The two-year clinical performance of esthetic restorative materials in noncarious cervical lesions

BACKGROUND: Materials used in restoration of cervical lesions include resin-modified glass ionomer cements, polyacid-modified resin-based composites and resin-based composites. In this study, the authors evaluated the clinical performance of these materials over a two-year period. METHODS: Thirty patients were enrolled in this study. The authors placed in these patients 130 restorations, 24 of which were Vitremer (3M Dental Products, St. Paul, Minn.), 38 were F2000 Compomer (3M Dental Products), 46 were Dyract AP (Dentsply DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) and 22 were Valux Plus (3M Dental Products). Enamel margins were not beveled, and no mechanical retention was placed. Two independent, calibrated examiners evaluated the restorations baseline and at one and two years after placement using modified U.S. Public Health Service criteria. RESULTS: Retention rates at the end of two years were 100 percent for Vitremer, 67 percent for F2000 Compomer, 68 percent for Dyract AP and 70 percent for Valux Plus. The retention rate of Vitremer was significantly higher than that of the others (P < .05). In other categories, however, Valux Plus had the most favorable performance (P < .05). No secondary caries was detected around any restoration. CONCLUSION: Vitremer, with its high retention rate, seems to be the most appropriate material for restoration of noncarious cervical lesions, though it does not have the esthetic properties of resin-based composites. All materials used in this study were in need of improvements. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Resin-modified glass ionomer cement, polyacid-modified resin-based composite and resin-based composite behaved differently in the restoration of noncarious cervical lesions. Therefore, clinicians should take factors such as esthetic needs and localization into account in selecting materials for such restorations.     

Haemophilus aphrophilus brain abscess in the first decade

This report presents a case of brain abscess due to Haemophilus aphrophilus in a six-year old boy. He was admitted to our hospital suffering from left-sided weakness. The initial radiological diagnosis was an intracranial abscess. Purulent material was obtained by puncturing the subcortical lesion and the sample was cultured on conventional media. H. aphrophilus was isolated in pure culture, identified according to conventional methods and confirmed by Becton Dickinson Laboratory (BBL) crystal system. After surgical drainage and eight weeks of antibiotic therapy, the neurological findings improved. The presented case is an example of H. aphriphilus causing brain abscess in the first decade without cardiac predisposition and with good outcome.     

Effects of estradiol on cognition evaluated with p300 in in vitro fertilization patients

The authors planned to show the effect of high-level estrogen on cognitive functions, using P300 in the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) population. Eighteen IVF patients (mean age 31.39 +/- 5.01) without any detectable cognitive disorder were enrolled in this study. The authors measured N100, P200, N200, P300 latencies and amplitudes at Cz and Fz recordings during the lowest and highest blood estradiol levels. P300 amplitudes were significantly reduced during the highest level of estradiol compared to the lowest level both at Fz and Cz recordings. The other subcomponents of P300 were not significantly influenced by blood estradiol levels. The results revealed a decline in the ability of task relevance and state of arousal when the estradiol level was the highest in the IVF patients.     

Neovascularization of the Optic Disc in Behçet's Disease

Purpose

To investigate the mechanisms involved in the development of neovascularization of the optic disc (NVD) in Behçet's disease and to evaluate the effects of medical and laser treatments.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 26 consecutive Behçet's patients (38 eyes) with NVD who presented between 1990 and 2004 at our university hospital. Information on age at presentation, sex, disease duration, laterality of NVD, ocular findings, fluorescein angiographic findings, visual acuity, medical treatment, laser photocoagulation, surgical procedures, and the follow-up period was collected. Eyes with diffuse capillary leakage on fluorescein angiography were defined as having inflammation-induced NVD, and eyes with extensive retinal capillary nonperfusion were defined as having ischemia-induced NVD.

Results

Eighteen patients were male, and eight were female. Mean age at presentation was 25.4 ± 4.9 years. Median disease duration was 5.5 months. Median follow-up was 24 months. Twelve patients had bilateral NVD; 14 had unilateral NVD. Inflammation-induced NVD was seen in 87% of the eyes, and ischemia-induced NVD in 13%. Initial treatment with high-dose corticosteroids combined with conventional immunosuppressive agents was effective in 45% of the eyes with inflammation-induced NVD. Retinal laser photocoagulation was effective in three of five eyes with ischemia-induced NVD. Treatment with interferon α-2a resulted in resolution of NVD in all seven patients who received this agent for inflammation- or ischemia-induced persistent NVD. Final visual acuity was less than 0.1 in 24% of the eyes.

Conclusions

Inflammatory mechanisms seem to predominate in the pathogenesis of NVD in Behçet's disease. The results of this study suggest that the response to intensive anti-inflammatory and conventional immunosuppressive treatment is not satisfactory; retinal laser photocoagulation may be ineffective even in eyes with retinal ischemia, but interferon α-2a seems to be effective for the treatment of Behçet's patients with NVD.?Jpn J Ophthalmol 2006;50:256–265 © Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2006     

Plasma free carnitine levels in 0-12-month-old infants in relation to feeding styles

This study was planned to determine the blood carnitine levels of children aged 0-1 year in Kirikkale. Blood samples were taken on Guthrie cards and plasma free carnitine levels were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. The mean free carnitine level was 25.12 +/- 10.1 micromol/L (10.1-49.5 micromol/L). To assess the plasma free carnitine levels according to feeding style, babies were grouped as exclusively breastfed (n = 67, 49.3%), artificially fed (n = 24, 17.7%), and mixed fed (n = 45, 33%). The exclusively breastfed infants displayed the lowest free carnitine levels (p < 0.05). However, when this was analyzed in accordance with age, no significant change was observed in plasma free carnitine levels according to feeding style. Results of this study are important as they reveal an indication about the normal values of plasma free carnitine in Turkish infants and their relationship to feeding styles.     

Ondansetron does not block tramadol-induced analgesia in mice

Tramadol is a weak opioid agonist and an inhibitor of the reuptake of noradrenaline and serotonin. This study was undertaken to assess a possible pharmacological interaction of ondansetron, a serotonin-3 (5-hydroxytryptamine-3, 5-HT3) antagonist, and tramadol in an animal model for acute pain. Sixty-three male albino mice were randomly given saline, tramadol (10, 20, and 40 mg kg(-1)), ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)), or ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) and tramadol (20 mg kg(-1), given 10 min after ondansetron injection) intraperitoneally. Each mouse was assessed twice for tail-flick latency before saline or drug administration and 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min thereafter. Tramadol (10 mg kg(-1)) had no effect on pain threshold levels of mice, but tramadol doses of 20 or 40 mg kg(-1) increased pain threshold levels in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01 for 20 mg kg(-1) and p < 0.001 for 40 mg kg(-1)). Ondansetron doses of 1, 2, or 4 mg kg(-1) alone had no effect on pain threshold levels of mice. Tramadol (20 mg kg(-1)) and ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) increased pain threshold levels at all doses (p < 0.001 for 1 and 2 mg kg(-1) ondansetron and p < 0.01 for 4 mg kg(-1) ondansetron). The pain threshold levels of mice given tramadol (20 mg kg(-1)) alone or tramadol and ondansetron (p > 0.05 for 1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) were similar. Our results indicate that ondansetron-a 5-HT3 selective antagonist-does not decrease the analgesic effectiveness of tramadol in mice, which may be the result of different mechanisms involving 5-HT3 receptors.