Notes: Although many people have exposed dentine, only a percentage exhibit symptoms of dentine hypersensitivity. This has been ascribed to opening and closing of the dentinal tubules by for example, smear layer changes or tubular occlusion. The aims of this study were to examine the surface morphological changes of etched and unetched dentine in vitro, attributed to the effects of toothbrushing with and without toothpastes designed for the alleviation of dentine hypersensitivity. A total of 96 etched and 96 unetched human dentine specimens were brushed with various toothpastes and water for 1, 2, 5 or 10-min periods in a toothbrushing machine and subsequently examined under scanning electron microscopy for surface changes. Analyses of brushed etched specimens demonstrated that time and treatment were significant variables (P 〈 0·05) for tubule occlusion. Further, the interaction between time and treatment was significant (P 〈 0·05). The artificial silica based paste was significantly better for all time intervals at occluding the dentine tubules. All toothpastes investigated caused dynamic changes to the smear layer of the unetched dentine, opening tubules. However, the artificial silica based paste resulted in occluded rather than patent tubules. All of the pastes evaluated had the capacity to remove the smear layer but some could then occlude tubules through the contained abrasives.

Notes: Sales of soft drinks has been increasing by 56% over the last 10 years and are estimated to keep rising at about 2–3% a year. Further, the reported incidence of tooth erosion has been increasingly documented. Whilst these factors could well be linked, many individuals with erosive diets are not presenting with erosion. This would suggest the effects of many variables, hence the aim of these investigations. Methodologies included preparing enamel and dentine samples from unerupted human third molars. Groups of five specimens were placed in citric acid over a temperature range of 5–60 °C for 10-min exposures; placed in citric, lactic, malic or phosphoric acid (0·05, 0·1, 0·5, and 1% (w/v)) for 10-min exposures; and placed in the same three organic hydroxy acids at 0·3% (w/v) or phosphoric acid at 0·1% (w/v) for 3×10-min exposures. Tissue loss was determined by profilometry. Results showed that increasing temperature, concentration and exposure time increased the erosion of dentine and enamel. This study has shown that under highly controlled conditions, erosion of dentine and enamel by dietary acids can be greatly influenced in vitro by temperature, concentration, type of acid and exposure time. These factors could be employed in order to reduce the erosivity of soft acidic drinks.

Notes: This study assessed a tried, but previously unpublished, method of internal jugular vein cannulation in 50 patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery. The method involves using two landmarks: the larynx (thyroid and cricoid cartilages) together with the carotid artery (if it is palpable). The cricoid and thyroid cartilages were readily identifiable in 48 (96%) patients. The carotid artery was palpable in 45 (90%) patients, although some difficulty in palpation was recorded in 24 (48%) patients. There was a 98% success rate of venous cannulation. In 90% of cases the 21 gauge seeker needle entered the vein on the first or second attempt, and in 82% of cases the subsequent 18 gauge introducing needle entered the vein on the first attempt.

Notes: In a double-blind randomised trial, 122 female smokers undergoing elective surgery were allocated to receive one of two prerecorded messages while fully anaesthetised. The active message was designed to encourage them to give up smoking whilst the control message was the same voice counting numbers. No patient could recall hearing the tape. Patients were asked about their postoperative smoking behaviour one month later. Significantly more of those who had received the active tape had stopped or reduced their smoking (p 〈 0.01). This would suggest a level of preconscious processing of information.

