Reply to Comment on: Can Hearing Aids Delay Time to Diagnosis of Dementia, Depression, or Falls in Older Adults?

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154368/1/jgs16366_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154368/2/jgs16366.pd

An examination of the effects of medicare part d on racial/ethnic disparities

This dissertation seeks to evaluate whether Medicare Part D has reduced racial/ethnic disparities in prescription drug utilization and spending among Medicare seniors. Using nationally representative data on White, African-American, and Hispanic Medicare seniors from the 2002-2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, this dissertation analyzes eight measures of access and utilization related to prescription medications. This dissertation applies the Institute of Medicine\u27s definition of a racial/ethnic disparity, and adopts a difference-in-differences quasi-experimental design, using a multivariate regression framework. It finds strong evidence that Medicare Part D reduced ethnic disparities in prescription drug use, total prescription drug cost, out-of-pocket prescription drug cost, and prevalence of any emergency department visits between White and Hispanic seniors. However, it has little effect on disparities between White and African-American seniors. This dissertation finds that there still exist significant racial/ethnic disparities between White and minority seniors in prescription drugs utilization and spending

Probabilistic analysis of a gas storage cavity mined in a spatially random rock salt medium

In most engineering problems the material parameters spread over spatial extents but this variability is commonly neglected. Analyses mostly assign the mean value of a variable to the entire medium, while in the case of heterogeneous materials as geomaterials, this may lead to an unreliable design. The existing scatter in such materials can be represented in the design procedure using the random field concept. In this paper, the random field method is used in a probabilistic analysis of a gas storage cavern in rock salt. The rock salt formation, as a porous media with low permeability and particular creep features, has been used for decades as the host rock for the hydrocarbon storage. To achieve a reliable design, a probabilistic model is presented to compute the failure probability of a cavern mined in a spatially varying salt dome. Here, the nodilatant region around the cavity is regarded as the failure criterion. In this regard, a thermo-mechanical model of a natural gas storage in rock salt, employing BGRa creep law, is developed. Afterwards, the most effective input variable on the model response is identified, using global sensitivity analysis. The Karhunen-Loève expansion is introduced to generate random field. In the following, the subset simulation methodology is utilised to facilitate the execution of Monte-Carlo method. The findings of this study emphasize that considering spatial variability in rock properties significantly affects the reliability of a solution-mined cavity

OPTIMAL SENSOR LOCATION FOR PARAMETER IDENTIFICATION IN SOFT CLAY

Performing parameter identification prior to numerical simulation is an essential task in geotechnical engineering. However, it has to be kept in mind that the accuracy of the obtained parameter is closely related to the chosen experimental setup, such as the number of sensors as well as their location. A well considered position of sensors can increase the quality of the measurement and to reduce the number of monitoring points. This Paper illustrates this concept by means of a loading device that is used to identify the stiffness and permeability of soft clays. With an initial setup of the measurement devices the pore water pressure and the vertical displacements are recorded and used to identify the afore mentioned parameters. Starting from these identified parameters, the optimal measurement setup is investigated with a method based on global sensitivity analysis. This method shows an optimal sensor location assuming three sensors for each measured quantity, and the results are discussed

The Relationship between Faculty Members’ Perception of Organizational Culture Types and their Preferences for Instruction and Counselling in Iranian College of Education and Psychology

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to study the relationship between faculty members’ perception of organizational culture types and their preferences for instruction and counselling responsibilities in Shiraz, Tehran and Ahvaz both public and private Universities, Colleges of education and psychology. Statistical population of this study comprised of all Shiraz, Tehran and Ahvaz colleges of Education and Psychology faculty members. Using classified random sampling, 4 colleges were selected. In order to collect data two instruments were used in this study i.e. Counsellor Educator Task importance Instrument (CETII) (Orr, 2005) and Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) (Cameron & Quinn, 1999). Results indicated a significant effect of organizational culture types for scholarship and service responsibilities. Additionally, there was a significant organizational culture type×university type interaction effect for scholarship and teaching responsibilities. And a significant organizational culture types×Academic Rank interaction effect for teaching and service responsibilities as well. However, the results showed neither significant organizational culture type×university type interaction effect nor significant organizational culture type×years of service interaction effect for teachers’ counselling and instruction responsibilities

Diagnostic Accuracy of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography and Periapical Radiography in Internal Root Resorption

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and periapical (PA) radiography in detecting internal root resorption. Methods and Materials: Eighty single rooted human teeth with visible pulps in PA radiography were split mesiodistally along the coronal plane. Internal resorption like lesions were created in three areas (cervical, middle and apical) in labial wall of the canals in different diameters. PA radiography and CBCT images were taken from each tooth. Two observers examined the radiographs and CBCT images to evaluate the presence of resorption cavities. The data were statistically analyzed and degree of agreement was calculated using Cohen’s kappa (k) values. Results: The mean±SD of agreement coefficient of kappa between the two observers of the CBCT images was calculated to be 0.681±0.047. The coefficients for the direct, mesial and distal PA radiography were 0.405±0.059, 0.421±0.060 and 0.432±0.056, respectively (P=0.001). The differences in the diagnostic accuracy of resorption of different sizes were statistically significant (P<0.05); however, the PA radiography and CBCT, had no statistically significant differences in detection of internal resorption lesions in the cervical, middle and apical regions. Conclusion: Though, CBCT has a higher sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in comparison with conventional radiography, this difference was not significant.Keywords: Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Periapical Radiography; Root Resorptio

