bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trabecular Bone Deterioration in col9a1+/− Mice Associated With Enlarged Osteoclasts Adhered to Collagen IX–Deficient Bone
Authors: Wang Chiachien Jake , Iida Keisuke , Egusa Hiroshi , Hokugo Akishige , Jewett Anahid , Nishimura Ichiro
Published: February 2008

Introduction: Short collagen IX, the exclusive isoform expressed by osteoblasts, is synthesized through alternative transcription of the col9a1 gene. The function of short collagen IX in bone was characterized in col9a1-null mutant mice.

Materials and Methods: Trabecular bone morphometry of lumbar bones and tibias was evaluated by μCT and nondecalcified histology. Osteoblastic and osteoclastic activities were evaluated by PCR- and microarray-based gene expression assays and TRACP-5b and C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) assays, as well as in vitro using bone marrow stromal cells and splenocytes. The effect of col9a1+/− mutation on osteoclast morphology was evaluated using RAW264.7-derived osteoclastic cells cultured on the mutant or wildtype calvarial bone substrates.

Results: Col9a1 knockout mutation caused little effects on the skeletal development; however, young adult female col9a1−/− and col9a1+/− mice exhibited significant loss of trabecular bone. The trabecular bone architecture was progressively deteriorated in both male and female heterozygous col9a1+/− mice while aging. The aged mutant mice also exhibited signs of thoracic kyphosis and weight loss, resembling the clinical signs of osteoporosis. The col9a1+/− osteoblasts synthesized short col9a1 transcripts at decreased rates. Whereas bone formation activities in vitro and in vivo were not affected, the mutant osteoblast expressed the elevated ratio of RANKL/osteoprotegerin. Increased serum TRACP-5b and CTX levels were found in col9a1+/− mice, whose bone surface was associated with osteoclastic cells that were abnormally flattened and enlarged. The mutant and wildtype splenocytes underwent similar osteoclastogenesis in vitro; however, RAW264.7-derived osteoclastic cells, when cultured on the col9a1+/− calvaria, widely spread over the bone surface and formed large resorption pits. The surface of col9a1+/− calvaria was found to lack the typical nanotopography.

Conclusions: The mineralized bone matrix deficient of short collagen IX may become susceptible to osteoclastic bone resorption, possibly through a novel non–cell-autonomous mechanism. The data suggest the involvement of bone collagen IX in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis.
Free Thyroid Hormones in Serum by Direct Equilibrium Dialysis and Online Solid-Phase Extraction–Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Yue Bingfang , Rockwood Alan L , Sandrock Tanya , La’ulu Sonia L , Kushnir Mark M , Meikle A Wayne
Published: February 2008

Background: Measurements of free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) are important for the diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid diseases. Considerable differences among methods limit their clinical utility, however, and accurate methods are needed for various clinical specimens. We describe a direct equilibrium dialysis (ED)–liquid chromatography (LC)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method for FT4 and FT3.

Methods: ED was selected as the separation step. Serum samples were dialyzed 1:1 against a simple protein-free buffer for 20 h at 37 °C. Thyroid hormones in dialysates were purified by online solid-phase extraction (SPE), then chromatographically separated and quantified in positive ion and multiple reaction monitoring modes.

Results: For FT4 and FT3, the lower and upper limits of quantification were 1 ng/L (pg/mL) and 400 ng/L with total imprecision <10%. The method correlated well with an ED-RIA, 2 direct immunoassay methods for FT4, and 1 direct immunoassay and 1 tracer dialysis method for FT3. The adult reference intervals were 12.8–22.2 ng/L for FT4 and 3.62–6.75 ng/L for FT3. Reference intervals for the second trimester of pregnancy (14–20 weeks of gestation) were also established.

Conclusions: We developed a simple protein-free buffer and ED procedure. The performance characteristics and high throughput of the LC-MS/MS method with online SPE for FT4 and FT3 (also reverse T3) are sufficient for the intended clinical use.
Epigenetics of Personality Traits: An Illustrative Study of Identical Twins Discordant for Risk-Taking Behavior
Authors: Kaminsky Zachary , Petronis Arturas , Wang Sun-Chong , Levine Brian , Ghaffar Omar , Floden Darlene , Feinstein Anthony
Published: February 2008

DNA methylation differences between identical twins could account for phenotypic twin discordance of behavioral traits and diseases. High throughput epigenomic microarray profiling can be a strategy of choice for identification of epigenetic differences in phenotypically different monozygotic (MZ) twins. Epigenomic profiling of a pair of MZ twins with quantified measures of psychometric discordance identified several DNA methylation differences, some of which may have developmental and behavioral implications and are consistent with the contrasting psychometric profiles of the twins. In particular, differential methylation of CpG islands proximal to the homeobox DLX1 gene could modulate stress responses and risk taking behavior, and deserve further attention as a potential marker of aversion to danger. The epigenetic difference detected at DLX1 of ∼1.2 fold change was used to evaluate experimental design issues such as the required numbers of technical replicates. It also enabled us to estimate the power this technique would have to detect a functionally relevant epigenetic difference given a range of 1 to 50 twin pairs. We found that use of epigenomic microarray profiling in a relatively small number (15–25) of phenotypically discordant twin pairs has sufficient power to detect 1.2 fold epigenetic changes.
Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Humor Styles: A Replication Study
Authors: Vernon Philip A. , Martin Rod A. , Schermer Julie Aitken , Cherkas Lynn F. , Spector Tim D.
Published: February 2008

