Accuracy of Dental Symptom Checker Web Application in the Singapore Military Population.

Purpose: Symptom checkers (SCs) are virtual health aids to assist laypersons in self-assessing dental complaints. This study aimed to investigate the triage performance, clinical efficacy, and user-perceived utility of a prototype dental SC, Toothbuddy, in assessing unscheduled dental complaints in Singapore.

Methods: A pilot trial was conducted amongst all unscheduled dental attendees to military dental facilities in Singapore from January to May 2023.

Findings from the 2019 nationally representative oral health survey for adults in Singapore.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to present key findings from the 2019 national adult oral health survey in Singapore (NAOHS).

Methods: A multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to recruit participants for a representative national adult oral health survey. A total of 12 212 households were randomly selected from the National Database on Dwellings in Singapore.

Oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of adults: Findings from a National Oral Health Survey in Singapore.

Objectives: Prevention complements the curative management of oral diseases. Effective preventive interventions involve the adoption of oral health promoting behaviours. Little is known about the awareness of oral disease and its prevention among Singaporean adults as well as their prevailing oral health attitudes and behaviours.

The oral and systemic health impact profile for periodontal disease (OSHIP-Perio)-Part 1: development and validation.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop and validate the Oral and Systemic Health Impact Profile for Periodontal Disease (OSHIP-Perio), a disease-specific instrument for assessing the impact of periodontal disease on both general and oral health-related quality of life.

Methods: A pool of 58 items, developed from the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49) and data generated through semi-structured patient interviews, was tested on 80 case subjects with periodontal disease and 80 control subjects. The dimensionality of the preliminary measure was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

The oral and systemic health impact profile for periodontal disease (OSHIP-Perio)-Part 2: Responsiveness and minimal important difference.

Objectives: The Oral and Systemic Health Impact Profile for Periodontal Disease (OSHIP-Perio) was developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to determine the responsiveness and minimal importance difference (MID) of the OSHIP-Perio.

Methods: Subjects with periodontal disease completed the OSHIP-Perio at baseline and six to ten weeks after non-surgical periodontal therapy.

RNA structure and multiple weak interactions balance the interplay between RNA binding and phase separation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid.

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds viral RNA, condensing it inside the virion, and phase separating with RNA to form liquid-liquid condensates. There is little consensus on what differentiates sequence-independent N-RNA interactions in the virion or in liquid droplets from those with specific genomic RNA (gRNA) motifs necessary for viral function inside infected cells. To identify the RNA structures and the N domains responsible for specific interactions and phase separation, we use the first 1,000 nt of viral RNA and short RNA segments designed as models for single-stranded and paired RNA.

Molecular dynamics simulation of apolipoprotein E3 lipid nanodiscs.

Nanodiscs are binary discoidal complexes of a phospholipid bilayer circumscribed by belt-like helical scaffold proteins. Using coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the stability, size, and structure of nanodiscs formed between the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein E3 (apoE3-NT) and variable number of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) molecules. We study both parallel and antiparallel double-belt configurations, consisting of four proteins per nanodisc.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Apolipoprotein E3 Lipid Nanodiscs.

Nanodiscs are binary discoidal complexes of a phospholipid bilayer circumscribed by belt-like helical scaffold proteins. Using coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the stability, size, and structure of nanodiscs formed between the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein E3 (apoE3-NT) and variable number of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) molecules. We study both parallel and antiparallel double-belt configurations, consisting of four proteins per nanodisc.

Providing Oral Healthcare to Older Patients-Do We Have What It Takes?

Over the past decades, there has been an increase in the number of natural teeth that are maintained into older age, and this has represented an increase in the need for more complex dental treatment for this population. A trained workforce is needed in order to provide dental care to the different groups of elderly. Currently, the undergraduate training in gerodontology offered by dental schools seems to be limited, with great variation among dental schools worldwide.

MYB-bHLH-TTG1 in a Multi-tiered Pathway Regulates Arabidopsis Seed Coat Mucilage Biosynthesis Genes Including PECTIN METHYLESTERASE INHIBITOR14 Required for Homogalacturonan Demethylesterification.

MYB-bHLH-TTG1 (MBW) transcription factor (TF) complexes regulate Arabidopsis seed coat biosynthesis pathways via a multi-tiered regulatory mechanism. The MYB genes include MYB5, MYB23 and TRANSPARENT TESTA2 (TT2), which regulate GLABRA2 (GL2), HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS2 (HDG2) and TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA2 (TTG2). Here, we examine the role of PECTIN METHYLESTERASE INHIBITOR14 (PMEI14) in seed coat mucilage pectin methylesterification and provide evidence in support of multi-tiered regulation of seed coat mucilage biosynthesis genes including PMEI14.

