Determination of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and V in diesel and biodiesel samples by ETV-ICP-MST.

This work presents the determination of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and V in diesel and biodiesel samples by ETV-ICP MS using emulsion sample preparation. The emulsion composition was: 1.0 g of the diesel or biodiesel sample, 2.0 mL of a 5% m/v Triton X-100 solution, 0.5 mL of HNO3 and deionized water to a 10 mL final volume. The optimized parameters were mass of carrier/modifier (1.0 microg Pd), RF power (1100 W), carrier gas flow rate (0.95 L min(-1)) and inner ETV gas flow rate (0.15 L min(-1)). The determinations were performed against aqueous solutions using 10 microg L(-1) Rh as internal standard. The accuracy of the method was verified through the analysis of the NIST 1634c reference residual fuel oil, recovery tests and comparison of the results with those obtained by GF AAS. The results were in agreement according to the t-test at a 95% confidence level. The RSD values were lower than 20%, the recoveries were between 80 and 120% and the LOD values were in the order of ng g(-1), showing the good accuracy and sensitivity of the method.

Risk factors for suicide attempts among African American women.

The aim of this study was to examine psychological and interpersonal risk factors for suicidal behavior in low income, African American women; 285 African American women who reported being in a relationship with a partner in the past year were studied, 148 presented to the hospital following a suicide attempt, and 137 presented for general medical care. Cases were compared to controls with respect to psychological symptoms, alcohol and drug abuse, family violence (intimate partner abuse, childhood trauma), relationship discord, and social support. Psychological risk factors for suicide attempts at the univariate level included psychological distress [Crude Odds Ratio (COR) = 6.5], post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (COR = 3.8), hopelessness (COR = 7.7), and drug abuse (COR = 4.2). Interpersonal risk factors at the univariate level included relationship discord (COR = 4.0), physical partner abuse (COR = 2.5), nonphysical partner abuse (COR = 2.8), childhood maltreatment (COR = 3.2), and low levels of social support (COR = 2.6). A multivariate logistic regression model identified four variables that were strongly and independently associated with an increased risk for suicide attempts: psychological distress, hopelessness, drug abuse, and relationship discord. The model predicted suicide attempt status correctly 77% of the time. The results reveal that African American women who report high levels of psychological distress, hopelessness, drug use, and relationship discord should be assessed carefully for suicidal ideation and referred for appropriate mental health care.

Reporting child maltreatment: dentistry's ethical responsibility.

The initial steps in the prevention of child maltreatment are early recognition and reporting. Reporting laws were not made to punish offenders, rather to help those children in need. Statistics indicate that among previously abused children who were returned home without intervention (reporting or counseling for the family), 5 percent were killed and 25 percent were seriously re-injured (22). While the nation's overall crime rate declined more than 21 percent from 1993 to 1997, the number of reports of child maltreatment increased by 8 percent with confirmed cases growing 4 percent during this same period (1). The dental profession must take a more active role on behalf of children in the prevention of this problem. When an incident arises that may result in a conflict between the dentist's personal interests and the well being of a patient, the dentist must always act in the best interest of the patient. Children have the right to grow up in a loving and nurturing environment. As dentists, we have the moral, ethical, and legally mandated responsibility to help protect this right through the recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect.

Behavioral indicators of child maltreatment.

While dentists as a group may be sufficiently knowledgeable of the physical signs of child abuse and neglect, many are unaware of the associated behavioral indicators presented by the maltreated child. The beliefs, feelings, and attitudes, as well as the specific behavior of such children, are discussed, along with behavioral peculiarities of the abusive adult. The longer a child is abused or neglected, the greater the impact is on his physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Integrating observations of the physical and behavioral indicators exhibited by the child, the behavior of the parent, and the interaction of parent and child will enable dentists to diagnose properly and report suspected cases of child maltreatment.

Child abuse and neglect: implications for the dental profession.

Dentists, as a group, have participated in the recognition and reporting of child maltreatment to a lesser degree than other health professionals, being either unaware of their legal responsibility to report or, when abuse or neglect is suspected, reluctant to do so.

Accuracy of proximal caries depth determination using two intraoral film speeds.

Bite-wing radiographs are an integral part of a thorough diagnostic evaluation for interproximal caries. This study evaluates the observers' ability to assess correctly proximal carious lesion depth with two different speeds of intraoral film. Significant underestimation of lesion depths by the observers with both imaging modalities are shown, with no significant diagnostic difference between the two film types for both the presence and extent of caries.

