New record of Philometra species from the marine edible fish Terapon jarbua collected from the Sindh, Arabian Sea, Pakistan.

Diseases in fish due to helminth parasites, especially Philometra species, are the primary worry in aquaculture. Philometra are responsible for health problem in fishes they directly affect fish growth and population parameters. A comprehensive survey was conducted involving the examination of the marine fish species Terapon jarbua, gathered from the coastal waters of Sindh, Pakistan In this research different Philometra species from marine fish Terapon jarbua during 2021 and 2022. Philometra nematodes, belonging to the family Philometridae, are common parasitic organisms inhabiting both marine and freshwater environments. Their prevalence, particularly when existing in high numbers within host organisms, can lead to severe and potentially lethal consequences. Employing light microscopy techniques, diverse species of Philometra were identified, including Philometra teraponi, P. jarbuai, P. arabiai, P. karachii, and P. awarii, localized primarily within the ovaries of the host fish. A total of 140 fish samples were examined and 76 were infected. The intensity of infected fish was 54.28%. The identification process encompassed meticulous analysis of crucial parameters, such as body size, esophagus length, positioning of the nerve ring, dimensions of the ventriculus, and ligament size. Intriguingly, the parasites were found in varying contexts; while some were free within the ovaries, others were embedded within tissues, inducing severe muscular dystrophy. This research presents novel findings of Philometra nematodes in the marine waters of Pakistan, extending their host and geographical distribution records. Future studies are needed to better evaluate and describe the dynamics and the epidemiology of Philometra infection in wild and cultured fish species.

Salsalate: a pleotropic anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases.

Type two Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a rising epidemic. Available therapeutic strategies have provided glycaemic control via HbA1c reduction but fail to provide clinically meaningful reduction in microvascular and macrovascular (cardiac, renal, ophthalmological, and neurological) complications. Inflammation is strongly linked to the pathogenesis of T2DM. Underlying inflammatory mechanisms include oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress amyloid deposition in the pancreas, lipotoxicity, and glucotoxicity. Molecular signalling mechanisms in chronic inflammation linked to obesity and diabetes include JANK, NF-kB, and AMPK pathways. These activated pathways lead to a production of various inflammatory cytokines, such as Interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and C-reactive protein (CRP), which create a chronic low-grade inflammation and ultimately dysregulation of glucose homeostasis in the liver, skeletal muscle, and smooth muscle. Anti-inflammatory agents are being tested as anti-diabetic agents such as the IL-1b antagonist, Anakinra, the IL-1b inhibitor, Canakinuma, the IL-6 antagonists such as Tocilizumab, Rapamycin (Everolimus), and the IKK-beta kinase inhibitor, Salsalate. Salsalate is a century old safe anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of arthritis. Long-term safety and efficacy of Salsalate in the treatment of T2DM have been evaluated, which showed improved fasting plasma glucose and reduced HbA1C levels as well as reduced pro-inflammatory markers in T2DM patients. Current publication summarizes the literature review of pathophysiology of role of inflammation in T2DM and clinical efficacy and safety of Salsalate in the treatment of T2DM.

Perioperative Levels of Troponin and BNP and the Outcome after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

BACKGROUND: The independent predictive values of troponin I (cTnI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have been reported in several studies. However, adjustment only has been limited to preoperative risk factors. AIM: This study was conducted to assess the independent values of postoperative cTnI and BNP to predict the outcome after CABG with adjustment for preoperative risk estimates and postoperative complications and to report risk stratification gains, when considering the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) combined with postoperative biomarkers. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 282 consecutive patients undergoing CABG between January 2018 and December 2021. We evaluated the preoperative and postoperative cTnI and BNP, EuroSCORE, and postoperative complications. The composite endpoint was death or cardiac-related adverse events. RESULTS: The AUROC for postoperative cTnI was significantly higher than that of BNP (0.777 vs. 0.625, p = 0.041). The optimal cut-off values to predict the composite outcome were >4830 (pg/mL) and >6.95 (ng/mL) for BNP and cTnI, respectively. Adjustment for relevant and significant perioperative factors showed that postoperative BNP and cTnI had a high discriminatory power (C-index = 0.773 and 0.895, respectively) for predicting major adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative BNP and cTnI are independent predictors of death or major adverse events, following CABG, and can add to the predictive power of EuroSCORE II.

First Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Experience in Bangladesh: A Case of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a progressive degeneration and replacement of the right ventricular (RV) myocardial tissue by fat and fibrosis and produce clinical condition. Desmosome gene mutations are only the causative state for ARVD hereditary disorder. The arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy incidence is about 1/1000-5000. Mostly young people and athletes are bearing the clinical presentations include presyncope, syncope, ventricular tachycardias or ventricular fibrillation leading to cardiac arrest. We report about the first case of Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to diagnose a case Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) of a 34-year-old male from Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh who was referred to cardiac emergency for the evaluation recurrent dizzy spells.

Clinical Features of COVID-19 Patients in Jordan: A Study of 508 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The symptoms of COVID-19 have a wide range of severity ranging from no symptoms at all to mild symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, general weakness. Moreover, in some situations, patients may develop severe complications as pneumonia, and sepsis, leading to death. This study aims to investigate the characteristic features of COVID-19 patients based on their medical condition prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study took place between the 1st of April 2020 and the 31st of June 2020 in Prince Hamzah Hospital, Jordan. Patients were diagnosed by the Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-PCR Diagnostic Panel, either through screening or for those who developed symptoms. During this period, patients who tested positive for COVID 19 were admitted to the hospital regardless of their symptoms according to the local government health policies. A total of 508 Patients were involved and divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of chronic illnesses prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 371 patients were medically free (220 males and 151 females). Among them, 153 patients were symptomatic (41.2%), with an average hospitalization of 18 days. Generalized malaise, dry cough, and fever were the most common reported symptoms (51%, 45.8%, and 41.8%, respectively). On the other hand, the total number of COVID-19 patients with predefined comorbidities was 137 (93 males and 44 females). Among them, 86 patients (62.8%) were symptomatic, with an average duration of admission of 19.3 days. Similar to medically free patients, dry cough, generalized malaise, and fever were the most commonly reported symptoms (50%, 43%, and 38.4%, respectively). There was a statistically significant correlation between the presence of chronic illnesses and the development of symptoms among COVID-19 patients (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Dry cough, generalized malaise, and fever were the most commonly reported symptoms among our patients regardless of their medical condition. The average duration of hospitalization in medically free patients was less than patients with comorbidities, and it was less among asymptomatic compared to symptomatic patients. More than half of our COVID-19 patients were male and asymptomatic. A significant correlation between patients' medical condition and the possibility of developing symptoms in response to COVID-19 was identified.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): Priorities for POTS care and research from a 2019 National Institutes of Health Expert Consensus Meeting - Part 2.

The National Institutes of Health hosted a workshop in 2019 to build consensus around the current state of understanding of the pathophysiology of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and to identify knowledge gaps that must be addressed to enhance clinical care of POTS patients through research. This second (of two) articles summarizes current knowledge gaps, and outlines the clinical and research priorities for POTS. POTS is a complex, multi-system, chronic disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterized by orthostatic intolerance and orthostatic tachycardia without hypotension. Patients often experience a host of other related disabling symptoms. The functional and economic impacts of this disorder are significant. The pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. Beyond the significant gaps in understanding the disorder itself, there is a paucity of evidence to guide treatment which can contribute to suboptimal care for this patient population. The vast majority of physicians have minimal to no familiarity or training in the assessment and management of POTS. Funding for POTS research remains very low relative to the size of the patient population and impact of the syndrome. In addition to efforts to improve awareness and physician education, an investment in research infrastructure including the development of standardized disease-specific evaluation tools and outcome measures is needed to facilitate effective collaborative research. A national POTS research consortium could facilitate well-controlled multidisciplinary clinical research studies and therapeutic trials. These priorities will require a substantial increase in the number of research investigators and the amount of research funding in this area.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): State of the science and clinical care from a 2019 National Institutes of Health Expert Consensus Meeting - Part 1.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic and often disabling disorder characterized by orthostatic intolerance with excessive heart rate increase without hypotension during upright posture. Patients often experience a constellation of other typical symptoms including fatigue, exercise intolerance and gastrointestinal distress. A typical patient with POTS is a female of child-bearing age, who often first displays symptoms in adolescence. The onset of POTS may be precipitated by immunological stressors such as a viral infection. A variety of pathophysiologies are involved in the abnormal postural tachycardia response; however, the pathophysiology of the syndrome is incompletely understood and undoubtedly multifaceted. Clinicians and researchers focused on POTS convened at the National Institutes of Health in July 2019 to discuss the current state of understanding of the pathophysiology of POTS and to identify priorities for POTS research. This article, the first of two articles summarizing the information discussed at this meeting, summarizes the current understanding of this disorder and best practices for clinical care. The evaluation of a patient with suspected POTS should seek to establish the diagnosis, identify co-morbid conditions, and exclude conditions that could cause or mimic the syndrome. Once diagnosed, management typically begins with patient education and non-pharmacologic treatment options. Various medications are often used to address specific symptoms, but there are currently no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of POTS, and evidence for many of the medications used to treat POTS is not robust.

