Biotène® products have been developed with the intention of preventing tooth decay, plaque accumulation and oral infections in individuals with xerostomia (dry mouth). Not much is known about the effect of Biotène® chewing gums. Biotène® chewing gum contains host proteins. Due to these contents the manufacturer claims that Biotène® chewing gum is an “enzyme gum” that “boosts and strengthens the mouths natural defences”. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Biotène® chewing gum on saliva flow rates, saliva buffering capacity, plaque index, as well as salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli counts, in healthy subjects with hyposalivation. One hundred and nine subjects with an age range of 18 to 23 years were screened for hyposalivation. Hyposalivation is a reduced salivary flow rate in a subject based on examination of the subject. Thirteen healthy subjects, who initially presented with hyposalivation, were included in the study. A baseline laboratory analysis of saliva was performed. Saliva was collected at rest and with masticatory stimulation, and measured. Resting saliva is saliva produced without any stimulation and can be obtained by allowing the subject to passively drool into a sputum jar. Stimulated saliva is produced as a result of stimulation of the salivary glands and may be obtained by allowing subject to chew inert rubber tubing while expectorating into a sputum jar. Buffering capacity was performed on both the saliva samples. Plaque index and DMFT was measured. Bacterial counts such as S. mutans and Lactobacilli counts were performed on the stimulated saliva. Subjects were given rubber tubing, xylitol chewing gum or Biotène® chewing gum to use for 2 weeks. A rubber tubing phase was introduced into the study to eliminate the effect of masticatory stimulation, which any chewing gum can provide. A xylitol-containing chewing gum (xylitol) phase was also introduced into the study in order to eliminate the effect of xylitol, as Biotène® chewing gum contains xylitol. A second laboratory analysis of saliva was performed. After a two weeks wash out period the second test product was given and the same procedure was repeated with the third product. The results showed that two weeks use of Biotène® chewing gum had no significant effect on the resting and stimulated saliva flows. It did not increase the buffering capacity of either the resting or stimulated saliva samples. Although it did not reduce the plaque index and S. mutans counts, it significantly reduced the Lactobacilli counts. Xylitol chewing gum, which was used as a control to eliminate the xylitol effect from the Biotène® chewing gum, significantly increased the stimulated saliva, reduced the plaque index and the salivary Lactobacilli count. Biotène® chewing gum which contains host proteins has no beneficial effects regarding saliva flow rate or against dental plaque and therefore against dental caries.

Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) increases the risk for the development of heart failure with systolic chamber dysfunction. However, the exact mechanisms and hence best therapeutic approach to prevent this transition process is uncertain. One potential mechanism is through excessive β-adrenergic receptor (-AR) activation, but the risks of β-AR blocker therapy may outweigh the benefits. Since activation of -AR augments function of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, I therefore explored whether mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blockade prevents the transition from hypertensive LVH to systolic chamber decompensation produced by excessive β-AR activation, and the mechanisms thereof. The role of hypertensive LVH as a predisposing factor to systolic chamber decompensation post-myocardial infarction (MI) is controversial. In the present thesis I therefore also evaluated this question. The effect of spironolactone (SPIRO, 80 mg.kg-1.day-1), an MR blocker, on LV chamber remodelling and function was evaluated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in whom decompensation was induced by administering a low dose of the -AR agonist, isoproterenol (ISO) for 4.5 months. ISO administration resulted in an increased urinary aldosterone excretion and LV cavity dimensions, a right shift in LV diastolic pressure-volume relations, and a decreased LV relative wall thickness without further enhancing an increased myocardial norepinephrine (NE) release in SHR. ISO reduced LV systolic chamber function (decreased LV endocardial fractional shortening and the slope of the LV systolic pressure- volume