BACKGROUND & AIMS: PURPOSE:A low-temperature low-energy capillary-tube-based argon micro-plasma system was applied to disinfect Streptococcus mutans-containing biofilm. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The micro-plasma system uses a hollow inner electrode that is ignited by a radio-frequency power supply with a matching network. The energy content was analyzed using optical emission spectroscopy. The micro-plasma-induced effect on a biofilm cultured for 24 or 48 h with a working distance of ≈3 mm at low temperature was evaluated. The morphologies of the treated live/dead bacteria and the produced polysaccharides after micro-plasma treatment were examined. RESULTS:Scanning electron microscopy images and staining results show that most of the S. mutans on the treated biofilm were acutely damaged within a micro-plasma treatment time of 300 s. CONCLUSIONS:The number of living bacteria underneath the treated biofilm greatly decreased with treatment time. The proposed micro-plasma system can thus disinfect S. mutans on/in biofilms.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to determine the quantity and quality of DNA extracted from a dental bite impression wafer immediately after impression and after 12 months of home storage. The authors' hypothesis was that the wafer would retain sufficient DNA with appropriate genetic markers to make an identification match. METHODS:Two impression wafers (Toothprints(®) brand) were administered to 100 3- to 26-year-olds. A cotton swab was used as a control. DNA from wafers stored for 12 months at home were compared to DNA collected at time 0 and compared to swabs at specific sites to determine quality and accuracy. The amount of DNA captured and recovered was analyzed using MagAttract technology and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Capillary gel electrophoresis was performed to determine the quality of the DNA profiles obtained from the wafers vs those generated from the swabs of each subject. RESULTS:Average DNA concentration was: 480 pg/μL (wafer at time 0); 392 pg/μL (wafer after 12 months kept by subjects); and 1,041 pg/μL (buccal swab). Sufficient DNA for human identification was recovered from all sets of wafers, producing clear DNA profiles and accurate matches to buccal swabs. No inhibitors were found that could interfere with DNA profiling. CONCLUSIONS:Toothprints® impression wafers can be useful for DNA collection and child identification. After 12 months, the wafer was still usable for DNA capture and identification match.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Cardiac implantable electronic devices are increasing in prevalence. The post-implant follow-up is important for monitoring both device function and patient condition. However, practice is inconsistent. For example, ICD follow-up schedules vary from 3 monthly to yearly according to facility and physician preference and availability of resources. Recommended follow-up schedules impose significant burden. Importantly, no surveillance occurs between follow-up visits. In contrast, implantable devices with automatic remote monitoring capability provide a means for performing constant surveillance, with the ability to identify salient problems rapidly. Remote home monitoring reduces the volume of device clinic visits and provides early detection of patient and/or system problems.

背景与目标： : 心脏植入式电子设备的患病率正在上升。植入后的随访对于监测设备功能和患者状况都很重要。然而，实践是不一致的。例如，根据设施和医生的偏好以及资源的可用性，ICD随访时间表从3个月到每年不等。建议的后续时间表带来了巨大的负担。重要的是，在后续访问之间没有监视。相反，具有自动远程监视功能的可植入设备提供了一种执行持续监视的方法，具有快速识别突出问题的能力。远程家庭监控减少了设备诊所就诊的数量，并提供了对患者和/或系统问题的早期检测。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :A bilateral advantage for diotically presented stimuli has been observed for cochlear implant (CI) users and is suggested to be dependent on symmetrical implant performance. Studies using CI simulations have not shown a true "bilateral" advantage, but a "better ear" effect and have demonstrated that performance decreases with increasing basalward shift in insertion depth. This study aimed to determine whether there is a bilateral advantage for CI simulations with interaurally matched insertions and the extent to which performance is affected by interaural insertion depth mismatch. Speech perception in noise and self-reported ease of listening were measured using matched bilateral, mismatched bilateral and unilateral CI simulations over four insertion depths for seventeen normal hearing listeners. Speech scores and ease of listening reduced with increasing basalward shift in (interaurally matched) insertion depth. A bilateral advantage for speech perception was only observed when the insertion depths were interaurally matched and deep. No advantage was observed for small to moderate interaural insertion-depth mismatches, consistent with a better ear effect. Finally, both measures were poorer than expected for a better ear effect for large mismatches, suggesting that misalignment of the electrode arrays may prevent a bilateral advantage and detrimentally affect perception of diotically presented speech.

