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Background: Premature loss of primary teeth (PLPT) can be a rare presentation of systemic medical conditions. Premature loss of primary teeth may present a diagnostic dilemma to paediatric dentists. Aims: To identify systemic conditions associated with PLPT and develop a clinical aid. Design: OVID Medline, Embase and Web of Science were searched up to March 2023. Citation searching of review publications occurred. Exclusion occurred for conference abstracts, absence of PLPT and absence of English‐language full text. Results: Seven hundred and ninety‐one publications were identified via databases and 476 by citation searching of review articles. Removal of 390 duplicates occurred. Following the exclusion of 466 records on abstract review, 411 publications were sought for retrieval, of which 142 met inclusion criteria. Thirty‐one systemic conditions were identified. For 19 conditions, only one publication was identified. The majority of publications, 91% (n = 129), were case reports or series. Most publications, 44% (n = 62), were related to hypophosphatasia, and 25% (n = 35) were related to Papillon–Lefèvre. Diagnostic features were synthesised, and a clinical aid was produced by an iterative consensus approach. Conclusions: A diverse range of systemic diseases are associated with PLPT. Evidence quality, however, is low, with most diseases having a low number of supporting cases. This clinical aid supports paediatric dentists in differential diagnosis and onward referral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anadromous Striped Bass Morone saxatilis are dominant predators in estuaries and coastal areas along the U.S. Atlantic coast, with the potential to exert top‐down control on prey populations. Although Striped Bass diets have been studied previously, spatiotemporal patterns of diet across ontogeny remain poorly understood, especially for young fish in shallow nursery habitats. Methods: We collected and examined gut contents from adult, juvenile, and young‐of‐year (age‐0) Striped Bass from nine rivers across the Maryland and Virginia portions of Chesapeake Bay during summer and fall 2018. We compared the use of traditional morphological inspection and new amplicon‐based next‐generation sequencing methods for identifying gut contents. Result: Striped Bass in shallow tributary habitats of Chesapeake Bay had diverse diets that varied strongly with ontogeny and salinity zone. In particular, the diet of age‐0 Striped Bass varied greatly from those of juveniles and adults when age‐0 fish foraged in freshwater habitats. Although our results on prey consumed aligned with previous surveys, we identified additional taxa as important prey for these young fish, including dipteran insects, Banded Killifish Fundulus diaphanus, Inland Silverside Menidia beryllina, bay barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus, and grass shrimp Palaemon spp. Comparison of methodologies indicated that 40% of prey by weight could not be identified with morphological analysis, while 76% of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequences could be assigned binomial names, allowing for high‐resolution taxonomic comparisons. Conclusion: This study adds to the growing body of evidence that amplicon‐based next‐generation sequencing methods are far superior to traditional morphological analyses of gut contents for fine‐scale taxonomic resolution of prey. Impact statementGenetic methods provided increased resolution of species eaten by Striped Bass as these fish age and move through different salinities in the Chesapeake Bay, while adding important prey species to the current list for Striped Bass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that Environmental History and History of Medicine are disciplines that are natural allies and productive partners; successfully working across the sub-disciplines will be essential to understanding current and future crises, including climate change and pandemics. While it is relatively easy to find acknowledged intersections between histories of science and/or technology and of the environment, so far these are less systematic and substantial in the history of medicine. Partly this is because there are points of serious methodological and theoretical tension, but I argue that these can function as moments of contact and provocation. Most obviously Environmental History poses challenges to historians of medicine in terms of the scale of our work in both its chronological and conceptual reach, and how we incorporate the non-human, and even the non-biotic as historical actors. History of Medicine offers approaches to help environmental historians negotiate their relationships with science, in particular the balance between science as a subject of study or as a source of data. Both disciplines share the struggle of combining focused, heavily contextualised local histories with the pressing need for globalised and 'big picture' historical explanations. In this review I will outline the main historiographical challenges to working across these subdisciplines--particularly in terms of scale and focus--and then consider the most productive intersections of