Storage-related stability and antimicrobial efficacy of bottled, neutral-pH Electrolysed Oxidising Water.

OBJECTIVES: Denture stomatitis is prevalent in older people and poses serious health risks. Ready-to-use (RTU) neutral-pH Electrolysed Oxidizing Water (EOW) is an effective environmental disinfectant used in residential care settings and geriatric wards. However, the influence of storage on stability and effectiveness for denture disinfection has not been established. This research investigated the storage-related stability and antimicrobial activity of RTU EOW, and its efficacy against Candida albicans biofilms formed on denture resin. METHODS: The pH, oxidation/reduction potential (mV), available chlorine content (mg/L) and [HOCl] (mM) of RTU EOW (Envirolyte, New Zealand) solutions (n = 22) were measured from bottle opening to 28 days following storage at 4 °C, room temperature (RT) or 37 °C. Staphylococcus aureus and C. albicans cells were incubated in 80% EOW for contact times (CTs) up to 15 min and colony-forming units (cfu) determined. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC90 EOW-HOCl) after CTs up to five minutes were determined for S. aureus and C. albicans reference strains and clinical isolates. C. albicans-denture resin disc biofilms were assessed after a five-minute CT with undiluted EOW by XTT-metabolic activity assay. RESULTS: [HOCl] remained stable when RTU EOW was stored at 4 °C or RT for five months after manufacture. One-minute CT resulted in log10 cfu reductions of >6 for S. aureus and >5 for C. albicans. Mean MIC90 for five-minute CT was 37 µM (S. aureus) and 54 µM (C. albicans). Undiluted EOW reduced C. albicans biofilm metabolic activity by 86%. CONCLUSIONS: RTU neutral-pH EOW is stable over five-months storage and is an effective denture disinfectant. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The efficacy of the RTU neutral EOW against C. albicans isolates and biofilms formed on denture resin surfaces supports its use as a denture disinfectant and can inform future research to assess its potential for preventing denture-related oral Candida infections in the older population, especially in resource-limited communities.

Comparative evaluation of masticatory efficiency in various facial forms of dentate and rehabilitated complete denture patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the masticatory efficiency in various facial forms of dentate and rehabilitated complete denture patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 subjects were selected for the study based on the inclusion criteria. Out of which 30 subjects belong to the dentate group (D) and 30 subjects belong to the completely edentulous group rehabilitated with conventional complete denture (CECD). They were sub-grouped as brachyfacial, mesofacial, and dolichofacial facial form using facial index measurement and cephalometric analysis. After which they had undergone masticatory efficiency test using spectrophotometric analysis using diluted expectorate of chewed natural test food beetroot (10, 15 and 20 strokes). Mean of absorbance value obtained was considered as mean masticatory efficiency. From which average masticatory efficiency percentage was determined using masticatory efficiency percentage equation and considered as the masticatory efficiency of that particular subject. RESULTS: Statistical analysis reveals that among dentate subject (D) group, brachyfacial subjects exhibited highest masticatory efficiency (70.9 ± 12.64 %) followed by mesofacial (60.6 ± 10.66 %) and dolichofacial (34.3 ± 10.81%) subjects. Similarly in completely edentulous subjects rehabilitated with conventional complete denture (CECD), brachyfacial (52.7 ± 8.11%) subgroups, mesofacial (42.3 ± 6.52%) and dolichofacial (29.3 ± 7.76 %). CONCLUSION: Along with other determinant factors, facial form also plays an influential role on masticatory efficiency. Brachyfacial subjects exhibited highest masticatory efficiency followed by mesofacial and dolichofacial subjects among both the study groups.

Congenital syphilis: Need for intensification of antenatal screening and clinician awareness.

