Patient Safety Incidents in Primary Care Dentistry in England and Wales: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: In recent decades, there has been considerable international attention aimed at improving the safety of hospital care, and more recently, this attention has broadened to include primary medical care. In contrast, the safety profile of primary care dentistry remains poorly characterized.

Objectives: We aimed to describe the types of primary care dental patient safety incidents reported within a national incident reporting database and understand their contributory factors and consequences.

Impact of providing free preventive dental products without health workers' counselling on infants' tooth-brushing and bottle-feeding termination practices: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the impact of an integrated oral health promotion intervention, within the Syrian national immunisation programme, which provided free preventive dental health products, without health workers' counselling, on one-year-old infants' tooth-brushing and bottle-feeding termination practices.

Research Design: a randomised controlled parallel-group trial.

Setting: A maternal and child health centre in Sweida city, Syria.

Enhanced skills in periodontology: evaluation of a pilot scheme for general dental practitioners and dental care professionals in London.

Background The need for periodontal management is great and increasing; thus, the oral and dental workforce should be suitably equipped to deliver contemporary care. Health Education London developed a training scheme to extend the skills of dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs).Aim To examine the feasibility of assessing a skill-mix initiative established to enhance skills in clinical periodontology involving the views of patients, clinicians and key stakeholders, together with clinical and patient outcomes in London.

Do high tuition fees make a difference? Characteristics of applicants to UK medical and dental schools before and after the introduction of high tuition fees in 2012.

Aim To compare trends in the volume, socio-demography and academic experience of UK applicants and entrants to medicine and dentistry in the UK with university in general, before and after the major increase in university fees in England in 2012.Methods Descriptive trend analyses of University and College Admissions Services (UCAS) data for focused (preferred subject was medicine or dentistry) and accepted applicants, 2010-14, compared with university in general in relation to socio-demography (age, sex, ethnicity, POLAR 2, region) and academic experience (school type). POLAR2 data provide an indication of the likelihood of young people in the area participating in further or higher education.

Interprofessional enhanced skills training in periodontology: a qualitative study of one London pilot.

Objectives/aims: Health Education England (HEE) London developed an innovative 2-year pilot educational and training initiative for enhancing skills in periodontology for dentists and dental hygienists/therapists in 2011. This study explores the perceptions and experiences of those involved in initiating, designing, delivering and participating in this interprofessional approach to training.

Materials And Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of key stakeholders including course participants (dentists and dental hygienists and/or therapists), education and training commissioners, and providers towards the end of the 2-year programme.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for MDS and CMML: recommendations from an international expert panel.

An international expert panel, active within the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, European LeukemiaNet, Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trial Group, and the International Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation developed recommendations for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Disease risks scored according to the revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) and presence of comorbidity graded according to the HCT Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) were recognized as relevant clinical variables for HSCT eligibility. Fit patients with higher-risk IPSS-R and those with lower-risk IPSS-R with poor-risk genetic features, profound cytopenias, and high transfusion burden are candidates for HSCT.

Patient Safety Incidents and Adverse Events in Ambulatory Dental Care: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Background: There have been efforts to understand the epidemiology of iatrogenic harm in hospitals and primary care and to improve the safety of care provision. There has in contrast been very limited progress in relation to the safety of ambulatory dental care.

Objectives: To provide a comprehensive overview of the range and frequencies of existing evidence on patient safety incidents and adverse events in ambulatory dentistry.

Role of the lectin complement pathway in kidney transplantation.

In the last 15 years two major advances in the role of complement in the kidney transplant have come about. The first is that ischaemia reperfusion injury and its profound effect on transplant outcome is dependent on the terminal product of complement activation, C5b-9. The second key observation relates to the function of the small biologically active fragments C3a and C5a released by complement activation in increasing antigen presentation and priming the T cell response that results in transplant rejection.

Dentists with enhanced skills (Special Interest) in Endodontics: gatekeepers views in London.

Background: Dentists with a special interest hold enhanced skills enabling them to treat cases of intermediate complexity. The aim of this study was to explore primary dental care practitioners' views of dentists with a special interest (DwSIs) in Endodontics in London, with reference to an educational and service initiative established by (the former) London Deanery in conjunction with the NHS.

Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey of primary care dentists working across different models of care within London was conducted, with a target to achieve views of at least 5 % of London's dentists.

Sultanate of Oman: building a dental workforce.

Background: A medium- and long-term perspective is required in human resource development to ensure that future needs and demands for oral healthcare are met by the most appropriate health professionals. This paper presents a case study of the Sultanate of Oman, one of the Gulf States with a current population of 3.8 million, which has initiated dental training through the creation of a dental college.

Peripheral aetiopathogenic drivers and mediators of Parkinson's disease and co-morbidities: role of gastrointestinal microbiota.

We seek an aetiopathogenic model for the spectrum of Parkinson's disease (PD), functional bowel disease, depression and cognitive impairment. The adopted concept is that systemic immuno-inflammatory processes mediate neuro-inflammation. The model would be based on phenotype, exposome (including gastrointestinal microbiome), milieu (immuno-inflammatory and metabolome), human genetics and their interactions.

Dentists with extended skills: the challenge of innovation.

Background: The aim was to obtain stakeholders' views on the former London Deanery's joint educational service development initiative to train dentists with a special interest (DwSIs) in endodontics in conjunction with the National Health Services (NHS) and examine the models of care provided.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed methods design including audit of four different models of care, semi-structured interviews of a range of key stakeholders (including the DwSI trainees) and questionnaire surveys of patients and primary care dentists.