relationship) without modifying intrinsic myocardial systolic function (as assessed from LV midwall fractional shortening and the slope of systolic stress-strain relationship). SPIRO abolished ISO-induced chamber dilatation, wall thinning and systolic dysfunction, but failed to modify blood pressure, volume preloads, intrinsic myocardial systolic function, or myocardial NE release. These results suggest that MR activation, through load-independent effects, may be critical in mediating the transition from compensated hypertensive LVH to dilatation and LV systolic chamber dysfunction. In SHR, ISO increased myocardial matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 activity (zymography) after only 4-5 days of administration, a change that was associated with MMP-2, but not TIMP expression. The increased MMP-2 activity persisted until 4.5 months of the study and these changes were prevented by SPIRO. At 4.5 months, ISO resulted in increased non-cross-linked, but not cross-linked myocardial collagen concentrations in SHR, an effect that was abolished by SPIRO. Although at 4.5 months ISO administration was not associated with an increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis (TUNEL), an early (4-5 days) ISO-induced apoptotic effect was noted, which was prevented by SPIRO. Neither ISO nor SPIRO influenced cardiomyocyte length (image analysis and flow cytometry) in SHR. Thus MR blockade may prevent the adverse effects of β-AR activation in hypertensive LVH through alterations in the cardiac interstitium and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Six-to-seven months after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, LV myocardial systolic function as assessed from % shortening of the non-infarcted lateral wall segmental length determined over a range of filling pressures (ultrasonic transducers placed in the lateral wall in anaesthetized, open-chest, ventilated rats) and % thickening of the posterior wall (echocardiography) was reduced in infarcted SHR (SHR-MI) (p<0.05), but not in normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY-MI) animals as compared to corresponding controls (SHR-Sham, WKY-Sham). This change in regional myocardial function in SHR-MI, but not in WKY- MI, occurred despite a similar degree of LV dilatation in SHR-MI and WKY-MI rats and a lack of difference in LV relative wall thinning, LV wall stress, apoptosis (TUNEL) or necrosis (pathological score) between SHR-MI and WKY-MI rats. Although the change in regional myocardial function in the SHR-MI group was not associated with a greater reduction in resting global LV chamber systolic function (endocardial fractional shortening-FSend and end-systolic elastance [LV Ees] determined in the absence of an adrenergic stimulus), in the presence of an ISO challenge a reduction in LV Ees in SHR-MI compared to WKY-MI and SHR and WKY-Sham rats was noted (p<0.04). These data suggest that with chronic MI, the hypertensive heart is susceptible to development of viable tissue myocardial dysfunction, a change which cannot be attributed to excessive chamber dilatation, apoptosis or necrosis, but which in-turn, contributes toward a reduced cardiac adrenergic-inotropic reserve. The present thesis therefore suggests that MR blockade may prevent the transition from hypertensive LVH to systolic chamber decompensation, and that pre-existing hypertensive LVH increases the susceptibility to a depressed LV regional myocardial systolic function in the non-infarcted LV myocardium subsequent to MI, an effect that translates into a reduced inotropic reserve.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health: Occupational Hygiene, Johannesburg, 2012 / The aim of the study was to determine if the gold mine under study achieved the 2008 elimination of silicosis occupational hygiene milestones as set out by the South African mining industry in 2003. To identify high risk quartz exposed occupations within the conventional stope and TM³ stope employees of an underground gold mine between July 2008 and June 2010; to describe the personal quartz exposure of conventional stope and TM³ stope employees in an underground gold mine between July 2008 and June 2010; and to compare the time weighted average (TWA) quartz exposures between the conventional stope and TM³ stope to the Department of Mineral Resources-Occupational Exposure Limit (DMR-OEL) of 0.1 mg/m3, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health-Recommended Exposure Limit (NIOSH-REL) of 0.05 mg/m3 and the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists-Threshold Limit Value (ACGIHTLV) of 0.025 mg/m3.

