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Andreas Zenthöfer,1 Judith Ehret,1 Melania Zajac,1 Samuel Kilian,2 Jana Kostunov,1 Peter Rammelsberg,1 Anna-Luisa Klotz1 1University of Heidelberg, Dental School, Department of Prosthodontics, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany; 2University of Heidelberg, Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, Heidelberg, 69120, GermanyCorrespondence: Anna-Luisa KlotzUniversity of Heidelberg, Dental School, Department of Prosthodontics, INF 400, Heidelberg, 69120, GermanyTel +49 6221 56-8799Fax +49 6221 56-5371Email anna-luisa.klotz@med.uni-heidelberg.deObjective: To evaluate how changes in oral health and chewing efficiency affect the changes in oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of nursing-home residents over six months.Methods: The study was conducted in nine nursing homes. Sociodemographic and general data were collected for all eligible individuals (n = 150). Of these, 114 participants (mean age 82.0 [± 9.5] years, 77.2% women) were available for the following tests at baseline and six months later: a comprehensive examination of dental and general health, a two-colour mixing-ability test (to assess chewing efficiency), the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI; to evaluate the OHRQoL), and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE; to diagnose the presence and severity of dementia). Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were compiled to analyse possible factors affecting OHRQoL.Results: For the final analysis, 108 participants were available. For the study cohort as a whole, a decrease in the number of functional occluding pairs (C: 0.195; p = 0.034) and an increase in dental-treatment needs (C: − 1.968; p = 0.056) had the greatest negative effects on OHRQoL as expressed by the GOHAI score. For denture wearers, a deterioration of denture condition (C: − 2.946; p = 0.003) was the most important predictor for a decline in OHRQoL.Conclusion: A short-term decline in oral health and function affects the OHRQoL of nursing-home residents. The most important dental variables in this regard are the number of functional occluding pairs and dental and denture-related treatment needs.Keywords: chewing-efficiency test, nursing home, OHRQoL, oral health

Andreas Zenthöfer,1 Judith Ehret,1 Melania Zajac,1 Samuel Kilian,2 Peter Rammelsberg,1 Anna-Luisa Klotz1 1University of Heidelberg, Dental School, Department of Prosthodontics, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; 2University of Heidelberg, Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, Heidelberg 69120, GermanyCorrespondence: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Anna-Luisa KlotzUniversity of Heidelberg, Dental School, Department of Prosthodontics, INF 400, Heidelberg 69120, GermanyTel + 49 6221 56 8799Fax +49 6221 56-5371Email anna-luisa.klotz@med.uni-heidelberg.deObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dental status and chewing efficiency on the oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of nursing-home residents.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in nine nursing homes. All eligible participants were included, and general and medical data, information about nutritional status and their dental and prosthetic status were collected. Chewing efficiency was assessed by means of a two-colour mixing-ability test. The simple count version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (SC-GOHAI) was used to evaluate participants’ OHRQoL, and the Mini-Mental State Examination to classify the presence of cognitive impairment. Univariate and multivariate regression models were used to analyse data.Results: The mean age of the participants was 82.1 (± 9.8) years and most participants suffered from at least very mild cognitive impairment. OHRQoL for all participants (n = 143) and denture wearers only (n = 105) was substantially associated with the type of prosthesis, the presence of natural teeth, the number of functional occluding pairs and dental and denture-related (if applicable) treatment needs. Furthermore, in both model’s univariate analysis showed that chewing efficiency also affected OHRQoL. In contrast, multivariate analysis of all participants revealed that only a higher number of functional occluding pairs (C: 0.250; p < 0.001), fewer dental treatment needs (C: − 1.733; p = 0.019) and a better nutritional status (C: − 1.298; p = 0.048) were relevant for better OHRQoL. For denture wearers, a higher number of functional occluding pairs (C: 0.192; p = 0.011), a better denture condition (C: − 2.194; p= 0.003) and a higher body mass index (BMI) (C: 0.145; p = 0.006) were the main variables associated with better OHRQoL among participants.Conclusion: Good oral health and oral function, including chewing efficiency, are associated with a high OHRQoL of nursing-home residents. However, few dental treatment needs, well-fitting dentures without treatment needs and a high number of functional occluding pairs seem to be the principal variables for an acceptable OHRQoL of nursing-home residents.Keywords: chewing efficiency, two-colour chewing-gum test, dental prostheses, OHRQoL, SC-GOHAI, BMI