Alternative management of Covid-19 infection.

Cytokine storm is a life-threatening complication of Covid-19 infection. Excessive cytokines are the products of hyperactive immune inflammatory response mounted by the host against the virus. There is no agreed treatment for cytokine storm. Three therapeutic agents with proven immune-modulatory properties in regular use in a wide range of inflammatory disorders (high dose intravenous immunoglobulin, Rituximab and thalidomide) are proposed for the treatment of cytokine storm. Safety and efficacy of the proposed treatment should be assessed by randomised controlled clinical trials. The use of the proposed treatment is expected to reduce the mortality rate and alter the overall management of the pandemic.

Chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Salvia judaica Boiss. from Jordan.

Investigation of the chemical constituents of Salvia judaica growing wild in Jordan led to the isolation and identification of 15 known compounds. These included: luteolin-3'-methyl ether (1), indole-3-carboxyaldehyde (2), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), tricin (4), apigenin (5), methyl isoferuloyl-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) lactate (6), methyl rosmarinate (7), rosmarinic acid (8), salvigenin (9), ß-sitosterol (10), 3ß, 28-dihydroxyurs-12-ene (11), cirsilineol (12), 2,3-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (13), ß-sitosteryl glucoside (14), and tormentic acid (15). Compounds 6 and 7 exhibited strong radical scavenging and chelating activities as compared to α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid, compound 7 showed a 2-fold greater antioxidant activity as compared to compound 6. Furthermore, low doses of compounds 6 and 7 were able to inhibit the growth of leukemic (HL-60, Jurkat, K562 and CCRF-SB) and solid tumor cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and Caco-2). Compound 7 showed a ca. 3-4-fold stronger cytotoxicity against the tested cells as compared to compound 6.

Risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation after surgical repair of congenital heart disease. Experience from a single cardiac center.

OBJECTIVES: We studied these predictors at a single cardiac center. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out after obtaining approval from the institutional review board. All patients (age, 0-14 years) who underwent  congenital heart disease (CHD)  surgery from January 2014 to June 2016 were included. Prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV)  was defined as greater than 72 hours of ventilation. Results: A total of 257 patients were included, among whom 219 (85.2%) were intubated for greater than 72 hours and 38 (14.8%) were intubated for ≥72 hours. Age (29.9 versus 11.95 years), weight (9.6 versus 5.9 kg), cross-clamp time (CCT) (53.6 versus 71.8 min), cardiopulmonary bypass time (CBP) (80.98 versus 124.36 min), length of stay in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) (10.4 versus 27.2 days), infection (12.8% versus 42.1%), open sternum (0.9% versus 13.2%), re-intubation (19.2% versus 39.5%), pulmonary hypertension (10.9% versus 31.6%), and impaired heart function (10.1% versus 23.7%) were associated with PMV. In terms of Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) classification, only patients with RACHS 4 (18.4%) were associated with the risk for PMV. Conclusions: Age, weight, CBP, CCT, pulmonary hypertension, impaired cardiac function, and sepsis are risk factors for PMV. These factors should be considered when deciding surgery and in providing PICU care.