背景与目标： : 对于人工耳蜗 (CI) 使用者，已经观察到双向呈现刺激的双边优势，并且建议这取决于对称的植入性能。使用CI模拟的研究并未显示出真正的 “双边” 优势，而是 “更好的耳朵” 效果，并且表明性能会随着插入深度的玄武向偏移而降低。这项研究旨在确定使用耳间匹配插入的CI模拟是否具有双边优势，以及耳间插入深度不匹配对性能的影响程度。使用匹配的双侧，不匹配的双侧和单侧CI模拟，对17名正常听力听众在四个插入深度上测量了噪声中的语音感知和自我报告的听力难易程度。随着 (耳间匹配) 插入深度的basalward偏移的增加，语音分数和听力的难易程度会降低。仅当插入深度在耳间匹配且较深时，才观察到语音感知的双边优势。对于小到中等的耳间插入深度不匹配，没有观察到优势，这与更好的耳朵效果一致。最后，这两种措施都比预期的要差，因为对于较大的不匹配，耳朵效果更好，这表明电极阵列的不对准可能会阻止双边优势，并不利地影响对语音呈现的感知。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVES:To compare peri-implant bone and soft-tissue levels of immediately non-occlusally loaded vs. non-submerged early loaded implants in partially edentulous patients up to 14 months after placement. MATERIAL AND METHODS:Fifty-two patients were randomized in five Italian private practices: 25 in the immediately loaded group and 27 in the early loaded group. To be immediately loaded, single implants had to be inserted with a torque of > or = 30 N cm, and splinted implants with a torque of > or = 20 N cm. Immediately loaded implants were provided with non-occluding temporary restorations within 48 h. After 2 months, the provisional restorations were placed in full occlusion. Implants were early loaded after 2 months. Final restorations were provided 8 months after placement. Blinded assessors evaluated peri-implant bone and soft-tissue levels. RESULTS:Fifty-two implants were immediately loaded and 52 were early loaded. No drop-out occurred. One single immediately loaded implant failed 2 months after placement. Both groups gradually lost peri-implant bone in a highly statistically significant manner at 2, 8, and 14 months. After 14 months, patients of both groups lost an average of 1.1 mm of peri-implant bone. There were no statistically significant differences between the two loading strategies for peri-implant bone and soft-tissue level changes (P > 0.05). After 14 months, the position of the soft tissues did not change significantly from baseline (delivery of the final restorations 8 months after placement). CONCLUSIONS:There were no statistically or clinically significant differences between immediate and early loading of dental implants with regard to peri-implant bone and soft-tissue levels as evaluated in the present study.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To determine the prevalence and distribution of dilaceration in all tooth groups by using radiographs. STUDY DESIGN:The sample included 953 periapical intraoral radiographs and 488 panoramic radiographs from different caucasian patients. The ages of the patients ranged from 18-65 years. Dilaceration of the root was detected by measuring the degree of deviation from the long axis (deviation ł 90 degrees), and evaluating the "bull's eye" appearance. The prevalence of root dilaceration for each tooth-type was expressed in percentages. RESULTS:The teeth showing the highest prevalence of root dilaceration were mandibular third molars (24.1%), maxillary first molars (15.3%), second molars (11.4%) and third molars (8.1%). In the mandible, dilacerations were less common than in the maxilla. CONCLUSIONS:In the adult population examined in Croatia, dilaceration was most frequently found to affect posterior teeth.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The Athens University, School of Dentistry, accepted the challenge to organize the Dental Health Services in the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in order to provide the best quality of oral health services to the athletes, coaches, escort members and Olympic Village personnel. Data from the whole activity protocol of the Athens 2004 Games Dental Health Services - the reception, admission and treatment protocols, the facilities and the infrastructure, the number of cases treated per specialty and the experience gained - were recorded. During the Olympic Games, there were more than 1400 dental cases in more than 650 patients, elite athletes, escort members, coaches and staff of the Olympic Village. Among them 313 fillings, 100 root canal therapies, 57 mouthguards and 9 dental trauma cases were treated. During the Paralympic Games, there were more than 240 dental cases in more than 220 patients. Among them 73 fillings, 12 root canal therapies, 21 extractions and 3 dental trauma cases were treated. In such events, highly trained dentists are needed and if possible, specialized in operative dentistry or endodontics. The role of team dentist seems to be of great importance.

