Saliva, diagnostics, and dentistry.

Saliva, a scientific and clinical entity familiar to every oral health researcher and dental practitioner, has emerged as a translational and clinical commodity that has reached national visibility at the National Institutes of Health and the President's Office of Science and Technology. "Detecting dozens of diseases in a sample of saliva" was issued by President Obama as one of the 14 Grand Challenges for biomedical research in the 21(st) Century (National Economic Council, 2010). In addition, NIH's 2011 Government Performance Report Act (GPRA) listed 10 initiatives in the high-risk long-term category (Collins, 2011).

Design of a novel mobility device controlled by the feet motion of a standing child: a feasibility study.

Self-generated mobility is a major contributor to the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development of infants and toddlers. When young children have disorders that hinder self locomotion, their development is at risk for delay. Independent mobility via traditional power mobility devices may prevent this delay, but do little to encourage the child's development of gross motor skills.

Risk of septic arthritis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the effect of anti-TNF therapy: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk of septic arthritis (SA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy.

Methods: Using data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register, a prospective observational study, the authors compared the risk of SA between 11 881 anti-TNF-treated and 3673 non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (nbDMARD)-treated patients.

Results: 199 patients had at least one episode of SA (anti-TNF: 179, nbDMARD: 20).

Venous thrombotic events are not increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with anti-TNF therapy: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register.

Objectives: Past studies have reported conflicting rates of venous thrombotic events (VTEs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study aimed to compare (1) the rates of VTEs in patients with RA treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy versus those treated with non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs) alone and (2) the rates between each individual anti-TNF agent and nbDMARDs.

Methods: Using data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register, a national prospective observational cohort study of biological safety in patients with RA, the authors compared the incidence of VTEs between 11 881 anti-TNF- and 3673 nbDMARD-treated patients.

Disrupting microtubule network immobilizes amoeboid chemotactic receptor in the plasma membrane.

Signaling cascades are initiated in the plasma membrane via activation of one molecule by another. The interaction depends on the mutual availability of the molecules to each other and this is determined by their localization and lateral diffusion in the cell membrane. The cytoskeleton plays a very important role in this process by enhancing or restricting the possibility of the signaling partners to meet in the plasma membrane.

Training toddlers seated on mobile robots to drive indoors amidst obstacles.

Mobility is a causal factor in development. Children with mobility impairments may rely upon power mobility for independence and thus require advanced driving skills to function independently. Our previous studies show that while infants can learn to drive directly to a goal using conventional joysticks in several months of training, they are unable in this timeframe to acquire the advanced skill to avoid obstacles while driving.

Putting the teeth into the UK Biobank.

The author of this article has been involved in the development of the UK Biobank, and was instrumental in ensuring that dentistry has been included in the project. He describes what the UK Biobank is, what the project involves and aims to achieve, and how by July 2010 some 500,000 UK citizens aged from 40-69 years had been recruited. He then details the events that led to the inclusion of dentistry in the project, the key role that stored saliva samples will have, and how the project will link to data stored by the Dental Practice Board and now the National Health Service Business Services Authority.

N deposition as a threat to the World's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

This paper combines the world's protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that 40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030 indicating that this situation is not expected to change.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the dental mesenchyme regulates incisor development by regulating Bmp4.

Loss- and gain-of function approaches modulating canonical Wnt/β-catenin activity have established a role for the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during tooth development. Here we show that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required in the dental mesenchyme for normal incisor development, as locally restricted genetic inactivation of β-catenin results in a splitting of the incisor placode, giving rise to two incisors. Molecularly this is first associated with down-regulation of Bmp4 and subsequent splitting of the Shh domain at a subsequent stage.

Power mobility and socialization in preschool: a case study of a child with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: Power mobility training for young children and infants appears feasible under controlled conditions. Dynamic, natural environments provide the ultimate test of training. The purpose of this case study was to determine whether it was feasible for Will, a 3-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, to use a power mobility device (UD2) in his preschool classroom and to quantify his classroom mobility and socialization.

Anti-TNF therapy is associated with an increased risk of serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis especially in the first 6 months of treatment: updated results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register with special emphasis on risks in the elderly.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk of serious infections (SIs) in patients with RA treated with anti-TNF therapy with emphasis on the risk across different ages.

Methods: Using data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register, a prospective observational study, we compared the risk of SI between 11 798 anti-TNF-treated patients and 3598 non-biologic DMARD (nbDMARD)-treated patients.

Results: A total of 1808 patients had at least one SI (anti-TNF: 1512; nbDMARD: 296).

Differences in presentation and perioperative outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer and benign pancreatitis.

The aim of this study was to examine differences in presentation and outcome in pancreaticoduodenectomy for benign and malignant processes. Pancreaticoduodenectomies performed for pancreatic adenocarcinoma or chronic pancreatitis from 2000 to 2008 were identified from a prospectively maintained database and compared. Pancreaticoduodenectomy revealed adenocarcinoma in 220 patients and benign chronic pancreatitis in 40 patients.

