bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of sodium lauryl sulphate, triclosan and zinc on the permeability of normal oral mucosa
Authors: Healy CM , Cruchley AT , Thornhill MH , Williams DM 
Published: August 2010

OBJECTIVE: Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), an important component in many oral health products, is well established as a contact irritant in skin. Recent studies have suggested that it may also affect the structural integrity of oral mucosa. SLS is rarely used alone in dentifrices or mouthwashes and the aim of this study was to establish the effect of SLS both alone and in combination with Triclosan (TCN) and zinc (Zn) on the permeability barrier properties of normal human oral mucosa. METHOD: Ventral tongue mucosa was obtained from nine males and seven females within 60 h of death and stored frozen at −70°C until use. The permeability of the tissue to tritiated water was measured after pretreatment for 15 min with SLS alone, SLS/TCN, SLS/Zn and a SLS/TCN/Zn mixture. Treatment with distilled water (DW) served as control. The histological appearance of the tissue before and after treatment was also examined by light microscopy.RESULTS: SLS treatment caused a significant increase in water permeability compared to control tissue (Kp = 11.7± 1.00; 4.96 ± 0.50 respectively; P < 0.005). Treatment with a SLS/TCN/Zn mixture, however, had no effect on the permeability to water (Kp = 5.5 ± 0.56).Histological examination revealed that tissue exposed to SLS had a marked disruption of the epithelial surface whilst tissue treated with a SLS/TCN/Zn mixture was indistinguishable from controls.CONCLUSION: Although mucosa exposed to SLS alone showed an increase in permeability to water, the addition of TCN and Zn to SLS appeared to prevent this effect. As SLS is included in some dental products to solubilise compounds such as TCN, its presence may have no effect on the permeability barrier property of oral mucosa.
Clinical Oral Medicine: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS): controlled open trial of the efficacy of alpha‐lipoic acid (thioctic acid) on symptomatology
Authors: Femiano F , Gombos F , Scully C , Busciolano M , Luca P De 
Published: August 2010

BACKGROUND: Alpha‐lipoic acid (ALA), is a potent antioxidant mitochondrial coenzyme, the trometamol salt of thioctic acid that has been shown in clinical studies to be neuroprotective. This study examined the effect of ALA on the symptomatology of Burning mouth syndrome (BMS).SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty‐two patients with BMS and no clinical or laboratory evidence of organic oral disease were divided into two groups (Test and Control) each of 21 subjects, matched for age and sex. The Test group were given ALA (thioctic acid; Tiobec) for 30 days, as 600 mg per day orally for 20 days followed by 200 mg per day for 10 days. The Control group were given cellulose starch 100 mg per day as placebo for 30 days. All BMS patients were reviewed at 10‐day intervals and scored for changes in symptomatology.RESULTS: Significant improvements were shown in the symptomatology of BMS in up to two‐thirds of patients with BMS receiving alpha‐lipoic acid, in about 15% of those using placebo and also in up to two‐thirds of those who, having tried placebo, were switched to ALA.
Long‐term follow‐up of patients treated with acupuncture for xerostomia and the influence of additional treatment
Authors: Blom M , Lundeberg T 
Published: August 2010

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long‐term effects of acupuncture in patients with xerostomia of different etiologies and the influence of additional treatment.DESIGN: Retrospective study.SUBJECTS: Seventy patients, between the ages of 33 and 82, with xerostomia due to primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome, irradiation and other causes were included. The median duration of xerostomia was 32 months.METHODS: Salivary flow rates (SFR) for whole unstimulated and stimulated saliva were used as indicators of effects of treatment. Data from 67/70 patients were analyzed 6 months following a baseline course of 24 acupuncture treatments using two‐way ANOVA. Patients data up to 3 years were also compared by those who chose to receive additional acupuncture treatment vs those who did not. These data were analyzed descriptively.RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates (P < 001) were found in all etiological groups after 24 acupuncture treatments and up to 6 months follow‐up compared to baseline. Three years observation of these patients showed that patients receiving additional acupuncture treatment had a consistently higher median SFR in both unstimulated and stimulated saliva compared to patients who chose not to continue acupuncture. The upper limits of the interquartile range were also higher.CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that acupuncture treatment results in statistically significant improvements in SFR in patients with xerostomia up to 6 months. It suggests that additional acupuncture therapy can maintain this improvement in SFR for up to 3 years.
Improved oral hygiene and Candida species colonization level in geriatric patients
Authors: Grimoud AM , Lodter JP , Marty N , Andrieu S , Bocquet H , Linas MD , Rumeau M , Cazard JC 
Published: August 2010

