Validation of a KHV antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) causes KHV disease (KHVD). The virus is highly contagious in carp or koi and can induce a high mortality. Latency and, in some cases, a lack of signs presents a challenge for virus detection. Appropriate immunological detection methods for anti-KHV antibodies have not yet been fully validated for KHV. Therefore, it was developed and validated an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect KHV antibodies. The assay was optimized with respect to plates, buffers, antigens and assay conditions. It demonstrated high diagnostic and analytical sensitivity and specificity and was particularly useful at the pond or farm levels. Considering the scale of the carp and koi industry worldwide, this assay represents an important practical tool for the indirect detection of KHV, also in the absence of clinical signs.

[The glandular odontogenic cyst--a rare entity]. / Glanduläre odontogene Zyste - eine seltene Entität.

In this short communication, the very rare glandular odontogenic cyst (GOC) is presented as an independent entity. The GOC is a jawbone cyst of the maxilla and mandible. The typical radiological and histopathological characteristics of the GOC are described. Furthermore, differential diagnoses, current treatment options and the recurrence rates of this of entity are discussed.

[An update: keratocystic odontogenic tumor--a cyst to a tumor]. / Update: Keratozystischer odontogener Tumor (KZOT)--Von der Zyste zum Tumor.

According to the 2005 WHO classification of head neck tumors the parakeratinized form of the odontogenic keratocyst (primordial cyst) is listed as benign odontogenic tumor and is classified as keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT). In this short communication the surgical regimen as well as KCOT as an entity are discussed.

[Periodontal diseases--a review on the association between maternal periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcome]. / Parodontale Erkrankungen--Eine Übersicht über die Beziehung mütterlicher Parodontitis und negativer Schwangerschaftsergebnisse.

Several prospective clinical trials have indicated an association between maternal periodontal status and adverse pregnancy outcome, e.g., low birth weight, pre-term birth and pre-eclampsia. However, the translation of these findings into clinical care and decision making is still a matter of debate. Gynecologists and obstetricians are usually not very familiar with periodontal diseases and do not always consider this pathology in routine preconception counselling. This article outlines the clinical pictures of the most common periodontal diseases and thus helps the gynecologists to identify patients with periodontal diseases.

Occurrence of Atractolytocestus huronensis (Cestoda, Caryophyllaeidae) in German pond-farmed common carp Cyprinus carpio.

Up to now, the caryophyllid cestode Atractolytocestus huronensis Anthony, 1958, a parasite of common carp, has attracted little attention in Germany. Based on recent publications from the Czech Republic and Hungary, it appears probable that this cestode may be increasingly common in Germany. There is a strong connection between the occurrence of A. huronensis and imports of common carp from the Czech Republic and southern Germany. Although in most cases no clinical alterations in parasitized carp have been observed, care should be taken to avoid further dissemination and to prevent possible losses in commercial pond farming.

A two-year longitudinal reference range study for selected serum enzymes in a population more than 60 years of age.

The reference ranges for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase (CK) in a population greater than 60 years were studied using commercially available reagents. All ranges except those for AST and ALT in women were higher than the ranges found in 20-50-year-old adults. A two-year longitudinal study indicated that individuals who had values above those found in younger adults did not show a greater incidence of disease than did individuals who had values in the lower portion of the distribution curve. Comparison of enzyme values at the beginning and at the end of the two-year study showed that mean ALP, AST, ALT, and LDH values (except for ALT values in men) increased gradually. It was concluded from these two findings that the higher values observed for the aging population were a result of the normal aging process, and thus these values were included in the reference range for this population. The range for CK in individuals greater than 60 years was also higher than that found for younger adults, but the mean value of the group was lower, except in women aged 60-69 years, in whom the mean value showed a slight increase over that found for normal adult women. This was believed to be the result of two independent processes; an increase in enzyme activity due to aging and a decrease in enzyme activity due to reduction in muscle mass as a result of the decreased muscular activity of some volunteers during retirement.

Properties of sealants containing bis-GMA and various diluents.

Properties of commercial and a series of experimental pit and fissure sealants, based on Bis-GMA were determined using rapid test procedures. By proper selection of monomeric diluent and addition of a photocrosslinking agent, the characteristics of sealant formulations can be varied widely.

Intermediate restoratives from n-hexyl vanillate-EBA-ZnO-glass composites.

