bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Treatment and evaluation of patients with acute exacerbation of asthma before and during a visit to the ER in Denmark
Authors: Backer Vibeke , Harving Henrik , Søes‐Petersen Ulrik , Ulrik Charlotte Suppli , Plaschke Peter , Lange Peter 
Published: August 2007

AbstractBackground:  Acute exacerbation of asthma may be life‐threatening and quite often results in a visit to the emergency room (ER) or admission to a hospital. The aim was to evaluate the treatment and the quality of clinical management of asthma exacerbations, and finally, to identify the factors leading to admission.Material and methods:  In a retrospective design, we audited the hospital records of all patients aged 18–40 years admitted to five Danish university hospitals with an acute exacerbation of asthma in 2004.Results:  We found records covering 323 asthmatic patients (186 women). Before admission, the mean (standard deviation) duration of the exacerbation was 5.2 (7.5) days. Of those admitted, 14% did not use any medication, 39% used inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) either with a β2‐agonist or alone, systemic steroids, and 34% used a β2‐agonist alone. Lung function (peak flow or forced expiratory volume in first second) was measured in 60% on admission, in 58% on discharge and in 47% on both occasions (P < 0.01). Temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured in 231 of the patients (72%), but the respiratory frequency rate was measured in only 16% of the patients, with some differences between the five hospitals. On discharge, 50% were treated with systemic steroids, and a further 20% had ICS prescribed (P < 0.01, admission vs discharge). In 21% of the cases, inadequate treatment was identified as the most likely reason for their ER visit/admission to a hospital.Conclusions:  The assessment and treatment of patients admitted with acute asthma exacerbation was often suboptimal. Under‐treatment with the anti‐asthmatic medication was the main reason for admission.Please cite this paper as: Backer V, Harving H, Søes‐Petersen U, Ulrik CS, Plaschke P and Lange P. Treatment and evaluation of patients with acute exacerbation of asthma before and during a visit to the ER in Denmark. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2008; 2: 54–59.
Associations between Missing Teeth with Unmet Needs and Socioeconomic Status among South Korean Dentate Government Employees
Authors: Kim Hae‐Young , Lee Seung‐Wook , Cho Sung‐Il , Patton Lauren L. , Ku Young 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjective: This study aims to examine associations between missing teeth with unmet needs (MTUN) and socioeconomic status, represented by income and place of residence.Methods: The National Health Insurance Corporation dataset of 822,325 dentate Korean government employees’ dental examinations results, questionnaire responses in the year 2000, and basic information collected for administrative purposes was used for this analysis. The main outcome variable was the number of MTUN, categorized into three groups: none, 1‐2, and ≥3. Explanatory variables were assessed and a multinomial logistic regression was employed.Results: Seventy percent were men, with a mean age of 39.1 years (range 18 to 74). The mean number of MTUN was 0.34, and 19.1 percent had ≥1 MTUN. After adjusting for other variables, age and income were the most salient independent predictors. Rural residents, men, older adults, persons having smoking experience, and persons visiting a dental clinic in the past year were more likely to have ≥1 MTUN than their counterparts. People performing frequent toothbrushing or having received professional scaling in the past year were less likely to have ≥1 MTUN than their counterparts.Conclusion: Among South Korean government employees with a general dental care insurance benefit, exclusive of prosthetic services, having normative unmet prosthetic need was significantly associated with older age, lower income, and rural residence, taking into account other demographic factors, personal health practices, and dental service utilization.
Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and Dental Anxiety in Outpatients Attending Public Oral Health Clinics in South Africa
Authors: Mickenautsch Steffen , Frencken Jo E. , Van’t Hof Martin A. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjectives: This study was undertaken to test the hypotheses that using the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach results in lower patient anxiety and that lower anxiety leads to higher restoration/extraction ratios.Methods: The test group of dental operators (n=9) was trained in ART. The control group (n=11) was not, and did not apply ART. The Short Form of the Dental Subscale of the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS‐SF) and Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) were used to assess patient anxiety after ART (test group) and after traditional restorations (control group). The restoration/extraction ratio calculated for primary (children) and permanent dentitions (adults) per operator was based on 12‐month treatment statistics. Dental anxiety assessments were analysed using ANOVA. Differences were compared using the t‐test and corrected for confounding factors (ANCOVA). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the correlation between dental anxiety levels and restoration/extraction ratios.Results: The mean CFSS‐SF score for test‐group children was statistically significantly lower than for the control‐group children. The mean DAS score for test‐group adults was statistically significant lower than the control. No significant correlation was observed between dental anxiety level and restoration/extraction ratio per operator for both dentitions in both groups.Conclusion: The first hypothesis was accepted; the second, rejected. Although dental anxiety scores were lower both in child and in adult patients treated by ART than in those who received traditional restorative treatments, this positive effect had not resulted in higher restoration/extraction ratios.
Knowledge and Use of Fluoride among Indiana Dental Professionals