One thousand and seventy three pairs of adult monozygotic (MZ) twins and 895 pairs of same sex adult dizygotic (DZ) twins from the United Kingdom (UK) completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire: a 32-item measure which assesses two positive and two negative styles of humor. MZ correlations were approximately twice as large as DZ correlations for all four humor styles, and univariate behavioral genetic model fitting indicated that individual differences in all of them can be accounted for entirely by genetic and nonshared environmental factors, with heritabilities ranging from .34 to .49. These results, while perhaps not surprising, are somewhat at odds with a previous study that we conducted in North America (Vernon et al., in press) in which genetic factors contributed significantly to individual differences in the two positive humor styles, but contributed far less to the two negative styles, variance in which was instead largely due to shared and nonshared environmental factors. We suggest that differences between North American and UK citizens in their appreciation of different kinds of humor may be responsible for the different results obtained in these two studies.
A Genetic Epidemiologic Study of Social Support in a Chinese Sample
Authors: Ji Wen-yan , Hu Yong-hua , Huang Yue-qin , Cao Wei-hua , Lu Jun , Qin Ying , Peng Zeng-chang , Wang Shao-jie , Lee Li-ming
Published: February 2008

Accumulated evidence suggests that social support is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. However, there are little data that examine this issue from Asian samples. We reported results from a preliminary study that examined familial effects on social support in a Chinese adult twin sample. We administered a 10-item social support instrument that measures three dimensions of social support (i.e., objective support, subjective support, and utilization of support) developed for the Chinese population. Two hundred forty-two same-sex twin pairs, where both members of the pair completed the personal interview, were included in the final analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and nonshared environmental (E) effects on each dimension of social support. Familial factors (A+C) explained 56.63% [95% CI = 45.48–65.72%] and 42.42% [95% CI = 29.93–53.25%] of the total phenotypic variances of subjective support and utilization of support, respectively. For the objective support, genetic effects did not exist, but common environmental effect explained 37.56% [95% CI = 26.17–48.28%] of the total phenotypic variances. Neither gender nor age effects were seen on any dimension of social support. Except for objective support, genetic factors probably influence variation in subjective support and utilization of support. Shared environmental factors may influence all dimensions of social support.
Psychological Vulnerability of Singleton Children After the ‘Vanishing’ of a Co-Twin Following Assisted Reproduction
Authors: De Pascalis Leonardo , Monti Fiorella , Agostini Francesca , Fagandini Piergiuseppina , La Sala Giovanni B. , Blickstein Isaac
Published: February 2008

We test the hypothesis that parents who conceived twins by assisted reproduction technology (ART), but experienced loss of one twin, have a different parental–child relationship compared with ART parents following a singleton pregnancy. We used the 1994–2005 ART database of the Centre for Infertility of the Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova in Reggio Emilia, Italy to identify families of 53 singleton births after the ‘vanishing’ twin syndrome. The controls comprised 106 families who conceived and delivered singletons, matched for gestational age (≥ 28 ≤ 31, ≥ 32 ≤ 36, ≥ 37 weeks), maternal age (< 35, ≥ 35 ≤ 40, > 40 years), child's age (1–3, 4–6, and 7–11 years) and child's gender. We completed 3 tests: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the QUIT — Italian Questionnaires of Temperament — motor scale, and the Child Vulnerability Scale. We found that children in the study had significantly more difficulties at the beginning of nursery school (p= .002) and kindergarten (p= .0005), with more frequent anxiety of separation from the parents (nursery school,p= .009; kindergarten,p= .001). We found a lower mean QUIT motor score for the 7- to 11-year-old children when compared to the general Italian normative values, suggesting that parents perceived their children as having more motor difficulties. In contrast, analysis of the Child Vulnerability Scale showed that significantly more parents (15.1%) from the controls perceived their child as vulnerable compared to those from the study group (3.8%),p= .034. We conclude that despite the perceived motor difficulties and the difficulties in the process of individuation–separation that appear at the beginning of the different educational circumstances, parents of singletons following the ‘vanishing’ twin syndrome perceive their children as ‘invincible’, and thus less vulnerable compared to controls.
Statistical Genetics: Gene Mapping Through Linkage and AssociationBenjamin M. Neale, Manuel A. R. Ferreira, Sarah E. Medland, and Danielle Posthuma (Eds.). (2007). London: Taylor and Francis. ISBN: 978041541040
Authors: Hewitt John K.
Published: February 2008

This book was conceived at the 2005 methodology workshop in Boulder, Colorado. Its purpose was to provide background reading and a working text for students and researchers being introduced to the principles and practice of linkage and association analysis in the context of twin and family studies of complex traits, including behavioral and psychological traits. It is edited by four of the most interesting and dynamic young researchers in the field, and authored by them and a roster of 25 additional world class experts in statistical, behavioral, and psychiatric genetics.
Standards Versus Recommended Practice: Separating Process and Prescriptive Measures from Building Performance
Authors: Trusty Wayne
Published: February 2008