Objectives:  This work consists in improving oral hygiene (OH) for elderly dependent people in long‐term hospital care, in order to decrease the degree of colonization and the associated risk of developing oral candidiasis. As this population frequently suffers from such colonization and because it is difficult to install and practice OH care, a study protocol was designed at the request of geriatricians. The objective of the present study was to set up a programme of OH, applied by the care staff, and to monitor oral colonization of by Candida spp.Basic research design:  We compared the levels of hygiene and Candida spp. colonization for a group of 110 long‐term patients in geriatric departments at T1, when clinical data were collected and oral mycological samples taken before the OH protocol was applied, and at T2, during the postprotocol phase after 3 months of application, when the clinical data and sample collection were repeated.Results:  During these 3 months 11 patients died. These patients were excluded from the results, which are presented for matched series of the 99 patients still present at T2. Statistical analysis comparing the clinical and biological parameters at T1 and T2 established that there had been an improvement in OH: the ‘adequate’ level was reached for 72.4% of patients at T2 compared with 41.8% at T1 (P < 0.001) and the ‘very inadequate’ level was observed for 9.2% at T2 compared with 27.9% at T1 (P < 0.01). A reduction was observed in the number of patients showing the highest degree of C. albicans and C. glabrata colonization (>50 colony forming units) from 41.9% at T1 to 24.9% at T2 (P < 0.05) and from 56.4% at T1 to 13.0% at T2 (P < 0.05) respectively. The number of patients with candidiasis fell significantly from 43.2% at T1 to 10.2% at T2.Conclusions:  The OH protocol led to an overall decrease in Candida spp. colonization, a significant reduction in the number of candidiasis and an improvement in the level of oral and denture hygiene but vigilance is still necessary concerning OH care and the initial training of staff in specific care of the mouth.
Audit and Feedback as a Clinical Practice Guideline Implementation Strategy: A Model for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners
Authors: Dulko Dorothy 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACT Background: The transfer of research evidence into practice and changing provider behavior is challenging, even when the advantages are strong. Despite the availability of supportive care clinical practice guidelines (CPG), consistent integration of these principles into practice has not been achieved. The failure of dissemination strategies has been identified as a key barrier to successful implementation. A potentially effective approach to facilitating the transfer of research evidence into practice is audit and feedback. Audit and feedback is a summary of provider performance over a specified period of time, with or without recommendations to improve practice. Rationale: Cancer pain is an optimal symptom to examine when studying the effect of an audit and feedback intervention. It is a common condition with important consequences, established CPG are available, measurable outcomes are defined, and there is potential for improvement in current practice. Acute care nurse practitioners (NPs) are often responsible for overseeing and directly managing symptoms such as pain and are well positioned to implement CPG and study the effects of adherence to guidelines on patients' pain outcomes. Methodology: A systematic review of published articles, MEDLINE®, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane Library computerized databases was performed to evaluate the state of the science on audit and feedback as a professional practice change strategy. A behavior change model is proposed for its application to advanced practice nursing. Implications for Practice: Recognized in medicine as a valuable intervention to improve healthcare quality, audit and feedback is a strategy that has not been widely studied in nursing. Although cancer pain cannot always be entirely eliminated, appropriate use of available therapies can effectively relieve pain in a majority of patients. This article is a review of the literature on audit and feedback as a professional practice change strategy and indicates a model for operationalizing the intervention.
When Are Sexual Difficulties Distressing for Women? The Selective Protective Value of Intimate Relationships
Authors: Stephenson Kyle R. , Meston Cindy M. 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Recent studies have shown that sexual functioning and sexually related personal distress are weakly related in women, with only a minority of sexual difficulties resulting in significant levels of distress. However, there has been little systematic research to date on which factors moderate the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual distress.

Aim
To assess the degree to which relational intimacy and attachment anxiety moderate the association between sexual functioning and sexual distress in college-age women.

Methods
Two hundred women (mean age = 20.25) completed surveys assessing sexual functioning, relational intimacy, attachment anxiety, and sexual distress.

Main Outcome Measures
Participants completed the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Dimensions of Relationship Quality Scale, and the Revised Experiences in Close Relationships Measure of Adult Romantic Attachment.

Results
Relational intimacy and attachment anxiety moderated the association between multiple aspects of sexual functioning and sexual distress. For lubrication and sexual pain, functioning was more strongly associated with distress in low-intimacy vs. high-intimacy relationships, but only for women with high levels of attachment anxiety. Results regarding desire were mixed and neither intimacy nor attachment anxiety interacted with subjective arousal or orgasm in predicting distress.

Conclusion
Both relational intimacy and attachment anxiety are important moderators of the association between sexual functioning and subjective sexual distress in women. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Predicting Conductance Due to Upconing Using Neural Networks
Authors: Coppola Emery A. , McLane Charles F. , Poulton Mary M. , Szidarovszky Ferenc , Magelky Robin D. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractArtificial neural networks (ANNs) were developed to accurately predict highly time‐variable specific conductance values in an unconfined coastal aquifer. Conductance values in the fresh water lens aquifer change in response to vertical displacements of the brackish zone and fresh water–salt water interface, which are caused by variable pumping and climate conditions. Unlike physical‐based models, which require hydrologic parameter inputs, such as horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities, porosity, and fluid densities, ANNs can “learn” system behavior from easily measurable variables. In this study, the ANN input predictor variables were initial conductance, total precipitation, mean daily temperature, and total pumping extraction. The ANNs were used to predict salinity (specific conductance) at a single monitoring well located near a high‐capacity municipal‐supply well over time periods ranging from 30 d to several years. Model accuracy was compared against both measured/interpolated values and predictions were made with linear regression, and in general, excellent prediction accuracy was achieved. For example, although the average percent change of conductance over 90‐d periods was 39%, the absolute mean prediction error achieved with the ANN was only 1.1%. The ANNs were also used to conduct a sensitivity analysis that quantified the importance of each of the four predictor variables on final conductance values, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of the system. The results demonstrate that the ANN technology can serve as a powerful and accurate prediction and management tool, minimizing degradation of ground water quality to the extent possible by identifying appropriate pumping policies under variable and/or changing climate conditions.
Simulating Conservative Tracers in Fractured Till under Realistic Timescales
Authors: Helmke M.F. , Simpkins W.W. , Horton R. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractDiscrete‐fracture and dual‐porosity models are infrequently used to simulate solute transport through fractured unconsolidated deposits, despite their more common application in fractured rock where distinct flow regimes are hypothesized. In this study, we apply four fracture transport models—the mobile‐immobile model (MIM), parallel‐plate discrete‐fracture model (PDFM), and stochastic and deterministic discrete‐fracture models (DFMs)—to demonstrate their utility for simulating solute transport through fractured till. Model results were compared to breakthrough curves (BTCs) for the conservative tracers potassium bromide (KBr), pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA), and 1,4‐piperazinediethanesulfonic acid (PIPES) in a large‐diameter column of fractured till. Input parameters were determined from independent field and laboratory methods. Predictions of Br BTCs were not significantly different among models; however, the stochastic and deterministic DFMs were more accurate than the MIM or PDFM when predicting PFBA and PIPES BTCs. DFMs may be more applicable than the MIM for tracers with small effective diffusion coefficients (De) or for short timescales due to differences in how these models simulate diffusion or incorporate heterogeneities by their fracture networks. At large scales of investigation, the more computationally efficient MIM and PDFM may be more practical to implement than the three‐dimensional DFMs, or a combination of model approaches could be employed. Regardless of the modeling approach used, fractures should be incorporated routinely into solute transport models in glaciated terrain.
Estimating Background and Threshold Nitrate Concentrations Using Probability Graphs
Authors: Panno S.V. , Kelly W.R. , Martinsek A.T. , Hackley K.C. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractBecause of the ubiquitous nature of anthropogenic nitrate () in many parts of the world, determining background concentrations of in shallow ground water from natural sources is probably impossible in most environments. Present‐day background must now include diffuse sources of such as disruption of soils and oxidation of organic matter, and atmospheric inputs from products of combustion and evaporation of ammonia from fertilizer and livestock waste. Anomalies can be defined as derived from nitrogen (N) inputs to the environment from anthropogenic activities, including synthetic fertilizers, livestock waste, and septic effluent. Cumulative probability graphs were used to identify threshold concentrations separating background and anomalous NO3‐N concentrations and to assist in the determination of sources of N contamination for 232 spring water samples and 200 well water samples from karst aquifers. Thresholds were 0.4, 2.5, and 6.7 mg/L for spring water samples, and 0.1, 2.1, and 17 mg/L for well water samples. The 0.4 and 0.1 mg/L values are assumed to represent thresholds for present‐day precipitation. Thresholds at 2.5 and 2.1 mg/L are interpreted to represent present‐day background concentrations of NO3‐N. The population of spring water samples with concentrations between 2.5 and 6.7 mg/L represents an amalgam of all sources of in the ground water basins that feed each spring; concentrations >6.7 mg/L were typically samples collected soon after springtime application of synthetic fertilizer. The 17 mg/L threshold (adjusted to 15 mg/L) for well water samples is interpreted as the level above which livestock wastes dominate the N sources.
Do a Bit More with Convolution
Authors: Olsthoorn Theo N. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractConvolution is a form of superposition that efficiently deals with input varying arbitrarily in time or space. It works whenever superposition is applicable, that is, for linear systems. Even though convolution is well‐known since the 19th century, this valuable method is still missing in most textbooks on ground water hydrology. This limits widespread application in this field. Perhaps most papers are too complex mathematically as they tend to focus on the derivation of analytical expressions rather than solving practical problems. However, convolution is straightforward with standard mathematical software or even a spreadsheet, as is demonstrated in the paper. The necessary system responses are not limited to analytic solutions; they may also be obtained by running an already existing ground water model for a single stress period until equilibrium is reached. With these responses, high‐resolution time series of head or discharge may then be computed by convolution for arbitrary points and arbitrarily varying input, without further use of the model. There are probably thousands of applications in the field of ground water hydrology that may benefit from convolution. Therefore, its inclusion in ground water textbooks and courses is strongly needed.
Domestic Well Water Quality in Rural Nebraska: Focus on Nitrate‐Nitrogen, Pesticides, and Coliform Bacteria
Authors: Gosselin David C. , Headrick Jacqueline , Tremblay Rod , Chen Xun‐Hong , Summerside Scott 
Published: August 2010

