The effect of etching on bacterial microleakage of an adhesive composite restoration.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of bacterial microleakage, pulp inflammation and necrosis associated with dentine etching treatments prior to restoration are not known. Consequently, to resolve some of the controversy surrounding the effects and importance of vital dentine etching, the authors investigated these factors. METHODS: 110 standardised class V cavities were cut into buccal dentine, without exposing the pulp of teeth scheduled for extraction for orthodontic reasons. Cavities were either left unetched, or etched with the non-equivalent treatments of phosphoric acid gel for 60s or Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for 30s, prior to placement of composite resin. Teeth were collected and pulp responses were evaluated according to ISO guidelines, using pathohistomorphometric analysis and ANOVA statistics. RESULTS: Etching was found to be correlated to bacterial microleakage (p=0.0001) and tertiary dentine formation (p=0.0023). Bacterial microleakage was correlated to inflammatory activity (p=0.0001). The frequency of bacterial microleakage was: no etching (65%), EDTA (51%) and phosphoric acid (PA) (20%). SIGNIFICANCE: Vital dentine etching treatment is of extreme importance for the placement of RC to minimise bacterial microleakage. PA etching proved to be more effective at preventing bacterial microleakage than non-etching, and etching with EDTA.     

Antiseptic Compounds Still Active Against Bacterial Strains Isolated from Surgical Wound Infections Despite Increasing Antibiotic Resistance

The in vitro activities of povidone iodine, potassium peroxymonosulfate, and dimethyldidecylammonium chloride were investigated against 379 nosocomial isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa responsible for surgical wound infections in patients operated on between July 1995 and June 2001. Overall, the isolates were inhibited by the antiseptics at concentrations below those used routinely. In spite of increasing resistance to the various antibiotics used to treat surgical wound infections, no significant variation in the susceptibility to antiseptics was demonstrated during this 6-year study. Electronic Publication     

Sensitization to horse hair, symptoms and lung function in grooms

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the rate of occupational sensitization to horse hair in grooms and whether occupational exposure to horse hair increases respiratory and allergic symptoms and affects lung function in grooms or not. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Two hundred grooms were randomly selected among 1000 grooms working in Veliefendi Hippodrome of Istanbul. One hundred and twenty-five subjects agreed to enter the study. Ninety-two workers who worked in the different parts of this hippodrome enrolled as the control group. A detailed questionnaire including respiratory and allergic symptoms was filled in, physical examination, skin prick tests and pulmonary function tests were performed. RESULTS: Sensitization to horse hair was 12.8% in grooms and 4.3% in controls. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0035). Asthma was found in 14.4% of the grooms and 5.4% of the controls, allergic rhinitis in 42.4% of the grooms and 18.4% of the controls, allergic conjunctivitis in 35.2% of the grooms and 15.2% of the controls, and allergic skin diseases in 32.8% of the grooms and 13% of the controls. The differences were statistically significant (P = 0.043, P = 0.0002, P = 0.001 and P = 0.0008, respectively). The means of FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FVC parameters were significantly lower in the groom group (P = 0.006, P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, being in the groom group and working years were found to be predictive factors for impairments of lung function (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Occupational exposure to horse increases the sensitization to horse hair, induces asthma and allergic symptoms and also impairs lung functions.     

HLA-DR typing in identical twins with insulin-dependent diabetes: difference between concordant and discordant pairs

A total of 106 pairs of identical twins, of whom 56 were concordant and 50 discordant for insulin-dependent diabetes, were typed for HLA-DR. In both the concordant and discordant groups there was a high prevalence of the antigens DR3 and DR4, a low prevalence of DR5 and DR7, and a virtual absence of DR2. The heterozygous phenotype DR3,DR4 was more prevalent in concordant than discordant pairs. This was therefore the first demonstration of a genetic difference between concordant and discordant identical twin pairs. These findings suggest that possession of both DR3 and DR4 antigens confers a greater genetic predisposition to insulin-dependent diabetes than does the possession of either antigen alone.     

