The effect of conventional mechanical periodontal treatment on red complex microorganisms and clinical parameters in Down syndrome periodontitis patients: a pilot study.

Periodontal disease (PD) is induced by a complex microbiota, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola (together called the red complex), which triggers intense inflammatory reaction. Down syndrome (DS) individuals demonstrate a high prevalence of PD compared with those who are otherwise chromosomally normal (euploids). This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment in DS chronic periodontitis patients on clinical and microbiological parameters. Patients with chronic periodontitis, 23 DS and 12 euploids (control group), were submitted to non-surgical mechanical periodontal treatment, followed by maintenance for 45 days. Clinical parameters after periodontal treatment were similar in diseased and healthy sites, independent of the genetic background. Diseased sites of DS and control patients harbored similar levels of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia at baseline, but significantly higher levels of T. denticola were found in DS patients. Increased levels of P. gingivalis at healthy sites were found in DS individuals. Non-surgical periodontal therapy decreased the levels of red complex microorganisms and improved the tested clinical parameters of diseased sites in both groups. However, the levels of red complex bacteria were higher in diseased sites of DS patients after the periodontal treatment. We conclude in this pilot study that, although the mechanical periodontal treatment seemed to be effective in DS subjects over a short-term period, the red complex bacteria levels did not decrease significantly in diseased sites, as occurred in controls. Therefore, for DS patients, it seems that the conventional non-surgical periodontal therapy should be improved by utilizing adjuvants to reduce the presence of periodontopathogens.

Clinical outcomes of periodontal therapy are not influenced by the ATC/TTC haplotype in the IL8 gene.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Although chronic periodontitis (CP) is a multifactorial condition, few studies have investigated the potential association of gene variants with the outcome of periodontal therapy. In a previous study, we reported that variants in the interleukin-8 (IL8) gene were associated with CP in a Brazilian population. The aim of this nonrandomized study was to investigate whether genetic susceptibility to CP, conferred by the presence of the IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype, influences the clinical outcomes of nonsurgical periodontal therapy and the IL-8 protein levels in the gingival crevicular fluid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-one individuals were grouped according to the presence (susceptible to CP; n = 21) or absence (not susceptible to CP; n = 20) of the IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype. These individuals received nonsurgical periodontal therapy from one periodontist, who was blinded to the genetic status of each patient, and follow up continued for 45 d. The clinical parameters and gingival crevicular fluid samples were collected at baseline and on day 45. The IL-8 levels were determined by an ELISA. The data were subjected to the Mann-Whitney U-test, Wilcoxon and Spearman tests and to multiple logistic-regression analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences between patients with or without the IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype were found for the outcome of nonsurgical periodontal therapy and IL-8 levels. The multiple logistic-regression analysis did not show a statistically significant association between the IL8 haplotype and the variables studied. CONCLUSION: In this longitudinal clinical study, we observed that neither the outcome of nonsurgical periodontal therapy nor the IL-8 levels were influenced by the IL8 ATC/TTC CP-susceptibility haplotype. Additional studies of CP patients from other ethnic populations are necessary to confirm these results.

Localization of acupuncture points on the Lung Meridian using Bi-Digital O-Ring Test electromagnetic field resonance phenomenon between 2 identical substances.

Using Bi-Digital O-Ring Test electromagnetic field resonance phenomenon between 2 identical substances, it is possible to draw on the surface of the human body several points similar to the acupuncture points of Traditional Chinese Medicine-TCM with the help of histological slides of 12 organs of the main TCM Meridians, using the method first described by Yoshiaki Omura Sc.D. M.D. To determine the relationship of the Lung Meridian of TCM and the points drawn with a histological human Lung slide by BDORT, it was mapped the upper limb in 41 healthy individuals. There were almost identical matches in all points in 26 subjects (63.4%). In 15 subjects there were no identical matches at any point (36.5%). In all cases of no identical matches of the points, the new Lu1 point is displaced in the direction of midpoint of thorax below the clavicle. On the arm there was a medially deviation in comparison to the line obtained from the TCM points, for example the new Lu9 point was located on the midpoint of the wrist.

Use of papain gel in disabled patients.

PURPOSE: This study's purpose was to evaluate complete caries removal time (CCR) and patient acceptance of the chemomechanical caries removal agent and papain gel Papacárie in disabled patients. METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients entered a prospective, controlled, randomized, open study. Patients were divided into 2 groups: (1) group 1=28 children 3 to 10 years old with or without visual or hearing impairments, motor disability on upper limbs, and inability to respond to simple orders; and (2) group 2=23 children, without visual or hearing impairments, with motor disability on the upper limbs and the ability to respond to simple orders. CCR time was measured in both groups. Patients' acceptance was assessed only in group 2 by using the visual analogy of face scale. The visual scale was presented in phase A--after the radiography with the child sitting on the dental chair before the beginning of the treatment, phase B--during the treatment, after total removal of the carious tissue and phase C--after the restoration was complete (treatment was finished). RESULTS: The total CCR average time was 8 minutes for each tooth when groups 1 and 2 were considered. Group 2 patients' acceptance in the first treatment was not statistically significant in all stages. CONCLUSIONS: Papacárie gel had a completed caries removal time of 8 minutes per tooth and is well accepted by the patients in all phases and in the first and subsequent visits.

KEKCB electron cyclotron resonance charge breeder at TRIAC.

The KEKCB is an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source for converting singly charged ions to multicharged ones at Tokai Radioactive Ion Accelerator Complex. By using the KEKCB, singly charged gaseous and nongaseous ions were converted to multicharged ones of A/q approximately 7 with efficiencies of 7% and 2%, respectively. The conversion efficiency was found to be independent of the lifetime of the radioactive nuclei having lifetimes of the order of one second. Three collimators located at the entrance and the exit of the KEKCB defined the beam axis and facilitated beam injection. Grinding and washing the surfaces of aluminum electrode and plasma chamber dramatically reduced impurities originating from the ECR plasma of the KEKCB.

Determination of the subthreshold state contribution in 13C(alpha,n)16O, the main neutron-source reaction for the s process.

The reaction rate of the stellar reaction 13C(alpha,n)16O, which is currently considered to be the main neutron source for the slow (s) process at low energies, has been rederived using the direct alpha-transfer reaction 13C(6Li,d)17O leading to the subthreshold state at 6.356 MeV in 17O. The contribution of the subthreshold state is found to be much smaller than the currently accepted predictions for the main neutron source of the s process, indicating less of a role of this reaction as the neutron source for the s-process scenario in low-mass stars at the asymptotic giant branch.

Isovector quadrupole resonance observed in the 60Ni(13C,13N)60Co reaction at E/A=100 MeV.

The charge-exchange reaction 60Ni(13C,13N)60Co at E/A=100 MeV has been studied to locate isovector (deltaT=1) non-spin-flip (deltaS=0) giant resonances. Besides the giant dipole resonance at E(x)=8.7 MeV, another resonance has been observed at E(x)=20 MeV with a width of 9 MeV. Distorted-wave Born approximation analysis on the angular distribution clearly indicated the L=2 multipolarity, attributing the E(x)=20 MeV state to the giant isovector quadrupole resonance.