Rating systems in North America are experiencing a fundamental shift in the way they approach sustainable design, away from a prescriptive methodology toward one that emphasizes quantifiable performance. They are maturing, placing more importance on issues such as life cycle assessment and how to strengthen the link between design forecasts and actual building performance over the long-term. But, they remain an inherent mix of objective and subjective elements—of process, prescriptive measures, and performance—which makes it difficult for them to evolve in their entirety into sustainable building standards. This paper will focus on fundamental issues related to the standardization of sustainable design principles in the context of assessment and rating systems, drawing on the experience of the Green Building Initiative (GBI) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Technical Committee for Green Globes™. The GBI is the first national organization to take a green building rating system through the consensus-based ANSI process, and its technical committee will examine how process, prescriptive, and performance measures fit in a standard of this nature. For example, experience shows that an integrated design process tends to result in higher performance buildings. However, while it is recommended practice, can it be mandated as part of a standard if it isn’t a measure of the building’s actual worth? Indeed, can any process be dictated, or would this risk penalizing an exceptional building for something that has nothing to do with sustainability? Likewise, prescriptive measures such as favoring building materials with recycled content do not always deliver the benefits they are widely assumed to have. They are means to an end and should not be treated as objectives in their own right. It is tempting to include prescriptive measures in a standard because they are easy to verify. But do we not then risk perpetuating points of view that, while deeply entrenched, do not contribute positively to actual building performance?
Effect of Active Elements on the Oxidation Behavior of a FeCrAl Alloy Produced by Co-Rolling and Annealing
Authors: Pilone D. , Felli F. , Bernabai U.
Published: February 2008

The choice of a metal alloy for supporting catalytic converter bodies depends on the mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance of the alloy under operative conditions. The demand for providing a more efficient conversion instigated the development of improved substrate technologies. In this paper, a thin foil of FeCrAl alloy was produced by diffusion alloying of aluminum clad ferritic stainless steel containing very small amounts of active elements (Hf, Y, Zr). The effect of the active elements on the oxidation behavior of such an alloy has been evaluated. Isothermal tests carried out in air at 900°C, 1000°C, and 1100°C showed kinetics representing a very protective behavior. The oxide scale always appeared very flat and adherent to the substrate. The beneficial effect of active elements on scale protectiveness was apparent also during cyclic oxidation tests carried out in air over the 800–1000°C temperature range. Breakaway oxidation was never observed. Active elements are believed to limit diffusion processes through the scale, and this leads to the formation of a flat and adherent alumina scale that can withstand additional stress due to the thermal expansion mismatch between the oxide and the metal.
Networked Control Systems (NCS) – Stand und Ausblick (Networked Control Systems (NCS) – State of the Art and Future)
Authors: Litz Lothar , Gabriel Thomas , Groß Melanie , Gabel Oliver
Published: February 2008

Die Beherrschung von NCS stellt je nach Art des digitalen Netzwerkes und nach dessen struktureller Einbindung in den Regelkreis eine unterschiedliche Herausforderung dar. Aus dieser Sicht heraus werden die Netzwerke in Gruppen eingeteilt. Die limitierenden Effekte werden zusammengestellt, erläutert und in ihren Auswirkungen auf das Regelungsproblem analysiert. Modellierungen werden untersucht, welche es gestatten, bestimmte limitierende Effekte in den Regelungsentwurf einzubeziehen. Verschiedene spezielle Lösungsgruppen für solche Effekte werden diskutiert. Dazu gehören der Entwurf bei variablen Totzeiten und bei Paketverlusten — als jeweils einzeln auftretende Einschränkung, aber auch bei gemeinsamem Auftreten — sowie der Entwurf unter dem Einfluss von Quantisierungseffekten. Als über den reinen Regelungsentwurf hinausgehende Methode wird das Cross-Design besprochen, bei dem gleichzeitig mit dem Regelungsentwurf auch Festlegungen der Kommunikationsschicht stattfinden. Im Ausblick wird auf offene Probleme eingegangen, die zukünftige Forschungsthemen darstellen.
Redesign Techniques for Nonlinear Sampled-data Systems (Entwurfstechniken für nichtlineare Abtastsysteme)
Authors: Grüne Lars , Pannek Jürgen , Worthmann Karl , Nešić Dragan
Published: February 2008

In the emulation approach to controller design for networked control systems the controller is first designed in continuous time ignoring the network and then implemented as a sampled-data controller. While very attractive for its simplicity, typically sufficiently small sampling periods are needed in order to ensure satisfactory performance of the resulting sampled-data closed loop. Thus, in the presence of network bandwidth constraints performance loss up to instability may occur. In this paper we present a variety of analytical and numerical techniques for the redesign of sampled-data controllers which improve the sampled-data performance of the non-redesigned controller and aim at reducing the necessary communication bandwidth.
Networked Fault Detection Systems with Noisy Data Transmission (Vernetzte Fehlerdetektionssysteme mit verrauschter Datenübertragung)
Authors: Li Wei , Zhang Ping , Ding Steven X. , Chihaia Ionut C. , Goldschmidt Eberhard , Bredtmann Oliver , Czylwik Andreas
Published: February 2008

