A Systematic Map of Systematic Reviews in Pediatric Dentistry—What Do We Really Know?

ObjectivesTo identify, appraise and summarize existing knowledge and knowledge gaps in practice-relevant questions in pediatric dentistry.MethodsA systematic mapping of systematic reviews was undertaken for domains considered important in daily clinical practice. The literature search covered questions in the following domains: behavior management problems/dental anxiety; caries risk assessment and caries detection including radiographic technologies; prevention and non-operative treatment of caries in primary and young permanent teeth; operative treatment of caries in primary and young permanent teeth; prevention and treatment of periodontal disease; management of tooth developmental and mineralization disturbances; prevention and treatment of oral conditions in children with chronic diseases/developmental disturbances/obesity; diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental erosion and tooth wear; treatment of traumatic injuries in primary and young permanent teeth and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Abstracts and full text reviews were assessed independently by two reviewers and any differences were solved by consensus. AMSTAR was used to assess the risk of bias of each included systematic review. Reviews judged as having a low or moderate risk of bias were used to formulate existing knowledge and knowledge gaps.ResultsOut of 81 systematic reviews meeting the inclusion criteria, 38 were judged to have a low or moderate risk of bias. Half of them concerned caries prevention. The quality of evidence was high for a caries-preventive effect of daily use of fluoride toothpaste and moderate for fissure sealing with resin-based materials. For the rest the quality of evidence for the effects of interventions was low or very low.ConclusionThere is an urgent need for primary clinical research of good quality in most clinically-relevant domains in pediatric dentistry.     

Heat-Shock Protein 70 Levels in Temperature-Stressed Mung Bean Shoots

Heat-shock protein 70 accumulation was induced by both increasesand decreases in temperature. An upward temperature shift ofabout 15C or a downward shift of about 10C was needed forthe response. In each case the accumulation was significantwithin 2 h and complete within about 6 h. Heat-shocked tissuecontained two new HSP70 isotypes not seen in the control tissueor in the cold-shocked tissue. Key words: Heat-shock protein, heat stress, cold stress, mung bean     

Impaired affinity for phenylalanine in Escherichia coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase mutant caused by Gly-to-Asp exchange in motif 2 of class II tRNA synthetases

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS; alpha 2 beta 2 subunit structure) is a member of class II of tRNA synthetases. We report here the genetic analysis of an Escherichia coli mutant strain which is auxotrophic for phenylalanine because it has a PheRS with a decreased affinity for phenylalanine. The mutant pheS gene encoding the PheRS alpha subunit was cloned and sequenced, and the deviation from the wild-type gene was found to result in a Gly191-to-Asp191 exchange. This alteration is located within motif 2, one of 3 conserved sequence motifs characteristic for class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Motif 2 may thus participate in the formation of the phenylalanine binding site in PheRS.     

Results of studies on the effect of radiologic contamination after the Czernobyl catastrophe and prophylactic iodine on thyroid morphology and function of inhabitants of North-East Poland]

