microstigmus comes: sociality in a sphecid wasp.

Pendent nests of the wasp Microstigmus comes from Costa Rica contained up to 18 adults each. Ovarian dissection indicates that there is reproductive dominance (division of labor) among females from the same nest, without apparent external morphological differences. Evidence for parental care and cooperation in provisioning and defense also identify this as the first social sphecid wasp.

Time-of-day and days-on-shift predict increased fatigue over two-week offshore day-shifts.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the accumulation of fatigue over a two-week offshore period. In particular, the effects of (1) time-of-day and days-on-shift as well as (2) acute and chronic sleep loss on the rate at which fatigue accumulates were investigated. METHODS: 42 day-shift offshore workers were examined. Fatigue was measured using pre- and post-shift scores on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Total sleep time was measured using actigraphy (Motionwatch8, Camntech). Data was analyzed using a linear mixed model analyses. RESULTS: Average sleep loss per night was 92 min (95%CI: 89.6-94.0; p < .001). Mean cumulative sleep loss across the study was 21:20hrs (SD = 08:10hrs) over the 14 days. Chronic sleep loss was significantly related to a modest increase in sleepiness (KSS) across the shift (95%CI: 0.01-0.17; p = .020) and in post-shift scores (95%CI:.07-0.19; p < .001). Time-of-day (95%CI: 0.63 to -0.01; p = .042) and days-on-shift (95%CI: 0.03-0.08; p < .001) as well as their interaction (95%CI: 0.08 to -0.00; p = .027) influenced the rate at which fatigue accumulated over a two-week offshore period. CONCLUSIONS: Pre- and post-shift fatigue accumulate in different ways over the two-week offshore period. The accumulation of post-shift fatigue scores was positively related to successive days-on-shift and chronic sleep loss. Our results suggest that prolonging offshore periods will likely result in elevated fatigue risk. Accumulating fatigue and sleep loss over two-week offshore periods should be considered in fatigue risk management plans and systems.

Percutaneous injuries of dental personnel at the University of the West Indies, School of Dentistry.

AIM: To report the results of a survey of all percutaneous injuries occurring in 2003-2004 to staff and students at the dental school in Trinidad. METHOD: Data were collected via 163 questionnaires administered to all dental surgery assistants, the current clinical students (years 3, 4 & 5), the interns, part-time and full-time academic staff. RESULTS: A 71% response rate was obtained. The number of persons reporting one or more sharps injuries at the dental school was 42 (37%). Of these, 17 (40%) were percutaneous. Needlesticks and periodontal scaler injuries were the most common. There was no significant correlation (p>0.05) between injury and gender, age group, dominant hand or needle recapping technique. 75% of respondents described their concern of contracting a blood-borne disease from a sharps injury as "high" and 59% of the respondents followed the school's recommended protocol following the injury. 50% of the injuries among the students and interns were not reported. CONCLUSIONS: A more rigorous programme of risk management with respect to sharps injuries needs to be designed and implemented at the school. There is also a need to improve surveillance of and reduce the underreporting of these injuries.

Ultrastructural immunolocalization of kallikrein in apical granules of striated duct cells of cat submandibular gland.

Recent studies on the localization of the serine protease salivary kallikrein have led to the conclusion that it has a ductal localization and to the possibility that it is located there in small "secretory" granules. Until now, the latter inference has been based entirely on circumstantial evidence. In the present study, however, direct evidence from immunolocalization studies at the ultrastructural level establishes the localization of this enzyme in the apical duct granules in the cat submandibular gland. These granules stained only with immune sera to cat submandibular gland kallikrein and were the only subcellular structures that did so. They showed the "studded" appearance characteristic of the electron-dense aggregates of peroxidase-antiperoxidase seen in this type of immune reaction.

Roles for structural and temporal shelter-changing by fern-feeding lepidopteran larvae.

Larvae of the pyralid moth, Herpetogramma aeglealis, construct feeding shelters upon the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). Field and laboratory study involving 532 shelters showed that as the larvae mature, they sequentially inhabit approximately 5 shelters of 3 distinct types, constructed at night on different fronds of the same plant. The bundle shelter, simple and ephemeral, is first to be inhabited and constructed. The fiddlehead shelter which houses slightly older larvae strongly resembles contemporaneously emerging frond fiddleheads. The final shelter form, the globe, is a silk-bound ball of leaflets at the frond tip. An individual larva usually constructs 3 globe shelters on different fronds of the same plant before completing its development. As shelter sites, sterile Polystichum fronds are chosen preferentially over fertile fronds. The bundle and fiddlehead shelter forms, less abundant, appear cryptic to humans and perhaps to other vertebrates. The final globe shelter form is larger and quite conspicuous. However, the persistence of empty globe shelters left on the plant as the larva moves to a new one may serve to make searching for larvae less profitable for potential predators and parasites. We suggest that the energetic costs of constructing and occupying multiple shelters may be offset by circumvention of reduced frond palatability and reduced exposure to predators and parasites.

