Assessment of implementation of the caries management by risk assessment philosophy in a dental school.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study assessed the implementation of documenting a baseline caries risk assessment (CRA) of patients seen by predoctoral dental students and its association with the presence of caries risk management (CRM) treatment. METHODS: A convenience sample of 10,000 electronic axiUm patient records at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine was retrospectively assessed for the presence or absence of a completed CRA and CRM after IRB approval following predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The CRM variables (nutrition counseling, sealant, fluoride) were identified by procedure codes that were completed by the student. Associations were assessed via the chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test (with Dunn's test and the Bonferroni correction used in post-hoc tests) and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Most patients (70.5%) had a CRA completed. However, only 24.9% (out of the 7045 patients with a completed CRA) received CRM, while 22.9% of the 2,955 patients without a CRA received CRM. The difference between the groups with and without a completed CRA in terms of the percentage receiving CRM was not clinically significant. Significant associations were found between a completed CRA and in-house fluoride treatment (p = .034) and between a completed CRA and sealant treatment (p = .001). Patients with higher baseline CRA levels (i.e., greater risk) were more likely to have CRM (16.9% of the 785 patients at low risk, 21.1% of the 1282 patients at moderate risk, 26.3% of the 4347 patients at high risk, and 32.6% of the 631 patients at extreme risk). The association between these two variables was significant (p < .001). CONCLUSION: There is evidence that students were mostly compliant with completing a CRA for most patients; however, there is a deficiency in implementation of CRM approach to help support dental caries management, and there is still much room for improvement.

Diverse single-stranded DNA viruses identified in New Zealand (Aotearoa) South Island robin (Petroica australis) fecal samples.

The South Island robin (Petroica australis) is a small passerine bird endemic to New Zealand (Aotearoa). Although its population has declined recently and it is considered 'at risk,' little research has been done to identify viruses in this species. This study aimed to survey the diversity of single-stranded DNA viruses associated with South Island robins in a small, isolated population on Nukuwaiata Island. In total, 108 DNA viruses were identified from pooled fecal samples collected from 38 individual robins sampled. These viruses belong to the Circoviridae (n = 10), Genomoviridae (n = 12), and Microviridae (n = 73) families. A number of genomes that belong to the phylum Cressdnaviricota but are otherwise unclassified (n = 13) were also identified. These results greatly expand the known viral diversity associated with South Island robins, and we identify a novel group of viruses most closely related genomoviruses.

Unveiling Crucivirus Diversity by Mining Metagenomic Data.

The discovery of cruciviruses revealed the most explicit example of a common protein homologue between DNA and RNA viruses to date. Cruciviruses are a novel group of circular Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) (CRESS-DNA) viruses that encode capsid proteins that are most closely related to those encoded by RNA viruses in the family Tombusviridae The apparent chimeric nature of the two core proteins encoded by crucivirus genomes suggests horizontal gene transfer of capsid genes between DNA and RNA viruses. Here, we identified and characterized 451 new crucivirus genomes and 10 capsid-encoding circular genetic elements through de novo assembly and mining of metagenomic data. These genomes are highly diverse, as demonstrated by sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis of subsets of the protein sequences they encode. Most of the variation is reflected in the replication-associated protein (Rep) sequences, and much of the sequence diversity appears to be due to recombination. Our results suggest that recombination tends to occur more frequently among groups of cruciviruses with relatively similar capsid proteins and that the exchange of Rep protein domains between cruciviruses is rarer than intergenic recombination. Additionally, we suggest members of the stramenopiles/alveolates/Rhizaria supergroup as possible crucivirus hosts. Altogether, we provide a comprehensive and descriptive characterization of cruciviruses.IMPORTANCE Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth. In addition to their impact on animal and plant health, viruses have important roles in ecosystem dynamics as well as in the evolution of the biosphere. Circular Rep-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses are ubiquitous in nature, many are agriculturally important, and they appear to have multiple origins from prokaryotic plasmids. A subset of CRESS-DNA viruses, the cruciviruses, have homologues of capsid proteins encoded by RNA viruses. The genetic structure of cruciviruses attests to the transfer of capsid genes between disparate groups of viruses. However, the evolutionary history of cruciviruses is still unclear. By collecting and analyzing cruciviral sequence data, we provide a deeper insight into the evolutionary intricacies of cruciviruses. Our results reveal an unexpected diversity of this virus group, with frequent recombination as an important determinant of variability.

