Percentage Of Contact Research Articles

Prospective sequential comparison of femoral roll-back between cruciate-retaining and posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty using an intra-operative sensor

BackgroundImplant design and surgical techniques affect postoperative knee kinematics in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study aimed to compare femoral roll-back between cruciate-retaining (CR) and posterior-stabilized (PS) TKA in the same knee by objectively quantifying the contact point kinematics of the tibiofemoral joint using a sensor. MethodsIn the present prospective study, we used an intraoperative sensor to compare medial and lateral roll-back during 0-120° knee flexion in 33 knees that underwent CR and PS TKA. We also examined the relationship between mediolateral balance and the lateral-to-medial roll-back ratio. We defined the contact percentage position as the vertical length to the contact point divided by the anteroposterior length of the tibial plate. ResultsThe roll-back percentage following PS TKA (19.8 ± 5.1%) was significantly higher than that after CR TKA in both the medial (19.8 ± 5.1% versus 7.1 ± 2.5%, P < 0.001) and lateral (26.8% ± 3.8% versus 18.7 ± 3.8%, P < 0.001) compartments. The medial contact pressure at 90° was significantly correlated with the increased lateral-to-medial roll-back ratio in both CR and PS TKA (both P < 0.001). ConclusionPS TKA resulted in a higher percentage of femoral roll-back in the medial and lateral compartments than CR TKA. CR TKA caused a higher lateral-to-medial roll-back ratio compared to PS TKA. To reproduce medial pivot knee motion similar to that of a normal knee, the medial soft tissue needed to be balanced more tightly than the lateral soft tissue during TKA. These findings provide some clinical evidence of TKA design selection and proper mediolateral balancing for successful TKA.

Daily use of lateral flow devices by contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases to enable exemption from isolation compared with standard self-isolation to reduce onward transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in England: a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial

In the UK, during the study period (April to July, 2021), all contacts of people with COVID-19 were required to self-isolate for 10 days, which had adverse impacts on individuals and society. Avoiding the need to self-isolate for those who remain uninfected would be beneficial. We investigated whether daily use of lateral flow devices (LFDs) to test for SARS-CoV-2, with removal of self-isolation for 24 h if negative, could be a safe alternative to self-isolation as a means to minimise onward transmission of the virus. We conducted a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial in adult contacts identified by COVID-19 contact tracing in England. Consenting participants were randomly assigned to self-isolation (single PCR test, 10-day isolation) or daily contact testing (DCT; seven LFD tests, two PCR tests, no isolation if negative on LFD); participants from a single household were assigned to the same group. Participants were prospectively followed up, with the effect of each intervention on onward transmission established from routinely collected NHS Test and Trace contact tracing data for participants who tested PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period and tertiary cases arising from their contacts (ie, secondary contacts). The primary outcome of the study was the attack rate, the percentage of secondary contacts (close contacts of SARS-CoV-2-positive study participants) who became COVID-19 cases (tertiary cases) in each group. Attack rates were derived from Bernoulli regression models using Huber-White (robust) sandwich estimator clustered standard errors. Attack rates were adjusted for household exposure, vaccination status, and ability to work from home. The non-inferiority margin was 1·9%. The primary analysis was a modified intention-to-treat analysis excluding those who actively withdrew from the study as data from these participants were no longer held. This study is registered with the Research Registry (number 6809). Data collection is complete; analysis is ongoing. Between April 29 and July 28, 2021, 54 923 eligible individuals were enrolled in the study, with final group allocations (following withdrawals) of 26 123 (52·6%) participants in the DCT group and 23 500 (47·4%) in the self-isolation group. Overall, 4694 participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR (secondary cases), 2364 (10·1%) in the self-isolation group and 2330 (8·9%) in the DCT group. Adjusted attack rates (among secondary contacts) were 7·5% in the self-isolation group and 6·3% in the DCT group (difference of -1·2% [95% CI -2·3 to -0·2]; significantly lower than the non-inferiority margin of 1·9%). DCT with 24 h exemption from self-isolation for essential activities appears to be non-inferior to self-isolation. This study, which provided evidence for the UK Government's daily lateral flow testing policy for vaccinated contacts of COVID-19 cases, indicated that daily testing with LFDs could allow individuals to reduce the risk of onward transmission while minimising the adverse effects of self-isolation. Although contacts in England are no longer required to isolate, the findings will be relevant for future policy decisions around COVID-19 or other communicable infections. UK Government Department of Health and Social Care.

