Distribution and readability of periodontal health education literature.

THIS INVESTIGATION was undertaken to determine the distribution pattern and readability level of 20 widely distributed printed items containing periodontal health education literature. Average annual distribution was obtained from distributors of the material. The Minnesota Interactive Readability Approximation Program (MNIRAP) was used to determine the reading skill (educational grade level) necessary to understand each of the pieces of literature. Results indicated that over two million pieces of printed materials were distributed annually. The MNIRAP analysis revealed that three of the 20 materials studied (15%) would be understood by persons reading at sixth-grade level. Those reading at the 10th-grade level would understand seven of the 20 materials (35%), while the 12th-grade level would allow individuals to understand 17 of them (85%). Only those reading as well as a typical third-year college student could be expected to understand all of the materials analyzed.

The effect of a televised periodontal campaign on public periodontal awareness.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of the Minnesota Dental Association's 1979 to 1980 periodontal awareness television campaign in terms of (1) reaching the target population, (2) improving public knowledge regarding the major reason for tooth loss in adults and (3) increasing intended future preventive dental visits. Based on the Health Belief Model, a 30-second television message was developed presenting periodontal disease as an often overlooked but compelling reason to seek preventive dental care. The message was aimed at adults 18 years of age and older who did not visit the dentist regularly. It was broadcast 1280 times over two separate 6-week periods on 17 statewide television stations. A postcampaign personal interview of a representative cross section of 1,000 Minnesota adults indicated that the campaign reached 79% of the population surveyed, or 786 individuals. Eighty-two percent (534) of the 654 individuals who made regular dental visits and 73% (252) of the 346 individuals who did not, indicated exposure to the message. Of the 786 persons who viewed the message, 90% (707) correctly recalled the message content. Seventy-five percent (488) of the 654 individuals who made regular dental visits and 63% (219) of the 346 individuals who did not, correctly recalled the message content. As a result of exposure to the television campaign, 10% (76) of the 786 viewers indicated their intention to make more preventive dental visits in the future. Among individuals stating such an intention were 10% (71) of the 707 viewers who correctly recalled the message and six percent (5) of the 79 viewers who were not able to correctly recall the message content.

novel Award Third Prize Paper. Assessment of the horizontal,fore-aft component of the ground reaction force from insole pressure patterns by using artificial neural networks.

OBJECTIVE: In this study it was investigated whether an artificial neural network can be used to determine the horizontal, fore-aft component of the ground reaction force from insole pressure patterns. DESIGN: An artificial neural network was applied to map insole pressures and ground reaction forces. METHOD: To train an artificial neural network insole pressure patterns and ground reaction force data were simultaneously determined for a wide range of different speeds (0.9-2.3 m s(-1)) for five subjects. Both intrasubject and intersubject generalizability were evaluated. RESULTS: At the intrasubject level generalizability was good when the speed for which the force was to be predicted was within the range of speeds from which data were used to train the network. Besides in some cases, generalizability to a condition outside the range of training conditions could be demonstrated. At the intersubject level the quality of generalization differed widely over subjects, from poor to good. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that an artificial neural network is able to map the relationship between insole pressure patterns and the fore-aft component of the ground reaction force. RELEVANCE: Good intrasubject generalization of 'knowledge' obtained by an artificial neural network will allow the assessment of the fore-aft component of ground reaction force in condition that cannot be evaluated with force plates, e.g. activities of daily living or real sport situations. Additionally, intersubject generalization will allow shear-force recordings in subjects that are not able to complete a great number of runs to acquire enough force-plate hits.

Professional satisfaction in dentistry.

The profile of the most satisfied dentist seems to be one of a contented, nonthreatened, positive person, who is active in the profession and community, has confidence in his management skills, and is positive about the direction of dentistry. He knows what he wants and has values that are likely to help him attain his goals. Certainly, many of the behaviors shown by highly satisfied dentists read like a prescription for avoiding professional burnout. By counseling the dissatisfied dentist to become more active professionally, to improve his or her practice management skills, to develop a positive attitude toward change in the dental profession, it should be possible to help these dentists gain more positive feelings about themselves and their profession. Although it is not certain that any change can be effected in the value structure of a currently dissatisfied dentist, it is possible to encourage the benevolent leader type to enter the profession whenever he or she can be identified.

Changes in the bovine teat canal during the nonlactating period and early lactation, as measured by teat canal impressions.