these fields before making recommendations for future collaborative work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We used passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and automatic detection of spawning splashes to examine the timing and environmental drivers of spawning in river herring (Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis). Methods: Acoustic recordings of spawning splashes were collected from March to May 2021 in the Choptank River, Maryland, using an AudioMoth recorder. Recordings were analyzed using a random forest model on the Rainforest Connection ARBIMON platform to determine hourly presence–absence of splashes. Result: At a seasonal scale, our results suggested two peaks in spawning activity: early March and mid‐April, corresponding with the known phenologies of Alewife and Blueback Herring. Hourly patterns in spawning activity suggested distinct diel cycles, with spawning most concentrated at dawn. In contrast, sonar fish counts collected for 1 week during the season indicated that migration occurred throughout daylight hours. We also found a potential relationship between spawning activity and the presence of great blue herons Ardea herodias. Conclusion: Overall, our results demonstrate that PAM can be an efficient and affordable method for studying the spawning ecology of anadromous fish. Impact statementMonitoring fish migrations in rivers can be costly and time consuming. We present a method that automatically detects the splashing sounds some fish make when they spawn. Using this efficient method, we examine the timing and environmental drivers (e.g., temperature, tides, predators) of spawning in river herring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The Jail is Everywhere: Fighting the New Geography of Mass Incarceration" is an edited volume that explores the expansion of county jails in the United States and the associated place-specific horrors and resistance efforts. The book challenges the notion that mass incarceration is solely an urban problem, highlighting the growth of rural jails. It shares success stories of organizing against jail development and offers lessons learned and calls to action. While the specific factors contributing to the expansion of county jails are unique to the American context, the book also draws parallels to Canadian issues, such as the strategic recasting of jails as solutions to social problems. The volume provides a valuable perspective for Canadian organizers and researchers working on prison justice issues. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Dental attendances to paediatric emergency departments (PEDs) represent suboptimal use of resources of an unknown scale. Aim: To evaluate dental attendances at two PEDs in the UK and compare traumatic dental injury (TDI) and non‐traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs). Design: Retrospective data were collected for a 12‐month period including demographics, attendance pattern, assessment, and management. Maxillofacial conditions were excluded, and attendances were grouped as TDI and NTDC. Results: Of 667 attendances, 35.1% (n = 234) were TDI and 64.9% (n = 433) NTDC. Nineteen children reattended. Proportionately, more TDI attenders were male, White British, of lower mean age, and resided in less deprived areas than NTDCs. Over half (52.3%, n = 339) of attendees resided in the 10% most deprived UK areas. Saturday and Monday were modal attendance days; attendance peaked in summer. Over half (56.4%, n = 376) attended out of hours. A majority (74.8%, n = 499) self‐referred and half accessed no other service prior to PED attendance. No PED dental input was received for 38.7% (n = 258), and dental treatment was received for 12.4% (n = 83). Antibiotics were provided for 42.1% (n = 281), and 15.4% (n = 103) were admitted. Conclusion: Dental abscesses and toothache accounted for half of attendances, many of these children may be managed in primary care. Improved signposting to alternative dental services for non‐urgent conditions may better allocate resources to those with urgent need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a retrospective six-month study on the scale and impact of joint procedures in a dental service. Topics covered include the methods and standards used, and the results which show that joint procedures occupied on average nearly 4 hours of time from staff with only half of procedures being coded. Also noted is the non-coding's possible financial implications on the service's ability to provide joint procedures.

