Ion release from copper phosphate cement and influence on Streptococcus mutans growth in vitro: a comparative study.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a black copper cement (BCC), an established restorative material (a conventional glass ionomer cement) and two temporary restorative materials (a zinc phosphate and a zinc polycarboxylate cement) on the growth of Streptococcus mutans in vitro, and to correlate bacterial growth with ion release from each material. Test specimens were eluted in either 0.1 M lactic acid, pH 4, or 0.

Detecting dementia: novel neuropsychological markers of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

The results of a previous study have suggested that impaired performance on one neuropsychological test, CANTAB Paired Associates Learning (PAL), may serve as a marker for preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). In a group of individuals with 'questionable dementia', the baseline PAL performance was found to correlate significantly with subsequent deterioration in global cognitive function over an 8-month period. The present paper reports diagnostic outcome data for the same individuals 32 months after the first assessment and evaluates the predictive diagnostic utility of baseline neuropsychological measures.

Community-based participatory research: implications for public health funding.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) increasingly is being recognized by health scholars and funders as a potent approach to collaboratively studying and acting to address health disparities. Emphasizing action as a critical part of the research process, CBPR is particularly consistent with the goals of "results oriented philanthropy" and of government funders who have become discouraged by the often modest to disappointing results of more traditional research and intervention efforts in many low income communities of color. Supporters of CBPR face challenging issues in the areas of partnership capacity and readiness, time requirements, funding flexibility, and evaluation.

Restoration of primary teeth: a study of copper phosphate cement.

Objective: To determine the survival of 'PD' Black Copper Cement when used as a dental filling material in carious primary teeth.

Design: A prospective study.

Setting: Dundee Dental Hospital, Dundee.

In vivo cariostatic effect of black copper cement on carious dentine.

This study compared the effect of a copper phosphate cement (BCC) and a conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) on carious dentine that remains under restorations in vivo. Using a split-mouth design, 45 primary molar pairs with dentine caries were sampled microbiologically. Without further removal of carious dentine, the molar pairs were randomly allocated to three restorative groups: (1) one cavity was lined with BCC and restored with GIC and the other was kept under review as an untreated control; (2) one cavity was restored with GIC, whilst the other was kept under review; (3) one cavity was lined with BCC and restored with GIC, whilst the other was filled with GIC.

A tool for tracking visual attention: the Restricted Focus Viewer.

Eye-tracking equipment has proven useful in examining the cognitive processes people use when understanding and reasoning with visual stimuli. However, eye-tracking has several drawbacks: accurate eye-tracking equipment is expensive, it is often awkward for participants, it requires frequent recalibration, and the data can be difficult to interpret. We introduce an alternative tool: the Restricted Focus Viewer (RFV).

Referral of children to a general anaesthetic dental service in Tayside.

Objective: To determine the adequacy of child referral for dental general anaesthesia (DGA) by local dental practitioners, given the recent guidance document to dentists from the General Dental Council and in addition, to determine the subsequent treatment and factors which influence treatment selection.

Design: A prospective study.

Setting: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Dundee Dental Hospital, Dundee.

Preoperative albumin and surgical site identify surgical risk for major postoperative complications.

Background: Although malnutrition contributes to morbidity, studies of pre- and postoperative nutrition often include well-nourished patients unlikely to benefit from therapy and usually do not stratify by the site of surgical pathology. This study evaluates whether perceived preoperative markers of nutritional status recorded in charts correlates with postoperative complications and resource use in patients who receive no preoperative nutrition support and reinterprets the results of several conflicting randomized, prospective studies in this context.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 526 surgical patients who had preoperative serum albumin levels measured and were undergoing elective esophageal, gastric, pancreaticoduodenal, or colon surgery between 1992 and 1996 who could have received preoperative nutrition but did not.

Heterotypic interactions between transferrin receptor and transferrin receptor 2.

Cellular iron uptake in most tissues occurs via endocytosis of diferric transferrin (Tf) bound to the transferrin receptor (TfR). Recently, a second transferrin receptor, transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2), has been identified and shown to play a critical role in iron metabolism. TfR2 is capable of Tf-mediated iron uptake and mutations in this gene result in a rare form of hereditary hemochromatosis unrelated to the hereditary hemochromatosis protein, HFE.

Cholinergic nicotinic systems in Alzheimer's disease: prospects for pharmacological intervention.

Within the last few years, research into the cause and progression of Alzheimer's disease has made significant advances. Although there is still no preventative treatment or cure for this neurodegenerative illness, the development of drugs that may alleviate some of the cognitive symptoms associated with it is advancing. Cholinesterase inhibitors are at present the most effective form of treatment and have shown significant overall response rates in clinical trials.

Association of human transferrin receptor with GABARAP.

A yeast two-hybrid screen identified a specific interaction between the cytoplasmic domain of transferrin receptor (TfR) and GABARAP, a 14 kDa protein that binds to the gamma2 subunit of neuronal GABA(A) receptors. The specificity of the TfR-GABARAP interaction was demonstrated by in vitro binding assays with purified proteins and by co-immunoprecipitation of GABARAP with endogenous TfR from HeLa cell lysates. Replacement of the YTRF internalization motif with ATRA within the cytoplasmic domain of TfR reduced interaction with GABARAP in the yeast two-hybrid screen and in vitro binding assays.

Olfactory cues for oviposition behavior in Toxorhynchites moctezuma and Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Diptera: Culicidae).

In laboratory tests gravid female Toxorhynchites moctezuma (Dyar & Knab) and Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Doleschall) were offered the choice of black oviposition jars containing a diethyl ether extract of water collected from a natural oviposition site for these species (i.e., used tires), a dilution series of 4-methylcyclohexanol, 3-methylindole, 2-methylphenol, 3-methylphenol and 4-methylphenol, or solvent.

Black copper phosphate cement: does it have a future?

The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro compressive strength and solubility of a black copper cement with one established restorative material (a conventional glass ionomer cement) and two temporary restorative materials (a zinc phosphate and a zinc polycarboxylate cement). The mean compressive strength of black copper cement varied with the powder: liquid ratio, with an intermediate ratio having a comparable strength to that of the zinc polycarboxylate cement (the best material in this respect). The solubility of the black copper cement at all mixing ratios was significantly greater than that of all other test materials.

A tale of 2 cities: a comparison of demographic details, source of referral, spectrum of infection and contraceptive practice in patients under 16 years attending genitourinary medicine clinics in London and Swansea.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in young people are increasing, with children aged less than 16 years being particularly vulnerable. We compared the demographic details, spectrum of infection, contraceptive practice and source of referral in patients aged less than 16 years attending 2 genitourinary clinics, one in Swansea and the other in London. In the London population, children aged less than 16 years represented 0.

Colour cues for oviposition behaviour in Toxorhynchites moctezuma and Toxorhynchites amboinensis mosquitoes.

Gravid female Toxorhynchites moctezuma (Dyar and Knab) and Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Doleschall) were offered the choice of coloured (spray-painted) containers for oviposition in laboratory trials. Both species oviposited preferentially into black containers rather than into white, red, yellow, green, or blue containers. Black containers also acted as oviposition stimulants of Tx.

Community-building: from local wisdom to public policy.

The authors argue that social changes have caused the rupture of communal life in our neighborhoods and that the answer is community-building: strengthening communities holistically, fostering participation and problem-solving, addressing issues of bigotry and poverty, and engaging institutions to work as partners with residents.

Electrophysiological investigation of larval water and potential oviposition chemo-attractants for Anopheles gambiae s.s.

Potential Anopheles gambiae s.s. breeding sites were sampled in rural sites in the Tanga region of Tanzania.