Histopathologic evaluation of the effects of four calcium hydroxide liners on monkey pulps

Pulpal response of four calcium hydroxide liners, MPC 10®, MPC 12®, Dycal® and Pulpdent® were tested on primary and permanent teeth with zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) and silicate as controls. Responses of the pulps were evaluated in Rhesus monkeys, utilizing Class V cavity preparations at 3 days, 5 and 8 weeks. An equivalent number of anterior and posterior teeth were studied for all compounds. The Ca(OH) 2 liners, zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) and silicate controls were placed in 80 primary and 80 permanent teeth. Following perfusions the teeth were prepared utilizing routine histological procedures. The 3 day response of the calcium hydroxides was moderate with some disruption in the odontoblasts, vacuolization and mild inflammation underlying the cavity except Pulpdent which was more severe. At 5 weeks a decrease in inflammatory response and the formation of reparative dentin was similar for all calcium hydroxides tested at this time period. At 8 weeks more reparative dentin was noted with slight to moderate pulpal responses. At all time periods ZOE produced the least pulpal response while silicate produced the most severe response at 5 and 8 weeks. This study reports the biological responses of four calcium hydroxide compounds used as cavity liners in non-exposures in a series of primary and permanent teeth of monkeys using ZOE and silicate as controls. Responses to the four Ca(OH) 2 compounds were moderate for all the experimental compounds except Pulpdent which was more severe at the early time period tested. ZOE produced a milder and silicate a severe response at all periods. All of these compounds were placed by random selection in anterior and posterior teeth of both arches and five teeth were evaluated in both primary and permanent teeth at 3 days, 5 and 8 weeks.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74743/1/j.1600-0714.1976.tb01759.x.pd

Histopathologic Evaluation of three Ultraviolet-Activated Composite Resins on Monkey pulps

The pulpal responses of three ultraviolet-activated composite resins, Nuva-Fil®, Experimental UV #1® and Experimental UV #2®, were tested on adult monkey teeth using silicate and zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) as positive and negative controls. All materials were placed in Class V cavity preparations in Rhesus monkey teeth using approximately 48 anterior and 63 posterior teeth of both the maxillary and mandibular arches. A total of 111 teeth were utilized and all materials were evaluated at 3 days, 5 and 8 weeks. Following left ventricular perfusion, the teeth were prepared for microscopic evaluation using routine histological procedures. The 3-day pulpal response of all the ultraviolet-activated composites was slight with some disruption and vacuolization in the odontoblastic layer and a slight inflammatory response. At 5 weeks there was a reduction of the inflammatory response and the formation of reparative dentin was noted for all ultraviolet composites. The 8-week pulp response was slight, characterized by a minimal inflammatory response adjacent to the zone of reparative dentin. Generally, ZOE produced the mildest response while silicate produced the most severe response at the three time intervals.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74732/1/j.1600-0714.1977.tb01797.x.pd

Linking pre- and post-adoption records for research in anonymised form in a data safe haven:

Introduction: The long-term health and wellbeing of adoptees is under-researched. One reason for this has been limited data accessibility regarding the adoption process, and another is a practice common in some UK jurisdictions of changing the NHS number (or equivalent) at adoption, as part of creating the new identity. The SAIL Databank holds data from the Wales Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass Cymru), together with children’s social care data, and can link these with routine health and administrative data in anonymised form. However, because the linkage key at SAIL is based on an encryption of the NHS number, working with pre- and post-adoption records for longitudinal research remains a major challenge. We set out to explore the legal implications of, and social support for, linking these records for use in anonymised form for longitudinal research. Methods: We reviewed the main legislation and regulations governing the use of data about adoptees in England and Wales. We gauged support for a social licence in Wales by carrying out interviews with individuals who had been involved in the adoptions process, and by engaging with general public groups for their views. We drew out the main emerging themes and, in combination with the review, propose a way forward. Results: The legal review indicated that there are provisions in the Family Procedure Rules (England and Wales) and the General Data Protection Regulation that can be relied upon for the lawful processing of adoption data into anonymised form for research. The main points of concern about linking pre- and post-adoption records were privacy, data security, the need to limit the number of organisations involved in data sharing, and re-identification risk. The over-riding message was favourable with longitudinal research seen as strongly beneficial. Conclusion: This study has indicated that in Wales, there is no legal impediment, nor major objection from individuals involved in the adoptions process, as well as the general public for the use of adoption data in anonymised form, in a data safe haven. This includes the linkage of pre- and post‑adoption records to enable novel longitudinal research to take place. The provisos were that robust safeguards must be in place, and that the research should aim to benefit adoptees and to improve policy and practice. We conclude that it is reasonable to proceed with caution to develop practical ways to link pre- and post‑adoption records in a data safe haven

The Hamiltonian limit of (3+1)D SU(3) lattice gauge theory on anisotropic lattices

The extreme anisotropic limit of Euclidean SU(3) lattice gauge theory is examined to extract the Hamiltonian limit, using standard path integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) methods. We examine the mean plaquette and string tension and compare them to results obtained within the Hamiltonian framework of Kogut and Susskind. The results are a significant improvement upon previous Hamiltonian estimates, despite the extrapolation procedure necessary to extract observables. We conclude that the PIMC method is a reliable method of obtaining results for the Hamiltonian version of the theory. Our results also clearly demonstrate the universality between the Hamiltonian and Euclidean formulations of lattice gauge theory. It is particularly important to take into account the renormalization of both the anisotropy, and the Euclidean coupling $\beta_E$, in obtaining these results.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figure

