Gingival crevicular blood as a source to screen for diabetes control in a dental office setting.

UNLABELLED: screen for diabetes control, this study compared glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) levels found in GCB and serum. Methods: Patients diagnosed (n= 29), with diabetes received a venipuncture on the finger and serum blood (METHODS) obtained was tested for HbAlc status chair-side. GCB (test) was collected at site(s) with evidence of bleeding after probing and the HbAlc value was determined in the same manner as with the serum blood. Results: There was a significant correlation between serum blood and GCB using the HbAlc test. The Pearson RESULTS: tion was 0.98 (P< 0.0001). The Altman-Bland bias was -0.21 (P= 0.0095), indicating that on average, the GCB method slightly underestimated the venipuncture serum (control) method for determining HbA1c values. The Altman-Bland 95% agreement interval ranged from -1.02 to 0.6. Furthermore, the HbAlc values were independent of the gingival sites used for collection with intra-patient GCB values exhibiting a correlation value between sites of 0.91 (P< 0.0001).

Cytotype regulation in Drosophila melanogaster: synergism between telomeric and non-telomeric P elements.

The X-linked telomeric P elements TP5 and TP6 interact synergistically with non-telomeric P elements to repress hybrid dysgenesis. In this repression, the telomeric P elements exert maternal effects, which, however, are not sufficient to establish synergism with the non-telomeric P elements. Once synergism is established, the capacity to repress dysgenesis in the offspring of a cross persists for at least two generations after removing the telomeric P element from the genotype. At the molecular level, synergism between telomeric and non-telomeric P elements is correlated with effective elimination of P-element mRNA in the germ line. Maternally transmitted mutations in the genes aubergine, piwi and Suppressor of variegation 205 [Su(var)205] block the establishment of synergism between telomeric and non-telomeric P elements, and paternally transmitted mutations in piwi and Su(var)205 disrupt synergism that has already been established. These findings are discussed in terms of a model of cytotype regulation of P elements based on Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that are amplified by cycling between sense and antisense species.

A pilot study of glycosylated hemoglobin levels in periodontitis cases and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is associated with glycemic control in patients with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine if glycosylated hemoglobin is elevated in patients with periodontitis who have not been diagnosed with diabetes. METHODS: Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was assessed using a chairside test in 59 adults without diabetes but with periodontitis (having at least five teeth with probing depth [PD] > or =5 mm, bleeding on probing [BOP], and clinical attachment or radiographic bone loss) and 53 healthy controls (PDs < or =4 mm and BOP < or =15%). Groups were compared using the t test and linear regression. Patients with HbA1c levels > or =6% were compared using the Fisher exact test and logistic regression. RESULTS: Periodontitis cases were more likely than controls to be male (68% versus 38%; P = 0.002) and current or former smokers (P = 0.002). Cases had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than controls (27.6 kg/m(2) versus 25.5 kg/m(2); P = 0.018) but were of similar age (51.3 years versus 50.9 years; P = 0.89). Unadjusted mean HbA1c levels did not differ significantly between cases and controls (5.66% +/- 0.56% versus 5.51% +/- 0.44%; P = 0.12). After adjustments for age, gender, BMI, and current smoking, mean HbA1c was significantly higher in cases (between-group difference, 0.21%; P = 0.046). A higher proportion of cases (27.3%) than controls (13.2%) had HbA1c values > or =6%, although this difference was not statistically significant (P >0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis is associated with a slight elevation in glycosylated hemoglobin. The clinical significance of this difference remains to be determined. This preliminary finding is consistent with earlier reports that periodontitis is associated with elevated blood glucose in adults without diabetes and may increase one's risk for type 2 diabetes.