Anna-Luisa Klotz,1 Melania Zajac,1 Judith Ehret,1 Samuel Kilian,2 Peter Rammelsberg,1 Andreas Zenthöfer1 1University of Heidelberg, Dental School, Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; 2University of Heidelberg, Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, Heidelberg 69120, GermanyCorrespondence: Anna-Luisa KlotzUniversity of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, Heidelberg 69120, GermanyTel +49 6221 566082Fax +49 6221 565371Email anna-luisa.klotz@med.uni-heidelberg.dePurpose: The purpose of this study was to identify how changes to general health might affect the oral health of nursing-home residents over a six-month period.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in nine nursing homes in Germany. Sociodemographic and general data were collected at baseline and after six months. Complete baseline and follow-up data were available for 114 participants. The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) were used to identify the presence and, if applicable, severity of dementia among participants. The Apraxia Screen of TULIA (AST) was used to identify motor impairment. A comprehensive dental examination of each participant was also performed. The examination included the documentation of dental and denture status and the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMF-T). In addition, dental and denture hygiene were quantitatively assessed using the Plaque Index (PI) and the Denture Hygiene Index (DHI), respectively. Global dental treatment needs were evaluated by use of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were compiled to analyse possible factors affecting the dependent target variables.Results: During the study period, denture hygiene among the study population worsened by an average of 15%. The regression models detected that a more advanced age (in years) was associated with a less pronounced deterioration of denture hygiene as measured by use of the DHI (−0.806 per additional year of age; p = 0.030). Furthermore, an increase in the level of care needed (coefficient (C): −1.948; p = 0.002) and a more poorly graded assessment of general health compared with the value at baseline (C: 1.054; p = 0.026) were both associated with a deterioration of oral health as evaluated by use of the OHAT. In addition to these results, an increase in care needs was also associated with a deterioration of dental health as evaluated by use of the DMF-T (C: 0.966; p = 0.013).Conclusion: In the short term, a deterioration of general health, including an increase in care needs, seems to be the predominant factor associated with a more pronounced deterioration of oral health among nursing-home residents.Keywords: oral health, oral hygiene, caries, older people, nursing home

The influence of well doping density on the performance of GaAs/AlGaAs p-type quantum well infrared photodetectors have been studied. Results show that detectors with 2D doping density from 1 to 2 X 10 to the 12th power per square cm can maximize background-limited infrared performance temperature and dark current-limited detectivity when operated at 100 K. It was also observed that peak absorption cannot be improved by merely increasing the 2D doping density in the well. However, increasing the doping density to 4 X 10 to the 12th power per square cm increases peak absorption by 1.5.

Presents a study which investigated substrate-dependent electrical properties of low-dose silicon implants in gallium arsenide. Method of the study; Results and discussion; Conclusion.

Background: For two decades, treatment guidelines for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have recommended empirical co-treatment for chlamydia when patients are treated for gonorrhea. Because the epidemiology of and diagnostic testing for STDs have changed over time, co-treatment may no longer be needed as a clinical or public health strategy.Objective: To assess the prevalence of chlamydia among patients at STD clinics who are infected with and treated for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and to determine whether co-treatment recommendations are still justified.Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a multisite study.Setting: Five public STD clinics (Baltimore, Maryland; Denver, Colorado; Long Beach, California; Newark, New Jersey; and San Francisco, California), July 1993 through October 1995.Patients: 3885 heterosexual patients (2184 men and 1701 women) who agreed to participate in a trial of counseling interventions and had conclusive results from diagnostic tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia performed routinely as part of the trial.Measurements: Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis as determined by polymerase chain reaction.Results: Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in 20% (95% CI, 16% to 24%) of 411 men and 42% (CI, 35% to 50%) of 151 women with laboratory-confirmed N. gonorrhoeae. Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in 19% (CI, 15% to 22%) of 410 men and 35% (CI, 28% to 43%) of 154 women with treatment indications for gonorrhea who would not otherwise have been treated for chlamydia: chlamydia prevalence among these patients was significantly higher than among patients without treatment indications for either gonorrhea or chlamydia: 7% in men and 9% in women (relative risk, 2.58 [CI, 1.92 to 3.47] and 4.12 [CI, 3.05 to 5.57], respectively).Conclusion: The frequent presence of chlamydia among patients at STD clinics who received treatment for gonorrhea, including sex partners of gonorrhea-infected patients, supports continuing current recommendations for co-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on emerging cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistance to fluoroquinolone in Denver, Colorado and Seattle-King County, Washington in 1995. Case of a man from Denver who hade sexual contact with female workers in the Philippines; Determination of the susceptibilities of N. gonorrhoeae; Resistant strains isolated in Washington state.

In order to support the operation of wastewater systems and the workflow of sewage systems an application for demonstration has been developed to show exemplarily how a mobile information system can be transferred into practice and used by the staff. The paper presents a scalable information visualisation system, which can be used with mobile devices. The regarded information data does not only include process data, but also general information about buildings and units, work directions, occupational safety regulations as well as instructions of first aid in case of a work accident. This is particularly appropriate for the use in remote facilities. The implementation is based on but not limited to SQL, JSP and HTML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]