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OBJECTIVE: Based on a randomized, population study (Study of Health in Pomerania [SHIP]), the objective of the present study was to determine incidence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adults 20 years or older and to compare the data with TMD prevalence of other exclusively random sample studies that fulfilled criteria similar to those of this study (age > or = 20 years, age range > or = 40 years, sample size > or = 500 subjects, equal gender distribution). METHOD AND MATERIALS: Men and women (n = 7,008) 20 to 79 years of age from mid- and small-sized towns in a rural region in northeast Germany were randomly sampled from resident registry office files. The response rate was 68.8%. Adults between the ages of 20 and 81 years (n = 4,289) were clinically and anamnestically examined. RESULTS: Half of the subjects (49.9%) had one or more clinical signs of TMD, but only 2.7% were subjectively aware of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain symptoms. Women showed higher frequency for all signs and symptoms of TMD than men. However, these differences were not significant for all signs and symptoms in all age groups. The influence of age on TMD signs and symptoms was less pronounced. The prevalence for the following variables found in the present study compared to those of other comparable, random sample studies was: clinical examination; (TMJ) tenderness to palpation (5% versus 2% to 6%); masticatory muscle tenderness (15% versus 19% to 21%); joint sounds (25% versus 15% to 25%); limited maximum mouth opening < 40 mm (9% versus 5% to 8%); pain upon movement of the mandible (1% versus 1% to 3%); irregular jaw movements (deviation, deflection) (28% versus 28%); interview: subjective joint sounds (9% versus 11% to 13%); and subjective TMJ pain (3% versus 4% to 7%). CONCLUSION: The TMD incidence in the current study agreed quite well with the other studies based on random samples with similar subjects and design. The large range of prevalence for signs and symptoms of TMD documented in reviews and meta-analyses could therefore not be confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) was to estimate the prevalence of diseases, identify potential risk factors in a defined region in northeast Germany, and examine the particular living situation of this population after the reunification of East and West Germany. One of the main concerns of the SHIP design is the analysis of the relationships between dental, medical, social, and environmentally and behaviorally determined health factors. SHIP is a cross-sectional study (clinical findings and sociologic interviews). The sample was drawn in two steps: Thirty-two communities in the region were selected, and within these communities, a simple random sample was drawn from residence registries, stratified by gender and age. The final sample included 4,310 males and females, aged 20 to 79 years. This is equivalent to a participation rate of 68.8%. Data collection was completed in May 2001. The data collection and items comprised four parts: oral health examination, medical examination, health-related interview, and a health- and risk-factor-related questionnaire. The oral health examination included the teeth, periodontium, oral mucosa, morphology and function of the craniomandibular system, and prosthodontics. The medical examination included blood pressure measurements; electrocardiography; echocardiography; carotid, thyroid, and liver ultrasound examinations; neurologic screening; and blood and urine sampling. The computer-assisted interview consisted of questions on symptoms of disease, utilization of medical and dental services, self-assessment of general and oral health, health behavior and knowledge, and socioeconomic variables. The self-administered questionnaire comprised housing conditions, social network, work conditions, subjective well-being, and individual consequences of the German reunification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the caries prevalence in the adult population of Pomerania, Germany in comparison to national and international data.Materials and Methods: The study sample comprised 4,022 randomly selected subjects who were examined from October 1997 to May 2001 within the "Study of Health in Pomerania" (medical and dental, population-based cross-sectional study in Pomerania, Northeast Germany. Response rate: 69%. Age range of subjects: 25-79 yrs). Carious defects, fillings and missing teeth were diagnosed and the DMFT/S scores were calculated according to WHO guidelines (1997). These figures were compared to other German, Swedish and US data.Results: Women exhibited higher mean DMFT and DMFS values in all age groups than men. The mean DMFT/S scores were slightly higher than the values for the only two available nationally representative age groups in Germany. The prevalence of primary carious lesions or secondary caries was very low, resulting in minor treatment needs (decayed surfaces: mean 0.95 +/- 3.3) and high care indices (FS/DFS) for all age groups (90-95%). In contrast to this, the mean numbers of fillings in adults and especially of missing teeth in seniors were much higher in Pomerania for all age groups than in the Swedish and US adult population, where a caries decline was demonstrated.Conclusion: In spite of a very low prevalence of primary carious lesions and secondary caries, the mean number DMFT/S and especially MT/S scores in the Pomeranian adult population are high in comparison with Swedish and US data, but differed only slightly from the limited available national data for Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration measurement and signal analysis methods are common to evaluate the functionality and characteristics of technical components in different industrial and scientific areas. Modal analysis for example is a standard method to characterize the dynamic behavior of a structure and enables the development of validated bone models. The state of the art of analyzing bone structures does not include the modal damping, although it has a significant influence on the dynamic characteristics. Within the presented investigations, the modal analyses have been performed contactless with respect to excitation and response acquisition, which implies that there are no influences of shakers or sensor couplings. Therefore, an automatic impulse hammer and a 3D Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer were used for excitation and response detection. Various supports of the test specimens, surface pretreatments, excitation points and excitation impulses were examined to optimize the measurement setup and process. Experimental modal analysis data were analyzed by curve fitting methods to determine the modal parameters. To evaluate different structures and effects of damping, 3D printed artificial bones and animal in vitro bones were used to perform the measurements. To produce the cortical layer of the artificial bone models, volume models were generated based on medical image data and printed by polyamide-based selective laser sintering. The cancellous bone was represented by different foam fillings for the artificial bones. Thereby, the variation of the porosity was achieved by using different mixing ratios of polyurethane foam and hardener. Furthermore, the modal damping parameters were determined from the measurement of animal bones. The measurement time was optimized during the practical implementation of the parameter determination to minimize the influence of drying and decomposition processes on the measurement results.

The study aimed to identify factors that may affect the likelihood that people with intellectual disabilities will find employment through a supported employment agency. A retrospective analysis of the files of the last 200 individuals to use such an agency was carried out. Variables were identified that may influence outcome, such as demographic factors, job preferences and identified support needs. A specific rating of staff assessed client motivation was developed from written comments made by staff. Staff assessed motivation after two weeks on the scheme was found to be the only significant predictor of employment outcome. Motivation levels decreased for all groups of participants while at the agency, irrespective of work outcome. This study highlights that a greater emphasis on motivation within employment agencies may increase the chances of people with intellectual disability finding work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]