Emotion Recognition and Traumatic Brain Injury

Emotion recognition through facial expression plays a critical role in communication.  Review of studies investigating individuals with TBI and emotion recognition indicates significantly poorer performance compared to controls. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of different media presentation on emotion recognition in individuals with TBI, and if results differ depending on severity of TBI.  Adults with and without TBI participated in the study and were assessed using the TASIT and the FEEST. Preliminary results indicate that emotion recognition abilities greatly differ between mild and severe and participants performed better with static presentation compared to dynamic presentation

Geomorphology of the South Sandwich Trench: escarpments, seamounts and deeps

The Five Deeps Expedition acquired multibeam bathymetry data in the South Sandwich Trench using a latest-generation, full-ocean depth, Kongsberg EM124 multibeam echosounder. Prior to this fieldwork campaign, little high-resolution bathymetric data were available to underpin a range of marine biodiversity and geodiversity research for better-informed management of the deepest reaches of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area. The resulting map, covering a ~15,000 km2 area, is based on a combination of semi-automated techniques and expert interpretation of geomorphological features. This work presents the first detailed mapping of the South Sandwich Trench, revealing previously known seamounts and ridge complexes, sedimentary basins, and prevalent step-like escarpments. Smaller scale terraces and submarine landslide scars have also been mapped in detail. Geological and geomorphological interpretation and map production was funded by a grant awarded through the Darwin Initiative funded by the UK Government: Hadal Zones of our Overseas Territories (DPLUS093). doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31975.2704

Detection of Quadruplex DNA by Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles have been used as a probe to detect low (<10 ppb) concentrations of quadruplex DNA. These nanoparticles display a tendency to form aggregates in the presence of certain quadruplex forms, as observed via enhanced plasmon resonance light scattering (PRLS) signals. These nanoparticles showed differing degrees of interactions with different types of quadruplex and mixed sequences but no interaction with duplex DNA. Enhancement of PRLS signals greater than 50% was observed at nanomolar DNA concentration, and a lower limit of detection of 2.1 nM was established for three different quadruplex DNA sequences, including the thrombin-inhibiting single-stranded 15 mer aptamer DNA, d(GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG), and the double-stranded 12 mer DNA, d(G4T4G4). Two different sample preparation protocols were used for the PRLS experiments, and they yielded similar results

Silver diamine fluoride for managing carious lesions:an umbrella review

Background: This umbrella review comprehensively appraised evidence for silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to arrest and prevent root and coronal caries by summarizing systematic reviews. Adverse events were explored. Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO register and Joanna Briggs Institute Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for systematic reviews investigating SDF for caries prevention or arrest (1970–2018) without language restrictions. Systematic reviews were selected, data extracted, and risk of bias assessed using ROBIS by two independent reviewers, in duplicate. Corrected covered area was calculated to quantify studies’ overlap across reviews. Results: Eleven systematic reviews were included; four focussing on SDF for root caries in adults and seven on coronal caries in children. These cited 30 studies (4 root caries; 26 coronal caries) appearing 63 times. Five systematic reviews were of “low”, one“unclear” and five “high” risk of bias. Overlap of studies was very high (50% root caries; 17% coronal caries). High overlap and heterogeneity, mainly comparators and outcome measures, precluded meta-analysis. Results were grouped by aim and outcomes to present an overview of direction and magnitude of effect. SDF had a positive effect on prevention and arrest of coronal and root caries, consistently outperforming comparators (fluoride varnish, Atraumatic Restorative Treatment, placebo). For root caries prevention, the prevented fraction (PF) was 25–71% higher for SDF compared to placebo (two systematic reviews with three studies) and PF=100–725% for root caries arrest (one systematic review with two studies). For coronal caries prevention, PF=70–78% (two systematic reviews with two studies) and PF=55–96% for coronal caries arrest (one systematic review with two studies) with arrest rates of 65–91% (four systematic reviews with six studies). Eight systematic reviews reported adverse events, seven of which reported arrested lesions black staining. Conclusion: Systematic reviews consistently supported SDF’s effectiveness for arresting coronal caries in the primary dentition and arresting and preventing root caries in older adults for all comparators. There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on SDF for prevention in primary teeth and prevention and arrest in permanent teeth in children. No serious adverse events were reported

