Tooth Discoloration from 2 Silver Fluorides Used in Adults with Special Needs: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Discoloration of carious lesions after application of silver diamine fluoride lowers patient acceptance and limits its wider use for caries arrest. OBJECTIVE: To assess lesion and tooth color changes from 2 novel silver fluoride (AgF) products and its relationship to caries activity (clinical visuo-tactile scores) and bacterial load (using laser fluorescence with the DIAGNOdent). METHODS: A split-mouth design was followed, with matched smooth surface carious lesions in the same arch in adults with special needs randomized for 1-min treatments with AgF/potassium iodide (KI) (Riva Star Aqua, SDI) and AgF/stannous fluoride (SnF2) (Caries Status Disclosing Solution; Whiteley). Standardized images taken at baseline, immediately postoperatively, and at 3-mo review were subjected to digital image analysis to calculate delta-E and to track changes in luminosity of carious lesions. RESULTS: Twelve participants were recruited in the study. A total of 56 teeth (28 pairs) were included. Significantly greater changes were seen in treated lesions than in the adjacent noncarious natural tooth structure, both immediately after treatment and at the 3-mo review (P < 0.0001). Color change and caries activity were not affected by tooth type, tooth location, plaque status, salivary status, or special needs condition. AgF/SnF2 caused transitory darkening immediately on application, while AgF/KI caused the immediate formation of yellow deposits (silver iodide). Both products caused significant darkening of treated lesions at 3 mo (P = 0.0009; P = 0.0361), with no differences between them (P = 0.506). Responding lesions showed larger and more perceptible color changes immediately after either AgF application (P = 0.002; P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Both AgF products were highly effective for caries arrest in this patient population. Despite minor differences in the appearance of treated lesions at the time of application, both products lead to similar darkening of treated sites at 3 mo. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: This study shows the usefulness of silver fluoride used in conjunction with potassium iodide or stannous fluoride for achieving caries arrest in smooth surface lesions in adults with special needs. Patients need to be informed that long-term staining of the lesion occurs with both, similar to silver diamine fluoride.

Skin Color Representation in Teaching Photographs: One Institution's Approach to Addressing Visual Racism in Medical Education.

Problem: Visual racism refers to both the underrepresentation and inappropriate representation of darker skin types in medical education. By not teaching medical students and resident physicians to recognize common conditions in darker skin, it perpetuates biases that contribute to healthcare disparities for racial and ethnic minoritized groups. In this paper we describe our efforts to engage in institutional anti-racism work by addressing imbalances in representation of darker skin types in visual teaching images within our institution's curriculum. Intervention: We initially surveyed preclinical medical students regarding their perceptions of skin color representation in two courses. Researchers recorded the skin types of all teaching photographs in these courses in 2020. We then provided feedback and education to faculty, proposing that they increase brown and black skin color representation in educational content. During 2021, we reviewed the same courses and surveyed students again to ascertain the implementation and impact of our proposal. Context: We applied our intervention to two courses, Host & Defense (H&D) and Skin, Muscle, Bone, and Joint (SMBJ) since both courses utilize a large number of teaching images. Impact: From 2020 to 2021, both H&D and SMBJ significantly increased the proportion of visual teaching images that included darker skin types, with an increase from 28% to 42% in H&D and 20% to 30% in SMBJ. Significantly more students in the courses' 2021 iterations (73% in H&D, 93% in SMBJ) felt that lectures had appropriate representations of darker skin types when compared to students who took the course in 2020 (8% in H&D, 51% in SMBJ). Students in 2021 felt more confident in recognizing dermatological signs and symptoms in patients with darker skin than students in 2020. The majority of students in both 2020 and 2021 reported wanting to see a gradient of skin types for every dermatological condition discussed. Lessons learned: Our work suggests that addressing visual racism can be achieved partly by setting expectations for increased visual representation, collaborating across educational departments, and establishing clear metrics for assessing implementation. Future interventions will require a continual feedback loop of monitoring learning material, assessing faculty and student perception, refining resources, and recommending revisions to improve visual representation across the entire curriculum.

