Factors associated with remaining teeth of older adults in the state of São Paulo,Brazil, 2002

Objectives: The objective of this study was to verify the association between the number of teeth present with socio-demographic and economic variables and with the access to dental services and self-perception of oral health among the elderly. Materials and Methods: The sample was composed of individuals from 65 to 74 years of age, which was representative of the state of São Paulo (n = 781). In this study, the analysis of data considered dentate elderly only, who were divided into two groups: those with one to 19 teeth and those with 20 teeth or more. The chi-squared test was used in the bivariate analysis and the logistic regression was also performed (p < 0.05). Results: Among the 313 dentate elderly, 235 (75.1%) presented one to 19 teeth. The average number of teeth was 9.5 for the elderly with fewer teeth and 25 for those with more teeth. In the bivariate analysis, all variables related to the access to dental services were associated and the chances of having less teeth was among elderly who did not visit the dentist for a long time and among those who sought public dental services and did not receive information on how to avoid oral problems. In addition, the elderly who classified their speech as not good were those who presented with fewer teeth. Conclusion: Most subjects presented one to 19 teeth and this fact was directly associated, among others factors, to the unsatisfactory perception that they reported in relation to their speech and to the too long period without visiting the dentist.     

Marine primary production in the Canadian Arctic, 1956, 1961�C1963

Marine primary productivity studies pursued in the Canadian Arctic in 1961–1963, using standard techniques (oxygen and carbon-14) of the time, showed that maximum production developed rapidly in July at 5-m depth under very low light intensities and under intact but melting sea ice. The time of maximum production was correlated with depths of snow in spring. Low production levels were found in August in those years and estimated in 1956. Nitrate exhaustion occurred before maximum production and was followed by rapid sinking of chlorophyll and productivity and reduction of assimilation numbers. Gross production values greatly exceeded net production values in 1961–1963, and gross production in 2 years was about double that of a third year, which may be due to different initial conditions of nutrient concentrations in the euphotic zone. Interannual variability in primary production may be the result of changes in water masses in the surface layer, as driven by atmospheric pressure patterns.     

Coral survivors of the 1982–83 El Niño-Southern Oscillation,Galápagos Islands,Ecuador

Reef Sites

Coral survivors of the 1982–83 El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador     

Risk of all-cause mortality in HIV infected patients is associated with clinical, immunologic predictors and the CCR5 Δ32 deletion

Objective

Investigation of the interplay between the CCR5 Δ32/wt genotype and demographic, epidemiological, clinical and immunological factors associated with mortality in the cART era.

Design

Longitudinal data from 507 HIV-infected patients following the Δ32 allele detection were analyzed.

Methods

Cumulative 15 years mortality was calculated using Kaplan-Meyer methodology. Hazard ratios were estimated using univariate Cox models. Basing on Akakie information criteria and statistical significance multivariate Cox model was constructed and effect plots presenting adjusted hazard ratio time-dependency were drawn. Analysis of the association of all-cause mortality and CCR5 Δ32/wt genotype prior to the antiretroviral treatment (cART) initiation (n = 507) and on the therapy (n = 422) was also performed.

Results

A mortality rate of 2.66 (CI 2.57–3.19) per 100 person-years was observed. Univariate analysis factors modifying the risk of death included the CCR5 genotype, gender, history of cART, AIDS diagnosis and also CD4 lymphocyte nadir, zenith, the latest CD4 count and stable levels >500 cells/µl. For multivariate analysis the following predictors were selected: CCR5 genotype (HR for wt/wt 2.53, CI 1.16–5.53, p = 0.02), gender (HR for males 1.91, 95%CI 1.1–3.36, p = 0.023), introduction of combined antiretroviral treatment (HR 4.85, CI 3.0–7.89, if untreated or treated <1 month, p<0.0001) CD4 count of 500 cells/µl for six months or more (HR 4.16, CI 1.95–8.88 if not achieved, p = 0.028), the latest CD4 count (HR 5.44, CI 3.39–8.74 for <100 cells/µl, p<0.0001) and history of AIDS (HR 1.69, CI 1.03–2.79, p = 0.039). Among untreated individuals the Δ32/wt genotype was associated with notably better survival (p = 0.026), while among cART treated individuals the Δ32 mutation did not correlate significantly with higher survival rates (p = 0.23).

