Effects of non-thermal atmospheric plasma treatment on dentin wetting and surface free energy for application of universal adhesives

Objectives

The study aims to evaluate the effects of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) treatments on dentin wetting and surface free energy (SFE) and compare the effects of NTAP treatment, etch-and-rinse, and self-etch protocols for application of universal adhesives.

Materials and methods

Mid-coronal dentin of intact third molars was used to measure contact angles of distilled water, ethylene-glycol, and diiodomethane and calculate SFE following different NTAP preset treatments (feeding gas consisting of pure He, He + 1% O₂, He + 1.5% O₂), power input (1 or 3 W), and tip-to-surface distance (2, 4, or 8 mm). Contact angles of reference liquids and SFE of dentin following He + 1.5% O₂ at 3-W and 4-mm treatment was compared to phosphoric acid etching. Contact angles of Single Bond Universal (SBU; 3M ESPE) and Clearfil Universal Bond (CUB; Kuraray Noritake) were measured following NTAP, etch-and-rinse, and self-etch protocols.

Results

NTAP significantly reduced contact angles of reference liquids and increased dentin SFE compared to untreated dentin (p < 0.05). O₂ intensified the effect of He NTAP (p < 0.05). NTAP and phosphoric acid increased dentin polarity and Lewis base surface characteristics. Phosphoric acid increased contact angles of adhesives compared to the self-etch protocol (p < 0.05). NTAP resulted in lower adhesive contact angles than phosphoric acid, the difference being statistically significant for CUB (p < 0.05). Compared to the self-etch protocol, NTAP slightly reduced CUB contact angle but not that of SBU (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

He NTAP with and without O₂ increased dentin wetting and SFE, surpassing the effect of phosphoric acid and lowering adhesive contact angles. NTAP produced no apparent micro-morphological changes on dentin surface comparable to acid etching.

Clinical significance

NTAP treatment of dentin prior to adhesive application increases dentin wetting and surface free energy facilitating better adhesive distribution on dentin surface compared to phosphoric acid etching and similar to the “self-etch” application protocol.

     

Cancer by negative heterosis: breast and ovarian cancer excess in hybrids of inbred ethnic groups

Breast and ovarian cancer rates in Pakistan are significantly higher than in neighboring countries. The cancer rate discrepancies cannot be explained with discrepancies of their risk factors. We propose that observed cancer excess in Pakistan is due to cancer development by negative heterosis. Heterosis occurs when a hybrid has a phenotypic characteristic significantly different from that in either parent (hybrid vigor). At a molecular level, heterosis occurs in a heterozygote when one of the two alleles is inactivated. Gene inactivation occurs by methylation of cytosine in a promoter region of a gene. Initiation of allele inactivation is linked to the factors like stress, gender, diet, or another gene. In heterozygote, inactivation of one of the two tumor-suppressor alleles leads to monoallelic expression. This increases cancer risk in the same way the risk is increased in individual who inherit a single mutated tumor-suppressor gene (hereditary cancer syndrome). In both, cancer by heterosis and inherited cancer syndrome, cancer develops after inactivation of a second allele (second hit hypothesis). In a population, conditions that favor development of cancer by heterosis are those that favor mating of a large number of different homozygotes because they produce a large number of different heterozygotes. Among a large number of heterozygotes, there is an increased chance that some of hybrids will develop cancer by heterosis. In Pakistan, conditions were favorable for cancer development by heterosis because country has a high number of different ethnic groups and brotherhoods all of which have a higher rate of homozygosity due to a high frequency of consanguineous marriages, and marriages between members of different groups occurred because of intense population mixing. Result was birth of a large number of inter-ethnic/brotherhood hybrids (heterozygotes), some of which have developed cancer by heterosis.     

Cross-Sectional Associations between Mothers and Children’s Breakfast Routine—The Feel4Diabetes-Study

Positive influences of family members have been associated with a high probability of children’s daily breakfast consumption. Therefore, the aim of this study was to scrutinize the association of breakfast routines between mothers and their children. The baseline data of the Feel4Diabetes-study was obtained in 9760 children (49.05% boys)–mother pairs in six European countries. A parental self-reported questionnaire gauging the frequency of breakfast consumption and of breakfast´ foods and beverages consumption was used. Agreement in routines of mothers and their children’s breakfast consumption was analyzed in sex-specific crosstabs. The relationship of breakfast routine and food groups’ consumption between mothers and their children was assessed with analysis of covariance. The highest proportion of children who always consumed breakfast were those whose mothers always consumed it. Children consuming breakfast regularly had a higher intake of milk or unsweetened dairy products and all kind of cereal products (low fiber and whole-grain) than occasional breakfast consumers (p < 0.05). The strong similarity between mothers and children suggests a transfer of breakfast routine from mothers to their children, as a high proportion of children who usually consume breakfast were from mothers also consuming breakfast. All breakfast foods and beverages consumption frequencies were similar between children and their mothers.     

Treatment after inadequate immediate replantation of accidentally extracted immature mandibular premolar during primary molar extraction

During extraction of the primary mandibular right second molar in an 11‐year‐old girl, the unerupted second premolar was accidentally extracted. Clinical and radiographic examination showed that the immediately replanted immature premolar was not oriented and positioned correctly. Four hours later, treatment consisted of manual extrusion of the permanent tooth bud, rotation, and gentle repositioning into its original position. Adequate replantation was confirmed by a post‐operative radiograph. After 2 years and 4 months, clinical examination revealed normal, healthy appearance of the replanted tooth, no sensitivity to percussion, no tenderness to palpation, and a slight response to a cold pulp sensibility test. A radiograph showed completely developed root with closed apical foramen, slightly irregular root morphology and shorter root length, complete obliteration of the pulp, and no signs of periapical pathosis.     