Cost-effectiveness of lower targets for blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in diabetes: the Stop Atherosclerosis in Native Diabetics Study (SANDS) .

Background: The Stop Atherosclerosis in Native Diabetics Study (SANDS) reported cardiovascular benefit of aggressive versus standard treatment targets for both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and blood pressure (BP) in diabetic individuals.

Objective: In this analysis, we examined within trial cost-effectiveness of aggressive targets of LDL-C ≤70 mg/dL and systolic BP ≤115 mmHg versus standard targets of LDL-C ≤100 mg/dL and systolic BP ≤130 mmHg.

Design: Randomized, open label blinded-to-endpoint 3-year trial.

Social and non-social visual attention patterns and associative learning in infants at risk for autism.

Background: Social inattention is common in children with autism whereas associative learning capabilities are considered a relative strength. Identifying early precursors of impairment associated with autism could lead to earlier identification of this disorder. The present study compared social and non-social visual attention patterns as well as associative learning in infant siblings of children with autism (AU sibs) and low-risk (LR) infants at 6 months of age.

Global biodiversity: indicators of recent declines.

In 2002, world leaders committed, through the Convention on Biological Diversity, to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. We compiled 31 indicators to report on progress toward this target. Most indicators of the state of biodiversity (covering species' population trends, extinction risk, habitat extent and condition, and community composition) showed declines, with no significant recent reductions in rate, whereas indicators of pressures on biodiversity (including resource consumption, invasive alien species, nitrogen pollution, overexploitation, and climate change impacts) showed increases.

Cardiovascular health in indigenous communities: successful programs.

Background: Indigenous people across the globe have generally had suboptimal access to quality medical care and effective prevention programs. The available programs that existed have generally been poorly funded and have primarily focussed on infectious diseases. More recent trends denoting significant rising morbidity and mortality of chronic diseases have brought some limited medical focus on cardiovascular diseases, their risk factors and their prevention.

Global assessment of nitrogen deposition effects on terrestrial plant diversity: a synthesis.

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is a recognized threat to plant diversity in temperate and northern parts of Europe and North America. This paper assesses evidence from field experiments for N deposition effects and thresholds for terrestrial plant diversity protection across a latitudinal range of main categories of ecosystems, from arctic and boreal systems to tropical forests. Current thinking on the mechanisms of N deposition effects on plant diversity, the global distribution of G200 ecoregions, and current and future (2030) estimates of atmospheric N-deposition rates are then used to identify the risks to plant diversity in all major ecosystem types now and in the future.

Evidence for RNA-mediated toxicity in the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

Fragile X premutation carriers are at risk for developing a late-onset, progressive neurodegenerative disorder termed fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). A growing body of evidence suggests the characteristic excess CGG repeat containing FMR1 mRNA observed in premutation carriers is pathogenic and leads to clinical features of FXTAS. The current model suggests premutation mRNA transcripts can induce the formation of intranuclear inclusions by the sequestration of RNA-binding proteins and other proteins.

PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS WITH LDL-C LOWERING - LIPOPROTEIN CHANGES AND INTERACTIONS: THE SANDS STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with statins reduces atherosclerosis. LDL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are commonly measured by their cholesterol content, but non-HDL cholesterol, LDL particle number (LDL-P), or total apolipoprotein B (apoB) may better predict cardiovascular risk. Few studies have examined relations among lipoprotein levels and composition before and after interventions to lower LDL-C and non-HDL-C.

Management of complex abdominal wall defects using acellular porcine dermal collagen.

Multiple techniques have been used for the repair of complex abdominal wall defects after recurrent incisional hernias with varying rates of success. Primary repair has been associated with high recurrence rates, and prosthetic mesh placement is contraindicated in contaminated surgical fields. The development of biologic prostheses has changed the approach to these difficult problems.

Bone ridge patterning during musculoskeletal assembly is mediated through SCX regulation of Bmp4 at the tendon-skeleton junction.

During the assembly of the musculoskeletal system, bone ridges provide a stable anchoring point and stress dissipation for the attachment of muscles via tendons to the skeleton. In this study, we investigate the development of the deltoid tuberosity as a model for bone ridge formation. We show that the deltoid tuberosity develops through endochondral ossification in a two-phase process: initiation is regulated by a signal from the tendons, whereas the subsequent growth phase is muscle dependent.

Power mobility training for a 7-month-old infant with spina bifida.

Purpose: Power mobility is a critical assistive technology for many children with special needs. Our previous work suggests that certain infants younger than the age 1 year of age can participate in formal power mobility training.

Key Points: This case report describes the feasibility of providing a power mobility training program with a young infant with spina bifida.