Changes in dimensions of impressions of the lumen of the teat canals of 13 cows were examined at 17 intervals during the nonlactating period and early lactation. Impressions were made of teats of 2 diagonally opposed quarters of each cow, using dental impression material. Impression length was measured and cross sections of the impressions at the proximal (distal to Furstenburg rosette), distal (proximal to the teat orifice), and middle (midway between the 2), portions of the teat canal were prepared. Cross sections were photographed and enlarged, and circumference and area were determined by use of planimetry. Effects of making repeated impressions during the nonlactating period and early lactation on new infection rates and somatic cell counts were also assessed. Mean length of teat canal impressions decreased between days 0 and 3 of involution and during the prepartum periods. Depending on the level from which they were taken, cross-sectional areas of impressions tended to increase or increased significantly during the period of involution and again in the prepartum period. Significant changes in cross-sectional area were not observed during early lactation. Changes in circumference of proximal, middle, and distal cross sections followed trends similar to area measurements, but were more variable and differences were less statistically significant. On the basis of our findings, we suggest that heightened susceptibility to new infection during mammary involution and the prepartum period may be attributable, in part, to changes in the patency of the teat canal. Making impressions repeatedly throughout the nonlactating period and early lactation did not affect the number of new intramammary infections.

Tissue culture studies on a suspected lysosomal storage disease in Abyssinian cats.

Cell cultures prepared from the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of affected kittens were subjected to histochemical and ultrastructural studies. Macrophages in the cultures contained lipid in the cytoplasm and the ultrastructural studies revealed lysosomes containing lamellae similar in appearance to phospholipids.

Biochemical studies on a lysosomal storage disease in Abyssinian cats.

Blood lipid analysis was performed on the serum of 2 normal kittens and 1 adult cat and on serum from 3 affected kittens. Thin layer chromatography was done on tissue extracts of various organs from clinically affected kittens and unaffected unrelated kittens of a similar age, and on serum from carrier cats, affected kittens, related unaffected kittens and unrelated kittens. Spleen and lymph node cell cultures were prepared from 1 affected kitten and the growth medium and cell cultures were analysed for lipids. A lecithin-like phospholipid was identified in the serum of an affected kitten, a carrier cat and a related unaffected kitten. This substance was produced by the liver of affected kittens and also by macrophage-like cells in spleen cell cultures prepared from the spleen of a kitten with signs of the disease.

Pathological findings in a natural outbreak of aflatoxicosis in dogs.

The gross and histopathological lesions of 10 cases in a natural outbreak of aflatoxicosis amongst dogs in the Republic of South Africa are reported. The 10 cases were classified as acute (1 case), subacute (7 cases) and chronic (2 cases) on the basis of the nature, degree and extent of the following histopathological fractures: hepatocellular fatty degeneration, necrosis or regeneration; proliferation of bile ductules; accumulation of bile within the canaliculi; fibroplasia; and, mucoid degeneration, necrosis or segmental atrophy of the larger intrahepatic bile ducts. Fatty degeneration was noted grossly in the livers of all 10 cases and bile stasis in 4. Varying degrees of fibrosis were present depending on the stage of the disease. In the 2 chronic cases in which nodular regeneration was also observed fibrosis was pronounced. Other macroscopic findings included icterus, anaemia, ascites, hydrothorax, hydropericardium, anasarca, pulmonary oedema, gastro-enterorrhagia and nephrosis.

Sample size needed for student ratings of instruction.

The number of evaluation forms students are asked to complete is multiplying. To reduce that number, the present study determines the minimum sample size needed for accurate student ratings of instruction. Typical questionnaire items using four- and seven-category ratings scales were studied. Data for four class sizes (40, 60, 100, 140) were sampled in graduated sizes, and a standard error of the mean was computed for each sample size. A permissible error index was computed to estimate the accuracy of ratings obtained from any sample size needed for the four different class sizes. Figures are presented from which minimum sample sizes necessary for accurate student evaluation of instruction can be computed. The figures show that sampling only one-third of classes of 100-140 students is sufficient to obtain accurate evaluations.

Relationship of learning styles to preferences for instructional activities.

One hundred and sixty-three dental hygiene students and 26 dental hygiene faculty participated in a study to examine the relationship between learning styles and preference for 13 instructional activities. The results indicated that most students and faculty were located in Kolb's "accommodator" and "diverger" learning style categories. These two learning style groups differed in their preferences for group-oriented activities. Faculty were able to predict their students' predominant learning styles.

