Prevalence of Moderate to Severe Periodontitis in an 18–19th Century Sample—St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard (London, UK)

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of moderate to severe periodontitis in 18–19th century skulls in the St Bride’s Lower Churchyard in London, UK. Materials and methods: A total of 105 adult skulls (66 M: F 39) from the Museum of London collection were examined for evidence of dental disease. The primary method was to measure the presence of moderate to severe periodontitis. Other dental pathologies were recorded such as tooth wear, calculus, and caries. Results: Overall, the prevalence of moderate to severe periodontitis in the sample was 21–24%. Males were observed to be more susceptible to periodontal disease than females. The severity of bone loss in the skull collection also increased with age. There was no significant difference in the amount of calculus deposition when comparing either age or sex. A total of 14% of the individuals in the sample showed signs of smoking. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that the prevalence of moderate to severe periodontitis in an 18–19th century skull sample was 21–24%, which was higher than in previous studies. This may be due to the lack of basic personal mouth care and professional dental treatment as well as known risk factors such as smoking, stress, low socioeconomic status, and malnutrition

The Relationship between both Partial and Complete Denture Wearers and the Presence of Oral Malodour and the Effect of Denture Cleansers on the Oral Microbiota

Oral malodour may be considered a substantial concern for a sizeable percentage of the general population and as such it is important for clinicians to identify the causes of oral malodour, to treat the problem effectively. Aim: The aim of the present study was therefore to review the published literature on the presence and perception of oral malodour (halitosis) in patients wearing both removable partial or complete dentures and the effect of denture cleansers on the oral microbiota. Materials & Methods: A comprehensive electronic search of databases such as PUBMED, Cochrane, Google Scholar, EmBase and Web of Science was performed up to February 2016. Results: 55 potentially relevant reports were identified with six studies included in the review. Of the six included papers, only one study was randomised, and five studies were either non-randomised controlled clinical trials or, quasi randomised trials. The results from these studies would suggest that there was an indirect association between the presence and perception of oral malodour in both RPD and complete denture wearing patients. Conclusions: The strength of evidence was however insufficient to draw any definitive conclusions on a potential correlation of oral malodour in patients with RPDs

Understanding "corruption" in regulatory agencies: the case of food inspection in Saudi Arabia

Corruption is a relatively neglected topic in studies of regulatory agencies. The label is applied to a wide range of deviations from behavioural standards derived ultimately from Weber’s account of the ideals of Prussian bureaucracy. This paper draws on a study of the work of Saudi Food Inspectors (SFIs) to argue that it is unhelpful to reduce a complex phenomenon to simple allegations of malpractice that can be managed by disciplinary sanctions. Our data show that irregular behaviour by street-level agents may be deeply embedded in the expectations that members of a society have of one another. It is less a matter of personal gain than of maintaining one’s recognition as a fellow-citizen. Such behaviour is not easily changed through sanctions directed at individual inspectors. Our study does not exclude the possibility that irregular behaviour can be motivated by personal gain, and properly managed by criminal or similar penalties. However, it does propose that research should be more sensitive to the contexts within which irregular behaviour occurs rather than treating ‘corruption’ as a uniform and homogenous phenomenon

Microstructural evaluation of suspension thermally sprayed WC-Co nanocomposite coatings.

Microstructural and sliding wear evaluations of nanostructured coatings deposited by Suspension High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (S-HVOF) spraying were conducted in as-sprayed and HIPed (Hot Isostatically Pressed) conditions. S-HVOF coatings were nanostructured via ball milling of the WC-12Co start powder, and deposited via an aqueous based suspension using modified HVOF (TopGun) spraying. Microstructural evaluations of these hardmetal coatings included TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Sliding wear tests were conducted using a ball-on-flat test rig. Results indicated that nanostructured features inherited from the start powder in S-HVOF spraying were retained in the resulting coatings. The decarburisation of WC due to a higher surface area to volume ratio was also observed in the S-HVOF coatings. Nanostructured and amorphous phases caused by the high cooling rates during thermal spraying crystallized into complex eta-phases after the HIPing treatment. Sliding wear performance indicated that the coating wear was lower for the HIPed coatings

Sliding wear investigation of suspension sprayed WC-Co nanocomposite coatings.

