Intra-oral temperature variation over 24 hours.
(33/1913)
This study aimed to investigate temperature variation at archwire sites adjacent to the maxillary right central incisor and first premolar, its correlation with ambient temperature, and the influence of inter-racial variation. Twenty young adult male subjects were randomly selected (13 Asian, seven Caucasian). Thermocouples were attached to the labial archwire component of custom-made orthodontic retainers at the two intra-oral sites. A third thermocouple measured ambient temperature. A data-logger recorded temperatures at 5-second intervals over a 24-hour period. Temperatures ranged from 5.6 to 58.5 degrees C at the incisor and from 7.9 to 54 degrees C at the premolar, with medians of 34.9 degrees C and 35.6 degrees C, respectively. Ambient temperature correlated poorly with the intra-oral temperatures. The Asian and Caucasian groups had significantly different temperature distributions. On average during the 24-hour period, temperatures at the incisor site were in the range of 33-37 degrees C for 79 per cent of the time, below it for 20 per cent, and above it for only 1 per cent of the time. Corresponding figures for the premolar site were 92, 6, and 2 per cent. At both archwire sites the most frequent temperatures were in the range of 35-36 degrees C. The data presented demonstrate that the temperature at sites on an archwire in situ varies considerably over a 24-hour period and that racial differences may exist. This information should be considered during the manufacture and use of temperature-sensitive orthodontic materials, in particular nickel-titanium archwires and springs. (+info)
Behavioral factors predicting serum cotinine concentrations of male smokers in a Japanese community.
(34/1913)
Cigarette-derived toxic substances are inhaled along with the nicotine that is absorbed to satisfy the smoker's physical demand. Therefore, serum cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, may be considered to be an indirect marker of absorption of the other toxic substances from smoking. However, few studies have examined factors related to serum cotinine concentrations in natural settings. The authors, therefore, have studied relations among patterns of smoking behavior and serum cotinine concentrations of community residents. Subjects were 60 smoking men living in the town of Yamasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Number of daily cigarettes, depth of inhalation, hours from the last cigarette smoked and the total nicotine tolerance score were significantly, while neither nicotine-yields nor butt length of a discarded cigarette was correlated with serum cotinine concentrations. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that depth of inhalation and hours from the last cigarette smoked were independently significant. This finding suggests that attention only to self-reported daily number of cigarettes smoked may not be sufficient to detect smokers who are actually at high risk. Healthcare workers should also pay attention to smokers' patterns of smoking, particularly depth of inhalation. (+info)
Sexual behaviour of commercial sex workers and their clients in Cambodia. Japan-Cambodia Collaborating Research Group.
(35/1913)
OBJECTIVE: This study surveyed the sexual behaviour of commercial sex workers and their clients in an attempt to identify factors of transmission of STDs (including HIV/AIDS) and to control their epidemics in Cambodia and South-East Asia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Trained questioners asked items of the questionnaires to each objective subject in December 1996. Data were analysed to show the descriptive status by risk group of each person. PARTICIPANTS: 200 direct commercial sex workers, 220 indirect commercial sex workers, and 211 clients in Phnom Penh. RESULTS: Prostitution was widely accepted by both young males and females, and this was an easy way for young girls to obtain money. Although commercial sex workers and clients were knowledgeable about prevention methods against STDs, they seldom used condoms. Some commercial sex workers had been infected with STDs many times, and many of them incompletely treated the diseases by themselves. Social support from governmental and non-governmental organisation was poor. CONCLUSIONS: It is very important to support both commercial sex workers in practicing preventive methods against STDs and also visiting physicians when they notice symptoms of STDs. It is strongly recommended that not only governmental but also non-governmental organisations should be more active in this area. (+info)
Socioeconomic status, lung function and admission to hospital for COPD: results from the Copenhagen City Heart Study.
