Search

Copyright of Revista da Educação Física/UEM is the property of Universidade Estadual de Maringa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Low physical activity (PA) and high levels of sedentary time (ST) are associated with higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among older people. However, their independent contribution and importance of duration of PA and ST bouts remain unclear. We investigated associations between objectively measured PA, ST and non-invasive vascular measures, markers of CVD risk. Cross-sectional study of 1216 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.5 years, measured in 2010–2012. Carotid intima thickness (CIMT), distensibility coefficient (DC) and plaque presence were measured using ultrasound; pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and augmentation index (AIx) using a Vicorder. PA and ST were measured using hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers. After adjusting for covariates, each additional 1000 steps per day was associated with a 0.038 m/s lower cfPWV (95% CI = − 0.076, 0.0003), 0.095 10− 3 kPa− 1 higher DC (95% CI = 0.006, 0.185), 0.26% lower AIx (95% CI = − 0.40, − 0.12) and a 0.005 mm lower CIMT (95% CI = − 0.008, − 0.001). Moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) was associated with lower AIx and CIMT, light PA (LPA) with lower cfPWV and CIMT and ST with higher cfPWV, AIx and CIMT and lower DC. LPA and ST were highly correlated (r = − 0.62). The independence of MVPA and ST or MVPA and LPA was inconsistent across vascular measures. Bout lengths for both PA and ST were not associated with vascular measures. In our cross-sectional study of older men, all PA regardless of intensity or bout duration was beneficially associated with vascular measures, as was lower ST. LPA was particularly relevant for cfPWV and CIMT.

Background: Associations between bouts of physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and cardiovascular disease, and their mutual independence are not well defined. A low ankle brachial index (ABI ≤0.9) indicates peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is predictive of cardiovascular events and functional impairment. We investigated the independence of PA and SB and the importance of bout duration in relation to ABI using objective measures. Methods: 945 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.4 y, had concurrent measurements of ABI (Vicorder) and physical activity (Actigraph GT3X accelerometer); 427 men also had accelerometer measurements one year previously and contributed data to longitudinal analyses. Results and conclusion In cross-sectional analyses, after adjusting for covariates each extra 10 min of moderate and vigorous PA per day was associated with an OR of 0.81 (95% CI 0.72, 0.91) for a low ABI, a stronger association than for light PA (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75, 0.98). Each extra 30 min of SB was associated with an OR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.07, 1.33) for a low ABI. Associations between moderate and vigorous PA and ABI persisted after adjustment for light PA or SB. Bout lengths for PA and SB were not associated with a low ABI. One year changes in PA or SB were not associated with low ABI. All physical activity and lower levels of SB, regardless of bout duration were inversely associated with ABI; more intense PA showed a stronger association. No associations between changes in PA and ABI were observed, but power may have been limited.

Aging increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, and this can be prevented by dietary restriction (DR). We have previously shown that DR inhibits the downregulation of miRNAs and their processing enzymes - mainly Dicer - that occurs with aging in mouse white adipose tissue (WAT). Here we used fat-specific Dicer knockout mice (AdicerKO) to understand the contributions of adipose tissue Dicer to the metabolic effects of aging and DR. Metabolomic data uncovered a clear distinction between the serum metabolite profiles of Lox control and AdicerKO mice, with a notable elevation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in AdicerKO. These profiles were associated with reduced oxidative metabolism and increased lactate in WAT of AdicerKO mice and were accompanied by structural and functional changes in mitochondria, particularly under DR. AdicerKO mice displayed increased mTORC1 activation in WAT and skeletal muscle, where Dicer expression is not affected. This was accompanied by accelerated age-associated insulin resistance and premature mortality. Moreover, DR-induced insulin sensitivity was abrogated in AdicerKO mice. This was reverted by rapamycin injection, demonstrating that insulin resistance in AdicerKO mice is caused by mTORC1 hyperactivation. Our study evidences a DR-modulated role for WAT Dicer in controlling metabolism and insulin resistance.

