acrylic resin provisional restoration increased from 10 microm +/-2 microm to 69 microm +/-13 microm under the same loads (Pprovisional

  13. Bacterial adhesion of porphyromonas gingivalis on provisional fixed prosthetic materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Zortuk

    2010-01-01

    Conclusion : The quantity of bacterial adhesion and surface roughness differed among the assessed provisional fixed prosthodontic materials. The light-polymerized provisional material Revotek LC had rougher surface and more bacterial adhesion compared with the others.

  14. Index admission laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis restores Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Hongyan; Chan, Esther Ern-Hwei; Lingam, Pravin; Lee, Jingwen; Woon, Winston Wei Liang; Low, Jee Keem; Shelat, Vishal G

    2018-02-01

    Previous studies have evaluated quality of life (QoL) in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for cholelithiasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate QoL after index admission LC in patients diagnosed with acute cholecystitis (AC) using the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire. Patients ≥21 years admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore for AC and who underwent index admission LC between February 2015 and January 2016 were evaluated using the GIQLI questionnaire preoperatively and 30 days postoperatively. A total of 51 patients (26 males, 25 females) with a mean age of 60 years (24-86 years) were included. Median duration of abdominal pain at presentation was 2 days (1-21 days). 45% of patients had existing comorbidities, with diabetes mellitus being most common (33%). 31% were classified as mild AC, 59% as moderate and 10% as severe AC according to Tokyo Guideline 2013 (TG13) criteria. Post-operative complications were observed in 8 patients, including retained common bile duct stone (n=1), wound infection (n=2), bile leakage (n=2), intra-abdominal collection (n=1) and atrial fibrillation (n=2). 86% patients were well at 30 days follow-up and were discharged. A significant improvement in GIQLI score was observed postoperatively, with mean total GIQLI score increasing from 106.0±16.9 (101.7-112.1) to 120.4±18.0 (114.8-125.9) ( p <0.001). Significant improvements were also observed in GIQLI subgroups of gastrointestinal symptoms, physical status, emotional status and social function status. Index admission LC restores QoL in patients with AC as measured by GIQLI questionnaire.

  15. In vitro color stability of provisional restorative materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalali, Hamid; Dorriz, Hassan; Hoseinkhezri, Farzaneh; Emadian Razavi, S F

    2012-01-01

    Discoloration of provisional restorations can result in esthetic problems which are critically important in, for example, anterior areas and may compromise the acceptability of the restoration. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tea on provisional restorative materials. This study was designed to measure the degree of color change of three acrylic resin provisional materials, before and after immersion in artificial saliva and artificial saliva-tea solution for 2 and 4 weeks. Three types of acrylic provisional materials (duralay, tempron, acropars TRP), were studied. Twenty disks (20 ± 0.1 mm by 2 ± 0.05 mm) were fabricated from each material. Specimens were polished with acrylic bur using pumice and diamond polishing paste. Base line color was measured using a spectrophotometer. Ten disks were stored in artificial saliva and 10 were stored in a solution of artificial saliva and tea at room temperature. Color measurements were made after 2 and 4 weeks of immersion. Differences in color changes were compared by two way ANOVA, across the six groups, followed by a Turkey-Kramer's multiple comparison test. For specimens immersed in artificial saliva, the color change of methyl methacrylate materials; duralay (ΔE=4.94) and tempron (ΔE=6.54), was significantly more than butyl methacrylate material; acropars (ΔE=4.10). After immersion in an artificial saliva- tea solution, tempron exhibited less color change (ΔE=8.50) compared to duralay (ΔE=10.93) and acropars (ΔE=15.64). Color stability of methyl methacrylate is higher than butyl methacrylates so if provisional materials are used for extended periods of time; tempron is preferred.

  16. Retrospective study investigating the clinical success of two provisional implant systems

    OpenAIRE

    Hotz, Nadine

    2011-01-01

    The use of dental implants allows a reliable stabilisation of prosthesis. Usually, definitive implants can´t be used for fixation of prosthesis during their healing period. Therefore, in many cases it is not possible to follow the demand of patients of an immediate loading of definitive implants to avoid a unfixed dental prosthesis. This is one domain of provisional dental implants. The present study of two provisional implant systems approves the benefit of provisional implants during...

  17. Provisional matrix: A role for versican and hyaluronan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wight, Thomas N

    2017-07-01

    Hyaluronan and versican are extracellular matrix (ECM) components that are enriched in the provisional matrices that form during the early stages of development and disease. These two molecules interact to create pericellular "coats" and "open space" that facilitate cell sorting, proliferation, migration, and survival. Such complexes also impact the recruitment of leukocytes during development and in the early stages of disease. Once thought to be inert components of the ECM that help hold cells together, it is now quite clear that they play important roles in controlling cell phenotype, shaping tissue response to injury and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Conversion of hyaluronan-/versican-enriched provisional matrix to collagen-rich matrix is a "hallmark" of tissue fibrosis. Targeting the hyaluronan and versican content of provisional matrices in a variety of diseases including, cardiovascular disease and cancer, is becoming an attractive strategy for intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Immediate provisionalization in the esthetic zone: 1-year interim results from a prospective single-cohort multicenter study evaluating 3.0-mm-diameter tapered implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolinski, Martin; Hess, Pablo; Leziy, Sonia; Friberg, Bertil; Bellucci, Gionata; Trisciuoglio, Davide; Wagner, Wilfried; Moergel, Maximilian; Pozzi, Alessandro; Wiltfang, Jörg; Behrens, Eleonore; Zechner, Werner; Vasak, Christoph; Weigl, Paul

    2018-07-01

    The aim of this interim analysis of a 5-year prospective multicenter study is to evaluate clinical and radiological performance of immediately provisionalized 3.0-mm-diameter tapered implants. Patients needing implant rehabilitation of maxillary lateral incisors or mandibular lateral and central incisors were treated with 3.0-mm-diameter implants placed in extraction or healed sites and immediately provisionalized. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at implant insertion, 6 months thereafter, and are ongoing. Marginal bone levels and changes, complications, the papilla, plaque, and bleeding indices, and the pink esthetic score (PES) were evaluated at each follow-up visit. Of 112 enrolled patients, 77 patients (91 implants) met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-one patients with 82 implants completed the 1-year follow-up. Three implants failed yielding a CSR of 96.7%. All failures occurred within the first 3 months after implant insertion. Marginal bone level changes from insertion to 6 months was - 0.57 ± 1.30 mm (n = 75) and from insertion to 12 months - 0.25 ± 1.38 mm (n = 72). Fifteen non-serious complications were recorded. Papilla index score and PES improved at the 1-year follow-up. Plaque formation and bleeding-on-probing showed no statistically significant differences between the 6-month and the 1-year visit. This 1-year analysis demonstrated high survival, stable bone levels, and healthy soft tissue with 3.0-mm-diameter implants. Narrow diameter implants are a safe and predictable treatment option in patients with limited bone volume and/or limited interdental space and eligible for immediate loading protocols.

  19. Health care index score and risk of death following tuberculosis diagnosis in HIV-positive patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Podlekareva, D N; Grint, D; Post, F A

    2013-01-01

    To assess health care utilisation for patients co-infected with TB and HIV (TB-HIV), and to develop a weighted health care index (HCI) score based on commonly used interventions and compare it with patient outcome.......To assess health care utilisation for patients co-infected with TB and HIV (TB-HIV), and to develop a weighted health care index (HCI) score based on commonly used interventions and compare it with patient outcome....

  20. Comparison of WAIS-III Short Forms for Measuring Index and Full-Scale Scores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girard, Todd A.; Axelrod, Bradley N.; Wilkins, Leanne K.

    2010-01-01

    This investigation assessed the ability of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) short forms to estimate both index and IQ scores in a large, mixed clinical sample (N = 809). More specifically, a commonly used modification of Ward's seven-subtest short form (SF7-A), a recently proposed index-based SF7-C and eight-subtest…

  1. CORRELATION OF MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION SCALE (MPAS SCORE WITH CRANIOVERTEBRAL ANGLE, SCAPULAR INDEX AND BECKS DEPRESSION INVENTORY SCORE IN YOUNG ADULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rupali Salvi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Mobile phone usage has become increasingly common in today’s youth. Its heavy use often leads to an addiction. Dependency on these devices could lead to postural dysfunctions as well as produce an adverse effect on psychology. Hence, this study is done to correlate mobile addiction with the craniovertebral angle, scapular index and Beck’s depression inventory score in young adults. Methods: An observational study was performed on 100 subjects out of which 51 were males and 49 were females in the age group of 18- 25 years who were pursuing their graduation and post-graduation courses. Mobile Phone Addiction Scale was used to determine the level of addiction. Craniovertebral angle, Scapular Index, and Beck’s Depression Inventory score were measured. Correlation of Mobile Phone Addiction Scale score with the above-mentioned parameters was done using GraphPad Instat Version 3.10 (Pearson correlation coefficient and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: Mobile phone addiction was found low in 27%, moderate in 30% and high in 43% participants. There is significant correlation of mobile phone addiction scale score with Craniovertebral angle (r = -0.6470, p = <0.0001, Scapular Index (r = -0.4370, p = < 0.001 and Beck’s depression Inventory score (r = 0.3172, p = 0.0013. Conclusion: This study shows that mobile phone addiction is common amongst the youth and it contributes to considerable stresses on neck and shoulder. It could even cause unfavorable repercussion on an individual’s psychological status, such as depression. Hence, it is important to create awareness amongst the youth and take preventive measures for the same.

  2. VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This data contains provisional counts for drug overdose deaths based on a current flow of mortality data in the National Vital Statistics System. National...

  3. Effect of Provisional Cements on Shear Bond Strength of Porcelain Laminate Veneers

    OpenAIRE

    Altintas, Subutay Han; Tak, Onjen; Secilmis, Asli; Usumez, Aslihan

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of three provisional cements and two cleaning techniques on the final bond strength of porcelain laminate veneers. Methods: The occlusal third of the crowns of forty molar teeth were sectioned and embedded in autopolymerizing acrylic resin. Dentin surfaces were polished and specimens were randomly divided into four groups (n=10). Provisional restorations were fabricated and two provisional restorations were cemented onto each to...

  4. The provisional matrix: setting the stage for tissue repair outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, Thomas H; Engler, Adam J

    2017-07-01

    Since its conceptualization in the 1980s, the provisional matrix has often been characterized as a simple fibrin-containing scaffold for wound healing that supports the nascent blood clot and is functionally distinct from the basement membrane. However subsequent advances have shown that this matrix is far from passive, with distinct compositional differences as the wound matures, and providing an active role for wound remodeling. Here we review the stages of this matrix, provide an update on the state of our understanding of provisional matrix, and present some of the outstanding issues related to the provisional matrix, its components, and their assembly and use in vivo. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Provisional prostheses during ridge augmentation and implant dentistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livada, Rania; Hottel, Timothy L; Shiloah, Jacob

    2013-01-01

    Recent advancements in ridge augmentation and bone regeneration have expanded the pool of patients that could benefit from dental implants. However, providing the patient with a temporary prosthesis during the wound healing phase without impairing the process is a challenging task. This article summarizes available information pertaining to provisional prostheses, both tooth-supported and soft tissue-supported, that may meet the patient needs. The advantages and disadvantages of each class of prosthesis, along with indications and contraindications, were taken into consideration to aid the restorative dentist in choosing the optimal provisional for their patients.

  6. In vitro color stability of provisional restorative materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Jalali

    2012-01-01

    Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tea on provisional restorative materials. Setting and Design: This study was designed to measure the degree of color change of three acrylic resin provisional materials, before and after immersion in artificial saliva and artificial saliva-tea solution for 2 and 4 weeks. Materials and Methods : Three types of acrylic provisional materials (duralay, tempron, acropars TRP, were studied. Twenty disks (20±0.1 mm by 2±0.05 mm were fabricated from each material. Specimens were polished with acrylic bur using pumice and diamond polishing paste. Base line color was measured using a spectrophotometer. Ten disks were stored in artificial saliva and 10 were stored in a solution of artificial saliva and tea at room temperature. Color measurements were made after 2 and 4 weeks of immersion. Statistical analysis used: Differences in color changes were compared by two way ANOVA, across the six groups, followed by a Turkey-Kramer′s multiple comparison test. Results: For specimens immersed in artificial saliva, the color change of methyl methacrylate materials; duralay (ΔE=4.94 and tempron (ΔE=6.54, was significantly more than butyl methacrylate material; acropars (ΔE=4.10. After immersion in an artificial saliva- tea solution, tempron exhibited less color change (ΔE=8.50 compared to duralay (ΔE=10.93 and acropars (ΔE=15.64. Conclusion: Color stability of methyl methacrylate is higher than butyl methacrylates so if provisional materials are used for extended periods of time; tempron is preferred.

  7. The Impact of an Academic Integrity Module and Turnitin® on Similarity Index Scores of Undergraduate Student Papers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballard, Iva B.

    2013-01-01

    In this quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design study, the impact of an academic integrity module and Turnitin® on undergraduate student similarity index scores was investigated. Similarity index scores were used to measure suggested plagiarism rates of student papers. A purposive sample consisting of 96 undergraduate education students enrolled…

  8. An indirect technique for assuring simplicity and marginal integrity of provisional restorations during full mouth rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Jabbari, Youssef S; Al-Rasheed, Abdulaziz; Smith, Jesse W; Iacopino, Anthony M

    2013-01-01

    Full mouth rehabilitation with fixed prosthodontics can be a time- and labor-intensive process. The use of provisional restorations allows the treating clinician to determine the functional and esthetic requirements of the definitive prostheses. However, in the case of full mouth rehabilitation, the individual preparation of provisional restorations for multiple teeth may complicate the provisional phase and increase the treatment time. This article describes a method to simplify the indirect fabrication of provisional restorations for full mouth reconstruction. Provisional restorations may be easily achieved by splinting the provisional restorations in sextants, trimming them according to red pencil marks around the prepared margins as guidelines, and fitting them in the laboratory, utilizing a second set of solid casts for the prepared teeth.

  9. Radiosurgery for brain metastases: a score index for predicting prognosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weltman, Eduardo; Salvajoli, Joao Victor; Brandt, Reynaldo Andre; Morais Hanriot, Rodrigo de; Prisco, Flavio Eduardo; Cruz, Jose Carlos; Oliveira Borges, Sandra Regina de; Wajsbrot, Dalia Ballas

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze a prognostic score index for patients with brain metastases submitted to stereotactic radiosurgery (the Score Index for Radiosurgery in Brain Metastases [SIR]). Methods and Materials: Actuarial survival of 65 brain metastases patients treated with radiosurgery between July 1993 and December 1997 was retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors included age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), extracranial disease status, number of brain lesions, largest brain lesion volume, lesions site, and receiving or not whole brain irradiation. The SIR was obtained through summation of the previously noted first five prognostic factors. Kaplan-Meier actuarial survival curves for all prognostic factors, SIR, and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) (RTOG prognostic score) were calculated. Survival curves of subsets were compared by log-rank test. Application of the Cox model was utilized to identify any correlation between prognostic factors, prognostic scores, and survival. Results: Median overall survival from radiosurgery was 6.8 months. Utilizing univariate analysis, extracranial disease status, KPS, number of brain lesions, largest brain lesion volume, RPA, and SIR were significantly correlated with prognosis. Median survival for the RPA classes 1, 2, and 3 was 20.19 months, 7.75 months, and 3.38 months respectively (p = 0.0131). Median survival for patients, grouped under SIR from 1 to 3, 4 to 7, and 8 to 10, was 2.91 months, 7.00 months, and 31.38 months respectively (p = 0.0001). Using the Cox model, extracranial disease status and KPS demonstrated significant correlation with prognosis (p 0.0001 and 0.0004 respectively). Multivariate analysis also demonstrated significance for SIR and RPA when tested individually (p = 0.0001 and 0.0040 respectively). Applying the Cox Model to both SIR and RPA, only SIR reached independent significance (p = 0.0004). Conclusions: Systemic disease status, KPS, SIR, and RPA are reliable prognostic factors for patients

  10. Production of a Fixed Provisional Restoration Using an Acrylic Denture: Technique and Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocaagaoglu, Hasan

    2015-07-01

    The damage or loss of anterior teeth causes a negative impact on the patient in many ways. In adolescents and young patients, the provisional replacement with artificial teeth may minimize this impact. Many approaches have been described for provisional restorations. This article discusses about a chairside fixed provisional restoration technique that was adjusted into the edentulous area of a 15-year-old girl.

  11. Accuracy of shock index versus ABC score to predict need for massive transfusion in trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroll, Rebecca; Swift, David; Tatum, Danielle; Couch, Stuart; Heaney, Jiselle B; Llado-Farrulla, Monica; Zucker, Shana; Gill, Frances; Brown, Griffin; Buffin, Nicholas; Duchesne, Juan

    2018-01-01

    Various scoring systems have been developed to predict need for massive transfusion in traumatically injured patients. Assessments of Blood Consumption (ABC) score and Shock Index (SI) have been shown to be reliable predictors for Massive Transfusion Protocol (MTP) activation. However, no study has directly compared these two scoring systems to determine which is a better predictor for MTP activation. The primary objective was to determine whether ABC or SI better predicted the need for MTP in adult trauma patients with severe hemorrhage. This was a retrospective cohort study which included all injured patients who were trauma activations between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 at an urban Level I trauma center. Patients ABC and SI were calculated for each patient. MTP was defined as need for >10 units PRBC transfusion within 24h of emergency department arrival. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were used to evaluate scoring systems' ability to predict effective MTP utilization. A total of 645 patients had complete data for analysis. Shock Index ≥1 had sensitivity of 67.7% (95% CI 49.5%-82.6%) and specificity of 81.3% (95% CI 78.0%-84.3%) for predicting MTP, and ABC score ≥2 had sensitivity of 47.0% (95% CI 29.8%-64.9%) and specificity of 89.8% (95% CI 87.2%-92.1%). AUROC analyses showed SI to be the strongest predictor followed by ABC score with AUROC values of 0.83 and 0.74, respectively. SI had a significantly greater sensitivity (P=0.035), but a significantly weaker specificity (PABC score. ABC score and Shock Index can both be used to predict need for massive transfusion in trauma patients, however SI is more sensitive and requires less technical skill than ABC score. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Why Summary Comorbidity Measures Such As the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Elixhauser Score Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Steven R; Wong, Yu-Ning; Uzzo, Robert G; Beck, J Robert; Egleston, Brian L

    2015-09-01

    Comorbidity adjustment is an important component of health services research and clinical prognosis. When adjusting for comorbidities in statistical models, researchers can include comorbidities individually or through the use of summary measures such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index or Elixhauser score. We examined the conditions under which individual versus summary measures are most appropriate. We provide an analytic proof of the utility of comorbidity summary measures when used in place of individual comorbidities. We compared the use of the Charlson and Elixhauser scores versus individual comorbidities in prognostic models using a SEER-Medicare data example. We examined the ability of summary comorbidity measures to adjust for confounding using simulations. We devised a mathematical proof that found that the comorbidity summary measures are appropriate prognostic or adjustment mechanisms in survival analyses. Once one knows the comorbidity score, no other information about the comorbidity variables used to create the score is generally needed. Our data example and simulations largely confirmed this finding. Summary comorbidity measures, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Elixhauser scores, are commonly used for clinical prognosis and comorbidity adjustment. We have provided a theoretical justification that validates the use of such scores under many conditions. Our simulations generally confirm the utility of the summary comorbidity measures as substitutes for use of the individual comorbidity variables in health services research. One caveat is that a summary measure may only be as good as the variables used to create it.

  13. The use of definitive implant abutments for the fabrication of provisional crowns: a case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilhan, Hakan; Geckili, Onur; Mumcu, Emre

    2011-10-01

    The anterior region is a challenge for most clinicians to achieve optimal esthetics with dental implants. The provisional crown is a key factor in the success of obtaining pink esthetics around restorations with single implants, by soft tissue and inter-proximal papilla shaping. Provisional abutments bring additional costs and make the treatment more expensive. Since one of the aims of the clinician is to reduce costs and find more economic ways to raise patient satisfaction, this paper describes a practical method for chair-side fabrication of non-occlusal loaded provisional crowns used by the authors for several years successfully. Twenty two patients (9 males, 13 females; mean age, 36,72 years) with one missing anterior tooth were treated by using the presented method. Metal definitive abutments instead of provisional abutments were used and provisional crowns were fabricated on the definitive abutments for all of the patients. The marginal fit was finished on a laboratory analogue and temporarily cemented to the abutments. The marginal adaptation of the crowns was evaluated radiographically. The patients were all satisfied with the final appearance and no complications occurred until the implants were loaded with permanent restorations. The use of the definitive abutments for provisional crowns instead of provisional abutments reduces the costs and the same results can be obtained.

  14. Bacterial Adhesion of Porphyromonas Gingivalis on Provisional Fixed Prosthetic Materials

    OpenAIRE

    Zortuk, Mustafa; Kesim, Servet; Kaya, Esma; Özbilge, Hatice; Kiliç, Kerem; Çölgeçen, Özlem

    2010-01-01

    Background: When provisional restorations are worn for long term period, the adhesion of bacteria becomes a primary factor in the development of periodontal diseases. The aims of this study were to evaluate the surface roughness and bacterial adhesion of four different provisional fixed prosthodon-tic materials. Methods: Ten cylindrical specimens were prepared from bis-acrylic composites (PreVISION CB and Protemp 3 Garant), a light-polymerized composite (Revotek LC), and a polymethyl metha...

  15. Gingival recontouring by provisional implant restoration for optimal emergence profile: report of two cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Mee-Kyoung; Jang, Hyun-Seon

    2011-12-01

    The emergence profile concept of an implant restoration is one of the most important factors for the esthetics and health of peri-implant soft tissue. This paper reports on two cases of gingival recontouring by the fabrication of a provisional implant restoration to produce an optimal emergence profile of a definitive implant restoration. After the second surgery, a preliminary impression was taken to make a soft tissue working cast. A provisional crown was fabricated on the model. The soft tissue around the implant fixture on the model was trimmed with a laboratory scalpel to produce the scalloped gingival form. Light curing composite resin was added to fill the space between the provisional crown base and trimmed gingiva. After 4 to 6 weeks, the final impression was taken to make a definitive implant restoration, where the soft tissue and tooth form were in harmony with the adjacent tooth. At the first insertion of the provisional restoration, gum bleaching revealed gingival pressure. Four to six weeks after placing the provisional restoration, the gum reformed with harmony between the peri-implant gingiva and adjacent dentition. Gingival recontouring with a provisional implant restoration is a non-surgical and non-procedure-sensitive method. The implant restoration with the optimal emergence profile is expected to provide superior esthetic and functional results.

  16. Comparative in vitro evaluation of CAD/CAM vs conventional provisional crowns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adil Othman ABDULLAH

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective This study compared the marginal gap, internal fit, fracture strength, and mode of fracture of CAD/CAM provisional crowns with that of direct provisional crowns. Material and Methods An upper right first premolar phantom tooth was prepared for full ceramic crown following tooth preparation guidelines. The materials tested were: VITA CAD-Temp®, Polyetheretherketone “PEEK”, Telio CAD-Temp, and Protemp™4 (control group. The crowns were divided into four groups (n=10, Group1: VITA CAD-Temp®, Group 2: PEEK, Group 3: Telio CAD-Temp, and Group 4: Protemp™4. Each crown was investigated for marginal and internal fit, fracture strength, and mode of fracture. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism software version 6.0. Results The average marginal gap was: VITA CAD-Temp® 60.61 (±9.99 µm, PEEK 46.75 (±8.26 µm, Telio CAD-Temp 56.10 (±5.65 µm, and Protemp™4 193.07(±35.96 µm (P0.05. Conclusions CAD/CAM fabricated provisional crowns demonstrated superior fit and better strength than direct provisional crowns.

  17. The BRICS (Bronchiectasis Radiologically Indexed CT Score): A Multicenter Study Score for Use in Idiopathic and Postinfective Bronchiectasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedi, Pallavi; Chalmers, James D; Goeminne, Pieter C; Mai, Cindy; Saravanamuthu, Pira; Velu, Prasad Palani; Cartlidge, Manjit K; Loebinger, Michael R; Jacob, Joe; Kamal, Faisal; Schembri, Nicola; Aliberti, Stefano; Hill, Uta; Harrison, Mike; Johnson, Christopher; Screaton, Nicholas; Haworth, Charles; Polverino, Eva; Rosales, Edmundo; Torres, Antoni; Benegas, Michael N; Rossi, Adriano G; Patel, Dilip; Hill, Adam T

    2018-05-01

    The goal of this study was to develop a simplified radiological score that could assess clinical disease severity in bronchiectasis. The Bronchiectasis Radiologically Indexed CT Score (BRICS) was devised based on a multivariable analysis of the Bhalla score and its ability in predicting clinical parameters of severity. The score was then externally validated in six centers in 302 patients. A total of 184 high-resolution CT scans were scored for the validation cohort. In a multiple logistic regression model, disease severity markers significantly associated with the Bhalla score were percent predicted FEV 1 , sputum purulence, and exacerbations requiring hospital admission. Components of the Bhalla score that were significantly associated with the disease severity markers were bronchial dilatation and number of bronchopulmonary segments with emphysema. The BRICS was developed with these two parameters. The receiver operating-characteristic curve values for BRICS in the derivation cohort were 0.79 for percent predicted FEV 1 , 0.71 for sputum purulence, and 0.75 for hospital admissions per year; these values were 0.81, 0.70, and 0.70, respectively, in the validation cohort. Sputum free neutrophil elastase activity was significantly elevated in the group with emphysema on CT imaging. A simplified CT scoring system can be used as an adjunct to clinical parameters to predict disease severity in patients with idiopathic and postinfective bronchiectasis. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Technique for making full-coverage provisional restorations on teeth with insufficient clinical crowns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feinberg, Edward

    2010-11-01

    Provisional restorations fabricated with copper bands are tremendous practice builders, eliminating the sensitivity, recurrent decay and poor retention that are common with conventional temporary restorations. The copper-band provisional restoration is the ideal choice when conventional butt-joint temporary restorations are unsuitable. The technique for making this restoration is demonstrated in this article with a step-by-step "how-to" description. An analysis of the basic principles and theories behind the success of the copper band provisional restoration is also presented, as well as a discussion of the restoration's advantages and disadvantages.

  19. 75 FR 26939 - Target Corporation: Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-13

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 09-C0037] Target Corporation: Provisional...(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with Target Corporation..., Target Corporation (``Target '') and the staff (``Staff '') of the United States Consumer Product Safety...

  20. Can transient elastography, Fib-4, Forns Index, and Lok Score predict esophageal varices in HCV-related cirrhotic patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Eman M; Omran, Dalia A; El Beshlawey, Mohamad L; Abdo, Mahmoud; El Askary, Ahmad

    2014-02-01

    Gastroesophageal varices are present in approximately 50% of patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate liver stiffness measurement (LSM), Fib-4, Forns Index and Lok Score as noninvasive predictors of esophageal varices (EV). This prospective study included 65 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. All patients underwent routine laboratory tests, transient elastograhy (TE) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score were calculated. The diagnostic performances of these methods were assessed using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and receiver operating characteristic curves. All predictors (LSM, FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score) demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the presence and the grade of EV. TE could diagnose EV at a cutoff value of 18.2kPa. Fib-4, Forns Index, and Lok Score could diagnose EV at cutoff values of 2.8, 6.61 and 0.63, respectively. For prediction of large varices (grade 2, 3), LSM showed the highest accuracy (80%) with a cutoff of 22.4kPa and AUROC of 0.801. Its sensitivity was 84%, specificity 72%, PPV 84% and NPV 72%. The diagnostic accuracies of FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score were 70%, 70% and76%, respectively, at cutoffs of 3.3, 6.9 and 0.7, respectively. For diagnosis of large esophageal varices, adding TE to each of the other diagnostic indices (serum fibrosis scores) increased their sensitivities with little decrease in their specificities. Moreover, this combination decreased the LR- in all tests. Noninvasive predictors can restrict endoscopic screening. This is very important as non invasiveness is now a major goal in hepatology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.

  1. VSRR - Quarterly provisional estimates for infant mortality

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Provisional estimates of infant mortality (deaths of infants under 1 year per 1,000 live births), neonatal mortality (deaths of infants aged 0-27 days per 1,000 live...

  2. VSRR - Quarterly provisional estimates for selected birth indicators

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Provisional estimates of selected reproductive indicators. Estimates are presented for: general fertility rates, age-specific birth rates, total and low risk...

  3. Immediate implant placement and provisional crown fabrication after a minimally invasive extraction of a peg-shaped maxillary lateral incisor: a clinical report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turkyilmaz, Ilser; Suarez, Jose Carlos; Company, Andrea M

    2009-09-01

    The aim of this case report is to describe the replacement of a maxillary peg-shaped lateral incisor with the placement of an immediate implant and a provisional restoration following a minimally invasive extraction to preserve anterior esthetics. Extraction sites in the anterior maxilla can present restorative challenges with regard to esthetics. Resistance to wearing a temporary removable partial denture during healing makes immediate implant therapy an appealing alternative to patients. Implant placement into fresh extraction sockets using no flap elevation has recently become more popular due to some advantages including less bleeding, swelling, and the preservation of existing soft tissue contours. A 20-year-old woman with a peg-shaped maxillary left lateral incisor was treated using an implant placed into the fresh extraction socket using a flapless approach and immediate provisional crown fabrication. Flapless implant placement helps to preserve site morphology by protecting and supporting existing hard and soft tissues while minimizing surgical trauma to the adjacent tissues. Using a previously fabricated acrylic index, a provisional acrylic crown was fabricated on the adjusted temporary abutment and delivered to the patient the same day during the extraction visit. This report describes the diagnosis and treatment of an over-prepared peg-shaped maxillary left lateral incisor associated with multiple crown decementations. The tooth was extracted without flap elevation and an implant was inserted immediately using flapless surgery and placement of an immediate provisional single crown. Flapless implant insertion into fresh extraction sockets and placement of immediate provisional crowns in cases involving the maxillary anterior region represent a viable treatment option in appropriate clinical situations where esthetics are a high priority. The strategy preserves optimum gingival contours and papillary height may be a viable option compared to fixed partial

  4. Role of bedside index for severity of acute pancreatitis (bisap score in predicting outcome in acute pancreatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahnawaz Bashir Bhat

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the role of Bedside index for severity of acute pancreatitis (BISAP score in predicting the outcome of acute pancreatitis. Methods: This single hospital based prospective study included fifty patients of acute pancreatitis admitted within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, who were divided into two groups according to admission BISAP score. BISAP score 3 (severe acute pancreatitis. The ability of BISAP score to predict mortality, morbidity and hospital stay in acute pancreatitis patients was analyzed. Results: A BISAP score of >3 was associated with increased risk of development of transient organ failure, persistent organ failure and pancreatic necrosis (Statistically significant. Mortality in group with BISAP and #8805;3 was 23.5% (4 patients which was statistically higher than group with BISAP score and #706;3 (0 patients (p=0.019.The mean duration of hospital stay of patients in group with BISAP score < 3 was 7.58 +/- 4.04 days and in group with BISAP score and #8805;3 was 15.35 +/- 1.66.(p=0.02. Conclusion: Bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP score, at admission is an excellent score in predicting the mortality, morbidity and hospital stay and hence management protocol in patients admitted with acute pancreatitis. [J Contemp Med 2015; 5(4.000: 215-220

  5. Gait Deviation Index, Gait Profile Score and Gait Variable Score in children with spastic cerebral palsy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Helle Mätzke; Nielsen, Dennis Brandborg; Pedersen, Niels Wisbech

    2015-01-01

    Abstract The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and Gait Profile Score (GPS) are the most used summary measures of gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the reliability and agreement of these indices have not been investigated, limiting their clinimetric quality for research and clinical...... to good reliability with ICCs of 0.4–0.7. The agreement for the GDI and the logarithmically transformed GPS, in terms of the standard error of measurement as a percentage of the grand mean (SEM%) varied from 4.1 to 6.7%, whilst the smallest detectable change in percent (SDC%) ranged from 11.3 to 18...

  6. Spiritual well-being and quality of life among Icelanders receiving palliative care: data from Icelandic pilot-testing of a provisional measure of spiritual well-being from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asgeirsdottir, G H; Sigurdardottir, V; Gunnarsdottir, S; Sigurbjörnsson, E; Traustadottir, R; Kelly, E; Young, T; Vivat, B

    2017-03-01

    Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life (QoL). This study examined the feasibility of the Icelandic version of a provisional European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) measure of spiritual well-being (SWB), and explored the relationship between SWB and QoL for palliative care patients in Iceland. Instruments from the EORTC were used: the provisional measure of SWB, which was undergoing pilot-testing in Iceland, and the EORTC QLQ C15-PAL. The correlation between scores was examined and descriptive statistics were used. Structured interviews explored feasibility. Thirty persons participated with average age 72 years. Belief in God or a higher power had the mean 3.33 on a 1-4 scale and the mean for overall SWB was 5.73 on a 1-7 scale. The mean score for global health/QoL was 59.4, physical functioning 48.5 and emotional functioning 78.9 on a 0-100 scale. Overall QoL was positively correlated with SWB showing r(30) = 0.386, P = 0.035. The participants found that answering the provisional EORTC QLQ-SWB prompted an emotional response and took the opportunity to discuss the subject. The provisional SWB measure was found relevant for the Icelandic context, and the study indicates that SWB and QoL are closely connected. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Occlusal wear of provisional implant-supported restorations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santing, Hendrik J.; Kleverlaan, Cornelis J.; Werner, Arie; Feilzer, Albert J.; Raghoebar, Gerry M.; Meijer, Henny J. A.

    BACKGROUND: Implant-supported provisional restorations should be resistant to occlusal wear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this laboratory study was to evaluate three-body wear of three indirect laboratory composite resins, five chair side bis-acryl resin-based materials, and two chair side

  8. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Acrolein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  9. Alleviating gizzard erosion with Hepasan ® - Provisional ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register. DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT Subscription or Fee Access. Alleviating gizzard erosion with Hepasan® - Provisional Communication. K Boa-Amponsem, A Osei-Somuah. Full Text:.

  10. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Aluminum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  11. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Lewisite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  12. White-nose syndrome and wing damage index scores among summer bats in the northeastern United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francl, Karen E; Sparks, Dale W; Brack, Virgil; Timpone, John

    2011-01-01

    White-nose syndrome (WNS) adversely affects millions of bats hibernating in caves of the eastern United States. Beginning in 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service supported use of a wing damage index (WDI) scoring system (scale of 0 to 3, or no damage to severe) to assess wing damage of bats captured during summer. Based on bat captures at 459 mist net sites in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, USA, we questioned whether WDI scores varied by species group, date, and distance to the closest known affected hibernaculum. We also compared relative health (body mass index [BMI] scores) to WDI scores. Of 3,419 bats (nine species), only four individuals (0.1%; little brown [Myotis lucifugus] and northern bats [Myotis septentrionalis]) were scored as a 3 and 47 (1.4%; big brown [Eptesicus fuscus], little brown, and northern bats) as a 2. All tree bats (eastern red [Lasiurus borealis], hoary [Lasiurus cinereus], and silver-haired bats [Lasionycteris noctivagans]) scored a 0 or 1, suggesting that these species were not affected by WNS. The average WDI score decreased as summer progressed, although trends were weak. Average WDI score and number of bats with class 2 and 3 damage increased with proximity to a known WNS-positive hibernaculum. Similarly, the number of bats with severe wing damage (scoring 2 or 3) was greater at sites closer to infected hibernacula, but little variance was explained by the trend. When species-specific BMI was examined, trends were consistent by sex (female BMI scores were higher than those of males), but no relationship was discovered between BMI and WDI scores. We conclude that, at this larger geographic scale, WDI is not a clear indicator of bat health.

  13. Etiology, clinical profile, severity and outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis bisap and CT severity index [CTSI] scores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bezwada Srinivasa Rao, Matta SreeVani, V.Sarat Chandra

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas with involvement of regional tissues or remote organ systems and with potentially devastating consequences. Early prediction of outcome of acute pancreatitis within 24 hrs by clinically based bed Side Index of Severity of Acute Pancreatitis [BISAP] Score and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] later on being useful in initiation of early treatment, assessing severity, to prevent morbidity and mortality. In those who survive, it can progress to chronic pancreatitis resulting in malabsorption and permanent diabetes. Aim: The aim was to study aetiology, clinical profile, severity, outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to BISAP Score and CTSI. Materials and Methods: This was an observational and prospective study. The present study enrolled 55 patients who were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis and patients with chronic pancreatitis were excluded from the study. Vital data like pulse rate, blood Pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, conscious level using Glasgow coma scale, serum amylase, lipase, Chest x-ray, US abdomen and CT abdomen [both CECT & NCCT] were done. BISAP Score was obtained at the time of presentation or within 24 hours of presentation and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] was calculated using the Balthazar grading system and Necrosis Scoring system to assess the severity, morbidity and mortality. The results: In this study, the most common aetiology being alcohol intake followed by gall stones. BISAP Score 3 had organ dysfunction and Score 4 had 100% mortality. The relation between CTSI score and Organ dysfunction showed increased organic dysfunction and higher mortality with higher CTSI Scores. p value < 0.0001 was calculated using Pearson Chi-square test and found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: Both BISAP and CTSI scores had positive correlation with morbidity and mortality.

  14. 45 CFR 264.70 - What makes a State eligible to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... provisional payment of contingency funds? 264.70 Section 264.70 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public... Contingency Fund? § 264.70 What makes a State eligible to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds? (a) In order to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds, a State must: (1) Be a needy...

  15. Increasing Immunization Compliance by Reducing Provisional Admittance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Wendy S.; Varni, Susan E.; Barry, Sara E.; Frankowski, Barbara L.; Harder, Valerie S.

    2016-01-01

    Students in Vermont with incomplete or undocumented immunization status are provisionally admitted to schools and historically had a calendar year to resolve their immunization status. The process of resolving these students' immunization status was challenging for school nurses. We conducted a school-based quality improvement effort to increase…

  16. Effects of surface treatment and artificial aging on the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to four different provisional restorations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Jabbari, Youssef S; Al Taweel, Sara M; Al Rifaiy, Mohammed; Alqahtani, Mohammed Q; Koutsoukis, Theodoros; Zinelis, Spiros

    2014-07-01

    To evaluate the combined effects of material type, surface treatment, and thermocycling on the bond strength of orthodontic brackets to materials used for the fabrication of provisional crowns. Four materials were included in this study (ProTemp, Trim Plus, Trim II, and Superpont C+B). Sixty cylindrical specimens (1 × 3 cm) were prepared from each material and equally divided into three groups. The first group was ground with silica carbide paper, the second was polished with pumice, and the last group was sandblasted with 50-µm aluminum oxide particles. Stainless-steel maxillary central incisor brackets (Victory Series, 3M) were bonded to the provisional material specimens with Transbond XT light-cured composite resin, and half of the specimens from each group were thermocycled 500 times in 5°C and 55°C water baths. Then the brackets were debonded with shear testing, and the results were statistically analyzed by three-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple-comparison tests at α  =  0.05. Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) was also identified. Before and after thermocycling, ProTemp materials showed the highest shear bond strength with orthodontic brackets (10.3 and 13.1 MPa, respectively). The statistical analysis indicated an interaction among the three independent variables (P < .05) and statistically significant differences in bond strength among provisional materials (P < .001), surface treatments (P < .001), and thermocycling (P < .05). According to the ARI, most groups demonstrated adhesive failure. The provisional material type, surface treatment, and artificial aging have a significant effect on bond strength. Sandblasting treatment exerts a beneficial effect on shear bond strength.

  17. Validation of the Abdominal Pain Index using a revised scoring method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laird, Kelsey T; Sherman, Amanda L; Smith, Craig A; Walker, Lynn S

    2015-06-01

    Evaluate the psychometric properties of child- and parent-report versions of the four-item Abdominal Pain Index (API) in children with functional abdominal pain (FAP) and healthy controls, using a revised scoring method that facilitates comparisons of scores across samples and time. Pediatric patients aged 8-18 years with FAP and controls completed the API at baseline (N = 1,967); a subset of their parents (N = 290) completed the API regarding the child's pain. Subsets of patients completed follow-up assessments at 2 weeks (N = 231), 3 months (N = 330), and 6 months (N = 107). Subsets of both patients (N = 389) and healthy controls (N = 172) completed a long-term follow-up assessment (mean age at follow-up = 20.21 years, SD = 3.75). The API demonstrated good concurrent, discriminant, and construct validity, as well as good internal consistency. We conclude that the API, using the revised scoring method, is a useful, reliable, and valid measure of abdominal pain severity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Elsevier’s CiteScore index values for Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica: a 2016 update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šterbenc, Anja; Oštrbenk, Anja

    2017-09-01

    Elsevier’s recently launched citation metric CiteScore enables comprehensive, transparent, and current evaluation of a journal’s performance. For an editorial office, insight into a journal’s impact over time is of great value when making important decisions regarding the journal’s future. A 2016 update of CiteScore index values for Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adri- atica (Acta Dermatovenerol APA) showed a slight decrease in the CiteScore index value from 1.18 in 2015 to 0.96 in 2016. Acta Dermatovenerol APA can still be considered the principal journal in the field of dermatology and sexually transmitted infections in our region, with almost half of the articles published between 2013 and 2015 cited at least once in 2016. Acta Dermatovenerol APA performed well in both categories listed because it ranked 67th out of 121 journals in the category Dermatology (44th percentile) and 175th out of 250 journals in the category Infectious Diseases (30th percentile).

  19. Graduate Periodontics Programs' Integration of Implant Provisionalization in Core Curricula: Implementation of CODA Standard 4-10.2.d.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barwacz, Christopher A; Pantzlaff, Ed; Allareddy, Veerasathpurush; Avila-Ortiz, Gustavo

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this descriptive study was to provide an overview of the status of implementation of Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Standard 4-10.2.d (Provisionalization of Dental Implants) by U.S. graduate periodontics programs since its introduction in 2013. Surveys were sent in May 2015 to 56 accredited postdoctoral periodontics program directors to ascertain program director characteristics; status of planning, implementation, and curriculum resulting from adoption of Standard 4-10.2.d; preferred clinical protocols for implant provisionalization; interdisciplinary educational collaborators; and competency assessment mechanisms. The survey response rate was 52% (N=29); the majority were male, aged 55 or older, and had held their position for less than ten years. Among the responding programs, 93% had formal educational curricula established in implant provisionalization. Graduate periodontics (96%) and prosthodontics (63%) faculty members were predominantly involved with curriculum planning. Of these programs, 96% used immediate implant provisionalization, with direct (chairside) provisionalization protocols (86%) being preferred over indirect protocols (14%) and polyethylethylketone provisional abutments (75%) being preferred to titanium (25%) provisional abutments. Straight and concave transmucosal emergence profile designs (46% each) were preferred in teaching, with only 8% of programs favoring convex transmucosal profiles. A majority of responding programs (67%) lacked protocols for communicating to the restorative referral a mechanism to duplicate the mature peri-implant mucosal architecture. Regional location did not play a significant role in any educational component related to implant provisionalization for these graduate periodontal programs. Overall, this study found that a clear majority of graduate periodontics programs had established formal curricula related to implant provisionalization, with substantial clinical and philosophical consensus

  20. A combined pulmonary function and emphysema score prognostic index for staging in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afroditi K Boutou

    Full Text Available Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Lung computed tomography parameters, individually or as part of a composite index, may provide more prognostic information than pulmonary function tests alone.To investigate the prognostic value of emphysema score and pulmonary artery measurements compared with lung function parameters in COPD and construct a prognostic index using a contingent staging approach.Predictors of mortality were assessed in COPD outpatients whose lung computed tomography, spirometry, lung volumes and gas transfer data were collected prospectively in a clinical database. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis models with bootstrap techniques were used.169 patients were included (59.8% male, 61.1 years old; Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second % predicted: 40.5±19.2. 20.1% died; mean survival was 115.4 months. Age (HR = 1.098, 95% Cl = 1.04-1.252 and emphysema score (HR = 1.034, 95% CI = 1.007-1.07 were the only independent predictors of mortality. Pulmonary artery dimensions were not associated with survival. An emphysema score of 55% was chosen as the optimal threshold and 30% and 65% as suboptimals. Where emphysema score was between 30% and 65% (intermediate risk the optimal lung volume threshold, a functional residual capacity of 210% predicted, was applied. This contingent staging approach separated patients with an intermediate risk based on emphysema score alone into high risk (Functional Residual Capacity ≥210% predicted or low risk (Functional Residual Capacity <210% predicted. This approach was more discriminatory for survival (HR = 3.123; 95% CI = 1.094-10.412 than either individual component alone.Although to an extent limited by the small sample size, this preliminary study indicates that the composite Emphysema score-Functional Residual Capacity index might provide a better separation of high and low risk patients

  1. Microleakage of different provisionalization techniques for class I inlays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selim Erkut

    2013-03-01

    Conclusion: The microleakage in class I inlay cavities could be reduced by the application of dentin-bonding agents after cavity preparation followed by the placement of light-polymerized provisional restorative materials.

  2. Improving iris recognition performance using segmentation, quality enhancement, match score fusion, and indexing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vatsa, Mayank; Singh, Richa; Noore, Afzel

    2008-08-01

    This paper proposes algorithms for iris segmentation, quality enhancement, match score fusion, and indexing to improve both the accuracy and the speed of iris recognition. A curve evolution approach is proposed to effectively segment a nonideal iris image using the modified Mumford-Shah functional. Different enhancement algorithms are concurrently applied on the segmented iris image to produce multiple enhanced versions of the iris image. A support-vector-machine-based learning algorithm selects locally enhanced regions from each globally enhanced image and combines these good-quality regions to create a single high-quality iris image. Two distinct features are extracted from the high-quality iris image. The global textural feature is extracted using the 1-D log polar Gabor transform, and the local topological feature is extracted using Euler numbers. An intelligent fusion algorithm combines the textural and topological matching scores to further improve the iris recognition performance and reduce the false rejection rate, whereas an indexing algorithm enables fast and accurate iris identification. The verification and identification performance of the proposed algorithms is validated and compared with other algorithms using the CASIA Version 3, ICE 2005, and UBIRIS iris databases.

  3. Evaluation of Vertical Marginal Adaptation of Provisional Crowns by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-01-30

    Jan 30, 2018 ... Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, ... discrepancies compared to dimethacrylates, some of ... whereas one study shows bis‑acryl composite resin to .... The provisionals were finished with acrylic.

  4. Low amniotic fluid index in high risk pregnancy and poor apgar score at birth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sultana, S.; Akhtar, K.A.K.

    2008-01-01

    To determine the accuracy of antepartum Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) of 5 cm was labeled as predictor of good outcome at birth. The subjects in both the groups were demographically matched and fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Apgar score was calculated at 5 minutes of birth. The newborns, with Apgar score 6 were labeled as healthy. AFI was compared with Apgar score, using Chi-square and a p-value was calculated to determine the statistical significance. Sensitivity, specificity, efficiency and the predictive values of AFI at a cut off point of < 5 cm as a predictor of adverse outcome at birth (Apgar score of < 6 at 5 minutes of birth) in high-risk pregnancy were calculated. Only 8 neonates of 50 women with low AFI had low Apgar score. Similarly, 6 neonates of 50 women with normal AFI had poor Apgar score. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and efficiency of AFI as test were 57.1%, 51.3%, 16%, 88% and 52% respectively. Low AFI is a poor predictor of adverse outcome for high-risk term patients. AFI is not a good screening test for high-risk pregnant women at term for birth of an infant with low Apgar score. (author)

  5. Proposing melasma severity index: A new, more practical, office-based scoring system for assessing the severity of melasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imran Majid

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI, the scoring system in melasma, needs to be refined. Aims and Objectives: To propose a more practical scoring system, named as Melasma Severity Index (MSI, for assessing the disease severity and treatment response in melasma. Materials and Methods: Four dermatologists were trained to calculate MASI and also the proposed MSI scores. For MSI, the formula used was 0.4 (a × p 2 l + 0.4 (a × p 2 r + 0.2 (a × p 2 n where "a" stands for area, "p" for pigmentation, "l" for left face, "r" for right face, and "n" for nose. On a single day, 30 enrolled patients were randomly examined by each trained dermatologist and their MASI and MSI scores were calculated. Next, each rater re-examined every 6 th patient for repeat MASI and MSI scoring to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability of MASI and MSI scores. Validity was assessed by comparing the individual scores of each rater with objective data from mexameter and ImageJ software. Results: Inter-rater reliability, as assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient, was significantly higher for MSI (0.955 as compared to MASI (0.816. Correlation of scores with objective data by Spearman′s correlation revealed higher rho values for MSI than for MASI for all raters. Limitations: Sample population belonged to a single ethnic group. Conclusions: MSI is simpler and more practical scoring system for melasma.

  6. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Picric Acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  7. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for O-Aminophenol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  8. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for N-Heptane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  9. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Guanidine Nitrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  10. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Guanidine Chloride

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  11. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Diundecyl Phthalate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  12. Provisional energy balance of France for 2002

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    A provisional energy accounting in France for 2002 is presented. Statistical data and diagrams are provided to detail and discuss the economical and energy context, the primary energy consumption, the national production and the energy dependence, the primary energy consumption for each energy source, the sectorial analysis of the energy consumption and the carbon dioxide emissions. (A.L.B.)

  13. VSRR - Quarterly provisional estimates for selected indicators of mortality

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Provisional estimates of death rates. Estimates are presented for each of the 15 leading causes of death plus estimates for deaths attributed to drug overdose, falls...

  14. Mortality is predicted by Comorbidity Polypharmacy score but not Charlson Comorbidity Index in geriatric trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nossaman, Vaughn E; Larsen, Brett E; DiGiacomo, Jody C; Manuelyan, Zara; Afram, Renee; Shukry, Sally; Kang, Amiee Luan; Munnangi, Swapna; Angus, L D George

    2017-09-19

    Increased life expectancy has resulted in more older patients at trauma centers. Traditional assessments of injuries alone may not be sufficient; age, comorbidities, and medications should be considered. 446 older trauma patients were analyzed in two groups, 45-65 years and <65, using Injury Severity Score (ISS), the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and Comorbidity-Polypharmacy Score (CPS). CCI and CPS were associated with HLOS in patients <65. In patients aged 45-65, only CPS was associated with HLOS. CPS was inversely associated with in-hospital mortality in patients <65, but not patients aged 45-65. CCI score was not associated with in-hospital mortality in either group. Increased CCI and CPS were associated with increased HLOS. In patients over 65, increased CPS was associated with decreased mortality. This could be due to return toward physiologic normalcy in treated patients not seen in their peers with undiagnosed or untreated comorbidities. TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY: In an analysis of 446 older trauma patients, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Comorbidity-Polypharmacy Score (CPS) were associated with increased hospital length of stay. In patients ≥65, increased CPS had a lower mortality, possibly due to a greater return toward physiologic normalcy not present in their untreated peers. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. Comparison between the Reflux Finding Score and the Reflux Symptom Index in the Practice of Otorhinolaryngology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, Heloisa Sobreira; Pinto, José Antonio; Zavanela, Adma Roberta; Cavallini, André Freitas; Freitas, Gabriel Santos; Garcia, Fabiola Esteves

    2016-07-01

    The Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease has a prevalence of ∼12% of the urban population in Brazil. Koufman proposed the term to designate Laryngeal Pharyngeal Reflux (LPR) symptoms, signs or tissue damage resulting from aggression of the gastrointestinal contents in the upper aerodigestive tract. Belafsky et al proposed a score that points to inflammatory laryngeal signs through videolaryngoscopic findings, the Reflux Finding Score (RFS). Moreover, in 2002, they published the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI). The objective of this study is to provide a comparison between the Reflux Finding Score and the Reflux Symptom Index in the practice of Otorhinolaryngology. Our study involved a total of 135 patients who visited the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic Núcleo de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço de São Paulo between April 2014 and May 2015 with suspected LPR. We excluded nine patients and the study group was 126 patients. All patients were ranked by their RSI and RFS scores. The study group consisted of 126 patients (88 women and 38 men). Their main complaints were cough (40.4%), globus (21.4%), dysphonia (19.8%), throat clearing (15.8%), postnasal drip (3.17%), snoring (1.5%), dysphagia (1.5%), cacosmia (0.7%), and regurgitation (1.5%). The RSI ranges from 13 to 42 with a mean of 20.7 (SD = 6.67). The RFS ranged from 3 to 19 with a mean of 9.53 (SD = 2.64). The RSI and RFS can easily be included in ENT routines as objective parameters, with low cost and high practicality. Based on the clinical index, the specialist can evaluate the need for further tests.

  16. Provisional host catalogue of Fig wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiebes, J.T.

    1966-01-01

    INTRODUCTION In this catalogue — entitled "provisional" because our knowledge of the subject is still so evidently incomplete — all species of Ficus mentioned as hosts of fig wasps, are listed with the Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea reared from their receptacles. The names used for the Agaonidae are in

  17. Comparative in vitro evaluation of CAD/CAM vs conventional provisional crowns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Adil Othman; Tsitrou, Effrosyni A; Pollington, Sarah

    2016-01-01

    This study compared the marginal gap, internal fit, fracture strength, and mode of fracture of CAD/CAM provisional crowns with that of direct provisional crowns. An upper right first premolar phantom tooth was prepared for full ceramic crown following tooth preparation guidelines. The materials tested were: VITA CAD-Temp®, Polyetheretherketone "PEEK", Telio CAD-Temp, and Protemp™4 (control group). The crowns were divided into four groups (n=10), Group1: VITA CAD-Temp®, Group 2: PEEK, Group 3: Telio CAD-Temp, and Group 4: Protemp™4. Each crown was investigated for marginal and internal fit, fracture strength, and mode of fracture. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism software version 6.0. The average marginal gap was: VITA CAD-Temp® 60.61 (±9.99) µm, PEEK 46.75 (±8.26) µm, Telio CAD-Temp 56.10 (±5.65) µm, and Protemp™4 193.07(±35.96) µm (PCAD-Temp® 124.94 (±22.96) µm, PEEK 113.14 (±23.55) µm, Telio CAD-Temp 110.95 (±11.64) µm, and Protemp™4 143.48(±26.74) µm. The average fracture strength was: VITA CAD-Temp® 361.01 (±21.61) N, PEEK 802.23 (±111.29) N, Telio CAD-Temp 719.24 (±95.17) N, and Protemp™4 416.40 (±69.14) N. One-way ANOVA test showed a statistically significant difference for marginal gap, internal gap, and fracture strength between all groups (p0.05). CAD/CAM fabricated provisional crowns demonstrated superior fit and better strength than direct provisional crowns.

  18. The HOSPITAL score and LACE index as predictors of 30 day readmission in a retrospective study at a university-affiliated community hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Robinson

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Hospital readmissions are common, expensive, and a key target of the Medicare Value Based Purchasing (VBP program. Validated risk assessment tools such as the HOSPITAL score and LACE index have been developed to identify patients at high risk of hospital readmission so they can be targeted for interventions aimed at reducing the rate of readmission. This study aims to evaluate the utility of HOSPITAL score and LACE index for predicting hospital readmission within 30 days in a moderate-sized university affiliated hospital in the midwestern United States. Materials and Methods All adult medical patients who underwent one or more ICD-10 defined procedures discharged from the SIU-SOM Hospitalist service from Memorial Medical Center (MMC from October 15, 2015 to March 16, 2016, were studied retrospectively to determine if the HOSPITAL score and LACE index were a significant predictors of hospital readmission within 30 days. Results During the study period, 463 discharges were recorded for the hospitalist service. The analysis includes data for the 432 discharges. Patients who died during the hospital stay, were transferred to another hospital, or left against medical advice were excluded. Of these patients, 35 (8% were readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days. A receiver operating characteristic evaluation of the HOSPITAL score for this patient population shows a C statistic of 0.75 (95% CI [0.67–0.83], indicating good discrimination for hospital readmission. The Brier score for the HOSPITAL score in this setting was 0.069, indicating good overall performance. The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness of fit test shows a χ2 value of 3.71 with a p value of 0.59. A receiver operating characteristic evaluation of the LACE index for this patient population shows a C statistic of 0.58 (95% CI [0.48–0.68], indicating poor discrimination for hospital readmission. The Brier score for the LACE index in this setting was 0.082, indicating good

  19. Influence of immediate loading on provisional restoration in dental implant stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikbal, M.; Odang, R. W.; Indrasari, M.; Dewi, R. S.

    2017-08-01

    The success of dental implant treatment is determined by the primary stability at placement. One factor that could influence this stability is occlusal loading through provisional restoration. Two types of loading protocols are usually used: immediate and delayed loading. However, some controversies remain about the influence of occlusal loading on implant stability. Therefore, the influence of immediate loading on implant stability must be studied. An animal study was conducted by placing nine dental implants in the mandibular jaw of three Macaca fascicularis. Provisional restorations with various occlusal contacts (no, light, and normal contact) were placed on the implant. The implant stability was measured using the Ostell ISQ three times: immediately (baseline) and at the first and second months after implant placement. The implant stability between implants with no and normal occlusal contact as well as light and normal occlusal contact showed significant differences (p implant placement. However, no significant increase (p > 0.05) in implant stability was seen at the baseline and the first and second months after implant placement for all occlusal contact groups. Immediate loading influenced the implant stability, and provisional restoration of implant without occlusal contact showed the highest implant stability.

  20. Choosing the best index for the average score intraclass correlation coefficient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shieh, Gwowen

    2016-09-01

    The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)(2) index from a one-way random effects model is widely used to describe the reliability of mean ratings in behavioral, educational, and psychological research. Despite its apparent utility, the essential property of ICC(2) as a point estimator of the average score intraclass correlation coefficient is seldom mentioned. This article considers several potential measures and compares their performance with ICC(2). Analytical derivations and numerical examinations are presented to assess the bias and mean square error of the alternative estimators. The results suggest that more advantageous indices can be recommended over ICC(2) for their theoretical implication and computational ease.

  1. The effects of acupoint-catgut embedment combined with medical treatment on the BODE index scores of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giri, P. B. S. W.; Srilestari, A.; Abdurrohim, K.; Yunus, F.

    2017-08-01

    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is now the fourth leading cause of death in the world. As COPD medications are associated with high mortality levels, continuous research into the improvement of treatment modalities is being conducted. This study aimed to identify the effects of acupoint-catgut embedment combined with medical treatment on the Body mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea and Exercise capacity (BODE) index scores of COPD patients. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 48 patients; participants were allocated into either the acupoint-catgut embedment with medication group (case group) or the sham acupuncture with medication group (control group). Acupoint-catgut embedment was conducted at the BL13 Feishu, BL43 Gaohuangshu, BL20 Pishu, BL23 Shenshu, and ST40 Fenglong points two times at an interval of 15 days. The BODE index, a primary outcome indicator, was assessed on Day 1 and Day 30. The results showed statistically and clinically significant differences between the two groups—in fact, BODE index scores were reduced by 1.83 points in the case group (p = 0.000). Ultimately, BODE index scores were lower in the intervention group than in the control group, thus indicating a statistically significant and clinically important improvement of COPD-related symptoms. According to these results, acupoint-catgut embedment combined with medical treatment is concluded to be more effective than medical treatment alone in reducing BODE index scores.

  2. Association between socio-economic status and childhood undernutrition in Bangladesh; a comparison of possession score and poverty index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohsena, Masuda; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas; Goto, Rie

    2010-10-01

    To determine how much of the variation in nutritional status of Bangladeshi children under 5 years old can be attributed to the socio-economic status of the family. Nutritional status used reference Z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ). A 'possession score' was generated based on ownership of a radio, television, bicycle, motorcycle and telephone, and the availability of electricity, with categories of 0 to 4+ possessions. A five-point (quintile) 'poverty index' was created using principal component analysis. The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004 was the source of data. A sample of 4891 children aged <5 years was obtained. Some 57.8 % of the sample was either stunted, wasted or underweight (7.7 % were stunted, wasted and underweight). Of those stunted (48.4 %), 25.7 % were also underweight. Underweight and wasting prevalences were 40.7 % and 14.3 %, respectively. Mean WAZ, HAZ and WHZ did not differ by sex. Children of mothers with no education or no possessions were, on average, about 1 sd more underweight and stunted than those with higher educated mothers or with 4+ possessions. The possession score provided much greater discrimination of undernutrition than the poverty index. Nearly 50 % of children from households with no possessions were stunted, wasted or underweight (only 27 % in the poorest quintile), compared with only 3-6 % of children from households with 4+ possessions (over 13 % in the richest quintile). Maternal education and possession score were the main predictors of a child's nutritional status. Possession score was a much better indicator of undernutrition than the poverty index.

  3. Effect of different provisional cement remnant cleaning procedures including Er:YAG laser on shear bond strength of ceramics

    OpenAIRE

    Zortuk, Mustafa; Gumus, Hasan Onder; Kilinc, Halil Ibrahim; Tuncdemir, Ali Riza

    2012-01-01

    PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of provisional cement removal by different dentin cleaning protocols (dental explorer, pumice, cleaning bur, Er:YAG laser) on the shear bond strength between ceramic and dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS In total, 36 caries-free unrestored human third molars were selected as tooth specimens. Provisional restorations were fabricated and cemented with eugenol-free provisional cement. Then, disc-shaped ceramic specimens were fabricated and...

  4. 10 CFR 903.21 - Completion of rate development; provisional rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... business principles. The rates shall be submitted promptly to the FERC for confirmation and approval on a..., Southwestern, and Western Area Power Administrations § 903.21 Completion of rate development; provisional rates...

  5. Nailfold capillaroscopy for day-to-day clinical use: construction of a simple scoring modality as a clinical prognostic index for digital trophic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Vanessa; De Keyser, Filip; Pizzorni, Carmen; Van Praet, Jens T; Decuman, Saskia; Sulli, Alberto; Deschepper, Ellen; Cutolo, Maurizio

    2011-01-01

    Construction of a simple nailfold videocapillaroscopic (NVC) scoring modality as a prognostic index for digital trophic lesions for day-to-day clinical use. An association with a single simple (semi)-quantitatively scored NVC parameter, mean score of capillary loss, was explored in 71 consecutive patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and reliable reduction in the number of investigated fields (F32-F16-F8-F4). The cut-off value of the prognostic index (mean score of capillary loss calculated over a reduced number of fields) for present/future digital trophic lesions was selected by receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Reduction in the number of fields for mean score of capillary loss was reliable from F32 to F8 (intraclass correlation coefficient of F16/F32: 0.97; F8/F32: 0.90). Based on ROC analysis, a prognostic index (mean score of capillary loss as calculated over F8) with a cut-off value of 1.67 is proposed. This value has a sensitivity of 72.22/70.00, specificity of 70.59/69.77, positive likelihood ratio of 2.46/2.32 and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.39/0.43 for present/future digital trophic lesions. A simple prognostic index for digital trophic lesions for daily use in SSc clinics is proposed, limited to the mean score of capillary loss as calculated over eight fields (8 fingers, 1 field per finger).

  6. The modified respiratory index score (RIS) guides resource allocation in acute bronchiolitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Shu-Ling; Teoh, Oon Hoe; Nadkarni, Nivedita; Yeo, Joo Guan; Lwin, Zaw; Ong, Yong-Kwang Gene; Lee, Jan Hau

    2017-07-01

    Bronchiolitis is a common disease in early childhood with increasing healthcare utilization. We aim to study how well a simple and improved respiratory score (the modified Respiratory Index Score [RIS]) would perform when predicting for a warranted admission. This is an observational prospective study, from June 2015 to December 2015 in a paediatric emergency department (ED) of a large tertiary hospital in Singapore. We included children aged less than 2 years old, presenting with typical symptoms and signs of bronchiolitis but excluded children with four or more previous wheezes, a gestation of hydration, and a hospital stay of 2 days or more. Among 1,818 patients, the median age was 10.8 months (IQR 7.2-15.9). The median modified RIS score was 4.0 (IQR 3.0-5.0). A total of 19 (1.0%) children required respiratory support, 101 (5.6%) received intravenous hydration, and 571 (31.4%) required a hospital stay of 2 days or more. After adjusting for age and duration of illness, a modified RIS score of >4 predicted significantly for a warranted admission (adjusted Odds Ratio: 3.28, 95% confidence interval: 2.62-4.12). The association remained significant among children presenting with their first wheeze. This simple respiratory tool predicts for the need for respiratory support, intravenous hydration, and a significant hospital stay of 2 days or more. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017; 52:954-961. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Mechanical properties of provisional dental materials: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astudillo-Rubio, Daniela; Delgado-Gaete, Andrés; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Montiel-Company, José María; Pascual-Moscardó, Agustín; Almerich-Silla, José Manuel

    2018-01-01

    Provisional restorations represent an important phase during the rehabilitation process, knowledge of the mechanical properties of the available materials allows us to predict their clinical performance. At present, there is no systematic review, which supports the clinicians' criteria, in the selection of a specific material over another for a particular clinical situation. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylates and monomethacrylates used in fabricating direct provisional restorations, in terms of flexural strength, fracture toughness and hardness. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, the New York Academy of Medicine Grey Literature Report and were complemented by hand-searching, with no limitation of time or language up to January 10, 2017. Studies that assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylate- and monomethacrylate-based provisional restoration materials were selected. A quality assessment of full-text articles were performed according to modified ARRIVE and CONSORT criteria and modified Cochrane Collaboration's tool for in vitro studies. Initially, 256 articles were identified. After removing the duplicates and applying the selection criteria, 24 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and 7 were included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). It may be concluded that dimethacrylate-based provisional restorations presented better mechanical behavior than monomethacrylate-based ones in terms of flexural strength and hardness. Fracture toughness showed no significant differences. Within the monomethacrylate group, polymethylmethacrylate showed greater flexural strength than polyethylmethacrylate.

