Clinical and microbiological effect of calcium hydroxide protection in indirect pulp capping in primary teeth

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinically and microbiologically the effect of calcium hydroxide (CH) on carious dentin on primary teeth submitted to indirect pulp capping (IPC). METHODS: Twenty 4-7 year-old subjects with 42 treated teeth participated in the study. The treatment consisted of incomplete excavation of the demineralized dentin, application of a CH or gutta-percha (GP) layer and sealing with a resin-based composite for 4-7 months. After cavity preparation and sealing, the dentin was evaluated clinically (color and consistency) and microbiologically. Dentin samples were cultured on blood agar under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, in Mitis Salivarius agar and Rogosa SL agar. RESULTS: 39 teeth (20 in the CH Group and 19 in the GP Group) were reopened 4-7 months post-treatment for clinical and microbiological evaluation. In all teeth, the initial demineralized dentin was wet and soft or leathery. In the CH Group, 10% of the lesions were yellow, 80% light brown and 10% dark brown and in the GP Group, 94.7% were light brown and 5.3% dark brown. After treatment, the dentin was dry, 90% (Group CH) and 84.2% (Group GP) were dark brown. The final consistency was either leathery or hard. Three samples in the CH Group and five in Group GP changed from soft to leathery; only one sample (GP) remained leathery. 85% in the CH Group and 68.4% in GP Group turned hard after treatment. All bacterial counts decreased significantly by the end of treatment. In the CH Group, the bacterial (Log10 CFU + 1) anaerobic growth decreased from 4.84 +/- 1.31 to 1.35 +/- 1.54, aerobic from 4.09 +/- 1.04 to 0.92 +/- 1.30 and lactobacilli from 3.24 +/- 1.22 to 0.36 +/- 0.89, respectively; the mutans streptococci from 2.05 +/- 1.84 to 0.14 +/- 0.60. In GP Group, anaerobic growth decreased from 5.22 +/- 0.96 to 2.02 +/- 1.65 and aerobic from 4.23 +/- 1.37 to 1.08 +/- 1.29 and lactobacilli from 2.06 +/- 1.81 to 0.00 +/- 0.00, respectively; the mutans streptococci from 3.16 +/- 1.59 to 0.28 +/- 0.84.     

Mechanisms of dyslipoproteinemias in systemic lupus erythematosus

Autoimmunity and inflammation are associated with marked changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in SLE. Autoantibodies and cytokines are able to modulate lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, a key enzyme in lipid metabolism, with a consequent "lupus pattern" of dyslipoproteinemia characterized by elevated levels of very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) and triglycerides (TG) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels. This pattern favors an enhanced LDL oxidation with a subsequent deleterious foam cell formation. Autoantibodies and immunocomplexes may aggravate this oxidative injury by inducing accumulation and deposition of oxLDL in endothelial cells. Drugs and associated diseases usually magnify the close interaction of these factors and further promote the proatherogenic environment of this disease.     

Early diagnosis of asthma in young children by using non-invasive biomarkers of airway inflammation and early lung function measurements: study protocol of a case-control study

Background  

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood, characterized by chronic airway inflammation. There are problems with the diagnosis of asthma in young children since the majority of the children with recurrent asthma-like symptoms is symptom free at 6 years, and does not have asthma. With the conventional diagnostic tools it is not possible to differentiate between preschool children with transient symptoms and children with asthma. The analysis of biomarkers of airway inflammation in exhaled breath is a non-invasive and promising technique to diagnose asthma and monitor inflammation in young children. Moreover, relatively new lung function tests (airway resistance using the interrupter technique) have become available for young children. The primary objective of the ADEM study (Asthma DEtection and Monitoring study), is to develop a non-invasive instrument for an early asthma diagnosis in young children, using exhaled inflammatory markers and early lung function measurements. In addition, aetiological factors, including gene polymorphisms and gene expression profiles, in relation to the development of asthma are studied.     

Analysis of fungal contamination and disinfection of toothbrushes

The aim of this study is to determine the fungal species in the toothbrushes of residents of a neighborhood on the east side of Teresina - PI, and to assess the efficiency of a disinfection method based on 2% sodium hypochlorite. Fifty toothbrushes were divided into two groups: group A comprised 30 toothbrushes used by the residents and group B (control group) 20 new toothbrushes. Fungal evaluation was conducted in Sabouraud culture medium containing chloramphenicol and CHROMagar Candida. Later group A was divided into two subgroups (A1 and A2), which were submitted to disinfection by immersion in 2% sodium hypochlorite and once again screened for the presence of fungi. Seventeen fungal species were identified in group A before the disinfection. Fungal growth was not observed in subgroups A1 and A2, or group B after disinfection. All fungal species isolated from the toothbrushes were considered opportunistic and may cause health problems mainly in immunocompromised patients. The species most frequently found were: Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cladosporium oxysporum. Fungal growth did not occur after toothbrush disinfection with 2% sodium hypochlorite, suggesting this is an efficient, low-cost method that can therefore be used by low income populations.     

Posttraumatic stress disorder, cognitive function and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia

The purpose of the present study was to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cognitive function, and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia who had a self-reported history of trauma exposure. Outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were referred to the study. Each patient was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), a cognitive assessment battery, Heinrich's Quality of Life Scale (QLS), and the Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS). Eighty-seven subjects who reported experiencing at least one traumatic event were included in the study. Fifteen of 87 (17%) met the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. The PTSD group had significantly worse overall cognitive performance than the non-PTSD group, especially in the domains of attention, working memory and executive function. In addition, the PTSD group showed significantly worse self-rated quality of life as measured by the BASIS total score. The development of PTSD is associated with poor cognitive function and subjectively, but not objectively, rated low quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Evaluating PTSD in patients with schizophrenia could have important implications from both clinical and research perspectives.     

中国与澳大利亚老年冠心病患者左冠状动脉病变特点的对比研究

目的探讨中国南京和澳大利亚悉尼地区的老年冠心病患者左冠状动脉病变是否存在种族和性别差异。方法经冠状动脉造影确诊的冠心病患者,年龄≥60岁,中国南京地区黄种人入选1442例(男性72.0%)为中国组,澳大利亚悉尼当地白种人同期入选1309例(男性65.6%)为澳大利亚组。从左冠状动脉病变率和Gensini积分,左前降支(LAD)和左回旋支(LCX)各段及主要分支病变率及狭窄程度进行比较。结果2组男性患者左冠状动脉病变率显著高于同组女性(P<0.05),但2组患者左冠状动脉的Gensini积分无显著的性别差异(P>0.05)。中国组LAD和LCX近中段的病变率以及LAD和LCX各段及分支(除LCX远段外)的狭窄程度均显著高于澳大利亚组(P<0.001)。结论中国组与澳大利亚组在冠心病危险因素、左冠状动脉病变的分布、狭窄程度和Gensini积分方面存在种族差异。中国组较澳大利亚组具有更严重的左冠状动脉病变,而且没有明显的性别差异。