Background: Older adults have low physical activity(PA) and high sedentary behaviour(SB) levels. We investigate how total volume and specific patterns of moderate to vigorous PA(MVPA), light PA(LPA) and SB are related to adiposity and metabolic syndrome (MS). Then, with reference to physical activity guidelines which encourage MVPA in bouts > =10 min and avoiding “long” sedentary bouts, we investigate whether accumulating PA and SB in bouts of different defined durations are differently associated with these outcomes. Methods: Cross-sectional study of men (71–91 years) recruited in UK primary care centres. Nurses made physical measures (weight, height, bio-impedance, blood pressure) and took fasting blood samples. 1528/3137 (49 %) surviving men had ≥3 valid days (≥600 min) accelerometer data. 450 men with pre-existing chronic disease were excluded. 1009/1078 (93.6 %) had complete covariate data. Results: Men (n = 1009, mean age 78.5(SD 4.7) years) spent 612(SD 83), 202(SD 64) and 42(SD 33) minutes in SB, LIPA and MVPA respectively. Each additional 30 min/day of SB and MVPA were associated with 0.32 (95 % CI 0.23, 0.40)Kg/m2 higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and −0.72(−0.93, −0.51) lower BMI Kg/m2 respectively. Patterns for waist circumference (WC), fat mass index (FMI), fasting insulin and MS were similar. MVPA in bouts lasting <10 min or ≥10 min duration were not associated differently with outcomes. In models adjusted for total MVPA, each minute accumulated in SB bouts lasting 1–15 min was associated with lower BMI −0.012 kg/m2, WC −0.029 cm, and OR 0.989 for MS (all p < 0.05), and coefficients for LPA bouts 1–9 min were very similar in separate models adjusted for total MVPA. Minutes accumulated in SB bouts 1–15 min and LPA bouts 1–9 min were correlated, r = 0.62. Conclusions: Objectively measured MVPA, LPA and SB were all associated with lower adiposity and metabolic risk. The beneficial associations of LPA are encouraging for older adults for whom initiating MVPA and maintaining bouts lasting ≥10 min may be particularly challenging. Findings that short bouts of LPA (1–9 min) and SB (1–15 min), but that all MVPA, not just MVPA accumulated in bouts ≥10 min were associated with lower adiposity and better metabolic health could help refine older adult PA guidelines.

Introduction: Cervical radiculopathy is a suffering of 1 or more nerve roots, due to compression of herniated discs, osteophytes or reduction of the neural foramen. This disease causes pain from the neck to the hand with a dermatomal distribution, tingling, hypothesia and weakness. In diagnosis are used instrumental exams (electromyography) and a good physical examination, including provocative tests. The guidelines of the North American Spine Society (2011) has not yet validated a unique physiotherapy approach for cervical radiculopathy. In fact, in the literature, although there are numerous studies that confirm the effectiveness of conservative than surgery treatments, there is still a lack of randomized controlled trials that compare the different methods of physiotherapy treatment. The neurodynamic is a method for influencing pain by mechanical treatment of nervous tissue and structures around to it; this approach uses techniques of “sliding” and “tensioning”, together with active and passive movements. Materials and methods: This randomized single-blind study was carried out from October 2010 to February 2011 in the Rehabilitation Unit of Vignola Hospital. 26 adult patients, who met the inclusion criteria, were selected and randomly distributed into 2 treatment groups: 24 women and 2 men, all between 32 and 65 years, with an average of 48.4 years. Objectives: Check the efficacy of the addition of neurodynamic techniques to the manual traction in a group of patients with clinical diagnosis of chronic cervical radiculopathy. Evaluation: At the 1st treatment session, the 10th session and 2 months with an evaluation board that evaluates: cervical pain (VAS), paresthesia, disability (NDI: Neck Disability Index) and compliance. Treatment: 10 consecutive sessions of half an hour made by an operator other than the one that evaluated the outcomes. Group A: Manual traction, exercises of self cervical mobilization from the 5th session and ergonomic and postural advice. Group B: Manual traction, neurodynamic treatment and from the 5th session neurodynamic exercises, plus postural and ergonomic advice. Results: In the sample there weren’t significant differences between the 2 groups for age (p = 0.96), NDI (p = 0.22), VAS (p = 0.31) and distribution of paresthesias (p = 0.61). However, higher values of NDI were present in group A while the group B had a higher frequency of severe paresthesia compared to group A. Significant decrease in VAS over time in group A (cervical manual traction, exercise self cervical mobilization, postural and ergonomic advice) but not in group B (cervical manual traction, passive treatment neurodynamic of the upper limb, neuro dynamic exercises, postural and ergonomic advice). Significant reduction of the NDI in both groups, without significant differences between the two. Significant decrease in the percentage of moderate/ severe paraesthesia and consequent increase in percentage of patients with no paresthesia or at minimum level. Conclusion: Using the manual traction, with the addition or not of neurodynamic, improvements are obtained for all parameters in almost all subjects. This suggests that conservative treatment with manual therapy is