Transformative equality: Court accommodations for South African citizens with severe communication disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Persons with disabilities are generally at greater risk of experiencing violence than their peers without a disability. Within the sphere of disability, individuals with severe communication disabilities are particularly vulnerable and have an increased risk of being a victim of abuse or violence and typically turn to their country's criminal justice system to seek justice. Unfortunately, victims with disabilities are often denied fair and equal treatment before the court. Transformative equality should be pursued when identifying accommodations in court for persons with communication disabilities, as the aim should be to enable such individuals to participate equally in court, without barriers and discrimination. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to identify court accommodations recommended by legal experts, which could assist individuals with severe communication disabilities in the South African court. METHOD: A qualitative design was used to conduct a discussion with a panel of legal experts. RESULTS: Using Article 13 (Access to Justice) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as a human rights framework, four themes were identified: equality, accommodations, participation and training of professionals. CONCLUSION: Foreign and national law clearly prohibits discrimination against persons with communication disabilities because of their disability and state that they should be given fair and equal access to the court system. For transformative equality to be achieved, certain rules and laws need to be changed to include specific accommodations for persons with communication disabilities so that they may be enabled to participate effectively in court in the criminal justice system.

Mazes to Study the Effects of Spatial Complexity, Predation and Population Density on Mate Finding.

The difficulty to locate mates and overcome predation can hamper species establishment and population maintenance. The effects of sparseness between individuals or the effect of predators on the probability of population growth can be difficult to measure experimentally. For testing hypotheses about population density and predation, we contend that habitat complexity can be simulated using insect mazes of varying mathematical difficulty. To demonstrate the concept, we investigated whether the use of 3D printed mazes of varying complexity could be used to increase spatial separation between sexes of Drosophila simulans, and whether the presence of a generalist predator hampered mate-finding. We then examined how increasing D. simulans population density might overcome the artificially created effects of increasing the distance between mates and having a predator present. As expected, there was an increase in time taken to find a mate and a lower incidence of mating as habitat complexity increased. Increasing the density of flies reduced the searching time and increased mating success, and overcame the effect of the predator in the maze. Printable 3D mazes offer the opportunity to quickly assess the effects of spatial separation on insect population growth in the laboratory, without the need for large enclosed spaces. Mazes could be scaled up for larger insects and can be used for other applications such as learning.

ATM whole gene deletion in an Italian family with hereditary pancreatic cancer: Challenges to cancer risk prediction associated with an 11q22.3 microdeletion.

Hereditary pancreatic cancer has been attributed to variants of several cancer predisposition genes including ATM. While heterozygous pathogenic variants in the ATM gene are implicated as a cause of familial breast and pancreatic cancers to our knowledge ATM whole gene deletions have not been previously reported. We describe a contiguous gene deletion of the ATM locus in a multi-generation family of Italian descent with a strong family history of pancreatic cancer. A deletion of one copy of the entire ATM gene was identified by routine panel testing and further characterized by chromosomal microarray analysis. An 11q22.3 microdeletion of approximately 960 kb was identified that is predicted to result in loss of 10 genes including ATM. The deletion was identified in two additional family members including a presymptomatic daughter and an affected sibling. A normal disomic complement of the 11q22.3 region was detected in a third family member with a history of prostate and pancreatic cancer. Additional family members were not available for testing. Given available evidence that ATM haploinsufficiency can increase cancer risk, we predict that the observed copy number loss has likely contributed to hereditary cancer in this family. However, absence of the familial microdeletion in at least one affected family member suggests that ATM deletions are unlikely the sole contributing factor influencing tumor development in affected individuals. This case highlights 11q22.3 microdeletions of the ATM gene region as a possible risk factor for hereditary cancer, including pancreatic cancer. The same case provides a further cautionary tale for over interpretation of cancer risk associated tumor suppressor microdeletions and suggests that the variant may not be sufficient for tumor development or may modify the cancer risks associated with other, yet unidentified hereditary cancer genes.

