Several studies have reported the mechanism of crack propagation with aging. Although structural modifications of dentinal microcracks with aging have been evaluated by observing the cracked surface using scanning electron microscope (SEM), very few attempts have been made at sectional observation of the microcracks inside dentine using transmission electron microscopy ...

PURPOSE: The authors analysed the distribution of c-kit-positive interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in obstructed ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) and its age-related changes. METHODS: Twenty specimens were obtained from children with intrinsic ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO), at the average age of 8.1 years (8 months-16.8 years), fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin. Five ...

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of pace self-selected by cyclists of varying ability, biological age and sex performing in a mountain bike World Championship event. Data were collected on cyclists performing in the Elite Male (ELITEmale; n = 75), Elite Female (ELITEfemale; n = 50), Under 23 Male ...

OBJECTIVE: To study age-related characteristics of T1 and T2 relaxation times and volume of the major salivary glands. METHODS: Thirty-five subjects (0.5-87 years old) with normal salivary glands were imaged with mixed turbo spin-echo pulse sequences at 1.5-T magnetic resonance units. Bilateral parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands were segmented manually. ...

Background: Since the introduction of cephalometry, numerous studies have established normal values for Caucasian populations. In Africa, most investigations have established norms and ethnic variations associated with the skeletal pattern. To date, there has been no study comparing soft tissue patterns among adolescents in the West African sub-region. Objectives: The ...

OBJECTIVE: Animal studies have shown thyroid dysfunction affects salivary gland functioning, however conclusive human studies are lacking. We sought to assess the qualitative and quantitative changes in saliva among subjects with thyroid dysfunction prior to and following treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A longitudinal observational study of 153 newly diagnosed subjects ...

AIMS: The purposes of this study are to (1) document the prevalence of intracytoplasmic inclusions adjacent to ileal well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours (WNETs), (2) examine whether and how tumour and patient characteristics are associated with inclusions and (3) investigate their properties on special stains and electron microscopy in comparison with corpora ...

Several studies have attributed deterioration of sound localization in the horizontal (azimuth) and vertical (elevation) planes to an age-related decline in binaural processing and high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL). The latter might underlie decreased elevation performance of older adults. However, as the pinnae keep growing throughout life, we hypothesized that larger ...

Abstract Populations of several species of gregarine parasites within a single host species, the damselfly Ischnura verticalis, were examined over the course of 1 season at 4 geographic localities separated by a maximum distance of 9.7 km. Gregarines, having a life cycle with both exogenous and endogenous stages, are subject ...

Skin is a window to aging changes, a biological reality. There is a dearth of studies regarding the various chronological (intrinsic) aging and photoaging (extrinsic) changes seen in Asians. This study was undertaken to detect the clinical pattern of aging skin changes and dermatoses seen in the elderly. This was ...

This prospective study examined malaria among United Nations troops participating in Operation MONUC in the town of Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo from April through October, 2005. Of 245 soldiers hospitalized, 105 were diagnosed with malaria, 93.6% with Plasmodium falciparum. All but one were men, and their median ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between recurrent group A streptococcal (GAS) tonsillopharyngitis and serum 25-hydroxy (25(OH)) vitamin D among adult subjects. METHODS: Adult patients with tonsillopharyngitis between January 2007 and December 2009 were reviewed and identified retrospectively. Cases with a medical history of recurrent GAS tonsillopharyngitis were compared to age- ...

Among the numerous bovine pelvic traits displaying sex differences, no detailed studies of bovine obturator foramen are available in the veterinary literature. The purpose of this work was to study quantitatively this structure using lineal biometrics, shape indexes and Fourier analysis. The material consisted of 60 hemicoxae belonging to young ...

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and hypertension. Vitamin D deficiency activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which affects the cardiovascular system. For this reason, it could be suggested that there is a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and atrial fibrillation (AF). ...

We assessed potential effects of local meteorological and environmental conditions, indoor residual spraying with insecticides, insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) use at individual and community levels, and individual factors on Plasmodium falciparum malaria incidence in a village in south Ethiopia. A cohort of 8,121 people was followed for 101 weeks with active ...

Upon aging, the number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow increases while their repopulation potential declines. Moreover, aged HSCs exhibit lineage bias in reconstitution experiments with an inclination towards myeloid at the expense of lymphoid potential. The adaptor protein Lnk is an important negative regulator of HSC ...