(36/1913)
This study analysed the effect of education and income on development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessing lung function and hospital admission. The study population consisted of 14,223 subjects, aged 20-90 yrs, randomly sampled from the population of Copenhagen in 1976. Association between socioeconomic factors and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) at study entry was analysed by linear regression. The relation between socioeconomic factors and risk of admission to hospital for COPD from study entry until 1993 was assessed by register linkage. Education and income were independently associated with FEV1 and FVC. The age- and height-adjusted difference in FEV1 (mean+/-SEM) between the highest and lowest level of education and income was 259+/-31 mL in females and 400+/-39 mL in males. After additional adjustment for quantity and duration of smoking and inhalation, the difference was 220+/-31 mL and 363+/-39 mL in females and males, respectively. Results for FVC were of the same magnitude. Using a socioeconomic index which combined information on education and household income the association with lung function did not differ by age. A total of 219 females and 265 males were admitted to hospital for COPD during follow-up. Education and income were significantly associated with admission to hospital. After detailed adjustment for smoking the relative risks (95% confidence intervals) for medium and high versus low socioeconomic index in females were 0.74 (0.55-1.02) and 0.27 (0.10-0.73), respectively. Corresponding relative risks in males were 0.47 (0.36-0.63) and 0.35 (0.17-0.70). The results indicate that socioeconomic factors operating from early in life affect the adult risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease independently of smoking in both females and males. (+info)
Medical faculty use of the journal literature, publishing productivity and the size of health sciences library journal collections.
(37/1913)
OBJECTIVES: This 1990-1991 study explored the relationship between the size of health sciences library journal collections and the number of different journals cited by medical school faculty in departments of biochemistry and medicine. METHODS: Two regression equations, including variables associated with a national stratified sample of 622 faculty who published articles during those two years, were used to explore factors correlated with variations in faculty use of the journal literature and faculty publishing productivity. RESULTS: Results suggest that, after controlling for other variables in the models, neither the number of different journals those faculty cited, nor the number of articles they published, had statistically significant correlations with the number of journals in the health sciences library collection. CONCLUSION: The traditional view that the size of an academic health sciences library's journal collection is a good measure of how well that library is positioned to support faculty research may not be entirely accurate. (+info)
Surveying vendors of street-vended food: a new methodology applied in two Guatemalan cities.
(38/1913)
Lack of reliable data about street vendors, who are difficult to survey, has hampered efforts to improve the safety of street-vended food. A two-phase method for sampling vendors, surveying first in areas of concentrated vending activity identified by local authorities and second in randomly selected areas, was developed and implemented in two Guatemalan cities where street-vended food had been implicated in cholera transmission. In a 4-day survey in Escuintla, 59 vendors (42 from phase 1, 17 from phase 2) were interviewed. They demonstrated good knowledge of food safety and cholera but unsafe practices, implying that more effective, practical training was needed. In a 6-day survey in Guatemala City, 78 vendors (77 from phase 1, 1 from phase 2) were interviewed. Sixty-eight (87 %) vendors stored water, usually in wide-mouthed vessels prone to contamination; this led to a field test of a new system for safe water storage. Useful information for public health planning and intervention can be gathered rapidly with this new method for surveying street vendors. (+info)
Measuring the impact of Parkinson's disease with the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life questionnaire.
(39/1913)
OBJECTIVES: To assess the validity of the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life (PDQL) questionnaire, a patient-specific multi-dimensional quality of life measure, in a community-based sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PI)) using standardized measures of disease severity, depressive symptomatology and cognitive function. DESIGN: A group of 194 patients with probable PD were randomly selected from a community-based register and were invited to self-complete the 37-item PDQL. Disease severity was measured by the disease-specific Webster scale, cognition by the CAMCOG neuropsychological test and depressive symptomatology by the self-report 15-item GDS-15 geriatric depression scale. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients returned completed PDQL questionnaires. Significant differences (P < 0.05) emerged between the pooled PDQL score of patients grouped on the basis of disease severity. Depressive symptoms and cognition were also associated with poorer perceived quality of life as measured by the PDQL. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are indicative of the validity of the PDQL as an important additional measurement which reflects the impact of PD from the patient perspective. It shows poorer quality of life to be associated with increasing age, disease severity more severe depressive symptomatology and impaired cognitive functioning. However, the responsiveness of this instrument in the evaluation of care in PD remains to be determined. (+info)
Prevalence of sleep disordered breathing and sleep apnea in 50- to 70-year-old individuals. A survey.
(40/1913)
PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in a general population aged from 50 to 70 years. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We recruited 76 individuals aged between 50 and 70 years, chosen at random from the electoral census. They were invited to the clinic where a detailed medical history was taken and physical examination, ENT examination, pulmonary function tests and night time recording of respiratory variables performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of SDB (apnea-hypopnea index >/= 5) was 28.9%, and there were no differences between men (28%) and women (30%). However, the prevalence of SAS was 6.8%, and there were differences between men (5 cases) and women (0 cases) (p = 0.0521). Subjects in the SDB group had higher systolic blood pressure than in the non-SDB group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SDB and SAS are common among 50- to 70-year olds. The prevalence of SDB was 28.9% and the prevalence of SAS was 6.8%. (+info)