In this paper, a networked observer-based fault detection (FD) system is presented. First, the influence of noisy data transmission on the FD performance is analyzed and modeled. Based on it, a design scheme is developed for the construction of observer and residual evaluation unit. The core of this scheme is the integrated design of the coding strategy and FD system. The resulting FD system ensures high fault detectability and low false alarm rate.
Images of Women and Power
Authors: Hall Linda B.
Published: February 2008

This article discusses iconic visual images of three powerful women: the Virgin of the Apocalypse, as painted by eighteenth-century indigenous Mexican artist Manuel Cabrera; Marlene Dietrich; and Dolores del Río. In Cabrera's work, the Virgin Mary is depicted with wings, actively protecting her child and her people with great energy—almost the opposite of better-known images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Artfully controlling her own image, Dietrich quietly flaunted her sexual power over the young John Wayne. Finally, del Río used her image and extraordinary beauty to change the way American audiences perceived Latina women. Although she violated most of the gender-based expectations for Mexican women in her personal life, del Río maintained her image as a great lady (not the typical Hollywood image of a Mexican “spitfire”). Catholic filmmaker John Ford even chose to portray her as the Virgin Mary. These images made, and still make, a difference.
Empires, Frontiers, Filibusters, and Pioneers: The Transnational World of John Sutter
Authors: Hurtado Albert L.
Published: February 2008

This article reassesses John Sutter's role in borderlands history as a destabilizing influence in Mexican California and model for filibusters of the 1850s. Nominally a Mexican citizen, his national loyalties were slippery. In effect, Sutter was an independent filibuster before 1846; californios and the Mexican government regarded him as such. After 1848 his contributions to the American settlement and conquest of California (suitably sanitized and mythologized) made him a pioneer hero who had shown filibusters what might be done in Latin America with a small army and a lot of swagger. Sutter approved and supported Central American filibusters in the 1850s; at least one of his sons fought with filibusters. One of the most colorful characters in the history of the American West, Sutter had eccentricities and personal failings that make him easy to parody. This article shows him in a more serious light. His actions in California had lasting importance there and repercussions elsewhere in Latin America.
The Greening of American Catholicism: Identity, Conversion, and Continuity
Authors: Warner Keith Douglass
Published: February 2008

Environmental concern is emerging in all major American religious denominations, a process known as the “greening of religion.” The dynamics of a greening process illustrate how individuals incorporate emergent social concerns into their existing moral worldviews and show the ways in which religious identities shape that process. Analyzing the dynamics of this phenomenon reveals much about how a community understands the meaning of religious conversion, demonstrates the stability of religious identities, and illustrates how leaders use new problems to reframe religious identities. The greening of American Catholicism builds upon prior efforts to extend a practical theology of social justice (conversion) but articulates new moral responsibilities for future generations while reinforcing identity (continuity). Pope John Paul II opened a new domain for Catholic social teaching by his numerous teachings about environmental stewardship. U.S. Catholic greening efforts built organically upon the Catholic social teaching initiatives of the 1980s, addressing peace and economic justice, and the emergence of what some refer to as a “distinctly Catholic” contribution to environmental ethics should be interpreted in light of these efforts. This term is not precisely defined, but it suggests a concern for cultivating environmental values within the framework of a Catholic identity and for not subverting Catholic religious identity to conventional “secular” environmental values. The rhetorical framing of environment concerns by an ethic of justice was drawn from the biblical vision of justice, but it was influenced by the American environmental justice movement that emerged during this period. The most innovative expression of the greening of American Catholicism has been a set of regional initiatives, bringing Catholic social vision to bear on local issues through lay civic engagement. The lessons from this study speak to the broad evolution of religious environmental ethics in American culture and can inform future studies of this transreligious phenomenon.
Framing Catholicism: Jack Chick's Anti-Catholic Cartoons and the Flexible Boundaries of the Culture Wars
Authors: Borer Michael Ian , Murphree Adam
Published: February 2008

In order to understand the practice of “culture wars work,” we examined the claims of a particularly vocal evangelist, Jack T. Chick. Chick is a writer and cartoonist known both positively and negatively for his “Chick tracts.” Chick tracts are small twenty-four-page black-andwhite comic books that attempt to convert the reader to Chick's particular brand of “Bible-believing” Protestant Christianity. We focused on Chick's claim about Catholicism in order to show how theological and ideological boundaries can be constructed between presumably allied religious populations. Chick presents his anti-Catholicism using three main frames: (1) the associative frame—Catholicism is not only one of many social problems but is also cause of a number of them, (2) the subversive frame—the Catholic church is a political villain, and (3) the hidden agenda frame—Catholicism has not remained true to the authoritative teachings of Christianity and has embraced a secretly progressive worldview. Investigating a culture war claims maker like Chick, who purposely disrupts what presumably would be an orthodox or conservative alliance, reveals the process of symbolic boundary making within cultural/ moral/religious conflicts.
Clinical Evidence for Second- and Third-Line Treatment Options in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: de Marinis Filippo , Grossi Francesco
Published: February 2008

