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Quantum Detection of Tooth Decay

A new laser device designed to detect the earliest stages of tooth decay could help dentists stop cavities in their tracks.

A newly developed laser device that uses thermal radiation and light waves to detect tiny, subsurface lesions in teeth could potentially unseat x-rays as the diagnostic standard in dental care.Researchers at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Advanced Diffusion Wave Studies say that the technology can spot lesions as small as 50 microns in between teeth, one of the most difficult spaces to spot cavities, and up to 5 millimeters below the surface of a tooth. This is well outside the boundaries of x-ray detection without exposing the patient to radiation. The researchers built a clinical prototype of the device this month and plan to begin clinical tests next year.

Detecting the earliest signs of decay could bring big changes to dentistry. “You need to lose about 30 percent of the mineral before you begin to see it on an x-ray; that’s why these new technologies are so exciting,” says Christopher Fox, executive director of the International Association for Dental Research, based in Alexandria, Virginia, and a 20-year industry veteran. “If we can detect early mineral loss, we have different intervention technologies we can use to prevent getting to that drill and fill point.”

Fox calls Quantum’s approach “very interesting” but says that x-rays will always be needed to assess periodontal health, such as the deterioration of bone structure around the teeth.

Testing teeth: Researchers at the University of Toronto have just assembled a clinical prototype of a new laser device (shown above) that measures thermal and light frequencies to detect early signs of decay below a tooth’s surface, where demineralization is difficult to spot with x-ray technology. The optical pen beams heat-emitting infrared light onto a tooth’s surface, and sensors within the pen measure heat and light waves that bounce back. Certain wave patterns can reveal loss of mineral content in a tooth, a sign of early decay that can lead to troublesome cavities. Credit: Quantum Technologies

Don’t discard the x-rays yet, Doc. But, this technology looks promising for another significant diagnostic tool for the dentist – one that can detect early caries, earlier than ever before.

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Dentistry Today: The Ultreo – Ultrasound Toothbrush

Flap’s Dental Files

Former New York City mayor and presidential contender Rudy Giuliani kisses a baby while visiting supporters and customers at the Fat Lady Restaurant in Oakland, Calif., Friday, March 23, 2007. Giuliani also gave a brief news conference.

Giuliani woos Oakland GOP in quick visit

Frontrunning 2008 Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani pressed the flesh, took questions and — yes — even kissed a baby at a restaurant here Friday, underscoring how even Democratic strongholds won’t be ignored by the GOP in this primary race.

The former New York City mayor arrived promptly at 3 p.m. at the Fat Lady near Jack London Square, a restaurant and bar popular with downtown business people and attorneys — the sort of fiscally conservative, socially liberal Republicans who make the Bay Area such a happy hunting ground for the pro-choice, pro-gay-rights Giuliani.

“I’ll buy you a beer, Rudy,” a patron called as Giuliani made his way through scores of people who’d packed the small restaurant; at the rear, he ducked into the men’s room to don a red, white and blue tie. “I’m so glad you’re running~,” another patron told him as he emerged.

Outside, Giuliani told reporters the House’s vote Friday to tie almost $100 billion in Iraq war and other spending to a timetable for a 2008 pullout is “a big mistake. … You don’t let your enemies know what you’re going to do.”

On Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace’s recent statement that homosexuality is “immoral,” Giuliani said, “Morality is judged between you and God,” and as a Catholic he hews to Jesus’ wisdom in decreeing, “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.”

On immigration, he said security is key — “We’ve got to know everybody who’s in the United States” — and called for a system in which all immigrants are registered, photographed and issued tamperproof identification.

But, why is Rudy campaigning in Alameda County where only 17 per cent are registered Republicans? The California GOP selection rules that apportion nominating delegates by Congressional District and…….

Rudy is planning ahead to the general election when he hopes to be the first GOP Presidential candidate since 1988 to carry California.

Only about 17 percent of Alameda County’s registered voters are Republicans, and only about 7 percent of Oakland’s. But California’s Republican presidential primary is no longer a statewide winner-take all; instead, the GOP presidential candidate with the most votes in each congressional district will get that district’s delegates.