Socioeconomic Status and Toothbrushing in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Children.

INTRODUCTION: Dental caries in children is a multifactorial and complex condition. Toothbrushing helps maintain good oral hygiene and delivers fluoride. However, determinants of toothbrushing could vary based on Indigenous status. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between socioeconomic status and adequate toothbrushing practice (brushing twice or more a day) in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children. METHODS: Data were acquired from the National Child Oral Health Survey (NCOHS) 2012 to 2014. NCOHS administered questionnaires to parents of a representative sample of 24,215 Australian children aged 5 to 14 y recruited using a complex sampling method. Data on the frequency of toothbrushing and socioeconomic status were collected through the questionnaires. Statistical analysis was conducted progressively from bivariate to multivariable regression modeling, stratified by Indigenous status. RESULTS: Just over half of Indigenous children and over two-thirds of non-Indigenous children reported adequate toothbrushing. The prevalence of adequate brushing (twice or more a day) was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.84) higher among children with an overseas-born parent than those with Australian-born parents. Among non-Indigenous children, sex and age, parents' country of birth, number of children in the family, and other family socioeconomic indicators (education, income, private health insurance) were associated with adequate toothbrushing. The prevalence of adequate brushing was 1.09 (95% CI, 1.03-1.15) and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.10-1.21) times higher when their parent possessed vocational training and tertiary education, respectively, compared to those children whose parents had school-level education. CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in patterns of socioeconomic disparities for toothbrushing practices between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: To promote positive toothbrushing practices in children, dental clinicians and public health professionals must be aware of the determinants of toothbrushing practices. Socioeconomic disparities in toothbrushing frequency were more apparent in non-Indigenous children. These results will help develop population-specific interventions that tackle the determinants to help improve oral hygiene behavior in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.

Population Impact of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Dental Caries and Overweight/Obesity in Australian Children.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The reported findings greatly consolidated evidence of detrimental effects of sugars intake on child oral health and overweight and obesity, some of the most prevalent chronic conditions in children. Evidence on population impact of sugars intake is directly informative to policy makers and the public about the potential impact of population-based programs targeting sugars intake to prevent dental caries and overweight and obesity.

Early Childhood Exposures to Fluorides and Child Behavioral Development and Executive Function: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study.

It is important to both protect the healthy development and maintain the oral health of the child population. The study examined the effect of early childhood exposures to water fluoridation on measures of school-age executive functioning and emotional and behavioral development in a population-based sample. This longitudinal follow-up study used information from Australia's National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14. Children aged 5 to 10 y at baseline were contacted again after 7 to 8 y, before they had turned 18 y of age. Percent lifetime exposed to fluoridated water (%LEFW) from birth to the age 5 y was estimated from residential history and postcode-level fluoride levels in public tap water. Measures of children's emotional and behavioral development were assessed by the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and executive functioning was measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Multivariable regression models were generated to compare the associations between the exposure and the primary outcomes and controlled for covariates. An equivalence test was also conducted to compare the primary outcomes of those who had 100% LEFW against those with 0% LEFW. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted. A total of 2,682 children completed the SDQ and BRIEF, with mean scores of 7.0 (95% confidence interval, 6.6-7.4) and 45.3 (44.7-45.8), respectively. Those with lower %LEFW tended to have poorer scores of the SDQ and BRIEF. Multivariable regression models reported no association between exposure to fluoridated water and the SDQ and BRIEF scores. Low household income, identifying as Indigenous, and having a neurodevelopmental diagnosis were associated with poorer SDQ/BRIEF scores. An equivalence test confirmed that the SDQ/BRIEF scores among those with 100% LEFW were equivalent to that of those who had 0% LEFW. Exposure to fluoridated water during the first 5 y of life was not associated with altered measures of child emotional and behavioral development and executive functioning.

Evaluating the performance of temporal and spatial early warning statistics of algal blooms.