Conclusions

The Δ32 CCR5 allele is associated with a reduction of the risk of all-cause mortality in HIV (+) patients alongside clinical and immunologic predictors such as AIDS, history of cART, lymphocyte CD4 cell count and gender.     

Relationships between sudden weather changes in summer and mortality in the Czech Republic, 1986–2005

The study examines the relationship between sudden changes in weather conditions in summer, represented by (1) sudden air temperature changes, (2) sudden atmospheric pressure changes, and (3) passages of strong atmospheric fronts; and variations in daily mortality in the population of the Czech Republic. The events are selected from data covering 1986–2005 and compared with the database of daily excess all-cause mortality for the whole population and persons aged 70 years and above. Relative deviations of mortality, i.e., ratios of the excess mortality to the expected number of deaths, were averaged over the selected events for days D−2 (2 days before a change) up to D+7 (7 days after), and their statistical significance was tested by means of the Monte Carlo method. We find that the periods around weather changes are associated with pronounced patterns in mortality: a significant increase in mortality is found after large temperature increases and on days of large pressure drops; a decrease in mortality (partly due to a harvesting effect) occurs after large temperature drops, pressure increases, and passages of strong cold fronts. The relationship to variations in excess mortality is better expressed for sudden air temperature/pressure changes than for passages of atmospheric fronts. The mortality effects are usually more pronounced in the age group 70 years and above. The impacts associated with large negative changes of pressure are statistically independent of the effects of temperature; the corresponding dummy variable is found to be a significant predictor in the ARIMA model for relative deviations of mortality. This suggests that sudden weather changes should be tested also in time series models for predicting excess mortality as they may enhance their performance.     

Adult Steller sea lion mortality on rookeries in the Russian Far East, 2002–2010

We used visual observations during nine field seasons to determine the causes and death rate of Steller sea lions older than 1 year on eight rookeries in the Russian Far East. The average annual death rate was 0.48% of the total recorded Steller sea lions on shore and varied among rookeriesy. The mortality did not exceed 0.29% in six rookeries, but reached 0.80–1.19% in two rookeries. Individuals of all age and sex groups were recorded among dead animals. Bulls died as a result of territorial conflicts, and cows and young lions were crushed or suffocated by bulls during copulation. The death of nearly half of the females was attributed to 11 bulls.     

A single nucleotide polymorphism in NF-κB inducing kinase is associated with mortality in septic shock

We tested the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes of the NF-κB pathway are associated with altered clinical outcome of septic shock patients. We genotyped 59 SNPs in the NF-κB pathway in a discovery cohort of septic shock patients (St. Paul's Hospital [SPH], N = 589), which identified the C allele of rs7222094 T/C within MAP3K14 (NF-κB inducing kinase; NIK) associated with increased 28-d mortality (uncorrected p = 0.00024, Bonferroni corrected p = 0.014). This result was replicated in a second cohort of septic shock patients (Vasopressin and Septic Shock Trial [VASST; N = 616]) in which the CC genotype of rs7222094 was associated with increased 28-d mortality (Cox regression: SPH cohort hazard ratio [HR], 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.64; p = 0.002 Caucasian only; and VASST cohort HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.00-1.52; p = 0.048 Caucasian only). Patients having the CC genotype of rs7222094 in SPH experienced more renal and hematological dysfunction (p = 0.003 and p = 0.011), while patients of the VASST cohort with the rs7222094 CC genotype showed the same trend toward more renal dysfunction. In lymphoblastoid cell lines, we found the rs7222094 genotype most strongly associated with mRNA expression of CXCL10, a chemokine regulated by NF-κB. Accordingly, we measured CXCL10 protein levels and found that the CC genotype of rs7222094 was associated with significantly lower levels than those of the TT genotype in lymphoblastoid cell lines (p < 0.05) and in septic shock patients (p = 0.017). This suggests that the CC genotype of NIK rs7222094 is associated with increased mortality and organ dysfunction in septic shock patients, perhaps due to altered regulation of NF-κB pathway genes, including CXCL10.     