effective in the relief of symptoms of chronic cervical radiculopathy. In addition, at 2 months, the group treated with neurodynamic techniques has also maintained the improvement of disability, (assessed with the Neck Disability Index) obtained after the physiotherapeutic treatment (T2), in contrast to the group treated only with manual traction, in which at T3, disability is significantly deteriorated compared to T2. Further studies are needed with larger samples and longer follow-up to verify the effectiveness of neurodynamics in chronic cervical radiculopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scienza Riabilitativa is the property of Associazione Italiana Fisioterapisti and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Study design: Randomized clinical trial. Introduction: Although orthotic immobilization has become the preferable treatment choice for closed mallet injuries, it is unclear whether orthosis self-removal has an impact on the final outcome. Purpose: To evaluate the treatment efficacy of cast immobilization of closed mallet fingers using Quickcast® (QC) compared to a removable, lever-type thermoplastic orthosis (LTTP). Methods: 57 subjects were randomized in 2 groups. DIPj extensor lag and the Gaberman success scale were used as primary outcomes. Results: LTTP subjects resulted in greater extensor lag than QC subjects (x = 5°; p = 0.05) at 12 weeks from baseline, and high edema and older age negatively affected DIPj extensor lag. No other differences were found between groups. Conclusion: Cast immobilization seems to be slightly more effective than the traditional approach probably for its greater capacity to reduce edema. Level of evidence: 1B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American College of rheumatology (ACR) in April 2012 updated clinical practice guidelines for conservative treatment of hand osteoarthritis (OA). New recommendation were published on Arthritis Care & Research and included techniques of joint protection, the use of assistive device, thermotherapy and trapeziometacarpal joint splint. Objective: to assess the effectiveness of short (60 days) and long-term (180 days) conservative treatment of primary or post-traumatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, according to international guidelines or to educational and occupational therapy. To examine which approach is more effective considering costs and benefits aspects (treatment following guidelines consists of 10 sessions, educational approach only 1) by evaluating parameters such as strength, skill, pain and disability. Methods: from January to November 2010, 32 patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis grade 1-2-3 (Eaton and Glickel classification) were selected. Of 32, 30 patients participated to the study (one was intolerant to thermoplastic splint, one did not come for the evaluation): 27 female, 3 men aged 39 to 76 with clinical and instrumental (X rays) diagnosis of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis. Some patients had bilateral osteoarthritis, so 38 hands were treated. Osteoarthritis might have been primary of post traumatic. Patients were randomly and single-blind divided into two groups of 15 persons. One group received ergotherapeutic and educational advices and devices (thermoplastic splint, neoprene splint and behaviour advice) while the second one received treatment following guidelines (ergotherapeutic and educational suggestion, brochure with exercises to perform at home, electro stimulation, ultrasounds, thumb active mobilisation). Inclusion criteria were: patients that accepted research procedure for splint treatment, with clinic and radiographic diagnosis of primary or post- traumatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis grade 1-2-3 of Eaton classification. Exclusion criteria: patients having wrist or hand bone grafting; patients regularly using cortisone; patients with rheumatologic diseases; patients that already had surgical treatment for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis; patients diagnosed osteoarthrosis grade 4 of Eaton classification; patients already treated for this pathology; patients with neurologic and psychiatric pathologies. During first day of treatment each patient was evaluated with regards to VAS, DASH, PURDUE, PINCH, JAMAR evaluation tests and KAPANDJI range pf measurement. Evaluation tests used in Policlinico of Modena has been used. The same physiotherapist (allowed to evaluation but not to treatment) evaluated again these parameters 60 and 180 days later. The physiotherapist that later performed rehabilitation treatment to patients manufactured for each patient 2 tailored splint, one made of thermoplastic material and one made of neoprene. Results: 180 days later treatment following literature guidelines gave following positive results; 30% decrease of pain, 19% decrease of disability; increase of strength (30% for intrinsic muscles and 35% for extrinsic ones), skill (13%) and joint movement (21%). Ergotherapeutic and educational treatment gave positive results too, but less remarkable: 8% decrease of pain, 1% decrease of disability; encrease of strength (27% for intrinsic muscles and 12% for extrinsic ones), skill (5%) and range of movement (10%). Conclusions: Comparing procedures on a base of costs and benefits, the treatment following literature guidelines resulted less effective with respect to ergotherapeutic and educational treatment. That is due to the fact that ergotherapeutic and educational