  8. Mechanical properties of provisional dental materials: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Astudillo-Rubio

    Full Text Available Provisional restorations represent an important phase during the rehabilitation process, knowledge of the mechanical properties of the available materials allows us to predict their clinical performance. At present, there is no systematic review, which supports the clinicians' criteria, in the selection of a specific material over another for a particular clinical situation. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylates and monomethacrylates used in fabricating direct provisional restorations, in terms of flexural strength, fracture toughness and hardness. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, the New York Academy of Medicine Grey Literature Report and were complemented by hand-searching, with no limitation of time or language up to January 10, 2017. Studies that assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylate- and monomethacrylate-based provisional restoration materials were selected. A quality assessment of full-text articles were performed according to modified ARRIVE and CONSORT criteria and modified Cochrane Collaboration's tool for in vitro studies. Initially, 256 articles were identified. After removing the duplicates and applying the selection criteria, 24 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and 7 were included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis. It may be concluded that dimethacrylate-based provisional restorations presented better mechanical behavior than monomethacrylate-based ones in terms of flexural strength and hardness. Fracture toughness showed no significant differences. Within the monomethacrylate group, polymethylmethacrylate showed greater flexural strength than polyethylmethacrylate.

  9. The Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation provisional criteria for the evaluation of response to therapy in juvenile dermatomyositis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruperto, Nicolino; Pistorio, Angela; Ravelli, Angelo; Rider, Lisa G; Pilkington, Clarissa; Oliveira, Sheila; Wulffraat, Nico; Espada, Graciela; Garay, Stella; Cuttica, Ruben; Hofer, Michael; Quartier, Pierre; Melo-Gomes, Jose; Reed, Ann M; Wierzbowska, Malgorzata; Feldman, Brian M; Harjacek, Miroslav; Huppertz, Hans-Iko; Nielsen, Susan; Flato, Berit; Lahdenne, Pekka; Michels, Harmut; Murray, Kevin J; Punaro, Lynn; Rennebohm, Robert; Russo, Ricardo; Balogh, Zsolt; Rooney, Madeleine; Pachman, Lauren M; Wallace, Carol; Hashkes, Philip; Lovell, Daniel J; Giannini, Edward H; Gare, Boel Andersson; Martini, Alberto

    2010-11-01

    To develop a provisional definition for the evaluation of response to therapy in juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) based on the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation juvenile DM core set of variables. Thirty-seven experienced pediatric rheumatologists from 27 countries achieved consensus on 128 difficult patient profiles as clinically improved or not improved using a stepwise approach (patient's rating, statistical analysis, definition selection). Using the physicians' consensus ratings as the "gold standard measure," chi-square, sensitivity, specificity, false-positive and-negative rates, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and kappa agreement for candidate definitions of improvement were calculated. Definitions with kappa values >0.8 were multiplied by the face validity score to select the top definitions. The top definition of improvement was at least 20% improvement from baseline in 3 of 6 core set variables with no more than 1 of the remaining worsening by more than 30%, which cannot be muscle strength. The second-highest scoring definition was at least 20% improvement from baseline in 3 of 6 core set variables with no more than 2 of the remaining worsening by more than 25%, which cannot be muscle strength (definition P1 selected by the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies group). The third is similar to the second with the maximum amount of worsening set to 30%. This indicates convergent validity of the process. We propose a provisional data-driven definition of improvement that reflects well the consensus rating of experienced clinicians, which incorporates clinically meaningful change in core set variables in a composite end point for the evaluation of global response to therapy in juvenile DM. Copyright © 2010 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  10. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Isopropanol (Isobutyl Alcohol)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated ...

  11. Remediation of the Provisional Storage of Radioactive Waste near Zavratec

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeleznik, N.; Mele, I.

    1998-01-01

    In 1996 the remediation of the provisional storage situated near village Zavratec in western part of Slovenia started. In this storage radioactive waste contaminated with radium has been stored for many decades The RAO Agency organized remedial works, in which these activities inventorying and repacking of radioactive waste were carried out. Simultaneously with these activities a detailed programme for covering public relations was prepared and implemented. On the basis of the experimental results and general storage conditions relocation of radioactive waste to the Slovenian central storage was recommended and it is planned to be concluded by the end of 1998. In this paper main remedial activities in the provisional storage of radioactive waste near Zavratec are presented. An important and most challenging part of these activities represent PR activities. (author)

  12. Immediate restoration of single tapered implants with nonoccluding provisional crowns: a 5-year clinical prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Lisa A; Turkyilmaz, Ilser; Edgin, Wendell A; Verrett, Ronald; Garcia, Lily T

    2014-04-01

    Dental literature has limited number of publications regarding long-term outcome data of immediate restoration of single missing teeth with an implant-supported provisional crown. This 5-year study evaluated hard and soft tissue responses to the immediate placement of single implant-supported provisional crowns. Twenty patients received one dental implant restored immediately with a provisional acrylic resin screw-retained crown. Crestal bone loss was evaluated from standardized periapical radiographs collected at 3-month intervals for the first 21 months followed by a 5-year evaluation. Historical controls acquired from available dental literature were used for comparison. One implant failed within 2 months of surgical placement, presenting with pain and mobility. The remaining implants demonstrated no infection, pain, or radiolucencies. Nineteen implants were clinically immobile, osseointegrated, and asymptomatic at 21 months. At 5 years, one patient died, three patients were noncompliant, and 15 implants were evaluated as functional. Mean bone loss (MBL) at 1 year and 21 months was approximately 0.5 ± 0.5 mm and 0.70 ± 0.26 mm at 5 years. There was no statistically significant difference between MBLs at p provisionalization of single dental implants compares favorably with conventional loading protocols. Long-term data suggest that immediate provisionalization of single dental implants is a viable treatment option. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version index scores in Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Pinchen; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Chang, Chen-Lin; Liu, Tai-Ling; Hsu, Hsiu-Yi; Yen, Cheng-Fang

    2013-02-01

    The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version (WISC-IV-Chinese) has been in clinical use in Taiwan since 2007. Research is needed to determine how the WISC-IV, modified from its earlier version, will affect its interpretation in clinical practice in a Mandarin-speaking context. We attempted to use WISC-IV-Chinese scores to identify the cognitive strengths and weaknesses in 334 Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Comparison of cognitive profiles of WISC-IV-Chinese scores between subtypes of ADHD was also performed. The results indicated that the four-factor model of the WISC-IV-Chinese fitted well for Taiwanese children with ADHD. The profiles showed that performance in the index score of the Processing Speed Index was the weakness domain for the Taiwanese children with ADHD, as confirmed by two different kinds of analytic methods. Cognitive profile analysis of ADHD subtypes revealed children with inattentive subtypes to have a greater weakness in processing speed performance. The implications of the profiles of the index scores on the WISC-IV-Chinese version for Taiwanese children with ADHD were explored. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  14. CORRELATION OF MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION SCALE (MPAS) SCORE WITH CRANIOVERTEBRAL ANGLE, SCAPULAR INDEX AND BECKS DEPRESSION INVENTORY SCORE IN YOUNG ADULTS

    OpenAIRE

    Rupali Salvi; Sneha Battin

    2018-01-01

    Background: Mobile phone usage has become increasingly common in today’s youth. Its heavy use often leads to an addiction. Dependency on these devices could lead to postural dysfunctions as well as produce an adverse effect on psychology. Hence, this study is done to correlate mobile addiction with the craniovertebral angle, scapular index and Beck’s depression inventory score in young adults. Methods: An observational study was performed on 100 subjects out of which 51 were males and 49 w...

  15. Montreal Cognitive Assessment Memory Index Score (MoCA-MIS) as a predictor of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julayanont, Parunyou; Brousseau, Mélanie; Chertkow, Howard; Phillips, Natalie; Nasreddine, Ziad S

    2014-04-01

    To assess the usefulness of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) total score (MoCA-TS) and Memory Index Score (MoCA-MIS) in predicting conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Retrospective chart review. Community-based memory clinic. Individuals meeting Petersen's MCI criteria (N = 165). Baseline MoCA scores at MCI diagnosis were collected from charts of eligible individuals with MCI, and MoCA-TS, MoCA-MIS, and a cognitive domain index score were calculated to assess their prognostic value in predicting conversion to AD. One hundred fourteen participants progressed to AD (MCI-AD), and 51 did not (nonconverters; MCI-NC); 90.5% of participants with MCI with a MoCA-TS less than 20/30 and a MoCA-MIS less than 7/15 at baseline converted to AD within the average follow-up period of 18 months, compared with 52.7% of participants with MCI above the cutoffs on both scores. Individuals with multiple-domain amnestic MCI had the highest AD conversion rates (73.9%). Identifying individuals with MCI at high risk of conversion to AD is important clinically and for selecting appropriate subjects for therapeutic trials. Individuals with MCI with a low MoCA-TS and a low newly devised memory index score (MoCA-MIS) are at greater risk of short-term conversion to AD. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

  16. 21 CFR 81.1 - Provisional lists of color additives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS AND GENERAL RESTRICTIONS FOR PROVISIONAL COLOR ADDITIVES FOR USE IN FOODS, DRUGS... not to be construed as a listing for surgical suture use unless color additive petitions have been... the color additive for such use. The color additives listed in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this...

  17. Characteristics of Youth Food Preparation in Low-Income, African American Homes: Associations with Healthy Eating Index Scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sattler, Melissa; Hopkins, Laura; Anderson Steeves, Elizabeth; Cristello, Angelica; Mccloskey, Morgan; Gittelsohn, Joel; Hurley, Kristen

    2015-01-01

    This study explores food preparation behaviors, including types of food prepared, methods of preparation, and frequency of preparation of low-income urban African American youth ages 9-15 in Baltimore City (n = 289) and analyzes a potential association to diet quality as measured through Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI) scores. Overall, the youth prepared their own food 6.7 ± 0.33 times per week without significant differences between age groups or genders as measured through pairwise comparison of means. Cereal, noodles, and sandwiches were amongst the foods prepared most frequently. Linear regression analysis found youth food preparation frequency was not significantly associated with total HEI (p = 0.59), sodium (p = 0.58), empty calories (p = 0.96), or dairy scores (p = 0.12). Younger age was associated with higher total HEI scores (p = 0.012) and higher dairy scores (p = 0.01) and female gender was associated with higher total HEI scores (p = 0.03), higher sodium scores (p = 0.03), and lower dairy scores (p = 0.008).

  18. Effect of nightguard vital bleaching gel on the color stability of provisional restorative materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajunaid, Salwa Omar

    2016-01-01

    To assess the hypothesis that there was no difference in effect of 10% and 15% tooth bleaching agents on color stability of materials used for provisional fixed dental prosthesis. Fifteen samples from two materials used for provisional fixed dental prosthesis: methacrylate-based and composite-based materials and 15 preformed polycarbonate crowns soaked in bleaching gel or distilled water. Spectrophotometer recorded color of specimens at baseline, after 3, 7, and 14 days. Data were statistically analyzed using two-factor ANOVA test to compare the color stability of tested materials. Methyl-based provisional material exhibited statistically higher color change when exposed to 10% and 15% bleaching gel (delta EFNx01: 9.0 and 11.1, respectively) as compared to distilled water (delta EFNx01: 2.9). Delta EFNx01 of composite-based material specimens exposed to distilled water was statistically higher (6.3) than specimens exposed to 10% and 15% bleaching gel (1.5 and 1.1, respectively). Polycarbonate crowns showed a statistically lower color change when exposed to 15% (0.9) than to 10% bleaching gel (5.1) or distilled water (5.5). Composite-based provisional material showed highest color stability when exposed to vital tooth bleaching gel, whereas methacrylate-based material was the least color stable. Polycarbonate crowns were more color stable when exposed to 15% bleaching gel as opposed to 10% bleaching gel.

  19. Pulmonary edema predictive scoring index (PEPSI), a new index to predict risk of reperfusion pulmonary edema and improvement of hemodynamics in percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inami, Takumi; Kataoka, Masaharu; Shimura, Nobuhiko; Ishiguro, Haruhisa; Yanagisawa, Ryoji; Taguchi, Hiroki; Fukuda, Keiichi; Yoshino, Hideaki; Satoh, Toru

    2013-07-01

    This study sought to identify useful predictors for hemodynamic improvement and risk of reperfusion pulmonary edema (RPE), a major complication of this procedure. Percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) has been reported to be effective for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). PTPA has not been widespread because RPE has not been well predicted. We included 140 consecutive procedures in 54 patients with CTEPH. The flow appearance of the target vessels was graded into 4 groups (Pulmonary Flow Grade), and we proposed PEPSI (Pulmonary Edema Predictive Scoring Index) = (sum total change of Pulmonary Flow Grade scores) × (baseline pulmonary vascular resistance). Correlations between occurrence of RPE and 11 variables, including hemodynamic parameters, number of target vessels, and PEPSI, were analyzed. Hemodynamic parameters significantly improved after median observation period of 6.4 months, and the sum total changes in Pulmonary Flow Grade scores were significantly correlated with the improvement in hemodynamics. Multivariate analysis revealed that PEPSI was the strongest factor correlated with the occurrence of RPE (p PEPSI to be a useful marker of the risk of RPE (cutoff value 35.4, negative predictive value 92.3%). Pulmonary Flow Grade score is useful in determining therapeutic efficacy, and PEPSI is highly supportive to reduce the risk of RPE after PTPA. Using these 2 indexes, PTPA could become a safe and common therapeutic strategy for CTEPH. Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of postpolymerization microwave irradiation on provisional dental acrylics: physical and mechanical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozkomur, Ahmet; Fortes, Carmen Beatriz Borges

    2016-07-26

    This study aimed to evaluate the effects of microwave irradiation on the physical and mechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) provisional resins. Twenty bars and 20 disc-shaped specimens were fabricated for each selected provisional restorative material (Dencor and Duralay). Test groups were subjected to microwave irradiation (3 minutes at 600 W) after polymerization. Bar specimens were subjected to a flexural strength test. Disc-shaped specimens were used to evaluate microhardness. Backscattered Raman spectroscopy was employed for each group to define the degree of conversion of the monomer/polymer. The frequency bands corresponding to C = C and C = O groups were used to determine the conversion of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomers into polymers. Glass transition temperature was determined using a differential scanning calorimeter. Microwave irradiation of both tested autopolymerizing PMMA provisional materials resulted in a statistically significant increase in microhardness, degree of conversion and glass transition temperature values. Also, the results demonstrated a significant increase in flexural strength after postpolymerization microwave irradiation for the Dencor specimens. It is concluded that mechanical and physical properties are positively influenced by microwave irradiation.

  1. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1959-06-22

    In accordance with Article VII.E of the Statute and of the general principles approved by the General Conference in resolution GC.1(S)/RES/13, the Board of Governors has established 'the terms and conditions on which the Agency's staff shall be appointed, remunerated and dismissed.' The Provisional Staff Regulations thus approved and amended by the Board up to 15 January 1959 are reproduced in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency.

  2. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1959-01-01

    In accordance with Article VII.E of the Statute and of the general principles approved by the General Conference in resolution GC.1(S)/RES/13, the Board of Governors has established 'the terms and conditions on which the Agency's staff shall be appointed, remunerated and dismissed.' The Provisional Staff Regulations thus approved and amended by the Board up to 15 January 1959 are reproduced in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency

  3. The normative score and the cut-off value of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonosu, Juichi; Takeshita, Katsushi; Hara, Nobuhiro; Matsudaira, Ko; Kato, So; Masuda, Kazuhiro; Chikuda, Hirotaka

    2012-08-01

    The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is one of the most common scoring systems used for patients with low back pain (LBP). Although the normative score of the ODI was reported to be 10.19 in a review article, no study has calculated the normative score after adjusting the value based on the age distribution. In addition, none of the previous studies has estimated the cut-off value which separates LBP with disability from LBP without disability. The purpose of this study was to estimate the normative score by adjusting the data for age distribution in Japan, and to determine the cut-off value which separates LBP with disability from LBP without disability. We conducted an internet survey on LBP using the Japanese version of the ODQ. A total of 1,200 respondents, composed of 100 males and 100 females in each age group (from the 20s to 70s), participated in this study. We also asked them to provide information about their backgrounds. We estimated the normative score after correcting for the age distribution of Japan. We also estimated the ODI of those with or without disability, the factors associated with the ODI, and the cut-off value which separates LBP with disability from LBP without disability. The participants' backgrounds were similar to the national survey. The normative score of the ODI was estimated at 8.73. The ODI of the LBP with disability group was 22.07. Those with sciatica and obese subjects showed higher ODI than those without. The optimal cut-off value was estimated to be 12. We defined the normative score and the cut-off value of the ODI.

  4. An analysis of reliability and validity of the papilla index score of implant-supported single crowns of maxillary central incisors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peng, Min; Fei, Wei; Hosseini, Mandana

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: To test the reliability and validity of the papilla index scores of the implant-supported single crowns (ISSCs) of maxillary central incisors. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients with 25 ISSCs were included. Two prosthodontists evaluated the papilla index score (PIS) of three...... inter-observer agreement. The PIS score demonstrated significant correlation to the corresponding PP value (rs=.567, p=.000). Conclusions: The feasibility, reliability and validity of the PIS made the parameter useful for quality control of the pri-implant soft tissue of ISSCs....... fill percent (PP) was calculated. The validity of PIS was tested against the corresponding papilla fill percent (PP) by using the Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The intra-observer agreement was >70% in 4/5 and >50% in all observations, the pooled Cohen’s ¿ was 0.64 and 0.70 for two observers...

  5. 3D printed versus conventionally cured provisional crown and bridge dental materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tahayeri, Anthony; Morgan, MaryCatherine; Fugolin, Ana P; Bompolaki, Despoina; Athirasala, Avathamsa; Pfeifer, Carmem S; Ferracane, Jack L; Bertassoni, Luiz E

    2018-02-01

    To optimize the 3D printing of a dental material for provisional crown and bridge restorations using a low-cost stereolithography 3D printer; and compare its mechanical properties against conventionally cured provisional dental materials. Samples were 3D printed (25×2×2mm) using a commercial printable resin (NextDent C&B Vertex Dental) in a FormLabs1+ stereolithography 3D printer. The printing accuracy of printed bars was determined by comparing the width, length and thickness of samples for different printer settings (printing orientation and resin color) versus the set dimensions of CAD designs. The degree of conversion of the resin was measured with FTIR, and both the elastic modulus and peak stress of 3D printed bars was determined using a 3-point being test for different printing layer thicknesses. The results were compared to those for two conventionally cured provisional materials (Integrity ® , Dentsply; and Jet ® , Lang Dental Inc.). Samples printed at 90° orientation and in a white resin color setting was chosen as the most optimal combination of printing parameters, due to the comparatively higher printing accuracy (up to 22% error), reproducibility and material usage. There was no direct correlation between printing layer thickness and elastic modulus or peak stress. 3D printed samples had comparable modulus to Jet ® , but significantly lower than Integrity ® . Peak stress for 3D printed samples was comparable to Integrity ® , and significantly higher than Jet ® . The degree of conversion of 3D printed samples also appeared higher than that of Integrity ® or Jet ® . Our results suggest that a 3D printable provisional restorative material allows for sufficient mechanical properties for intraoral use, despite the limited 3D printing accuracy of the printing system of choice. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Rationalization of outcome scores for low back pain: the Oswestry disability index and the low back outcome score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eranki, Vivek; Koul, Kongposh; Fagan, Andrew

    2013-11-01

    The two commonly used questionnaires to assess low back pain are the low back outcome score (LBOS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI). This study aims to identify unique questions and remove redundant questions to develop a composite questionnaire. Eighty-seven consecutive patients attending the practice of a single spinal surgeon completed both the ODI and the LBOS as part of their initial assessment. Both questionnaires were analysed to eliminate questions that exhibit floor-ceiling bias and questions that are interdependent and correlate strongly. Total scores and the scores obtained for each question were then compared (Spearman's rho). A principal axis factor analysis using a varimax rotation was performed to reduce data and identify questions that were interdependent. Using these data, a composite questionnaire was proposed that would minimize overlap in clinical data. Eighty-seven patients completed the LBOS and ODI. The mean age is 54, with a range between 18 and 80. The male to female ratio was 50:37. By eliminating questions that contain biases and overlap in clinical data, the composite questionnaire contains 11 questions. From LBOS; housework, dressing, sleeping, sitting, walking and travelling. From the ODI; pain, standing, social life and lifting. Analysis of the questionnaires identified eight questions that were similar in both questionnaires. Two questions were included that were unique to each questionnaire. The proposed composite questionnaire is of similar size as the original questionnaires and retains questions that are unique to each other while eliminating questions that are redundant and exhibit bias. © 2013 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  7. Measuring health-related quality of life in population-based studies of coronary heart disease: comparing six generic indexes and a disease-specific proxy score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garster, Noelle C; Palta, Mari; Sweitzer, Nancy K; Kaplan, Robert M; Fryback, Dennis G

    2009-11-01

    To compare HRQoL differences with CHD in generic indexes and a proxy CVD-specific score in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The National Health Measurement Study, a cross-sectional random-digit-dialed telephone survey of adults aged 35-89, administered the EQ-5D, QWB-SA, HUI2, HUI3, SF-36v2 (yielding PCS, MCS, and SF-6D), and HALex. Analyses compared 3,350 without CHD (group 1), 265 with CHD not taking chest pain medication (group 2), and 218 with CHD currently taking chest pain medication (group 3), with and without adjustment for demographic variables and comorbidities. Data on 154 patients from heart failure clinics were used to construct a proxy score utilizing generic items probing CVD symptoms. Mean scores differed between CHD groups for all indexes with and without adjustment (P < 0.0001 for all except MCS P = 0.018). Unadjusted group 3 versus 1 differences were about three times larger than for group 2 versus 1. Standardized differences for the proxy score were similar to those for generic indexes, and were about 1.0 for all except MCS for group 3 versus 1. Generic indexes capture differences in HRQoL in population-based studies of CHD similarly to a score constructed from questions probing CVD-specific symptoms.

  8. Memoranda by A.P. Uspensky to the Council of Ministers of the Provisional Siberian government

    OpenAIRE

    Sukhanov Aleksandr

    2015-01-01

    This publication offers a previously unknown memoranda by representative of the diocesan assembly of deputies of the clergy and laity of the Tomsk diocese A. P. Uspensky, addressed to the Council of Ministers of the Provisional Siberian government in July 1918. A.P. Uspensky solicited for formation of the Ministry of confessions in the Provisional Siberian government. Memoranda are initiative documents to the Statute on the Chief Administration of religious denominations adopted by the Council...

  9. The use of definitive implant abutments for the fabrication of provisional crowns: a case series

    OpenAIRE

    Bilhan, Hakan; Geckili, Onur; Mumcu, Emre

    2011-01-01

    Purpose The anterior region is a challenge for most clinicians to achieve optimal esthetics with dental implants. The provisional crown is a key factor in the success of obtaining pink esthetics around restorations with single implants, by soft tissue and inter-proximal papilla shaping. Provisional abutments bring additional costs and make the treatment more expensive. Since one of the aims of the clinician is to reduce costs and find more economic ways to raise patient satisfaction, this pap...

  10. The Chemistry Scoring Index (CSI: A Hazard-Based Scoring and Ranking Tool for Chemicals and Products Used in the Oil and Gas Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tim Verslycke

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available A large portfolio of chemicals and products is needed to meet the wide range of performance requirements of the oil and gas industry. The oil and gas industry is under increased scrutiny from regulators, environmental groups, the public, and other stakeholders for use of their chemicals. In response, industry is increasingly incorporating “greener” products and practices but is struggling to define and quantify what exactly constitutes “green” in the absence of a universally accepted definition. We recently developed the Chemistry Scoring Index (CSI which is ultimately intended to be a globally implementable tool that comprehensively scores and ranks hazards to human health, safety, and the environment for products used in oil and gas operations. CSI scores are assigned to products designed for the same use (e.g., surfactants, catalysts on the basis of product composition as well as intrinsic hazard properties and data availability for each product component. As such, products with a lower CSI score within a product use group are considered to have a lower intrinsic hazard compared to other products within the same use group. The CSI provides a powerful tool to evaluate relative product hazards; to review and assess product portfolios; and to aid in the formulation of products.

  11. Comparative Evaluation of Flexural Strength of Provisional Crown and Bridge Materials-An Invitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ankita; Garg, Sandeep

    2016-08-01

    Provisional restorations serve a key role as a functional and esthetic try-in for the design of the final prosthesis. During selection of materials for this restoration, clinicians must consider physical properties, ease of handling, cost and patient satisfaction and approval. To evaluate and compare the flexural strength of provisional crown and bridge materials available commercially. This in-vitro study was done to compare the flexural strength of six temporary crown and bridge materials available commercially at 24 hours, 8 days and after repair. Three poly methyl methacrylate based materials (DPI, SC10 and Trulon) and three bis-acrylic based composite resins (Protemp, Cooltemp and Luxatemp) were selected. A total of 72 specimens of dimensions 64mm×10mm×2.5mm were prepared from these materials (12 from each material) and divided into two groups (n=36). Specimens were stored in artificial saliva and were fractured after 24 hours and 8 days using Universal Testing Machine. The fractured samples from the 8 days study were then subjected to repair. A uniform space of 2mm and a 450 bevel was maintained for all the repaired samples for better distribution of forces. Flexural strength of these repaired samples was recorded using the same machine. RESULTs were recorded and statistically analysed by one-way Anova and Post hoc tests. RESULTs revealed that there was decrease in flexural strength for all the materials tested from 24 hours to 8 days, though flexural strength between poly methyl methacrylate and bis-acrylic resins was similar at 24 hours and 8 days time interval. A substantial decrease was noticed in the strength of bis-acrylic composite resins after repair. From the current study it can be suggested that though there is decrease in flexural strength for all the materials from 24 hours to 8 days, both can be used to fabricate the provisional restorations. However, in the event of a fracture of a bis-acrylic provisional restoration, it may be more

  12. Optimal antiretroviral therapy adherence as evaluated by CASE index score tool is associated with virological suppression in HIV-infected adults in Dakar, Senegal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byabene, A K; Fortes-Déguénonvo, L; Niang, K; Manga, M N; Bulabula, A N H; Nachega, J B; Seydi, M

    2017-06-01

    To determine the prevalence and factors associated with optimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and virological failure (VLF) among HIV-infected adults enrolled in the national ART programme at the teaching hospital of Fann, Dakar, Senegal. Cross-sectional study from 1 September 2013 to 30 January 2014. (1) optimal ART adherence by the Center for Adherence Support Evaluation (CASE) Index Score (>10) and (2) VLF (HIV RNA > 1000 copies/ml). Diagnostic accuracy of CASE Index Score assessed using sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors associated with optimal adherence and VLF. Of 98 HIV-infected patients on ART, 68% were female. The median (IQR) age was 42 (20-50) years. A total of 57 of 98 (60%) were on ART more than 3 years, and majority (88%) were on NNRTI-based first-line ART regimen. A total of 79 of 98 (80%) patients reported optimal ART adherence, and only five of 84 (5.9%) had documented VLF. Patients with VLF were significantly more likely to have suboptimal ART adherence (17.7% vs. 2.9%; P = 0.02). CASE Index Score showed the best trade-off in Se (78.9%, 95% CI: 54.4-93.9%), Sp (20.0%, 95% CI: 11.1-31.7), PPV (22.4, 95% CI: 13.1-34.2%) and NPV (76.5%, 95% CI: 50.1-93.2), when used VLF threshold of HIV RNA >50 copies/ml. Factors independently associated with VLF were CASE Index Score CASE Index Score was independently associated with virological outcomes, supporting usefulness of this low-cost ART adherence monitoring tool in this setting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Effect of different provisional cement remnant cleaning procedures including Er:YAG laser on shear bond strength of ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zortuk, Mustafa; Gumus, Hasan Onder; Kilinc, Halil Ibrahim; Tuncdemir, Ali Riza

    2012-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of provisional cement removal by different dentin cleaning protocols (dental explorer, pumice, cleaning bur, Er:YAG laser) on the shear bond strength between ceramic and dentin. In total, 36 caries-free unrestored human third molars were selected as tooth specimens. Provisional restorations were fabricated and cemented with eugenol-free provisional cement. Then, disc-shaped ceramic specimens were fabricated and randomly assigned to four groups of dentin cleaning protocols (n = 9). Group 1 (control): Provisional cements were mechanically removed with a dental explorer. Group 2: The dentin surfaces were treated with a cleaning brush with pumice Group 3: The dentin surfaces were treated with a cleaning bur. Group 4: The provisional cements were removed by an Er:YAG laser. Self-adhesive luting cement was used to bond ceramic discs to dentin surfaces. Shear bond strength (SBS) was measured using a universal testing machine at a 0.05 mm/min crosshead speed. The data were analyzed using a Kolmogorov Smirnov, One-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests to perform multiple comparisons (α=0.05). THE DENTIN CLEANING METHODS DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THE SBS OF CERAMIC DISCS TO DENTIN AS FOLLOWS: dental explorer, pumice, cleaning bur, and Er:YAG laser. The use of different cleaning protocols did not affect the SBS between dentin and ceramic surfaces.

  14. Immediate provisional restoration of a single-tooth implant in the esthetic zone: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Sung Fu

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Immediate implant restoration of single implants may demonstrate a positive effect on peri-implant soft tissue. Placement of a provisional restoration following implant surgery can create soft tissue contours that resemble normal gingival topography before placement of the definitive prosthesis. This article describes a staged approach of the mandibular permanent right central incisor, which was congenital missing. The proper space for restoration of the missing incisor was created through orthodontic treatment. The scheduled implant site was reconstructed using autogenous bone harvested from the chin region. After a healing period of four months, an implant was installed with the connection of a fixed provisional crown to a prefabricated temporary abutment. The soft tissue around the implant healed according to the contours of the provisional restoration and the emergence profile was used to duplicate the definitive restoration. Peri-implant esthetics was achieved through the staged approach and immediate restoration of the implant.

  15. Anterior provisional restorations used to determine form, function, and esthetics for complex restorative situations, using all-ceramic restorative systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reshad, Mamaly; Cascione, Domenico; Kim, Tae

    2010-02-01

    A technique is proposed for the restoration of a large and visible maxillary anterior defect. The importance of proper diagnosis, treatment planning, and communication is emphasized. Irreversible treatment should only be rendered once patient approval has been obtained through objective evaluation with provisional restorations. The techniques presented in this article use a combination of ceramic systems currently available to satisfy functional demands while achieving acceptable esthetics. A controlled series of steps, where the provisional restorative components are being replaced by the definitive ones is planned. The only difference between the provisional and definitive restorative components is the material used. The definitive restorations consisted of an implant-supported zirconium oxide framework. Individual pressed porcelain restorations were luted to the framework and a natural tooth. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Provisional restorations allow an objective form of communication. Vertical and horizontal transitional lines can be effectively masked with appropriate treatment planning and a skilled ceramist. Many traditional dental laboratory steps may be eliminated or simplified without compromising the definitive restorations.

  16. Memoranda by A.P. Uspensky to the Council of Ministers of the Provisional Siberian government

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukhanov Aleksandr

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This publication offers a previously unknown memoranda by representative of the diocesan assembly of deputies of the clergy and laity of the Tomsk diocese A. P. Uspensky, addressed to the Council of Ministers of the Provisional Siberian government in July 1918. A.P. Uspensky solicited for formation of the Ministry of confessions in the Provisional Siberian government. Memoranda are initiative documents to the Statute on the Chief Administration of religious denominations adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Russian government on December 27, 1918.

  17. Functional outcome after endoprosthetic limb-salvage therapy of primary bone tumours--a comparative analysis using the MSTS score, the TESS and the RNL index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunn, P U; Pomraenke, D; Goerling, U; Hohenberger, P

    2008-10-01

    Limb-saving therapy for primary bone tumours is the treatment of choice. We aimed at analysing the quality of life of this group of patients by combining three different tools. Eighty-seven patients (46 females, 41 males) with a primary bone tumour of the extremity who had undergone endoprosthetic reconstruction between 1982 and 2000 were included in this retrospective study. The median age at the time of evaluation was 30 (12-73) years. The Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) and the Reintegration to Normal Living index (RNL) were recorded an average of 5.8 years after reconstruction and the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society Score (MSTS) after an average of 6.5 years. The mean MSTS score was 77% (13-93%). The mean TESS was 82% (22-99%), and the mean RNL index was 87% (32-98%). The subjective satisfaction and acceptance of physical impairment were significantly higher than the objective score (p TESS was 88% in patients aged 12-25 years, 81% in those aged 26-40 years and 57% in those aged 41-73 years. Parallel recording of the MSTS score, TESS and RNL index provides a better measure reflecting the complex situation of the patients by combining objective and subjective parameters.

  18. Relationships among participant international prostate symptom score, benign prostatic hyperplasia impact index changes and global ratings of change in a trial of phytotherapy in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Michael J; Cantor, Alan; Roehrborn, Claus G

    2013-03-01

    We related changes in American Urological Association symptom index scores with bother measures and global ratings of change in men with lower urinary tract symptoms who were enrolled in a saw palmetto trial. To be eligible for study men were 45 years old or older, and had a peak uroflow of 4 ml per second or greater and an American Urological Association symptom index score of 8 to 24. Participants self-administered the American Urological Association symptom index, International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life item, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index and 2 global change questions at baseline, and at 24, 48 and 72 weeks. In 357 participants global ratings of a little better were associated with a mean decrease in American Urological Association symptom index scores from 2.8 to 4.1 points across 3 time points. The analogous range for mean decreases in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index scores was 1.0 to 1.7 points and for the International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life item it was 0.5 to 0.8 points. At 72 weeks for the first global change question each change measure discriminated between participants who rated themselves at least a little better vs unchanged or worse 70% to 72% of the time. A multivariate model increased discrimination to 77%. For the second global change question each change measure correctly discriminated ratings of at least a little better vs unchanged or worse 69% to 74% of the time and a multivariate model increased discrimination to 79%. Changes in American Urological Association symptom index scores could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better vs unchanged or worse. Our findings support the practice of powering studies to detect group mean differences in American Urological Association symptom index scores of at least 3 points. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Coverage of Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica in Elsevier's CiteScore index: a new tool for measuring the citation impact of academic journals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poljak, Mario

    2017-03-01

    In December 2016, Elsevier launched a new tool that helps measure the citation impact of academic journals, called the CiteScore index. The CiteScore index values for 2015 confirmed the status of Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica (Acta Dermatovenerol APA) as the leading journal in dermatology and sexually transmitted infections in the region. Sixty-five articles published in Acta Dermatovenerol APA from 2012 to 2014 received a total of 77 citations in 2015, resulting in a CiteScore index value of 1.18 for the journal. More than half of the articles published from 2012 to 2014 received at least one citation in 2015. Acta Dermatovenerol APA performed well in all three categories listed because it is ranked 384th out of 1,549 journals in the category General Medicine (75th percentile), 53rd out of 122 journals in the category Dermatology (56th percentile), and 142nd out of 246 journals in the category Infectious Diseases (42nd percentile).

  20. Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Provisional Authority have pointed guns at CF, including following CF vehicles with their tank tubes .”143 While CPA officials believed that the PKK was a...making loans available to individuals who operate small businesses. In October, CHF International was awarded a $7 million grant for microfinance ...activities in Baghdad Governorate and ACDI/VOCA was given a $5 million grant for microfinance activities in the northern governorates.46 In

  1. A Practical Standardized Composite Nutrition Score Based on Lean Tissue Index: Application in Nutrition Screening and Prediction of Outcome in Hemodialysis Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Huan-Sheng; Cheng, Chun-Ting; Hou, Chun-Cheng; Liou, Hung-Hsiang; Chang, Cheng-Tsung; Lin, Chun-Ju; Wu, Tsai-Kun; Chen, Chang-Hsu; Lim, Paik-Seong

    2017-07-01

    Rapid screening and monitoring of nutritional status is mandatory in hemodialysis population because of the increasingly encountered nutritional problems. Considering the limitations of previous composite nutrition scores applied in this population, we tried to develop a standardized composite nutrition score (SCNS) using low lean tissue index as a marker of protein wasting to facilitate clinical screening and monitoring and to predict outcome. This retrospective cohort used 2 databases of dialysis populations from Taiwan between 2011 and 2014. First database consisting of data from 629 maintenance hemodialysis patients was used to develop the SCNS and the second database containing data from 297 maintenance hemodialysis patients was used to validate this developed score. SCNS containing albumin, creatinine, potassium, and body mass index was developed from the first database using low lean tissue index as a marker of protein wasting. When applying this score in the original database, significantly higher risk of developing protein wasting was found for patients with lower SCNS (odds ratio 1.38 [middle tertile vs highest tertile, P < .0001] and 2.40 [lowest tertile vs middle tertile, P < .0001]). The risk of death was also shown to be higher for patients with lower SCNS (hazard ratio 4.45 [below median level vs above median level, P < .0001]). These results were validated in the second database. We developed an SCNS consisting of 4 easily available biochemical parameters. This kind of scoring system can be easily applied in different dialysis facilities for screening and monitoring of protein wasting. The wide application of body composition monitor in dialysis population will also facilitate the development of specific nutrition scoring model for individual facility. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Challenges in Evaluating the Severity of Fibropapillomatosis: A Proposal for Objective Index and Score System for Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, Silmara; Sánchez-Sarmiento, Angélica María; Vanstreels, Ralph Eric Thijl; Dos Santos, Robson Guimarães; Prioste, Fabiola Eloisa Setim; Gattamorta, Marco Aurélio; Grisi-Filho, José Henrique Hildebrand; Matushima, Eliana Reiko

    2016-01-01

    Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplastic disease that affects marine turtles worldwide, especially green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP tumors can develop on the body surface of marine turtles and also internally in the oral cavity and viscera. Depending on their quantity, size and anatomical distribution, these tumors can interfere with hydrodynamics and the ability to feed, hence scoring systems have been proposed in an attempt to quantify the clinical manifestation of FP. In order to establish a new scoring system adapted to geographic regions, we examined 214 juvenile green sea turtles with FP caught or rescued at Brazilian feeding areas, counted their 7466 tumors and classified them in relation to their size and anatomical distribution. The patterns in quantity, size and distribution of tumors revealed interesting aspects in the clinical manifestation of FP in specimens studied in Brazil, and that FP scoring systems developed for other areas might not perform adequately when applied to sea turtles on the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. We therefore propose a novel method to evaluate the clinical manifestation of FP: fibropapillomatosis index (FPI) that provides the Southwest Atlantic fibropapillomatosis score (FPSSWA). In combination, these indexing and scoring systems allow for a more objective, rapid and detailed evaluation of the severity of FP in green sea turtles. While primarily designed for the clinical manifestation of FP currently witnessed in our dataset, this index and the score system can be adapted for other areas and compare the characteristics of the disease across regions. In conclusion, scoring systems to classify the severity of FP can assist our understanding on the environmental factors that modulate its development and its impacts on the individual and population health of green sea turtles.

  3. Optimizing cutoff scores for the Barthel Index and the modified Rankin Scale for defining outcome in acute stroke trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uyttenboogaart, Maarten; Stewart, Roy E; Vroomen, Patrick C A J; De Keyser, Jacques; Luijckx, Gert-Jan

    Background and Purpose - There is little agreement on how to assess outcome in acute stroke trials. Cutoff scores for the Barthel Index (BI) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) are frequently arbitrarily chosen to dichotomize favorable and unfavorable outcome. We investigated sensitivity and specificity

  4. Calculation of cut-off values based on the Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS) and Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI) pemphigus scoring systems for defining moderate, significant and extensive types of pemphigus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boulard, C; Duvert Lehembre, S; Picard-Dahan, C; Kern, J S; Zambruno, G; Feliciani, C; Marinovic, B; Vabres, P; Borradori, L; Prost-Squarcioni, C; Labeille, B; Richard, M A; Ingen-Housz-Oro, S; Houivet, E; Werth, V P; Murrell, D F; Hertl, M; Benichou, J; Joly, P

    2016-07-01

    Two pemphigus severity scores, Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS) and Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI), have been proposed to provide an objective measure of disease activity. However, the use of these scores in clinical practice is limited by the absence of cut-off values that allow differentiation between moderate, significant and extensive types of pemphigus. To calculate cut-off values defining moderate, significant and extensive pemphigus based on the ABSIS and PDAI scores. In 31 dermatology departments in six countries, consecutive patients with newly diagnosed pemphigus were assessed for pemphigus severity, using ABSIS, PDAI, Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores. Cut-off values defining moderate, significant and extensive subgroups were calculated based on the 25th and 75th percentiles of the ABSIS and PDAI scores. The median ABSIS, PDAI, PGA and DLQI scores of the three severity subgroups were compared in order to validate these subgroups. Ninety-six patients with pemphigus vulgaris (n = 77) or pemphigus foliaceus (n = 19) were included. The median PDAI activity and ABSIS total scores were 27·5 (range 3-84) and 34·8 points (range 0·5-90·5), respectively. The respective cut-off values corresponding to the first and third quartiles of the scores were 15 and 45 for the PDAI, and 17 and 53 for ABSIS. The moderate, significant and extensive subgroups were thus defined, and had distinguishing median ABSIS (P cut-off values of 15 and 45 for PDAI and 17 and 53 for ABSIS, to distinguish moderate, significant and extensive pemphigus forms. Identifying these pemphigus activity subgroups should help physicians to classify and manage patients with pemphigus. © 2016 British Association of Dermatologists.

  5. Functional outcome after endoprosthetic limb-salvage therapy of primary bone tumours—a comparative analysis using the MSTS score, the TESS and the RNL index

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pomraenke, D.; Goerling, U.; Hohenberger, P.

    2007-01-01

    Limb-saving therapy for primary bone tumours is the treatment of choice. We aimed at analysing the quality of life of this group of patients by combining three different tools. Eighty-seven patients (46 females, 41 males) with a primary bone tumour of the extremity who had undergone endoprosthetic reconstruction between 1982 and 2000 were included in this retrospective study. The median age at the time of evaluation was 30 (12–73) years. The Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) and the Reintegration to Normal Living index (RNL) were recorded an average of 5.8 years after reconstruction and the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society Score (MSTS) after an average of 6.5 years. The mean MSTS score was 77% (13–93%). The mean TESS was 82% (22–99%), and the mean RNL index was 87% (32–98%). The subjective satisfaction and acceptance of physical impairment were significantly higher than the objective score (p TESS was 88% in patients aged 12–25 years, 81% in those aged 26–40 years and 57% in those aged 41–73 years. Parallel recording of the MSTS score, TESS and RNL index provides a better measure reflecting the complex situation of the patients by combining objective and subjective parameters. PMID:17701173

  6. VSRR - State and National Provisional Counts for Live Births, Deaths, and Infant Deaths

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — NOTES: Figures include all revisions received from the states and, therefore, may differ from those previously published. Data are provisional and are subject to...

  7. Comparison of risk of local-regional recurrence after mastectomy or breast conservation therapy for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation stratified according to a prognostic index score

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Eugene H.; Strom, Eric A.; Perkins, George H.; Oh, Julia L.; Chen, Allen M.; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Hunt, Kelly K.; Sahin, Aysegul A.; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N.; Buchholz, Thomas A.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: We previously developed a prognostic index that stratified patients treated with breast conservation therapy (BCT) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy into groups with different risks for local-regional recurrence (LRR). The purpose of this study was to compare the rates of LRR as a function of prognostic index score for patients treated with BCT or mastectomy plus radiation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed 815 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Patients were assigned an index score from 0 to 4 and given 1 point for the presence of each factor: clinical N2 to N3 disease, lymphovascular invasion, pathologic size >2 cm, and multifocal residual disease. Results: The 10-year LRR rates were very low and similar between the mastectomy and BCT groups for patients with an index score of 0 or 1. For patients with a score of 2, LRR trended lower for those treated with mastectomy vs. BCT (12% vs. 28%, p = 0.28). For patients with a score of 3 to 4, LRR was significantly lower for those treated with mastectomy vs. BCT (19% vs. 61%, p = 0.009). Conclusions: This analysis suggests that BCT can provide excellent local-regional treatment for the vast majority of patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. For the few patients with a score of 3 to 4, LRR was >60% after BCT and was <20% with mastectomy. If these findings are confirmed in larger randomized studies, the prognostic index may be useful in helping to select the type of surgical treatment for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation

  8. Immediate placement and provisionalization of maxillary anterior single implant with guided bone regeneration, connective tissue graft, and coronally positioned flap procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waki, Tomonori; Kan, Joseph Y K

    2016-01-01

    Immediate implant placement and provisionalization in the esthetic zone have been documented with success. The benefit of immediate implant placement and provisionalization is the preservation of papillary mucosa. However, in cases with osseous defects presenting on the facial bony plate, immediate implant placement procedures have resulted in facial gingival recession. Subepithelial connective tissue grafts for immediate implant placement and provisionalization procedures have been reported with a good esthetic outcome. Biotype conversion around implants with subepithelial connective tissue grafts have been advocated, and the resulting tissues appear to be more resistant to recession. The dimensions of peri-implant mucosa in a thick biotype were significantly greater than in a thin biotype. Connective tissue graft with coronally positioned flap procedures on natural teeth has also been documented with success. This article describes a technique combining immediate implant placement, provisionalization, guided bone regeneration (GBR), connective tissue graft, and a coronally positioned flap in order to achieve more stable peri-implant tissue in facial osseous defect situations.

  9. 20 CFR 404.1592e - How do we determine provisional benefits?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... equal to the higher of the benefits payable. (4) If you request reinstatement for more than one benefit..., but are not limited to— (1) If you are a prisoner under § 404.468; (2) If you have been removed... your provisional benefits unless you give us permission. We can recover Medicare premiums you owe from...

  10. Correlation study on waist circumference-triglyceride (WT) index and coronary artery scores in patients with coronary heart disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, R-F; Liu, X-Y; Lin, Z; Zhang, G

    2015-01-01

    Coronary disease is analyzed through common lipid profiles, but these analyses fail to account for residual risk due to abdominal weight and elevated TG levels. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the waist circumference × triglyceride index (WT index) and the Coronary Artery Score (CAS) in patients with coronary heart disease. 346 patients in our Cardiology Department were recruited from September 2007 to August 2011 and divided into two groups according to whether the patients presented with metabolic syndrome. We performed coronary angiography using the standard Judkins method. The severity of coronary artery stenosis and the CAS were calculated and analyzed with a computerized quantitative analysis system. The signs index, which includes the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip-ratio, and waist-height-ratio, the blood glucose and blood lipid index of all the patients were collected and used to calculate the WT index (waist circumference x triglyceride index. We performed a correlative analysis with age, gender, body mass index, blood glucose and blood lipid, blood pressure and other risk indicators of all patients as the dependent variables and the CAS as the independent variable. We show that the CAS is positively correlated to the WT index. Several lipid profiles and waist circumference were significantly associated with the CAS. The WT index is correlated to the CAS and is a good predictor for the development of coronary artery disease; it can be applied in the clinic for early intervention in populations at risk for coronary heart disease.

  11. Scholarly Productivity of Social Work Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Are h-Index Scores a Suitable Measure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Isiah, Jr.; Smith, Belinda Davis; Green, Makeba T.; Anderson, Brian; Harry, Sonja V.; Byrd, Yolanda M.; Pratt-Harris, Natasha C.; Bolden, Errol S.; Hill, Solomon

    2016-01-01

    Faculty scholarship at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) has in the past served as a blueprint for the Black masses. Even today, HBCU faculty scholarship continues to be an informative source to communicate accurate information regarding marginalized groups. This study examines h-index scores of 65 faculty members at five…

  12. Evaluation of surface physical properties of acrylic resins for provisional prosthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sérgio Paulo Hilgenberg

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Acrylic resins used for provisional prostheses should have satisfactory superficial characteristics in order to ensure gingival health and low bacterial attachment. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the superficial roughness and contact angle after two types of polishing and the Vickers hardness of three acrylic resins (Duralay - G1, Dencrilay - G2, and Dencor - G3, all shade 66, indicated for provisional fixed prostheses. Five 20 x 3 ± 1 mm diameter discoid specimens were obtained for each group. One side of the specimens was subjected to standard polishing (pumice and whiting slurry, and the opposite side was polished with special tips. The mean roughness and contact angles of the materials were measured. The specimens were subjected to the Vickers microhardness test, which indicated that standard polishing produced a surface roughness equivalent to that of the special tips. The contact angles obtained with the standard polishing were equivalent to those observed in the special tips group. The microhardness of G1 and G3 resins showed statistical differences.

  13. Provisional reporting of polytrauma CT by on-call radiology registrars. Is it Safe?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Briggs, R.H., E-mail: robbriggs@hotmail.co.u [Department of Radiology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds (United Kingdom); Rowbotham, E.; Johnstone, A.L.; Chalmers, A.G. [Department of Radiology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds (United Kingdom)

    2010-08-15

    Aim: To assess the accuracy of provisional reporting and the impact on patient management. Materials and methods: Over a 6 month period, 137 polytrauma computed tomography (CT) examinations were performed by on-call registrar radiologists at our institution. After exclusions, 130 cases were analysed. Discrepancies between registrar and consultant reports were reviewed and classified as either major or minor dependent on potential impact on patient safety. The relationship between seniority of reporting registrar and likelihood of a missed finding was analysed using the Chi-square test. Results: Of the 130 patients, 46 (35%) had a serious injury, 36 (28%) a minor injury, and 48 (38%) no identifiable injury on CT. There were 32 (25%) patients with discrepancies of which 24 (18%) had missed or significantly under-reported findings and eight (6%) overcalled findings. There were six misses classified as major; the remaining 18 were classified as minor. No association was found between the seniority of reporting registrar and the likelihood of a miss (p = 0.96). Conclusion: The incidence of major discrepancies between the provisional and final report was low and did not lead to any significant clinical deterioration. Our study provides a reference of the commonly missed injuries. We conclude that registrar provisional reporting of polytrauma is safe; however, note that a large proportion of examinations are normal and that further work is required to produce robust criteria given the radiation risk to a young population group scanned in trauma.

  14. Provisional reporting of polytrauma CT by on-call radiology registrars. Is it Safe?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Briggs, R.H.; Rowbotham, E.; Johnstone, A.L.; Chalmers, A.G.

    2010-01-01

    Aim: To assess the accuracy of provisional reporting and the impact on patient management. Materials and methods: Over a 6 month period, 137 polytrauma computed tomography (CT) examinations were performed by on-call registrar radiologists at our institution. After exclusions, 130 cases were analysed. Discrepancies between registrar and consultant reports were reviewed and classified as either major or minor dependent on potential impact on patient safety. The relationship between seniority of reporting registrar and likelihood of a missed finding was analysed using the Chi-square test. Results: Of the 130 patients, 46 (35%) had a serious injury, 36 (28%) a minor injury, and 48 (38%) no identifiable injury on CT. There were 32 (25%) patients with discrepancies of which 24 (18%) had missed or significantly under-reported findings and eight (6%) overcalled findings. There were six misses classified as major; the remaining 18 were classified as minor. No association was found between the seniority of reporting registrar and the likelihood of a miss (p = 0.96). Conclusion: The incidence of major discrepancies between the provisional and final report was low and did not lead to any significant clinical deterioration. Our study provides a reference of the commonly missed injuries. We conclude that registrar provisional reporting of polytrauma is safe; however, note that a large proportion of examinations are normal and that further work is required to produce robust criteria given the radiation risk to a young population group scanned in trauma.

  15. Maintenance of marginal bone support and soft tissue esthetics at immediately provisionalized OsseoSpeed implants placed into extraction sites: 2-year results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noelken, Robert; Neffe, Bettina Anna; Kunkel, Martin; Wagner, Wilfried

    2014-02-01

    Placement of implants into extraction sockets targets the maintenance of peri-implant hard and soft tissue structures and the support of a natural and esthetic contour. The main advantages of immediate implant insertion in comparison with delayed implant placement protocols are as follows: a reduced treatment time, less number of sessions, and, thus, the less invasive procedure. This study examines the clinical performance (survival rate, marginal bone levels and Pink Esthetic Score [PES]) of OsseoSpeed implants placed into extraction sockets with immediate provisionalization in the anterior maxilla after a follow-up of at least 12 months. Twenty patients received a total number of 37 OsseoSpeed implants which were immediately inserted into extraction sockets with or without facial bone deficiencies of various dimensions. A flapless procedure was applied, and the implants were immediately provisionalized with temporary crowns without occlusal contacts. Facial gaps between implant surface and facial bone or the previous contour of the alveolar process were grafted with autogenous bone chips. Implants in diameters 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 with lengths of 11-17 mm were used in the study. During the course of the study, interproximal marginal bone levels, the thickness of the facial bony wall, implant success rate according to the criteria established by Buser, and the PES were assessed per implant. One patient with three implants did not continue the study after prosthesis delivery, the remaining 34 implants were still in function at the final follow-up (survival rate: 100%). The mean follow-up period was 27 months (range, 12-40 months). Marginal bone height at the level of the implant shoulder averaged -0.1 ± 0.55 mm (range, -1.25 to 1.47 mm) at the final follow-up. The mean PES ratings were 11.3 ± 1.8 (range, 6-14) at the final follow-up. In 78% of the patients, the PES was preserved or even improved. Success rates, marginal bone levels, and esthetic results suggest

  16. Biological Effects of Provisional Resin Materials on Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, S-K; Mahapatra, C; Lee, H-H; Kim, H-W; Lee, J-H

    This study investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity as well as the proinflammatory cytokine expression of provisional resin materials on primary cultured human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Five commercially available provisional resin materials were chosen (SNAP [SN], Luxatemp [LT], Jet [JE], Revotek LC [RL], and Vipi block [VB]). Eluates that were either polymerizing or already set were added to hDPSCs under serially diluted conditions divided into three different setting times (25% set, 50% set, and 100% set) and incubated for 24 hours with 2× concentrated culture media. Cell cytotoxicity tests were performed by LDH assay and live and dead confocal microscope images. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines in SN and VB was measured using cytokine antibody arrays. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) or ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test at a significance level of pprovisional resin materials during polymerization (SN, LT, and JE) were cytotoxic to hDPSCs and may adversely affect pulp tissue.

  17. Esthetic Outcome of Implant Supported Crowns With and Without Peri-Implant Conditioning Using Provisional Fixed Prosthesis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furze, David; Byrne, Ashley; Alam, Sonia; Wittneben, Julia-Gabriela

    2016-12-01

    Achieving an optimal esthetic result using dental implants is challenging. Fixed implant-supported provisional crowns are often used to customize the emergence profile and to individualize the surrounding peri-implant soft tissue. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether the use of a provisional implant-supported crown leads to an esthetic benefit on implants that are placed in the esthetic zone. The null hypothesis is that there is no-difference between the two study groups. Twenty single implants (Bone Level, Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland) were inserted in consecutive patients. After reopening, a randomization process assigned them to either cohort group 1: a provisional phase with soft tissue conditioning using the "dynamic compression technique" or cohort group 2: without a provisional. Implants were finally restored with an all-ceramic crown. Follow-up examinations were performed at 3 and 12 months including implant success and survival, clinical, and radiographic parameters. After 1 year all implants successfully integrated, mean values of combined modPES and WES were 16.7 for group 1 and 10.5 for Group 2. This was statistically significant. Mean bone loss after 1 year was -0.09 and -0.08 for groups 1 and 2, respectively, without being statistically significant. A provisional phase with soft tissue conditioning does improve the final esthetic result. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Relationship between Blood Stasis Syndrome Score and Cardioankle Vascular Index in Stroke Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ki-Ho Cho

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Blood stasis syndrome (BSS in traditional Asian medicine has been considered to correlate with the extent of atherosclerosis, which can be estimated using the cardioankle vascular index (CAVI. Here, the diagnostic utility of CAVI in predicting BSS was examined. The BSS scores and CAVI were measured in 140 stroke patients and evaluated with respect to stroke risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of CAVI for the diagnosis of BSS. The BSS scores correlated significantly with CAVI, age, and systolic blood pressure (SBP. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that CAVI was a significant associate factor for BSS (OR 1.55, P=0.032 after adjusting for the age and SBP. The ROC curve showed that CAVI and age provided moderate diagnostic accuracy for BSS (area under the ROC curve (AUC for CAVI, 0.703, P<0.001; AUC for age, 0.692, P=0.001. The AUC of the “CAVI+Age,” which was calculated by combining CAVI with age, showed better accuracy (0.759, P<0.0001 than those of CAVI or age. The present study suggests that the CAVI combined with age can clinically serve as an objective tool to diagnose BSS in stroke patients.

  19. The Relationship between Schools' Costs per Pupil and Nevada School Performance Framework Index Scores in Clark County School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, John; Huang, Min

    2015-01-01

    Clark County School District (CCSD) asked the Western Regional Education Laboratory (REL West) to examine the relationship between spending per pupil and Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) index scores in the district's schools. Data were examined from three school years (2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14) and for three types of schools…

  20. 77 FR 42702 - Battat Incorporated, Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-20

    ... reports of magnet liberation and two consumer reports of children ingesting non- magnetized steel balls... request, Staff enclosed two in-depth investigation reports of consumer reports describing magnets... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 12-C0007] Battat Incorporated, Provisional...

  1. Climiate Resilience Screening Index and Domain Scores

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — CRSI and related-domain scores for all 50 states and 3135 counties in the U.S. This dataset is not publicly accessible because: They are already available within the...

  2. Work ability as prognostic risk marker of disability pension : Single-item work ability score versus multi-item work ability index

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, C.A.M.; Rhenen, van W.; Groothoff, J.W.; Klink, van der J.J.L.; Twisk, W.R.; Heymans, M.W.

    2014-01-01

    Work ability predicts future disability pension (DP). A single-item work ability score (WAS) is emerging as a measure for work ability. This study compared single-item WAS with the multi-item work ability index (WAI) in its ability to identify workers at risk of DP.

  3. Establishing the pharmaceutical quality of Chinese herbal medicine: a provisional BCS classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Sophia Y K; Liu, Mary; Wei, Hai; Löbenberg, Raimar; Kanfer, Isadore; Lee, Vincent H L; Amidon, Gordon L; Zuo, Zhong

    2013-05-06

    The Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), which is a scientific approach to categorize active drug ingredient based on its solubility and intestinal permeability into one of the four classes, has been used to set the pharmaceutical quality standards for drug products in western society. However, it has received little attention in the area of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). This is likely, in part, due to the presence of multiple active components as well as lack of standardization of CHM. In this report, we apply BCS classification to CHMs provisionally as a basis for establishing improved in vitro quality standards. Based on a top-200 drugs selling list in China, a total of 31 CHM products comprising 50 official active marker compounds (AMCs) were provisionally classified according to BCS. Information on AMC content and doses of these CHM products were retrieved from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. BCS parameters including solubility and permeability of the AMCs were predicted in silico (ACD/Laboratories). A BCS classification of CHMs according to biopharmaceutical properties of their AMCs is demonstrated to be feasible in the current study and can be used to provide a minimum set of quality standards. Our provisional results showed that 44% of the included AMCs were classified as Class III (high solubility, low permeability), followed by Class II (26%), Class I (18%), and Class IV (12%). A similar trend was observed when CHMs were classified in accordance with the BCS class of AMCs. Most (45%) of the included CHMs were classified as Class III, followed by Class II (16%), Class I (10%), and Class IV (6%); whereas 23% of the CHMs were of mixed class due to the presence of multiple individual AMCs with different BCS classifications. Moreover, about 60% of the AMCs were classified as high-solubility compounds (Class I and Class III), suggesting an important role for an in vitro dissolution test in setting quality control standards ensuring consistent

  4. Immediate Loading of Implants in the Edentulous Maxilla with a Fixed Provisional Restoration without Bone Augmentation: A Report on 5-Year Outcomes Data Obtained from a Prospective Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toljanic, Joseph A; Ekstrand, Karl; Baer, Russell A; Thor, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    Successful immediate loading of implants in the edentulous maxilla has been previously reported. The purpose of this 5-year prospective study was to further assess long-term outcomes following immediate loading of implants in the edentulous maxilla with fixed provisional restorations without the use of bone augmentation procedures. Subjects with edentulous maxillary arches each received six implants placed in native bone without augmentation. Where insufficient posterior bone volume existed, angled implant placement was employed. Fixed provisional restorations were delivered within 24 hours of implant placement. Implant placement locations, insertion torque values, and implant dimensions were recorded. Definitive fixed prostheses were placed within 24 weeks following implantation. Baseline implant site marginal bone levels were measured using periapical radiographs. Baseline peri-implant plaque and bleeding scores were obtained. Subjects were examined 6 months after implant placement and then annually for 5 years with follow-up periapical radiographs and plaque/bleeding scores obtained. Fifty-one subjects received a total of 306 implants. Forty subjects with 232 implants returned for the final follow-up appointment representing a 5-year implant survival proportion of 93% with a mean marginal bone loss of 0.44 ± 1.25 mm for this group. Thirty-nine of these 40 subjects continued to function with fixed restorations with the remaining subject functioning with a non-implant-retained removable prosthesis. Within the limitations of this study, predictable long-term implant rehabilitation outcomes were demonstrated for the edentulous maxilla using an immediate loading protocol without bone augmentation.

  5. 21 CFR 81.10 - Termination of provisional listings of color additives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... FOODS, DRUGS, AND COSMETICS § 81.10 Termination of provisional listings of color additives. (a) Ext. D&C... has been observed in all groups fed at the 0.5 percent diet and above. (3) Groups of 4 dogs are being... dogs on the 2 percent dosage level died before 32 weeks; the other is living. Three of the dogs on the...

  6. Balance index score as a predictive factor for lower sports results or anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries in Croatian female athletes--preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrbanić, Tea Schnurrer-Luke; Ravlić-Gulan, Jagoda; Gulan, Gordan; Matovinović, Damir

    2007-03-01

    Female athletes participating in high-risk sports suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury at a 4- to 6-fold greater rate than do male athletes. ACL injuries result either from contact mechanisms or from certain unexplained non-contact mechanisms occurring during daily professional sports activities. The occurrence of non-contact injuries points to the existence of certain factors intrinsic to the knee that can lead to ACL rupture. When knee joint movement overcomes the static and the dynamic constraint systems, non-contact ACL injury may occur. Certain recent results suggest that balance and neuromuscular control play a central role in knee joint stability, protection and prevention of ACL injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate balance neuromuscular skills in healthy Croatian female athletes by measuring their balance index score, as well as to estimate a possible correlation between their balance index score and balance effectiveness. This study is conducted in an effort to reduce the risk of future injuries and thus prevent female athletes from withdrawing from sports prematurely. We analysed fifty-two female athletes in the high-risk sports of handball and volleyball, measuring for their static and dynamic balance index scores, using the Sport KAT 2000 testing system. This method may be used to monitor balance and coordination systems and may help to develop simpler measurements of neuromuscular control, which can be used to estimate risk predictors in athletes who withdraw from sports due to lower sports results or ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and to direct female athletes to more effective, targeted preventive interventions. The tested Croatian female athletes with lower sports results and ACL knee injury incurred after the testing were found to have a higher balance index score compared to healthy athletes. We therefore suggest that a higher balance index score can be used as an effective risk predictor for lower sports results

  7. Work ability as prognostic risk marker of disability pension: single-item work ability score versus multi-item work ability index

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, C.A.M.; van Rhenen, W.; Groothoff, J.W.; van der Klink, J.J.L.; Twisk, J.W.R.; Heymans, M.W.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Work ability predicts future disability pension (DP). A single-item work ability score (WAS) is emerging as a measure for work ability. This study compared single-item WAS with the multi-item work ability index (WAI) in its ability to identify workers at risk of DP. Methods This

  8. Work ability as prognostic risk marker of disability pension : single-item work ability score versus multi-item work ability index

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, Corne A. M.; van Rhenen, Willem; Groothoff, Johan W.; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; Twisk, Jos W. R.; Heymans, Martijn W.

    Objectives Work ability predicts future disability pension (DP). A single-item work ability score (WAS) is emerging as a measure for work ability. This study compared single-item WAS with the multi-item work ability index (WAI) in its ability to identify workers at risk of DP. Methods This

  9. Examination of the Five Comparable Component Scores of the Diet Quality Indexes HEI-2005 and RC-DQI Using a Nationally Representative Sample of 2–18 Year Old Children: NHANES 2003–2006

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sibylle Kranz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity has been associated with low diet quality and the suboptimal intake of food groups and nutrients. Two composite diet quality measurement tools are appropriate for Americans 2–18 years old: the Healthy Eating Index (HEI 2005 and the Revised Children’s Diet Quality Index (RC-DQI. The five components included in both indexes are fruits, vegetables, total grains, whole grains, and milk/dairy. Component scores ranged from 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 points with lower scores indicating suboptimal intake. To allow direct comparisons, one component was rescaled by dividing it by 2; then, all components ranged from 0 to 5 points. The aim of this study was to directly compare the scoring results of these five components using dietary data from a nationally representative sample of children (NHANES 2003–2006, . Correlation coefficients within and between indexes showed less internal consistency in the HEI; age- and ethnic-group stratified analyses indicated higher sensitivity of the RC-DQI. HEI scoring was likely to dichotomize the population into two groups (those with 0 and those with 5 points, while RC-DQI scores resulted in a larger distribution of scores. The scoring scheme of diet quality indexes for children results in great variation of the outcomes, and researchers must be aware of those effects.