Radiographic results of osteotome-driven maxillary sinus floor elevation without grafting materials after 17.5 years radiographic evaluation of minimally-invasive sinus grafting

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that minimally invasive sinus augmentation works without the use of filler materials. This study assessed the bone integration and sinus projection of single-unit implants in the maxilla, which were placed approximately 18 years ago using a modified filler-free osteotome technique. MethodsSixteen of the 24 treated patients of a former publication (treatment was performed between 2001 and 2004) were reassessed after a mean implant loading period of 17.5 years. The treated posterior areas were evaluated using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and as a primary outcome parameter, sinus projection was determined in sectional views at the mesial, distal, buccal, and oral sites. Additionally, the percentage of alveolar bone contact was determined with respect to the implant length. Conventional radiographs were used to determine marginal bone levels. Additionally, plaque, bleeding on probing, and probing pocket depth were measured. The reconstructions were checked for chipping and other technical complications such as loss of retention, screw loosening, and screw fracture. ResultsThe mean age of the included patients was 72.8 ± 8.5 years. Two implants were lost. Therefore, fourteen implants were available for CBCT evaluation. The highest sinus projection of 2.1 ± 1.7 mm was observed in the distal aspect, while it was 1.1 ± 1.5, 0.9 ± 1.2, and 0.9 ± 1.1 mm at the mesial, buccal, and oral sites, respectively. The maximal sinus projection in one case was 6.7 mm. The percentage calculation of osseous implant integration (in mm ± standard deviations) with respect to the selected implant length at the mesial, distal, buccal, and oral sites showed values ranging from, 87.9 ± 16.0, 78.4 ± 20.3, 91.0 ± 12.5, and 90.5 ± 11.1%, respectively. Five implants displayed probing pocket depths of more than 4 mm with bleeding; all implants had less than 1 mm of bone loss in the observation period, that is, implants had mucositis. Six of 14 crowns showed small chippings within the ceramic veneering. One case of screw loosening was reported in medical history. DiscussionThis study showed that implant placement in non-augmented sinuses resulted in good clinical results. The sinus projection, even if persistent and present, leads to no functional impairments. Given adequate maintenance, marginal bone levels remain constant and peri‑implant health can be observed. Moreover, these results represent only a small cohort; and therefore, should be interpreted with caution. However, in view of the existing literature, these highly promising results are in line with other findings. Clinical significanceTo the best of our knowledge, this dataset is the report with the longest follow-up. Overall, implants placed in the sinus without fillers represent a valuable alternative for tooth replacement in a minimally interventional manner.

Quantitative evaluation of training method in placing miniscrews in orthodontic graduate program

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of training residents in an orthodontic program in the placement of miniscrews by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. A total of 90 miniscrews were placed in 15 pig mandibles over a 3-year period by 15 first-year orthodontic residents. Miniscrews were divided into three groups (Control group: no radiographs; 2D group: placement with 2D radiographs; CBCT group: placement with CBCT). Proximity of the miniscrew to the neighboring root was measured. The miniscrew success rate was examined in the graduate clinic from 2015 to 2021.ResultsThe percentage of root contact for each group was: 36.7% (11/30), 20.0% (6/30), 0% (0/30), for the Control, 2D, and CBCT groups, respectively. The CBCT group was significantly different from the Control and 2D groups (p < 0.05). For root proximity, the miniscrews were significantly closer to the roots in the Control (p < 0.001) and 2D (p < 0.001) groups compared with the CBCT group. No significant difference was observed between the Control and 2D groups (p = 0.80). There was no significant difference among the years in the miniscrew success rate.ConclusionsTraining the residents in an orthodontic graduate program using CBCT may be helpful to avoid root damage and to decrease the miniscrew failure rate.