treatment only were applied only 1 time while treatment following literature guidelines were applied 10 times. Both groups showed improvement of analyzed parameters but with different percentage, ergotherapeutic and educational treatment only results cheaper for patient and time saving for physiotherapist. Clinic and rehabilitative impact: As consequence we can assert that conservative treatment of primary or post-traumatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis can be considered the advisable treatment if prescription is made at Eaton 1st, 2nd and 3rd stage. HYPERLINK 'mailto:massimo.casarini@marposs.com' HYPERLINK 'mailto:e.zucchini@ausl.mo.it' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scienza Riabilitativa is the property of Associazione Italiana Fisioterapisti and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Scienza Riabilitativa is the property of Associazione Italiana Fisioterapisti and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Scienza Riabilitativa is the property of Associazione Italiana Fisioterapisti and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Dental Press de Estética is the property of Dental Press International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mortality has been shown to increase with extremely hot ambient temperatures. Details on the specific cause of mortality can be useful for improving preventive policies. Infants are often identified as a population that is vulnerable to extreme heat conditions; however, information on heat and infant mortality is scarce, with no studies reporting on cause-specific mortality.The study includes all deaths in the Catalonia region of Spain during the warm seasons of 1983-2006 (503,389 deaths). We used the case-crossover design to evaluate the association between the occurrence of extremely hot days (days with maximum temperature above the 95th percentile) and mortality. Total mortality and infant mortality were stratified into 66 and 8 causes of death, respectively.Three consecutive hot days increased total daily mortality by 19%. We calculated that 1.6% of all deaths were attributable to heat. About 40% of attributable deaths did not occur during heat-wave periods. The causes of death that were increased included cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, mental and nervous system disorders, infectious and digestive system diseases, diabetes, and some external causes such as suicide. In infants, the effect of heat was observed on the same day and was detected only for conditions originating in the perinatal period (relative risk = 1.53 [95% confidence interval = 1.16-2.02]). Within the perinatal causes, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive system, and hemorrhagic and hematologic disorders were the causes of death with stronger effects.Heat contributes to an increase in mortality from several causes. In infants, the first week of life is the most critical window of vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) is an important cause of hospital acquired infection. We describe a 7-month outbreak of a MDRAB infection involving various wards of an Italian hospital and an investigation of the possible source of the infection was conducted. Methods: A baumannii was isolated from various biological samples from 22 colonized or infected patients, and was identified and characterized for its antibiotic sensitivity. Typing of A baumannii was performed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Investigation of the outbreak involved extensive microbiological sampling of the environment. Results: In 50% of cases the infection occurred in the ICU. Invasive procedures were performed in 63.6% of patients. The strain isolated proved to be resistant to all the antibiotics tested, including carbapenems, and displayed the same allelic profile in all patients. None of the 141 samples taken during environmental monitoring showed positivity for A baumannii. Conclusion: The results of the present study reveal the importance of strict adherence to control measures by all health care personnel and highlight the fact that regular staff training and frequent revision of control measures are essential to the successful management of an outbreak. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fracture strength of roots that were prosthetically restored with metallic posts with or without any remaining coronal structure and with different finish lines. Sixty bovine incisors were sectioned below the cementoenamel junction, endodontically treated, and randomly divided into six experimental groups (n = 10) containing teeth with or without any remaining coronal structure, and with a beveled shoulder, a bevel, or a shoulder finish line design. The metallic posts were luted with dual-cured resin cement. The cores were made with composite resin, and metal crowns were cemented with zinc phosphate cement. The specimens were subjected to a tangential compressive load (135° angle) at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until failure, using a universal testing machine. The fracture strength data were analyzed using the ANOVA and LSMeans (least square means) tests (α = 0.05). The data indicated that the teeth with 2 mm of remaining coronal structure showed the highest fracture strength values when compared with the teeth without any remaining structure (p < 0.05). As to the different finish line designs, the highest fracture strength values were obtained for the beveled shoulder, followed by the bevel and then