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  • Silva Carey posted an update 10 months, 3 weeks ago

    Fruit taste is determined by sugars, acids and in some species, bitter chemicals. Attraction of seed-dispersing organisms in nature and breeding for consumer preferences requires reduced fruit bitterness. A key metabolic shift during ripening prevents tomato fruit bitterness by eliminating α-tomatine, a renowned defence-associated Solanum alkaloid. Here, we combined fine mapping with information from 150 resequenced genomes and genotyping a 650-tomato core collection to identify nine bitter-tasting accessions including the ‘high tomatine’ Peruvian landraces reported in the literature. These ‘bitter’ accessions contain a deletion in GORKY, a nitrate/peptide family transporter mediating α-tomatine subcellular localization during fruit ripening. GORKY exports α-tomatine and its derivatives from the vacuole to the cytosol and this facilitates the conversion of the entire α-tomatine pool to non-bitter forms, rendering the fruit palatable. Hence, GORKY activity was a notable innovation in the process of tomato fruit domestication and breeding.Mental fatigue is an important aspect of alertness and wellbeing. Existing fatigue tests are subjective and/or time-consuming. Here, we show that smartphone-based gaze is significantly impaired with mental fatigue, and tracks the onset and progression of fatigue. A simple model predicts mental fatigue reliably using just a few minutes of gaze data. These results suggest that smartphone-based gaze could provide a scalable, digital biomarker of mental fatigue.Introduction This study focuses on how the legal and ethical requirements presented by the General Dental Council (GDC) in their Standards for the dental team (2013) document are perceived by newly qualified dentists; that is, those who have been qualified for less than five years.Aim The aim of the study was to investigate how the GDC guidance and the set standards for the dental team are perceived and understood by newly qualified dental practitioners, and how the guidance and the standards influence clinicians’ decision-making. The study explored the newly qualified dentists’ exposure to law and ethics, the GDC and their regulatory document, together with the clinical and non-clinical influence of this regulation on daily practice.Methods Empirical qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews of nine newly qualified dentists, with an average of 80 minutes for each interview. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results Three main themes were identified through the newly qualified dentists’ perceptions of the GDC selected standards. These included sense of fear, morale and the business of dental practice, with further subthemes identified.Conclusion Results from this study present an opportunity and a challenge, as there is some fear and uncertainty among newly qualified dentists about the application of some of the GDC standards in practice. Further training in law and ethics as well as additional support for newly qualified dental practitioners is needed.Introduction Dental team members require fit testing for respirators to deliver aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five general dental practitioners (GDPs) in Yorkshire and the Humber were trained to fit test staff at urgent dental care sites (UDCs) with filtering facepiece (FFP3) respirators.Aim To review the quality of fit test records and provide an overview of the outcome of fit testing of UDC staff.Method Audit of fit test records for FFP3 respirators against Health and Safety Executive standards.Results Six percent of records had missing or incomplete data and 6% of fit test records required follow-up. Of 583 people fit tested with an FFP3 respirator, 80.6% (470/583) passed the test and 19.4% (113/583) failed. Of those, 479 individuals were fitted with a 3M 1873V respirator, of which 82.7% (396/479) passed the test and 17.3% (83/479) failed.Discussion The audit enabled efficient resolution of problems associated with fit testing, informed learning needs and highlighted that a significant proportion of individuals are unable to wear certain makes/models of respirators.Conclusion GDPs have been successfully trained to provide fit testing and make accurate fit test records. The high fit test failure rate for FFP3 respirators has important ramifications for delivery of safe dental care during the pandemic.Introduction Health behaviours result in oral health problems. Behaviour change techniques, informed by behaviour science, are rarely utilised by dental care professionals (DCPs) within routine care.Aim To develop a theory-informed intervention to support DCPs’ behaviour change conversations and evaluate its feasibility and acceptability.Intervention A behaviour change toolkit (Toothpicks) comprising 33 behaviour change techniques relevant to dentistry, delivered within an interactive online course.Design Development and mixed-methods evaluation of the intervention.Materials and methods Participants’ motivation to discuss behaviour change with patients was measured before and after training using a validated questionnaire. Acceptability was assessed through semi-structured interviews.Results DCPs’ (N = 32) motivation increased significantly post-training. Participants found the training acceptable and reported subsequently implementing techniques into their practice. Potential barriers preventing implementation to clinical practice include perceived lack of opportunities to effect change within the constraints of the clinical context.Conclusions Acceptable theory-informed training that is acceptable and accessible can be developed that increases DCPs’ motivation to discuss behaviour change with patients. Further research is necessary to establish the longer-term impact of brief behaviour change training on DCPs’ clinical practice and patient health behaviours.Introduction Intravenous sedation (IVS) with propofol offers an alternative to inhalation sedation or general anaesthesia (GA) for dentally anxious young people who require treatment. It offers a greater level of anxiolysis than inhalation sedation and reduced morbidity when compared with GA.Methods Data were collected prospectively from a convenience sample of children requiring IVS. Participants completed the Children’s Experiences of Dental Anxiety Measure (CEDAM) at the start of every visit. Patient demographics, treatment completed, surgery and recovery time were recorded. Feedback was obtained following their first visit.Results Treatment was successful for 91.5% (43/47) of patients. The average surgery and discharge time was 32.9 (8-105 minutes) and 33.1 (5-84 minutes), respectively. The CEDAM scores were between 14 and 30 (mean score 20.8). D 4476 in vitro Thematic content analysis of the feedback was carried out and themes relating to communication, environment, appointment times, service satisfaction and advice to other patients emerged.