Seroepidemiologic survey of the household contacts of leprosy patients.

Leprosy is a disabling infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of leprosy among household contacts of leprosy patients. This study is a serological survey in household contacts of leprosy patients who had been treated or were undergoing treatment in the city of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil, from 2006-2016, using clinical examination and screening for anti- Phenolic glycolipid-I antibodies with Mycobacterium leprae-flow serology. A total of 263 index cases of leprosy were identified during the study period. Of these, 53 were approached, and among their household contacts, 108 were examined. The ML-flow test was positive in 2 (1.85%) individuals, but clinical examination revealed no signs or symptoms of leprosy in them. Therefore, they were considered to have a subclinical infection. Leprosy was not confirmed in any household contacts. In this study, a lower percentage of household contacts, when compared to that in the literature, had a positive Mycobacterium leprae-flow test result. The use of Mycobacterium leprae-flow should be encouraged during the follow-up of at-risk populations, such as the household contacts of leprosy patients.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity of New Spirooxindoles Engrafted Furan Structural Motif as a Potential Anticancer Agent.

A new series of spirooxindoles based on ethylene derivatives having furan aryl moiety are reported. The new hybrids were achieved via [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction as an economic one-step efficient approach. The final constructed spirooxindoles have four contiguous asymmetric carbon centers. The structure of 3a is exclusively confirmed using X-ray single crystal diffraction. The supramolecular structure of 3a is controlled by O···H, H···H, and C···C intermolecular contacts. It includes layered molecules interconnected weak C–H···O (2.675 Å), H···H (2.269 Å), and relatively short Cl···Br interhalogen interactions [3.4500(11)Å]. Using Hirshfeld analysis, the percentages of these intermolecular contacts are 10.6, 25.7, 6.4, and 6.2%, respectively. The spirooxindoles along with ethylene derivatives having furan aryl moiety were assessed against breast (MCF7) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines. The results indicated that the new chalcone 3b showed excellent activity in both cell lines (MCF7 and HepG2) with IC50 = 4.1 ± 0.10 μM/mL (MCF7) and 3.5 ± 0.07 μM/mL (HepG2) compared to staurosporine with 4.3 and 2.92 folds. Spirooxindoles 6d (IC50 = 4.3 ± 0.18 μM/mL), 6f (IC50 = 10.3 ± 0.40 μM/mL), 6i (IC50 = 10.7 ± 0.38 μM/mL), and 6j (IC50 = 4.7 ± 0.18 μM/mL) exhibited potential activity against breast adenocarcinoma, while compounds 6d (IC50 = 6.9 ± 0.23 μM/mL) and 6f (IC50 = 3.5 ± 0.11 μM/mL) were the most active hybrids against human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) compared to staurosporine [IC50 = 17.8 ± 0.50 μM/mL (MCF7) and 10.3 ± 0.23 μM/mL (HepG2)]. Molecular docking study exhibited the virtual mechanism of binding of compound 3b as a dual inhibitor of EGFR/CDK-2 proteins, and this may highlight the molecular targets for its cytotoxic activity.

Prospective Case-control Study of Contact Tracing Speed for Emergency Department-based Contact Tracers.

