bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of articaine 4% and lidocaine 2% in paediatric dental patients
Authors: RAM D. , AMIR E. 
Published: May 2006

Summary.  Objective.  To evaluate and compare the reaction of children who received local anaesthesia with lidocaine 2% with 1 : 100 000 epinephrine and articaine 4% with 1 : 200 000 epinephrine and to assess the time of the onset, efficacy, duration of numbness of the soft tissues, children's sensation after treatment to both anaesthetic solutions, as well as the occurrence of adverse events.Samples and methods.  Sixty‐two children (34 girls and 28 boys) aged 5–13 years (mean age 8·4 ± 2·3) from two established paediatric dental clinics who needed similar operative procedures preceded by local anaesthesia were randomly assigned to receive either lidocaine or articaine at their first or second visit. Modified Taddio's behavioural pain scale was used to evaluate pain reaction during injection and treatment. The sensation after injection and treatment was evaluated using the Wong–Baker FACES pain rating scale. Parents recorded the time when the feeling of local anaesthesia in soft tissues disappeared.Results.  Duration of numbness of soft tissues was significantly longer for articaine (3·43 ± 0·7 h) than for lidocaine (3·0 ± 0·8 h) (P = 0·003). No difference regarding the efficacy of the anaesthesia was observed.Reaction to pain was similar for both local anaesthetic solutions and no significant difference was found between genders. The efficacy of the anaesthesia was similar for both solutions. The feeling after treatment was similar for both solutions. The rate of adverse effects was similar for the two solutions.Conclusions.  Articaine 4% with 1 : 200 000 epinephrine is as effective as lidocaine 2% with 1 : 100 000 epinephrine. The effect of numbness of soft tissues was longer lasting with articaine than with lidocaine.
Dental caries experience and use of dental services among preschool children in Ajman, UAE
Authors: HASHIM R. , THOMSON W. M. , AYERS K. M. S. , LEWSEY J. D. , AWAD M. 
Published: May 2006

Summary.  Objective.  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and severity of dental caries in the primary dentition of young children in Ajman, UAE, and investigate its association with sociodemographic characteristics and use of dental services.Methods.  A cluster‐sampling approach was used to randomly select children aged 5 or 6 years who were enrolled in public or private schools. Clinical examinations for caries were conducted by a single examiner using World Health Organization criteria. Parents completed questionnaires seeking information on socioeconomic background and dental service utilization. Zero‐inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression modelling was used to identify risk markers and risk indicators for caries experience.Results.  The prevalence of dental caries in the sample was high 76.1%. The average dmfs score 10.2. Caries severity was greater among older children and among male children of less educated mothers. Emirati (local) children had higher caries severity than others. Children who had higher level of caries visited the dentist more frequently than other children whose visits were for check‐up only.Conclusions.  Dental caries prevalence and severity in young children in Ajman are high, and socioeconomic characteristics and dental utilization are important determinants of their dental caries experience. There is an urgent need for oral health programmes targeted at the treatment and underlying causes of dental caries in these children.
Behaviour of primary incisor caries: a micromechanical study
Authors: MAHONEY E. K. , KILPATRICK N. M. , SWAIN M. V. 
Published: May 2006

Summary.  Objectives.  To date, there has been no attempt to assess the mechanical properties of the entirety of a smooth‐surface carious lesion in primary teeth, despite the fact that these lesions are not only common, but clinically challenging. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the hardness and modulus of elasticity across smooth surface lesions of primary incisors.Study design.  An in vitro study of the micromechanical properties of primary incisors.Materials and methods.  Carious primary incisor teeth were set in resin, sectioned and polished. A series of indentations using the ultra‐micro‐indentation system were conducted in fully hydrated carious and sound dentine from the minimally affected pulpal region towards the tooth surface. A single set of indentations were duplicated for sound dentine.Results.  Although the mechanical properties of the carious dentine varied between the test teeth, the median hardness of the surface, middle and inner (pulpal) region of the carious dentine was 0·01, 0·10 and 0·28 GPa, respectively. The modulus of elasticity of the surface, middle and inner (pulpal) carious dentine was 0·12, 2·16 and 5·98 GPa, respectively. The mechanical properties of the sound dentine varied less, and were consistent between the pulpal and surface regions. Examination of the individual series of indentations indicated that, although the majority of the test teeth showed a decrease in the mechanical properties from the ‘unaffected dentine’ to the surface of the lesion, in the last 300–500 µm, both the hardness and modulus of elasticity showed a dramatic increase.Conclusions.  This study has confirmed that the carious process has a deleterious effect on the mechanical properties of dentine in primary incisors. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of restorative failure. However, the slight increase in mechanical properties seen at the surface of the carious lesion suggests an increase in mineral content.
