Inducing apatite pre-layer on titanium surface through hydrothermal processing for osseointegration.

Commercially available titanium (Ti) having high mechanical strength and a low area of cross-section can be adequately exploited for minimally invasive dental implantation. Current directions in clinical dental implant therapy focus on endosseous dental implant surfaces with nanoscale topographies using easy and economical processing approaches. The present study describes the generation of a novel nanolayer nucleating agent on the surface of Ti implant for early endosseous after implantation. The strategy is to modify the surface of Ti implant using Ca(OH)2 via hydrothermal technique (Ti-HT). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of chemically bonded Ca ions on the Ti surface in the form of CaTiO3. In vitro studies are carried out to confirm the bone bonding ability of calcium enriched Ti surface. The apatite deposition on the surface after exposure to SBF for 7 days is confirmed via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The cell viability of Ti-HT was evaluated using direct contact method and MTT assay. The potential of Ca2+ ion on Ti surface via hydrothermal pre-treatment to enhance osseointegration of Ti has been proposed for achieving early stability for dental implants.

Validation of the Spanish Version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (S-FAQLQ-PF).

BACKGROUND: Food allergy is an emerging health problem. Several questionnaires can be used to establish health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in food allergy patients. Current questionnaires should be translated in such a way that they take account of the culture of the country in which they are to be used. Objective: To translate and perform a cross-sectional validation of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF). METHODS: The parents of 54 children diagnosed with food allergy were recruited to assess the Spanish version of the FAQLQ-PF (S-FQLQ-PF). RESULTS: The S-FQLQ-PF was translated into Spanish according to WHO guidelines (including a forward-backward translation). The statistical analysis showed that feasibility, reliability, and internal consistency were very good for the global S-FAQLQ-PF score and for the different domains. Assessment of construct validity indicated that S-FAQLQ-PF has reduced capacity for measurement of HRQOL in younger children. Cross-sectional validation of the S-FAQLQ-PF demonstrated that HRQOL of a Spanish pediatric population was affected by patient age, severity of symptoms, and number of reactions. HRQOL was not affected by sex, food implicated, number of foods implicated, ingestion of the implicated food, or presence of anaphylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Translation into Spanish and cultural validation of the FAQLQ-PF demonstrated the influence of factors, such as patient age, severity of symptoms, and number of reactions on the HRQOL of a pediatric Spanish population.

A Novel Fluorescent Quantum Dot Probe for the Rapid Diagnostic High Contrast Imaging of Tumor in Mice.

A simple probe - antibody conjugated silica over coated cadmium selenide quantum dots (QD-Ab probe) for efficient and rapid diagnostic in vivo imaging of tumors is developed. Compared to unconjugated quantum dots (QD), these probes underwent efficient cellular internalization and tumor targeting behavior, retaining bright emission under in vivo cancer models. Silica over coated cadmium selenide quantum dots were conjugated with Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody to detect the over expression of EGFR in cancer models. The in vitro cellular internalization efficiency of QD and QD-Ab probe in cultured stem cells (RADMSCs) and cancer cells (HeLa) were assessed by ICP-OES and cLSM. Results demonstrated a greater internalization efficiency of CdSe-Silica QD-Ab probe than CdSe-Silica QDs. For in vivo imaging solid tumor bearing mice was subjected to tail vein injection of QD and QD-Ab probe. After the specific time interval of injection, mice were anesthetized and subjected into Xenogen IVIS®200 imaging system, followed by ex vivo imaging. Subsequently, ultrathin sections of tumor were imaged by using cLSM. Both in vivo and ex vivo imaging results confirmed the tumor-targeted imaging efficiency of QD-Ab probes compared to unconjugated QDs.

Short-term studies using ceramic scaffolds in lapine model for osteochondral defect amelioration.

This study was undertaken to glean preliminary information on the role of triphasic ceramic coated hydroxyapatite (HASi) and biphasic (alpha-tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite based) calcium phosphate (BCP) for the development of osteochondral constructs. The proposed constructs were tested for performance in vitro with rabbit adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (RADMSCs) and further analysed in vivo in a lapine model for osteochondral defect amelioration. Desirable scaffolding architecture ensuring favourable conditions for cell attachment, nutrient exchange and neo-tissue organization was achieved by the synthesis of porous ceramic blocks and characterizations were carried out using x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The cytocompatibility of the scaffold-cell combination product was evaluated using microscopy techniques that proved the scaffold to be non-cytotoxic and favourable for cell growth and proliferation. Short-term implantation studies were conducted with bare cylindrical HASi and BCP scaffolds, press fit deep into the bony bed of the median femoral condyles of the rabbit, which resulted in favourable specific in vivo response of de novo cartilage-like cells on the surface and sub-surface bony trabeculae. The generated pilot data will help to assess the severity of proposed procedures before embarking on scaled-up efforts.

Metronidazole may inhibit intestinal colonization with Clostridium difficile.

PURPOSE: Antibiotics suppress normal gut flora, allowing overgrowth of acquired or native Clostridium difficile, with release of toxins that cause mucosal inflammation. Oral metronidazole is used to treat antibiotic-associated colitis (pseudomembranous colitis). This study was designed to determine whether oral metronidazole, as part of preoperative bowel preparation, prevents or decreases incidence of antibiotic-associated colitis after elective colonic and rectal procedures. METHODS: Eighty-two patients (40 men) were prospectively, randomly assigned to receive one of two oral antibiotic regimens before colorectal surgery. All patients underwent mechanical bowel preparation with polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution before administration of oral antibiotics. Group 1 (n = 42) patients received three doses (1 g/dose) of neomycin and erythromycin. Group 2 (n = 40) patients received three doses (1 g/dose) of neomycin and metronidazole. Both groups received one preoperative and three postoperative doses of intravenous cefotetan (2 g/dose). Both groups had stool samples tested for C. difficile toxin in the preoperative and postoperative periods by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay or by tissue culture cytotoxicity. Patients with preoperative stool studies positive for C. difficile were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Treatment groups were not different for age, gender, or surgical procedure. Mean age +/- 1 standard deviation was 67.6 +/- 13.6 (range, 34-94) years in Group 1 and 62.1 +/- 13.5 (range, 35-84) years in Group 2 (P = 0.069). Mean length of hospital stay +/- 1 standard deviation was 9.76 +/- 4.9 (range, 4-28) days for Group 1 and 8.05 +/- 2.6 (range, 3-14) days for Group 2 (P = 0.053). Five patients in Group 1 (neomycin and erythromycin) and one patient in Group 2 (neomycin and metronidazole) had positive stool studies for C. difficile. Relative risk of colonization with C. difficile in Group 1 was 4.76 times that in Group 2 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.581, 39). This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.202). There were no significant differences in C. difficile colonization rates with respect to age, length of stay, or gender. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there may be a clinical association between use of metronidazole preoperatively and inhibition of intestinal colonization by C. difficile in this patient population undergoing colonic and rectal surgery.