No description available.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:34:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-12-13Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:25:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 carvalho_rm_dr_guara.pdf: 1208441 bytes, checksum: 69fc0ac65e3dfb4d4f16253de7366fad (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A análise espacial é um recurso fundamental para o estudo de doenças em grupos populacionais e a dengue é relevante causa de morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar padrões na distribuição espacial dos casos de dengue ocorridos no município de Cruzeiro/SP, nos anos de 2006 e 2011 para subsidiar os gestores de saúde no planejamento de intervenções e implementação de políticas públicas. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico e exploratório que utilizou as ferramentas de análise espacial na elaboração de mapas temáticos, com dados obtidos do SinanNet. Foi feita uma análise por área, tomando-se como unidade o setor censitário do IBGE; considerando os meses de março, abril, maio e junho dos respectivos anos. Os mapas temáticos foram construídos pelo programa computacional TerraView 3.3.1; foram estimados os valores dos índices de Moran Global (IM) e Local, mês a mês, bem como o estimador de Kernel. Os resultados encontrados para o ano de 2006 mostram 691 casos confirmados de dengue (864,2 casos por 100.000 habitantes). Os primeiros casos foram identificados nas regiões central e leste e os últimos casos, nas regiões central, norte, nordeste e sul. No primeiro semestre do ano de 2011 foram registrados 709 casos autóctones, (886,8 casos/100.000 habitantes). Os primeiros casos ocorreram também no mês de março, na região norte, nordeste, central, sul e sudoeste, às margens do Rio Paraíba do Sul, das Estradas de Rodagem Cruzeiro-Passa Quatro e Cruzeiro-Lavrinhas e os últimos aconteceram na região norte. Assim, o geoprocessamento permitiu identificar setores censitários onde a epidemia teve início e como evoluiu têmporo-espacialmente no município, sendo de grande utilidade para o planejamento das ações de prevenção e controle da doença em qualquer município / The spatial analysis is a key resource for the study of diseases in populations and dengue is relevant cause of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to identify patterns in spatial distribution of cases of dengue fever occurred in the municipality of Cruzeiro/SP, in the years 2006 to 2011 and subsidize health managers in planning and implementation of public policies. This is an exploratory and ecological study which spatial analysis tools used in the preparation of thematic maps with data obtained from SinanNet. An analysis was made by area, taking as the unit the census of the IBGE; whereas the months of March, April, May and June of their respective years. The thematic maps were constructed by computational program TerraView 3.3.1; estimated values of indexes of Moran Global (IM) and Location by month, as well as the Kernel estimator. The results found for the year 2006 show 691 cases confirmed dengue (864.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The first cases were identified in Central and Eastern and the latter cases, Central, North, Northeast and South. In the first half of the year of 2011 autochthonous cases were registered, 709 (886.79 cases/100,000 inhabitants). The first cases occurred in the month of March, in the North, Northeast, Central, South and Southwest, on the banks of the River Paraíba do Sul, highway Cruzeiro-Passa Quatro and Cruzeiro-Lavrinhas and the last took place in the northern region. Thus the geoprocessing Census sectors identified where the epidemic began and how it evolved derangement spatially in the municipality being of great benefit to the planning of the actions of prevention and control of disease in any municipality

Orientador: Luiz Fernando Costa Nascimento / Banca: João Andrade de Carvalho Junior / Banca: Eduardo Celso Gerbi Camargo / Banca: Gisela Rita de Alvarenga M. Marques / Banca: Maria Stella Amorim da Costa Zollner / Resumo: A análise espacial é um recurso fundamental para o estudo de doenças em grupos populacionais e a dengue é relevante causa de morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar padrões na distribuição espacial dos casos de dengue ocorridos no município de Cruzeiro/SP, nos anos de 2006 e 2011 para subsidiar os gestores de saúde no planejamento de intervenções e implementação de políticas públicas. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico e exploratório que utilizou as ferramentas de análise espacial na elaboração de mapas temáticos, com dados obtidos do SinanNet. Foi feita uma análise por área, tomando-se como unidade o setor censitário do IBGE; considerando os meses de março, abril, maio e junho dos respectivos anos. Os mapas temáticos foram construídos pelo programa computacional TerraView 3.3.1; foram estimados os valores dos índices de Moran Global (IM) e Local, mês a mês, bem como o estimador de Kernel. Os resultados encontrados para o ano de 2006 mostram 691 casos confirmados de dengue (864,2 casos por 100.000 habitantes). Os primeiros casos foram identificados nas regiões central e leste e os últimos casos, nas regiões central, norte, nordeste e sul. No primeiro semestre do ano de 2011 foram registrados 709 casos autóctones, (886,8 casos/100.000 habitantes). Os primeiros casos ocorreram também no mês de março, na região norte, nordeste, central, sul e sudoeste, às margens do Rio Paraíba do Sul, das Estradas de Rodagem Cruzeiro-Passa Quatro e Cruzeiro-Lavrinhas e os últimos aconteceram na região norte. Assim, o geoprocessamento permitiu identificar setores censitários onde a epidemia teve início e como evoluiu têmporo-espacialmente no município, sendo de grande utilidade para o planejamento das ações de prevenção e controle da doença em qualquer município / Abstract: The spatial analysis is a key resource for the study of diseases in populations and dengue is relevant cause of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to identify patterns in spatial distribution of cases of dengue fever occurred in the municipality of Cruzeiro/SP, in the years 2006 to 2011 and subsidize health managers in planning and implementation of public policies. This is an exploratory and ecological study which spatial analysis tools used in the preparation of thematic maps with data obtained from SinanNet. An analysis was made by area, taking as the unit the census of the IBGE; whereas the months of March, April, May and June of their respective years. The thematic maps were constructed by computational program TerraView 3.3.1; estimated values of indexes of Moran Global (IM) and Location by month, as well as the Kernel estimator. The results found for the year 2006 show 691 cases confirmed dengue (864.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The first cases were identified in Central and Eastern and the latter cases, Central, North, Northeast and South. In the first half of the year of 2011 autochthonous cases were registered, 709 (886.79 cases/100,000 inhabitants). The first cases occurred in the month of March, in the North, Northeast, Central, South and Southwest, on the banks of the River Paraíba do Sul, highway Cruzeiro-Passa Quatro and Cruzeiro-Lavrinhas and the last took place in the northern region. Thus the geoprocessing Census sectors identified where the epidemic began and how it evolved derangement spatially in the municipality being of great benefit to the planning of the actions of prevention and control of disease in any municipality / Doutor

No description available.