In the U.S. and Europe, the current options for the second- and third-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are cytotoxic drugs and targeted agents. Docetaxel was the first drug approved for second-line treatment after two phase III trials demonstrated its superiority over best supportive care (BSC) alone and single-agent chemotherapy. Pemetrexed was also registered for use as second-line therapy after it was demonstrated to have activity comparable with, and a more favorable toxicity profile than, docetaxel. Erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor, is the only biological agent to have been approved in the U.S. and Europe for lung cancer treatment after a study showed its superiority over BSC in recurrent (second-/third-line) NSCLC patients. This review focuses on these drugs, dealing with the results supporting the choice among docetaxel, pemetrexed, and erlotinib in second- and/or third-line treatment.
Conclusion
Authors: Bunn Paul A. , Thatcher Nick
Published: February 2008

Chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can prolong survival and improve quality of life, but the majority of advanced stage patients succumb to disease within 2 years, meaning that there is room for improvement. The standard chemotherapy for NSCLC involves one of a number of chemotherapy doublets that have been shown to improve survival when compared with single agents or best supportive care. These doublets are generally comparable in terms of efficacy, differing primarily in their toxicity profiles. However, encouraging new options may be approaching, including therapies targeted to specific patient subpopulations, and the use of combinations of current and new drugs to produce synergistic effects.

Targeted therapies include the anti–epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) erlotinib and gefitinib, EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors such as sorafenib, a small molecule TKI, and bevacizumab, a recombinant monoclonal VEGF antibody. Most attempts to combine EGFR-targeted therapies with standard chemotherapy in NSCLC have produced poor results, possibly as a result of antagonism between EGFR TKIs and chemotherapy. Positive results with bevacizumab suggest that VEGF-rather than EGFR-targeted therapies may produce better results when combined with chemotherapy.

Other new drugs being tested include enzastaurin, an oral serine threonine kinase inhibitor; vinflunine, a vinca alkaloid; dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors; and thymidylate synthase inhibitors.

Combinations of therapies, especially those acting via different mechanisms, hold promise for improvements in survival, but careful testing is required to determine optimum combinations of available drugs and where new drugs fit into the armamentarium.
Robustness of light steel frames and modular construction
Authors: Lawson P. M. , Byfield M. P. , Popo-Ola S. O. , Grubb P. J.
Published: February 2008

The robustness or structural integrity of light steel framing and modular constructions is important because these are relatively new structural forms, in which the components have different forms of inter-connectivity in comparison with primary steel frames. There is an increased need to understand the sensitivity of these forms of construction to so-called accidental actions, including terrorist threats. Various forms of construction using light steel and modular technologies are identified and their implications for robustness are reviewed. A series of stressed skin tests on modular constructions is presented. These show that modules are able to span as deep beams with one longitudinal support removed with minimal displacements, indicating that the torsional stiffness of the ‘box’ provides a high level of robustness. Removal of a corner support again demonstrates the role that torsional action of the box plays in redistributing loads away from damaged sections of a structure. For light steel framing, multiple inter-connections provide robustness by tying action and alternative load paths in the event of one or more elements being severely damaged. For modular construction, a scenario-based approach is required in which modules are selectively removed and the horizontal and vertical forces in the connections between the modules can be calculated explicitly.
Cigarette Smoking and Alveolar Bone in Young Adults: A Study Using Digitized Radiographs
Authors: Rosa Guillermo M. , Lucas Gabriela Q. , Lucas Oscar N.
Published: February 2008

Background: Evidence indicates that cigarette smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for periodontal diseases; however, there have been few radiographic prospective studies of alveolar bone in young populations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking on alveolar bone in young adults.

Methods: Eighty‐one dental students (mean age: 20.5 years), considered not to have periodontitis according to clinical criteria, participated in this study. Forty‐two subjects were smokers (mean consumption was 14.1 cigarettes/day for ≥2 years), and 39 subjects had never smoked. A parallel‐arm prospective design was used. All subjects took part in a dental hygiene program (DHP) that included oral hygiene instructions, mechanical debridement, and polishing. The following clinical variables were measured before and after the DHP: plaque index (PI), gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) flow rate, gingival index (GI), probing depth, and clinical attachment level (CAL). Standardized posterior vertical bitewing radiographs were taken and digitized preexperimentally and on days 180, 365, and 545. The following analyses were performed: bone height measurement (BHM), computer‐assisted densitometric image analysis (CADIA), and qualitative analysis of digital subtraction radiography (DSR). Repeated‐measures multiple‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed between the groups, and one‐way ANOVA was performed within the groups.