Association of occlusal, periodontal, and dietary factors with the presence of non-carious cervical dental lesions.

PURPOSE: To investigate in vivo the relationship of occlusal stress factors, periodontal health status, and acidic dietary patterns to the presence of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) in a convenience sample of undergraduate clinic, adult dental patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty three subjects who met the entry criteria were admitted into the study; 178 teeth exhibiting NCCL were evaluated. A dietary assessment focusing on acidic food/beverage intake was used to evaluate nutritional intake over the most recent 24-hour period. Periodontal evaluation included intraoral measurement of gingival attachment loss, assessment of tooth mobility, and radiographic interpretation of percent bone loss using the Schei ruler method. Among the occlusal factors evaluated were shape and orientation of NCCL, presence and location of wear facets, and symptoms and characteristics of centric and eccentric occlusal function. RESULTS: 95% of teeth examined exhibited functional wear facets, indicating a systematic relationship with presence of NCCL (Chi Square = 16.9, P < 0.0001); 48% displayed buccal or incisal facets; 64% were accompanied by balancing interferences in lateral excursion; 98.3% had mobility scores < or = 1; there was no significant association between mobility and facets present (Chi Square = 3.04, P = 0.21); and, no relationship with dietary patterns was found. Group function, that may evolve with age, and/or traumatic occlusion factors may be related to etiology of NCCL. Longitudinal controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm suspected etiologies and establish treatment guidelines for non-carious cervical lesions.

An empirical study of the psychodynamics of suicide.

This paper presents results from an empirical study of four key psychodynamic concepts (self-directed aggression, object loss, ego functioning disturbance, pathological object relations) of suicidal behavior. The sample consists of hospitalized psychiatric patients following a suicide attempt (attempters: n = 52) and demographically similar hospitalized psychiatric patients with no history of suicidal behavior (controls: n = 47). The study was designed to ascertain whether attempters differed from matched psychiatric control patients on the four psychodynamic constructs hypothesized to be associated with suicide. It was predicted that attempters would manifest higher levels of depression and self-targeted anger, a more significant history of loss, less adaptive defenses, and more primitive object representations. Results strongly supported an object-relational view of suicidal behavior. In addition, support for the loss hypothesis was found in the identification of one specific constellation of losses. Namely, attempters were significantly more likely to report a history of childhood loss combined with a recent loss in adulthood than were their nonattempter counterparts. Limited support was provided for the other two hypotheses in differentiating suicidal from nonsuicidal severely ill psychiatric patients. This unexpected finding is examined and suggestions are made for the refinement and greater specification of psychodynamic theories regarding the etiology of suicidal behavior, with the aim of differentiating individuals prone to such action from those with similar psychopathology and dynamic issues who do not actually attempt suicide. Limitations of the study are discussed and implications of the findings for the theory and treatment of suicidal behavior are offered.

Risk factors as determinants of dental neglect in children.

Although neglect represents over a half of both reported and substantiated cases of child maltreatment each year, it is misunderstood and under-reported. Dental neglect, a form of physical neglect, is ignored to an even greater degree. Certain families appear to be more at risk for neglect, in some form, than others. Predisposing risk factors that may increase the incidence of neglect include characteristics of parents and children, family situations, socioeconomic and demographic circumstances, and parental beliefs and practices. Dentists, particularly pediatric dentists, are in unique positions to evaluate not only the dental needs of children, but also family situations and circumstances that might affect their dental well-being. Knowledge and understanding of the various risk factors discussed will enable dentists to address the problem of dental neglect from a preventive approach, rather than strictly treating is results. Further research is needed to develop effective methods for both the evaluation and, if necessary, the education of at-risk individuals on the importance of good oral hygiene and professional care.

Child abuse and neglect: assessment of dental students' attitudes and knowledge.

Although many North American dental schools have increased their curriculum hours dedicated to the issue of child maltreatment, the majority of schools still allocate only one to two clock hours for this subject. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived knowledge of and attitude toward child abuse and neglect, of undergraduate dental students at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston, as well as the effectiveness of the various educational methods used in the instruction of this material. Students in general, recognized a need for improvement of both the quality and quantity of this aspect of their undergraduate curriculum. The results indicate, however, that the child maltreatment curriculum at this institution had minimal effect on the acquisition and retention of information related to this subject. Dental educators have the responsibility to see that their students are competent, not only in the technical aspects of dentistry, but in their social responsibilities, as well. The ability to recognize suspected cases of child maltreatment is such a responsibility.