IntroductionIn Snohomish County, WA, the time from obtaining a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test and initiating contact tracing is 4–6 days. We tested whether emergency department (ED)-based contact tracing reduces time to initiation and completion of contact tracing investigations.MethodsAll eligible coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-positive patients were offered enrollment in this prospective case-control study. Contact tracers were present in the ED from 7 AM to 2 AM for 60 consecutive days. Tracers conducted interviews using the Washington State Department of Health’s extended COVID-19 reporting form, which is also used by the Snohomish Health District (SHD).ResultsEighty-one eligible SARS-CoV-2 positive patients were identified and 71 (88%) consented for the study. The mean time between positive COVID-19 test result and initiation of contact tracing investigation was 111 minutes with a median of 32 minutes (range: 1–1,203 minutes). The mean time from positive test result and completion of ED-based contact tracing investigation was 244 minutes with a median of 132 minutes (range: 23–1,233 minutes). In 100% of the enrolled cases, contact tracing was completed within 24 hours of a positive COVID-19 test result. For comparison, during this same period, SHD was able to complete contact tracing in 64% of positive cases within 24 hours of notification of a positive test result (P < 0.001). In the ED, each case identified a mean of 2.8 contacts as compared to 1.4 contacts identified by SHD-interviewed cases. There was no statistically significant difference between the percentage of contacts reached through ED contact tracing (82%) when compared to the usual practice (78%) (P = 0.16).ConclusionWhen contact tracing investigations occur at the point of diagnoses, the time to initiation and completion are reduced, there is higher enrollment, and more contacts are identified.

Trends in Utilization of Electronic Consultations Associated With Patient Payer and Language Among US Academic Medical Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Electronic consultations (eConsultations) are increasingly used to obtain specialist guidance, avoiding unnecessary face-to-face patient visits for certain clinical questions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person care was limited, eConsultations may have helped clinicians obtain specialist input to guide patient care. To understand how the use of eConsultations changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether trends in eConsultation utilization differed based on patient's payer and primary language. This retrospective cohort study was conducted at 6 academic medical centers in the United States, all participating in the Association of American Colleges Coordinating Optimal Referral Experiences program. Participants included adult patients who had an outpatient visit, referral, or eConsultation during the study period. Data were analyzed from June 4, 2019, to July 28, 2020. The primary outcome was the eConsultation proportion of specialty contact, defined as the number of completed eConsultations divided by the sum of the number of completed eConsultations and specialty referrals, expressed as a percentage. eConsultation percentages of specialty contact were further stratified by payer type and language. Payers included commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, self-pay or uninsured, and other. Primary language included English and non-English languages. A total of 14 545 completed eConsultations and 189 776 referrals were included. More eConsultations were completed for English-speaking patients (11 363 eConsultations [95.0%]) than non-English-speaking patients (597 eConsultations [5.0%]). Patients with commercial insurance represented the highest number of completed eConsultations (8848 eConsultations [60.8%]) followed by Medicare (3891 eConsultations [26.8%]), Medicaid (930 eConsultations [6.4%]), other insurance (745 eConsultations [5.1%]), and self-pay or no insurance (131 eConsultations [0.9%]). At the start of the pandemic, across all academic medical centers, the percentage of specialty contact conducted via eConsultation significantly increased by 6.21% (95% CI, 4.97%-7.44%; P < .001). When stratified by payer and language, the percentage of specialty contact conducted via eConsultation significantly increased at the beginning of the pandemic for both English-speaking patients (change, 6.09% (95% CI, 4.82% to 7.37%; P < .001) and non-English-speaking patients (change, 8.48% [95% CI, 5.79% to 11.16%]; P < .001) and for all payers, except self-pay and uninsured patients (change, -0.21% [95% CI, [-1.35% to 0.92%]; P = .70). This retrospective cohort study found that eConsultations provided an accessible mechanism for clinicians to receive specialist input when in-person care was limited.

General practice and patient characteristics associated with personal continuity: a mixed-methods study.

