Distal cantilever length comparison in esthetic material for hybrid implant prosthesis: an in vitro study.

Objective: the assessment of distal cantilever length in implant supported infrastructure by comparing the load to fracture in two different framework esthetic materials (Zirconia and Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)) with two different cantilevers loading distances (10mm, 15mm). Material and methods: 20 frameworks were fabricated and divided into 4 groups (n=5): according to the material type Peek, zirconia, and according to the cantilever loading distance (10), or (15) mm and a load-to-fracture test was used until complete fracture of specimens occurs. Results: The effect of material type and cantilever loading distance were statistically significant for the mean load-to-fracture values (P\u3c 0.05). The Zirconia group failed at higher fracture loads (817 N) than the Peek one (651 N). Frameworks with 10 mm cantilever loading distance failed at higher fracture loads than specimens with 15 mm. Conclusion: Peek is a suitable material for all-on-four framework reconstruction in specific situations, and there is a higher success rate when the distal cantilever length is kept at minimal value (10mm)

Adaptation et validation transculturelle d’un questionnaire de qualité de vie liée à la santé orale des sujets complètement édentés au Liban

The objectives of the present study were to adapt and validate transculturally the Arabic version of the OHIP-EDENT in a group of completely edentulous Lebanese individuals aged 60 or over. A sample of edentulous subjects aged 60 and over was recruited from the Department of Removable Prosthodontics, at the Saint-Joseph Unoversity of Beirut, and from a private medical clinic in Beirut. The Arabic version of OHIP-EDENT was applied. It comprised 19 items grouped into seven dimensions:functional limitation, pain, psychological discomfort, physical incapacity, psychological incapacity, social incapacity and handicap. Reproducibility, internal consistency, concurrent validity and discriminant validity were assessed. Two hundred and two participants were included in the study. The average age was 72.94 ± 7.378 years and 51% were women. The OHIP-EDENT presented good reproducibility (Intra-class correlation coefficient equal to 0.922), good internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient equal to 0.929) and good concurrent validity. OHIP-EDENT was significantly associated with using functional prostheses, prosthetic status, stability of the prostheses and the number of years the prostheses were worn (p \u3c0.05).The Lebanese version of OHIP-EDENT has shown good psychometric properties. The properties of OHIP-EDENT should be compared with other OHRQoL tools according to cross-sectional and prospective studies to confirm the results obtained

ORAL HEALTH OF COMPLETELY EDENTULOUS PATIENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR NUTRITIONAL STATUS: A PILOT STUDY

The COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the WHO on May 2020, has forced governments around the world to adapt several restrictive measures causing difficulties of access to oral healthcare. In Lebanon, a lack of data on these difficulties and their consequences for completely edentulous people prompted the realization of a pilot study evaluating the impact of this pandemic on access to oral healthcare and on the oral health status, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and nutritional status of these individuals. The study was conducted at the Removable Prosthodontics Department of the Faculty of Dentistry at Saint-Joseph University of Beirut through a personal interview including the use of the Lebanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous Patients (OHIP-EDENT) and the Arabic versions of the Activity of Daily Living index (ADL), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment index (MNA) questionnaires, followed by a clinical examination. Data collection from 17 completely edentulous subjects showed high difficulty in accessing oral healthcare and negative repercussions on their oral health, OHRQoL and nutrition

Phospho-MEK1/2 and uPAR Expression Determine Sensitivity of AML Blasts to a Urokinase-Activated Anthrax Lethal Toxin (PrAgU2/LF)

In this study, we attempt to target both the urokinase plasminogen activator and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines and primary AML blasts using PrAgU2/LF, a urokinase-activated anthrax lethal toxin. PrAgU2/LF was cytotoxic to five out of nine AML cell lines. Cytotoxicity of PrAgU2/LF appeared to be nonapoptotic and was associated with MAPK activation and urokinase activity because all the PrAgU2/LF-sensitive cell lines showed both uPAR expression and high levels of MEK1/2 phosphorylation. Inhibition of uPAR or desensitization of cells to MEK1/2 inhibition blocked toxicity of PrAgU2/LF, indicating requirement for both uPAR expression and MAPK activation for activity. PrAgU2/LF was also cytotoxic to primary blasts from AML patients, with blasts from four out of five patients showing a cytotoxic response to PrAgU2/LF. Cytotoxicity of primary AML blasts was also dependent on uPAR expression and phos-MEK1/2 levels. CD34+ bone marrow blasts and peripheral blood mononuclear cells lacked uPAR expression and were resistant to PrAgU2/LF, demonstrating the lack of toxicity to normal hematological cells and, therefore, the tumor selectivity of this approach. Dose escalation in mice revealed that the maximal tolerated dose of PrAgU2/LF is at least 5.7-fold higher than that of the wild-type anthrax lethal toxin, PrAg/LF, further demonstrating the increased safety of this molecule. We have shown, in this study, that PrAgU2/LF is a novel, dual-specific molecule for the selective targeting of AML