A study of age-related variables among physically abused children.

One of every five substantiated cases of child abuse and over 50 percent of child-abuse-related deaths are the result of physical injury. The charts of 266 children, newborn to seventeen years of age, seen at Texas Children's Hospital during a two-year period were reviewed. Each child was assigned to one of four age-groups. Approximately 90 percent of all cases involved children five years old or younger, with 60 percent being less than two years of age. The results suggest that age is an important factor in the location, type, and severity of injuries due to the physical abuse of a child.

An empirical study of the psychodynamics of suicide: a preliminary report.

Preliminary results from a study of psychodynamic constructs are presented based on data from inpatients following a suicide attempt. The study examines the association between four psychodynamic constructs, severity of suicidal intent, and severity of depressive symptomatology in a sample of hospitalized suicide attempters. Higher levels of suicidal intent were associated with less differentiated self and object representations and less emotional investment in relationships. More severe depressive symptoms in suicide attempters were correlated with more self-targeted anger, less eternally directed anger, higher levels of shame and guilt, more affectively negative views of relationships, greater use of maladaptive and self-sacrificing defenses, and more impaired reality testing. These findings offer some preliminary empirical support for the validity of psychodynamic theories of suicidal behavior.

Orofacial manifestations of child abuse and neglect.

About one-half of all child abuse cases involve some form of orofacial injury. Common signs of physical abuse include fractures of the teeth or the maxilla, mandible and other facial bones, facial burns, lacerations of the lips and lingual frenum, and bite marks on the face and neck. Sexual abuse should be suspected if erythematous, ulcerative, vesiculopustular, pseudomembranous and condylomatous lesions are present on the lips, tongue, palate, face or pharynx. Dental neglect, a common form of child maltreatment, should be suspected if rampant caries and oral infection, bleeding and trauma persist despite the elimination of financial and transportation obstacles. Questioning the child and parents separately may help uncover an obvious discrepancy between the clinical findings and the history. Reporting suspected child abuse to the appropriate agency may protect the child from further injury and help the family obtain assistance to correct abusive practices and minimize the recurrence of abuse.

Physical manifestations of child abuse to the head, face and mouth: a hospital survey.

The incidence of physical injury to the head, face, mouth, and neck of 266 suspected cases of child abuse was studied at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, from January 1993 through December 1994. While there was an even distribution of physical abuse by gender, 74.8 percent of the children were under the age of three. A hospital physician performed every examination. The most frequently occurring injury was contusion or ecchymosis of soft tissue, while the face was the part of the body injured most often. Although 66.2 percent of the children reviewed had some type of injury to the head, face, mouth, or neck, only seven cases (2.6 percent) of intraoral injury were mentioned. These results point out the need for dentists to become active participants on multidisciplinary child maltreatment teams.

Recognition of bite marks in child abuse cases.

Health professionals must be attentive to any and all signs of child maltreatment. Bite marks are one of several visual expressions of active child abuse. The efforts of forensic odontologists, in conjunction with recent technical advancements in bite mark analysis, support the uniqueness of the human dentition and have contributed to the conviction of numerous child abusers. Through recognition, proper documentation, and reporting dentists can help the forensic community use bite marks to solve cases of child maltreatment.

The neglect of our youth: a dental perspective.

Although child abuse has received much well-deserved media attention in recent years, neglect, the other component of child maltreatment is still misunderstood and underreported. Societal problems such as poverty and increased substance abuse among already dysfunctional families have increased the chance of neglect occurring. The signs and symptoms of dental neglect, a form of medical neglect, are discussed. It is sometimes difficult for the dentist to distinguish between ignorance of dental disease and overt negligence on the part of a parent. It is hoped that, more dentists will get involved in combatting not only dental neglect, but all forms of neglect as well.

The Texas Dental Peer Assistance Program and the impaired dental professional.

Chemical dependence is a devastating disease that, unless some form of intervention and treatment takes place, will ultimately destroy a person's life. Dentists are not immune to this malady. In fact, certain conditions of heredity, relative affluence, lifestyle, and drug availability may make them more susceptible. The Texas Dental Peer Assistance Program was formed to assist dentists who have a drug problem and whose goals include getting their lives back in order. Hopefully, this article will introduce this valuable program to those in need of its services.