The Effect of Various Restorative Materials on the Microhardness of Reparative Dentin

This study showed a statistically significant difference between the microhardness of reparative and primary dentin at both five- and eight-week intervals. Reparative dentin from occlusal trauma is harder than reparative dentin underlying a cavity preparation at the 99% level. No statistical difference was noted in the hardness of reparative dentin underlying different materials, but trends were observed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66484/2/10.1177_00220345800590020101.pd

The Children and Young People's Health Partnership Evelina London Model of Care: process evaluation protocol

Introduction Children and young people (CYP) in the UK have poor health outcomes, and there is increasing emergency department and hospital outpatient use. To address these problems in Lambeth and Southwark (two boroughs of London, UK), the local Clinical Commissioning Groups, Local Authorities and Healthcare Providers formed The Children and Young People’s Health Partnership (CYPHP), a clinical-academic programme for improving child health. The Partnership has developed the CYPHP Evelina London model, an integrated healthcare model that aims to deliver effective, coordinated care in primary and community settings and promote better self-management to over approximately 90 000 CYP in Lambeth and Southwark. This protocol is for the process evaluation of this model of care. Methods and analysis Alongside an impact evaluation, an in-depth, mixed-methods process evaluation will be used to understand the barriers and facilitators to implementing the model of care. The data collected mapped onto a logic model of how CYPHP is expected to improve child health outcomes. Data collection and analysis include qualitative interviews and focus groups with stakeholders, a policy review and a quantitative analysis of routine clinical and administrative data and questionnaire data. Information relating to the context of the trial that may affect implementation and/or outcomes of the CYPHP model of care will be documented. Ethics and dissemination The study has been reviewed by NHS REC Cornwall & Plymouth (17/SW/0275). The findings of this process evaluation will guide the scaling up and implementation of the CYPHP Evelina London Model of Care across the UK. Findings will be disseminated through publications and conferences, and implementation manuals and guidance for others working to improve child health through strengthening health systems. Trial registration number NCT03461848

Neutral processes dominate microbial community assembly in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar

In recent years a wealth of studies have examined the relationships between a host and its microbiome across diverse taxa. Many studies characterise the host microbiome without considering the ecological processes that underpin microbiome assembly. In this study, the intestinal microbiota of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, sampled from farmed and wild environments was first characterised using 16s rDNA MiSeq sequencing analysis. We used neutral community models to determine the balance of stochastic and deterministic processes that underpin microbial community assembly and transfer across lifecycle stage and between gut compartments. Across gut compartments in farmed fish, neutral models suggest that most microbes are transient with no evidence of adaptation to their environment. In wild fish, we find declining taxonomic and functional microbial community richness as fish mature through different lifecycle stages. Alongside neutral community models applied to wild fish, we suggest declining richness demonstrates an increasing role for the host in filtering microbial communities that is correlated with age. We find a limited subset of gut microflora adapted to the farmed and wild host environment among which Mycoplasma sp. are prominent. Our study reveals the ecological drivers underpinning community assembly in both farmed and wild Atlantic salmon and underlines the importance of understanding the role of stochastic processes such as random drift and small migration rates in microbial community assembly, before considering any functional role of the gut microbes encountered

Admissions to a Low-Resource Neonatal Unit in Malawi Using a Mobile App and Dashboard: A 1-Year Digital Perinatal Outcome Audit

Introduction: Understanding the extent and cause of high neonatal deaths rates in Sub-Saharan Africa is a challenge, especially in the presence of poor-quality and inaccurate data. The NeoTree digital data capture and quality improvement system has been live at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Neonatal Unit, Malawi, since April 2019. Objective: To describe patterns of admissions and outcomes in babies admitted to a Malawian neonatal unit over a 1-year period via a prototype data dashboard. Methods: Data were collected prospectively at the point of care, using the NeoTree app, which includes digital admission and outcome forms containing embedded clinical decision and management support and education in newborn care according to evidence-based guidelines. Data were exported and visualised using Microsoft Power BI. Descriptive and inferential analysis statistics were executed using R. Results: Data collected via NeoTree were 100% for all mandatory fields and, on average, 96% complete across all fields. Coverage of admissions, discharges, and deaths was 97, 99, and 91%, respectively, when compared with the ward logbook. A total of 2,732 neonates were admitted and 2,413 (88.3%) had an electronic outcome recorded: 1,899 (78.7%) were discharged alive, 12 (0.5%) were referred to another hospital, 10 (0.4%) absconded, and 492 (20%) babies died. The overall case fatality rate (CFR) was 204/1,000 admissions. Babies who were premature, low birth weight, out born, or hypothermic on admission, and had significantly higher CFR. Lead causes of death were prematurity with respiratory distress (n = 252, 51%), neonatal sepsis (n = 116, 23%), and neonatal encephalopathy (n = 80, 16%). The most common perceived modifiable factors in death were inadequate monitoring of vital signs and suboptimal management of sepsis. Two hundred and two (8.1%) neonates were HIV exposed, of whom a third [59 (29.2%)] did not receive prophylactic nevirapine, hence vulnerable to vertical infection. Conclusion: A digital data capture and quality improvement system was successfully deployed in a low resource neonatal unit with high (1 in 5) mortality rates providing and visualising reliable, timely, and complete data describing patterns, risk factors, and modifiable causes of newborn mortality. Key targets for quality improvement were identified. Future research will explore the impact of the NeoTree on quality of care and newborn survival