Personal continuity of care is a core value of general practice. It is increasingly threatened by societal and healthcare changes. To investigate the association between personal continuity and both practice and patient characteristics; and to incorporate GPs' views to enrich and validate the quantitative findings. A mixed-methods study based on observational, routinely collected healthcare data from 269 478 patients from 48 Dutch general practices (2013-2018) and interviews with selected GPs. First, four different personal continuity outcome measures were calculated relating to eight practice and 12 patient characteristics using multilevel linear regression analyses. Second, a thematic analysis was performed of semi-structured interviews with 10 GPs to include their views on factors contributing to personal (dis) continuity. These GPs worked at the 10 practices with the largest difference between calculated and model-estimated personal continuity. Both a larger number of usual GPs working in a practice and a larger percentage of patient contacts with locum GPs were dose-dependently associated with lower personal continuity (highest versus lowest quartile -0.094 and -0.092, respectively, P<0.001), whereas days since registration with the general practice was dose-dependently associated with higher personal continuity (highest versus lowest quartile +0.017, P<0.001). Older age, number of chronic conditions, and contacts were also associated with higher personal continuity. The in-depth interviews identified three key themes affecting personal continuity: team composition, practice organisation, and the personal views of the GPs. Personal continuity is associated with practice and patient characteristics. The dose-dependent associations suggest a causal relationship and, complemented by GPs' views, may provide practical targets to improve personal continuity directly.

Comparison of heat production and bone architecture changes in the implant site preparation with compressive osteotomes, osseodensification technique, piezoelectric devices, and standard drills: an ex vivo study on porcine ribs

This study aimed at investigating differences in heat generation and bone architecture following four different implant site preparation techniques: compressive osteotomes, conventional drills, osseodensification (OD mode with osseodensification drills), and piezoelectric systems. Porcine rib bones were used as a model for implant surgery. Thermocouples were employed to measure temperature changes, and micro-CT to assess the bone architecture. The primary stability and insertion torque values of the implants placed in the differently prepared sites were assessed. The temperature changes were higher with Piezo. The average primary stability using the ISQ scale was the greatest for drills (76.17 ± 0.90) and the lowest for osteotomes (71.50 ± 11.09). Insertion torque was significantly higher with the osseodensification method (71.67 ± 7.99 Ncm) in comparison to drills, osteotomes, and piezo. Osteotomes showed the highest bone to implant contact percentage (39.83 ± 3.14%) and average trabecular number (2.02 ± 0.21 per mm), while drills exhibited the lowest (30.73 ± 1.65%; 1.37 ± 0.34 per mm). Total implant site bone volume was the highest with osseodensification (37.26 ± 4.13mm3) and the lowest for osteotomes (33.84 ± 3.84mm3). Statistical analysis showed a high primary stability and decrease in temperature during implant site preparation with osseodensification technique. The results support the use of osseodensification technique for implant site preparation.

D.E.M. modeling of biocemented sand: Influence of the cohesive contact surface area distribution and the percentage of cohesive contacts

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a recent technique used to reinforce the soil. In the present work, a 3D Discrete Element Method (DEM) model for biocemented sand is set up. It takes into account real contact properties, such as the cohesive contact surface area distribution and the percentage of cemented bonds, which have been computed from 3D synchrotron X-ray images at high resolution of biocemented sand with different amounts of calcite, ranging from 0 to 14.9% in volume (i.e. 19.6% in mass). Triaxial tests under different confining pressures are simulated. The macroscopic response of numerical and physical specimens are compared. Overall, these simulations show that the above contact properties play an important role on the macroscopic response and the proposed numerical model allows to describe with a good accuracy the macroscopic responses of lightly cemented samples (below 4% in volume), whereas it requires future developments to well represent the behavior of medium and highly cemented samples.