  10. Effect of water temperature on the fit of provisional crown margins during polymerization: An in vitro study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivekanandan Ramkumar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To evaluate the effect of water temperature on the marginal fit of bis-acrylic composite provisional crown during resin polymerization. Materials and Methods: Precisely machined 10 brass master dies were designed to simulate molar teeth. Five brass dies were selected and precisely machined to simulate all ceramic crown preparation. An acrylic jaw replica was made in which brass dies were arranged equidistant from each other. A custom-made metallic tray was fabricated on the acrylic jaw replica to make polyvinyl siloxane impression matrix. Bis-acrylic composite resin provisional crowns were made using polyvinyl siloxane impression matrix. Provisional crowns were polymerized at room temperature (Group I direct technique, on dental stone cast; Group I indirect technique crowns and at different water temperatures (Group II direct technique crowns. The vertical marginal gap between all the provisional crown margins and the finish line of brass dies was measured using a Research Stereomicroscope System. Results: The results were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA test and Newman-Keul′s test. The results showed that crowns polymerized in 20°C and 30°C water had marginal gap approximately three times smaller than those polymerized in 30°C air, due to the reduced polymerization shrinkage. Conclusion: This study shows that crowns polymerized in 20°C and 30°C water had mean vertical marginal gap approximately three times smaller than those polymerized in 30°C air. It was approximately closer to that of crowns fabricated by indirect technique. Warmer water also supposedly hastens polymerization.

  11. Effect of water temperature on the fit of provisional crown margins during polymerization: An in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramkumar, Vivekanandan; Sangeetha, Arunachalam; Kumar, Vinaya

    2012-08-01

    To evaluate the effect of water temperature on the marginal fit of bis-acrylic composite provisional crown during resin polymerization. Precisely machined 10 brass master dies were designed to simulate molar teeth. Five brass dies were selected and precisely machined to simulate all ceramic crown preparation. An acrylic jaw replica was made in which brass dies were arranged equidistant from each other. A custom-made metallic tray was fabricated on the acrylic jaw replica to make polyvinyl siloxane impression matrix. Bis-acrylic composite resin provisional crowns were made using polyvinyl siloxane impression matrix. Provisional crowns were polymerized at room temperature (Group I direct technique, on dental stone cast; Group I indirect technique crowns) and at different water temperatures (Group II direct technique crowns). The vertical marginal gap between all the provisional crown margins and the finish line of brass dies was measured using a Research Stereomicroscope System. The results were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and Newman-Keul's test. The results showed that crowns polymerized in 20°C and 30°C water had marginal gap approximately three times smaller than those polymerized in 30°C air, due to the reduced polymerization shrinkage. This study shows that crowns polymerized in 20°C and 30°C water had mean vertical marginal gap approximately three times smaller than those polymerized in 30°C air. It was approximately closer to that of crowns fabricated by indirect technique. Warmer water also supposedly hastens polymerization.

  12. 38 CFR 17.65 - Approvals and provisional approvals of community residential care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... approvals of community residential care facilities. 17.65 Section 17.65 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Community Residential Care § 17.65 Approvals and provisional approvals of community residential care facilities. (a) An approval of a facility meeting all of...

  13. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency. Amendment to Regulation 5.04(a)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1973-01-01

    On 20 February 1973 the Board of Governors approved the substitution of the figure '1500' for '1000' in the second sentence of Provisional Staff Regulation 5.04(a) as set forth in document INFCIRC/6/Rev.2/Mod.1, thus amending that Regulation to read

  14. Development of the Crohn's disease digestive damage score, the Lémann score

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pariente, Benjamin; Cosnes, Jacques; Danese, Silvio

    2011-01-01

    is to outline the methods to develop an instrument that can measure cumulative bowel damage. The project is being conducted by the International Program to develop New Indexes in Crohn's disease (IPNIC) group. This instrument, called the Crohn's Disease Digestive Damage Score (the Lémann score), should take...

  15. Characterization and human gingival fibroblasts biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite/PMMA nanocomposites for provisional dental implant restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingchao; Liao, Juan; Mo, Anchun; Li, Yubao; Li, Jidong; Wang, Xuejiang

    2008-11-01

    The aim of this study was to determine nHA/PMMA composites (H/P) in an optimal ratio with improved cytocompatibility as well as valid physical properties for provisional dental implant restoration. 20 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 40 wt.% and 50 wt.% H/P were developed and characterized using XPS, bending strength test and SEM. Human gingival fibroblasts cultured in extracts or directly on sample discs were investigated by fluorescent staining and MTT assay. Chemical integration in nHA/PMMA interface was indicated by XPS. Typical fusiform cells with adhesion spots were detected on H/P discs. MTT results also indicated higher cell viability in 30 wt.% and 40 wt.% H/P discs ( P provisional fixed crowns (PFC) is 0.4:1.

  16. Flapless postextraction socket implant placement in the esthetic zone: part 1. The effect of bone grafting and/or provisional restoration on facial-palatal ridge dimensional change-a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarnow, Dennis P; Chu, Stephen J; Salama, Maurice A; Stappert, Christian F J; Salama, Henry; Garber, David A; Sarnachiaro, Guido O; Sarnachiaro, Evangelina; Gotta, Sergio Luis; Saito, Hanae

    2014-01-01

    The dental literature has reported vertical soft tissue changes that can occur with immediate implant placement, bone grafting, and provisional restoration ranging from a gain or loss of 1.0 mm. However, little is known of the effects of facial-palatal collapse of the ridge due to these clinical procedures. Based upon treatment modalities rendered, an ensuing contour change can occur with significant negative esthetic consequences. The results of a retrospective clinical cohort study evaluating the change in horizontal ridge dimension associated with implant placement in anterior postextraction sockets are presented for four treatment groups: (1) group no BGPR = no bone graft and no provisional restoration; (2) group PR = no bone graft, provisional restoration; (3) group BG = bone graft, no provisional restoration; and (4) group BGPR = bone graft, provisional restoration. Bone grafting at the time of implant placement into the gap in combination with a contoured healing abutment or a provisional restoration resulted in the smallest amount of ridge contour change. Therefore, it is recommended to place a bone graft and contoured healing abutment or provisional restoration at the time of flapless postextraction socket implant placement.

  17. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency. Amendments to Annexes II and III

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1971-08-06

    On 8 June 1971 the Board of Governors made amendments to Annexes II and III to the Provisional Staff Regulations which superseded the earlier amendments to those Annexes set forth in document INFCIRC/6/Rev. 2/Mod. 1. Paragraphs 2-4 of that document are accordingly modified.

  18. Equivalence and standard scores of the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness across Spanish men and women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo Santos-Iglesias

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to analyze the measurement invariance and differential item functioning of the Spanish version of the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness across gender. The sample was composed of 1,600 women and 1,598 men from Spain, with ages ranging from 18 to 84 years old. The Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness only showed weak invariance for men and women. The differential item functioning analysis showed that only item 2 ("I feel that I am shy when it comes to sex" flagged moderate uniform differential item functioning. More specifically, women tended to respond "Always" to this item more frequently than did men. Results strongly suggested eliminating item 2, resulting in a final version with 18 items clustered into two dimensions with good reliability values for men and women. Standard scores for both Initiation and No Shyness/Refusal reflected traditional sexual scripts for men and women.

  19. Provisional Crown Dislodgement during Scuba Diving: A Case of Barotrauma

    OpenAIRE

    Gulve, Meenal Nitin; Gulve, Nitin Dilip

    2013-01-01

    Changes in ambient pressure, for example, during flying, diving, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can lead to barotrauma. Although it may seem that this issue was neglected in dental education and research in recent decades, familiarity with and understanding of these facts may be of importance for dental practitioners. We report the case of a patient who experienced barotrauma involving dislodgement of a provisional crown during scuba diving. Patients who are exposed to pressure changes as a pa...

  20. Provisional versus elective two-stent strategy for unprotected true left main bifurcation lesions: Insights from a FAILS-2 sub-study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamoto, Hiroyoshi; Chieffo, Alaide; D'Ascenzo, Fabrizio; Jabbour, Richard J; Naganuma, Toru; Cerrato, Enrico; Ugo, Fabrizio; Pavani, Marco; Varbella, Ferdinando; Boccuzzi, Giacomo; Pennone, Mauro; Garbo, Roberto; Conrotto, Federico; Biondi-Zoccai, Giuseppe; D'Amico, Maurizio; Moretti, Claudio; Escaned, Javier; Gaita, Fiorenzo; Nakamura, Sunao; Colombo, Antonio

    2018-01-01

    This study sought to investigate the optimal percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) strategy for true unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) bifurcations. The FAILS-2 was a retrospective multi-center study including patients with ULMCA disease treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents. Of these, we compared clinical outcomes of a provisional strategy (PS; n=216) versus an elective two-stent strategy (E2S; n=161) for true ULMCA bifurcations. The primary endpoint was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 3-years. We further performed propensity-score adjustment for clinical outcomes. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of patient and lesion characteristics. 9.7% of patients in the PS group crossed over to a provisional two-stent strategy. MACEs were not significantly different between groups (MACE at 3-year; PS 28.1% vs. E2S 28.9%, adjusted p=0.99). The rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) on the circumflex artery (LCX) were numerically high in the E2S group (LCX-TLR at 3-years; PS 11.8% vs. E2S 16.6%, adjusted p=0.51). E2S was associated with a comparable MACE rate to PS for true ULMCA bifurcations. The rates of LCX-TLR tended to be higher in the E2S group although there was no statistical significance. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes of a provisional strategy (PS) with an elective two-stent strategy (E2S) for the treatment of true unprotected left main coronary artery bifurcations. 377 Patients (PS 216 vs. E2S 161 patients) were evaluated, and 9.7% in the PS group crossed over to a two-stent strategy. E2S was associated with a similar major adverse cardiac event rate at 3-years when compared to the PS strategy (PS 28.1% vs. E2S 28.9%, p=0.99). However, the left circumflex artery TLR rate at 3-year tended to be higher in the E2S group (PS 11.8% vs. E2S 16.6%, p=0.51). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Health literacy is associated with healthy eating index scores and sugar-sweetened beverage intake: findings from the rural lower Mississippi delta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Although health literacy has been a public health priority area for more than a decade, the relationship between health literacy and dietary quality has not been thoroughly explored. This study, evaluates health literacy skills in relation to Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and sugar-sweetened bev...

  2. Antonio Maceo: Agent General of the Provisional Revolutionary Government to the Cuban emigration (I

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Antonio Navarro Álvarez

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the role of paramount importance played by Antonio Maceo y Grajales as General Agent of the Provisional Government, one of the less studied and known roles of this preeminent patriot of our wars of independence.

  3. Efficacy of NETDC (New England Trophoblastic Disease Center prognostic index score to predict gestational trophoblastic tumor from hydatidiform mole

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khrismawan Khrismawan

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available A prospective longitudinal analytic study assessing the efficacy of NETDC (New England Trophoblastic Disease Center prognostic index score in predicting malignancy after hydatidiform mole had been performed. Of the parameter evaluated; age of patients, type of hydatidiform mole, uterine enlargement, serum hCG level, lutein cyst, and presence of complicating factors were significant risk factors for malignancy after hydatidiform mole were evacuated (p<0.032. The study were done on 50 women diagnosed with hydatidiform mole with 1 year observation (January 2001-December 2002 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mohammad Hoesin Hospital, Palembang. The results showed that the NETDC prognostic index score predicted malignancy in 50% of high risk group and 10% in low risk group (p<0.05. This showed a higher number than that found by the WHO (19%-30%. The risk for incidence of  malignancy after hydatidiform mole in the high risk group is 9.0 times higher compared to that of the low risk group (CI: 1.769-45.786. (Med J Indones 2004; 13: 40-6 Keywords: New England Trophoblastic Disease Center (NETDC, gestational trophoblastic tumor, hydatidiform mole, high and low risk

  4. Comparative Computed Flow Dynamic Analysis of Different Optimization Techniques in Left Main Either Provisional or Culotte Stenting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rigatelli, Gianluca; Dell'Avvocata, Fabio; Zuin, Marco; Giatti, Sara; Duong, Khanh; Pham, Trung; Tuan, Nguyen Si; Vassiliev, Dobrin; Daggubati, Ramesh; Nguyen, Thach

    2017-12-01

    Provisional and culotte are the most commonly used techniques in left main (LM) stenting. The impact of different post-dilation techniques on fluid dynamic of LM bifurcation has not been yet investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate, by means of computational fluid dynamic analysis (CFD), the impact of different post-dilation techniques including proximal optimization technique (POT), kissing balloon (KB), POT-Side-POT and POT-KB-POT, 2-steps Kissing (2SK) and Snuggle Kissing balloon (SKB) on flow dynamic profile after LM provisional or culotte stenting. We considered an LM-LCA-LCX bifurcation reconstructed after reviewing 100 consecutive patients (mean age 71.4 ± 9.3 years, 49 males) with LM distal disease. The diameters of LAD and LCX were modelled according to the Finnet's law as following: LM 4.5 mm, LAD 3.5 mm, LCX 2.75 mm, with bifurcation angle set up at 55°. Xience third-generation stent (Abbot Inc., USA) was reconstructed and virtually implanted in provisional/cross-over and culotte fashion. POT, KB, POT-side-POT, POT-KB-POT, 2SK and SKB were virtually applied and analyzed in terms of the wall shear stress (WSS). Analyzing the provisional stenting, the 2SK and KB techniques had a statistically significant lower impact on the WSS at the carina, while POT seemed to obtain a neutral effect. In the wall opposite to the carina, the more physiological profile has been obtained by KB and POT with higher WSS value and smaller surface area of the lower WSS. In culotte stenting, at the carina, POT-KB-POT and 2SK had a very physiological profile; while at the wall opposite to the carina, 2SK and POT-KB-POT decreased significantly the surface area of the lower WSS compared to the other techniques. From the fluid dynamic point of view in LM provisional stenting, POT, 2SK and KB showed a similar beneficial impact on the bifurcation rheology, while in LM culotte stenting, POT-KB-POT and 2SK performed slightly better than the other techniques, probably

  5. Redesign of a fixture mount to be used as an impression coping and a provisional abutment as well

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenn Hsuan-Chen Chang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: An integrated fixture mount/impression coping/ temporary abutment can provide many advantages for immediate loading of dental implants, such as simpler procedure, less chair time, cost reduction, and comfort for the patients. Materials and Methods: A newly designed dental implant fixture mount (DIFMA can be used as an impression coping for taking an immediate impression. An immediate load provisional prosthesis can then be fabricated shortly after implant placement to immediately load the implants. This fixture mount can also serve as a temporary abutment for immediate chair-side fabrication of provisional prosthesis. Two clinical cases are presented. Results: A clinical case utilizing the fixture mount abutment (DIFMA/implant assembly is presented. The precision of fitting between the impression copings and implants is secured with this system. The chair time for taking an immediate impression is greatly reduced. Less cost for the restoration is provided and patient comfort is delivered. Conclusions: More patient satisfaction can be conferred by employing the fixture mount in the process of immediate impression taking and as an immediate provisional abutment.

  6. Effect of nightguard vital bleaching gel on the color stability of provisional restorative materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salwa Omar Bajunaid

    2016-01-01

    Conclusions: Composite-based provisional material showed highest color stability when exposed to vital tooth bleaching gel, whereas methacrylate-based material was the least color stable. Polycarbonate crowns were more color stable when exposed to 15% bleaching gel as opposed to 10% bleaching gel.

  7. Effect of eliminating administrative radiographs on patient exposure and accuracy of provisional treatment plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kantor, M.L.; Slome, B.A.

    1987-01-01

    Published reports and recommendations suggest that radiographs are often ordered because of administrative policies during the screening and selection of patients for dental school clinics. This study examined the prescription of radiographs for two groups of patients: those who were radiographically examined according to an administrative policy and those whose radiographic needs were determined by a clinical examination. The provisional treatment needs assessment based on the screening examination was compared to the final treatment plan based on a complete diagnostic workup for both groups of patients to assess the effect of a change in school policy. Clinicians ordered half the number of panoramic radiographs as would have been ordered by administrative policy. There was no significant difference in the agreement between the provisional and final treatment plans under the two policies. These results suggest that dental schools can comply with federal recommendations against administrative radiographs without compromising patient selection

  8. Psychometric properties of the Neck OutcOme Score, Neck Disability Index, and Short Form-36 were evaluated in patients with neck pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juul, Tina; Søgaard, Karen; Davis, Aileen M.

    2016-01-01

    Objective:To assess reliability, construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability for Neck OutcOme Score (NOOS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short Form–36 (SF-36) in neck pain patients. Study Design and Setting: Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach alpha. Test-retest reliabi...

  9. Interlaboratory assessment of mitotic index by flow cytometry confirms superior reproducibility relative to microscopic scoring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, D J; Spellman, R A; Sanok, K; Chen, H; Chan, M; Yurt, P; Thakur, A K; DeVito, G L; Murli, H; Stankowski, L F

    2012-05-01

    A flow cytometric procedure for determining mitotic index (MI) as part of the metaphase chromosome aberrations assay, developed and utilized routinely at Pfizer as part of their standard assay design, has been adopted successfully by Covance laboratories. This method, using antibodies against phosphorylated histone tails (H3PS10) and nucleic acid stain, has been evaluated by the two independent test sites and compared to manual scoring. Primary human lymphocytes were treated with cyclophosphamide, mitomycin C, benzo(a)pyrene, and etoposide at concentrations inducing dose-dependent cytotoxicity. Deming regression analysis indicates that the results generated via flow cytometry (FCM) were more consistent between sites than those generated via microscopy. Further analysis using the Bland-Altman modification of the Tukey mean difference method supports this finding, as the standard deviations (SDs) of differences in MI generated by FCM were less than half of those generated manually. Decreases in scoring variability owing to the objective nature of FCM, and the greater number of cells analyzed, make FCM a superior method for MI determination. In addition, the FCM method has proven to be transferable and easily integrated into standard genetic toxicology laboratory operations. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. The diet-related GHG index

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Thomas Bøker; Watson, David; Smed, Sinne

    2017-01-01

    The aim was to construct and validate a cost-efficient index to measure GHG emissions (GHGe) caused by Danish consumers’ diets to be employed in questionnaire-based surveys. The index was modelled on the basis of actual food purchase data from a panel of ordinary Danish households...... and a questionnaire consisting of food frequency questions issued to the same panel. Based on the purchase data, diet-related GHGe were calculated for 2012. The data was then split into a learning sample and a validation sample. The index was constructed using the learning sample where a scoring procedure...... was calculated from responses to the questionnaire-based food frequency questions that predicted diet-related GHGe. Subsequently, the index scoring procedure was employed on the validation sample and the empirical relevance of the index was examined. In the learning sample, a scoring procedure to construct...

  11. The Mediterranean Diet Score Is More Strongly Associated with Favorable Cardiometabolic Risk Factors over 2 Years Than Other Diet Quality Indexes in Puerto Rican Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattei, Josiemer; Sotos-Prieto, Mercedes; Bigornia, Sherman J; Noel, Sabrina E; Tucker, Katherine L

    2017-04-01

    Background: Multiple diet quality scores have been used to evaluate adherence to specific dietary recommendations or to consumption of healthful foods and nutrients. It remains unknown which score can more strongly predict longitudinal changes in cardiometabolic risk factors. Objective: We aimed to determine associations of 5 diet quality scores [AHA diet score (AHA-DS), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2005, Mediterranean diet score (MeDS), and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)] with 2-y changes in cardiometabolic risk factors in adults 45-75 y old. Methods: Data from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were analyzed ( n = 1194). Diet quality scores were calculated from a baseline-validated food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted, repeated-subjects, mixed-effects models, adjusted for baseline measures, estimated associations between each z score and 14 individual cardiometabolic factors measured at 2 y. Results: MeDS was significantly associated with lower 2-y waist circumference (β coefficient ± SE: -0.52 ± 0.26, P = 0.048); body mass index (BMI; -0.23 ± 0.08, P = 0.005); log-insulin (-0.06 ± 0.02, P = 0.005); log-homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; -0.05 ± 0.02, P = 0.030), and log-C-reactive protein (-0.13 ± 0.03, P = 0.0002). Similar but weaker associations were observed for the AHEI with BMI, insulin, and HOMA-IR. The AHA-DS was inversely associated with BMI (-0.17 ± 0.08, P = 0.033). Neither the HEI-2005 nor DASH was significantly associated with any variable. Traditional Puerto Rican foods consumed by individuals with high MeDSs included vegetables and meats in homemade soups, orange juice, oatmeal, beans and legumes, fish, whole milk, corn oil, and beer. Conclusions: The MeDS comprises food components and scores associated with a favorable cardiometabolic profile over 2 y in Puerto Rican adults. An overall healthy diet may be particularly beneficial for

  12. Development of a provisional essential medicines list for children in Canada: consensus process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Hannah; Oronsaye, Efosa; Bali, Anjli; Rajakulasingam, Yathavan; Lee, Taehoon; Umali, Norman; Cohen, Eyal; Finkelstein, Yaron; Offringa, Martin; Persaud, Nav

    2018-03-26

    Worldwide, many countries have developed a list of essential medicines for children to improve prescribing. We aimed to create an essential medicines list for children in Canada. We adapted the previously created preliminary list of essential medicines for adults in Canada and the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children to create a provisional list of essential medicines for children in Canada. Canadian clinicians made suggestions for changes. Literature relevant to each suggestion was presented to clinician-scientists, who used a modified nominal group technique to make recommendations on the suggestions. Ontario Public Drug Programs prescription data were reviewed to identify commonly prescribed medications missing from the list. Literature relevant to these medications was shared with a clinician-scientist review panel to determine which should be added, and a revised list was developed. A total of 76 items were removed from the list of essential medicines for adults in Canada because they were not indicated for use in children or were not relevant in the Canadian health care context; 7 medications were added to the child list based on Ontario Public Drugs Programs prescribing data and clinician-scientist review. Suggestions to add, remove or substitute medications were made by peer-reviewers and resulted in removal of 1 medication and replacement of 1 medication. The process produced a provisional list of 67 essential medications for children. A provisional list of 67 essential medicines for children was created through a peer-reviewed, multistep process based on current clinical evidence, Canadian clinical practice guidelines and historical prescribing data. It is publicly posted at http://cleanmeds.ca/. The list should be further developed based on wider input and should be continuously revised based on emerging evidence of the safety and effectiveness of these medicines in all pediatric age groups. Copyright 2018, Joule Inc. or its licensors.

  13. Immediate occluding definitive partial fixed prosthesis versus non-occluding provisional restorations - 4-month post-loading results from a pragmatic multicenter randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinemann, Friedhelm; Grufferty, Brendan; Papavasiliou, George; Dominiak, Marzena; García, Jaime Jiménez; Trullenque-Eriksson, Anna; Esposito, Marco

    2016-01-01

    To compare the clinical outcome of dental implants restored with definitive occluding partial fixed prostheses within 1 week, after implant placement with immediate non-occluding provisional restorations, which were to be replaced by definitive prostheses after 4 months. Fifty partially edentulous patients treated with one to three dental implants, at least 8.5 mm long and 4.0 mm wide inserted with a torque of at least 35 Ncm, were randomised in two groups of 25 patients each, to be immediately loaded with partial fixed prostheses. Patients of one group received one definitive screw-retained metal-ceramic prosthesis in occlusion within 1 week after placement. Patients of the other group received one non-occluding provisional acrylic reinforced prosthesis within 24 h after implant placement. Provisional prostheses were replaced after 4 months by definitive ones. The follow-up for all patients was 4-months post-loading. Outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failures, any complications, peri-implant marginal bone level changes, aesthetic evaluation by a clinician, patient satisfaction, chair time and number of visits at the dental office from implant placement to delivery of definitive restorations. No patient dropped out. Two immediately occlusally loaded implants with their related definitive prostheses (8%) failed early (difference in proportions = 0.08; 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.19; P = 0.490). Four complications occurred in the occlusal group versus one in the non-occlusal group; (difference in proportions = 0.12; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.28; P = 0.349). Four months after loading, patients subjected to non-occlusal loading lost an average of 0.72 mm of peri-implant bone versus 0.99 mm of patients restored with occluding definitive partial fixed prostheses. There were no statistically significant differences for marginal bone level changes between the two groups (mean difference = -0.27 mm; 95% CI: -0.84 to 0.30; P = 0.349). The differences for aesthetic scores showed

  14. 76 FR 6453 - Raynor Marketing, Ltd., Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-04

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 11-C0003] Raynor Marketing, Ltd., Provisional..., Raynor Marketing, Ltd. and the staff (``Staff'') of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission... Street, Suite 205, McLean, VA 22101. Counsel for Raynor Marketing, Ltd. U.S. Consumer Product Safety...

  15. Radiation safety of crew and passengers of air transportation in civil aviation. Provisional standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aksenov, A. F.; Burnazyan, A. I.

    1985-01-01

    The purpose and application of the provisional standards for radiation safety of crew and passengers in civil aviation are given. The radiation effect of cosmic radiation in flight on civil aviation air transport is described. Standard levels of radiation and conditions of radiation safety are discussed.

  16. Preparation and provisional certification of NBL Spectrographic Impurity Standards, CRM 123 (1-7) and 124 (1-7)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santoliquido, P.M.

    1983-09-01

    This report describes the design, production, and provisional certification of two new certified reference materials (CRMs): CRM No. 123 (1-7), U 3 O 8 containing 18 trace elements, and CRM No. 124 (1-7), U 3 O 8 containing 24 trace elements. The elements to be included and concentrations to be used were decided on the basis of information gathered from users of a previous CRM of this type, CRM No. 98 (1-7). The new CRMs were prepared by the addition of trace elements to high purity U 3 O 8 . Provisional certification was accomplished by an interlaboratory program in which four different laboratories analyzed the materials by carrier distillation dc arc emission spectrography

  17. Immediate implant placement and provisionalization with simultaneous guided bone regeneration in the esthetic zone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Long Chen

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The procedure for immediate implant placement and provisionalization is time-saving, possibly with only one surgical intervention required, although allowing maximal preservation of peri-implant tissues. In this case, we extracted a fractured maxillary right central incisor of a 46-year-old woman with high esthetic expectations, and a transmucosal implant was immediately installed. Simultaneous guided bone regeneration was performed to correct the defects at the facial side of the socket and augment the alveolar ridge horizontally. Primary stability of the implant body and wound closure without tension were confirmed. Connection of a 15° angled abutment and fabrication of a provisional acrylic resin crown without occlusal contact were also completed in the same appointment. After intensive follow-up and soft-tissue molding for 6 months, the customized zirconia abutment and all-ceramic crown were definitively fabricated. During the 18-month follow-up period, the patient was satisfied with the esthetic and functional results.

  18. Uninvolved Maternal Feeding Style Moderates the Association of Emotional Overeating to Preschoolers' Body Mass Index z-Scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hankey, Maren; Williams, Natalie A; Dev, Dipti

    2016-09-01

    To examine the relation between preschoolers' eating behaviors and body mass index (BMI) z-scores (BMIz) and the moderating role of permissive parent feeding styles in these associations. Cross-sectional study involving mothers' report of food-related parenting styles and child eating behaviors. Small city in southern Mississippi. Mother-preschooler dyads (n = 104). Child body BMIz. Moderated multiple regression. An uninvolved feeding style moderated the relationship between emotional eating and BMIz such that children with higher emotional overeating scores had higher a BMIz in the presence of an uninvolved feeding style (B = 2.16; P = .01). An uninvolved feeding style may be a risk factor for higher BMIz in preschoolers who tend to overeat to cope with negative emotions. For other children in this population, self-regulatory aspects of eating may be more important than mothers' feeding style in the maintenance of healthy weight. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Assessment of the indicators atherogenic index and lipid preventive score of white brine cheese by buffalo milk after technological processing and storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanova, S.; Nacheva, I.; Miteva, D.

    2011-01-01

    The present investigation had the objective to study the changes in the atherogenic index - AI and the lipid preventive score - LPS as nutritious indicators for assessment of the risk of cardio-vascular diseases, on the basis of the fatty acid composition of white brine cheese by buffalo milk after applying of two methods of preservation – freeze-drying and dry gamma sterilization with 2 and 4 kGy. The analysis was made with the aid of gas chromatograph SHIMADZU 2010. The lyophilized cheese is characterized by a comparatively low AI - 2.59 after lyophilization and is preserved during storage - 2.55. After lyophilization the LPS of the cheese was the highest – 103.70, while after irradiation a decrease of its value was observed up to 97.73 with 2 kGy and 96.91 with 4 kGy. Key words: white brine cheese by buffalo milk, atherogenic index, lipid preventive score, freeze-drying - lyophilization, gamma sterilization

  20. Assessment of the Indicators Atherogenic Index and Lipid Preventive Score of White Brine Cheese by Buffalo Milk after Technological Processing and Storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanova, S.; Nacheva, I.; Miteva, D.

    2011-01-01

    The present investigation had the objective to study the changes in the atherogenic index - AI and the lipid preventive score - LPS as nutritious indicators for assessment of the risk of cardio-vascular diseases, on the basis of the fatty acid composition of white brine cheese by buffalo milk after applying of two methods of preservation – freeze-drying and dry gamma sterilization with 2 and 4 kGy. The analysis was made with the aid of gas chromatograph SHIMADZU 2010. The lyophilized cheese is characterized by a comparatively low AI - 2.59 after lyophilization and is preserved during storage - 2.55. After lyophilization the LPS of the cheese was the highest – 103.70, while after irradiation a decrease of its value was observed up to 97.73 with 2 kGy and 96.91 with 4 kGy. Key words: white brine cheese by buffalo milk, atherogenic index, lipid preventive score, freeze-drying - lyophilization, gamma sterilization

  1. A comparison between two healthy diet scores, the modified Mediterranean diet score and the Healthy Nordic Food Index, in relation to all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warensjö Lemming, Eva; Byberg, Liisa; Wolk, Alicja; Michaëlsson, Karl

    2018-04-01

    High adherence to healthy diets has the potential to prevent disease and prolong life span, and healthy dietary pattern scores have each been associated with disease and mortality. We studied two commonly promoted healthy diet scores (modified Mediterranean diet score (mMED) and the Healthy Nordic Food Index (HNFI)) and the combined effect of the two scores in association with all-cause and cause-specific mortality (cancer, CVD and ischaemic heart disease). The study included 38 428 women (median age of 61 years) from the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Diet and covariate data were collected in a questionnaire. mMED and HNFI were generated and categorised into low-, medium- and high-adherence groups, and in nine combinations of these. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of register-ascertained mortality and 95 % CI were calculated in Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. During follow-up (median: 17 years), 10 478 women died. In the high-adherence categories compared with low-adherence categories, the HR for all-cause mortality was 0·76 (95 % CI 0·70, 0·81) for mMED and 0·89 (95 % CI 0·83, 0·96) for HNFI. Higher adherence to mMED was associated with lower mortality in each stratum of HNFI in the combined analysis. In general, mMED, compared with HNFI, was more strongly associated with a lower cause-specific mortality. In Swedish women, both mMED and HNFI were inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The combined analysis, however, indicated an advantage to be adherent to the mMED. The present version of HNFI did not associate with mortality independent of mMED score.

  2. Valuation of provisional and cultural services of a Ramsar site: A preliminary study on Rudrasagar lake, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moitree Taran

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Rudrasagar lake, a Ramsar site in India offers a variety of ecosystem services. The contribution of Rudrasagar lake to the society has not been estimated so far. The preliminary study aims to provide an economic valuation of the provisional and cultural services of the Rudrasagar lake. Official records of revenue collected by the Tourism Department of Tripura and a socio- economic survey was the source of information used in the economic valuation of the lake. The main provisional services provided by the lake are food (aquatic plants and fishes, fuel wood and timber whereas, the cultural services provided were boat raiding and tourism due to its historical importance. The provisioning and cultural services provided by the Rudrasagar lake are 40810 US$ and 33929.33 US$ per year respectively during the period of 2010-2015. The main threats to the wetland identified are increasing silt loads due to deforestation, expansion of agricultural land and land conversion due to population pressure. To alleviate the anthropogenic stress on the lake, better monitoring, planning and management are essential. By proper conservation and management it will be possible to enjoy the provisional and cultural services of the lake in a sustainable way.

  3. Weighting with the Lansbury articular index improves the correlation of ultrasound score with serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 level in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorai, Misa; Ogasawara, Michihiro; Matsuki, Yuko; Yamada, Yusuke; Murayama, Go; Sugisaki, Nagachika; Nemoto, Takuya; Ando, Seiichiro; Minowa, Kentaro; Kon, Takayuki; Tada, Kurisu; Matsushita, Masakazu; Yamaji, Ken; Tamura, Naoto; Takasaki, Yoshinari

    2014-11-01

    To determine whether weighting improves the correlation of ultrasound (US) score with serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) level in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As ultrasound examination was performed on 100 RA patients, and the severity of synovial effusion and synovial hypertrophy and the blood flow were semi-quantitatively graded from 0 to 3 by using the gray-scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) modes. We then calculated the sums of the scores of the 28 joints of each patient in the 2 modes, that is, the GS28 and PD28 scores, as well as the respective scores weighted using the Lansbury articular index (LAI, shoulder and elbow, × 12; wrist, × 8; and knee, × 24)-Lans GS28 and Lans PD28 scores. The Lans PD28 score showed a higher correlation with MMP-3 (r = 0.591; 95% confidence interval, 0.446-0.705, p correlated well with the serum MMP-3 level. Weighting with the LAI can improve the correlation of US findings with serum MMP-3 level. Bidirectional approach based on both serum MMP-3 level and US scores can further improve the assessment of disease activity in RA patients.

  4. Depressive symptoms predict future simple disease activity index scores and simple disease activity index remission in a prospective cohort of patients with early inflammatory polyarthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leblanc-Trudeau, Charlotte; Dobkin, Patricia L; Carrier, Nathalie; Cossette, Pierre; de Brum-Fernandes, Artur J; Liang, Patrick; Masetto, Ariel; Boire, Gilles

    2015-12-01

    To determine whether depressive symptoms assessed in treated patients with early inflammatory polyarthritis (EPA) influence disease activity during follow-up. Consecutively recruited EPA patients were actively treated to remission. Simple disease activity index (SDAI) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores were calculated at inclusion and up to 42 months into disease. SDAI scores were log-transformed to compute univariate and multivariate linear regressions. Parametric interval-censored Kaplan-Meier and survival regressions using Weibull distribution were used to assess time to and predictors of SDAI remission. A total of 275 EPA patients were recruited at a median of 4 months into disease. In multivariate linear regression models, accounting for baseline demographic, clinical, serological and functional variables and 12-month inflammation markers, CES-D scores at 12 months into disease were correlated (r(2) = 0.14) with subsequent SDAI scores. Patients with 12-month high CES-D (≥19; suggestive of depression) had a lower proportion of SDAI remission (31.3% vs 84.3%; P < 0.001) and reached SDAI remission less rapidly [hazard ratio = 0.25 (95% CI 0.12, 0.53); P < 0.001]. Each follow-up SDAI correlated significantly with 12-month depressive symptoms, a median of 7 months after initiation of treatment. CES-D scores suggestive of depression at 12 months were strongly correlated with delay and failure to reach remission later on. Depressive symptoms in treated EPA patients represent important clinical issues with long-term association with disease activity. Interventions to alleviate persistent depressive symptoms in treated EPA warrant careful evaluation of their potential to improve disease remission rates. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Fracture Strength and Failure Mode of Maxillary Implant-Supported Provisional Single Crowns : A Comparison of Composite Resin Crowns Fabricated Directly Over PEEK Abutments and Solid Titanium Abutments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santing, H.J.; Meijer, Henny J.A.; Raghoebar, G.M.; Ozcan, M.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) temporary abutments have been recently introduced for making implant-supported provisional single crowns. Little information is available in the dental literature on the durability of provisional implant-supported restorations. Purpose: The objectives of this

  6. 75 FR 1356 - RC2 Corporation, Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-11

    ... primarily at toy stores and various retailers nationwide, and secondarily through RC2's e-commerce websites... various retailers nationwide, and secondarily through RC2's e-commerce Web sites or as `sub-components' of...(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with RC2 Corporation...

  7. Coronal leakage of provisional restorative materials used in endodontics with and without intracanal medication after exposure to human saliva

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P Udayakumar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To determine the coronal leakage of various provisional restorations with and without intracanal medication over time after being exposed to human saliva. Materials and Methods: This study investigated Coltosol F, Cavit, Ketac Molar, and IRM as provisional restorative material. Calcium hydroxide and chlorhexidine were used as an intracanal medicament. Ninety-eight single rooted teeth were randomly selected and then mounted in an apparatus that isolated the crown portion of the tooth. Provisional restorative materials were placed in the access cavity following manufacturer guidelines after placement of intracanal medicament. Human saliva and brain heart infusion broth in 3:1 ratio were applied to the samples, incubated at 37°C, and results were tabulated over the course of 4 weeks by the appearance of turbidity in the lower part of the apparatus. Statistical Analysis: The data were statistically analyzed using proportional Z-test. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Coltosol F and Cavit could significantly prevent the bacterial leakage up to a period of 7 days with a P value of 0.01 and 0.005, respectively. Bacterial recontamination was relatively less in the samples treated with intracanal medicaments up to 14 days. After 14 days, however, all materials leaked in over half of the samples. Conclusion: No provisional restorative material can be considered superior in providing a reliable seal after 14 days. Inter-appointments schedule should not extend beyond 2 weeks and after endodontic therapy final restoration should be completed within 1 week.

  8. Comparison of the color stability of provisional restorative materials after storing in different drinks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Merve Bankoğlu Güngör

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to compare the color stability of provisional restorative materials after stroring in different drinks. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirty specimens (10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness were prepared from three different materials (Temdent, TRIAD ve TelioCAD. Specimens were divided into six groups according to drinks (distilled water, coffee, tea, cola, red wine and fruit juice; n=5. Specimens were stored in these drinks at 37 °C for 48 hours. The L*, a*, b* values of the specimens were measured with a spectrophometer and recorded before and after storing in drinks. Then ΔE* values were calculated. The data were statistically analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD post hoc tests (α=0.05. RESULTS: Difference between the ΔE* values of specimens stored in different drinks was statistically significant (p<0.05. Color change of TelioCAD specimens was smallest in cola drink and greatest in red wine. Color change of Temdent specimens was smallest in fruit juice and greatest in coffee. For TRIAD specimens, greater color change was observed in coffee, red wine, and tea, in descending order. When the results of storing in the same drink were compared, TRIAD showed the greatest values of color change in coffee and red wine in comparison to the other provisional materials (p<0.05. CONCLUSION: Color stability changed according to the type of the provisional material and the drink. When the drinks were evaluated, greater color changes were observed in coffee, and when the materials were evaluated greater color changes were observed in TRIAD.

  9. Immediate Implant Placement and Provisionalization Using the Patient's Extracted Crown: 12-Month Follow-Up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deliberador, Tatiana Miranda; Begnini, Gilmar José; Tomazinho, Flávia; Rezende, Carlos Eduardo Edwards; Florez, Fernando Luis Esteban; Leonardi, Denise Piotto

    2018-03-01

    Immediate placement and provisionalization of implants in fresh sockets has been previously demonstrated to be a predictable treatment in the restoration of non-recoverable teeth in the anterior regions of the maxilla. This article reports a clinical case in which an immediate implant placement protocol was used in combination with two distinct and sequential grafts (bovine bone and connective tissue, respectively) followed by immediate implant provisionalization using the patient's crown of an extracted tooth. Physical, clinical, and image examinations of the patient (female, 23 years old) revealed a maxillary central incisor (tooth No. 8) with slight mobility due the presence of extensive cervical resorption. The treatment proposed was the atraumatic extraction of the tooth followed by immediate implant placement and provisionalization. Two grafts (bovine bone and connective tissue) were used due to the presence of a very thin maxillary bone plate associated with a thin gingival biotype. The use of the extracted crown as a temporary crown after immediate implant placement resulted in immediate attainment of an esthetically pleasing outcome and long-term favorable results. The treatment protocol proposed can be efficiently used to immediately restore the patient's esthetics and function while maintaining the health, volume, and contours of gingival tissues over a 12-month follow-up period. Anterior teeth extractions typically require the execution of single-unit prostheses using dental materials of synthetic origin (such as polymers), which often are incapable of achieving the esthetic and physiological results patients expect. The use of the patient's own crown was demonstrated, which allowed good clinical results to be achieved and the natural shape and function of tissues to be maintained.

  10. 76 FR 61042 - Modification of Regulations Regarding the Practice of Accepting Bonds During the Provisional...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-03

    ... Department of Commerce (the Department) is amending its regulations governing the effect of an affirmative... that explains the effects of an affirmative preliminary determination). This amendment reflects the... no hierarchy between cash and bond requirements for provisional measures, and that allowing the...

  11. Performance of the Hack's Impairment Index Score: A Novel Tool to Assess Impairment from Alcohol in Emergency Department Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hack, Jason B; Goldlust, Eric J; Ferrante, Dennis; Zink, Brian J

    2017-10-01

    Over 35 million alcohol-impaired (AI) patients are cared for in emergency departments (EDs) annually. Emergency physicians are charged with ensuring AI patients' safety by identifying resolution of alcohol-induced impairment. The most common standard evaluation is an extemporized clinical examination, as ethanol levels are not reliable or predictive of clinical symptoms. There is no standard assessment of ED AI patients. The objective was to evaluate a novel standardized ED assessment of alcohol impairment, Hack's Impairment Index (HII score), in a busy urban ED. A retrospective chart review was performed for all AI patients seen in our busy urban ED over 24 months. Trained nurses evaluated AI patients with both "usual" and HII score every 2 hours. Patients were stratified by frequency of visits for AI during this time: high (≥ 6), medium (2-5), and low (1). Within each category, comparisons were made between HII scores, measured ethanol levels, and usual nursing assessment of AI. Changes in HII scores over time were also evaluated. A total of 8,074 visits from 3,219 unique patients were eligible for study, including 7,973 (98.7%) with ethanol levels, 5,061 (62.7%) with complete HII scores, and 3,646 (45.2%) with health care provider assessments. Correlations between HII scores and ethanol levels were poor (Pearson's R 2  = 0.09, 0.09, and 0.17 for high-, medium-, and low-frequency strata). HII scores were excellent at discriminating nursing assessment of AI, while ethanol levels were less effective. Omitting extrema, HII scores fell consistently an average 0.062 points per hour, throughout patients' visits. The HII score applied a quantitative, objective assessment of alcohol impairment. HII scores were superior to ethanol levels as an objective clinical measure of impairment. The HII declines in a reasonably predictable manner over time, with serial evaluations corresponding well with health care provider evaluations. © 2017 by the Society for Academic

  12. 76 FR 58784 - Bad Boy Enterprises, LLC, Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-22

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 11-C0011] Bad Boy Enterprises, LLC... 1118.20(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with Bad Boy Enterprises..., Bad Boy Enterprises, LLC (``Bad Boy'') and staff (``Staff'') of the United States Consumer Product...

  13. Provisional-Ideal-Point-Based Multi-objective Optimization Method for Drone Delivery Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omagari, Hiroki; Higashino, Shin-Ichiro

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we proposed a new evolutionary multi-objective optimization method for solving drone delivery problems (DDP). It can be formulated as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem. In our previous research, we proposed the "aspiration-point-based method" to solve multi-objective optimization problems. However, this method needs to calculate the optimal values of each objective function value in advance. Moreover, it does not consider the constraint conditions except for the objective functions. Therefore, it cannot apply to DDP which has many constraint conditions. To solve these issues, we proposed "provisional-ideal-point-based method." The proposed method defines a "penalty value" to search for feasible solutions. It also defines a new reference solution named "provisional-ideal point" to search for the preferred solution for a decision maker. In this way, we can eliminate the preliminary calculations and its limited application scope. The results of the benchmark test problems show that the proposed method can generate the preferred solution efficiently. The usefulness of the proposed method is also demonstrated by applying it to DDP. As a result, the delivery path when combining one drone and one truck drastically reduces the traveling distance and the delivery time compared with the case of using only one truck.

  14. Evaluation of the Luting Cement Space for Provisional Restoration by using Various Coats of Die Spacer Materials-An Invitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiramana, Sandeep; Siddineni, Krishna Chaitanya; Jyothula, Ravi Rakesh Dev; Gade, Phani Krishna; Bhupathi, Deepthi; Kondaka, Sudheer; Hussain, Zakir; Paluri, Geetha Bhavani

    2014-09-01

    The present study was to evaluate the space provided for the temporary luting cement, after the application of various coats of die spacers, during the fabrication of provisional crowns and bridges. A total of 50 specimens of dental stone with provisional crowns on all these samples were prepared and were divided into five groups based on the application of various coats of different die spacers. Later these specimens were sectioned buccolingually and were observed using a stereomicroscope under 100X magnification. The images thus obtained were evaluated and noted for the amount of space between the inner surface of the provisional crown and the specimens at five different locations using Image Pro 6.0 Express software and the values were subjected to one-way ANOVA test, and unpaired t-test. There was a significant increase of luting space thickness with various die spacer applications than the specimens of control group. Specimens of double coat applications of silver and gold die spacers showed higher luting cement space than the separating media application specimens.

  15. Association of a body mass index genetic risk score with growth throughout childhood and adolescence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole M Warrington

    Full Text Available While the number of established genetic variants associated with adult body mass index (BMI is growing, the relationships between these variants and growth during childhood are yet to be fully characterised. We examined the association between validated adult BMI associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and growth trajectories across childhood. We investigated the timing of onset of the genetic effect and whether it was sex specific.Children from the ALSPAC and Raine birth cohorts were used for analysis (n = 9,328. Genotype data from 32 adult BMI associated SNPs were investigated individually and as an allelic score. Linear mixed effects models with smoothing splines were used for longitudinal modelling of the growth parameters and measures of adiposity peak and rebound were derived.The allelic score was associated with BMI growth throughout childhood, explaining 0.58% of the total variance in BMI in females and 0.44% in males. The allelic score was associated with higher BMI at the adiposity peak (females  =  0.0163 kg/m(2 per allele, males  =  0.0123 kg/m(2 per allele and earlier age (-0.0362 years per allele in males and females and higher BMI (0.0332 kg/m(2 per allele in females and 0.0364 kg/m(2 per allele in males at the adiposity rebound. No gene:sex interactions were detected for BMI growth.This study suggests that known adult genetic determinants of BMI have observable effects on growth from early childhood, and is consistent with the hypothesis that genetic determinants of adult susceptibility to obesity act from early childhood and develop over the life course.

  16. Clinical use of the ABO-Scoring Index: reliability and subtraction frequency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieber, William S; Carlson, Sean K; Baumrind, Sheldon; Poulton, Donald R

    2003-10-01

    This study tested the reliability and subtraction frequency of the study model-scoring system of the American Board of Orthodontists (ABO). We used a sample of 36 posttreatment study models that were selected randomly from six different orthodontic offices. Intrajudge and interjudge reliability was calculated using nonparametric statistics (Spearman rank coefficient, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests). We found differences ranging from 3 to 6 subtraction points (total score) for intrajudge scoring between two sessions. For overall total ABO score, the average correlation was .77. Intrajudge correlation was greatest for occlusal relationships and least for interproximal contacts. Interjudge correlation for ABO score averaged r = .85. Correlation was greatest for buccolingual inclination and least for overjet. The data show that some judges, on average, were much more lenient than others and that this resulted in a range of total scores between 19.7 and 27.5. Most of the deductions were found in the buccal segments and most were related to the second molars. We present these findings in the context of clinicians preparing for the ABO phase III examination and for orthodontists in their ongoing evaluation of clinical results.

  17. 76 FR 23225 - Modification of Regulations Regarding the Practice of Accepting Bonds During the Provisional...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-26

    ... online at http://www.Regulations.gov and on the Department's Web site at http://www.trade.gov/ia/ . Any questions concerning file formatting, document conversion, access on the Internet, or other electronic... system, for the provisional measure period an estimated antidumping or countervailing duty rate is...

  18. Development and evaluation of the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Looman, Moniek; Feskens, Edith Jm; de Rijk, Mariëlle; Meijboom, Saskia; Biesbroek, Sander; Temme, Elisabeth Hm; de Vries, Jeanne; Geelen, Anouk

    2017-09-01

    To update the Dutch Healthy Diet index, a measure of diet quality, to reflect adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines 2015 and to evaluate against participants' characteristics and nutrient intakes with the score based on 24 h recall (24 hR) data and FFQ data. The Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD15-index) consists of fifteen components representing the fifteen food-based Dutch dietary guidelines of 2015. Per component the score ranges between 0 and 10, resulting in a total score between 0 (no adherence) and 150 (complete adherence). Wageningen area, the Netherlands, 2011-2013. Data of 885 men and women, aged 20-70 years, participating in the longitudinal NQplus study, who filled out two 24 hR and one FFQ, were used. Mean (sd) score of the DHD15-index was 68·7 (16·1) for men and 79·4 (16·0) for women. Significant inverse trends were found between the DHD15-index and BMI, smoking, and intakes of energy, total fat and saturated fat. Positive trends were seen across sex-specific quintiles of the DHD15-index score with energy-adjusted micronutrient intakes. Mean DHD15-index score of the FFQ data was 15·5 points higher compared with 24 hR data, with a correlation coefficient of 0·56 between the scores. Observed trends of the DHD15-index based on FFQ with participant characteristics, macronutrient and energy-adjusted micronutrient intakes were similar to those with the DHD15-index based on 24 hR. The DHD15-index score assesses adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines 2015 and indicates diet quality. The DHD15-index score can be based on 24 hR data and on FFQ data.

  19. Agitation in cognitive disorders:International Psychogeriatric Association provisional consensus clinical and research definition

    OpenAIRE

    Cummings, Jeffrey; Mintzer, Jacobo; Brodaty, Henry; Sano, Mary; Banerjee, Sube; Devanand, D. P.; Gauthier, Serge; Howard, Robert; Lanctôt, Krista; Lyketsos, Constantine G.; Peskind, Elaine; Porsteinsson, Anton P.; Reich, Edgardo; Sampaio, Cristina; Steffens, David

    2015-01-01

    Background: Agitation is common across neuropsychiatric disorders and contributes to disability, institutionalization, and diminished quality of life for patients and their caregivers. There is no consensus definition of agitation and no widespread agreement on what elements should be included in the syndrome. The International Psychogeriatric Association formed an Agitation Definition Work Group (ADWG) to develop a provisional consensus definition of agitation in patients with cognitive diso...

  20. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition short form for index and IQ scores in a psychiatric population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Bruce K; Girard, Todd A; Bagby, R Michael

    2007-06-01

    An eight-subtest short form (SF8) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS-III), maintaining equal representation of each index factor, was developed for use with psychiatric populations. Data were collected from a mixed inpatient/outpatient sample (99 men and 101 women) referred for neuropsychological assessment. Psychometric analyses revealed an optimal SF8 comprising Vocabulary, Similarities, Arithmetic, Digit Span, Picture Completion, Matrix Reasoning, Digit Symbol Coding, and Symbol Search, scored by linear scaling. Expanding on previous short forms, the current SF8 maximizes the breadth of information and reduces administration time while maintaining the original WAIS-III factor structure. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved

  1. Evaluation of the correlation between Scoring Feline Allergic Dermatitis and Feline Extent and Severity Index and skin hydration in atopic cats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczepanik, Marcin P; Wilkołek, Piotr M; Adamek, Łukasz R; Zając, Marcin; Gołyński, Marcin; Sitkowski, Wiesław; Taszkun, Iwona

    2018-02-01

    Evaluation of the severity of clinical signs of cats with allergic skin diseases has used two scoring systems: Scoring Feline Allergic Dermatitis (SCORFAD) and the Feline Extent and Severity Index (FeDESI). The integrity of the cutaneous barrier can also be evaluated by measuring skin hydration. A correlation between the clinical score and skin hydration has been observed in humans and dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD). To demonstrate a correlation between the clinical score and skin hydration of cats affected with presumed AD. European short hair cats (n = 18): 11 females and seven males with a confirmed diagnosis of AD. SCORFAD and FeDESI scores were calculated and the measurements of skin hydration were assessed from seven body sites using corneometry. The correlation between the SCORFAD and FeDESI systems and skin hydration of each site, and the average skin hydration was calculated. There was a positive correlation between the SCORFAD score and skin hydration for the axilla, thorax and forelimb; for FeDESI and axilla and lumbar sites. There was a negative correlation between the FeDESI and skin hydration for the pinna (r = -0.47). Measurements of skin hydration could be a useful tool for the evaluation of allergic cats. There is limited evidence of any useful correlation between clinical scoring systems and measurements of hydration. The pinna may be a suitable region for the assessment of skin barrier function in normal and allergic cats. © 2017 ESVD and ACVD.

  2. Comparison of a possession score and a poverty index in predicting anaemia and undernutrition in pre-school children and women of reproductive age in rural and urban Côte d'Ivoire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohner, Fabian; Tschannen, Andres B; Northrop-Clewes, Christine; Kouassi-Gohou, Valérie; Bosso, Patrice E; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas

    2012-09-01

    To determine whether a possession score or a poverty index best predicts undernutrition and anaemia in women of reproductive age (15-49 years; WRA) and children aged 6-59 months living in Côte d'Ivoire. Anthropometric measurements were converted to Z-scores to assess stunting, wasting and underweight in children, and converted to BMI in WRA. A venous blood sample was drawn, and Hb concentration and Plasmodium spp. infection were determined. A possession score was generated with categories of zero to four possessions. A five-point (quintile) poverty index using household assets was created using principal component analysis. These socio-economic measures were compared for their ability to predict anaemia and malnutrition. Data were from a nationally representative survey conducted in Côte d'Ivoire in 2007. A sample of 768 WRA and 717 children aged 6-59 months was analysed. Overall, 74·9 % of children and 50·2 % of WRA were anaemic; 39·5 % of the children were stunted, 28·1 % underweight and 12·8 % wasted, while 7·4 % of WRA had BMI poverty index showed a stronger relationship with nutritional status than the possession score; mean Hb difference between the poorest and wealthiest quintiles in children and WRA was 8·2 g/l and 6·5 g/l, respectively (13·9 % and 19·8 % difference in anaemia, respectively; P poverty index was generally a better predictor of undernutrition in WRA and pre-school children than the possession score.

  3. The Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation provisional criteria for the evaluation of response to therapy in juvenile dermatomyositis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruperto, Nicolino; Pistorio, Angela; Ravelli, Angelo

    2010-01-01

    To develop a provisional definition for the evaluation of response to therapy in juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) based on the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation juvenile DM core set of variables....

  4. Among 4 Diet Quality Indexes, Only the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score Is Associated with Better Colorectal Cancer Survival and Only in African American Women in the Multiethnic Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Simone; Harmon, Brook E; Ollberding, Nicholas J; Wilkens, Lynne R; Monroe, Kristine R; Kolonel, Laurence N; Le Marchand, Loic; Boushey, Carol J; Maskarinec, Gertraud

    2016-09-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with a 5-y survival rate of ∼65%. Therefore, the identification of modifiable health factors to improve CRC survival is crucial. We investigated the association of 4 prediagnostic a priori diet quality indexes with CRC-specific and all-cause mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). The MEC included >215,000 African-American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese-American, Latino, and white adults living in Hawaii and California who completed a validated quantitative food-frequency questionnaire in 1993-1996. CRC cases and deaths were identified through linkages to cancer registries and to state and national vital registries. Sex-specific HRs and 95% CIs were estimated for the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010, the Alternative HEI (AHEI) 2010, the alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED) score, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) index with CRC-specific and overall mortality as the primary outcomes. Ethnicity-specific analyses were the secondary outcomes. Among 4204 MEC participants diagnosed with invasive CRC through 2010, 1976 all-cause and 1095 CRC-specific deaths were identified. A higher aMED score was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality in women [HR continuous pattern score divided by its respective SD (HR1SD): 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.96] but not in men (HR1SD: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.11). A higher aMED score was also associated with lower all-cause mortality in women (HR1SD: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.96) but not in men (HR1SD: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.07). The HEI-2010, AHEI-2010, and DASH index were not significantly associated with CRC-specific or with all-cause mortality. The inverse relation for the aMED score was limited to African Americans and to colon (compared with rectal) cancer. The aMED score was related to lower mortality only in African-American women (1 of 5 ethnic groups studied). The results should be interpreted with caution due to the small

  5. Fracture strength and failure mode of maxillary implant-supported provisional single crowns: a comparison of composite resin crowns fabricated directly over PEEK abutments and solid titanium abutments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santing, Hendrik Jacob; Meijer, Henny J A; Raghoebar, Gerry M; Özcan, Mutlu

    2012-12-01

    Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) temporary abutments have been recently introduced for making implant-supported provisional single crowns. Little information is available in the dental literature on the durability of provisional implant-supported restorations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the fracture strength of implant-supported composite resin crowns on PEEK and solid titanium temporary abutments, and to analyze the failure types. Three types of provisional abutments, RN synOcta Temporary Meso Abutment (PEEK; Straumann), RN synOcta Titanium Post for Temporary Restorations (Straumann), and Temporary Abutment Engaging NobRplRP (Nobel Biocare) were used, and provisional screw-retained crowns using composite resin (Solidex) were fabricated for four different locations in the maxilla. The specimens were tested in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute until fracture occurred. The failure types were analyzed and further categorized as irreparable (Type 1) or reparable (Type 2). No significant difference was found between different abutment types. Only for the position of the maxillary central incisor, composite resin crowns on PEEK temporary abutments showed significantly lower (p Provisional crowns on PEEK abutments showed similar fracture strength as titanium temporary abutments except for central incisors. Maxillary right central incisor composite resin crowns on PEEK temporary abutments fractured below the mean anterior masticatory loading forces reported to be approximately 206 N. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. 78 FR 36571 - North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Provisional Official...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [MMAA104000] North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Provisional Official Protraction Diagram (OPDs) AGENCY... OPDs. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that effective with this publication two NAD 83-based OCS...

  7. The success rate of narrow body implants used for supporting immediate provisional restorations: a pilot feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hom-Lay; Okayasu, Kozue; Fu, Jia-Hui; Hamerink, Howard A; Layher, Mary G; Rudek, Ivan Elimar

    2012-12-01

    Implants were first designed to be used in the reconstruction of edentulous mandibles. However, with the technological advancement, enormous changes were made to improve the implant design and surface characteristics leading to the wide use of implants in the replacement of missing teeth. During the transition from an edentulous span to a fixed prosthesis, narrow body implants (NBIs) have been proposed to enhance patient comfort and function. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the survival and success rates of NBIs used for supporting immediately nonfunctional loaded provisional fixed partial denture (PFPD). Either 2.2- or 2.4-mm-diameter dental implants were placed transmucosally into the edentulous ridges of 10 partially edentulous patients. PFPD of self-cured bis-acryl composite material were made using either a vacuform template chairside or a relined prefabricated PFPD. Occlusal adjustments were made to ensure that there was no functional loading on the provisional restorations before they were secured onto the transitional implants. At 1 year, the implant success and survival rates were 38.7% and 93.5%, respectively, with a mean percentage of bone loss of 9.46% (0%-40%) and a mean bone loss of 1.19 mm (range: 0-3.5 mm). With a favorable implant survival rate, the use of NBIs to support provisional restorations seemed to be a feasible treatment option. In addition, there is merit for research on the long-term use of NBIs-supported final prostheses.

  8. Clinical performance of provisional screw-retained metal-free acrylic restorations in an immediate loading implant protocol: a 242 consecutive patients' report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suarez-Feito, Jose-María; Sicilia, Alberto; Angulo, Jorge; Banerji, Subir; Cuesta, Isabel; Millar, Brian

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate the clinical performance of provisional screw-retained metal-free acrylic restorations in an immediate loading implant protocol. Two hundred and forty-two consecutive patients were selected retrospectively, who received 1011 implants and 311 immediate provisional screw-retained implant restorations (2-4 h after implant surgery). The patients were monitored for a period of 2-3 months, until they were referred for a final restoration. The primary variables recorded include the survival time and the appearance of fractures in the provisional restoration, and the independent variables included age, sex, dental arch, type of restoration, type of attachment and components used, as well as cantilevers and opposing dentition. A survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier) and a Cox regression analysis were performed. Twenty-three restorations in 20 patients (8.26%, 95% CI 4.8-11.7) showed at least one fracture (7.39%). More than half of the new fractures (52%, 12 cases) occurred in the first 4 weeks. The cumulative survival probability observed was greater in mandible (P=0.05) and non-cantilever restorations (P=0.001), and in those opposed by full restorations or natural teeth (P=0.001). With an opposing implant-supported prosthesis, the risk of fracture was multiplied by 4.7, and the use of cantilevers as well as the location of the restoration in the maxilla multiply the risk by 3.4-3.5. Immediate provisional screw-retained metal-free implant-supported restorations can be considered a reliable restoration (92.6% remain intact) for the healing period of 3 months. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  9. Diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index, the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score, and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwingshackl, Lukas; Hoffmann, Georg

    2015-05-01

    Dietary patterns consider synergistic effects compared with isolated foods or nutrients on health outcomes. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the associations of diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score and the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality or incidence, cancer mortality or incidence, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative diseases. A literature search was performed using the electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and EMBASE with an end date of May 10, 2014. Study-specific risk ratios were pooled using a random effect model by the Cochrane software package Review Manager 5.2. Fifteen cohort studies (34 reports), including 1,020,642 subjects, met the criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Diets of the highest quality, as assessed by the HEI, AHEI, and DASH score, resulted in a significant risk reduction (RR) for all-cause mortality (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.80; PDiets that score highly on the HEI, AHEI, and DASH are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus by 22%, 22%, 15%, and 22%, respectively, and therefore is of high public health relevance. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Lifestyle index and work ability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaleta, Dorota; Makowiec-Dabrowska, Teresa; Jegier, Anna

    2006-01-01

    In many countries around the world, negative changes in lifestyles are observed. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of selected lifestyle indicators on work ability among professionally active individuals. The study was performed in the randomly selected group of full-time employees (94 men and 93 women) living in the city of Lódź. Work ability was measured with the work ability index and lifestyle characteristic was assessed with the healthy lifestyle index. We analyzed four lifestyle indicators: non-smoking, healthy weight, fiber intake per day, and regular physical activity. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals to control the effects of lifestyle and work ability. The analysis of lifestyle index indicated that 27.7, 30.9, 27.7 and 11.7% of men and 15.1, 21.5, 35.5 and 26.9% of women scored 0, 1, 2, 3 points, respectively. Only 2.1% of men and 1.1% of women met the criteria for the healthy lifestyle (score 4). Work ability was excellent, good and moderate in 38.3, 46.8 and 14.9% of men, and in 39.8, 14.9 and 19.3% of women, respectively. Poor work ability was found in 9.7% women. Work ability was strongly associated with lifestyle in both men and women. Among men with index score = 0, the risk of moderate work ability was nearly seven times higher than in men whose lifestyle index score exceeded 1 or more points (OR = 6.67; 95% CI: 1.94-22.90). Among women with lifestyle index score = 0, the risk of moderate or lower work ability was also highly elevated as compared to those with lifestyle index = 1 or higher (OR = 14.44; 95% CI: 3.53-59.04). Prophylactic schedules associated with the improvement of lifestyles should be addressed to all adults. Future programs aimed at increasing work ability should consider work- and lifestyle-related factors.

  11. Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score as predictor of survival of patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Yaohua; Jian, Zhong; Xu, Beibei; Liu, Hui

    2017-10-03

    Comorbidities have considerable effects on survival outcomes. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to examine the association between age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) score and postoperative in-hospital mortality in patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection of their cancers. Using electronic hospitalization summary reports, we identified 315,464 patients who had undergone surgery for digestive system cancer in top-rank (Grade 3A) hospitals in China between 2013 and 2015. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was applied to evaluate the effect of ACCI score on postoperative mortality, with adjustments for sex, type of resection, anesthesia methods, and caseload of each healthcare institution. The postoperative in-hospital mortality rate in the study cohort was 1.2% (3,631/315,464). ACCI score had a positive graded association with the risk of postoperative in-hospital mortality for all cancer subtypes. The adjusted HRs for postoperative in-hospital mortality scores ≥ 6 for esophagus, stomach, colorectum, pancreas, and liver and gallbladder cancer were 2.05 (95% CI: 1.45-2.92), 2.00 (95% CI: 1.60-2.49), 2.54 (95% CI: 2.02-3.21), 2.58 (95% CI: 1.68-3.97), and 4.57 (95% CI: 3.37-6.20), respectively, compared to scores of 0-1. These findings suggested that a high ACCI score is an independent predictor of postoperative in-hospital mortality in Chinese patients with digestive system cancer who have undergone surgical resection.