Hence Giuliani’s interest in pitching woo somewhere like Oakland: In a way, he gets more bang for his buck here. Carrying a majority of the 31,000 Republicans in Democrat Barbara Lee’s 9th Congressional District would win him three delegates, the same as winning some other, more GOP-heavy district.

Hizzoner continues his California campaign swing:

He had a fundraiser Friday night in San Francisco and has fundraisers scheduled for Saturday morning in Monterey, Saturday afternoon in Newport Beach and Sunday near Santa Barbara.

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The Rudy Giuliani Files

2008 Race Rankings: Giuliani’s In The Lead

The Hotline’s Marc Ambinder and NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd will collaborate on race rankings until we don’t.

We’ve got a new No. 1 this week, and it reflects several realities. For one thing, there’s a deep hunger on the Republican side for a candidate who can rebrand the party after seven-plus years of President Bush. Also, the issue stuff just doesn’t seem to be hurting Rudy Giuliani yet, and we can’t help but think that the early predictions of his doom were overstated.

These rankings are ordered by likelihood of winning the Republican primary and are based on a number of factors, including organization, money, buzz and polling. Click here for Democratic rankings.

1. Rudy Giuliani Last Ranking: 2

There are three distinct camps among those Republicans who don’t think Giuliani will win the nomination: the McCain camp, the Huckabee camp and the Arlington camp. The McCain camp believes questions about Giuliani’s business practices and his personal character will disqualify him, and that his liberal positions on issues will be the coup de grace. The MSM is mostly in this camp. The Huckabee camp believes Giuliani is objectively too liberal to be the nominee and will not vote for him. The Arlington camp doesn’t know whether Giuliani will be elected but worries — for the sake of its organizations’ bottom lines — how a social liberal would affect the power and influence of organized conservative interests. If the election were held tomorrow, Giuliani would win. He doesn’t have McCain’s organizational strength, money, or endorsements, but he has a solid and growing lead in national polls. And so far, he’s repelled some fairly devastating attacks (like the notion that he does not speak to his son).
Fundraising projection: $15 million, +/- $3 million. Fundraising ranking: 3.

*****

Hotline is merely parroting the polls that show Rudy in firm control, particularly in states that vote on Super Duper Tuesday, February 5, 2008.

Hizzoner does not have to win Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina to be a viable candidate on February 5th. But, today, he EVEN contends in these states.

Watch the fundraising numbers this next week.

If McCain’s numbers are NOT good, no matter what spin his campaign churns, the race may be over for him.

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The Rudy Giuliani Files

A graphic locating the waterway where Iran seized British navy sailors. The United States Friday called for the release of a group of British sailors held by Iran saying they had been carrying out “routine” inspections in Iraqi waters.

Hostage fears over troops seized by Iran

Britain’s crisis with Iran deepened last night after Tehran justified seizing 15 British servicemen by claiming that they had strayed into Iranian territorial waters “illegally”.

The announcement appeared to rule out any hope that the incident was a simple mistake that could be quickly rectified.

Instead, there were growing fears that the 15 British sailors and Royal Marines were victims of a deliberate ambush on the disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway by Iranian Revolutionary Guards, perhaps seeking to use the captives as hostages in the increasingly tense stand-off between the West and Iran over its nuclear programme.

Iran blamed Britain for the border incident. “British chargé d’affaires Kate Smith was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to receive a firm protest from Iran against the illegal entry of British sailors into Iranian territorial waters,” said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.

“This makes a number of times that British sailors have illegally entered Iranian territorial waters at Arvand Roud. They were arrested by border guards for investigation and questioning,” the statement added.

Iran may be biting off more than it can chew.

The United States and Israel are looking for any excuse to militarily neuter Iran’s nuclear program.

This may be it.

President Ahmadinejad canceled his appearance before the United Nations Security Council tomorrow. He claims it was because of the United States not issuing timely visas. This was denied by the United States State Department.

So, is Iran holding these Brits as a bargaining chip over their nuclear program and United Nations sanctions?

Iran is playing with fire – nuclear fire.

