Magnetic resonance-guided direct shoulder arthrography for the detection of superior labrum anterior-posterior lesions using an open 1.0-T MRI scanner

Purpose: Direct magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) offers increased diagnostic accuracy compared to conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) lesions. The aim of the present study was to present the technique of magnetic resonance-guided direct shoulder arthrography (MDSA), to evaluate the diagnostic value of this novel MRA procedure to detect SLAP lesions in comparison to the currently practiced MRI, and to correlate the radiological findings to the respective arthroscopic findings. Material and methods: Fifty-six patients with clinical signs of a SLAP lesion underwent both MRI examination and MDSA prior to arthroscopic surgery. The MRI of both interventions were compared with the arthroscopic findings. Statistical analysis was performed using the McNemar test. Results: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting SLAP lesions were 23%, 88%, and 54% on MRI and 80%, 81%, and 80% on MDSA, respectively. Sensitivity (p < 0.001) and accuracy (p = 0.001) in detection of SLAP lesions were significantly higher by MDSA whereas accuracy showed no significant differences (p = 0.625). Conclusions: The MDSA can be performed in an open 1.0-T MRI scanner with a high level of technical success and a reasonable methodical effort. The modification of MRA provides the requirements as a practicable routine shoulder magnetic resonance examination including arthrography to detect SLAP lesions. The diagnostic value is significantly better than MRI examinations without included arthrography, which currently predominates the clinical practice to investigate shoulder pathology

Massive rotator cuff tears: functional outcome after debridement or arthroscopic partial repair

Background The surgical treatment of massive rotator cuff tears (RCT) is still controversial and can be based on a variety of different surgical repair methods. This study investigated the effectiveness of arthroscopic debridement or arthroscopic partial repair in patients with massive RCT. Materials and methods This prospective, randomized study involved forty-two patients with massive RCT (fatty infiltration stage 3 or 4) treated with either arthroscopic partial repair or arthroscopic debridement were selected to detect possible differences in functional outcome. Both groups were matched according to age and gender. Patients were examined before, and 16 ± 3 and 24 ± 2 months after surgery. The status of the rotator cuff repair was determined using ultrasonographic evaluation. Results Regardless of the treatment group, postoperative results demonstrated highly significant improvements compared with preoperative values in most parameters. The overall Constant score in the partial repair group was superior to the outcome in the debridement group (P \ 0.01, F = 8.561), according to better results in abductio

Cultural sustainability : understanding and assessing the sustainability of cultural initiatives based on a case study

Anhand von Kulturinitiativen wird das Zusammenspiel von Kultur und nachhaltiger Entwicklung untersucht, wobei der wissenschaftliche Diskurs über das Konzept der kulturellen Nachhaltigkeit als Ausgangspunkt dient. Er ist geprägt von Uneinigkeit bezüglich der Integration kultureller Aspekte in das Framework der nachhaltigen Entwicklung, wobei die Abgrenzung kultureller von sozialen Aspekten eine zentrale Herausforderung darstellt. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird Kultur nicht als gleichgestellte Dimension der nachhaltigen Entwicklung betrachtet, sondern als transformative Kraft, die sich in allen Dimensionen manifestiert. ^Es wird argumentiert, dass sich Kultur an den Zielen der nachhaltigen Entwicklung ausrichten muss, um sich selbst zu erhalten.Anhand einer Fallstudie wird das Ars Electronica Festival, ein international renommiertes Medienkunstevent, welches seit 1979 jährlich in Linz stattfindet, untersucht, um ein besseres Verständnis der Auswirkungen von Kulturinitiativen auf deren sozio-ökologisches Umfeld zu gewinnen und Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen einer ganzheitlichen Beurteilung der Nachhaltigkeit derselben zu identifizieren. Zusätzlich werden Handlungsempfehlungen zur Steigerung der Nachhaltigkeit des Events abgegeben. ^Dazu integriert die Fallstudie Ergebnisse einer quantitativen Besucherbefragung, qualitativer Experteninterviews und einer Sekundäranalyse gesammelter Daten.Es zeigt sich, dass Kulturinitiativen Unterstützer kulturellen Fortschritts sein können, indem sie Bildung und Bewusstseinsbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung betreiben, den sozialen Zusammenhalt einer Gemeinschaft stärken und deren Image und Identität fördern, was wiederum indirekten ökonomischen Nutzen generiert. Insbesondere diese schwer greifbaren Auswirkungen werden in herkömmlichen Nachhaltigkeitsbewertungen oft vernachlässigt. Weitere Forschung bezüglich eines standardisierten Frameworks zur ganzheitlichen Bewertung der Auswirkungen von Kulturinitiativen ist wünschenswert.This Master's thesis explores the interplay of culture and sustainable development and subsequently links it to the role of cultural initiatives. The scientific discourse on the concept of cultural sustainability is used as a starting point for this investigation, showing there is dissent amongst researchers on how to integrate culture in the framework of sustainable development. One of the main challenges in this context is to distinguish cultural aspects from societal aspects. Against this backdrop culture is understood not as a coequal dimension of sustainable development, but rather as a transformative force that manifests in the prevailing dimensions. It is argued that culture needs to align with the goals of sustainable development in order to sustain itself.In this regard Ars Electronica Festival, an internationally renowned media arts event annually taking place in the City of Linz, Austria since 1979, is used as a vehicle to gain understanding of the impacts of cultural initiatives on their complex socio-ecological environment and to identify possibilities and challenges of holistically assessing these impacts. Additionally measures for improving the sustainability performance of the event are suggested. In order to do so a mixed methods case study integrates the results of a quantitative visitor survey, qualitative expert interviews and a secondary analysis of collected data.From the case study it is concluded that cultural initiatives can be important supporters of cultural advancement by facilitating education and awareness raising for sustainable development, strengthening social cohesion and enhancing the image and identity of a community, which results in indirect economic benefits. Especially the intangible socio-cultural impacts are often neglected in conventional assessments. Research on the further development of a standardized framework for holistically assessing the impacts of cultural initiatives is highly desirable.by Alexander BerthZusammenfassungen in Deutsch und EnglischKarl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Masterarbeit, 2017(VLID)238415