SUMMARY This cohort study examines trends in pneumonia mortality in Finland and the effects of a WHO recommendation restricting the registering of pneumonia as the underlying cause of death (COD) for several chronic diseases. All cases having pneumonia in any COD fields in 2000-2008 were extracted from the COD statistics. ...

Rapid population growth is a threat to wellbeing in the poorest countries, whereas very low fertility increasingly threatens the future welfare of many developed countries. The mapping of global trends in population growth from 2005-10 shows four distinct patterns. Most of the poorest countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are characterised ...

Background. As there may be substantial hidden mortality caused by common seasonal pathogens, we estimated the number of deaths in the elderly attributable to viruses and bacteria for which robust weekly laboratory surveillance data were available.Methods. On weekly time series (1999-2007) we used regression models to associate total death counts in individuals ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate vitamin D status among female out-patients in Saudi Arabia during the summer and winter seasons. DESIGN: Data were retrospectively collected using medical record abstraction. SETTING: A multidisciplinary hospital in Riyadh between January and December 2009. SUBJECTS: Saudi females (age ≥19 ...

Malaria transmission was monitored in two villages in the Sahel zone of Niger over 4 years. During this period, a nationwide vector control programme was carried out in which insecticide-treated bednets were distributed free to mothers of children aged <5 years. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) were found ...

Aim:  Anemia is a prevalent condition in older people, and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Previous studies identified various causes of anemia in this population. We aimed to determine the frequency and main causes of persistent or recurrent anemia in participants 2 years after their inclusion in the São Paulo ...

To identify prognostic factors in middle-aged and elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who underwent integrated interventions involving traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and modern medicine. Patients aged > or =45 years and diagnosed with CAP were divided into a middle-aged cohort (45-59 years) and an elderly cohort (> or =60 ...

The causative factors for severe anemia incidence in sub-Saharan Africa are multifactorial. In an observational, longitudinal study of two cohorts of about 300 infants followed-up for six months in a malaria hyperendemic area, the risk factors for severe anemia incidence were clinical malaria and pneumonia, which outweighed nutritional and sociodemographic ...

Iron deficiency affects approximately 16% of US females 18-45 years old. Iron is a key component of heme-containing proteins, which are essential for oxygen transport throughout the body. With low iron levels, performance and intense physical activity may be compromised. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship ...

SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: This study evaluated the accuracy and usefulness of the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) scoring system, a rapid and simple tool for the diagnosis of atypical pneumonia. Using the JRS scoring system it was difficult to distinguish between atypical pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia in the elderly (≥60 ...

Background and Aims: The study aimed to determine the proportion of iron deficiency (ID) anemia (IDA) among vegans in northeast Thailand and to explore whether mathematical formulas derived from red blood cell (RBC) indices are applicable for IDA screening in the study population. Methods: Blood samples from 234 individuals (age ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although early diagnosis and prompt treatment is an important strategy for control of malaria, using fever to initiate presumptive treatment with expensive artemisinin combination therapy is a major challenge; particularly in areas with declining burden of malaria. This study was conducted using community-owned resource persons (CORPs) to provide ...

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the first immune cells to respond to an invading pathogen and coordinate the inflammatory response within the lungs. Studies suggest that macrophages exhibit age-related deficiencies in Toll-like receptor (TLR) function; however, the impact of this dysfunction during pneumonia, the leading cause of infectious death in the ...

Malaria parasite requires a specific time to replicate and disseminate in the mosquito's body before transmission to naïve hosts can occur. Vector control has a proven record in the prevention and control of malaria. The evaluation of vector control strategies requires accurate methods of predicting mosquito age. Anopheles stephensi is ...

Objective:  This study aims to describe the life-time picture of vitamin D deficiency, as measured by serum 25(OH)D concentration, in Tasmania (latitude 43°S). Methods:  Five cross-sectional studies were used: A sample of primary school children (n=201, aged 7-8 years), two samples of adolescents (sample 1: n=374, aged 15-18 years; sample ...

CONTEXT: Seasonal variation in 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25OHD] status and its relationship to gender, age, socioeconomic and geographic determinants in Australians has not been described in large biomedical sampling cohorts. OBJECTIVES: To analyse 25OHD levels in all primary tests undertaken consecutively in a two-year period to determine the prevalence of 25 ...

