Experimental quantiles of epidemiological indices in case-control studies with non-differential misclassification

The formulae for some typical epidemiological indices in case-control studies with non-differential misclassification are expressed in terms of two groups (α, β) and (γ, δ) of misclassification probabilities of exposure E and confounder C, respectively, and the initially estimated frequencies. The parameters α and β denote the probability that subjects exposed to E are classified as non-exposed and the probability that non-exposed ones will be classified as exposed, respectively. Similarly, δ and γ stand for the probability that those who have been exposed to C will be classified as non-exposed and the probability that non-exposed subjects are classified as exposed, respectively. The non-negativeness of the expressions for the ‘true’ frequencies in terms of the measured ones and the misclassification probabilities leads to the construction of feasibility regions for α, β, γ and δ. For a number of ‘acceptable’ 4-tuples (α, β, γ, δ), all of which lie inside these feasibility regions, a sequence of feasible values for an epidemiological index is determined, after employing a systematic procedure by means of a ‘searching net’ with increments Δα, Δβ, Δγ, Δδ. The procedure serves to determine the characteristics of the (experimental) cumulative distribution function for any selected epidemiological index. The final stage in exploiting the structure of feasibility regions for α, β, γ and δ is to use the cumulative distribution function to calculate quantiles for the index associated with prescribed probabilities.     

Temperature distributions in 136 superficial radiothermotherapies

Temperature distributions from 136 superficial radiothermotherapies in patients were analysed and three-dimensionally reconstructed. The calculation of mean values and standard deviations of the temperature measuring probes considering water bolus temperature, master probe temperature, site of the probes relatively to different applicator positions and site of the probes in the heated tissues yielded satisfactory temperature distributions for chest wall treatment in contrast to other regions of the body. Radiothermotherapy was statistically not superior to radiotherapy alone with respect to local tumor control.     

Rehabilitation of a Spark Erosion Prosthesis: A Clinical Report

When complex prostheses are fabricated, it is expected that at some point maintenance will be necessary. This clinical report documents a 10-year-old maxillary spark erosion prosthesis that had been repaired many times, was discolored, and exhibited significant signs of wear. The metal superstructure was intact; therefore, only the acrylic resin base and teeth needed to be replaced. To reduce both cost and time without the prosthesis for the patient, the rehabilitation was completed within 24 hours.     

Impaired colour discrimination in Huntington's disease

Colour discrimination and visual contrast perception were investigated in 18 patients with Huntington's disease (HD) and in 18 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test (FM) and stationary contrast targets. The mean total error score (MTES) and the partial scores for the “red-green” and the “blue-yellow” axes in the FM of the patients with HD were significantly elevated as compared to controls (MTES in HD: 113.0 ± 90.8; MTES in controls: 19.2 ± 8.8). The spatial contrast sensitivity in HD patients was normal. The colour perception dysfunction indicates that the visual system is affected in HD. The visual disorder may be related to an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters in the visual system of HD patients. Possible anatomical sites of the dysfunction responsible for colour discrimination abnormalities could be the retinal cone system and/or impaired parvocellular central visual pathways in HD.