Inhibition of HIV-1 Env-Mediated Cell-Cell Fusion by Lectins, Peptide T-20, and Neutralizing Antibodies.

Background: Broadly cross-reactive, neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies, including 2F5, 2G12, 4E10 and IgG1 b12, can inhibit HIV-1 infection in vitro at very low concentrations. We examined the ability of these antibodies to inhibit cell-cell fusion between Clone69TRevEnv cells induced to express the viral envelope proteins, gp120/gp41 (Env), and highly CD4-positive SupT1 cells. The cells were loaded with green and red-orange cytoplasmic fluorophores, and fusion was monitored by fluorescence microscopy.

The challenges of transferring evidence-based dentistry into practice.

The goal of evidence-based dentistry is to help practitioners provide their patients with optimal care. This is achieved by integrating sound research evidence with personal clinical expertise and patient values to determine the best course of treatment. Though clinicians embrace this concept, its implementation in clinical practice has been slow.

Reducing nasopharyngeal trauma: the urethral catheter-assisted nasotracheal intubation technique.

Nasal intubation is an advantageous approach for dental procedures performed in the hospital, ambulatory surgery center, or dental office, when possible. Although many who provide anesthesia services are familiar and comfortable with nasal intubation techniques, some are reluctant and uncomfortable because of lack of experience or fear of nasopharyngeal bleeding and trauma. It has been observed from experiences in various settings that many approaches may be adapted to the technique of achieving nasal intubation.

Review of outcomes from a change in faculty clinic management in a U.S. dental school.

Dental schools use a variety of clinic management models with the goals of promoting patient care, student education, and fiscal responsibility. In 2004, the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry transitioned to a more generalist model with these goals in mind.

Creating and maintaining oral health for dependent people in institutional settings.

The absolute number and percentage of the population of dependent individuals in institutional settings are growing dramatically in the United States. The current dominant office-based oral health delivery system is not adequately addressing the oral health needs of these populations and is unlikely to do so in the future. There are multiple challenges in providing oral health services for dependent people in institutional settings.

The role of dental hygiene in caries management: a new paradigm.

Dental caries is the most common disease of children and remains a significant oral health problem worldwide for both children and adults. The traditional paradigm of treating dental caries solely by "drilling and filling," brushing and flossing and lowering sugar intake has evolved. Current science in the management of dental caries suggests a clear focus on the reduction of responsible infectious agents, remineralization of non-cavitated lesions and minimally invasive restorative approaches whenever possible.

Treatment planning considerations for adult oral rehabilitation cases in the operating room.

Treatment planning for adult oral rehabilitation starts before cases are scheduled and continues after the discharge phase. Practitioners providing dental care must be competent in all phases of dentistry and comfortable in the operating room setting. Dental caries risk assessment and medical risk assessment are important in developing comprehensive and predictable treatment plans.

The influence of estrogen and progesterone on parasympathetic vasodilatation in the rat submandibular gland.

Previous studies suggest that NO- and PGI(2)-independent pathways play a greater role in parasympathetic vasodilatation in the submandibular glands (SMG) of female than of male rats. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine whether estrogen and progesterone influence the relative contributions of NO and PGI(2) to parasympathetic vasodilatation in the SMG. Vascular responses to chorda-lingual nerve stimulation were examined in sham-operated (SHAM) and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats and in OVX rats treated with either 17beta-estradiol alone or a combination of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone.

A general method for describing sources of variance in clinical trials, especially operator variance, in order to improve transfer of research knowledge to practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how the skill level of the operator and the clinical challenge provided by the patient affect the outcomes of clinical research in ways that may have hidden influences on the applicability of that research to practice. Rigorous research designs that control or eliminate operator or patient factors as sources of variance achieve improved statistical significance for study hypotheses. These procedures, however, mask sources of variance that influence the applicability of the conclusions.

Narrow diameter implants for mandibular denture retention.

Narrow diameter implants are a lower cost alternative to conventional implants and are used to retain mandibular dentures. The experiences at a dental school predoctoral clinic are reviewed. The cumulative success rate for 626 fixtures placed in a six-year period is 92.

Realigning biomedical science instruction in predoctoral curricula: a proposal for change.

Currently in North America, there is an active dialogue going on about the state of predoctoral dental education and the need for curriculum change, innovation, and the adoption of contemporary, competency-based educational models. At the institutional level, curriculum committees struggle with requests from faculty to add new content to an overburdened didactic and clinic schedule. This article will describe potential solutions centering on the role and scope of the biomedical sciences in predoctoral dental education.

California Pipeline Program: Phase II.

The California schools' accomplishments in the national Dental Pipeline Program led to funding by The California Endowment of a California Pipeline Phase II program. There are a number of unique aspects of this program that provide great promise for the future of dental education and oral health for underserved populations. First, they include the collaboration of the five and soon to be six California dental schools in multiple areas.