Incidence of Dentinal Crack after Root Canal Preparation by ProTaper Universal, Neolix and SafeSider Systems

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the incidence of dentinal crack formation by instrumentation with ProTaper Universal system (rotary, multi-file system), SafeSider (reciprocation movement, multi-file system) and Neolix (rotary, single-file system). Methods and Materials: In this in vitro study, 60 freshly extracted mandibular first molars were randomly divided into three experimental groups (n=15) and a control group containing unprepared teeth (n=15). Instrumentation in different groups was accomplished using either ProTaper, Neolix or SafeSider systems up to 25/0.08. The teeth were then sectioned at 3, 6 and 9 mm from the apex, and observed under a stereomicroscope for presence of dentinal cracks. Data were analyzed with Chi square test, Fisher’s exact test and Bonferroni correction. Results: Micro cracks were seen in all experimental groups (13.3% in ProTaper, 26.7% in SafeSider and 40% in Neolix). There was a significant difference between Neolix and the control groups in microcrack formation (P=0.042). Micro cracks mainly occurred in the coronal section (9 mm). No microcrack occurred in the control group. Conclusion: Neolix rotary single-file system caused more dentinal cracks compared to the unprepared roots. All the instrumentation systems increased the number of micro cracks compared to unprepared teeth.Keywords: Dentinal Cracks; Micro Crack; Root Canal Preparation; Root Crack; Root Dentine; Single-file Syste

The Effect of Fruit Harvest Time and Refrigeration on Reducing Pyridaben Acaricide Residues in Strawberry Fruits

Effect of refrigeration and different harvesting times were investigated to remove residue of pyridaben from strawberry.  Transplants of Strawberry were grown in greenhouse and fruit samples were taken at 1, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours and 7, 14 and 21 days after spraying of pyridaben (Sanmite® 20% WP) at the recommended and twice the recommended doses (0.4 and 0.8lit ha-1 respectively). For cooling treatment, fruit samples were refrigerated for 48 hours at 4°C. The study was done as factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (pyridaben doses and harvesting times after spraying) with three replications. Gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) method was used to determine pyridaben residues in strawberry fruits. The recovery rate of acaricide was 98-105% in this method and detection limit of machine was 50µg kg-1. The results revealed that the maximum residual concentrations of pyridaben acaricide in strawberry fruits were observed with an average of 0.42 mg kg-1 for the recommended dose and 0.71mg kg-1 for twice the recommended dose at 4 and 24 h after application, respectively, which in twice the recommended dose was higher than the MRL (5mg kg-1). Storing fruits in refrigerator for 48 hours had little effect on reducing pyridaben residues in them, and at twice the recommended dose, the concentration of pesticide in fruits was higher than that of Codex standard level

Diagnostic Accuracy of High Resolution Cone-beam Computed Tomography and Standard Mode Cone-beam Computed Tomography in Internal Root Resorption

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the high resolution cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and standard mode CBCT diagnostic accuracy in internal root resorption with different sites and sizes. Methods and Materials: Eighty single rooted human teeth with visible pulps in periapical radiography were split mesiodistally along the coronal plane. Internal resorption like lesions were created in three areas (cervical, middle and apical) in labial wall of the canals in different diameters. High resolution CBCT (CBCT-H) and standard mode CBCT (CBCT-C) were taken from each tooth. Two observers examined the high resolution CBCT and standard mode CBCT to evaluate the presence of resorption cavities. The data were statistically analyzed and degree of agreement was calculated using Cohen’s kappa (k) values. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software and sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value for both methods were calculated. Data were analyzed using the Mac-Nemar and chi-square tests. Result: The positive predictive value and negative predictive value in CBCT-H was higher than that of CBCT-C, all of which indicates that the CBCT-H diagnostic test is more sensitive and more accurate than CBCT-C. Kappa statistics showed that there is a strong and complete agreement between the CBCT high resolution and reality (kappa: 0.72) and in the Standard CBCT method, a moderate agreement has been obtained with reality (Kappa: 0.45). Conclusion: According to our in vitro study CBCT high resolution has a higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional CBCT.Keyword: CBCT; Cone-beam Computed Tomography; High Resolution CBCT; Root Resorption; Standard Mode CBC

Evaluation of the association between KIR polymorphisms and systemic sclerosis : a meta-analysis

Background: The results of investigations on the association between killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene polymorphisms and the risk of systemic sclerosis (SSc) are inconsistent. To comprehensively evaluate the influence of KIR polymorphisms on the risk of SSc, this meta-analysis was performed. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in electronic databases including Scopus and PubMed/ MEDLINE to find all available studies involving KIR gene family polymorphisms and SSc risk prior to July 2019. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were measured to detect associations between KIR gene family polymorphisms and SSc risk. Results: Five articles, comprising 571 patients and 796 healthy participants, evaluating the KIR gene family polymorphisms were included in the final meta-analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 16 KIR genes were assessed. None of the KIR genes were significantly associated with the risk of SSc. Conclusions: The current meta-analysis provides evidence that KIR genes might not be potential risk factors for SSc risk