The scintigraphic, biodistribution and histopathological evaluation of the effect of experimental 131I administration on the gastrointestinal system and the demonstration of the Na+/I- symporter by immunohistochemistry in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate histopathological changes and biodistribution of iodine-131 (I) in the gastrointestinal system (GIS) and also Na/I Symporter (NIS) presence by immunohistochemically in the experimental treatment of rats with radioactive iodine (RAI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were divided into experimental and control groups as random early group 2 (24 h), intermediate group 3 (3 weeks), and late period group 4 (3 months). Experimental groups were administered 100 MBq (∼3 mCi, 12 mCi/kg) by orogastric route with orogastric tube. Scintigraphic iodine screening images were obtained 24 h, 3 weeks, and 3 months after RAI, and GIS tissues were removed, and immunohistochemical methods were used to demonstrate NIS with RAI biodistribution and histopathology. RESULTS: According to the results of scintigraphy, the most prominent activity involvement was observed in the thyroid gland at group 2, and significant activity was observed in the stomach. In the group 3 and group 4 images, owing to the physiological and biological half-life of the iodine and low resolution of the gamma camera, no secondary focal activation was observed. The highest RAI biodistribution value in all groups was in the stomach, ileum and oesophagus. In the immunohistochemical examination of NIS, the highest staining sequence was observed in all groups respectively in the stomach, oesophagus, tongue, colon, saliva, duodenum, rectum, ileum and jejunum. The increase of NIS immunohistochemically stained more intensely was observed in the RAI-administered groups. CONCLUSION: The amount of NIS is important for the absorption of RAI after administration.

Evaluation of a shoe sole UVC device to reduce pathogen colonization on floors, surfaces and patients.

BACKGROUND: An ultraviolet C (UVC) decontamination device that delivers germicidal UVC radiation to the soles of shoes has become available recently. AIM: To demonstrate that shoe soles can be vectors for healthcare-associated infection, and to investigate if a UVC shoe sole decontamination device would decrease this risk effectively. METHODOLOGY: Three bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli) and a non-toxigenic strain of Clostridium difficile were spiked on to standardized rubber-soled shoe soles and then selected at random for UVC exposure or no UVC exposure. Experiments were performed to test the efficacy of the UVC device to decontaminate shoe soles and flooring. E. faecalis was spiked on to shoes to assess colonization of a simulated healthcare environment and patient. RESULTS: The UVC device decreased shoe sole contamination significantly for all tested bacterial species, and decreased floor contamination significantly for all floor types and species tested (P<0.01 for all experiments). The log10 reduction was the highest for E. coli (mean±standard deviation 2.6±0.79), followed by E. faecalis (2.19±0.68), S. aureus (1.74±0.88) and C. difficile (0.42±0.54) (P<0.0001 for all analyses). Exposure of shoe soles to the UVC device decreased contamination significantly (mean log10 reduction 2.79±1.25; P<0.0001). Proportions of samples from furniture, bed and patient dummy samples decreased from 96-100% positive in controls to 5-8% positive in UVC device experiments (P<0.0001 for all analyses). CONCLUSION: A UVC decontamination device was shown to reduce the colony-forming unit counts of relevant pathogenic organisms from shoe soles with subsequent decreased colonization of floors, healthcare equipment, furniture, beds and a patient dummy.

Apoptosis and cell proliferation in short-term and long-term effects of radioiodine-131-induced kidney damage: an experimental and immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: Radioiodine-131 is a radionuclide that is used for therapeutic purposes in hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate apoptotosis and proliferative changes in radioiodine-related kidney damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups (n=10/group) of rats were used as follows: the rats were in group 1 untreated, and the rats in groups 2 and 3 were treated once with oral radioiodine (111 MBq). The animals in group 2 were killed at the end of the seventh day and the rats in group 3 were killed at the end of the 10th week. The kidneys were removed and evaluated immunohistochemically. The presence of radioiodine in the kidneys was shown by the Na+/I-symporter antibody and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki-67, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling assay were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis. RESULTS: Na+/I-symporter protein accumulation in the kidneys was observed to be significantly greater in group 2 than in group 3 (P<0.05). All the immunohistochemical analyses showed that cell proliferation and apoptosis began on the seventh day and peaked in the 10th week. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki-67, and caspase expressions and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling values were all found to be statistically significantly increased in group 3 compared with the other groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Radioiodine caused cell proliferation and apoptosis as shown by immunohistochemistry.

Finite element analysis of different loading conditions for implant-supported overdentures supported by conventional or mini implants.

The effect of implants' number on overdenture stability and stress distribution in edentulous mandible, implants and overdenture was numerically investigated for implant-supported overdentures. Three models were constructed. Overdentures were connected to implants by means of ball head abutments and rubber ring. In model 1, the overdenture was retained by two conventional implants; in model 2, by four conventional implants; and in model 3, by five mini implants. The overdenture was subjected to a symmetrical load at an angle of 20 degrees to the overdenture at the canine regions and vertically at the first molars. Four different loading conditions with two total forces (120, 300 N) were considered for the numerical analysis. The overdenture displacement was about 2.2 times higher when five mini implants were used rather than four conventional implants. The lowest stress in bone bed was observed with four conventional implants. Stresses in bone were reduced by 61% in model 2 and by 6% in model 3 in comparison to model 1. The highest stress was observed with five mini implants. Stresses in implants were reduced by 76% in model 2 and 89% increased in model 3 compared to model 1. The highest implant displacement was observed with five mini implants. Implant displacements were reduced by 29% in model 2, and increased by 273% in model 3 compared to model 1. Conventional implants proved better stability for overdenture than mini implants. Regardless the type and number of implants, the stress within the bone and implants are below the critical limits.

Internalization of a novel, huge lectin from Ibacus novemdentatus (slipper lobster) induces apoptosis of mammalian cancer cells.

An N-acetyl sugar-binding lectin (termed iNoL) displaying cytotoxic activity against human cancer cells was isolated from the slipper lobster Ibacus novemdentatus (family Scyllaridae). iNoL recognized monosaccharides containing N-acetyl group, and glycoproteins (e.g., BSM) containing oligosaccharides with N-acetyl sugar. iNoL was composed of five subunits (330, 260, 200, 140, and 30 kDa), which in turn consisted of 70-, 40-, and 30-kDa polypeptides held together by disulfide bonds. Electron microscopic observations and gel permeation chromatography indicated that iNoL was a huge (500-kDa) molecule and had a polygonal structure under physiological conditions. iNoL displayed cytotoxic (apoptotic) effects against human cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D (breast), HeLa (ovarian), and Caco2 (colonic), through incorporation (internalization) into cells. The lectin was transported into lysosomes via endosomes. Its cytotoxic effect and incorporation into cells were inhibited by the co-presence of N-acetyl-D-mannosamine (ManNAc). Treatment of HeLa cells with iNoL resulted in DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation, through activation of caspase-9 and -3. In summary, the novel crustacean lectin iNoL is incorporated into mammalian cancer cells through glycoconjugate interaction, and has cytotoxic (apoptotic) effects.

Mechanisms for floor surfaces or environmental ground contamination to cause human infection: a systematic review.

Shoe soles have been shown to transfer infectious microorganisms to floor and ground surfaces. However, the possible modes of transmission of infectious agents from floors or ground surfaces to human contact for infection have not been systematically reviewed. A systematic review was performed on articles indexed in medical databases (Medline, EMBASE, PubMed) using a pre-defined search strategy and MeSH terms (date of last search: 15 March 2016). Only primary research studies in English that investigated the transmission dynamics of infectious microorganisms from floor or ground surfaces to human infection were included. Extraction of articles was performed two independent reviewers using pre-defined data fields in an Excel sheet. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria. Almost all hospital-associated microorganisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative species were identified on floor or ground surfaces. Several modes of transmission dynamics, most commonly direct contact or aerosolization, were identified. In conclusion, interventions such as efficient cleaning of floor surfaces and vectors that transfer infectious organisms to floors such as shoe soles could be an effective infection control strategy to prevent human disease.

Shoe soles as a potential vector for pathogen transmission: a systematic review.

Shoe soles are possible vectors for infectious diseases. Although studies have been performed to assess the prevalence of infectious pathogens on shoe soles and decontamination techniques, no systematic review has ever occurred. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to determine the prevalence of infectious agents on shoe bottoms and possible decontamination strategies. Three electronic bibliographic databases were searched using a predefined search strategy evaluating prevalence of infectious pathogens on shoe bottoms and decontamination strategies. Quality assessment was performed independently by two reviews with disagreements resolved by consensus. Thirteen studies were identified that supported the hypothesis that shoe soles are a vector for infectious pathogens. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative species among other pathogens were documented on shoe bottoms in the health care setting, in the community and among food workers. Fifteen studies were identified that investigated decontamination strategies for shoe soles. A number of decontamination strategies have been studied of which none have been shown to be consistently successful at disinfecting shoe soles. In conclusion, a high prevalence of microbiological pathogens was identified from shoe soles studied in the health care, community and animal worker setting. An effective decontamination strategy for shoe soles was not identified. Studies are needed to assess the potential for contaminated shoes to contribute to the transmission of infectious pathogens.

Changes in biting forces with implant-supported overdenture in the lower jaw: A comparison between conventional and mini implants in a pilot study.

The biting ability of patients improves noticeably after receiving implant-supported overdentures in comparison to conventional complete dentures. However, the change of biting with such treatment concepts has been quantitatively investigated in only a limited number of studies. The aim of the present study has been to measure the biting forces of edentulous patients with complete dentures and after receiving implant-supported overdentures. A total of 26 edentulous patients were included. Ten patients received two to four conventional implants (control group, Ø3.3-3.7mm, L11-13mm) and 16 patients received four to five mini implants (study group, Ø1.8-2.4mm, L13-15mm) inserted in the mandibular interforaminal region. All patients received a lower overdenture with ball/rubber ring attachments and a complete denture for the maxilla. The biting forces were measured using Prescale pressure sheets type low before the insertion of implants and after receiving implant-supported overdenture. The measured sheets were later scanned and analysed using FPD-8010E software. The range of biting forces before the insertion of implants was 80N-122N for the control group and 66-88N for the study group. After the insertion of implants, the range of biting forces increased to 167N-235N for the control group and to 81N-138N for the study group. However, the increase in biting forces after the insertion of implants was not significant for either group. No significant difference was obtained between the two implant systems. The biting forces improved after insertion of implants regardless of which implant system was used. However, the degree of improvement is noticeably related to the original bone quality of the mandible at the insertion regions of implants.

In vivo measurements and numerical analysis of the biomechanical characteristics of the human periodontal ligament.

The periodontal ligament is a complex tissue with respect to its biomechanical behaviour. It is important to understand the mechanical behaviour of the periodontal ligament during physiological loading in healthy patients as well as during the movement of the tooth in orthodontic treatment or in patients with periodontal disease, as these might affect the mechanical properties of the periodontal ligament (PDL). Up to now, only a limited amount of in vivo data is available concerning this issue. The aim of this study has been to determine the time dependent material properties of the PDL in an experimental in vivo study, using a novel device that is able to measure tooth displacement intraorally. Using the intraoral loading device, tooth deflections at various velocities were realised in vivo on human teeth. The in vivo investigations were performed on the upper left central incisors of five volunteers aged 21-33 years with healthy periodontal tissue. A deflection, applied at the centre of the crown, was linearly increased from 0 to 0.15mm in a loading period of between 0.1 and 5.0s. Individual numerical models were developed based on the experimental results to simulate the relationship between the applied force and tooth displacement. The numerical force/displacement curves were fitted to the experimental ones to obtain the material properties of the human PDL. For the shortest loading time of 0.1s, the experimentally determined forces were between 7.0 and 16.2N. The numerically calculated Young's modulus varied between 0.9MPa (5.0s) and 1.2MPa (0.1s). By considering the experimentally and numerically obtained force curves, forces decreased with increasing loading time. The experimental data gained in this study can be used for the further development and verification of a multiphasic constitutive law of the PDL.

New isoflavones from Gynandriris sisyrinchium and their antioxidant and cytotoxic activities.

Chemical investigation of Gynandriris sisyrinchium (L.) Parl growing in Jordan resulted in the isolation and characterization of a total of twelve compounds two of which are reported here for the first time in nature. These new compounds included the isoflavones; 3'-methyl tenuifone (2) and gynandrinone (5). In addition, ten known compounds including; ß-sitosterol (1), 7,3'-dimethoxy-5,6,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone (3), iristectorigenin (4), hispidulin (6), galangustin (7), 6-hydroxybiochanin A (8), ursolic acid (9), ladanetin (10), 4'-O-methylgenistein (11) and ß-sitosterol glucoside (12) are also reported here for the first time from G. sisyrinchium. The isolated compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic methods including NMR (1D and 2D), UV, IR and MS (HRESIMS and EIMS). The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of isoflavones 2, 3 and 5 were investigated. Compound 3 showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC50=17.3µg/mL), as compared to compounds 5 and 2 (IC50=26.7 and 51.7µg/mL, respectively). The cytotoxic activity against the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells revealed that compound 2 was the most active (40µM). The results indicate that the cytotoxicity of compound 2 is mediated by apoptosis.