Projeto de um algoritmo de restauração de imagens usando processamento paralelo

Este projeto tem como objetivo viabilizar a restauração de imagens que sofreram efeito de degradação, usando para isso, implementações com redes neurais e algoritmos paralelos implementados em computadores paralelos. A necessidade de se criar um algoritmo que pudesse restaurar imagens que sofreram degradações em um ambiente de computação paralela, se deve ao alto custo computacional dessas restaurações num ambiente seqüencial para grandes dimensões da imagem. A quantidade de dados a serem processados é elevada, o que torna o processamento seqüêncial excessivamente lento em ambiente computacional disponível. Assim o algoritmo paralelo mostra-se como uma possível solução.As degradações de uma imagem podem ser de diversos tipos: borrão (fora de foco), deslocamento (moção), ausência ou excesso de iluminação e ruído. Como a tecnologia de imagem não é perfeita, toda imagem gravada constitui-se em uma imagem distorcida de algum modo. Neste trabalho consideramos que as distorções sofridas pelas imagens são invariantes no espaço, todos os pixels da imagem sofreram o mesmo tipo de distorção e podem ser descritas por modelos lineares com perturbações os quais podem ser resolvidos usando o método iterativo de Jacobi, que na realidade constitui-se uma especialização de redes neurais. A preferência pelos métodos iterativos aos diretos se deve à facilidade e conveniência de paralelização.O texto presente encontra-se dividido em 7 capítulos. No capítulo 1 é apresentada a motivação, um breve histórico e a descrição do projeto. No capítulo 2,é explicada detalhadamente a fase de análise do problema apresentado. São apresentados a equação integral que descreve o modelo contínuo e linear deformação da imagem, e a discretização da equação recaindo numa equação que descreve um modelo de sistema linear, a seguir são introduzidas as classes de métodos iterativos que podem solucionar o problema e que atendem ao critério de convergência e as variações da matriz degradação de acordo com o tipo de distorção sofrida pela imagem.No capítulo 3 é feito um estudo da viabilidade da solução seqüêncial do sistema linear de recuperação de imagem usando o método iterativo de Jacobi,abrangendo o processo de discretização da imagem e modelagem da solução seqüêncial. No capítulo 4 é dada uma introdução ao processamento paralelo e à biblioteca MPI que foi utilizada. Além disso, trata da análise de requisitos, isto é,considerações de desempenho que devem ser levadas em conta num programa paralelo. No capítulo 5 é apresentada e analisada a proposta de uma solução paralela para o sistema linear de recuperação de imagens, utilizando o método iterativo de Jacobi. No capítulo 6 são apresentados os resultados computacionais com as curvas de desempenho do programa paralelo quando aplicado a imagens submetidas a diferentes tipos degradação.No capítulo 7 são apresentadas as conclusões relativas ao trabalho bem como sugestões de continuidade do projeto

It Could Be Worse But It Should Be Better: COVID-19 and The Lebanese Radiology Departments Preparedness.

An unprecedented sanitary challenge is threatening human beings due to COVID-19 pandemic. There is no light at the end of the tunnel concerning treatment and worries from a possible second wave start to arise even before the end of the first one. We conducted a multicenter study to reassess the different aspects of radiology departments’ preparedness in Lebanon stating the points of strength and more importantly depicting the points of weakness. Lessons were then extracted to be more prepared for possible future similar circumstances

Social inequalities in oral health in a group of older people in a Middle Eastern country: a cross-sectional survey

International audienc

ISARIC-COVID-19 dataset: A Prospective, Standardized, Global Dataset of Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19

The International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) COVID-19 dataset is one of the largest international databases of prospectively collected clinical data on people hospitalized with COVID-19. This dataset was compiled during the COVID-19 pandemic by a network of hospitals that collect data using the ISARIC-World Health Organization Clinical Characterization Protocol and data tools. The database includes data from more than 705,000 patients, collected in more than 60 countries and 1,500 centres worldwide. Patient data are available from acute hospital admissions with COVID-19 and outpatient follow-ups. The data include signs and symptoms, pre-existing comorbidities, vital signs, chronic and acute treatments, complications, dates of hospitalization and discharge, mortality, viral strains, vaccination status, and other data. Here, we present the dataset characteristics, explain its architecture and how to gain access, and provide tools to facilitate its use