by the shoulder designs (p < 0.05). It may be concluded that, to increase fracture strength, a beveled shoulder and 2 mm of remaining coronal structure are the ideal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether exposure to pretreatment photographs of themselves influenced patients' self-perception of dentofacial attractiveness and willingness to undergo treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 subjects of white ancestry aged 18 years or older (Study Group) and 100 sex- and age-matched controls (Control Group) were selected. Photographs of the frontal view of the face and the profile view of the face, both at rest and while smiling, were taken of each participant. Only Study Group subjects were given a printed copy of their own images to be examined at home between the initial observation (T0) and a set date an average of 30 days later (T1). Each of the 200 subjects in the study completed a questionnaire at T0 and T1 exploring happiness regarding their smiles and their facial profiles, as well as willingness to undergo treatment. Results: At T1 in the Study Group, 50% of subjects responded with a lower opinion of their facial profiles than at T0; 11% and 45% were willing to undergo more comprehensive procedures to change the appearance of their smiles and profiles, respectively. No statistically significant change was seen in questionnaire answers between T0 and T1 for the Control Group. Conclusion: Laypeople generally are not aware of their facial profiles. Pretreatment photograph exposure can increase profile self-awareness, an important factor in reducing the discrepancy between orthodontists' and patients' visual emphasis on dentofacial esthetics. (Angle Orthod. 2011;81:517-524.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Dental Press de Estética is the property of Dental Press International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: To evaluate the selective acid etching of enamel and dentin on microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of a self-adhesive resin cement. Methods: Forty-eight bovine teeth were selected and had the buccal surface ground to obtain a flat dentin (n=24) or enamel (n=24) surface. Z250 composite resin blocks (4 x 3 x 8 mm) were prepared for cementation at enamel and dentin. Each substrate received three experimental resin cementation strategies: 1) 37% phosphoric acid etching before the application of RelyX Unicem; 2) application of RelyX Unicem alone; 3) RelyX ARC as a control. Samples were light-cured using a halogen light (Optilux 501, 700mW/cm²), for 40 s. Hourglass-shaped specimens were obtained and submitted to a tensile strength at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min in a universal testing machine. For statistical analysis, data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test at a pre-set alpha (á=0.05). Results: RelyX Unicem showed similar bond strength value (16.5 MPa) when compared to the pretreatment with acid etching (11.9 Mpa) and to the conventional resin cement (18.1 MPa) for enamel. All luting strategies presented similar dentin bond strength, but significantly lower than enamel bond strength. Conclusions: Acid etching prior to RelyX Unicem application did not improve microtensile bond strength for enamel and dentin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Dental Press de Estética is the property of Dental Press International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: To evaluate the effect of light-curing units (LCUs) on the microhardness of class I composite restorations at different depths. Methods: Two light emitting diodes (LED) (Freelight 2, Radii) and one halogen (Optilux 501) LCUs were evaluated. Thirty class I cavities prepared in human third molars were restored with a microhybrid (Charisma) and a microfilled (Renamel) resin composite. After seven days of water storage, the teeth were decoronated and the crowns were bisected mesiodistally and tested for microhardness under a 25 g load for 20 seconds. Fifteen indentations were performed at three depths for each half-crown. Results: Charisma presented significantly higher Knoop hardness number (KHN) values than Renamel. At the superficial depth, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) when Charisma was cured with both LED curing units. However, statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found when Charisma was light-cured with the halogen LCU. The lowest KHN value was obtained by Renamel light-cured with both LED LCUs, regardless of the composite. Nevertheless, when the microfilled composite was light-cured with the halogen LCU, hardness was significantly higher compared to those cured with LED units at all evaluated depths. Conclusions: The effectiveness of polymerization is related not only to the light-curing source, but also to the type of composite and the curing depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study aimed to quantify the blood content of aerosols produced during dental, maxillofacial and autopsy procedures and to identify those activities which involve the greatest risk of infection due to exposure to blood-containing aerosols. A total of 132 air samples were taken in several dental cubicles, a maxillofacial operating theatre and an autopsy room. The concentration of haemoglobin (Hb) in the samples was quantified and, for each day of sampling, the concentration of blood/m3 of air aspirated (μL blood/m3 air) was calculated. Hb was detected in 38.64% of samples. The mean concentration