Effect of Turmeric Concentrations on the Rate of Growth of Oral Bacteria-An In-Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of varying concentrations of a turmeric solution on the growth rates of oral bacteria sampled from dental students. METHODS: Bacterial cultures were grown overnight in aerobic conditions from plaque samples obtained from five test subjects. With the exception of the control, samples were exposed to different treatments; including chlorhexidine gluconate 2 mg/mL, prepared turmeric solution (TS) mouthwash: TS 0.25 mL (7.375 mg/mL), TS 0.5 mL (14.75 mg/mL), and TS 1 mL (29.50 mg/mL). Growth rate of the bacterial cultures were assessed by monitoring changes in optical density readings at 600 nm at hourly intervals for a six-hour period. The data were plotted and the exponential trend was used to calculate individual rates of growth. Data was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA with the significance confirmed using the Tukey-HSD test. RESULTS: Growth observed in the bacteria exposed to the turmeric solution, was significantly greater (p < 0.05) when compared with the bacteria exposed to the medium alone. There was a significant difference found between the bacterial growth rate of the 1 mL turmeric solution against the growth rate of the bacteria in the 0.25 and 0.5 mL turmeric solutions. CONCLUSION: Comparison of growth rates of oral bacteria suggested that turmeric solutions of concentrations between 7.357 and 29.5 mg/mL (0.25-1 mL) were unlikely to exhibit bacteriostatic or bactericidal properties, and, conversely, increased bacterial growth. Considering this result, it is unlikely that turmeric mouthwash made from store-bought turmeric would have any antibacterial effects against oral bacteria, and may even promote bacterial growth.

Polymer-integrated amnion scaffold significantly improves cleft palate repair.

Cleft palate is a common oral and craniomaxillofacial birth defect. As the ideal surgery time is shortly after birth, clinical treatments should result in minimal disruption of theskeleton to allow tissue growth in children. A tissue-engineered graft was created in this study for cleft palate repair by integrating poly(1,8-octamethylene-citrate) (POC) with a decellularized amnion membrane (DAM-POC) to incorporate the advantages of both the synthetic polymer and the native tissue. The success of POC incorporation was confirmed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and fluorescence detection. The DAM-POC scaffold showed a certain level of structure collapse and lower stiffness but better resistance to enzyme digestion than the native amnion and DAM scaffold. The DAM-POC scaffold is cell compatible when seeded with mesenchymal stem cells, as evidenced by adequate cell viability and improved alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposit. A large palate defect was first surgically created in a young rat model and then repaired with the DAM-POC scaffold. Eight weeks postsurgery, histological study and CT scans showed nearly complete healing of both soft and hard tissues. In conclusion, we developed a cell-free, resorbable graft by incorporating and integrating a synthetic polymer with a human DAM. When the DAM-POC scaffold was applied to repair a large palate defect in young rats, it showed adequate biocompatibility as evidenced by its effectiveness in guiding hard and soft tissue regeneration and minimum interference with natural growth and palate development of rats. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Proper restoration of severe cleft palate remains a major challenge because of insufficient autologous soft tissues to close the open wounds, thereby causing high tension at the surgical junction, secondary palatal fistulas, wound contraction, scar tissue formation, and facial growth disturbances. In this study, we have developed a tissue-engineered graft through incorporating and integrating a synthetic polymer with the human amnion membrane for cleft palate repair. The significance of this study lies in our ability to develop a cell-free, resorbable graft that can provide a less surgically invasive option to cover the open defect and support palate regeneration and tissue growth. This technique could potentially advance soft and hard tissue regeneration in children with birth craniomaxillofacial defects.

Repair of popliteal aneurysm and spontaneous arteriovenous fistula in a patient with Marfan syndrome.

Isolated extremity arterial aneurysms remain a rare entity, and the development of a spontaneous arteriovenous fistula from such an aneurysmal segment in a young patient should prompt a search for an underlying genetic predisposition. Endovascular repair of aneurysms or arteriovenous fistulas in the popliteal artery is appropriate in select populations; however, open repair allows for a more durable reconstruction of both the arterial and any involved venous segments in patients who can tolerate the procedure.

Lottery-based versus fixed incentives to increase clinicians' response to surveys.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of lottery-based and fixed incentives on clinicians' response to surveys. DATA SOURCES: Three randomized trials with fixed payments and actuarially equivalent lotteries. STUDY DESIGN: Trial 1 compared a low-probability/high-payout lottery, a high-probability/low-payout lottery, and no incentive. Trial 2 compared a moderate-probability/moderate-payout lottery with an unconditional fixed payment (payment sent with questionnaire). Trial 3 compared a moderate-probability/moderate-payout lottery with a conditional fixed payment (payment promised following response). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Neither the low-probability nor high-probability lotteries improved response compared with no incentive. Unconditional fixed payments produced significantly greater response than actuarially equivalent lotteries, but conditional fixed payments did not. CONCLUSIONS: Lottery-based incentives do not improve clinicians' response rates compared with no incentives, and they are inferior to unconditional fixed payments.

The association between conventional antidepressants and the metabolic syndrome: a review of the evidence and clinical implications.

Major depressive disorder is a prevalent recurrent medical syndrome associated with inter-episodic dysfunction. The metabolic syndrome is comprised of several established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (i.e. abdominal obesity, dyslipidaemia, dysglycaemia and hypertension). The criterion items of the metabolic syndrome collectively represent a multi-dimensional risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Extant evidence indicates that both major depressive disorder and the metabolic syndrome, albeit distinct, often co-occur and are possibly subserved by overlapping pathophysiology and causative mechanisms. Conventional antidepressants exert variable effects on constituent elements of the metabolic syndrome, inviting the need for careful consideration prior to treatment selection and sequencing. Initiating and maintaining antidepressant therapy should include routine surveillance for clinical and/or biochemical evidence suggestive of the metabolic syndrome.