Regime shifts have large consequences for ecosystems and the services they provide. However, understanding the potential for, causes of, proximity to, and thresholds for regime shifts in nearly all settings is difficult. Generic statistical indicators of resilience have been proposed and studied in a wide range of ecosystems as a method to detect when regime shifts are becoming more likely without direct knowledge of underlying system dynamics or thresholds. These early warning statistics (EWS) have been studied separately but there have been few examples that directly compare temporal and spatial EWS in ecosystem-scale empirical data. To test these methods, we collected high-frequency time series and high-resolution spatial data during a whole-lake fertilization experiment while also monitoring an adjacent reference lake. We calculated two common EWS, standard deviation and autocorrelation, in both time series and spatial data to evaluate their performance prior to the resulting algal bloom. We also applied the quickest detection method to generate binary alarms of resilience change from temporal EWS. One temporal EWS, rolling window standard deviation, provided advanced warning in most variables prior to the bloom, showing trends and between-lake patterns consistent with theory. In contrast, temporal autocorrelation and both measures of spatial EWS (spatial SD, Moran's I) provided little or no warning. By compiling time series data from this and past experiments with and without nutrient additions, we were able to evaluate temporal EWS performance for both constant and changing resilience conditions. True positive alarm rates were 2.5-8.3 times higher for rolling window standard deviation when a lake was being pushed towards a bloom than the rate of false positives when it was not. For rolling window autocorrelation, alarm rates were much lower and no variable had a higher true positive than false positive alarm rate. Our findings suggest temporal EWS provide advanced warning of algal blooms and that this approach could help managers prepare for and/or minimize negative bloom impacts.

Effectiveness of GenoType MTBDRsl in excluding TB drug resistance in a clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the performance of the GenoType MTBDRsl v1, a line-probe assay (LPA), to exclude baseline resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQs) and second-line injectables (SLIs) in the Standard Treatment Regimen of Anti-tuberculosis Drugs for Patients With MDR-TB 1 (STREAM 1) trial.METHODS: Direct sputum MTBDRsl results in the site laboratories were compared to indirect phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (pDST) results in the central laboratory, with DNA sequencing as a reference standard.RESULTS: Of 413 multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients tested using MTBDRsl and pDST, 389 (94.2%) were FQ-susceptible and 7 (1.7%) FQ-resistant, while 17 (4.1%) had an inconclusive MTBDRsl result. For SLI, 372 (90.1%) were susceptible, 5 (1.2%) resistant and 36 (8.7%) inconclusive. There were 9 (2.3%) FQ discordant pDST/MTBDRsl results, of which 3 revealed a mutation and 5 (1.3%) SLI discordant pDST/MTBDRsl results, none of which were mutants on sequencing. Among the 17 FQ- and SLI MTBDRsl-inconclusive samples, sequencing showed 1 FQ- and zero SLI-resistant results, similar to frequencies among the conclusive MTBDRsl. The majority of inconclusive MTBDRsl results were associated with low bacillary load samples (acid-fast bacilli smear-negative or scantily positive) compared to conclusive results (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: MTBDRsl can facilitate the rapid exclusion of FQ and SLI resistances for enrolment in clinical trials.

Discontinuation Patterns and Cost Avoidance of a Pharmacist-Driven Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing Protocol for De-escalation of Empiric Vancomycin for Suspected Pneumonia.

A pharmacist-driven methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based testing protocol with a 70% acceptance rate for vancomycin discontinuation within 24 hours of negative results significantly reduced unnecessary vancomycin use with an estimated cost avoidance of $40 per vancomycin course. We found high concordance (141 of 147, 96%) of culture-based versus PCR-based MRSA nasal screening.

Excess Risk of Dental Caries from Higher Free Sugars Intake Combined with Low Exposure to Water Fluoridation.