Wong, Ying Suet. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-131). / In English with some Chinese and Japanese; abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.3 / Literature Review --- p.7 / Structure --- p.10 / Notes on Sources --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Venereal Disease Policies in the Metropole and Their Colonies --- p.15 / The Case of Britain --- p.16 / VD Policy in the Metropole: The case of Britain --- p.16 / VD Policy in the Colonies: The Case of Colonies under Britain --- p.23 / The Case of Japan with Reference of Britain as the Pioneer Policy Maker --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Venereal Disease control in the Metropole --- p.31 / Legislation --- p.32 / Institutions --- p.44 / Education and Social Discussion --- p.49 / Resistance --- p.55 / VD control in the Japanese Military Force --- p.60 / Summary --- p.67 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Venereal Disease Control in Colonial Taiwan --- p.70 / Legislation --- p.72 / Licensed prostitution system --- p.72 / The VD Prevention Law --- p.79 / Education and Social Discussion --- p.84 / Before the VD Prevention Law in Japan in 1927 --- p.84 / Education and Public Discussion of VD after the promulgation of the VD Prevention Law in 1927 --- p.90 / The Changing Discourse of VD --- p.95 / Summary --- p.100 / Chapter Chapter Five: --- "Sex, Gender, Class, Race and Colonialism" --- p.101 / Taiwanese Women´ةs image: Scapegoating --- p.101 / Medical Development: State Medicine and Local Elites --- p.106 / VD Control in the Military in Taiwan --- p.109 / Summary --- p.111 / Chapter Chapter Six: --- Conclusion --- p.114 / Bibliography --- p.120

This dissertation discusses anti-HIV-1 microbicide research. In particular, it concentrates on microbicide formulation and delivery. Microbicides are anti-HIV-1 agents that when applied in the human vagina or rectum may prevent sexual HIV-1 transmission. Although most of the anti-HIV-1 agents being developed as microbicides are active in vitro, they have proved to be ineffective in vivo. A review of microbicide development over the last decade expounds the view that unsatisfactory microbicide failures may be a result of inefficient delivery systems employed. Thus, necessitating a thorough scientific qualitative and quantitative investigation of important aspects involved in HIV-1 transmission as a prerequisite for microbicide development. In this dissertation it is postulated that intravaginal targeting of HIV-1 increases the chances of microbicide success, wherein vaginal micro-environmental factors including pH would be maintained at HIV-1 prohibitive acidic levels to ward off other sexually transmitted diseases which compromise vaginal epithelial barrier properties. Furthermore, targeting early stages of the HIV-1 infection accompanied by computation and delivery of appropriate microbicide quantities could result in an effective microbicide formulation. In an effort to address microbicide formulation challenges, an intravaginal delivery system able to deliver anti-HIV-1 agents (zidovudine and BP36) over 28 days was formulated. This delivery system is a caplet-shaped composite system comprising zidovudine (AZT) and BP36-loaded pectin-mucin-polyethylene glycol submicrospheres embedded within a poly(D,L-lactide), magnesium stearate, polyvinyl acetate/polyvinylpyrolidone (Kollidon® SR) and poly(acrylic acid) based polymeric caplet matrix. The delivery system was tested in vitro and in vivo in the pig model. X-ray imaging illustrated the delivery system swelling and its matrix contrast fading over time as vaginal fluid permeated the matrix’s core. Plasma, vaginal fluid and tissue drug was detected and quantified using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem photodiode array detector. AZT plasma and vaginal fluid concentrations measured on days; 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 decreased gradually with time. Vaginal tissue AZT concentrations (after 28 days) were higher than plasma AZT concentrations and were in the same range as vaginal fluid AZT concentrations. The herbal extract, BP36, was detected in plasma, vaginal fluid and tissue but was only qualitatively analysed due to its lack of standardization. Histopathological analysis of excised vaginal tissue revealed different scores of abnormalities comprising mild to moderate epithelial proliferation and exocytosis, subepithelial leukocyte influx, perivascular cell cuffing and isolated epithelial erosion, stromal fibrosis and isolated tissue necrosis.