Division of foraging behaviour: Assessments of pollinator traits when visiting a model plant species

Diverse animals visit flowers but not all engage in pollination, and only behaviours involving stigmal contact result in successful pollination events. Ethological indices developed for sociobiological contexts (caste evolution) have unrealized potential to provide insights on pollination services but have not been applied in this context before. In the present study, we characterized foraging behaviours as functional traits, which allowed us to predict whether ecosystems services are robust to species-specific trait loss. We aimed to (1) document the variety, duration and frequency of on-flower behaviours, (2) determine which taxa engage in stigmal contact and (3) investigate vulnerabilities of pollination service to loss of pollinator taxa. We used video recordings to document on-flower behaviours of animals visiting a single apple cultivar (Malus domestica var. ‘Pink Lady’), which removed confounding factors to enable a robust assessment of functional pollination behaviour. We adapted division of labour statistics (designed to assess caste-specific behavioural task fidelity within social insect colonies) to investigate taxon-specific foraging behaviours within this assemblage of pollinators – a novel application. An ethogram of 11 behaviours was derived from 19,518 min of observations (2350 visits; 19 taxa). Most (53%) flower visits involved stigmal contact (termed ‘contact visits’), but the percentage of contact visits varied between taxa. We introduce division of foraging behaviour (DFB) indices – which imply the focal pollinator assemblage consists of a mix of behaviourally generalized and specialized taxa with a slight bias towards specialization: division of taxa into behaviours DFBY|X = 0.59; division of behaviours into taxa DFBX|Y = 0.76. Simulated extinction of taxa from this insect assemblage significantly shifted DFBY|X in four instances. These qualitative assessments of behavioural traits imply moderate functional redundancy in pollination services provided by 11 insect taxa to a model plant, even under simulated extinction events, suggesting pollination services may be somewhat resilient to animal–plant network disruptions in this Australian agroecological study system.

Crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 5-amino-1-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)pyrazole-4-carb-ox-ylic acid and 5-amino-3-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)isoxazole.

The title compounds, C11H11N3O3, (I), and C10H10N2O2, (II), are commercially available and were crystallized from ethyl acetate solution. The dihedral angle between the pyrazole and phenyl rings in (I) is 52.34 (7)° and the equivalent angle between the isoxazole and phenyl rings in (II) is 7.30 (13)°. In the crystal of (I), the mol-ecules form carb-oxy-lic acid inversion dimers with an R(8) ring motif via pairwise O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. In the crystal of (II), the mol-ecules are linked via N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds forming chains propagating along [010] with a C(5) motif. A weak N-H⋯π inter-action also features in the packing of (II). Hirshfeld surface analysis was used to explore the inter-molecular contacts in the crystals of both title compounds: the most important contacts for (I) are H⋯H (41.5%) and O⋯H/H⋯O (22.4%). For (II), the most significant contact percentages are H⋯H (36.1%) followed by C⋯H/H⋯C (31.3%).

Bone quality affects stability of orthodontic miniscrews

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of bone–miniscrew contact percentage (BMC%) and bone quality and quantity on orthodontic miniscrew stability and the maximum insertion torque value (ITV). Orthodontic miniscrews of five different dimensions and several bovine iliac bone specimens were used in the evaluation. Miniscrews of each dimension group were inserted into 20 positions in bovine iliac bone specimens. The experiment was divided into three parts: (1) Bone quality and quantity were evaluated using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and microcomputed tomography. (2) The 3D BMC% was calculated. (3) The ITVs during miniscrew insertion were recorded to evaluate the stability of the orthodontic miniscrews. The results indicated that longer and thicker miniscrews enabled higher ITVs. CBCT was used to accurately measure cortical bone thickness (r = 0.939, P < 0.05) and to predict the bone volume fraction of cancellous bone (r = 0.752, P < 0.05). BMC% was significantly influenced by miniscrew length. The contribution of cortical bone thickness to the ITV is greater than that of cancellous bone structure, and the contribution of cortical bone thickness to BMC% is greater than that of cancellous bone structure. Finally, the higher is BMC%, the greater is the ITV. This study concludes that use of CBCT may predict the mechanical stability of orthodontic miniscrews.