Use of a simple relaxation technique in burn care: literature review
Authors: De Jong Alette E.E. , Gamel Claudia 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper presents a literature review examining the implications of previous research in order to make evidence‐based decisions about the possible use of breathing exercises with adult patients with burns for pain management during wound care.Background.  Adult patients with burns experience pain during wound care despite pharmacological interventions. Additional interventions are needed to improve the effectiveness of pain management. Relaxation techniques can be considered, for example breathing exercises, music and distraction. A simple breathing relaxation technique is especially relevant because it involves no risk, is easy and quick to learn, equipment does not need to be purchased and it can be employed immediately by the often exhausted and ill patient. However, the effect of breathing exercises on procedural pain during burn wound care has not been investigated.Method.  The CINAHL, PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched in 2004 in order to answer two questions: are breathing exercises effective in the management of procedural pain in adult burn patients, and what are the implications of previous investigations for future research concerning pain reduction in adult patients with burns during wound care? Eleven papers were included in the review.Findings.  The effect of breathing exercises for pain management in patients with burns has not been investigated. Prior to undertaking an effect study, additional basic research is needed. The number of sessions necessary to learn to use the technique should be clarified. A valid and reliable instrument to assess relaxation must be developed. The adequacy of the proposed data collection procedure needs to be assessed.Conclusion.  It is not possible at this time to base decisions about the use of breathing exercises during wound care in adult patients with burns on research specific to the procedure and patient group. The most suitable relaxation technique for future investigation is concentration on breathing, in combination with jaw relaxation.
Influence of traditional Chinese beliefs on cancer screening behaviour among Chinese‐Australian women
Authors: Kwok Cannas , Sullivan Gerard 
Published: May 2006

Aim. This paper reports a study exploring how traditional Chinese life philosophy, including fatalism, influences understanding of the concepts of health and illness, and the impact of these concepts on cancer screening behaviour.Background. The language of risk is central to contemporary Western understanding of health and illness. Women aged over 50 years are considered at risk of developing breast cancer and are highly recommended to undergo regular mammographic screening. However, screening rates among Chinese women are consistently lower than for most other groups.Methods. In‐depth interviews, in Cantonese, were conducted with a convenience sample of 20 Chinese‐Australian women, and the data analysed thematically, using case summaries, coding and matrix tables. The data were collected in 2001.Findings. The findings revealed that when dealing with cancer prevention, Chinese‐Australian women are heavily influenced by cultural traditions related to the lifecycle and disease prevention. Informants believed that contracting disease, including cancer, is inevitable and that there is no way to prevent it. Fatalism appears to be a significant barrier to their participation in cancer screening services.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that the effects of breast cancer screening and other health promotion programmes, which are general and do not take account of cultural variations may be compromised when it comes to cultural minorities. In the case of older Chinese‐Australian women, breast cancer screening promotion programmes may overcome acceptance of fatalistic philosophy if they emphasize increased risk following immigration.
Prospects for recombinant vaccines against Babesia bovis and related parasites
Authors: BROWN W. C. , NORIMINE J. , GOFF W. L. , SUAREZ C. E. , MCELWAIN T. F. 
