Patient- and therapy-related factors on the wear of denture teeth : results of a clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: When we examined a previously published prospective multi-center clinical trial in which complete denture-wearers were followed over a period of 2 years, we found that about 30% of the variability in the clinical wear data of denture teeth was due to unknown characteristics of the subjects. In the second part of the study, we try to identify which patient- and therapy-related factors may explain some of this variability. METHODS: The clinical wear data of denture teeth at different recall times (6, 12, 18, 24 months) in 89 subjects (at baseline) were correlated with the following parameters, which may all have an influence on the wear of denture teeth: age, gender, bruxism as reported by the subjects, number of prostheses used so far, time since last extraction, smoking, fit of dentures as judged by the subject and the clinician, average denture wearing time and wearing of denture during the night. To evaluate the influence of the different patient- and therapy-related variables, both a univariate analysis (one extra factor to the model) and a multivariate analysis were carried out using linear mixed models with the variable Log mean as the outcome. RESULTS: None of the patient- and therapy-related parameters showed a statistically significant effect on the wear of denture teeth. There was, however, a trend for women to show less wear compared to men and a trend of decreasing wear with increasing age. SIGNIFICANCE: Further research is required to identify the factors which are responsible for the high variability observed between the subjects regarding clinical wear data.

Report on a special investigation of the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office for the period July 1, 2006 through April 15, 2009

Report on a special investigation of the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office for the period July 1, 2006 through April 15, 2009

Reaudit report on the City of St. Charles, Iowa for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006

Reaudit report on the City of St. Charles, Iowa for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006

Invasive mould infections: a multi-disciplinary update.

Systemic fungal infections remain a significant cause of mortality in neutropenic and immunocompromised patients, despite advances in their diagnosis and treatment. The incidence of such infections is rising due to the use of intensive chemotherapy regimens in patients with solid tumours or haematological cancers, the increasing numbers of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplants, and the use of potent immunosuppressive therapy in patients with autoimmune disorders. In addition, the epidemiology of systemic fungal infections is changing, with atypical species such as Aspergillus terreus and zygomycetes becoming more common. Treatment has traditionally focused on empirical therapy, but targeted pre-emptive therapy in high-risk patients and prophylactic antifungal treatment are increasingly being adopted. New treatments, including lipid formulations of amphotericin B, second-generation broad-spectrum azoles, and echinocandins, offer effective antifungal activity with improved tolerability compared with older agents; the potential impact of these treatments is reflected in their inclusion in current treatment and prophylaxis guidelines. New treatment strategies, such as aerosolized lipid formulations of amphotericin B, may also reduce the burden of mortality associated with systemic fungal infections. The challenge is to identify ways of coupling potentially effective treatments with early and reliable identification of patients at highest risk of infection.

Incidents occuring during anesthesia for total hip arthroplasty: a comparison of general versus regional anaesthesia

Background: The type of anesthesia to be used for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is still a matter of debate. We compared the occurrence of per- and post-anesthesia incidents in patients receiving either general (GA) or regional anesthesia (RA). Methods: We used data from 29 hospitals, routinely collected in the Anaesthesia Databank Switzerland register between January 2001 and December 2003. We used multi-level logistic regression models. Results: There were more per- and post-anesthesia incidents under GA compared to RA (35.1% vs 32.7 %, n = 3191, and 23.1% vs 19.4%, n = 3258, respectively). In multi-level logistic regression analysis, RA was significantly associated with a lower incidence of per-anesthetic problems, especially hypertension, compared with GA. During the post-anesthetic period, RA was also less associated with pain. Conversely, RA was more associated with post-anesthetic hypotension, especially for epidural technique. In addition, age and ASA were more associated with incidents under GA compared to RA. Men were more associated with per-anesthetic problems under RA compared to GA. Whereas increased age (>67), gender (male), and ASA were linked with the choice of RA, we noticed that this choice depended also on hospital practices after we adjusted for the other variables. Conclusions: Compared to RA, GA was associated with an increased proportion of per- and post-anesthesia incidents. Although this study is only observational, it is rooted in daily practice. Whereas RA might be routinely proposed, GA might be indicated because of contraindications to RA, patients' preferences or other surgical or anaesthesiology related reasons. Finally, the choice of a type of anesthesia seems to depend on local practices that may differ between hospitals.

La Multi-metodología Autobiográfica Extendida (MAE). Una estrategia cualitativa para estudiar la identidad, los fondos de conocimiento y las formas de vida

La multi-metodología autobiográfica es una aproximación cualitativa que combina distintas técnicas para estudiar la construcción narrativa de la identidad. El objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer una revisión de dicho enfoque a partir de una expansión de los distintos instrumentos cualitativos utilizados. Más concretamente, la multi-metodología autobiográfica extendida (MAE) consta de cuatro grupos de técnicas: entrevistas en profundidad (historia de vida, entrevista de fondos de conocimiento y la entrevista de Durand), el retrato o dibujo identitario revisado (dibujo identitario, auto-definición, tarea identitaria de las diez definiciones), el análisis de los artefactos-rutinas-formas de vida (diario de una semana, detección de artefactos, rutinas a través de fotografías, rutinas educativas a través de fotografías ) y la utilización de distintos “mapas psicológicos o psicogeográficos” (cronograma, genograma, ecomapa, geomapa y mapa relacional). Después de definir la identidad, los fondos de conocimiento y las formas de vida como posibles objetos de estudio en ciencias sociales, el artículo describe e ilustra las distintas técnicas que componen la metodología propuesta. Se concluye recomendando la triangulación de técnicas cualitativas narrativas basadas en el lenguaje, el caso de las tradicionales entrevistas en profundidad, con determinados procedimientos visuales, a partir de la utilización de fotografías o representaciones gráficas

Reaudit letter to the City of Ottumwa for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, as well as certain issues applicable to the year ended June 30, 2005 and subsequent periods

Reaudit letter to the City of Ottumwa for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, as well as certain issues applicable to the year ended June 30, 2005 and subsequent periods

Report on the Unemployment Insurance Tax Redesign Project administered by Iowa Workforce Development for the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2009

Report on the Unemployment Insurance Tax Redesign Project administered by Iowa Workforce Development for the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2009

Audit report on the Honey Creek Resort operated by Central Group Management, LLC for the period from inception (September 18, 2008) to June 30, 2009

Audit report on the Honey Creek Resort operated by Central Group Management, LLC for the period from inception (September 18, 2008) to June 30, 2009

Report on a review of the funding for construction of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Lewis and Clark State Park in Monona County for the period February 25, 1999 through December 31, 2008

Report on a review of the funding for construction of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Lewis and Clark State Park in Monona County for the period February 25, 1999 through December 31, 2008

Report on payments made subsequent to recipients’ dates of death under the Medicaid program administered by the Department of Human Services for the period July 1, 2006 through December 31, 2008

Report on payments made subsequent to recipients’ dates of death under the Medicaid program administered by the Department of Human Services for the period July 1, 2006 through December 31, 2008

Special investigation of the City of Truro for the period January 1, 2003 through February 18, 2009

Special investigation of the City of Truro for the period January 1, 2003 through February 18, 2009

Report on the City of Hills Fire Department, also known as Hills Fire Fighters, for the period July 1, 2006 through September 30, 2009

Report on the City of Hills Fire Department, also known as Hills Fire Fighters, for the period July 1, 2006 through September 30, 2009

Report on a review of the Transportation Enhancement Program of the Iowa Department of Transportation for projects closed out during the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009

Report on a review of the Transportation Enhancement Program of the Iowa Department of Transportation for projects closed out during the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009