The People of the Covenant

An examination of anti-Judaism in the ancient world and summary of Christian-Jewish antagonism. Translated from the German by Otto M . Knab

The People of the Covenant

Translated from the German by Otto Knab

The People of the Covenant

An examination of anti-Judaism in the ancient world and summary of Christian-Jewish antagonism. Translated from the German by Otto M . Knab

The People of the Covenant

Translated from the German by Otto Knab

Effect of treatment with a full-occlusion biofeedback splint on sleep bruxism and TMD pain: a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVES The purpose of the present study was to analyze treatment outcome with a full-occlusion biofeedback (BFB) splint on sleep bruxism (SB) and TMD pain compared with treatment with an adjusted occlusal splint (AOS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-one patients were randomly allocated to a test (BFB) or a control (AOS) group and monitored over a 3-month period. Output variables were frequency and duration of bruxing events (bursts) and various pain symptoms. RESULTS The BFB group showed a statistically significant reduction in the frequency and duration of bursts and a statistically significant improvement in the patients' global well-being and the facial muscle pain parameter. After the treatment was stopped, the BFB group showed a statistically significant reduction in the average and maximum duration but no statistically significant change in the frequency of bursts. CONCLUSIONS The tested BFB splint is highly effective in reducing SB at the subconscious level, i.e., without waking the patient, and in achieving improvements in global pain perception. The results suggest that the BFB splint also provides a better treatment option for bruxism-related pain than an AOS. However, further research is needed, and specifically studies with a larger patient population displaying higher levels of pain at baseline. CLINICAL RELEVANCE By reducing burst duration and therefore the pathological load on the masticatory apparatus, the BFB splint reduces TMD and bruxism-related symptoms and improves patients' physical well-being. In the long term, this could prevent damage to the TMJ. This study confirms the effectiveness and safety of this splint. THE UNIVERSAL TRIAL NUMBER U1111-1239-2450 DRKS-ID REGISTRATION: DRKS00018092

Influence of intraoral scanning on the quality of preparations for all-ceramic single crowns

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the influence of intraoral scanning on the quality of preparations for all-ceramic single crowns. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 690 randomly selected and anonymized in vivo single crown preparations were examined. Three hundred twenty-three preparations were directly recorded with an intraoral scanner (group IS). Data from plaster casts digitized by a laboratory scanner (group ID; N = 367) served as control. Comparisons included convergence angle, marginal design, marginal substance reduction, homogeneity of the finish line, and undercuts. Evaluation was performed using fully automated specialized software. Data were analyzed applying Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact test. Level of significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS Convergence angle was above optimum in both groups, but significantly larger for group IS (p < 0.001). Marginal design was more ideal in group IS concerning the absence of featheredge design (p < 0.001) and reverse bevel (p = 0.211). Marginal substance reduction was closer to prerequisites for all-ceramic restorations in group IS (p < 0.001). Finish lines were more homogeneous in group IS regarding the uniformity of their course (p < 0.001). Undercuts were more frequently found in group ID than in group IS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Intraoral scanning of prepared teeth has positive impact on the quality of preparations for all-ceramic single crowns regarding marginal substance reduction, marginal design, homogeneity of the finish line, and undercuts. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Accurate preparation design represents a fundamental condition for success of ceramic crowns. Since there is potential for optimization, intraoral scanning might enhance preparation quality providing instant visual feedback

On the Landau Ginzburg theory of MAG projected SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Maximal Abelian gauge fixing and subsequent Abelian projection of SU(2) lattice gauge theory defines closed trajectories of magnetic monopoles. These trajectories can be interpreted in terms of an effective scalar field theory of the MAG monopoles using the worldline representation of the functional determinants. Employing the monopole worldlines detected in the numerical simulation, we show that a scalar bound state exists. The screening mass $m$ of this state properly scales towards the continuum limit. We find m ~ 1.3 $GeV when the string tension sigma = 440 MeV is used as reference scale.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett.