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Any Bead Movement Centered Computational Construction for 3-Dimensional Examination involving Biofilm Material Heterogeneity.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential effects of patient size and radiation dose on the accuracy of iodine quantification using dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS Three phantoms representing different patient sizes were constructed, containing iodine inserts with concentrations from 0 to 20 mg/ml. Dual-energy CT scans were performed at six dose levels from 2 to 30 mGy. Iodine concentrations were measured using a three-material-decomposition algorithm and their accuracy was assessed. RESULTS In a small phantom, iodine quantification was accurate and consistent at all dose levels. In a medium phantom, minor underestimations were observed, and the results were consistent except at low dose. In the large phantom, more significant underestimation of iodine concentration was observed at higher doses (≥15 mGy), which was attributed to the beam-hardening effect. At lower doses, increasing upward bias was observed in the CT number, leading to significant overestimations of both iodine concentration and fat fraction, which was attributed to the photon-starvation effect. The severity of the latter effect was determined by mA instead of mAs, suggesting that the electronic noise, rather than the quantum noise, was responsible for the bias. Using higher kVp for the low-energy tube was found to alleviate these effects. CONCLUSION Reliable iodine quantification can be achieved using dual-source CT, but the result can be affected by patient size and dose rate. In large patients, biases may occur due to the beam-hardening and the photon-starvation effects, in which case higher dose rate and higher kVp are recommended to minimize these effects. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine if submental intubation during maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) reduces the development of nasal obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN This study was a prospective, single cohort of consecutive adult patients undergoing MMA surgery for OSA at a single institution. The primary outcome measure was the development of nasal obstruction using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scale. Secondary outcomes included the rate of reintubation, submandibular duct function, development of neck infection, the need for subsequent surgical correction of nasal obstruction, and changes in the Apnea-Hypopnea Index. RESULTS Twenty consecutive patients (85% male, mean age 47 years) were included in the study. Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scores improved in 88% of patients, with a mean improvement from 46.6 ± 28.9 to 15.9 ± 20.9 at 3 months (P less then .01). No participant required reintubation, and all patients had adequate bilateral submandibular gland function at follow-up. The mean Apnea-Hypopnea Index improved from 58.1 ± 32.0 to 8.3 ± 4.7 (P less then .01). CONCLUSION Submental intubation for patients undergoing MMA for OSA appears to be a well-tolerated, expeditious alternative to nasal intubation with excellent nasal breathing results. Larger, prospective investigations to confirm these findings should be considered. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess diagnosis and treatment of submandibular duct stenosis caused by dental prostheses. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective study included 9 patients with papillary stenosis caused by physical irritation of the Wharton duct ostium by a mandibular dental prosthesis. Diagnostics included physical examination, as well as transcutaneous and transoral ultrasound examinations. Treatment consisted of duct incision, papillotomy, and subsequent sialendoscopy. After surgery, patients were advised to have the dental prosthesis altered by the dentist and to have regular gland massage. Follow-up data were obtained via telephone interviews. The most important outcome parameter was a symptom-free state. RESULTS In all 9 patients, the insertion of the sialendoscope was initially impossible because of the stenosis. After duct incision, sialendoscopy ruled out other obstructive causes and inflammatory states, leaving the dental prosthesis as the only underlying cause of the obstruction. Seven of the 9 treated patients were interviewed after a follow-up period of 28.1 (± 25.4) months. The procedures had resulted in all patients being symptom-free, without any reported complications. CONCLUSIONS Mandibular prostheses can cause stenosis of the papillary region with subsequent submandibular duct obstruction. Surgical therapy is easy to perform and results in excellent long-term outcomes. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to map and compare the distributions of absorbed doses with Gafchromic film for panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) by using adult and child phantoms. STUDY DESIGN Gafchromic films were placed at 5 selected levels of anthropomorphic head phantoms of an adult and a child. Clinical protocols for panoramic and CBCT imaging of the TMJ were used for three 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional dental x-ray units. Mean absorbed doses in a set of radiosensitive tissues within the oral and maxillofacial regions were estimated. RESULTS The absorbed doses varied considerably among and within radiosensitive tissues. The bone surface and the salivary glands received the highest absorbed doses compared with other tissues, in both panoramic and CBCT examinations of the TMJ. The radiation burden to the adult phantom was generally higher than that to the child phantom. Small right and left fields of view were associated with lower amounts of radiation, in contrast to a single larger field of view. CONCLUSIONS The absorbed dose within all radiosensitive