Effect of Implant Surface Roughness and Macro- and Micro-Structural Composition on Wear and Metal Particles Released

Background: Considerations about implant surface wear and metal particles released during implant placement have been reported. However, little is known about implant surface macro- and microstructural components, which can influence these events. The aim of this research was to investigate accurately the surface morphology and chemical composition of commercially available dental implants, by means of multivariate and multidimensional statistical analysis, in order to predict their effect on wear onset and particle release during implant placement. Methods: The implant surface characterization (roughness, texture) was carried out through Confocal Microscopy and SEM-EDS analysis; the quantitative surface quality variables (amplitude and hybrid roughness parameters) were statistically analyzed through post hoc Bonferroni’s test for pair comparisons. Results: The parameters used by discriminant analysis evidenced several differences in terms of implant surface roughness between the examined fixtures. In relation to the observed surface quality, some of the investigated implants showed the presence of residuals due to the industrial surface treatments. Conclusions: Many structural components of the dental implant surface can influence the wear onset and particles released during the implant placement.

Assortative mating and within-spouse pair comparisons

Spousal comparisons have been proposed as a design that can both reduce confounding and estimate effects of the shared adulthood environment. However, assortative mating, the process by which individuals select phenotypically (dis)similar mates, could distort associations when comparing spouses. We evaluated the use of spousal comparisons, as in the within-spouse pair (WSP) model, for aetiological research such as genetic association studies. We demonstrated that the WSP model can reduce confounding but may be susceptible to collider bias arising from conditioning on assorted spouse pairs. Analyses using UK Biobank spouse pairs found that WSP genetic association estimates were smaller than estimates from random pairs for height, educational attainment, and BMI variants. Within-sibling pair estimates, robust to demographic and parental effects, were also smaller than random pair estimates for height and educational attainment, but not for BMI. WSP models, like other within-family models, may reduce confounding from demographic factors in genetic association estimates, and so could be useful for triangulating evidence across study designs to assess the robustness of findings. However, WSP estimates should be interpreted with caution due to potential collider bias.

Complex Time-Dependent ERP Hemispheric Asymmetries during Word Matching in Phonological, Semantic and Orthographical Matching Judgment Tasks

Language-induced asymmetry to single word reading has been well investigated in past research. Less known are the complex processes and related asymmetries occurring when a word is compared with the previous one, according to specific tasks. To this end, we used a paradigm based on 80 sequential word pair comparisons and three blocked tasks: phonological, semantic and orthographical matching judgment. Participants had to decide whether the target word (W2) did or did not match the prime word (W1), presented 2 sec before, according to the task. The event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by W2 in 20 participants have been analyzed. The first negative wave, the Recognition Potential (RP), peaking at about 120 ms over parietal sites, showed greater amplitude at left sites in all tasks, thus revealing the typical left-lateralization. At frontal sites, only the phonological task showed left lateralization. The following N400 (300–450 ms) showed an interesting interaction: Match trials elicited greater left asymmetry on frontal regions to phonological than to semantic than to visual-perceptual tasks, whereas mismatch trials induced an inverted asymmetry, marked by greater amplitude over right frontal sites, regardless of the task. Concerning the late N400 (450–600 ms), phonological and semantic tasks showed an overlapping pattern, with left lateralization in match and right lateralization in mismatch conditions. Results point to complex task- and time-dependent hemispheric asymmetries in word matching.

Neuromodulation complementary to physiotherapy in fibromyalgia and its electroencephalographic correlates: a randomized clinical trial protocol

The objective of the present research is to present a protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled triple-blind clinical trial, which will evaluate the effects of neuromodulation with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) associated with physiotherapy treatment in fibromyalgia and its electroencephalographic correlates. The volunteers will be women diagnosed with fibromyalgia for at least three months, aged between 40 and 55 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to three groups: Group 1, with anodic stimulation in the left motor cortex and cathodic stimulation in the right supraorbital region; Group 2, with anodic stimulation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cathodic stimulation in the right supraorbital region; and Group 3, with simulated type stimulation (sham). All groups will be accompanied by physiotherapy treatment. The primary outcomes will be the variations in pain, anxiety and depression levels, resulting from neuromodulation, as assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale and Beck's Anxiety and Depression Inventories, respectively. The secondary outcome will be the evaluation of the cortical electrical activity as registered by a 32-channel electroencephalogram. In data analysis, a mixed ANOVA will be used, with 3 groups of participants versus 2 moments of evaluation, with a level of significance of p<0.05. For pair comparisons, post hoc test with Bonferroni-Sidak correction will be used. Considering that fibromyalgia is a multifactorial disease, not very responsive to drugs and other conventional treatments, it is important to analyze the potential therapeutic effect of neuromodulation, in addition to the physiotherapeutic treatment, in individuals with fibromyalgia.