Comparison of Droperidol and Midazolam Versus Haloperidol and Lorazepam for Acute Agitation Management in the Emergency Department.

Background: Acute agitation accounts for up to 2.6% of visits to the emergency department (ED). To date, a standard of care for the management of acute agitation has not been established.

Functional Dentition, Chronic Periodontal Disease and Frailty in Older Adults-A Narrative Review.

Background: The likelihood of experiencing the impact of chronic disease rises with age, and cumulative functional deficits over time increase the risk of frailty in older adults. The exact causes of frailty are not clear, and research is needed to identify appropriate intervention measures to reduce risk of developing frailty in old age.

Objective: To review the evidence on the relationship between frailty, dental status and chronic periodontitis and to determine if improvements in oral health of older adults can contribute to reversal of frailty.

Theory-derived intervention to improve oral health of older adults: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Changing health behaviours is an important and difficult task. Despite growing interest in behavioural theories and models, there is a paucity of research examining their validity in explaining oral health behaviours, and there is a need for interventional studies to assess their effectiveness in improving oral health. This study aims to test the explanatory power of the dominant psychological theories, develop theory-derived intervention and evaluate its effectiveness in improving oral health of older adults.

Energetically unfavorable protein angles: Exploration of a conserved dihedral angle in triosephosphate isomerase.

Over the past 3.5 billion years of evolution, enzymes have adopted a myriad of conformations to suit life on earth. However, torsional angles of proteins have settled into limited zones of energetically favorable dihedrals observed in Ramachandran plots.

Microscopic colitis in Northern Ireland: an updated clinicopathological audit and assessment of compliance with European guidelines.

Aim: We previously reported the first population-based study of the epidemiology of microscopic colitis in Northern Ireland. The aim of the current study is to provide updated data on incidence, diagnostic methods and clinicopathological associations, following dissemination of the previous report. A further aim was to compare the findings against relevant recommendations from the 2020 European guidelines.

Artificial intelligence and inflammatory bowel disease: practicalities and future prospects.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology predicted to have significant applications in healthcare. This review highlights AI applications that impact the patient journey in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), from genomics to endoscopic applications in disease classification, stratification and self-monitoring to risk stratification for personalised management. We discuss the practical AI applications currently in use while giving a balanced view of concerns and pitfalls and look to the future with the potential of where AI can provide significant value to the care of the patient with IBD.

Elastic mucus strands impair mucociliary clearance in cystic fibrosis pigs.

SignificanceIn many lung diseases, increased amounts of and/or abnormal mucus impair mucociliary clearance, a key defense against inhaled and aspirated material. Submucosal glands lining cartilaginous airways secrete mucus strands that are pulled by cilia until they break free from the duct and sweep upward toward the larynx, carrying particulates. In cystic fibrosis (CF) pigs, progressive clearance of insufflated microdisks was repeatedly interrupted as microdisks abruptly recoiled.

Willingness to Pay for Preventive Dental Care Amongst Older Adults.

Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to investigate willingness to pay (WTP) for preventive and curative dental care procedures and (2) to determine the factors that influence older adults' WTP for dental care.

Methodology: Older, independently living adults from Singapore aged 60 years and older and eligible for government-subsidised dental care were nonrandomly recruited for this study. Data were collected using questionnaires and a clinical examination which recorded details of caries experience, number and distribution of posterior occluding contacts, prosthodontic status, and periodontal status.

The MYB5 transcription factor interacts with CASEIN KINASE2 BETA3 subunit in a yeast two-hybrid system.

MYB5 collaborates with TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1) and basic-Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors to regulate seed coat, trichome and root cell differentiation. Using a yeast two-hybrid system we show that the N-terminal region of MYB5 binds directly to the serine/threonine CASEIN KINASE2 BETA3 (CK2β3) subunit. Functions of the CASEIN KINASE2 (CK2) complex include facilitating phosphorylation of MYB transcription factors and cell cycle checkpoint regulatory proteins.

Modularity of PGL(𝔽)-representations over totally real fields.

We study an analog of Serre's modularity conjecture for projective representations [Formula: see text], where K is a totally real number field. We prove cases of this conjecture when [Formula: see text].

A qualitative study of dental professionals' and patients' knowledge and perceptions of the impact of periodontal disease on systemic health and quality of life.

Objectives: This qualitative study of dental professionals and patients with periodontal disease: (1) explored their knowledge and perceptions on the impact of periodontal disease on systemic health and quality of life (QoL); (2) assessed their familiarity with QoL instruments used to measure the impact of periodontal disease.

Methods: In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 10 dental professionals and 10 patients selected using purposive sampling. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed using NVivo software (version 11, QSR International), followed by an inductive thematic analysis of the data.