Authors: Yoder K. M. , Maupome G. , Ofner S. , Swigonski N. L. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjectives: This study assessed the knowledge of Indiana dentists and dental hygienists about fluoride's predominant mode of action and their protocols for the use of fluoride for dental caries prevention.Methods: In 2000, questionnaires were mailed to 6,681 Indiana dentists and hygienists prior to the 2001 release of recommendations for the use of fluoride by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . In 2005, the questionnaires were again sent to Indiana dental professionals to assess changes in knowledge and protocols. In addition, a 10 percent sample of Illinois dentists and hygienists were surveyed to determine the similarity of Indiana and Illinois responses.Results: Questionnaires were anonymously completed and returned. In 2000, a minority of Indiana health professionals (17 percent) correctly identified that remineralization was fluoride's predominant mode of action. There was a significant increase in Indiana respondents correctly identifying this predominant mode of action between 2000 and 2005 (17 percent versus 25 percent, respectively, P < 0.0001). Fourteen percent of Illinois respondents answered correctly in 2005. Preeruptive incorporation of fluoride into enamel was the most frequently cited incorrect response (IN 2000, 79 percent; IN 2005, 71 percent; IL 2005, 82 percent). Some protocols for use of fluoride products reflected inadequate understanding of fluoride's predominant posteruptive mode of action.Conclusions: The majority of dental professionals surveyed were unaware of the current understanding of fluoride's predominant posteruptive mode of action through remineralization of incipient carious lesions. Additional research is indicated to assess fluoride knowledge and protocols of dental professionals nationwide. Educational efforts are needed to promote the appropriate use of fluoride.
Dental Service Utilization among Urban and Rural Older Adults in China – A Brief Communication
Authors: Wu Bei 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjectives: China's health care system is bifurcated in nature between rural and urban areas. In addition, there is a huge gap in socioeconomic status between rural and urban residents. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors related to dental visits among elders in rural and urban areas of Shanghai, China.Methods: Using a stratified random sampling method, a cross‐sectional, face‐to‐face survey was conducted among elders aged 60 years and above in Shanghai during 2003‐04. A total of 1,044 older respondents were included in the sample.Results: There was a significant urban and rural difference in dental visit rates over the 12‐month period of the study. Results from the logistic regression analysis suggested that residing in urban areas was a significant positive factor related to dental visits. In addition, being younger, being able to pay out‐of‐pocket medical expenses, having had regular medical checkups, having a higher number of limitations because of chronic conditions, and being more concerned about eating a healthy diet were associated with increased odds of dental visits.Conclusions: Results suggest that urban–rural differences, as reflected in the socioeconomic status gap, disparity in medical insurance coverage, and access to dental care, have a significant impact on the use of dental services by Chinese elders. Individual sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and health attitude are important explanatory variables.
Periodontal Disease among Adult, New‐Immigrant, Chinese Americans in Boston with and without Diabetes – A Brief Communication
Authors: Leong Peggy , Tumanyan Sona , Blicher Brooke , Yeung Albert , Joshipura Kaumudi 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjectives: We compared the periodontal disease levels in a population of low socioeconomic status (SES), urban, adult, Chinese American immigrants with and without type 2 diabetes.Methods: Dental records of 51 diabetic adults were compared with 102 nondiabetic controls from South Cove Community Health Center, Boston, MA, cross‐matched by age and gender.Results: Our results showed that the proportion of sites with bone loss greater than 5 mm in the mesial areas of teeth was significantly correlated with higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.35, P‐value = 0.01). The number of teeth with mesial bone loss of greater than 5 mm was correlated to increasing HbA1c (r = 0.37, P‐value = 0.01).Conclusions: Our preliminary data showed that mesial bone loss greater than 5 mm was correlated with inadequate control of diabetes. The implications and recommendations for the dental care of immigrant Chinese Americans with diabetes were discussed.
Numerical Modeling of a Single Channel Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
Authors: Vasileiadis N. , Brett D. J. L. , Vesovic V. , Kucernak A. R. , Fontes E. , Brandon N. P. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractA two-dimensional model of a single-channel polymer fuel cell has been developed. To achieve model validation, current mapping experiments were performed on the cathode side of a single-channel polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) of various channel widths, at different reactant flow rates and over a range of operating cell voltages. The fuel side was operated in cross-flow mode, with a high stoichiometric excess of hydrogen to ensure no limitations in anode performance as a function of position along the channel. The solution domain comprises seven regions, (two inlet channels, two diffusers, two active catalyst layers, and a membrane) and considers transport of hydrogen and water vapor in the anode and oxygen and nitrogen and water vapor in the cathode. The resulting set of coupled differential equations was solved numerically with FEMLAB®, a MATLAB®-based software. The model has been compared to data from a single-channel PEFC, and good agreement between experiment and theory was obtained.
Remembering Dick Crane
Authors: Jossem E. Leonard 
Published: August 2007