Transformative equality: court accommodations for South African citizens with severe communication disabilities

Background: Persons with disabilities are generally at greater risk of experiencing violence than their peers without a disability. Within the sphere of disability, individuals with severe communication disabilities are particularly vulnerable and have an increased risk of being a victim of abuse or violence and typically turn to their country's criminal justice system to seek justice. Unfortunately, victims with disabilities are often denied fair and equal treatment before the court. Transformative equality should be pursued when identifying accommodations in court for persons with communication disabilities, as the aim should be to enable such individuals to participate equally in court, without barriers and discrimination. Objectives: This research aimed to identify court accommodations recommended by legal experts, which could assist individuals with severe communication disabilities in the South African court. Method: A qualitative design was used to conduct a discussion with a panel of legal experts. Results: Using Article 13 (Access to Justice) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as a human rights framework, four themes were identified: equality, accommodations, participation and training of professionals. Conclusion: Foreign and national law clearly prohibits discrimination against persons with communication disabilities because of their disability and state that they should be given fair and equal access to the court system. For transformative equality to be achieved, certain rules and laws need to be changed to include specific accommodations for persons with communication disabilities so that they may be enabled to participate effectively in court in the criminal justice system

Adapting and translating the Mullen Scales of Early Learning for the South African context.

BACKGROUND:  South African speech-language therapists have identified the need for culturally valid and sensitive assessment tools that can accommodate multiple languages and cover a reasonable age range. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) extend from birth to 68 months, contain five separate subscales including receptive language, expressive language, gross motor, fine motor and visual reception scale, are straightforward to administer and have been successfully used in other African countries, such as Uganda. It also identifies a child's strengths and weaknesses and provides a solid foundation for intervention planning. OBJECTIVES:  This research aimed to demonstrate the appropriateness and usefulness of the translated and culturally and linguistically adapted MSEL across four South African languages (Afrikaans, isiZulu, Setswana and South African English) through two sub-aims: (1) to describe differences, if any, in MSEL performance across language groups and (2) to describe differences, if any, in MSEL performance between age groups. METHOD:  A total of 198 typically developing children between the ages of 21 and 68 months spread across the four language groups were individually assessed with the culturally and linguistically adapted and translated MSEL. RESULTS:  A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no statistically significant differences between the four language groups for total MSEL scores. A Welch's one-way ANOVA showed that the total MSEL scores were significantly different between age groups. CONCLUSION:  The translation and adaptation of the MSEL was successful and did not advantage or disadvantage children based on their home language, implying that linguistic equivalence was achieved. The MSEL results differed between age groups, suggesting that the measure was also successful in differentiating the performance of children at different developmental levels.

Language Assessment for Children With a Range of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Across Four Languages in South Africa.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is (a) to examine the applicability of a culturally and linguistically adapted measure to assess the receptive and expressive language skills of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in South Africa and then (b) to explore the contributions of 2 additional language measures. Method: In Part 1, 100 children with NDD who spoke Afrikaans, isiZulu, Setswana, or South African English were assessed on the culturally and linguistically adapted Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Clinicians independently rated the children's language skills on a 3-point scale. In Part 2, the final 20 children to be recruited participated in a caregiver-led interaction, after which the caregiver completed a rating scale about their perceptions of their children's language. Results: Performance on the MSEL was consistent with clinician-rated child language skills. The 2 additional measures confirmed and enriched the description of the child's performance on the MSEL. Conclusions: The translated MSEL and the supplemental measures successfully characterize the language profiles and related skills in children with NDD in multilingual South Africa. Together, these assessment tools can serve a valuable function in guiding the choice of intervention and also may serve as a way to monitor progress.

Avian Polyomavirus Genome Sequences Recovered from Parrots in Captive Breeding Facilities in Poland.

Eight genomes of avian polyomaviruses (APVs) were recovered and sequenced from deceased Psittacula eupatria, Psittacula krameri, and Melopsittacus undulatus from various breeding facilities in Poland. Of these APV-positive samples, six had previously tested positive for beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and/or parrot hepatitis B virus (PHBV).