The study aimed to quantify the excess risk of interaction between high free sugars (sugars) intake and lack of exposure to water fluoridation on child dental caries. Data from the Australian National Child Oral Health Study, a population-based survey of 24,664 children aged 5 to 14 y, were collected using parental questionnaires and oral epidemiological examinations by trained examiners. Information on socioeconomic status, dental health behaviors, and dental service use was used as covariates. The number of servings of sugars-containing foods and drinks consumed in a usual day was assessed as the main exposure, categorized into 5 groups. Residential history was used to calculate lifetime exposure to fluoridated water (LEFW), categorized as low (<25%), medium (25% to <75%), or high (75%-100%). Caries prevalence (dmfs/DMFS >0) and experience (dmfs/DMFS) in the primary (ages 5-10 y) and permanent (ages 8-14 y) dentitions were the main dependent variables. The association of sugars intake and LEFW with each outcome was estimated in multivariable log-Poisson regression models with robust standard error estimation, adjusted for covariates. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) between sugars intake and LEFW was estimated. Strong positive gradients in all outcomes were observed across sugars intake groups. Relative to the lowest intake group, the 3 highest intake groups had significantly higher adjusted prevalence ratios for having caries and higher adjusted mean ratios of caries experience in both dentitions, after controlling for all covariates. LEFW strongly and consistently attenuated the effects of all levels of sugars intake on the outcomes. RERI estimates indicated that a combination of lack of exposure to fluoridated water and high sugars intake resulted in greater excess risk of primary and permanent caries than if there was no interaction. Evidently, children with high sugars intakes and low exposure to water fluoridation are at disproportionately higher risk of dental caries.

Oral Health Inequalities among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Children.

INTRODUCTION: Our ability to address child oral health inequalities would be greatly facilitated by a more nuanced understanding of whether underlying disease experience or treatment opportunities account for a larger share of differences between social groups. This is particularly relevant in the context of population subgroups who are socially marginalized, such as Australia's Indigenous population. The decayed, missing, and filled (dmf) surfaces index is at once a reflection of dental caries experience (d) and its management (m and f). OBJECTIVES: To 1) describe socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries experience and its management among Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and 2) compare these inequalities using absolute and relative measures. METHODS: Data were from the Australian National Child Oral Health Study 2012-2014. Absolute and relative income inequalities were assessed for overall dmfs and its individual components (ds, ms, fs) using adjusted means and health disparity indices (Slope Index of Inequality [SII] and Relative Index of Inequality [RII]). RESULTS: Mean dmfs among Indigenous children aged 5 to 10 y was 6.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4-7.4), ranging from 2.3 in the highest to 9.1 in the lowest income group. Mean dmfs among non-Indigenous children was 2.9 (95% CI, 2.8-3.1), ranging from 1.9 in the highest to 4.2 in the lowest income group. Age- and gender-adjusted social gradients for Indigenous children were evident across all dmfs components but were particularly notable for ds (SII = -4.6, RII = -1.7) and fs (SII = -3.2, RII = -1.5). The social gradients for non-Indigenous children were much lower in magnitude: ds (SII = -1.8, RII = -1.6) and fs (SII = -0.7, RII = -0.5). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that socioeconomic disadvantage may translate into both higher disease experience and increased use of dental services for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups, with the social gradients being much more amplified among Indigenous children. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The findings of this study demonstrate the magnitude of disparities in dental caries among children by population groups in Australia. Our results suggest that the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and poor oral health is more deleterious among Indigenous than non-Indigenous children. Tackling upstream determinants of health might not only affect population patterns of health and disease but also mitigate the overwhelming racial inequalities in oral health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Insomnia symptoms, fatigue, and future job exit in American older adults.

