Extended C-band tunable multi-channel InP-based coherent receiver PICs.

Fully integrated monolithic, multi-channel InP-based coherent receiver PICs and transceiver modules with extended C-band tunability are described. These PICs operate at 33 and 44 Gbaud per channel under dual polarization (DP) 16-QAM modulation. Fourteen-channel monolithic InP receiver PICs show integration and data rate scaling capability to operate at 44 Gbaud under DP 16-QAM modulation for combined 4.9 Tb/s total capacity. Six channel simultaneous operation of a commercial transceiver module at 33 Gbaud is demonstrated for a variety of modulation formats including DP 16-QAM for >1.2Tbit/s aggregate data capacity.

A clinical evaluation of high- and low-fear children in Singapore.

Few studies have investigated the effects of fear of the dentist on oral health and quality of care. In this study the oral health of 114 fearful and nonfearful children aged ten to fourteen years, in two representative Singaporean primary schools is compared. Further, the hypothesis that poorer quality of care is provided to fearful children as a result of management problems, is tested. Although there was a significant difference in quality of restorations provided in the different schools, the hypothesis that more fearful children would be in poorer oral health or obtain poorer dental care was not supported. It is postulated that the poor management of fear at this age may result in avoidance when the children are no longer part of a school-based delivery system.

Better restorative, greater prevention.

The dentist must fully appreciate that restorative procedures, done well, are an integral part of prevention. Poorly condensed materials and poorly adapted margins of restorations are often the reasons for marginal leakage, recurrent caries and pulp involvement.

Determination of the radiographic position of the temporomandibular joint disk.

We describe a method of measuring displacement and reduction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk that makes use of reproducible geometric measurements from radiographs in the sagittal plane. This procedure leads to a simple quantitative classification scheme for condyle-disk-fossa/eminence relationships. The method was applied to microscopic sections of 12 human TMJs and then to 30 complete lateral corrected cephalometric arthotomographic studies of the TMJ. Statistical analyses of the classification scheme confirm that it is highly significant and consistent with clinical diagnoses.

In vitro effect of tobacco on the growth of oral cariogenic streptococci.

Most pouch and plug chewing tobaccos with high sugar contents are able to support the growth of S mutans and S sanguis in vitro. Snuff and unprocessed tobacco, although not able to stimulate growth of these organisms, do not inhibit growth. Inhibitory agents present in tobacco leaves do not preclude use of tobacco sugars by the organisms tested. Because factors other than bacterial populations play an important role in caries initiation, clinical studies are needed to identify the effects of commercial tobacco on the human dentition.

Sugars present in tobacco extracts.

The presence of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and isomaltose in commercial tobacco products was identified and quantitated. Gas-liquid chromatographic studies showed that these five types of sugar were present in the water-soluble extracts of pouch and plug chewing tobacco, yet only fructose and glucose were found in extracts of snuff and unprocessed natural tobaccos. The amount of sucrose present in pouch chewing tobacco was twice that in plug chewing tobacco. No detectable amount of sucrose was found in snuff or unprocessed natural tobaccos. The content of maltose and isomaltose was much less than the content of fructose, glucose, or sucrose. All unprocessed natural tobacco leaves studied as controls contained low amounts of fructose and glucose, and no detectable amounts of sucrose, maltose, or isomaltose. The larger amounts of fructose and glucose, and the additional sucrose, maltose, and isomaltose present in pouch and plug chewing tobaccos are probably added during the manufacturing process.

Sugar and fluoride content of various forms of tobacco.

