Papers by Alejandra Maldonado
For two decades, in periodontology, the effects of periodontal disease on pregnancy, low birth we... more For two decades, in periodontology, the effects of periodontal disease on pregnancy, low birth weight or premature birth have been investigated. Even hypertensive diseases during pregnancy have an influence on pregnancy possibly leading to the death of the untreated mother. Due to the stable increase in birth rates,in addition to women’s employment and careers, this topic has become more relevant in dentistry than ever before. Rates of prematurity and reduced birth weight are both increasing worldwide and are the main cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The need for action regarding the prevention, education and health care of pregnant women is given worldwide. This article first gives an overview of the topic and further discusses the necessary interdisciplinary gynecological and dental therapy. In the daily practice, dentists will be able to make a small but not insignificant contribution to improving the situation of affected women and their children.
Oral Biofilms, 2020
The pH value of a biofilm influences the pathogenesis and therapy of oral diseases such as caries... more The pH value of a biofilm influences the pathogenesis and therapy of oral diseases such as caries and periodontitis. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different initial pH values on the microbial composition, bacterial counts, metabolic activity, and quantity of three defined biofilms representing oral health, caries, and periodontal disease. Respective bacterial suspensions in the nutrient broth were initially adjusted to pH values between 5 and 8. Then biofilms were cultured on polystyrene surfaces coated with a proteinaceous solution for 2 h ("healthy" biofilm), 6 h ("healthy," and "cariogenic" biofilms), 24 h ("cariogenic," and "periodontitis" biofilms), and 48 h ("periodontitis" biofilm). In all biofilms, total bacterial counts were lower at an initial pH of 5 or 5.5 than at higher pH values. In the biofilm representing caries, the percentage of cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans, S. sobrinus, Lactobacillus acidophilus) was higher at a low pH, the metabolic activity was highest at pH 6-6.5, and biofilm mass was greatest at pH 7-7.5. In the biofilm representing periodontitis, the percentage of Porphyromonas gingivalis increased with the pH. Also, the metabolic activity was highest at pH 8, whereas mass had the highest value at pH 7. In conclusion, the initial pH value influences biofilm formation. In particular, metabolic activity and the amount of bacteria associated with disease correlated with the respective pH known to be of importance in the development of caries (relatively low pH) and periodontitis (higher pH). Modifying the pH level in oral biofilms might be an alternative concept in (primary) prevention and treatment, not only of caries but also of periodontitis.
International Journal of Drug Policy, 2021
Background: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) combined with an en bloc extended right hemicolectomy is... more Background: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) combined with an en bloc extended right hemicolectomy is required to achieve complete oncological resection of various malignancies. Information regarding the indications and outcomes of this procedure is limited. Study design: Patients requiring PD combined with extended right hemicolectomy for primary tumours from 2002 to 2008 were identified. Results: PD combined with an en bloc extended right hemicolectomy was required in 14 patients, constituting 8% of pancreaticoduodenal resections. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (8), retroperitoneal sarcoma (2) and colon cancer (2) were the main primary tumours resected. The indication for an extended right hemicolectomy was extensive tumour involvement of the transverse mesentery in seven patients. Clear tumour margins were achieved in 11 individuals. The median operating time was 10 h with intra-operative transfusions required in three patients. One or more complications were noted in eight, with delayed gastric emptying and pancreatic fistula the most common. The median length of hospital stay was 8 days. The overall 2-year survival in this series was 37%, with a median survival of 20 months in pancreatic cancer patients. Conclusions: This series suggests that PD combined with an en bloc extended right hemicolectomy is feasible and can achieve complete tumour clearance with acceptable morbidity.
Archives of Oral Biology, 2020
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2019
Clinical oral investigations, Jan 22, 2018
Considering the increasing number of elderly people, dementia has gained an important role in tod... more Considering the increasing number of elderly people, dementia has gained an important role in today's society. Although the contributing factors for dementia have not been fully understood, chronic periodontitis (CP) seems to have a possible link to dementia. To conduct a systematic review including meta-analysis in order to assess potential differences in clinical periodontal variables between patients with dementia and non-demented individuals. The following focused question was evaluated: is periodontitis associated with dementia? Electronic searches in two databases, MEDLINE and EMBASE, were conducted. Meta-analysis was performed with the collected data in order to find a statistically significant difference in clinical periodontal variables between the group of dementia and the cognitive normal controls. Forty-two articles remained for full text reading. Finally, seven articles met the inclusion criteria and only five studies provided data suitable for meta-analysis. Period...
Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, Jan 11, 2018
Recent studies suggest a link between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Verificatio... more Recent studies suggest a link between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Verification of the presence of periodontal pathogens and the intrathecal generation of pathogen-specific antibodies in 20 patients with AD and 20 with other forms of dementia (DEM-noAD). Clinical periodontal indices were recorded. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analyzed for total tau protein (T-tau) and amyloid-β (Aβ1 - 42). In serum and CSF, antibody levels against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Treponema species were quantified. The presence of selected bacteria and inflammatory biomarkers were determined in periodontium, serum, and CSF. In line with diagnoses, CSF-levels of Aβ1 - 42 were significantly lower in AD than DEM-noAD patients. Periodontal destruction and inflammation were omnipresent with no difference between groups. P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, and Treponema species were detected in more than 50% of subgingival biofilm samples, but neither in ser...
