Reduced Gaze Following and Attention to Heads when Viewing a "Live" Social Scene

Social stimuli are known to both attract and direct our attention, but most research on social attention has been conducted in highly controlled laboratory settings lacking in social con- text. This study examined the role of social context on viewing behaviour of participants whilst they watched a dynamic social scene, under three different conditions. In two social groups, participants believed they were watching a live webcam of other participants. The socially-engaged group believed they would later complete a group task with the people in the video, whilst the non-engaged group believed they would not meet the people in the scene. In a third condition, participants simply free-viewed the same video with the knowl- edge that it was pre-recorded, with no suggestion of a later interaction. Results demonstrat- ed that the social context in which the stimulus was viewed significantly influenced viewing behaviour. Specifically, participants in the social conditions allocated less visual attention towards the heads of the actors in the scene and followed their gaze less than those in the free-viewing group. These findings suggest that by underestimating the impact of social context in social attention, researchers risk coming to inaccurate conclusions about how we attend to others in the real world

Dipyridamole potentiates the in vitro activity of MTA (LY231514) by inhibition of thymidine transport

The novel pyrrolopyrimidine-based antifolate LY231514 (MTA), inhibits multiple folate-requiring enzymes including thymidylate synthase, glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase and dihydrofolate reductase. Both thymidine and hypoxanthine are required to reverse MTA growth inhibition in leukaemia and colon cancer cells. Prevention of MTA growth inhibition by thymidine and/or hypoxanthine was investigated in two human lung (A549, COR L23) and two breast (MCF7, T47D) tumour cell lines, and the effect of the nucleoside/base transport inhibitor dipyridamole (DP) on thymidine and hypoxanthine rescue defined. MTA IC50values (continuous exposure three population doublings) were: A549–640 n M, COR L23–28 n M, MCF7–52 n M and T47D–46 n M. Thymidine (1 μM) completely prevented growth inhibition at the MTA IC50in all cell lines. At 10 × IC50, growth inhibition was only partially reversed by thymidine (≤ 10 μM); both thymidine and hypoxanthine (30 μM) being required for complete reversal, reflecting the multi-targeted nature of MTA. Growth inhibition by MTA was not affected by hypoxanthine alone. A non-toxic concentration (1 μM) of DP prevented thymidine/hypoxanthine rescue of MTA indicating that DP may potentiate MTA activity by preventing nucleoside and/or base salvage. Thymidine transport was inhibited by ≥ 89% by 1 μM DP in all cell lines, whereas hypoxanthine transport was inhibited only in A549 and MCF7 cells. Therefore, prevention of end-product reversal of MTA-induced growth inhibition by DP can be explained by inhibition of thymidine transport alone. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

A rapid review of variation in the use of dental general anaesthetics in children

Introduction: The use of dental general anaesthetics (DGAs) remains a cause for concern due to additional strains placed on health services. There are numerous factors influencing the prevalence and use of DGAs, and understanding these is an important first step in addressing the issue. Aim: Conduct a rapid review of current peer-reviewed and grey literature on the variation in the use of DGAs in children. Methods: Electronic searching using Medline via Ovid covering DGA articles from 1998 onwards, written in English. Publication types included primary and secondary sources from peer-reviewed journals and reports, as well as grey literature. Results: From 935 results, 171 articles were included in the final review. Themes emerging from the literature included discussions of DGA variation, variations in standards of service provision by health services, and the socio-demographic and geographical characteristics of children. Prominent socio-demographic and geographical characteristics included age, other health conditions, ethnic and cultural background, socioeconomic status and deprivation, and geographical location. Conclusions: This review identified numerous variations in the patterns associated with DGA provision and uptake at both a health service and individual level. The findings demonstrate the complicated and multifaceted nature of DGA practices worldwide

How do patients perceive the British orthodontic society online information resource about orthognathic treatment? A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES: To explore the accessibility, usability and relevance of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) online information resource (OIR), Your Jaw Surgery. DESIGN: Qualitative, cross-sectional study. SETTING: 5 UK sites. PARTICIPANTS: Patients before, during and after treatment for non-cleft skeletal discrepancy. METHODS: Patients were identified at joint clinics and recruited after having time to view the OIR. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 patients (aged 16-46 years). The interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was undertaken using a framework approach. RESULTS: The main themes identified were the overall usefulness, personal relevance and positive perceptions of the OIR. The OIR was seen to be useful for patients considering treatment, and potentially useful for patients undergoing treatment. Participants were looking for a personally relevant resource that would give them the best possible idea of how they would look and feel after surgery. The OIR was perceived as trusted, positive and reassuring. CONCLUSIONS: Patients at different stages of treatment found the OIR helpful and reassuring. Clinicians may find it useful to direct patients to the OIR to complement a professional consultation, but should be aware that patients may perceive it as presenting a positive image of the long-term benefits of orthognathic surgery