Results: The mean PI and GI were significantly greater in the smokers (P <0.01). The mean GCF flow rate was significantly lower in the smokers (P <0.01). CAL and the number of sites with recession were significantly greater in the smokers (P <0.001). The BHM indicated a significantly lower mean alveolar bone height in the smokers (P <0.01). The smokers showed significantly lower CADIA values, which indicated a lower bone density on days 0 (P <0.05), 180, 365, and 545 (P <0.01). CADIA values decreased during the study in the smokers, with significant differences on day 545 (P <0.05). The smokers had a significantly higher mean percentage of sites that had decreased density, as assessed by DSR (P <0.001). In the smokers, the mean percentage of sites with decreased density, as assessed by DSR, had increased significantly by days 365 (P <0.05) and 545 (P <0.01).

Conclusions: Smoking produces an adverse effect on clinical periodontal variables and alveolar bone height and density, acting as a potential risk factor for alveolar bone loss, even at an early age with low tobacco consumption. It is very important to inform young smokers about the risk of this habit in relation to periodontal health.
Maternal Periodontitis as a Potential Risk Variable for Preeclampsia: A Case‐Control Study
Authors: Siqueira Fernanda Mafra , Cota Luís Otávio Miranda , Costa José Eustáquio , Haddad João Paulo Amaral , Lana Ângela Maria Quintão , Costa Fernando Oliveira
Published: February 2008

Background: Association studies between maternal periodontitis and an elevated risk for preeclampsia have shown conflicting results. The aims of the present case‐control study were: 1) to evaluate the association between maternal periodontitis and preeclampsia before and after matching, assessing confounding and interaction; and 2) to evaluate the influence of the extent and severity of periodontal parameters, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL), in association with preeclampsia.

Methods: Initially, 1,206 Brazilian women were included and divided into a control group (1,042 non‐preeclamptic women who gave birth to infants with adequate gestational age and birth weight) and a case group (164 preeclamptic women). Further, 125 preeclamptic women were matched according to age, chronic hypertension, and primiparity to 375 non‐preeclamptic women randomly selected from the control group. Maternal periodontitis was defined as PD ≥4 mm and CAL ≥3 mm at the same site in at least four teeth. The effect of variables of interest and confounding were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results: After controlling for confounders, maternal periodontitis was included in the multivariate final model (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37 to 2.77; P <0.001) and remained associated with preeclampsia after matching (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.29; P = 0.045). The odds of preeclampsia were associated with an increase in the number of sites with BOP and PD and CAL ≥4 mm.

Conclusion: Maternal periodontitis is a risk factor associated with preeclampsia, emphasizing the importance of periodontal care in prenatal programs.
Non‐Surgical Periodontal Therapy With Adjunctive Chlorhexidine Use in Adults With Down Syndrome: A Prospective Case Series
Authors: Cheng Ronald H.W. , Leung W. Keung , Corbet Esmonde F.
Published: February 2008

Background: Subjects with Down syndrome (DS) experience a high prevalence of periodontal disease, and the management of this disease in subjects with DS is a challenge for oral health care providers. The purpose of this case series was to follow the periodontal healing response changes over a 12‐month period after non‐surgical mechanical periodontal therapy with the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine and monthly recalls in adults with DS who presented initially with chronic periodontitis.

Methods: Twenty‐one subjects with DS (14 males and seven females; 25.3 ± 5.5 years of age) with reported mild‐to‐moderate learning disabilities and chronic periodontitis were recruited and treated by non‐surgical mechanical periodontal therapy (followed by monthly recalls) and the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine gel for toothbrushing and chlorhexidine mouthwash twice daily. Clinical data were recorded.

Results: After 12 months of non‐surgical mechanical periodontal therapy, the mean percentage of sites with plaque decreased from 84.1% to 23.6%, and the mean number of sites with bleeding on probing decreased from 82.1% to 29.5%. Mean probing depth decreased from 3.2 to 1.8 mm, with a mean clinical attachment level gain of 0.6 mm.

Conclusions: Satisfactory healing responses were achieved following non‐surgical mechanical periodontal therapy with the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine and monthly recalls in adults with DS with chronic periodontitis and mild‐to‐moderate learning disabilities. Such a treatment regimen seems appropriate and beneficial for adults with DS and chronic periodontitis.
Staphylococcus aureusBacteremia Complicating Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Stomatitis: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Shouval Dror S. , Bilavsky Efraim , Avitzur Yaron , Shapiro Rivka , Amir Jacob
Published: February 2008

Background:Gingivostomatitis is a common clinical manifestation of primary herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) infection in children. The most common complication of herpetic gingivostomatitis is dehydration; rarely, it may be complicated by secondary bacteremia, andKingella kingaeand group AStreptococcusinfections have been reported to be responsible for such episodes.

Methods:We describe the clinical course of a 4.5‐year‐old girl several years after a liver transplantation, who presented with high fever, vesicular lesions in the buccal region, and cervical lymphadenopathy.

Results:Viral culture from the vesicles grew HSV‐1, whereas blood culture and bacterial culture from the vesicles grew methicillin‐sensitiveStaphylococcus aureuswith identical antibiogram. Serology against HSV‐1 confirmed a recent infection. The child was treated with cephalexin and improved gradually.