Is the shift in chronotype associated with an alteration in well-being?

The study aimed to test whether a shift in chronotype (determined by mid-sleep on free days) is associated with alterations in psychological well-being and sleep parameters. One hundred and seventeen undergraduates were tested in longitudinal study with four repeated measures. Measurements were taken during spring in three-week intervals and each measurement consisted of self-reported sleep parameters on work and free days (i.e. bedtime, sleep latency, wake time, sleep onset, mid-sleep time, social jetlag), satisfaction with life, and mood (energetic arousal, tense arousal, hedonic tone). Between-subjects analyses revealed earlier chronotypes, as compared to the later ones, showing lower tense arousal, higher energetic arousal and life satisfaction, earlier bedtime, sleep onset and offset on both work and free days, longer sleep duration and shorter sleep latency on workdays, and less social jetlag. Within-subjects analyses revealed increasing photoperiod associated with a shift toward earlier chronotype, decrease in social jetlag, and shortening sleep latency. The seasonal shift toward earlier chronotype was not associated with alterations in mood or life satisfaction, but it was associated with a shift toward earlier bedtimes and longer sleep duration on workdays, decrease in sleep latency, and social jetlag. Results from the within-subjects analyses were consistent with the results of between-subjects analyses regarding sleep–wake functioning, but inconsistent regarding psychological outcomes.     

Association of household demographic variables with child mortality in Côte d'Ivoire

The associations between household demographic variables and mortality of children aged less than five years were investigated using data from the 1998 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of the Republic of C?te d'Ivoire, Western Africa. Of the total of 1992 children born to women included in the study population during the 5-year period preceding the survey, 260 (13%) had died and 1732 (87%) were alive at the time of the survey. Logistic regression analyses used to compare biosocial variables between the deceased and living children showed that the sex of the child, birth interval and mother's occupation were associated with child's survival status. After adjusting for their effects, household demographic variables (i.e. number of household members, number of household members under 5 years [HM-5Y], number of household members 5 years or older [HM+5Y], the proportion of HM-5Y among all household members, and the ratio of HM-5Y to HM+5Y) were shown to be associated with the child's survival status. This study provided insight into the effects of intra-household competition among children and availability of care-givers as potential determinants of child survival. The results indicate that improvement of the childcare environment and reproductive intervention are necessary to reduce child mortality in West African countries.     

Insular and disjunct distribution of the Arctic wolf in Greenland, 1978�C1998

Little research has been conducted on the spatial and temporal distribution of wolves in the High Arctic, and the processes that influence distributional patterns are not well understood. The present study addressed this information void in north and east Greenland by determining bi-seasonal distribution patterns and core areas based upon 303 sightings of wolves or their tracks during 1978–1998. The data suggested that this wolf population were predominantly distributed in semi-isolated patches in an insular and disjunct distribution. Evidence of wolf occurrence in some areas was so irregular that wolves should be considered absent in most years. Where such areas were clustered over several hundreds of kilometers, they collectively constituted areas of general wolf absence that could be considered gaps in distribution. There was no evidence that this population functioned in a mosaic of closely, interlocking pack territories similar to those reported in lower latitudes. The observed distributional pattern likely reflected the exceptionally impoverished and fragmented polar desert and semi-desert habitat that compelled wolves to adopt differing spatial distribution patterns relative to wolves in temperate areas. The broader scientific significance of this study is that, even in the most remote, vast, and uninhabited regions, it is possible to produce meaningful results on distributional patterns of rare, terrestrial carnivores that can serve as foundation for the next generation of testable hypotheses.