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Older Age Groups (older + age_groups)
Selected AbstractsAgricultural tractor overturn deaths: Assessment of trends and risk factors,,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2010John R. Myers MS Abstract Background Tractor overturn deaths have been recognized as a public health concern for decades. Studies have reported on the hazards associated with tractor overturns, but none have reported on trends in tractor overturn fatality rates in the United States (US). Methods Tractor overturn fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used in Poisson regression models to: identify risk factors associated with overturn fatalities; examine trends in tractor overturn fatality rates between 1992 and 2007; and assess trends in overturn fatality rates for specific risk factors. Results Characteristics found to be associated with tractor overturn fatality rates were age, type of farm, region, and the victim's relationship to the farm (P,<,0.0001). Older age groups, crop farms, farms in the Midwest and Northeast, and family workers all had higher fatal tractor overturn risks. Overall, tractor overturn fatality rates declined 28.5% between 1992 and 2007. Significant decreases in tractor overturn fatality rates were found for the Northeast and South regions, hired workers, crop farms, and in every age group except those less than 25 years of age. Conclusions Tractor overturn fatality rates decreased between 1992 and 2007. These decreases were not consistent between different categories of the agricultural workforce or regions of the US. Changes in tractor overturn fatality rates may be partially explained by increases in the prevalence of ROPS on farm tractors in the US. ROPS promotion programs are needed to reduce tractor overturn fatalities, especially among those subpopulations at highest risk. Am. J. Ind. Med. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Epidural analgesia and breastfeeding: a randomised controlled trial of epidural techniques with and without fentanyl and a non-epidural comparison groupANAESTHESIA, Issue 2 2010M. J. A. Wilson Summary We compared breastfeeding initiation and duration in 1054 nulliaparae randomised to bupivacaine Control epidural, Combined Spinal Epidural or Low Dose Infusion and 351 matched non-epidural comparisons. Women were interviewed after delivery and completed a postal questionnaire at 12 months. Regression analysis determined factors which independently predicted breastfeeding initiation. Breastfeeding duration was subjected to Kaplan,Meier analysis. A similar proportion of women in each epidural group initiated breastfeeding. Women with no epidural did not report a higher initiation rate relative to epidural groups and those who received pethidine reported a lower initiation rate than control epidural (p = 0.002). Older age groups (p < 0.001) and non-white ethnicity (p < 0.026) were predictive of breastfeeding. Epidural fentanyl dose, delivery mode and trial group were not predictive. Mean duration for breastfeeding was similar across epidural groups (Control 13.3, Combined Spinal Epidural 15.5, Low Dose Infusion 15.0 weeks). Our data do not support an effect of epidural fentanyl on breastfeeding initiation. [source] Transesophageal Echocardiography Risk Factors for Stroke in Nonvalvular Atrial FibrillationECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2000F.R.C.P.C., SUSAN M. FAGAN M.D. Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia, particularly in the older age groups. It confers an increased risk of thromboembolism to these patients, and multiple clinical risk factors have been identified to be useful in predicting the risks of thromboembolic events. Recent studies have evaluated the role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the evaluation of patients with atrial fibrillation. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the significance of transesophageal echocardiography findings in the prediction of thromboembolic events, particularly stroke, in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, with an emphasis on recently reported prospective studies. Aortic plaque and left atrial appendage abnormalities are identified as independent predictors of thromboembolic events. Although they are associated with clinical events, they also have independent incremental prognostic values. Other transesophageal echocardiographic findings, such as patent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm, have not been found to be predictors of thromboembolic events in this patient group. Thus, TEE is a useful tool in stratifying patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation into different risk groups in terms of thromboembolic events, and it will likely play an important role in future studies to assess new treatment strategies in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. [source] Clinical dental examinations of 357 donkeys in the UK.EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Part 2: Epidemiological studies on the potential relationships between different dental disorders, between dental disease, systemic disorders Summary Reasons for performing study: Dental disease has been shown to be a risk factor for weight loss and colic in horses. No extensive clinical studies in donkeys have investigated the potential relationship between different dental disorders, or between dental disease and systemic disorders. Objectives: To determine possible associations between dental disease and body condition score, weight loss, the need for supplemental feeding and prevalence of colic in donkeys of all ages, and to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of dental disease by the determination of associations between different dental disorders. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional analysis of clinical dental examinations of 357 donkeys in The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth was performed. Other epidemiological factors such as estimated age group, body condition score, weight loss, medical history and supplemental feeding were also recorded, and multiple regression analyses were performed to determine possible associations. Results: Donkeys from older age groups were more likely to have dental disease, poor body condition score and suffered previous colic episodes. The presence of dental disease was also significantly associated with weight loss, colic, low body condition score and the need for supplemental feeding. The presence of diastemata, periodontal disease, wave mouth, smooth mouth and step mouth are frequently associated with the presence of other dental disorders. Conclusions: In addition to oral-related pain, dental disease can cause significant systemic disorders and so has increased welfare implications in donkeys. Some dental disorders promote the development of other types of dental abnormalities and thus increase the severity of dental disease in individual animals. Potential significance: Effective treatment of dental disorders slows down the progression of dental disease and decreases the risk of developing some medical disorders such as colic and weight loss that are associated with dental disease. [source] Per capita alcohol consumption and liver cirrhosis mortality in 14 European countriesADDICTION, Issue 1s1 2001Mats Ramstedt Aim. To estimate the effects of changes in per capita alcohol consumption on liver cirrhosis mortality rates in various demographic groups across 14 western European countries. Method. Yearly changes in gender- and age-specific mortality rates from 1950 to 1995 were analysed in relation to corresponding yearly changes in per capita alcohol consumption, employing the Box-Jenkins technique for time series analysis. Country-specific estimates were pooled into three regions: northern, central and southern Europe. Measurements. Cirrhosis mortality data for 5-year age groups were converted into gender-specific mortality rates in the age groups 15 +, 15-44, 45-64 and 65 + and expressed as the number of deaths per 100 000 inhabitants. Alcohol sales were used to measure aggregate consumption, which were calculated into consumption (litres 100% alcohol) per year per inhabitant over 14 years of age and weighted with a 10-year distributed lag model. Findings. The country-specific analyses demonstrated a positive and statistically significant effect of changes in per capita consumption on changes in cirrhosis mortality in 13 countries for males and in nine countries for females. The strongest alcohol effect was found in northern Europe, due mainly to a large effect in Sweden. Moreover, when different age groups were analysed significant estimates were obtained in 29 of 42 cases for males and in 20 of 42 cases for females. Most of the non-significant estimates were found in older age groups. Conclusions. The results suggest clearly that a change in the overall level of drinking as a general rule affect cirrhosis mortality in different drinking cultures as well as among different demographic groups. Moreover, the findings correspond with what is expected from the collectivity theory of drinking cultures. [source] Prophylactic therapy for haemophilia: early experienceHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 2003E. Berntorp Summary., During the 1960s, it was reported from Sweden that haemophiliacs with factor levels above 1% rarely develop arthropathy. This observation suggested that severe haemophilia could be converted to a milder form by regular infusions with factor concentrate. After several earlier publications, a report was published in 1992 that detailed 25 years' experience with prophylaxis in 60 patients from the Malmö centre. The results showed that starting prophylaxis early in life with a dose regimen that would prevent factor VIII or IX plasma levels from falling below 1% could prevent the development of haemophilic arthropathy. Also, older age groups who had received less intensive treatment, and who started prophylaxis later in life, were still in a much better condition than historic controls. In the 1970s several small but well-controlled studies from the USA, Germany and Italy clearly showed the benefit of prophylaxis in reducing bleeding frequency. Early experience from the Netherlands was published in 1971. Since these early studies, the results have been corroborated from many countries and in a large multinational study. Although the benefits of prophylaxis seem unquestionable, several research questions remain to be better elucidated, such as when to start and when to stop, dosing and dose interval, and how to assess the long-term treatment effects. These issues are of great economic importance, and the need for health economical studies is obvious. [source] Synaptophysin protein and mRNA expression in the human hippocampal formation from birth to old age,HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 8 2006Sharon L. Eastwood Abstract In the human neocortex, progressive synaptogenesis in early postnatal life is followed by a decline in synaptic density, then stability from adolescence until middle age. No comparable data are available in the hippocampus. In this study, the integral synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin, measured immunoautoradiographically, was used as an index of synaptic terminal abundance in the hippocampal formation of 37 subjects from 5 weeks to 86 yr old, divided into 4 age groups (10 infants, 15 adolescents/young adults, 6 adults, and 6 elderly). In all hippocampal subfields, synaptophysin was lowest in infancy, but did not differ significantly between the older age groups, except in dentate gyrus (DG) where the rise was delayed until adulthood. A similar developmental profile was found in the rat hippocampus. We also measured synaptophysin mRNA in the human subjects and found no age-related changes, except in parahippocampal gyrus wherein the mRNA declined from infancy to adolescence, and again in old age. The synaptophysin protein data demonstrate a significant presynaptic component to human postnatal hippocampal development. In so far as synaptophysin abundance reflects synaptic density, the findings support an increase in hippocampal and parahippocampal synapse formation during early childhood, but provide no evidence for adolescent synaptic pruning. The mRNA data indicate that the maturational increases in synaptophysin protein are either translational rather than transcriptional in origin, or else are secondary to mRNA increases in neurons, the cell bodies of which lie outside the hippocampal formation. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Understanding the patterns and distribution of opioid analgesic dependence symptoms using a latent empirical approachINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008L.A. Ghandour Abstract Prevalence of extramedical opioid analgesic use in the US is rising, yet little is known about the nature and extent of problems of dependence related to the use of these drugs. This study uses Latent Class Analysis to empirically define classes of past-year extramedical opioid analgesic users based on observed clustering of DSM-IV defined clinical dependence features; multinomial logistic regression is used to describe differences across these groups. The 2002,2003 public data-files of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were used to identify 7810 extramedical opioid analgesic users in the past-year. The best-fitting four-class model identified classes that differed quantitatively and qualitatively, with 2% of the users in Class 4 (most severe) and 84% in Class 1 (least severe). Classes 2 and 3 had parallel symptom profiles, but those in Class 3 reported additional problems. Adolescents (12,17 year olds) were at higher odds of being in Class 3 versus older age groups; females were two times as likely to be in Classes 2 and 4, and those with mental health problems were at higher odds of belonging to the more severe classes. Differences by type of past year opioid users were also detected. This study sheds light on the classification and distribution of extramedical opioid analgesic dependence symptoms in the US general population, identifying subgroups that warrant immediate attention. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cutaneous horn occurring on the lip of a childINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 5 2003L. N. Souza Summary. Cutaneous horn is a relatively uncommon lesion consisting of keratotic material resembling that of an animal horn. This kind of lesion is more common in Caucasians and in older age groups. The primary lesion underlying the horny material may be benign, premalignant or malignant. The treatment of choice is an excisional biopsy with a narrow margin, because of the possibility of malignancy. The material must be submitted for histopathological evaluation. The first reported case of cutaneous horn arising on the vermillion border of the lower lip in a black child is presented. [source] Histological evidences suggest recommending orchiopexy within the first year of life for children with unilateral inguinal cryptorchid testisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 7 2007Kwan Hyun Park Objective: To determine the optimal timing for orchiopexy, we evaluated the histological parameters of the cryptorchid testis. Methods: We prospectively performed testicular biopsy in a total of 65 consecutive children with palpable unilateral inguinal cryptorchid testes. For controls, we used testicular histological slides from 15 age-matched children with testicular tumor. To investigate the fertility potential, we analyzed the parameters including mean tubular diameter (MTD), mean tubular fertility index (MTFI), germ cell count/tubule (GCC), Sertoli cell index (SCI) and interstitial fibrosis index (IFI). Results: The MTFI and GCC in children ,1 years of age were significantly higher than those of other older age groups. The MTFI, GCC and IFI were significantly better in patients ,2 years of age when compared to those of > 2 years. Compared to the controls, the MTFI and GCC in the patients were significantly worse in those aged > 2 years at surgical repair. In the ,2-year age group, the MTFI and GCC of the cryptorchid testis showed a decreasing tendency with age, which were contrasting with the ascending curves in the control and the curves crossed at 1,2 years of age in each parameter. Conclusions: To protect fertility potential, we recommend, orchiopexy should be performed within the first year of life, and no later than 2 years of age in patients with palpable inguinal cryptorchid testes. [source] Incidence and growth pattern of simple cysts of the kidney in patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuriaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2 2003KEN MARUMO AbstractBackground: We examined the incidence and natural history of simple renal cysts found by ultrasonography (US) in patients referred for asymptomatic microscopic hematuria. Methods: Among the 906 patients aged 18,78 years, 743 patients who had undergone US were included in the present study. The natural history of simple renal cysts was investigated in 55 patients who underwent periodical US examinations for more than 3 years. Results: The incidence of simple renal cysts was 4.3% for ages 29 years or younger, 15.3% for ages 30,39, 21.8% for ages 40,49, 23.3% for ages 50,59 and 32.6% for ages 60 years or older; thus the incidence increased in older age groups (P = 0.0005 for men, P = 0.0020 for women). Men tended to have a higher incidence than women. The degree of hematuria did not influence the incidence of renal cysts (P = 0.9044). The annual growth rate of the mean maximum diameter was 4.2% during a 3-year follow-up period in 55 patients and 5.1% during a 6-year follow-up in 31 patients. Conclusion: Since the diameter of a renal cyst may increase by 5% annually, the diameter of the cyst may increase by 1.6 times in 10 years. The scheduling of follow-up examinations depends on the size at the time of disclosure, the effects on calyceal systems, or the suspicion of a concurrent malignant disease. However, the most simple renal cysts may be followed-up at an interval of more than 10 years, once a diagnosis has been established. [source] Sensitivity and Specificity of the Mini-Mental State Examination for Identifying Dementia in the Oldest-Old: The 90+ StudyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 2 2007Kristin Kahle-Wrobleski PhD OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in identifying dementia in the oldest-old when stratified by age and education. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Research clinic and in-home visits. PARTICIPANTS: Population-based sample of adults aged 90 and older (n=435) who are enrolled in the 90+ Study, a longitudinal, population-based study. MEASUREMENTS: Neurological examination to determine dementia diagnosis, MMSE, and demographic data. RESULTS: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses indicated that the MMSE had high diagnostic accuracy for identifying dementia in subjects aged 90 and older across different age and education groups (area under the ROC curve values ranged from 0.82 to 0.98). A range of possible cutoff values and corresponding sensitivity and specificity are provided for the following age groups: 90,93, 94,96, and ,97. Age groups were subdivided by educational attainment (,high school, vocational school or some college, college degree or higher). In subjects aged 90 to 93 with a college degree or higher, the suggested MMSE cutoff score is ,25 (sensitivity=0.82, specificity=0.80). In those aged 94 to 96 with a college degree or higher, the suggested cutoff is ,24 (sensitivity=0.85, specificity=0.80). Those aged 97 and older with an education of high school or less had the lowest suggested cutoff ,22 (sensitivity=0.80, specificity=0.76). CONCLUSION: Overall, the MMSE had good sensitivity and specificity across all age and educational groups. Optimal cutoff points were lower in the older age groups and those with less education, primarily to preserve specificity. This screening instrument is appropriate for use with the oldest-old. [source] Dental nomograms for benchmarking based on the study of health in Pomerania data setJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 12 2004C. Schwahn Abstract Aim: Benchmarking is a means of setting goals or targets. On an oral health level, it denotes retaining more teeth and/or improving the quality of life. The goal of this pilot investigation was to assess whether the data generated by a population-based study (SHIP 0) can be used as a benchmark data set to characterize different practice profiles. Material and Methods: The data collected in the population-based study SHIP (n=4310) in eastern Germany were used to generate nomograms of tooth loss, attachment loss, and probing depth. The nomograms included twelve 5-year age strata (20,79 years) presented as quartiles, and additional percentiles of the dental parameters for each age group. Cross-sectional data from a conventional dental office (n=186) and from a periodontology unit (n=130, Greifswald) in the study region as well as longitudinal data set of a another periodontology unit (n=135, Kiel) were utilized in order to verify whether the given practice profile was accurately reflected by the nomogram. Results: In terms of tooth loss, the data from the conventional dental office agree with the median from the nomogram. For attachment loss and probing depth, some age groups yielded slight but not uniform deviations from the median. Cross-sectional data from the periodontology unit Greifswald showed attachment loss higher than the median in younger but not in older age groups. The probing depth was uniformly less than the median and tended toward the 25th percentile with increasing age. The longitudinal data of the Unit of Periodontology in Kiel showed a pronounced trend towards higher percentiles of residual teeth, meaning that the patients retained more teeth. Conclusion: The profile of the Pomeranian dental office does not deviate noticeably from the population-based nomograms. The higher attachment loss of the Unit of Periodontology in Greifswald in younger age strata clearly reflects their selection because of periodontal disease; the combination of higher attachment loss and decreased probing depth may reflect the success of the treatment. The tendency of attachment loss towards the median with increasing age may indicate that the Unit of Periodontology in Greifswald does not fulfill its function as a special care unit in the older subjects. The longitudinal data set of the Unit of Periodontology in Kiel impressively reflects the potential of population-based data sets as a means for benchmarking. Thus, nomograms can help to determine the practice profile, potentially yielding benefits for the dentist, health insurance company, or , as in the case of the special care unit , public health research. [source] Distribution of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia in an Australian populationJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 12 2001S. M. Hamlet Abstract Background, aim: The present study describes (i) the natural distribution of the three putative periodontopathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in an Australian population and (ii) the relationship between these organisms, pocket depths and supragingival plaque scores. Methods: Subgingival plaque was collected from the shallowest and deepest probing site in each sextant of the dentition. In total, 6030 subgingival plaque samples were collected from 504 subjects. An ELISA utilising pathogen-specific monoclonal antibodies was used to quantitate bacterial numbers. Results::A. actinomycetemcomitans was the most frequently detected organism (22.8% of subjects) followed by P. gingivalis and P. intermedia (14.7% and 9.5% of subjects respectively). The majority of infected subjects (83%) were colonised by a single species of organism. A. actinomycetemcomitans presence was over-represented in the youngest age group but under-represented in the older age groups. Conversely, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia presence was under-represented in the youngest age group but over-represented in the older age groups. Differing trends in the distribution of these bacteria were observed between subjects depending upon the site of the infection or whether a single or mixed infection was present; however, these differences did not reach significance. Bacterial presence was strongly associated with pocket depth for both A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis. For A. actinomycetemcomitans, the odds of a site containing this bacterium decrease with deeper pockets. In contrast, for P. gingivalis the odds of a site being positive are almost six times greater for pockets >3 mm than for pockets 3 mm. These odds increase further to 15.3 for pockets deeper than 5 mm. The odds of a site being P. intermedia positive were marginally greater (1.16) for pockets deeper than 3 mm. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study in a volunteer Australian population, demonstrated recognised periodontal pathogens occur as part of the flora of the subgingival plaque. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to examine the positive relationship between pocket depth and pathogen presence with periodontal disease initiation and/or progression. Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Die vorliegende Studie beschreibt: 1.) die natürliche Verteilung der 3 vermutlichen Parodontalpathogene Porphyromonas gingivalis und Prevotella intermedia und Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in einer Australischen Population und 2.) das Verhältnis zwischen diesen Organismen, der Taschentiefe und den supragingivalen Plaquewerten. Methoden: In jedem Sextanten des Gebisses wurde subgingivale Plaque von der flachsten und tiefsten Stelle entnommen. Insgesamt wurden 6030 subgingivalen Plaqueproben bei 504 Personen entnommen. Um die Anzahl der Bakterien zu quantifizieren wurde ein ELISA, welcher mit pathogen-spezifische monoklonale Antikörper arbeitet, verwendet. Ergebnisse:A. actinomycetemcomitans war der Keim, der am häufigsten nachgewiesen wurde (22.8% der Personen), gefolgt von P. gingivalis und P. intermedia (14.7% bzw. 9.5% der Personen). Die Mehrheit der Personen (83%) wurde von einer einzigen Spezies eines Organismus kolonisiert. Das Vorkommen von A. actinomycetemcomitans war in der jüngsten Altersgruppe überrepräsentiert, aber in der älteren Altersgruppen unterrepräsentiert. Im Gegensatz dazu war das Vorkommen von P. gingivalis und P. intermedia in der jüngsten Altersgruppe unterepräsentiert, aber in der älteren Altersgruppen überrepräsentiert. Zwischen der Personen wurden unterschiedliche Trends in der Verteilung dieser Bakterien beobachtet. Diese waren abhängig von der Stelle der Infektion oder ob eine Monoinfektion oder Mischinfektion vorhanden war. Jedoch erreichten diese Unterschiede nicht den Bereich der Signifikanz. Sowohl für A. actinomycetemcomitans als auch P. gingivalis war das Vorkommen von Bakterien stark mit der Taschentiefe assoziiert. Für A. actinomycetemcomitans nimmt die Odds einer Stelle welche das Bakterium enthält mit der Tiefe der Tasche ab. Im Gegensatz dazu ist die Odds einer Stelle die positiv für P. gingivalis ist fast sechsmal größer für Taschen >3 mm als für Taschen 3 mm. Diese Odds erhöht sich weiter auf 15.3 für Taschen die tiefer als 5 mm sind. Die Odds einer Stelle die positive für P. intermedia ist war nur etwas größer (1.16) für Taschen, die tiefer als 3 mm sind. Schlussfolgerung: Diese Querschnittsstudie einer Australischen Population von Freiwillingen zeigte, dass die erkannten Parodontalpathogene ein Bestandteil der Flora der subgingivalen Plaque sind. Prospektive Langzeitstudien sind notwendig, um die positive Beziehung zwischen der Taschentiefe und dem Vorkommen von Pathogenen mit dem Beginn und der Progression einer Parodontalerkrankung zu untersuchen. Résumé Origine: Cette étude décrit (i) la distribution naturelle des 3 parodontopathogènes présume,Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis et Prevotella intermedia dans une population australienne et (ii) la relation entre ces organismes, les profondeurs de poche et les scores de plaque supragingivale. Méthodes: La plaque sous-gingivale a été prélevée sur le site le moins profond et sur le site le plus profond de chaque sextant de la denture. Au total, 6030 échantillons de plaque sous-gingivale ont été prélevés chez 504 sujets. Un test ELISA par anticorps monoclonaux spécifiques des pathogènes a permis de quantifier les nombres de bactéries. Résultats:Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans était l'organisme le plus fréquement détecté (22.8%) des sujets) suivi de Porphyromonas gingivalis et Prevotella intermedia (14.7% et 9.5% des sujets, respectivement). La majorité des sujets infectés (83%) étaient colonisés par une unique espèce d'organisme. La présence d'Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitansétait surreprésentée dans le groupe des plus jeunes mais sous-représentée dans les groupes plus agés. Des tendances différentes de la distribution de ces bactéries étaient observées entre les sujets selon le site d'infection ou la présence d'une infection unique ou mixte. Cependant, ces différences n'étaient pas significatives. La présence bactérienne était fortement associée avec la profondeur de poche pour Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans et Porphyromonas gingivalis, pour Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, les chances d'un site de contenir cette bactérie diminuant avec la profondeur de poche, alors que pour Porphyromonas gingivalis, les chances d'un site d'être positif étaient 6× plus grande pour des poches >3 mm que pour les poches 3 mm. Ces chances augmentaient en plus à 15.3 pour les poches >5 mm. Les chances d'un site d'être positif pour P. intermediaétaient légèrement plus importantes pour les poches de plus de 3 mm. Conclusions: Cette étude croisée dans une population volontaire australienne a démontré que des pathogènes parodontaux reconnus font partie de leur plaque sous-gingivale. Des études prospectives longitudinales sont nécessaires pour examiner les relations positives entre la profondeur de poche et la présence de pathogènes et l'initiation et/ou la progression de la maladie. [source] Texting as a life phase mediumJOURNAL OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION, Issue 2 2010Rich Ling SMS has grown to be a common form of interaction in Norwegian society. Its adoption started among teens but has since been taken into use by other age groups. However, the use patterns for teens seem to be different from those of older users. This paper examines the assertion that SMS is a life phase and not a cohort phenomenon. That is, its use is more intense among teens and more moderate among older age groups. Data for the analysis comes from a series of six nation-wide surveys of Norwegians over the age of 13. Questions on the reported use of SMS were included in all these surveys. This information was adjusted in order to remove the effects of generally increased use over time. The analysis shows that the proportion of text messages sent by different age groups stays rather stable over time. Indeed there seems to be a type of "standing wave" of use associated with older teens and those in their early 20s. While there are cohort effects visible in the data, the analysis indicates that texting is largely a life phase phenomenon. If the curve had flattened out with time it would have indicated that the teens are carrying texting with them as they grow older. This, it seems is not the case. The overall use of SMS has increased in Norwegian society but the relative distribution of the text messages has remained centered around those in their late teens. This seems to indicate that the intense use of SMS is a life-phase phenomenon. [source] Growth of North Alboran Sea sardine larvae estimated by otolith microstructure, nucleic acids and protein contentJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001T. Ramírez Wet mass and DNA, RNA and protein content increased significantly with standard length (LS) of sardine Sardina pilchardus larvae, collected in January 1995, in the Bay of Málaga, North Alboran Sea. LS, wet mass and DNA, RNA and protein content were closely related allometrically to otolith radius (R). Larval daily length increments decreased but DNA, protein and wet mass