BACKGROUND: As older adults prolong working life and face age-related health changes, insomnia symptoms and fatigue may jeopardize their ability to stay in the labor force. Our study explored the relationships between insomnia symptoms, fatigue, and job exit in workers aged 65 years and older. METHODS: Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study were used (2011-2017). The sample included 953 Medicare beneficiaries with paid work at the time of the interview. Workers were followed annually for 6 years to the time of job exit. Insomnia measures included the number and type of symptoms, and fatigue (measured as low energy). Crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated within discrete-time survival analysis. Models were adjusted for health, lifestyle, and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: At baseline, approximately 49% of workers had either one or two insomnia symptoms. Difficulty falling asleep and difficulty maintaining asleep were prevalent in 35% and 37% of the sample. Fatigue was common in <30% of the sample. Workers with difficulty falling asleep were 1.29 times at higher odds to have job exit when compared with workers with no insomnia (p = 0.033). Conversely, fatigued workers were 0.73-0.77 times at lower odds to have job exit when compared with nonfatigued workers (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Difficulty falling asleep negatively affects future work status, unlike feeling fatigued. Healthcare providers are encouraged to assess for insomnia and discuss treatments with workers, and workplaces should be flexible with the start of workdays to support worker longevity.

New species of Parasaccocoelium (Haploporidae) and new genus Pseudohaplosplanchnus (Haplosplanchnidae) from mullet fish in the Far East of Russia and Vietnam: morphological and molecular data.

A description and the molecular characterization of two new species in the Haploporidae and Haplosplanchnidae families are provided herein. Parasaccocoelium armatum n. sp. was collected from the intestine of a Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758 from the Primorsky region, Russia, and Pseudohaplosplanchnus catbaensis n. g. n. sp. was collected from Moolgarda seheli (Forsskål, 1775) in the coastal waters of Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. The morphological features of P. armatum n. sp. closely resemble those of Parasaccocoelium polyovum, but these species differ from one another by hermaphroditic sac and vitellaria area length and by maximal egg size. The main difference between P. armatum n. sp. and P. polyovum is the presence of an armed hermaphroditic duct in the new species. Molecular data support the case for inclusion of the studied trematodes in P. armatum n. sp. Worms P. catbaensis n. g. n. sp. from the mullet from Vietnam are morphologically close to Haplosplanchnus (Haplosplosplanchninae). The only difference between P. catbaensis n. g. n. sp. and species of Haplosplanchnus is the presence of few (1-7) large eggs, measuring 135-142 × 92-104 µm, versus numerous small eggs with a maximal size of 75 × 50 µm. Phylogenetic analysis showed that there is a contradiction between the morphological similarity of the worms and their position in the Haplosplanchnidae system, based on the genetic data. Results of this study indicate that P. catbaensis n. g. n. sp. is genetically distant from other representatives of Haplosplanchnus, despite their morphological similarity. According to the molecular data, P. catbaensis n. g. n. sp. is close to Hymenocotta mulli Manter, 1961 (Hymenocottinae). However, these species are considerably different to each other morphologically. Molecular data argue for the possibility of establishing a new subfamily for P. catbaensis n. g. n. sp. However, considering earlier studies of Haplosplanchnidae, we support the view that creating new subfamilies within this family is unreasonable because of the lack of molecular data for most haplosplanchnid species, which are necessary to resolve the problematic systematics and phylogeny of this family.

New species and new genus of Pseudohaploporinae (Digenea): Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n. (Digenea: Pseudohaploporinae) from Vietnamese mullet fish.

Two new species of Pseudohaploporinae, Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n., are described from intestines of the Vietnamese mullet fish Moolgarda seheli and Osteomugil cunnesius, respectively. Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. differs from two known Pseudohaploporus species, P. vietnamensis and P. planiliza, by the absence of a diverticulate hermaphroditic duct and muscular sphincters at the proximal end of the hermaphroditic sac. Metrically, P. pusitestis sp. n. is close to P. vietnamensis and differs from this species and from P. planilizum by lower maximum sizes of most parameters. Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. differs from representatives of Pseudohaploporus by the presence of a single testis and the armament of hermaphroditic duct and is morphologically close to trematodes of the genus Haploporus. However, P. elegantus n. g differs from all known Haploporus species from mugilids of the Indo-West Pacific by the structure of the armament of the hermaphroditic duct and also by size of body, organs and eggs. The validity of designating two new species and a new genus of trematodes is supported by ITS and 28S rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic reconstructions showed that the new trematodes belong to the Pseudohaploporinae, which formed a well-supported cluster within the monophyletic Haploporidae.

