Imagining something with our mind’s eye is a task we engage in frequently, whether we’re daydreaming, conjuring up the face of a childhood friend, or trying to figure out exactly where we might have parked the car. But how can we tell whether our own mental images are accurate or vivid when we have no direct comparison? That is, how do we come to know and judge the contents of our own minds?

There are ten microbial cells for every one human cell in the body, and microbiology dogma holds that there is a tight barrier protecting the inside of the body from outside invaders, in this case bacteria. Bacterial pathogens can break this barrier to cause infection and senior author Jeffrey Weiser, MD, professor of Microbiology and Pediatrics from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and first author Thomas Clarke, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Weiser lab, wondered how microbes get inside the host and circulate in the first place. Weiser and Clarke tested to see if microbes somehow weaken host cell defenses to enter tissues.

A gel that creates a watertight seal to close surgical wounds provides a significant advance in the treatment of patients following spinal procedures, effectively sealing spinal wounds 100 percent of the time, a national multicenter randomized study led by researchers at UC Davis has found.A gel that creates a watertight seal to close surgical wounds provides a significant advance in the treatment of patients following spinal procedures, effectively sealing spinal wounds 100 percent of the time, a national multicenter randomized study led by researchers at UC Davis has found.

LSU Department of Physics Professors Thomas Kutter and Martin Tzanov, and Professor Emeritus William Metcalf, along with graduate and undergraduate students, have been working for several years on an experiment in Japan called T2K, or Tokai to Kamioka Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiment, which studies the most elusive of fundamental subatomic particles — the neutrino. The team announced they have an indication of a new type of neutrino transformation or oscillation from a muon neutrino to an electron neutrino.

Two-year-old Owen Stark came to St. Louis Children’s Hospital in the summer of 2010 near death from heart failure and dangerously high blood pressure in his lungs.

Washington University physicians and surgeons at St. Louis Children’s Hospital knew they had to act fast to save his life. They collaborated to make several strategic and innovative decisions that led to the first successful use of an artificial lung in a toddler.

It’s summer wildflower season in the Rocky Mountains, a time when high-peaks meadows are dotted with riotous color. But for how long? Once, wildflower season in montane meadow ecosystems extended throughout the summer months. But now scientists have found a fall-off in wildflowers at mid-season.

The world’s first three-dimensional plasmon rulers, capable of measuring nanometer-scale spatial changes in macrmolecular systems, have been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), in collaboration with researchers at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. These 3D plasmon rulers could provide scientists with unprecedented details on such critical dynamic events in biology as the interaction of DNA with enzymes, the folding of proteins, the motion of peptides or the vibrations of cell membranes.

Newer biologic treatments, including infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), golimumab (Simponi) and etanercept (Enbrel), used in patients with arthritis do not increase the risk of cancer, according to data from over 13,000 patients.

A new braces system utilized by Minneapolis-based dentist Dr. Shamblott straightens adult front teeth with lower cost, less discomfort, and in less time than traditional orthodontics. The new system called Six Month Smiles utilizes clear brackets and tooth-colored wires so they are far less obvious than typical metal braces

A recent insight has revealed that dentists avoid giving appointments to children in the combined Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program. Joanna Bisgaier, MSW, from the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and team intended to check out the influence of insurance status on dentists’ keenness to allot an appointment for children. Their research revealed that only 36.5% of Medicaid/CHIP beneficiaries were given an appointment

Before brushing your teeth, measure an arms length of floss, approximately 18 inches, and wind each end around your middle fingers. Grasp 1 to 2 inches of the floss with your index (pointer) finger and thumb.

Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that’s right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows:

Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
Clean the chewing surfaces
For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too

The UK’s only independent dental helpline is advising the public to get in touch if they are concerned about their rights and costs involved when receiving NHS dental treatment. The advice follows ‘Dispatches’ investigation into the state of UK dentistry aired on Channel 4 last night

Dentists are worried that teenagers are putting their teeth and health at risk by trying dangerous do-it-yourself (DIY) teeth-whitening techniques found on the Internet.

Children who are mixing up quantities of chemicals and applying them for long periods are at risk of eroding tooth enamel, damaging gums and increasing risks of infection. Ironically the erosion may expose the yellow-coloured dentin that lies beneath the enamel.

If you have a headache, quite often the first port of call is the medicine cabinet for pain relief or a visit to the Doctors. However, if the problem persists it might be something you should mention to your dentist as the persistent cause may lie inside your mouth.

The British Dental Association (BDA) is seeking an urgent meeting with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to resolve concerns about the position trading standards officers are adopting in relation to the supply of teeth whitening products.

The BDA is aware that a current investigation by trading standards at Essex County Council is having a major impact on the availability of hydrogen peroxide-based whitening products to dentists, which adversely affects their ability to provide whitening treatments to patients. This supply problem could mean that patients instead seek whitening treatments from non-dental professionals, which is illegal and dangerous, the BDA believes.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) will maintain its status with the largest national dental hygiene meeting with more than 1,700 dental hygienists, and more than 2,000 total participants set to attend the Center for Lifelong Learning at the 88th Annual Session (CLL/AS). The meeting takes place June 15-21, at the Nashville Convention Center and Renaissance Marriott Hotel.

Early childhood tooth decay is one of the most common infectious diseases found in indigenous children in the United States and Canada, resulting in additional adverse health effects.

In a new policy statement, “Early Childhood Caries in Indigenous Communities,” in the June 2011 issue of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) provide recommendations for the prevention of dental disease in young children and pregnant women, through collaboration with primary health care providers, policy makers, and public health practitioners in indigenous communities.

Researchers from UBC’s Faculties of Medicine, Science and Dentistry are leading a $4.7 million pan-Canadian clinical trial aimed at improving outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for oral squamous cell cancers.

Funded by the Terry Fox Research Institute, the Canadian Optically Guided Approach for Oral Lesions Surgical Trial, or COOLS Study, involves universities and hospitals in nine Canadian cities. Findings from the study could revolutionize clinical practice here and around the world.