Burning mouth syndrome: clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Burning mouth syndrome is an oral dysaesthesia presenting as a burning sensation of the tongue and less frequently other oral and peri-oral sites. There may be other coincident symptoms and signs, but the defining feature is the absence of any obvious organic cause. Because of this the condition frequently remains unrecognized for extended periods with a variable progression of symptoms. The current paper describes the complex presentation of burning mouth syndrome with the major aim of increasing recognition.

How is leflunomide prescribed and used in Australia? analysis of prescribing and adverse effect reporting

Purpose To evaluate the use of leflunomide in the Australian community since introduction in 2000. Trends in adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting were also studied. Methods Annual Australian prescription and dispensing statistics were analysed. Drug utilisation was estimated as defined daily doses (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day. ADR data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee (ADRAC) national monitoring system were compared with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Vigibase records. Results Leflunomide use in Australia (dispensing data) increased from 0.2 in 2000 to 0.4 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day in 2002. The same overall pattern was observed in the 'authority to prescribe' data. From 2000-2002, prescribing of the starter pack (3 x 100 mg loading dose plus 30 x 20 mg tablets) declined (down 74%); likewise for the 20mg (30 tablets) pack. Gradual increases were noted for the 10 mg (30 tablets) pack (up 40%). Approximately 135 reports, detailing about 370 individual ADR, were generated annually. Gastro-intestinal disorders predominated, accounting for 24% of reactions reported to ADRAC. Skin and appendages disorders constituted 14% of reported reactions. Deaths in leflunomide users were attributed to a combination of haematological and gastro-intestinal complications, but it was not possible to ascertain other medication usage or contributing factors. Trends observed with the ADRAC reports were consistent with the WHO database. Conclusions Leflunomide was the first registered DMARD in Australia in over a decade and its use has increased within the community. The ADR reports might have contributed to Australian rheumatologists gradually abandoning loading patients with high doses of leflunomide in favour of starting therapy at lower doses. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Precipitation and Fire Effects on Flowering of a Rare Prairie Orchid

A small, isolated population of the threatened western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & Bowles) occurs at Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota, in a mesic prairie that is periodically burned to control invasive cool-season grasses. During 1995-2004, monitoring counts of flowering orchids in the monument varied considerably for different years. Similar precipitation amounts in the spring and histories of burning suggest that fire and precipitation in the spring were not the causes of the variation. For the eight non-burn years in the monitoring record, we compared the number of flowering plants and the precipitation amounts during six growth stages of the orchid and found a 2-variab1e model (precipitation during senescence/bud development and precipitation in the dormant period) explained 77% of the annual variation in number of flowering plants. We also conducted a fire experiment in early May 2002, the typical prescribed burn period for the monument, and found that the frequency of flowering, vegetative, and absent plants observed in July did not differ between burned and protected locations of orchids. We used the model and forecasts of precipitation in the spring to develop provisional burn decision scenarios. We discussed management implications of the scenarios.

Ultrasonic measurement technique of burning metals in normal and reduced gravity

The in situ real time measurement of the regression rate of a melting interface (RRMI) is performed by the ultrasonic measurement system reported here. The RRMI is the rate at which a solid/liquid interface (SLI) moves along a metallic rod while burning in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere and is an important flatnmability indicator. The ultrasonic transducer and associated equipment used to drive the transducer and record the echo signal is described, along with the process that transforms the acquired signals into a RRMI value. Test rods of various metals and geometric shapes were burned at several test conditions in different test facilities. The RRMI results with quantified errors are presented and reviewed. The effect of reduced gravity on burning metals is important to space-applications and RRMI results obtained in a reduced gravity environment are also presented.

Burning questions, but no burning answers: collocation and idiomaticity

The attention of linguists has increasingly shifted from grammar to lexis. Collocation has emerged as a key feature of lexis. Research using large language corpora has not only helped to identify the significant collocates of individual words but also to confirm the importance of collocation in the language system. John Sinclair has suggested that language operates on two principles: open choice and idiom. If so, then collocation would appear to be the minimal level of idiomaticity. One problem with collocation is that words that habitually co-occur form less distinct, often discontinuous, idiomatic units, whereas grammar generally works with more precisely delineated and contiguous structural units. This paper uses examples from corpus evidence to look at various aspects of collocation.