Fluoridated Water Modifies the Effect of Breastfeeding on Dental Caries.

Breastfeeding is important for health and development. Yet, the interaction between breastfeeding duration and usage of fluoridated water on caries experience has not been investigated. This study examined exposure to fluoridation as an effect modifier of the association between breastfeeding duration and caries. The 2012 to 2014 national population-based study of Australian children involved parental questionnaires and oral epidemiological assessment. Children were grouped by parent-reported breastfeeding duration into minimal (none or <1 mo), breastfed for 1 to <6 mo, breastfed for 6 to 24 mo, and sustained (>24 mo). Residential history and main water source used for the first 2 y of life were collected to group children into exposed (WF) and nonexposed (NF) to fluoridation. Socioeconomic status, infant formula feeding, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption data were collected. The prevalence and severity of caries in children aged 5 to 6 y were primary outcomes. Multivariable regression models with robust error estimation were generated to compute prevalence ratios (PRs) and mean ratios (MRs) for 3 breastfeeding groups against the reference (breastfed for 6-24 mo). Of the 5- to 6-y-old children, 2,721 were in the WF and 1,737 were in the NF groups. The groups had comparable distributions of socioeconomic factors, infant formula feeding, and SSB consumption. There were U-shape distributions of caries experience among breastfeeding groups, being more pronounced among NF children. Among NF children, the minimal and sustained breastfeeding groups had significantly higher PR (1.4 [1.1-1.9] and 1.8 [1.4-2.4]) and MR (2.1 [1.4-3.3] and 2.4 [1.4-4.1]) than the reference group. However, among the WF children, this association between breastfeeding duration and caries attenuated after adjustment for other factors. The study contributes evidence of a nonlinear (U-shape) association between breastfeeding duration and dental caries. Early life exposure to fluoridated drinking water attenuated the potential cariogenic effect of both lack of and sustained breastfeeding.

Community trial of silver fluoride treatment for deciduous dentition caries in remote Indigenous communities.

BACKGROUND: Silver fluoride 40% followed by 10% stannous fluoride (AgF) has been used in dental practice in some parts of Australia for many years. This study compared the effectiveness of application of AgF with atraumatic restorative technique (ART) in managing cavitated carious primary molars. METHODS: The study was a community effectiveness trial in two remote Aboriginal communities where AgF has been used for some time. Children between 4 and 8 years of age with caries on primary molars were randomized by birth date to receive AgF or ART. There were 210 children who were included in the study with 384 eligible teeth. Children were followed up for periods between 9 months and 4 years. Negative outcomes such as dental pain, extraction, use of antibiotics and more extensive restorative treatment were considered as the primary outcomes of the study. RESULTS: Those negative outcomes were infrequent in both treatment groups. The prevalence ratio of negative sequelae for children treated with AgF compared with those treated with ART was lower at 0.18. CONCLUSIONS: Silver fluoride was well accepted, easy to use and at least as effective a treatment as ART for dental caries in primary molars in young Aboriginal children in remote areas.

A new subfamily, Pseudohaploporinae subfam. n. (Digenea: Haploporidae), with morphometric and molecular analyses of two new species: Pseudohaploporus vietnamensis n. g., sp. n. and Pseudohaploporus planilizum n. g., sp. n. from Vietnamese mullet.