Identifying the mechanistic drivers of migration can be crucial in shaping conservation and management policies. The cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) is a relatively poorly understood elasmobranch species that occurs along the U.S. Atlantic coast and undergoes large‐scale seasonal migrations. To better understand the drivers and timing of cownose ray seasonal migration in order to inform potential management measures, we analyzed telemetry detections of 51 mature cownose rays (38 female, 13 male) tagged with acoustic transmitters in the Maryland and Virginia portions of Chesapeake Bay. Detections within their summer habitat in Chesapeake Bay and winter habitat in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral, Florida, were matched with publicly available sea surface temperature (SST) data recorded by data buoys near the areas of tag detections and with local photoperiod and day of year. These variables were used in boosted regression tree models of ray presence (all rays combined, females only, and males only) in each seasonal habitat. Models were developed for presence during the entire summer and winter season, and for the time periods of arrival and departure from both summer and winter habitats. Seasonal presence in both summer and winter habitats was associated with distinct temperature, photoperiod, and date ranges, with temperature as the most influential variable in seasonal models. In models of arrival and departure periods, southward migration (departure from Chesapeake Bay and arrival off Cape Canaveral) was strongly associated with SST for all rays and arrival in the Chesapeake Bay region after northward migration was most strongly associated with day of year. The most influential variable during the period of northward departure from Cape Canaveral differed between males (day of year) and females (SST). This suggests that mature female northward migration may be driven by temperature while male northward migration may be driven by endogenous cues. These findings provide detailed information on the timing of cownose ray arrival at, presence in, and departure from seasonal habitats and provide potential justification for including the species in cross‐taxa comparative studies on migratory behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prognosis has dramatically improved among children with congenital heart disease (CHD), and the median survival for severe CHD is currently 25 years (ie, into adulthood). However, additional cardiac surgeries are often necessary in adults with CHD, whose unique cardiovascular anatomy and physiology necessitate specialized management by experts in adult CHD (ACHD) during the perioperative period. ACHD is characterized by a combination of congenital cardiac lesions, intervention‐related anomalies that have developed over time, comorbidities caused by long‐standing CHD, and comorbidities related to various syndromes and lifestyle factors. The present educational review discusses the transition from pediatric to adult cardiac care, comorbidities that develop as a result of ACHD, the assessments necessary for patients with ACHD prior to both cardiac and noncardiac surgeries, and the key ACHD lesions relevant to perioperative management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The split‐hand concept has highlighted the preferential wasting of the thenar side of the hand in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our objective is to re‐explore pinch grip strength to assess whether it has the potential to be a practical biomarker of ALS. Methods: We measured different pinch grip strengths (thumb, index, and fifth) using a pinch gauge from both hands of 54 ALS patients and correlated this with the Medical Research Council (MRC) score, the upper‐limb component of the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale – Revised (ALSFRS‐R) score, and compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) that comprise the split‐hand index. Results: Pinch grip strength using any of the three fingers showed a positive correlation with its corresponding CMAP, MRC grading, and upper‐limb ALSFRS‐R score. The thumb pinch showed the strongest correlation with the split‐hand index and MRC grading. Conclusions: Pinch grip strength test using a simple gauge deserves further study as a potentially practical biomarker of ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To estimate the rate at which people with diabetes and a low risk of foot ulceration change diabetic foot ulceration risk status over time, and to estimate the rate of ulceration, amputation and death among this population. Methods: We conducted an observational study of 10 421 people with diabetes attending foot screening in an outpatient setting in NHS Fife, UK, using routinely collected data from a national diabetes register, NHS SCI Diabetes. We estimated the proportion of people who changed risk status and the cumulative incidence of ulceration, amputation and death, respectively, among people with diabetes at low risk of diabetic foot ulceration at 2‐year follow‐up. Results: At 2‐year follow‐up, 5.1% (95% CI 4.7, 5.6) of people with diabetes classified as low risk at their first visit had progressed to moderate risk. The cumulative incidence of ulceration, amputation and death was 0.4% (95% CI 0.3, 0.6), 0.1% (95% CI 0.1, 0.2) and 3.4% (95% CI 3.1, 3.8), respectively. Conclusions: At 2‐year follow‐up, 5% of people at low risk of diabetic foot ulceration changed clinical risk status and <1% of people experienced foot ulceration or amputation. These findings provide information which will help to inform the current debate regarding optimal foot screening intervals. What's new?: People with diabetes are at increased risk of foot ulceration. However, there is no evidence regarding the rate at which people at low risk of