Protocol for a feasibility study of a self help cognitive behavioural therapy resource for the reduction of dental anxiety in young people

Background Childhood dental anxiety is very common, with 10–20 % of children and young people reporting high levels of dental anxiety. It is distressing and has a negative impact on the quality of life of young people and their parents as well as being associated with poor oral health. Affected individuals may develop a lifelong reliance on general anaesthetic or sedation for necessary dental treatment thus requiring the support of specialist dental services. Children and young people with dental anxiety therefore require additional clinical time and can be costly to treat in the long term. The reduction of dental anxiety through the use of effective psychological techniques is, therefore, of high importance. However, there is a lack of high-quality research investigating the impact of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches when applied to young people’s dental anxiety. Methods/design The first part of the study will develop a profile of dentally anxious young people using a prospective questionnaire sent to a consecutive sample of 100 young people referred to the Paediatric Dentistry Department, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, in Sheffield. The second part will involve interviewing a purposive sample of 15–20 dental team members on their perceptions of a CBT self-help resource for dental anxiety, their opinions on whether they might use such a resource with patients, and their willingness to recruit participants to a future randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the resource. The third part of the study will investigate the most appropriate outcome measures to include in a trial, the acceptability of the resource, and retention and completion rates of treatment with a sample of 60 dentally anxious young people using the CBT resource. Discussion This study will provide information on the profile of dentally anxious young people who could potentially be helped by a guided self-help CBT resource. It will gain the perceptions of dental care team members of guided self-help CBT for dental anxiety in young people and their willingness to recruit participants to a trial. Acceptability of the resource to participants and retention and completion rates will also be investigated to inform a future RCT

Development of Danish version of child oral-health-related quality of life questionnaires (CPQ8–10 and CPQ11–14)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ) is a self-reported questionnaire developed to measure oral health-related quality of life in children. The CPQ aims to improve the description of children's oral health, while taking into consideration the importance of psychological aspects in the concept of health. The CPQ exists in two versions: the CPQ_8–10for children aged 8–10 years and the CPQ_11–14for those aged 11–14 years. The aim of this study was to develop a Danish version of the CPQ_8–10and the CPQ_11–14and to evaluate its validity for use among Danish-speaking children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The instruments were translated from English into Danish in accordance with a recommended translation procedure. Afterwards, they were tested among children aged 8–10 (n = 120) and 11–14 years (n = 225). The validity was expressed by the correlation between overall CPQ scores and i) self-reported assessment of the influence of oral conditions on everyday life (not at all, very little, some, a lot, very much) and ii) the self-reported rating of oral health. Furthermore, groups of children with assumed decreased oral health-related quality of life were compared with children with healthy oral conditions. Finally, we examined the internal consistency.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The correlation between overall CPQ scores and global assessments of the influence of oral conditions on everyday life showed Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.45, <it>P < 0.001 </it>for CPQ_8–10and 0.50, <it>P < 0.001 </it>for CPQ_11–14. The correlation between overall CPQ scores and the self-reported rating of oral health showed Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.45, <it>P < 0.001 </it>for CPQ_8–10and 0.17, P = 0.010 for CPQ_11–14.</p> <p>The median overall CPQ_8–10scores were 7 for individuals with healthy oral conditions, 5 for individuals with cleft lip and palate, and 15 for individuals with rare oral diseases. The median overall CPQ_11–14scores were 9 for individuals with healthy oral conditions, 9 for individuals with cleft lip and palate, 17.0 for individuals with rare oral diseases, and 22.0 for individuals with fixed orthodontic appliances. There were statistically significant differences between the groups of children with healthy oral conditions and each of the subgroups, except for children with cleft lip and palate.</p> <p>Chronbach'α were 0.82 for CPQ_8–10and 0.87 for CPQ_11–14.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study reveal that the Danish CPQ_8–10and CPQ_11–14, seem to be valid instruments for measuring oral health-related quality of life in children although its ability to discriminate between children with cleft lip and palate and healthy children seem to be limited.</p

Dental professionals’ views on motivational interviewing for the prevention of dental caries with adolescents in central Norway

