Clinical trial comparing plasma arc and conventional halogen curing lights for orthodontic bonding.

The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the reliability and time saved with a plasma arc curing unit (Apollo 95E, Dental/Medical Diagnostic Systems, Woodland Hills, Calif) compared with a conventional curing unit (Ortholux XL 3000, 3M Unitek, St Paul, Minn) for direct bracket bonding with resin adhesive. Forty-five patients were involved in the study, and 608 brackets were bonded in a contralateral quadrant pattern. The patients were followed for a mean (+/- standard deviation) period of 11 +/- 3.2 months. Survival analysis was carried out to compare the failure rate for the 2 techniques. The time required for bonding with each technique was also recorded. The mean survival time was 399 days, and there were no significant differences in survival time between the 2 bonding methods. Twelve bonding failures were reported with each technique. The curing time per bracket was significantly reduced with the plasma curing light compared with a conventional curing unit (65 +/- 19 vs 82 +/- 31 seconds). The plasma arc curing light can save chair-time without affecting the bonding failure rate.     

Start Talking About Risks: Development of a Motivational Interviewing-Based Safer Sex Program for People Living with HIV

The epidemiology of HIV infection in the US in general, and in the southeast, in particular, has shifted dramatically over the past two decades, increasingly affecting women and minorities. The site for our intervention was an infectious diseases clinic based at a university hospital serving over 1,300 HIV-infected patients in North Carolina. Our patient population is diverse and reflects the trends seen more broadly in the epidemic in the southeast and in North Carolina. Practicing safer sex is a complex behavior with multiple determinants that vary by individual and social context. A comprehensive intervention that is client-centered and can be tailored to each individual’s circumstances is more likely to be effective at reducing risky behaviors among clients such as ours than are more confrontational or standardized prevention messages. One potential approach to improving safer sex practices among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is Motivational Interviewing (MI), a non-judgmental, client-centered but directive counseling style. Below, we describe: (1) the development of the Start Talking About Risks (STAR) MI-based safer sex counseling program for PLWHA at our clinic site; (2) the intervention itself; and (3) lessons learned from implementing the intervention.     

The Static Stiffness Index: A Simple Method to Assess the Elastic Property of Compression Material In Vivo

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of compression therapy depends mainly on the exerted pressure and on the stiffness of the material. OBJECTIVE: To propose a simple method by which pressure and stiffness can be assessed in the individual patient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using a pressure transducer (Kikuhime small probe, MediTrade, Soro, Denmark) the sub-bandage pressure is measured on the medial aspect of the lower leg at the transition of the gastrocnemius muscle into the Achilles' tendon. The pressure difference between active standing and lying is defined as the static stiffness index (SSI). Results: The accuracy and precision of the probe are good. Unna boot bandages (Lohmann-Rauscher, Vienna, Austria) and multilayer short-stretch bandages show a significantly higher SSI than long-stretch bandages and round-knitted class II stockings. The SSI values are lower than 10 mm Hg for elastic, long-stretch material and higher than 10 mm Hg for inelastic, short-stretch material. CONCLUSION: In future compression trials, pressure and stiffness measured in vivo should be declared.