Physicist, polymath, educator, leader, Horace Richard Crane died on April 19, 2007, a few months short of his 100th birthday. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have had him as a friend mourn his loss, but for all of us he leaves a rich and varied legacy of published works that invite reading and rereading.
Dick's work as a physicist was recognized in 1966 by his election to the National Academy of Sciences and in 1986 by the award of the President's National Medal of Science: “For the first measurement of the magnetic moment and spin of free electrons and positrons.”
Mixed Infections, Cryptic Diversity, and Vector-Borne Pathogens: Evidence from
Polygenis
Fleas and
Bartonella
Species
Authors: Abbot Patrick , Aviles Alena E. , Eller Lauren , Durden Lance A. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

Coinfections within hosts present opportunities for horizontal gene transfer between strains and competitive interactions between genotypes and thus can be a critical element of the lifestyles of pathogens.
Bartonella
spp. are
Alphaproteobacteria
that parasitize mammalian erythrocytes and endothelial cells. Their vectors are thought to be various biting arthropods, such as fleas, ticks, mites, and lice, and they are commonly cited as agents of various emerging diseases. Coinfections by different
Bartonella
strains and species can be common in mammals, but little is known about specificity and coinfections in arthropod vectors. We surveyed the rate of mixed infections of
Bartonella
in flea vectors (
Polygenis gwyni
) parasitizing cotton rats (
Sigmodon hispidus
) in which previous surveys indicated high rates of infection. We found that nearly all fleas (20 of 21) harbored one or more strains of
Bartonella
, with rates of coinfection approaching 90%. A strain previously identified as common in cotton rats was also common in their fleas. However, another common strain in cotton rats was absent from
P. gwyni
, while a rare cotton rat strain was quite common in
P. gwyni
. Surprisingly, some samples were also coinfected with a strain phylogenetically related to
Bartonella clarridgeiae
, which is typically associated with felids and ruminants. Finally, a locus (
pap31
) that is characteristically borne on phage in
Bartonella
was successfully sequenced from most samples. However, sequence diversity in
pap31
was novel in the
P. gwyni
samples, relative to other
Bartonella
previously typed with
pap31
, emphasizing the likelihood of large reservoirs of cryptic diversity in natural populations of the pathogen.
Microbial Community Biofabrics in a Geothermal Mine Adit
Authors: Spear John R. , Barton Hazel A. , Robertson Charles E. , Francis Christopher A. , Pace Norman R. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

