The In vitro Evaluation of the effect of xyliwhite, probiotic, and the conventional toothpastes on the enamel roughness and microhardness.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fluoride, Xylitol, Probiotic, and Whitening toothpastes on the permanent teeth enamel roughness and microhardness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty teeth were randomly divided into 2 groups, each group having 60 samples. G1: The group in which enamel roughness was examined (n = 60). G2: The group in which enamel microhardness was examined (n = 60). Then, these groups were randomly divided into 4 groups among themselves (n = 15). Each group was brushed using four different toothpastes for 1 week with a battery-powered toothbrush in the morning and evening for 2 min. Vicker's hardness tester was used to measure the changes in microhardness, and the profilometer was used to measure the changes in surface roughness. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found on surface roughness and microhardness values measured after tooth brushing process in group brushed with Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste (P > 0.01). Statistically significant decrease was observed on Vicker's hardness values measured after tooth brushing process in groups brushed with Ipana White Power Carbonate toothpaste, Xyliwhite Toothpaste Gel, and Periobiotic Probiotic Toothpaste (P < 0.01). Statistically significant increase was observed on surface roughness values in groups brushed with Ipana White Power Carbonate toothpaste, Xyliwhite Toothpaste Gel, Periobiotic Probiotic Toothpaste (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: As a result, Colgate MaxFresh abrasive-free toothpaste with fluoride has no effect on permanent tooth enamel surface roughness and microhardness. Xyliwhite, Periobiotic, and Ipana White Power Carbonate-containing abrasive toothpastes led to changes negatively on permanent tooth enamel surface roughness and microhardness.

Antimicrobial Effect of Toothpastes Containing Fluoride, Xylitol, or Xylitol-Probiotic on Salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in Children.

AIM: This in vivo study was designed to compare the antimicrobial effect of toothpastes containing fluoride, xylitol, or xylitol-probiotic on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in 13-15-year-old children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of 60 pediatric patients who were randomly divided into three groups of 20 each. Group 1 recieved fluoride toothpaste (Colgate Max Fresh), group 2 used xylitol toothpaste (Xyliwhite), and group 3 used xylitol-probiotic toothpaste (PerioBiotic). Participants were asked to use the allocated dentifrice two times a day for 6 weeks. We performed tests on the saliva samples at the beginning of the study and after 6 weeks' duration following the use of toothpaste. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 15 software and chi-square test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: PerioBiotic toothpaste and Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste showed significant reduction in the number of participants who, prior to commencing the study, were diagnosed with a high number of cariogenic bacteria. On the contrary, no significant changes were observed with respect to the number of participants with a very high number of S. mutans and Lactobacillus on Xyliwhite toothpaste group. CONCLUSION: In the light of the data obtained in this in-vivo study, a new innovational aspect has been reached in the use of probiotics to ensure the balance between bacterial flora in the oral cavity. In daily routine, the administration of probiotics to children is difficult. The toothpaste can be used as a vehicle to transport probiotics to children's mouth.

The efficacy of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in determining the malignancy of solitary pulmonary nodules.

We investigated the utility of the tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules in 42 hospitalized patients. Routine medical history and physical examination of each patient was performed and each patient also had a chest X-ray and a thoracic computed tomography scan. The following diagnostic procedures were also undertaken: bronchoscopy, transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy, sputum cytology and culture, analysis of sputum acid-fast bacilli and thoracotomy. Measurement of serum levels of tumour antigens by Immulite 2000 radioimmunoassay found that three tumour markers, CEA, CA125 and CA15-3, could be used in the diagnosis of malignant solitary pulmonary nodules. More research is now required involving a larger group of patients.

The role of surgery and fluoroquinolones in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

SETTING: Although modern tuberculosis treatment relies on chemotherapy, surgery is accepted as adjuvant treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of resectional surgery and fluoroquinolones on long-term treatment success and survival in a large group of MDR-TB cases. DESIGN: A total of 252 patients with MDR-TB were included in this retrospective cohort study. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine independent predictive factors for long-term treatment success, and survival analyses were done based on different treatment approaches with or without surgery. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cohort was 37.9 +/- 12.5 years; 204 (80%) were males. Long-term treatment success was associated with resistance to fewer drugs, female sex, younger age and limited disease. Sixty-six patients (26.2%) had undergone resectional surgery after 2-16 months of treatment. The highest long-term treatment success and survival rates were achieved in patients who both received fluoroquinolones and underwent surgery (P = 0.001 vs. other groups). CONCLUSION: Although the treatment success rate was higher in patients treated with surgery and fluoroquinolones compared to other groups, an additional significant benefit from surgery could not be demonstrated. Larger scale studies are needed to clarify this issue.