Results: Eight dentists treated over 1,600 endodontic cases of moderate complexity over a two year training period.

Oral health patterns of independently living dentate older people: a cross-sectional survey of dental attendees in south-east London.

Background: The oral health needs of older adults present increasing challenges to dental services.

Objectives: To examine the clinical oral health status of dentate older people living in the community and attending dental services.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-six dentate adults, aged ≥60 years, underwent clinical examination (DMFS, Plaque and Gingival Indexes), salivary analysis and completed a questionnaire.

The potential benefits of sugar-free chewing gum on the oral health and quality of life of older people living in the community: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the effects of prescribing sugar-free chewing gum on the oral health and quality of life of dentate older people living in the community and attending for routine dental care.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 186 older people who were not regular chewers of gum, (aged 60 years and over with ≥ 6 teeth) recruited from primary care clinics. Participants were randomly allocated to a gum-chewing group (chewing xylitol-containing gum twice a day for 15 min; n = 95) or a control group (no gum; n = 91).

The graduate entry generation: a qualitative study exploring the factors influencing the career expectations and aspirations of a graduating cohort of graduate entry dental students in one London institution.

Background: Dentistry in the UK has a number of new graduate-entry programmes. The aim of the study was to explore the motivation, career expectations and experiences of final year students who chose to pursue a dental career through the graduate entry programme route in one institution; and to explore if, and how, their intended career expectations and aspirations were informed by this choice.

Method: In-depth interviews of 14 graduate entry students in their final year of study.

EDTA or H3PO4/NaOCl dentine treatments may increase hybrid layers' resistance to degradation: a microtensile bond strength and confocal-micropermeability study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to reduce hybrid layer degradation created with simplified dentine adhesives by using two different methods to condition the dentine surface.

Methods: A smear-layer was created on flat dentine surfaces from extracted human third molars with a 180-grit/SiC-paper. Dentine specimens were conditioned before bonding with the following procedures: 37% H(3)PO(4); H(3)PO(4)/0.

Geographical clustering of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in South-East England: a population study.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disease of motor neurons that causes progressive paralysis and eventually results in death from respiratory failure. Environmental factors that trigger ALS might result in a pattern of geographical clustering of cases. We tested this hypothesis using the South-East England ALS population register, which covers south-east London, Kent and parts of neighbouring counties.

The influence of soft acidic drinks in exposing dentinal tubules after non-surgical periodontal treatment: a SEM investigation on the protective effects of oxalate-containing phytocomplex.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the different smear layer morphologies produced by instrumentation with a hand curette and a periodontal sonic scaler for potential removal by soft acidic solution. The effect of a new oxalate-containing phytocomplex spray in preventing tubules exposure after citric acid solution application was also evaluated.

Methods: Thirty recently extracted human teeth were used to obtain root dentinal fragments and divided in two groups: Curette treatment (CRT) root planed applying 30 working strokes to each surface using a Gracey's curette 5-6 and Ultrasonic scaler (USC) treated using a periodontal scaler mounted on an ultrasonic hand-piece for 30 seconds.

The cytoskeleton and motility in apicomplexan invasion.

We consider the cytoskeletal structure, function, and motility of the invasive zoites of the Apicomplexa. This monophyletic group possess a prominent microtubular cytoskeleton, with a very distinct polarity. It is associated with a non-actin based filamentous system, and with a cisternal double membrane assembly beneath the plasma membrane.

Differential expression of beta1 and beta2 integrins and L-selectin on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in human blood: comparative analysis between isolated cells, whole blood samples and cryopreserved preparations.

Flow cytometric analysis was used to compare the expression of adhesion molecules on human CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in isolated blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) in whole blood samples and in cryopreserved MNC preparations. Examination of MNCs revealed that the CD11b and CD11c components of the beta2 integrins were preferentially expressed on CD8+ T cells, whereas CD62L was present on more CD4+ T cells. All CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were positive for CD11a but the CD8+ population had a higher intensity of expression of CD11a and also CD11b.

Introduction: markers of oxidative damage and antioxidant modulation.

The question of the function of antioxidants in human health can only be resolved when validated markers of oxidative damage are available. Markers allow determination of the effect of antioxidants on damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids. The final goal is the execution of human intervention studies based on markers that are clearly linked to physiological function.

Chronic idiopathic urticaria: comparison of the clinical features of patients with and without anti-FcepsilonRI or anti-IgE autoantibodies.

Background: Previous studies defining the clinical features of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) were performed before the identification of functional autoantibodies against FcepsilonRI and/or IgE, now known to be present in approximately 30% of patients with CIU.

Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether there are differences between patients with and those without autoantibodies in the clinical features or severity of CIU.

Methods: The clinical features of 107 patients with CIU were evaluated prospectively.

Cutaneous inflammatory cell infiltrate in chronic idiopathic urticaria: comparison of patients with and without anti-FcepsilonRI or anti-IgE autoantibodies.

Background: Previous studies defining the histopathologic features of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) were performed on wheals of uncertain duration and before the identification of functional autoantibodies against FcepsilonRI and/or IgE, now known to be present in approximately 30% of patients with CIU.

Objective: We sought to determine the timing of the inflammatory infiltrate in the wheals of patients with CIU and to detect differences between patients with and without autoantibodies.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to identify neutrophils (neutrophil elastase), T lymphocytes (CD3), and activated eosinophils (EG2) in biopsy specimens from uninvolved skin and wheals present for less than 4 hours and greater than 12 hours in 22 patients with CIU, as well as in biopsy specimens from the skin of 12 healthy control subjects.