Following vaccine introduction, long-term epidemiological changes have been occurred in meningitis. Studying these changes is of practical importance for both public health planning and clinical management. To study trend in meningitis in Alexandria, Egypt (1997-2006) as well patients' characteristics and outcome. The descriptive epidemiologic approach was adopted. Study population was ...

Abstract BACKGROUND:Few studies have examined common childhood infections and adult asthma. We examined associations between childhood infectious diseases, childhood pneumonia and current, persisting and incident asthma to middle age. METHODS:We analysed data from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS). A history of pneumonia was ascertained from their parents when the ...

Objective: Hypopituitarism is associated with an increased mortality rate but the reasons underlying this have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mortality and associated factors within a large GH-replaced population of hypopituitary patients.Design: In KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) 13983 GH-deficient patients with 69056 ...

Pneumococcal pneumonia is concentrated among the elderly. Using a decision analytic model, we projected the future incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia and associated healthcare utilization and costs accounting for an aging U.S. population. Between 2004 and 2040, as the population increases by 38%, pneumococcal pneumonia hospitalizations will increase by 96% (401,000 ...

ABSTRACT: WHO estimates that 80% of mortality due to malaria occurs among infants and young children. Though it has long been established that malaria disproportionately affects children under age five, our understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms for this distribution remains incomplete. Many studies use age as an indicator of ...

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is an important health problem in both developed and developing countries. Recent reports on the extraskeletal effects of vitamin D have led to increased interest in prevalence studies on states of deficiency/insufficiency of vitamin D. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of ...

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been implicated in the etiology of transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke. This study aimed to: 1) document IDA prevalence in patients ≥ 65 years of age admitted to hospital with transient ischemic attack or first ischemic stroke, and 2) investigate dietary intake as ...

To describe the frequency of anemia and iron, zinc, copper and magnesium deficiencies among Mexican adolescents in the probabilistic survey ENSANUT 2006. The sample included 2447 adolescents aged 12 to 19 y. Capillary hemoglobin and venous blood samples were collected to measure the concentrations of ferritin, sTFR, CRP, zinc, iron, ...

[This corrects the article on p. e1002554 in vol. 8.].

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Assessment of malaria endemicity at different altitudes and transmission intensities, in the era of dwindling vector densities in the highlands, will provide valuable information for malaria control and surveillance. Measurement of serum anti-malarial antibodies is a useful marker of malaria exposure that indicates long-term transmission potential. We studied ...

BACKGROUND: The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes implicated in non-invasive community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults is currently unknown. METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted over 2 years in a large UK teaching hospital trust. Urine samples, in addition to routine blood and sputum samples, were obtained from consecutive adults ...

Anemia is a common condition among community-dwelling older adults. The present study investigates the effect of type of anemia on subsequent mortality. We analyzed data from participants of the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey who were aged ≥50 and had valid hemoglobin levels determined by laboratory measurement. Anemia was ...

PURPOSE: Hereditary haemochromatosis is a common genetic disorder involving dysregulation of iron absorption. There is some evidence to suggest that abnormal iron absorption and metabolism may influence the status of other important trace elements. In this study, the effect of abnormal HFE genotypes and associated iron overload on the status ...

Background and Aims. Vitamin D deficiency is a major health problem worldwide, especially in the elderly, so that an accurate assessment of its prevalence is essential for planning reliable healthcare policy throughout the lifespan. The aim of the present study was to assess the concentration as well as the mild ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of physical activity in public school teachers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted with 1,681 teachers from the city of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, in 2009. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version was applied and the level of physical activity was categorized as low, moderate or ...

Animal cells are protected from oxidative damage by an antioxidant network operating as a coordinated system, with strong synergistic interactions. Lifespan studies with whole animals are expensive and laborious, so there has been little investigation of which antioxidant interactions might be useful for life extension. Animals in the phylum Rotifera ...

BACKGROUND: It is believed that gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumors (GCTs) arise from primordial germ cells and may have similar etiopathogenesis. Unlike testicular GCTs, there has been limited comprehensive population-based analysis of ovarian and extragonadal GCTs. METHODS: All malignant GCTs and all central nervous system (CNS) GCTs with benign ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: National mapping of lymphatic filariasis (LF) was conducted using Immunochromatographic tests (ICT) in 2005 to determine endemicity and geographic spread of the disease. A baseline microfilaria survey was then conducted to determine LF prevalence and microfilaria intensity. METHODS: In 2005 1,982 persons of 15 years and over from ...