Published: May 2006

SUMMARY Babesial parasites infect cattle in tropical and temperate regions of the world and cause significant morbidity and mortality. Discovery of protective antigens that could be used in a killed vaccine has been slow and to date there are few promising vaccine candidates for cattle Babesia. This review describes mechanisms of protective innate and adaptive immune responses to babesial parasites and different strategies to identify potentially protective protein antigens of B. bovis, B. bigemina, and B. divergens. Successful parasites often cause persistent infection, and this paper also discusses how B. bovis evades and regulates the immune response to promote survival of parasite and host. Development of successful non‐living recombinant vaccines will depend on increased understanding of protective immune mechanisms and availability of parasite genomes.
Interactions between schistosomiasis and infection with HIV‐1
Authors: SECOR W. E. 
Published: May 2006

SUMMARY In many regions of the world, both schistosomiasis and HIV/AIDS are endemic, resulting in patients harbouring co‐infections. Because interaction with host CD4

+

T cells is a characteristic of schistosome as well as HIV‐1 infections, bi‐directional disease effects may be sufficiently different from sequelae caused by either infectious agent alone to warrant alteration of public health approaches in areas of co‐endemnicity. Studies published over the past decade provide useful insights into interactions between schistosomiasis and infection with HIV‐1, and overall support the hypothesis that special emphasis on treatment of schistosomiasis in populations with elevated prevalence or risk of HIV‐1 infection is justified.
Hemodialysis‐related pruritus and associated cutaneous manifestations
Authors: Dyachenko Pavel , Shustak Arshalom , Rozenman Dganit 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground  Uremic pruritus is one of the most common disabling problems in patients with chronic renal failure. Few studies have evaluated itching and cutaneous manifestations in hemodialysis‐dependent patients.Objectives  The aim of this prospective study was to identify the prevalence of pruritus and cutaneous changes affecting patients undergoing hemodialysis.Methods  The degree of itching in 70 patients treated at the Haemek Medical Center Hemodialysis Unit, in northern Israel, was scored according to presence and severity. We examined the relationship between the quality of dialysis and the frequency of pruritus, and identified concurrent cutaneous disorders.Results  Pruritus was a common problem in the study cohort and affected 74.3% of hemodialysis patients at some point. The main characteristics of pruritus were a general pattern in 65.7% and mild intensity in 78.3% of observed patients. Duration of hemodialysis varied between 3 months and 13 years. There was no correlation between occurrence of pruritus and demographic or medical parameters (sex, type of kidney disease, regular medications or duration of hemodialysis) of the patients. Higher dialysis efficacy, as expressed by dialyser clearance, volume distribution of area, dialysis duration (Kt/v), may reduce the prevalence of pruritus (P < 0.02). None of the blood and chemical values considered (hemoglobin, creatinine, urea, phosphorus, calcium, albumin, parathormone and alkaline phosphatase) revealed any statistically relevant differences between pruritus groups. The appearance of foot ulcers was different between diabetic and nondiabetic individuals undergoing hemodialysis (P < 0.001).Conclusions  Pruritus is still a common problem in hemodialysis‐dependent patients. The prevalence of xerosis and excoriations was high in patients undergoing replacement therapy. Efficient replacement hemodialysis may provide a clinical benefit.
Smallpox vaccination site complications
Authors: Waibel Kirk H. , Walsh Douglas S. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe typical resolution of the smallpox vaccination site is a smooth scar, a sequela that is discussed during prevaccination counseling. In addition, other types of lesion may develop at the scar site, including short‐ or long‐term benign and malignant changes, as reviewed below. Although current recommendations do not discuss potential scar complications or scar surveillance, healthcare providers would benefit from an awareness of these potential complications, and should consider periodic scar surveillance as part of a general physical examination.