Background Establishing positive oral health behaviours during adolescence should be a key priority to improve lifelong oral health. However, changing adolescent behaviours is known to be a challenge. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a method of working with patients to activate their motivation for change and has shown promising results within the dental setting. Yet, little is known about the actual experiences and perspectives of Norwegian dental health professionals in delivering motivational interviewing as part of routine care to their young patients. The overall aim of the present study was to explore the implementation of motivational interviewing by dentists and dental hygienists, employed by the Norwegian Public Dental Service, for their adolescent patients. Methods As part of the larger #Care4YoungTeeth <3 project, a Norwegian Research Council funded four-year Collaborative Project to Meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges, an online survey was developed and administered to dental personnel (n = 168) in one region of Central Norway. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and two-sample tests of proportions at the 95% confidence level. Results A total of 98 dental personnel responded to the survey (response rate 58.3%), of which 37 were dental hygienists (response rate 72.5%) and 61 were dentists (response rate 52.1%). A greater proportion of hygienists reported implementing this intervention compared to dentists (78.4% versus 50.8%; p = 0.007). Similarly, a greater proportion of hygienists (83.8%) stated that they had received training in MI compared to dentists (65.6%; p = 0.051). About 80% of dentists and 90% of dental hygienists felt that they understood the principles of MI. However, only about 45% and 60%, respectively, felt confident in its use. Dental hygienists found MI more usable in their work (p = 0.052), to a greater extent want to use MI (p = 0.002) and found that using MI works well (p < 0.001), as compared to dentists. Conclusions A high proportion of dental professionals working within a Norwegian public dental service have received training in MI. However, barriers to implementation for adolescent patients and differences in practice between dentists and hygienists warrant further enquiry

Children’s experiences following a CBT intervention to reduce dental anxiety: one year on

Objective: To investigate children’s ongoing experiences of dental care and use of strategies to manage their dental anxiety following cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Design: A child self-completed postal questionnaire. Settings: Hospital, community and general dental practice. Subjects: Questionnaires were sent to 44 children, aged 10-17 years who had been referred to specialist services due to their dental anxiety. Intervention: Children had all previously received a guided CBT self-help intervention to reduce their dental anxiety and, on completion of treatment, had been discharged to their referring dentist. Questionnaires were sent out 12-18 months later to ascertain dental attendance patterns and application of any strategies learnt from the previous CBT intervention. Results: 22 responses (50%) were received from 16 girls and 6 boys. 82% had subsequently accessed follow up care with a general dental practitioner and over half of these had undergone a dental procedure, other than a check-up. 91% reported feeling less worried about dental visits, than previously, and described a change in cognition, behaviours, and feelings that allowed them to manage their anxiety better. Conclusions: CBT has positive immediate and longitudinal effects in reducing children’s dental anxiety. The challenge of adopting this evidence-based approach within primary care settings remains

Skp2B Overexpression Alters a Prohibitin-p53 Axis and the Transcription of PAPP-A, the Protease of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 4

We previously reported that the degradation of prohibitin by the SCF(Skp2B) ubiquitin ligase results in a defect in the activity of p53. We also reported that MMTV-Skp2B transgenic mice develop mammary gland tumors that are characterized by an increased proteolytic cleavage of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP-4), an inhibitor of IGF signaling. However, whether a link exists between a defect in p53 activity and proteolysis of IGFBP-4 was not established.We analyzed the levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), the protease of IGFBP-4, in MMTV-Skp2B transgenic mice and found that PAPP-A levels are elevated. Further, we found a p53 binding site in intron 1 of the PAPP-A gene and that both wild type and mutant p53 bind to this site. However, binding of wild type p53 results in the transcriptional repression of PAPP-A, while binding of mutant p53 results in the transcriptional activation of PAPP-A. Since MMTV-Skp2B mice express wild type p53 and yet show elevated levels of PAPP-A, at first, these observations appeared contradictory. However, further analysis revealed that the defect in p53 activity in Skp2B overexpressing cells does not only abolish the activity of wild type of p53 but actually mimics that of mutant p53. Our results suggest that in absence of prohibitin, the half-life of p53 is increased and like mutant p53, the conformation of p53 is denatured.These observations revealed a novel function of prohibitin as a chaperone of p53. Further, they suggest that binding of denatured p53 in intron 1 causes an enhancer effect and increases the transcription of PAPP-A. Therefore, these findings indicate that the defect in p53 function and the increased proteolysis of IGFBP-4, we had observed, represent two components of the same pathway, which contributes to the oncogenic function of Skp2B