  12. Higher Mediterranean Diet Quality Scores and Lower Body Mass Index Are Associated with a Less-Oxidized Plasma Glutathione and Cysteine Redox Status in Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettermann, Erika L; Hartman, Terryl J; Easley, Kirk A; Ferranti, Erin P; Jones, Dean P; Quyyumi, Arshed A; Vaccarino, Viola; Ziegler, Thomas R; Alvarez, Jessica A

    2018-02-01

    Both systemic redox status and diet quality are associated with risk outcomes in chronic disease. It is not known, however, the extent to which diet quality influences plasma thiol/disulfide redox status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of diet, as measured by diet quality scores and other dietary factors, on systemic thiol/disulfide redox status. We performed a cross-sectional study of 685 working men and women (ages ≥18 y) in Atlanta, GA. Diet was assessed by 3 diet quality scores: the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). We measured concentrations of plasma glutathione (GSH), cysteine, their associated oxidized forms [glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and cystine (CySS), respectively], and their redox potentials (EhGSSG and EhCySS) to determine thiol/disulfide redox status. Linear regression modeling was performed to assess relations between diet and plasma redox after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), sex, race, and history of chronic disease. MDS was positively associated with plasma GSH (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.003, 0.03) and total GSH (GSH + GSSG) (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.003, 0.03), and inversely associated with the CySS:GSH ratio (β = -0.02; 95% CI: -0.04, -0.004). There were significant independent associations between individual MDS components (dairy, vegetables, fish, and monounsaturated fat intake) and varying plasma redox indexes (P indexes and other diet factors of interest were not significantly correlated with plasma thiol and disulfide redox measures. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with a favorable plasma thiol/disulfide redox profile, independent of BMI, in a generally healthy working adult population. Although longitudinal studies are warranted, these findings contribute to the feasibility of targeting a Mediterranean diet to improve plasma redox status.

  13. Snacking Is Longitudinally Associated with Declines in Body Mass Index z Scores for Overweight Children, but Increases for Underweight Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taillie, Lindsey Smith; Wang, Dantong; Popkin, Barry M

    2016-06-01

    Few studies, to our knowledge, have examined the longitudinal association of snacking with child body mass index (BMI), especially in China, where the incidence of overweight and obesity has increased rapidly. Our objective was to examine the longitudinal association between snacking and BMI z score and to test whether this association differs by baseline weight status. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2006, 2009, and 2011), we characterized snack intake for 9 provinces and 3 megacities. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine longitudinally the association between snacking (none, low, medium, and high tertiles according to energy) and BMI z score in children aged 2-13 y at baseline, controlling for sex, urbanicity, parental education, physical activity, and foods consumed at meals (n = 2277 observations). We tested whether this association differed by baseline underweight, normal weight, or overweight/obese. Snacking is prevalent in Chinese children, with fruit being the most common snack. Snacking was not associated with meaningful BMI z score changes in normal-weight children. However, in children who were underweight at baseline, snacking in the top tertiles was associated with increases in BMI z scores from 2006 to 2011 (+1.2 and +1.1 BMI z score units for ages 2-6 and 7-13 y, respectively) (P overweight/obese 2- to 6-y-old children at baseline, being in the lowest snacking tertile was associated with declines in BMI z score (-3.3), whereas in overweight 7- to 13-y-old children, being in the top tertile of snacking was associated with the greatest decline in BMI z score (-2.1) (P overweight/obese children and increased BMI in underweight children. More work will be needed to monitor this relation as Chinese diets continue to westernize. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  14. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for Fentanyl in support of the development of Provisional Advisory Levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shankaran, Harish; Adeshina, Femi; Teeguarden, Justin G.

    2013-01-01

    Provisional Advisory Levels (PALs) are tiered exposure limits for toxic chemicals in air and drinking water that are developed to assist in emergency responses. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling can support this process by enabling extrapolations across doses, and exposure routes, thereby addressing gaps in the available toxicity data. Here, we describe the development of a PBPK model for Fentanyl – a synthetic opioid used clinically for pain management – to support the establishment of PALs. Starting from an existing model for intravenous Fentanyl, we first optimized distribution and clearance parameters using several additional IV datasets. We then calibrated the model using pharmacokinetic data for various formulations, and determined the absorbed fraction, F, and time taken for the absorbed amount to reach 90% of its final value, t90. For aerosolized pulmonary Fentanyl, F = 1 and t90 50 human datasets. • Model predictions are in good agreement with the available pharmacokinetic data. • The model can be used for extrapolating across routes, doses and exposure durations. • We illustrate how the model can be used for developing Provisional Advisory Levels

  15. 76 FR 77981 - Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., Provisional Acceptance of a Settlement Agreement and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-15

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 12-C0004] Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc... 1118.20(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with Build-A-Bear Workshop..., Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (``Build-A-Bear'') and staff of the United States Consumer Product Safety...

  16. Variation in dietary intake and physical activity pattern as predictors of change in body mass index (BMI) Z-score among Brazilian adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enes, Carla C; Slater, Betzabeth

    2013-06-01

    To assess whether changes in dietary intake and physical activity pattern are associated with the annual body mass index (BMI) z-score change among adolescents. The study was conducted in public schools in the city of Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a probabilistic sample of 431 adolescents participating in wave I (2004) (hereafter, baseline) and 299 in wave II (2005) (hereafter, follow-up). BMI, usual food intake, physical activity, screen time, sexual maturation and demographic variables were assessed twice. The association between annual change in food intake, physical activity, screen time, and annual BMI z-score changes were assessed by multiple regression. The study showed a positive variation in BMI z-score over one-year. Among variables related to physical activity pattern only playing videogame and using computer increased over the year. The intake of fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages increased over one year, while the others variables showed a reduction. An increased consumption of fatty foods (β = 0.04, p = 0.04) and sweetened natural fruit juices (β = 0.05, p = 0.03) was positively associated with the rise in BMI z-score. Unhealthy dietary habits can predict the BMI z-score gain more than the physical activity pattern. The intake of fatty foods and sweetened fruit juices is associated with the BMI z-score over one year.

  17. Variation in dietary intake and physical activity pattern as predictors of change in body mass index (BMI Z-score among Brazilian adolescents*

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla C. Enes

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess whether changes in dietary intake and physical activity pattern are associated with the annual body mass index (BMI z-score change among adolescents. Methods: The study was conducted in public schools in the city of Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a probabilistic sample of 431 adolescents participating in wave I (2004 (hereafter, baseline and 299 in wave II (2005 (hereafter, follow-up. BMI, usual food intake, physical activity, screen time, sexual maturation and demographic variables were assessed twice. The association between annual change in food intake, physical activity, screen time, and annual BMI z-score changes were assessed by multiple regression. Results: The study showed a positive variation in BMI z-score over one-year. Among variables related to physical activity pattern only playing videogame and using computer increased over the year. The intake of fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages increased over one year, while the others variables showed a reduction. An increased consumption of fatty foods (β = 0.04, p = 0.04 and sweetened natural fruit juices (β = 0.05, p = 0.03 was positively associated with the rise in BMI z-score. Conclusions: Unhealthy dietary habits can predict the BMI z-score gain more than the physical activity pattern. The intake of fatty foods and sweetened fruit juices is associated with the BMI z-score over one year.

  18. Comparison of Disease Activity Score in 28 joints with ESR (DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) & Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data with 3 measures (RAPID3) for assessing disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis at initial presentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, B Siddhartha; Suneetha, P; Mohan, Alladi; Kumar, D Prabath; Sarma, K V S

    2017-11-01

    In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), disease severity assessment is done using Disease Activity Score in 28 joints with ESR (DAS28). Computing DAS28 is time-consuming, requires laboratory testing and an online calculator. There is a need to validate rapid methods of disease severity assessment for routine daily use. This study was conducted to compare DAS28, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data with 3 measures (RAPID3) to assess the disease activity in patients with RA. We prospectively studied the utility of CDAI, HAQ-DI and RAPID3 scoring in 100 consecutive newly diagnosed, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) naïve adult patients with RA seen during January 2013 and June 2014 at a tertiary care teaching hospital in south India. The mean age of the patients was 42.1±11.6 yr, there were 82 females. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] symptom duration was 6 (range 4-12) months. The median (IQR) DAS28, CDAI, HAQ-DI and RAPID3 scores at presentation were 7 (6-7), 36 (28-43), 2 (1-2) and 17 (13-19), respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between DAS28 and CDAI (r=0.568; Pfair' agreement was observed in between DAS28 and CDAI (kappa-statistic=0.296). The agreement between DAS28 and HAQ-DI (kappa-statistic=0.007) and RAPID3 (kappa-statistic=0.072) was less robust. In adult patients with RA, in the setting where illiteracy is high, CDAI emerged as the preferred choice for rapid assessment of severity of disease at the time of initial presentation.

  19. Development of a Dietary Index to Assess Overall Diet Quality for Chinese School-Aged Children: The Chinese Children Dietary Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Guo; Duan, Ruonan; Kranz, Sibylle; Libuda, Lars; Zhang, Lishi

    2016-04-01

    A composite measure of diet quality is preferable to an index of nutrients, food groups, or health-promoting behaviors in dietary assessment. However, to date, such a tool for Chinese children is lacking. Based on the current Chinese Dietary Guidelines and Dietary Reference Intakes, a dietary index for Chinese school-aged children, the Chinese Children Dietary Index was developed to assess overall diet quality among children in South China. Dietary data were recorded using 24-hour recalls among 1,719 children aged 7 to 15 years between March and June 2013. Inactivity data and sociodemographic information were also collected. The Chinese Children Dietary Index included 16 components, which incorporated nutrients, foods/food groups, and health-promoting behaviors. The range of possible Chinese Children Dietary Index scores was 0 to 160, with a higher score indicating better diet quality. Pearson/Spearman correlation was used to assess relative validity using correlations between total Chinese Children Dietary Index score and age, body mass index (BMI; calculated as kg/m(2)), inactivity, whole-grain intake, frequency of fried-foods intake, nutrient adequacy ratios for energy intake and 12 nutrients not included in the Chinese Children Dietary Index, and the mean adequacy ratio. Finally, a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to indicate the factors correlated with Chinese Children Dietary Index. Mean Chinese Children Dietary Index score of this sample was 88.1 points (range=34.2 to 137.8), the Chinese Children Dietary Index score of girls was higher than that of boys and decreased with higher age. Children with higher Chinese Children Dietary Index had lower body mass index and spent less time being inactive. Positive associations were observed between Chinese Children Dietary Index and the majority of nutrient adequacy ratios and the mean adequacy ratio. Age, paternal educational level, and family size were correlated with Chinese Children Dietary

  20. Among 4 Diet Quality Indexes, Only the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score Is Associated with Better Colorectal Cancer Survival and Only in African American Women in the Multiethnic Cohort123

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Simone; Harmon, Brook E; Ollberding, Nicholas J; Wilkens, Lynne R; Monroe, Kristine R; Kolonel, Laurence N; Le Marchand, Loic; Boushey, Carol J; Maskarinec, Gertraud

    2016-01-01

    Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with a 5-y survival rate of ∼65%. Therefore, the identification of modifiable health factors to improve CRC survival is crucial. Objective: We investigated the association of 4 prediagnostic a priori diet quality indexes with CRC-specific and all-cause mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). Methods: The MEC included >215,000 African-American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese-American, Latino, and white adults living in Hawaii and California who completed a validated quantitative food-frequency questionnaire in 1993–1996. CRC cases and deaths were identified through linkages to cancer registries and to state and national vital registries. Sex-specific HRs and 95% CIs were estimated for the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010, the Alternative HEI (AHEI) 2010, the alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED) score, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) index with CRC-specific and overall mortality as the primary outcomes. Ethnicity-specific analyses were the secondary outcomes. Results: Among 4204 MEC participants diagnosed with invasive CRC through 2010, 1976 all-cause and 1095 CRC-specific deaths were identified. A higher aMED score was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality in women [HR continuous pattern score divided by its respective SD (HR1SD): 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.96] but not in men (HR1SD: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.11). A higher aMED score was also associated with lower all-cause mortality in women (HR1SD: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.96) but not in men (HR1SD: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.07). The HEI-2010, AHEI-2010, and DASH index were not significantly associated with CRC-specific or with all-cause mortality. The inverse relation for the aMED score was limited to African Americans and to colon (compared with rectal) cancer. Conclusions: The aMED score was related to lower mortality only in African-American women (1 of 5 ethnic groups studied). The

  1. Provisional energy balance of France for 2002; Bilan energetique provisoire de la France pour 2002

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2003-07-01

    A provisional energy accounting in France for 2002 is presented. Statistical data and diagrams are provided to detail and discuss the economical and energy context, the primary energy consumption, the national production and the energy dependence, the primary energy consumption for each energy source, the sectorial analysis of the energy consumption and the carbon dioxide emissions. (A.L.B.)

  2. Citation analytics: Data exploration and comparative analyses of CiteScores of Open Access and Subscription-Based publications indexed in Scopus (2014-2016).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atayero, Aderemi A; Popoola, Segun I; Egeonu, Jesse; Oludayo, Olumuyiwa

    2018-08-01

    Citation is one of the important metrics that are used in measuring the relevance and the impact of research publications. The potentials of citation analytics may be exploited to understand the gains of publishing scholarly peer-reviewed research outputs in either Open Access (OA) sources or Subscription-Based (SB) sources in the bid to increase citation impact. However, relevant data required for such comparative analysis must be freely accessible for evidence-based findings and conclusions. In this data article, citation scores ( CiteScores ) of 2542 OA sources and 15,040 SB sources indexed in Scopus from 2014 to 2016 were presented and analyzed based on a set of five inclusion criteria. A robust dataset, which contains the CiteScores of OA and SB publication sources included, is attached as supplementary material to this data article to facilitate further reuse. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of OA CiteScores and SB CiteScores are presented in tables. Boxplot representations and scatter plots are provided to show the statistical distributions of OA CiteScores and SB CiteScores across the three sub-categories (Book Series, Journal, and Trade Journal). Correlation coefficient and p-value matrices are made available within the data article. In addition, Probability Density Functions (PDFs) and Cumulative Distribution Functions (CDFs) of OA CiteScores and SB CiteScores are computed and the results are presented using tables and graphs. Furthermore, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are conducted to understand the statistical difference (and its significance, if any) in the citation impact of OA publication sources and SB publication source based on CiteScore . In the long run, the data provided in this article will help policy makers and researchers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to identify the appropriate publication source type and category for dissemination of scholarly research findings with

  3. Final remediation of the provisional storage near Zavratec

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeleznik, N.; Mele, I.

    2000-01-01

    In the Western part of Slovenia near the village of Zavratec radioactive waste from the decontamination of the Oncological Institute has been stored in an old abandoned military barracks for many decades. The ARAO Agency had been assigned to remediate this provisional storage. In 1996 the first phase of the remediation was concluded, in which the measurements, inventorying and repacking of radioactive waste were carried out. At the end of this phase the waste was restored. After three years of suspension, the remedial work continued in autumn 1999 with the separation of radioactive from non-radioactive waste and transportation of all radioactive waste to the Slovenian central storage for small producers near Ljubljana. At the beginning of the year 2000 the old storage near Zavratec was completely decontaminated to be released for unrestricted use. The preparation for and the implementation of remedial actions are presented in the paper. (author)

  4. Provisional Crown Dislodgement during Scuba Diving: A Case of Barotrauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meenal Nitin Gulve

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Changes in ambient pressure, for example, during flying, diving, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can lead to barotrauma. Although it may seem that this issue was neglected in dental education and research in recent decades, familiarity with and understanding of these facts may be of importance for dental practitioners. We report the case of a patient who experienced barotrauma involving dislodgement of a provisional crown during scuba diving. Patients who are exposed to pressure changes as a part of their jobs or hobbies and their dentists should know the causes of barotrauma. In addition, the clinician must be aware of the possible influence of pressure changes on the retention of dental components.

  5. Mean Platelet Volume, Red Cell Distribution Width to Platelet Count Ratio, Globulin Platelet Index, and 16 Other Indirect Noninvasive Fibrosis Scores: How Much Do Routine Blood Tests Tell About Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thandassery, Ragesh B; Al Kaabi, Saad; Soofi, Madiha E; Mohiuddin, Syed A; John, Anil K; Al Mohannadi, Muneera; Al Ejji, Khalid; Yakoob, Rafie; Derbala, Moutaz F; Wani, Hamidullah; Sharma, Manik; Al Dweik, Nazeeh; Butt, Mohammed T; Kamel, Yasser M; Sultan, Khaleel; Pasic, Fuad; Singh, Rajvir

    2016-07-01

    Many indirect noninvasive scores to predict liver fibrosis are calculated from routine blood investigations. Only limited studies have compared their efficacy head to head. We aimed to compare these scores with liver biopsy fibrosis stages in patients with chronic hepatitis C. From blood investigations of 1602 patients with chronic hepatitis C who underwent a liver biopsy before initiation of antiviral treatment, 19 simple noninvasive scores were calculated. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves and diagnostic accuracy of each of these scores were calculated (with reference to the Scheuer staging) and compared. The mean age of the patients was 41.8±9.6 years (1365 men). The most common genotype was genotype 4 (65.6%). Significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis were seen in 65.1%, 25.6, and 6.6% of patients, respectively. All the scores except the aspartate transaminase (AST) alanine transaminase ratio, Pohl score, mean platelet volume, fibro-alpha, and red cell distribution width to platelet count ratio index showed high predictive accuracy for the stages of fibrosis. King's score (cutoff, 17.5) showed the highest predictive accuracy for significant and advanced fibrosis. King's score, Göteborg university cirrhosis index, APRI (the AST/platelet count ratio index), and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) had the highest predictive accuracy for cirrhosis, with the APRI (cutoff, 2) and FIB-4 (cutoff, 3.25) showing the highest diagnostic accuracy.We derived the study score 8.5 - 0.2(albumin, g/dL) +0.01(AST, IU/L) -0.02(platelet count, 10/L), which at a cutoff of >4.7 had a predictive accuracy of 0.868 (95% confidence interval, 0.833-0.904) for cirrhosis. King's score for significant and advanced fibrosis and the APRI or FIB-4 score for cirrhosis could be the best simple indirect noninvasive scores.

  6. The hemorrhagic transformation index score: a prediction tool in middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalinin, Mikhail N; Khasanova, Dina R; Ibatullin, Murat M

    2017-09-07

    We aimed to develop a tool, the hemorrhagic transformation (HT) index (HTI), to predict any HT within 14 days after middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke onset regardless of the intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rtPA) use. That is especially important in the light of missing evidence-based data concerning the timing of anticoagulant resumption after stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We retrospectively analyzed 783 consecutive MCA stroke patients. Clinical and brain imaging data at admission were recorded. A follow-up period was 2 weeks after admission. The patients were divided into derivation (DC) and validation (VC) cohorts by generating Bernoulli variates with probability parameter 0.7. Univariate/multivariate logistic regression, and factor analysis were used to extract independent predictors. Validation was performed with internal consistency reliability and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Bootstrapping was used to reduce bias. The HTI was composed of 4 items: Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), hyperdense MCA (HMCA) sign, and AF on electrocardiogram (ECG) at admission. According to the predicted probability (PP) range, scores were allocated to ASPECTS as follows: 10-7 = 0; 6-5 = 1; 4-3 = 2; 2-0 = 3; to NIHSS: 0-11 = 0; 12-17 = 1; 18-23 = 2; >23 = 3; to HMCA sign: yes = 1; to AF on ECG: yes = 1. The HTI score varied from 0 to 8. For each score, adjusted PP of any HT with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was as follows: 0 = 0.027 (0.011-0.042); 1 = 0.07 (0.043-0.098); 2 = 0.169 (0.125-0.213); 3 = 0.346 (0.275-0.417); 4 = 0.571 (0.474-0.668); 5 = 0.768 (0.676-0.861); 6 = 0.893 (0.829-0.957); 7 = 0.956 (0.92-0.992); 8 = 0.983 (0.965-1.0). The optimal cutpoint score to differentiate between HT-positive and negative groups was 2 (95% normal-based CI, 1-3) for the DC and VC alike. ROC area

  7. Managing missing scores on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Henrik Hein

    Background and purpose: It is likely that the most common method for calculating a Roland Morris Disability Index (RMDQ) sum score is to simply ignore any unanswered questions. In contrast, the raw sum score on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is converted to a 0-100 scale, with the advantage...... of unanswered RMDQ questions was measured in a research and a routine care setting. The accuracy of the RMDQ proportional recalculation method was measured using 311 fully completed RMDQ and matching ODI questionnaire sets. Raw sum scores were calculated, and questions systematically dropped. At each stage, sum...

  8. Viva the h-index

    OpenAIRE

    Waaijers, Leo

    2011-01-01

    In their article 'The inconsistency of the h-index' Ludo Waltman and Nees Jan van Neck give three examples to demonstrate the inconsistency of the h-index. As will be explained, a little extension of their examples just illustrate the opposite, a stable feature of the h-index. For starting authors it, the h-index that is, focusses on the number of articles; for experienced authors its focus shifts towards the citation scores. This feature may be liked or not but does not make the h-index an i...

  9. Trabecular bone score as a skeletal fragility index in acromegaly patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, A R; Kim, J H; Kim, S W; Kim, S Y; Shin, C S

    2016-03-01

    Lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS) was significantly decreased in active acromegaly patients. TBS may be useful to assess the skeletal fragility in acromegaly in which bone mineral density (BMD) is not sufficient to represent bone strength and explain the high incidence of fragility fractures in acromegaly patients. Although the data on BMD are controversial, patients with acromegaly have an increased risk of fragility fracture. We examined the lumbar spine TBS to explain the skeletal deterioration in acromegaly patients. We included 14 men and 19 women acromegaly patients who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the time of diagnosis from 2000 to 2014 at Seoul National University Hospital. Ninety-nine age-, sex- and body mass index-matched controls were recruited. Biochemical parameters, lumbar spine TBS, and BMD at all sites were measured. Gonadal status was evaluated at diagnosis. Lumbar spine TBS was lower in acromegaly patients than in controls in both genders (1.345 ± 0.121 vs. 1.427 ± 0.087, P = 0.005 in men; 1.356 ± 0.082 vs. 1.431 ± 0.071, P = 0.001 in women). In contrast, BMD at all sites did not differ between the two groups. Hypogonadal acromegaly patients (men, n = 9; women, n = 12) had lower TBS values compared with controls both in men and women (all P acromegaly patients, lumbar spine TBS was lower than in women controls only (P = 0.041). Skeletal microarchitecture was deteriorated in acromegaly patients as assessed by TBS, which seems to be a consequence of growth hormone excess as well as hypogonadism, especially in women.

  10. Immediate provisional restoration of an implant placed in a fresh primary maxillary canine extraction socket: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turkyilmaz, Ilser; Shapiro, Vladimir

    2011-01-01

    This study describes a clinical case in which a primary maxillary canine with both mobility and root resorption was replaced with an immediately restored dental implant placed into the fresh extraction socket. The implant achieved high primary stability, as determined by resonance frequency analysis, and it was immediately restored with a provisional acrylic resin crown with no centric occlusion. An all-ceramic permanent crown replaced the provisonal crown four months after implant surgery. The implant was stable and no periapical radiolucencies, bleeding on probing, or pathologic probing depth were recorded after one year. The peri-implant soft tissue level appeared stable, and the interdental papillae were preserved, contributing to an optimum final esthetic result. This case supports the use of single implants for the replacement of extracted primary teeth, especially in areas where esthetics is a high priority. The immediate provisional crown maintained soft tissue contours and papillary height.

  11. Risk scores-the modern Oracle of Delphi?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kronenberg, Florian; Schwaiger, Johannes P

    2017-03-01

    Recently, 4 new risk scores for the prediction of mortality and cardiovascular events were especially tailored for hemodialysis patients; these scores performed much better than previous scores. Tripepi et al. found that these risk scores were even more predictive for all-cause and cardiovascular death than the measurement of the left ventricular mass index was. Nevertheless, the investigation of left ventricular mass and function has its own place for other reasons. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Best Practices and Provisional Guidelines for Integrating Mobile, Virtual, and Videogame-Based Training and Assessments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    videogame -based platforms, 2) role of assessments and how they can be implemented within these platforms, or 3) benefits or challenges of the...Technical Report 1334 Best Practices and Provisional Guidelines for Integrating Mobile, Virtual, and Videogame -Based Training and...Virtual, and Videogame -Based Training and Assessments 5a. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER W5J9CQ-11-D-0002 5b. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 622785

  13. In vitro comparative evaluation of the effect of two different fiber reinforcements on the fracture toughness of provisional restorative resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vaibhav D Kamble

    2012-01-01

    Clinical Implications: On the basis of this in--vitro study, the use of Glass and Polyethylene fibers tested may be an effective way to reinforce resins used to fabricate fixed provisional restorations.

  14. Peritoneal adhesion index (PAI: proposal of a score for the “ignored iceberg” of medicine and surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coccolini Federico

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Peritoneal adhesions describe a condition in which pathological bonds form between the omentum, the small and large bowels, the abdominal wall, and other intra-abdominal organs. Different classification systems have been proposed, but they do not resolve the underlying problem of ambiguity in the quantification and definition of adhesions. We therefore propose a standardized classification system of adhesions to universalize their definition based on the macroscopic appearance of adhesions and their diffusion to different regions of the abdomen. By scoring with these criteria, the peritoneal adhesion index (PAI can range from 0 to 30, unambiguously specifying precise adhesion scenarios. The standardized classification and quantification of adhesions would enable different studies to more meaningfully integrate their results, thereby facilitating a more comprehensive approach to the treatment and management of this pathology.

  15. Comparison of tomographic coronary artery calcification index (calcium score) and ultrasonographic measurement of intima-media complex thickness in diabetic subjects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolski, Cyprian; Rotkiewicz, Arkadiusz; Grzelak, Piotr; Elgalal, Marcin; Stefańczyk, Ludomir

    2011-01-01

    At present, there is a number of diagnostic imaging procedures allowing for the evaluation of atherosclerosis. The earliest, subclinical stage of atherosclerosis can be visualized with the development of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) techniques. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the degree of coronary artery calcification and carotid intima-media thickness in diabetic subjects divided into different age groups. Fifty-six men, aged from 18 to 72 were included in the study. Participants were divided into 4 groups according to age (18–30, 31–45, 46–60 and more than 60 years). Two tests were performed: coronary calcium score (CS) determination and intima-media thickness (IMT) in ultrasound. CS was performed using a multi-slice scanner. Images were analyzed using the Agatson method. Ultrasound examinations were performed using a 9–12-MHz linear transducer. The correlation coefficient between calcium score index (CSI) and age of patients was 0.52 (p<0.001). The correlation between duration of diabetes and CSI was significantly lower (r=0.3; p<0.05). The increase of IMT is associated with age to a much greater extent and the correlation coefficient was 0.63 (p<0.001). IMT depended on the duration of diabetes, but the correlation was also weak (r=0.35; p<0.01). Comparison of the findings obtained in the presented study and in the group of healthy subjects proves that influence of diabetes on vascular deterioration may be observed, even among young individuals. Obtained results allow to make the following conclusions: 1. Calcium score index remains low in the group of male patients with diabetes before the age of 45. 2. Intima-media thickness correlates well with age (r=0.6; p<0.05) and weaker with the duration of diabetes (r=0.35; p<0.05). 3. IMT assessment may be a useful tool to identify the increased predisposition to atherosclerosis, also before the age of 30

  16. Assessment of Mobility in Older People Hospitalized for Medical Illness Using de Morton Mobility Index and Cumulated Ambulation Score-Validity and Minimal Clinical Important Difference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trøstrup, Jeanette; Andersen, Helle; Kam, Charlotte Agger Meiner

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Older adults acutely hospitalized for medical illness typically have comorbidity and disability, and inhospital physical inactivity greatly increases the likelihood of developing new disability. Thus, assessment of the patients' mobility status is crucial for planning....... Assessments of mobility using the DEMMI (score range 0-100), the CAS (score range 0-6), and the Barthel Index (BI, score range 0-100) were performed by physical or occupational therapists at hospital admission and discharge. In addition, at discharge patients and therapists were independently asked to assess...... and geriatric wards. In contrast, the CAS appears to be appropriate to identify whether a patient is independently mobile or needs assistance, while the measure is less suitable for measuring improvements in mobility.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution...

  17. Validation and simplification of Fournier's gangrene severity index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Tsung-Yen; Ou, Chien-Hui; Tzai, Tzong-Shin; Tong, Yat-Ching; Chang, Chien-Chen; Cheng, Hong-Lin; Yang, Wen-Horng; Lin, Yung-Ming

    2014-07-01

    To validate the predictive value of Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index in patients with Fournier gangrene and to facilitate patient mortality risk-stratification by simplifying the Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index. From January 1989 to December 2011, 85 male patients with clinically-documented Fournier's gangrene undergoing intensive treatment and with complete medical records were recruited. The demographic information and nine parameters of Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index were compared between survivors and non-survivors. The parameters that showed a significant difference between the two groups were selected to generate a simplified scoring index. Of the 85 patients recruited, 16 patients died of the disease with mortality rate of 18.8%. The Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index score at initial diagnosis was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. Of the nine parameters of Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index, the scores of serum creatinine level, hematocrit level and serum potassium level were significantly different between the two groups. However, the mean body temperatures, heart rate, respiration rate, white blood cell count, serum sodium and bicarbonate levels were non-significantly different. Of the 12 patients with chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease, 10 died of severe sepsis. A simplified scoring index including parameters of creatinine, hematocrit and potassium was generated, which provided sensitivity and specificity of 87% and 77% in predicting patient mortality, respectively. The predictive values of this simplified Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index were shown to be non-inferior to Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index in our patients. The simplified Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index is easy to use at initial diagnosis, and offers a way to compare outcomes in different clinical populations. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

  18. Immediate loading versus immediate provisionalization of maxillary single-tooth replacements: a prospective randomized study with BioComp implants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lindeboom, Jerome A.; Frenken, Joost W.; Dubois, Leander; Frank, Michael; Abbink, Ingmar; Kroon, Frans H.

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of immediately loaded solid plasma sprayed (TPS) BioComp (BioComp Industries BV, Vught, The Netherlands) implants versus immediate provisionalized but non-loaded BioComp implants in the anterior and premolar

  19. Evaluation of the Thompson articular index

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Brink, H. R.; van der Heide, A.; Jacobs, J. W.; van der Veen, M. J.; Bijlsma, J. W.

    1993-01-01

    Three articular indices for measuring disease activity are compared. In a cross sectional study the Thompson articular index (a modified Lansbury index) correlated better with laboratory variables than the Ritchie articular index or a swollen joint score (Thompson 0.74-0.77; Ritchie 0.57-0.58;

  20. Immediate Implant Placement of a Single Central Incisor Using a CAD/CAM Crown-Root Form Technique: Provisional to Final Restoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vafiadis, Dean; Goldstein, Gary; Garber, David; Lambrakos, Anthony; Kowalski, Bj

    2017-02-01

    Preserving soft and hard tissues after extraction and implant placement is crucial for anterior esthetics. This technique will show how the information gathered from a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan of the maxillary left central incisor and an intra-oral digital impression can be merged to fabricate a CAD/CAM crown-root matrix to be used as an immediate provisional restoration that mimics the natural anatomy. Due to trauma, a left central incisor appeared to be fractured and was scheduled for extraction and implant placement. The crown-root configuration captured by the CBCT scan was merged with the digital files from an intra-oral digital impression. A CAD/CAM crown-root matrix was fabricated. Because the matrix shell was fabricated with the exact anatomy of the natural tooth, it replicated the position and three dimensional anatomy of the soft and hard tissue. It was connected to the implant with a customized provisional abutment. A digital impression of a coded healing abutment was made to fabricate the final implant abutment and final restoration. Throughout the treatment time and 36 months after completion, the thickness of tissue, emergence profile, and adjacent papilla was analyzed by clinical evaluation and photography and seemed to be maintained. The use of a pre-operative intra-oral digital scan of the clinical crown-root architecture and the CBCT scan of the bone/root anatomy, can be used together to fabricate a CAD/CAM crown-root form provisional matrix. This digital design helps in the preservation of the 3D tissue topography, as well as the final restoration. The preservation of soft and hard tissue after extraction and implant placement has always been paramount for ideal anterior implant esthetics. Using the information from digital files from CBCT scans and intra-oral scans may help the clinician identify critical anatomical features that can be replicated in the provisional and final CAD/CAM restoration. (J Esthet Restor Dent 29

  1. River Discharge and Local Scale Habitat Influence LIFE Score Macroinvertebrate LIFE Scores

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dunbar, Michael J.; Pedersen, Morten Lauge; Cadman, Dan

    2010-01-01

    Midlands of the U.K., we describe how local-scale habitat features (indexed through River Habitat Survey or Danish Habitat Quality Survey) and changing river flow (discharge) influence the response of a macroinvertebrate community index. The approach has broad applicability in developing regional flow...... Invertebrate index for Flow Evaluation (LIFE), an average of abundance-weighted flow groups which indicate the microhabitat preferences of each taxon for higher velocities and clean gravel/cobble substrata or slow/still velocities and finer substrata. 3. For the Danish fauna, the LIFE score responded to three...... of the channel (negative). In both cases, LIFE responded negatively to features associated with historical channel modification. We suggest that there are several mechanisms for these relationships, including the narrower tolerances of taxa preferring high velocity habitat; these taxa are also continually...

  2. Requirements on the provisional safety analyses and technical comparison of safety measures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-04-01

    The concept of a Geological Underground Repository (SGT) was adopted by the Swiss Federal Council on April 2 nd , 2008. It fixes the goals and the safety technical criteria as well as the procedures for the choice of the site for an underground repository. Those responsible for waste management evaluate possible site regions according to the present status of geological knowledge and based on the safety criteria defined in SGT as well as on technical feasibility. In a first step, they propose geological repository sites for high level (HAA) and for low and intermediate level (SMA) radioactive wastes and justify their choice in a report delivered to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. The Swiss Federal Council reviews the choices presented and, in the case of positive evaluation, approves them and considers them as an initial orientation. In a second step, based on the possible sites according to step 1, the waste management institution responsible has to reduce the repositories chosen for HAA and SMA by taking into account safety aspects, technical feasibility as well as space planning and socio-economical aspects. In making this choice, safety aspects have the highest priority. The criteria used for the evaluation in the first step have to be defined using provisional quantitative safety analyses. On the basis of the whole appraisal, including space planning and socio-economical aspects, those responsible for waste management propose at least two repository sites for HAA- and SMA-waste. Their selection is then reviewed by the authorities and, in the case of a positive assesment, the selection is taken as an intermediate result. The remaining sites are further studied to examine site choice and the delivery of a request for a design license. If necessary, the requested geological knowledge has to be confirmed by new investigations. Based on the results of the choosing process and a positive evaluation by the safety authorities, the Swiss Federal Council has to

  3. Do Scoring Systems Help in Predicting Survival Following Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatt, Marcel; Goldsmith, Paul; Martinez, Marcos; Barandiaran, Jesus; Grover, Kartikae; El-Barghouti, Naif; Perry, Eugene P

    2009-01-01

    INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to assess the value of the Hardman Index and the Glasgow Aneurysm Score in predicting postoperative mortality in patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA), and to assess the correlation between the two. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients admitted with rAAA were identified from a hospital database. Hospital records were reviewed and a retrospective Hardman Index and Glasgow Aneurysm Score was calculated. Poor postoperative prognosis was considered at a Glasgow Aneurysm Score > 95 or a Hardman Index ≥ 3. RESULTS A total of 96 patients with a median age of 77.5 years (interquartile range, 71–83 years) and a male:female ratio of 2:1 were identified. Of these, 37 patients were not offered surgery and this was associated with 100% mortality. Of the 59 operated patients, 36 (61%) patients died postoperatively. Operated patients had a median Glasgow Aneurysm Score of 91 (interquartile range, 77–101) and a Hardman Index of 2 (interquartile range, 1–2). In this group, a Glasgow Aneurysm Score > 95 or a Hardman Index ≥ 3 was not associated with mortality (P = 0.10 and P = 0.79, respectively). Correlation between the scoring systems was poor (+0.42 τb). CONCLUSIONS The scoring systems assessed did not help predict the outcome of rAAA surgery, and correlated poorly with each other. They do not aid clinical judgement. PMID:19102824

  4. 2008 Natural Resource Management Index (NRMI)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The 2008 Natural Resources Management Index (NRMI) is a composite index for 226 countries derived from the average of four proximity-to-target scores from eco-region...

  5. Item hierarchy-based analysis of the Rivermead Mobility Index resulted in improved interpretation and enabled faster scoring in patients undergoing rehabilitation after stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roorda, Leo D; Green, John R; Houwink, Annemieke; Bagley, Pam J; Smith, Jane; Molenaar, Ivo W; Geurts, Alexander C

    2012-06-01

    To enable improved interpretation of the total score and faster scoring of the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) by studying item ordering or hierarchy and formulating start-and-stop rules in patients after stroke. Cohort study. Rehabilitation center in the Netherlands; stroke rehabilitation units and the community in the United Kingdom. Item hierarchy of the RMI was studied in an initial group of patients (n=620; mean age ± SD, 69.2±12.5y; 297 [48%] men; 304 [49%] left hemisphere lesion, and 269 [43%] right hemisphere lesion), and the adequacy of the item hierarchy-based start-and-stop rules was checked in a second group of patients (n=237; mean age ± SD, 60.0±11.3y; 139 [59%] men; 103 [44%] left hemisphere lesion, and 93 [39%] right hemisphere lesion) undergoing rehabilitation after stroke. Not applicable. Mokken scale analysis was used to investigate the fit of the double monotonicity model, indicating hierarchical item ordering. The percentages of patients with a difference between the RMI total score and the scores based on the start-and-stop rules were calculated to check the adequacy of these rules. The RMI had good fit of the double monotonicity model (coefficient H(T)=.87). The interpretation of the total score improved. Item hierarchy-based start-and-stop rules were formulated. The percentages of patients with a difference between the RMI total score and the score based on the recommended start-and-stop rules were 3% and 5%, respectively. Ten of the original 15 items had to be scored after applying the start-and-stop rules. Item hierarchy was established, enabling improved interpretation and faster scoring of the RMI. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Comparison of a priori versus provisional heparin therapy on radial artery occlusion after transradial coronary angiography and patent hemostasis (from the PHARAOH Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pancholy, Samir B; Bertrand, Olivier F; Patel, Tejas

    2012-07-15

    Systemic anticoagulation decreases the risk of radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial catheterization and standard occlusive hemostasis. We compared the efficacy and safety of provisional heparin use only when the technique of patent hemostasis was not achievable to standard a priori heparin administration after radial sheath introduction. Patients referred for coronary angiography were randomized in 2 groups. In the a priori group, 200 patients received intravenous heparin (50 IU/kg) immediately after sheath insertion. In the provisional group, 200 patients did not receive heparin during the procedure. After sheath removal, hemostasis was obtained using a TR band (Terumo corporation, Tokyo, Japan) with a plethysmography-guided patent hemostasis technique. In the provisional group, no heparin was given if radial artery patency could be obtained and maintained. If radial patency was not achieved, a bolus of heparin (50 IU/kg) was given. Radial artery patency was evaluated at 24 hours (early RAO) and 30 days after the procedure (late RAO) by plethysmography. Patent hemostasis was obtained in 67% in the a priori group and 74% in the provisional group (p = 0.10). Incidence of RAO remained similar in the 2 groups at the early (7.5% vs 7.0%, p = 0.84) and late (4.5% vs 5.0%, p = 0.83) evaluations. Women, patients with diabetes, patients having not received heparin, and patients without radial artery patency during hemostasis had more RAO. By multivariate analysis, patent radial artery during hemostasis (odds ratio [OR] 0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.004 to 0.28, p = 0.002) and diabetes (OR 11, 95% CI 3 to 38,p patent hemostasis is maintained. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Global tilt and lumbar lordosis index: two parameters correlating with health-related quality of life scores-but how do they truly impact disability?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boissière, Louis; Takemoto, Mitsuru; Bourghli, Anouar; Vital, Jean-Marc; Pellisé, Ferran; Alanay, Ahmet; Yilgor, Caglar; Acaroglu, Emre; Perez-Grueso, Francisco Javier; Kleinstück, Frank; Obeid, Ibrahim

    2017-04-01

    Many radiological parameters have been reported to correlate with patient's disability including sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI-LL). European literature reports other parameters such as lumbar lordosis index (LLI) and the global tilt (GT). If most parameters correlate with health-related quality of life scores (HRQLs), their impact on disability remains unclear. This study aimed to validate these parameters by investigating their correlation with HRQLs. It also aimed to evaluate the relationship between each of these sagittal parameters and HRQLs to fully understand the impact in adult spinal deformity management. A retrospective review of a multicenter, prospective database was carried out. The database inclusion criteria were adults (>18 years old) presenting any of the following radiographic parameters: scoliosis (Cobb ≥20°), SVA ≥5 cm, thoracic kyphosis ≥60° or PT ≥25°. All patients with complete data at baseline were included. Health-related quality of life scores, demographic variables (DVs), and radiographic parameters were collected at baseline. Differences in HRQLs among groups of each DV were assessed with analyses of variance. Correlations between radiographic variables and HRQLs were assessed using the Spearman rank correlation. Multivariate linear regression models were fitted for each of the HRQLs (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], Scoliosis Research Society-22 subtotal score, or physical component summaries) with sagittal parameters and covariants as independent variables. A p<.05 value was considered statistically significant. Among a total of 755 included patients (mean age, 52.1 years), 431 were non-surgical candidates and 324 were surgical candidates. Global tilt and LLI significantly correlated with HRQLs (r=0.4 and -0.3, respectively) for univariate analysis. Demographic variables such as age, gender, body mass index, past surgery, and surgical or non-surgical candidate

  8. Overview of Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs), Alternative Methods in Human Health Risk Assessment, and the RapidTox Dashboard

    Science.gov (United States)

    This poster provides an overview of three key lines of ongoing work at EPA/ORD/NCEA-CIN: Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs), Alternative Methods in Human Health Risk Assessment, and the RapidTox Dashboard collaboration.

  9. Can bispectral index or auditory evoked potential index predict implicit memory during propofol-induced sedation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yun; Yue, Yun; Sun, Yong-hai; Wu, An-shi

    2006-06-05

    Some patients still suffer from implicit memory of intraoperative events under adequate depth of anaesthesia. The elimination of implicit memory should be a necessary aim of clinical general anaesthesia. However, implicit memory cannot be tested during anaesthesia yet. We propose bispectral index (BIS) and auditory evoked potential index (AEPI), as predictors of implicit memory during anaesthesia. Thirty-six patients were equally divided into 3 groups according to the Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Score: A, level 3; B, level 2; and C, level 1. Every patient was given the first auditory stimulus before sedation. Then every patient received the second auditory stimulus after the target level of sedation had been reached. BIS and AEPI were monitored before and after the second auditory stimulus presentation. Four hours later, the inclusion test and exclusion test were performed on the ward using process dissociation procedure and the scores of implicit memory estimated. In groups A and B but not C, implicit memory estimates were statistically greater than zero (P memory scores in group A did not differ significantly from those in group B (P > 0.05). Implicit memory scores correlated with BIS and AEPI (P AEPI. The 95% cutoff points of BIS and AEPI for predicting implicit memory are 47 and 28, respectively. Implicit memory does not disappear until the depth of sedation increases to level 1 of OAA/S score. Implicit memory scores correlate well with BIS and AEPI during sedation. BIS is a better index for predicting implicit memory than AEPI during propofol induced sedation.

  10. A direct-gradient multivariate index of biotic condition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Leandro E.; Aycock, J.N.; Killgore, K. J.

    2012-01-01

    Multimetric indexes constructed by summing metric scores have been criticized despite many of their merits. A leading criticism is the potential for investigator bias involved in metric selection and scoring. Often there is a large number of competing metrics equally well correlated with environmental stressors, requiring a judgment call by the investigator to select the most suitable metrics to include in the index and how to score them. Data-driven procedures for multimetric index formulation published during the last decade have reduced this limitation, yet apprehension remains. Multivariate approaches that select metrics with statistical algorithms may reduce the level of investigator bias and alleviate a weakness of multimetric indexes. We investigated the suitability of a direct-gradient multivariate procedure to derive an index of biotic condition for fish assemblages in oxbow lakes in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Although this multivariate procedure also requires that the investigator identify a set of suitable metrics potentially associated with a set of environmental stressors, it is different from multimetric procedures because it limits investigator judgment in selecting a subset of biotic metrics to include in the index and because it produces metric weights suitable for computation of index scores. The procedure, applied to a sample of 35 competing biotic metrics measured at 50 oxbow lakes distributed over a wide geographical region in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, selected 11 metrics that adequately indexed the biotic condition of five test lakes. Because the multivariate index includes only metrics that explain the maximum variability in the stressor variables rather than a balanced set of metrics chosen to reflect various fish assemblage attributes, it is fundamentally different from multimetric indexes of biotic integrity with advantages and disadvantages. As such, it provides an alternative to multimetric procedures.

  11. Mining the Human Phenome Using Allelic Scores That Index Biological Intermediates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Evans, David M; Brion, Marie Jo A; Paternoster, Lavinia

    2013-01-01

    It is common practice in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to focus on the relationship between disease risk and genetic variants one marker at a time. When relevant genes are identified it is often possible to implicate biological intermediates and pathways likely to be involved in disease...... aetiology. However, single genetic variants typically explain small amounts of disease risk. Our idea is to construct allelic scores that explain greater proportions of the variance in biological intermediates, and subsequently use these scores to data mine GWAS. To investigate the approach's properties, we...

  12. A locally adapted functional outcome measurement score for total ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... in Europe or North America and seem not optimally suited for a general West ... We introduce a cross-cultural adaptation of the Lequesne index as a new score. ... Keywords: THR, Hip, Africa, Functional score, Hip replacement, Arthroscopy ...

  13. Optimizing anterior esthetics of a single-tooth implant through socket augmentation and immediate provisionalization: A case report with 7-year follow-up

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Sung Fu

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Tooth extraction inevitably accompanies alveolar ridge resorption with loss of pre-existing tissue morphology. Replacing missing teeth with dental implants has become popular, but restoring anterior teeth with implant-supported restorations is a technique-sensitive task and poses challenges for dentists. With the progress of implant dentistry, the demand for optimal esthetics has become linked with the desire for faster, easier techniques that shorten treatment time and also satisfy patients. Immediate provisionalization of a single-tooth implant provides significant benefits compared with traditional delayed protocols, such as aiding the contouring of peri-implant soft tissue and enhancing patient comfort and satisfaction. This article describes a meticulous approach to a hopeless maxillary central incisor with root fracture. The defect in the extraction socket was reconstructed using autogenous bone harvested from the chin. Four months later, an implant was installed and immediately restored. After another healing period of 6 months, the peri-implant soft tissue had been shaped and matured according to the contours of the provisional restoration. The emergence profile was used to duplicate the definitive restoration. Peri-implant esthetics was achieved through socket augmentation and immediate provisionalization of the implant. This treatment modality attained predictable and maintainable outcomes, both functionally and esthetically.

  14. Differences in distribution of T-scores and Z-scores among bone densitometry tests in postmenopausal women (a comparative study)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wendlova, J.

    2002-01-01

    To determine the character of T-score and Z-score value distribution in individually selected methods of bone densitometry and to compare them using statistical analysis. We examined 56 postmenopausal women with an age between 43 and 68 years with osteopenia or osteoporosis according to the WHO classification. The following measurements were made in each patient: T-score and Z-score for: 1) Stiffness index (S) of the left heel bone, USM (index). 2) Bone mineral density of the left heel bone (BMDh), DEXA (g of Ca hydroxyapatite per cm 2 ). 3) Bone mineral density of trabecular bone of the L1 vertebra (BMDL1). QCT (mg of Ca hydroxyapatite per cm 3 ). The densitometers used in the study were: ultrasonometer to measure heel bone, Achilles plus LUNAR, USA: DEXA to measure heel bone, PIXl, LUNAR, USA: QCT to measure the L1 vertebra, CT, SOMATOM Plus, Siemens, Germany. Statistical analysis: differences between measured values of T-scores (Z-scores) were evaluated by parametric or non-parametric methods of determining the 95 % confidence intervals (C.I.). Differences between Z-score and T-score values for compared measurements were statistically significant; however, these differences were lower for Z-scores. Largest differences in 95 % C.I., characterizing individual measurements of T-score values (in comparison with Z-scores), were found for those densitometers whose age range of the reference groups of young adults differed the most, and conversely, the smallest differences in T-score values were found when the differences between the age ranges of reference groups were smallest. The higher variation in T-score values in comparison to Z-scores is also caused by a non-standard selection of the reference groups of young adults for the QCT, PIXI and Achilles Plus densitometers used in the study. Age characteristics of the reference group for T-scores should be standardized for all types of densitometers. (author)

  15. Prediction of solubility and permeability class membership: provisional BCS classification of the world's top oral drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahan, Arik; Miller, Jonathan M; Amidon, Gordon L

    2009-12-01

    The Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) categorizes drugs into one of four biopharmaceutical classes according to their water solubility and membrane permeability characteristics and broadly allows the prediction of the rate-limiting step in the intestinal absorption process following oral administration. Since its introduction in 1995, the BCS has generated remarkable impact on the global pharmaceutical sciences arena, in drug discovery, development, and regulation, and extensive validation/discussion/extension of the BCS is continuously published in the literature. The BCS has been effectively implanted by drug regulatory agencies around the world in setting bioavailability/bioequivalence standards for immediate-release (IR) oral drug product approval. In this review, we describe the BCS scientific framework and impact on regulatory practice of oral drug products and review the provisional BCS classification of the top drugs on the global market. The Biopharmaceutical Drug Disposition Classification System and its association with the BCS are discussed as well. One notable finding of the provisional BCS classification is that the clinical performance of the majority of approved IR oral drug products essential for human health can be assured with an in vitro dissolution test, rather than empirical in vivo human studies.

  16. Relation between diet cost and Healthy Eating Index 2010 scores among adults in the United States 2007-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehm, Colin D; Monsivais, Pablo; Drewnowski, Adam

    2015-04-01

    Food prices may be one reason for the growing socioeconomic disparities in diet quality. To evaluate the association between diet costs and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010). Cross-sectional study based on 11,181 adults from the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, analyzed in spring 2014. Diet cost was estimated by linking dietary data with a national food price database. The HEI-2010, a measure of adherence to the dietary guidelines, was the outcome. The population ratio method was used to estimate the average HEI-2010 scores by quintile of energy-adjusted diet cost. Additional analyses evaluated the association between cost and HEI-2010 components. There was a strong positive association between lower energy-adjusted diet costs and lower HEI-2010 scores. The association was stronger among women (p-interaction=0.003). Lower diet costs were associated with lower consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and seafood, and higher consumption of refined grains and solid fat, alcohol and added sugars. Lower energy-adjusted diet costs were associated with lower-quality diets. Future efforts to improve the nutritional status of the US public should take food prices and diet costs into account. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Relation between diet cost and Healthy Eating Index 2010 scores among adults in the United States 2007-2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehm, Colin D.; Monsivais, Pablo; Drewnowski, Adam

    2016-01-01

    Background Food prices may be one reason for the growing socioeconomic disparities in diet quality. Objective To evaluate the association between diet costs and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010). Methods Cross-sectional study based on 11,181 adults from the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, analyzed in spring 2014. Diet cost was estimated by linking dietary data with a national food price database. The HEI-2010, a measure of adherence to the Dietary Guidelines, was the outcome. The population ratio method was used to estimate the average HEI-2010 scores by quintile of energy-adjusted diet cost. Additional analyses evaluated the association between cost and HEI-2010 components. Results There was a strong positive association between lower energy-adjusted diet costs and lower HEI-2010 scores. The association was stronger among women (p-interaction=0.003). Lower diet costs were associated with lower consumption of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and seafood, and higher consumption of refined grains and solid fat, alcohol and added sugars. Conclusions Lower energy-adjusted diet costs were associated with lower-quality diets. Future efforts to improve the nutritional status of the US public should take food prices and diet costs into account. PMID:25625693

  18. [Different scoring systems to evaluate the prognosis of Fournier's gangrene: A comparative study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiao-dong; Ding, Fei; Wang, Guo-dong; Shao, Qiang

    2015-08-01

    To sum up the experience in diagnosis and treatment of Fournier's gangrene and find an optimal evaluation tool for its prognosis by comparing currently used prognostic scoring systems. We retrospectively analyzed 16 cases of Fournier's gangrene diagnosed and surgically treated in our hospital between 2004 and 2012. Using Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), Uludag Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (UFGSI), Age-Adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI), and Surgical Apgar Score (sAPGAR) , we obtained the prognostic scores of the patients and made comparisons among different scoring systems. FGSI, UFGSI, ACCI, and sAPGAR were all clinically used scoring systems. Statistically significant differences were found in the scores of ACCI and UFGSI but not in those of FGSI and sAPGAR between the death and survival groups, with the maximum area under the ROC curve and minimum standard error for the ACCI score. Both ACCI and UFGSI are useful for evaluating the prognosis of Fournier's gangrene. However, ACCI is even better for its higher sensitivity and specificity and easier clinical collection.

  19. Provisional standards of radiation safety of flight personnel and passengers in air transport of the civil aviation

    Science.gov (United States)

    1977-01-01

    Provisional standards for radiation affecting passenger aircraft are considered. Agencies responsible for seeing that the regulations are enforced are designated while radiation sources and types of radiation are defined. Standard levels of permissible radiation are given and conditions for radiation safety are discussed. Dosimetric equipment on board aircraft is delineated and regulation effective dates are given.

  20. Provisional standards of radiation safety of flight personnel and passengers in air transport of the civil aviation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Provisional standards for radiation affecting passenger aircraft are considered. Agencies responsible for seeing that the regulations are enforced are designated while radiation sources and types of radiation are defined. Standard levels of permissible radiation are given and conditions for radiation safety are discussed. Dosimetric equipment on board aircraft is delineated and regulation effective dates are given

  1. [Cross-cultural adaptation of the community-acquired pneumonia score questionnaire in patients with mild-to-moderate pneumonia in Colombia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernal-Vargas, Mónica Alejandra; Cortés, Jorge Alberto; Sánchez, Ricardo

    2017-01-24

    One of the strategies for the rational use of antibiotics is the use of the score for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP Score). This instrument clinically evaluates patients with community-acquired pneumonia, thereby facilitating decision making regarding the early and safe withdrawal of antibiotics. To generate a translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Score questionnaire in Spanish. Authorization for cross-cultural adaptation of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Score questionnaire was obtained; the recommendations of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) were carried out through the following stages: forward translation, reconciliation, backward translation, harmonization, obtaining a provisional questionnaire, and applying the questionnaire in a pilot test. The pilot test was conducted at a second-level public hospital in Bogotá after the study was approved by the ethics and research institutional boards. The changes suggested by the forward translators were applied. There were no discrepancies between the backward and forward translations, consequently, no revisions were necessary. Five items had modifications based on suggestions made by eleven patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia during the pilot test. A Spanish version of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Score was crossculturally adapted and is now available.

  2. Patients with tattoo reactions have reduced quality of life and suffer from itch: Dermatology Life Quality Index and Itch Severity Score measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutton Carlsen, K; Serup, J

    2015-02-01

    Tattoos are a trend with increasing side-effects. The burden of local reaction with swelling, itching and discomfort may impel sufferers to consult medical assistance. To assess tattoo reactions and their influence on quality of life and itching by utilizing the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scoring system and Itch Severity Scale (ISS). Patients attending the 'Tattoo Clinic' at Bispebjerg University Hospital, Denmark with tattoo problems spanning more than 3 months were invited. Forty patients participated during September-November 2012. Patients attending their routine consultations completed the ISS and DLQI questionnaires. Patients with tattoo reactions experienced reduced quality of life, DLQI score 7.4 and were burdened by itch, ISS score 7.2. Both DLQI and ISS results attained the level of discomfort of known skin diseases such as psoriasis, pruritus and eczema albeit the typical tattooed affected areas are smaller. Sufferers of tattoo reactions have reduced quality of life and are often burdened by itching attaining the level of other cumbersome afflictions recognized as dermatological diseases associated with itch. Tattoo reactions warrant diagnosis and treatment with same professional intent shared with other skin diseases. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Relationships between Participants' International Prostate Symptom Score and BPH Impact Index Changes and Global Ratings of Change in a Trial of Phytotherapy for Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Michael J.; Cantor, Alan; Roehrborn, Claus G.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To relate changes in AUA Symptom Index (AUASI) scores with bother measures and global ratings of change among men with lower urinary tract symptoms enrolled in a trial of saw palmetto. Materials and Methods To be eligible, men were ≥45 years old, had ajpeak uroflow ≥4 ml/sec, and an AUASI score ≥ 8 and ≤ 24. Participants self-administered the AUASI, IPSS quality of life item (IPSS QoL), BPH Impact Index (BII) and two global change questions at baseline and 24, 48, and 72 weeks. Results Among 357 participants, global ratings of “a little better” were associated with mean decreases in AUASI scores from 2.8 to 4.1 points, across three time points. The analogous range for mean decreases in BII scores was 1.0 to 1.7 points, and for the IPSS QoL item 0.5 to 0.8 points. At 72 weeks, for the first global change question, each change measure could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 70-72% of the time. A multivariable model increased discrimination to 77%. For the second global change question, each change measure correctly discriminated ratings of at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 69-74% of the time, and a multivariable model increased discrimination to 79%. Conclusions Changes in AUASI scores could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse. Our findings support the practice of powering studies to detect group mean differences in AUASI scores of at least 3 points. PMID:23017510

  4. Development of the Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC score among young children with respiratory infections in South Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carrie Reed

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in children worldwide. A simple clinical score predicting the probability of death in a young child with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI could aid clinicians in case management and provide a standardized severity measure during epidemiologic studies. METHODS: We analyzed 4,148 LRTI hospitalizations in children <24 months enrolled in a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial in South Africa from 1998-2001, to develop the Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC. Using clinical data at admission, a multivariable logistic regression model for mortality was developed and statistically evaluated using bootstrap resampling techniques. Points were assigned to risk factors based on their coefficients in the multivariable model. A child's RISC score is the sum of points for each risk factor present. Separate models were developed for HIV-infected and non-infected children. RESULTS: Significant risk factors for HIV-infected and non-infected children included low oxygen saturation, chest indrawing, wheezing, and refusal to feed. The models also included age and HIV clinical classification (for HIV-infected children or weight-for-age (for non-infected children. RISC scores ranged up to 7 points for HIV-infected or 6 points for non-infected children and correlated with probability of death (0-47%, HIV-infected; 0-14%, non-infected. Final models showed good discrimination (area under the ROC curve and calibration (goodness-of-fit. CONCLUSION: The RISC score incorporates a simple set of risk factors that accurately discriminate between young children based on their risk of death from LRTI, and may provide an objective means to quantify severity based on the risk of mortality.

  5. Agitation in cognitive disorders: International Psychogeriatric Association provisional consensus clinical and research definition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cummings, Jeffrey; Mintzer, Jacobo; Brodaty, Henry; Sano, Mary; Banerjee, Sube; Devanand, D P; Gauthier, Serge; Howard, Robert; Lanctôt, Krista; Lyketsos, Constantine G; Peskind, Elaine; Porsteinsson, Anton P; Reich, Edgardo; Sampaio, Cristina; Steffens, David; Wortmann, Marc; Zhong, Kate

    2015-01-01

    Agitation is common across neuropsychiatric disorders and contributes to disability, institutionalization, and diminished quality of life for patients and their caregivers. There is no consensus definition of agitation and no widespread agreement on what elements should be included in the syndrome. The International Psychogeriatric Association formed an Agitation Definition Work Group (ADWG) to develop a provisional consensus definition of agitation in patients with cognitive disorders that can be applied in epidemiologic, non-interventional clinical, pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic interventional, and neurobiological studies. A consensus definition will facilitate communication and cross-study comparison and may have regulatory applications in drug development programs. The ADWG developed a transparent process using a combination of electronic, face-to-face, and survey-based strategies to develop a consensus based on agreement of a majority of participants. Nine-hundred twenty-eight respondents participated in the different phases of the process. Agitation was defined broadly as: (1) occurring in patients with a cognitive impairment or dementia syndrome; (2) exhibiting behavior consistent with emotional distress; (3) manifesting excessive motor activity, verbal aggression, or physical aggression; and (4) evidencing behaviors that cause excess disability and are not solely attributable to another disorder (psychiatric, medical, or substance-related). A majority of the respondents rated all surveyed elements of the definition as "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" (68-88% across elements). A majority of the respondents agreed that the definition is appropriate for clinical and research applications. A provisional consensus definition of agitation has been developed. This definition can be used to advance interventional and non-interventional research of agitation in patients with cognitive impairment.

  6. Application of the 2-piece orthodontic C-implant for provisional restoration with laser welded customized coping: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paek, Janghyun; Ahn, Hyo-Won; Jeong, Do-Min; Shim, Jeong-Seok; Kim, Seong-Hun; Chung, Kyu-Rhim

    2015-03-25

    This article presents the application of laser welding technique to fabricate an orthodontic mini-implant provisional restoration in missing area after limited orthodontic treatment. A 15-year-old boy case is presented. Two-piece orthodontic C-implant was placed after regaining space for missing right mandibular central incisor. Due to angular deviation of implant, customized abutment was required. Ready-made head part was milled and lingual part of customized abutment was made with non-precious metal. Two parts then were laser welded (Master 1000, Elettrolaser Italy, Verona, Italy) and indirect lab composite (3 M ESPE Sinfony, St. Paul, MN, USA) was built up. The patient had successful result, confirmed by clinical and radiographic examinations. Before the patient is ready to get a permanent restoration later on, this provisional restoration will be used. This case shows that a two-piece orthodontic C-implant system can be used to maintain small edentulous space after orthodontic treatment.

  7. Gap analysis between provisional diagnosis and final diagnosis in government and private teaching hospitals: A record-linked comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, Sudeshna; Ray, Krishnangshu; Das, Anup Kumar

    2016-01-01

    1. To identify the extent of clinical gaps at the context of knowledge, practice and systems. 2. To formulate necessary intervention measures towards bridging the gaps. Comparative, cross-sectional and non-interventional study. It is retrospective, record-based study conducted upon inpatients ( n = 200) of major disciplines of two teaching hospitals. Major outcome variables were to observe the matching and un-matching of final and provisional diagnosis by using ICD-10 criteria. Comparative analysis of specific and selective gaps were estimated in terms of percentage (%). Pilot observation showed the existence of gaps between provisional and final diagnosis in both private and government institution. Both knowledge and skill gaps were evident in caregivers and gap in documentation was existent in medical records. The pilot data is may be an eye-opener to public and private governance systems for understanding and revising the process service planning and service delivery. Necessary intervention measures may be contemplated towards enhancing diagnostic skill of doctors for quality hospital care.

  8. Validation of the Cepstral Spectral Index of Dysphonia (CSID) as a Screening Tool for Voice Disorders: Development of Clinical Cutoff Scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awan, Shaheen N; Roy, Nelson; Zhang, Dong; Cohen, Seth M

    2016-03-01

    The purposes of this study were to (1) evaluate the performance of the Cepstral Spectral Index of Dysphonia (CSID--a multivariate estimate of dysphonia severity) as a potential screening tool for voice disorder identification and (2) identify potential clinical cutoff scores to classify voice-disordered cases versus controls. Subjects were 332 men and women (116 men, 216 women) comprised of subjects who presented to a physician with a voice-related complaint and a group of non-voice-related control subjects. Voice-disordered cases versus controls were initially defined via three reference standards: (1) auditory-perceptual judgment (dysphonia +/-); (2) Voice Handicap Index (VHI) score (VHI +/-); and (3) laryngoscopic description (laryngoscopic +/-). Speech samples were analyzed using the Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice program. Cepstral and spectral measures were combined into a CSID multivariate formula which estimated dysphonia severity for Rainbow Passage samples (i.e., the CSIDR). The ability of the CSIDR to accurately classify cases versus controls in relation to each reference standard was evaluated via a combination of logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. The ability of the CSIDR to discriminate between cases and controls was represented by the "area under the ROC curve" (AUC). ROC classification of dysphonia-positive cases versus controls resulted in a strong AUC = 0.85. A CSIDR cutoff of ≈24 achieved the best balance between sensitivity and specificity, whereas a more liberal cutoff score of ≈19 resulted in higher sensitivity while maintaining respectable specificity which may be preferred for screening purposes. Weaker but adequate AUCs = 0.75 and 0.73 were observed for the classification of VHI-positive and laryngoscopic-positive cases versus controls, respectively. Logistic regression analyses indicated that subject age may be a significant covariate in the discrimination of dysphonia-positive and VHI

  9. Use of Resin-Based Provisional Material to Create the Posterior Palatal Seal in Complete Denture Definitive Impressions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza Batista, Victor Eduardo; Vechiato-Filho, Aljomar José; Pellizzer, Eduardo Piza; Verri, Fellippo Ramos

    2017-11-17

    The purpose of this article was to present an alternative procedure using resin-based provisional material to create the posterior palatal seal (PPS). This method offers more practicality in clinical routine and increased control for addition of material to create the PPS when compared to traditional techniques such as the use of impression wax. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  10. Gait Deviation Index, Gait Profile Score and Gait Variable Score in children with spastic cerebral palsy: Intra-rater reliability and agreement across two repeated sessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, Helle Mätzke; Nielsen, Dennis Brandborg; Pedersen, Niels Wisbech; Overgaard, Søren; Holsgaard-Larsen, Anders

    2015-07-01

    The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and Gait Profile Score (GPS) are the most used summary measures of gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the reliability and agreement of these indices have not been investigated, limiting their clinimetric quality for research and clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the intra-rater reliability and agreement of summary measures of gait (GDI; GPS; and the Gait Variable Score (GVS) derived from the GPS). The intra-rater reliability and agreement were investigated across two repeated sessions in 18 children aged 5-12 years diagnosed with spastic CP. No systematic bias was observed between the sessions and no heteroscedasticity was observed in Bland-Altman plots. For the GDI and GPS, excellent reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values of 0.8-0.9 was found, while the GVS was found to have fair to good reliability with ICCs of 0.4-0.7. The agreement for the GDI and the logarithmically transformed GPS, in terms of the standard error of measurement as a percentage of the grand mean (SEM%) varied from 4.1 to 6.7%, whilst the smallest detectable change in percent (SDC%) ranged from 11.3 to 18.5%. For the logarithmically transformed GVS, we found a fair to large variation in SEM% from 7 to 29% and in SDC% from 18 to 81%. The GDI and GPS demonstrated excellent reliability and acceptable agreement proving that they can both be used in research and clinical practice. However, the observed large variability for some of the GVS requires cautious consideration when selecting outcome measures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Development of Mortars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gary Ackerman

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA repeatedly showed itself to be one of the most inventive and adaptive of all the violent non-state actors who operated in the latter part of the twentieth century. Among its most innovative exploits was the PIRA’s successful development and fielding – spanning almost its entire operational lifetime – of improvised mortar systems. This chapter will trace the sustained development of mortars, including the underlying motivations for pursuing mortars as a complex engineering effort, the process by which the development took place and the underpinnings of its success. The discussion will show that the PIRA’s mortar development program was born out of tactical necessity but enabled by good organizational practices and the organization’s access to materials, expertise and places in which to leverage these.