daily increments increased with larval age. Daily length increments showed a negative and poor relationship with long-term otolith growth. In contrast, DNA, protein and wet mass daily increments were positively correlated. Differences between observed and back-calculated otolith radius-at-age indicated that larvae with slow otolith growth were under represented in older age groups, suggesting the existence of growth-selective mortality. Recent otolith growth, estimated from the mean widths of the last six increments, increased with age and R. Individual RNA: DNA and protein: DNA ratios were correlated significantly, although weakly, with LS and larval growth. [source] Changing Dentate Status of Adults, Use of Dental Health Services, and Achievement of National Dental Health Goals in Denmark by the Year 2000JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 3 2004DrOdontSci, MSc (Sociology);, Poul Erik Petersen DDS ABSTRACT Objectives: This study analyzes the current profile of dentate status and use of dental health services among adults in Denmark at the turn of the millennium, assesses the impact on dentate status of sociodemographic factors and use of dental health services in adulthood and in childhood, and highlights the changes over time in dental health conditions among adults. Finally, the intention of the study was to evaluate the Danish dental health care system's level of achievement of the official goals for the year 2000 as formulated by the World Health Organization and the National Board of Health. The subjects of this study included a national representative sample of 16,690 Danish citizens aged 16 years and older (response rate=74.2%). A subsample (n=3,818) took part in a survey of dental care habits in childhood and prevalence of removable dentures; 66 percent of persons selected responded. Methods: Personal interviews were used to collect information on dentate status, use of dental health services and living conditions; data on dental care habits in childhood and prevalence of removable dentures were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Results: In all, 8 percent of interviewed persons were edentulous, while 80 percent had 20 or more natural teeth. At age 65,74 years, 27 percent were edentulous and 40 percent had 20 teeth or more; 58 percent wore removable dentures. Dentate status and prevalence of dentures were highly related to educational background and income, particularly for older age groups. Among persons interviewed, 80 percent paid regular dental visits and visits were most frequent among persons of high education and income. At age 35,44 years 95 percent had participated in regular dental care in childhood compared to 49 percent of 65,74-year-olds. Multivariate analyses revealed that sociobehavioral factors had significant effects on dentate status. Conclusions: Compared to similar studies carried out in 1987 and 1994, the present survey indicates a positive trend of improved dentate status in adult Danes in general and regular use of dental health services increased considerably over time. The WHO goals for better dental health by the year 2000 were achieved for 35,44-year-olds, whereas the goal of more people with functional dentitions at age 65 years or older was not achieved. It remains a challenge to the Danish dental health system to help even out the social inequalities in dental health. [source] Reported snoring , does validity differ by age?JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH, Issue 2 2000Eva Lindberg Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Despite the frequent number of studies based on subjective reports of snoring, self-reported snoring has hardly been validated at all. In some previous epidemiological studies, a significant association between snoring and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was found only below the age of 50,60 y. This study was performed to investigate whether this is due to a decrease in the validity of reported snoring with increasing age. In a population-based study, 2668 men aged 40,79 y answered a questionnaire including questions on snoring. Those who reported loud and disturbing snoring often or very often were regarded as habitual snorers. Without taking account of reported snoring, an age-stratified sample of these men was selected and their snoring was measured using a microphone for 1 night. Significant snoring was defined as recorded snoring sounds for , 10% of the night. The participants were divided into younger (age 40,59, mean ± SD: 51.8 ± 4.6 y, n=132) and older (age 60,79, 67.7 ± 5.4 y, n=99) age groups. When analysing the validity of reported snoring, no significant differences were found between the younger and older age groups in terms of specificity [younger: 82% (95% CI 74,90%), older: 88% (81,95%)] or sensitivity [younger: 40% (26,54%), older: 35% (17,53%)]. These data indicate that, in men aged 40,79 y, the validity of reported snoring is similar in different age groups. The lack of an association between reported snoring and cardiovascular disease at higher ages can, therefore, not be explained by a decrease in the validity of reported snoring. [source] Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning English as a Foreign Language: Attitudes, Selves, and Motivated Learning BehaviorLANGUAGE LEARNING, Issue 2 2008Judit Kormos Our study describes the motivation for learning English as a foreign language in three distinct learner populations: secondary school pupils, university students, and adult language learners. Questionnaire data were collected from 623 Hungarian students. The main factors affecting students' second language (L2) motivation were language learning attitudes and the Ideal L2 self, which provides empirical support for the main construct of the theory of the L2 Motivational Self-System (Dörnyei, 2005). Models of motivated behavior varied across the three investigated learner groups. For the secondary school pupils, it was interest in English-language cultural products that affected their motivated behavior, whereas international posture as an important predictive variable was only present in the two older age groups. [source] Skin-prick testing as a diagnostic aid for childhood asthmaPEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 6 2005E.Y. Chan MRC Abstract Diagnosing asthma is problematic when based solely on reported symptoms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate skin-prick testing as a diagnostic aid for asthma in children. Skin-prick testing (SPT) was undertaken in children aged 2,10 years with either no history of wheeze (n,=,149) or recent doctor-observed wheeze which responded to treatment with a bronchodilator, the "gold standard" (n,=,164). Children with moderate or severe asthma were excluded. SPT positivity increased sharply at age 5 years in wheezers. Data were therefore divided into two age groups: 2,<5 years (57 controls, 97 wheezers) and 5,10 years (92 controls, 67 wheezers). The sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios of SPT positivity for wheeze were 32%, 89%, and 2.9, respectively, in the younger children, and 82%, 85%, and 5.5, respectively, in the older children. For a prevalence of 30% for asthma, the positive predictive values of a positive SPT were 55% and 70% for the younger and older age groups, respectively. The test characteristics of SPT for helping diagnose asthma in schoolchildren are good. The prevalence of wheeze in preschool children is high, and so SPT should be helpful even in this group. We suggest that clinicians consider skin-prick testing as a diagnostic aid for asthma. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Prescription and non-prescription analgesic use among the US adult population: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III),PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2003Ryne Paulose-Ram PhD Abstract Purpose To estimate prescription and non-prescription analgesic use in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods Data collected during the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988,1994), for persons 17 years and older were analyzed (n,=,20,050). During the household interview, respondents reported use, in the last month, of prescription and non-prescription analgesics. Results An estimated 147 million adults reported monthly analgesic use, Prescription analgesic use was 9% while non-prescription use was 76%. Females were more likely than males to use prescription (11 vs. 7%, p,<,0.001) and non-prescription (81 vs. 71%, p,<,0.001) analgesics. Across race,ethnicity groups, males (,8%) and females (11,13%) had similar age-adjusted prescription analgesic use. Non-prescription analgesic use was higher among non-Hispanic whites than non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican,Americans for males (76 vs. 53% (p,<,0.001) and 59% (p,<,0.001), respectively) and females (85 vs. 68% (p,<,0.001) and 71% (p,<,0.001), respectively). With increasing age, prescription analgesic use increased whereas non-prescription use decreased. Approximately 30% of adults used multiple analgesics during a 1-month period. This was more common among females (35%) than males (25%, p,<,0.001) and among younger (17,44 years, 33%) rather than older age groups (45+ years, 26%, p,<,0.001). Conclusions Analgesic use among US adults is extremely high, specifically of non-prescription analgesics. Given this, health care providers and consumers should be aware of potential adverse effects and monitor use closely. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Relationship between Personal Income and Net Worth in AustraliaTHE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 2 2007John Creedy This article uses data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to examine the changing distribution of net worth with age. Even after controlling for age, the relationship between income and net worth is positive, except for the older age groups. Inequality falls as age increases. The income poor save in different forms compared with high income individuals of the same age cohort. Holdings of financial assets, especially equity investments and superannuation, are heavily concentrated in the hands of high income earners, while fixed income investments are favoured by the elderly for all income groups. [source] Antibiotic susceptibility of urogenital microbial profile of infertile men in South-eastern NigeriaANDROLOGIA, Issue 4 2010C. J. Uneke Summary Male factors are known to contribute significantly to the infertility problem. The urogenital bacteria profile and semen quality were investigated among 160 men attending infertility clinics in South-eastern Nigeria. Both semen and urine samples were obtained from each subject and analysed according to standard techniques. A total of 16 (10%) had bacterial infection in their semen samples and individuals of older age groups were significantly affected (,2 = 23.18, P < 0.05). Urinary tract infection (UTI) was observed in 30.6% of subjects, with the highest rate occurring among men aged 36,40 years, but the difference was not significant (,2 = 7.62, P > 0.05). A total of 33.8% of the men had semen volume less than 2 ml per ejaculate, 33.8% also recorded total sperm count of <40 × 106 ml,1, while 36.3% recorded sperm motility <50%. Fifty-three individuals (33.1%) had suboptimal sperm morphology (<60%), with the men aged 46,50 years old significantly affected (,2 = 13.03, P < 0.05). All the individuals with bacterial infection in semen also had UTI and suboptimal semen parameters. The commonest bacterial isolates were Proteus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which were resistant to most of the antibiotics assessed. [source] Current concepts on human papillomavirus infections in childrenAPMIS, Issue 6-7 2010STINA SYRJÄNEN Syrjänen S. Current concepts on human papillomavirus infections in children. APMIS 2010; 118: 494,509. Current evidence is strong enough to conclude that human papillomavirus (HPV) can be transmitted both sexually and non-sexually. The debate on HPV infections in children still continues but it is more focused on HPV prevalence than on transmission modes. HPV DNA detection in amniotic fluid, foetal membranes, cord blood and placental trophoblastic cells all suggest HPV infection in utero, i.e. prenatal transmission. Based on recent meta-analysis, vertical transmission occurs in approximately 20% of cases. Most of the mucosal HPV infections in infants are incident, persistent infections in oral and genital mucosa being found in less than 10% and 2% respectively. The mother seems to be the main transmitter of HPV to her newborn, but subsequent HPV infections are acquired horizontally via saliva or other contacts. Bimodal peak prevalence is seen for skin warts, oral papillomas and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in younger and older age groups, suggesting similar epidemiology. Of the clinical HPV diseases, juvenile-onset-RRP and genital condylomata are problematic; the former because of its life-threatening