背景与目标： : 雅典大学牙科学院接受了在雅典2004奥运会和残奥会上组织牙科保健服务的挑战，以便为运动员，教练，护送成员和奥运村人员提供最优质的口腔保健服务。记录了来自雅典2004运动会牙科保健服务的整个活动协议的数据-接收，准入和治疗协议，设施和基础设施，每个专业治疗的病例数以及获得的经验。奥运会期间，奥运村650多名患者、优秀运动员、护卫队员、教练员和工作人员共发生了1400多例牙病病例。其中补牙313例，根管治疗100例，护齿57例，牙外伤9例。残奥会期间，220多名患者中有240多个牙科病例。其中73例补牙，12例根管治疗，21例拔牙和3例牙外伤。在这种情况下，需要训练有素的牙医，如果可能的话，需要专门从事牙科手术或牙髓学。团队牙医的角色似乎非常重要。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries in the primary dentition and associated variables in low socioeconomic preschool children enrolled in public nursery schools in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Four public institutions were selected by geographic criteria (two in the central region and two in the peripheral region). The study population comprised 338 children (181 boys; 157 girls) aged 2-6 years old. Dental caries was recorded using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmf-t) index. Among the examined children, 50.6% were caries-free. The mean dmf-t index was 2.03. It was higher in the peripheral nursery schools (p<0.01). A trend towards a difference between sexes (p = 0.06) was observed. Logistic regression analysis selected a previous child's visit to dentist (p<0.001), geographic location of the public nursery school (p<0.01), and age (p<0.01) as predictive variables for the dmf-t index. The study showed the need for an oral health program for this population, including both curative and preventive measures in order to achieve the WHO/FDI goals for the year 2000, namely 50% of children free of caries at age 5-6 years.

背景与目标： : 这项研究的目的是评估在巴西米纳斯吉拉斯州Juiz de Fora的公立托儿所就读的低社会经济学龄前儿童的主要牙列中龋齿的患病率和相关变量。根据地理标准选择了四个公共机构 (两个在中部地区，两个在外围地区)。研究人群包括2-6岁的338名儿童 (181名男孩; 157名女孩)。使用腐烂，缺失和填充的牙齿 (dmf-t) 指数记录龋齿。在接受检查的儿童中，有50.6% 人没有龋齿。平均dmf-t指数为2.03。在外围托儿所中较高 (p<0.01)。观察到性别差异的趋势 (p = 0.06)。Logistic回归分析选择了以前的儿童去看牙医 (p<0.001)，公立托儿所的地理位置 (p<0.01) 和年龄 (p<0.01) 作为dmf-t指数的预测变量。该研究表明，需要为这一人群制定口腔保健方案，包括治疗和预防措施，以实现世卫组织/外国直接投资2000年的目标，即50% 5-6岁无龋齿儿童。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The placement of dental implants in the pterygomaxillary region can be advantageous in maxillary complete arch fixed implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitations to avoid bone grafting and sinus elevation surgeries. Pterygomaxillary implants improve implant biomechanics by eliminating distal cantilevers and increasing the anteroposterior spread with reported mean implant survival rates comparable to traditional implant sites. Although only minor surgical complications have been reported in the literature with the placement of dental implants in the pterygomaxillary region this clinical report describes a major surgical complication involving the displacement of a dental implant into the pterygoid fossa.

背景与目标： : 在上颌完全弓固定植入物支持的假体康复中，在翼状翼状区域放置牙科植入物可能是有利的，以避免植骨和鼻窦抬高手术。翼状翼状植入物通过消除远端悬臂并增加前后扩散来改善植入物的生物力学，据报道，平均植入物存活率可与传统植入物部位相媲美。尽管在文献中仅报道了在翼状翼状区域放置牙科植入物的较小的手术并发症，但该临床报告描述了一种主要的手术并发症，涉及将牙科植入物移位到翼状窝中。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Optimized biocompatibility is crucial for the durability of cardiovascular implants. Previously, a combined coating with fibronectin (FN) and stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF1α) has been shown to accelerate the in vivo cellularization of synthetic vascular grafts and to reduce the calcification of biological pulmonary root grafts. In this study, we evaluate the effect of side-specific luminal SDF1α coating and adventitial FN coating on the in vivo cellularization and degeneration of decellularized rat aortic implants. Aortic arch vascular donor grafts were detergent-decellularized. The luminal graft surface was coated with SDF1α, while the adventitial surface was coated with FN. SDF1α-coated and uncoated grafts were infrarenally implanted (n = 20) in rats and followed up for up to eight weeks. Cellular intima population was accelerated by luminal SDF1α coating at two weeks (92.4 ± 2.95% versus 61.1 ± 6.51% in controls, p < 0.001). SDF1α coating inhibited neo-intimal hyperplasia, resulting in a significantly decreased intima-to-media ratio after eight weeks (0.62 ± 0.15 versus 1.35 ± 0.26 in controls, p < 0.05). Furthermore, at eight weeks, media calcification was significantly decreased in the SDF1α group as compared to the control group (area of calcification in proximal arch region 1092 ± 517 μm2 versus 11 814 ± 1883 μm2, p < 0.01). Luminal coating with SDF1α promotes early autologous intima recellularization in vivo and attenuates neo-intima hyperplasia as well as calcification of decellularized vascular grafts.