AbstractFor this statewide assessment, 1808 wells were; sampled and a data base compiled that included water‐quality data (NO3‐N, pesticides, coliform bacteria) and site‐specific data collected at each location. Domestic, rural Water quality in Nebraska varies substantially from one ground water region to another and is a function of well characteristics, distances to potential contamination sources, and hydrogeologic and site characteristics. The percentage of wells exceeding the 10 ppm MCL for NO3‐N ranged from 3 to 39 percent, depending on the ground water region. This large range of values indicates the inadequacy of stating that an average of 19 percent of domestic wells in Nebraska are contaminated by nitrates. This statistic does not describe the nature, extent, and variability of the contamination problem. Depending on the ground Water region, the degree of nitrate contamination in rural domestic drinking water wells has remained generally unchanged or has only slightly increased since the last statewide assessment conducted from 1985 to 1989. Bacterial contamination has either remained the same or has decreased. The percentage of wells affected by bacteria ranged from 8 to 26 percent, depending on the ground water region. Statewide, about 70 wells, or 4 percent of the wells sampled, had detectable pesticide levels, of which atrazine was the most common. Eighty‐two percent of the detections were in the Platte River Valley of in the South Central Plains, both of which are characterized by heavily irrigated corn and a statistical association between nitrate and atrazine contamination. To improve the quality of domestic drinking water will require a combination of activities, including the application of best management practices specific to a ground water region and individual action at rural households, such as conducting sanitary surveys of existing wells before installing new wells.
A Pilot Test of Passive Oxygen Release for Enhancement of In Situ Bioremediation of BTEX‐Contaminated Ground Water
Authors: Chapman Steven W. , Byerley Brian T. , Smyth David J. A. , Mackay Douglas M. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractA pilot‐scale field demonstration of the use of Oxygen Release Compound™ (ORC) was conducted at the site of a former gasoline service station. ORC was installed into a barrier consisting of a tight pattern of “treatment wells” located relatively near the apparent source of hydrocarbon contamination (20 to 30 m down‐gradient). The purpose of the barrier was to enhance in situ biodegradation of BTEX in ground water by the passive release of oxygen from the unpumped treatment wells placed across the migration path of the plume. Detailed monitoring was carried out using fencelines of multi‐level monitoring wells located up‐ and downgradient of the barrier. Total BTEX concentrations influent to the barrier were found to be highly variable in space (nondetect to greater than 60 mg/L) and time. Total influent BTEX concentrations averaged on a cross section transverse to flow were less variable over time, ranging from 10 to 16 mg/L. Significant decreases in BTEX mass flux through the zone impacted by the treatment wells were observed. For the entire portion of the plume impacted by the treatment wells, estimated BTEX treatment efficiency was approximately 70 percent on Day 51 of the test and declined thereafter. The decrease in efficiency was likely due to the observed increase in the influent BTEX load as the trial progressed along with an apparent decline of the oxygen release rate from the ORC. However, along flow‐paths in which influent total BTEX concentrations were below about 5 mg/L, nearly complete removal of BTEX occurred for the entire trial (132 days). Mass flux estimates of BTEX and dissolved oxygen indicated that less than 10 percent of the oxygen estimated to have been released from the treatment wells contributed to BTEX degradation or was observed as “excess” oxygen. NonBTEX components of the organic contamination appeared to exert a significant oxygen demand and account for at least part of this discrepancy.