Speleothems such as stalactites and stalagmites are usually considered to be mineralogical in composition and origin; however, microorganisms have been implicated in the development of some speleothems. We have identified and characterized the biological and mineralogical composition of mat-like biofabrics in two novel kinds of speleothems from a 50°C geothermal mine adit near Glenwood Springs, CO. One type of structure consists of 2- to 3-cm-long, 3- to 4-mm-wide, leather-like, hollow, soda straw stalactites. Light and electron microscopy indicated that the stalactites are composed of a mineralized biofabric with several cell morphotypes in a laminated form, with gypsum and sulfur as the dominant mineral components. A small-subunit rRNA gene phylogenetic community analysis along the stalactite length yielded a diverse gradient of organisms, with a relatively simple suite of main constituents:
Thermus
spp., crenarchaeotes,
Chloroflexi
, and
Gammaproteobacteria
. PCR analysis also detected putative crenarchaeal ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (
amoA
) genes in this community, the majority related to sequences from other geothermal systems. The second type of speleothem, dumpling-like rafts floating on a 50°C pool on the floor of the adit, showed a mat-like fabric of evidently living organisms on the outside of the dumpling, with a multimineral, amorphous, gypsum-based internal composition. These two novel types of biofabrics are examples of the complex roles that microbes can play in mineralization, weathering, and deposition processes in karst environments.
Tick-Borne Zoonotic Bacteria in Wild and Domestic Small Mammals in Northern Spain
Authors: Barandika J. F. , Hurtado A. , García-Esteban C. , Gil H. , Escudero R. , Barral M. , Jado I. , Juste R. A. , Anda P. , García-Pérez A. L. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

The prevalence and diversity of tick-borne zoonotic bacteria (
Borrelia
spp.,
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
,
Coxiella burnetii
, and spotted fever group rickettsiae) infecting 253 small mammals captured in the Basque Country (Spain) were assessed using PCR and reverse line blot hybridization. Trapping sites were selected around sheep farms (study 1, 2000 to 2002) and recreational parks (study 2, 2003 to 2005). The majority of the studied mammals (162) were wood mice (
Apodemus sylvaticus
), but six other different species were also analyzed: yellow-necked mice (
Apodemus flavicollis
), shrews (
Crocidura russula
and
Sorex coronatus
), bank voles (
Clethrionomys glareolus
), domestic mice (
Mus domesticus
), and moles (
Talpa europaea
). The results showed an infection rate ranging from 10.7% to 68.8%, depending on the small mammal species. One
C. russula
shrew and one
A. sylvaticus
mouse gave positive reactions for
A. phagocytophilum
, and
C. burnetii
was detected in two domestic mice and one
A. sylvaticus
mouse in a farm. The DNA of
Borrelia
spp. was detected in 67 animals (26.5%), most of them presenting positive hybridization with the probe for
Borrelia
sp. strain R57, the new
Borrelia
species previously detected in small mammals in our region. Furthermore, a second PCR and reverse line blot hybridization specific for
B. burgdorferi
sensu lato revealed the presence of
Borrelia afzelii
in 6.3% of
C. glareolus
voles and 14.3% of
S. coronatus
shrews. All small mammals were negative for spotted fever group rickettsiae. These results highlight the relevance of small mammals as reservoirs of some zoonotic bacteria.
Use of the
tna
Operon as a New Molecular Target for
Escherichia coli
Detection
Authors: Bernasconi Camilla , Volponi Giorgio , Picozzi Claudia , Foschino Roberto 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

