Effect of a patellar realignment brace on patellofemoral relationships: Evaluation with kinematic MR imaging

The effect of a newly developed patellar realignment brace was evaluated in 21 patellofemoral joints (19 patients) with patellar subluxation (13 joints with lateral subluxation and eight with medial subluxation) by using active-movement, loaded kinematic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sixteen patellofemoral joints (76%) demonstrated a qualitative correction of or improvement in patellar subluxation (ie, centralization of the patella or a decrease in the displacement of the patella) after application of the brace. Four of the five “failures” occurred in patellofemoral joints that had patella alta and/or dysplastic bone anatomy. These results indicate that the patellar realignment brace was able to counteract patellar subluxation in the majority of patellofemoral joints studied, as shown by active-movement, loaded kinematic MR imaging. This brace appears to be useful for conservative treatment of patients with patellofemoral joint pain secondary to patellar malalignment and maltracking.     

New parameters in quantitative structure-activity relationships

Translated from Khimiko-farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 28, No. 10, pp. 53–56, October, 1994.     

Radiopacity of dental materials using a digital X-ray system.

OBJECTIVES: Radiopacity is a desirable property for most intra-oral materials. There are established ISO and ANSI/ADA protocols for determining radiopacity using film-based radiography. However, these methods are not always followed by researchers. This study aims to adapt those procedures by using digital radiography, a simplified stepwedge, and examine the effects of target distance and exposure time choice. METHODS: One millimetre thick samples of three dental materials were prepared by placing the materials into a 1.00 mm thick washer sandwiched between two glass slides. The samples were digitally radiographed alongside a stepwedge of aluminum alloy 1100 with an X-ray unit at 70 kVp using five different target distance/exposure time combinations. For each combination, the grey scale values of various thicknesses of the stepwedge were converted into absorbencies and plotted against their thickness. These plots were then linearly regressed in order to correlate absorbance with a thickness of aluminum for each target distance/exposure time combination. The absorbencies of each sample were then converted into radiopacities using these correlations. RESULTS: The correlations between the absorbance of the stepwedge and its thickness were highly linear. This linearity allows the correlation to be accurately deduced from fewer data points than required by the ISO and ANSI/ADA protocols. Varying exposure time did not significantly affect the mean radiopacity measured at a target distance of 30 cm. Varying the target distance did not significantly affect the measured radiopacity as long as the samples were properly exposed. SIGNIFICANCE: A simplified, consistent digital method for determining radiopacity is presented.     

Retention properties of a split-shaft threaded post: cut at different apical lengths.

The retention of the post to the root of an endodontically treated tooth is critical for a successful restoration. Modification of the post length to accommodate a specific clinical situation is common. This study compared the retention of No. 1 and No. 2 Flexi-Post restorations shortened apically from 1 to 5 mm with that reported for full-length control No. 1 and No. 2 Flexi-Post dowels. The experimental material was divided into 10 groups with 10 samples in each group. Retentive values were recorded in pounds with a universal testing machine. Analysis of variance with a Tukey-Student range, multiple-comparison test showed no statistical differences from apical reductions of 1, 2, 3, and 5 mm including the full-length control Flexi-Post No. 1 system. With 4 mm of apical shortening statistically greater retention was recorded. No statistical differences resulted with apical reductions of 1 to 4 mm or with the full-length control Flexi-Post No. 2 system, but 5 mm of apical shortening caused significantly less retention.