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Aim: Certain individuals are more prone to dental caries than others are. Caries risk may be related in the secretion of certain defensive salivary proteins including secretory IgA (sIgA) and proline-rich acidic protein (PRAP-1). In this study, we investigated the relationship between PRAP-1 and sIgA leading to the susceptibility of development of dental caries in adults and explored the differences in the levels of sIgA and PRAP-1 between men and women.Materials and Methods: Unstimulated saliva samples were collected from 28 patients with high caries risk and 32 control subjects with low caries risk according to caries management by risk assessment guidelines. sIgA and PRAP-1 levels in clarified saliva samples were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: According to our results, sIgA and PRAP-1 levels did not demonstrate statistically significant differences as a function of caries risk or gender, even when potential confounding variables such as age and numbers of teeth were taken into consideration. Estimates of effect size, however, revealed small- to medium-sized effects and suggest that significant results may have been found if larger sample sizes were used.Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that caries risk and salivary levels of sIgA and PRAP-1 do not appear to be significantly associated. Statistically significant findings could emerge if the sample size was larger.

Under activation with n-BuLi, trialkylstannanes containing crotyl-, geranyl-, and phenyldienylmethyl appendages were reacted with efficiency and selectivity to various ketone and enone electrophiles with low reactivity. The straightforward process gives access to tertiary alcohols that are vicinal to quaternary carbons. With α,α′-dimethoxy-γ-pyrone, on the other hand, the grafting of a dienyl side chain was effected to prepare dienyl α′-methoxy-γ-pyrone in a stereo- and regioselective and convergent manner. Furthermore, the advantages of this route were highlighted for the preparation of organolithium species at low temperature with the formation of a minimum amount of salts. Synthetic manipulations were demonstrated to illustrate the potential of the chemistry for constructing acyclic and cyclic terpene scaffolds.

Laboratory cadaver dissection is essential for three‐dimensional understanding of anatomical structures and variability, but there are many challenges to teaching gross anatomy in medical and dental schools, including a lack of available space and qualified anatomy faculty. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of high‐definition audiovisual educational technology in the gross anatomy laboratory in improving dental students’ learning outcomes and satisfaction. Exam scores were compared for two classes of first‐year students at one U.S. dental school: 2012–13 (no audiovisual technology) and 2013–14 (audiovisual technology), and section exams were used to compare differences between semesters. Additionally, an online survey was used to assess the satisfaction of students who used the technology. All 284 first‐year students in the two years (2012–13 N=144; 2013–14 N=140) participated in the exams. Of the 140 students in the 2013–14 class, 63 completed the survey (45% response rate). The results showed that those students who used the technology had higher scores on the laboratory exams than those who did not use it, and students in the winter semester scored higher (90.17±0.56) than in the fall semester (82.10±0.68). More than 87% of those surveyed strongly agreed or agreed that the audiovisual devices represented anatomical structures clearly in the gross anatomy laboratory. These students reported an improved experience in learning and understanding anatomical structures, found the laboratory to be less overwhelming, and said they were better able to follow dissection instructions and understand details of anatomical structures with the new technology. Based on these results, the study concluded that the ability to provide the students a clear view of anatomical structures and high‐quality imaging had improved their learning experience.

During gross anatomy head and neck laboratory session, one dissection group observed an abnormal anatomic variation in the posterior cranial fossa of a 94-year-old male cadaver. The internal occipital crest was not aligned with internal occipital protuberance and groove for superior sagittal sinus. It seemed that the internal occipital protuberance was shifted significantly to the right side. As a result the skull was overly stretched in order to connect with the internal occipital ridge. These internal skull variations of occipital bone landmarks can influence the location of adjacent dural venous sinuses and possibly influence cerebrospinal fluid flow. Similar anatomical anomalies have been attributed to presence of hydrocephalus and abnormalities in cisterna magna.