The permeability of human dentine in vitro and in vivo.

Experiments in cats have shown that Evans blue dye diffuses at a greater rate into dentine in recently extracted teeth than in vivo. These experiments have now been repeated in man and similar results were obtained except that, after applications in vivo, visible concentrations of the dye were present in the dentine, and in a few cases, even in the pulp. It is concluded that, as in the cat, the diffusion in vivo was impaired by outward flow of fluid in the dentinal tubules but the mean velocity of flow in the human dentine was less than that in the cat.

Immunogenicity of guinea-pig submandibular and coagulating gland kininogenases.

The antigenic relationship between submandibular and coagulating gland kininogenases of the guinea-pig has been examined using Ouchterlony double diffusion, crossed and rocket immunoelectrophoresis and immunofluorescent techniques. The evidence suggests a partial immunological identity between submandibular and coagulating gland kininogenases of the guinea-pig. In this respect these enzymes seem to differ from the glandular kallikreins of other species (porcine, human and rat) which apparently share a complete immunological identity.

Where are we going?

As medicine and dentistry have grown in complexity, so has the nature of the relationship between the two sciences. With increasing financial pressures and declining in-takes to dental schools, Robin Matthews argues that both disciplines would gain through a closer, more coordinated liaison.

Working patterns of male and female dentists in the UK.

A random selection of male (250) and female (250) dentists in the Dentists Register 1992 were sent a postal self-administered questionnaire to determine their working patterns, places of work and whether or not they had children of school age or younger. There was also space for free comment. Responses from 75% of males and 81% of females were received. Results show that 79% of males, compared with 46% of females, work in full-time dentistry, chiefly in general dental practice. Family commitments were the principal reason for 30% of female dentists working part-time. A small number (14%) of male dentists work in a second career alongside part-time dentistry. As a female dentist's family becomes older and less dependent so the number of sessions worked increases. Overall, female dentists felt well suited and satisfied with their chosen profession. A small, but worrying group (4%) of male full-time general dental practitioners were very dissatisfied with dentistry as a career and showed clear signs of severe psychological stress expressed in the style and nature of free comments made.

Recent trends in university entry for dentistry in the UK.

The pattern of university applications has been related to dental school application rates between 1985 to 1991. The academic standard of GCE 'A' level attainment acceptable to each school has also been related to the number of places available and number of places filled. Whilst the total number of university applications has increased over the period, dental applications have decreased, with a lower proportion of male applicants being noticeable. Some schools had lower application rates than others. There appeared to be a tendency for schools which had previously accepted slightly lower 'A' level standards for entry to receive a larger number of applicants. Some schools showed evidence of accepting lower 'A' level standards of entry presumably to meet the financial need to fill all available places.

The efficacy of management of acute dental pain.

The effectiveness of pain relieving treatments given for acute dental pain has been evaluated after 24 hours in 172 patients who presented to a dental hospital emergency department. Patients were contacted by telephone the day after attendance and graded their pain on a scale from 1 (no pain) to 5 (pain much worse). The mean pain scores for each diagnosis of cause of pain were calculated and related to the treatment given. Some 76% of patients were in pain due to the ravages of dental caries of periodontal disease. Overall, 87% received marked or total pain relief and this appeared to depend upon decompression of inflamed tissue. Oral administration of antimicrobial drugs alone produced little or no pain relief within 24 hours and anti-inflammatory analgesics offer poor pain control in these circumstances.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills of dental personnel.

This study assessed the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills of 25 dental personnel. Theory was tested by multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ) and practical skills assessed using a recording Resusci-Anne manikin. The assessment was based upon the recommendations of the Resuscitation Council of the UK. Seven of the 16 dental students and six of the nine house officers tested passed the MCQ examination. All failed the practical assessment. It is concluded that more emphasis should be placed upon CPR instruction in undergraduate dental courses and that regular update courses are advisable to maintain CPR skill.

Oral lichen planus. Clinical aspects and management in fifty-two Brazilian patients.