  12. Immediate provisionalization of dental implants placed in healed alveolar ridges and extraction sockets: a 5-year prospective evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Lyndon F; Reside, Glenn J; Raes, Filiep; Garriga, Joan Soliva; Tarrida, Luis Giner; Wiltfang, Jörg; Kern, Matthias; De Bruyn, Hugo

    2014-01-01

    This 5-year prospective multicenter study compared implant survival and success, peri-implant health and soft tissue responses, crestal bone level stability, and complication rates following immediate loading of single OsseoSpeed implants placed in anterior maxillary healed ridges or extraction sockets. Individuals requiring anterior tooth replacement with single implants were treated and immediately provisionalized. Definitive all-ceramic crowns were placed at 12 weeks. Implant survival, bone levels, soft tissue levels, and peri-implant health were monitored for 5 years. One hundred thirteen patients received implants in fresh sockets (55) and healed ridges (58). After 5 years, 45 and 49 patients remained for evaluation, respectively. During the first year, three implants failed in the extraction socket group (94.6% survival) and one implant failed in the healed ridge group (98.3% survival); this difference was not significant. No further implant failures were recorded. After 5 years, the interproximal crestal bone levels were located a mean of 0.43 ± 0.63 mm and 0.38 ± 0.62 mm from the reference points of implants in sockets and healed ridges (not a significant difference). In both groups, papillae increased over time and peri-implant mucosal zenith positions were stable from the time of definitive crown placement in sockets and healed ridges. Compared to flap surgery for implants in healed ridges, flapless surgery resulted in increased peri-implant mucosal tissue dimension (average, 0.78 ± 1.34 mm vs 0.19 ± 0.79 mm). After 5 years, the bone and soft tissue parameters that characterize implant success and contribute to dental implant esthetics were similar following the immediate provisionalization of implants in sockets and healed ridges. The overall tissue responses and reported implant survival support the immediate provisionalization of dental implants in situations involving healed ridges and, under ideal circumstances, extraction sockets.

  13. Multifactorial analysis of variables influencing the fracture strength of repair joints for provisional restorative materials using the statistically based Taguchi method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Jen Cheng

    2010-06-01

    Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, these four design factors had different contributions to the fracture strength of repaired provisional restorations. Clinicians must be aware of the sequence of importance in determining better problem-solving methods.

  14. Validating the appropriateness of TACOM measure: Comparing TACOM scores with subjective workload scores quantified by NASA-TLX technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, J.; Jung, W.

    2006-01-01

    In this study, the appropriateness of the task complexity (TACOM) measure that can quantify the complexity of emergency tasks was investigated by comparing subjective workload scores with the associated TACOM scores. To this end, based on the NASA-TLX (task load index) technique, 18 operators were asked to subjectively estimate perceived workload for 23 emergency tasks that were specified in the emergency operating procedures of the reference nuclear power plants. As the result of comparisons, it was observed that subjective workload scores increase in proportion to the increase of TACOM scores. Therefore, it is expect that the TACOM measure can be used as a serviceable method to quantify the complexity of emergency tasks. (authors)

  15. Validating the appropriateness of TACOM measure: Comparing TACOM scores with subjective workload scores quantified by NASA-TLX technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J.; Jung, W. [Integrated Safety Assessment Div., Korea Atomic Energy Research Inst., P.O.Box 105, Duckjin-Dong, Yusong-Ku, Taejon, 305-600 (Korea, Republic of)

    2006-07-01

    In this study, the appropriateness of the task complexity (TACOM) measure that can quantify the complexity of emergency tasks was investigated by comparing subjective workload scores with the associated TACOM scores. To this end, based on the NASA-TLX (task load index) technique, 18 operators were asked to subjectively estimate perceived workload for 23 emergency tasks that were specified in the emergency operating procedures of the reference nuclear power plants. As the result of comparisons, it was observed that subjective workload scores increase in proportion to the increase of TACOM scores. Therefore, it is expect that the TACOM measure can be used as a serviceable method to quantify the complexity of emergency tasks. (authors)

  16. MONITORING DEPTH OF ANAESTHESIA USING PRST SCORE AND BISPECTRAL INDEX

    OpenAIRE

    Rahul; Sowmya; Rangalakshmi; Roshan Kumar; Karthik

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND : Intraoperative awareness is a frightening experience for any patient for it has long term psychological consequences. Among the various tools available for monitoring depth of anaesthesia, Bispectral index monitoring (BIS) is one of the recent and widely accepted techniques. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : The present study was carried out ...

  17. The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index): an instrument to measure adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lee, Linde; Geelen, Anouk; van Huysduynen, Eveline J C Hooft; de Vries, Jeanne H M; van't Veer, Pieter; Feskens, Edith J M

    2012-07-20

    The objective was to develop an index based on the Dutch Guidelines for a healthy Diet of 2006 that reflects dietary quality and to apply it to the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) to examine the associations with micronutrient intakes. A total of 749 men and women, aged 19-30 years, contributed two 24-hour recalls and additional questionnaires in the DNFCS of 2003. The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index) includes ten components representing the ten Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet. Per component the score ranges between zero and ten, resulting in a total score between zero (no adherence) and 100 (complete adherence). The mean ± SD of the DHD-index was 60.4 ± 11.5 for women and 57.8 ± 10.8 for men (P for difference = 0.002). Each component score increased across the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index. An inverse association was observed between the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index and total energy intake. Calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin E intake decreased with increasing DHD-index, an inverse association which disappeared after energy adjustment. Vitamin C showed a positive association across quintiles, also when adjusted for energy. For folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, and vitamin B6 a positive association emerged after adjustment for energy. The DHD-index is capable of ranking participants according to their adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet by reflecting variation in nine out of ten components that constitute the index when based on two 24-hour recalls. Furthermore, the index showed to be a good measure of nutrient density of diets.

  18. Healthy Eating Index scores associated with symptoms of depression in Cuban-Americans with and without type 2 diabetes: a cross sectional study

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    Exebio Joel C

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Low diet quality and depression symptoms are independently associated with poor glycemic control in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D; however, the relationship between them is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the association between diet quality and symptoms of depression among Cuban-Americans with and without T2D living in South Florida. Methods Subjects (n = 356 were recruited from randomly selected mailing list. Diet quality was determined using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-05 score. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI. Both linear and logistic regression analyses were run to determine whether or not these two variables were related. Symptoms of depression was the dependent variable and independent variables included HEI-05, gender, age, marital status, BMI, education level, A1C, employment status, depression medication, duration of diabetes, and diabetes status. Analysis of covariance was used to test for interactions among variables. Results An interaction between diabetes status, gender and HEI-05 was found (P = 0.011. Among males with a HEI-05 score ≤ 55.6, those with T2D had a higher mean BDI score than those without T2D (11.6 vs. 6.6 respectively, P = 0.028. Among males and females with a HEI-05 score ≤ 55.6, females without T2D had a higher mean BDI score compared to males without T2D (11.0 vs. 6.6 respectively, P = 0.012 Conclusions Differences in symptoms of depression according to diabetes status and gender are found in Cuban-Americans with low diet quality.

  19. Assessment of PANC3 score in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis

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    Avreen Singh Shah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Acute pancreatitis is inflammatory process of the pancreas associated with local and systemic complications. At present, there are lots of scores (such as Ransons, APACHE II, bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis that help us in predicting severity at the time of admission but these are time consuming or require complex calculation and are costly. Material and Methods: PANC3 Scoring System is one of the better systems because the three criteria used (hematocrit, body mass index, and pleural effusion are simple, easy to assess, readily available, and economic. In this prospective study, 100 cases were evaluated to see the prospects of PANC3 scoring in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis as decided by modified Marshals score. Results: The results showed that PANC3 score had a 96.43% specificity, 75% sensitivity, 80% positive predictive value, and 95.29% negative predictive value. Conclusion: Hence, the PANC3 score is a cost-effective, promising score that helps in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis leading to prompt treatment and early referral to higher center.

  20. Prospective evaluation of a new protocol for the provisional use of perfusion imaging with exercise stress testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duvall, W.L. [Hartford Hospital, Division of Cardiology (Henry Low Heart Center), Hartford, CT (United States); Mount Sinai Medical Center, Division of Cardiology (Mount Sinai Heart), New York, NY (United States); Savino, John A.; Levine, Elliot J.; Croft, Lori B.; Henzlova, Milena J. [Mount Sinai Medical Center, Division of Cardiology (Mount Sinai Heart), New York, NY (United States); Hermann, Luke K. [Mount Sinai Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York, NY (United States)

    2014-11-04

    Previous literature suggests that myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) adds little to the prognosis of patients who exercise >10 metabolic equivalents (METs) during stress testing. With this in mind, we prospectively tested a provisional injection protocol in emergency department (ED) patients presenting for the evaluation of chest pain in which a patient would not receive an injection of radioisotope if adequate exercise was achieved without symptoms and a negative ECG response. All patients who presented to the ED over a 5-year period who were referred for stress testing as part of their ED evaluation were included. Patients considered for a provisional protocol were: exercise stress, age <65 years, no known coronary artery disease, and an interpretable rest ECG. Criteria for not injecting included a maximal predicted heart rate ≥85 %, ≥10 METs of exercise, no anginal symptoms during stress, and no ECG changes. Groups were compared based on stress test results, all-cause and cardiac mortality, follow-up cardiac testing, subsequent revascularization, and cost. A total of 965 patients were eligible with 192 undergoing exercise-only and 773 having perfusion imaging. After 41.6 ± 19.6 months of follow-up, all-cause mortality was similar in the exercise-only versus the exercise plus imaging group (2.6 % vs. 2.1 %, p = 0.59). There were no cardiac deaths in the exercise-only group. At 1 year there was no difference in the number of repeat functional stress tests (1.6 % vs. 2.1 %, p = 0.43), fewer angiograms (0 % vs. 4.0 %, p = 0.002), and a significantly lower cost (65 ± 332 vs 506 ± 1,991, p = 0.002; values are in US dollars) in the exercise-only group. The radiation exposure in the exercise plus imaging group was 8.4 ± 2.1 mSv. A provisional injection protocol has a very low mortality, few follow-up diagnostic tests, and lower cost compared to standard imaging protocols. If adopted it would decrease radiation exposure, save time and decrease health-care costs

  1. Prospective evaluation of a new protocol for the provisional use of perfusion imaging with exercise stress testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duvall, W Lane; Savino, John A; Levine, Elliot J; Hermann, Luke K; Croft, Lori B; Henzlova, Milena J

    2015-02-01

    Previous literature suggests that myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) adds little to the prognosis of patients who exercise >10 metabolic equivalents (METs) during stress testing. With this in mind, we prospectively tested a provisional injection protocol in emergency department (ED) patients presenting for the evaluation of chest pain in which a patient would not receive an injection of radioisotope if adequate exercise was achieved without symptoms and a negative ECG response. All patients who presented to the ED over a 5-year period who were referred for stress testing as part of their ED evaluation were included. Patients considered for a provisional protocol were: exercise stress, age heart rate ≥85%, ≥10 METs of exercise, no anginal symptoms during stress, and no ECG changes. Groups were compared based on stress test results, all-cause and cardiac mortality, follow-up cardiac testing, subsequent revascularization, and cost. A total of 965 patients were eligible with 192 undergoing exercise-only and 773 having perfusion imaging. After 41.6 ± 19.6 months of follow-up, all-cause mortality was similar in the exercise-only versus the exercise plus imaging group (2.6% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.59). There were no cardiac deaths in the exercise-only group. At 1 year there was no difference in the number of repeat functional stress tests (1.6% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.43), fewer angiograms (0% vs. 4.0%, p = 0.002), and a significantly lower cost ($65 ± $332 vs $506 ± $1,991, p = 0.002; values are in US dollars) in the exercise-only group. The radiation exposure in the exercise plus imaging group was 8.4 ± 2.1 mSv. A provisional injection protocol has a very low mortality, few follow-up diagnostic tests, and lower cost compared to standard imaging protocols. If adopted it would decrease radiation exposure, save time and decrease health-care costs without jeopardizing prognosis.

  2. Prospective evaluation of a new protocol for the provisional use of perfusion imaging with exercise stress testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duvall, W.L.; Savino, John A.; Levine, Elliot J.; Croft, Lori B.; Henzlova, Milena J.; Hermann, Luke K.

    2015-01-01

    Previous literature suggests that myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) adds little to the prognosis of patients who exercise >10 metabolic equivalents (METs) during stress testing. With this in mind, we prospectively tested a provisional injection protocol in emergency department (ED) patients presenting for the evaluation of chest pain in which a patient would not receive an injection of radioisotope if adequate exercise was achieved without symptoms and a negative ECG response. All patients who presented to the ED over a 5-year period who were referred for stress testing as part of their ED evaluation were included. Patients considered for a provisional protocol were: exercise stress, age <65 years, no known coronary artery disease, and an interpretable rest ECG. Criteria for not injecting included a maximal predicted heart rate ≥85 %, ≥10 METs of exercise, no anginal symptoms during stress, and no ECG changes. Groups were compared based on stress test results, all-cause and cardiac mortality, follow-up cardiac testing, subsequent revascularization, and cost. A total of 965 patients were eligible with 192 undergoing exercise-only and 773 having perfusion imaging. After 41.6 ± 19.6 months of follow-up, all-cause mortality was similar in the exercise-only versus the exercise plus imaging group (2.6 % vs. 2.1 %, p = 0.59). There were no cardiac deaths in the exercise-only group. At 1 year there was no difference in the number of repeat functional stress tests (1.6 % vs. 2.1 %, p = 0.43), fewer angiograms (0 % vs. 4.0 %, p = 0.002), and a significantly lower cost (65 ± 332 vs 506 ± 1,991, p = 0.002; values are in US dollars) in the exercise-only group. The radiation exposure in the exercise plus imaging group was 8.4 ± 2.1 mSv. A provisional injection protocol has a very low mortality, few follow-up diagnostic tests, and lower cost compared to standard imaging protocols. If adopted it would decrease radiation exposure, save time and decrease health-care costs

  3. An Analytical Study on an Orthodontic Index: Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torkan, Sepide; Pakshir, Hamid Reza; Fattahi, Hamid Reza; Oshagh, Morteza; Momeni Danaei, Shahla; Salehi, Parisa; Hedayati, Zohreh

    2015-01-01

    Statement of the Problem The validity of the Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON) which is an orthodontic index developed and introduced in 2000 should be studied in different ethnic groups. Purpose The aim of this study was to perform an analysis on the ICON and to verify whether this index is valid for assessing both the need and complexity of orthodontic treatment in Iran. Materials and Method Five orthodontists were asked to score pre-treatment diagnostic records of 100 patients with a uniform distribution of different types of malocclusions determined by Dental Health Component of the Index of Treatment Need. A calibrated examiner also assessed the need for orthodontic treatment and complexity of the cases based on the ICON index as well as the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). 10 days later, 25% of the cases were re-scored by the panel of experts and the calibrated orthodontist. Results The weighted kappa revealed the inter-examiner reliability of the experts to be 0.63 and 0.51 for the need and complexity components, respectively. ROC curve was used to assess the validity of the index. A new cut-off point was adjusted at 35 in lieu of 43 as the suggested cut-off point. This cut-off point showed the highest level of sensitivity and specificity in our society for orthodontic treatment need (0.77 and 0.78, respectively), but it failed to define definite ranges for the complexity of treatment. Conclusion ICON is a valid index in assessing the need for treatment in Iran when the cut-off point is adjusted to 35. As for complexity of treatment, the index is not validated for our society. It seems that ICON is a well-suited substitute for the IOTN index. PMID:26331142

  4. Incremental predictive validity of the Addiction Severity Index psychiatric composite score in a consecutive cohort of patients in residential treatment for drug use disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thylstrup, Birgitte; Bloomfield, Kim; Hesse, Morten

    2018-01-01

    The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is a widely used assessment instrument for substance abuse treatment that includes scales reflecting current status in seven potential problem areas, including psychiatric severity. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of the psychiatric composite score to predict suicide and psychiatric care after residential treatment for drug use disorders after adjusting for history of psychiatric care. All patients treated for drug use disorders in residential treatment centers in Denmark during the years 2000-2010 with complete ASI data were followed through national registers of psychiatric care and causes of death (N=5825). Competing risks regression analyses were used to assess the incremental predictive validity of the psychiatric composite score, controlling for previous psychiatric care, length of intake, and other ASI composite scores, up to 12years after discharge. A total of 1769 patients received psychiatric care after being discharged from residential treatment (30.3%), and 27 (0.5%) committed suicide. After adjusting for all covariates, psychiatric composite score was associated with a higher risk of receiving psychiatric care after residential treatment (subhazard ratio [SHR]=3.44, psuicide (SHR=11.45, pdrug use disorders who could benefit from additional mental health treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Immediate provisionalization of immediate implants in the esthetic zone: a prospective case series evaluating implant survival, esthetics, and bone maintenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Barry P; Wilk, Brian L

    2013-05-01

    This prospective study evaluates immediately placed and immediately provisionalized implants in the esthetic zone. All implants were TiO2-blasted, fluoride-modified, grade 4 titanium, with a coronal microthread design. Bone grafting and guided bone regeneration (GBR) was performed at all sites, and screw-retained temporary restorations were delivered on the day of surgery. All of the provisional crown(s) were out of occlusal function and remained in place for at least 8 weeks prior to initiation of definitive restorative therapy. Bone maintenance (BM) was considered successful if radiographs demonstrated proximal bone levels even or coronal to the implant platform. Of the 29 implants placed, 25 (86 percent) achieved bone maintenance at least 12 months post-loading with the final restorations. This study was considered successful, with 100 percent implant survival after at least 1 year loading of the final restoration, and 100 percent of patients were satisfied with the esthetics of their implant treatment.

  6. Histologic scoring indices for evaluation of disease activity in Crohn's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, Gregor; Parker, Claire E; Pai, Rish K; MacDonald, John K; Feagan, Brian G; Sandborn, William J; D'Haens, Geert; Jairath, Vipul; Khanna, Reena

    2017-07-21

    Histologic assessment of mucosal disease activity has been increasingly used in clinical trials of treatment for Crohn's disease. However, the operating properties of the currently existing histologic scoring indices remain unclear. A systematic review was undertaken to evaluate the development and operating characteristics of available histologic disease activity indices in Crohn's disease. Electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) databases from inception to 20 July 2016 were supplemented by manual reviews of bibliographies and abstracts submitted to major gastroenterology meetings (Digestive Disease Week, United European Gastroenterology Week, European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation). Any study design (e.g. randomised controlled trial, cohort study, case series) that evaluated a histologic disease activity index in patients with Crohn's disease was considered for inclusion. Study participants included adult patients (> 16 years), diagnosed with Crohn's disease using conventional clinical, radiographic or endoscopic criteria. Two authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of the studies identified from the literature search. The full text of potentially relevant citations were reviewed for inclusion and the study investigators were contacted as needed for clarification. Any disagreements regarding study eligibility were resolved by discussion and consensus with a third author.Two authors independently extracted and recorded data using a standard form. The following data were recorded from each eligible study: number of patients enrolled; number of patients per treatment arm; patient characteristics: age and gender distribution; description of histologic disease activity index utilized; and outcomes such as content validity, construct validity, criterion validity, responsiveness, intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability, and feasibility. Sixteen reports of 14 studies describing 14 different numerical

  7. Correlation of body mass index Z-scores with glucose and lipid profiles among overweight and obese children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nogueira-de-Almeida, Carlos Alberto; Mello, Elza Daniel de

    To evaluate the prevalence of abnormalities in plasma lipid and glucose profiles among overweight and obese children and adolescents, and to assess the presence of a correlation between body mass index Z-scores and indicators of comorbidities related to both profiles. This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted at two outpatient clinics. The study included all 417 comers for the first visit from 2008 to 2012, aged between 7 and 18 years, with BMI above the Z-score +1. Anthropometry and blood sampling were obtained. The prevalence of dyslipidemias, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance were evaluated, together with the correlations of these variables with the increase of Z-BMI. Dyslipidemia was observed in 43.4% of the boys and 66.1% of the girls, with no difference between genders. High glucose levels were detected in 6.2% of the individuals. Insulin resistance was present in 32.3% and 41.7% of the cases, with no statistical significance between boys and girls. Correlations between the Z-BMI were noted for triglycerides in the entire group and among girls; for HDL-c, only among girls; for glucose, a correlation was observed for the entire group, but not when stratified by gender. The indicators of insulin resistance were all correlated with Z-BMI, even when corrected for age. Overweight and obesity give origin to a high prevalence of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. BMI Z-scores showed a weak positive correlation with glucose and triglyceride, and negative with HDL-c. In turn, the strongest positive correlation was found with insulin resistance indicators. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  8. ROCS: a Reproducibility Index and Confidence Score for Interaction Proteomics Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dazard Jean-Eudes

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Affinity-Purification Mass-Spectrometry (AP-MS provides a powerful means of identifying protein complexes and interactions. Several important challenges exist in interpreting the results of AP-MS experiments. First, the reproducibility of AP-MS experimental replicates can be low, due both to technical variability and the dynamic nature of protein interactions in the cell. Second, the identification of true protein-protein interactions in AP-MS experiments is subject to inaccuracy due to high false negative and false positive rates. Several experimental approaches can be used to mitigate these drawbacks, including the use of replicated and control experiments and relative quantification to sensitively distinguish true interacting proteins from false ones. Methods To address the issues of reproducibility and accuracy of protein-protein interactions, we introduce a two-step method, called ROCS, which makes use of Indicator Prey Proteins to select reproducible AP-MS experiments, and of Confidence Scores to select specific protein-protein interactions. The Indicator Prey Proteins account for measures of protein identifiability as well as protein reproducibility, effectively allowing removal of outlier experiments that contribute noise and affect downstream inferences. The filtered set of experiments is then used in the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI scoring step. Prey protein scoring is done by computing a Confidence Score, which accounts for the probability of occurrence of prey proteins in the bait experiments relative to the control experiment, where the significance cutoff parameter is estimated by simultaneously controlling false positives and false negatives against metrics of false discovery rate and biological coherence respectively. In summary, the ROCS method relies on automatic objective criterions for parameter estimation and error-controlled procedures. Results We illustrate the performance of our method by applying

  9. Comparison of Glasgow prognostic score and prognostic index in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Ai-Gui; Chen, Hong-Lin; Lu, Hui-Yu

    2015-03-01

    Previous studies have shown that Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) and prognostic index (PI) are also powerful prognostic tool for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value between GPS and PI. We enrolled consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC in this prospective cohort. GPS and PI were calculated before the onset of chemotherapy. The prognosis outcomes included 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival (OS). The performance of two scores in predicting prognosis was analyzed regarding discrimination and calibration. 138 patients were included in the study. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for GPS predicting 1-year DFS was 0.62 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.56-0.68, P statistic showed good fit of the predicted 1-year DFS to the actual 1-year DFS by GPS (χ(2) = 4.326, P = 0.462), while no fit was found between the predicted 1-year DFS and the actual 1-year DFS by PI (χ(2) = 15.234, P = 0.091). Similar results of calibration power were found for predicting 3-year DFS, 5-year DFS, 1-year OS, 3-year OS, and 5-year OS by GPS and PI. GPS is more accurate than PI in predicting prognosis for patients with advanced NSCLC. GPS can be used as a useful and simple tool for predicting prognosis in patients with NSCLC. However, GPS only can be used for preliminary assessment because of low predicting accuracy.

  10. The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index: an instrument to measure adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Lee Linde

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective was to develop an index based on the Dutch Guidelines for a healthy Diet of 2006 that reflects dietary quality and to apply it to the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS to examine the associations with micronutrient intakes. Methods A total of 749 men and women, aged 19–30 years, contributed two 24-hour recalls and additional questionnaires in the DNFCS of 2003. The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index includes ten components representing the ten Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet. Per component the score ranges between zero and ten, resulting in a total score between zero (no adherence and 100 (complete adherence. Results The mean ± SD of the DHD-index was 60.4 ± 11.5 for women and 57.8 ± 10.8 for men (P for difference = 0.002. Each component score increased across the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index. An inverse association was observed between the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index and total energy intake. Calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin E intake decreased with increasing DHD-index, an inverse association which disappeared after energy adjustment. Vitamin C showed a positive association across quintiles, also when adjusted for energy. For folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, and vitamin B6 a positive association emerged after adjustment for energy. Conclusions The DHD-index is capable of ranking participants according to their adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet by reflecting variation in nine out of ten components that constitute the index when based on two 24-hour recalls. Furthermore, the index showed to be a good measure of nutrient density of diets.

  11. Evaluation of the effect of various beverages and food material on the color stability of provisional materials - An in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Gaurav; Gupta, Tina

    2011-07-01

    THIS STUDY EVALUATED THE COLOR STABILITY OF FOUR PROVISIONAL MATERIALS: 1) Poly-methyl methacrylates (DPI); 2) Bis-acryl composite (ProtempTM II - 3M ESPE); 3) Bis-acryl composite (Systemp® c and b - Ivoclar Vivadent) and 4) Light polymerized composite resin (Revotek LC- GC). The color and color difference of each specimen after immersion in different staining solutions i.e. 1) tea and artificial saliva, 2) coffee and artificial saliva, 3) Pepsi and artificial saliva, 4) turmeric solution and artificial saliva was measured using reflectance spectrophotometer with CIELAB system before immersion and after immersion at 2, 5 ,7 , 10 and 15 days. Revotek LC- GC (light polymerized composite resin) was found to be the most color stable provisional restorative material followed by Protemp II (Bis-acryl composite), Systemp (Bis-acryl composite) and DPI (Methylmethacrylate resin). Turmeric solution had the maximum staining potential followed by coffee, tea and Pepsi.

  12. The Nurses' Well-Being Index and Factors Influencing This Index among Nurses in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Runtang Meng

    Full Text Available A discussion and analysis of factors that contribute to nurses' happiness index can be useful in developing effective interventions to improve nurses' enthusiasm, sense of honor and pride and to improve the efficiency and quality of medical services.In this study, 206 registered nurses at the 2011 annual encounter for 12 Hanchuan hospitals completed a questionnaire survey that covered three aspects of the well-being index and thus served as a comprehensive well-being and general information tool.Based on their index score, the nurses' overall happiness level was moderate. The dimensions of the happiness index are listed in descending order of their contribution to the nurses' comprehensive happiness levels: health concerns, friendly relationships, self-worth, altruism, vitality, positive emotions, personality development, life satisfaction and negative emotions. Four variables (positive emotion, life satisfaction, negative emotions, and friendly relationships jointly explained 47.80% of the total variance of the happiness index; positive emotions had the greatest impact on the happiness index.Appropriate nursing interventions can improve nurses' happiness index scores, thereby increasing nurses' motivation and promoting the development of their nursing practice.

  13. The Nurses’ Well-Being Index and Factors Influencing This Index among Nurses in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bing; Hu, Ying; Yu, Chuanhua

    2015-01-01

    Backgrounds/Objectives A discussion and analysis of factors that contribute to nurses’ happiness index can be useful in developing effective interventions to improve nurses’ enthusiasm, sense of honor and pride and to improve the efficiency and quality of medical services. Methods In this study, 206 registered nurses at the 2011 annual encounter for 12 Hanchuan hospitals completed a questionnaire survey that covered three aspects of the well-being index and thus served as a comprehensive well-being and general information tool. Results Based on their index score, the nurses’ overall happiness level was moderate. The dimensions of the happiness index are listed in descending order of their contribution to the nurses’ comprehensive happiness levels: health concerns, friendly relationships, self-worth, altruism, vitality, positive emotions, personality development, life satisfaction and negative emotions. Four variables (positive emotion, life satisfaction, negative emotions, and friendly relationships) jointly explained 47.80% of the total variance of the happiness index; positive emotions had the greatest impact on the happiness index. Conclusions Appropriate nursing interventions can improve nurses’ happiness index scores, thereby increasing nurses’ motivation and promoting the development of their nursing practice. PMID:26680594

  14. Elution of Monomers from Provisional Composite Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Daniel Schulz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the elution of substances from different materials used for the manufacturing of temporary indirect restorations, after storage in saliva and ethanol 75%. 10 samples of three chemically cured materials (Protemp 3 Garant, Systemp.c&b, and Trim and one light-cured material (Clip F were stored in saliva and ethanol 75% for 24 h, 7, and days 28 days. From the storage media at each time period, samples were prepared and analysed by LC-MS/MS, in order to access the elution of monomers. The results differed among the materials (P ≤ 0.05. No monomers were detected in the samples of Protemp 3 Garant and Clip F. Substances were detected only in ethanol samples of Systemp.c&b and Trim. The amount of BisGMA, TEGDMA, and UDMA 2 released from Systemp.c&b was higher compared to Trim. Storage time affected the release of substances (P ≤ 0.05. The highest release was observed within the first 24 h. It can be concluded that provisional resin composite materials do not show high release of monomers and this release is material dependent. However, the detection of additional peaks during the analysis, suggesting the formation of by-products of the eluted substances, may not be in favour of these materials with respect to their toxicity.

  15. Gap analysis between provisional diagnosis and final diagnosis in government and private teaching hospitals: A record-linked comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudeshna Chatterjee

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims: 1. To identify the extent of clinical gaps at the context of knowledge, practice and systems. 2. To formulate necessary intervention measures towards bridging the gaps. Settings and Design: Comparative, cross-sectional and non-interventional study. Methods and Material: It is retrospective, record-based study conducted upon inpatients (n = 200 of major disciplines of two teaching hospitals. Major outcome variables were to observe the matching and un-matching of final and provisional diagnosis by using ICD-10 criteria. Statistical Analysis Used: Comparative analysis of specific and selective gaps were estimated in terms of percentage (%. Results: Pilot observation showed the existence of gaps between provisional and final diagnosis in both private and government institution. Both knowledge and skill gaps were evident in caregivers and gap in documentation was existent in medical records. Conclusions: The pilot data is may be an eye-opener to public and private governance systems for understanding and revising the process service planning and service delivery. Necessary intervention measures may be contemplated towards enhancing diagnostic skill of doctors for quality hospital care.

  16. A comparative evaluation of the marginal accuracy of crowns fabricated from four commercially available provisional materials: An in vitro study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, Bhavya Mohandas; Aras, Meena Ajay; Chitre, Vidya

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the primary marginal accuracy of four commercially available provisional materials (Protemp 4, Luxatemp Star, Visalys Temp and DPI tooth moulding powder and liquid) at 2 time intervals (10 and 30 min). Materials and Methods: A customized stainless steel master model containing two interchangeable dies was used for fabrication of provisional crowns. Forty crowns (n = 10) were fabricated, and each crown was evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Vertical marginal discrepancies were noted and compared at 10 min since the start of mixing and then at 30 min. Observations and Results: Protemp 4 showed the least vertical marginal discrepancy (71.59 μ), followed by Luxatemp Star (91.93 μ) at 10 min. DPI showed a marginal discrepancy of 95.94 μ while Visalys Temp crowns had vertical marginal discrepancy of 106.81 μ. There was a significant difference in the marginal discrepancy values of Protemp 4 and Visalys Temp. At 30 min, there was a significant difference between the marginal discrepancy of Protemp 4 crowns (83.11 μ) and Visalys Temp crowns (128.97 μ) and between Protemp 4 and DPI (118.88 μ). No significant differences were observed between Protemp 4 and Luxatemp Star. Conclusion: The vertical marginal discrepancy of temporary crowns fabricated from the four commercially available provisional materials ranged from 71 to 106 μ immediately after fabrication (at 10 min from the start of mix) to 83–128 μ (30 min from the start of mix). The time elapsed after mixing had a significant influence on the marginal accuracy of the crowns. PMID:26097348

  17. Managing missing scores on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kent, Peter; Lauridsen, Henrik Hein

    2011-01-01

    Study Design: Analysis of Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Oswestry Disability Index (Oswestry) responses.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of unanswered questions on the RMDQ23 (23-item RMDQ version) and Oswestry questionnaires. To determine if managing RMDQ23 missing data...... fully completed RMDQ23 and matching Oswestry questionnaire sets. Raw sum scores were calculated, and questions systematically dropped. At each stage, sum scores were converted to a score on a 0-100 scale and the error calculated. Wilcoxon Tests were used to compare the magnitude of the error scores...

  18. Comparison of indocyanine green clearance with Child's-Pugh score and hepatic histology: a multivariate analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, Sandeep; Rogers, Mary A M; Buniak, Borys

    2006-01-01

    Indocyanine green clearance, measured by percentage disappearance rate, detects alterations in liver function and may be used as a non-invasive determinant of hepatic reserve. The aims of this study were to compare liver histology and Child's-Pugh score with percentage disappearance rate and determine which variables correlated with PDR. Child's-Pugh score, liver function tests, liver biopsies and indocyanine green testing (0.5mg/kg) were performed in 102 consecutive patients with cirrhosis of diverse etiologies. Indocyanine green concentration was determined using spectrophotometric analysis (806nm) and plotted logarithmically with Michaelis-Menten kinetics to calculate the percentage disappearance rate. Liver biopsies were graded using the modified Knodell score to obtain a histological activity index. In bivariable analysis, percentage disappearance rate significantly correlated with Child's-Pugh score, albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time and histological activity index. Albumin, prothrombin time and histological activity index were independent predictors of percentage disappearance rate in the final model (albumin ptime ptime and histological activity index.

  19. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency. An Amendment to Annex II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1960-11-30

    On 17 June 1960 the Board of Governors amended Annex II, part B, paragraph 4 to the Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency to read: '4. The Director General shall establish rules by which an extra payment may be made to a staff member in the General Service category who passes an appropriate test and demonstrates continued proficiency in the use of either two or more official languages, or in one official language and in the language of his duty station if that language is not his mother tongue. Such payment shall be equivalent to an additional step increment and may extend beyond the maximum salary of the grade of the staff member concerned.' and decided that this amendment should be effective as from 1 January 1960.

  20. The Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency. An Amendment to Annex II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1960-01-01

    On 17 June 1960 the Board of Governors amended Annex II, part B, paragraph 4 to the Provisional Staff Regulations of the Agency to read: '4. The Director General shall establish rules by which an extra payment may be made to a staff member in the General Service category who passes an appropriate test and demonstrates continued proficiency in the use of either two or more official languages, or in one official language and in the language of his duty station if that language is not his mother tongue. Such payment shall be equivalent to an additional step increment and may extend beyond the maximum salary of the grade of the staff member concerned.' and decided that this amendment should be effective as from 1 January 1960

  1. PR-Index: Using the h-Index and PageRank for Determining True Impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Chao; Wang, Zhen; Li, Xianghua; Zhang, Zili; Zeng, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Several technical indicators have been proposed to assess the impact of authors and institutions. Here, we combine the h-index and the PageRank algorithm to do away with some of the individual limitations of these two indices. Most importantly, we aim to take into account value differences between citations-evaluating the citation sources by defining the h-index using the PageRank score rather than with citations. The resulting PR-index is then constructed by evaluating source popularity as well as the source publication authority. Extensive tests on available collections data (i.e., Microsoft Academic Search and benchmarks on the SIGKDD innovation award) show that the PR-index provides a more balanced impact measure than many existing indices. Due to its simplicity and similarity to the popular h-index, the PR-index may thus become a welcome addition to the technical indices already in use. Moreover, growth dynamics prior to the SIGKDD innovation award indicate that the PR-index might have notable predictive power.

  2. Predicting SF-6D utility scores from the Oswestry disability index and numeric rating scales for back and leg pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carreon, Leah Y; Glassman, Steven D; McDonough, Christine M; Rampersaud, Raja; Berven, Sigurd; Shainline, Michael

    2009-09-01

    Cross-sectional cohort. The purpose of this study is to provide a model to allow estimation of utility from the Short Form (SF)-6D using data from the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Back Pain Numeric Rating Scale (BPNRS), and the Leg Pain Numeric Rating Scale (LPNRS). Cost-utility analysis provides important information about the relative value of interventions and requires a measure of utility not often available from clinical trial data. The ODI and numeric rating scales for back (BPNRS) and leg pain (LPNRS), are widely used disease-specific measures for health-related quality of life in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. The purpose of this study is to provide a model to allow estimation of utility from the SF-6D using data from the ODI, BPNRS, and the LPNRS. SF-36, ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS were prospectively collected before surgery, at 12 and 24 months after surgery in 2640 patients undergoing lumbar fusion for degenerative disorders. Spearman correlation coefficients for paired observations from multiple time points between ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS, and SF-6D utility scores were determined. Regression modeling was done to compute the SF-6D score from the ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS. Using a separate, independent dataset of 2174 patients in which actual SF-6D and ODI scores were available, the SF-6D was estimated for each subject and compared to their actual SF-6D. In the development sample, the mean age was 52.5 +/- 15 years and 34% were male. In the validation sample, the mean age was 52.9 +/- 14.2 years and 44% were male. Correlations between the SF-6D and the ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS were statistically significant (P < 0.0001) with correlation coefficients of 0.82, 0.78, and 0.72, respectively. The regression equation using ODI, BPNRS,and LPNRS to predict SF-6D had an R of 0.69 and a root mean square error of 0.076. The model using ODI alone had an R of 0.67 and a root mean square error of 0.078. The correlation coefficient between the observed and estimated

  3. Implant rehabilitation of the atrophic edentulous maxilla including immediate fixed provisional restoration without the use of bone grafting: a review of 1-year outcome data from a long-term prospective clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toljanic, Joseph A; Baer, Russell A; Ekstrand, Karl; Thor, Andreas

    2009-01-01

    The literature suggests that predictable integration can be achieved when dental implant placement is combined with immediate fixed provisional restoration in a variety of clinical situations. Fewer data are available, however, regarding outcomes for immediate provisional restoration of implants in the edentulous maxilla. This report presents 1-year data acquired from a long-term prospective clinical trial designed to assess outcomes following the immediate provisional fixed restoration of implants in the atrophic edentulous maxilla without the use of bone augmentation. Fifty-one subjects diagnosed with an atrophic edentulous maxilla received a total of 306 implants (six implants per subject) followed by fixed provisional restoration within 24 hours of implant placement. No subjects underwent grafting to enhance bone volume in preparation for implant treatment. Data acquired included bone quantity and quality, implant dimensions, implant locations, and implant placement stability. Subjects returned for 1-year follow-up examinations to assess implant integration and restoration function. Periapical radiographs were obtained and compared to baseline images to assess marginal bone height maintenance. At the 3-month follow-up examination, 294 of 306 implants placed in 51 subjects were found to be integrated. This represents a cumulative implant survival rate of 96%. At the 1-year follow-up examination, mean marginal bone loss of 0.5 mm was noted, with no further loss of implants. These results support the contention that predictable long-term outcomes may be obtained for the atrophic edentulous maxilla when treated with an implant rehabilitation protocol that includes immediate fixed provisional restoration without the use of bone grafting. This strategy offers a promising treatment alternative for the patient with an atrophic edentulous maxilla.

  4. Revised multicultural perspective index and measures of depression, life satisfaction, shyness, and self-esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mowrer, Robert R; Parker, Keesha N

    2004-12-01

    In a 2002 publication, Mowrer and McCarver reported weak but significant correlations (r =.24) between scores on the Multicultural Perspective Index and scores on Neugarten, Havighurst, and Tobin's 1961 Life Satisfaction Index-A and the Life Satisfaction Scale developed in 1985 by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin. Using 382 undergraduate students the present study reduced the Index from 42 to 29 items based on each item's correlation with total items. An additional 104 undergraduate students then completed the modified 29-item version, Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, Cheek and Buss's Shyness Scale, the Self-rating Depression Scale by Zung, and the Neugarten, et al. Life Satisfaction Index-A. Scores on the modified Index were negatively correlated with those on the Depression and Shyness scales and positively correlated with scores on the Self-esteem and Life Satisfaction scales (p< .05).

  5. Individual and shared effects of social environment and polygenic risk scores on adolescent body mass index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Jonathan R I; Krapohl, Eva; Eley, Thalia C; Breen, Gerome

    2018-04-20

    Juvenile obesity is associated with adverse health outcomes. Understanding genetic and environmental influences on body mass index (BMI) during adolescence could inform interventions. We investigated independent and interactive effects of parenting, socioeconomic status (SES) and polygenic risk on BMI pre-adolescence, and on the rate of change in BMI across adolescence. Genome-wide genotype data, BMI and child perceptions of parental warmth and punitive discipline were available at 11 years old, and parental SES was available from birth on 3,414 unrelated participants. Linear models were used to test the effects of social environment and polygenic risk on pre-adolescent BMI. Change in BMI across adolescence was assessed in a subset (N = 1943). Sex-specific effects were assessed. Higher genetic risk was associated with increased BMI pre-adolescence and across adolescence (p parenting was not significantly associated with either phenotype, but lower SES was associated with increased BMI pre-adolescence. No interactions passed correction for multiple testing. Polygenic risk scores from adult GWAS meta-analyses are associated with BMI in juveniles, suggesting a stable genetic component. Pre-adolescent BMI was associated with social environment, but parental style has, at most, a small effect.

  6. A new prognostic score for AIDS-related lymphomas in the rituximab-era

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barta, Stefan K.; Xue, Xiaonan; Wang, Dan; Lee, Jeannette Y.; Kaplan, Lawrence D.; Ribera, Josep-Maria; Oriol, Albert; Spina, Michele; Tirelli, Umberto; Boue, Francois; Wilson, Wyndham H.; Wyen, Christoph; Dunleavy, Kieron; Noy, Ariela; Sparano, Joseph A.

    2014-01-01

    While the International Prognostic Index is commonly used to predict outcomes in immunocompetent patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, HIV-infection is an important competing risk for death in patients with AIDS-related lymphomas. We investigated whether a newly created prognostic score (AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index) could better assess risk of death in patients with AIDS-related lymphomas. We randomly divided a dataset of 487 patients newly diagnosed with AIDS-related lymphomas and treated with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy into a training (n=244) and validation (n=243) set. We examined the association of HIV-related and other known risk factors with overall survival in both sets independently. We defined a new score (AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index) by assigning weights to each significant predictor [age-adjusted International Prognostic Index, extranodal sites, HIV-score (composed of CD4 count, viral load, and prior history of AIDS)] with three risk categories similar to the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (low, intermediate and high risk). We compared the prognostic value for overall survival between AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index and age-adjusted International Prognostic Index in the validation set and found that the AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index performed significantly better in predicting risk of death than the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (P=0.004) and better discriminated risk of death between each risk category (P=0.015 vs. P=0.13). Twenty-eight percent of patients were defined as low risk by the ARL-IPI and had an estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) of 78% (52% intermediate risk, 5-year OS 60%; 20% high risk, 5-year OS 50%). PMID:25150257

  7. Comparison of the EuroQOL-5D with the Oswestry Disability Index, back and leg pain scores in patients with degenerative lumbar spine pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Benjamin; Carreon, Leah Y; Glassman, Steven D

    2013-04-20

    Cross-sectional study. To evaluate the response behavior of EuroQOL-5D (EQ-5D) compared with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and back and leg pain scores. Recent changes in policies have highlighted the need for demonstration of both quality and cost effectiveness. In an effort to meet these requirements, surgeons are collecting health-related quality of life and utility data. Unfortunately, the burden of extensive data collection on both physician and patient is considerable. The EQ-5D is a commonly used, easily administered, brief utility measure that can provide both clinical and utility data. The EQ-5D has not yet been validated in spine patients in comparison with established outcome measures. EQ-5D, ODI, back and leg pain (0-10) scores were collected as part of standard clinical practice. Spearman rank correlations between the ODI, back and leg pain scores, and the EQ-5D were determined. A subanalysis to determine dimension-specific effects was done. Data were categorized by level of low back disability and level of back and leg pain. Data from 8385 patients (5046 females, 3339 males), mean age 52 (range, 18-96) were analyzed. There was a strong correlation between EQ-5D and ODI (r = -0.776) and between EQ-5D and back pain (r = -0.648); and moderate correlation between EQ-5D and leg pain scores (r = -0.538). Increasing disability, as measured by ODI, lead to lower EQ-5D scores, with similar response behavior for both back and leg pain scores. All correlations were statistically significant at P < 0.0001. The EQ-5D correlated well with established spine outcome measures, including ODI, and back and leg pain scores. EQ-5D correlated best with ODI scores. Correlation with back pain was stronger than leg pain, but all correlations were relatively strong. The EQ-5D can serve spine surgeons as an effective measure of clinical outcome and health utility for economic analysis.

  8. Usefulness of modified Pulmonary Index Score (mPIS) as a quantitative tool for the evaluation of severe acute exacerbation in asthmatic children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koga, Takeshi; Tokuyama, Kenichi; Itano, Atsushi; Morita, Eiji; Ueda, Yutaka; Katsunuma, Toshio

    2015-04-01

    Acute exacerbation of asthma is divided qualitatively into mild, moderate, and severe attacks and respiratory failure. This system is, however, not suitable for estimating small changes in respiratory condition with time and for determining the efficacy of treatments, because it has a qualitative, but not quantitative nature. To evaluate the usefulness of quantitative estimation of asthma exacerbation, modified Pulmonary Index Score (mPIS) values were measured in 87 asthmatic children (mean age, 5.0 ± 0.4 years) during hospitalization. mPIS was calculated by adding the sum of scores for 6 items (scores of 0-3 were given for each item). These consisted of heart rate, respiratory rate, accessory muscle use, inspiratory-to-expiratory flow ratio, degree of wheezing, and oxygen saturation in room air. Measurements were made at visits and at hospitalization and were then made twice a day until discharge. mPIS values were highly correlated among raters. mPIS values at visits were 9.1 ± 0.1 and 12.6 ± 0.4 in subjects with moderate and severe attacks, respectively (p asthma attacks, including the determination of a treatment plan, and prediction of the period of hospitalization in admitted patients, although prospective studies would be required to establish our hypothesis. Copyright © 2014 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Computer-Assisted Automated Scoring of Polysomnograms Using the Somnolyzer System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Punjabi, Naresh M; Shifa, Naima; Dorffner, Georg; Patil, Susheel; Pien, Grace; Aurora, Rashmi N

    2015-10-01

    Manual scoring of polysomnograms is a time-consuming and tedious process. To expedite the scoring of polysomnograms, several computerized algorithms for automated scoring have been developed. The overarching goal of this study was to determine the validity of the Somnolyzer system, an automated system for scoring polysomnograms. The analysis sample comprised of 97 sleep studies. Each polysomnogram was manually scored by certified technologists from four sleep laboratories and concurrently subjected to automated scoring by the Somnolyzer system. Agreement between manual and automated scoring was examined. Sleep staging and scoring of disordered breathing events was conducted using the 2007 American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria. Clinical sleep laboratories. A high degree of agreement was noted between manual and automated scoring of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The average correlation between the manually scored AHI across the four clinical sites was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.90-0.93). Similarly, the average correlation between the manual and Somnolyzer-scored AHI values was 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.91-0.96). Thus, interscorer correlation between the manually scored results was no different than that derived from manual and automated scoring. Substantial concordance in the arousal index, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency between manual and automated scoring was also observed. In contrast, differences were noted between manually and automated scored percentages of sleep stages N1, N2, and N3. Automated analysis of polysomnograms using the Somnolyzer system provides results that are comparable to manual scoring for commonly used metrics in sleep medicine. Although differences exist between manual versus automated scoring for specific sleep stages, the level of agreement between manual and automated scoring is not significantly different than that between any two human scorers. In light of the burden associated with manual scoring, automated

  10. Differences in body mass index z-scores and weight status in a Dutch pediatric psychiatric population with and without use of second-generation antipsychotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Hoogd, Sjoerd; Overbeek, Wieske A; Heerdink, Eibert R; Correll, Christoph U; de Graeff, Elisabeth R; Staal, Wouter G

    2012-04-01

    Weight gain and metabolic adverse effects of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have become a major concern, particularly in youth. However, the specific contribution of SGAs versus other medications or the underlying illness is unclear. In a chart review study of psychiatric outpatients aged ≤ 18 years treated with SGAs and psychiatric controls without lifetime SGA, use body mass index (BMI) z-scores between patients and controls were compared in the entire sample, patients without co-medications, diagnostic subgroups, and age subgroups. In patients with follow-up data, weight z-score change was calculated. Altogether, 592 Caucasian patients aged 4-18 (mean: 10.0) years with a psychiatric diagnosis were included. BMI z-scores in 96 youth treated with SGAs for 9.0 ± 6.1 months were significantly higher than in 496 patients without lifetime SGA use (0.81 ± 1.1 vs. 0.05 ± 1.2; pz-score differences remained significant in all age groups z-score increased significantly from -0.17 ± 1.5 to 0.25 ± 1.4 (p<0.0001) with 12.5% transitioning to overweight or obese status. These data show robust and significant differences in sex- and age-adjusted body weight and weight status in young pediatric Caucasian samples with and without use of SGAs independent of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association 2000 ) diagnosis and nonantipsychotic medications. Weight status and metabolic effects of SGAs require careful attention, especially in youth.

  11. The dischargeable cut-off score of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) in the inpatient care for low back pain with disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang-Won; Shin, Ye-Sle; Kim, Hye-Jin; Lee, Jin-Ho; Shin, Joon-Shik; Ha, In-Hyuk

    2014-10-01

    The admission due to low back pain (LBP) became prevalent cause of international economic losses. Since LBP patients with disability are often subject to inpatient care, it is important to determine the appropriate time of discharge. The purpose of this study is to set the cut-off value of appropriate Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at the time of discharge. Of 1,394 LBP patients admitted in hospital specialized in spinal disease, 774 eligible patients with disability were included in this study. And several clinical variables including numerical rating score, ODI, satisfaction level were observed during the hospital stay. We considered satisfaction level as an important factor for discharge, categorized patients into satisfied group and dissatisfied group. Through the statistical analysis, appropriate factor for determining dischargeable patients satisfied with their current condition and its cut-off value of ODI were found. And proper predictors for the cut-off value were extracted statistically and logically from a pool of several clinical indexes. The ODI at the time of discharge was most accurate in determining dischargeable patients. The cut-off value of ODI was 30. Predictors were ODI questions 4 and 6. We set the cut-off value of dischargeable ODI for LBP inpatient with disability and found its predictor.

  12. CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROVISIONAL MEASURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul-George BUTA

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The article takes a look at provisions in the Code of Civil Procedure dealing with the provisional measures that can be requested by the intellectual property right-holder in case of apparent infringements of his rights. Starting from the goals of such regulation, as provided by Directive 48/2004, the article examines what could be the hurdles imposed by the Romanian legislator (mostly by not providing sufficiently tailored means in respect of intellectual property rights on the right-holder and proposes that, in light of the problems as reflected in the courts' practice, a legislative intervention be undertaken in order to better adapt the means to the purpose envisaged.

  13. The Effect Of A Provisional Sequestration Order - Does It Impose A Limitation To My Right To Be A Member Of Parliament?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonie Stander

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The question asked in this article is inspired by the recent case of Mr Julius Malema. Why the matter is so important and has enjoyed so much attention, is the fact that it was widely suggested that a final order of sequestration would affect Mr Malema's political career in that it would not be possible for him to continue to serve as Member of Parliament. The question that immediately comes to the fore is whether the provisional order of sequestration would not already result in such an outcome. As stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, an unrehabilitated insolvent may not become a member of the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces, or a Provincial Legislator. Do the words "unrehabilitated insolvent" also include a person who is under provisional sequestration? The purpose of this article is to investigate the effect of a provisional order of sequestration and the focus will be on the ability of an insolvent to act as a Member of Parliament. The legal position in the South African law will be compared with the legal position in the United States of America – which is, with regard to the insolvency law, recognized as a very successful, modern, progressive and dynamic legal system. Voluminous changes to the American bankruptcy law system, to adapt to current practical situations and the current economic climate, have been effected as recently as in 2005. Brief reference will also be made to the legal position in the United Kingdom, due to South Africa's historical ties with the UK and the reliance in the past on the English insolvency law and the Bankruptcy Act, 1986.

  14. Accuracy of the Auto Scoring by the S9 CPAP in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joon Hyun Baek

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective Several continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP devices currently in use automatically estimate and provide information of the residual respiratory events such as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI, apnea index (AI, and hypopnea index (HI. To compare the auto scoring of the residual respiratory events using the S9 CPAP device with simultaneous manual scoring and identify factors that are associated with difference between auto scoring and manual scoring in patients with OSA. Methods Patients with moderate to severe OSA titrated manually using S9 CPAP device were included. The correlation between auto scoring and manual scoring was assessed during an overnight standard in-hospital CPAP titration. Results Eighty-six patients with moderate to severe OSA were included. There was a strong correlation between auto scoring and manual scoring on AHI (r = 0.74, p < 0.001, with a stronger correlation on the AI (r = 0.86, p < 0.001, and a weaker correlation on HI (r = 0.56, p < 0.001. Overall, S9 auto scoring tended to underestimate the AHI (mean AHI difference: −1.30 owing to the strong underestimation on HI. Higher BMI, higher AHI from diagnostic polysomnography, higher leakage and lower oxygen saturation were independent factors for greater difference between auto scoring and manual scoring. Conclusions Auto scoring showed strong correlation with manual scoring. However, auto scoring of S9 CPAP tended to underestimate the AHI, as compared to manual scoring. Characteristic features of severe OSA were associated factors for difference between auto scoring and manual scoring.

  15. Poor WOMAC scores in contralateral knee negatively impact TKA outcomes: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahn, Timothy L; Soheili, Aydin C; Schwarzkopf, Ran

    2014-08-01

    While total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been shown to have excellent outcomes, a significant proportion of patients experience relatively poor post-operative function. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the level of osteoarthritic symptoms in the contralateral knee at the time of TKA is associated with poorer post-operative outcomes in the operated knee. Using longitudinal cohort data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), we included 171 patients who received a unilateral TKA. We compared pre-operative Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores in the contralateral knee to post-operative WOMAC scores in the index knee. Pre-operative contralateral knee WOMAC scores were associated with post-operative index knee WOMAC Total scores, indicating that the health of the pre-operative contralateral knee is a significant factor in TKA outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Development and assessment of Transpirative Deficit Index (D-TDI) for agricultural drought monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borghi, Anna; Rienzner, Michele; Gandolfi, Claudio; Facchi, Arianna

    2017-04-01

    characterized by high available water content (AWC) can more easily compensate for a short-term variability in the precipitation pattern, while soils with low AWC are more strictly linked to the SPI variability. Since D-TDI relies both on climate and fine-resolution soil and land cover data, it provides a reliable measure of the evolution of agricultural drought over the territory with respect to that achieved through meteorological drought indices. The accumulation of the index over a 10-day period considering a mesh with cells of 250 m allows to capture the response of the territory to drought at time and spatial scales of interest for stakeholders. Modelling efforts utilizing the D-TDI have potential to shed light on the vulnerability of agricultural areas to drought; future work using the D-TDI as a tool to map drought prone areas could therefore improve the ability of farmers and irrigation district managers to cope with agricultural droughts and set up adaptation actions. Despite D-TDI was used in this study on historical data series, the index has the potential to be applied for real-time or provisional monitoring by incorporating real time or provisional meteorological data, giving the opportunity to stakeholders to promptly cope with droughts.

  17. Improvement of Risk Prediction After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement by Combining Frailty With Conventional Risk Scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenenberger, Andreas W; Moser, André; Bertschi, Dominic; Wenaweser, Peter; Windecker, Stephan; Carrel, Thierry; Stuck, Andreas E; Stortecky, Stefan

    2018-02-26

    This study sought to evaluate whether frailty improves mortality prediction in combination with the conventional scores. European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) or Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score have not been evaluated in combined models with frailty for mortality prediction after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This prospective cohort comprised 330 consecutive TAVR patients ≥70 years of age. Conventional scores and a frailty index (based on assessment of cognition, mobility, nutrition, and activities of daily living) were evaluated to predict 1-year all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression (providing hazard ratios [HRs] with confidence intervals [CIs]) and measures of test performance (providing likelihood ratio [LR] chi-square test statistic and C-statistic [CS]). All risk scores were predictive of the outcome (EuroSCORE, HR: 1.90 [95% CI: 1.45 to 2.48], LR chi-square test statistic 19.29, C-statistic 0.67; STS score, HR: 1.51 [95% CI: 1.21 to 1.88], LR chi-square test statistic 11.05, C-statistic 0.64; frailty index, HR: 3.29 [95% CI: 1.98 to 5.47], LR chi-square test statistic 22.28, C-statistic 0.66). A combination of the frailty index with either EuroSCORE (LR chi-square test statistic 38.27, C-statistic 0.72) or STS score (LR chi-square test statistic 28.71, C-statistic 0.68) improved mortality prediction. The frailty index accounted for 58.2% and 77.6% of the predictive information in the combined model with EuroSCORE and STS score, respectively. Net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement confirmed that the added frailty index improved risk prediction. This is the first study showing that the assessment of frailty significantly enhances prediction of 1-year mortality after TAVR in combined risk models with conventional risk scores and relevantly contributes to this improvement. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation

  18. The ADOPT-LC score: a novel predictive index of in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following surgical procedures, based on a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Masaya; Tateishi, Ryosuke; Yasunaga, Hideo; Horiguchi, Hiromasa; Matsui, Hiroki; Yoshida, Haruhiko; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Koike, Kazuhiko

    2017-03-01

    We aimed to develop a model for predicting in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following major surgical procedures using a large sample of patients derived from a Japanese nationwide administrative database. We enrolled 2197 cirrhotic patients who underwent elective (n = 1973) or emergency (n = 224) surgery. We analyzed the risk factors for postoperative mortality and established a scoring system for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients using a split-sample method. In-hospital mortality rates following elective or emergency surgery were 4.7% and 20.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, patient age, Child-Pugh (CP) class, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and duration of anesthesia in elective surgery were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. In emergency surgery, CP class and duration of anesthesia were significant factors. Based on multivariate analysis in the training set (n = 987), the Adequate Operative Treatment for Liver Cirrhosis (ADOPT-LC) score that used patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia to predict in-hospital mortality following elective surgery was developed. This scoring system was validated in the testing set (n = 986) and produced an area under the curve of 0.881. We also developed iOS/Android apps to calculate ADOPT-LC scores to allow easy access to the current evidence in daily clinical practice. Patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia were identified as important risk factors for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients. The ADOPT-LC score effectively predicts in-hospital mortality following elective surgery and may assist decisions regarding surgical procedures in cirrhotic patients based on a quantitative risk assessment. © 2016 The Authors Hepatology Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Society of Hepatology.

  19. A Comparison of EQ-5D-3L Index Scores Using Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, and UK Value Sets in Indonesian Cervical Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endarti, Dwi; Riewpaiboon, Arthorn; Thavorncharoensap, Montarat; Praditsitthikorn, Naiyana; Hutubessy, Raymond; Kristina, Susi Ari

    2018-05-01

    To gain insight into the most suitable foreign value set among Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, and UK value sets for calculating the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire index score (utility) among patients with cervical cancer in Indonesia. Data from 87 patients with cervical cancer recruited from a referral hospital in Yogyakarta province, Indonesia, from an earlier study of health-related quality of life were used in this study. The differences among the utility scores derived from the four value sets were determined using the Friedman test. Performance of the psychometric properties of the four value sets versus visual analogue scale (VAS) was assessed. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were used to test the agreement among the utility scores. Spearman ρ correlation coefficients were used to assess convergent validity between utility scores and patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. With respect to known-group validity, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to examine the differences in utility according to the stages of cancer. There was significant difference among utility scores derived from the four value sets, among which the Malaysian value set yielded higher utility than the other three value sets. Utility obtained from the Malaysian value set had more agreements with VAS than the other value sets versus VAS (intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plot tests results). As for the validity, the four value sets showed equivalent psychometric properties as those that resulted from convergent and known-group validity tests. In the absence of an Indonesian value set, the Malaysian value set was more preferable to be used compared with the other value sets. Further studies on the development of an Indonesian value set need to be conducted. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Functional Movement Screen Scores and Physical Performance among Youth Elite Soccer Players

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Silva

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This study had two main objectives: (1 to determine if differences in Functional Movement Screen (FMS scores exist between two levels of competition; and (2 to analyze the association between FMS individual and overall scores and physical performance variables of lower-limb power (jumps, repeated sprint ability and shot speed. Twenty-two Under 16 (U16 and twenty-six Under 19 (U19 national competitive soccer players participated in this study. All participants were evaluated according to anthropometrics, FMS, jump performance, instep kick speed and anaerobic performance. There were no significant differences in the individual FMS scores between competitive levels. There were significant negative correlations between hurdle step (right and Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST power average ( ρ = −0.293; p = 0.043 and RAST fatigue index (RAST FatIndex ( ρ = −0.340; p = 0.018. The hurdle step (left had a significant negative correlation to squat jump (SJ ( ρ = −0.369; p = 0.012. Rotary stability had a significant negative correlation to RAST fatigue index (Right: ρ = −0.311; p = 0.032. Left: ρ = −0.400; p = 0.005. The results suggest that individual FMS scores may be better discriminants of performance than FMS total score and established minimal association between FMS scores and physical variables. Based on that, FMS may be suitable for the purposes of determining physical function but not for discriminating physical performance.

  1. Ganga hospital open injury score in management of open injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajasekaran, S; Sabapathy, S R; Dheenadhayalan, J; Sundararajan, S R; Venkatramani, H; Devendra, A; Ramesh, P; Srikanth, K P

    2015-02-01

    Open injuries of the limbs offer challenges in management as there are still many grey zones in decision making regarding salvage, timing and type of reconstruction. As a result, there is still an unacceptable rate of secondary amputations which lead to tremendous waste of resources and psychological devastation of the patient and his family. Gustilo Anderson's classification was a major milestone in grading the severity of injury but however suffers from the disadvantages of imprecise definition, a poor interobserver correlation, inability to address the issue of salvage and inclusion of a wide spectrum of injuries in Type IIIb category. Numerous scores such as Mangled Extremity Severity Score, the Predictive Salvage Index, the Limb Salvage Index, Hannover Fracture Scale-97 etc have been proposed but all have the disadvantage of retrospective evaluation, inadequate sample sizes and poor sensitivity and specificity to amputation, especially in IIIb injuries. The Ganga Hospital Open Injury Score (GHOIS) was proposed in 2004 and is designed to specifically address the outcome in IIIb injuries of the tibia without vascular deficit. It evaluates the severity of injury to the three components of the limb--the skin, the bone and the musculotendinous structures separately on a grade from 0 to 5. Seven comorbid factors which influence the treatment and the outcome are included in the score with two marks each. The application of the total score and the individual tissue scores in management of IIIB injuries is discussed. The total score was shown to predict salvage when the value was 14 or less; amputation when the score was 17 and more. A grey zone of 15 and 16 is provided where the decision making had to be made on a case to case basis. The additional value of GHOIS was its ability to guide the timing and type of reconstruction. A skin score of more than 3 always required a flap and hence it indicated the need for an orthoplastic approach from the index procedure. Bone

  2. PR-Index: Using the h-Index and PageRank for Determining True Impact.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao Gao

    Full Text Available Several technical indicators have been proposed to assess the impact of authors and institutions. Here, we combine the h-index and the PageRank algorithm to do away with some of the individual limitations of these two indices. Most importantly, we aim to take into account value differences between citations-evaluating the citation sources by defining the h-index using the PageRank score rather than with citations. The resulting PR-index is then constructed by evaluating source popularity as well as the source publication authority. Extensive tests on available collections data (i.e., Microsoft Academic Search and benchmarks on the SIGKDD innovation award show that the PR-index provides a more balanced impact measure than many existing indices. Due to its simplicity and similarity to the popular h-index, the PR-index may thus become a welcome addition to the technical indices already in use. Moreover, growth dynamics prior to the SIGKDD innovation award indicate that the PR-index might have notable predictive power.

  3. Effects of Absence and Cognitive Skills Index on Various Achievement Indicators. A Study of ISTEP Scores, Discrepancies, and School-Based Math and English Tests of 1997-1998 Seventh Grade Students at Sarah Scott Middle School, Terre Haute, Indiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Holly S.