Previous studies have produced conflicting reports about the possible relationship between the chewing and smoking of tobacco and the incidence of caries. This study identifies the total sugar and the fluoride concentrations of various forms of tobacco from different areas of the United States. This is the first part of an investigation of caries-promoting and caries-inhibiting substances in commercial tobacco products. The total sugar content of pouch and plug forms of tobacco was, on the average, highest, followed by decreasing concentration in the pipe, cigarette, cigar, and snuff forms of tobacco. Fluoride content of the plug and pouch forms of tobacco was highest, followed by cigar, snuff, pipe, and cigarette tobacco, respectively. Generally, nonsmoking forms of tobacco are most directly related to the potential promotion of caries. The total sugar content in the control tobacco leaves was comparable to that in cigars and snuff which have the least amount of sugar, whereas the fluoride content was similar to plug and pouch which have the highest amount of fluoride. Brands of snuff on average had the lowest concentrations of sugar (average 1.9%) and were among the products with the lowest fluoride content (average 0.26 ppm). Pouch and plug exceeded other forms in both sugar and fluoride content. Large variations in sugar and fluoride levels of tobacco products can exist form-to-form, store-to-store, brand-to-brand, and state-to-state. This may explain the diverse opinions of dental practitioners and investigators relative to the concept that tobacco increases or decreases dental caries.

Reducing marginal leakage: a review of materials and techniques.

Although significant progress has been made with the advent of composite restorative materials and associated techniques, the problem of marginal leakage has been lessened but not solved. The primary aim of future work must still be directed toward preventing the formation of a gap between the restoration and the tooth.

The viability of microorganisms in carious lesions five years after covering with a fissure sealant.

Carious lesions that were covered with a pit and fissure sealant for five years yielded bacterial cultures that were predominantly negative. Sixteen of 18 test sites judged to have active caries in 1972 were found inactive in 1977; ten of 12 sites suspected to have caries in 1972 were deemed to have inactive caries in 1977. Sealant treatment resulted in an apparent 89% reversal from a caries-active to a caries-inactive state. These data confirm and extend previous observations that a limited number of cultivable organisms persist in some lesions but their numbers are few, and they do not appear capable of continuing the destruction of tooth structure.

Objective evaluation of surface microreplication by dental impression materials.

Twenty-two materials, including 19 dental impression elastomers, were compared in their ability to replicate microscopic detail. Some polysulfide, silicone, and polyether materials performed well. Curiously, microscopic replication ability generally correlated inversely with that expected from the nominal consistency. The test method developed appears to be a suitable microreplication evaluation standard.

Loss of color from Jiffy tubes.

Colored, disposable applicator tubes have been said to lose color to their contents during use. Since they are used to contol the placement of a variety of accessory materials important to clinical dentistry, a selection of restorative materials and solvents was evaluated to determine which had a color-leaching potential. Neither aqueous system nor alcohol, chloroform, eugenol, xylene, or ether caused a loss of color that was clinically significant. Acetone and amyl acetate caused a visibly apparent loss of color and softening of the tube matrix. Methyl methacrylate completely dissolved specimens of celluloid tubes. Unfilled resins containing methyl methacrylate in their liquid catalysts leached sufficient red color form the test specimens to stain the restorative noticeably pink; the composite resins and cements that were evaluated did not.

Four-year clinical evaluation of a pit and fissure sealant.

The clinical retention of a single application of a pit and fissure sealant was evaluated on the teeth of children to determine the influence that this protective coating, or its loss, would have on caries activity during a four-year period. The sealant was fully retained on 50% of all paired permanent teeth at 48 months. Of the 689 pit regions that retained the sealant, 95% were rated as having severe loss of substance, only 5% as slight loss, and none with no loss of substance. It also was found that 53% of all paired permanent control teeth judged cariesfree at the baseline examination were found to be carious, whereas only 30% of the treated teeth examined were carious. The corresponding relative reduction in caries rates was, therefore, 43%. The actual number of teeth estimated to be saved by the sealant treatment at 48 months, as measured by net gain per 100 teeth treated, was 23. The net gain per child was estimated as 2.7 teeth saved from caries (full mouth), with a positive treatment benefit in 69% of the children. When the sealant remained intact, there was a pronounced reduction in caries initiation--the percent effectiveness being 84%.