Cost analysis and related factors in patients with traumatic hand injury

The aim of this study was to measure the direct and indirect costs and factors influencing these costs in patients presenting following traumatic hand injury. We assessed patients aged 18-65 years who were in work. Hand injury severity and functional status were assessed. Direct costs, including medical care expenses, and indirect costs, including lost productivity, were calculated. Seventy-nine patients of a mean age of 32 years were included. The mean direct cost for each patient was $1772 (47$1891 (53% of total cost). Injury severity, time to return to work, and hospitalization time were the main parameters of increased total cost in a linear regression analysis. © The Author(s) 2012

Study of Digital Competence of the Students and Teachers in Ukraine

Professional fulfillment of the personality at the conditions of the digital economy requires the high level of digital competency. One of the ways to develop these competencies is education. However, to provide the implementation of digital education at a high level, the digital competency of the teachers and students is a must. This paper presents explanations on the level determination of the digital competencies for teachers and students in Ukraine according to the DigComp recommendations. We tried to identify the main factors that reflect the degree of readiness teachers and students for digital education based on their self-evaluation. We also attempted to estimate the level of digital competencies based on the analysis of Case-Studies execution results. The complex analysis let us assess the connection between respondents’ self-evaluation and their real competencies. Here we provide a methodology and a model of level competencies determination by means of a survey, expert case rating and the results of the statistical analysis. On the basis of the obtained results, this paper suggests further research prospects and recommendations on the digital competency development in educational institutions in Ukraine

Competing Interactions in DNA Assembly on Graphene

We study the patterns that short strands of single-stranded DNA form on the top graphene surface of graphite. We find that the DNA assembles into two distinct patterns, small spherical particles and elongated networks. Known interaction models based on DNA-graphene binding, hydrophobic interactions, or models based on the purine/pyrimidine nature of the bases do not explain our observed crossover in pattern formation. We argue that the observed assembly behavior is caused by a crossover in the competition between base-base pi stacking and base-graphene pi stacking and we infer a critical crossover energy of eV. The experiments therefore provide a projective measurement of the base-base interaction strength

Benefits and harms of perioperative high fraction inspired oxygen for surgical site infection prevention: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data of randomised controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION The use of high fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) intraoperatively for the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) remains controversial. Promising results of early randomised controlled trials (RCT) have been replicated with varying success and subsequent meta-analysis are equivocal. Recent advancements in perioperative care, including the increased use of laparoscopic surgery and pneumoperitoneum and shifts in fluid and temperature management, can affect peripheral oxygen delivery and may explain the inconsistency in reproducibility. However, the published data provides insufficient detail on the participant level to test these hypotheses. The purpose of this individual participant data meta-analysis is to assess the described benefits and harms of intraoperative high FiO2compared with regular (0.21-0.40) FiO2 and its potential effect modifiers. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers will search medical databases and online trial registries, including MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO regional databases, for randomised and quasi-RCT comparing the effect of intraoperative high FiO2 (0.60-1.00) to regular FiO2 (0.21-0.40) on SSI within 90 days after surgery in adult patients. Secondary outcome will be all-cause mortality within the longest available follow-up. Investigators of the identified trials will be invited to collaborate. Data will be analysed with the one-step approach using the generalised linear mixed model framework and the statistical model appropriate for the type of outcome being analysed (logistic and cox regression, respectively), with a random treatment effect term to account for the clustering of patients within studies. The bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials V.2 and the certainty of evidence using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Prespecified subgroup analyses include use of mechanical ventilation, nitrous oxide, preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, temperature (2.5 hour). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval is not required. Investigators will deidentify individual participant data before it is shared. The results will be submitted to a peer-review journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42018090261

Micro-morphologic changes around biophysically-stimulated titanium implants in ovariectomized rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Osteoporosis may present a risk factor in achievement of osseointegration because of its impact on bone remodeling properties of skeletal phsiology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate micro-morphological changes in bone around titanium implants exposed to mechanical and electrical-energy in osteoporotic rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifteen 12-week old sprague-dowley rats were ovariectomized to develop osteoporosis. After 8 weeks of healing period, two titanium implants were bilaterally placed in the proximal metaphyses of tibia. The animals were randomly divided into a control group and biophysically-stimulated two test groups with five animals in each group. In the first test group, a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) stimulation was administrated at a 0.2 mT 4 h/day, whereas the second group received low-magnitude high-frequency mechanical vibration (MECHVIB) at 50 Hz 14 min/day. Following completion of two week treatment period, all animals were sacrificed. Bone sites including implants were sectioned, removed <it>en bloc </it>and analyzed using a microCT unit. Relative bone volume and bone micro-structural parameters were evaluated for 144 μm wide peri-implant volume of interest (VOI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean relative bone volume in the peri-implant VOI around implants PEMF and MECHVIB was significantly higher than of those in control (<it>P </it>< .05). Differences in trabecular-thickness and -separation around implants in all groups were similar (<it>P </it>> .05) while the difference in trabecular-number among test and control groups was significant in all VOIs (<it>P </it>< .05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Biophysical stimulation remarkably enhances bone volume around titanium implants placed in osteoporotic rats. Low-magnitude high-frequency MECHVIB is more effective than PEMF on bone healing in terms of relative bone volume.</p