Cluster cooperation mechanisms evaluation for waste processing of the Forest Complex of Siberia

The study subject is the approaches development for assessing cooperation in a cluster. Study purpose: a selection of tools to assess the characteristics of cooperative ties in a cluster for processing waste from a forest complex in Yenisei Siberia. Methods: Case analysis, questionnaire, survey, expert assessment, and a method of pair comparisons. Results: The following results have been substantiated: The emerging cluster for waste processing from the Yenisei Siberian forest complex; the situational factors; industry specialization; the goals of creating a cluster, and the interests of participants. As the cluster evolves, the directions and cooperation level of cluster members are the subject to change. The obstacles ranking for cooperation in the cluster is carried out as well. An aggregated indicator of the intensity of cooperative ties, based on five criteria, is proposed, which makes it possible to evaluate both industrial and innovative cooperation. In addition, it is proposed to determine the weighting factors situationally, depending on the target orientation of the cluster. Summary: it is shown that the desired value of aggregated cooperation indicator should be formed in the coordinate system, i.e. “innovation – sustainability”. Evaluation and regulation of the indicator level can serve as a tool for making and implementing strategic decisions on cluster development priorities.

Assortative mating and within-spouse pair comparisons

Comparisons between cohabitating spouses have been proposed as an aetiological design method to reduce confounding and evaluate effects of the shared adulthood environment. However, assortative mating, a phenomenon where individuals select phenotypically similar mates, could distort associations. We evaluated the use of spousal comparisons, as in the within-spouse pair (WSP) model, for aetiological epidemiological research.Using directed acyclic graphs and simulations, we demonstrated that the WSP model can reduce confounding if spouses are correlated for an unmeasured confounder, but that WSP comparisons are susceptible to collider bias induced by assortative mating. Empirical analyses using spouse pairs in UK Biobank found evidence that genetic association estimates from the WSP model are attenuated compared to random pairs for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with height (shrinkage: 23%; 95% CI 20%, 25%), educational attainment (74%; 95% CI 66%, 81%) and body mass index (23%; 95% CI 14%, 32%) as well as for an alcohol consumption SNP (29%, 95% CI 5%, 46%). Some of these attenuations are likely to reflect effects of assortative mating because height and educational attainment are unlikely to be strongly influenced by the adulthood environment. In contrast, effect estimates of increasing age on coronary artery disease and systolic blood pressure were found to be concordant between random and spouse pairs.Assortative mating is likely to induce phenotypic and genetic structure between an individual and their spouse which complicates the interpretation of spousal comparisons in an aetiological context. A further consideration is that the joint participation of non-independent spouses in cohort studies could induce selection bias.

Specifics of managerial decisions made by the heat-supplying organizations management during the selection of the partner organizations

The issue of the selection of business partners in the conditions of the uniform heat-supplying organizations functioning is considered in the article. The need of quality and timely evaluation of the potential partners for the purpose of the increase in the level of quality of generation, transportation and distribution of heat energy is proved. The author’s approach of holding the procedure of selection of the most reliable partner was used with the help of the method of the hierarchical analysis. The method of pair comparisons was also applied within the research, the blocks and indicators of the assessment were defined. The model of additive convolution was chosen as the method of the aggregated criterion creation.

Association between constitution, medical history, axiography and postural control in women aged between 21 to 30 years

The aim of this study was to determine association between constitutional, medical history and axiographic parameters with postural control parameters. Overall, 106 healthy female subjects aged between 21 and 30 years were measured. Data collection was carried out by completing a questionnaire on constitutional parameters, illnesses, accidents and medical/orthodontic therapies, as well as by axio- and posturographic measurements. Data were analyzed using correlations, pair comparisons and group comparisons. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. The statistical evaluation showed significant correlations between sporting exercise and body sway in the sagittal direction (p ≤ 0.03), the BMI and the load on the forefoot/rear foot (p ≤ 0.01), the mouth opening and the load on the forefoot/rearfoot (p ≤ 0.01) and the presence of a deviation with the load on the left/right foot (p ≤ 0.01). The physical condition as well as the temporo-mandibular system are associated with the postural control in young women. Therefore, a holistic diagnosis and therapy will be supported by the present outcomes.