The socio-economic status of families experiencing the sudden unexpected death of an infant - Is it possibly related to a higher rate of non-natural deaths among them.

Low socio-economic status is recognized as one of the risk factors for SIDS. In this study we have pointed out the similarities between families that have SIDS cases and families in which infant non-accidental injury has been proven, as well as the differences between them and the general population. This study was conducted in Montenegro, comparing 30 cases of SIDS with 25 cases of known infanticides and with a control group (60 cases) consisting of live newborns and their mothers from the general population, randomly selected from hospital-born newborns without exclusion criteria. We combined and compared the infant characteristics and mother characteristics between the above cases. There were significant similarities between the SIDS group and the infanticide group in terms of the following characteristics: the education level of the mothers (p = 0.086); maternal employment (p = 0.278); and place of residence (p = 0.269); while there were differences between the two groups regarding hospital birth (p = 0.027) and marital status (p = 0.011). The SIDS and infanticide groups, combined, had higher incidences of: out-of-hospital deliveries (p < 0.001); uneducated mothers (p < 0.001); unemployed mothers (p < 0.001); low socio-economic status (p < 0.001); and cases outside of marriage (p < 0.001), compared to the control groups. This study indicated a possible higher incidence of non-natural death among SIDS cases, as reflected by low socio-economic status and linked attributes, which is explained by their similarities with the infanticide groups and differences with the control groups.

A new tool for identifying risk of repeated intimate partner violence adjusted for the population of Montenegro: a cohort study.

Current estimates suggest that approximately 20% of women and 11% of men have been victims of intimate partner violence. Risk identification tools for repeated domestic violence currently exist and have typically been designed by police and judicial authorities, based on the criminal history of the perpetrator. A follow-up cohort study of 238 cases of intimate partner violence (judicially processed and officially judged as DV according to Montenegrin Criminal Act) was conducted by reviewing randomly selected court files. The results showed that certain perpetrator characteristics (unemployment, lack of regret, other violent criminal history, and history of being beaten by a family member) and victim characteristics (nonqualified education and predictions of future harm) were associated with reassault. Relationship characteristics such as different ethnicity, poor socioeconomic status, difference in incomes, living in a rental property, alcohol and drug use, and unprocessed previous history of physical violence were also associated with repeated violence. A risk identification tool for repeated intimate violence was computed based on the significant variables, with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 89%. This study demonstrates a new tool for repeated intimate partner violence prediction in patriarchal societies, widespread in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The majority of factors associated with reassault in this sample have been shown to be predictive for repeated intimate partner violence in previous studies. The applicability of our tool in egalitarian societies should be investigated in order to see whether the combination of these factors is universal or specific to patriarchal societies.

Oral health-related quality of life of patients undergoing different treatment of facial fractures: The OHIP-14 questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The choice of surgical approach can affect the quality of life in patients with a facial fracture. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life in surgically treated patients with facial fractures, and to determine the potential difference in the quality of life related to different surgical approaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety facial fracture cases were analyzed. They were divided into three groups: operated by skin incision, mucosal incision, and treated conservatively. To examine the quality of life of patients, a questionnaire on the quality of oral health Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questionnaire was used. RESULTS: In the first days after the injury, patients with transcutaneous approach showed a poorer quality of life in comparison to patients with transmucosal and conservative treatment. The presence of severe posttraumatic pain is significantly more prevalent in patients with transcutaneous surgical approach than in other treatment types. CONCLUSION: During the immediate posttraumatic period, the quality of life is poorer in patients who have undergone transcutaneous approach. There are no differences in the quality of life 1 month or 3 months after the injury. DISCUSSION: Assessment of complaints in the first days after the injury shows statistically significant differences across various therapeutical methods in variables such as pain, discomfort when eating certain foods, aesthetic appeal, nervousness, and relaxation. There is not sufficient evidence related to the differences in these outcomes regarding different surgical approaches for facial fractures.

Bilateral anatomic variation in the relation of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus to the anterior scalene muscle.

The brachial plexus represents a field of many anatomical variations with impor- tant clinical implications, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of the thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). The case described in this paper presented a novel bilateral variation in the relation of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus to the anterior scalene muscle. The ventral rami of the C5 and C6 spinal nerves perforated the anterior scalene muscle simultaneously through a common opening, and joined to form the upper trunk. Previous literature reports described variations of the brachial plexus and the scalene muscles, as well as the embryological basis for their presence. The case reported herein helps to improve the comprehension of the TOS, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutical approach to this syndrome.

Morphometric characteristics of the optic canal and the optic nerve.

BACKGROUND: The optic nerve (ON), a major component of the visual system, is divided into four segments: the intrabulbar (IB), the intraorbital (IO), the intraca- nalicular (ICn) and the intracranial (ICr). The ICr ends with the two nerves partially decussating in the optic chiasm (OCh). The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed description of the dimensions of the OC (the diameter and the surface area of its foramina and the central segment, as well as the length of the OC and the thickness of its walls) as well as the ON (the length of the ON segments, the diameter of the ICn segment of the ON, the angle of decussation in the OCh, as well as the distance between the two ON at the cranial foramen of the OC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The acquired data was then used to estimate the volu- me of the OC and the ICn segment of the ON. The morphometric research was performed on 25 cadavers (17 male and 8 female) and 30 skulls. RESULTS: The surface area of the central segment of the OC was significantly smaller than the cranial foramen (p = 0.02) and the orbital foramen (p = 0.009). The inferior wall of the OC was significantly shorter than the other OC walls (p < 0.0001). The IO segment of the ON was the longest, where the difference to the ICn and ICr was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The surface area of the ON at the cranial foramen was significantly larger than the surface area at the central segment of the OC (p = 0.02) and orbital foramen (p < 0.0001). The difference between the surface areas of the ON at the orbital foramen and the central segment of the OC was also statistically significant (p = 0.01). The estimated volume of the OC was calculated to be 190.72 mm3, and the volume of the ICn segment of the ON was estimated to be 50.25 mm3. CONCLUSIONS: It is absolutely crucial to open the central segment of the OC when decompressing the ON, due to the narrowing of the OC in this segment.