Oral health of the elderly living in residential homes in Slovenia

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00497.x
Oral health of the elderly living in residential homes in Slovenia Objectives:  To evaluate oral health status of the elderly, living in eight randomly selected residential homes for senior citizens across the country. Background: The percentage of the elderly is growing worldwide. With ageing, risks of various oral diseases, including dental caries and periodontal disease, are growing. Methods: Altogether 296 elderly people (88 men, 208 women) of average age 79.89 ± 7.4 years were questioned about their medical condition and oral health practice and examined orally. Evaluation of clinical examination was carried out by DMFT, plaque index ( 10 ) and Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN). Results: Of 296 participants, 106 (35.8%) were edentulous, 95 (32.1%) had one to nine teeth and 95 persons (32.1%) had 10 or more teeth. The average number of teeth in an individual was small: 6.76 ± 7.47. The average number of teeth with caries lesions was 3.59 ± 4.70, filled teeth 1.94 ± 3.63 and teeth without caries or fillings 1.19 ± 2.41. The average DMFT value was 30.75. In 69.5% of participants, dental plaque was visible with the naked eye. Of 171 subjects, in whom CPITN index was appraised, 81.9% would need oral hygiene education, 56.7% would need scaling and root planning and 21.6% would need periodontal surgical treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate poor oral health of the elderly living in residential homes situated in different towns in Slovenia. It is of utmost importance to highlight the necessity of improving oral health care of this population.     

The determinants of Canadian children's personal exposures to magnetic fields

Study of the health effects of magnetic fields often depends on identifying determinants and hence indicators of personal exposure. This study identified determinants of children's exposure to magnetic fields and constructed a prediction model for them. For 632 children participating in a case-control study of childhood leukemia, we made direct measures of exposure over 48 h using a portable device, together with observations on candidate determinants. A child's age and sex, the proportion of time spent in the home, and their parents' education or income were very weak predictors of (logged) mean 48 h magnetic field (R(2) < 1%). More important were province (R(2) = 8.0%) and type of residence (R(2) = 11.3%). Low temperatures at the time of measurement were associated with high fields (about 20% increase for each 10 degrees C below 14, R(2) = 4.9%). Several visible attributes of wiring around residences predicted exposure, mostly captured in the Wertheimer-Leeper wire code (R(2) = 13.5%). Stationary 24 h measurement in the bedroom (R(2) = 63.3%) and spot measurements outside the house (R(2) = 40.7%) predicted personal exposures best. Adding other minor predictors increased only slightly variance explained by 24 h stationary (R(2) = 66.2%) and spot (R(2) = 46.8%) measurements. Without spot or stationary measurements, the best model was much less powerful (R(2) = 29.0%). We conclude that spot measurements outside the residence provide a moderately effective basis for estimating exposure for children living there, but do not perform as well as 24 h stationary measurements in the child's bedroom. Although several other easily-observed variables were associated with personal exposure, they were weak determinants, either individually or in combination.     

Infection status of intestinal parasites in children living in residential institutions in Metro Manila, the Philippines

A small scale survey was performed to know the infection status of intestinal parasite in children of the residential institutions and street communities in Metro Manila, Philippines. A total of 284 stool samples from 11 institutions and 3 street communities was examined by the formalin-ether concentration method. The scotch tape anal swab was adapted to 121 children to investigate the infection status of Enterovius vermicularis. It was found out that 62.0% of the children examined were positive for one or more intestinal parasites. Multiple infections were observed in 34.2% of the children. Among 172 children who gave detail information, the prevalence for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm was 36.0%, 44.8%, and 7.0% respectively. Of the children examined, 47.7% were found to be harboring parasitic protozoans such as Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Blastocystis hominis. The most prevalent of these protozoans was B. hominis with an infection rate of 40.7%. The prevalence of these infections among children living in institutions was relatively high. More efforts should be made to implement anthelminthic programs including bi-annual follow-up treatments.     

基于热红外影像数据的典型居住区常见地表类型热特征分析

城市热岛伴随城市建设产生,并随城市扩展而增强,已成为影响城市居民生活质量的重要因素。估算城市表面显热释放量对城市热环境研究具有现实意义。选取北京市典型居住小区,通过热红外成像仪记录了6种常见下垫面夏季一天中温度变化情况,并反演其显热释放量。结果显示白天人工地表表面温度显著高于气温,人造草坪、沥青和混凝土路面与气温最大温差分别为18、15、11℃。自然地表由于蒸散发作用,其表面温度与气温接近,仅草地与气温温差稍大,最大温差为4℃。不同地表类型表面温度在夜间均低于气温,只有沥青路面全天高于气温。高表面温度形成强烈的显热释放,人造草坪和沥青路面一天内显热释放量最高,达2256 W/m~2和1913 W/m~2。太阳辐射是人工地表迅速升温的主要原因,限制人工地表受太阳直射时间将对于降低显热排放及提高热舒适程度将具有显著效果。乔木和水体显热通量最低,只有16 W/m~2和7 W/m~2,增加乔木和水体面积对于缓解热岛强度具有很大优势。     

