VOLUME REDUCTION OF CYSTIC LESIONS AFTER SURGICAL DECOMPRESSION: A COMPUTERISED THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC EVALUATION

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the three-dimensional radiographic variation in mandibular odontogenic cystic lesions after decompression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre- and post-decompression computed tomography (CT) evaluations in 20 patients affected by keratocysts (n = 10), dentigerous cysts (n = 9) and ameloblastoma (n = 1) were analysed using software designed for three-dimensional measurement of volumes; the results were correlated with treatment duration, age, sex and histological type. RESULTS: The mean (range) decompression time was 5.70 (3-12) months. The mean (SD) pre- and post-decompression volumes were 9.50 (7.74) and 4.65 (4.34) cm(3), respectively (P&#8201

Associations between metal constituents of ambient particulate matter and mortality in England: an ecological study

Objectives To investigate long-term associations between metal components of particulate matter and mortality and lung cancer incidence Design Small area (ecological) study Setting Population living in all wards (~9000 individuals per ward) in the London and Oxford area of England, comprising 13.6 million individuals Exposure and Outcome measures We used land use regression (LUR) models originally used in the Transport related Air Pollution and Health impacts – Integrated Methodologies for Assessing Particulate Matter (TRANSPHORM) study to estimate exposure to copper, iron and zinc in ambient air particulate matter. We examined associations of metal exposure with Office for National Statistics mortality data from cardiovascular (CVD) and respiratory causes and with lung cancer incidence in 2008-11. Results There were 108,478 CVD deaths, 48,483 respiratory deaths and 24,849 incident cases of lung cancer in the study period and area. Using Poisson regression models adjusted for area-level deprivation, tobacco sales and ethnicity, we found associations between cardiovascular mortality and PM2.5 copper with interdecile range (IDR-2.6-5.7 ng/m3) and IDR Relative risk (RR) 1.005 (95%CI 1.001, 1.009) and between respiratory mortality and PM10 zinc (IDR 1135-153 ng/m3) and IDR RR 1.136 (95%CI 1.010, 1.277). We did not find relevant associations for lung cancer incidence. Metal elements were highly correlated. Conclusion Our analysis showed small but not fully consistent adverse associations between mortality and particulate metal exposures likely derived from non-tailpipe road traffic emissions (brake and tyre-wear), which have previously been associated with increases in inflammatory markers in the blood

Birth weight trends in England and Wales (1986-2012): babies are getting heavier.

INTRODUCTION: Birth weight is a strong predictor of infant mortality, morbidity and later disease risk. Previous work from the 1980s indicated a shift in the UK towards heavier births; this descriptive analysis looks at more recent trends. METHODS: Office for National Statistics (ONS) registration data on 17.2 million live, single births from 1986 to 2012 were investigated for temporal trends in mean birth weight, potential years of birth weight change and changes in the proportions of very low (<1500 g), low (<2500 g) and high (≥4000 g) birth weight. Analysis used multiple linear and logistic regression adjusted for maternal age, marital status, area-level deprivation and ethnicity. Additional analyses used the ONS NHS Numbers for Babies data set for 2006-2012, which has information on individual ethnicity and gestational age. RESULTS: Over 27 years there was an increase in birth weight of 43 g (95% CI 42 to 44) in females and 44 g (95% CI 43 to 45) in males, driven by birth weight increases between 1986-1990 and 2007-2012. There was a concurrent decreased risk of having low birth weight but an 8% increased risk in males and 10% increased risk in females of having high birth weight. For 2006-2012 the birth weight increase was greater in preterm as compared with term births. CONCLUSIONS: Since 1986 the birth weight distribution of live, single births in England and Wales has shifted towards heavier births, partly explained by increases in maternal age and non-white ethnicity, as well as changes in deprivation levels. Other potential influences include increases in maternal obesity and reductions in smoking prevalence particularly following the introduction of legislation restricting smoking in public places in 2007

Atazanavir and darunavir in pregnant women with HIV: evaluation of laboratory and clinical outcomes from an observational national study

Atazanavir and darunavir represent the main HIV PIs recommended in pregnancy, but comparative data in pregnant women are limited. We assessed the safety and activity profile of these two drugs in pregnancy using data from a national observational study