Mechanical and Chemical Root Preparation In Vitro: Efficiency of Plaque and Calculus Removal

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141515/1/jper0755.pd

Uptake of best practice recommendations in the management of patients with diabetes and periodontitis:A cross-sectional survey of healthcare professionals in primary care

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032369BMJ Open1013236

Video conferencing peer support and rarer forms of dementia: An exploration of family carers’ positive experiences

Little is known regarding the nuanced experiences of family carers for people living with rare dementias (PLWRD), with no known literature exploring their positive experiences of caring discussed within peer support group settings. This article explores family carers of PLWRD’s positive experiences reported in video conferencing peer support groups. Six peer support group sessions involving a total of nine participants were qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the conceptual framework of positive aspects of caring (CFPAC) (Carbonneau et al., 2010). Six themes were identified: (1) Protecting, maintaining, enjoying and finding strength in their relationship with the PLWRD; (2) Using tools and resources in response to challenges; (3) Positive impact of interactions and others’ responses to the dementia; (4) Overcoming barriers to taking a break while maintaining their wellbeing, (5) Maintaining positive outlooks and showing psychological resilience in adversity; and (6) Attributing meaning to the caring role. This article highlights family carers of PLWRD’s positive psychological, physical and social resources, balanced against the challenges of caring and maintaining their wellbeing, and identifies ways of promoting family carers’ positive caring experiences and resources within healthcare and supportive settings

A qualitative study exploring strategies to improve the inter-professional management of diabetes and periodontitis

Aims: To explore inter-professional communication and collaboration in guideline-concordant diabetes and periodontitis care. Methods: Qualitative design using iterations of workshops to identify ways to improve multidisciplinary working attended by staff from medical and dental primary care practices, and people with diabetes (n = 43). Workshops were semi-structured around a topic guide. Recruitment was via the UK Clinical Research Network, and a patient and public involvement group in the North of England. Results: Medical practice participants were unaware of the bidirectional evidence linking diabetes and periodontitis and stated that they had never received a referral from a dental professional in this context. The patient participants with diabetes reported never having been informed about the links between diabetes and periodontitis from either their family physician or dentist. Medical and dental practice participants gave negative accounts of inter-professional communication, with claims of inappropriate requests and defensive or non-responses that stymied future interaction. Indirect communication through the patient was suggested as an alternative to direct communication. Conclusions: Indirect referral, whereby the patient is signposted to a healthcare professional, was suggested by medical and dental professionals as a useful alternative to the traditional (and time consuming) letter or telephone call, particularly in the case of suspected diabetes or periodontitis

Video Conferencing Peer Support and Rarer Forms of Dementia: An Exploration of Family Carers’ Positive Experiences

Little is known regarding the nuanced experiences of family carers for people living with rare dementias (PLWRD), with no known literature exploring their positive experiences of caring discussed within peer support group settings. This article explores family carers of PLWRD’s positive experiences reported in video conferencing peer support groups. Six peer support group sessions involving a total of nine participants were qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the conceptual framework of positive aspects of caring (CFPAC) (Carbonneau et al., 2010). Six themes were identified: (1) Protecting, maintaining, enjoying and finding strength in their relationship with the PLWRD; (2) Using tools and resources in response to challenges; (3) Positive impact of interactions and others’ responses to the dementia; (4) Overcoming barriers to taking a break while maintaining their wellbeing, (5) Maintaining positive outlooks and showing psychological resilience in adversity; and (6) Attributing meaning to the caring role. This article highlights family carers of PLWRD’s positive psychological, physical and social resources, balanced against the challenges of caring and maintaining their wellbeing, and identifies ways of promoting family carers’ positive caring experiences and resources within healthcare and supportive settings

Evaluation of a novel information resource for patients with bronchiectasis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: There is currently little patient information on bronchiectasis, a chronic lung disease with rising prevalence. Previous work shows that patients and their families want more information, which could potentially improve their understanding and self-management. Using interviews and focus groups, we have co-developed a novel patient and carer information resource, aiming to meet their identified needs. The aims and objectives are: 1. To assess the potential impact of the information resource 2. To evaluate and refine the intervention 3. To establish the feasibility of carrying out a multi-centre randomised controlled trial to determine its effect on understanding, self-management and health outcomes. Methods/design: This is a feasibility study, with a single-centre, randomised controlled trial design, comparing use of a novel patient information resource to usual care in bronchiectasis. Additionally, patients and carers will be invited to focus groups to discuss their views on both the intervention itself and the trial process. The study duration for each participant will be 3 months from the study entry date. A total of 70 patients will be recruited to the study, and a minimum of 30 will be randomised to each arm. Ten participants (and their carers if applicable) will be invited to attend focus groups on completion of the study visits. Participants will be adults with bronchiectasis diagnosed as per national bronchiectasis guidelines. Once consented, participants will be randomised to the intervention or control arm using random permuted blocks to ensure treatment group numbers are evenly balanced. Randomisation will be web-based. Those randomised to the intervention will receive the information resource (website and booklet) and instructions on its use. Outcome measures (resource satisfaction, resource use and alternative information seeking, quality of life questionnaires, unscheduled healthcare visits, exacerbation frequency, bronchiectasis knowledge questionnaire and lung function tests) will be recorded at baseline, 2 weeks and 3 months. Discussion: All outcome measures will be used in assessing feasibility and acceptability of a future definitive trial. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment, retention and study scale form completion rates. Focus groups will strengthen qualitative data for resource refinement and to identify participant views on the trial process, which will also inform feasibility assessments. Questionnaires will also be used to evaluate and refine the resource

Tunable control of the hydrophilicity and wettability of conjugated polymers by a postpolymerization modification approach.

A facile method to prepare hydrophilic polymers by a postpolymerization nucleophillic aromatic substitution reaction of fluoride on an emissive conjugated polymer (CP) backbone is reported. Quantitative functionalization by a series of monofunctionalized ethylene glycol oligomers, from dimer to hexamer, as well as with high molecular weight polyethylene glycol is demonstrated. The length of the ethylene glycol sidechains is shown to have a direct impact on the surface wettability of the polymer, as well as its solubility in polar solvents. However, the energetics and band gap of the CPs remain essentially constant. This method therefore allows an easy way to modulate the wettability and solubility of CP materials for a diverse series of applications

Trust and childhood maltreatment: evidence of bias in appraisal of unfamiliar faces

Background: Child maltreatment is associated with poorer social functioning and increased risk of mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood, but the processes underlying these associations remain unclear. Although crucial for establishing and maintaining relationships, trust judgements have not been experimentally investigated in children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Methods: A community-based sample of 75 children aged 8– 16 years with maltreatment documented on the basis of social services records, and a group of 70 peers matched on age, gender, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity took part in the study. Children completed a trustworthiness face-judgement task in which they appraised the trustworthiness of unfamiliar facial stimuli varying along a computationally modelled trustworthiness dimension. Results: In line with clinical observations that childhood maltreatment is associated with an atypical pattern of trust processing, children with maltreatment experience were significantly less likely than their peers to rate unfamiliar faces as trustworthy. Moreover, they were more variable in their trust attributions than their peers. Conclusions: The study provides compelling experimental evidence that children with documented maltreatment perceive others as less trustworthy than their peers and are less consistent in their estimates of trustworthiness in others. Over time, alterations in trust processing may disrupt the development of social bonds and contribute to ‘social thinning’ (a reduction in the extent and quality of social relationships), leaving children more vulnerable to environmental stressors, increasing risk of mental health difficulties