    This study examines the correlation between absence, cognitive skills index (CSI), and various achievement indicators such as the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) test scores, discrepancies, and school-based English and mathematics tests for 64 seventh-grade students from one middle school. Scores for each of the subtests…

  4. Comparison of Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score® with other risk assessment tools including the Nottingham Prognostic Index in the identification of patients with low-risk invasive breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotter, Maura Bríd; Dakin, Alex; Maguire, Aoife; Walshe, Janice M; Kennedy, M John; Dunne, Barbara; Riain, Ciarán Ó; Quinn, Cecily M

    2017-09-01

    Oncotype DX® is a gene expression assay that quantifies the risk of distant recurrence in patients with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer, publicly funded in Ireland since 2011. The aim of this study was to correlate Oncotype DX® risk groupings with traditional histopathological parameters and the results of other risk assessment tools including Recurrence Score-Pathology-Clinical (RSPC), Adjuvant Risk Index (Adj RI), Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) and the Adjuvant! Online 10-year score (AO). Patients were retrospectively identified from the histopathology databases of two Irish hospitals and patient and tumour characteristics collated. Associations between categorical variables were evaluated with Pearson's chi-square test. Correlations were calculated using Spearman's correlation coefficient and concordance using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 22.0.In our 300 patient cohort, Oncotype DX® classified 59.7% (n = 179) as low, 30% (n = 90) as intermediate, and 10.3% (n = 31) as high risk. Overall concordance between the RS and RSPC, Adj RI, NPI, and AO was 67.3% (n = 202), 56.3% (n = 169), 59% (n = 177), and 36.3% (n = 109), respectively. All risk assessment tools classified the majority of patients as low risk apart from the AO 10-year score, with RSPC classifying the highest number of patients as low risk. This study demonstrates that there is good correlation between the RS and scores obtained using alternative risk tools. Concordance with NPI is strong, particularly in the low-risk group. NPI, calculated from traditional clinicopathological characteristics, is a reliable alternative to Oncotype DX® in the identification of low-risk patients who may avoid adjuvant chemotherapy.

  5. GRACE score predicts heart failure admission following acute coronary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAllister, David A; Halbesma, Nynke; Carruthers, Kathryn; Denvir, Martin; Fox, Keith A

    2015-04-01

    Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common and preventable complication of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Nevertheless, ACS risk scores have not been shown to predict CHF risk. We investigated whether the at-discharge Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score predicts heart failure admission following ACS. Five-year mortality and hospitalization data were obtained for patients admitted with ACS from June 1999 to September 2009 to a single centre of the GRACE registry. CHF was defined as any admission assigned WHO International Classification of Diseases 10 diagnostic code I50. The hazard ratio (HR) for CHF according to GRACE score was estimated in Cox models adjusting for age, gender and the presence of CHF on index admission. Among 1,956 patients, CHF was recorded on index admission in 141 patients (7%), and 243 (12%) were admitted with CHF over 3.8 median years of follow-up. Compared to the lowest quintile, patients in the highest GRACE score quintile had more CHF admissions (116 vs 17) and a shorter time to first admission (1.2 vs 2.0 years, HR 9.87, 95% CI 5.93-16.43). Per standard deviation increment in GRACE score, the instantaneous risk was more than two-fold higher (HR 2.28; 95% CI 2.02-2.57), including after adjustment for CHF on index admission, age and gender (HR 2.49; 95% CI 2.06-3.02). The C-statistic for CHF admission at 1-year was 0.74 (95% CI 0.70-0.79). The GRACE score predicts CHF admission, and may therefore be used to target ACS patients at high risk of CHF with clinical monitoring and therapies. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

  6. Evaluation of the effect of various beverages and food material on the color stability of provisional materials – An in vitro study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Gaurav; Gupta, Tina

    2011-01-01

    Aim: This study evaluated the color stability of four provisional materials: 1) Poly-methyl methacrylates (DPI); 2) Bis-acryl composite (ProtempTM II – 3M ESPE); 3) Bis-acryl composite (Systemp® c and b – Ivoclar Vivadent) and 4) Light polymerized composite resin (Revotek LC- GC). Materials and Methods: The color and color difference of each specimen after immersion in different staining solutions i.e. 1) tea and artificial saliva, 2) coffee and artificial saliva, 3) Pepsi and artificial saliva, 4) turmeric solution and artificial saliva was measured using reflectance spectrophotometer with CIELAB system before immersion and after immersion at 2, 5 ,7 , 10 and 15 days. Results: Revotek LC- GC (light polymerized composite resin) was found to be the most color stable provisional restorative material followed by Protemp II (Bis-acryl composite), Systemp (Bis-acryl composite) and DPI (Methylmethacrylate resin). Turmeric solution had the maximum staining potential followed by coffee, tea and Pepsi. PMID:22025835

  7. Computation of the Molenaar Sijtsma Statistic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andries van der Ark, L.

    The Molenaar Sijtsma statistic is an estimate of the reliability of a test score. In some special cases, computation of the Molenaar Sijtsma statistic requires provisional measures. These provisional measures have not been fully described in the literature, and we show that they have not been implemented in the software. We describe the required provisional measures as to allow the computation of the Molenaar Sijtsma statistic for all data sets.

  8. The precautionary principle as a provisional instrument in environmental policy: The Montreal Protocol case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, J. Roger

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • I examine whether a policy invoked under the Precautionary Principle can move beyond provisional status. • I review the certainty of conclusions based upon the Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project. • There is high certainty that anthropogenic ozone depletion has health consequences in polar regions. • Current research focuses on long term projections of risk that perpetuates high uncertainty. • Establishment of a community to generate Assessments acts to perpetuate the period of uncertainty. - Abstract: Environmental studies identify possible threats to the health of the public or the environment when the scientific certainty of risk is low, but the potential cost is high. Governments may respond by invoking the Precautionary Principle, holding that scientific certainty is not required to take actions that reduce possible risk. EU guidelines suggest that precautionary measures remain provisional until sufficient scientific certainty is generated. Here I study the Scientific Assessments produced for the Montreal Protocol, and the scientific community that generates them, and ask whether a long-standing program of scientific investigation and monitoring can generate sufficient scientific certainty to move beyond dependence on the Precautionary Principle. When the Montreal Protocol was ratified, many scientists strongly suspected that anthropogenic substances like chlorofluorocarbons were depleting stratospheric ozone. Although the risk was uncertain, the perceived cost to public health of ozone depletion was high. A quarter century after formulating the Montreal Protocol, science can define the conditions for ozone depletion with great certainty, but uncertainty remains in determining the scale and distribution of the attributable increase in damaging ultra-violet (UV) radiation. Organisations, such as NASA, and scientists that contribute to the Scientific Assessments comprise the community in which the scientific consensus of risk is

  9. Revised Healthy Lifestyle-Diet Index and associations with obesity and iron deficiency in schoolchildren: The Healthy Growth Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manios, Y; Moschonis, G; Papandreou, C; Politidou, E; Naoumi, A; Peppas, D; Mavrogianni, C; Lionis, C; Chrousos, G P

    2015-02-01

    The Healthy Lifestyle-Diet Index (HLD-index), previously developed to assess the degree of adherence to dietary and lifestyle guidelines for primary schoolchildren, was revised according to updated recommendations. Τhe association of the revised HLD-index (R-HLD-index) with obesity and iron deficiency (ID) was also examined. A representative sample of 2660 primary schoolchildren from Greece (9-13 years old) participating in the 'Healthy Growth Study' was examined. Twelve components related to dietary and lifestyle patterns were used to develop the R-HLD-index. Scores from 0 up to 4 were assigned to each one of these components, giving a total score ranging from 0 to 48. The associations between the R-HLD-index, obesity and ID were examined via logistic regression analysis. The total score of the R-HLD-index calculated for each one of the study participants was found to range between 2 and 32 units, with higher scores being indicative of a healthier lifestyle and better diet quality. After adjusting for potential confounders, logistic regression analysis showed that an increase in the R-HLD-index score by one unit was associated with 6% lower odds for obesity. However, no significant association was observed between the R-HLD-index score and ID. The R-HLD-index may be a useful tool for public health policy makers and healthcare professionals when assessing diet quality and lifestyle patterns of primary schoolchildren. Identification of children with lower scores in the R-HLD-index and its individual components could guide tailored made interventions targeting specific children and behaviors. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  10. Redesign of a fixture mount to be used as an impression coping and a provisional abutment as well

    OpenAIRE

    Chang, Glenn Hsuan-Chen; Tian, Chen; Hung, Yuen-Siang

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: An integrated fixture mount/impression coping/ temporary abutment can provide many advantages for immediate loading of dental implants, such as simpler procedure, less chair time, cost reduction, and comfort for the patients. Materials and Methods: A newly designed dental implant fixture mount (DIFMA) can be used as an impression coping for taking an immediate impression. An immediate load provisional prosthesis can then be fabricated shortly after implant placement to immediately lo...

  11. Smoking habit and psychometric scores: a community study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waal-Manning, H J; de Hamel, F A

    1978-09-13

    During the Milton health survey subjects completed a psychometric inventory consisting of the 48 questions of the Middlesex Hospital questionnaire (MHQ) and 26 from the hostility and direction of hostility questionnaire (HDHQ) designed to examine nine psychological dimensions. The 1209 subjects were classified into smoking categories and the scores for each psychometric trait were calculated. Women scored higher than men and heavy smokers scored higher than "never smokers". The psychometric traits and the scores of the four smoking categories after correcting for age and Quetelet's index showed statistically significant differences by analysis of variance in respect of somatic anxiety and depression for both men and women; and free-floating anxiety, phobic anxiety, hysteria, acting out hostility, self criticism and guilt in women. For somatic anxiety the increase in score almost exactly paralleled the increasing quantity of tobacco consumed.

  12. Prognostic importance of objective nutritional indexes in patients with chronic heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narumi, Taro; Arimoto, Takanori; Funayama, Akira; Kadowaki, Shinpei; Otaki, Yoichiro; Nishiyama, Satoshi; Takahashi, Hiroki; Shishido, Tetsuro; Miyashita, Takehiko; Miyamoto, Takuya; Watanabe, Tetsu; Kubota, Isao

    2013-11-01

    Although malnutrition indicates an unfavorable prognosis in some clinical settings, the association between nutritional indexes and outcomes for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) is unclear. All the previously established objective nutritional indexes were evaluated. The controlling nutritional status score (CONUT), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) were determined for 388 consecutive patients with CHF (mean age 69.6±12.3 years). The prevalence of malnutrition in this cohort was 60-69%. Patients were followed prospectively, with the endpoints being death due to a cardiovascular event or re-hospitalization. There were 130 events, including 33 deaths and 97 re-hospitalizations, during a mean follow-up period of 28.4 months. Patients experiencing cardiovascular events showed impaired nutritional status, higher CONUT scores, lower PNI scores, and lower GNRI scores, compared with those who did not experience cardiovascular events. CONUT score [hazard ratio 40.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 10.8-154.8], PNI score (hazard ratio 6.4, 95% CI 5.4-25.1), and GNRI score (hazard ratio 11.6, 95% CI 3.7-10.0) were independently associated with cardiovascular events. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there was a significantly higher incidence of cardiovascular events in patients who were malnourished than in those who were not. Malnutrition was common in patients with CHF. Evaluation of nutritional status may provide additional prognostic information in patients with CHF. Copyright © 2013 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Item validity vs. item discrimination index: a redundancy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panjaitan, R. L.; Irawati, R.; Sujana, A.; Hanifah, N.; Djuanda, D.

    2018-03-01

    In several literatures about evaluation and test analysis, it is common to find that there are calculations of item validity as well as item discrimination index (D) with different formula for each. Meanwhile, other resources said that item discrimination index could be obtained by calculating the correlation between the testee’s score in a particular item and the testee’s score on the overall test, which is actually the same concept as item validity. Some research reports, especially undergraduate theses tend to include both item validity and item discrimination index in the instrument analysis. It seems that these concepts might overlap for both reflect the test quality on measuring the examinees’ ability. In this paper, examples of some results of data processing on item validity and item discrimination index were compared. It would be discussed whether item validity and item discrimination index can be represented by one of them only or it should be better to present both calculations for simple test analysis, especially in undergraduate theses where test analyses were included.

  14. Modelling the predictive performance of credit scoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi-Wei Shen

    2013-07-01

    Research purpose: The purpose of this empirical paper was to examine the predictive performance of credit scoring systems in Taiwan. Motivation for the study: Corporate lending remains a major business line for financial institutions. However, in light of the recent global financial crises, it has become extremely important for financial institutions to implement rigorous means of assessing clients seeking access to credit facilities. Research design, approach and method: Using a data sample of 10 349 observations drawn between 1992 and 2010, logistic regression models were utilised to examine the predictive performance of credit scoring systems. Main findings: A test of Goodness of fit demonstrated that credit scoring models that incorporated the Taiwan Corporate Credit Risk Index (TCRI, micro- and also macroeconomic variables possessed greater predictive power. This suggests that macroeconomic variables do have explanatory power for default credit risk. Practical/managerial implications: The originality in the study was that three models were developed to predict corporate firms’ defaults based on different microeconomic and macroeconomic factors such as the TCRI, asset growth rates, stock index and gross domestic product. Contribution/value-add: The study utilises different goodness of fits and receiver operator characteristics during the examination of the robustness of the predictive power of these factors.

  15. The Biodiversity Informatics Potential Index

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Biodiversity informatics is a relatively new discipline extending computer science in the context of biodiversity data, and its development to date has not been uniform throughout the world. Digitizing effort and capacity building are costly, and ways should be found to prioritize them rationally. The proposed 'Biodiversity Informatics Potential (BIP) Index' seeks to fulfill such a prioritization role. We propose that the potential for biodiversity informatics be assessed through three concepts: (a) the intrinsic biodiversity potential (the biological richness or ecological diversity) of a country; (b) the capacity of the country to generate biodiversity data records; and (c) the availability of technical infrastructure in a country for managing and publishing such records. Methods Broadly, the techniques used to construct the BIP Index were rank correlation, multiple regression analysis, principal components analysis and optimization by linear programming. We built the BIP Index by finding a parsimonious set of country-level human, economic and environmental variables that best predicted the availability of primary biodiversity data accessible through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) network, and constructing an optimized model with these variables. The model was then applied to all countries for which sufficient data existed, to obtain a score for each country. Countries were ranked according to that score. Results Many of the current GBIF participants ranked highly in the BIP Index, although some of them seemed not to have realized their biodiversity informatics potential. The BIP Index attributed low ranking to most non-participant countries; however, a few of them scored highly, suggesting that these would be high-return new participants if encouraged to contribute towards the GBIF mission of free and open access to biodiversity data. Conclusions The BIP Index could potentially help in (a) identifying countries most likely to

  16. Assessing pediatric ileocolonic Crohn's disease activity based on global MR enterography scores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pomerri, Fabio; Zuliani, Monica; Giorgi, Benedetta; Muzzio, Pier Carlo [University of Padova, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padova (Italy); Al Bunni, Faise [Rovigo Hospital, Radiology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia, Rovigo (Italy); Guariso, Graziella; Gasparetto, Marco; Cananzi, Mara [University of Padova, Department of Women and Child Health, Padova (Italy)

    2017-03-15

    This study was aimed at correlating a magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) and a magnetic resonance enterography global score (MEGS) with activity indexes in a paediatric population with Crohn's disease (CD). This retrospective study included 32 paediatric patients (median age 14.5 years, 18 male) with proven CD who underwent magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). A correlation analysis was performed on the MRE-based scores, the simplified endoscopic score for CD (SES-CD), the paediatric Crohn's disease activity index (PCDAI), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Based on PCDAI, comparison of both global MaRIA and MEGS was made between patients with mild and moderate/severe disease activity. Global MaRIA correlated with SES-CD (r = 0.70, p = 0.001) and PCDAI (r = 0.42, p = 0.016). MEGS correlated with PCDAI (r = 0.46, p = 0.007) and CRP levels (r = 0.35, p = 0.046). MEGS differed significantly (p = 0.027) between patients grouped by clinical disease severity. MRE-based global scores correlated with clinical indexes of CD activity. Therefore, they represent a potential useful tool to predict CD activity and severity, as well as a possible promising alternative to endoscopy, to monitor paediatric patients with CD during their follow-up. (orig.)

  17. Measuring Scholastic Production by Dermatopathologists Using the H-Index: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraga, Garth R

    2018-06-01

    Academic advancement in dermatopathology requires evidence of scientific production. The H-index is a useful bibliometric for measuring scientific production because it weights both volume and impact of an individual's scholastic production. The H-index distribution among academic dermatopathologists is unknown. In this cross-sectional study of 299 dermatopathologists with academic appointments in North America, H-index, publication counts, and citation counts were retrieved from Thomas Reuters Web of Science. Analytic statistics were performed to identify best predictors of academic rank and cutoff points between academic ranks. The H-index was a superior predictor of overall academic rank than publication or citation counts. The median H-index for assistant, associate, and full professors was 4, 6, and 11, respectively. H-index cutoff scores of 8 and 10 favored associate and full professor rank, respectively. These data provide benchmarks for dermatopathologists to gauge their scientific productivity against that of their peers. Although advancement decisions will depend on a careful examination of the scope and impact of a candidate's work, assistant professors of dermatopathology with H-index scores of >7 and associate professors of dermatopathology with H-index scores of >9 may wish to consider application for promotion.

  18. Development of the Eating Choices Index (ECI): a four-item index to measure healthiness of diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pot, Gerda K; Richards, Marcus; Prynne, Celia J; Stephen, Alison M

    2014-12-01

    Current indices of diet quality generally include intakes of specific foods or nutrients. We sought to develop an index that discriminates healthy and unhealthy eating choices for use in large surveys as a short questionnaire and as a measure in existing studies with adequate dietary data. The Eating Choices Index (ECI) score included four components: (i) consumption of breakfast, (ii) consumption of two portions of fruit per day, (iii) type of milk consumed and (iv) type of bread consumed, each providing a score from 1 to 5. In analysis of 5 d food records, the ECI score was examined in relation to macronutrients, fibre, vitamin C, Fe, Ca and folate using Pearson correlations. Variation with sex, BMI, socio-economic status, marital status, smoking status and physical activity were also investigated. Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development. Individuals (n 2256) aged 43 years. The ECI score (mean 12·3 (sd 3·5)) was significantly positively associated with protein, carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin C, Fe, Ca and folate (r = 0·2-0·5; P < 0·001) and significantly negatively associated with fat intake (r = -0·2; P < 0·001); ECI scores were not correlated with total energy intake. Individuals with a lower ECI score were more likely to be men (P < 0·001), overweight or obese (P < 0·001), have lower socio-economic status (P < 0·001), smoke more (P < 0·001) and be less physically active (P < 0·001). ECI scores correlated with nutrient profiles consistent with a healthy diet. It provides a simple method to rank diet healthiness in large observational studies.

  19. C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, clinical pulmonary infection score, and pneumonia severity scores in nursing home acquired pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porfyridis, Ilias; Georgiadis, Georgios; Vogazianos, Paris; Mitis, Georgios; Georgiou, Andreas

    2014-04-01

    Patients with nursing home acquired pneumonia (NHAP) present a distinct group of lower respiratory track infections with different risk factors, clinical presentation, and mortality rates. To evaluate the diagnostic value of clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS), C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin and to compare the accuracy of pneumonia severity scores (confusion, urea nitrogen, breathing frequency, blood pressure, ≥ 65 y of age [CURB-65]; pneumonia severity index; NHAP index; systolic blood pressure, multilobar involvement, albumin, breathing frequency, tachycardia, confusion, oxygen, arterial pH [SMART-COP]; and systolic blood pressure, oxygen, age > 65 y, breathing frequency [SOAR]) in predicting in-patient mortality from NHAP. Nursing home residents admitted to the hospital with acute respiratory illness were enrolled in the study. Subjects were classified as having NHAP (Group A) or other pulmonary disorders (Group B). Clinical, imaging, and laboratory data were assessed to compute CPIS and severity scores. C-reactive protein and procalcitonin were measured by immunonephelometry and immunoassay, respectively. Fifty-eight subjects were diagnosed with NHAP (Group A) and 29 with other pulmonary disorders (Group B). The mean C-reactive protein ± SD was 16.38 ± 8.6 mg/dL in Group A and 5.2 ± 5.6 mg/dL in Group B (P 1.1 ng/mL was an independent predictor of in-patient mortality. Of the pneumonia severity scores, CURB-65 showed greater accuracy in predicting in-patient mortality (area under the curve of 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.84, P = .06). CPIS, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein are reliable for the diagnosis of NHAP. Procalcitonin and CURB-65 are accurate in predicting in-patient mortality in NHAP.

  20. Do maternal ratings of appetite in infants predict later Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire scores and body mass index?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, Kathryn N; Drewett, Robert F; Le Couteur, Ann S; Adamson, Ashley J

    2010-02-01

    In a longitudinal birth cohort maternal ratings of children's appetite made at 6 weeks, 12 months and 5-6 years were correlated with one another and with subscales from the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) at 5-6 years, and body mass index (BMI) at 6-8 years. Statistically significant correlations were found between the children's appetite ratings. Appetite ratings in infancy were also correlated with the CEBQ subscale scores at 5-6 years to a limited extent, but not with the BMI at 6-8 years. The appetite rating at 5-6 years and three of the CEBQ subscales were independently associated with BMI. Children with higher levels of Emotional Over-Eating and Desire to Drink had higher BMIs, and children with higher levels of Satiety Responsiveness had lower BMIs. These results provide further evidence that there are concurrent associations between appetite ratings in childhood and BMI but suggest that appetite ratings in infancy are related only weakly to later appetite measures and do not predict later BMI. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. New protocol for construction of eyeglasses-supported provisional nasal prosthesis using CAD/CAM techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciocca, Leonardo; Fantini, Massimiliano; De Crescenzio, Francesca; Persiani, Franco; Scotti, Roberto

    2010-01-01

    A new protocol for making an immediate provisional eyeglasses-supported nasal prosthesis is presented that uses laser scanning, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing procedures, and rapid prototyping techniques, reducing time and costs while increasing the quality of the final product. With this protocol, the eyeglasses were digitized, and the relative position of the nasal prosthesis was planned and evaluated in a virtual environment without any try-in appointment. This innovative method saves time, reduces costs, and restores the patient's aesthetic appearance after a disfiguration caused by ablation of the nasal pyramid better than conventional restoration methods. Moreover, the digital model of the designed nasal epithesis can be used to develop a definitive prosthesis anchored to osseointegrated craniofacial implants.

  2. Pre-prosthetic minor tooth movement with elastic separating ring & provisional restoration modification: case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haneol Shin

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Proximal caries or coronal defect in posterior teeth may result in the loss of proximal space and drifting of neighboring teeth, which makes restoration difficult. Inability to restore proper contours and to align tooth axis properly are commonly encountered problems when planning tooth restoration. Moreover, tilted teeth aggravate periodontal tissue breakdown, such as pseudo-pocket, and angular osseous defect. The purpose of this case presentation is to describe a simple technique for inducing minor tooth movement with orthodontic separating ring and provisional restoration modification. This method was used to create crown placement space on mesially tilted molar. This method is easy, simple and efficient technique which could be used in interproximal space gaining in selected situation.

  3. Measuring cervical cancer risk: development and validation of the CARE Risky Sexual Behavior Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiter, Paul L; Katz, Mira L; Ferketich, Amy K; Ruffin, Mack T; Paskett, Electra D

    2009-12-01

    To develop and validate a risky sexual behavior index specific to cervical cancer research. Sexual behavior data on 428 women from the Community Awareness Resources and Education (CARE) study were utilized. A weighting scheme for eight risky sexual behaviors was generated and validated in creating the CARE Risky Sexual Behavior Index. Cutpoints were then identified to classify women as having a low, medium, or high level of risky sexual behavior. Index scores ranged from 0 to 35, with women considered to have a low level of risky sexual behavior if their score was less than six (31.3% of sample), a medium level if their score was 6–10 (30.6%), or a high level if their score was 11 or greater (38.1%). A strong association was observed between the created categories and having a previous abnormal Pap smear test (p Sexual Behavior Index provides a tool for measuring risky sexual behavior level for cervical cancer research. Future studies are needed to validate this index in varied populations and test its use in the clinical setting.

  4. USEFULNESS OF A NEW PROGNOSTIC INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jazon Romilson de Souza ALMEIDA

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Alcoholic liver disease is a major cause of end-stage liver disease worldwide and severe forms of alcoholic hepatitis are associated with a high short-term mortality. Objectives To analyze the importance of age-bilirubin-INR-creatinine (ABIC score as an index of mortality and predictor for complications in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. To evaluate its correlation with those complications, with risk of death, as well as the scores model for end stage liver disease (MELD and Maddrey’s discriminat function. Methods A total of 46 medical records of patients who had been hospitalized with alcoholic hepatitis were assessed retrospectively with lab tests on admission and after seven days. Score calculations were carried out and analyzed as well. Results The scores showed positive reciprocal correlation and were associated with both hepatic encephalopathy and ascites. ABIC index, which was classified as high risk, presented as a risk factor for these complications and for death. In univariate logistic regression analysis of mortality, the ABIC index at hospital admission odds ratio was 19.27, whereas after 7 days, it was 41.29. The average survival of patients with ABIC of low and intermediate risk was 61.1 days, and for those with high risk, 26.2 days. Conclusions ABIC index is a predictor factor for complications such as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, as well as for risk of death. Thus, it is a useful tool for clinical practice.

  5. The staff regulations of the Agency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    Following the first comprehensive review of the Provisional Staff Regulations conducted by the Secretariat, the Board of Governors approved on 12 June 2002 amendments to the Provisional Staff Regulations including the removal of the attribute 'provisional' from their title. The revised Staff Regulations of the Agency are set forth in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency. There is a subject index at the end of the document

  6. Reproducibility of the index of orthognathic functional treatment need scores derived from plaster study casts and their three-dimensional digital equivalents: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCrory, Emma; McGuinness, Niall Jp; Ulhaq, Aman

    2018-06-01

    To determine the reproducibility of Index of Orthognathic Functional Treatment Need (IOFTN) scores derived from plaster casts and their three-dimensional (3D) digital equivalents. Pilot study, prospective analytical. UK hospital orthodontic department. Thirty casts and their digital equivalents, representing the pre-treatment malocclusions of patients requiring orthodontic-orthognathic surgical treatment, were scored by four clinicians using IOFTN. Casts were scanned using a 3Shape digital scanner and 3D models produced using OrthoAnalyzer TM (3Shape Ltd, Copenhagen, Denmark). Examiners independently determined the IOFTN scores for the casts and digital models, to test their inter- and intra-operator reliability using weighted Kappa scores. Intra-operator agreement with IOFTN major categories (1-5: treatment need) was very good for plaster casts (0.83-0.98) and good-very good for digital models (0.78-0.83). Inter-operator agreement was moderate-very good for casts (0.58-0.82) and good-very good for digital models (0.65-0.92). Intra-operator agreement with IOFTN sub-categories (1-14: feature of malocclusion) was good-very good for casts (0.70-0.97) and digital models (0.80-0.94). Inter-operator agreement was moderate-good for casts (0.53-0.77); and moderate-very good for the digital models (0.58-0.90). Digital models are an acceptable alternative to plaster casts for examining the malocclusion of patients requiring combined orthodontic-orthognathic surgical treatment and determining treatment need.

  7. Visceral adiposity index as an indicator of cardiometabolic risk in patients treated for craniopharyngioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraù, Francesco; Spagnolo, Federica; Cotta, Oana Ruxandra; Cannavò, Laura; Alibrandi, Angela; Russo, Giuseppina Tiziana; Aversa, Tommaso; Trimarchi, Francesco; Cannavò, Salvatore

    2017-11-01

    Craniopharyngioma is associated with metabolic alterations leading to increased cardiovascular mortality. Recently, the visceral adiposity index has been proposed as a marker of visceral adipose tissue dysfunction and of the related cardiometabolic risk. The role of the visceral adiposity index has never been explored in craniopharyngioma patients. We assessed the cardiometabolic risk on the basis of the visceral adiposity index in craniopharyngioma patients. We evaluated data of 24 patients treated for craniopharyngioma in a single-centre. We investigated the relationship among patients' clinical and biochemical features, cardiovascular risk -assessed by the Framingham and the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk scores-, visceral adiposity index and adipose tissue dysfunction severity. Increased visceral adiposity index was found in 8 patients (33%). Adipose tissue dysfunction resulted to be severe, moderate or mild in 5, 2 and 1 cases. Increased visceral adiposity index significantly correlated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (p 0.027), IRI (p 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), HOMA-IR (p < 0.001) and with lower ISI-Matsuda (p 0.005) and HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001). Higher degree of adipose tissue dysfunction associated with increased insulin resistance. No gender difference was found for visceral adiposity index, adipose tissue dysfunction severity, and cardiovascular risk scores. Patients with adulthood onset craniopharyngioma showed higher Framingham risk score (p 0.004), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease 10-year (p < 0.001) and lifetime (p 0.018) risk scores than those with childhood onset disease. Visceral adiposity index is increased in one third of our patients with craniopharyngioma, even if metabolic syndrome does not occur. Increased visceral adiposity index and adipose tissue dysfunction severity correlate with insulin sensitivity parameters, do not correlate with Framingham or atherosclerotic cardiovascular

  8. The grazing index method of range condition assessment | du Toit ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Owing to the difficulty of examining succession theory in the Karoo, it is suggested the ecological index method (EIM), be replaced by the grazing index method (GIM), through the introduction of grazing index values (GIV) for Karoo plant species. The GIM may provide more acceptable range condition scores and more ...

  9. Scoring of treatment-related late effects in prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Livsey, Jacqueline E.; Routledge, Jacqueline; Burns, Meriel; Swindell, Rick; Davidson, Susan E.; Cowan, Richard A.; Logue, John P.; Wylie, James P.

    2002-01-01

    Background and purpose: To assess the correlation between different general and organ specific quality of life and morbidity scoring methods in a cohort of men treated with radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Materials and methods: Men who had been treated with radical radiotherapy (50 Gy in 16 fractions over 21 days) for localized prostate cancer more than 3 years previously and who had no evidence of recurrent disease were invited to take part in the study. A total of 101 of 135 invited patients agreed and completed LENT/SOMA, UCLA Prostate Cancer Index, and 36 item RAND Health survey questionnaires. Results: The patients had comparable results with other published series with respect to the UCLA and SF-36 indices. There was significant correlation between the corresponding parts of the UCLA and LENT/SOMA scales (P<0.0005). However, for the same symptoms, a patient tended to score lower (worse) on the UCLA scale in comparison to LENT/SOMA. The relationship between the average LENT/SOMA score and maximum score was also not straightforward with each set of data revealing different information. Conclusions: The LENT/SOMA questions were, in the main, more wide-ranging and informative than the UCLA index. It is helpful to give both the overall and maximum LENT/SOMA scores to most efficiently use all of the data. There may need to be a further LENT/SOMA question to allow both symptoms of tenesmus and faecal urgency to be fully addressed

  10. Osteogenic potential of mesenchymal cells embedded in the provisional matrix after a 6-week healing period in augmented and non-augmented extraction sockets: an immunohistochemical prospective pilot study in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heberer, Susanne; Wustlich, Alexander; Lage, Hermann; Nelson, John J; Nelson, Katja

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the present clinical study was the evaluation of the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal cells embedded in the provisional matrix of non-augmented and with Bio-Oss collagen-augmented human extraction sockets after 6 weeks of healing time. Twenty-five patients with 47 extraction sites participated in the present study. After tooth removal, the extraction sockets were augmented with Bio-Oss collagen or not augmented. At implant placement, bone biopsies of the extraction sockets were obtained. The immunohistochemical analysis of the osteogenic potential of the mesenchymal cells in the provisional matrix was performed using three monoclonal antibodies: core-binding factor α1 (Cbfa1)/runt-related protein (Runx)2, osteonectin (OSN/secreted protein acidic and rich in cyst [SPARC]) and osteocalcin (OC). The statistical analysis was performed using two-factorial analysis for repeated measures, Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient. Of 47 extraction sockets examined, 17 sockets demonstrated an almost complete ossification. Hence, the provisional matrix of the 30 remaining extraction sockets (21 non-augmented, 9 augmented) was immunohistochemically investigated. No evidence of acute or chronic inflammation was noted in any of the specimens. In the provisional matrix of the non-grafted socket, the median amount of Cbfa1/Runx2-positive cells was 72.3%, of OSN (SPARC) 66.9% and of OC 23.4%, whereas in the grafted sockets the median rate of immunopositive cells staining with Cbfa1/Runx2 was 73.3%, of OSN (SPARC) 61.4% and of OC 20.1%. There was no significant difference in the proportion of positive cells expressed by Cbfa1/Runx2, OSN/SPARC and OC between the grafted and non-grafted socket. Furthermore, the cell density did not correlate to the quantity of stained cells independent of the used proteins. After a 6-week healing period, the provisional matrix was demonstrated to have a high proportion of cells displaying a maturation of

  11. The Dutch Healthy Diet index as assessed by 24 h recalls and FFQ: associations with biomarkers from a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lee, Linde; Feskens, Edith J M; Hooft van Huysduynen, Eveline J C; de Vries, Jeanne H M; van 't Veer, Pieter; Geelen, Anouk

    2013-01-01

    The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index) was developed using data from two 24 h recalls (24hR) and appeared useful to evaluate diet quality in Dutch adults. As many epidemiologic studies use FFQ, we now estimated the DHD-index score using FFQ data. We compared whether this score showed similar associations with participants' characteristics, micronutrient intakes, and biomarkers of intake and metabolism compared with the DHD-index using 24hR data. Data of 121 Dutch participants of the European Food Consumption Validation study were used. Dietary intake was assessed by two 24hR and a 180-item FFQ. Biomarkers measured were serum total cholesterol and carotenoids, EPA + DHA in plasma phospholipids and 24 h urinary Na. A correlation of 0·48 (95 % CI 0·33, 0·61) was observed between the DHD-index score based on 24hR data and on FFQ data. Classification of participants into the same tertiles of the DHD-index was achieved for 57 %. Women showed higher DHD-index scores. Energy intake was inversely associated with both DHD-index scores. Furthermore, age and intakes of folate, Fe, Mg, K, vitamin B6 and vitamin C were positively associated with both DHD-index scores. DHD-index scores showed acceptable correlations with the four combined biomarkers taking energy intake into account (r 24hR 0.55; r FFQ 0.51). In conclusion, the DHD-index score based on FFQ data shows similar associations with participants' characteristics, energy intake, micronutrient intake and biomarkers compared with the score based on 24hR data. Furthermore, ranking of participants was acceptable for both methods. FFQ data may therefore be used to assess diet quality using the DHD-index in Dutch populations.

  12. Validation of the grown-ups with congenital heart disease score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hörer, Jürgen; Roussin, Régine; LeBret, Emanuel; Ly, Mohamed; Abdullah, Jarrah; Marzullo, Rafaella; Pabst von Ohain, Jelena; Belli, Emre

    2018-06-01

    Adults with congenital heart disease in need of heart surgery frequently present with significant comorbidity. Furthermore, additional technical difficulties often related to redo operations increase the risk for postoperative mortality and morbidity. Hence, next to the type of the procedure, additional procedure-dependent and procedure-independent factors have to be considered for risk evaluation. The recently proposed grown-ups with congenital heart disease (GUCH) mortality and morbidity scores account for these additional risk factors. We sought to validate their predictive power in a large population operated in a single centre. Data of all consecutive patients aged 18 years or more, who underwent surgery for congenital heart disease between 2005 and 2016, were collected. Mortality was defined as hospital mortality or mortality within 30 days following surgery. Morbidity was defined as occurrence of one or more of the following complications: renal failure requiring dialysis, neurologic deficit persisting at discharge, atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation, mechanical circulatory support, phrenic nerve injury and unplanned reoperation. The discriminatory power of the GUCH scores was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (c-index, including 95% CI). Eight hundred and twenty-four operations were evaluated. Additional procedure-dependent and procedure-independent factors, as defined in the GUCH scores, were present in 165 patients (20.0%) and 544 patients (66.0%), respectively. Hospital mortality and morbidity was 3.4% and 10.0%, respectively. C-index for GUCH mortality score was 0.809 (0.742-0.877). C-index for GUCH morbidity score was 0.676 (0.619-0.734). We could confirm the good predictive power of the GUCH mortality score for postoperative mortality in a large population of adults with congenital heart disease. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the

  13. Association between body mass index and activities of daily living in homecare patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozturk, Guzin Zeren; Egici, Memet Taskın; Bukhari, Mulazim Hussain; Toprak, Dilek

    2017-01-01

    Overweight or obesity may cause many chronic illnesses. Furthermore, several studies have shown that high body mass index is associated with mortality and morbidity among the elderly. Therefore, obesity or being overweight could adversely affect the performance of activities of daily living. In this study our aim was to investigate the association between Body Mass Index and Activity of Daily Living in Homecare Patients. The records of 2016 from the homecare unit of Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. During this period, 1105 patients visited this facility. Unconscious or bedridden patients (hemiplegia, hemiparesia, and tetraparesis) and patients with incomplete data were excluded from the study. Therefore, the survey was completed with 250 files, which included all the data needed for our research. Age, gender, Body Mass Index and Barthel Index scores were recorded to the statistical program; p≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. One hundred fifty one (60.4%) were women, and 99 (39.6%) were men. The relations between gender and age, weight, and Barthel index scores were not statistically significant. There was a significant positive correlation between weight and Barthel index scores as well as between Body Mass Index and Barthel index scores (r = 0.190; p = 0.003). The patients were divided into two groups: Group-I (underweight and normal weight) and Group-II (overweight and obese). Group-II exhibited a much higher ability to perform Activity of Daily Living than Group-I (p = 0.002). Some studies report that obesity is protective against Activity of Daily Living, but the opposite is reported in some others. Our study showed increased values of Body Mass Index and Activity of Daily Living ability, which are indicative of protective effects. The relationship between Body Mass Index and physical disability is not yet proven to be linear.

  14. Alternate Mediterranean diet score is positively associated with skeletal muscle mass index in middle-aged adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Hui-Yuan; Qiu, Rui; Jing, Li-Peng; Chen, Zhan-Yong; Chen, Geng-Dong; Chen, Yu-Ming

    2017-04-01

    Researches have suggested Mediterranean diet might lower the risk of chronic diseases, but data on skeletal muscle mass (SMM) are limited. This community-based cross-sectional study examined the association between the alternate Mediterranean diet score (aMDS) and SMM in 2230 females and 1059 males aged 40-75 years in Guangzhou, China. General information and habitual dietary information were assessed in face-to-face interviews conducted during 2008-2010 and 3 years later. The aMDS was calculated by summing the dichotomous points for the items of higher intakes of whole grain, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish and ratio of MUFA:SFA, lower red meat and moderate ethanol consumption. The SMM of the whole body, limbs, arms and legs were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry during 2011-2013. After adjusting for potential covariates, higher aMDS was positively associated with skeletal muscle mass index (SMI, SMM/height2, kg/m2) at all of the studied sites in males (all P trend0·05). Age-stratified analyses showed that the favourable associations tended to be more pronounced in the younger subjects aged less than the medians of 59·2 and 62·2 years in females and males (P interaction>0·10). In conclusion, the aMDS shows protective associations with SMM in Chinese adults, particularly in male and younger subjects.

  15. Consumption of Low-Calorie Sweeteners among U.S. Adults Is Associated with Higher Healthy Eating Index (HEI 2005 Scores and More Physical Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Drewnowski

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The possibility that low-calorie sweeteners (LCS promote lower quality diets and, therefore, weight gain has been noted as a cause for concern. Data from a representative sample of 22,231 adults were obtained from five cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2008 NHANES. A single 24-hour recall was used to identify consumers of LCS beverages, foods and tabletop sweeteners. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI 2005 and its multiple subscores. Health behaviors of interest were physical activity, smoking and alcohol use. LCS consumers had higher HEI 2005 scores than did non-consumers, largely explained by better SoFAAS subscores (solid fats, added sugar and alcohol. LCS consumers had better HEI subscores for vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy, but worse subscores for saturated fat and sodium compared to non-consumers. Similar trends were observed for LCS beverages, tabletop LCS and LCS foods. Consumers of LCS were less likely to smoke and were more likely to engage in recreational physical activity. LCS use was associated with higher HEI 2005 scores, lower consumption of empty calories, less smoking and more physical activity.

  16. Consumption of low-calorie sweeteners among U.S. adults is associated with higher Healthy Eating Index (HEI 2005) scores and more physical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drewnowski, Adam; Rehm, Colin D

    2014-10-17

    The possibility that low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) promote lower quality diets and, therefore, weight gain has been noted as a cause for concern. Data from a representative sample of 22,231 adults were obtained from five cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2008 NHANES). A single 24-hour recall was used to identify consumers of LCS beverages, foods and tabletop sweeteners. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI 2005) and its multiple subscores. Health behaviors of interest were physical activity, smoking and alcohol use. LCS consumers had higher HEI 2005 scores than did non-consumers, largely explained by better SoFAAS subscores (solid fats, added sugar and alcohol). LCS consumers had better HEI subscores for vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy, but worse subscores for saturated fat and sodium compared to non-consumers. Similar trends were observed for LCS beverages, tabletop LCS and LCS foods. Consumers of LCS were less likely to smoke and were more likely to engage in recreational physical activity. LCS use was associated with higher HEI 2005 scores, lower consumption of empty calories, less smoking and more physical activity.

  17. A new disclosure index for Non-Governmental Organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazuk, Ayesha; Shabbir, Javid

    2018-01-01

    Website of Non-governmental organization (NGO) is a focal medium of sharing information in response to transparency demands and addressing trust deficits between stakeholders. Many researchers have proposed accountability approaches to measure information sharing trends through websites. This article discusses a new index to measure online disclosure trends along with the theoretical properties of the index and a practical application of data from NGOs working in Pakistan. The websites have been coded in 2016. Results show that NGOs with branch offices have better disclosure scores than single-office NGOs, and international NGOs score better than local NGOs. NGOs that are more often the subject of newspaper reports have better disclosure trends.

  18. TyG index, HOMA score and viral load in patients with chronic hepatitis C due to genotype 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petta, S; Di Marco, V; Di Stefano, R; Cabibi, D; Cammà, C; Marchesini, G; Craxì, A

    2011-07-01

    The triglycerides × glucose (TyG) index is a recently proposed surrogate marker of insulin resistance (IR), calculated from fasting plasma triglyceride and glucose concentrations. We tested the host and viral factors associated with Tyg and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) scores, comparing their associations with histological features and with sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C(G1CHC). Three hundred and forty consecutive patients with G1CHC were considered. All had a liver biopsy scored by one pathologist for staging and grading (Scheuer), and graded for steatosis, which was considered moderate-severe if ≥30%. Anthropometric and metabolic measurements, including IR measured by both HOMA and TyG, were registered. By linear regression analysis, TyG was independently associated with waist circumference (WC), total cholesterol, presence of arterial hypertension, Log10 HCV-RNA and steatosis. Similarly, WC and steatosis were significantly associated with HOMA. Older age (OR, 1.036; 95%CI, 1.004-1.070, P = 0.02), higher WC (1.031; 1.004-1.060; P = 0.02) and higher TyG (11.496; 3.163-41.784; P HOMA-IR in the model, the latter remained significantly associated with steatosis ≥30% (1.237; 1.058-1.448; P = 0.008). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed a similar performance of TyG (AUC 0.682) and HOMA-IR (AUC 0.699) in predicting moderate-severe steatosis. No independent associations were found between both TyG and HOMA and fibrosis or SVR. In patients with G1CHC , TyG, an easy-to-calculate and low-cost surrogate marker of IR, is linked to liver steatosis and shows an independent association with viral load. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Comparison of Efficacy and Ocular Surface Disease Index Score between Bimatoprost, Latanoprost, Travoprost, and Tafluprost in Glaucoma Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wissam Georges El Hajj Moussa

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of 4 prostaglandin analogues (PGAs and to determine the incidence of ocular surface disease in newly diagnosed, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG patients started on one of those 4 PGAs: bimatoprost (benzalkonium chloride, BAK, 0.3 mg/mL, latanoprost (BAK 0.2 mg/mL, travoprost (polyquad, and tafluprost (BAK-free. Patients and Methods. In this single-center, open-label trial, 32 patients newly diagnosed with POAG were randomly started on one of the four PGAs. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological exam at presentation and at 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up. Dry eye disease (DED was assessed using the original Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI questionnaire, in order to evaluate the impact of the drops on the quality of life of patients. Results. The mean age was 60.06 years ± 11.76. All four drugs equally and significantly reduced the intraocular pressure (IOP with respect to the baseline IOP. There was a trend for a slightly greater reduction of IOP with bimatoprost, but the difference was not found to be statistically significant when compared to other PGAs. OSDI scores were significantly superior for travoprost (10.68 ± 5.73 compared to the other three drugs (p<0.05. Latanoprost caused the most significant eyelash growth and iris discoloration. Conjunctival hyperemia and superficial keratitis occurrence were similar in the four groups. Conclusion. All prostaglandin analogues equally and significantly reduce the IOP in patients with POAG. According to the results of the OSDI score, latanoprost seems to be the least tolerated among the four drugs.

  20. ISSUE PAPER: What Do Test Scores in Texas Tell Us?

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Klein, Stephen

    2000-01-01

    ...) about possible unintended consequences of these programs. We conducted several analyses to examine the issue of whether TAAS scores can be trusted to provide an accurate index of student skills and abilities...

  1. Association between Diet-Quality Scores, Adiposity, Total Cholesterol and Markers of Nutritional Status in European Adults: Findings from the Food4Me Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalind Fallaize

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Diet-quality scores (DQS, which are developed across the globe, are used to define adherence to specific eating patterns and have been associated with risk of coronary heart disease and type-II diabetes. We explored the association between five diet-quality scores (Healthy Eating Index, HEI; Alternate Healthy Eating Index, AHEI; MedDietScore, MDS; PREDIMED Mediterranean Diet Score, P-MDS; Dutch Healthy Diet-Index, DHDI and markers of metabolic health (anthropometry, objective physical activity levels (PAL, and dried blood spot total cholesterol (TC, total carotenoids, and omega-3 index in the Food4Me cohort, using regression analysis. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Participants (n = 1480 were adults recruited from seven European Union (EU countries. Overall, women had higher HEI and AHEI than men (p < 0.05, and scores varied significantly between countries. For all DQS, higher scores were associated with lower body mass index, lower waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference, and higher total carotenoids and omega-3-index (p trends < 0.05. Higher HEI, AHEI, DHDI, and P-MDS scores were associated with increased daily PAL, moderate and vigorous activity, and reduced sedentary behaviour (p trend < 0.05. We observed no association between DQS and TC. To conclude, higher DQS, which reflect better dietary patterns, were associated with markers of better nutritional status and metabolic health.

  2. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roos, Ewa M.; Lohmander, L Stefan

    2003-01-01

    The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was developed as an extension of the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index with the purpose of evaluating short-term and long-term symptoms and function in subjects with knee injury and osteoarthritis. The KOOS holds five separately scored subscales...... be used for short-term and long-term follow-up of several types of knee injury including osteoarthritis. The measure is relatively new and further use of the instrument will add knowledge and suggest areas that need to be further explored and improved....

  3. North Korean refugee doctors' preliminary examination scores

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    Sung Uk Chae

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose Although there have been studies emphasizing the re-education of North Korean (NK doctors for post-unification of the Korean Peninsula, study on the content and scope of such re-education has yet to be conducted. Researchers intended to set the content and scope of re-education by a comparative analysis for the scores of the preliminary examination, which is comparable to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE. Methods The scores of the first and second preliminary exams were analyzed by subject using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The passing status of the group of NK doctors for KMLE in recent 3 years were investigated. The multiple-choice-question (MCQ items of which difficulty indexes of NK doctors were lower than those of South Korean (SK medical students by two times of the standard deviation of the scores of SK medical students were selected to investigate the relevant reasons. Results The average scores of nearly all subjects were improved in the second exam compared with the first exam. The passing rate of the group of NK doctors was 75%. The number of MCQ items of which difficulty indexes of NK doctors were lower than those of SK medical students was 51 (6.38%. NK doctors’ lack of understandings for Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures, Therapeutics, Prenatal Care, and Managed Care Programs was suggested as the possible reason. Conclusion The education of integrated courses focusing on Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures and Therapeutics, and apprenticeship-style training for clinical practice of core subjects are needed. Special lectures on the Preventive Medicine are likely to be required also.

  4. The diet quality index evaluates the adequacy of energy provided by dietary macronutrients

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    Aline MENDES

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective To investigate the relationship between macronutrient intake adequacy and the national diet quality index score. Methods The study analyzed a representative sample of 1,662 individuals from the municipality of São Paulo who participated in a cross-sectional study called Health Survey-Capital (2008/2009. Two 24-hour recalls were collected. Habitual intake was determined by the Multiple Source Method. The Brazilian index was calculated as suggested, and macronutrient adequacy was given by the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization recommendations. A generalized linear model verified the relationship between the Brazilian index and macronutrient adequacy. All analyses with a descriptive level below 0.05 were considered significant. The analyses were performed by the software Stata 12.0, survey mode. Results The vast majority (91% of the population had inappropriate macronutrient intakes, and the total median Brazilian index score was 61.3 points (interquartile range=10.1. The total Brazilian index score of individuals with high lipid intake was worse than that of individuals with proper lipid intake (β=0,96; p=0,004, while those with high protein intake had a better score (β=1,10; p=0,003 than those with proper protein intake. Conclusion The revised Brazilian Healthy Eating Index assesses diet quality properly regarding high lipid intake, but it has some limitations regarding high protein intake according to the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization recommendations. New studies should investigate the possibility of adapting this index to the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization recommendations.

  5. Integrated multigene expression panel to prognosticate patients with gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanda, Mitsuro; Murotani, Kenta; Tanaka, Haruyoshi; Miwa, Takashi; Umeda, Shinichi; Tanaka, Chie; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Hayashi, Masamichi; Hattori, Norifumi; Suenaga, Masaya; Yamada, Suguru; Nakayama, Goro; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Kodera, Yasuhiro

    2018-04-10

    Most of the proposed individual markers had limited clinical utility due to the inherent biological and genetic heterogeneity of gastric cancer. We aimed to build a new molecular-based model to predict prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. A total of 200 patients who underwent gastric resection for gastric cancer were divided into learning and validation cohorts using a table of random numbers in a 1:1 ratio. In the learning cohort, mRNA expression levels of 15 molecular markers in gastric tissues were analyzed and concordance index (C-index) values of all single and combinations of the 15 candidate markers for overall survival were calculated. The multigene expression panel was designed according to C-index values and the subpopulation index. Expression scores were determined with weighting according to the coefficient of each constituent. The reproducibility of the panel was evaluated in the validation cohort. C-index values of the 15 single candidate markers ranged from 0.506-0.653. Among 32,767 combinations, the optimal and balanced expression panel comprised four constituents ( MAGED2, SYT8, BTG1 , and FAM46 ) and the C-index value was 0.793. Using this panel, patients were provisionally categorized with scores of 1-3, and clearly stratified into favorable, intermediate, and poor overall survival groups. In the validation cohort, both overall and disease-free survival rates decreased incrementally with increasing expression scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that the expression score was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival after curative gastrectomy. We developed an integrated multigene expression panel that simply and accurately stratified risk of patients with gastric cancer.

  6. Upper lower Cambrian (provisional Cambrian Series 2 trilobites from northwestern Gansu Province, China

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    Jan Bergström†

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Upper lower Cambrian (provisional Cambrian Series 2 trilobites are described from three sections through the Shuangyingshan Formation in the Beishan area, northwestern Gansu Province, China. The trilobite fauna is dominated by eodiscoid and corynexochid trilobites, together representing at least ten genera: Serrodiscus, Tannudiscus, Calodiscus, Pagetides, Kootenia, Edelsteinaspis, Ptarmiganoides?, Politinella, Dinesus and Subeia. Eleven species are described, of which seven are identified with previously described taxa and four described under open nomenclature. The composition of the fauna suggests biogeographic affinity with Siberian rather than Gondwanan trilobite faunas, and the Cambrian Series 2 faunas described herein and from elsewhere in northwestern China seem to be indicative of the marginal areas of the Siberian palaeocontinent. This suggests that the Middle Tianshan–Beishan Terrane may have been located fairly close to Siberia during middle–late Cambrian Epoch 2.

  7. Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability, version II (TRIPS-II): a simple and practical neonatal illness severity score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Shoo K; Aziz, Khalid; Dunn, Michael; Clarke, Maxine; Kovacs, Lajos; Ojah, Cecil; Ye, Xiang Y

    2013-05-01

    Derive and validate a practical assessment of infant illness severity at admission to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Prospective study involving 17,075 infants admitted to 15 NICUs in 2006 to 2008. Logistic regression was used to derive a prediction model for mortality comprising four empirically weighted items (temperature, blood pressure, respiratory status, response to noxious stimuli). This Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability, version II (TRIPS-II) was then validated for prediction of 7-day and total NICU mortality. TRIPS-II discriminated 7-day (receiver operating curve [ROC] area, 0.90) and total NICU mortality (ROC area, 0.87) from survival. Furthermore, there was a direct association between changes in TRIPS-II at 12 and 24 hours and mortality. There was good calibration across the full range of TRIPS-II scores and the gestational age at birth, and addition of TRIPS-II improved performance of prediction models that use gestational age and baseline population risk variables. TRIPS-II is a validated benchmarking tool for assessing infant illness severity at admission and for up to 24 hours after. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  8. Video-assisted functional assessment of index pollicisation in congenital anomalies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mas, Virginie; Ilharreborde, Brice; Mallet, Cindy; Mazda, Keyvan; Simon, Anne-Laure; Jehanno, Pascal

    2016-08-01

    Functional results of index pollicisation are usually assessed by the clinical score of Percival. This score is based on elementary hand movements and does not reflect the function of the neo thumb in daily life activities. The aim of this study was to develop a new video-assisted scoring system based on daily life activities to assess index pollicisation functional outcomes. Twenty-two consecutive children, operated between 1998 and 2012, were examined with a mean of 77 months after surgery. The mean age at surgery was 34 months. Post-operative results were evaluated by a new video-assisted 14-point scoring system consisting of seven basic tasks that are frequently used in daily activities. The series of tasks was performed both on the request of the examiner and in real-life conditions with the use of a hidden camera. Each video recording was examined by three different examiners. Each examiner rated the video recordings three times, with an interval of one week between examinations. Inter- and intra-observer agreements were calculated. Inter- and intra-observer agreements were excellent both on request (κ = 0.87 [0.84-0.97] for inter-observer agreement and 0.92 [0.82-0.98] for intra-observer agreement) and on hidden camera (κ = 0.83 [0.78-0.91] for inter-observer agreement and 0.89 [0.83-0.96] for intra-observer agreement). The results were significantly better on request than on hidden camera (p = 0.045). The correlation between the video-assisted scoring system and the Percival score was poor. The video-assisted scoring system is a reliable tool to assess index pollicisation functional outcomes. The scoring system on hidden camera is more representative of the neo thumb use in daily life complex movements. Level IV.

  9. Assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men by international prostate symptom score and core lower urinary tract symptom score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujimura, Tetsuya; Kume, Haruki; Nishimatsu, Hiroaki; Sugihara, Toru; Nomiya, Akira; Tsurumaki, Yuzuri; Miyazaki, Hideyo; Suzuki, Motofumi; Fukuhara, Hiroshi; Enomoto, Yutaka; Homma, Yukio

    2012-05-01

    Study Type - Therapy (symptom prevalence). Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been most commonly used for the symptom assessment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, LUTS in men are so variable that they may not be fully captured by the IPSS questionnaire alone. This study has demonstrated that the Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS) questionnaire, which addresses 10 important symptoms, is an appropriate initial assessment tool for LUTS in men with various diseases/conditions. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been commonly used to assess lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We have recently developed Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS). The aim of this study is to compare IPSS and CLSS for assessing LUTS in men.  Consecutive 515 men fulfilled IPSS and CLSS questionnaires. IPSS QOL Index was used as the QOL surrogate. The clinical diagnoses were BPH (n = 116), BPH with OAB wet (n =80), prostate cancer (n = 128), prostatitis (n = 68), underactive bladder (n = 8), others (n = 72), and controls (e.g., occult blood) (n = 42). Simple statistics and predictability of poor QOL (QOL Index 4 or greater) were examined. All symptom scores were significantly increased in symptomatic men compared with controls. Scores of corresponding symptoms of two questionnaires were significantly correlated (r = 0.58-0.85, all P incontinence, slow stream, straining, incomplete emptying, bladder pain and urethral pain) as independent factors. The hazard ratios for bladder pain (2.2) and urgency incontinence (2.0) were among the highest. All the nine symptoms are addressed in CLSS, while three symptoms (urgency incontinence, bladder, and urethral pain) are dismissed in IPSS. CLSS questionnaire is more comprehensive than IPSS questionnaire for symptom assessment of men with various diseases/conditions, although both questionnaires can capture

  10. Validity of the Medication-based Disease Burden Index compared with the Charlson Comorbidity Index and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for geriatrics: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beloosesky, Yichayaou; Weiss, Avraham; Mansur, Nariman

    2011-12-01

    Co-morbidity is common in older people. A co-morbidity index reduces coexisting illnesses and their severity to a single numerical score, allowing comparison with scores from other patients. Recently, the Medication-Based Disease Burden Index (MDBI) was developed. The aim of the study was to assess the MDBI's validity in hospitalized elderly patients. Clinical and demographic data and data on patients' medications on admission were obtained prospectively. Retrospectively, we applied the MDBI to the patients' medication regimens, determining their co-morbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G). The MDBI's criterion validity was assessed against the Charlson and CIRS-G indices. Convergent and discriminant validities were also assessed. The MDBI's predictive validity was assessed by its ability to predict 3-month post-discharge readmissions or mortality compared with the Charlson and CIRS-G indices. MDBI scores were correlated with the Charlson and CIRS-G indices' scores (r = 0.44 and r = 0.37, respectively [p indices had good predictive ability for mortality (OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.22, 1.84; p failed to differentiate between cognitive and functional patient groups. The MDBI should be investigated in larger studies to determine its validity in settings where medication data rather than diagnostic data are more readily available. In clinical practice with elderly patients, we recommend employing co-morbidity indices that are based on medical records, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index and CIRS-G.

  11. Development and Validation of an Aquatic Fine Sediment Biotic Index

    Science.gov (United States)

    Relyea, Christina D.; Minshall, G. Wayne; Danehy, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    The Fine Sediment Biotic Index (FSBI) is a regional, stressor-specific biomonitoring index to assess fine sediment (Plecoptera (5), Trichoptera (3), and Ephemeroptera (2) contained all but one of the species or species groups classified as extremely sensitive. Index validation with an independent data set of 255 streams found FSBI scores to accurately predict both high and low levels of measured fine sediment.

  12. Examining the provisional guidelines for weight gain in twin pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutsiv, Olha; Hulman, Adam; Woolcott, Christy; Beyene, Joseph; Giglia, Lucy; Armson, B Anthony; Dodds, Linda; Neupane, Binod; McDonald, Sarah D

    2017-09-29

    Weight gain during pregnancy has an important impact on maternal and neonatal health. Unlike the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for weight gain in singleton pregnancies, those for twin gestations are termed "provisional", as they are based on limited data. The objectives of this study were to determine the neonatal and maternal outcomes associated with gaining weight below, within and above the IOM provisional guidelines on gestational weight gain in twin pregnancies, and additionally, to explore ranges of gestational weight gain among women who delivered twins at the recommended gestational age and birth weight, and those who did not. A retrospective cohort study of women who gave birth to twins at ≥20 weeks gestation, with a birth weight ≥ 500 g was conducted in Nova Scotia, Canada (2003-2014). Our primary outcome of interest was small for gestational age (gain were used to categorize women as gaining below, within, or above guidelines. We performed traditional regression analyses for maternal outcomes, and to account for the correlated nature of the neonatal outcomes in twins, we used generalized estimating equations (GEE). A total of 1482 twins and 741 mothers were included, of whom 27%, 43%, and 30% gained below, within, and above guidelines, respectively. The incidence of small for gestational age in these three groups was 30%, 21%, and 20%, respectively, and relative to gaining within guidelines, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.44 (95% CI 1.01-2.06) for gaining below and 0.92 (95% CI 0.62-1.36) for gaining above. The gestational weight gain in women who delivered twins at 37-42 weeks with average birth weight ≥ 2500 g and those who delivered twins outside of the recommend ranges were comparable to each other and the IOM recommendations. While gestational weight gain below guidelines for twins was associated with some adverse neonatal outcomes, additional research exploring alternate ranges of gestational weight gain in twin

  13. A new disclosure index for Non-Governmental Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shabbir, Javid

    2018-01-01

    Website of Non-governmental organization (NGO) is a focal medium of sharing information in response to transparency demands and addressing trust deficits between stakeholders. Many researchers have proposed accountability approaches to measure information sharing trends through websites. This article discusses a new index to measure online disclosure trends along with the theoretical properties of the index and a practical application of data from NGOs working in Pakistan. The websites have been coded in 2016. Results show that NGOs with branch offices have better disclosure scores than single-office NGOs, and international NGOs score better than local NGOs. NGOs that are more often the subject of newspaper reports have better disclosure trends. PMID:29466397

  14. Development and implications of a revised Canadian Healthy Eating Index (HEIC-2009).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodruff, Sarah J; Hanning, Rhona M

    2010-06-01

    The purpose was to update the Healthy Eating Index-C (HEI-C) with Canada's new food guide recommendations (HEIC-2009) and compare scores and ratings among a small sample of grade 6 students. Updates to the HEI-C were completed with Canada's new food guide recommendations for daily number of servings. HEI-C and HEIC-2009 scores were computed for a small sample (n 405) of grade 6 students utilizing nutrition data that were collected using the Food Behaviour Questionnaire, a validated web-based dietary assessment tool (including a 24 h dietary recall, FFQ, and food and physical activity behavioural questions). Data were collected in fifteen schools in the Region of Waterloo District School Board, Ontario, Canada. A total of 405 students (48 % males and 52 % females) from grade 6 classrooms completed the web-based survey. The index scores revealed that participants scored higher (74.5 v. 69.6, P < 0.001) using the HEIC-2009 compared with the HEI-C, even though both index scores are rated in the 'needs improvement' category (HEIC-2009, 75 %; HEI-C, 71 %). A small group of participants (n 14), who were previously rated (using the HEI-C) in the 'poor' category, were rated in the 'needs improvement' category using the HEIC-2009 (chi2 = 589.647, df = 4, P < 0.001). The HEIC-2009 has the potential to be used as a population-level diet quality index in Canada.

  15. Work ability as prognostic risk marker of disability pension: single-item work ability score versus multi-item work ability index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelen, Corné A M; van Rhenen, Willem; Groothoff, Johan W; van der Klink, Jac J L; Twisk, Jos W R; Heymans, Martijn W

    2014-07-01

    Work ability predicts future disability pension (DP). A single-item work ability score (WAS) is emerging as a measure for work ability. This study compared single-item WAS with the multi-item work ability index (WAI) in its ability to identify workers at risk of DP. This prospective cohort study comprised 11 537 male construction workers, who completed the WAI at baseline and reported DP after a mean 2.3 years of follow-up. WAS and WAI were calibrated for DP risk predictions with the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test and their ability to discriminate between high- and low-risk construction workers was investigated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). At follow-up, 336 (3%) construction workers reported DP. Both WAS [odds ratio (OR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.66-0.78] and WAI (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.52-0.63) scores were associated with DP at follow-up. The WAS showed miscalibration (H-L model χ (�)=10.60; df=3; P=0.01) and poorly discriminated between high- and low-risk construction workers (AUC 0.67, 95% CI 0.64-0.70). In contrast, calibration (H-L model χ �=8.20; df=8; P=0.41) and discrimination (AUC 0.78, 95% CI 0.75-0.80) were both adequate for the WAI. Although associated with the risk of future DP, the single-item WAS poorly identified male construction workers at risk of DP. We recommend using the multi-item WAI to screen for risk of DP in occupational health practice.

