Maltese dentistry in the E.C. context

The practice of Dentistry in the European Community is regulated by the Council Directives of 1978 which provide for the activities of and training programmes for dental practitioners, and the mutual recognition of qualifications to facilitate the right to freedom of movement and the establishment of dental practices by non-nationals. In this article the author describes the dental health and the dental manpower in Malta and E.C.peer-reviewe

Message from the Dean and the Chairman of Dental Surgery

The first course of Dental Surgery at the (Royal) University of Malta commenced in October of 1933 in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Recognition of the Diploma in Dental Surgery by the General Medical Council of the UK was granted in 1936, a year before the end of the course. (The General Dental Council as a distinct regulatory body was established later). Dental Surgery become a Faculty , separate from Medicine and Surgery, in 1954. St. Luke's Hospital has since then also been designated a Dental Teaching Hospital. The most serious problem facing the Department at this stage of development is the uncertainty associated with the move to the new hospital, We are scheduled to move in Phase Three whenever that maybe.peer-reviewedpeer-reviewe

Bacterial atmospheric contamination during routine dental activity

Routine dental procedures cause atmospheric bacterial contamination in the dental clinic and laboratory. This environmental hazard, quantified by the Air Microbial Index, was shown in our study to be directly related to aerosol creating instruments and ventilation.peer-reviewe

Bacterial cross-contamination between the dental clinic and laboratory during prosthetic treatment

Prosthetic treatment involves various stages in construction. This may result in cross-contamination between the dental clinic and laboratory. According to results obtained from the study, recommendations were made so as to reduce as much as possible cross-contamination, making a safer environment for the dental team and patient.peer-reviewe

A prosthetic approach to maxillary defects

Prosthetic rehabilitation of maxillary defects is a subject which has attracted considerable attention in dental literature. The literature on maxillary obturators is briefly reviewed and a technique for their construction, using a two stage temporary obturator, is described. The use of a temporary obturator is now generally recognised as essential immediately following maxillary resection. The essential functions of a temporary obturator are outlined, including restoration of facial contour and prevention of surgical cavity contamination. The construction of a permanent appliance is initiated when the surgical cavity has healed completely. This period varies with the individual patient but is usually in the region of two months after operation.peer-reviewe

Oral Cancer in Malta

The incidence of oral cancer is influenced by a variety of recognized contributory factors. A proportion of these factors are national habits. As a consequence the Incidence varies enormously from country to country and between different racial groups in the same country. This study, covering a four year period 1969-1972, was undertaken with a view to putting into perspective the problem of oral cancer in Malta. Oral cancer accounts for 6.2% of the total number of malignancies. This can be regarded as a relatively low percentage. A wide range of figures is reported from other countries varying between 5% and 50%. In Malta cancer of the lip is seen to account for the majority of oral tumours 55.9%. The incidence of oral malignancies is commoner in males than in females although cancer of the tongue is not uncommon in females. The relatively high incidence per 100,000 population of cancer of the lip gives cause for concern. This is no doubt due, in part, to the high level of actinic rays in the island.peer-reviewe

Isospin breaking in the nucleon mass and the sensitivity of β decays to new physics

We discuss the consequences of the approximate conservation of the vector and axial currents for the hadronic matrix elements appearing in β decay if nonstandard interactions are present. In particular, the isovector (pseudo)scalar charge gS(P) of the nucleon can be related to the difference (sum) of the nucleon masses in the absence of electromagnetic effects. Using recent determinations of these quantities from phenomenological and lattice QCD studies we obtain the accurate values gS=1.02(11) and gP=349(9) in the modified minimal subtraction scheme at μ=2  GeV. The consequences for searches of nonstandard scalar interactions in nuclear β decays are studied, finding for the corresponding Wilson coefficient εS=0.0012(24) at 90% C.L., which is significantly more stringent than current LHC bounds and previous low-energy bounds using less precise gS values. We argue that our results could be rapidly improved with updated computations and the direct calculation of certain ratios in lattice QCD. Finally, we discuss the pion-pole enhancement of gP, which makes β decays much more sensitive to nonstandard pseudoscalar interactions than previously thought

In silico identification of a potentially novel binding modality for 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds having 2(3h)-benzazolonic heterocycles within the pparγ ligand binding pocket : a de novo design study

Rosiglitazone withdrawal from the market has led to a renewed interest in the Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) as target for hypoglycaemic therapy – this time, via partial agonism. This may be achieved by using selective PPARγ modulators such as S-26948. A receptor-based drug design approach was adopted in this study, using the bound conformation of rosiglitazone within the PPARγ ligand binding pocket to identify S-26948 conformers, and consequently generate high affinity novel molecules. S-26948 conformer 17 was chosen, which exhibited an alternative binding modality with respect to rosiglitazone. Ligand binding pocket mapping of this orientation identified a larger pocket with respect to that delineated by the bound coordinates of rosiglitazone, and an additional theoretical novel pocket within PPARγ. Therefore, currently used PPARγ ligands may not occupy the entire breadth of the ligand binding pocket, warranting further investigation from a receptor modality point of view.peer-reviewe

Canonical Generations and the British Left: The Narrative Construction of the Miners’ Strike 1984–85

‘Generations’ have been invoked to describe a variety of social and cultural relationships, and to understand the development of self-conscious group identity. Equally, the term can be an applied label and politically useful construct; generations can be retrospectively produced. Drawing on the concept of ‘canonical generations’ – those whose experiences come to epitomise an event of historic and symbolic importance – this article examines the narrative creation and functions of ‘generations’ as collective memory shapes and re-shapes the desire for social change. Building a case study of the canonical role of the miners’ strike of 1984–85 in the narrative history of the British left, it examines the selective appropriation and transmission of the past in the development of political consciousness. It foregrounds the autobiographical narratives of activists who, in examining and legitimising their own actions and prospects, (re)produce a ‘generation’ in order to create a relatable and useful historical understanding

Composition of Ragusano Cheese During Aging

Ragusano cheese is a brine-salted pasta filata cheese. Composition changes during 12 mo of aging were determined. Historically, Ragusano cheese has been aged in caves at 14 to 16 degrees C with about 80 to 90% relative humidity. Cheeses (n = 132) included in our study of block-to-block variation were produced by 20 farmhouse cheese makers in the Hyblean plain region of the Province of Ragusa in Sicily. Mean initial cheese block weight was about 14 kg. The freshly formed blocks of cheese before brine salting contained about 45.35% moisture, 25.3% protein, and 25.4% fat, with a pH of 5.25. As result of the brining and aging process, a natural rind forms. After 12 mo of aging, the cheese contained about 33.6% moisture, 29.2% protein, 30.0% fat, and 4.4% salt with a pH of 5.54, but block-to-block variation was large. Both soluble nitrogen content and free fatty acid (FFA) content increased with age. The pH 4.6 acetate buffer and 12% TCA-soluble nitrogen as a percentage of total nitrogen were 16 and 10.7%, respectively, whereas the FFA content was about 643 mg/100 g of cheese at 180 d. Five blocks of cheese were selected at 180 d for a study of variation within block. Composition variation within block was large; the center had higher moisture and lower salt in moisture content than did the outside. Composition variation within blocks favored more proteolysis and softer texture in the center