Sliding wear evaluation of nanostructured coatings deposited by Suspension High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (S-HVOF) and conventional HVOF (Jet Kote (HVOF-JK) and JP5000 (HVOF-JP)) spraying were evaluated. S-HVOF coatings were nanostructured and deposited via an aqueous based suspension of the WC-Co powder, using modified HVOF (TopGun) spraying. Microstructural evaluations of these hardmetal coatings included X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). Sliding wear tests on coatings were conducted using a ball-on-flat test rig against steel, silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic and WC-6Co balls. Results indicated that nanosized particles inherited from the starting powder in S-HVOF spraying were retained in the resulting coatings. Significant changes in the chemical and phase composition were observed in the S-HVOF coatings. Despite decarburization, the hardness and sliding wear resistance of the S-HVOF coatings was comparable to the HVOF-JK and HVOF-JP coatings. The sliding wear performance was dependent on the ball-coating test couple. In general a higher ball wear rate was observed with lower coating wear rate. Comparison of the total (ball and coating) wear rate indicated that for steel and ceramic balls, HVOF-JP coatings performed the best followed by the S-HVOF and HVOF-JK coatings. For the WC-Co ball tests, average performance of S-HVOF was better than that of HVOF-JK and HVOF-JP coatings. Changes in sliding wear behavior were attributed to the support of metal matrix due to relatively higher tungsten content, and uniform distribution of nanoparticles in the S-HVOF coating microstructure. The presence of tribofilm was also observed for all test couples

hCALCRL mutation causes autosomal recessive nonimmune hydrops fetalis with lymphatic dysplasia

We report the first case of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) associated with a recessive, in-frame deletion of V205 in the G protein–coupled receptor, Calcitonin Receptor-Like Receptor (hCALCRL). Homozygosity results in fetal demise from hydrops fetalis, while heterozygosity in females is associated with spontaneous miscarriage and subfertility. Using molecular dynamic modeling and in vitro biochemical assays, we show that the hCLR(V205del) mutant results in misfolding of the first extracellular loop, reducing association with its requisite receptor chaperone, receptor activity modifying protein (RAMP), translocation to the plasma membrane and signaling. Using three independent genetic mouse models we establish that the adrenomedullin–CLR–RAMP2 axis is both necessary and sufficient for driving lymphatic vascular proliferation. Genetic ablation of either lymphatic endothelial Calcrl or nonendothelial Ramp2 leads to severe NIHF with embryonic demise and placental pathologies, similar to that observed in humans. Our results highlight a novel candidate gene for human congenital NIHF and provide structure–function insights of this signaling axis for human physiology

High frequency chest wall oscillation for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) is used for airway mucus clearance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of HFCWO early in the treatment of adults hospitalized for acute asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Randomized, multi-center, double-masked phase II clinical trial of active or sham treatment initiated within 24 hours of hospital admission for acute asthma or COPD at four academic medical centers. Patients received active or sham treatment for 15 minutes three times a day for four treatments. Medical management was standardized across groups. The primary outcomes were patient adherence to therapy after four treatments (minutes used/60 minutes prescribed) and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included change in Borg dyspnea score (≥ 1 unit indicates a clinically significant change), spontaneously expectorated sputum volume, and forced expired volume in 1 second.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-two participants were randomized to active (n = 25) or sham (n = 27) treatment. Patient adherence was similarly high in both groups (91% vs. 93%; p = 0.70). Patient satisfaction was also similarly high in both groups. After four treatments, a higher proportion of patients in the active treatment group had a clinically significant improvement in dyspnea (70.8% vs. 42.3%, p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HFCWO is well tolerated in adults hospitalized for acute asthma or COPD and significantly improves dyspnea. The high levels of patient satisfaction in both treatment groups justify the need for sham controls when evaluating the use of HFCWO on patient-reported outcomes. Additional studies are needed to more fully evaluate the role of HFCWO in improving in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes in this population.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00181285">NCT00181285</a></p