Postural Control Differences between Patients with Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction and Healthy People during Gait.

Background: Patients with posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) may exhibit postural instability during walking likely due to a loss of medial longitudinal arch, abnormal foot alignment, and pain. While many studies have investigated gait alterations in PTTD, there is no understanding of dynamic postural control mechanisms in this population during gait, which will help guide rehabilitation and gait training programs for patients with PTTD. The purpose of the study was to assess dynamic postural control mechanisms in patients with stage II PTTD as compared to age and gender matched healthy controls. Methods: Eleven patients with stage II PTTD (4 males and 7 females; age 59 ± 1 years; height 1.66 ± 0.12 m; mass 84.2 ± 16.0 kg) and ten gender and age matched controls were recruited in this study. Participants were asked to walk along a 10 m walkway. Ten Vicon cameras and four AMTI force platforms were used to collect kinematic and center of pressure (COP) data while participants performed gait. To test differences between PTTD vs. control groups, independent t-tests (set at α < 0.05) were performed. Results: Patients with PTTD had significantly higher double stance ratio (+23%) and anterior-posterior (AP) time to contact (TTC) percentage (+16%) as compared to healthy control. However, PTTD had lower AP COP excursion (−19%), AP COP velocity (−30%), and medial-lateral (ML) COP velocity (−40%) as compared to healthy controls. Mean ML COP trace values for PTTD were significantly decreased (−23%) as compared to controls, indicating COP trace for PTTD tends to be closer to the medial boundary than controls during single-support phase of walking. Conclusion: PTTD patients showed more conservative and cautious postural strategies which may help maintain balance and reduce the need for postural adjustment during PTTD gait. They also showed more medially shifted COP patterns than healthy controls during single-support phase of walking. Dynamic postural control outcomes could be used to develop effective gait training programs aimed at alleviating a medial shift of COP (everted foot) for individuals with PTTD in order to improve their functionality and gait efficiency.

Exploring associations between multidimensional frailty and oral health in community-dwelling older people. A pilot study.

ObjectiveTo determine the associations between four validated multidimensional self‐report frailty scales and nine indices of oral health in community‐dwelling older persons.Materials and MethodsThis pilot study was conducted in a sample of 208 older persons aged 70 years and older who visited two dental practices in the Netherlands. Frailty status was measured by four different self‐report frailty questionnaires: Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), Sunfrail Checklist (SC), and the Sherbrooke Postal Questionnaire (SPQ). Oral health was assessed by two calibrated examiners.ResultsThe prevalence of frailty according to the four frailty measures TFI, GFI, SC, and SPQ was 32.8%, 31.5%, 24.5%, and 49.7%, respectively. The SC correlated with four oral health variables (DMFT, number of teeth, percentage of occlusal contacts, Plaque Index), the TFI with three (number of teeth, percentage of occlusal contacts, Plaque Index), the GFI only with DPSI, and the SPQ with the number of teeth and the number of occlusal contacts.ConclusionOf the studied multidimensional frailty scales, the SC and TFI were correlated with most oral health variables (four and three, respectively). However, it should be noticed that these correlations were small.Clinical relevanceThe SC and TFI might help to identify older people with risk of poor oral health so that preventive care can be used to ensure deterioration of oral health and maintenance of quality of life. Vice versa early detection of frailty by oral care professionals could contribute to interprofessional management of frailty.

Primary Caregiver Retention and Perceptions of Retention Strategies in a 36-Month Prospective Childhood Caries Study.