of Hb in the samples was 0.10±0.19μg Hb/m3 of aspirated air, with a range of 0–0.72μg Hb/m3. No statistically significant differences in the concentration of blood aerosol per m3 of aspirated air were noted among the three types of activity analysed (P >0.05). Although there is, as yet, no concrete proof of the risk of infection through blood-containing aerosols, minimising the production and dispersal of aerosols and spatters is strongly recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Many dental procedures produce extensive aerosols and splatters that are routinely contaminated with microorganisms. Methods: Air containing blood-bearing aerosols and surfaces contaminated by sedimenting blood particulate was sampled in 5 different dental cubicles. To assess contamination by blood particulate, the concentration of hemoglobin (Hb) in the air and on the sedimentation surfaces was determined. Results: The mean concentration of Hb in the air aspirated in the 5 cubicles was 0.14 ± 0.23 μg/m3, corresponding to a blood volume of 8.7 × 10-4 μL/m3. Similarly, the mean concentration of blood particulate sedimented on surfaces was calculated and found to be 1.56 μL/m2. In 80% of the cubicles monitored, 100% positivity to the Hb determination test was recorded in all of the surface samples. Conclusions: The results obtained revealed contamination of both air and surfaces by blood particulate. Moreover, with the exception of those obtained in 1 cubicle, all of the samples of sedimenting particulate analyzed were positive for the presence of Hb. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To explore the involvement of enzymes of drug metabolism in renal cell carcinoma we analyzed the gene expression profiles of tumor and nontumor tissues from the same patient by DNA macroarray. The enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase was selected for further evaluation. Materials and Methods: Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase mRNA expression was investigated in paired tissue samples from cancerous and noncancerous parts of the kidneys of 30 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma who underwent tumor nephrectomy. Measurements were performed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Paired tissue samples were also obtained from 1 patient with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and from another with oncocytoma to compare the specificity of changes in nicotinamide N-methyltransferase expression among tumors that are related to different renal epithelial cell types. Western blot analysis and catalytic activity assay were also performed to study nicotinamide N-methyltransferase expression. Expression correlated with tumor characteristics. Results: A marked increased expression in tumor tissue was found for nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, which is an enzyme involved in the biotransformation of many drugs and xenobiotic compounds. Differential gene expression measurements in tumor vs normal tissue revealed up-regulation in all clear cell renal cell carcinomas at between 3 and 294-fold (mean 41). In contrast, in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and oncocytoma nicotinamide N-methyltransferase expression did not increase. In addition, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase expression significantly correlated inversely with tumor size. Conclusions: Our results indicate that a marked nicotinamide N-methyltransferase increase is a peculiar feature of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Additional studies may establish the role of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in tumor formation and progression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A total of 1030 microbiological samples were taken in 3 hospital wards with different air-conditioning features: no conditioning system (ward A), a conditioning system equipped with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) filters (ward B), and a conditioning system thoroughly maintained and equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters (absolute) (ward C). The air in each ward was sampled, and the bacterial and fungal concentrations were determined by active and passive methods. The concentration of fungi on surfaces was also determined. Active sampling showed positive samples in wards A and B only, with average values of 0.50 colony-forming units (CFU)/m3 (95% CI, 0.30 to 0.70) in A and 0.16 CFU/m3 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.20) in B. Passive sampling was positive only in ward A (mean, 0.14 CFU/cm2/h; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.15). Aspergillus was found in 27% and 22% of sampled surfaces in wards A and B, respectively, but in no samples from ward C. The most commonly found species was A. fumigatus (76% of cases in A and 34% of cases in B). The results show that the use of air-conditioning systems markedly reduces the concentration of aspergilli in the environment. Proper maintenance of these systems is clearly fundamental if their efficacy is to be ensured. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents information on the writings of French novelist and critic Maurice Blanchot on the disasters and the thoughts in life. Correlation between the disasters and the thoughts; Significance of the thoughts in life; Characteristics of the beliefs and thoughts as stated by Blanchot in his writings; Relationship between the imaginations and the present life of an individual.