Notes: summary  Fluoride is known to reduce enamel solubility during the caries process. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether fluoride preparations affect erosion attributed to citric acid and citric acid-based soft drinks. Flat enamel specimens embedded in epoxy resin were prepared from caries free, human third molar teeth extracted from patients aged 18–35 years. Specimens were polished to have a profile within a tolerance of ±0·3 μm measured on a profilometer. Specimens were taped to leave a 2 mm window of exposed enamel. Groups of specimens were exposed to citric acid and soft drinks with and without the addition of sodium fluoride or exposed to the same solutions after pre-treatment with fluoride products. Enamel loss was measured by profilometer after 10, 20 and 30 min of acid exposure. The different acidic solutions varied significantly in the amount of erosion produced both with and without the addition of fluoride. In addition, the different fluoride products differed significantly in the protective effect afforded. Both fluoride application methods reduced in mean terms, enamel erosion at all time points and by all acidic solutions. The majority of differences were 〈25% and as the study was powered to show differences as significant at or above this level few reached statistical significance. Fluoride applied to enamel either in acidic solutions or as a pre-treatment, reduces enamel erosion; however, the actual clinical benefit appears low. More studies are required, including investigations in situ.

Notes: The reported incidence of tooth erosion caused by acidic soft drinks has been increasingly documented. Citric and phosphoric acids are the two main dietary acids present in these soft drinks. Many variables need to be determined in order to assess risk factors for dental erosion caused by beverage consumption including pH, titratable acidity, pKa, buffering capacity, hence the aim of these in vitro investigations. Methodologies included profiling flat enamel and dentine samples (〈 ± 0·3 μm profile) from unerupted human third molars. Groups of five specimens were placed in acidic solutions adjusted with alkali over the available pH range; citric, phosphoric and hydrochloric acid were adjusted with sodium hydroxide and citric acid with trisodium citrate. Tissue loss was calculated by profilometry. Results showed that under these conditions citric acid caused far more erosion over the pH range employed than phosphoric acid for both tissue types. Citric acid compared with hydrochloric acid highlighted dissolution and chelation effects. Phosphoric acid caused minimal erosion over pH 3 for enamel and pH 4 for dentine. These factors could be considered in order to reduce the erosivity of acidic soft drinks.

Notes: Abstract The benthic community of shallow-water hydrothermal vents (10 m water depth) in a sandy bay on the south coast of Milos, Greece was studied. The macro- and meiofauna, as well as environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, sulfide concentration, grain size composition, ATP concentration, organic carbon, chlorophyll a and phaeopigments were evaluated. Samples were taken along transects from a seagrass meadow into a hydrothermally active area. Hydrothermally active spots were distinguished from the surrounding sediment by their black sediment coloration and an overlying white bacterial mat. For comparison, a control transect from a seagrass meadow into bare sand in a non-vent area in the same bay was studied. Overall, we found decreasing faunal diversity from the seagrass bed towards the hydrothermally active area. Along this gradient, four different zones could be distinguished. (a) The seagrass area had a relatively low diversity compared to the control stations, but much higher diversity than in the areas directly influenced by hydrothermal activity. (b) The border zone between the seagrass and the hydrothermal area, with moderate sulfide concentrations, pH values, seawater salinity and temperatures, was inhabited by an impoverished community dominated by the polychaete Capitella capitata, the nematodes Oncholaimus campylocercoides and Sabatieria sp., and an as yet undescribed chromadorid nematode (Chromadorina sp.). (c) The transition zone at the border of the hydrothermal area proper, with temperatures and sulfide concentrations higher than in the border zone, was characterized by high salinity (60‰) and low pH values. Along with the gastropod Cyclope neritea, single specimens of C. capitata and O. campylocercoides occurred. (d) The hydrothermal area proper, characterized by high sulfide concentrations, had high sediment temperatures and high salinities. The pH was as low as 6. Here, the gastropod Cyclope neritea was the only species occurring in considerable numbers. The gaseohydrothermal activity seems to largely exclude the surrounding fauna in a graded zonal pattern. The increasing hydrothermal stress entrains a change of the ambient biota towards a depauperate consortium of tolerant, opportunistic species, e.g. Capitella capitata (Polychaeta) and Oncholaimus campylocercoides (Nematoda). Although the hydrothermal area proper was characterized by a thick bacterial mat, the benthic community was characterized not by bacteria feeders but by scavenging species.