Congenital syphilis occurs due to trans-placental transmission of Treponema pallidum or rarely, intrapartum contact with infectious lesions. Even though preventable, congenital syphilis occurs sporadically in India, owing to lack of antenatal screening as well as the lack of awareness among clinicians about the burden of syphilis in the community. Since a significant overlap of clinical manifestations exists with many systemic diseases, awareness among clinicians is crucial for an early diagnosis. Renomegaly, nephrotic syndrome and nephritis can all be the signs of renal involvement in congenital syphilis, which can provide clues of the diagnosis. Direct invasion by spirochetes, hypersensitivity reactions and immune complex deposition in glomeruli contribute to the pathogenesis. We report a case of congenital syphilis characterised by delayed diagnosis with renal as well as cutaneous manifestations from missed maternal syphilis during the antenatal period and owing to the lack of antenatal screening.

Immunopathologic studies of systemic lupus erythematosus. II. Antinuclear reaction of gamma-globulin eluted from homogenates and isolated glomeruli of kidneys from patients with lupus nephritis.

The gammaG-globulin eluted at acid pH from kidney cortex homogenates and isolated glomeruli of five of six patients with lupus nephritis was found to exhibit antinuclear activity, which was not dependent on presence of fresh human serum. Specificity, as demonstrated by absorption of antinuclear activity, was related to nucleoprotein in three glomerular acid eluates and to DNA in two acid eluates as well as in a deoxyribonuclease digest of disrupted glomeruli in one patient. Antinuclear activity was not found in acid eluates of kidneys from two patients with chronic liver disease and chronic discoid lupus, respectively, and one with lupus nephritis. These patients had a low titer of serum antinuclear factor and lesser amounts of kidney bound immunoglobulins. The presence of antinuclear activity in eluates of kidneys appeared to correlate with the amount of glomerular bound immunoglobulin and the level of antinuclear antibodies in serum. These findings suggest that in lupus nephritis, part of the glomerular bound immunoglobulin is derived from serum antinuclear factors possibly deposited as immune complexes.

Marine Enzymes and Microorganisms for Bioethanol Production.

Bioethanol is a potential alternative fuel to fossil fuels. Bioethanol as a fuel has several economic and environmental benefits. Though bioethanol is produced using starch and sugarcane juice, these materials are in conflict with food availability. To avoid food-fuel conflict, the second-generation bioethanol production by utilizing nonfood lignocellulosic materials has been extensively investigated. However, due to the complexity of lignocellulose architecture, the process is complicated and not economically competitive. The cultivation of lignocellulosic energy crops indirectly affects the food supplies by extensive land use. Marine algae have attracted attention to replace the lignocellulosic feedstock for bioethanol production, since the algae grow fast, do not use land, avoid food-fuel conflict and have several varieties to suit the cultivation environment. The composition of algae is not as complex as lignocellulose due to the absence of lignin, which renders easy hydrolysis of polysaccharides to fermentable sugars. Marine organisms also produce cold-active enzymes for hydrolysis of starch, cellulose, and algal polysaccharides, which can be employed in bioethanol process. Marine microoorganisms are also capable of fermenting sugars under high salt environment. Therefore, marine biocatalysts are promising for development of efficient processes for bioethanol production.

Epidemiological trends of leprosy elimination in CLTRI rural field operation area, Tamil Nadu, India.

The analysis of computerized data of patients in our Rural Field Operation Area (Kunrathur Taluk, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu) from the start of MDT in 1986 has shown a decrease of leprosy prevalence from 275/10000 in 1986 to 0.7/10000 in 2005. Leprosy has been eliminated as a public health problem after 19 years of MDT implementation. Although the control programme was started in 1962, MDT implementation began only in 1986. The new case-detection rate has declined significantly from 27.3 in 1987 to 2.4/10000 in 2005 (y = -1.6x + 2325.1, p = < 0.05). The age-specific cumulative detection rates calculated showed highest case-detection at 10-14 years for total, 10-14 years for PB, 50-54 for MB, and 10-14 for both males and females. MB percentage was more among new cases in the last three years as compared to the initial three years, and this difference was found to be statistically significant, but there was no significant difference between the first three and the last three-year periods in child, male and disability rates (grade +/-2) among new cases. Thus, the declining trend in NCDR has not reflected any change in sex and age-groups of new cases. This analysis strengthens the hypothesis of sub-clinical cases possibly transmitting the disease and MB cases accruing after long incubation period.

