Dental caries and chemical warfare within the mouth

To date, it appears that the dentists' war against dental caries has no end in sight due to the fact that dentists lack any genuine offensive firepower. Make no mistake, the defense has drastically improved as dentists have shifted the focus more toward the preventive aspects of dental care. But defense by itself cannot defeat the enemy; at best, it can maintain the status quo. In order to defeat the enemy, one must study and understand the enemy, to know its strengths and weaknesses, and to strike at those points of vulnerability. The aim of this research is to identify and characterize genes that are responsible for observed virulence factors in Streptococcus mutans, which is the primary pathogen involved in the development of dental caries. Once there is a more defined understanding of the many virulence factors of S. mutans, there will be a much more valuable insight into its role in the ecology of the oral cavity. Eventually, this knowledge could enable dentists to convert the bacterial "weaponry" into its own arsenal, which could then be innovatively employed as preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic agents to treat oral bacterial-related diseases.     

Comparison of cephalometric analysis using a non-radiographic sonic digitizer (DigiGraph Workstation) with conventional radiography

Cephalometric analysis conventionally requires radiographic exposure which may not be compatible with the growing concern over radiation hazards. Recently, the Dolphin Workstation Imaging System introduced to the dental profession a non-radiographic system, called the DigiGraph Workstation which may be an alternative to cephalometric radiography. The aims of this study were to compare the validity and reproducibility of cephalometric measurements obtained from the DigiGraph Workstation with conventional cephalometric radiographs. The sample consisted of 30 human dry skulls. Two replicated sets of lateral cephalograms were obtained with steel ball markers placed at the majority of the cephalometric landmarks. Duplicate tracings prepared from each radiograph were digitized to obtain cephalometric measurements using the computer software, Dentofacial Planner. For the DigiGraph Workstation, double sonic digitizations were repeated twice for each skull, on two occasions. Fifteen angular and one linear measurements were obtained from both methods and these findings compared using ANOVA, paired t-tests and F-tests. All, except one, cephalometric measurement showed significant differences between the two methods (P < 0.0001). The DigiGraph Workstation consistently produced higher values in 11 measurements (mean differences +0.5 to +15.7 degrees or mm) and lower values in four measurements (mean differences -0.2 to -3.5 degrees). The standard deviations of the differences between readings of both methods were large (0.4-5.8 degrees or mm). The reproducibility of the DigiGraph Workstation measurements was lower than that of the radiographic measurements. The method error of the DigiGraph Workstation ranged from 7 to 70 per cent, while that of radiographic tracings was less than 2 per cent. It was concluded that measurements obtained with the DigiGraph Workstation should be interpreted with caution.     

Antifungal susceptibility of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis> biofilms on titanium discs with different surface roughness

Although it is well known that fungal biofilms have increased resistance to antimicrobial agents, limited information is available on the formation of candidal biofilms on implant surfaces with different surface roughness and their resistance to conventional antifungal therapy. In the current study, the effect of increasing the surface roughness of titanium discs on the susceptibility of Candida albicans biofilms to amphotericin B was determined. Grade I commercially pure titanium discs were sandblasted with 99.6% aluminium oxide of different grit sizes, producing surface roughness of 0.90, 1.88 and 3.82 μm (Groups A, B and C), respectively (P < 0.001). The antifungal susceptibility of C. albicans biofilm grown on different Ti discs was determined using XTT assay. The 50% reduction in metabolic activity (50% RMA) of planktonic C. albicans (0.5 μg/mL) was much lower than those from Groups A, B and C (2, 16, 2 μg/mL, respectively), while the 50% RMA from Group B was three-fold higher than those from Groups A and C. In conclusion, difference in titanium surface roughness was associated with variations in the antifungal resistance of the candidal biofilm. Group C appeared to have an optimum surface roughness for biofilm resistance.     

