Hairy Tongue

Hairy tongue (lingua villosa) is a commonly observed condition of defective desquamation of the filiform papillae that results from a variety of precipitating factors. [1] The condition is most frequently referred to as black hairy tongue (lingua villosa nigra); however, hairy tongue may also appear brown, white, green, pink, or any of a variety of hues depending on the specific etiology and secondary factors (eg, use of colored mouthwashes, breath mints, candies). [2, 3] See the images below

Hairy Leukoplakia

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is a disease of the mucosa first described in 1984. This pathology is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and occurs mostly in people with HIV infection, both immunocompromised and immunocompetent, and can affect patients who are HIV negative. [1, 2] The first case in an HIV-negative patient was reported in 1999 in a 56-year-old patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Later, many cases were reported in heart, kidney, and bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with hematological malignancies. [3, 4

Oral Examination

The oral cavity is the first component of the digestive tract, which is delimited by the lips anteriorly and the oropharynx posteriorly. The oral cavity functions as a protective barrier and is an essential component for speech and swallowing, mastication, digestion, and taste sensation. The oral examination comprises a uniform and consistent inspection of the head and neck and an intraoral evaluation of the hard and soft tissues (see the images below) in conjunction with a thorough medical and dental history. The entire mouth should be inspected regardless of the patient’s chief complaint and reasons for the visit. [1, 2] Good patient’s history and careful examination are important to establish the correct diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment. The physical examination begins with an extraoral examination to identify possible lesions (such as rash, erythema, and pigmentation), swelling or facial asymmetry. The head and neck should be palpated to identify any tenderness, masses and lymphadenopathy. All muscles of mastication and temporomandibular joint should be palpated for tenderness; patients should be asked to open and close the mouth multiple times to evaluate any limited opening, deviations or asymmetries. The cranial nerve examination should be performed to assess possible neurosensory and neuromuscular deficits. A good light source is fundamental for a good intraoral examination. Any intraoral lesion should be described with respect to size, extent, thickness, color, texture, consistency, and tenderness

An exploration of the construct of psychopathy, its measurement and neuropsychological correlates

This thesis consists of three papers, a literature review, an empirical paper and a reflective paper. The literature review explores the neuropsychological and neurocognitive correlates of psychopathy with a view to identify and appraise review papers together. Nine articles were identified and comprised studies of child/adolescent and adult, clinical and nonclinical samples. The review identifies evidence of different patterns of performance on inhibition, working memory, intelligence, emotion recognition and affective theory of mind (ToM). Results are considered in terms of neural correlates, clinical presentations and intervention options. Methodological limitations are discussed, both in terms of the included studies and of the literature review itself. Implications for policy and practice are outlines and directions for further research are highlighted. The empirical paper investigates the construct of psychopathy and its measurement and relationship with the measures of empathy. Data from a nonclinical sample was collected using an online platform. Using a correlational design, relationships between psychopathy and empathy were investigated. Further analyses examined the different psychopathy subscales, differences in performance according to the emotional valence of the task stimuli and tentative explorations into gender differences. The results are discussed in relation to existing evidence and limitations of the research are highlighted. Finally, the reflective paper comprised a discussion of conducting clinical research as part of clinical training. This includes critique of the term psychopathy and challenges in professional identity

Package Performance Testing of Dangerous Goods in High Altitude Shipments

This paper discusses the impact of high altitude shipments on package integrity. High altitude shipments are encountered when trucks travel over high mountain passes or when cargo and feeder aircraft transport packages in non-pressurized or partially-pressurized cargo holds. Both these types of transport methods will result in severe changes in pressure and temperature conditions as compared to packages being transported close to sea-level The testing of packages under these conditions is critical since package integrity may be compromised. The current shipping tests performed in test labs do not account for pressure changes and vibration together. This study showed that combination packages for dangerous goods and hazardous materials that are tested to existing UN, ICAO and US DOT requirements are limited, and can result in significant number if leaks. Testing under combined vibration and pressure changes is necessary

Examining the Effect of Secondary Packaging on Microbial Penetration into Sterile Medical Device Trays

device trays was examined. Sterile device trays were aseptically filled with growth medium, exposed to microbial challenge, incubated, and inspected for growth. During microbial challenge, all package systems were subjected to a pressure differential that simulated those experienced during distribution. Penetration rates were significantly decreased (P = 0.01) when unlidded trays were packaged in pouches (0/39), compared to those in cartons (37/39). Similarly, the number of colony forming units (CFU) present was greater for unlidded trays packaged in cartons, compared to those in pouches (P = 0.03). To further explore the efficacy of cartons as a barrier to microbial ingress, lidded trays with a single 100 μm breach were packaged in cartons and subjected to the same methodologies; approximately 15% exhibited growth. When compared to unlidded trays, penetration rates (

Measurement and Analysis of Truck Transport Environment in Brazil

Increasing trade in today’s global economy requires packaging to be designed to contain, protect and deliver products without damage during transportation and handling. Vibration forces that occur during transportation are one of the most significant causes of damage during shipping. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyse the vibration that occurs during truck transport in Brazil. The study was done using two types of trucks: small local trucks for local metropolitan distribution areas and larger tractor-trailers for cross-country transportation. Ten metropolitan areas in different regions of Brazil were selected for 1-day trips representing normal delivery. These trips encountered varying road surfaces (asphalt, concrete, stone and dirt). The long distance trips were done on highways that were more than 1200 km long. The vertical vibration levels were higher than the lateral and longitudinal levels as expected. A composite power density spectrum of all trips is provided in this paper to simulate truck transport in Brazil using random vibration test methods