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Two horses euthanized for neurologic deficits were diagnosed with hamartomatous myelodysplasia of the spinal cord. One was a 5-week-old Holsteiner colt exhibiting spasms of muscle rigidity in the extensor muscles of the limbs and epaxial muscles, and the other was a 3-year-old Thoroughbred colt exhibiting progressive ataxia and hypermetria in the pelvic limbs. Each had focal disorganization of the white and gray matter of the spinal cord forming a mass interspersed with neurons, glial cells, and disoriented axon bundles. In the Holsteiner colt, the mass was at the level of C5 and included islands of meningeal tissue contiguous with the leptomeninges. The mass occluded the central canal forming hydromyelia cranial to the occlusion. In the Thoroughbred colt, the mass was at the level of L1 on the dorsal periphery of the spinal cord and did not involve the central canal.

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Massive numbers of sarcocysts of a previously undescribed species of Sarcocystis were observed in the skeletal muscles throughout the body of an adult, female South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus). Examination of tissue sections by light microscopy demonstrated that sarcocysts were present in 20 to 40% of muscle fibers from 5 sampled locations. Sarcocysts were not present in cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, or other organs. Sarcocysts were 0.05-0.15 mm wide, had variable length depending on the viewed orientation and size of the muscle fiber, and had a sarcocyst wall less than 1-µm thick. Sarcocysts were subdivided by septa and had central degeneration in older sarcocysts. Host induced secondary encapsulation or an inflammatory response was not present. By transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the sarcocyst wall was Type I, with a parasitophorous membrane of approximately 100 nanometers in width arranged in an undulating pattern and intermittently folded inward in a branching pattern. The sarcocysts contained metrocytes in different stages of development and mature bradyzoites. The nucleic acid sequence from a section of the 18S small subunit rRNA gene was most closely related to S. mucosa that uses marsupials as intermediate hosts and has an unknown definitive host. This is apparently the third report of muscular Sarcocystis infection in snakes and is the first to describe the ultrastructure of the sarcocysts and use sequencing methods to aid in identification.

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Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelling of aquatic toxicity for cationic surfactants has received limited attention despite the fact that surfactants of this type are generally more toxic than predicted by general narcosis or polar narcosis equations. Here we report measurement of log P for three types of aromatic quaternary ammonium halides at sub-micellar concentrations, refinement of earlier rules for log P calculation, and development of a hydrophobicity based QSAR, using both calculated and measured log P values, for the aquatic toxicity of quaternary ammonium halides to Daphnia magna. The QSAR for cationics has a substantially larger intercept than the log P-based QSARs for nonionic and anionic surfactants. This is rationalised in terms of the head group interactions with membrane phospholipid in a two-dimensional partitioning model. The effect of the positive nitrogen on the log P contributions of methylene groups along alkyl chains varies, depending on the other groups bonded to the positive nitrogen. We propose a mechanistic explanation, but until these effects can be put on a more predictable quantitative basis it is recommended that, for quaternaries other than the three types discussed here, calculated log P values should not be relied on and experimental values should be determined, e.g. for prediction of toxicity by the QSAR equation reported here.

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BACKGROUND: Behaviour management is widely agreed to be a key factor in providing dental care for children. Indeed, if a child's behaviour in the dental surgery/office cannot be managed then it is difficult if not impossible to carry out any dental care that is needed. It is imperative that any approach to behavioural management for the dental child patient must be rooted in empathy and a concern for the well being of each child. REVIEW: Based on various presentations given at Congresses of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD), documents reviewing behaviour management prepared by the Clinical Affairs Committee of the EAPD, and written submissions to the Executive Board of the EAPD, a review of the various approaches to the behaviour management of the child dental patient was completed. All aspects of non-pharmacological behavioural management techniques described in the literature over the past 80 years were reviewed. FINDINGS: There is a very wide diversity of techniques used but not all are universally accepted by specialist paediatric and general dentists. Wide cultural and philosophical differences are apparent among European paediatric dentists that seem difficult to bridge when forming agreed guidelines. Accordingly, this review highlights those behaviour techniques that are universally accepted such as tell, show, do (TSD) or positive reinforcement, but nevertheless describes the most commonly mentioned techniques for which there are descriptions in the literature. CONCLUSION: A wide variety of behavioural management techniques are available to paediatric dentists which must be used as appropriate for the benefit of each child patient, and which, importantly, must take into account all cultural, philosophical and legal requirements in the country of dental practice of every dentist concerned with dental care of children.