diabetic foot ulceration change risk status over time.This study found that people with diabetes who are at a low risk of foot ulceration do not readily change ulceration risk status over time (5% at 2 years). The cumulative incidence of ulceration and amputation, respectively, at 2 years was <1%.This has implications for current guidelines on the frequency of foot screening in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the United Kingdom, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence make recommendations to guide the local‐level selection and implementation of adult behavioural weight management interventions (BWMIs) which lack specificity. The reporting of BWMIs is generally poorly detailed, resulting in difficulties when comparing effectiveness, quality and appropriateness for participants. This non‐standardized reporting makes meta‐analysis of intervention data impossible, resulting in vague guidance based on weak evidence, reinforcing the urgent need for consistency and detail within BWMI description. STAR‐LITE ‐ a 4‐section, 119‐item standardized adult BWMI reporting template ‐ was developed and tested using a two‐phase process. After initial design, the template was piloted using adult behavioural weight management RCTs and currently implemented UK BWMI mapping information to further refine the template and examine current reporting and variance. Overall, reporting quality of weight management RCTs was poor, and large variance across different components of real‐world BWMIs was observed. Non‐specific guidance and wide variation in adult BWMIs are likely linked to inadequate RCT reporting quality and the inability to perform reliable comparisons of data. Future use of STAR‐LITE would facilitate the consistent, detailed reporting of adult BWMIs, supporting their evaluation and comparison, to ultimately inform effective policy and improve weight management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facial Osteotomy techniques have evolved enormously over the past 20 years providing significant and often life-changing benefits to our dental patients with skeletal malocclusions. Advancements in technology and refined surgical techniques have resulted in improvements in surgical outcomes, a reduction in post-operative complications and a quicker recovery for today's patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. This paper aims to an update on the contemporary approach to the correction of skeletal malocclusions with facial osteotomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of the craniofacial patient mandates the cooperation of a multidisciplinary team that can systematically evaluate each individual and ensure that a protocol-driven pathway is undertaken for the best patient care. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons contribute to surgical care in this setting with specific knowledge of growth and development of the face. This enables optimum timing for early skeletal correction where appropriate, and definitive surgery following the cessation of growth to maximize function and aesthetics. This chapter will describe the major principles in managing patients with specific craniofacial anomalies and provide examples of the outcomes possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gene discovery has provided remarkable biological insights into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS). One challenge for clinical application of genetic testing is critical evaluation of the significance of reported variants. Methods We use whole exome sequencing ( WES) to develop a clinically relevant approach to identify a subset of ALS patients harboring likely pathogenic mutations. In parallel, we assess if DNA methylation can be used to screen for pathogenicity of novel variants since a methylation signature has been shown to associate with the pathogenic C9orf72 expansion, but has not been explored for other ALS mutations. Australian patients identified with ALS-relevant variants were cross-checked with population databases and case reports to critically assess whether they were 'likely causal,' 'uncertain significance,' or 'unlikely causal.' Results Published ALS variants were identified in >10% of patients; however, in only 3% of patients (4/120) could these be confidently considered pathogenic (in SOD1 and TARDBP). We found no evidence for a differential DNA methylation signature in these mutation carriers. Conclusions The use of WES in a typical ALS clinic demonstrates a critical approach to variant assessment with the capability to combine cohorts to enhance the largely unknown genetic basis of ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate, in the Carotid Atherosclerosis: Metformin for Insulin Resistance ( CAMERA) trial ( NCT00723307), whether the influence of metformin on the glucagon-like peptide ( GLP)-1 axis in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes ( T2DM) is sustained and related to changes in glycaemia or weight, and to investigate basal and post-meal GLP-1 levels in patients with T2DM in the cross-sectional Diabetes Research on Patient Stratification ( DIRECT) study. Materials and methods CAMERA was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of