The results of the investigations of radioactive contamination after the Chernobyl catastrophe and subsequent iodine prophylaxis on the thyroid gland function and morphology in Northeast Poland. The aim of the study was to determine whether kalium iodine in one dose during radioactive contamination in Poland limited the radioactive dose in the thyroid gland and if significant disadvantageous side-effects in the intrathyroid and extrathyroid occurred. Additionally during the studies we tried to determine if radioactive iodine contamination which occurred in the region of the Medical Academy in Bia?ystok caused an increase in thyroid disease. It is interesting to note the different results obtained after radioactive contamination with the results from the investigations in this same territory in 1983-1985. In 1983-1985, before the Chernobyl catastrophe, 6,921 persons in Northeast Poland were investigated. In 1986-1988, immediately after the disaster 4,010 persons were investigated. The main study according to grant No MZ-XVII was carried out in three provinces: Bia?ystok, Suwa?ki and Olsztyn. In this investigation 10,011 persons born before April 26, 1986 and after January 1, 1936 participated, 5,789 townspeople and 4,222 villagers, 3,987 children up to 16 years of age it the time of the disaster 1,973 boys and 2,009 girls; 6,024 adults 2,509 men and 3,516 women were drawn from a register. Committed doses to the thyroid in the investigated region were one of the highest in Poland and depended on age group and were depended on time of prophylaxis non proportional. Iodine prophylaxis was provided mainly with one dose of Lugol solution about 90%, 95% children and 30% adults took iodine. The majority of the population (53.3%-74%) were given iodine in April. From May 1st to 5th 23.0-43.4% received iodine, but after May 5th very few persons. Iodine was well tolerated, but Lugol Solution was better tolerated than other kinds of iodine. Only 241 (4.4%) cases had side effects, mainly vomiting (143), symptoms such as stomach ache, diarrhea, dyspnoe, skinrash etc. in lesser numbers. 12% (29 persons) were seen by a physician. In the investigated population were 200 pregnant women aged 19-40 years of which the majority (177) delivered full term healthy babies. Only 1 interrupted pregnancy and 7 had spontaneous abortion. Changes in the thyroid were noticed by 187 persons (2.3%-11.7%) most of which were enlargement of the thyroid, but only a few were confirmed by a physician. In the studied population from 1989 to 1990 over 30% of the population had struma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Laetoli toes andAustralopithecus afarensis

The probable misfit between feet, particularly toes II–V, of 3.0-million-year-oldAustralopithecus afarensis from Hadar, Ethiopia, and the 3.5-million-year-old hominid footprints at Site G, Laetoli, Tanzania, casts doubt thatA. Afarensis made the Laetoli trails. We suggest that another species ofAustralopithecus or an anonymous genus of the Hominidae, with remarkably humanoid feet, walked at Laetoli. It would be imprudent to declare thatHomo was present at Laetoli 3.5 million years ago (my) because there is no evidence of brain expansion, advanced tool manufacture, or other non-locomotor hallmarks of the human condition at Site G.     

Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin binding glycoproteins associated with cell fusion and zygote differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum: effects of calcium ions and tunicamycin on glycoprotein profiles

To determine which glycoproteins may be critical to sexual development in Dictyostelium discoideum, cell samples from different developmental stages were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and blotted to nitrocellulose. Concanavalin A (ConA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding proteins were visualized on the blots using an immunochemical procedure employing peroxidase-antiperoxidase. ConA labelled at least 28 proteins, but only one band showed calcium-dependent changes in its expression. WGA bound at least 30 proteins and changes in several bands were observed that did not occur in calcium-deficient controls. Two WGA-binding glycoproteins which migrated at 200 and 166 kilodaltons (kDa), respectively, showed developmental changes associated with the time of cell fusion. One WGA-binding and one ConA-binding glycoprotein migrating at 130 and 126 kDa, respectively, appeared later during sexual development, in association with the phase of zygote differentiation. Several WGA- and ConA-binding glycoproteins decreased during sexual development, but were not affected by the absence of calcium ions. Tunicamycin (1 microgram/mL) inhibited cell fusion when added to sexual cultures prior to the appearance of the 166-kDa glycoprotein gp166. The effects of this inhibitor on development support the importance of glycoproteins to cell fusion during sexual development in D. discoideum.     

A rRNA-mRNA base pairing model for UGA-dependent termination.

A series of site-directed mutations has been constructed in E coli 16S rRNA and shown to suppress UGA-dependent translational termination. With the exception of the C726 to G base change, all were constructed in helix 34. Characterization of these mutations is reviewed here and from these data and mRNA-rRNA base pairing model for the termination event is presented. The interaction functions via antiparallel base pairing between either 1 of the 2 UCA motifs in helix 34 and the complementary UGA stop codon on the message, thus forming a quasicontinuous A-type helical structure that is further stabilized by stacking enthalpy. Finally, rRNA motifs potentially required for UAA and UAG-dependent translational termination are discussed.