Detection of Leishmania donovani and L. tropica in Ethiopian wild rodents

Human visceral (VL, also known as Kala-azar) and cutaneous (CL) leishmaniasis are important infectious diseases affecting countries in East Africa that remain endemic in several regions of Ethiopia. The transmission and epidemiology of the disease is complicated due to the complex life cycle of the parasites and the involvement of various Leishmania spp., sand fly vectors, and reservoir animals besides human hosts. Particularly in East Africa, the role of animals as reservoirs for human VL remains unclear. Isolation of Leishmania donovani parasites from naturally infected rodents has been reported in several endemic countries; however, the status of rodents as reservoirs in Ethiopia remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated natural Leishmania infections in rodents. Animals were trapped in 41 localities of endemic and non-endemic areas in eight geographical regions of Ethiopia and DNA was isolated from spleens of 586 rodents belonging to 21 genera and 38 species. Leishmania infection was evaluated by real-time PCR of kinetoplast (k)DNA and confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. Subsequently, parasite species identification was confirmed by PCR and DNA sequencing of the 18S ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) gene. Out of fifty (8.2%) rodent specimens positive for Leishmania kDNA-PCR and sequencing, 10 were subsequently identified by sequencing of the ITS1 showing that five belonged to the L. donovani complex and five to L. tropica. Forty nine kDNA-positive rodents were found in the endemic localities of southern and eastern Ethiopia while only one was identified from northwestern Ethiopia. Moreover, all the ten ITS1-positive rodents were captured in areas where human leishmaniasis cases have been reported and potential sand fly vectors occur. Our findings suggest the eco-epidemiological importance of rodents in these foci of leishmaniasis and indicate that rodents are likely to play a role in the transmission of leishmaniasis in Ethiopia, possibly as reservoir hosts.     

Urinary protein patterns in patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy

Purpose

Urinary excretion of beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), albumin, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and protein was examined in patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), glomerulonephritis (GN) and healthy controls.

Methods

The proteins were measured in morning urine samples from 74 patients with BEN, 50 healthy persons and 22 patients with GN.

Results

In BEN patients, median values for albumin, beta2-MG and protein were above upper normal limits, but median IgG was inside normal range. All patients with GN had microalbuminuria (MAU) and half of them had increased urinary beta2-MG, which was also found in eleven patients with increased urinary IgG. In BEN patients, there were significant negative correlations between eGFR and all measured urinary proteins, the composition of which changed during the course of BEN. In patients with eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m² isolated beta2-MG was the most frequent finding (10/12 patients), but MAU was present in 4/12 patients. In BEN patients with eGFR between 30 and 59 ml/min/1.73 m², beta2-MG appeared as often as the combination of beta2-MG and albumin and isolated MAU. Out of 49 BEN patients with eGFR > 30 ml/min/1.73 m² 15 had increased urinary IgG either alone (1) or together with beta2-MG (3) or albumin (3) or beta2-MG and albumin (8). In BEN patients with GFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m² only 1/25 had isolated beta2-MG but increased urinary IgG with increased beta2-MG, and albumin was the most frequent.

Conclusion

Although low-molecular weight proteinuria was the most frequent urinary finding in BEN patients, MAU was frequently detected in advanced stages of BEN but also in some patients with eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m². IgG was increasingly found as eGFR decreased.     

Female patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve even before initiation of chemotherapy when compared with healthy controls and patients with other malignancies

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate if female patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve prior to initiation of the lymphoma treatment.

Methods

Sixty-four patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for fertility preservation were compared with 365 healthy controls undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation (controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH)) and 128 patients with other types of malignancy prompting fertility preservation. The data of all lymphoma patients, all elective, and all the patients with other types of malignancy who met the inclusion criteria and underwent COH for fertility preservation during the study period were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcomes included serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels (ng/mL) and antral follicle count (AFC).

Results

Patients in the lymphoma group demonstrated significantly lower AMH levels and AFC and had less oocytes harvested and cryopreserved when compared to healthy controls as well as patients with other malignancies.

Conclusion

Patients with lymphoma demonstrate diminished ovarian reserve when compared with healthy controls and patients with other malignancies. This should be taken into consideration when deciding on the dose for COH.

     

Early diagnosis of asymptomatic neurocutaneous melanosis (60 month follow‐up)

Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare, sporadic, congenital neuroectodermal dysplasia. Large congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) can evolve in a certain percentage of patients to NCM. Meningeal deposits are benign, but can be prone to malignant transformation in some cases. We describe the case of an infant with asymptomatic NCM, and typical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. The diagnosis was established shortly after delivery, and the patient was followed for 60 months. At that time, the girl did not have any neurologic symptoms; she reached normal developmental milestones and did not show mental retardation and did not develop malignant melanoma; further follow‐up will be needed, although there are no reliable guidelines as to the time range of follow up of asymptomatic NCM in the literature. We report the typical MRI signal abnormalities of the brain, and present a review of the literature regarding this rare and mysterious congenital disorder.