Which route of antibiotic administration should be used for third molar surgery? A split-mouth study to compare intramuscular and oral intake.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of two different routes of antibiotic administration in preventing septic complications in patients undergoing third molar extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four healthy patients requiring bilateral surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars were successfully enrolled for this study. Depth of impaction, angulation, and relationship of the lower third molars with the mandibular branch had to be overlapping on both sides. A split-mouth design was chosen, so each patient underwent both the first and second surgeries, having for each extraction a different antibiotic route of administration. The second extraction was carried out 1 month later. To compare the effects of the two routes of antibiotic administration, inflammatory parameters, such as edema, trismus, pain, fever, dysphagia and lymphadenopathy were evaluated 2 and 7 days after surgery. Side effects of each therapy were evaluated 48 h after surgery. RESULTS: Oral and intramuscular antibiotic therapies overlap in preventing post-operative complications in dental surgery (p>0.05), even if the oral intake, seems to promote the onset of significant gastrointestinal disorders (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: This study could help dentists in their ordinary practice to choose the right route of antibiotic administration in the third molar surgery. At the same effectiveness, the higher cost and the minor compliance of the patient seem not to justify a routine antibiotic intramuscular therapy, reserving it for patients with gastrointestinal disorders.

Colonization by human fibroblasts of polypropylene prosthesis in a composite form for hernia repair.

PURPOSE: Abdominal wall hernia is one of the commonest surgical disorders worldwide, and there is no single gold-standard operative technique to repair it. In an effort to improve techniques and technologies to reinforce hernia repair, synthetic meshes are employed. In this study, a new prosthesis (named composite) formed of two polypropylene layers, one macroporous (named mesh) and one transparent (named film), was examined to evaluate its capability to enable cell proliferation without inducing cell death. Inflammatory processes were also examined. METHODS: Human fibroblasts BJ were seeded on multiwells, on which composite or film had been placed. After 7, 14, and 21 days, cell growth and viability, deposition of collagen, and release of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α were evaluated. RESULTS: The "in vitro" protocol showed the composite to be colonized by human fibroblasts on the polypropylene macroporous mesh side; no cell growth occurred on the film. The slowdown of cell growth observed between 14 and 21 days was accompanied by an increase in type I collagen deposition and marked fibroblast activity. Inflammatory cytokines initially increased, followed by their reduction beginning at 14 days. CONCLUSIONS: The new prosthesis comprising two polypropylene layers of differing morphologies can be colonized by fibroblasts on the side facing the abdominal wall, whereas no cell growth occurs on the side facing the viscera. The transient inflammation, observed at early experimental times, is probably important for the healing process.

Electronic structure investigation of highly compressed aluminum with K edge absorption spectroscopy.

The electronic structure evolution of highly compressed aluminum has been investigated using time resolved K edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. A long laser pulse (500 ps, I(L)≈8×10(13) W/cm(2)) was used to create a uniform shock. A second ps pulse (I(L)≈10(17) W/cm(2)) generated an ultrashort broadband x-ray source near the Al K edge. The main target was designed to probe aluminum at reshocked conditions up to now unexplored (3 times the solid density and temperatures around 8 eV). The hydrodynamical conditions were obtained using rear side visible diagnostics. Data were compared to ab initio and dense plasma calculations, indicating potential improvements in either description. This comparison shows that x-ray-absorption near-edge structure measurements provide a unique capability to probe matter at these extreme conditions and severally constrains theoretical approaches currently used.

Identification of COL6A1 as a differentially expressed gene in human astrocytomas.

Diffuse infiltrating gliomas are the most common tumors of the central nervous system. Gliomas are classified by the WHO according to their histopathological and clinical characteristics into four classes: grade I (pilocytic astrocytoma), grade II (diffuse astrocytoma), grade III (anaplastic astrocytoma), and grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme). Several genes have already been correlated with astrocytomas, but many others are yet to be uncovered. By analyzing the public SAGE data from 21 patients, comprising low malignant grade astrocytomas and glioblastomas, we found COL6A1 to be differentially expressed, confirming this finding by real time RT-PCR in 66 surgical samples. To the best of our knowledge, COL6A1 has never been described in gliomas. The expression of this gene has significantly different means when normal glia is compared with low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) and high-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV), with a tendency to be greater in higher grade samples, thus rendering it a powerful tumor marker.