Implant-based overdenture: A review in patient perspective.

A review in affected person's attitude in abstract care of edentulous patients has to be a priority in elderly individuals. The development of complete dentures (CDs) has been the selection of remedy retaining in mind the socioeconomic popularity, age, and nutritional elements. However, most of the patients complain of loss of retention in mandibular implant-supported overdentures (ODs), which compensated the downside of the loss of retention in complete dentures (CDs). Moreover, implant supported over dentures (ISOVDs) supplied accurate exceptional of lifestyles, esthetics, progressed nutritional deficiencies, and provided good patient satisfaction. The place of dental implants and desire of retentive attachments for implant supported mandibular over dentures (ISOVD) are selected on clinician preference and professional opinion. This text offers a fundamental statistics regarding implant placement, mode of treatment to be selected, and patient care. Two implants provide extraordinary long-term achievement and survival with improved oral capabilities. Single midline implant OD is costly, powerful, and may be a promising alternative. In maxilla, 4-6 implants splinted with bar have located to give true results.

A simple ear splint for microtia patients.

Microtia is a congenital anomaly of the ear can occur as an isolated birth defect or as part of a spectrum of anomalies or as a syndrome. Microtia is often associated with impaired hearing and or total loss of hearing. Such patients typically require treatment for surgical ear reconstruction and for hearing impairment. Maintenance of ear projection and post auricular sulcus in staged ear reconstruction in microtia is a trying problem. So also is the maintenance of the patency of the external auditory meatus following recanalization and meatoplasty.This case report describes a simple effective way of fabrication of ear splint prosthesis.

Orthodontic cements and demineralization: an in vitro comparative scanning electron microscope study.

BACKGROUND: Comparison of the demineralization potential of four luting cements, i.e. zinc phosphate, conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC), resin-modified GIC and acid modified composite resin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 75 extracted premolar teeth, which were grouped into five, each group containing 15 teeth. Groups were non-banded control, teeth cemented with the above-mentioned cements. These were incubated at 37°C for 30 days in sealable plastic containers, after which the teeth were debanded, cleaned and placed in acid gelatin solution at 37°C for 4 weeks to simulate the cariogenic solution. Then, the teeth were sectioned and examined under scanning electron microscope. The depth of the carious lesions was measured using image analysis with Digimizer software. RESULTS: The depth of the carious lesions was maximum with non-banded group, followed by zinc phosphate, acid modified composite resin, resin-modified GIC and conventional GIC. CONCLUSIONS: Among the four orthodontic banding cements compared, the enamel demineralization potential is least with conventional GIC, followed by resin-modified GIC, acid modified composite resin and zinc phosphate.

Thermosensitive transfer of antimicrobial resistances and citrate utilization and cotransfer of hydrogen sulfide production from an Escherichia coli isolate.

A hydrogen-sulfide producing, citrate-positive strain of Escherichia coli isolated from urinary tract infection was found to be resistant to chloramphenicol (Cm), tetracycline (Tc), streptomycin (Sm), trimethoprim (Tmp), sulfamethoxazole (Smx), and cotrimoxazole (Tmp/Smx). The strain contained 7 plasmids of molecular sizes 120, 35, 5.0, 3.2, 3.0, 2.6, and 2.4 megadaltons (Md), as detected by agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA. Thermosensitive transfer of Cm, Tc, and citrate utilization occurred conjugally to E. coli K-12 recipient strains at a frequency of approximately 10(-6) per donor cell after an 18 hour incubation. The transconjugants were also resistant to Sm and Smx and produced hydrogen-sulfide. Two plasmids of about 120 Md, pNH222, and 35 Md, pNH223, were detected in these transconjugants. Transformation or 1-hour conjugal transfer experiments at 26 degrees C with selection for Cm or Tc yielded only the 120 Md species. Plasmid pNH222 showed one way incompatibility with F plasmids, a characteristic shown previously to be typical of Inc HI1 plasmids. Transformation experiments with selection for Sm yielded transformants with one plasmid species, (pNH223), 35 Md in size, which carried the gene(s) for H2S production but not for raffinose fermentation. The fact that characteristics such as citrate utilization and hydrogen sulfide production, used in the identification of enteric bacteria, can be transmitted to E. coli by plasmids is of important taxonomic significance.

Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Ontario, Canada, with decreased susceptibility to quinolones by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, auxotyping, serotyping and plasmid content.

The incidence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with reduced susceptibility to quinolones increased from 0.18% (63 of 3285) in 1992 to 0.56% (15 of 2663) in 1993 and 0.62% (46 of 2846) in 1994. In all, 65 of the 67 isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with decreased susceptibility to quinolones were characterised by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), auxotyping, serotyping and plasmid content. The strains were distributed among 14 auxotype/serovar (A/S) classes. Thirty isolates (46.2%) which were penicillin-susceptible with ciprofloxacin MIC90 of 0.12 mg/L and norfloxacin MIC90 of 1.0 mg/L belonged to a single A/S class, OUHL/IA-2. All but two of the 30 isolates had identical PFGE restriction profiles with NheI restriction endonuclease. Fifteen isolates (23.1%) with MICs in the intermediate (or resistant) categories for penicillin and with ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin MIC90 of 0.25 and 4.0 mg/L and (0.5 and 4.0 mg/L) respectively, belonged to A/S class P/IB-1. The 15 isolates showed nine different patterns with NheI and eight patterns with SpeI restriction endonucleases. Two of three beta-lactamase-producing (PPNG) isolates belonged to A/S class P/IB-5 and had a dissimilar PFGE restriction profile with NheI endonuclease; the other isolate belonged to A/S class P/IB-8. The remaining 17 isolates were distributed among 11 A/S classes. Three isolates within the common A/S class NR/IB-1 were subdivided into two types by PFGE as were three isolates belonging to A/S class NR/IB-2. Overall the 65 isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were distributed into 30 NheI and 26 SpeI macrorestriction profiles. All but one isolate harboured the 2.6-MDa cryptic plasmid and 18 isolates carried the 24.5-MDa transferable plasmid. The three PPNG isolates carried the 4.5-MDa Asian beta-lactamase-producing plasmid and a 25.2-MDa conjugative plasmid was found in the two TRNG isolates.

Evaluation and medical management of the patient with calcium stone disease.

About 80 per cent of renal stones seen in the western hemisphere are composed of calcium and oxalate. The authors discuss some of the metabolic disorders involved in calcium stone disease, describe a comprehensive metabolic work-up for the patient who forms stones recurrently, and suggest some guidelines for treatment.

Morning glory disk anomaly, choroidal coloboma, and congenital constrictive malformations of the internal carotid arteries (moyamoya disease).

PURPOSE: To report a patient with congenital constrictive malformations of the internal carotid arteries and a morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA). METHODS: Descriptive case report. RESULTS: A 14-year-old girl underwent serial ophthalmologic examinations since the age of seven years because of blurred vision and floaters. A right optic disk anomaly was present that was most compatible with an MGDA accompanied by an inferior choroidal coloboma. Because of the association of such disc malformations with moyamoya disease, the patient underwent cerebral MRI and MRA that showed narrowing of both internal carotid arteries, a finding consistent with early-stage moyamoya disease. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the importance of recognizing the association of MGDA with moyamoya disease, a treatable condition that may have devastating neurological consequences.

Lifetimes of complexes of the antibiotic X-537A (lasalocid A) with physiological cations in methanol. Determination by NMR using a dissociative shift reagent.