  16. SOS score: an optimized score to screen acute stroke patients for obstructive sleep apnea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camilo, Millene R; Sander, Heidi H; Eckeli, Alan L; Fernandes, Regina M F; Dos Santos-Pontelli, Taiza E G; Leite, Joao P; Pontes-Neto, Octavio M

    2014-09-01

    Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is frequent in acute stroke patients, and has been associated with higher mortality and worse prognosis. Polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard diagnostic method for OSA, but it is impracticable as a routine for all acute stroke patients. We evaluated the accuracy of two OSA screening tools, the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) when administered to relatives of acute stroke patients; we also compared these tools against a combined screening score (SOS score). Ischemic stroke patients were submitted to a full PSG at the first night after onset of symptoms. OSA severity was measured by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). BQ and ESS were administered to relatives of stroke patients before the PSG and compared to SOS score for accuracy and C-statistics. We prospectively studied 39 patients. OSA (AHI ≥10/h) was present in 76.9%. The SOS score [area under the curve (AUC): 0.812; P = 0.005] and ESS (AUC: 0.789; P = 0.009) had good predictive value for OSA. The SOS score was the only tool with significant predictive value (AUC: 0.686; P = 0.048) for severe OSA (AHI ≥30/h), when compared to ESS (P = 0.119) and BQ (P = 0.191). The threshold of SOS ≤10 showed high sensitivity (90%) and negative predictive value (96.2%) for OSA; SOS ≥20 showed high specificity (100%) and positive predictive value (92.5%) for severe OSA. The SOS score administered to relatives of stroke patients is a useful tool to screen for OSA and may decrease the need for PSG in acute stroke setting. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Optimal neighborhood indexing for protein similarity search.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterlongo, Pierre; Noé, Laurent; Lavenier, Dominique; Nguyen, Van Hoa; Kucherov, Gregory; Giraud, Mathieu

    2008-12-16

    Similarity inference, one of the main bioinformatics tasks, has to face an exponential growth of the biological data. A classical approach used to cope with this data flow involves heuristics with large seed indexes. In order to speed up this technique, the index can be enhanced by storing additional information to limit the number of random memory accesses. However, this improvement leads to a larger index that may become a bottleneck. In the case of protein similarity search, we propose to decrease the index size by reducing the amino acid alphabet. The paper presents two main contributions. First, we show that an optimal neighborhood indexing combining an alphabet reduction and a longer neighborhood leads to a reduction of 35% of memory involved into the process, without sacrificing the quality of results nor the computational time. Second, our approach led us to develop a new kind of substitution score matrices and their associated e-value parameters. In contrast to usual matrices, these matrices are rectangular since they compare amino acid groups from different alphabets. We describe the method used for computing those matrices and we provide some typical examples that can be used in such comparisons. Supplementary data can be found on the website http://bioinfo.lifl.fr/reblosum. We propose a practical index size reduction of the neighborhood data, that does not negatively affect the performance of large-scale search in protein sequences. Such an index can be used in any study involving large protein data. Moreover, rectangular substitution score matrices and their associated statistical parameters can have applications in any study involving an alphabet reduction.

  18. Optimal neighborhood indexing for protein similarity search

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen Van

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Similarity inference, one of the main bioinformatics tasks, has to face an exponential growth of the biological data. A classical approach used to cope with this data flow involves heuristics with large seed indexes. In order to speed up this technique, the index can be enhanced by storing additional information to limit the number of random memory accesses. However, this improvement leads to a larger index that may become a bottleneck. In the case of protein similarity search, we propose to decrease the index size by reducing the amino acid alphabet. Results The paper presents two main contributions. First, we show that an optimal neighborhood indexing combining an alphabet reduction and a longer neighborhood leads to a reduction of 35% of memory involved into the process, without sacrificing the quality of results nor the computational time. Second, our approach led us to develop a new kind of substitution score matrices and their associated e-value parameters. In contrast to usual matrices, these matrices are rectangular since they compare amino acid groups from different alphabets. We describe the method used for computing those matrices and we provide some typical examples that can be used in such comparisons. Supplementary data can be found on the website http://bioinfo.lifl.fr/reblosum. Conclusion We propose a practical index size reduction of the neighborhood data, that does not negatively affect the performance of large-scale search in protein sequences. Such an index can be used in any study involving large protein data. Moreover, rectangular substitution score matrices and their associated statistical parameters can have applications in any study involving an alphabet reduction.

  19. Novel immunological and nutritional-based prognostic index for gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Kai-Yu; Xu, Jian-Bo; Chen, Shu-Ling; Yuan, Yu-Jie; Wu, Hui; Peng, Jian-Jun; Chen, Chuang-Qi; Guo, Pi; Hao, Yuan-Tao; He, Yu-Long

    2015-05-21

    To assess the prognostic significance of immunological and nutritional-based indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 632 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy between 1998 and 2008. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to compare the predictive ability of the indices, together with estimating the sensitivity, specificity and agreement rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS). Propensity score analysis was performed to adjust variables to control for selection bias. Each index could predict OS in gastric cancer patients in univariate analysis, but only PNI had independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis before and after adjustment with propensity scoring (hazard ratio, 1.668; 95% confidence interval: 1.368-2.035). In subgroup analysis, a low PNI predicted a significantly shorter OS in patients with stage II-III disease (P = 0.019, P gastric cancer. Canton score can be a novel preoperative prognostic index in gastric cancer.

  20. NIKEI: a new inexpensive and non-invasive scoring system to exclude advanced fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Münevver Demir

    Full Text Available AIMS: To develop, validate and compare a non-invasive fibrosis scoring system for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD derived from routinely obtained clinical and biochemical parameters. METHODS: 267 consecutive patients with biopsy proven fatty liver or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis were randomly assigned to the estimation (2/3 or validation (1/3 group to develop a model for the prediction of advanced fibrosis. Univariate statistics were performed to compare patients with and without advanced fibrosis, and following a multivariate logistic regression analysis a new scoring system was constructed. This non-invasive Koeln-Essen-index (NIKEI was validated and compared to the FIB-4 index by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC. We evaluated a stepwise combination of both scoring systems for the precise prediction of advanced fibrosis. To set in contrast, we additionally tested the diagnostic accuracy of the AST/ALT ratio, BARD score and the NAFLD fibrosis score in our cohort. RESULTS: Age, AST, AST/ALT ratio, and total bilirubin were identified as significant predictors of advanced fibrosis and used to construct the NIKEI with an AUC of 0.968 [0.937; 0.998] compared to 0.929 [0.869; 0.989] for the FIB-4 index. The absence of advanced fibrosis could be confirmed with excellent accuracy (99-100%. The positive predictive value of the FIB-4 index was higher (100% vs. 60%, however, the false negative rate was also high (33%. With a stepwise combination of both indices 82%-84% of biopsies would have been avoidable without a single misclassification. The AUROC for AST/ALT ratio, the NAFLD fibrosis score, and the BARD score were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72-0.90, 0.96 (95% CI 0.92-0.99, and 0.67 (95% CI 0.55-0.78, respectively. CONCLUSION: The NIKEI can reliably exclude advanced fibrosis in subjects with NAFLD. In combination with the FIB-4 index misclassification with inadequate clinical management can be avoided while

  1. The Performance of the Upper Limb scores correlate with pulmonary function test measures and Egen Klassifikation scores in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ha Neul; Sawnani, Hemant; Horn, Paul S; Rybalsky, Irina; Relucio, Lani; Wong, Brenda L

    2016-01-01

    The Performance of the Upper Limb scale was developed as an outcome measure specifically for ambulant and non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is implemented in clinical trials needing longitudinal data. The aim of this study is to determine whether this novel tool correlates with functional ability using pulmonary function test, cardiac function test and Egen Klassifikation scale scores as clinical measures. In this cross-sectional study, 43 non-ambulatory Duchenne males from ages 10 to 30 years and on long-term glucocorticoid treatment were enrolled. Cardiac and pulmonary function test results were analyzed to assess cardiopulmonary function, and Egen Klassifikation scores were analyzed to assess functional ability. The Performance of the Upper Limb scores correlated with pulmonary function measures and had inverse correlation with Egen Klassifikation scores. There was no correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular dysfunction. Body mass index and decreased joint range of motion affected total Performance of the Upper Limb scores and should be considered in clinical trial designs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Clinical Application of the PES/WES Index on Natural Teeth: Case Report and Literature Review

    OpenAIRE

    Lanza, Alessandro; Di Francesco, Fabrizio; De Marco, Gennaro; Femiano, Felice; Itro, Angelo

    2017-01-01

    The use of reliable indices to evaluate the aesthetic outcomes in the aesthetic area is an important and objective clinical aid to monitor the results over time. According to the literature various indices were proposed to evaluate aesthetic outcomes of implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area like Peri-Implant and Crown Index [PICI], Implant Crown Aesthetic Index [ICAI], Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score [PES/WES], and Pink Esthetic Score [PES] but none of them was relat...

  3. Psychometric properties of the Neck OutcOme Score, Neck Disability Index, and Short Form-36 were evaluated in patients with neck pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juul, Tina; Søgaard, Karen; Davis, Aileen M; Roos, Ewa M

    2016-11-01

    To assess reliability, construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability for Neck OutcOme Score (NOOS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) in neck pain patients. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach alpha. Test-retest reliability was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and measurement error was estimated from the standard error of measurement. Responsiveness was assessed as standardized response mean (SRM) and interpretability from the minimal important difference (MID). Construct validity was tested correlating subscale scores from NOOS and SF-36 and NDI items. At baseline, 196 neck pain patients were included. Cronbach α was adequate for most NOOS subscales, NDI, and SF-36 with few exceptions. Good to excellent reliability was found for NOOS subscales (ICC 0.88-0.95), for NDI, and for SF-36 with few exceptions. For NOOS, minimal detectable changes varied between 1.1 and 1.9, and construct validity was supported. SRMs were higher for NOOS subscales (0.19-0.42), compared to SF-36 and NDI. MID values varied between 15.0 and 24.1 for NOOS subscales. In conclusion, the NOOS is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure of self-reported disability in neck pain patients, performing at least as well or better than the commonly used SF-36 and NDI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Genome-wide association analysis identifies three new susceptibility loci for childhood body mass index

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felix, Janine F.; Bradfield, Jonathan P.; Monnereau, Claire; van der Valk, Ralf J.P.; Stergiakouli, Evie; Chesi, Alessandra; Gaillard, Romy; Feenstra, Bjarke; Thiering, Elisabeth; Kreiner-Møller, Eskil; Mahajan, Anubha; Pitkänen, Niina; Joro, Raimo; Cavadino, Alana; Huikari, Ville; Franks, Steve; Groen-Blokhuis, Maria M.; Cousminer, Diana L.; Marsh, Julie A.; Lehtimäki, Terho; Curtin, John A.; Vioque, Jesus; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S.; Myhre, Ronny; Price, Thomas S.; Vilor-Tejedor, Natalia; Yengo, Loïc; Grarup, Niels; Ntalla, Ioanna; Ang, Wei; Atalay, Mustafa; Bisgaard, Hans; Blakemore, Alexandra I.; Bonnefond, Amelie; Carstensen, Lisbeth; Eriksson, Johan; Flexeder, Claudia; Franke, Lude; Geller, Frank; Geserick, Mandy; Hartikainen, Anna-Liisa; Haworth, Claire M.A.; Hirschhorn, Joel N.; Hofman, Albert; Holm, Jens-Christian; Horikoshi, Momoko; Hottenga, Jouke Jan; Huang, Jinyan; Kadarmideen, Haja N.; Kähönen, Mika; Kiess, Wieland; Lakka, Hanna-Maaria; Lakka, Timo A.; Lewin, Alexandra M.; Liang, Liming; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Ma, Baoshan; Magnus, Per; McCormack, Shana E.; McMahon, George; Mentch, Frank D.; Middeldorp, Christel M.; Murray, Clare S.; Pahkala, Katja; Pers, Tune H.; Pfäffle, Roland; Postma, Dirkje S.; Power, Christine; Simpson, Angela; Sengpiel, Verena; Tiesler, Carla M. T.; Torrent, Maties; Uitterlinden, André G.; van Meurs, Joyce B.; Vinding, Rebecca; Waage, Johannes; Wardle, Jane; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Zemel, Babette S.; Dedoussis, George V.; Pedersen, Oluf; Froguel, Philippe; Sunyer, Jordi; Plomin, Robert; Jacobsson, Bo; Hansen, Torben; Gonzalez, Juan R.; Custovic, Adnan; Raitakari, Olli T.; Pennell, Craig E.; Widén, Elisabeth; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Koppelman, Gerard H.; Sebert, Sylvain; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Hyppönen, Elina; McCarthy, Mark I.; Lindi, Virpi; Harri, Niinikoski; Körner, Antje; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Heinrich, Joachim; Melbye, Mads; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hakonarson, Hakon; Ring, Susan M.; Smith, George Davey; Sørensen, Thorkild I.A.; Timpson, Nicholas J.; Grant, Struan F.A.; Jaddoe, Vincent W.V.

    2016-01-01

    A large number of genetic loci are associated with adult body mass index. However, the genetics of childhood body mass index are largely unknown. We performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of childhood body mass index, using sex- and age-adjusted standard deviation scores. We included 35 668 children from 20 studies in the discovery phase and 11 873 children from 13 studies in the replication phase. In total, 15 loci reached genome-wide significance (P-value < 5 × 10−8) in the joint discovery and replication analysis, of which 12 are previously identified loci in or close to ADCY3, GNPDA2, TMEM18, SEC16B, FAIM2, FTO, TFAP2B, TNNI3K, MC4R, GPR61, LMX1B and OLFM4 associated with adult body mass index or childhood obesity. We identified three novel loci: rs13253111 near ELP3, rs8092503 near RAB27B and rs13387838 near ADAM23. Per additional risk allele, body mass index increased 0.04 Standard Deviation Score (SDS) [Standard Error (SE) 0.007], 0.05 SDS (SE 0.008) and 0.14 SDS (SE 0.025), for rs13253111, rs8092503 and rs13387838, respectively. A genetic risk score combining all 15 SNPs showed that each additional average risk allele was associated with a 0.073 SDS (SE 0.011, P-value = 3.12 × 10−10) increase in childhood body mass index in a population of 1955 children. This risk score explained 2% of the variance in childhood body mass index. This study highlights the shared genetic background between childhood and adult body mass index and adds three novel loci. These loci likely represent age-related differences in strength of the associations with body mass index. PMID:26604143

  5. Potential Risk Estimation Drowning Index for Children (PREDIC): a pilot study from Matlab, Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borse, N N; Hyder, A A; Bishai, D; Baker, T; Arifeen, S E

    2011-11-01

    Childhood drowning is a major public health problem that has been neglected in many low- and middle-income countries. In Matlab, rural Bangladesh, more than 40% of child deaths aged 1-4 years are due to drowning. The main objective of this paper was to develop and evaluate a childhood drowning risk prediction index. A literature review was carried out to document risk factors identified for childhood drowning in Bangladesh. The Newacheck model for special health care needs for children was adapted and applied to construct a childhood drowning risk index called "Potential Risk Estimation Drowning Index for Children" (PREDIC). Finally, the proposed PREDIC Index was applied to childhood drowning deaths and compared with the comparison group from children living in Matlab, Bangladesh. This pilot study used t-tests and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve to analyze the results. The PREDIC index was applied to 302 drowning deaths and 624 children 0-4 years old living in Matlab. The results of t-test indicate that the drowned children had a statistically (t=-8.58, p=0.0001) significant higher mean PREDIC score (6.01) than those in comparison group (5.26). Drowning cases had a PREDIC score of 6 or more for 68% of the children however, the comparison group had 43% of the children with score of 6 or more which was statistically significant (t=-7.36, p<0.001). The area under the curve for the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve was 0.662. Index score construction was scientifically plausible; and the index is relatively complete, fairly accurate, and practical. The risk index can help identify and target high risk children with drowning prevention programs. PREDIC index needs to be further tested for its accuracy, feasibility and effectiveness in drowning risk reduction in Bangladesh and other countries. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Emergency department external fixation for provisional treatment of pilon and unstable ankle fractures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig R Lareau

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Unstable ankle fractures and impacted tibial pilon fractures often benefit from provisional external fixation as a temporizing measure prior to definitive fixation. Benefits of external fixation include improved articular alignment, decreased articular impaction, and soft tissue rest. Uniplanar external fixator placement in the Emergency Department (ED ex-fix is a reliable and safe technique for achieving ankle reduction and stability while awaiting definitive fixation. This procedure involves placing transverse proximal tibial and calcaneal traction pins and connecting the pins with two external fixator rods. This technique is particularly useful in austere environments or when the operating room is not immediately available. Additionally, this bedside intervention prevents the patient from requiring general anesthesia and may be a cost-effective strategy for decreasing valuable operating time. The ED ex-fix is an especially valuable procedure in busy trauma centers and during mass casualty events, in which resources may be limited.

  7. Determination of the Optimal Cutoff Values for Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire Scores and the Oswestry Disability Index for Favorable Surgical Outcomes in Subjects With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ho-Joong; Park, Jong-Woong; Kang, Kyoung-Tak; Chang, Bong-Soon; Lee, Choon-Ki; Kang, Sung-Shik; Yeom, Jin S

    2015-10-15

    Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data (NCT02134821). The aim of this study was to elucidate the cutoff values for significant predictors for favorable outcomes after lumbar spine surgery in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Various factors are associated with the surgical outcomes for patients with LSS. However, we did not know the odds ratio and/or cutoff values of a predictive factor for a favorable surgical outcome for LSS. A total of 157 patients who underwent spine surgery due to LSS between June 2012 and April 2013 were included in this study. The patients were dichotomized into 2 groups on the basis of an Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score of 22 or less (favorable outcome group) or more than 22 (unfavorable outcome group) at 12 months after surgery. Regarding favorable outcomes, the odds ratio for each preoperative variable including demographic data, preoperative symptom severity, and pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ) score was calculated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. For the significant variables for surgical outcome, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted with calculation of the area under the ROC curve. Multivariate analysis revealed that the ODI and total PSQ scores were significantly associated with a greater likelihood of an unfavorable surgical outcome [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of ODI, 1.289 (1.028-1.616); odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of total PSQ, 1.060 (1.009-1.113)]. ROC analysis revealed area under the ROC curves for the total PSQ and ODI scores of 0.638 (P = 0.005) and 0.692 (P disability and pain sensitivity can be predictors of the functional level achieved after spine surgery in patients with LSS, and the ideal cutoff values for the total PSQ and ODI scores were 6.6 and 45.0, respectively.

  8. Pre-operative risk scores for the prediction of outcome in elderly people who require emergency surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bates Tom

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The decision on whether to operate on a sick elderly person with an intra-abdominal emergency is one of the most difficult in general surgery. A predictive risk-score would be of great value in this situation. Methods A Medline search was performed to identify those predictive risk-scores relevant to sick elderly patients in whom emergency surgery might be life-saving. Results Many of the risk scores for surgical patients include the operative findings or require tests which are not available in the acute situation. Most of the relevant studies include younger patients and elective surgery. The Glasgow Aneurysm Score and Hardman Index are specific to ruptured aortic aneurysm while the Boey Score and the Hacetteppe Score are specific to perforated peptic ulcer. The Reiss Index and Fitness Score can be used pre-operatively if the elements of the score can be completed in time. The ASA score, which includes a significant element of subjective clinical judgement, can be augmented with factors such as age and urgency of surgery but no test has a negative predictive value sufficient to recommend against surgical intervention without clinical input. Conclusion Risk scores may be helpful in sick elderly patients needing emergency abdominal surgery but an experienced clinical opinion is still essential.

  9. Workplace exposure to nanoparticles and the application of provisional nanoreference values in times of uncertain risks

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Broekhuizen, Pieter; van Broekhuizen, Fleur; Cornelissen, Ralf; Reijnders, Lucas

    2012-03-01

    Nano reference values (NRVs) for occupational use of nanomaterials were tested as provisional substitute for Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs). NRVs can be used as provisional limit values until Health-Based OELs or derived no-effect levels (DNEL) become available. NRVs were defined for 8 h periods (time weighted average) and for short-term exposure periods (15 min-time weighted average). To assess the usefulness of these NRVs, airborne number concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs) in the workplace environment were measured during paint manufacturing, electroplating, light equipment manufacturing, non-reflective glass production, production of pigment concentrates and car refinishing. Activities monitored were handling of solid engineered NPs (ENP), abrasion, spraying and heating during occupational use of nanomaterials (containing ENPs) and machining nanosurfaces. The measured concentrations are often presumed to contain ENPs as well as process-generated NPs (PGNP). The PGNP are found to be a significant source for potential exposure and cannot be ignored in risk assessment. Levels of NPs identified in workplace air were up to several millions of nanoparticles/cm3. Conventional components in paint manufacturing like CaCO3 and talc may contain a substantial amount of nanosized particulates giving rise to airborne nanoparticle concentrations. It is argued that risk assessments carried out for e.g. paint manufacturing processes using conventional non-nano components should take into account potential nanoparticle emissions as well. The concentrations measured were compared with particle-based NRVs and with mass-based values that have also been proposed for workers protection. It is concluded that NRVs can be used for risk management for handling or processing of nanomaterials at workplaces provided that the scope of NRVs is not limited to ENPs only, but extended to the exposure to process-generated NPs as well.

  10. Workplace exposure to nanoparticles and the application of provisional nanoreference values in times of uncertain risks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broekhuizen, Pieter van; Broekhuizen, Fleur van; Cornelissen, Ralf; Reijnders, Lucas

    2012-01-01

    Nano reference values (NRVs) for occupational use of nanomaterials were tested as provisional substitute for Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs). NRVs can be used as provisional limit values until Health-Based OELs or derived no-effect levels (DNEL) become available. NRVs were defined for 8 h periods (time weighted average) and for short-term exposure periods (15 min-time weighted average). To assess the usefulness of these NRVs, airborne number concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs) in the workplace environment were measured during paint manufacturing, electroplating, light equipment manufacturing, non-reflective glass production, production of pigment concentrates and car refinishing. Activities monitored were handling of solid engineered NPs (ENP), abrasion, spraying and heating during occupational use of nanomaterials (containing ENPs) and machining nanosurfaces. The measured concentrations are often presumed to contain ENPs as well as process-generated NPs (PGNP). The PGNP are found to be a significant source for potential exposure and cannot be ignored in risk assessment. Levels of NPs identified in workplace air were up to several millions of nanoparticles/cm 3 . Conventional components in paint manufacturing like CaCO 3 and talc may contain a substantial amount of nanosized particulates giving rise to airborne nanoparticle concentrations. It is argued that risk assessments carried out for e.g. paint manufacturing processes using conventional non-nano components should take into account potential nanoparticle emissions as well. The concentrations measured were compared with particle-based NRVs and with mass-based values that have also been proposed for workers protection. It is concluded that NRVs can be used for risk management for handling or processing of nanomaterials at workplaces provided that the scope of NRVs is not limited to ENPs only, but extended to the exposure to process-generated NPs as well.

  11. [Cleft lip, alveolar and palate sequelae. Proposal of new alveolar score by the Alveolar Cleft Score (ACS) classification].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molé, C; Simon, E

    2015-06-01

    The management of cleft lip, alveolar and palate sequelae remains problematic today. To optimize it, we tried to establish a new clinical index for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Seven tissue indicators, that we consider to be important in the management of alveolar sequelae, are listed by assigning them individual scores. The final score, obtained by adding together the individual scores, can take a low, high or maximum value. We propose a new classification (ACS: Alveolar Cleft Score) that guides the therapeutic team to a prognosis approach, in terms of the recommended surgical and prosthetic reconstruction, the type of medical care required, and the preventive and supportive therapy to establish. Current studies are often only based on a standard radiological evaluation of the alveolar bone height at the cleft site. However, the gingival, the osseous and the cellular areas bordering the alveolar cleft sequelae induce many clinical parameters, which should be reflected in the morphological diagnosis, to better direct the surgical indications and the future prosthetic requirements, and to best maintain successful long term aesthetic and functional results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Finger Tapping Clinimetric Score Prediction in Parkinson's Disease Using Low-Cost Accelerometers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julien Stamatakis

    2013-01-01

    algorithm were used to identify the most relevant features in the prediction of MDS-UPDRS FT scores, given by 3 specialists in movement disorders (SMDs. The Goodman-Kruskal Gamma index obtained (0.961, depicting the predictive performance of the model, is similar to those obtained between the individual scores given by the SMD (0.870 to 0.970. The automatic prediction of MDS-UPDRS scores using the proposed system may be valuable in clinical trials designed to evaluate and modify motor disability in PD patients.

  13. The RBANS Effort Index: base rates in geriatric samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duff, Kevin; Spering, Cynthia C; O'Bryant, Sid E; Beglinger, Leigh J; Moser, David J; Bayless, John D; Culp, Kennith R; Mold, James W; Adams, Russell L; Scott, James G

    2011-01-01

    The Effort Index (EI) of the RBANS was developed to assist clinicians in discriminating patients who demonstrate good effort from those with poor effort. However, there are concerns that older adults might be unfairly penalized by this index, which uses uncorrected raw scores. Using five independent samples of geriatric patients with a broad range of cognitive functioning (e.g., cognitively intact, nursing home residents, probable Alzheimer's disease), base rates of failure on the EI were calculated. In cognitively intact and mildly impaired samples, few older individuals were classified as demonstrating poor effort (e.g., 3% in cognitively intact). However, in the more severely impaired geriatric patients, over one third had EI scores that fell above suggested cutoff scores (e.g., 37% in nursing home residents, 33% in probable Alzheimer's disease). In the cognitively intact sample, older and less educated patients were more likely to have scores suggestive of poor effort. Education effects were observed in three of the four clinical samples. Overall cognitive functioning was significantly correlated with EI scores, with poorer cognition being associated with greater suspicion of low effort. The current results suggest that age, education, and level of cognitive functioning should be taken into consideration when interpreting EI results and that significant caution is warranted when examining EI scores in elders suspected of having dementia.

  14. A Persian version of Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezaei, Mohammad; Rashedi, Vahid; Khedmati Morasae, Esmaeil

    2016-09-01

    This study aimed to translate the original English version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) into a Persian version and to assess the preliminary psychometric properties of the translated index among a sample of Persian elders. Twelve items included in GOHAI were first translated into Persian using a back-translation technique and then were compared with the original version. Four hundred and seventeen elderly subjects who were admitted to a day care centre answered GOHAI and an attached socio-demographic questionnaire. Internal consistency of the Persian version was measured by Cronbach's alpha. Test-retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa. Factor structure of GOHAI was evaluated by principal component factor analysis. Mean of GOHAI score was 45.71 (SD: 5.14; range: 27-51). The mean of GOHAI score was higher for the elders who rated their oral and general health as 'good'. The Cronbach's alpha for GOHAI score was 0.748, indicating a high degree of internal consistency and homogeneity between the GOHAI items. The test-retest correlation for the total GOHAI score using ICC was 0.763 (95% CI = 0.713-0.809). Factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution that bolstered the theoretical construction of the index. Significant differences in the GOHAI scores were found for income and current number of teeth. The Persian version of the GOHAI can be used reliably to identify oral health-related concerns of older Persian speakers, but further research is needed to confirm its cultural consonance in this population. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Association. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. [The use of scores in general medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Ursula; Rösli, Andreas; Ballmer, Peter E; Rippin, Sarah Jane

    2013-10-01

    Scores are tools to combine complex information into a numerical value. In General Medicine, there are scores to assist in making diagnoses and prognoses, scores to assist therapeutic decision making and to evaluate therapeutic results and scores to help physicians when informing and advising patients. We review six of the scoring systems that have the greatest utility for the General Physician in hospital-based care and in General Practice. The Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002) tool is designed to identify hospital patients in danger of malnutrition. The aim is to improve the nutritional status of these patients. The CURB-65 score predicts 30-day mortality in patients with community acquired pneumonia. Patients with a low score can be considered for home treatment, patients with an elevated score require hospitalisation and those with a high score should be treated as having severe pneumonia; treatment in the intensive care unit should be considered. The IAS-AGLA score of the Working Group on Lipids and Atherosclerosis of the Swiss Society of Cardiology calculates the 10-year risk of a myocardial infarction for people living in Switzerland. The working group makes recommendations for preventative treatment according to the calculated risk status. The Body Mass Index, which is calculated by dividing the body weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared and then divided into weight categories, is used to classify people as underweight, of normal weight, overweight or obese. The prognostic value of this classification is discussed. The Mini-Mental State Examination allows the physician to assess important cognitive functions in a simple and standardised form. The Glasgow Coma Scale is used to classify the level of consciousness in patients with head injury. It can be used for triage and correlates with prognosis.

  16. Documentation to the NCES Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Universe Survey: School Year 2011-12. Provisional Version 1a. NCES 2014-035

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keaton, Patrick

    2014-01-01

    This documentation is for the provisional version 1a file of the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) Local Education Agency (LEA) Universe Survey for SY 2011-12. It contains a brief description of the data collection, along with information required to understand and access the data file. The CCD is a…

  17. [Is the socioeconomic deprivation EPICES score useful in obstetrics?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Convers, M; Langeron, A; Sass, C; Moulin, J-J; Augier, A; Varlet, M-N; Seffert, P; Chêne, G

    2012-04-01

    To describe a validated and multifactorial deprivation score to study the relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and perinatal risks. The index of deprivation EPICES (Evaluation of Precarity and Inequalities in Health Examination Centers) was used to characterize the deprivation status of 234 women in post-partum in comparison with perinatal morbidity. The cutoff value of 30.7 was the threshold to define deprivation. Two hundred and eight patients were included in this retrospective study from whom 48 (23%) had a score of deprivation higher than 30.7. Maternofetal morbidity was more severe in deprived patients. The current results show that the EPICES score could be a useful obstetrical tool for the identification of deprived women during pregnancy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Work ability assessment in a worker population: comparison and determinants of Work Ability Index and Work Ability score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Fassi, Mehdi; Bocquet, Valery; Majery, Nicole; Lair, Marie Lise; Couffignal, Sophie; Mairiaux, Philippe

    2013-04-08

    Public authorities in European countries are paying increasing attention to the promotion of work ability throughout working life and the best method to monitor work ability in populations of workers is becoming a significant question. The present study aims to compare the assessment of work ability based on the use of the Work Ability Index (WAI), a 7-item questionnaire, with another one based on the use of WAI's first item, which consists in the worker's self-assessment of his/her current work ability level as opposed to his/her lifetime best, this single question being termed "Work Ability score" (WAS). Using a database created by an occupational health service, the study intends to answer the following questions: could the assessment of work ability be based on a single-item measure and which are the variables significantly associated with self-reported work ability among those systematically recorded by the occupational physician during health examinations? A logistic regression model was used in order to estimate the probability of observing "poor" or "moderate" WAI levels depending on age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, position held, firm size and diseases reported by the worker in a population of workers aged 40 to 65 and examined between January 2006 and June 2010 (n=12389). The convergent validity between WAS and WAI was statistically significant (rs=0.63). In the multivariable model, age (pwork ability. A work position characterized by the predominance of mental activity (OR=0.71, 95%CI [0.61-0.84]) had a favourable impact on work ability. These relations were observed regardless of the work ability measurement tool used. The convergent validity and the similarity in results between WAI and WAS observed in a large population of employed workers should thus foster the use of WAS for systematic screening of work ability. Ageing, overweight, decline in health status, holding a mostly physical job and working in a large-sized firm increase the

  19. Changes in parent motivation predicts changes in body mass index z-score (zBMI) and dietary intake among preschoolers enrolled in a family-based obesity intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Allen, Jason; Kuhl, Elizabeth S; Filigno, Stephanie S; Clifford, Lisa M; Connor, Jared M; Stark, Lori J

    2014-10-01

    To examine whether changes in parent motivation over the course of a pediatric obesity intervention are significantly associated with long-term changes in treatment outcomes.   Study hypotheses were tested with a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial (N = 42). Study analyses tested whether baseline to posttreatment change in total score for a self-report parent motivation measure (Parent Motivation Inventory [PMI]) was significantly associated with baseline to 6-month follow-up changes in body mass index z-score (zBMI), dietary variables, and physical activity.   Increases in PMI were significantly associated with decreased zBMI, decreased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets, and increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages.   Given that increases in parent motivation were associated with some treatment benefits, future research should evaluate the impact of directly assessing and targeting parent motivation on weight outcomes for preschoolers participating in a weight management program. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Prediction of massive bleeding. Shock index and modified shock index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terceros-Almanza, L J; García-Fuentes, C; Bermejo-Aznárez, S; Prieto-Del Portillo, I J; Mudarra-Reche, C; Sáez-de la Fuente, I; Chico-Fernández, M

    2017-12-01

    To determine the predictive value of the Shock Index and Modified Shock Index in patients with massive bleeding due to severe trauma. Retrospective cohort. Severe trauma patient's initial attention at the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital. Patients older than 14 years that were admitted to the hospital with severe trauma (Injury Severity Score >15) form January 2014 to December 2015. We studied the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive and negative predictive value (PV+ and PV-), positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR+ and LR-), ROC curves (Receiver Operating Characteristics) and the area under the same (AUROC) for prediction of massive hemorrhage. 287 patients were included, 76.31% (219) were male, mean age was 43,36 (±17.71) years and ISS was 26 (interquartile range [IQR]: 21-34). The overall frequency of massive bleeding was 8.71% (25). For Shock Index: AUROC was 0.89 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.84 to 0.94), with an optimal cutoff at 1.11, Se was 91.3% (95% CI: 73.2 to 97.58) and Sp was 79.69% (95% CI: 74.34 to 84.16). For the Modified Shock Index: AUROC was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86 to 0.95), with an optimal cutoff at 1.46, Se was 95.65% (95% CI: 79.01 to 99.23) and Sp was 75.78% (95% CI: 70.18 to 80.62). Shock Index and Modified Shock Index are good predictors of massive bleeding and could be easily incorporated to the initial workup of patients with severe trauma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

  1. Immediate Restoration of Immediate Implants in the Esthetic Zone of the Maxilla Via the Copy-Abutment Technique: 5-Year Follow-Up of Pink Esthetic Scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fürhauser, Rudolf; Mailath-Pokorny, Georg; Haas, Robert; Busenlechner, Dieter; Watzek, Georg; Pommer, Bernhard

    2017-02-01

    Implant esthetics may benefit from individualized zirconia abutments copying the emergence profile of the natural tooth and delivered within days after immediate implant insertion. To investigate the esthetic outcome of the Copy-Abutment technique using the Pink Esthetic Score (PES). A total of 77 patients with single-tooth implants in the anterior maxilla restored at the day of immediate implant placement using Copy-Abutments and provisional crowns were followed-up after 1 week, 1 month, 4 months, 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years to assess implant esthetics. PES ranged between 7 and 14 (median: 13) and improved significantly between the 6 month and 1 year follow-up (p esthetic zone show satisfactory long-term esthetic outcomes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. A brief symptom index for advanced renal cell carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cella David

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Our objective was to test a brief, symptom index for advanced renal cell carcinoma, a disease affecting over 38,000 Americans each year and often diagnosed in late stages. Methods We conducted secondary data analyses on patient-reported outcomes of 209 metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients participating in a Phase III clinical trial. Patient-reported outcomes, obtained from the FACT-Biological Response Modifier (FACT-BRM scale, were available at baseline, 2, and 8 weeks. We analyzed data from eight FACT-BRM items previously identified by clinical experts to represent the most important symptoms of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Items comprising this index assess nausea, pain, appetite, perceived sickness, fatigue and weakness, with higher scores indicating fewer symptoms. We determined reliability and validity of the index and estimated a minimally important difference. Results The index had excellent internal reliability at all three time points (alphas ≥ 0.83. Baseline scores were able to discriminate patients across Karnofsky performance status, number of metastatic sites, and risk group categories (ps Conclusion The 8-item index of patient-reported symptoms of renal cell carcinoma appears to be a psychometrically sound measure. It is a brief, reliable, and valid measure that can easily be adapted for use in clinical trials and observational studies.

  3. A new plan-scoring method using normal tissue complication probability for personalized treatment plan decisions in prostate cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kwang Hyeon; Lee, Suk; Shim, Jang Bo; Yang, Dae Sik; Yoon, Won Sup; Park, Young Je; Kim, Chul Yong; Cao, Yuan Jie; Chang, Kyung Hwan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to derive a new plan-scoring index using normal tissue complication probabilities to verify different plans in the selection of personalized treatment. Plans for 12 patients treated with tomotherapy were used to compare scoring for ranking. Dosimetric and biological indexes were analyzed for the plans for a clearly distinguishable group ( n = 7) and a similar group ( n = 12), using treatment plan verification software that we developed. The quality factor ( QF) of our support software for treatment decisions was consistent with the final treatment plan for the clearly distinguishable group (average QF = 1.202, 100% match rate, n = 7) and the similar group (average QF = 1.058, 33% match rate, n = 12). Therefore, we propose a normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) based on the plan scoring index for verification of different plans for personalized treatment-plan selection. Scoring using the new QF showed a 100% match rate (average NTCP QF = 1.0420). The NTCP-based new QF scoring method was adequate for obtaining biological verification quality and organ risk saving using the treatment-planning decision-support software we developed for prostate cancer.

  4. Women's Empowerment in Agricultural Index: Proof of Concept

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Agency for International Development — The index is a significant innovation in its field that measures multiple indicators of empowerment, and generates "scores" that can be compared over time. It is the...

  5. Predicting mortality among older adults hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia: an enhanced confusion, urea, respiratory rate and blood pressure score compared with pneumonia severity index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abisheganaden, John; Ding, Yew Yoong; Chong, Wai-Fung; Heng, Bee-Hoon; Lim, Tow Keang

    2012-08-01

    Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) predicts mortality better than Confusion, Urea >7 mmol/L, Respiratory rate >30/min, low Blood pressure: diastolic blood pressure blood pressure 65 years (CURB-65) for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) but is more cumbersome. The objective was to determine whether CURB enhanced with a small number of additional variables can predict mortality with at least the same accuracy as PSI. Retrospective review of medical records and administrative data of adults aged 55 years or older hospitalized for CAP over 1 year from three hospitals. For 1052 hospital admissions of unique patients, 30-day mortality was 17.2%. PSI class and CURB-65 predicted 30-day mortality with area under curve (AUC) of 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-0.80) and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.66-0.74) respectively. When age and three co-morbid conditions (metastatic cancer, solid tumours without metastases and stroke) were added to CURB, the AUC improved to 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77-0.83). Bootstrap validation obtained an AUC estimate of 0.78, indicating negligible overfitting of the model. Based on this model, a clinical score (enhanced CURB score) was developed that had possible values from 5 to 25. Its AUC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76-0.83) and remained similar to that of PSI class. An enhanced CURB score predicted 30-day mortality with at least the same accuracy as PSI class did among older adults hospitalized for CAP. External validation of this score in other populations is the next step to determine whether it can be used more widely. © 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  6. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for Fentanyl in support of the development of Provisional Advisory Levels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shankaran, Harish, E-mail: harish.shankaran@pnnl.gov [Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Adeshina, Femi [National Homeland Security Research Center, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460 (United States); Teeguarden, Justin G. [Systems Toxicology Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States)

    2013-12-15

    Provisional Advisory Levels (PALs) are tiered exposure limits for toxic chemicals in air and drinking water that are developed to assist in emergency responses. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling can support this process by enabling extrapolations across doses, and exposure routes, thereby addressing gaps in the available toxicity data. Here, we describe the development of a PBPK model for Fentanyl – a synthetic opioid used clinically for pain management – to support the establishment of PALs. Starting from an existing model for intravenous Fentanyl, we first optimized distribution and clearance parameters using several additional IV datasets. We then calibrated the model using pharmacokinetic data for various formulations, and determined the absorbed fraction, F, and time taken for the absorbed amount to reach 90% of its final value, t90. For aerosolized pulmonary Fentanyl, F = 1 and t90 < 1 min indicating complete and rapid absorption. The F value ranged from 0.35 to 0.74 for oral and various transmucosal routes. Oral Fentanyl was absorbed the slowest (t90 ∼ 300 min); the absorption of intranasal Fentanyl was relatively rapid (t90 ∼ 20–40 min); and the various oral transmucosal routes had intermediate absorption rates (t90 ∼ 160–300 min). Based on these results, for inhalation exposures, we assumed that all of the Fentanyl inhaled from the air during each breath directly, and instantaneously enters the arterial circulation. We present model predictions of Fentanyl blood concentrations in oral and inhalation scenarios relevant for PAL development, and provide an analytical expression that can be used to extrapolate between oral and inhalation routes for the derivation of PALs. - Highlights: • We develop a Fentanyl PBPK model for relating external dose to internal levels. • We calibrate the model to oral and inhalation exposures using > 50 human datasets. • Model predictions are in good agreement with the available

  7. Comparison of a new composite index based on midlatency auditory evoked potentials and electroencephalographic parameters with bispectral index (BIS) during moderate propofol sedation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadzidiakos, D; Petersen, S; Baars, J; Herold, K; Rehberg, B

    2006-11-01

    Derived parameters of the electroencephalogram and auditory evoked potentials can be used to determine depth of anaesthesia and sedation. However, it is not known whether any parameter can identify the occurrence of awareness in individual patients. We have compared the performance of bispectral index and a new composite index derived from auditory evoked potentials and the electroencephalogram (AAI 1.61) in predicting consciousness, explicit and implicit memory during moderate sedation with propofol. Twenty-one patients with spinal anaesthesia received intraoperatively propofol at the age-corrected C(50) for loss of consciousness and were presented test words via headphones. Bispectral index and AAI 1.61 (auditory evoked potentials, AEP-Monitor2) were recorded in parallel as well as the Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation-score. Postoperatively, testing for explicit and implicit memory formation was performed. Bispectral index and AAI 1.61 correlated well with loss of consciousness defined by an Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation-score of 2 (identical P(K) of 0.87), but did not allow a prediction of postoperative explicit or implicit recall. Both bispectral index and AAI may be indices of depth of sedation rather than indicators of memory formation, which persists during propofol sedation even after loss of consciousness.

  8. Validation of the computed assessment of cleansing score with the Mirocam® system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Ponte

    Full Text Available Background and aims: A computed assessment of cleansing (CAC score was developed to objectively evaluate small-bowel cleansing in the PillCam capsule endoscopy (CE system and to overcome the subjectivity and complexity of previous scoring systems. Our study aimed to adapt the CAC score to the Mirocam® system, evaluate its reliability with the Mirocam® CE system and compare it with three validated subjective grading scales. Patients and methods: Thirty CE were prospectively and independently reviewed by two authors who classified the degree of small-bowel cleanliness according to a quantitative index, a qualitative evaluation and an overall adequacy assessment. The authors were blinded for the CAC score of each CE, which was calculated as ([mean intensity of the red channel]/[mean intensity of the green channel] - 1 x 10. The mean intensities of the red and green channels of the small-bowel segment of the "Map View" bar in the Miroview Client® were determined using the histogram option of two photo-editing software. Results: There was a strong agreement between both CE readers for each of the three subjective scales used. The reproducibility of the CAC score was excellent and identical results were obtained with the two photo-editing software. Regarding the comparison between the CAC score and the subjective scales, there was a moderate-to-good agreement with the quantitative index, qualitative evaluation and overall adequacy assessment. Conclusions: CAC score represents an objective and feasible score in the assessment of small-bowel cleansing in the Mirocam® CE system, and could be used per se or as part of a more comprehensive score.

  9. Tipología de las bibliotecas argentinas desde el período hispánico hasta 1830: Una primera clasificación provisional Typology of the Argentine Libraries since the Hispanic Period to 1830: A First Provisional Classification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro E. Parada

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available El presente artículo intenta trazar una breve clasificación de los distintos «tipos» de bibliotecas existentes en el actual territorio argentino durante la dominación hispánica hasta el año 1830. La tipología adoptada es, ante todo, una aproximación provisional y ampliamente perfectible. La contribución se dirige, en líneas generales, a quienes se inician en el estudio de la «Historia del libro, de las bibliotecas y de la lectura» en la Argentina. En este sentido, la bibliografía citada intenta suplir la falta de guías de estudio sobre esta temática. Las bibliotecas identificadas son las siguientes: de instituciones o corporaciones religiosas, particulares, pública catedralicia, pública conventual, pública, de sociedades de extranjeros (societarias, de institutos de enseñanza, circulantes (y gabinetes de lectura, y por encargo u ofrecidas por negociantes.This article tries to outline a brief classification of the different types of existing libraries in the present Argentine territory since the Hispanic domination to 1830. The typology adopted is, above all, a provisional approach greatly rectifiable. The contribution is aimed, in general terms, to whom start the study of the history of the books, libraries, and reading in Argentina. In that sense, the quoted bibliography tries to substitute the lack of study guides on the subject. The identified libraries belong to: institutions or religious corporations; private individuals; foreigners societies (i.e.: belonging to a society; educational institutes; and cathedral public libraries; conventual public libraries; public libraries; circulating libraries (and reading rooms; and libraries made to order or offered by businessmen.

  10. Investigation on the hematopoietic effect of functional foods using radiation and preparing the provisional product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sung Ho; Oh, Heon; Lee, Song Eun; Jeong, Yong Woon [Chonnam National University, Kwangju (Korea)

    1999-04-01

    We performed this study to determine the effect of several oriental prescriptions as energy tonic (Chinese medical concept: Bu-Qi) or blood building (Chinese medical concept: Bu-Xie) decoction and its major ingredients on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells of mice irradiated with high and low dose of gamma-irradiation. For the study of evaluation on the biological stability of irradiated chinese medical prescriptions, we performed the experiment to determine the effect of irradiated (10kGy) or unirradiated Si-Wu-Tang, Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang and San-Ling-Bai-Shu-San in irradiated mice. Further studies are needed to characterize better the protective nature of the total extract and its ingredients and for preparing the provisional product. (author). 61 refs., 3 figs., 21 tabs.

  11. Development of a New Fall Risk Assessment Index for Older Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minoru Yamada, RPT, PhD

    2012-09-01

    Conclusion: We have demonstrated that the new index is a reliable indicator for falls in elderly people who have higher levels of functional capacity. Our data suggest that a score of more than 1 point by the new index can predict falls in robust elderly people.

  12. Development of a severity score for CRPS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harden, R Norman; Bruehl, Stephen; Perez, Roberto S G M; Birklein, Frank; Marinus, Johan; Maihofner, Christian; Lubenow, Timothy; Buvanendran, Asokumar; Mackey, Sean; Graciosa, Joseph; Mogilevski, Mila; Ramsden, Christopher; Schlereth, Tanja; Chont, Melissa; Vatine, Jean-Jacques

    2010-12-01

    The clinical diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a dichotomous (yes/no) categorization necessary for clinical decision-making. However, such dichotomous diagnostic categories do not convey an individual's subtle and temporal gradations in severity of the condition, and have poor statistical power when used as an outcome measure in research. This study evaluated the validity and potential utility of a continuous type score to index severity of CRPS. Psychometric and medical evaluations were conducted in 114 CRPS patients and 41 non-CRPS neuropathic pain patients. Based on the presence/absence of 17 clinically-assessed signs and symptoms of CRPS, an overall CRPS Severity Score (CSS) was derived. The CSS discriminated well between CRPS and non-CRPS patients (pCRPS diagnoses using both IASP diagnostic criteria (Eta=0.69) and proposed revised criteria (Eta=0.77-0.88). Higher CSS was associated with significantly higher clinical pain intensity, distress, and functional impairments, as well as greater bilateral temperature asymmetry and thermal perception abnormalities (p'sCRPS, and support its validity as an index of CRPS severity. Its utility as an outcome measure in research studies is also suggested, with potential statistical advantages over dichotomous diagnostic criteria. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. RAPID3 scores and hand outcome measurements in RA patients: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qorolli, Merita; Hundozi-Hysenaj, Hajrije; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rehxepi, Blerta; Grazio, Simeon

    2017-06-01

    The Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) is a patient-reported disease activity measure used to assess physical function, pain, and global health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) without formal joint counts. Since hand involvement and its decreased function are hallmarks of RA, the aim of our study was to investigate the performance of RAPID3 scores with regard to hand function and to confirm previous findings that the RAPID3 score as a disease activity measure is strongly correlated with the DAS28 score. Sixty-eight consecutive patients with RA (85% female), aged 18-75 years, were included in the study and were recruited during their outpatient visit. Apart from demographic and clinical data, the obtained parameters of interest included RAPID3 scores and assessments of the function of the hand, namely, the signal of functional impairment (SOFI)-hand, grip strength, and pulp-to-palm distance, as well the Health Assessment Questionnaire- Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and DAS28 scores. Pearson's correlation coefficient, Student's t test and linear regression were used in the statistical analysis of the results. The significance was set to p < 0.05. A positive correlation was found between RAPID3 scores and HAQ-DI scores, SOFI-hand scores, and pulp-to-palm distance, and negative correlation was observed between RAPID3 scores and grip strength. The order regarding the strength of correlations between RAPID3 scores and other variables (from the strongest to the weakest) was as follows: HAQ-DI, grip strength, SOFI-hand and pulp-to-palm distance. The hand assessment variables had stronger correlations with RAPID3 scores than with DAS28 scores. Our preliminary study showed that RAPID3 scores were strongly correlated with measurements of the functional ability of the hand, demonstrating that RAPID3 can be used as a measure of disease activity in clinical practice and to characterize hand function. Further studies are needed to confirm this result.

  14. Body Mass Index Class Is Independently Associated With Health-Related Quality of Life After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: An Institutional Registry-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLawhorn, Alexander S; Steinhaus, Michael E; Southren, Daniel L; Lee, Yuo-Yu; Dodwell, Emily R; Figgie, Mark P

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients across World Health Organization (WHO) body mass index (BMI) classes before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients with end-stage hip osteoarthritis who received elective primary unilateral THA were identified through an institutional registry and categorized based on the World Health Organization BMI classification. Age, sex, laterality, year of surgery, and Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index were recorded. The primary outcome was the EQ-5D-3L index and visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) scores at 2 years postoperatively. Inferential statistics and regression analyses were performed to determine associations between BMI classes and HRQoL. EQ-5D-3L scores at baseline and at 2 years were statistically different across BMI classes, with higher EQ-VAS and index scores in patients with lower BMI. There was no difference observed for the 2-year change in EQ-VAS scores, but there was a statistically greater increase in index scores for more obese patients. In the regression analyses, there were statistically significant negative effect estimates for EQ-VAS and index scores associated with increasing BMI class. BMI class is independently associated with lower HRQoL scores 2 years after primary THA. While absolute scores in obese patients were lower than in nonobese patients, obese patients enjoyed more positive changes in EQ-5D index scores after THA. These results may provide the most detailed information on how BMI influences HRQoL before and after THA, and they are relevant to future economic decision analyses on the topic. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Documentation to the NCES Common Core of Data Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey: School Year 2011-12. Provisional Version 1a. NCES 2014-100

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keaton, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    The documentation for this provisional version 1a file of the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey for SY 2011-12, contains a brief description of the data collection, along with information required to understand and access the data file. The SY 2011-12…

  16. Detection and severity of coronary disease: comparison between Framingham and calcium scores using multi-slice tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez Gomez, Maria Liliana; Montenegro, Edison; Ruiz, Angela Maria; Ardila, Jaime

    2011-01-01

    Introduction: multiple studies have shown that the coronary calcium index is an independent, more accurate predictor of future coronary events in relation to traditional risk factors. However, these studies have not been conducted in populations of developing countries like Colombia. Objective: to compare the strength of association between the Framingham index and the coronary calcium score in detecting the presence and severity of coronary disease as defined by 64-channel multi-slice angio-CT in order to provide additional information for decision-making in our asymptomatic coronary population. Methodology: we reviewed the written reports of coronary angiography scans performed in past 3 years. Based on this information, bivariate (calculation of Spearman rho correlation coefficients) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed. Results: the coronary calcium score showed a higher correlation with the presence and severity of coronary disease, Spearman Rho coefficient, compared with the Framingham index, Spearman's Rho coefficient of 0.30 (p<0.001). The moderate Framingham index (10-19%) shows no strength of association with significant and non-significant coronary artery disease, OR = 2, 51 CI 95% (0.7-8.9) and OR = 2.3 CI 95% (0.86-6.15), respectively. Patients with calcium values = 100 showed significant strength of association, OR = 182, 95% (17.4 -190.2), with significant coronary disease compared with high Framingham index values (=20%), OR = 18.6, CI 95% (1.75-198). Conclusions: the coronary calcium score has a higher correlation with the presence and severity of coronary disease when compared with the Framingham index. There is a low correlation between the index and Framingham coronary calcium.

  17. Reproducibility and validity of a diet quality index for children assessed using a FFQ

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huybrechts, I.; Vereecken, C.; Bacquer, De D.; Vandevijvere, S.; Oyen, van H.; Maes, L.; Vanhauwaert, E.; Temme, E.H.M.; Backer, De G.; Henauw, de S.

    2010-01-01

    The diet quality index (DQI) for preschool children is a new index developed to reflect compliance with four main food-based dietary guidelines for preschool children in Flanders. The present study investigates: (1) the validity of this index by comparing DQI scores for preschool children with

  18. Young novice drivers and the risky behaviours of parents and friends during the provisional (intermediate) licence phase: a brief report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott-Parker, Bridie; Watson, Barry; King, Mark J; Hyde, Melissa K

    2014-08-01

    While there is research indicating that many factors influence the young novice driver's increased risk of road crash injury during the earliest stages of their independent driving, there is a need to further understand the relationship between the perceived risky driving behaviour of parents and friends and the risky behaviour of drivers with a Provisional (intermediate) licence. As part of a larger research project, 378 drivers aged 17-25 years (M=18.22, SD=1.59, 113 males) with a Provisional licence completed an online survey exploring the perceived riskiness of their parents' and friends' driving, and the extent to which they pattern (i.e. base) their driving behaviour on the driving of their parents and friends. Young drivers who reported patterning their driving on their friends, and who reported they perceived their friends to be risky drivers, reported more risky driving. The risky driving behaviour of young male drivers was associated with the perceived riskiness of their fathers' driving, whilst for female drivers the perceived riskiness of their mothers' driving approached significance. The development and application of countermeasures targeting the risky behaviour of same-sex parents appears warranted by the robust research findings. In addition, countermeasures need to encourage young people in general to be non-risky drivers; targeting the negative influence of risky peer groups specifically. Social norms interventions may minimise the influence of potentially-overestimated riskiness. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Coronary heart disease index based on longitudinal electrocardiography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, J. C.; Cronin, J. P.

    1977-01-01

    A coronary heart disease index was developed from longitudinal ECG (LCG) tracings to serve as a cardiac health measure in studies of working and, essentially, asymptomatic populations, such as pilots and executives. For a given subject, the index consisted of a composite score based on the presence of LCG aberrations and weighted values previously assigned to them. The index was validated by correlating it with the known presence or absence of CHD as determined by a complete physical examination, including treadmill, resting ECG, and risk factor information. The validating sample consisted of 111 subjects drawn by a stratified-random procedure from 5000 available case histories. The CHD index was found to be significantly more valid as a sole indicator of CHD than the LCG without the use of the index. The index consistently produced higher validity coefficients in identifying CHD than did treadmill testing, resting ECG, or risk factor analysis.

  20. A sonographic lesion index for Crohn's disease helps monitor changes in transmural bowel damage during therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorzi, Francesca; Stasi, Elisa; Bevivino, Gerolamo; Scarozza, Patrizio; Biancone, Livia; Zuzzi, Sara; Rossi, Carla; Pallone, Francesco; Calabrese, Emma

    2014-12-01

    Therapeutic antibodies against tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNF) are effective in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Mucosal healing is a surrogate marker of efficacy, but little is known about the effects of anti-TNF agents on structural damage in the intestine. Small-intestine contrast ultrasonography (SICUS) is a valuable tool for assessing CD lesions. A new sonographic quantitative index (the sonographic lesion index for CD [SLIC]) was developed to quantify changes in CD lesions detected by SICUS. We explored whether the SLIC can be used to monitor transmural bowel damage in CD patients during anti-TNF therapy. We performed a prospective study of 29 patients with ileal or ileocolonic CD treated with anti-TNF agents; patients underwent SICUS before and after scheduled induction and maintenance therapy. To determine whether changes that can be detected by SICUS occur independently of anti-TNF therapy, 7 patients with ileal CD treated with mesalamine were enrolled as controls. A clinical response was defined as steroid-free remission, with CD activity index scores less than 150. We observed significant improvements in SLIC scores and subscores after induction and maintenance therapy with anti-TNFs, compared with before therapy. SLIC scores and subscores and index classes were improved significantly in patients with vs without clinical responses. Controls had no improvements in terms of CD activity index or SLIC scores, or index classes. Sonographic assessment using the quantitative index SLIC can be used to monitor changes in transmural bowel damage during anti-TNF therapy for CD. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Scoring CT/HRCT findings among asbestos-exposed workers: effects of patient's age, body mass index and common laboratory test results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vehmas, T.; Huuskonen, M.S. [Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Radiology, Helsinki (Finland); Kivisaari, L. [Helsinki University Central Hospital, Department of Radiology, Helsinki (Finland); Jaakkola, M.S. [Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Radiology, Helsinki (Finland); University of Birmingham, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Birmingham (United Kingdom)

    2005-02-01

    We studied the effects of age, body mass index (BMI) and some common laboratory test results on several pulmonary CT/HRCT signs. Five hundred twenty-eight construction workers (age 38-80, mean 63 years) were imaged with spiral and high resolution CT. Images were scored by three radiologists for solitary pulmonary nodules, signs indicative of fibrosis and emphysema, ground glass opacities, bronchial wall thickness and bronchiectasis. Multivariate statistical analyses were adjusted for smoking and asbestos exposure. Increasing age, blood haemoglobin value and erythrocyte sedimentation rate correlated positively with several HRCT signs. Increasing BMI was associated with a decrease in several signs, especially parenchymal bands, honeycombing, all kinds of emphysema and bronchiectasis. The latter finding might be due to the suboptimal image quality in obese individuals, which may cause suspicious findings to be overlooked. Background data, including patient's age and body constitution, should be considered when CT/HRCT images are interpreted. (orig.)

  2. Association between body mass index and response to a brief interdisciplinary treatment program in fibromyalgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chul-Hyun; Luedtke, Connie A; Vincent, Ann; Thompson, Jeffrey M; Oh, Terry H

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between baseline body mass index (BMI) and treatment outcome after a brief interdisciplinary fibromyalgia treatment program. Subjects (n = 477) with fibromyalgia participated in the fibromyalgia treatment program. They completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire (SF-36) at baseline and 6 to 12 mos after the fibromyalgia treatment program. Posttreatment changes in FIQ and SF-36 scores were compared after stratifying participants into four BMI groups: nonobese, overweight, moderately obese, and severely obese. All BMI groups achieved significant improvement in the FIQ total score; the FIQ subscales feel good, pain, fatigue, and morning tiredness; and the SF-36 subscales pain index, vitality, social functioning, and mental health index. Posttreatment changes in mean scores for each subscale generally did not differ significantly across BMI groups after adjusting for age and baseline scores. However, the SF-36 subscale scores of physical functioning and role-emotional were significantly less improved in the severely obese compared with the nonobese. Baseline BMI did not affect response to the fibromyalgia treatment program, as measured by the FIQ total score or SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores. However, the severely obese group showed less improvement compared with the nonobese group in the SF-36 physical functioning and role-emotional subscales.

  3. Evaluation of Different Score Index for Predicting Prognosis in Gamma Knife Radiosurgical Treatment for Brain Metastasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franzin, Alberto; Snider, Silvia; Picozzi, Piero; Bolognesi, Angelo; Serra, Carlo; Vimercati, Alberto; Passarin, Olga; Mortini, Pietro

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To assess the utility of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) and Score Index for Radiosurgery (SIR) stratification systems in predicting survival in patients with brain metastasis treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). Methods and Materials: A total of 185 patients were included in the study. Patients were stratified according to RPA and SIR classes. The RPA and SIR classes, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and systemic disease were correlated with survival. Results: Five patients were lost to follow-up. Median survival in patients in RPA Class 1 (30 patients) was 17 months; in Class 2 (140 patients), 10 months; and in Class 3 (10 patients), 3 months. Median survival in patients in SIR Class 1 (30 patients) was 3 months; in Class 2 (135 patients), 8 months; and in Class 3 (15 patients), 20 months. In univariate testing, age younger than 65 years (p = 0.0004), KPS higher than 70 (p = 0.0001), RPA class (p = 0.0078), SIR class (p = 0.0002), and control of the primary tumor (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with improved outcome. In multivariate analysis, KPS (p < 0.0001), SIR class (p = 0.0008), and RPA class (p = 0.03) had statistical value. Conclusions: This study supports the use of GKRS as a single-treatment modality in this selected group of patients. Stratification systems are useful in the estimation of patient eligibility for GKRS. A second-line treatment was necessary in 30% of patients to achieve distal or local brain control. This strategy is useful to control brain metastasis in long-surviving patients.

  4. Implant-Supported PMMA Monolithic Full-Arch Rehabilitation with Surgical Computer-Planned Guide and Immediate Provisional: A Case Report with One Year Follow-Up

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincenzo Luca Zizzari

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this case report is to describe the surgical and prosthetic procedures to achieve maxillary and mandibular implant-supported PMMA monolithic full-arch rehabilitation (PMFR with surgical computer-planned guide and immediate provisional. In such cases, the correct planning of dental implants’ position, length, and diameter and the prosthetic phases via computer-aided design are very important to achieve good aesthetic and functional long-lasting results.

  5. Implant-Supported PMMA Monolithic Full-Arch Rehabilitation with Surgical Computer-Planned Guide and Immediate Provisional: A Case Report with One Year Follow-Up

    OpenAIRE

    Zizzari, Vincenzo Luca; Tacconelli, Gianmarco

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this case report is to describe the surgical and prosthetic procedures to achieve maxillary and mandibular implant-supported PMMA monolithic full-arch rehabilitation (PMFR) with surgical computer-planned guide and immediate provisional. In such cases, the correct planning of dental implants’ position, length, and diameter and the prosthetic phases via computer-aided design are very important to achieve good aesthetic and functional long-lasting results.

  6. A combined sustainability index for electricity efficiency measures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldrath, T.; Ayalon, O.; Shechter, M.

    2015-01-01

    One of the most substantial tools that serve decision makers in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions includes energy efficiency measures that in most cases benefit from governmental assistance for achieving electricity consumption reduction goals. This paper examines five energy efficiency measures, defining a combined sustainability index. A multi-criteria analysis of five predefined indices was developed (economic, environmental, technology, social and political), providing a combined index for each measure and a tool for identifying the preferred measure within a specific situation, based on its total sustainability score. In this research, a case study was conducted and the preferred measure was found to be municipal street lighting systems, based on its high political and social scores, and its relatively high installation potential. The second choice would be replacement of chillers in the industrial sector, and the least favorable measure is the replacement of water pumps in the water sector. The methodology described brings into account the technological specifications of the measure implemented, and the specific national conditions under which it is implemented. - Highlights: • A MCDA of five indices was developed to define a combined sustainability index. • Criteria defined were environment, technology, economy, social and political. • Five energy efficiency measures were rated, based on their total sustainability score. • Measures were in five main electricity consumption sectors. • The preferred measure found in the case study was municipal street lighting systems.

  7. Psychometric Evaluation of the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test, the Modified Harris Hip Score, and the Hip Outcome Score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Man; Hon, Shirley D; Cheng, Christine; Franklin, Jeremy D; Aoki, Stephen K; Anderson, Mike B; Kapron, Ashley L; Peters, Christopher L; Pelt, Christopher E

    2014-12-01

    The applicability and validity of many patient-reported outcome measures in the high-functioning population are not well understood. To compare the psychometric properties of the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the Hip Outcome Score activities of daily living subscale (HOS-ADL) and sports (HOS-sports), and the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test (LE CAT). The hypotheses was that all instruments would perform well but that the LE CAT would show superiority psychometrically because a combination of CAT and a large item bank allows for a high degree of measurement precision. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Data were collected from 472 advanced-age, active participants from the Huntsman World Senior Games in 2012. Validity evidences were examined through item fit, dimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, differential item functioning, person raw score to measure correlation, and instrument coverage (ie, ceiling and floor effects), and reliability evidences were examined through Cronbach alpha and person separation index. All instruments demonstrated good item fit, unidimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, and person raw score to measure correlations. The HOS-ADL had high ceiling effects of 36.02%, and the mHHS had ceiling effects of 27.54%. The LE CAT had ceiling effects of 8.47%, and the HOS-sports had no ceiling effects. None of the instruments had any floor effects. The mHHS had a very low Cronbach alpha of 0.41 and an extremely low person separation index of 0.08. Reliabilities for the LE CAT were excellent and for the HOS-ADL and HOS-sports were good. The LE CAT showed better psychometric properties overall than the HOS-ADL, HOS-sports, and mHHS for the senior population. The mHHS demonstrated pronounced ceiling effects and poor reliabilities that should be of concern. The high ceiling effects for the HOS-ADL were also of concern. The LE CAT was superior in all psychometric aspects examined in this study. Future

  8. Interaction of a genetic risk score with physical activity, physical inactivity, and body mass index in relation to venous thromboembolism risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jihye; Kraft, Peter; Hagan, Kaitlin A; Harrington, Laura B; Lindstroem, Sara; Kabrhel, Christopher

    2018-06-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is highly heritable. Physical activity, physical inactivity and body mass index (BMI) are also risk factors, but evidence of interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors is limited. Data on 2,134 VTE cases and 3,890 matched controls were obtained from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). We calculated a weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) using 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with VTE risk in published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data on three risk factors, physical activity (metabolic equivalent [MET] hours per week), physical inactivity (sitting hours per week) and BMI, were obtained from biennial questionnaires. VTE cases were incident since cohort inception; controls were matched to cases on age, cohort, and genotype array. Using conditional logistic regression, we assessed joint effects and interaction effects on both additive and multiplicative scales. We also ran models using continuous wGRS stratified by risk-factor categories. We observed a supra-additive interaction between wGRS and BMI. Having both high wGRS and high BMI was associated with a 3.4-fold greater risk of VTE (relative excess risk due to interaction = 0.69, p = 0.046). However, we did not find evidence for a multiplicative interaction with BMI. No interactions were observed for physical activity or inactivity. We found a synergetic effect between a genetic risk score and high BMI on the risk of VTE. Intervention efforts lowering BMI to decrease VTE risk may have particularly large beneficial effects among individuals with high genetic risk. © 2018 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

  9. The Agency's Safeguards System (1965, as provisionally extended in 1966 and 1968); Sistema de Salvaguardias del Organismo (1965, ampliado provisionalmente en 1966 y 1968)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1968-09-24

    The Agency's safeguards system, as approved by the Board of Governors in 1965, and provisionally extended in 1966, is set forth in this document for the Information of all Members [Spanish] En el presente documento se reproduce, para informacion de todos los Estados Miembros, el Sistema de salvaguardias del Organismo aprobado por la Junta de Gobernadores en 1965 y ampliado provisionalmente en 1966 y 1968.

