Repeatability of the resonance frequency analysis values in implants with a new technology

Assess the reliability (by means of reproducibility and repeatability) of the PenguinRFA system, analyse the ISQ values of different implant types and correlate the ISQ with the insertion torque during the placement of the implant. 120 rough surface implants were placed in bovine bone (type II and III). The implants were divided into groups, according to its design. Once the implants were in place, the exact insertion torque was registered. Then, primary stability was measured by means of the resonance frequency analysis with the PenguinRFA and the Osstell ISQ devices. In each implant two transducers of each device were used. Three measurements were obtained with each transducer. The mean ISQ (implant stability quotient) of the whole sample is 67,70 ± 5,51. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is 0,933 and 0,944 for transducers 1 and 2 respectively. The reproducibility is 0,906. The mean insertion torque is 24,54 ± 8,96N. The correlation between the ISQ and the insertion torque is 0,507 p<0,000 (MultiPeg 1) and 0,468 p<0,000 (MultiPeg 2) for bone type II and 0,533 p<0,801 (MultiPeg 1) and 0,193 p<0,140 (MultiPeg 2) for bone type III. The results of the present trial suggest that the PenguinRFA presents excellent reproducibility and repeatability, so it could be very useful in the monitoring of the stability of implants over time. Additionally, according to the results, the correlation between the IT and the RFA is low and there are no statistically significant differences in between implant types

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Teste de padrão harmônico em escuta dicótica com dígitos - TDDH Harmonic pattern dichotic digits test (TDDH)

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo teve como objetivos a elaboração de um teste de processamento auditivo com estímulos de fala cantada em tarefa dicótica, a caracterização do desempenho de ouvintes neste teste; e a comparação deste desempenho com o observado no Teste Dicótico de Dígitos. MÉTODOS: Elaborou-se o teste com estímulos de fala cantada que foi denominado de Teste de Padrão Harmônico em Escuta Dicótica com Dígitos, composto de uma etapa de integração biaural e duas de separação biaural (direita/esquerda), cada uma delas com 20 itens de quatro estímulos. Este foi aplicado em 40 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, falantes do português brasileiro e com idades entre 19 e 52 anos. RESULTADOS: Os resultados foram comparados com os obtidos na aplicação do teste dicótico com estímulos de fala convencional nestes mesmos indivíduos. Os indivíduos apresentaram desempenho de aproximadamente 99% de acertos durante a aplicação do teste com estímulos de fala cantada em todas as etapas, sendo este desempenho superior ao observado no teste convencional com estímulos de fala, nas etapas de separação biaural. CONCLUSÃO: Desta forma, acredita-se que o teste elaborado no presente estudo mostrou-se aplicável em indivíduos ouvintes, sendo que o uso de estímulos de fala cantada pode modificar o desempenho nas tarefas de escuta dicótica em separação biaural, quando comparado com testes convencionais com estímulos verbais.<br>PURPOSE: The aims of this study are the development of an auditory processing test with musical stimuli in dichotic tasks, the characterization of the performance of normal hearing subjects and the comparison between the results and those in the Digits Dichotic Test (TDD). METHODS: The auditory processing test with musical stimuli was elaborated with harmonic digits. The test was denominated Harmonic Pattern Dichotic Digits Test (TDDH) and comprised biaural integration and two stages of biaural separation (left/right), each one with 20 items made up of four harmonic digits. It was applied in 40 individuals of both sexes. They were all adults, their ages ranged from 19 to 52 years old and they spoke Brazilian Portuguese. RESULTS: The results were compared to results of the TDD applied in the same individuals. The individuals had approximately 99% success in all the stages, their performance was higher than the one observed in the TDD - stages of biaural separation. CONCLUSION: We believe that the test elaborated for this study showed applicability in normal hearing individuals. The use of musical stimuli seems to make the performance of individuals easier than the dichotic verbal tests