Search Results (18)

Background/Objectives: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease associated with many systemic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of the CDC/AAP and the EFP/AAP criteria to detect subclinical atherosclerosis in subjects with diabetes and severe periodontal disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Atheroma plaque was evaluated by high-resolution carotid and femoral ultrasonography. A dental examination protocol was implemented by a trained periodontist. A full-mouth periodontal clinical examination was carried out at six sites by automated computerized Florida Probe Periodontal Probing. Periodontal disease was defined by CDC/AAP and EFP/AAP criteria. Results: In total, 98 patients were included (60.2% women), of which 50% had diabetes. Subjects with diabetes showed a high prevalence of severe cases of periodontal disease. Both criteria were useful to detect the presence of atheroma plaque only in the presence of diabetes. However, the CDC/AAP criteria had higher correlation with atheroma plaques than EFP/AAP criteria (r = 0.522 vs. r = 0.369, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The CDC/AAP and the EFP/AAP criteria are a useful tool to identify subclinical atherosclerosis in subjects with severe periodontal disease and diabetes. These results show the potential role of the oral healthcare team in the dental office for the identification of subjects with diabetes at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Full article

Alleged practices of magical assault and vampirism are a recurrent feature of popular explanations of misfortune in Tuva, South Siberia. Based on a field study of healing practices in an “Association of Shamans”, this article analyses rituals of redressing curse afflictions in the context of Russian political domination. A central purpose of this discussion is to foreground the centrality of kinds of parasitical worship and occult threat to structures of political power in—and beyond—the territory of Tuva. Focusing on a “cursescape”, which develops from the combative practices of shamans, occult specialists, and office-holders, the article probes a repertoire of shamanic healing symbols. It is argued that healing efficacy is constructed in the process of engaging with hunting symbols and animal spirits, which appear in Indigenous Siberian cosmologies. The analysis shows that ideas of ritual risk underpin the process of symbolic resolution. Whereas shamanic practices provide refuge to spirits evicted from their natural landscapes, Tibetan Buddhism—the unifying religion of Tuva—offers an alternative path of healing the effects of the shamans’ propagation of spirits. The article highlights indigenous perceptions of a “cursed” landscape as a space where the agencies of “darkness” and their political sponsors are confronted with an emancipating religious modality emerging from local Buddhist rituals. The analysis displays the unsolved drama of itinerant spirits and shamanic ancestral souls, whose agency is revealed through successive—yet inauspicious—forms of reincarnation. Full article

Rabies persists as a longstanding issue in Zambia, despite being preventable. The current control measures, including dog vaccination, population control, and movement restriction, guided by ‘The Control of Dogs Act Chapter 247 of the Laws of Zambia’, have not yielded the desired impact in many areas of the country including Manyinga and Mwansabombwe districts. These two districts continue to report low dog vaccination rates, unrestricted dog movements, and escalating cases of animal and human rabies, along with dog bites. Aligned with global aspirations to achieve zero human rabies cases by 2030, this study scrutinizes the determinants and obstacles hampering the execution of rabies control initiatives in Manyinga and Mwansabombwe. Spanning approximately 11 months, this cross-sectional study gathered pre- and post-vaccination data from 301 households in Manyinga and 100 households in Mwansabombwe. Questionnaires probed knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to rabies prevention and control. A transect survey, key informant interviews, and assessment of rabies vaccination and dog bite records complemented the data collection. Findings revealed that 88.0% of respondents from both districts possessed knowledge about rabies, confirming affected species and transmission. Moreover, 76.8% in Manyinga and 88.6% in Mwansabombwe were acquainted with rabies prevention and control methods. Concerning dog owners, 89.0% were aware of rabies, 66.0% understood its prevention and control, and the majority identified bites as the primary mode of transmission. Despite the high level of knowledge recorded during the survey, the implementation of preventive measures was low, which was attributed to low levels of law enforcement by the local government authority, inadequate staffing in the veterinary department, unwillingness to pay for dog vaccinations, and unavailability of rabies vaccine at the veterinary office in both districts. Vaccination coverage stood at 64.0% in Manyinga and 21.0% in Mwansabombwe. Notably, education and occupation exhibited a positive significant association with rabies knowledge. In terms of dog bite cases, Manyinga recorded 538 dog bite cases from 2017 to June 2022, while Mwansabombwe recorded 81 dog bite and 23 jackal bite cases from 2021 to June 2022. The study underscores critical knowledge gaps in rural areas and emphasizes the imperative for enhanced public education and awareness programs, improved rabies surveillance, free mass vaccination campaigns, and community engagement to augment vaccination coverage and knowledge about rabies. Full article

