Undergraduate training in the European Union. Convergence or divergence?

A survey of dental schools in the European Union was carried out for two main reasons. Firstly to promote the exchange of information in respect of curriculum objectives in the different countries and secondly to ascertain the differences in the interpretation of the 1978 EU sectoral directives for dental education and training. Out of 127 schools, only 30 responded, yet the information provided is of considerable importance. It demonstrates wide divergence in the interpretation of the 1978 Directives and methods of assessment of clinical competence. There is a considerable difference throughout Europe in hours devoted to the various subjects included in the Dental Directives. There is little evidence of convergence in methods of assessment or quality assurance. The survey demonstrates the difference in resources, levels of staff, availability of clinical training places, output in research and patient treatments throughout the European Union. The results question the effectiveness of the 1978 Dental Directives in promoting convergence of standards. As there is free movement of dentists throughout the European Union, it is concluded that a different approach may be necessary to ensure that all European Union dental graduates achieve comparable standards in their education and training.

[Use of contraception and reasons for choosing abortion among abortion applicants]. / Abortsøgendes praeventionsbrug og årsager til valg af abort.

The object of this study was to describe a group of women applying for legal abortion in relation to their use of contraception and reasons for choosing an abortion. During a period of 13 months (1991-92) a questionnaire was distributed to women applying for legal abortion at Hillerød Hospital in Denmark. Three hundred and thirty-nine women participated. Fifty-nine percent of the women had become pregnant although they had used contraception. As seen in other studies, women still state demographic factors as their most important reasons for choosing an abortion. Women with two or more children do not want to have more children. Single women do not want children without being in a stable relationship. Furthermore occupation and education were frequently stated as important reasons for having an abortion. Economy and housing were not main reasons but contributory factors. Thirty percent of the women expressed ambivalence about the choice of abortion at the time when the abort was due.

Primary culture of axolotl spinal cord ependymal cells.

In order to examine the role of ependymal cells in the spinal cord regeneration of urodele amphibians, procedures were established to identify and culture these cells. Cell isolation and culture conditions were determined for ependymal cells from larval and adult axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum). Dissociated cells prepared from intact spinal cords were cultured on fibronectin- or laminin-coated dishes. Dissociated cells attached more rapidly to fibronectin, but attached and spread on both fibronectin and laminin. Essentially pure populations of ependymal cells were obtained by removing 2 week old ependymal outgrowth from lesion sites of adult spinal cords. These ependymal outgrowths attached and grew only on fibronectin-coated dishes. Growth and trophic factors were tested to formulate a medium that would support ependymal cell proliferation. The necessary peptide hormones were PDGF, EGF, and insulin. TGF-beta(1) affected the organization of cell outgrowth. Initially, longterm culture required the presence of high levels of axolotl serum. Addition of purified bovine hemaglobin in the culture medium reduced the serum requirement. Outgrowth from expiants was subcultured by transferring groups of cells. Intrinsic markers were used to identify ependymal cells in culture. The ependymal cells have characteristic ring-shaped nucleoli in both intact axolotl spinal cords and in culture. Indirect immunofluorescence examination of intermediate filaments showed that ependymal cells were glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) negative and vimentin positive in culture. Identification of dividing cells was made using (3)H-thymidine incorporation and autoradiography, and by the presence of mitotic figures in the cultured cells.

[Significance of sources of error and quality control in cytologic mass screening]. / Zur Bedeutung von Fehlerquellen und Qualitätskontrollen im zytologischen Massenscreening.

The cervical mass screening programme in the GDR (since 1973) indicates a high degree of participation exhibiting a sufficient specificity. The sensitivity however has to become better. The main cause of false negative diagnoses is the insufficient gaining materials from the endocerrix channel. This may be corrected by a new plastic spatula. Both the consequent education of the prescreeners and collective final diagnoses may give further help to reduce cytological false negative diagnoses. False positive diagnoses are less fatal. They may be corrected by repeated controls, by special consultations, and by histology.

[Significance of intracervical cytology in the postmenopause]. / Bedeutung der endozervikalen Zytologie in der Postmenopause.

The carcinomas of the menopause were numbered in relation to all carcinomas and precancerous lesions diagnosed in our laboratory in the last two years. The results were discussed in connection with statistical establishments on the effectivity of gynecological screening.

[Adenocarcinoma of the endocervix in material submitted to a central cytodiagnostic laboratory]. / Das Adenokarzinom der Endozervix im Einsendegut eines Zytodiagnostischen Zentrallaboratoriums.

Three cases of histologically verified endocervical adenocarcinomas were selected from smears sent in far from. Beside the routine morphological studies cytochemical reactions were done and cytograms were made.

Estimates of orthodontic treatment need in Danish schoolchildren.

Orthodontic treatment need has been assessed on the basis of complete orthodontic records in a random sample of 293 Danish children aged 13-17 years by a group of postgraduate orthodontic students and by three orthodontists. The estimates of treatment need ranged from 45% to 61%. Interexaminer agreement in pairs was observed in 77%-92% (mean 83%) of the cases. Uniformity in four individual assessments was reached in 69% of the cases: 38% were considered in need of treatment and 31% were considered not to present such need; conversely, 31% gave rise to disagreement. It is argued that, at present, the orthodontist's subjective estimate of treatment need probably constitutes a more realistic approach to the problem of assigning treatment priority than the various indices of malocclusion.