Comparison of dual-energy subtraction and electronic bone suppression combined with computer-aided detection on chest radiographs: effect on human observers' performance in nodule detection

The objective of our study was to compare the effect of dual-energy subtraction and bone suppression software alone and in combination with computer-aided detection (CAD) on the performance of human observers in lung nodule detection.

The effect of periodontal therapy on the survival rate and incidence of complications of multirooted teeth with furcation involvement after an observation period of at least 5 years: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the survival rate and incidence of complications of furcation-involved multirooted teeth following periodontal therapy after at least 5 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Electronic and manual searches were performed up to and including January 2008. Publication selection, data extraction and validity assessment were performed independently by three reviewers. RESULTS: Twenty-two publications met the inclusion criteria. Because of the heterogeneity of the data, a meta-analysis could not be performed. The survival rate of molars treated non-surgically was >90% after 5-9 years. The corresponding values for the different surgical procedures were: Surgical therapy: 43.1% to 96%, observation period: 5-53 years. Tunnelling procedures: 42.9% to 92.9%, observation period: 5-8 years. Surgical resective procedures including amputation(s) and hemisections: 62% to 100%, observation period: 5-13 years. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR): 83.3% to 100%, observation period: 5-12 years. The most frequent complications included caries in the furcation area after tunnelling procedures and root fractures after root-resective procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Good long-term survival rates (up to 100%) of multirooted teeth with furcation involvement were obtained following various therapeutic approaches. Initial furcation involvement (Degree I) could be successfully managed by non-surgical mechanical debridement. Vertical root fractures and endodontic failures were the most frequent complications observed following resective procedures.

Photo-induced intramolecular charge transfer in an ambipolar field-effect transistor based on a pi-conjugated donor-acceptor dyad

A pi-conjugated tetrathiafulvalene-fused perylenediimide (TTF-PDI) molecular dyad is successfully used as a solution-processed active material for light sensitive ambipolar field-effect transistors with balanced hole and electron mobilities. The photo-response of the TTF-PDI dyad resembles its absorption profile. Wavelength-dependent photoconductivity measurements reveal an important photo-response at an energy corresponding to a PDI-localized electronic pi-pi* transition and also a more moderate effect due to an intramolecular charge transfer from the HOMO localized on the TTF unit to the LUMO localized on the PDI moiety. This work clearly elucidates the interplay between intra- and intermolecular electronic processes in organic devices.

HOMO Stabilisation in π-Extended Dibenzotetrathiafulvalene Derivatives for Their Application in Organic Field-Effect Transistors

Three new organic semiconductors, in which either two methoxy units are directly linked to a dibenzotetrathiafulvalene (DB-TTF) central core and a 2,1,3-chalcogendiazole is fused on the one side, or four methoxy groups are linked to the DB-TTF, have been synthesised as active materials for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Their electrochemical behaviour, electronic absorption and fluorescence emission as well as photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer were studied. The electron-withdrawing 2,1,3-chalcogendiazole unit significantly affects the electronic properties of these semiconductors, lowering both the HOMO and LUMO energy levels and hence increasing the stability of the semiconducting material. The solution-processed single-crystal transistors exhibit high performance with a hole mobility up to 0.04 cm2 V−1 s−1 as well as good ambient stability.

Quantifying the improvement in sepsis diagnosis, documentation, and coding: the marginal causal effect of year of hospitalization on sepsis diagnosis.

PURPOSE To quantify the coinciding improvement in the clinical diagnosis of sepsis, its documentation in the electronic health records, and subsequent medical coding of sepsis for billing purposes in recent years. METHODS We examined 98,267 hospitalizations in 66,208 patients who met systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria at a tertiary care center from 2008 to 2012. We used g-computation to estimate the causal effect of the year of hospitalization on receiving an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification discharge diagnosis code for sepsis by estimating changes in the probability of getting diagnosed and coded for sepsis during the study period. RESULTS When adjusted for demographics, Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index, blood culture frequency per hospitalization, and intensive care unit admission, the causal risk difference for receiving a discharge code for sepsis per 100 hospitalizations with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, had the hospitalization occurred in 2012, was estimated to be 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8%-4.0%), 3.4% (95% CI, 3.3%-3.5%), 2.2% (95% CI, 2.1%-2.3%), and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.8%-1.1%) from 2008 to 2011, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients with similar characteristics and risk factors had a higher of probability of getting diagnosed, documented, and coded for sepsis in 2012 than in previous years, which contributed to an apparent increase in sepsis incidence.

Effect of chin-cup treatment on the temporomandibular joint: a systematic review

AIM To systematically search the literature and assess the available evidence for the influence of chin-cup therapy on the temporomandibular joint regarding morphological adaptations and appearance of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS Electronic database searches of published and unpublished literature were performed. The following electronic databases with no language and publication date restrictions were searched: MEDLINE (via Ovid and PubMed), EMBASE (via Ovid), the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, and CENTRAL. Unpublished literature was searched on ClinicalTrials.gov, the National Research Register, and Pro-Quest Dissertation Abstracts and Thesis database. The reference lists of all eligible studies were checked for additional studies. Two review authors performed data extraction independently and in duplicate using data collection forms. Disagreements were resolved by discussion or the involvement of an arbiter. RESULTS From the 209 articles identified, 55 papers were considered eligible for inclusion in the review. Following the full text reading stage, 12 studies qualified for the final review analysis. No randomized clinical trial was identified. Eight of the included studies were of prospective and four of retrospective design. All studies were assessed for their quality and graded eventually from low to medium level of evidence. Based on the reported evidence, chin-cup therapy affects the condylar growth pattern, even though two studies reported no significance changes in disc position and arthrosis configuration. Concerning the incidence of TMD, it can be concluded from the available evidence that chin-cup therapy constitutes no risk factor for TMD. CONCLUSION Based on the available evidence, chin-cup therapy for Class III orthodontic anomaly seems to induce craniofacial adaptations. Nevertheless, there are insufficient or low-quality data in the orthodontic literature to allow the formulation of clear statements regarding the influence of chin-cup treatment on the temporomandibular joint.

Unistructed BIAT faking when ego depleted or in normal state: Differential effect on brain and behavior

Background: Deception can distort psychological tests on socially sensitive topics. Understanding the cerebral processes that are involved in such faking can be useful in detection and prevention of deception. Previous research shows that faking a brief implicit association test (BIAT) evokes a characteristic ERP response. It is not yet known whether temporarily available self-control resources moderate this response. We randomly assigned 22 participants (15 females, 24.23 ± 2.91 years old) to a counterbalanced repeated-measurements design. Participants first completed a Brief-IAT (BIAT) on doping attitudes as a baseline measure and were then instructed to fake a negative doping attitude both when self-control resources were depleted and non-depleted. Cerebral activity during BIAT performance was assessed using high-density EEG. Results: Compared to the baseline BIAT, event-related potentials showed a first interaction at the parietal P1, while significant post hoc differences were found only at the later occurring late positive potential. Here, significantly decreased amplitudes were recorded for ‘normal’ faking, but not in the depletion condition. In source space, enhanced activity was found for ‘normal’ faking in the bilateral temporoparietal junction. Behaviorally, participants were successful in faking the BIAT successfully in both conditions. Conclusions: Results indicate that temporarily available self-control resources do not affect overt faking success on a BIAT. However, differences were found on an electrophysiological level. This indicates that while on a phenotypical level self-control resources play a negligible role in deliberate test faking the underlying cerebral processes are markedly different. Electronic supplementary material: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12868-016-0249-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.