Background: The steep decline in physical activity (PA) among the oldest old is not well understood; there is little information about the patterns of change in PA and sedentary behaviour (SB) in older people. Longitudinal data on objectively measured PA data can give insights about how PA and SB change with age. Methods: Men age 70–90 yr, from a United Kingdom population-based cohort wore a GT3X accelerometer over the hip annually on up to three occasions (56%, 50%, and 51% response rates) spanning 2 yr. Multilevel models were used to estimate change in activity. Men were grouped according to achieving ≥150 min·wk−1 of MVPA in bouts of ≥10 min (current guidelines) at two or three time points. Results: A total of 1419 ambulatory men had ≥600 min wear time on ≥3 d at ≥2 time points. At baseline, men took 4806 steps per day and spent 72.5% of their day in SB, 23.1% in light PA, and 4.1% in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Mean change per year was −341 steps, +1.1% SB, −0.7% light PA, and −0.4% MVPA each day (all P < 0.001). A total of 76.3% (n = 1083) never met guidelines (“stable low”), 7.9% (n = 112) consistently met guidelines (“stable high”), 8.2% (n = 116) stopped meeting guidelines by the last occasion (“decreasers”), and 4.9% (n = 69) started meeting guidelines by the last occasion (“increasers”). “Decreasers” spent 69.3% of each day in SB at baseline, which increased by 2% per year (P < 0.005), light activity remained at 23.3% (change, −0.2% per year; P = 0.4), and total MVPA decreased from 7.1% by −1.7% per year, (P < 0.001). The number of sedentary bouts >30 min increased from 5.1 by 0.1 per year (P = 0.02). Conclusions: Among older adults, the steep decline in total PA occurred because of reductions in MVPA, while light PA is relatively spared and sedentary time and long sedentary bouts increase.

Background: Sedentary behaviours are increasingly recognised as raising the risk of cardiovascular disease events, diabetes and mortality, independently of physical activity levels. However, little is known about patterns of sedentary behaviour in older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 1566/3137 (50% response) men aged 71–91 years from a UK population-based cohort study. Men wore a GT3x accelerometer over the hip for 1 week in 2010–2011. Mean daily minutes of sedentary behaviours, percentage of day in sedentary behaviours, sedentary bouts and breaks were calculated and summarised by health and demographic characteristics. Results: 1403 ambulatory men aged 78.4 years (SD=4.6 years) with ≥600 min of accelerometer wear on ≥3 days had complete data on covariables. Men spent on average 618 min (SD=83), or 72% of their day in sedentary behaviours (<100 counts/min). On average, men accumulated 72 spells of sedentary behaviours per day, with 7 breaks in each sedentary hour. Men had on average 5.1 sedentary bouts of ≥30 min, which accounted for 43% of sedentary time, and 1.4 bouts of ≥60 min, which accounted for 19% of daily sedentary time. Men who were over 80 years old, obese, depressed and had multiple chronic conditions accumulated more sedentary time and spent more time in longer sedentary bouts. Conclusions: Older men spend nearly three quarters of their day in sedentary behaviours, mostly accumulated in short bouts, although bouts lasting ≥30 min accounted for nearly half of the sedentary time each day. Men with medical risk factors were more likely to also display sedentary behaviour.