Accuracy of line probe assays for the diagnosis of pulmonary and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Only 25% of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases are currently diagnosed. Line probe assays (LPAs) enable rapid drug-susceptibility testing for rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) resistance and Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection. Genotype MTBDRplusV1 was WHO-endorsed in 2008 but newer LPAs have since been developed. This systematic review evaluated three LPAs: Hain Genotype MTBDRplusV1, MTBDRplusV2 and Nipro NTM+MDRTB. Study quality was assessed with QUADAS-2. Bivariate random-effects meta-analyses were performed for direct and indirect testing. Results for RIF and INH resistance were compared to phenotypic and composite (incorporating sequencing) reference standards. M. tuberculosis detection results were compared to culture. 74 unique studies were included. For RIF resistance (21 225 samples), pooled sensitivity and specificity (with 95% confidence intervals) were 96.7% (95.6–97.5%) and 98.8% (98.2–99.2%). For INH resistance (20 954 samples), pooled sensitivity and specificity were 90.2% (88.2–91.9%) and 99.2% (98.7–99.5%). Results were similar for direct and indirect testing and across LPAs. Using a composite reference standard, specificity increased marginally. For M. tuberculosis detection (3451 samples), pooled sensitivity was 94% (89.4–99.4%) for smear-positive specimens and 44% (20.2–71.7%) for smear-negative specimens. In patients with pulmonary TB, LPAs have high sensitivity and specificity for RIF resistance and high specificity and good sensitivity for INH resistance. This meta-analysis provides evidence for policy and practice

Bi-allelic JAM2 Variants Lead to Early-Onset Recessive Primary Familial Brain Calcification.

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a combination of neurological, psychiatric, and cognitive decline associated with calcium deposition on brain imaging. To date, mutations in five genes have been linked to PFBC. However, more than 50% of individuals affected by PFBC have no molecular diagnosis. We report four unrelated families presenting with initial learning difficulties and seizures and later psychiatric symptoms, cerebellar ataxia, extrapyramidal signs, and extensive calcifications on brain imaging. Through a combination of homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing, we mapped this phenotype to chromosome 21q21.3 and identified bi-allelic variants in JAM2. JAM2 encodes for the junctional-adhesion-molecule-2, a key tight-junction protein in blood-brain-barrier permeability. We show that JAM2 variants lead to reduction of JAM2 mRNA expression and absence of JAM2 protein in patient's fibroblasts, consistent with a loss-of-function mechanism. We show that the human phenotype is replicated in the jam2 complete knockout mouse (jam2 KO). Furthermore, neuropathology of jam2 KO mouse showed prominent vacuolation in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and cerebellum and particularly widespread vacuolation in the midbrain with reactive astrogliosis and neuronal density reduction. The regions of the human brain affected on neuroimaging are similar to the affected brain areas in the myorg PFBC null mouse. Along with JAM3 and OCLN, JAM2 is the third tight-junction gene in which bi-allelic variants are associated with brain calcification, suggesting that defective cell-to-cell adhesion and dysfunction of the movement of solutes through the paracellular spaces in the neurovascular unit is a key mechanism in CNS calcification

Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment by Combined Chemical Coagulation and Electrocoagulation Process

Slaughterhouse wastewater contains various and high amounts of organic matter (e.g., proteins, blood, fat and lard). In order to produce an effluent suitable for stream discharge, chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation techniques have been particularly explored at the laboratory pilot scale for organic compounds removal from slaughterhouse effluent. The purpose of this work was to investigate the feasibility of treating cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater by combined chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation process to achieve the required standards. The influence of the operating variables such as coagulant dose, electrical potential and reaction time on the removal efficiencies of major pollutants was determined. The rate of removal of pollutants linearly increased with increasing doses of PACl and applied voltage. COD and BOD5 removal of more than 99% was obtained by adding 100 mg/L PACl and applied voltage 40 V. The experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of chemical and electrochemical techniques for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewaters. Consequently, combined processes are inferred to be superior to electrocoagulation alone for the removal of both organic and inorganic compounds from cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater