Molecular Identification of Candida albicans in Endodontic Retreatment Cases by SYBR Green I Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and its Association with Endodontic Symptoms.

Statement of the Problem: Recent microbiological studies have expressed ever-increasing concerns about Candida albicans as a causal factor in the failure of endodontic treatments. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), including the SYBR Green I system, is a technique in which a fluorescent dye is incorporated into the double-stranded DNA that is produced during DNA polymerase activity. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the relative prevalence of Candida albicans in root canals of retreatment cases and its association with endodontic symptoms. Materials and Method: In the present cross-sectional/analytical study fifty subjects were selected. Clinical features and radiographic status of the teeth were also evaluated. After access cavity preparation, the retrieved material and dentinal chips removed from the root canal were transferred into 1.5-mL microtubes, followed by storage at -20ºC until used for DNA extraction. A DNeasy Tissue Kit was used to extract DNA using the DNeasy protocol for animal tissues. Master Plus SYBR Green I (Jena Bioscience, Germany) was used in a Rotor-gene Real-time PCR System for real-time PCR. The relationship between the presence of Candida albicans and the clinical and radiographic features were analyzed using McNemar's test. Results: There was a significant relationship between the radiographic findings in endodontically treated teeth and the presence of Candida albicans. However, there was no significant relationship between the presence of Candida albicans and any of the clinical symptoms. Conclusion: In spite of the limitations of this study, we concluded that Candida albicans was associated with root canal infections in endodontic retreatment cases, but there was no relationship between root canal infections and the clinical symptoms.

The Effects of Different Agitation Techniques of Canal Irrigant on Tubular Penetration of a Bioceramic Sealer.

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the effects of different agitation techniques of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCL) as the final irrigation with XP-Finisher file, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), Er:YAG laser and irrigation with conventional syringes, on penetration of Sure Seal Root bioceramic sealer into dentinal tubules. Methods and Materials: Forty freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth were included in the present in vitro study. All the teeth were prepared up to #40 (4%) with Bio Race rotary file system, using crown-down technique. After chemomechanical preparation, the teeth were randomly assigned to 4 groups based on the agitation protocol: conventional needle irrigation (CNI) with a 30-G needle in a syringe, PUI, Er:YAG laser and XP-Finisher file, Subsequent to the agitation procedure, the root canals were obturated with tapered bioceramic-covered gutta-percha point and, bioceramic sealer, using the single-cone technique. The maximum penetration of the sealer into the dentinal tubules was determined in the coronal, middle and apical thirds using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique. After confirmation of the normal distribution of data with Shapiro-Wilk test, Data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. Results: The mean penetration depth of the bioceramic sealer into the dentinal tubules in the PUI group was greater than that of other groups; however, the difference between the two PUI and Er:YAG laser groups in the apical third was not significant (P=0.078). Er:YAG laser, PUI and XP-Finisher file agitation techniques resulted in significantly greater penetration of the bioceramic sealer into the dentinal tubules compared to the CNI (P<0.001). The XP-Finisher file technique in the apical (P=0.752) and middle thirds (P=0.339) and the Er:YAG laser technique in the apical thirds (P=0.086) were not significantly different from the conventional irrigation technique. Conclusion: The PUI technique resulted in significantly deeper penetration of the Bioceramic sealer into the dentinal tubules compared to the three other techniques.

Silicone oil pupillary block after laser retinopexy in aphakic eyes with presumed closed peripheral iridectomy: report of three cases.

Closure of the peripheral iridectomy (PI) may lead to forward displacement of silicone oil (SO) in some but not all SO-filled aphakic eyes. In this study, we report three patients with a history of a combined three-port pars plana vitrectomy and cataract surgery, SO injection and inferior PI who underwent laser retinopexy a few months postoperatively. The postoperative courses of these patients were unremarkable except for the closure of the PI without anterior displacement of SO; however, a few hours after laser therapy the SO was displaced to the anterior chamber, leading to acute glaucoma in one of the cases. Yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) laser was successfully used to reopen the PI in all three patients. The induction of a pupillary block following laser retinopexy in SO-filled aphakic eyes with a closed PI and no forward displacement of SO underscores the necessity of a follow-up examination after laser therapy in such patients and the importance of the prophylactic use of a YAG laser to reopen the PI before laser therapy.

Mast cells density in fibrotic capsule of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma: a method for histopathologic differentiation.

BACKGROUND: An enchondroma is a benign and a well-differentiated chondrosarcoma is an invasive chondroid tumor with high recurrence potential. In spite of biologic differences, these two tumors have very similar histopathologic appearance. It has been shown that the biologic nature of the connective tissue around benign and malignant tumors varies in the number of mast cells. The aim of this study was to study the histopathologic distinction of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma using the density of the mast cells in fibrotic capsule. METHODS: Twelve enchondroma and 15 well-differentiated chondrosarcoma were collected from Pathology department of Cancer Institute and Central Pathology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran. 3 micron paraffin embedded tissue sections were stained by toluidine blue for mast cells counting. Mast cells were counted in fibrous capsule of all cases. Mast cells counts were accomplished in 10 high power fields. The average number of mast cells in 10HPF was determined as an index for each lesion. Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Mean index in enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma groups were 0.1±0.12 and 0.31±0.33 respectively, showing a significant difference between number of mast cells in the fibrotic capsule in these two lesions (p = 0.028). Comparison of the corresponding points in ROC curve, showed a cut-off point = 0.15, with positive predictive value of 61%, negative predictive value 71%, specificity of 33.3% and sensitivity of 66.7%, (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Average density of the mast cells in the surrounding fibrotic capsules of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma along with other criterions, could be a beneficial factor for histologically differentiation between these two lesions.

Preoperative injection of intravitreal bevacizumab in dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative intravitreal injection of bevacizumab on surgery and on the early postoperative course in diabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy for dense vitreous hemorrhage. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage were randomly assigned to a group that received 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab 1 week before vitrectomy (18 patients) or the control group (17 patients). To compare the complexity of two groups, intraoperative complexity score and proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy stage were recorded. Intraoperative bleeding, break formation, number of endodiathermy applications, best-corrected visual acuity, anatomical outcome at Month 3 and at final follow-up, and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean complexity scores and proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy stages of both groups were similar. The mean score of bleeding was 1.05 in the injection group versus 1.76 in the control group (P = 0.35); endodiathermy applications and break formations were 0.44 versus 0.52 (P = 0.68) and 0.22 versus 0.29 (P = 0.60) in the injection and control groups, respectively. Anatomical outcome and visual acuity at Month 3 and at the final follow-up were similar. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that intravitreal injection of bevacizumab before vitrectomy for dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage has no significant effect on facilitation of surgery or on the early postoperative course.

Prevalence and correlates of hepatitis C infection among male injection drug users in detention, Tehran, Iran.

For the benefit of planning for the future care and treatment of people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to help guide prevention and control programs, data are needed on HCV seroprevalence and associated risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional sero-behavioral survey of injection drug users (IDU) detained for mandatory rehabilitation during a police sweep of Tehran, Iran, in early 2006. During the study period, a consecutive sample comprising 454 of 499 (91.0%) men arrested and determined to be IDU by urine test and physical examination consented to a face-to-face interview and blood collection for HCV antibody testing. Overall, HCV prevalence was 80.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 76.2-83.6). Factors independently associated with HCV infection included history of incarceration (adjusted OR 4.35, 95% CI 1.88-10.08), age of first injection < or =25 years (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.09-6.82), and history of tattooing (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.05-5.17). HCV prevalence in this population of IDU upon intake to jail was extremely high and possibly approaching saturation. Findings support that incarceration is contributing to the increased spread of HCV infection in Iran and calls for urgent increased availability of HCV treatment, long-term preparation for the care of complications of chronic infection, and rapid scale-up of programs for the primary prevention of parenterally transmitted infections among drug users.