  10. Evaluation of body mass index and plasma lipid profile in dogs ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study evaluated the body mass index (BMI), plasma lipid profile and gait assessment score (GAS) in dogs. Body weights (BW), height (H) at shoulder and waist circumference (WC) were obtained from fifty client-owned dogs of both sexes to determine the BMI. In addition, body condition score (BCS) and GAS were ...

  11. Prognostic Value of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Risk Score in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction (from the EPHESUS Trial).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popovic, Batric; Girerd, Nicolas; Rossignol, Patrick; Agrinier, Nelly; Camenzind, Edoardo; Fay, Renaud; Pitt, Bertram; Zannad, Faiez

    2016-11-15

    The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score remains a robust prediction tool for short-term and midterm outcome in the patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the validity of this risk score in patients with STEMI with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) remains unclear. A total of 2,854 patients with STEMI with early coronary revascularization participating in the randomized EPHESUS (Epleronone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study) trial were analyzed. TIMI risk score was calculated at baseline, and its predictive value was evaluated using C-indexes from Cox models. The increase in reclassification of other variables in addition to TIMI score was assessed using the net reclassification index. TIMI risk score had a poor predictive accuracy for all-cause mortality (C-index values at 30 days and 1 year ≤0.67) and recurrent myocardial infarction (MI; C-index values ≤0.60). Among TIMI score items, diabetes/hypertension/angina, heart rate >100 beats/min, and systolic blood pressure model, lower LVEF, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and previous MI were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. The predictive accuracy of this model, which included LVEF and eGFR, was fair for both 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality (C-index values ranging from 0.71 to 0.75). In conclusion, TIMI risk score demonstrates poor discrimination in predicting mortality or recurrent MI in patients with STEMI with reduced LVEF. LVEF and eGFR are major factors that should not be ignored by predictive risk scores in this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of Qianggan capsules on insulin resistance index and liver fibrosis score in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    OU Qiang

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective To investigate the effect of Qianggan capsules on liver fibrosis score and insulin resistance index in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Methods A total of 85 NAFLD patients who were treated in the Eighth People′s Hospital of Shanghai from August 2014 to July 2015 were enrolled and randomly divided into treatment group (45 patients and control group (40 patients. The patients in the treatment group were given Qianggan capsules, and those in the control group were given polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules. The course of treatment was 24 weeks for both groups. The changes in serum aminotransferases [aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT], homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, and NAFLD fibrosis score (NAFLDFS after treatment were observed in both groups. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, before-after comparison within each group was made by paired t-test; and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Results Both groups showed significant improvements in ALT and AST levels after treatment (all P<0.01. After treatment the treatment group showed significant reductions in HOMA-IR and NAFLDFS (3.58±0.85 vs 2.48±078,t=6.40,P<0.01; -1.78±1.24 vs -2.35±0.98,t=2.40,P<0.01 and the treatment group had significantly lower HOMA-IR and NAFLDFS than the control group(12.48±0.78 vs 3.09±0.89, t=3.36, P<0.01; -2.35±0.98 vs -1.48±1.08, t=3.80, P<0.01. No serious adverse events were observed during the course of treatment. Conclusion Qianggan capsules not only reduce the levels of serum aminotransferases, but also improve insulin resistance and reduce fibrosis degree in NAFLD patients.

  13. Dimensions of the epilepsy foundation concerns index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loring, David W; Larrabee, Glenn J; Meador, Kimford J; Lee, Gregory P

    2005-05-01

    We performed principal component analysis (PCA) of the Epilepsy Foundation Concerns Index scale in 189 patients undergoing evaluation for epilepsy surgery. We identified a five-factor solution in which there were no varimax-rotated factors consisting of fewer than two questions. Factor 1 reflects affective impact on enjoyment of life, Factor 2 reflects general autonomy concerns, Factor 3 reflects fear of seizure recurrence, Factor 4 reflects concern of being a burden to one's family, and Factor 5 reflects a perceived lack of understanding by others. Multiple regression using the Quality of Life in Epilepsy--89 question version; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--third edition; and verbal and visual memory tests as predictors demonstrated a different pattern of association with the factor and summary scores. We conclude that the Epilepsy Foundation Concerns Index is multidimensional, and using a global score based on all items may mask specific concerns that may be relevant when applied to individual patients.

  14. Evaluation of bond strength between grooved titanium alloy implant abutments and provisional veneering materials after surface treatment of the abutments: An in vitro study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gowtham Venkat

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Titanium has become the material of choice with greater applications in dental implants. The success of the dental implant does not only depend on the integration of the implant to the bone but also on the function and longevity of the superstructure. The clinical condition that demands long-term interim prosthesis is challenging owing to the decreased bond between the abutment and the veneering material. Hence, various surface treatments are done on the abutments to increase the bond strength. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the bond strength between the abutment and the provisional veneering materials by surface treatments such as acid etching, laser etching, and sand blasting of the abutment. Materials and Methods: Forty titanium alloy abutments of 3 mm diameter and 11 mm height were grouped into four groups with ten samples. Groups A, B, C, and D are untreated abutments, sand blasted with 110 μm aluminum particles, etched with 1% hydrofluoric acid and 30% nitric acid, and laser etched with Nd: YAG laser, respectively. Provisional crowns were fabricated with bis-acrylic resin and cemented with noneugenol temporary luting cement. The shear bond strength was measured in universal testing machine using modified Shell–Nielsen shear test after the cemented samples were stored in water at 25°C for 24 h. Load was applied at a constant cross head speed of 5 mm/min until a sudden decrease in resistance indicative of bond failure was observed. The corresponding force values were recorded, and statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA and Newman–Keuls post hoc test. Results: The laser-etched samples showed higher bond strength. Conclusion: Among the three surface treatments, laser etching showed the highest bond strength between titanium alloy implant abutment and provisional restorations. The sand-blasted surfaces demonstrated a significant difference in bond strength compared to laser-etched surfaces. The results of this

  15. Evaluation of Bond Strength between Grooved Titanium Alloy Implant Abutments and Provisional Veneering Materials after Surface Treatment of the Abutments: An In vitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkat, Gowtham; Krishnan, Murugesan; Srinivasan, Suganya; Balasubramanian, Muthukumar

    2017-01-01

    Titanium has become the material of choice with greater applications in dental implants. The success of the dental implant does not only depend on the integration of the implant to the bone but also on the function and longevity of the superstructure. The clinical condition that demands long-term interim prosthesis is challenging owing to the decreased bond between the abutment and the veneering material. Hence, various surface treatments are done on the abutments to increase the bond strength. This study aimed to evaluate the bond strength between the abutment and the provisional veneering materials by surface treatments such as acid etching, laser etching, and sand blasting of the abutment. Forty titanium alloy abutments of 3 mm diameter and 11 mm height were grouped into four groups with ten samples. Groups A, B, C, and D are untreated abutments, sand blasted with 110 μm aluminum particles, etched with 1% hydrofluoric acid and 30% nitric acid, and laser etched with Nd: YAG laser, respectively. Provisional crowns were fabricated with bis-acrylic resin and cemented with noneugenol temporary luting cement. The shear bond strength was measured in universal testing machine using modified Shell-Nielsen shear test after the cemented samples were stored in water at 25°C for 24 h. Load was applied at a constant cross head speed of 5 mm/min until a sudden decrease in resistance indicative of bond failure was observed. The corresponding force values were recorded, and statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA and Newman-Keuls post hoc test. The laser-etched samples showed higher bond strength. Among the three surface treatments, laser etching showed the highest bond strength between titanium alloy implant abutment and provisional restorations. The sand-blasted surfaces demonstrated a significant difference in bond strength compared to laser-etched surfaces. The results of this study confirmed that a combination of surface treatments and bond agents enhances the

  16. Provisional English Translation by the IAEA of Notification Faxes Sent by the Fukushima Daiichi NPP Site Superintendent to Off-Site Officials on 11 March 2011. Annex I of Technical Volume 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    This annex contains a provisional English translation of the faxes sent by the Fukushima Daiichi NPP Site Superintendent to METI, the Governor of Fukushima Prefecture and the Mayors of Okuma and Futaba on 11 March 2011

  17. Measuring Academic Performance for Healthcare Researchers with the H Index: Which Search Tool Should Be Used?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Vanash M.; Ashrafian, Hutan; Almoudaris, Alex; Makanjuola, Jonathan; Bucciarelli-Ducci, Chiara; Darzi, Ara; Athanasiou, Thanos

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To compare H index scores for healthcare researchers returned by Google Scholar, Web of Science and Scopus databases, and to assess whether a researcher's age, country of institutional affiliation and physician status influences calculations. Subjects and Methods One hundred and ninety-five Nobel laureates in Physiology and Medicine from 1901 to 2009 were considered. Year of first and last publications, total publications and citation counts, and the H index for each laureate were calculated from each database. Cronbach's alpha statistics was used to measure the reliability of H index scores between the databases. Laureate characteristic influence on the H index was analysed using linear regression. Results There was no concordance between the databases when considering the number of publications and citations count per laureate. The H index was the most reliably calculated bibliometric across the three databases (Cronbach's alpha = 0.900). All databases returned significantly higher H index scores for younger laureates (p < 0.0001). Google Scholar and Web of Science returned significantly higher H index for physician laureates (p = 0.025 and p = 0.029, respectively). Country of institutional affiliation did not influence the H index in any database. Conclusion The H index appeared to be the most consistently calculated bibliometric between the databases for Nobel laureates in Physiology and Medicine. Researcher-specific characteristics constituted an important component of objective research assessment. The findings of this study call to question the choice of current and future academic performance databases. PMID:22964880

  18. A simplified score to quantify comorbidity in COPD.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirupama Putcha

    Full Text Available Comorbidities are common in COPD, but quantifying their burden is difficult. Currently there is a COPD-specific comorbidity index to predict mortality and another to predict general quality of life. We sought to develop and validate a COPD-specific comorbidity score that reflects comorbidity burden on patient-centered outcomes.Using the COPDGene study (GOLD II-IV COPD, we developed comorbidity scores to describe patient-centered outcomes employing three techniques: 1 simple count, 2 weighted score, and 3 weighted score based upon statistical selection procedure. We tested associations, area under the Curve (AUC and calibration statistics to validate scores internally with outcomes of respiratory disease-specific quality of life (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ, six minute walk distance (6MWD, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC dyspnea score and exacerbation risk, ultimately choosing one score for external validation in SPIROMICS.Associations between comorbidities and all outcomes were comparable across the three scores. All scores added predictive ability to models including age, gender, race, current smoking status, pack-years smoked and FEV1 (p<0.001 for all comparisons. Area under the curve (AUC was similar between all three scores across outcomes: SGRQ (range 0·7624-0·7676, MMRC (0·7590-0·7644, 6MWD (0·7531-0·7560 and exacerbation risk (0·6831-0·6919. Because of similar performance, the comorbidity count was used for external validation. In the SPIROMICS cohort, the comorbidity count performed well to predict SGRQ (AUC 0·7891, MMRC (AUC 0·7611, 6MWD (AUC 0·7086, and exacerbation risk (AUC 0·7341.Quantifying comorbidity provides a more thorough understanding of the risk for patient-centered outcomes in COPD. A comorbidity count performs well to quantify comorbidity in a diverse population with COPD.

  19. Development and validation of an index of musculoskeletal functional limitations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katz Jeffrey N

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background While musculoskeletal problems are leading sources of disability, there has been little research on measuring the number of functionally limiting musculoskeletal problems for use as predictor of outcome in studies of chronic disease. This paper reports on the development and preliminary validation of a self administered musculoskeletal functional limitations index. Methods We developed a summary musculoskeletal functional limitations index based upon a six-item self administered questionnaire in which subjects indicate whether they are limited a lot, a little or not at all because of problems in six anatomic regions (knees, hips, ankles and feet, back, neck, upper extremities. Responses are summed into an index score. The index was completed by a sample of total knee replacement recipients from four US states. Our analyses examined convergent validity at the item and at the index level as well as discriminant validity and the independence of the index from other correlates of quality of life. Results 782 subjects completed all items of the musculoskeletal functional limitations index and were included in the analyses. The mean age of the sample was 75 years and 64% were female. The index demonstrated anticipated associations with self-reported quality of life, activities of daily living, WOMAC functional status score, use of walking support, frequency of usual exercise, frequency of falls and dependence upon another person for assistance with chores. The index was strongly and independently associated with self-reported overall health. Conclusion The self-reported musculoskeletal functional limitations index appears to be a valid measure of musculoskeletal functional limitations, in the aspects of validity assessed in this study. It is useful for outcome studies following TKR and shows promise as a covariate in studies of chronic disease outcomes.

  20. Prospects of renewable energy sources in India: Prioritization of alternative sources in terms of Energy Index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jha, Shibani K.; Puppala, Harish

    2017-01-01

    The growing energy demand in progressing civilization governs the exploitation of various renewable sources over the conventional sources. Wind, Solar, Hydro, Biomass, and waste & Bagasse are the various available renewable sources in India. A reliable nonconventional geothermal source is also available in India but it is restricted to direct heat applications. This study archives the status of renewable alternatives in India. The techno economic factors and environmental aspects associated with each of these alternatives are discussed. This study focusses on prioritizing the renewable sources based on a parameter introduced as Energy Index. This index is evaluated using cumulative scores obtained for each of the alternatives. The cumulative score is obtained by evaluating each alternative over a range of eleven environmental and techno economic criteria following Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process. The eleven criteria's considered in the study are Carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2 ), Sulphur dioxide emissions (SO 2 ), Nitrogen oxide emissions (NO x ), Land requirement, Current energy cost, Potential future energy cost, Turnkey investment, Capacity factor, Energy efficiency, Design period and Water consumption. It is concluded from the study that the geothermal source is the most preferable alternative with highest Energy Index. Hydro, Wind, Biomass and Solar sources are subsequently preferred alternatives. - Highlights: • FAH process is used to obtain cumulative score for each renewable alternative. • Cumulative score is normalized by highest score of ideal source. • Energy Index shows how best a renewable alternative is. • Priority order is obtained for alternatives based on Energy Index. • Geothermal is most preferable source followed by Hydro, Wind, Biomass and Solar.

  1. Immediate Postoperative Pain Scores Predict Neck Pain Profile up to 1 Year Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adogwa, Owoicho; Elsamadicy, Aladine A; Vuong, Victoria D; Mehta, Ankit I; Vasquez, Raul A; Cheng, Joseph; Bagley, Carlos A; Karikari, Isaac O

    2018-05-01

    Retrospective cohort review. To assess whether immediate postoperative neck pain scores accurately predict 12-month visual analog scale-neck pain (VAS-NP) outcomes following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion surgery (ACDF). This was a retrospective study of 82 patients undergoing elective ACDF surgery at a major academic medical center. Patient reported outcomes measures VAS-NP scores were recorded on the first postoperative day, then at 6-weeks, 3, 6, and 12-months after surgery. Multivariate correlation and logistic regression methods were utilized to determine whether immediate postoperative VAS-NP score accurately predicted 1-year patient reported VAS-NP Scores. Overall, 46.3% male, 25.6% were smokers, and the mean age and body mass index (BMI) were 53.7 years and 28.28 kg/m 2 , respectively. There were significant correlations between immediate postoperative pain scores and neck pain scores at 6 weeks VAS-NP ( P = .0015), 6 months VAS-NP ( P = .0333), and 12 months VAS-NP ( P = .0247) after surgery. Furthermore, immediate postoperative pain score is an independent predictor of 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year VAS-NP scores. Our study suggests that immediate postoperative patient reported neck pain scores accurately predicts and correlates with 12-month VAS-NP scores after an ACDF procedure. Patients with high neck pain scores after surgery are more likely to report persistent neck pain 12 months after index surgery.

  2. Clinical Application of the PES/WES Index on Natural Teeth: Case Report and Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Lanza

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of reliable indices to evaluate the aesthetic outcomes in the aesthetic area is an important and objective clinical aid to monitor the results over time. According to the literature various indices were proposed to evaluate aesthetic outcomes of implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area like Peri-Implant and Crown Index [PICI], Implant Crown Aesthetic Index [ICAI], Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score [PES/WES], and Pink Esthetic Score [PES] but none of them was related to prosthetic rehabilitation on natural teeth. The aim of this study is to verify the validity of PES/WES index for natural tooth-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area. As secondary objective, we proposed to evaluate the long-term predictability of this clinical application, one of which is presented below, following the analysis of the most currently accepted literature.

  3. Practical prognostic index for patients with metastatic recurrent breast cancer: retrospective analysis of 2,322 patients from the GEICAM Spanish El Alamo Register.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puente, Javier; López-Tarruella, Sara; Ruiz, Amparo; Lluch, Ana; Pastor, Miguel; Alba, Emilio; de la Haba, Juan; Ramos, Manuel; Cirera, Luis; Antón, Antonio; Llombart, Antoni; Plazaola, Arrate; Fernández-Aramburo, Antonio; Sastre, Javier; Díaz-Rubio, Eduardo; Martin, Miguel

    2010-07-01

    Women with recurrent metastatic breast cancer from a Spanish hospital registry (El Alamo, GEICAM) were analyzed in order to identify the most helpful prognostic factors to predict survival and to ultimately construct a practical prognostic index. The inclusion criteria covered women patients diagnosed with operable invasive breast cancer who had metastatic recurrence between 1990 and 1997 in GEICAM hospitals. Patients with stage IV breast cancer at initial diagnosis or with isolated loco-regional recurrence were excluded from this analysis. Data from 2,322 patients with recurrent breast cancer after primary treatment (surgery, radiation and systemic adjuvant treatment) were used to construct the prognostic index. The prognostic index score for each individual patient was calculated by totalling up the scores of each independent variable. The maximum score obtainable was 26.1. Nine-hundred and sixty-two patients who had complete data for all the variables were used in the computation of the prognostic index score. We were able to stratify them into three prognostic groups based on the prognostic index score: 322 patients in the good risk group (score or =15.61). The median survivals for these groups were 3.69, 2.27 and 1.02 years, respectively (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, risk scores are extraordinarily valuable tools, highly recommendable in the clinical practice.

  4. The Use of Dynamic Segment Scoring for Language-Independent Question Answering

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-01-01

    initial window with one sentence is compared to scores corre- his/PRONOUN brother/ CONSANGUINITY like/SIMILARITY his/PRONOUN call/NOMENCLATURE he/PRONOUN...the query processing mod- ule. Using the differences between index numbers to specify phys- ical distance relationships among query keywords, we can

  5. Stroke scale score and early prediction of outcome after stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, R.; Zuberi, F.Z.; Afsar, S.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score as a predictor of functional outcome after ischemic stroke. Subjects and Methods: The study included 50 patients who presented to Civil Hospital, Karachi, during the study period with acute stroke and were evaluated with CT scan of brain. Only those patients were enrolled in the study that had acute ischemic stroke. The enrolled subjects were then evaluated for the neurological impairment using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The subjects were followed-up and their functional outcome was assessed using Barthel index (BI) on the 7th day of their admission. Results: Of the fifty patients enrolled in the study, 31 (62%) were males and 19 (38%) were females, with age ranging from 45 years to 95 years and a mean age of 59.9 years. Neurological impairment at presentation was assessed by NIHSS. The score ranged between 2 and 28. The functional outcome was evaluated on the 7th day using Barthel index (BI), which ranged from 0 to 80. NIHSS score was found to be a good predictor of functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke (p<0.001). Other factors like gender, hypertension and heart disease did not affect the functional recovery in such patients. Various factors were found to be significant for early prediction of stroke recovery. The NIHSS score was the strongest predictor of outcome after ischemic stroke. Age at the time of the event was also found to be an important predictor for stroke recovery. Conclusion: The NIHSS score is a good predictor of patient's recovery after stroke. Assessing the patient's neurological impairment at first presentation of ischemic stroke can guide the physician regarding the prognosis and management plan. (author)

  6. Assessing insomnia in adolescents: comparison of Insomnia Severity Index, Athens Insomnia Scale and Sleep Quality Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Ka-Fai; Kan, Katherine Ka-Ki; Yeung, Wing-Fai

    2011-05-01

    To compare the psychometric properties of the Chinese versions of Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Sleep Quality Index (SQI) for assessment and screening of insomnia in adolescents. This is a school-based survey of 1516 adolescents aged 12-19 years. Sleep-wake habit questionnaire, ISI, AIS, SQI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were administered. Insomnia Interview Schedule was used to assess the severity of insomnia symptoms and DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of insomnia. The Cronbach's alpha of ISI, AIS and SQI were 0.83, 0.81 and 0.65, respectively, and the 2-week test-retest reliability were 0.79, 0.80 and 0.72. All three scales had a 2-factor structure, and their scores were significantly correlated with sleep-wake variables, ESS and GHQ-12 scores, smoking and drinking habits, and academic performance. The areas under curve of ISI, AIS and SQI for detecting clinical insomnia were 0.85, 0.80 and 0.85, respectively. The optimal cut-offs for ISI, AIS and SQI were a total score of nine (sensitivity/specificity: 0.87/0.75), seven (sensitivity/specificity: 0.78/0.74) and five (sensitivity/specificity: 0.83/0.79), respectively. The Chinese versions of ISI, AIS and SQI are reliable and valid instruments. The ISI and AIS appear to have better psychometric properties than the SQI. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Mediterranean Diet in patients with acute ischemic stroke: Relationships between Mediterranean Diet score, diagnostic subtype, and stroke severity index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuttolomondo, Antonino; Casuccio, Alessandra; Buttà, Carmelo; Pecoraro, Rosaria; Di Raimondo, Domenico; Della Corte, Vittoriano; Arnao, Valentina; Clemente, Giuseppe; Maida, Carlo; Simonetta, Irene; Miceli, Giuseppe; Lucifora, Benedetto; Cirrincione, Anna; Di Bona, Danilo; Corpora, Francesca; Maugeri, Rosario; Iacopino, Domenico Gerardo; Pinto, Antonio

    2015-11-01

    Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, as well as the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. No study has addressed the association between diagnostic subtype of stroke and its severity and adherence to a Mediterranean Diet in subjects with acute ischemic stroke. To evaluate the association between Mediterranean Diet adherence, TOAST subtype, and stroke severity by means of a retrospective study. The type of acute ischemic stroke was classified according to the TOAST criteria. All patients admitted to our ward with acute ischemic stroke completed a 137-item validated food-frequency questionnaire adapted to the Sicilian population. A scale indicating the degree of adherence to the traditional Mediterranean Diet was used (Me-Di score: range 0-9). 198 subjects with acute ischemic stroke and 100 control subjects without stroke. Stroke subjects had a lower mean Mediterranean Diet score compared to 100 controls without stroke. We observed a significant positive correlation between Me-Di score and SSS score, whereas we observed a negative relationship between Me-Di score and NIHSS and Rankin scores. Subjects with atherosclerotic (LAAS) stroke subtype had a lower mean Me-Di score compared to subjects with other subtypes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis in a simple model showed a negative relationship between MeDi score and LAAS subtype vs. lacunar subtype (and LAAS vs. cardio-embolic subtype). Patients with lower adherence to a Mediterranean Diet are more likely to have an atherosclerotic (LAAS) stroke, a worse clinical presentation of ischemic stroke at admission and a higher Rankin score at discharge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A Comparison of Systemic Inflammation-Based Prognostic Scores in Patients on Regular Hemodialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akihiko Kato

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Systemic inflammation-based prognostic scores have prognostic power in patients with cancer, independently of tumor stage and site. Although inflammatory status is associated with mortality in hemodialysis (HD patients, it remains to be determined as to whether these composite scores are useful in predicting clinical outcomes. Methods: We calculated the 6 prognostic scores [Glasgow prognostic score (GPS, modified GPS (mGPS, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR, prognostic index (PI and prognostic nutritional index (PNI], which have been established as a useful scoring system in cancer patients. We enrolled 339 patients on regular HD (age: 64 ± 13 years; time on HD: 129 ± 114 months; males/females = 253/85 and followed them for 42 months. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve was used to determine which scoring system was more predictive of mortality. Results: Elevated GPS, mGPS, NLR, PLR, PI and PNI were all associated with total mortality, independent of covariates. If GPS was raised, mGPS, NLR, PLR and PI were also predictive of all-cause mortality and/or hospitalization. GPS and PNI were associated with poor nutritional status. Using overall mortality as an endpoint, the area under the curve (AUC was significant for a GPS of 0.701 (95% CI: 0.637-0.765; p Conclusion: GPS, based on serum albumin and highly sensitive C-reactive protein, has the most prognostic power for mortality prediction among the prognostic scores in HD patients. However, as the determination of serum albumin reflects mortality similarly to GPS, other composite combinations are needed to provide additional clinical utility beyond that of albumin alone in HD patients.

  9. Determination of the Oswestry Disability Index score equivalent to a "satisfactory symptom state" in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine-a Spine Tango registry-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Hooff, Miranda L; Mannion, Anne F; Staub, Lukas P; Ostelo, Raymond W J G; Fairbank, Jeremy C T

    2016-10-01

    The achievement of a given change score on a valid outcome instrument is commonly used to indicate whether a clinically relevant change has occurred after spine surgery. However, the achievement of such a change score can be dependent on baseline values and does not necessarily indicate whether the patient is satisfied with the current state. The achievement of an absolute score equivalent to a patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) may be a more stringent measure to indicate treatment success. This study aimed to estimate the score on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI, version 2.1a; 0-100) corresponding to a PASS in patients who had undergone surgery for degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine. This is a cross-sectional study of diagnostic accuracy using follow-up data from an international spine surgery registry. The sample includes 1,288 patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders who had undergone elective spine surgery, registered in the EUROSPINE Spine Tango Spine Surgery Registry. The main outcome measure was the ODI (version 2.1a). Surgical data and data from the ODI and Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) were included to determine the ODI threshold equivalent to PASS at 1 year (±1.5 months; n=780) and 2 years (±2 months; n=508) postoperatively. The symptom-specific well-being item of the COMI was used as the external criterion in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine the ODI threshold equivalent to PASS. Separate sensitivity analyses were performed based on the different definitions of an "acceptable state" and for subgroups of patients. JF is a copyright holder of the ODI. The ODI threshold for PASS was 22, irrespective of the time of follow-up (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.89 [sensitivity {Se}: 78.3%, specificity {Sp}: 82.1%] and AUC: 0.91 [Se: 80.7%, Sp: 85.6] for the 1- and 2-year follow-ups, respectively). Sensitivity analyses showed that the absolute ODI-22 threshold for the two follow-up time-points were

  10. Comparison of prostate cancer gene 3 score, prostate health index and percentage free prostate-specific antigen for differentiating histological inflammation from prostate cancer and other non-neoplastic alterations of the prostate at initial biopsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Luca, Stefano; Passera, Roberto; Bollito, Enrico; Manfredi, Matteo; Scarpa, Roberto Mario; Sottile, Antonino; Randone, Donato Franco; Porpiglia, Francesco

    2014-12-01

    To determine if prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) score, Prostate Health Index (PHI), and percent free prostate-specific antigen (%fPSA) may be used to differentiate prostatitis from prostate cancer (PCa), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-PIN) in patients with elevated PSA and negative digital rectal examination (DRE). in the present prospective study, 274 patients, undergoing PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA assessments before initial biopsy, were enrolled. Three multivariate logistic regression models were used to test PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA as risk factors for prostatitis vs. PCa, vs. BPH, and vs. HG-PIN. All the analyses were performed for the whole patient cohort and for the 'gray zone' of PSA (4-10 ng/ml) cohort (188 individuals). The determinants for prostatitis vs. PCa were PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA (Odds Ratio [OR]=0.97, 0.96 and 0.94, respectively). Unit increase of PHI was the only risk factor for prostatitis vs. BPH (OR=1.06), and unit increase of PCA3 score for HG-PIN vs. prostatitis (OR=0.98). In the 'gray zone' PSA cohort, the determinants for prostatitis vs. PCa were PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA (OR=0.96, 0.94 and 0.92, respectively), PCA3 score and PHI for prostatitis vs. BPH (OR=0.96 and 1.08, respectively), and PCA3 score for prostatitis vs. HG-PIN (OR=0.97). The clinical benefit of using PCA3 score and PHI to estimate prostatitis vs. PCa was comparable; even %fPSA had good diagnostic performance, being a faster and cheaper marker. PHI was the only determinant for prostatitis vs. BPH, while PCA3 score for prostatitis vs. HG-PIN. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  11. Using Little's Irregularity Index in orthodontics: outdated and inaccurate?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Macauley, Donal

    2012-12-01

    Little\\'s Irregularity Index (LII) was devised to objectively score mandibular incisor alignment for epidemiological studies but has been extended to assess the relative performance of orthodontic brackets, retainer or treatment modalities. Our aim was to examine the repeatability and precision of LII measurements of four independent examiners on the maxillary arch of orthodontic patients. The hypothesis was that the reproducibility of individual contact point displacement measurements, used to calculate the LII score, are inappropriate.

  12. Status epilepticus severity score (STESS): A useful tool to predict outcome of status epilepticus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goyal, Manoj Kumar; Chakravarthi, Sudheer; Modi, Manish; Bhalla, Ashish; Lal, Vivek

    2015-12-01

    The treatment protocols for status epilepticus (SE) range from small doses of intravenous benzodiazepines to induction of coma. The pros and cons of more aggressive treatment regimen remain debatable. The importance of an index need not be overemphasized which can predict outcome of SE and guide the intensity of treatment. We tried to evaluate utility of one such index Status epilepticus severity score (STESS). 44 consecutive patients of SE were enrolled in the study. STESS results were compared with various outcome measures: (a) mortality, (b) final neurological outcome at discharge as defined by functional independence measure (FIM) (good outcome: FIM score 5-7; bad outcome: FIM score 1-4), (c) control of SE within 1h of start of treatment and (d) need for coma induction. A higher STESS score correlated significantly with poor neurological outcome at discharge (p=0.0001), need for coma induction (p=0.0001) and lack of response to treatment within 1h (p=0.001). A STESS of status epilepticus. Further studies on STESS based treatment approach may help in designing better therapeutic regimens for SE. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of nutrition education tool: healthy eating index in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taechangam, Sunard; Pinitchun, Utumporn; Pachotikarn, Chanida

    2008-01-01

    A healthful diet can reduce major risk factors for chronic diseases. To assess the dietary status of Thais and monitor changes in food consumption patterns, the Healthy Eating Index for Thais (THEI) is developed, an important tool for meeting the nutrition goals and determining people's overall diet quality. This index measures how well the diets of Thai people conform to the recommendations of the Food Guide Thailand Nutrition Flag. The THEI consists of 11 components, each representing different aspects of a healthful diet: Components 1-5 measure the degree to which a person's diet conforms to serving recommendations for the five major food groups of Thailand Nutrition Flag; Components 6, 7 and 8 measure total fat, saturated fat and added sugar consumption, respectively; Components 9 and 10 measure total cholesterol and sodium intake; and Component 11 examines variety in a person's diet. Each of the 11 components has a score ranging from 0 to 10, for a total score of 110. The dietary intake data from selected working adults were collected to derive the THEI scores. The average THEI score indicated that the diets of most people needed improvement and some individuals were more likely than others to consume a poor diet. This suggests a continued role for nutrition education and promotion efforts should result in a significant improvement of people's overall diet quality. In conclusion, the THEI is an useful index for describing overall diet quality for Thais and serves as a basic tool for providing nutrition education and promotion.

  14. A comment on the calculation of the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Ming-Chung

    2013-01-01

    This study provides a no-output growth model to conveniently calculate the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) index originally proposed by Hu and Wang (2006). The TFEE index serves as a very well-known and popular means of estimating overall energy efficiency. While many previous studies have used the indicator of energy inefficiency, including the indicator of energy intensity (i.e., Energy input/Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) to measure energy efficiency, Hu and Kao (2007) point out that the indicator of energy intensity is not only a partial-factor energy efficiency indicator, but that this partial-factor ratio is also quite inappropriate for analyzing the impact of changing energy use over time. The TFEE index overcomes the disadvantage of the indicator of energy intensity as mentioned above, but five steps are needed to calculate the TFEE score. In this study, we provide a no-output growth model to conveniently calculate the TFEE score. Furthermore, we extend this no-output growth model to an output growth model. This study concludes that the output growth model not only makes it easier to calculate the TFEE index than the model proposed by Hu and Wang (2006) and Hu and Kao (2007), but that it can also obtain better TFEE scores. - Highlights: ► The comment is on the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) index. ► Two extension models are no-output growth model and output growth model. ► The model in this study makes it easier to calculate the TFEE index.

  15. Does the Length of Fielding Period Matter? Examining Response Scores of Early Versus Late Responders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigman Richard

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the potential effects of a shortened fielding period on an employee survey’s item and index scores and respondent demographics. Using data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2011 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, we investigate whether early responding employees differ from later responding employees. Specifically, we examine differences in item and index scores related to employee engagement and global satisfaction. Our findings show that early responders tend to be less positive, even after adjusting their weights for nonresponse. Agencies vary in their prevalence of late responders, and score differences become magnified as this proportion increases. We also examine the extent to which early versus late responders differ on demographic characteristics such as grade level, supervisory status, gender, tenure with agency, and intention to leave, noting that nonminorities and females are the two demographic characteristics most associated with responding early.

  16. Genetic risk scores link body fat distribution with specific cardiometabolic profiles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendstrup, Mathilde; Sandholt, Camilla H; Andersson Galijatovic, Ehm Astrid

    2016-01-01

    , including fasting serum triglyceride (β = 0.98% mmol/L, P = 3.33 × 10(-) (8) ) and Matsuda index (β = -0.74%, P = 1.29 × 10(-) (4) ). No similar associations for Clusters 2 and 3 were found. The three clusters showed different patterns of association with waist circumference, hip circumference, and height......OBJECTIVE: Forty-nine known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associating with body mass index (BMI)-adjusted waist-hip-ratio (WHR) (WHRadjBMI) were recently suggested to cluster into three groups with different associations to cardiometabolic traits. Genetic risk scores of the clusters...... risk scores and anthropometry and blood samples at fasting and during an oral glucose tolerance test were tested. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS: Cluster 1 associated with an increased risk of diabetes (HR = 1.05, P = 2.74 × 10(-) (4) ) and with a poor metabolic profile...

  17. Pre-occupation of innocence and provisional penal enforcement: a critical analysis of the Federal Supreme Court jurisprudential modification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Augusto Jobim do Amaral

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This article deals with the problems involved in the provisional execution of the sentence in the Brazilian criminal procedural system, especially with respect to the constitutional guarantee of the presumption of innocence, here in its political-constitutional value. In the current national context in which it is heavily invested in relativizations of fundamental guarantees and in false punitive solutions, it is essential that the criminal procedure be imposed from the principles enshrined in the 1988 Constitution. It intends to demonstrate the new contours of the position built by the Federal Supreme Court on the subject, its possible criticisms and impacts on the commitment of the legitimacy of the decisions made in criminal matters by the Judiciary.

  18. The PER (Preoperative Esophagectomy Risk) Score: A Simple Risk Score to Predict Short-Term and Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Surgically Treated Esophageal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeh, Matthias; Metze, Johannes; Uzunoglu, Faik G; Nentwich, Michael; Ghadban, Tarik; Wellner, Ullrich; Bockhorn, Maximilian; Kluge, Stefan; Izbicki, Jakob R; Vashist, Yogesh K

    2016-02-01

    Esophageal resection in patients with esophageal cancer (EC) is still associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. We aimed to develop a simple preoperative risk score for the prediction of short-term and long-term outcomes for patients with EC treated by esophageal resection. In total, 498 patients suffering from esophageal carcinoma, who underwent esophageal resection, were included in this retrospective cohort study. Three preoperative esophagectomy risk (PER) groups were defined based on preoperative functional evaluation of different organ systems by validated tools (revised cardiac risk index, model for end-stage liver disease score, and pulmonary function test). Clinicopathological parameters, morbidity, and mortality as well as disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were correlated to the PER score. The PER score significantly predicted the short-term outcome of patients with EC who underwent esophageal resection. PER 2 and PER 3 patients had at least double the risk of morbidity and mortality compared to PER 1 patients. Furthermore, a higher PER score was associated with shorter DFS (P PER score was identified as an independent predictor of tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 2.1; P PER score allows preoperative objective allocation of patients with EC into different risk categories for morbidity, mortality, and long-term outcomes. Thus, multicenter studies are needed for independent validation of the PER score.

  19. Relationship between framingham risk score and coronary artery calcium score in asymptomatic Korean individuals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heo, So Young; Park, Noh Hyuck; Park, Chan Sub; Seong, Su Ok

    2016-01-01

    We explored the association between Framingham risk score (FRS) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in asymptomatic Korean individuals. We retrospectively analyzed 2216 participants who underwent routine health screening and CACS using the 64-slice multidetector computed tomography between January 2010 and June 2014. Relationship between CACS and FRS, and factors associated with discrepancy between CACS and FRS were analyzed. CACS and FRS were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). However, in 3.7% of participants with low coronary event risk and high CACS, age, male gender, smoker, hypertension, total cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index (BMI; ≥ 35) were associated with the discrepancy. In the diagnostic prediction model for discrepancy, the receiver operating characteristic curve including factors associated with FRS, diastolic blood pressure (≥ 75 mm Hg), diabetes mellitus, and BMI (≥ 35) showed that the area under the curve was 0.854 (95% confidence interval, 0.819–0.890), indicating good sensitivity. Diabetes mellitus or obesity (BMI ≥ 35) compensate for the weakness of FRS and may be potential indicators for application of CACS in asymptomatic Koreans with low coronary event risk

  20. Relationship between framingham risk score and coronary artery calcium score in asymptomatic Korean individuals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heo, So Young; Park, Noh Hyuck; Park, Chan Sub; Seong, Su Ok [Dept. of Radiology, Myongji Hospital, Seonam University College of Medicine, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    We explored the association between Framingham risk score (FRS) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in asymptomatic Korean individuals. We retrospectively analyzed 2216 participants who underwent routine health screening and CACS using the 64-slice multidetector computed tomography between January 2010 and June 2014. Relationship between CACS and FRS, and factors associated with discrepancy between CACS and FRS were analyzed. CACS and FRS were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). However, in 3.7% of participants with low coronary event risk and high CACS, age, male gender, smoker, hypertension, total cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index (BMI; ≥ 35) were associated with the discrepancy. In the diagnostic prediction model for discrepancy, the receiver operating characteristic curve including factors associated with FRS, diastolic blood pressure (≥ 75 mm Hg), diabetes mellitus, and BMI (≥ 35) showed that the area under the curve was 0.854 (95% confidence interval, 0.819–0.890), indicating good sensitivity. Diabetes mellitus or obesity (BMI ≥ 35) compensate for the weakness of FRS and may be potential indicators for application of CACS in asymptomatic Koreans with low coronary event risk.

  1. Derivation and validation of a composite index of severity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the DOSE Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Rupert C; Donaldson, Gavin C; Chavannes, Niels H; Kida, Kozui; Dickson-Spillmann, Maria; Harding, Samantha; Wedzicha, Jadwiga A; Price, David; Hyland, Michael E

    2009-12-15

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasingly recognized as a multicomponent disease with systemic consequences and effects on quality of life. Single measures such as lung function provide a limited reflection of how the disease affects patients. Composite measures have the potential to account for many of the facets of COPD. To derive and validate a multicomponent assessment tool of COPD severity that is applicable to all patients and health care settings. The index was derived using data from 375 patients with COPD in primary care. Regression analysis led to a model explaining 48% of the variance in health status as measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire with four components: dyspnea (D), airflow obstruction (O), smoking status (S), and exacerbation frequency (E). The DOSE Index was validated in cross-sectional and longitudinal samples in various health care settings in Holland, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The DOSE Index correlated with health status in all data sets. A high DOSE Index score (> or = 4) was associated with a greater risk of hospital admission (odds ratio, 8.3 [4.1-17]) or respiratory failure (odds ratio, 7.8 [3.4-18.3]). The index predicted exacerbations in the subsequent year (P Index is a simple, valid tool for assessing the severity of COPD. The index is related to a range of clinically important outcomes such as health care consumption and predicts future events.

  2. A modified Elixhauser score for predicting in-hospital mortality in internal medicine admissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabbian, Fabio; De Giorgi, Alfredo; Maietti, Elisa; Gallerani, Massimo; Pala, Marco; Cappadona, Rosaria; Manfredini, Roberto; Fedeli, Ugo

    2017-05-01

    In-hospital mortality (IHM) is an indicator of the quality of care provided. The two most widely used scores for predicting IHM by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes are the Elixhauser (EI) and the Charlson Comorbidity indexes. Our aim was to obtain new measures based on internal medicine ICD codes for the original EI, to detect risk for IHM. This single-center retrospective study included hospital admissions for any cause in the department of internal medicine between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2013, recorded in the hospital database. The EI was calculated for evaluation of comorbidity, then we added age, gender and diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. IHM was our outcome. Only predictors positively associated with IHM were taken into consideration and the Sullivan's method was applied in order to modify the parameter estimates of the regression model into an index. We analyzed 75,586 admissions (53.4% females) and mean age was 72.7±16.3years. IHM was 7.9% and mean score was 12.1±7.6. The points assigned to each condition ranged from 0 to 16, and the possible range of the score varied between 0 and 89. In our population the score ranged from 0 to 54, and it was higher in the deceased group. Receiver operating characteristic curve of the new score was 0.721 (95% CI 0.714-0.727, pInternal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Hacia un inventario provisional de las tendencias en Bibliotecología y Ciencia de la Información = Towards a provisional inventory of trends in Library and Information Science.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro E. Parada

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Este trabajo se presentó como un documento de debate y reflexión en las 1º Jornadas Nacionales de Docentes e Investigadores Universitarios en Ciencia de la Información (DUCI, llevadas a cabo el 3 y 4 de septiembre de 2015 en la Biblioteca Nacional Mariano Moreno. En el texto se señalan, en forma preliminar y provisional, algunas de las perspectivas más importantes de la Bibliotecología y Ciencia de la Información (BCI. En este contexto se citan las siguientes: la crisis de la denominación propia de la identidad, el papel del liderazgo de la profesión en la Web 2.0, el tópico de la cogestión entre los bibliotecarios y los usuarios, las potencialidades de autorrepresentación y deliberación de las bibliotecas, las dimensiones tecnológicas, la construcción de la lingüística profesional, la importancia del análisis de dominio en la web semántica y sus relaciones con el lenguaje, la tendencia a la inclusión, la gestación de los portales de acceso abierto, el paradigma de la diversidad polimórfica, la dimensión teórica y de índole filosófica, entre otras muchas. Finalmente, se señala la trascendencia de la BCI como una disciplina de la pluralidad y diversidad virtual, y como un campo en estado de apertura para que los ciudadanos transformen la información en conocimiento = This work was presented as a document for debate and reflection in the 1º Jornadas Nacionales de Docentes e Investigadores Universitarios en Ciencia de la Información (DUCI held on 3rd and 4th September 2015 at the Biblioteca Nacional Mariano Moreno. The text indicates, in preliminary and provisional way, some of the most important perspectives of Library and Information Science. In this context, the following perspectives are mentioned: The crisis of the identity denomination, the role of leadership of the profession in the Web 2.0, the topic of co-management between librarians and users, the potential of self-representation and deliberation in

  4. Severe obesity is a limitation for the use of body mass index standard deviation scores in children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Júlíusson, Pétur B; Roelants, Mathieu; Benestad, Beate; Lekhal, Samira; Danielsen, Yngvild; Hjelmesaeth, Jøran; Hertel, Jens K

    2018-02-01

    We analysed the distribution of the body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) in children and adolescents seeking treatment for severe obesity, according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), World Health Organization (WHO) and the national Norwegian Bergen Growth Study (BGS) BMI reference charts and the percentage above the International Obesity Task Force 25 cut-off (IOTF-25). This was a cross-sectional study of 396 children aged four to 17 years, who attended a tertiary care obesity centre in Norway from 2009 to 2015. Their BMI was converted to SDS using the three growth references and expressed as the percentage above IOTF-25. The percentage of body fat was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Regardless of which BMI reference chart was used, the BMI-SDS was significantly different between the age groups, with a wider range of higher values up to 10 years of age and a more narrow range of lower values thereafter. The distributions of the percentage above IOTF-25 and percentage of body fat were more consistent across age groups. Our findings suggest that it may be more appropriate to use the percentage above a particular BMI cut-off, such as the percentage above IOTF-25, than the IOTF, WHO and BGS BMI-SDS in paediatric patients with severe obesity. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Formation of borrower’s bank credit scoring integrated model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.V. Lysenok

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The article proposes the borrower’s bank credit scoring model that is of particular relevance in an unstable world and Ukrainian financial markets. The essence of this integrated model is the consistent definition of indicators, which analyze the financial and economic situation and development of scoring that allows to calculate overall index, that is, the integral factor of credit scoring level of the bank to calculate which one uses the formed set of factors characterizing riskiness, profitability and liquidity of the banking institution. The author determines the factors according to their functional purpose; the former ones are divided into four groups: capital adequacy, loan portfolio quality, profitability and liquidity. Each group consists of four indicators; each indicator is assigned thresholds to determine the appropriate credit scoring level of the bank for one or another direction. The higher is the value of the integral factor, the more efficient and less risky is the financial and economic activity of banks and the higher is their credit scoring level. The study concludes that the proposed model for bank credit scoring differs with its transparency and clarity due to use in its implementation only public information. The disadvantages include the presence of the subjective factor in assigning a certain number of points based on expert and normative methods.

  6. Development of a preliminary risk index to identify trauma patients at risk for an unplanned intubation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dennis; Kobayashi, Leslie; Chang, David; Fortlage, Dale; Coimbra, Raul

    2014-01-01

    The development of respiratory failure requiring an emergent unplanned intubation (UI) is a potentially preventable complication associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to develop a clinical risk index for UI based on readily available clinical data to assist in the identification of trauma patients at risk for this complication. We also sought to determine the impact of UI on patient outcomes. This is a 3-year retrospective analysis of our Level 1 trauma center registry to identify all patients requiring a UI. Patients who required a UI were compared with patients who were never intubated. An additive risk index consisting of 10 clinical variables was created using the final significant variables from a stepwise logistic regression model. The sensitivity and specificity of every possible index score were calculated and added together to calculate the "gain in certainty" values. During the 3-year period, 7,552 patients were admitted, of whom 967 (12.8%) required intubation. Of these, 55 (5.7%) underwent a UI. The final risk index consisted of 10 variables as follows: age 55 years to 64 years, age 65 years or older, male sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 9 to 13, seizures, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, traumatic brain injury, four or more rib fractures, spine fractures, and long-bone fractures. Gain in certainty was maximized at an index score of 4, with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity of 86.0% and 74.9%, respectively. The probability of UI increased from 0.9% at a score of 1 to 2.9% at 4 and 43% at 9. UI was associated with increased overall complications, length of stay, and mortality (p the development of an additive risk index. Prospective validation of the risk index is potentially warranted. Diagnostic study, level III.

  7. Relation of the aortic stiffness with the GRACE risk score in patients with the non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omer, Gedikli; Gokhan, Aksan; Adem, Uzun; Sabri, Demircan; Korhan, Soylu

    2014-01-01

    Current guidelines recommend clinical risk scoring systems for the patients diagnosed and determinated treatment strategy with in Non-ST-elevation elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Previous studies demonstrated association between aortic elasticity properties, stiffness and severity CAD. However, the associations between Aortic stiffness, elasticity properties and clinical risk scores have not been investigated. In the present study we have evaluated the relation between the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score and aortic stiffness in patients with NSTEMI. We prospectively analyzed 87 consecutive patients with NSTEMI. Aortic elastic parameter and stiffness parameter were calculated from the echocardiographically derived thoracic aortic diameters (mm/m(2)), and the measurement of pulse pressure obtained by cuff sphygmomanometry. We have categorized the patients in to two groups as low ((n = 45) (GRACE risk score ≤ 140)) and high ((n = 42) (GRACE risk score > 140)) risk group according to GRACE risk score and compare the both groups. Table 1 shows baseline characteristics of patients. Our study showed that Aortic strain was significantly low (3.5 ± 1.4, 7.9 ± 2.3 respectively, p < 0.001) and aortic stiffness index was significantly high (3.9 ± 0.38; 3 ± 0.35, respectively, p < 0.001) in the high risk group values compared to those with low risk group. The aortic stiffness index was the only independent predictor of GRACE risk score (OR: 119.390; 95% CI: 2.925-4872.8; p = 0.011) in multivariate analysis. We found a significant correlation between aortic stiffness, impaired elasticity and GRACE risk score. Aortic stiffness index was the only independent variable of the high GRACE risk score. The inclusion of aortic stiffness into the GRACE risk score could allow improved risk classification of patients with ACS at admission and this may be important in the diagnosis, follow up and treatment of the patients.

  8. Risk factors for mortality in fournier's gangrene in a general hospital: use of simplified founier gangrene severe index score (SFGSI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eugênio Lira Tenório

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate risk factors for mortality in patients with Fournier's gangrene (FG, with emphasis in the Simplified Fournier Gangrene Severe Index Score (SFGSI. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out from January 2010 to December 2014, with 124 patients treated for FG in a General Hospital. Several clinical and laboratory variables, including SFGSI, were evaluated and correlated with mortality through univariate analysis and logistic regression. Results Of the 124 patients, 99 were men (79.8%, the mean age was 50.8±19.5 years and the main comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (51.6%. The mortality rate was 25.8%. Variables that presented independent correlation with mortality were the extension of the lesion to the abdomen (OR=4.0, CI=1.10-14.68, p=0.03, hematocrit (OR=0.81, CI=0.73-0.90, p2 result was the largest of the independent predictors of mortality (OR=50.2; CI=13.18-191.47; p2 presented a higher correlation with mortality than any variable tested alone. It seems to be a promising alternative to evaluate predictors of mortality in Fournier's gangrene. The main advantage is easy applicability because it contains only three parameters and can be used immediately after patient's admission.

  9. Risk factors for mortality in fournier's gangrene in a general hospital: use of simplified founier gangrene severe index score (SFGSI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenório, Carlos Eugênio Lira; Lima, Salvador Vilar Correia; Albuquerque, Amanda Vasconcelos de; Cavalcanti, Mariana Pauferro; Teles, Flávio

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate risk factors for mortality in patients with Fournier's gangrene (FG), with emphasis in the Simplified Fournier Gangrene Severe Index Score (SFGSI). This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out from January 2010 to December 2014, with 124 patients treated for FG in a General Hospital. Several clinical and laboratory variables, including SFGSI, were evaluated and correlated with mortality through univariate analysis and logistic regression. Of the 124 patients, 99 were men (79.8%), the mean age was 50.8±19.5 years and the main comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (51.6%). The mortality rate was 25.8%. Variables that presented independent correlation with mortality were the extension of the lesion to the abdomen (OR=4.0, CI=1.10-14.68, p=0.03), hematocrit (OR=0.81, CI=0.73-0.90, p2 result was the largest of the independent predictors of mortality (OR=50.2; CI=13.18-191.47; p2 presented a higher correlation with mortality than any variable tested alone. It seems to be a promising alternative to evaluate predictors of mortality in Fournier's gangrene. The main advantage is easy applicability because it contains only three parameters and can be used immediately after patient's admission. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

  10. Utility of the Instability Severity Index Score in Predicting Failure After Arthroscopic Anterior Stabilization of the Shoulder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phadnis, Joideep; Arnold, Christine; Elmorsy, Ahmed; Flannery, Mark

    2015-08-01

    The redislocation rate after arthroscopic stabilization for anterior glenohumeral instability is up to 30%. The Instability Severity Index Score (ISIS) was developed to preoperatively rationalize the risk of failure, but it has not yet been validated by an independent group. To assess the utility of the ISIS in predicting failure of arthroscopic anterior shoulder stabilization and to identify other preoperative factors for failure. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. A case-control study was performed on 141 consecutive patients, comparing those who suffered failure of arthroscopic stabilization with those who had successful arthroscopic stabilization. The mean follow-up time was 47 months (range, 24-132 months). The ISIS was applied retrospectively, and an analysis was performed to establish independent risk factors for failure. A receiver operator coefficient curve was constructed to set a threshold ISIS for considering alternative surgery. Of 141 patients, 19 (13.5%) suffered recurrent instability. The mean ISIS of the failed stabilization group was higher than that of the successful stabilization group (5.1 vs 1.7; P surgery (P < .001), age at first dislocation (P = .01), competitive-level participation in sports (P < .001), and participation in contact or overhead sports (P = .03). The presence of glenoid bone loss carried the highest risk of failure (70%). There was a 70% risk of failure if the ISIS was ≥4, as opposed to a 4% risk of failure if the ISIS was <4. This is the first completely independent study to confirm that the ISIS is a useful preoperative tool. It is recommended that surgeons consider alternative forms of stabilization if the ISIS is ≥4. © 2015 The Author(s).

  11. Relationship between body mass index, fat mass and lean mass with SF-36 quality of life scores in a group of fibromyalgia patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arranz, Laura; Canela, Miguel Angel; Rafecas, Magda

    2012-11-01

    Patients suffering from fibromyalgia (FM) had widespread musculoskeletal pain and stiffness, fatigue, sleep disorders, cognitive impairment and other symptoms, which seriously affects their quality of life (QoL), making it difficult to perform normal activities. Moreover, FM has been associated with a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than in the general population. Weight reduction has been beneficial in both FM and other rheumatic patients. Obesity and overweight have been pointed as playing a relevant role in FM symptoms; however, it is necessary to find out more about this relationship. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), fat mass (fM) and lean mass (lM) with quality of life in a group of FM patients. 103 women, with a mean age of 53.74 ± 7.81, and members of different FM patient associations from Spain participated in our study. Some anthropometric measures were taken like weight, height, BMI, body fat mass and lean mass. FM patients QoL was assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey, SF-36 questionnaire. Statistical reports were based on mean, standard deviation and correlation, but significance was tested by nonparametric methods. BMI, fM and lM correlated differently with the specific SF-36 scores. BMI had a high negative correlation with emotional role, fM with bodily pain and lM almost with all scores but specially with emotional role, vitality and physical role. The outcome of this study reveals some interesting relationships, which need to be further investigated to improve the management of FM patients.

  12. Color stability and flexural strength of poly (methyl methacrylate) and bis-acrylic composite based provisional crown and bridge auto-polymerizing resins exposed to beverages and food dye: an in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gujjari, Anil K; Bhatnagar, Vishrut M; Basavaraju, Ravi M

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the color stability and flexural strength of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and bis-acrylic composite based provisional crown and bridge auto-polymerizing resins exposed to tea, coffee, cola, and food dye. Two provisional crown and bridge resins, one DPI self-cure tooth molding powder (PMMA) (Group A), and one Protemp 4 Temporization Material (bis-acrylic composite) (Group B) were used. Disk-shaped specimens for color stability testing (n = 30 for each material) and bar-shaped specimens for flexural strength testing (n = 30 for each material) were fabricated using a metal mold. The specimens were immersed in artificial saliva, artificial saliva + tea, artificial saliva + coffee, artificial saliva + cola, and artificial saliva + food dye solutions and stored in an incubator at 37°C. Color measurements were taken before immersion, and then after 3 and 7 days of immersion. Flexural strength was evaluated after 7 days of immersion. Group A showed significantly higher color stability as compared to Group B, and artificial saliva + coffee solution had the most staining capacity for the resins. Test solutions had no effect on the flexural strength of Group A, but Group B specimens immersed in artificial saliva + cola showed significantly lower flexural strength values as compared to the control group. The findings of the study showed that for materials used in the study, PMMA was more color stable than bis-acrylic composite based resin. Also, material based on PMMA was more resistant to damage from dietary beverages as compared to bis-acrylic composite based provisional crown and bridge resin.

  13. Prediction of Mortality with A Body Shape Index in Young Asians: Comparison with Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Da-Young; Lee, Mi-Yeon; Sung, Ki-Chul

    2018-06-01

    This paper investigated the impact of A Body Shape Index (ABSI) on the risk of all-cause mortality compared with the impact of waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). This paper reviewed data of 213,569 Korean adults who participated in health checkups between 2002 and 2012 at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul, Korea. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed on the BMI, WC, and ABSI z score continuous variables as well as quintiles. During 1,168,668.7 person-years, 1,107 deaths occurred. As continuous variables, a significant positive relationship with the risk of all-cause death was found only in ABSI z scores after adjustment for age, sex, current smoking, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, presence of diabetes or hypertension, and history of cardiovascular diseases. In Cox analysis of quintiles, quintile 5 of the ABSI z score showed significantly increased hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality risk (HR [95% CI] was 1.32 [1.05-1.66]), whereas the risk for all-cause mortality, on the other hand, decreased in quintiles 3 through 5 of BMI and WC compared with their first quintiles after adjusting for several confounders. This study showed that the predictive value of ABSI for mortality risk was strong for a sample of young Asian participants and that its usefulness was better than BMI or WC. © 2018 The Obesity Society.

  14. Similarity between neonatal profile and socioeconomic index: a spatial approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    d'Orsi Eleonora

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to compare neonatal characteristics and socioeconomic conditions in Rio de Janeiro city neighborhoods in order to identify priority areas for intervention. The study design was ecological. Two databases were used: the Brazilian Population Census and the Live Birth Information System, aggregated by neighborhoods. Spatial analysis, multivariate cluster classification, and Moran's I statistics for detection of spatial clustering were used. A similarity index was created to compare socioeconomic clusters with the neonatal profile in each neighborhood. The proportions of Apgar score above 8 and cesarean sections showed positive spatial correlation and high similarity with the socioeconomic index. The proportion of low birth weight infants showed a random spatial distribution, indicating that at this scale of analysis, birth weight is not sufficiently sensitive to discriminate subtler differences among population groups. The observed relationship between the neighborhoods' neonatal profile (particularly Apgar score and mode of delivery and socioeconomic conditions shows evidence of a change in infant health profile, where the possibility for intervention shifts to medical services and the Apgar score assumes growing significance as a risk indicator.

  15. Psychometric and screening properties of the WHO-5 well-being index in adult outpatients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hajós, Tibor R S; Pouwer, F; Skovlund, S E

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The 5-item World Health Organization well-being index is a commonly used measure of emotional well-being, but research on psychometric properties in outpatients with diabetes is scarce. We examined psychometric and screening properties for depression of this index in a large sample...... of the WHO-5 index was determined by Cronbach's alpha. The factor structure was tested by confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlations with the Patient Health Questionnaire, Problem Areas in Diabetes and the Short Form-12 mental component scores. Sensitivity and specificity...... and Type 2 diabetes. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between the WHO-5 index and the Patient Health Questionnaire scores, the Problem Areas in Diabetes scores and the Short Form-12 mental component scores (r = 0.55-0.69, P

  16. Mapping health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI) score, pain visual analog scale (VAS), and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) onto the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) utility score with the KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) registry data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye-Lin; Kim, Dam; Jang, Eun Jin; Lee, Min-Young; Song, Hyun Jin; Park, Sun-Young; Cho, Soo-Kyung; Sung, Yoon-Kyoung; Choi, Chan-Bum; Won, Soyoung; Bang, So-Young; Cha, Hoon-Suk; Choe, Jung-Yoon; Chung, Won Tae; Hong, Seung-Jae; Jun, Jae-Bum; Kim, Jinseok; Kim, Seong-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Kim, Tae-Jong; Koh, Eunmi; Lee, Hwajeong; Lee, Hye-Soon; Lee, Jisoo; Lee, Shin-Seok; Lee, Sung Won; Park, Sung-Hoon; Shim, Seung-Cheol; Yoo, Dae-Hyun; Yoon, Bo Young; Bae, Sang-Cheol; Lee, Eui-Kyung

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate the mapping model for EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) utility values using the health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI), pain visual analog scale (VAS), and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) in a large, nationwide cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Korea. The KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) registry data on 3557 patients with RA were used. Data were randomly divided into a modeling set (80 % of the data) and a validation set (20 % of the data). The ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit, and two-part model methods were employed to construct a model to map to the EQ-5D index. Using a combination of HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28, four model versions were examined. To evaluate the predictive accuracy of the models, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were calculated using the validation dataset. A model that included HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28 produced the highest adjusted R (2) as well as the lowest Akaike information criterion, RMSE, and MAE, regardless of the statistical methods used in modeling set. The mapping equation of the OLS method is given as EQ-5D = 0.95-0.21 × HAQ-DI-0.24 × pain VAS/100-0.01 × DAS28 (adjusted R (2) = 57.6 %, RMSE = 0.1654 and MAE = 0.1222). Also in the validation set, the RMSE and MAE were shown to be the smallest. The model with HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28 showed the best performance, and this mapping model enabled the estimation of an EQ-5D value for RA patients in whom utility values have not been measured.

  17. The Agency's Safeguards System (1965, as provisionally extended in 1966 and 1968); Le Systeme de Garanties de l'Agence (1965, provisoirement etendu en 1966 et 1968)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1968-09-24

    The Agency's safeguards system, as approved by the Board of Governors in 1965, and provisionally extended in 1966, is set forth in this document for the Information of all Members [French] Le Systeme de garanties de l'Agence, approuve par le Conseil des gouverneurs en 1965 et provisoirement etendu en 1966 et 1968, est reproduit dans le present document pour l'information de tous les Membres.

  18. Conformity index: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feuvret, Loic; Noel, Georges; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques; Bey, Pierre

    2006-01-01

    We present a critical analysis of the conformity indices described in the literature and an evaluation of their field of application. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, with or without intensity modulation, is based on medical imaging techniques, three-dimensional dosimetry software, compression accessories, and verification procedures. It consists of delineating target volumes and critical healthy tissues to select the best combination of beams. This approach allows better adaptation of the isodose to the tumor volume, while limiting irradiation of healthy tissues. Tools must be developed to evaluate the quality of proposed treatment plans. Dosimetry software provides the dose distribution in each CT section and dose-volume histograms without really indicating the degree of conformity. The conformity index is a complementary tool that attributes a score to a treatment plan or that can compare several treatment plans for the same patient. The future of conformal index in everyday practice therefore remains unclear

  19. Evaluation of geological documents available for provisional safety analyses of potential sites for nuclear waste repositories - Are additional geological investigations needed?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-10-01

    The procedure for selecting repository sites for all categories of radioactive waste in Switzerland is defined in the conceptual part of the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories, which foresees a selection of sites in three stages. In Stage I, Nagra proposed geological siting regions based on criteria relating to safety and engineering feasibility. The Swiss Government (the Federal Council) is expected to decide on the siting proposals in 2011. The objective of Stage 2 is to prepare proposals for the location of the surface facilities within the planning perimeters defined by the Federal Council in its decision on Stage 1 and to identify potential sites. Nagra also has to carry out a provisional safety analysis for each site and a safety-based comparison of the sites. Based on this, and taking into account the results of the socio-economic-ecological impact studies, Nagra then has to propose at least two sites for each repository type to be carried through to Stage 3. The proposed sites will then be investigated in more detail in Stage 3 to ensure that the selection of the sites for the General Licence Applications is well founded. In order to realise the objectives of the upcoming Stage 2, the state of knowledge of the geological conditions at the sites has to be sufficient to perform the provisional safety analyses. Therefore, in preparation for Stage 2, the conceptual part of the Sectoral Plan requires Nagra to clarify the need for additional investigations aimed at providing input for the provisional safety analyses. The purpose of the present report is to document Nagra's technical-scientific assessment of this need. The focus is on evaluating the geological information based on processes and parameters that are relevant for safety and engineering feasibility. In evaluating the state of knowledge the key question is whether additional information could lead to a different decision regarding the selection of the sites to be carried through to Stage 3

  20. Utility of the General Ability Index (GAI) and Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) with Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumors: Comparison to Full Scale IQ and Premorbid IQ Estimates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahalley, Lisa S.; Winter-Greenberg, Amanda; Stancel, Heather; Ris, M. Douglas; Gragert, Marsha

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Pediatric brain tumor survivors are at risk for working memory and processing speed impairment. The General Ability Index (GAI) provides an estimate of intellectual functioning that is less influenced by working memory and processing speed than a Full Scale IQ (FSIQ). The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) provides a measure of efficient information processing derived from working memory and processing speed tasks. We examined the utility of the GAI and CPI to quantify neurocognitive outcomes in a sample of pediatric brain tumor survivors. Methods GAI, CPI, and FSIQ scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) were examined for 57 pediatric brain tumor survivors (ages 6–16) treated with cranial radiation therapy (RT). Results GAI scores were higher than FSIQ and CPI scores, both p < .001. Lower CPI scores were associated with history of craniospinal irradiation and time since RT. Lower FSIQ and GAI scores were associated with higher RT dose and time since RT. The rate of clinically significant GAI-FSIQ discrepancies in our sample was greater than observed in the WISC-IV standardization sample, p < .001. Estimated premorbid IQ scores were higher than GAI, p < .01, and FSIQ scores, p < .001. Conclusions Pediatric brain tumor survivors exhibit weaker cognitive proficiency than expected for age, while general reasoning ability remains relatively spared. The GAI may be useful to quantify the intellectual potential of a survivor when appropriate accommodations are in place for relative cognitive proficiency weaknesses. The CPI may be a particularly sensitive outcome measure of treatment-related cognitive change in this population. PMID:27295192