Identification of COL6A1 as a differentially expressed gene in human astrocytomas

Diffuse infiltrating gliomas are the most common tumors of the central nervous system. Gliomas are classified by the WHO according to their histopathological and clinical characteristics into four classes: grade I (pilocytic astrocytoma), grade II (diffuse astrocytoma), grade III (anaplastic astrocytoma), and grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme). Several genes have already been correlated with astrocytomas, but many others are yet to be uncovered. By analyzing the public SAGE data from 21 patients, comprising low malignant grade astrocytomas and glioblastomas, we found COL6A1 to be differentially expressed, confirming this finding by real time RT-PCR in 66 surgical samples. To the best of our knowledge, COL6A1 has never been described in gliomas. The expression of this gene has significantly different means when normal glia is compared with low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) and high-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV), with a tendency to be greater in higher grade samples, thus rendering it a powerful tumor marker.

Gene expression profiles underlying alternative caste phenotypes in a highly eusocial bee, Melipona quadrifasciata.

To evaluate caste-biased gene expression in Melipona quadrifasciata, a stingless bee, we generated 1278 ESTs using Representational Difference Analysis. Most annotated sequences were similar to honey bee genes of unknown function. Only few queen-biased sequences had their putative function assigned by sequence comparison, contrasting with the worker-biased ESTs. The expression of six annotated genes connected to caste specificity was validated by real time PCR. Interestingly, queens that were developmentally induced by treatment with a juvenile hormone analogue displayed an expression profile clearly different from natural queens for this set of genes. In summary, this study represents an important first step in applying a comparative genomic approach to queen/worker polyphenism in the bee.

A multi-biomarker analysis of DNA damage in automobile painters.

The genotoxic effects associated with automobile painting were analyzed using a panel of biomarkers. Chromosomal aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), and micronuclei were evaluated in 25 car painters (12 smokers, 13 nonsmokers) working in different automobile paint-shops in Italy and in 37 control subjects. The controls were healthy blood donors (14 smokers, 23 non-smokers) that were matched with the experimental population for gender and age. Air samples were analyzed regularly at the work places, and elevated concentrations of benzene and toluene were detected consistently. The exposed group had higher frequencies of CAs (both chromosome- and chromatid-type), micronuclei, and SCE (P < 0.5 - P < 0.001). Furthermore, exposed and control subjects were also genotyped for GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphism. No significant associations were detected between the biomarker responses and either the GSTM1 or GSTT1 genotype of the subjects, but the small sample size does not allow definite conclusions on the relationship between the genetic polymorphism and the biomarkers. The results indicate that automobile painters have increased levels of clastogenic and possible aneugenic damage and that smoking may be a confounding factor for the responses.

Strong antioxidant activity of ellagic acid in mammalian cells in vitro revealed by the comet assay.

Oxidative stress due to oxygen and various radical species is associated with the induction of DNA single- and double-strand breaks and is considered to be a first step in several human degenerative diseases, cancer and ageing. Naturally occurring antioxidants are being extensively analysed for their ability to protect DNA against such injury. We studied three naturally occuring compounds, Ascorbic Acid, Melatonin and Ellagic acid, for their ability to modulate DNA damage produced by two strong radical oxygen inducers (H2O2 and Bleomycin) in cultured CHO cells. The alkaline Comet assay was used to measure DNA damage and a cytofluorimetric analysis was performed to reveal the intracellular oxidative species. The data showed a marked reduction of H2O2- and Bleomycin-induced DNA damage exerted by Ellagic Acid. On the contrary Ascorbic acid and Melatonin appeared to induce a slight increase in DNA damage per se. In combined treatments, they caused a slight reduction of H2O2-induced damage, but they did not efficiently modulate the Bleomycin-induced one. The Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) cytofluorimetric test confirmed the strong scavenging action exerted by Ellagic Acid.

Evaluation of genotoxic and cytotoxic properties of pesticides employed in Italian agricultural practices.