International journal of environmental research and public health, Jan 25, 2017
This article extends environmental risk perception research by exploring how potential health ris... more This article extends environmental risk perception research by exploring how potential health risk from exposure to industrial and vehicular air pollutants, as well as other contextual and socio-demographic factors, influence racial/ethnic differences in air pollution health risk perception. Our study site is the Greater Houston metropolitan area, Texas, USA-a racially/ethnically diverse area facing high levels of exposure to pollutants from both industrial and transportation sources. We integrate primary household-level survey data with estimates of excess cancer risk from ambient exposure to industrial and on-road mobile source emissions of air toxics obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Statistical analysis is based on multivariate generalized estimation equation models which account for geographic clustering of surveyed households. Our results reveal significantly higher risk perceptions for non-Hispanic Black residents and those exposed to greater cancer risk...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2016
Although numerous studies have been conducted on the vulnerability of marginalized groups in the ... more Although numerous studies have been conducted on the vulnerability of marginalized groups in the environmental justice (EJ) and hazards fields, analysts have tended to lump people together in broad racial/ethnic categories without regard for substantial within-group heterogeneity. This paper addresses that limitation by examining whether Hispanic immigrants are disproportionately exposed to risks from flood hazards relative to other racial/ethnic groups (including US-born Hispanics), adjusting for relevant covariates. Survey data were collected for 1283 adult householders in the Houston and Miami Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and flood risk was estimated using their residential presence/absence within federally-designated 100-year flood zones. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) with binary logistic specifications that adjust for county-level clustering were used to analyze (separately) and compare the Houston (N = 546) and Miami (N = 560) MSAs in order to clarify determinants of household exposure to flood risk. GEE results in Houston indicate that Hispanic immigrants have the greatest likelihood, and non-Hispanic Whites the least likelihood, of residing in a 100-year flood zone. Miami GEE results contrastingly reveal that non-Hispanic Whites have a significantly greater likelihood of residing in a flood zone when compared to Hispanic immigrants. These divergent results suggest that human-flood hazard relationships have been structured differently between the two MSAs, possibly due to the contrasting role that water-based amenities have played in urbanization within the two study areas. Future EJ research and practice should differentiate between Hispanic subgroups based on nativity status and attend to contextual factors influencing environmental risk disparities.
Geographical Review, 2015
Research reveals that disasters are disproportionately debilitating for marginalized social group... more Research reveals that disasters are disproportionately debilitating for marginalized social groups. Numerous studies have examined racial/ethnic dimensions of disaster vulnerability, but few have focused on Hispanic immigrants. More research on Hispanic immigrants is needed, since they constitute a major component of the Hispanic population-the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the U.S.-and because they experience distinctive cultural and immigration status disadvantages. We examine the flood/hurricane vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants in comparison to U.S.-born Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Using mixed methods to analyze data from 429 surveys and 31 interviews with residents living in flood zones, we examine differences in self-protective action, risk perception, and hazard knowledge between the three groups in Houston and Miami. Hispanic immigrants exhibited lower levels of selfprotection and hazard knowledge, and higher perceptions of risk, which reflects their heightened vulnerability. Risk-reduction programs should target the particular vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants, and future studies should examine their vulnerabilities in other contexts.
Physical Review A, 2011
We put the pure-state decomposition mathematical property of a mixed state to a physical test. We... more We put the pure-state decomposition mathematical property of a mixed state to a physical test. We begin by characterizing all the possible decompositions of a rank-two mixed state by means of the complex overlap between two involved states. The physical test proposes a scheme of quantum state recognition of one of the two linearly independent states which arise from the decomposition. We find that the two states associated with the balanced pure-state decomposition have the smaller overlap modulus and therefore the smallest probability of being discriminated conclusively, while in the nonconclusive scheme they have the highest probability of having an error. In addition, we design an experimental scheme which allows to discriminate conclusively and optimally two nonorthogonal states prepared with different a priori probabilities. Thus, we propose a physical implementation for this linearly independent pure-state decomposition and state discrimination test by using twin photons generated in the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion. The information-state is encoded in one photon polarization state whereas the second single-photon is used for heralded detection.
Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 2014
The processes for decreasing probabilistically and increasing deterministically the overlap betwe... more The processes for decreasing probabilistically and increasing deterministically the overlap between two quantum states must be assisted by an auxiliary quantum system. The probabilistic scheme is implemented through a unitary-reduction process, while the deterministic one is accomplished only with a joint unitary transformation. In both schemes a unitary operation is responsible for coupling the two involved systems thus introducing correlation between them. In this work we study the quantum correlations required to achieve the probabilistic scheme with optimal probability, and we characterize the quantum correlation involved in the deterministic procedure. We find a that both schemes can be accomplished with quantum discord and without entanglement. In addition, we propose a physical implementation of the probabilistic scheme with twin photons generated in the process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The states are encoded in the polarization of a single photon and the auxiliary system becomes ...
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Papers by Alejandra Maldonado