The influence of maternal health factors including multimorbidity on child oral health:A scoping review and evidence gap map protocol

Read the latest article version by Faith Campbell, Scott McGregor, Louise Marryat, Ryan Stewart, Jan Clarkson, Heather Cassie at Wellcome Open Researc

An evaluation of the implementation of quality improvement (QI) in primary care dentistry:a multi-method approach

Objectives: Ensuring that healthcare is patient-centred, safe and harm free is the cornerstone of the NHS. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) is a national initiative to support the provision of safe, high-quality care. SPSP promotes a coordinated approach to quality improvement (QI) in primary care by providing evidence-based methods, such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative methodology. These methods are relatively untested within dentistry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact to inform the development and implementation of improvement collaboratives as a means for QI in primary care dentistry.Design: A multimethod study underpinned by the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Kirkpatrick model. Quantitative data were collected using baseline and follow-up questionnaires, designed to explore beliefs and behaviours towards improving quality in practice. Qualitative data were gathered using interviews with dental team members and practice-based case studies.Results: One hundred and eleven dental team members completed the baseline questionnaire. Follow-up questionnaires were returned by 79 team members. Twelve practices, including two case studies, participated in evaluation interviews. Findings identified positive beliefs and increased knowledge and skills towards QI, as well as increased confidence about using QI methodologies in practice. Barriers included time, poor patient and team engagement, communication and leadership. Facilitators included team working, clear roles, strong leadership, training, peer support and visible benefits. Participants’ knowledge and skills were identified as an area for improvement.Conclusions: Findings demonstrate increased knowledge, skills and confidence in relation to QI methodology and highlight areas for improvement. This is an example of partnership working between the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland towards a shared ambition to provide safe care to every patient. More work is required to evaluate the sustainability and transferability of improvement collaboratives as a means for QI in dentistry and wider primary care

Increasing access to CBT for psychosis patients: a feasibility, randomised controlled trial evaluating brief, targeted CBT for distressing voices delivered by assistant psychologists (GiVE2)

Background: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is offered to all patients with a psychosis diagnosis. However, only a minority of psychosis patients in England and Wales are offered CBTp. This is attributable, in part, to the resource-intensive nature of CBTp. One response to this problem has been the development of CBTp in brief formats that are targeted at a single symptom and the mechanisms that maintain distress. We have developed a brief form of CBTp for distressing voices and reported preliminary evidence for its effectiveness when delivered by highly trained therapists (clinical psychologists). This study will investigate the delivery of this intervention by a cost-effective workforce of assistant psychologists following a brief training and evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of conducting a future, definitive, randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods: This is a feasibility study for a pragmatic, three-arm, parallel-group, superiority 1:1:1 RCT comparing a Guided self-help CBT intervention for voices and treatment as usual (GiVE) to Supportive Counselling and treatment as usual (SC) to treatment as usual alone (TAU), recruiting across two sites, with blinded post-treatment and follow-up assessments. A process evaluation will quantitatively and qualitatively explore stakeholder experience. Discussion: Expected outcomes will include an assessment of the feasibility of conducting a definitive RCT, and data to inform the calculation of its sample size. If evidence from a subsequent, fully powered RCT suggests that GiVE is clinically and cost-effective when delivered by briefly trained assistant psychologists, CBTp offered in these less resource-intensive forms has the potential to generate benefits for individual patients (reduced distress, enhanced recovery and enhanced quality of life), service-level patient benefit (increased access to evidence-based psychological therapies) and economic benefits to the NHS (in terms of the reduced use of mental health inpatient services). Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN registration number: 16166070. Registered on 5 February 2019

Qualitative study exploring the key determinants of information gathering to inform the management of over-the-counter (OTC) consultations in community pharmacies

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