Explicit Finite Element Models Accurately Predict Subject-Specific and Velocity-Dependent Kinetics of Sideways Fall Impact

The majority of hip fractures in the elderly are the result of a fall from standing or from a lower height. Current injury models focus mostly on femur strength while neglecting subject-specific loading. This article presents an injury modeling strategy for hip fractures related to sideways falls that takes subject-specific impact loading into account. Finite element models (FEMs) of the human body were used to predict the experienced load and the femoral strength in a single model. We validated these models for their predicted peak force, effective pelvic stiffness, and fracture status against matching ex vivo sideways fall impacts (n = 11) with a trochanter velocity of 3.1 m/s. Furthermore, they were compared to sideways impacts of volunteers with lower impact velocities that were previously conducted by other groups. Good agreement was found between the ex vivo experiments and the FEMs with respect to peak force (root mean square error [RMSE] = 10.7%, R² = 0.85) and effective pelvic stiffness (R² = 0.92, RMSE = 12.9%). The FEMs were predictive of the fracture status for 10 out of 11 specimens. Compared to the volunteer experiments from low height, the FEMs overestimated the peak force by 25% for low BMI subjects and 8% for high BMI subjects. The effective pelvic stiffness values that were derived from the FEMs were comparable to those derived from impacts with volunteers. The force attenuation from the impact surface to the femur ranged between 27% and 54% and was highly dependent on soft tissue thickness (R² = 0.86). The energy balance in the FEMS showed that at the time of peak force 79% to 93% of the total energy is either kinetic or was transformed to soft tissue deformation. The presented FEMs allow for direct discrimination between fracture and nonfracture outcome for sideways falls and bridge the gap between impact testing with volunteers and impact conditions representative of real life falls. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

Effects of ω-3 Fatty Acids and Catechins on Fatty Acid Synthase in the Prostate: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Animal and human studies suggest fish oil and green tea may have protective effect on prostate cancer. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) has been hypothesized to be linked to chemoprotective effects of both compounds. This study evaluated the independent and joint effects of fish oil (FO) and green tea supplement (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG) on FAS and Ki-67 levels in prostate tissue. Through a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial with 2 × 2 factorial design, 89 men scheduled for repeat prostate biopsy following an initial negative prostate biopsy were randomized into either FO alone (1.9 g DHA + EPA/day), EGCG alone (600 mg/day), a combination of FO and EGCG, or placebo. We used linear mixed-effects models to test the differences of prostate tissue FAS and Ki-67 by immunohistochemistry between pre- and post-intervention within each group, as well as between treatment groups. Results did not show significant difference among treatment groups in pre-to-post-intervention changes of FAS (P = 0.69) or Ki-67 (P = 0.26). Comparing placebo group with any of the treatment groups, we did not find significant difference in FAS or Ki-67 changes (all P > 0.05). Results indicate FO or EGCG supplementation for a short duration may not be sufficient to produce biologically meaningful changes in FAS or Ki-67 levels in prostate tissue.     

The art of consent: visual materials help adult patients make informed choices about surgical care

Abstract

Supporting patients in making informed healthcare decisions is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice. Surgeons frequently draw for and show images to patients when consenting them for operations but the value of this practice in informed decision-making is unclear. An audit was conducted in a General Surgery Department. 244 patients completed questionnaires on the value of visual materials when giving consent for surgery. The complexity of the operations was classified into “simple”, “moderate” or “complex”. 100% of patients felt they had given informed consent to surgery. 62% of patients received at least one form of visual material during the consenting process. All patients who received a drawing, and 99% of those provided with other images, valued these resources. Visual materials were considered more useful to patients when giving consent for moderate or complex operations than simple ones. Approximately one third of patients who did not receive visual materials would have appreciated these when making an informed decision. This research highlights the value of surgeons drawing for, and providing other visual resources to, their patients as part of the consent process. There is a role for further research and training materials in drawing skills for surgeons.     

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic oral health transformation project

The Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic (YVFWC) is one of the largest community health centers in the country with clinics throughout south-central Washington and northern Oregon. Its dental program consists of 14 dental clinics providing general and specialty services to the low-income populations it serves. Modeling itself after the YVFWC medical managed care program; the Dental program recently added value-based metrics to its dental practice after Oregon offered a value-based dental reimbursement plan in 2019. This is the first-step YVFWC's dental program that has taken to prepare for value-based reimbursement and transform its dental practice in order to reduce the disease burden in its patient population. The purpose of this article is to describe the processes YVFWC undertook to prepare itself for the new reimbursement model, which included the development of metrics, a metric validation process, a clinical dashboard, and a method for improving metrics. It also outlines its medical/dental integration improvement brought about by embedding hygienists into the medical primary care teams.     

Family correlates of daughter's and son's locus of control expectancies during childhood

Children who expect they can bring about good outcomes and avoid bad outcomes tend to experience more personal successes. Little is known about factors that contribute to these ‘control expectancies’. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether children's internal control expectancies occur in the context of parents’ internal control expectancies, low family strain, and high family cohesiveness and whether these factors are more strongly related to daughters’ than sons’ control expectancies. A community sample of 85 children aged 9–11 years and their parents (85 mothers; 63 fathers) completed rating scales. Fathers’ more internal control expectancies and mothers’ reports of fewer family strains were associated with daughters’ but not sons’ greater internal control expectancies, and greater family cohesiveness was related to both daughters’ and sons’ internal control orientations. These findings suggest that family factors may contribute to children's, particularly daughters’, development of internal control expectancies.     

Lifitegrast clinical efficacy for treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease across three randomized controlled trials

Objective: Report efficacy findings from three clinical trials (one phase 2 and two phase 3 [OPUS-1, OPUS-2]) of lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5.0% for treatment of dry eye disease (DED).

Research design and methods: Three 84-day, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trials. Adults (≥18 years) with DED were randomized (1:1) to lifitegrast 5.0% or matching placebo. Changes from baseline to day 84 in signs and symptoms of DED were analyzed.

Main outcome measures: Phase 2, pre-specified endpoint: inferior corneal staining score (ICSS; 0–4); OPUS-1, coprimary endpoints: ICSS and visual-related function subscale (0–4 scale); OPUS-2, coprimary endpoints: ICSS and eye dryness score (EDS, VAS; 0–100).

Results: Fifty-eight participants were randomized to lifitegrast 5.0% and 58 to placebo in the phase 2 trial; 293 to lifitegrast and 295 to placebo in OPUS-1; 358 to lifitegrast and 360 to placebo in OPUS-2. In participants with mild-to-moderate baseline DED symptomatology, lifitegrast improved ICSS versus placebo in the phase 2 study (treatment effect, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.05–0.65; p?=?0.0209) and OPUS-1 (effect, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.10–0.38; p?=?0.0007). Among more symptomatic participants (baseline EDS ≥40, recent artificial tear use), lifitegrast improved EDS versus placebo in a post hoc analysis of OPUS-1 (effect, 13.34; 95% CI, 2.35–24.33; nominal p?=?0.0178) and in OPUS-2 (effect, 12.61; 95% CI, 8.51–16.70; p?<?0.0001).

Limitations: Trials were conducted over 12 weeks; efficacy beyond this period was not assessed.

Conclusions: Across three trials, lifitegrast improved ICSS in participants with mild-to-moderate baseline symptomatology in two studies, and EDS in participants with moderate-to-severe baseline symptomatology in two studies. Based on the overall findings from these trials, lifitegrast shows promise as a new treatment option for signs and symptoms of DED.