[The detrimental effect of iodine as an intra-uterine instillation in mares]. / Die skadelike gevolg van intra-uterine toediening van jodium by merries.

Fifty ml of a 0.2% iodine solution were instilled into the uteri of six mares selected for culling. Biopsy specimens were taken for microscopic examination before the commencement of the experiment and at various times over the course of a year after the single instillation. Severe oedema and haemorrhage was present in the lamina propria of all the post-instillation biopsy specimens. The epithelium showed vacuolisation and necrosis, as well as focal areas of epithelial loss. In some cases hyperplasia or metaplasia was seen. Cell infiltration was characterized by the presence of neutrophils, eosinophils and mild lymphocyte infiltration around the blood vessels. Leukostasis was present around the blood vessels in some specimens. Blood vessel changes were characterized in the early stages by oedema of the tunica media of the medium-sized arteries and later by arteriosclerosis with the complete obliteration of the lumen of the particular vessels in some cases. The endometrial glands showed hyperplasia and mitotic figures were more often seen in these glands than normal. The most pronounced lesion in the later stage of the experiment was fibrosis of the lamina propria with the resultant collapse of the stratum compactum and contraction of the stratum spongiosum. The severe fibrosis of the endometrium is the most probable reason for infertility in mares treated with iodine.

Chondroma rodens in a dog.

The clinical and pathological characteristics of a chondroma rodens affecting the internal occipital protruberance, cerebellar meninges and the cerebellum of a dog, are described. The principle clinical findings were Horner's syndrome and ataxia. The histopathologic differentiation of this tumour from other fibro-osseous growths, is discussed.

Necropsies of eight horses infected with Strongylus equinus and Strongylus edentatus.

Ponies (n = 8) approximately 18 months old, were infected with 20,000 to 30,000 infective larvae of Strongylus equinus with less than 10% contamination with Strongylus edentatus larvae and necropsied 7 months post-infection. Lesions were present in the omentum, liver, pancreas, ventral colon, caecum and occasionally in the lungs. There were numerous intraabdominal adhesions and severe multiple granulomatous omentitis. Pancreatic damage, which characterises S. equinus, was exceptionally mild and was manifested mainly by slight periductular infiltration of eosinophils. Granulomas associated with larvae were found in the connective tissue associated with the pancreas. Larvae were recovered from the flanks, the peritoneum, the caecum and the kidney. Larval recovery was low, with a high percentage of the total number of larvae recovered in some of the carcasses being S. edentatus.

A suspected lysosomal storage disease in Abyssinian cats. Part I: genetic, clinical and clinical pathological aspects.

The genetic, clinical and clinical pathological findings of a neurological syndrome in Abyssinian kittens are described. The findings are compared with similar cases in the literature and a tentative diagnosis of a lysosomal storage disease is proposed.

A suspected lysosomal storage disease in Abyssinian cats. Part II: histopathological and ultrastructural aspects.

The histopathological and ultrastructural findings in the central nervous system and lymphoid tissue of Abyssinian kittens suffering from a disease which was clinically characterised by neurological disturbances, are described. The lesions were vacuolisation of neurones and macrophages with light microscopy and lamellated membranous cytoplasmic bodies, initially in lysosomes with electron microscopy. Irregularly shaped membrane-bound bodies with an amorphous substance were eventually formed in the cytoplasm of affected cells. It is considered that this is a lysosomal storage disease.

Parvovirus as a cause of enteritis and myocarditis in puppies.

A gastro-enteritis syndrome mimicking feline panleukopaenia was diagnosed in young dogs in the Republic of South Africa. Parvovirus was demonstrated by electron microscopy in the faeces of these animals. In addition an acutely fatal, acute to sub-acute non-purulent interstitial myocarditis occurred in pups in the same area. Histopathologically large basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were seen in the myocardium of these cases. The two syndromes generally occurred separately, but in two cases were found in the same individuals. The literature on the subject is briefly reviewed and the clinical and pathological findings in these outbreaks are reported.

Anatrichosoma sp. infestation in the footpads of a cat.

A nematode of the genus Anatrichosoma caused extensive necrosis and sloughing of the footpads of a domestic cat. No male worms were found but a description of the female is given. This is the first report of Anatrichosoma sp. in the Republic of S.A. as well as the first report of it in a cat.