Using a magnetic resonance method we have determined the lifetimes of the following complexes of X-537A (HX) in methanol solution at 25 degrees C, BaX+, 132 microseconds; SrX+, 34 microseconds; CaX+, 24 microseconds, and KX, 15 microseconds, each with an estimated uncertainty of 30%. For NaX and LiX the lifetimes are too short to measure by the present method. The lifetime found for BaX+ is considerably shorter than the result obtained by Patel and Shen using a different method. The present method depends upon the broadening of the resonance lines of certain protons in X- due to reactions such as X- + Ba2+ = BaX+, when the resonance of the proton in the "free" X- has been shifted from its normal frequency by Pr(III) which acts via the exchange PrX3 in equilibrium PrX2+ + X-. To determine the lifetimes of interest the equations for a three-state spin system were derived; under the relevant conditions the final equations take the form of the Swift-Connick equations for a two-state system, with the characteristics of one of the states dependent upon the PrX3 concentration. This dependence is used to extract the life-times from the data in a novel and simple way.

Endocrine responses and body composition changes during feed restriction and realimentation in young bulls.

Changes in serum metabolic hormones, carcass composition, and body weight gains were examined in 21 Angus bulls (9 mo old) subjected to feed restriction and realimentation. They were allotted to three feeding regimens: 1) control (CON); 2) restricted (REST); and 3) realimented (REAL). The CON group was fed 3.2% of their body weight; the REST group was fed 1.5%. The REAL group was fed the restricted diet (1.5% BW) for 84 d then fed the control diet (3.2% BW) until slaughter. The CON and REAL groups were slaughtered at approximately 400 kg and the REST group at 346 kg. For the experiment, average daily gains (kg/d) were different (P < .05) (CON = 1.60; REAL = 1.35; REST = .64). Bulls were bled every 20 min for 6 h on d 14, 70, 98, and 127 of the experiment. Overall carcass characteristics (yield grade, muscle area, marbling) and chemical analysis of 9-10-11 rib sections indicated changes in quantity and percentages of protein and fat commensurate with the dietary intake treatments. The REST group had the least lean and fat (P < .05); the REAL group had less fat than (P < .05) but the same amount of lean (P > .05) as the CON group. Serum GH was higher in the REST than in the CON group (P < .05). In the REAL group, serum GH values rose to a level similar to that of the REST group; realimentation lowered serum GH (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dental caries prevalence and experience among the group of institutionalized hearing impaired individuals in Pondicherry--a descriptive study.

A descriptive study was conducted among a group of hearing-impaired individuals in Pondicherry to assess the dental caries prevalence and experience. A total 114 individuals were examined. The data was collected by direct clinical examination using appropriate indices and findings were recorded on the proforma sheets. The data were statistically processed and the results were obtained. Prevalence of dental caries in terms of DMFT is 42.98% and dft is 45%. Mean dft +/- s.d is 1.2 +/- 1.38 and Mean DMFT +/- s.d is 1.0 +/- 1.42. It was concluded that in both permanent and deciduous dentition and the females have high caries prevalence.

Growth and characterization of a single crystal of Urea Adipic acid (UAA)--a third order nonlinear optical material.

An organic single crystal of Urea Adipic acid (UAA) was successfully grown in methanol solvent by slow solvent evaporation technique at room temperature (30 °C). The structure of grown crystal was elucidated from the X-ray diffraction study and it belongs to monoclinic system with centrosymmetric space group P21/c. The optical transmission spectrum of UAA has been recorded and its theoretical calculations were carried out to determine the linear optical constants such as linear absorption coefficient, extinction coefficient, refractive index and reflectance etc. The third-order nonlinearities of UAA crystal have been investigated by Z-scan method. The values of nonlinear refractive index (n2), the absorption coefficient (ß) and third-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ((3))) are found to be the order of 0.96×10(-10) cm(2)/W, 1.248×10(-4) cm/W and 6.44×10(-8) esu respectively. Fourier Transform Infra Red and Raman spectroscopy studies reveal the intermolecular interactions present in the UAA sample. The dielectric and mechanical measurements of the title compound are also reported.