Iraqi coast guards patrol the waters off the Iranian Bou Chahr port in southern Iraq.

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Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad Cancels United Nations Appearance

Iran Watch: Iran Seizes British Sailors in Iraq Waters

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks upon his arrival at the Khartoum airport, in this February 28, 2007 file photo. Ahmadinejad has canceled his visit to New York to address the U.N. Security Council because of delays in granting visas to his entourage, Tehran’s U.N. ambassador said on March 23, 2007. Ahmadinejad had wanted to address the council before it votes on imposing new sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program. The meeting is expected to be held on Saturday, although it has not been officially scheduled yet.

Iran’s President Cancels U.N. Appearance

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has canceled his trip to New York to address the U.N. Security Council before a vote on whether to impose further sanctions against his country for refusing to stop enriching uranium, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.

Mohammed Ali Hosseini, the spokesman, told Iranian state television that the trip was scrapped because of “America’s obstruction in issuing visas” to the Iranian delegation that was to travel to New York.

A diplomat on the Security Council said Ahmadinejad would instead send his deputy foreign minister Saturday to address the Security Council before the vote. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because there had not been an official announcement.

Mohammad Mir Ali Mohammadi, press secretary of Iran’s mission at the U.N., told The Associated Press the U.S. did not deliver a visa to the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, in time for the Iranian president to pick it up before for the council session Saturday.

This is an EXCUSE.

Is the REAL reason this?

Perhaps.

Anyone want to bet that the feckless United Nations Security Council cancels its meeting until Monday or Tuesday so that Mahmoud can attend?

Stay tuned……..

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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Warns It May Ignore International Nuclear Regulations

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Delivers Ultimatum to Iran Over Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad Faces Off With United Nations

Iran Nuclear Watch: New Iran Nuclear Sanctions Headed to United Nations

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Postpones Nuclear Plant Launch Over Payments

Cox & Forkum: Runaway

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – Iran Won’t End Nuke Program

Iran Nuclear Watch: IAEA – Iran Has Expanded Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Refuses to Halt United Nations Demand to Halt Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Attack Plans Revealed

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Will NOT Suspend Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: Too Late to Halt Iran’s Nuclear Bomb?

The Iran Nuclear Files

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.

New Iowa, New Hampshire Numbers

Did all that access McCain gave to local press on the Straight Talk Express last week pay off?

ARG has new poll numbers out today (methodology and trendlines in the links) from Iowa and New Hampshire that Dick Bennett, the group’s pollster, says reflect two things. First, including Fred Thompson in the mix, which Bennett did, takes support away from Rudy. Second, McCain’s hitting the trail in earnest last week in the two early states has helped him reclaim some Independents who had strayed.

In Iowa, ARG now has McCain and Rudy tied at 29%, with Thompson at 12% and Romney at 10%. 11% of likely caucus goers — a notoriously tough universe to sample — said they were undecided. McCain leads Giuliani 39%-30% among Independents in the Hawkeye State.

In New Hampshire, ARG has McCain at 23% to Rudy’s 19%. Romney gets 17%, Newt 11% and Thompson 10%. 15% of likely Granite State primary voters are undecided. Among Indepdenents there — the folks who powered the maverick to victory in the 2000 New Hampshire primary — McCain’s lead over Rudy grows to 33%-22%.

Lets look at the numbers:

A Fred Thompson candidacy does not bode well for Mayor Giuliani in New Hampshire or Iowa.

But, will Thompson run?

Perhaps – especially since he is polling well without even campaigning.

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The Rudy Giuliani Files

Design Review: Rudy Giuliani for President

The oddest thing about this homepage is the layout. For some reason the page is falling out of the right hand side. All content is within the internal boundary of the site except the action items and the store, which appear to be forced outside by bad coding, but (as noted above) is actually intended. This is such an odd presentation that I have to think it was pushed out the door just a bit before it was ready. Low marks for the Rudy2008 design at this point.

Yawn…..and the site is boring……..

Redo…..

Others think it is an improvement.

Flap’s answer – barely.

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The Rudy Giuliani Files