Effect of a Short-Term Intervention with Lactobacillus salivarius Probiotic on Early Childhood Caries-An Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial.

ECC is a significant therapeutic and social problem and a global burden on public health. The aim of this clinical trial was to test whether a 2-week daily consumption of chewing tablets containing thermally inactivated L. salivarius reduces the 12-month caries increment compared to the control group. The investigation was a single-center, randomized, controlled open-label, blinded end-point evaluation trial in two parallel groups. At baseline, 140 generally healthy children between 3 and 6 years of age with or without ECC were randomly assigned to the probiotic test group (n = 70) or to the treatment as the usual control group (n = 70). The primary outcome measure was the 1-year increment in caries incidence and prevalence. Secondary endpoints assessed were the initial, cavitated and obvious dentinal caries increment as well as the measurement of dental plaque accumulation, as an indicator of the ECC risk. Data were collected through the clinical assessment of the children's caries (dmft and ICDAS II) and oral hygiene status (DI-S of OHI-S index). Caries incidence and prevalence were statistically significantly lower in the probiotic group versus the control group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.0075). The initial and final mean OHI-S scores in the probiotic group did not show any significant differences. In conclusion, the regular short-term intake of probiotics may reduce caries development. Our findings suggest that self-administered probiotic therapy may provide a good complement to increase the effectiveness of individual preventive home care in preschool children. This is the first clinical study evaluating the effect of a short-term probiotic intervention on reducing early childhood caries with 12 months of follow-up.

Origin of the ornamented bâton percé from the Golebiewo site 47 as a trigger of discussion on long-distance exchange among Early Mesolithic communities of Central Poland and Northern Europe.

This article describes evidence for contact and exchange among Mesolithic communities in Poland and Scandinavia, based on the interdisciplinary analysis of an ornamented bâton percé from Golebiewo site 47 (Central Poland). Typological and chronological-cultural analyses show the artefact to be most likely produced in the North European Plain, during the Boreal period. Carbon-14 dating confirms the antiquity of the artefact. Ancient DNA analysis shows the artefact to be of Rangifer tarandus antler. Following this species designation, a dispersion analysis of Early-Holocene reindeer remains in Europe was conducted, showing this species to exist only in northern Scandinavia and north-western Russia in this period. Therefore, the bâton from Golebiewo constitutes the youngest reindeer remains in the European Plain and south-western Scandinavia known to date. An attempt was made to determine the biogeographic region from which the antler used to produce the artefact originates from. To this end, comprehensive δ18O, δ13C and δ15N isotope analyses were performed. North Karelia and South Lapland were determined as the most probable regions in terms of isotopic data, results which correspond to the known distribution range of Rangifer tarandus at this time. In light of these finds, the likelihood of contact between Scandinavia and Central Europe in Early Holocene is evaluated. The bâton percé from Golebiewo is likely key evidence for long-distance exchange during the Boreal period.

[Evaluation of trigger finger operative treatment and quality of life improvement with PEM (Patient Evaluation Measure) questionnaire]. / Ocena wyników leczenia operacyjnego palców trzaskajacych (przeskakujacych) i poprawy jakosci zycia w oparciu o kwestionariusz PEM (Patient Evaluation Measure).

UNLABELLED: One of the most frequent couse of pain and function impairment of the hand is trigger finger. The treatment of this desease can be conservative or operative. The aim of this study was the evaluation of operative treatment and improvement of the quality of life after the procedure with PEM questionnaire. There were 50 patient included into evaluation, all of them were treated in Second Department of Surgery of the Jagiellonian University Medical College between 2008 and 2010. Patients evaluated the function of their hand before surgery and then 3 months and a year after the procedure. There were also the assessment of treatment satisfaction. We analised the results and observed significant improvement of hand function after the surgery and very high satisfaction with the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Surgery is a very effective treatment method of trigger finger. 2. It is quite simple procedure and followed by very few complications. 3. It allows to significantly improve hand function and early return to work. 4. It can be performed in the outpatient clinic, which considerably reduces the costs of treatment.

Analysis of mercury levels in historical bone material from syphilitic subjects--pilot studies (short report).

The aim of the present work is to study the remains of seven individuals with typical symptoms of tertiary syphilis in terms of mercury content in bones, thereby verifying whether they were subjected to treatment and, if they were, how long their organisms were exposed to toxic mercury fumes. Mercury was used, mainly in the Middle Ages and in the early modern period, as a preventive measure in case of individuals suffering from syphilis, a venereal disease, and also leprosy. Syphilitic patients treated this way should demonstrate increased concentration of mercury in their bones. The skeletons studied in the present work originate from various archaeological sites in southern and north-central Poland. The analyses concerned individuals with diagnosed syphilis as well as healthy individuals who constituted the control group. The analyses were performed by the LA-ICP-MS technique, with the use of laser Nd: YAG, Macro, 266 nm, New Wave, USA, coupled with Spectrometer Elan DRC-e Perkin Elmer, USA. The content analysis of the studied bone material revealed with high probability that the contact method of mercurial treatment was used only in the case of two women from north-central Poland, deceased at the turn of the 15th century at the earliest.