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BackgroundSocial media has begun to proliferate across medical areas and transformed how medical professionals serve and interact with their patients. It offers a new communication avenue that has the potential to engage patients and, hence, may be used to create value for both medical professionals and patients. In dentistry, even though patients and dentists frequently use social media in their personal lives, little is known about their attitudes and expectations toward using social media for professional interactions.ObjectiveIn this paper, we focus on the role of social media in dentistry. Specifically, we explore patients’ and dentists’ attitudes toward social media usage and their current online behaviors in this context. Furthermore, we examine potential challenges and opportunities regarding dentists’ adoption of social media practices.MethodsThis research employed a large-scale online survey of 588 patients and 532 dental professionals. We assessed the attitudes, expectations, and social media behaviors from both patients’ and dentists’ perspectives.ResultsWe found that more than 55% (290/532) of dentists in our sample have accounts for their dental practice on various social media platforms. Interestingly, while 73% (374/511) of patients did not expect their dental practice to have a social media presence, and 44% (207/468) thought that establishing a friendship with their dentists is not appropriate, the findings show that 36% (164/460) of patients had searched for their dentists, and 44% (207/470) of them were happy to establish contacts with dentists on social media. Furthermore, the findings highlight that patients were interested in exploring additional information such as online reviews and the qualifications of their dentists on Facebook pages. For dentists, more than half (375/432, 83%) of them in our sample thought that social media marketing is more efficient compared to traditional marketing.ConclusionsOur findings revealed some key challenges and opportunities to utilize social media in dentistry. For both patients and dentists, the role of social media in dental services remains vague, and both parties still share concerns about connecting with each other on social media platforms. However, there also exists a sizeable number of patients who are already comfortable to connect with their dentists on social media sites such as Facebook. The current findings show that there is an opportunity for dental practices to trade upon a more active social media presence for enhanced patient interaction and engagement.

Recently developed methods for fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of freshly-isolated brain cells from transgenic mice combining fluorescent signals with cell type-specific markers allow cell-type separation. Based upon previous observations in primary cultures of mouse astrocytes we treated transgenic mice tagged with a neuron-specific or an astrocyte-specific marker with fluoxetine, either acute (10 mg/kg for 2 h) or chronic (10 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks). Acute treatment upregulated cfos and fosB mRNA expression in astrocytes and neurons. Chronic effects on astrocytes replicated those demonstrated in cultures, i.e., upregulation of mRNA and/or protein expression of 5-HT(2B) receptors (5-HT(2B)R), and GluK2 receptors, and of cPLA(2a) and ADAR2, together with increased GluK2 and 5-HT(2B)R editing. Neurons showed increased GluK4 and 5-HT(2C) receptor expression. To further correlate these findings with major depression we compared the changes in gene expression with those in a mouse model of anhedonia. Three out of 4 genes up-regulated in astrocytes by fluoxetine were down-regulated, whereas the neuronally upregulated 5-HT(2C) receptor gene showed no change. References are made to recent review papers discussing potential relations between observed fluoxetine effects and clinical effects of SSRIs, emphasizing that all 5 clinically used SSRIs have identical and virtually equipotent effects on cultured astrocytes.

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HCO3− utilization by the marine microalga Nannochloropsis oculata was investigated using a pH drift technique in a closed system. Light‐dependent alkalization of the medium resulted in a final pH of 10.5, confirming substantial HCO3− use by this alga. Alkalinity remained constant throughout the pH drift. Measurement of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) or the uptake of H14CO3− showed that nearly 50% of the total DIC remained external to the plasma membrane on completion of a pH drift. The rate of light‐driven alkalization was inhibited by 3‐(3,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐1,1‐dimethylurea (DCMU) and thus was dependent on photosynthesis. Light‐driven alkalization was not inhibited by a membrane‐impermeable inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase (CA), dcxtran‐bound sulphonamide (DBS), indicating that external CA was not involved in HCO3− utilization. The anion‐cxchangc inhibitor 4′,4′‐diisothiocyanostilbene‐2,2‐disulphonic acid (DIDS) completely inhibited light‐driven alkalization of the medium and H14CO3− uptake, providing unequivocal support for a direct uptake of H14CO3−. Chloride ions were essential for DIC‐dependent photosynthetic oxygen evolution, suggesting that bicarbonate transport occurs by HCO3−/CI− exchange.

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SUMMARYThe relationship between caleite production and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) utilization was investigated using high-and low-calcifying strains of Emiliania huxleyi aerated with either air (0-03 % v/v CO^) or COj-free air. With cultures grown on air, calcite production was eight-fold greater in the high-calcifying eulture, but growth rates for high-and low-calcifying cultures were similar. Growth and caleite production were accompanied by a concomitant decrease in DIC and free CO^ in the high-calcifying culture, showing that HCO3" provides inorganic carbon for calcite synthesis. In low-calcifying cultures DIC and free CO.^ were relatively constant, confirming that cells acquire inorganic carbon mainly by the diffusive entry of free CO,.When cultures were aerated with CO^-free air the free CO^ concentration was below tbe /^^^[COJ for high-and low-calcifying cells and the low-calcifying cells were unable to grow. Growth of high-calcifying cells was observed, and the calcite yield was little changed from cultures gassed with air (003 °o v/v CO^). At tbese minimal COj eoncentrations HCO3" may provide inorganic carbon for calcite synthesis and CO^ for photosynthesis, allowing growth to oeeur. Calcite synthesis by E. huxleyi decreases DIC and carbonate alkalinity in cultures not in equilibrium with the gas phase.

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