Asymptotic results with generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data

We consider the marginal models of Liang and Zeger [Biometrika 73 (1986) 13-22] for the analysis of longitudinal data and we develop a theory of statistical inference for such models. We prove the existence, weak consistency and asymptotic normality of a sequence of estimators defined as roots of pseudo-likelihood equations.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/009053604000001255 in the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Calf contouring with endoscopic fascial release, calf implant, and structural fat grafting

Departamentul de Chirurgie Plastică, Spitalul Memorial Ataşehir, Istanbul, Turcia, Departamentul de Chirurgie Plastică, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Statele Unite ale Americii, Departamentul de Chirurgie Plastică, Spitalul International Medpark, Chişinău, Republica Moldova, Al XII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova cu participare internațională 23-25 septembrie 2015Introducere: Gambele curbe sunt cauza unui stres psihologic pentru femei. După evaluarea aspectului estetic şi formei gambelor, dacă grosimea excesivă este factorul ce contribuie cel mai mult, sunt considerate procedurile de lipoplastie şi reducere musculară. Dacă picioarele sunt zvelte, nu prezintă hipertrofie musculară dar totuşi au o identaţie şi proeminenţă laterală traduse printr-un neajuns estetic, care ar fi opţiunile? Răspunsul la această întrebare este discutat în această lucrare. Material şi metode: Douăzeci şi două de paciente, operate timp de 5 ani (2007-2012), au fost incluse în acest studiu. O tehnică operatorie nouă a fost introdusă în practică. Pentru a obţine rezultate optime această metodă necesită eliberarea endoscopică a fasciei ce acoperă partea medială a muşchilor gambieni cu augmentare simultană cu implanturi gambiene, liposucţie şi grefă structurală de grăsime. Rezultate: Toate pacientele au fost urmărite în perioada postoperatorie pe parcursul unei perioade medii de 31 de luni. Procedura a fost bine tolerată, cu disconfort minim în perioada postoperatorie. Creşterea proximală şi distală în diametru a gambelor a fost măsurată la 6 luni după intervenţie. Modificarea medie a diametrului gambian proximal a constituit 2,16 cm şi 1,77 cm a celui distal. Concluzii: A fost aplicată o metodă nouă endoscopică pentru conturarea gambelor. Tehnica fasciotomiei endoscopice cu implanturi gambiene şi grefă structurală de grăsime pentru îmbunătăţirea estetică a acestei parţi a piciorului este simplă, efectivă, de încredere şi previzibilă pentru conturarea gambelor.Introduction: Curved lower legs cause psychological stress for women. In evaluating the shape, if thickness is the main contributing factor of leg aesthetic, then lipoplasty or calf reducing procedures will be the option. If the legs are slender and have no muscle hypertrophy but still have some indentation or bulges on both sides and lack an aesthetic shape what will be the options? The answer to the question above is discussed in detail in this article. Material and methods: Twenty-two patients, operated over a period of 5 years from 2007 to 2012, were included in the study. A novel technique has been introduced. This method requires release of fascia covering muscles of the inner leg bulge via endoscopic approach and simultaneous calf augmentation with calf implant, liposuction, and structural fat grafting to optimize the results. Results: Patients were followed on a regular basis with a mean follow-up of 31 months. The procedure was well tolerated with minimal discomfort during the postoperative period. Increase in diameter of proximal and distal lower legs was measured at least 6 months after surgery. Mean diameter change of proximal lower legs was 2.16 cm and 1.77 cm in distal lower legs. Conclusions: A novel endoscopic approach for lower leg contouring is discussed. Endoscopic fasciotomy technique with calf implant and structural fat grafting for improved lower leg aesthetics is a simple, effective, reliable, and predictable technique for calf contouring

An assessment of oral health status and treatment needs of salt pan workers in Marakkanam, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu

BACKGROUND : The present study was conducted to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of salt pan workers in Marakkanam, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, South India. OBJECTIVES : To assess the oral health status and treatment needs of salt pan workers using WHO oral health assessment proforma 1997. METHODOLOGY : A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of 674 salt pan workers in Marakkanam, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu. Data was collected using a survey proforma which comprised of a questionnaire and WHO Oral Health Surveys – Basic Methods Proforma(1997). The collected data was subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS : Results showed that majority of the salt pan workers examined were males 460 (68.2%). 373 (55.4%) workers used tobacco products and 195 (28.9%) workers consumed alcohol.599 (88.9%) workers used tooth paste and tooth brush to clean their teeth. A large percentage of the workers, 513 (76.1%) had not visited dentist before. Of those who have visited the dentist, 73 (10.8%) workers had visited dentist for extraction. 295 (43.8%) workers reported work related health problems. 50 (7.4%) workers had leukoplakia and 31 (4.6%) had sub mucous fibrosis. A very high prevalence of periodontal disease was found, with only 0.3% having healthy periodontium. The prevalence of dental caries among the study population was 61.1%. and the mean DMFT was 3.35 in both males and females. 79 (11.8%) workers were partially edentulous in the upper arch and 102 (15.1%) were partially edentulous in the lower arch. CONCLUSION : The oral health status of salt pan workers was poor with high prevalence of periodontal disease and dental caries. Regular oral examinations by dental professionals, dental health education to motivate subjects to receive regular dental check-up and to maintain oral hygiene, adoption by nearby Dental colleges if any and involvement of NGO’S like Rotary Club, Lions Club, IDA will be needed to improve the oral health status of these workers