potential and the latter because of possible sexual abuse. HPV6 and 11 are the most common genotypes in both the lesions. Early in life, infections by the high-risk HPV genotypes may also remain persistent for a considerable period, and should be of considerable importance for HPV vaccination strategies. [source] Climate and respiratory disease in Auckland, New ZealandAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2009Ashmita Gosai Abstract Objective: Increases in the incidence of diseases are often observed during the cold winter months, particularly in cities in temperate climates. The study aim is to describe daily, monthly and seasonal trends in respiratory hospital admissions with climate in Auckland, New Zealand. Methods: Daily hospital admissions for total respiratory infections or inflammations (RII), total bronchitis and asthma (BA), and total whooping cough and acute bronchitis (TWCAB) for various age groups and ethnicities were obtained for the Auckland Region and compared with climate parameters on daily, monthly and seasonal time scales. Results: Seasonal and monthly relationships with minimum temperature were very strong (p<0.001) for RII over all age groups, for BA in the older age groups (14-64, 65+) and for TWCAB in the <1 year old age group. European, NZ M,ori and Pacific Islanders all showed increases in admissions as temperatures decreased. Pacific Islanders were particularly susceptible to RII. There was a lag in admissions of three to seven days after a temperature event. Conclusions and Implications: Results show that increases in respiratory admissions are strongly linked to minimum temperatures during winter, typical of cities with temperate climates and poorly-insulated houses. There are implications for hospital bed and staffing planning in Auckland hospitals. [source] Substance abuse in bipolar disorderBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 4 2001Frederick Cassidy Background: High rates of substance abuse have been reported in the general population, with males more often affected than females. Although high rates of substance abuse have also been reported in bipolar patients, the relationship between substance abuse and bipolar disorder has not been well characterized. Methods: Substance abuse histories were obtained in 392 patients hospitalized for manic or mixed episodes of bipolar disorder and rates of current and lifetime abuse calculated. Analyses comparing sex, subtype (manic vs. mixed) and clinical history variables were conducted. Results: Rates of lifetime substance abuse were high for both alcohol (48.5%) and drugs (43.9%). Nearly 60% of the cohort had a history of some lifetime substance abuse. Males had higher rates of abuse than females, but no differences in substance abuse were observed between subjects in manic and mixed bipolar states. Rates of active substance abuse were lower in older age cohorts. Subjects with a comorbid diagnosis of lifetime substance abuse had more psychiatric hospitalizations. Conclusions: Substance abuse is a major comorbidity in bipolar patients. Although rates decrease in older age groups, substance abuse is still present at clinically important rates in the elderly. Bipolar patients with comorbid substance abuse may have a more severe course. These data underscore the significance of recognition and treatment of substance abuse in bipolar disorder patients. [source] Perceived adverse drug reactions among non-institutionalized children and adolescents in GermanyBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Hildtraud Knopf WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT Drug safety in paediatric medication is a public health concern. According to previous studies, the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) varies greatly from 0.7% to 2.7% among paediatric outpatients and from 2.6% to 18.1% among paediatric inpatients. Little has been reported on the risks of drug use in the general child population. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS Our study showed that the prevalence of perceived ADRs in Germany was 0.9% among non-institutionalized children in general and 1.7% among children who had used at least one medicine within the 7 days before the medical interview. Perceived ADRs in the general child population were clustered with gastrointestinal disorders and subcutaneous tissue disorders. They appeared to be mild and at the lower limits of the range reported in other studies. Health surveys covering the use of a diverse range of drugs might be suitable for computing ADR prevalence and for identifying risk factors among non-institutionalized children. They should be taken into account together with other pharmacovigilance systems. AIMS Little has been reported on the risks of drug use in the general child population. This study investigated perceived adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among non-institutionalized children in Germany. METHODS All medicines used in the last 7 days before the medical interview were recorded among the 17 450 children aged 0,17 years who participated in the 2003,06 German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Perceived ADRs were reported by the children's parents and confirmed by trained medical professionals during the medical interview. RESULTS One hundred and fifty-seven medicines were involved in the occurrence of 198 perceived ADRs in 153 patients. This corresponded to 1.1% of total used drugs, 0.9% (95% confidence intervals 0.7, 1.1%) of all children, and 1.7% (1.4, 2.1%) of children treated with medications. About 40% of all perceived ADRs involved gastrointestinal disorders and 16% involved skin tissue disorders. Perceived ADRs were most frequently reported in relation to drugs acting on the nervous system (25.8%), followed by systemic anti-infectives (18.7%) and drugs acting on the respiratory system (16.2%). Risk factors for perceived ADRs included older age groups, polypharmacy (,2) and a poor health status. CONCLUSION Perceived ADRs in the general child population were clustered with gastrointestinal disorders and subcutaneous tissue disorders. They appeared to be mild and at the lower limits of the range reported in other studies. Health surveys covering the use of a diverse range of drugs might be suitable for computing ADR prevalence and identifying risk factors among non-institutionalized children. They should be taken into account together with other pharmacovigilance systems. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||