metformin in 173 participants without diabetes. Using 6-monthly fasted total GLP-1 levels over 18 months, we evaluated metformin's effect on total GLP-1 with repeated-measures analysis and analysis of covariance. In the DIRECT study, we examined active and total fasting and 60-minute post-meal GLP-1 levels in 775 people recently diagnosed with T2DM treated with metformin or diet, using Student's t-tests and linear regression. Results In CAMERA, metformin increased total GLP-1 at 6 (+20.7%, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 4.7-39.0), 12 (+26.7%, 95% CI 10.3-45.6) and 18 months (+18.7%, 95% CI 3.8-35.7), an overall increase of 23.4% (95% CI 11.2-36.9; P < .0001) vs placebo. Adjustment for changes in glycaemia and adiposity, individually or combined, did not attenuate this effect. In the DIRECT study, metformin was associated with higher fasting active (39.1%, 95% CI 21.3-56.4) and total GLP-1 (14.1%, 95% CI 1.2-25.9) but not post-meal incremental GLP-1. These changes were independent of potential confounders including age, sex, adiposity and glycated haemoglobin. Conclusions In people without diabetes, metformin increases total GLP-1 in a sustained manner and independently of changes in weight or glycaemia. Metformin-treated patients with T2DM also have higher fasted GLP-1 levels, independently of weight and glycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent declines in anadromous river herring (AlewifeAlosa pseudoharengusand Blueback HerringA. aestivalis) have been documented in much of their range using fishery-independent spawning run counts. A lack of rigorous long-term run counts and demographic data for Chesapeake Bay spawning stocks resulted in the declaration of unknown stock status in a 2012 stock assessment and made it difficult to evaluate responses to conservation and restoration efforts. The objectives of the present study were to (1) conduct the first spawning run counts of river herring in the Choptank River, Maryland, since the run counts performed over a 2-year period in 1972 and 1973, (2) evaluate population structure and dynamics, and (3) identify environmental variables associated with run timing. Spawning runs of Alewives and Blueback Herring were recorded from March 10 to June 4, 2014, using imaging sonar and processed manually to produce hourly run counts of fish with TLs ranging from 200 to 350 mm. A total of 1,659,090 ± 91,250 fish with TLs of 200–350 mm (errors estimated using a CV of 5.5%) were estimated to swim upstream past the sonar unit. Boat electrofishing was conducted at weekly intervals to estimate species composition and obtain samples for demographic analysis. Using these species composition data to apportion run counts resulted in an estimated count of 581,275 ± 31,970 Alewives and 726,450 ± 39,955 Blueback Herring. Fish age by otolith analysis varied from 2 to 7 years and total instantaneous mortality (Z) was estimated at 1.47 (SE, 1.8 × 10−5) for Alewives and 1.91 (SE, 1.1 × 10−5) for Blueback Herring. Upstream migration occurred primarily in the afternoon and evening associated with increasing water temperature, and downstream migration occurred at low and decreasing levels of discharge. The present study established a new fishery-independent population monitoring effort for river herring in Chesapeake Bay and identified associations between environmental drivers and upstream and downstream movements. Received March 8, 2016; accepted August 31, 2016 Published online November 29, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The project presented here sought to determine whether changes in anthropogenic thermal emission can have a measurable effect on temperature at the national level, taking Japan and Great Britain as type examples. Using energy consumption as a proxy for thermal emission, strong correlations (mean r2 = 0.90 and 0.89, respectively) are found between national equivalent heat output ( HO) and temperature above background levels Δ t averaged over 5- to 8-yr periods between 1965 and 2013, as opposed to weaker correlations for CMIP5 model temperatures above background levels Δ mt (mean r2 = 0.52 and 0.10). It is clear that the fluctuations in Δ t are better explained by energy consumption than by present climate models, and that energy consumption can contribute to climate change at the national level on these timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The present study aims to determine parental and guardian's perceptions of paediatric emergency care and satisfaction with care, waiting times and triage category in a community ED. Methods A structured questionnaire was provided to parents or guardians of paediatric patients presenting to emergency. The survey evaluated parent perceptions of waiting time, environment/facilities, professionalism and communication skills of staff and overall satisfaction of care. Results One hundred and thirty-three completed questionnaires were received from parents of paediatric patients. Responses were overall positive with respect to the multiple domains assessed. Parents generally considered waiting times to be appropriate and consistent with triage categories. Overall satisfaction was not significantly