This study aimed to characterize the clinical profile of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and to evaluate the efficacy of topical, systemic and/or intralesional corticosteroids in the management of symptomatic cases. Fifty-two patients with OLP, 33 females and 19 males, aged from 17 to 75 years (mean 49.7 years) were studied. Information regarding the clinical forms, sites of involvement, patients' medical history and habits were recorded. Diagnosis of OLP was made using clinical criteria alone in 32 cases, while biopsy examination was required in the remaining 20. Symptomatic lesions were seen in 29 patients, who were treated with corticosteroid. Asymptomatic cases (23) were only clinically monitored. The forms of OLP found in this study were reticular (47%), atrophic (24%), erosive (21%) and plaque-like (8%). The buccal mucosa was the site predominantly affected. Systemic diseases were found in 17 patients (seven diabetic and ten with hypertension) but these data lacked statistical significance (p > 0.05) when compared with a control group of age and gender matched patients without any type of mucocutaneous disease. A habit of tobacco and/or alcohol use was reported by 11.5% of the patients, most of them with the reticular form of the disease. Topical corticosteroid therapy alone was effective in producing relief of symptoms in 18 of the 29 patients, although some relapses occurred after discontinuation. For lesions non-responsive to topical treatment, intralesional injection and/or short-term use of systemic corticosteroids were used.

Oral lichen planus. Clinical aspects and management in fifty-two Brazilian patients.

This study aimed to characterize the clinical profile of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and to evaluate the efficacy of topical, systemic and/or intralesional corticosteroids in the management of symptomatic cases. Fifty-two patients with OLP, 33 females and 19 males, aged from 17 to 75 years (mean 49.7 years) were studied. Information regarding the clinical forms, sites of involvement, patients' medical history and habits were recorded. Diagnosis of OLP was made using clinical criteria alone in 32 cases, while biopsy examination was required in the remaining 20. Symptomatic lesions were seen in 29 patients, who were treated with corticosteroid. Asymptomatic cases (23) were only clinically monitored. The forms of OLP found in this study were reticular (47%), atrophic (24%), erosive (21%) and plaque-like (8%). The buccal mucosa was the site predominantly affected. Systemic diseases were found in 17 patients (seven diabetic and ten with hypertension) but these data lacked statistical significance (p > 0.05) when compared with a control group of age and gender matched patients without any type of mucocutaneous disease. A habit of tobacco and/or alcohol use was reported by 11.5% of the patients, most of them with the reticular form of the disease. Topical corticosteroid therapy alone was effective in producing relief of symptoms in 18 of the 29 patients, although some relapses occurred after discontinuation. For lesions non-responsive to topical treatment, intralesional injection and/or short-term use of systemic corticosteroids were used.

Neuropsychological effects of abuse of inhalants.

A neuropsychological battery of 67 measures was completed by 68 inhalant-abusing and 41 other-drug-abusing adolescent subjects. The measures tapped both global and specific functioning. Analysis of covariance was used to control effects of age and other drug use. These analyses indicated that inhalant abusers performed significantly more poorly than other drug abusers on 20 of the 67 measures. Deficits were observed on both global measures (WAIS and WRAT) and specific measures (perception of speech sounds, visual suppression, sensory perception, and Trails). These deficits suggest that the effect of inhalant abuse may be severe and widespread.

Griseofulvin in the treatment of oral lichen planus: adverse drug reactions, but little beneficial effect.

An open trial was conducted of systemic griseofulvin in the treatment of oral lichen planus. Eleven patients completed the trial. Symptomatic benefit was noted in 21% of the twenty-three patients starting the trial, but there was no clinical improvement, and about one half of the group starting the trial suffered adverse drug reactions.

The management of intransigent desquamative gingivitis with Dapsone.

Fifteen patients suffering from intransigent desquamative gingivitis due to lichen planus or benign mucous membrane pemphigoid were treated with dapsone (diphenylsulphapyridine) over a 3-month period. Twelve patients completed the trial. Therapeutic benefit was estimated clinically with the aid of 35mm color transparencies taken at 4-week intervals; and subjectively by the patients estimating their progress as worse, no change, some improvement or complete recovery. Taken as a whole, some 58% of patients had some benefit from therapy. Of the 7 patients with lichen planus, 1 showed complete recovery and 3 showed some improvement. In the 5 patients with desquamative gingivitis due to mucous membrane pemphigoid, 3 showed some improvement and 2 received no benefit. Three patients withdrew from the trial due to side effects of the dapsone such as headaches and nausea. It is concluded that dapsone therapy may be of some use in the management of desquamative gingivitis when traditional treatments have failed. Patients should be warned of the possibility of side effects.