MAPK signaling has stage-dependent osteogenic effects on human adipose-derived stem cells in vitro

Overview: The use of pro-osteogenic growth factors, such as BMP2, in human adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) osteogenesis is well described. Because these growth factors work via signal transduction pathways, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, a study of the relationship between MAPK signaling and ASC osteogenesis was conducted. Materials and Methods: ERK, JNK, and p38MAPK activation were measured in ASCs osteo-induced using either dexamethasone or vitamin D3 and correlated with mineralization. Activation and mineralization were also measured without dexamethasone or using the glucocorticoid, cortisone. The expression of the MAPK phosphatase, MKP1, and its relationship to mineralization was also assessed. The effect of decreasing MAPK activation on mineralization through the use of exogenous inhibitors was examined along with siRNA-knockdown and adenoviral overexpression of ERK1/2. Finally, the effect of ERK1/2 overexpression on ASCs induced on PLGA scaffolds was assessed. Results: ASC mineralization in dexamethasone or vitamin D3-induced ASCs correlated with both increased ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 activation. ASCs induced without dexamethasone also mineralized, with JNK1/2 signaling possibly mediating this event. No link between cortisone induction and MAPK signaling could be ascertained. ASCs treated with ERK, JNK, or p38MAPK inhibitors showed decreased osteogenic gene expression and diminished mineralization. Mineralization levels were also affected by viruses designed to inhibit or augment ERK1/2 expression and activity. Finally, ASC mineralization appeared to be a balance between the MAPK kinase activity and MKP1. Conclusions: It is likely that MAPK signaling plays a significant role in ASC osteogenesis, affecting differentiation in kinase- and stage-specific manners.     

紫杉醇药物涂层支架植入术后患者外周血单核细胞中热休克蛋白70的变化：生物材料临床应用近期效果随访

目的:植入材料、靶血管病变特征、术前状态、炎症因子及急性期蛋白均对急性冠状动脉综合征接受支架材料介入治疗后的效果有影响,为验证紫杉醇涂层支架临床应用后材料及宿主的相关反应,实验观察了接受紫杉醇涂层支架介入治疗的急性冠状动脉综合征患者的外周血热休克蛋白70水平变化,并分析其临床意义。方法:①连续性入选2004-12/2006-03在江苏大学附属人民医院行经皮冠状动脉介入治疗的78例急性冠状动脉综合征患者,全部病例均置入紫杉醇药物涂层支架。采用流式细胞仪测定症状发作平均(34.1±16.2)h的外周血单核细胞热休克蛋白70阳性表达水平。②所有患者随访至术后6个月,出现心源性死亡、再次心肌梗死、再发心绞痛、再次血运重建术和继发心衰等主要心脏不良事件者为近期预后不良组,无上述情况者判定为近期预后良好组,用logistic多元回归法分析术前状态、靶血管病变特征、植入支架的各项参数及外周血热休克蛋白70水平与主要心脏不良事件发生率的关系,并以同期健康体检者20例为正常对照组。结果:68例患者完成随访进入结果分析。①外周血热休克蛋白70水平:急性心肌梗死患者和不稳定型心绞痛患者比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),但均显著高于正常对照组(P<0.05)。②在多变量的logistic回归分析中,外周血热休克蛋白70独立于其危险因素,能预测急性冠状动脉综合征患者经皮冠状动脉介入治疗后近期主要心脏不良事件发生率(OR值为0.904,P<0.05)。结论:回归分析结果提示,应用紫杉醇涂层支架临床治疗近期效果评估中,外周血热休克蛋白70水平高的急性冠状动脉综合征患者近期心脏事件发生率较高,说明外周血热休克蛋白70可能成为判断紫杉醇涂层支架介入治疗后不良事件发生率的独立因素之一。     

Lyme disease—another transfusion risk?

Lyme disease (or Lyme borreliosis) is caused by a spirochetal bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. Increased recognition of the disease and increased exposure to the vector (ticks) capable of spreading B. burgdorferi from animal hosts have resulted in a rise in the number of cases of Lyme borreliosis reported in the United States. There are three stages of the clinical course of Lyme borreliosis; however, not all those infected will have typical manifestations of each stage, such as the arthritis of the third stage. Routine blood cultures will rarely document bacteremia and serologic testing is not yet reliable. Early treatment can prevent later stages of Lyme borreliosis. There is evidence that transmission of B. burgdorferi by blood transfusion is possible, but, to date, there has been no documentation of transfusion- associated Lyme borreliosis. Thus, no new recommendations for screening donors to identify possible carriers of B. burgdorferi are suggested at this time.