How do minor oral surgery courses impact the confidence levels of general dental practitioners?

Introduction There is set to be a change in the way that oral surgery will be delivered with the introduction of managed clinical networks. The changes may require general dental practitioners (GDPs) to carry out more minor oral surgery in primary care.Aim To determine the effectiveness of courses on GDPs carrying minor oral surgery in primary care.

Peptides specific for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection: diagnostic potential.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) is the causative agent of Johne's disease (JD). Current serological diagnostic tests for JD are limited by their sensitivity when used in sub-clinical stages of the disease. Our objective was to identify peptides that mimic diagnostically important Map epitopes that might be incorporated into a new-generation JD diagnostic.

Beta-blocker effects on postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To determine whether restarting of Beta Blocker following cardiac surgery would reduce the incidence and the severity of post-operative atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: 210 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized to control (C) (n = 105) and Beta Blockers (BB) (n = 105) groups. Preoperatively all patients were on one type or another of betablockers.

Opening the pleura during internal mammary artery harvesting: advantages and disadvantages.

Objective: To evaluate the findings of previous studies that opening of the pleura during internal mammary artery (IMA) dissection might be an important factor in increasing the operative morbidity.

Design: A randomized control trial.

Setting: A university hospital.