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ePaper created 2018-03-14, 11:21:34 | version 1.38.0
| news international Revision of human migration triggered by Discovery of fossilized jawbone An international team of researchers from Israel and America has discovered a fossilized jawbone said to be the earliest modern human fossil ever found outside of Africa. The maxilla with several teeth was discovered at the Misliya Cave site in Israel. Based on several dating techniques, the researchers have suggested that the jawbone is between 175,000 and 194,000 years old. Paleo- anthropologist Dr Rolf Quam, one of the head researchers in the study titled “The earliest modern humans outside Africa,” and asso- ciate professor at Binghamton University, USA, stated “It provides the clearest evidence yet that our ancestors first migrated out of Africa much earlier than we previously believed. It also means that modern humans were potentially meeting and interacting […] with other archaic human groups, providing more opportunity for cul- tural and biological exchanges.” While older fossils of modern hu- mans have been found in Africa, the timing and routes of modern © sruilk/Shutterstock.com human migration out of Africa are key issues for understanding the evolution of our own species. Owing to several recent archaeological and fossil discoveries in Asia also indicating an earlier first appearance of modern humans in the region, the discussion regarding the migration out of Africa remains wide open. Source: DTI Treponema denticola might be Study indicates financial incentives impact Triggering cancer Frequency of taken radiographs ström Two studies of the University of Helsinki, led by Prof. Timo Sorsa, Prof. Caj Haglund, Dr Jari Haukka and Dr Jaana Hag- investigated the role of Treponema denticola in the for- mation of oral and certain other cancer types and discovered a link between periodontitis and cancer mortality. The research has proven the ex- istence of a mechanism at molecular level through which T. denticola, a bacterium as- sociated with periodontitis, may contribute to carcinogenesis by activating enzymes cancer cells use to invade healthy tissue and at the same time reducing the body’s immune system. It was found that the primary virulence factor of T. denticola also occurs in malignant tumours of the gastrointestinal tract, e.g. in pancreatic cancer. Approx. 70,000 Finns took part in the follow-up study which showed a strong link to mortality due to pancreatic cancer. The scientists concluded that low-grade systemic inflammation re- lated to periodontitis facilitates the dispersal of oral bacteria and their virulence factors to other parts of the body. Prevention and early diagnosis of periodontitis thus prove to be very important, both for patients’ oral health and general well-being. The stud- ies are continued at the University of Helsinki and Karolinska Institute. © K ateryna Kon/Shutterstoc k . c o m Radiographs are useful in diagnostics, but they expose patients to potentially harmful radiation. Thus, with every radiograph, dentists are advised to carefully calculate the benefits versus the risks for the patient. Research conducted by the University of York has now indicated that dentists are more likely to request or take radiographs when they are paid for each radiograph taken. The study titled “First do no harm—The impact of financial incentives on dental X-rays” further found, that when patients were exempt from charges, the number of radiographs also went up significantly, whereas fewer radiographs were taken, when dentists were on a fixed salary. The extensive analysis at the University of York’s Centre for Health Economics investigated data from Scotland on National Health Service dentists who were either salaried or received fee-for-ser- vice payment. More than one million treatments over a ten-year period were included in the study. Earlier but more limited re- search on the effects that different reimbursement schemes for dentists can have on the intensity of treatment and prevalence of check-ups were confirmed. Although further research is rec- ommended, the findings could already have significant impact on public health policy, particularly in regard to protecting patients from overexposure to radiation from radiographs. Source: DTI 34 1 2018 © JK’s Design/Shutterstock.com