Engineering: Cornell Quarterly, Vol.02, No.2 (Summer 1967): Teaching Engineering Design

In this Issue: "State of the Art" by Howard N. McManus, Byron W. Saunders, Donald F. Berth ... "Students Design Lunar Land Rover Components" by Robert L. Wehe ... "Design Realism for the Classroom" by Alexander W. Luce ... "Vantage (photo essay: Cornell Dynamitron)" ... Register ... Faculty Publications

A dataset for dental anxiety and psychological distress in 1550 patients visiting dental clinics

Objectives: Information was collected to identify anxiety in dental patients visiting a dental clinic using the Dental Anxiety Scale, their level of psychological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and identifying a correlation between these groups as well as the gender and age. Data description: This data contains a set of 1550 patients’ answers to questionnaires taken before dental treatment in a dental clinic. It is divided into male and female patients as well as according to their age. The level of Dental Anxiety can be interpreted by answers chosen in the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the level of psychological distress by answers chosen in the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). This dataset should help to encourage more research in the field of dental anxiety and we hope to see more comparisons with our data in the future or in different regions of the world

Psychological distress and anxiety compared amongst dental patients- results of a cross-sectional study in 1549 adults

Background This study aimed to identify anxiety in dental patients visiting a dental clinic using the Dental Anxiety Scale, their level of psychological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and therefore identifying a correlation between these groups as well as their gender and age. Methods An adult sample of N = 1549 patients (865 females, 779 males) was examined over the course of three years using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 to evaluate psychological distress and the Dental Anxiety Scale to determine anxiety before dental treatment. Evaluations were conducted according to age and gender. Results There was no correlation between different age groups of the sample the Dental Anxiety Scale. Anxiety, depression and GSI were more frequent in patients below the age of 46 than above. Women were more susceptible to signs of Anxiety and Somatization and scored higher on the Dental Anxiety Scale and the Global Severity Index than male patients. There was a significant positive correlation between scores of the BSI-18 categories: Somatization, Anxiety and Depression and the DAS for dental patients. Conclusions This study showed that a relationship between dental anxiety and psychological distress exists. It would be an improvement to use a short questionnaire like the Dental Anxiety Scale to evaluate a patient before his first treatment so that more appropriate treatments can be pursued

Comparing oral health in patients with different levels of dental anxiety

Abstract Background Dental Anxiety is still today one of the most common fears and is therefore a great challenge for every dental practitioner. The aim of this study was to identify patients with dental anxiety using the Dental Anxiety Scale and comparing different levels of dental anxiety with oral health using DMF-T and DMF-S index. Methods This study questioned 1549 patients over the course of three years (2002–2005). DAS questionnaires were handed out before treatment and the state of oral health was evaluated using DMF-T and DMF-S. Results There is no significant relation between high anxiety and the global DMF-T Score (p = 0.237), missing teeth (p = 0.034) and filled teeth (p = 0.237). There is however a significant increase in destroyed teeth, the higher the level of dental anxiety in the patient (p < 0.0001). There is as well a significant relationship between the global DMF-S Score (p = 0.042) and dental anxiety. No relationship was found comparing missing surfaces (p = 0.107) and filled surfaces (p = 0.516) with dental anxiety. Destroyed 16 surfaces are, however, significantly higher in patients with more dental anxiety (p < 0.0001). A higher dental anxiety therefore often causes minimalistic dentistry to fail due to more teeth being destroyed. Conclusions Patients with dental anxiety still have a worse oral hygiene than patients without dental anxiety. It is still necessary, in this time of caries prevention rather than over-treatment, to be educated so that patients suffering dental fear receive the right treatment