Factors affecting dental fear in French children aged 5–12 years

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 366–373 Background. While dental anxiety is often correlated with prior negative dental experience, prevention of dental anxiety should in theory include early exposure to the dental setting. Objective. We set out to evaluate factors affecting dental fear in French children. Methods. Dental fear was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (DF‐VAS) in a group of 1303 French children (681 boys and 622 girls) aged 5–11 years (mean: 8.12 years, SD: 1.42 years). Indicators of caries and oral hygiene were evaluated on dental examination. Indicators of well‐being related to oral health, dental experience, and oral health education were collected via a structured interview. Results. Dental fear was scored low in 75.7% (DF‐VAS 0–3), moderate in 16.7% (DF‐VAS 4–6), and high in 7.6% (DF‐VAS 7–10). DF‐VAS decreased statistically with experience of a prior dental visit. Children who had at least one decayed tooth presented a higher level of dental fear than those with no decay, while children with fillings were significantly less anxious than those without previous dental care. Conclusions. This study shows that for children aged 5–12 years, prior experience of the dental setting can act as a positive component of dental fear.     

Comparison of the Proportions of Leukocytes in Early and Term Human Decidua

The percentages of cells expressing immune markers were determined with immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in early and term human decidua. Although we found no variation in the proportion of cells of bone marrow origin (CD45 +), the percentages of T cells and CD 16 + lymphocytes were significantly higher in term decidua. On the contrary, CD56+ lymphocytes, the most abundant leukocyte type in early decidua, decreased at term. These variations may reflex the immunological adaptations of decidua during pregnancy.     

Different Mechanism of Relaxation Induced by Aporphine Alkaloids in Rat Uterus

Abstract— We have examined the uterine relaxant action of three aporphine molecules (S-glaucine, S-boldine and R-apomorphine) in two experimental conditions, with and without calcium in the bathing solution, and compared these effects with those obtained with the calcium antagonists verapamil and diltiazem. The present study shows that the alkaloids relax the uterine muscle but with different mechanisms of action. In Ca²⁺-containing solution all three alkaloids relaxed the uterus previously contracted by KCl or acetylcholine, but in Ca²⁺-free medium only R-apomorphine was able to relax oxytocin-induced contraction. The calcium antagonists, verapamil and diltiazem, relaxed KCl- or acetylcholine-induced contraction in Ca²⁺-containing solution, whereas they only relaxed oxytocin-induced contraction in Ca²⁺-free medium at much higher doses. These results suggest that glaucine and boldine behave as specific calcium entry blockers without affecting the contractile machinery or intracellular Ca²⁺ levels as apomorphine does. The absolute configuration (S-glaucine and S-boldine vs R-apomorphine) may account for this different action.     

The Influence of Workload on the Mental State of the Primary Health Care Physician

The work factors involved in physicians' mental workload wereanalysed. The study settings were 116 physicians (general practitioners,paediatricians and residents in family programmes working inout-patient clinics (Primary Health Care Centres) in Spain.The questionnaire used measured the mental workload and thework activity over a period of 5 days. The mental workload coveredseven dimensions: mental effort, physical effort, difficulty,priority, modify standards of visit, overlap, and stress. ItsCronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.80. The mental workload correlatedpositively with all variables measuring the workload activity.However, when the multiple regression analysis (stepwise met)was assessed, only the number of room visits, the referralsby nurse to physician, the room emergencies, the level of administrativetasks, the patients with complex pathologies, and the workloadadequacy remained significant. The physicians' years of experiencedid not correlate with mental workload. The influence of diversework activities in each of the mental workload dimensions wasinvestigated. We conclude that the number of patient visitsand organizational factors determine physicians' mental workload.     

Role of uric acid in different types of calcium oxalate renal calculi

AIM: The presence of uric acid in the beginning zone of different types of 'pure' calcium oxalate renal calculi was evaluated with the aim of establishing the degree of participation of uric acid crystals in the formation of such calculi. METHODS: The core or fragment of different types of 'pure' calcium oxalate renal calculi was detached, pulverized and uric acid extracted. Uric acid was determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method. RESULTS: In calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) papillary calculi with a core constituted by COM crystals and organic matter, 0.030+/-0.007% uric acid was found in the core. In COM papillary calculi with a core constituted by hydroxyapatite, 0.031+/-0.008% uric acid was found in the core. In COM unattached calculi (formed in renal cavities) with the core mainly formed by COM crystals and organic matter, 0.24+/-0.09% uric acid was found in the core. In COM unattached calculi with the core formed by uric acid identifiable by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled to X-ray microanalysis, 20.8+/-7.8% uric acid was found in the core. In calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) unattached calculi containing little amounts of organic matter, 0.012+/-0.004% uric acid was found. In COD unattached calculi containing little amounts of organic matter and hydroxyapatite, 0.0030+/-0.0004% of uric acid was found. CONCLUSIONS: From these results it can be deduced that uric acid can play an important role as inducer (heterogeneous nucleant) of COM unattached calculi with the core formed by uric acid identifiable by SEM coupled to X-ray microanalysis (these calculi constitute the 1.2% of all calculi) and in COM unattached calculi with the core mainly formed by COM crystals and organic matter (these calculi constitute the 10.8% of all calculi).