背景与目标： : 优化的生物相容性对于心血管植入物的耐久性至关重要。以前，已显示具有纤连蛋白 (FN) 和基质细胞衍生因子1α (SDF1α) 的组合涂层可加速合成血管移植物的体内细胞化并减少生物肺根移植物的钙化。在这项研究中，我们评估了侧特异性腔SDF1α 涂层和外膜FN涂层对脱细胞大鼠主动脉植入物体内细胞化和变性的影响。主动脉弓血管供体移植物被去污剂脱细胞。腔移植物表面涂有SDF1α，而外膜表面涂有FN。将sdf1α 涂层和未涂层的移植物在大鼠体内植入 (n = 20)，并进行长达八周的随访。在两周时，腔膜SDF1α 涂层加速了细胞内膜群 (对照组为92.4 ± 2.95%，对照组为61.1 ± 6.51%，p <0.001)。SDF1α 涂层抑制新内膜增生，导致8周后内膜与中膜比率显着降低 (对照组为0.62 ± 0.15，对照组为1.35 ± 0.26，p <0.05)。此外，与对照组相比，在8周时，SDF1α 组的介质钙化显着降低 (近端弓区域的钙化面积1092 ± 517 μm2与11 814 ± 1883 μm2相比，p <0.01)。带有SDF1α 的腔涂层可促进体内早期自体内膜再细胞化，并减轻新内膜增生以及脱细胞血管移植物的钙化。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To investigate and identify factors that may influence individuals' ability to access primary health care services.

DESIGN:Cross-sectional study

SETTING:Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham.

SUBJECTS:A 0.1 per cent random sample of people aged 18 years and over in the population of 626,621 people in the three boroughs.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Demographic as well as psychosocial profile of the sample, perceptions of their dental health needs, accessed dental care.

RESULTS:The results indicated that people believed that their oral health was good. The majority of the sample had attended for dental care within the previous year and were registered with a general dental practitioner. Accessing dental care was related to age, social class, borough of residence, dentate status and dental phobia status. In addition subjects experiencing problems with their teeth gained access to care more readily than others. This was related to social class. Accessing dental care was predicted by dental care being provided by a general dental practitioner, experiencing problems with teeth and not being dentally phobic.

CONCLUSIONS:The findings suggest that psychosocial factors together with dental health status can act as determinants when accessing primary dental services. It is considered that family health services authorities should be aware of these influences when developing and monitoring dental health services, in order to make them responsive and sensitive to the needs of the people whom they serve.

背景与目标： 目标 : 调查和确定可能影响个人获得初级卫生保健服务能力的因素。
设计 : 横断面研究
设置 : lambeth，Southwark和Lewisham。
主题 : 在三个行政区的626,621人中，对18岁及以上的人口进行了0.1的随机抽样。
主要结果指标 : 人口统计以及样本的社会心理状况，对牙齿健康需求的看法，访问了牙科保健。
结果 : 结果表明人们认为自己的口腔健康良好。大多数样本在上一年内参加了牙科护理，并在普通牙科医生处注册。获得牙科保健与年龄，社会阶层，居住区，牙齿状况和牙科恐惧症状况有关。此外，牙齿出现问题的受试者比其他人更容易获得护理。这与社会阶层有关。通过由普通牙科医生提供的牙科护理来预测获得牙科护理，他们会遇到牙齿问题并且不会感到牙齿恐惧症。
结论 : 研究结果表明，心理社会因素以及牙齿健康状况可以作为获得初级牙科服务的决定因素。人们认为，家庭保健服务当局在开发和监测牙科保健服务时应意识到这些影响，以使其对所服务的人的需求敏感和敏感。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Nerve fibres displaying such immunoreactivity were revealed by indirect immunofluorescence. Neuropeptide K-like immunoreactive fibres, entering the pulp within large nerve trunks, were distributed around blood vessels as well as in the stroma. Some immunoreactive fibres were also observed in the para-odontoblastic region. In view of the biological activity of neuropeptide K, it is tentatively proposed that it may act in the dental pulp as a regulatory peptide involved in neurogenic inflammation, blood flow regulation and sensory transmission.

