Removable partial denture design using milled abutment surfaces and minimal soft tissue coverage for periodontally compromised teeth: a clinical report

This clinical report describes the treatment of a partially edentulous patient with periodontally compromised teeth using a combination of single crowns and a removable partial denture (RPD). The RPD was designed to combine the benefits of milled surfaces and hygienic principles while allowing modification and addition of artificial teeth, should natural teeth be lost.     

Prevalence and sequence diversity of a factor required for actin-based motility in natural populations of Burkholderia species

Actin-based motility of the melioidosis pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei requires BimA. We report a high degree of conservation of bimA in 99 B. pseudomallei isolates from the area of endemicity. A geographically restricted subset of B. pseudomallei isolates harbored a B. mallei-like bimA allele (12.1%), confounding a differential diagnostic test based on amplification of species-specific bimA regions.     

Effects of acute arginine loading on renal and systemic hemodynamics in dogs.

Effects of L-arginine (ARG) infusion on renal and systemic hemodynamics were studied in 12 anesthetized dogs. The experiment was performed in two groups of dogs. The dogs of group 1 (n = 6) received intravenous ARG at 2.5 mmol/kg followed by indomethacin (IND) injection (10 mg/kg) and were rechallenged with ARG at the same amount. The dogs of group 2 (n = 6) received intravenous ARG at 5 mmol/kg followed by IND injection (10 mg/kg) and were later infused with ARG at the same dose. In group 1, the first ARG infusion caused no significant changes in renal and systemic hemodynamics. During the second ARG infusion, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) were significantly increased when compared with the IND-treated period. In group 2, the first ARG infusion increased cardiac output (CO) and decreased total peripheral resistance (TPR) without significant changes in GFR and RPF. The second ARG infusion induced acute rise of both GFR and RPF approximately twofold, compared with the IND-treated period. CO was also increased significantly. Plasma glucagon levels determined in 2 dogs showed an increase following both ARG infusions. These results indicate that an acute ARG loading induces renal and systemic vasodilatation in a dose-dependent manner despite IND effect, and would indicate that increased renal hemodynamics are not prostaglandin-mediated.     

Renal function following sea snake venom (Lapemis hardwicki) administration in dogs treated with sodium bicarbonate solution

The effects of sea snake venom (SSV) on renal function were studied in two groups of anesthetized experimental dogs pretreated with intravenous infusion of 4.2 gm% NaHCO3 solution. Animals were envenomated by intramuscular injection of SSV at a dosage of 0.34 mg/kg. Systemic hemodynamics showed no significant changes except for a tendency of decrease in cardiac output (CO). The glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the rate of urine flow (V) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), and effective renal blood flow (ERBF) significantly decreased, while filtration fraction (FF) significantly increased at 180 min after envenomation. Envenomated animals showed a reduction in renal fraction (RF), while renal vascular resistance (RVR) increased stepwise throughout the experimental periods. Animals pretreated with sodium bicarbonate showed no significant changes of CO, TPR MAP, HR, and packed cell volume (PCV) while receiving sea snake venom. Animals pretreated with sodium bicarbonate showed no changes in GFR, ERPF, ERBF, RF, and RVR after envenomation. The rate of urine flow markedly increased in envenomated animals which received pretreatment with bicarbonate. After envenomation alone, there were no differences in the plasma concentration of sodium (PNa) and chloride (PCl) as compared to the control value, whereas the plasma concentration of potassium (PK) increased at 180 min after envenomation. Animals pre-treated with bicarbonate showed a stepwise increase in both UNaV, FE(NA), U(Cl)V, and FE(Cl) accompanying SSV injection. Neither PNa nor PCl were affected, while PK significantly decreased in animals given SSV with bicarbonate loading. UKV and FEK increased stepwise in envenomated animals treated with bicarbonate throughout the period of study. All groups of animals given SSV, with or without NaHCO3 infusion, showed a marked elevation of the concentration of urinary myoglobin (U(Mb)), plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK) throughout experimental periods. The urinary myoglobin excretion markedly increased in animals after SSV injection accompanied by NaHCO3 infusion. It can be concluded that large amounts of myoglobin present in the renal tubules in envenomated animals can precipitate, particularly under acidic conditions, resulting in increased intratubular pressure and subsequently decreased renal hemodynamics including GFR and ERBF. An infusion of NaHCO3 to render urine more alkaline could have a protective role against depression of renal function following sea snake venom administration.     

Comparative studies on hematological and plasma biochemical parameters in different types of venomous snakes in Thailand

Reference values were established for some plasma biochemical and hematological profiles of venomous snakes in Thailand. The studies were performed on three groups of adult, captive born elapids, including 20 Siamese cobra, Naja kaouthia; 20 king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah; and 9 Malayan krait, Bungarus candidus. The study parameters included complete blood count, plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma creatinine, uric acid, total protein, and sodium, potassium, and chloride ions. The results obtained were compared among groups of snakes. Comparative studies among groups showed statistical significant differences of some parameters among species including heterophils, eosinophils, basophils, AST, ALP, creatinine, and potassium and chloride ion levels. The differences of these parameters indicate the necessity of establishing referential data for hematological and biochemical parameters in venomous snakes. The results obtained will be useful in routine diagnostics as the hematological and metabolic profiles of venomous snakes.