In a program coordinated by the Italian Ministry of Works, we tested in vitro four pesticides widely employed in a developed agricultural region of central Italy. The four commercial agents were chosen on the basis of their diffusion in agricultural practice, knowledge of their active principle(s), and scant availability of data concerning their toxic and genotoxic activity. The agents were Cirtoxin, Decis, Tramat Combi (TC), and Lasso Micromix (LM). All substances were tested in three in vitro systems: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, a metabolically competent hamster cell line (Chinese hamster epithelial liver; CHEL), and root tips of Vicia faba (VF). The cytotoxic and genotoxic end points challenged were micronuclei and root tip length (RTL) in VF and mitotic index (MI), proliferation index (PI), cell survival (CS), cell growth (CG), cell cycle length (CCL), sister chromatid exchanges, chromosomal aberrations, and single-cell gel electrophoresis, or comet assay, in CHEL and CHO cells. Tested doses ranged from the field dose up to 200x the field dose to take into account accumulation effects. On the whole, tested agents appear to induce genotoxic damage only at subtoxic or toxic doses, indicating a low clastogenic risk. MI, PI, CS, CG, RTL, and CCL appear to be the less sensitive end points, showing no effects in the presence of a clear positive response in some or all of the other tests. Using cytogenetic tests, we obtained positive results for TC and LM treatments in CHO but not in CHEL cells. These data could be accounted for by postulating a detoxifying activity exerted by this cell line. However, cytogenetic end points appear to be more sensitive than those referring to cytotoxicity.

Inhibitory action of melatonin on H2O2- and cyclophosphamide-induced DNA damage.

Melatonin, the pineal gland hormone known for its ability to modulate circadian rhythm, has recently been studied in its several functions. It is believed to inhibit cancer growth, to stimulate the immune system and to act as an antioxidant. In particular, this latter activity is ascribed to two different mechanisms: stimulation of radical detoxifying enzymes and scavenging of free radicals. We used this compound in mammalian cells in vitro to investigate its mechanism of action in modulating DNA damage. Cytogenetic and cytofluorimetric analyses were performed. We show that melatonin is able to modulate chromosome damage (chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges) induced by cyclophosphamide. Conversely, its involvement in modulating oxidative processes, thereby reducing DNA damage, is less clear. In particular, melatonin is able to decrease H2O2-induced chromosomal aberrations but not sister chromatid exchanges and has been found to induce oxygen species in a cytofluorimetric test (DCFH assay).

[Influence of adenoidal vegetation on rhinopharyngeal obstruction: cephalometric study]. / Influenza delle vegetazioni adenoidee sulla pervietà rinofaringea: studio cefalometrico.

In this paper, the Authors propose a new method of cephalometric visualization of adhaenoids, in order to verify the amount of them as cause of an obstructive pathology. In this evaluation, related to a group of 100 individuals, was found an inversely proportional relation between adhaenoid's volume and angolar value of FHBoPA angle.

Extracellular ATP stimulates poly(inositol phospholipid) hydrolysis and eicosanoid synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages in culture.

The effects of extracellular ATP on inositol phospholipid breakdown and synthesis of eicosanoids were studied in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Addition of ATP to intact cells labelled with [3H]inositol stimulated a rapid (within 10 s) formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. In parallel there was also a substantial accumulation of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate and the monophosphate and bisphosphate derivatives of inositol. Within 10 s after the addition of 30 microM ATP there was a twofold increase in inositol trisphosphate (InsP3), which declined over 2 min. The ED50 for ATP-stimulated generation of InsP3 was approximately 12 microM. ADP and GTP showed only weak effects on InsP3 formation, while AMP and adenosine were completely ineffective at 30 microM. Furthermore, the rank order of potency of ATP analogues was ATP greater than ATP[S] greater than AdoPP[NH]P = AdoPP[CH2]P greater than AdoP[CH2]PP thus, indicating the presence of a P2y-purinergic receptor. Cells labelled with [3H]arachidonic acid showed a 50% increase of label in 1,2-diacylglycerol after 15 s upon stimulation with ATP. In parallel to the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, ATP also caused a marked synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The rank order of potency of ATP analogues was identical with that of InsP3 generation. The effect on eicosanoid synthesis could be mimicked by the calcium ionophore A23187 and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. These results suggest that ATP-induced activation of P2y-purinergic receptors in mouse peritoneal macrophages triggers inositol phospholipid breakdown and eicosanoid synthesis.