Lesson from performing SCORADs in children with atopic dermatitis: Subjective symptoms do not correlate well with disease extent or intensity
Authors: Hon K. L. E. , Leung T. F. , Wong Y. , Fok T. F. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground  Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a distressing disease associated with pruritus and sleep disturbance. It is not known how well these symptoms correlate with the extent and intensity of eczematous involvement. We evaluated whether: (i) the level of sleep loss correlates with pruritus and (ii) the level of pruritus correlates with the extent or severity of AD in children according to the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index.Method  Patients with AD younger than 18 years old were recruited from the pediatric dermatology clinic of a university teaching hospital, and AD severity was evaluated by the SCORAD index.Results  One hundred and eighty‐two Chinese children with AD (107 boys and 75 girls) [mean (SD) age of 9.6 (4.2) years] were recruited. Their mean (SD) overall SCORAD was 30.1 (19.2). Sleep loss was strongly correlated with pruritus (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). However, the two subjective symptoms were only weakly correlated with the objective signs (extent and intensity) of AD. The correlations between pruritus and extent and intensity were 0.42 (P < 0.001) and 0.38 (P < 0.001), respectively, and the correlations between sleep loss and extent and intensity were 0.38 (P < 0.001) and 0.34 (P < 0.001), respectively.Conclusion  We speculate that the lack of a better correlation was either because pruritus and sleep loss as reported by parents were imprecise, or that mechanisms other than disease extent or severity are responsible for the pathogenesis of these subjective symptoms.
Sweet's syndrome from an Indian perspective: a report of four cases and review of the literature
Authors: Mahajan Vikram K. , Sharma Nand Lal , Sharma Ramesh Chander 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground  Sweet's syndrome or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis is not frequently reported from India. Four patients fulfilling clinico‐pathologic criteria for Sweet's syndrome seen during May–August 2002 prompted us to review reports on Indian patients from the indexed literature.Methods  A PubMed and IndMed search for Sweet's syndrome revealed 11 reports appearing between 1985–2002 documenting 12 patients. The clinico‐pathologic features, clinical course and treatment of all these 16 patients (including four new cases) were studied.Results  The study comprised 12 females and four males between 35 days to 57 years of age. There were four children of < 12 years. Ulcerated, crusted lesions in one and typical, erythematous, tender, papulo‐nodulo‐plaques and targetoid lesions with pseudovesiculation were observed in 13 other patients particularly involving head, neck and upper limbs. Extracutaneous Sweet's syndrome manifesting as gingival hyperplasia and myositis was seen in one patient each. All had simultaneous onset of cutaneous lesions, fever, headache and malaise. Ocular involvement was observed in four patients only. Associated hematoligic disorders recorded were myelodysplasia in three, polycythemia vera in one and leukemia in three patients respectively. Two of these patients had treatment with all‐transretinoic acid and low‐dose cytosine‐arbinoside before onset of Sweet's syndrome. One patient each had symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and history of minor injury prior to cutaneous lesions. Another patient had pregnancy induced self‐limiting Sweet's syndrome. Leukocytosis was present in 11 patients. Three of four new patients had positive tests for antistreptolysin‐O and C‐reactive protein. Characteristics histologic features were recorded in specimens of all patients. Eleven patients responded to systemic corticosteroids. Colchicin or potassium iodide were effective in one patient each.Conclusion  The overall clinico‐pathologic and therapeutic spectrum of Sweet's syndrome in Indian patients does not appear to be different from its established picture.