We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of office-based probing with dacryoendoscopy under local anesthesia for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). This single-institution study retrospectively reviewed data on 72 eyes of 64 consecutive children (38 boys, 43 eyes; 26 girls, 29 eyes), aged between 6 and 17 (mean age: 10.0 ± 2.7) months with suspected CNLDO, from July 2016 to February 2022. These patients underwent probing with dacryoendoscopy under local anesthesia. CNLDO was diagnosed clinically based on the presence of epiphora and sticky eyes due to mucous discharge commencing within the first 3 months of life, increased tear meniscus height, and fluorescein dye disappearance test results. A total of 63 of the 72 eyes had narrowly defined CNLDO, and 9 eyes had other types of obstructions. The intervention success rate was 100% (63/63 eyes) for patients with typical CNLDO and 97.2% (70/72 eyes) for the entire study cohort. Moreover, CNLDO was classified into five types based on the features of the distal end of the nasolacrimal duct. Probing with dacryoendoscopy is safe and yields a high success rate in pediatric patients with CNLDO. This is the first study to assess the safety and efficacy of probing with dacryoendoscopy under local anesthesia in pediatric patients with CNLDO. Full article

A claim management office (CMO) is a new intra-organisation fit based on an organisational project management (OPM) approach and deals specifically with improving claim performance. However, CMOs are either misunderstood or often overlooked in construction companies, mainly due to ignorance of the OPM context but further exacerbated by a lack of real case study research on how to adopt CMOs in these organisations. To address this knowledge gap, this present study integrates organisational ambidexterity with X-inefficiency theory (due to organisation intra-firm irrational decisions when managing such claims) to generate a reference framework for the CMO by probing its implementation within an international construction firm. A multi-method approach, including a single case study (a firm which adopted a CMO) and internal and external expert panels, was used for sampling, data collection, analysis and validation of the framework. The reference framework provides new perspectives on how construction-related companies and practitioners can adopt a CMO structure, which enables them to improve claims performance by planning in three interrelated activities, viz. function-, process- and performance-based. Theoretically, findings also contribute to the X-inefficiency and organisational ambidexterity theories, specifically, how different influences among the reference framework’s elements lead to better organisational claim performance as a plausible roadmap for future work. Full article

Peri-implant mucositis consists of a reversible inflammation of peri-implant tissues characterized by bleeding on gentle probing in the absence of bone loss. Ozone therapy is being extensively studied for its efficacy in treating different dental conditions. To date, few studies have evaluated ozone as an adjunct to the oral hygiene measures of peri-implant mucositis patients. The aim of the present study is to assess the efficacy of an ozonized gel (Trial group) compared to chlorhexidine (Control group) after a domiciliary protocol of oral hygiene in a 6-month study. According to a split-mouth study design, patients were divided into Group 1 for the application of chlorhexidine gel in peri-implant mucositis sites of quadrants Q1 and Q3, whereas in quadrants Q2 and Q4, the ozonized gel was in-office administered. For Group 2, the quadrants were inverted. At baseline (T0), and after 1 (T1), 2 (T2), and 3 (T3) months, Probing Depth (PD), Plaque Index (PI), SI Suppuration Index (SI), Bleeding Score (BS) and Marginal Mucosa Condition (MMC) were measured. A statistically significant decrease was found for all the variables assessed in each group (p < 0.05), whereas significant intergroup differences were found only for PI, BoP, and BS. Accordingly, both agents tested in this study showed an efficacy in treating peri-implant mucositis. The ozonized gel deserves particular attention, considering the better outcome than chlorhexidine on specific clinical periodontal parameters, as well as its lesser shortcomings. Full article