Side effects associated with the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

SETTING: Süreyyapasa Centre for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey. OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency of treatment side effects in cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) tuberculosis. DESIGN: A retrospective review of the medical records of 263 patients who received individualised treatment for MDR-TB between April 1992 and June 2004. RESULTS: One or more side effects developed in 182 cases (69.2%). These effects led the clinicians to withdraw one or more drugs from the treatment regimen in 146 cases (55.5%). Side effects observed most frequently included: ototoxicity (41.8%), psychiatric disorders (21.3%), gastrointestinal disturbance (14.0%), arthralgia (11.4%), epileptic seizures (9.9%), hepatitis (4.5%), and dermatological effects (4.5%). At the time of analysis, treatment was successful in 204 (77.6%) cases. Fifty-nine patients (22.4%) had poor outcomes. CONCLUSION: Timely and aggressive management of drug side effects means that high side effect rates in MDR-TB treatment need not compromise success rates.

Chemical secondary structure probing of two highly methylated regions in Xenopus laevis 28S ribosomal RNA.

The large ribosomal subunit (LSU) RNA or 28S rRNA of vertebrates is characterized by two highly conserved and methylated regions towards the 3' end of the molecule that extend from domains IV to V of the molecule. In this report we describe the probing of the secondary structure of these two highly methylated regions in Xenopus laevis LSU RNA by chemical modification using the single-strand nucleotide specific probes; dimethyl sulphate (DMS) and 1-cyclo-hexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl-carbodiimide metho-p-toluene sulphonate (CMCT) followed by primer extension. The same regions in in vitro synthesized unmethylated X. laevis 28S rRNA were also probed for comparison. Our results in general tend to support the theoretically determined secondary structure model for the probed domains. From the results obtained, methylated cellular LSU RNA appears to be relatively more reactive than the in vitro transcript to the chemical probes. Accessibility to the probes was found to be similar at most sites for cellular and in vitro transcript LSU RNAs. This implies that structural destabilization due to 2'-O-methylations in cellular LSU RNA is not significant.

Pseudouridine distribution in mammalian 18 S ribosomal RNA. A major cluster in the central region of the molecule.

Human and rodent 18 S rRNA contain about 38 pseudouridine residues. By correlating RNA oligonucleotide data with complete sequence data derived from ribosomal DNA, 30 pseudouridine residues can be located in the RNA sequence, either exactly or to within two or three residues. Pseudouridine and 2'-O-methyl groups are interspersed throughout mammalian 18 S rRNA, but not in closely parallel fashion. Whereas the largest cluster of 2'-O-methyl groups is in the 5' one-third of the molecule, the greatest concentration of pseudouridine is in the central one-third of the molecule.

Evidence on the conformation of HeLa-cell 5.8S ribosomal ribonucleic acid from the reaction of specific cytidine residues with sodium bisulphite.

The reaction of HeLa-cell 5.8S rRNA with NaHSO3 under conditions in which exposed cytidine residues are deaminated to uridine was studied. It was possible to estimate the reactivities of most of the 46 cytidine residues in the nucleotide sequence by comparing 'fingerprints' of the bisulphite-treated RNA with those of untreated RNA. The findings were consistent with the main features of the secondary-structure model for mammalian 5.85S rRNA proposed by Nazar, Sitz, & Busch [J. Biol. Chem (1975) 250, 8591--8597]. Five out of six regions that are depicted in the model as single-stranded loops contain cytidine residues that are reactive towards bisulphite at 25 degrees C (the other loop contains no cytidine). The cytidine residue nearest to the 3'-terminus is also reactive. Several cytidines residues that are internally located within proposed double-helical regions show little or no reactivity towards bisulphite, but the cytidine residues of several C.G pairs at the ends of helical regions show some reactivity, and one of the proposed loops appears to contain six nucleotides, rather than the minimum of four suggested by the primary structure. Two cytidine residues that are thought to be 'looped out' by small helix imperfections also show some reactivity.