different for varying treatment or waiting times. Patients triaged as semi-urgent were of the opinion that waiting times were less appropriate than urgent, less-urgent or non-urgent patients. Conclusion On the basis of the present study, patient perceptions and overall satisfaction of care does not appear to be primarily influenced by time spent waiting or receiving treatment. Attempts made at the triage process to ensure that semi-urgent patients have reasonable expectations of waiting times might provide an opportunity to improve these patients' expectations and perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an overview of the ongoing Hubble Space Telescope large program GO-12911. The program is focused on the core of M 4, the nearest Galactic globular cluster, and the observations are designed to constrain the number of binaries with massive companions (black holes, neutron stars, or white dwarfs) by measuring the 'wobble' of the luminous (mainsequence) companion around the center of mass of the pair, with an astrometric precision of ∼50 µas. The high spatial resolution and stable medium-band PSFs of WFC3/UVIS will make these measurements possible. In this work we describe (i) the motivation behind this study, (ii) our observing strategy, (iii) the many other investigations enabled by this unique data set, and which of those our team is conducting, and (iv) a preliminary reduction of the first-epoch dataset collected on 2012 October 10. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To document the incidence of difficult intubation following mandibular distraction osteogenesis ( MDO) in children with severe mandibular hypoplasia. Background Syndromes associated with significant mandibular hypoplasia, especially Pierre Robin sequence, provide a challenge in airway management both in and out of the operating room. Mandibular advancement using mandibular distraction osteogenesis devices has been used in infants in an attempt to reduce the incidence of acute life-threatening airway obstruction. Whether MDO also reduces the incidence of difficult intubation has not been adequately described. Methods A retrospective chart review of 51 infants with upper airway obstruction secondary to mandibular hypoplasia who required MDO between January 2002 and 2012. The primary outcome was the incidence of difficult or failed intubation. Secondary outcomes were the relationship between syndrome type and the incidence of difficult intubation. Results Fifty-one PRS infants were identified. Twenty-eight patients had isolated PRS, six had syndromic PRS, seven had Treacher Collins syndrome, and 10 had another coexisting syndrome. Prior to mandibular distraction osteogenesis ( MDO), the incidence of difficult intubation was 71%, with the highest incidence in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome (100%), sPRS syndrome (100%), and PRS (65%). Following MDO, the incidence of difficult intubation was 8.3%. The difference was statistically significant for all patients ( Kruskal- Wallis rank test P = 0.0001) those with isolated PRS ( P = 0.0001), syndromic PRS ( P = 0.0023), and other syndromes ( P = 0.0002), but not for Treacher Collins syndrome ( P = 0.21). Three patients had pre existing tracheostomies. Conclusions In a select group of infants with severe upper airway obstruction who have failed nonsurgical airway interventions, mandibular distraction osteogenesis reduces the incidence of difficult mask ventilation and difficult intubation. We were not able to compare the improvement in airway management to a comparable group of PRS infants who did not undergo surgical intervention. The improvement in laryngeal view was most marked for infants with isolated PRS but no significant benefit was demonstrated in infants with TCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A program using two-dimensional dislocation dynamics with anisotropic strain equations has been written to simulate the dimensional change and stored elastic energy of irradiated graphite. A dislocation based model is put forward as a vehicle for both the longstanding atomic displacement model for dimensional change in irradiated graphite and a new model based on basal slip. As expected the introduction of prismatic dislocation loops (climb dipoles in 2D) results in the expansion of the graphite crystal in the c-axis direction. Interestingly the stored elastic energy of the system was found to increase with number of dislocation dipoles and reached a maximum at the density which Burakovsky et al. (Phys. Rev. B 61, 15011-15018 (2000) [1]) predicted for melting. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing support for participatory and deliberative principles amongst academics, practitioners and parliamentarians alike, efforts to infuse political systems with more inclusive and consensual forms of debate often founder. This article explores this conundrum by examining institutional reforms through the lens of deliberative democracy. More specifically, we scrutinise attempts to institutionalise forms of civic deliberation within the Scottish political system via the Scottish Civic Forum and the Scottish Parliament's committee system. Our analysis tells the story of how these two types of institutional reform, both designed to facilitate the move towards a more participatory and deliberative model of democracy in Scotland, have fared over a ten-year period. In turn, this analysis allows us to comment on the ways in which deliberative and parliamentary democracy may be integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the reasons why multi-slice CT scanners may give patients higher dose than their single-slice predecessors and discusses the type of optimization of multi-slice scan protocols that may be undertaken to keep patient doses to acceptable levels without compromising image quality. It also provides estimates of patient effective dose values and dose length products for typical procedures and briefly discusses the implication that these dose values have for the induction of possible stochastic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate dental implant survival in patients with ectodermal dysplasia (ED). To assess patterns of hypodontia in this patient group. A retrospective analysis of the use of dental implants in ED patients treated at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Sixty-one implants were placed into 14 patients (nine male and five female). The mean age of patients receiving maxillary implants was 18 years 6 months (range 17 years 9 months−20 years 0 months) and mandibular implants was 17 years 5 months (range 12 years 2 months−21 years 11 months). The mean follow-up period was 3 years 4 months (range 1 year 18 months−5 years 1 month). Forty-three implants were placed in the anterior mandible, three in the posterior mandible and the remaining 15 in the anterior maxilla. Of the 61 implants placed, 54 [88·5%] successfully integrated and were able to be restored. Three of the 15 implants placed into the anterior maxilla [20%] failed, while four of the 46 in the anterior mandible failed [8·7%]. Five of the 14 patients [35·7%] had at least one implant fail prior to abutment connection. At the 12-month review appointments, 41 of the integrated 54 implants [76%] were reviewed and classed as successful, giving an overall success at follow up of 67·2%. Thirteen implants [21·3%] were unable to be reviewed owing to geographical reasons. Teeth most likely to be present in the maxilla were the central incisors [71%], first molars [54%] and canines [43%], whereas in the mandible they were the canines [53%] and the first premolars and first molars [40%]. Dental implants can be placed, restored and loaded in ED patients. Maxillary teeth most likely to be present are the central incisors, canines and first molars, whereas in the mandible the canines, first premolars and molars are most likely to be present. Prior to cessation of growth, implant placement in the symphyseal region of the anterior mandible may be performed with caution. Despite the limited numbers and with due consideration to jaw development, the results support the continual use of endosseous dental implants in this group of patients for optimal clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Class III peroxidases catalyse the oxidative crosslinking of UV-absorbing phenolics. The effect of changes in the activity of phenol oxidising peroxidases (EC 1.11.1.7) on UV-tolerance in Nicotiana tabacum plants has been determined. • The UV-sensitivity of transgenic N. tabacum lines, altered in their peroxidase expression pattern, was studied by measuring radiation effects on photosynthetic efficiency. • Analysis of the effect of UV-radiation on the relative variable chlorophyll fluorescence showed that the SPI-2 line, which over-expresses a defence-related cationic peroxidase, is markedly UV-tolerant. By contrast, the ROPN3-line, which overexpresses a synthetic horseradish peroxidase-C gene, was found to be UV-sensitive. The increased activity of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) inducible peroxidases in homozygous IAA-overproducing transgenic plants was also found to correlate with UV-sensitivity. • It is concluded that only specific peroxidase isozymes, through their effects on phenolic metabolism, contribute to the UV protection response. Thus, the analysis of the role of isozymes in UV-protection addresses fundamental questions of isozyme diversity and/or redundancy in relation to phenolic substrates. © New Phytologist (2004) doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01132.x [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This is the first report of involvement of Australian and New Zealand oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the management of isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures and was conducted to obtain comparisons with the results from a recent similar survey of British oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Methods: A questionnaire survey was sent to all 113 practising members of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in April 2002 with a second mailout 1 month later. Results: Sixty-nine per cent of the respondents were referred isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures for manage­ment, and just over half of these respondents estimated that 50% or more of the cases went