背景与目标： : 通过间接免疫荧光显示显示出这种免疫反应性的神经纤维。进入大神经干内的牙髓的神经肽K样免疫反应性纤维分布在血管周围以及基质中。在副牙本质细胞区域也观察到一些免疫反应性纤维。鉴于神经肽K的生物学活性，初步提出它可能作为一种调节肽在牙髓中作用，参与神经源性炎症，血流调节和感觉传递。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The double-J stents used today for palliative artificial urinary diversion very often show extreme formation of encrustations, even a short time after implantation. Despite increased scientific material development, the complication rate has not really been strongly influenced. Grant-aided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, we chose a new interdisciplinary and translational approach by coating standard stent materials with plasma-deposited amorphous diamond-like carbon. These stents show clearly reduced rates of encrustation in vitro. Ongoing clinical trials demonstrate a further enhancement of this effect in vivo. The underlying mechanisms are being investigated by extending the established in vitro model, thereby pushing research in this field to a new level.

背景与目标： : 当今用于姑息性人工尿流改道的双J支架经常显示出极度的结壳形成，即使在植入后很短的时间内也是如此。尽管科学材料的开发有所增加，但并发症发生率并未受到很大影响。在德国联邦教育和研究部的资助下，我们选择了一种新的跨学科和转化方法，方法是用等离子沉积的无定形类金刚石碳涂覆标准支架材料。这些支架在体外明显降低了结壳率。正在进行的临床试验表明，这种作用在体内进一步增强。正在通过扩展已建立的体外模型来研究其潜在机制，从而将该领域的研究推向一个新的水平。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: INTRODUCTION:Long-term revision-free survival, greater than 10 years has never been reported for inflatable penile prostheses. We conducted a historical prospective study to estimate 10 and 15 years survival of first time (virgin) implantations in 2,384 patients with four different models. AIM:Evaluation of 10- and 15-year mechanical and overall revision-free survival of inflatable penile prostheses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Kaplan-Meier product limit method, and comparison using the log rank test, were used to estimate the 10- and 15-year revision-free survival. METHODS:Data were obtained from medical records and patient interviews, entered into a computerized database, and analyzed by a third party. Information included implant type, date, revision history with date, and reason. Fourteen different inflatables were examined. Mentor Alpha 1, Mentor Alpha NB, AMS 700 CX, and AMS 700 Ultrex had usage for an extended period of time. Because of failure times being confounded as a result of prior implants, only virgin implants were examined. RESULTS:For the entire series, estimated 10-year revision-free survival for all reasons was 68.5% and the 15-year revision-free survival was 59.7%. Freedom from mechanical breakage at 10 years was 79.4%; 15 years was 71.2%. Recent mechanically enhanced models did even better. In 1992, Mentor Alpha added pump reinforcement to forestall mechanical breakage. This improved 10-year survival from 65.3% to 88.6% (P = 0.0001). In January 2001, AMS CX added a parylene coating to the cylinders that increased 3-year mechanical survival from 88.4 to 97.9% (P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS:This is the first report on long-term reliability of inflatable penile prostheses. We estimated 60% of these virgin implants would survive 15 or more years without revision or extraction. Newer enhanced models are currently available, and our tracking predicts even better long-term survival for these devices.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The power stroke of mastication has been traditionally divided into two parts, one which precedes centric occlusion, and the other which follows it-"Phase I" and "Phase II," respectively. Recent studies of primate mastication have called into question the role of Phase II in food processing, as they have found little muscle activity or accompanying bone strain following centric occlusion. That said, many researchers today look to Phase II facets to relate diet to patterns of dental microwear. This suggests the need to reevaluate microwear patterns on Phase I facets. Here we use texture analysis to compare and contrast microwear on facets representing both phases in three primate species with differing diets (Alouatta palliata, Cebus apella, and Lophocebus albigena). Results reaffirm that microwear patterns on Phase II facets better distinguish taxa with differing diets than do those on Phase I facets. Further, differences in microwear textures between facet types for a given taxon may themselves reflect diet. Some possible explanations for differences in microwear textures between facet types are proposed.

背景与目标： : 咀嚼的动力冲程传统上分为两部分，一部分先于中心闭塞，另一部分紧随其后-分别是 “阶段I” 和 “阶段II”。最近对灵长类咀嚼的研究使人们质疑II期在食品加工中的作用，因为它们发现中心闭塞后几乎没有肌肉活动或伴随骨劳损。也就是说，今天的许多研究人员都希望将饮食与牙科微耳模式联系起来。这表明需要重新评估第一阶段的微波模式。在这里，我们使用纹理分析来比较和对比代表三种饮食不同的灵长类动物 (Alouatta palliata，Cebus apella和Lophocebus albigena) 的两个阶段的面上的微细。结果重申，第二阶段的微耳模式比第一阶段的微耳模式更好地区分不同饮食的分类单元。此外，给定分类单元的小面类型之间的微纹理差异可能本身反映了饮食。提出了一些有关小面类型之间的微纹理差异的可能解释。