BACKGROUND:In a 2-y intervention targeting increased physical activity and healthy eating in primary school children, the adjusted body mass index (BMI) z score was 0.26 units (95% CI: 0.21, 0.32) ...lower in intervention than in control children. Few obesity prevention initiatives in children have undertaken follow-up analyses. OBJECTIVE:The objective was to determine whether differences in BMI persisted almost equal to2 y after the cessation of the intervention. DESIGN:All children who had at least one measurement of height and weight at any time during the study (baseline and years 1 or 2) were invited to participate in follow-up measurements (height and weight). RESULTS:Five hundred fifty-four of 727 eligible children (76%) participated. Children who refused to participate (n = 14) or had moved from the study area (n = 159) did not differ from the remaining participants in baseline age, sex, or BMI. The mean BMI z score (and 95% CI) remained significantly lower in intervention children at follow-up in the whole group (n = 554; -0.17; -0.25, -0.08) and in the group who underwent at least 1 (n = 389; -0.19; -0.24, -0.13) or 2 (n = 256; -0.21; -0.29, -0.14) full years of intervention. Intervention children were less likely to be overweight, but only in those who were present for the full intervention (n = 256; RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.94). CONCLUSION:Despite the main intervention initiative (school-based activity coordinators charged with the responsibility of enhancing physical activity and promoting healthy eating) being discontinued at the end of the intervention, continued benefits to BMI remained apparent in intervention children almost equal to2 y later.
The fluctuating behavior of a Sulzer Metco F4 DC plasma gun has been investigated by simultaneous measurement of the time dependencies of the are voltage and of images from the nozzle interior. An ...end-on imaging arrangement using a mirror and a mask in the optical path from the are to the camera allows visualization of the anodic arc attachment by strongly attenuating the bright emission from the are column. With the torch operating in the restrike mode, sequences of images have been acquired in synchronization with several typical features of the are voltage fluctuations showing that the attachment nature changes during a restrike cycle. Multiple attachments which coexist at least during the 1 /spl mu/s exposure time of the camera have been evidenced and are interpreted as a continuous process of creation/vanishing of successive arc roots with a smooth transfer of the current from one to the other. The anode wear is shown to have a strong effect on the root position over the anode periphery, with a preference for attachment in eroded regions. The effects of operation parameters such as current, gas flow and injector type on the attachment nature and position are also presented.
Polymer nanocomposites reinforced with inorganic fillers have sparked new aerospace, sports goods, automotive, and civil engineering applications. Here, epoxy nanocomposites with both hydrophobic and ...hydrophilic silica aerogel powder fillers are presented. The use of a high porosity, mesoporous filler such as silica aerogel avoids the typical problems encountered in dispersing nanoparticles. For both types of aerogel surface chemistry, the addition of minor amounts of silica aerogel leads to a strong increase of application relevant properties, e.g., fracture toughness and energy, impact strength, T g, and storage modulus. The strong covalent silica–epoxy interactions seen for the hydrophilic filler, but absent for the hydrophobic filler, are reflected in the bulk properties. Detailed fractography reveals three active toughening mechanisms: (i) an increase in nanoscale fracture roughness, (ii) crack front bowing and deflection, and (iii) the formation of shear bands. The industrial availability of silica aerogel powders, the excellent properties, and the ease of preparation of the epoxy composites make silica aerogels exceptional nanoporous fillers for polymer reinforcement.
Summary Palatal augmentation prostheses are commonly used in the treatment for dysphagia. By lowering the palatal contours, the tongue contact is increased and thus the bolus propulsion facilitated. ...However, the unfavourable weight of such appliances may be avoided when using lingual plates. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of two different types of lingual plates on the vertical dimension in rest position. Eleven healthy dentate subjects with an average age of 35·5 years (26–60 years) volunteered in this pilot study. The vertical overbites were measured on plaster models. Two different designs of the experimental lingual plates were tested in this pilot study (P‐type & D‐type). The inter‐occlusal freeway space was measured using the electromagnetic K7 jaw‐tracking system (Myotronics, USA), while the subjects were seated in an upright position. They were asked to close from rest position into maximum intercuspation for about 2 s. Recordings were performed without the plates and subsequently with each of the two plate designs in situ. All recordings were performed three times and the second closing movement of each recording was used for the analysis. After averaging the repetitions without experimental lingual plates, with P‐type and D‐type plates, the differences were analysed using a Kruskall–Wallis test. The results showed no significantly increased freeway space while using both types of lingual plates. Hence, it can be concluded that any altered tongue pressure during swallowing with lingual plates is not related to an increase in vertical dimension.