to surgery. The materials most commonly used in orbital floor reconstruction were resorbable membrane for small defects and autologous bone for large defects. Conclusion: As in Britain, management of isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures comprises part of the surgical spectrum for many oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The management protocol was observed to be very similar between the two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To understand and separate the roles of age and solar ultraviolet exposure (sun damage) on the surface roughness of skin. Objectives: To determine the effects of age and site (sun exposed vs. unexposed) on skin roughness in normal healthy subjects. Subjects/Methods: Using a stylus profilometer and silicone skin surface replicas, we have measured skin surface roughness parameters on habitually exposed (back of hand) and habitually unexposed (upper buttock) skin sites from the same individual in a sample of 73 subjects from the normal population. We compared the two sites in order to determine any differences in roughness caused, we postulate, by the effect of solar ultraviolet exposure on the exposed site. Results: We found that the two sites are indistinguishable in roughness until after 30 years of age. For the over 30 years group, the difference between exposed and unexposed skin roughness correlated strongly with age. For all ages, skin roughness showed a positive correlation with age on the unexposed, but not the exposed, site. On the hand site subjects aged 40 years and older had significantly smoother skin than those aged less than 40 years, as measured by one roughness parameter. On the back, the older group had significantly rougher skin than the younger group measured by two roughness parameters. Conclusions: We propose that on the back of the hands, solar damage reverses or reduces the increase in roughness which would otherwise be caused by intrinsic ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries support diverse fish and invertebrate communities, including resident species that rely on estuarine habitats year‐round and transient migratory species. The unique movement patterns of these animals connect habitats within and far beyond the estuary and are integrally linked to fisheries management objectives. With a focus on Chesapeake Bay, this study leveraged data from collaborative acoustic telemetry networks in the northwest Atlantic to assess habitat use and phenology of movements for seven species of fish (cownose rays, dusky sharks, smooth dogfish, alewife, striped bass, common carp, and blue catfish) and one invertebrate (horseshoe crabs). A total of 288 acoustically tagged individuals were detected >3.2 million times (6,743 to 2,095,717 detections per species) on receivers across ~20.5 degrees of latitude spanning the North American Atlantic seaboard from Florida, USA, to New Brunswick, Canada. Common metrics of movement and phenology grouped these species as resident (common carp, blue catfish, horseshoe crabs), primarily resident in estuaries (juvenile striped bass), and coastal migrant (cownose rays, dusky sharks, smooth dogfish, alewife); maximum distance traveled varied by three orders of magnitude among these species. Further analysis of phenology for coastal migrants elucidated the timing and duration of these species' use of Chesapeake Bay. Collectively, movements linked habitats within Chesapeake Bay and connected the estuary to coastal ecosystems both to the north (e.g., alewife) and south (e.g., cownose rays), creating networks of fisheries management jurisdictions that varied in complexity and identified opportunities for enhancement to current management or co‐management of some species. Our results elucidate the importance of estuaries to species with diverse movement behaviors, identify scales and pathways of habitat connectivity via animal movements, and highlight the utility of collaborative acoustic telemetry networks for quantifying movements relevant to both ecological research and fisheries management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the use of quantitation in histological diagnosis by a comparison of normal human cheek mucosa and cheek mucosa affected by lichen planus. Advantages of quantifying histological features; Surface aspects of oral epithelium.

SUMMARY Several publications in the past few years have indicated that computed tomography (CT) pelvimetry is preferable to conventional pelvimetry when considering accuracy and radiation dose. Many of the previous publications have, however, compared state of the art CT pelvimetry with outmoded conventional pelvimetry techniques. This study compared both the accuracy and the radiation dose of CT pelvimetry with conventional pelvimetry as practised in two large teaching obstetric hospitals in Melbourne. The study did not demonstrate any significant difference in the accuracy between the two methods. The radiation dose to the fetal gonads was also similar. The radiation dose using CT pelvimetry could be significantly lowered if the axial CT section through the ischial spines were excluded from the CT technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]