Conclusions:Herpetic lesions of the oral mucosa might serve as a port of entry for pathogens includingStaphylococcus aureus. Pediatricians and dentists should be aware of bacterial complications in children with herpetic stomatitis.
The Effect of Ultrasound on Bone Dimensional Changes Following Extraction: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kerr Eric N. , Mealey Brian L. , Noujeim Marcel E. , Lasho David J. , Nummikoski Pirkka V. , Mellonig James T.
Published: February 2008

Background: Because of bone resorption following tooth extraction, preservation of adequate bony dimension is performed often for subsequent treatment with dental implants. This study evaluated a novel, non‐invasive treatment using ultrasound to accelerate healing following extraction to minimize alveolar bone loss. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound on the dimensional healing changes of alveolar bone following tooth extraction using cone‐beam volumetric tomography (CBVT).

Methods: This randomized, split‐mouth trial involved 12 subjects requiring extraction of two contralateral erupted permanent teeth. Baseline CBVT scans were captured 7 to 10 days following extraction, after which time ultrasound therapy commenced in test sites. Ultrasound therapy was delivered for 20 minutes using a piezoelectric transducer for 10 sessions over the subsequent 4 weeks. Follow‐up radiographic scans were obtained at 4 weeks and 3 months postextraction. Analyses of variance and covariance were performed to assess dimensional changes over the 3‐month healing period.

Results: Analysis of dimensional changes in all measures of vertical height and horizontal width demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the ultrasound and control groups from baseline to 3 months postextraction. Evaluation of correlations between dimensional changes demonstrated a moderately strong correlation (r = 0.67; P = 0.023) in the ultrasound group between the change in buccal vertical height and the baseline crestal ridge width. Analysis of the change in buccal vertical height relative to baseline crestal width demonstrated a statistically significant benefit to ultrasound compared to control (P = 0.016). This benefit was more pronounced in wider sockets compared to narrow sockets.

Conclusions: In this pilot study, there was no significant benefit to ultrasound in absolute bony dimensional changes following tooth extraction. There was a significant interaction between the treatment rendered (ultrasound versus control) and the change in buccal ridge height relative to baseline ridge width at the crest and 3 mm apical to the crest. This benefit was apparent in wide sockets compared to narrow sockets; however, the clinical importance of these relative dimensional changes in the ultrasound group are difficult to determine given the inclusion of all tooth types in a pilot study with a small sample size.
Effect of Meloxicam and Diclofenac Sodium on Peri‐Implant Bone Healing in Rats
Authors: Pablos Alethéia B. , Ramalho Saturnino A. , König Bruno , Furuse Cristiane , de Araújo Vera C. , Cury Patricia R.
Published: February 2008

Background:This study evaluated the effects of diclofenac sodium and meloxicam on peri‐implant bone healing.

Methods:Thirty male rats were divided into three groups: the control group (CG) received no drug; the diclofenac sodium group (DSG) received 1.07 mg/kg twice a day for 5 days; and the meloxicam group (MG) received 0.2 mg/kg daily for 5 days. A screw‐shaped titanium implant was placed in the tibia. Fluorochromes, oxytetracycline (OxT), calcein (CA), and alizarin (AL), were injected at 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively, after implantation, and the animals were sacrificed 28 days after implant placement. The percentages of OxT‐, CA‐, and AL‐labeled bone as well as the percentages of bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC), cortical bone area (CBA), and trabecular bone area (TBA) within the implant threads were evaluated.

Results:Bone healing was delayed in the DSG during the first 14 days after implant placement (OxT‐labeled bone: DSG: 5.3% ± 7.3% versus CG: 13.2% ± 9.8%,P= 0.002, and versus MG:14.4% ± 13.1%,P= 0.05). The percentages of BIC (DSG: 49.6% ± 21.9%; MG: 67.1% ± 22.8%; and CG: 68.1% ± 22.8%) and CBA (DSG: 63.7% ± 21.2%; MG: 82.7% ± 12.4%; CG: 84.9% ± 10.6%) were lower in the DSG compared to the MG and CG (P<0.001). The percentage of TBA was significantly greater in the DSG compared to the MG and CG (DSG: 36.3% ± 21.2% versus MG: 17.3% ± 12.7% and versus CG: 15.1% ± 10.6%;P<0.001).

Conclusion:Diclofenac sodium seemed to delay peri‐implant bone healing and to decrease BIC, whereas meloxicam had no negative effect on peri‐implant bone healing.
Root Cementum May Modulate Gene Expression During Periodontal Regeneration: A Preliminary Study in Humans
Authors: Gonçalves Patricia F. , Lima Liana L. , Sallum Enilson A. , Casati Márcio Z. , Nociti Francisco H.
Published: February 2008

Background: Previous data demonstrated that root cementum may affect periodontal regeneration. As such, this study aimed to explore further possible mechanisms involved in this process by investigating in humans whether root cementum modulates gene expression in the regenerating tissue formed under membrane‐protected intrabony defects.