The aim of this study was to determine to what degree polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was superior to histology and culture, and whether a noncommercial urease test was of value, in detecting
...Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy specimens. Gastric biopsy specimens from the antrum and corpus of 134 consenting patients were subjected to PCR, targeting the
glmM (
ureC) gene, histology, culture, and a rapid urease test. PCR detected
H. pylori in the biopsy specimens from 59 patients. All methods showed a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, but histology gave 2 false-negatives, and culture and the urease test gave 1 false-negative compared with PCR. PCR of a
glmM gene segment was superior to the other methods for the detection of
H. pylori infection and was comparable to histology in terms of cost. Nevertheless, in this study, histology and culture were found to be relatively reliable methods for examining gastric biopsy specimens.
Piezoelectric Active Fiber Composites (AFC) and Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) have the potential to provide various sensor functions for nondestructive test methods. AFC have been integrated into ...fiber-reinforced laminates as a first step towards structures with sensing capability. These developments constitute initial stages for developing adaptive composite structures or structures with integrated health monitoring system. So far, the use of AFC and MFC has been explored in selected nondestructive tests for defect detection in model composite systems on laboratory scale with e.g., Acoustic Emission, Acousto-Ultrasonics, and Electromechanical Impedance testing. The present article will focus on limitations and current prospects for structural health monitoring with AFC or MFC and discuss selected concepts and approaches.
Background
: Better control of gastric acid secretion with omeprazole appeared to decrease the need for dilatation of oesophageal strictures complicating gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease in our ...hospital‐based endoscopy service.
Aim
: To investigate whether the perceived decrease in the need for oesophageal dilatation could be documented from endoscopy records, and, if confirmed, whether this could be related to the treatment used.
Patients and methods
: Retrospective study of the records of 69 patients who had peptic oesophageal strictures dilated, followed by treatment with acid inhibition for at least 6 months. Mean duration of follow‐up was 3.9 years during treatment with H2‐receptor antagonists and 2.1 years while on omeprazole (258 and 78 patient‐years, respectively). Re‐dilatation rates were compared between those treated with H2‐receptor antagonists or omeprazole.
Results
: There has been a significant decrease in dilatations performed for gastro‐oesophageal reflux induced strictures (P < 0.001), while dilatation rates for other indications remained constant. Treatment with omeprazole not only decreased the need for further dilatations, but also prolonged the mean time between any further dilatations to 26.3 months compared to 9.3 months for those on an H2‐receptor antagonist (P < 0.0001).
Conclusions
: Following dilatation of peptic oesophageal strictures, treatment with omeprazole in place of an H2‐blocker significantly decreases the need for repeat dilatation.
Background: ERCP is increasingly performed not only in large referral centers but also in smaller units. We sought to analyze the success rates of selective cannulation and intervention using the ...cumulative sum method and to document the workload in a small unit.
Methods: Indications, results, and interventions performed by one endoscopist were recorded for all patients undergoing ERCP at Dunedin Hospital. Selective cannulation and successful intervention were used as outcome measures and, using the cumulative sum method, compared to a target value of 90%.
Results: Over an 8-year period, 532 ERCPs were performed. Overall 91% and 81% of selective cannulation and interventions respectively, were successful. The cumulative sum method plot shows that satisfactory outcomes for selective cannulation were obtained after some 100 to 120 procedures and after some 120 interventions. ERCP was normal in 171 (32%) patients, stones were found in 169 (32%), and strictures in 81 (15%) patients.
Conclusions: The cumulative sum method is a valuable tool to compare individual performance with a nominated target value and to ensure that an acceptable outcome is achieved and maintained. These results show that small units can develop and maintain expertise in ERCP if procedures are performed regularly.(Gastrointest Endosc 1997;46:48-52)
Surface preparation of substrates is a major stage in thermal spraying as it greatly influences coating adhesion. Standard grit-blasting creates roughness but also often leaves grit inclusions at the ...substrate surface, which are detrimental for coating quality. In contrast, the use of smooth substrates involves improvements in metallurgical adhesion.This work deals with the use of substrate pre-heating and of the PROTAL® process (‘PROjection Thermique Assistée par Laser’) to promote metallurgical adhesion. PROTAL is based on substrate laser treatment prior to spraying to achieve an oxide-free interface and, under specific conditions, which modifies the substrate morphology. A metallurgically reactive system (i.e., copper sprayed onto Al 2017) was selected to be suitable for controlling metallurgical features at the coating-substrate interface (mainly pores, intermetallic phases and pre-existing cracks). These were shown to depend on substrate roughness and on the substrate temperature during the first spraying pass.LAser shock adhesion test, namely LASAT, was developed to enable morphological and metallurgical features of as-sprayed interfaces to be studied separately. The existence of a critical roughness for anchoring (CRA) and of an adhesion transition temperature (ATT) could be assumed. As for metallurgical properties, interface intermetallics and pre-existing cracks were shown to be detrimental for adhesion. Moreover, LASATesting succeeded in showing that adhesion of PROTAL coatings is better than that of APS-only coatings.
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