The contribution of reoxygenation to ischemic brain damage

This study examined the hypothesis that the level of postischemic reperfusion affects the severity of the resulting neuronal necrosis. In rats, tissue PO2% was monitored as an index of flow (reoxygenation) at four cortical sites by chronically implanted platinum electrodes. Twenty minutes of total global cerebral ischemia was followed by 30 min of reoxygenation. The level of reoxygenation was controlled to maintain the PO2 nearly constant at one or more of the cortical electrodes. Tissue from within 400 microns of each of 19 electrode sites among seven rats was evaluated histologically. There was a positive correlation between reoxygenation level and severity of neuronal damage. Perineuronal lucent halo formation, probably representing astrocyte foot process swelling, was negatively correlated with reoxygenation level. This study demonstrates that ischemic neuronal damage was aggravated by increased reoxygenation but that perineuronal swelling, as evidenced by halo formation, was somewhat ameliorated.     

Buprenorphine responders: a diagnostic subgroup of heroin addicts?

1. A 26-32 month follow-up of 16 heroin-dependent subjects who entered a pilot trial of treatment with buprenorphine (a mixed agonist/antagonist) suggests that positive response to treatment may identify a subgroup of untreated addicts whose levels of psychosocial functioning are intermediate between those for whom methadone (a pure agonist) or naltrexone (a pure antagonist) would be indicated. 2. Buprenorphine's pharmacologic profile provides a missing link in available modalities for opiate dependence treatment, making it acceptable for many addicts who will not accept methadone maintenance treatment, join a residential therapeutic community, or be successful on naltrexone treatment. 3. Eight of the 16 ss were abstinent from heroin while receiving 0.6-3.9 mg/day buprenorphine and counseling. Responders (mean age 34 yrs) had been heroin dependent for a mean of 9.5 years (range 6-17 yrs), all were self-supporting, 4 lived with a non-addicted spouse, 5 had no prior treatment for addiction and 3 had prior naltrexone treatment, but had discontinued it and relapsed. Non-responders (mean age 30 yrs) had been heroin dependent for a mean of 7.4 yrs (range 2-19 yrs), 7 had no regular employment, all were single and 7 had no prior treatment for addiction. 4. Levels of psychosocial functioning (work, home, leisure) and global assessments of functioning were significantly higher for buprenorphine responders than non-responders (p less than .001 and p less than .01 respectively). 5. A new formulation of buprenorphine needs to be developed for addiction treatment, ideally consisting of 0.5 mg and 2.0 mg sublingual tablets.     

Antibacterial activities of the leaf extracts of Eugenia uniflora Linn. (Synonym Stenocalyx michelli Linn.) Myrtaceae

The aqueous, organic, and volatile oil extracts of leaves of Eugenia uniflora Linn. Family Myrtaceae were investigated for antibacterial properties using agar dilution techniques. The aqueous extract was the most active against the organisms compared to the organic and volatile oil extracts. The extracts were found to inhibit Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and Gram negative Escherichia coli and Shigella dysentcriae. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniac, and Salmonella typhi were not inhibited.     

Sodium reabsorption by the Henle loop in humans

In a previous study, we described a new method [3] to measure Na reabsorption by each segment of the human nephron independently. Reabsorption was expressed as equivalent volumes of solute-free water (CH2O) generated by the loop of Henle (CH2O-HL) and by the distal tubule (CH2O-DT), and dissipated by back diffusion (BD) across collecting ducts (CH2O-BD). These data were obtained during maximal water diuresis (MWD). The present study was undertaken to calculate CH2O-HL by experiments performed during maximal antidiuresis (MA). For this purpose, a new theoretical approach was devised, described by algebraic equations which allowed calculations of segmental transport during MA alone, where only CH2O-HL could be calculated independently. The study was performed on 14 normal volunteers who were studied twice by clearance measurements, firstly during MWD and again during MA. In each experiment, clearance periods were performed during baseline conditions and during the administration of furosemide (0.7 mg/kg bolus injection followed by 0.06 mg/kg/min maintenance infusion). From the values measured during either condition, segmental reabsorption was calculated. During MWD, CH2O-HL averaged 19.4 + 10.4, during MA 20.4 + 8.0 ml/min/GFR X 100; p greater than 0.05. The paired measurements were significantly correlated (r = 0.80; p less than 0.01). These data demonstrate that CH2O-HL obtained with the original theory is a reproducible result that can be confirmed with independent measurements obtained during different experimental conditions. Thus, measurements of segmental Na transport in the human nephron are feasible and can contribute important informations on disease states.