A simplified method for fabrication of new complete dentures.

This article discusses a simple technique for fabricating a new set of complete dentures when there is a reasonable existing upper and lower denture pair. This method reduces the number of appointments needed, and may be very helpful in treating patients with transportation difficulties, especially when the dentist is able to perform some simple laboratory procedures such as mounting the case on the articulator. The technique is well-suited for a "worn-out" set of complete dentures.

Use of primary tooth as a surgical guide in implant insertion: a case report.

A variety of surgical templates are being used routinely in implant dentistry to guide a surgeon in proper implant insertion. One additional technique is being suggested in this article. It relates to the placement of a dental implant immediately after extraction of the retained primary molar, using the crown of the deciduous tooth as a surgical guide for implant insertion.

In the beginning..

Dentists have a number of important practice management decisions to make at the beginning of their careers. These are often made without a lot of training in the business side of dental practice. They include knowledge of what to say to get offered the right job and what to ask to choose the best position.

Gingival seal of deep Class II direct and indirect composite restorations.

Purpose: To evaluate in vitro the gingival microleakage of Class II direct and indirect composite restorations with cervical margins 0.5 mm apical to the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ).

Methods: Mesial-occusal (MO) preparations of similar size were made in 10 homologous pairs of caries-free extracted human third molars.

Use of a thermoplastic resin stayplate as an alternative to an acrylic stayplate: a case report.

The fabrication of a chrome-cobalt metal partial denture is the standard in terms of removable partial dentures; alternative treatment includes an acrylic partial denture (such as a transitional stayplate). While these types of removable devices have been used successfully for many years, they also have disadvantages. Thermoplastic resin materials are a promising alternative for fabricating a transitional stayplate with improved results.

Current clinical research in orthodontics: a perspective.

This essay explores briefly the approach of the Craniofacial Research Instrumentation Laboratory to the systematic and rigorous investigation of the usual outcome of orthodontic treatment in the practices of experienced clinicians. CRIL's goal is to produce a shareable electronic database of reliable, valid, and representative data on clinical practice as an aid in the production of an improved environment for truly evidence-based orthodontic treatment.

Pacific Craniofacial Team and Cleft Prevention Program.

There is no doubt modern genetics have greatly influenced our professional and personal lives during the last decade. Uncovering genetic causes of many medical and dental pathologies is helping to narrow the diagnosis and select a treatment plan that would provide the best outcome. Importantly, having an understanding of multifactorial etiology helps direct our attention toward prevention.

Orthodontic treatment in the early mixed dentition: is this the optimum time to start care?

The age at which children should start orthodontic treatment has been debated amongst orthodontists for many decades. Orthodontists can agree on what is a quality orthodontic result, but disagree as to how and when to best obtain this result Some orthodontists contend that starting treatment in the primary dentition is the most effective means of orthodontic care. Other orthodontists would prefer to begin in the early or late mixed dentition.

An update on present and future considerations of aligners.

This report reviews the orthodontic treatment of six different patients who received removable aligners. These cases include correction of deep overbite, open bite, mild-to-moderate crowding, large overjet, cases requiring premolar extractions, the presence of multiple restorations, and cases requiring periodontal-restorative treatments, the improved periodontal status with aligners compared to fixed appliances and the use in teenagers. This report demonstrates that a wide range of cases can be effectively treated, provided the cases are thoroughly reviewed at an early stage process using Invisalgn's ClinCheck software, which will show the specific details of all consecutive appliances prior to any treatment being started so as to determine the biologic and biochemical feasibility of treatment.

Evidence-based practice of oral pathology and oral medicine.

Oral pathology is the specialty area of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and management of oral diseases and more specifically, diseases other than dental caries, periodontal disease, restorative dentistry, and orthodontic therapy. Oral medicine represents the clinical arm of oral pathology and deals with diagnosis and treatment of soft-tissue lesions, whereas oral histopathology is the specialty area that focuses on the microscopic diagnosis of soft- and hard-tissue lesions of the head and neck area. The diagnosis and treatment of oral pathologic conditions is often based on empirical decision-making and many approaches to treatment have not been well-supported by clinicopathologic studies.

The challenges of transferring evidence-based dentistry into practice.

The goal of evidence-based dentistry is to help practitioners provide their patients with optimal care. This is achieved by integrating sound research evidence with personal clinical expertise and patient values to determine the best course of treatment. Though clinicians embrace this concept, its implementation in clinical practice has been slow.

Estimating transfer of learning for self-instructional packages across dental schools.

The most common topic of research in dental education is assessing the effectiveness of self-instructional units in various formats compared to lectures covering the same material. Generally, these studies are of high methodological quality and reveal mixed results or results slightly favoring self-instruction. All such studies, save one, have been conducted in the context of various single schools, thus confounding the effects of self-instructional format with factors particular to schools and their students.