Silver Diamine Fluoride Protocol for Reducing Preventable Dental Hospitalisations in Victorian Children

IntroductionThis study was designed to assess whether a dental caries management protocol combining a single application of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) with comprehensive oral health education will successfully divert high-risk children from dental treatment under dental general anaesthesia (DGA), arrest active caries in primary teeth, and improve parent-reported child oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL).MethodsChildren aged 2 to 10 years, who attended two public dental agencies in Victoria, Australia, and were unable to tolerate restorative treatments in the clinic setting, elected to participate in either a 38% SDF intervention protocol or, alternatively, referral for DGA. Follow-up examinations were completed at 6 months to assess caries progression, decayed missing filled tooth index, PUFA index (pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula, abscess), DGA referral rates, and OHRQoL (Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale [ECOHIS]).ResultsOf the total sample, 89.5% of children (n = 102) [mean (SD) age, 4.1 (1.0) years] with 401 active carious lesions elected to participate in the 38% SDF protocol; 10.5% (n = 12) of parents opted for referral for treatment under DGA. The proportion of active caries subsequently arrested at follow-up (number of arrested lesions/number of lesions treated) was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.69 to 0.87). There was an 88% reduction in referrals for DGA in eligible children over the 6-month period. The 38% SDF intervention group showed a significant improvement in ECOHIS scores at follow-up (P < .001).DiscussionAdoption of the 38% SDF intervention protocol resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of preventable dental hospitalisations. Most parents opted against referral for DGA. Parent-reported OHRQoL for children improved significantly.     

DTF降茶氟剂降茶氟初步研究

目的探讨DTF制剂降茶氟效果。方法在不同制茶方法程序中加入DTF制剂观察其降氟效果。结果在冲泡或煮沸(1.0g茶叶,200ml水量)沏茶中,0.2gDTF可使茶氟降低约60%,使茶水氟浓度由2.0～4.0mg/L降到1.0mg/L左右,茶液色、味、pH值无改变。结论DTF是1种有效的降茶氟剂。     

过量氟化物导致大鼠腰椎黄韧带退变与骨化

[目的]研究氟化物在黄韧带骨化中可能的作用机理。[方法]36只雄性SD大鼠，实验组饮用含NaF（质量分数为1014）蒸馏水，分别于3个月及6个月时，检测骨密度，血清、骨组织标本中Ca、P^3＋、Mg、Zn、Cu、Fe、F^-含量和血清碱性磷酸酶（ALP）活性；行大鼠腰段标本X线检查后组织病理观察。[结果]3个月实验组10只大鼠中6只出现氟斑牙：6个月实验组均出现氟斑牙，且大鼠中轴骨骨密度显著增加（P〈0．05）。X线检查，6个月实验组中有4只可见黄韧带嵴状骨化影。病理观察，3个月实验组大鼠黄韧带呈退行性改变；6个月实验组部分黄韧带骨化，骨化类型以膜内骨化为主。[结论]过量氟化物可造成SD大鼠腰椎黄韧带的退变、骨化，在黄韧带的骨化中可能起重要作用。     

Comparison between a swim-up and a Percoll gradient technique for the separation of human spermatozoa

Two methods of separating human sperm were compared using twenty-two semen samples. The sperm were separated by a swim-up technique or by self-migration on a Percoll gradient followed by medium change. After separation, the sperm obtained were assessed for progressive motility, ATP content, energy charge index ([ATP + 0.5 ADP]/[ATP + ADP + AMP]) and morphology. In general, and especially for semen samples containing less than 20 X 10(6) sperm/ml, separation by Percoll gradient selected sperm that were superior to those separated by the swim-up technique. The relatively high energy charge index (greater than 0.8) showed that the sperm tolerated the separation conditions well. It is suggested that self-migration on a Percoll gradient should prove useful for obtaining sperm of high quality.     

Comparison of assays for determination of peptide content for lyophilized thymalfasin*

Abstract: Precise determination of the peptide content in drug substance samples depends highly upon the particular peptide compound and methodology used. Four independent methods were evaluated and compared to determine which would produce the best experimental precision for analysis of thymalfasin (thymosin α‐1). Four different methods were evaluated including elemental analysis (CHN), quantitative amino acid analysis (AAA), high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Kjeldahl. This study demonstrates that the AAA method is highly variable in one laboratory while quite precise in another laboratory. Similarly, HPLC results depended on the laboratory conducting the study with more precise values obtained under cGMP. On the contrary, the CHN method yielded highly precise [i.e. <2% coefficient of variation (CV)] values. As precise knowledge of protein content is fundamental for the compounding of final pharmaceutical product of a specific potency, the CHN analysis is recommended for peptide content determination of the drug substance thymalfasin.