Introduction/Objectives:This paper reports on participant retention from an ongoing prospective, multi-site cohort caries risk study involving parent/infant pairs. The objectives were to: (1) compare the retention rates at each intermediate contact (every 4 months) and dental visit (every 18 months) across the 3 clinical sites, (2) assess primary caregivers’ perceptions at the end of the study about the retention efforts used in this longitudinal study, and (3) determine whether primary caregiver baseline demographic characteristics and child’s baseline caries experience were associated with retention.Methods:1325 primary caregiver-child pairs recruited at the child’s first birthday were followed for 36 months at 3 sites. Dental visits occurred at children’s ages of approximately 12, 30, and 48 months. Telephone/email intermediate contacts with the primary caregiver occurred 6 times between dental visits. The outcome variable was the retention rates at each dental visit and each intermediate contact. Primary caregivers’ perceptions of intermediate contacts were evaluated. Retention rates were compared by maternal age, race, ethnicity, Medicaid status, yearly household income, baseline caries experience (defined as decayed, missing due to caries, or filled tooth surfaces) at 12 months, and the number of teeth erupted.Results:1325 primary caregiver/infant pairs were enrolled and completed the first in-person dental visit, 1062 pairs (80%) completed the second visit and 985 (74%) completed the third. Most primary caregivers were female (94%), with a mean age of 29 years and 667 (50%) self-identified as White, 544 (41%) as Black, and 146 (11%) as Hispanic. The percentages of successful intermediate contacts were 95% at 4 months decreasing to 82% at 34 months. Almost all 964 (98%) of 985 primary caregivers reported at the last visit that they were comfortable/very comfortable with 4-month intermediate contacts. The multivariable analysis showed that primary caregivers who were older (OR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09) and White (OR = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.06) were more likely to complete the study.Conclusions:Retention strategies were focused on frequent routine contact and increasing monetary incentives. Those strategies may have resulted in retention exceeding the proposed goals. At the end of the study, primary caregivers were comfortable with the 4-month intermediate contacts.

The contact problem in FEM analysis of filiform structure for large deployable reflectors

Space reflectors need a continuous increase of size to improve the quality of the communication. Considering the small space available in launchers, the antenna must be assembled within the vector and deployed in the space environment. The antenna requires a thin metallic mesh sustained by an appropriate net structure. The best reflector efficiency is reached when all the metallic wires keep in stable contact, allowing the electrical field to be homogeneous. The number of wires involved is enormous, so that, the modelling requires a simple structural approach connected to a reliable contact tool. Single wires can be modelled by beams, but this opens a non-trivial contact managing. As a matter of fact, the wires describe a thin surface, but the contact is realized by 3D crossing. This point is the main objective of the present work which suggests a way to overcome the crossing while maintaining the structure modelling in a 2D field. The contact efficiency needs that the wires do not exceed the elastic strength, causing a lowering of loading contacts due to irreversible deformations. Taking advantage of the present approach, an investigation over the percentage of active contacts in a full mesh is performed, so that optimally applied tensile loads are identified.

Crystal structure of N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethane-di-amine.

The title compound N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethanedi-amine, C6H16N2, is a bidentate amine ligand commonly used in organolithium chemistry for deaggregation. Crystals were grown at 243 K from n-pentane solution. The complete mol-ecule is generated by a crystallographic center of symmetry and the conformation of the di-amine is anti-periplanar. To investigate the inter-molecular inter-actions, a Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed. It showed that H⋯H (van der Waals) inter-actions dominate with a contact percentage of 92.3%.

Źródła i formy kontaktów z bliskimi mężczyzn odbywających karę pozbawienia wolności

Social support is essential for mental and physical health and plays an important role in reducing the risk of returning to prison. The main sources of prisoners’ social support are relatives with whom they have the right to communicate using a variety of forms. The frequency of contact depends on the type of prison. However, little research examines prisoners’ communication with their relatives. The study was conducted on 478 men between the ages of 16 and 68 (M = 35,2; SD = 9,7), who were serving a prison sentence in one of five penitentiary facilities. The analysis revealed that the majority of incarcerated men had contact with their relatives, usually in a form of phone calls. The majority of them had contact with a mother. The study also demonstrated that the percentage of contacts with relatives decreased with age and time spent in prison.