Shaping ability of Reciproc and TF Adaptive systems in severely curved canals of rapid microCT-based prototyping molar replicas

Objective: To evaluate the shaping ability of Reciproc and Twisted-File Adaptive systems in rapid prototyping replicas. Material and Methods: Two mandibular molars showing S-shaped and 62-degree curvatures in the mesial root were scanned by using a microcomputed tomography (μCT) system. The data were exported in the stereolitograhic format and 20 samples of each molar were printed at 16 µm resolution. The mesial canals of 10 replicas of each specimen were prepared with each system. Transportation was measured by overlapping radiographs taken before and after preparation and resin thickness after instrumentation was measured by μCT. Results: Both systems maintained the original shape of the apical third in both anatomies (P>0.05). Overall, considering the resin thickness in the 62-degree replicas, no statistical difference was found between the systems (P>0.05). In the S-shaped curvature replica, Reciproc significantly decreased the thickness of the resin walls in comparison with TF Adaptive. Conclusions: The evaluated systems were able to maintain the original shape at the apical third of severely curved mesial canals of molar replicas

Subregional DXA-derived vertebral bone mineral measures are stronger predictors of failure load in specimens with lower areal bone mineral density, compared to those with higher areal bone mineral density

Measurement of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in intravertebral subregions may increase the diagnostic sensitivity of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived parameters for vertebral fragility. This study investigated whether DXA-derived bone parameters in vertebral subregions were better predictors of vertebral bone strength in specimens with low aBMD, compared to those with higher aBMD. Twenty-five lumbar vertebrae (15 embalmed and 10 fresh-frozen) were scanned with posteroanterior- (PA) and lateral-projection DXA, and then mechanically tested in compression to ultimate failure. Whole-vertebral aBMD and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured from the PA- and lateral-projection scans and within 6 intravertebral subregions. Multivariate regression was used to predict ultimate failure load by BMC, adjusted for vertebral size and specimen fixation status across the whole specimen set, and when subgrouped into specimens with low aBMD and high aBMD. Adjusted BMC explained a substantial proportion of variance in ultimate vertebral load, when measured over the whole vertebral area in lateral projection (adjusted R2 0.84) and across the six subregions (ROIs 2–7) (adjusted R2 range 0.58–0.78). The association between adjusted BMC, either measured subregionally or across the whole vertebral area, and vertebral failure load, was increased for the subgroup of specimens with identified ‘low aBMD’, compared to those with ‘high aBMD’, particularly in the anterior subregion where the adjusted R2 differed by 0.44. The relative contribution of BMC measured in vertebral subregions to ultimate failure load is greater among specimens with lower aBMD, compared to those with higher aBMD, particularly in the anterior subregion of the vertebral body

Pain after single-visit root canal treatment with two single-file systems based on different kinematics—a prospective randomized multicenter clinical study

© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the posttreatment pain after instrumentation of root canals with a single-file reciprocating (RECIPROC, VDW, Germany) or rotary (One Shape, MicroMega, France) file system. Materials and methods: Six hundred forty patients were assessed for eligibility, and 624 patients were included in this study. The teeth were randomly allocated to one of the instrumentation protocols. The teeth underwent routine root canal treatment after which patients were discharged with a questionnaire to gather data about the incidence (yes/no), nature (mild, moderate, or severe), and duration of pain (days). The data were analyzed using statistical analyses (preoperative pain scores by Mann-Whitney U test, incidence and intensity of pain by chi-squared test, intake of analgesics, and duration of pain by Student’s t test) with P = 0.05. Results: Pain analysis was performed for 605 patients (311 males and 294 females) as 5 patients were excluded due to sealer extrusion and 14 were lost to follow-up. The mean age of the patients was 31 ± 2 years. There was significant difference in the incidence of postoperative pain (P < 0.001). There was significant difference in the number of patients who had mild (P = 0.001), moderate (P = 0.002), and severe (P = 0.001) pain between the two groups. Intensity of pain showed significant difference, with patients in the One Shape group (40.5 %) reporting more values of severe pain (P = 0.002); the percentage of patients who took analgesics was significantly higher in the One Shape group (40.5 %) than in the Reciproc group (19.3 %) (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the duration of postoperative pain between the two groups when the pain was mild (P = 0.301), but One shape showed significantly longer duration of moderate (P = 0.001) and severe pain (P = 0.002). Conclusions: Reciproc showed significantly less intensity and duration of posttreatment pain compared to One Shape. Clinical relevance: Reciprocation movement offers a more predictable and safer approach of root canal preparation, in addition to producing less postoperative pain. The need for patients to take analgesics may reduce following this approach.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Validity and Reliability of Short-Term Heart-Rate Variability from the Polar S810

Purpose: To assess the validity and the reliability of short-term resting heart-rate variability (HRV) measures obtained using the Polar S810 heart-rate monitor and accompanying software. Methods: Measures of HRV were obtained from 5-min R to R wave (RR) interval data for 19 males and 14 females during 10 min of quiet rest on three separate occasions at 1-wk intervals using the Polar S8.10. Criterion measures of HRV were obtained simultaneously using the CardioPerfect (CP; Medical Graphics Corporation, St Paul, MN) 12-lead ECG module. Measures of validity of the Polar S810 were estimated by regression analysis, and measures of reliability of both. devices were estimated by analysis of change scores. Measures of the SD of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and the low-frequency (LF) and the high-frequency (HF) spectral power and their ratio (LF/HF) were analyzed after log transformation, whereas mean RR and LF and HF in normalized units were analyzed without transformation. Results: There were marginal differences between the Polar and the CP mean measures of HRV, and the uncertainty in the differences was small. The Polar S810 demonstrated high correlations (0.85-0.99) with CP for all measures of HRV indicating good to near-perfect validity. Except for the low- and the high-frequency normalized units, Polar S810 did not add any substantial technical error to the within-subject variability in the repeated measurements of HRV. Conclusion: HRV measures obtained with the Polar S810 and accompanying software have no appreciable bias or additional random error in comparison with criterion measures, but the measures are inherently unreliable over a 1-wk interval. Reliability of HRV from longer (e.g., 10 min) and/or consecutive 5-min RR recordings needs to be investigated with the Polar and criterion instruments. Copyright © 2008 by the American College of Sports Medicine

Daptomycin as supportive treatment option in patients developing mediastinitis after open cardiac surgery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mediastinitis is a severe complication after cardiac surgery. While improvement of prophylaxis and of medical and surgical therapy has reduced its incidence, the treatment of mediastinitis continues to be a challenging problem. Within this study, we report the successful use of daptomycin as supportive therapy in patients developing mediastinitis after open cardiac surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The records of 21 consecutive patients who developed mediastinitis after cardiac surgery were retrospectively reviewed. After diagnosis, all patients received surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy with daptomycin. All patients were followed up to death or discharge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Clinical improvement after combined surgical and antibiotic therapy with daptomycin was found in 90.5% of the patients. The median time until clinical improvement occurred was 5 [4/6] days. Daptomycin was well-tolerated and no major adverse events during therapy were observed observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides new and helpful information regarding the beneficial use of daptomycin as supportive treatment option in patients developing mediastinitis after cardiac surgery.</p