Nowadays, the disinfection of classrooms, shopping malls, and offices has become an important part of our lives. One of the most effective disinfection methods is ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To ensure the disinfection device has the required wavelength spectrum, we need to measure it with dedicated equipment. Thus, in this work, we present the development of a UV spectrum detector capable of identifying UV wavelength spectrums, with a wide range of probes and the ability to transmit data to a PC for later evaluation of the results. The device was developed with four UV sensors: one for UV-A, one for UV-B, one for UV-C, and one with a wide range of detection of UVA, with a built-in transimpedance amplifier. An Arduino Nano development board processes all the acquired data. We developed a custom light source containing seven UV LEDs with different central wavelengths to calibrate the device. For easy visualization of the results, custom PC software was developed in the Processing programming medium. For the two pieces of electronics—the UV detector and calibration device—3D-printed housings were created to be ergonomic for the end-user. From the price point of view, this device is affordable compared to what we can find on the market. Full article

COVID-19 is currently the biggest threat that challenges all of humankind’s health and property. One promising and effective way to control the rapid spreading of this infection is searching for primary close contacts of the confirmed cases. In response, we propose COVID-19 Tracer, a low-cost passive searching system to find COVID-19 patients’ close contacts. The main idea is utilizing ubiquitous WiFi probe requests to describe the location similarity, which is then achieved by two designed range-free judgment indicators: location similarity coefficient and close contact distance. We have carried out extensive experiments in a school office building, and the experimental results show an average accuracy of more than 98%, demonstrating our system’s effectiveness in judging close contacts. Last but not least, we have developed a prototype system for a school building to find potential close contacts. Full article

Until now, in clinical dentistry, antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been restricted to in-office treatments, which hampers repeated applications. This pilot study tested the benefit of a commercially available Lumoral^® device designed for regular periodontal dual-light aPDT treatment at home. Seven patients with peri-implant disease applied dual-light aPDT daily in addition to their normal dental hygiene for four weeks. A single Lumoral^® treatment includes an indocyanine green mouth rinse followed by 40 J/cm² radiant exposure to a combination of 810 nm and 405 nm light. A point-of-care analysis of active-matrix metalloproteinase (aMMP-8), visible plaque index (VPI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and peri-implant pocket depth (PPD) measurements was performed on day 0, day 15, and day 30. Reductions in aMMP-8 (p = 0.047), VPI (p = 0.03), and BOP (p = 0.03) were observed, and PPD was measured as being 1 mm lower in the implant (p = ns). These results suggest a benefit of regular application of dual-light aPDT in peri-implantitis. Frequently repeated application can be a promising approach to diminishing the microbial burden and to lowering the tissue destructive proteolytic and inflammatory load around dental implants. Further studies in larger populations are warranted to show the long-term benefits. Full article

Safe water is becoming a scarce resource, due to the combined effects of increased population, pollution, and climate changes. Water quality monitoring is thus paramount, especially for domestic water. Traditionally used laboratory-based testing approaches are manual, costly, time consuming, and lack real-time feedback. Recently developed systems utilizing wireless sensor network (WSN) technology have reported weaknesses in energy management, data security, and communication coverage. Due to the recent advances in Internet-of-Things (IoT) that can be applied in the development of more efficient, secure, and cheaper systems with real-time capabilities, we present here a survey aimed at summarizing the current state of the art regarding IoT based smart water quality monitoring systems (IoT-WQMS) especially dedicated for domestic applications. In brief, this study probes into common water-quality monitoring (WQM) parameters, their safe-limits for drinking water, related smart sensors, critical review, and ratification of contemporary IoT-WQMS via a proposed empirical metric, analysis, and discussion and, finally, design recommendations for an efficient system. No doubt, this study will benefit the developing field of smart homes, offices, and cities. Full article