Methods: Thirty subjects with deep intrabony defects (≥5 mm; 2‐ or 3‐wall) were selected and assigned to the control or test group. The control group received scaling and root planing with the removal of granulation tissue and root cementum; the test group underwent removal of granulation tissue and soft microbial deposits by cleaning the root surface with a microbrush and saline solution, aiming at cementum preservation. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) was applied to both groups. Twenty‐one days later, the newly formed tissue under the membrane was assessed for the expression of the following genes: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN), platelet‐derived growth factor‐alpha (PDGFA), bone sialoprotein (BSP), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).

Results: Data analysis demonstrated that mRNA levels for PDGFA, BSP, and bFGF were higher in the sites where root cementum was kept in place compared to the sites where root cementum was removed completely as part of the periodontal therapy (P <0.05); in contrast, OCN levels were lower (P <0.05). No difference for ALP or OPN was observed between the control and test groups (P >0.05).

Conclusion: Root cementum may modulate the expression of growth and mineral‐associated factors during periodontal regeneration.
Implant Placement at the Time of Maxillary Molar Extraction: Treatment Protocols and Report of Results
Authors: Fugazzotto Paul A.
Published: February 2008

Background: Implant placement at the time of maxillary molar extraction presents a number of potential benefits to patients. A technique to predictably attain implant placement in ideal positions was reported previously.

Methods: A total of 391 rough‐surface implants were placed in 386 patients at the time of maxillary molar extraction. Concomitant regenerative therapy was performed as necessary. Implants were followed for up to 75 months with a mean follow‐up of 40.3 months.

Results: A total of 389 of 391 implants were functioning successfully for up to 75 months with a cumulative survival rate of 99.5%. Criteria for determining implant morphology and dimension are presented.

Conclusion: Implant placement at the time of maxillary molar extraction with concomitant regenerative therapy as needed and subsequent restoration is a predictable treatment modality.
Periodontal Health, Quality of Life, and Smiling Patterns – An Exploration
Authors: Patel Ruchir R. , Richards Philip S. , Inglehart Marita R.
Published: February 2008

Background: This study explored whether periodontal health/disease affects psychosocial outcomes in smiling patterns of particular subjects and their smile‐related quality of life.

Methods: We collected data from 21 regularly scheduled patients in a periodontal graduate student clinic (four males and 17 females; average age: 50.38 years; age range: 24 to 82 years). The subjects were videotaped while watching a funny television (TV) program. Two independent raters rated each videotape at 31 predetermined time points to assess four aspects of the objective smiling patterns of the subjects. In addition, the subjects responded to a questionnaire to assess their smile‐related quality of life. Provider ratings and chart review data were used to assess the clinically assessed oral health status of the subjects.

Results: The smile‐related quality of life of the subjects correlated significantly with indicators of the periodontal health of the subjects, such as the number of mobile teeth (r = 0.681; P =0.000), missing teeth (r = 0.784; P = 0.001), and gingival recession in the esthetic zone (r = 0.718; P = 0.001). Periodontal health and smiling patterns also were correlated. The more teeth with probing depths between 4 and 6 mm the subjects had, the less widely they opened their mouths when they smiled (r = −0.468; P = 0.032); the more hypermobile teeth the subjects had, the less open their smiles were (r = −0.442; P = 0.045) and the more likely they were to cover their mouths when they smiled (r = 0.517; P = 0.017); and the more sites of gingival recession in the esthetic zone the subjects had, the fewer teeth they showed when they smiled (r = −0.491; P = 0.028).

Conclusions: The periodontal health of the subjects affects their smiling patterns and their smile‐related quality of life. Poor periodontal health may prevent adults from expressing positive emotions which, in turn, can impact their self‐concept as well as their social interactions.
The Effect of a Justification Memo and Hypothesis Set Quality on the Review Process
Authors: Asare Stephen K. , Wright Arnold M.
Published: February 2008

This study provides evidence on the effects of a preparer's supporting justification memo and hypothesis set quality on a reviewer's ability to identify a preparer's incorrect conclusion. We hypothesize that the presence of a supporting justification memo will lead to a significant performance decline for reviewers who evaluate working papers containing a correct hypothesis set (one that includes the correct cause), but not those with an incorrect hypothesis set. This expectation follows because reviewers of the correct hypothesis set can link each hypothesis in the working papers to an underlying piece of evidence while those with the incorrect hypothesis set cannot. Thus, the former are more likely to presume that evidence pointing to the actual cause has been integrated, and hence are more willing to rely on the preparer's supporting justification memo. To test our hypothesis, 97 audit seniors reviewed working papers documenting work done by a preparer while investigating five potential explanations (i.e., hypotheses) of an unexpected fluctuation in a client's gross margin. We manipulated justification (Supporting Justification Memo versus No Justification Memo) and hypothesis set quality (Correct Set versus Incorrect Set). All reviewers received work paper documentation showing the results of six tests and an incorrect preparer conclusion. The dependent variable was whether reviewers agreed or disagreed with the preparer's conclusion. The experimental rsesults are consistent with our hypothesis suggesting that in a correct hypothesis set scenario a supporting justification memo may undermine the effectiveness of the review process. The findings underscore the need for reviewers to first evaluate the underlying audit evidence before looking at the preparer's overall conclusion and justification memo.