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Abstract As the natural fire regimes of Canada's Boreal forests have been transformed by dynamic social, economic, ecological and political drivers, wildfires have become a locus of increasingly complex land management decisions. But while, in Canada and elsewhere, social researchers have examined communities at risk of experiencing wildfire, the agencies and practitioners responsible for wildfire management have thus far been underrepresented in empirical inquiry. This article presents a case study of wildfire management in northern Alberta, examining how different forms of knowledge and experiences were incorporated into the creation of a new plan to support decision-making. Findings from interviews and a workshop confirm that 'science' in such applied contexts is not a pure entity. Instead, the objects represented internally and externally as 'scientific' have necessarily been shaped by the values and priorities of the individuals and institutions that have constructed them. Further, this case study revealed social factors that support the maintenance of institutional status quos, such as the commitment to total wildfire suppression policy, despite broad agreement amongst participants about superior alternatives. These findings support the need for further research on wildfire management agencies, and suggest that progress in wildfire management may be limited by mismatched expectations of 'good' policy between stakeholder groups and by practitioners' conceptions of their own institutional identity. Highlights • Wildfire managers are limited by their own institutional identity and conservatism. • Social values underlie managers' use of "scientific-based" knowledge and tools. • Expectations by the designers and the users of wildfire policies may be mismatched. • Wildfire managers feel their access to public engagement opportunities are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Patients who are treated in the dental practice often do not associate oral health with systemic health. Incomplete health history self-reporting confirms the lack of knowledge of current or existing health conditions. Periodontal disease can affect all individuals, although there is a higher prevalence among those living below the federal poverty level. In the southern Illinois region, approximately 1/3 of the population is covered under the medical assistance program. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between systemic health issues and periodontal disease and determine if consistencies exist with data from southern Illinois and national trends. Methods: A convenience sample of current patients in the advanced periodontics clinic at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) agreed to participate in this IRB approved study. An Excel data sheet was used to gather demographic information in addition to health issues and dental concerns from June 2019 to February 2020. Medical information included conditions that affect the nervous system, respiratory system, endocrine system, bone/muscle disorders, digestive system, urinary system, heart/blood vessel disorders and 'other' conditions. Patients received a periodontal screening to determine calculus deposit levels and the overall periodontal condition. Chi-square test of independence was calculated to test the relationship between systemic health issues and periodontal disease. Results: High blood pressure was the most reported systemic health issue among all patients and among those ages 50 and older. Statistically significant relationships were found between periodontal disease and high blood pressure, joint pain, and arthritis among all patients (n=927). No statistically significant relationships (p<0.05) were identified among those age 50 and older (n=348) however, not all patients completed all portions of the health history. Conclusion: Oral-systemic relationships between perio-dontal disease, hypertension and joint conditions were identified from the data collected at the dental hygiene clinic at SIUC, an access point for patients who lack health care in the region. The dental hygiene clinic is the access point for patients who lack healthcare in the region. Future research should focus on educating this vulnerable population on oral-systemic health and overall risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Marijuana sales in the state of Illinois have multiplied substantially since its legalization in January of 2020. Understanding adults' perspectives allows for discovery of attitudes between different age groups within the adult population in Illinois. There is very limited research showing adults' perspectives of the use of marijuana and if there is an oral or systemic effect within the body. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the attitudes of adults regarding the overall health effects of marijuana and their attitudes regarding the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use. Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge of adults age 18 and older and analyzed the differences among males' and females' beliefs of medical and recreational marijuana. Convenience sampling was used to select participants. The pilot test consisted of patients in the advanced periodontics clinic at a dental hygiene school in southern Illinois (n=109). A 28-item electronic survey was developed to compile data collection that consisted of demographic and polar questions. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The study was determined exempt by Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Human Subjects Committee, protocol number 19167. All participants provided informed consent as part of the clinic informed consent procedure. Results: A response rate of 23.39% (466 total patients) was achieved. Demographic data indicated 38% of participants were male (n=42), 55% were female (n=60), and 7% prefer not to answer (n=7). Results for all respondents reported the following: 36% believe marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and 44.86% believe it is less harmful than tobacco products. In relation to marijuana's effect on the oral cavity, males (43.75%) and females (46.15%) agree it has a negative effect by causing cancerous lesions, causing decreased salivary flow and increase in caries. Both groups agreed with the legalization of marijuana in Illinois, predominately males (n=68). There was much uncertainty among the male population if it is safer than pain medicine (66.67%) or alcohol (66.67%), although females thought it was safer than pain medicine (50%) and alcohol (50%). Overall, less than 1/3 of participants have considered its use for medicinal purposes. Conclusions: The majority of participants were unaware of marijuana's effects on the oral cavity as well as its safety in relation to other products. Some patients felt that marijuana may be a safer alternative than tobacco and alcohol products. In the future, marijuana could be uniformly accepted as a positive benefit for pain control. More research should be conducted on the effects of marijuana in relation to total wellness. In addition, performing a comparative study to see how other residents of other states would be beneficial to determine if certain trends or attitudes exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]