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The testes of a 5-year-old, male, crossbred Schnauzer dog were the indicator organs for detection of massive pentastomiasis. Necropsy revealed numerous additional encysted parasites within the mesenteric lymph nodes, omentum, liver, sub-serosa of the small and large intestines, mesentery, and lungs. The nymphs had a pseudosegmented body, containing large eosinophilic glands and a chitinous cuticle with characteristic pores. Their hook configuration was consistent with that of Porocephalus. A pentastomid-specific 18S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was designed and used to amplify template for sequencing. The sequence of the PCR product was 99.7% homologous with the reference sequence for P. crotali. This pentastomid parasite has been reported in North American snakes of genera Crotalus and Agkistrodon. Mammals are intermediate hosts, and snakes are the definitive hosts. Porocephalus crotali has been reported in dogs only once, and molecular methods have not been used previously to identify the species in clinical pentastomiasis.

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AIM: To review the literature concerning the restoration of primary teeth with pre-formed metal crowns (PMC). METHODS: A search of the dental literature was made electronically using key words: stainless steel crowns primary molars, nickel-ion crowns primary molars, nickel chrome crowns primary molars, preformed crowns primary molars, esthetic crowns primary molars, aesthetic crowns primary molars and metal crowns primary molars. All papers were read and assessed for their relevance to paediatric dentistry and then graded according to a predetermined set of criteria. The relevant papers that met nearly 100% of the criteria were graded A; 75% graded B1; more than 50% graded B2 and all others were graded C. RESULTS: Using all the search words, 112 papers were found and fourteen were acceptable. Of these none were rated A or B1, seven B2 and seven C. Failure rates of PMC varied between 1.9 and 30.3%. In all studies the failure rate of PMC was lower than comparable restorations and in some studies this was statistically significant. The review indicated that there was some evidence as to the efficacy and value of using pre-formed metal crowns for primary molars. CONCLUSION: Preformed metal crowns were indicated for the restoration of badly broken down primary molars and their success rate was superior to all other restorative materials. However, there was an obvious lack of prospective will-controlled studies and more research is needed.

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AIMS: To prospectively report on the survival of resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC), photac-fil and pre-formed stainless steel crown (SSC) restorations in primary molar teeth placed over a seven-year period in a specialist paediatric dental practice under private contract of remuneration. METHOD: All primary molar restorations placed by a specialist paediatric dentist over a seven-year period were reviewed and the outcome results recorded. Data were recorded at review visits until June 30, 2003. Data recorded included Class I restorations, Class II restorations and SSC. The Class II cavities were either mesial or distal, with or without buccal/palatal extensions. If both proximal surfaces were decayed or if after cavity preparation the resultant outline form was significantly larger than the minimal classical form, RMGIC was not used; an SSC was placed instead. Stainless steel crown preparation followed conventional guidelines. The crowns were cemented with reinforced zinc oxide and eugenol (Kalzinol). The status was recorded as satisfactory restoration, tooth exfoliated, tooth extracted for orthodontic reasons with the date of extraction, or needing replacement. If replaced then the reason for replacement was also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 544 Class I RMGICs, 962 Class II RMGICs, and 1,010 SSCs were placed. At the last review of each restoration, 98.3% of Class I, 97.3% of Class II RMGICs and 97.0% of SSCs were either satisfactory or withdrawn intact. CONCLUSION: Under the conditions of private specialist practice-based study SSCs continued to prove very successful for the restoration of larger cavities and for pulp-treated primary molar teeth. For the smaller cavities RMGIC were also very successful.

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AIM: This was to review the literature on Early Childhood Caries (ECC) for the approaches to prevention and restoration of affected primary teeth. METHODS: The methods are reviewed and suggestions made as the approaches necessary for treating very young children. The special problems associated with the need to restore primary incisors in children with very low levels of cooperation are described. The options are outlined and indications for each approach discussed.

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A cell line that produces an autoantibody specific for DNA quadruplex structures has been isolated and cloned from a hybridoma library derived from 3-month-old nonimmunized autoimmune, immunodeficient "viable motheaten" mice. This antibody has been tested extensively in vitro and found to bind specifically to DNA quadruplex structures formed by two biologically relevant sequence motifs. Scatchard and nonlinear regression analyses using both one- and two-site models were used to derive association constants for the antibody-DNA binding reactions. In both cases, quadruplexes had higher association constants than triplex and duplex molecules. The anti-quadruplex antibody binds to the quadruplex formed by the promoter-region-derived oligonucleotide d(CGCG4GCG) (Ka = 3.3 x 10(6) M-1), and has enhanced affinity for telomere-derived quadruplexes formed by the oligonucleotides d(TG4) and d(T2G4T2G4T2G4T2G4) (Ka = 5.38 x 10(6) and 1.66 x 10(7) M-1, respectively). The antibody binds both types of quadruplexes but has preferential affinity for the parallel four-stranded structure. In vitro radioimmunofilter binding experiments demonstrated that purified anti-DNA quadruplex antibodies from anti-quadruplex antibody-producing tissue culture supernatants have at least 10-fold higher affinity for quadruplexes than for triplex and duplex DNA structures of similar base composition and length. The antibody binds intramolecular DNA triplexes formed by d(G4T3G4T3C4) and d(C4T3G4T3G4), and the duplex d(CGCGCGCGCG)2 with an affinities of 6. 76 x 10(5), 5.59 x 10(5), and 8.26 x 10(5) M-1, respectively. Competition experiments showed that melted quadruplexes are not effective competitors for antibody binding when compared to native structures, confirming that the quadruplex is bound structure-specifically. To our knowledge, this is the first immunological reagent known to specifically recognize quadruplex structures. Subsequent sequence analysis demonstrates homologies between the antibody complementarity determining regions and sequences from Myb family telomere binding proteins, which are hypothesized to control cell aging via telomeric DNA interactions. The presence of this antibody in the autoimmune repertoire suggests a possible linkage between autoimmunity, telomeric DNA binding proteins, and aging.