楼宇蠹虫的发生与防治技术

危害楼宇木地板、家具、木装饰及玻璃胶等的蠹虫均为长蠹科 Bostrychidae的双钩异翅长蠹H eterobostrychus aequalis、双棘长蠹 Sinoxylon anale、黑双棘长囊 S.conigerum、双窝短跗长蠹 Dinoderusbifoveolatus、竹长蠹 D.minutus及粉蠹科 (L yctidae)的鳞毛粉蠹 Minthea rugicollis等。害虫防治 ,采用磷化铝 10 g/m3 ,熏蒸 7天 ;或硫酰氟 50～ 6 0 g/m3 ,熏蒸 2 4小时。玻璃胶内除虫 ,选择中午 1～ 2时用 5# 昆虫针从虫孔斜插入将虫刺死 ;少量家具可用注射器从虫孔注入敌敌畏 10 0倍稀释液 1～ 3m L,并用棉花紧塞洞口 ,或用淋灌热水法将虫消灭。     

上海居住区植物多样性的均质化

居住区植被是我国城市植被的重要组成体,其多样性的分布格局将影响城市植被的多样性.通过对上海市中心、市郊和郊县居住区的植被调查,比较了城乡梯度上居住区绿化观赏植物、杂草和自生逃逸植物的多样性和物种组成.结果表明：城乡梯度上,绿化观赏植物和杂草的丰富度不存在显著差异,而市郊自生逃逸植物的丰富度最高;不同城乡梯度居住区中,绿化观赏植物、杂草和自生逃逸植物的物种组成相似,其中40％～50％的物种为共有种.上海城镇居住区植物均质化的主要原因是几近雷同的居住区建造风格和绿化形式,制约了绿化植物的使用和异质生境的营造.     

Wire codes,magnetic fields,and childhood cancer

Childhood cancer has been modestly associated with wire codes, an exposure surrogate for power frequency magnetic fields, but less consistently with measured fields. We analyzed data on the population distribution of wire codes and their relationship with several measured magnetic field metrics. In a given geographic area, there is a marked trend for decreased prevalence from low to high wire code categories, but there are differences between areas. For average measured fields, there is a positive relationship between the mean of the distributions and wire codes but a large overlap among the categories. Better discrimination is obtained for the extremes of the measurement values when comparing the highest and the lowest wire code categories. Instability of measurements, intermittent fields, or other exposure conditions do not appear to provide a viable explanation for the difference between wire codes and magnetic fields with respect to the strength and consistency of their respective association with childhood cancer. Bioelectromagnetics 18:99–110, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Using BEES to select cost-effective green products

The BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) software brings to your fingertips a powerful technique for balancing the environmental and economic performance of building products. The tool is based on consensus standards and designed to be practical, flexible, and transparent. Version 2.0 of the Windows™-based decision support software, aimed at designers, builders, and product manufacturers, includes actual environmental and economic performance data for 65 building products. The purpose is to support purchasing decisions by providing key science-based information often lacking in ‘green’ product selection. The intended result is a cost-effective reduction in building-related contributions to environmental problems. Contribution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and not subject to copyright in the United States. NIST does not endorse any particular brand, product, or service.     

城市住宅建筑系统流量-存量动态模拟——以北京市为例

地面建筑物的累积与更新是城市化过程的结果与显性特征之一。城市建筑系统在不同层面上与外部环境系统进行着物质能量交换,对这种交互产生的资源压力与环境胁迫的关注,使其成为城市代谢研究领域中的热点问题。系统分析与模拟城市建筑物流量-存量的动态变化过程及其资源环境响应,对于揭示城市建筑系统代谢机理,提高城市总体规划精准性、强化资源系统韧性管理、提升废弃物处置效率等宏观战略具有重要意义。以北京市为例,基于Stella建模平台,构建了城市居民住宅建筑系统流量-存量的动态模拟模型,定量模拟了不同管理情景下钢材需求量与建筑拆除垃圾产生量的变化区间。结果表明:(1)基准情景下,北京住宅建筑新建流量前期增速较快,2005年达到峰值3024.1万m~2,而拆除流量约于2057年达到峰值,拆除面积为2073.14万m~2;城市住宅建筑存量最高值出现在2075年左右,面积为7.51亿m~2;(2)与基准情景相比,如果人均住宅建筑面积提高到45 m~2,从现在到模拟期结束(2019—2100)将增加钢铁需求量3251.65万t;而如果延长住宅建筑寿命至设计值,同期可减少钢铁需求量3022.9万t;(3)基准情景、大面积情景以及长寿命情景下,北京市城镇住宅建筑拆除垃圾峰值产生量分别为0.29亿t、0.39亿t、0.20亿t,政府管理部门应采取有针对性的应对措施,提前做出综合利用和处理处置方案。