We compared the effectiveness of inhaled sevoflurane versus physical restraint during probing in children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). We performed a retrospective review of children with CNLDO who underwent office probing procedures by a single surgeon under sedation or restraint. Patients’ characteristics at the time of probing, including age, sex, laterality, previous non-surgical treatment, presence of dacryocystitis, outcomes of probing, and complications were compared between the sedation and restraint groups. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the prognostic factors associated with the success of probing. A subgroup analysis by 12 months of age was also conducted. The overall success rate was 88.6% in 202 eyes of 180 consecutive children (mean age, 15.1 ± 7.7 months). The sedation group had a marginally higher success rates than the restraint group (93.8% vs. 85.1%, p = 0.056). The success rate was not significantly different between the two groups in children aged <12 months (90.9% vs. 93.1%, p = 0.739), but it was significantly higher in the sedation group (94.7% vs. 77.8%. p = 0.006) in children aged ≥12 months. Inhalation sedation was the most potent factor associated with success (adjusted odds ratio = 5.56, 95% confidence interval = 1.33–23.13, p = 0.018) in children aged ≥12 months. There were no surgical or sedation-related complications intra- and postoperatively. Inhaled sevoflurane sedation resulted in more successful, controlled, painless probing, particularly in children aged ≥12 months. It represents a safe, efficient alternative to general anesthesia. Full article

Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, is one of the most developed and expansive cities. Due to the ongoing development and expansion of Bangkok, urbanization has continued to expand into adjacent provinces, creating the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR). Continuous monitoring of human mobility in BMR aids in public transport planning and design, and efficient performance assessment. The purpose of this study is to design and develop a process to derive human mobility patterns from the real movement of people who use both fixed-route and non-fixed-route public transport modes, including taxis, vans, and electric rail. Taxi GPS open data were collected by the Intelligent Traffic Information Center Foundation (iTIC) from all GPS-equipped taxis of one operator in BMR. GPS probe data of all operating GPS-equipped vans were collected by the Ministry of Transport’s Department of Land Transport for daily speed and driving behavior monitoring. Finally, the ridership data of all electric rail lines were collected from smartcards by the Automated Fare Collection (AFC). None of the previous works on human mobility extraction from multi-sourced big data have used van data; therefore, it is a challenge to use this data with other sources in the study of human mobility. Each public transport mode has traveling characteristics unique to its passengers and, therefore, specific analytical tools. Firstly, the taxi trip extraction process was developed using Hadoop Hive to process a large quantity of data spanning a one-month period to derive the origin and destination (OD) of each trip. Secondly, for van data, a Java program was used to construct the ODs of van trips. Thirdly, another Java program was used to create the ODs of the electric rail lines. All OD locations of these three modes were aggregated into transportation analysis zones (TAZ). The major taxi trip destinations were found to be international airports and provincial bus terminals. The significant trip destinations of vans were provincial bus terminals in Bangkok, electric rail stations, and the industrial estates in other provinces of BMR. In contrast, electric rail destinations were electric rail line interchange stations, the central business district (CBD), and commercial office areas. Therefore, these significant destinations of taxis and vans should be considered in electric rail planning to reduce the air pollution from gasoline vehicles (taxis and vans). Using the designed procedures, the up-to-date dataset of public transport can be processed to derive a time series of human mobility as an input into continuous and sustainable public transport planning and performance assessment. Based on the results of the study, the procedures can benefit other cities in Thailand and other countries. Full article

Solar radiation provides the most significant natural energy in buildings for space heating and daylighting. Due to atmospheric interference, solar radiation received at the Earth’s surface consists of direct beam and diffuse radiation, where diffuse can be further broken down into longwave and visible radiation. Although each of these components co-occurs, their influence on the indoor visual and thermal conditions of a building differ. This study aims to analyze the influence of the various components of solar radiation on the indoor thermal and daylighting of a passive solar building. Thus, a pyrheliometer, pyranometer, shaded-pyranometer, and pyrgeometer mounted on a SOLYS 2 (Kipp & Zonen, Delft, Netherlands) dual Axis sun tracker, were used to monitor direct, global horizontal, diffuse and downward longwave radiation, respectively. The seasonal indoor air temperature and relative humidity were measured using an HMP 60 temperature relative humidity probe. A Li-210R photometric sensor was used to monitor the indoor illuminance. The summer and winter indoor air temperature, as well as relative humidity, were found to be influenced by diffuse horizontal and global horizontal irradiance, respectively. In summer, the indoor air temperature response to diffuse horizontal irradiance was 0.7 °C/ħW/m² and 1.1 °C/ħW/m² to global horizontal irradiance in winter, where ħ is 99.9 W/m². The indoor daylighting which was found to be above the minimum office visual task recommendation in most countries, but within the useful daylight illuminance range was dominated by direct normal irradiance. A response of 260 lux/ħW/m² was observed. The findings of the study support the strategic locating of the windows in passive solar design. However, the results show that north-facing clerestory windows without shading device could lead to visual discomfort. Full article