A quantitative real-time PCR targeting the
tnaA
gene was studied to detect
Escherichia coli
and distinguish
E. coli
from
Shigella
spp. These microorganisms revealed high similarity in the molecular organization of the
tna
operon.
Archaeal and Bacterial Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraether Lipids in Hot Springs of Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Schouten Stefan , van der Meer Marcel T. J. , Hopmans Ellen C. , Rijpstra W. Irene C. , Reysenbach Anna-Louise , Ward David M. , Sinninghe Damsté Jaap S. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are core membrane lipids originally thought to be produced mainly by (hyper)thermophilic archaea. Environmental screening of low-temperature environments showed, however, the abundant presence of structurally diverse GDGTs from both bacterial and archaeal sources. In this study, we examined the occurrences and distribution of GDGTs in hot spring environments in Yellowstone National Park with high temperatures (47 to 83°C) and mostly neutral to alkaline pHs. GDGTs with 0 to 4 cyclopentane moieties were dominant in all samples and are likely derived from both (hyper)thermophilic
Crenarchaeota
and
Euryarchaeota
. GDGTs with 4 to 8 cyclopentane moieties, likely derived from the crenarchaeotal order
Sulfolobales
and the euryarchaeotal order
Thermoplasmatales
, are usually present in much lower abundance, consistent with the relatively high pH values of the hot springs. The relative abundances of cyclopentane-containing GDGTs did not correlate with in situ temperature and pH, suggesting that other environmental and possibly genetic factors play a role as well. Crenarchaeol, a biomarker thought to be specific for nonthermophilic group I
Crenarchaeota
, was also found in most hot springs, though in relatively low concentrations, i.e., <5% of total GDGTs. Its abundance did not correlate with temperature, as has been reported previously. Instead, the cooccurrence of relatively abundant nonisoprenoid GDGTs thought to be derived from soil bacteria suggests a predominantly allochthonous source for crenarchaeol in these hot spring environments. Finally, the distribution of bacterial branched GDGTs suggests that they may be derived from the geothermally heated soils surrounding the hot springs.
Characterization of the Polyurethanolytic Activity of Two
Alicycliphilus
sp. Strains Able To Degrade Polyurethane and
N
-Methylpyrrolidone
Authors: Oceguera-Cervantes Alejandro , Carrillo-García Agustín , López Néstor , Bolaños-Nuñez Sandra , Cruz-Gómez M. Javier , Wacher Carmen , Loza-Tavera Herminia 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

Two bacterial strains (BQ1 and BQ8) were isolated from decomposed soft foam. These were selected for their capacity to grow in a minimal medium (MM) supplemented with a commercial surface-coating polyurethane (PU) (Hydroform) as the carbon source (MM-PUh). Both bacterial strains were identified as
Alicycliphilus
sp. by comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Growth in MM-PUh showed hyperbolic behavior, with BQ1 producing higher maximum growth (17.8 ± 0.6 mg·ml
−1
) than BQ8 (14.0 ± 0.6 mg·ml
−1
) after 100 h of culture. Nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses of Hydroform showed that it was a polyester PU type which also contained
N
-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) as an additive.
Alicycliphilus
sp. utilizes NMP during the first stage of growth and was able to use it as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, with calculated
K

s

values of about 8 mg·ml
−1
. Enzymatic activities related to PU degradation (esterase, protease, and urease activities) were tested by using differential media and activity assays in cell-free supernatants of bacterial cultures in MM-PUh. Induction of esterase activity in inoculated MM-PUh, but not that of protease or urease activities, was observed at 12 h of culture. Esterase activity reached its maximum at 18 h and was maintained at 50% of its maximal activity until the end of the analysis (120 h). The capacity of
Alicycliphilus
sp. to degrade PU was demonstrated by changes in the PU IR spectrum and by the numerous holes produced in solid PU observed by scanning electron microscopy after bacterial culture. Changes in the PU IR spectra indicate that an esterase activity is involved in PU degradation.