Gao, Ni. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-153). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.1 / LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES --- p.4 / List of Figures --- p.4 / List of Tables --- p.5 / ABSTRACT --- p.6 / 中文摘要 --- p.9 / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.11 / Chapter CHAPTER 1 - --- BACKGROUND REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS --- p.13 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview of Peritoneal dialysis --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2 --- Peritoneal dialysis in Hong Kong --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3 --- Cardiovasular Disease in PD patients --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Arterial disease --- p.21 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Left ventricular hypertrophy --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4 --- Malnutrition in PD patients --- p.26 / Chapter 1.5 --- Fluid overload in PD patients: a cause and a result of CVD --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Overview --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Fluid overload and residual renal function --- p.29 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Fluid overload and hypertension --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Fluid overload and malnutrition --- p.32 / Chapter 1.5.5 --- Assessment of fluid status in PD patient --- p.33 / Chapter 1.6 --- Peritoneal transport as the cause of fluid overload --- p.36 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Structure of peritoneum --- p.36 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Structural alteration of peritoneal membrane in PD --- p.37 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Ultrafiltration dysfunction --- p.38 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Peritoneal transport and outcome of PD patients --- p.40 / Chapter 1.6.5 --- Fluid overload and peritoneal transport --- p.41 / Chapter 1.6.6 --- Peritoneal transport and malnutrition --- p.42 / Chapter 1.6.7 --- Assessment of peritoneal transport --- p.44 / Chapter 1.7 --- Closing the circle: Arterial stiffness as a cause of high peritoneal transport? --- p.47 / Chapter 1.7.1 --- Vascular function and anatomy --- p.47 / Chapter 1.7.2 --- Atherosclerosis --- p.49 / Chapter 1.7.3 --- Atherosclerosis and Endothelial Dysfunction --- p.50 / Chapter 1.7.4 --- Atherosclerosis and Extracellular Matrix --- p.53 / Chapter 1.7.5 --- Arterial stiffness and renal function --- p.54 / Chapter 1.7.6 --- Arterial stiffness in PD --- p.55 / Chapter 1.7.7 --- Arterial stiffness and clinical outcome --- p.55 / Chapter 1.7.8 --- Assessment of arterial stiffness --- p.57 / Chapter 1.8 --- An overall construct --- p.61 / Chapter 1.9 --- Hypothesis --- p.63 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 - --- GENERAL METHODOLOGY --- p.65 / Chapter 2.1 --- Radiographic Parameters of Intravascular Volume Status --- p.65 / Chapter 2.2 --- Pulse Wave Velocity Study --- p.69 / Chapter 2.3 --- Dialysis adequacy study --- p.72 / Chapter 2.4 --- Peritoneal equilibration test (PET) --- p.73 / Chapter 2.5 --- Assessment of nutritional status --- p.75 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 - --- Radiographic Parameters of Intravascular Volume Status as a Prognostic Marker in Chinese Peritoneal Dialysis Patients --- p.77 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.77 / Chapter 3.2 --- Patients and Methods --- p.78 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.81 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.90 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 - --- Longitudinal Changes of Radiographic Parameters as the Prognostic Marker of Chinese Peritoneal Dialysis Patients --- p.91 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.95 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusions --- p.104 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 - --- "The Relation between Arterial Pulse Wave Velocity, Peritoneal Transport Characteristics, and Radiological Parameters of Intravascular Volume Status in Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients" --- p.105 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.105 / Chapter 5.2 --- Patients and Methods --- p.106 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.110 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusions --- p.119 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 - --- DISCUSSION --- p.120 / Chapter 6.1 --- Methodology --- p.120 / Chapter 6.2 --- Results --- p.123 / Chapter 6.3 --- Further Directions of Research --- p.131 / Chapter 6.4 --- Conclusions --- p.132 / REFERENCE --- p.133 / PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO THIS WORK --- p.154 / Index Publication --- p.154 / Abstract --- p.154