Adult specimens representing Pseudohaploporus vietnamensis n. g., sp. n., Pseudohaploporus planilizum n. g., sp. n., and Pseudohaploporus sp. were collected from the intestines of Osteomugil engeli (Bleeker, 1858), Moolgarda seheli (Forsskål, 1775), and Planiliza subviridis (Valenciennes, 1836) from Vietnam. The new genus Pseudohaploporus n. g. is similar to the genus Haploporus Looss, 1902 in morphology and host-specificity. Species of Pseudohaploporus and Haploporus both possess an elongated body, a long oesophagus, an intestinal bifurcation behind the ventral sucker, a large hermaphroditic bursa, vitellarium consisting of two compact accumulations, concretions in the excretory vesicle, and numerous small eggs that contain miracidia with a pigment eye, and both infect mullet. In contrast to Haploporus, both species of the genus Pseudohaploporus possess two testes. These species differ from each other morphometrically. Pseudohaploporus planilizum sp. n., in comparison with P. vietnamensis sp. n., possess a larger maximum and mean size for the body length, oral and ventral suckers, pharynx, oesophagus length, hermaphrodite bursa, and egg width. Molecular data (ITS and 28S rDNA sequences) support the validity of the new genus and the two new species and indicate the presence of another representative of this genus, Pseudohaploporus sp. Phylogenetic reconstructions show that Pseudohaploporus formed a well-supported clade within a large clade that represents the Haploporidae Nicoll, 1914. Based on morphological and molecular data for P. vietnamensis sp. n. and P. planilizum sp. n., we erected a new subfamily, Pseudohaploporinae subfam. n., which appears to be a sister taxon to Haploporinae Nicoll, 1914. Molecular data show that Pseudohaploporus differ from other haploporids at a level similar to that between other subfamilies.

Race- and Income-Related Inequalities in Oral Health in Australian Children by Fluoridation Status.

Inequality in child oral health exists by race and income. Water fluoridation (WF) is effective in caries prevention, but evidence for WF reducing inequality in caries experience is equivocal. This study tested the hypothesis that WF reduces race- and income-related inequality in child caries experience. A cross-sectional national population-based study of child oral health was conducted across 2012 to 2014 for Australian children aged 5 to 14 y, involving a parental questionnaire and an oral epidemiological examination. Children were stratified by fluoridated (F) and nonfluoridated (NF) area of residence, equivalized household income quartiles, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous status. Directly standardized caries experience (measured by the decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces [dmfs/DMFS] in both primary [age 5-10] and permanent dentitions [age 9-14]) was estimated for each stratum accounting for the complex sampling design. Differences in caries experience by Indigenous status and equivalized income quartiles were examined between F and NF strata. Socioeconomic inequality in caries experience was examined using the Absolute Concentration Index (ACI), Slope Index of Inequality (SII), Relative Concentration Index (RCI), and Relative Index of Inequality (RII). A total of 21,328 (86.5%) children had complete data. Caries experience was higher in NF than F strata. Race- and income-related gradients in caries experience were observed in both F and NF areas. All indexes of inequality indicated that caries experience was concentrated among lower income groups. Absolute inequalities were consistently lower in F than in NF areas. For the primary dentition, SII values were -4.18 versus -6.20 in the F and NF areas, respectively. The respective values were -0.60 versus -1.66 for the permanent dentition. Income-related inequality in caries was lower in F than in NF areas for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. WF was associated with lower caries experience and reduced inequality among children. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study greatly increase the evidence base that water fluoridation is effective and socially equitable. Dental caries has remained one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in children worldwide. The presented evidence can be used by policy makers and the profession to support the maintenance or expansion of this important public health program to benefit those most at risk of dental caries, the groups at the lowest socioeconomic position in any society.

Fragmentation network of doubly charged methionine: Interpretation using graph theory.

The fragmentation of doubly charged gas-phase methionine (HO2CCH(NH2)CH2CH2SCH3) is systematically studied using the self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. We applied graph theory to analyze the large number of the calculated MD trajectories, which appears to be a highly effective and convenient means of extracting versatile information from the large data. The present theoretical results strongly concur with the earlier studied experimental ones. Essentially, the dication dissociates into acidic group CO2H and basic group C4NSH10. The former may carry a single or no charge and stays intact in most cases, whereas the latter may hold either a single or a double charge and tends to dissociate into smaller fragments. The decay of the basic group is observed to follow the Arrhenius law. The dissociation pathways to CO2H and C4NSH10 and subsequent fragmentations are also supported by ab initio calculations.