tissues varied considerably in relation to examination type, x-ray unit, clinical settings, and patient age. The mean doses were smaller when using 2 (bilateral) 4 × 4 cm volumes than with use of one 14 × 5 cm volume. INTRODUCTION Smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) is a valuable indicator that can be used to characterize the course and health burden of the smoking epidemic. The aim of this paper was to estimate SAM in Spain in 2016 in the population aged 35 and over, using the best available evidence. METHODS A smoking prevalence-dependent analysis based on the estimation of population-attributable fractions was performed. Smoking prevalence (never, former, or current smokers) was calculated from a combination of the Spanish Health Survey (2016) and the European Health Survey (2014); the relative risk of death among current and former smokers was taken from the follow-up of various cohorts; and mortality rates were obtained from National Center for Statistics data. SAM estimates are presented globally, and by sex, age groups, and major disease categories cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. RESULTS In 2016, 56,124 deaths were attributed to tobacco consumption, 84% in men (47,000), and 50% in the population aged over 74 (27,795). Overall, 50% of SAM was due to cancer (28,281), 65% of which was lung cancer. One in 4 attributable deaths (13,849) occurred before the age of 65. CONCLUSIONS One in 7 deaths in Spain in 2016 were attributable to smoking. This estimation of SAM clearly highlights the great impact of smoking on mortality in Spain, mainly due to lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Available evidence suggests a familial basis for OSA. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential influences of parental OSA in predicting the diagnosis and severity of OSA in snoring children. METHODS Observational study, we prospectively enrolled 84 children and their parents. A complete nocturnal polysomnography was performed. Children were categorized into 3 severity groups according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI less then 1h-1, AHI≥1h-1 to AHI less then 5h-1, and AHI≥5h-1). Adults were grouped according two criteria (AHI≥5h-1 and ≥10h-1). RESULTS There were no significant differences in age, gender, BMI and BMI z-score among groups. Among the children, 54.7% had an AHI≥1h-1 and 21.4% had an AHI≥5h-1. Overall, we observed that 60.7% of fathers and 23.8% of mothers of our population had OSA (AHI≥5h-1). The prevalence of fathers with OSA increases with the children's severity (83% in the group of children with moderate-severe OSA, p=0.035). The odds of having moderate-severe pediatric OSA (AHI≥5h-1) were more than 4 times higher among children with a father with AHI≥5h-1 (OR 4.92, 95% CI 1.27-19.06; p=0.021). There was no evidence of any maternal influence on OSA severity among the children studied. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a high prevalence of OSA among the family members studied with an increased association of childhood OSA with paternal OSA. Prediction of OSA risk among children can be significantly improved by adding data on paternal OSA status. OBJECTIVE Explore the availability of food options and nutrition education at food pantries and identify the barriers to offering them to pantry clients. DESIGN Cross-sectional, mixed-methods study. SETTING Food pantry, Cincinnati, OH. PARTICIPANTS A total of 41 food pantry coordinators (aged 63.4 ± 9.1 years), recruited by e-mail/phone in an urban area. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST Availability of food options and nutrition education and barriers to improving food options and providing nutrition education at food pantries. ANALYSIS Survey data were collected using Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS software. In-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim, transcripts were independently coded, and codes and themes were discussed until a consensus was reached. RESULTS The availability of fresh produce, dairy, low-sodium canned vegetables, and whole grains were limited, and 10 food pantries (24%) offered nutrition education to their clients. Challenges to improving food options were lack of space and equipment for storage and transportation. Identified barriers to providing nutrition education included the lack of space, funding, personnel with nutrition expertise, and clients' low interest in nutrition education. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The availability of healthy food choices and nutrition education were limited at local food pantries. Collaborative efforts with community partners and nutrition experts may be necessary to overcome those barriers. see more Polyphasic analysis of ten isolates of the red-pigmented bacteria isolated from ten Arthrospira cultures originating from different parts of the world is described. The 16S rRNA analysis showed less then 95 % identity with the known bacteria on public databases, therefore, additional analyses of fatty acids profiles, MALDI-TOF/MS, genome sequencing of the chosen isolate and following phylogenomic analyses were performed. Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic rods were positive for catalase, negative for oxidase, proteolytic and urease activity. Major fatty acids were 15  0 iso, 170 iso 3 OH and 171 iso w9c/160 10-methyl. The whole phylogenomic analyses revealed that the genomic sequence of newly isolated strain DPMB0001 was most closely related to members of Cyclobacteriaceae family and clearly indicated distinctiveness of newly isolated bacteria. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridisation values were calculated between representative of the novel strains DPMB0001 and its phylogenetically closest species, Indibacter alkaliphilus CCUG57479 (LW1)T (ANI 69.
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