The main objectives of this research are to evaluate the effects of delamination defects on the measurement of electrical resistivity of reinforced concrete slabs through analytical and experimental studies in the laboratory, and to propose a practical guide for electrical resistivity measurements on concrete with delamination defects. First, a 3D finite element model was developed to simulate the variation of electric potential field in concrete over delamination defects with various depths and lateral sizes. Second, for experimental studies, two reinforced concrete slab specimens (1500 mm (width) by 1500 mm (length) by 300 mm (thickness)) with artificial delamination defects of various dimensions and depths were fabricated. Third, the electrical resistivity of concrete over delamination defects in the numerical simulation models and the two concrete slab specimens were evaluated by using a 4-point Wenner probe in accordance with AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Office) T-358. It was demonstrated from analytical and experimental studies in this study that shallow (50 mm depth) and deep (250 mm depth) delamination defects resulted in higher and lower electrical resistivity (ER) values, respectively, as compared to measurements performed on solid concrete locations. Furthermore, the increase in size of shallow defects resulted in an increase in concrete resistivity, whereas the increase in sizes of deep delamination defects yielded opposite results. In addition, measurements done directly above the steel reinforcements significantly lowered ER values. Lastly, it was observed from experimental studies that the effect of delamination defects on the values of electrical resistivity decreases as the saturation level of concrete increases. Full article

Background: Diabetes is known to be one of the major global epidemic diseases, significantly associated with mortality and morbidity worldwide, conferring a substantial burden to the health care system. The epidemiological transition of this chronic disease tends to worsen unless preventive health strategies are implemented. Appropriate screening devices and standardized methods are crucial to prevent this potentially inauspicious life condition. Currently, the glucometer is the conventional device employed for blood glucose level determination that outputs the blood glucose reading. Glucometer performed in the dental office may be an important device in screening diabetes, so it can be addressed during a periodontal examination. Because gingival blood is a useful source to detect the glucose level, the focus is placed on the opportunity that might provide valuable diagnostic information. This study aimed to compare gingival crevicular blood with finger-stick blood glucose measurements using a self-monitoring glucometer, to evaluate whether gingival crevicular blood could be an alternative to allow accurate chairside glucose testing. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was performed among a 31–67-year-old population. Seventy participants with diagnosed type 2 diabetes and seventy healthy subjects, all with positive bleeding on probing, were enrolled. The gingival crevicular blood was collected using a glucometer to estimate the blood glucose level and compared with finger-stick blood glucose level. Results: The mean capillary blood glucose and gingival crevicular blood levels from all samples were, respectively, 160.42 ± 31.31 mg/dL and 161.64 ± 31.56 mg/dL for diabetic participants and 93.51 ± 10.35 mg/dL and 94.47 ± 9.91 mg/dL for healthy patients. In both groups, the difference between gingival crevicular blood and capillary blood glucose levels was non-significant (P < 0.05). The highly significant correlation between capillary blood glucose and gingival crevicular blood (r = 0.9834 for diabetic patients and r = 0.8153 for healthy participants) in both the groups was found. Conclusions: Gingival crevicular blood test was demonstrated as a feasible and useful primary screening tool test for detecting diabetes and for glucose estimation in non-diabetic patients. Use of gingival crevicular blood for screening is an attractive way of identifying a reasonable option of finger-stick blood glucose measurement under the appropriate circumstances. Rapid assessment may precede diagnostic evaluation in diabetic as well as healthy patients with acute severe bleeding. In addition, gingival crevicular blood levels may be needed to monitor the diabetic output. Full article