On R-duals and the duality principle in Gabor analysis

The concept of R-duals of a frame was introduced by Casazza, Kutyniok and Lammers in 2004, with the motivation to obtain a general version of the duality principle in Gabor analysis. For tight Gabor frames and Gabor Riesz bases the three authors were actually able to show that the duality principle is a special case of general results for R-duals. In this paper we introduce various alternative R-duals, with focus on what we call R-duals of type II and III. We show how they are related and provide characterizations of the R-duals of type II and III. In particular, we prove that for tight frames these classes coincide with the R-duals by Casazza et el., which is desirable in the sense that the motivating case of tight Gabor frames already is well covered by these R-duals. On the other hand, all the introduced types of R-duals generalize the duality principle for larger classes of Gabor frames than just the tight frames and the Riesz bases; in particular, the R-duals of type III cover the duality principle for all Gabor frames

Modificări ale dimensiunii şi calităţii cireşelor în funcţie de culoare

The objective of the current research was to investigate the changes during maturation of cherries (Prunus avium L.). The studies were conducted in the commercial orchard of the Republic of Moldova, at Vindex-Agro SRL, Orhei (47 ° 46'S, 29 ° 13'E) during the three and four years of cherry tree fructification. The orchard was established in autumn 2011 with cherry trees of Ferrovia and Regina varieties, grafted on Gisela 6 rootstock, at a planting distance of 4x2.5 m. The trees are formed according to the Slender Spindle Ameliorated system. Experience includes four rehearsals of eight trees each (n = 32). Fruit recording and evaluation was performed during the ripening period, according to the color of the skin, according to the CTIFL Colored Color (Yellowish-pink, Very light red, Red Bright red color, Dark red, Dark brown-red, Dark brown) and the content of soluble solids content (SSC). By deduction and calculation, the notion of calculating the cherry diameter was introduced in fruit growing knowing their mass. The last weeks before harvest, from the time the fruits begin to mature and the color of the skin changes from green to yellowish, a period determines fruit development and orchard productivity. In this period, as the fruit grows, their diameter increases, but with a much lower rhythm

Abdominoplasty after massive weight loss

CME SANCOS, Catedra Chirurgie nr.4, Catedra Chirurgie nr.1 ”Nicolae Anestiadi”, Universitatea de Stat de Medicină și Farmacie „Nicolae Testemițanu”, Chișinău, Republica Moldova, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaIntroducere: Peretele abdominal la pacienții cu pierdere masivă a masei corporale (PMMC) suferă deformații morfologice majore (exces de tegumente sub formă de pliuri și rulouri, laxitate a tegumentelor și complexului musculo-aponeurotic). Abdomenoplastia (AP) la acești pacienți este mult mai complexă. Scopul: Optimizarea rezultatelor la pacienții cu PMMC. Material și metode: Au fost operați 65 pacienți cu PMMC. Vîrsta pacienților era cuprinsăîntre 23 și 62 ani. PMMC a urmat după bypass-ul gastric în 41 cazuri, după „Gastric sleeve” – 2 cazuri, tratament dietetic și comportamental – 12 cazuri. AP clasică s-a efectuat la 3 pacienți, AP extinsă – 12, AP „Fleur des lis” – 46, AP circumferențială – 3, AP tip „corset” –1. Rezultate: AP s-a efectuat peste 12 luni după suportarea operațiilor metabolice, la pacienții cu masa corporală stabilă. AP clasică și cea circumferențială nu rezolvă deplin excesul dermal pe orizontală, în regiunea epigastrală. După AP „Fleur des lis” mai pot rămîne excese dermale în hipocondru, iar AP tip „corset” a permis înlăturarea lor adecvată și conturarea taliei. Complicații majore nu s-au înregistrat. Necroze moderate marginale s-au întîlnit în 5 cazuri la pacienții cu AP „Fleur des lis”. 4 pacienteau necesitat excizii suplimentare dermo-lipidice. Concluzii: Elecțiunea metodei de AP după PMMC depinde de caracterul deformațiilor peretelui abdominal, de elasticitatea țesuturilor, de excesul dermal, atît pe verticală, cît și pe orizontală.Introduction: The abdominal wall, in patients with massive weight loss (MWL), suffers major morphological deformities (excess of skin in the form of folds and rolls, laxity of the skin, muscle and aponeurosis). Abdominoplasty (AP) is much more complex in these patients. Aim: To optimize the results in patients with MWL. Material and methods: 65 patients with MWL had surgery. The patient’s age ranged between 23 and 62 years. MWL followed after gastric bypass in 41 cases, after "Gastric sleeve" - 2 cases, and after conservative treatment – 12 cases. The classic AP was performed on 3 patients, extended AP - 12, "Fleur des Lis" AP - 46, circumferential AP -3, "Corset" type AP-1. Results: AP was performed on patients with stable body mass, after undergoing metabolic surgeries (after 12 months from the surgery). The classic and circumferential AP do not solve completely horizontal dermal excess in the epigastric region. After "Fleur des Lis" AP dermal excesses may remain in the hypochondriac region, and the "corset" type AP allowed them to be removed appropriately and to contour the waist. Major complications were not recorded. Moderate marginal necrosis occurred in 5 cases and 4 patients have required additional dermo-lipid excisions. Conclusions: The choice of the AP method after MWL depends on the character of the deformations of the abdominal wall, the elasticity of the tissues, the dermal excess both vertically and on the horizontal