Autologous melanocyte transfer via epidermal grafts for lip vitiligo
Authors: Gupta Somesh , Goel Ashima , Kanwar Amrinder J. , Kumar Bhushan 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground  Vitiligo of the lips is a common concern of great psychologic consequence. Medical therapies are often ineffective due mainly to the absence of hair follicles. The transfer of melanocytes or melanocyte‐bearing skin by a surgical procedure may repigment this condition. Only a few surgical modalities have been successful in this “difficult to treat” site.Objective  To assess the effectiveness of autologous melanocyte transfer by epidermal grafts for lip vitiligo and to review the literature on the surgical correction of lip vitiligo.Methods  Twenty‐six vitiligo patients (20 women and six men; age range, 13–43 years; mean, 26.8 years) having 31 affected lips with stable disease were included in the study. The suction blisters were raised using our own modified device on the lateral aspect of the thigh. The roofs of the blisters were transferred to the dermabraded recipient area. The dressing, together with the grafts, was removed on day 8. Patients were given photochemotherapy for 6 weeks. In addition, meta‐analysis of the published literature on the surgical management of lip vitiligo was also performed.Results  Complete repigmentation was observed in 27 of the 31 lip areas (87%) in 23 of 25 patients (92%) in whom a follow‐up for 6 months or more was available. Complications observed were persistent hyperpigmentation in 12 lips and reactivation of herpes in one patient. Minimal hyperpigmentation was seen in most of the remaining lips. The results of the meta‐analysis revealed that the success rate varies from 32.5% to 100% with various surgical procedures.Conclusion  Autologous melanocyte transfer is an effective and safe therapeutic option for stable vitiligo of the lips. It is cosmetically more acceptable, as there is no abnormal keratinization, which is a problem associated with dermo‐epidermal grafts.
Clinical and histological characteristics of poroid neoplasms: a study of 25 cases in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Chih‐Chiang , Chang Yun‐Ting , Liu Han‐Nan 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground  Eccrine poroma (EP) are relatively common benign eccrine neoplasms. Other poroid neoplasms (PNs), namely hidroacanthoma simplex (HS), dermal duct tumor (DDT), and poroid hidradenoma (PH), are seldom reported.Methods  Among 18 653 biopsy specimens received from January 1988 to October 2003, we found 25 PNs (0.134%). We conducted retrospective analysis and obtained clinical and histopathological information.Results  There were 16 EP, 3 HS, 4 PH, and 2 PH coexisting with either HS or EP. No DDT was found. More than half of PNs presented as red‐color neoplasms, but none were diagnosed correctly on clinical grounds alone.The most common preoperative diagnoses were pyogenic granuloma or soft fibromas. Most EPs were located on hair‐bearing regions of the limbs (37.5%) and trunk (25%), instead of soles (18.8%) and palms (6.3%). Three HS showed no cuticular cell, but had monomorphic poroid cells. Most EPs (10/16) were composed of both poroid and cuticular cells. All PH were composed of cuticular and poroid cells. Horn cysts were found in three cases (12%). Most PNs (16/25) contained clear cells.Conclusions  PNs are sudoriferous tumors that may vary considerably in clinical expression. EP, about 64% (16/25) of PNs in our series, was the most common. PH incidence is probably underestimated in the literature. We found six PHs in 25 PNs. Histopathologically, it is not justified to exclude PN diagnosis by noticing horn cysts. It was uncommon for two or three subtypes of PN to occur in a single lesion.
Plant reproductive susceptibility to habitat fragmentation: review and synthesis through a meta‐analysis
Authors: Aguilar Ramiro , Ashworth Lorena , Galetto Leonardo , Aizen Marcelo Adrián 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe loss and fragmentation of natural habitats by human activities are pervasive phenomena in terrestrial ecosystems across the Earth and the main driving forces behind current biodiversity loss. Animal‐mediated pollination is a key process for the sexual reproduction of most extant flowering plants, and the one most consistently studied in the context of habitat fragmentation. By means of a meta‐analysis we quantitatively reviewed the results from independent fragmentation studies throughout the last two decades, with the aim of testing whether pollination and reproduction of plant species may be differentially susceptible to habitat fragmentation depending on certain reproductive traits that typify the relationship with and the degree of dependence on their pollinators. We found an overall large and negative effect of fragmentation on pollination and on plant reproduction. The compatibility system of plants, which reflects the degree of dependence on pollinator mutualism, was the only reproductive trait that explained the differences among the species’ effect sizes. Furthermore, a highly significant correlation between the effect sizes of fragmentation on pollination and reproductive success suggests that the most proximate cause of reproductive impairment in fragmented habitats may be pollination limitation. We discuss the conservation implications of these findings and give some suggestions for future research into this area.