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UNLABELLED: The normal range, reproducibility, and change as a function of duration and level of injury for Tc-99m-MAG3 renal studies were quantitated in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. METHODS: Five SCI patients without evidence of renal disease in each of four groups: less than 2 months, 2-12 months, 1-2 years, and greater than 2 years from time of injury, were each studied twice. There were at least two patients with paraplegia and two with tetraplegia in each group. Renal clearance (camera based method), percent function in each kidney, time of peak renal parenchymal activity, and half time of parenchymal activity following the peak were evaluated. The peak and half times were determined with regions of interest (ROIs) over the entire kidney and over just the cortex. All results were compared to normal ranges previously established in normal subjects of the same age range using the same methodology. RESULTS: Renal clearance in the less than 2 month SCI patients was not significantly different from normal subjects in either paraplegic or in tetraplegic individuals. However, clearance in tetraplegics was increased by 28.5% at 2-12 month, increased by 50.6% at 1-2 years, and decreased by 25.9% at greater than 2 years compared to normal subjects (all P < 0.02). Clearance in those with paraplegia showed a similar, but less marked, trend (P = NS). The time of peak parenchymal activity when measured with cortical ROIs did not vary among patient groups or level of injury, but was increased compared to normal subjects (P < 0.05). The percent function in each kidney and half time following the peak were symmetrical, did not differ among patient groups or with level of injury, and did not differ from normal subjects. The parenchymal peak time was significantly shorter with cortical rather than renal ROIs in all patient groups (P < 0.05). In serial studies in the same patient the percent standard deviation in total renal clearance was less than between single studies in different patients, but the decrease was significant for only the right kidney (P < 0.03), and the decrease was not as great as in normal subjects. In addition, the percent standard deviation for percent function in each kidney was significantly less than the percent standard deviations in single studies (P < 0.02). There were no significant differences between intra- and interpatient studies for any other parameter. CONCLUSION: We conclude that: (1) renal clearance measured with Tc-99m-MAG3 in tetraplegic patients increases significantly during the first 2 years following injury and decreases significantly thereafter; there is a similar, but much less marked, trend in paraplegics, (2) parenchymal peak times with cortical ROIs occur later for SCI patients than for normal subjects, and (3) there is more intrapatient variation in total renal clearance and percent renal clearance on a side in SCI patients than in normal subjects suggesting that it may be harder to study SCI patients reproducibly. These findings should be taken into account when performing and interpreting Tc-99m-MAG3 renal studies in SCI patients.

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The clinical success and effect upon the age at which teeth exfoliated was prospectively observed in 175 primary molars that had received formoceresol pulpotomies performed by one operator. The success rate among 142 vital teeth was 99.3% and among 33 non-vital teeth 84.8%. There was no significant effect upon age at exfoliation after either type of pulpal treatment.

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An autoantibody specific for a DNA quadruplex structure has been isolated and cloned from three-month-old autoimmune "viable motheaten" mice. This antibody (mev-alpha Q1) has been tested extensively in vitro and found to bind specifically and preferentially to the parallel-stranded quadruplex structure formed by the oligonucleotide d(CGC G4 GCG). The anti-quadruplex antibody does not show specific affinity for single-, double-, or triple-stranded oligonuclotides of similar CG-rich sequence motifs.

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The author presents behavior management as essentially anxiety management, not alone in the child but in ourselves as well. Behaviorist and humanist psychologies are discussed. The author is critical of the teaching that behavior management can be taught as a technique: if a specific management technique is used, the child will behave in a certain way. Several techniques are discussed. Voice control and facial expression are discussed. Physical restraints are considered and their use discussed, along with their long-term effects. Empathy is discussed at length.

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The author discusses the vital role his hospital plays in the fight against domestic violence--the Project Safe Refuge and the Safe Refuge Advocate.

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