Vanillate esters such as n-hexyl vanillate (HV) dissolved in a suitable chelating agent - e.g., o-ethoxybenzoic acid (EBA) - react with zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, and hydrogenated rosin powder to yield non-eugenol-containing cements that do not inhibit polymerization and are compatible with acrylic monomers. These cements can be modified by adding methyl methacrylate, or the less-volatile, higher-molecular-weight dicyclopentenyloxyethyl, or cyclohexyl methacrylate to the HV-EBA liquid, and silanized glass to the powder. On incorporating a suitable initiator-accelerator system, one can prepare powder-liquid mixes that have good working properties and harden in five to 10 min. The cured materials containing monomethacrylate ingredients have compressive and tensile strength one and one-half to three times that of eugenol-based intermediate restoratives. Cements with even better mechanical properties are obtained using dimethacrylates as monomeric components. Storage stability of the liquids comprising vanillates-EBA and monomethacrylates is excellent. The vanillate-EBA-dimethacrylate liquid containing amine accelerators polymerizes within days when left standing at 45 degrees C. The cement composites adhere strongly to composites, non-precious metals, or porcelains. Rupture of the bond occurs cohesively within the cement. Because of their high strength, low solubility, and excellent adhesion, these cements, subject to their biocompatibility with dental tissues, show great promise as intermediate restorative resins and in the repair of fractured porcelain or porcelain-to-metal crowns and bridges.

Oligomers with pendant isocyanate groups as adhesives for dentin and other tissues.

Oligomers containing pendant isocyanate groups were synthesized from various vinyl monomers, m-isopropenyldimethylbenzyl isocyanate (TMI), and 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM). The liquids were characterized by their refractive indices, infrared spectra, and percentage of isocynate groups in the molecule. Adhesive properties of these compounds were compared with those of oligomers prepared from methacrylate esters, IEM, and/or TMI which had been synthesized previously. Bond strengths of the sodium salt of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (Na2EDTA adjusted to pH 7.4) and glutaraldehyde-treated dentin cemented to composite resin with dilute solutions of the oligomers and then stored in water were determined by the procedure of Kemper and Kilian (1975). These adhesive compositions, especially formulations synthesized from vinyl monomers, adhered at least as well to dentin as did other dentin bonding agents. Oligomers synthesized with methacrylate esters bonded more strongly to bone than did other hard-tissue adhesives. These oligomeric compositions are also excellent soft-tissue adhesives. For example, they provide a strong bond between a collagenous substrate (such as calfskin) and cured denture-base resin. Provided that their biological properties prove satisfactory, these compositions could find many applications as hard- and soft-tissue adhesives in clinical dentistry.

Cements containing syringic acid esters -- o-ethoxybenzoic acid and zinc oxide.

Fissure caries is reduced when syringic acid is incorporated into a cariogenic diet of rats. It was therefore of interest to synthesize n-hexyl and 2-ethylhexyl syringate and to evaluate the properties of cements with these compounds as ingredients. Liquids containing the esters dissolved in o-ethoxybenzoic acid (EBA) - when mixed with powders made up from zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, and hydrogenated rosin - hardened in from four to nine min. Properties of the cements were determined, when possible, according to ANSI/ADA specification tests. Depending on the powder-liquid ratio employed, we obtained compositions with varying physical properties desirable for different dental applications. The syringate cements, compared with the commonly used ZOE materials, have improved compressive and tensile strength, lower water solubility, do not inhibit polymerization, and are compatible with acrylic monomers. These cements pass, and mostly greatly exceed, the requirements for ZOE-type restorative materials. They also bond significantly to resins, composites, and non-precious metals. The bond strength is somewhat less than that of n-hexyl vanillate-EBA cement, but greatly exceeds the adhesion to various substrates of ZOE luting agents. Cements containing n-hexyl syringate were somewhat brittle. Best results were obtained with liquid compositions containing 5% 2-ethylhexyl syringate, 7% n-hexyl vanillate, and 88% EBA, which yielded non-brittle materials. These cements, because of the syringate ingredient, may possess caries-reducing properties. Thus, perhaps in conjunction with fluoride additives, they would be useful as insulating bases, pulp capping agents, root canal sealers, soft tissue packs, or intermediate restoratives.

Solvent effects on bonding organo-silane to silica surfaces.

Interfacial bonding and stability of gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane with silica surfaces have been studied by means of infrared spectroscopy. The addition of n-propylamine enhances silanization of gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane to silica surfaces in normal aliphatic hydrocarbons, and cyclohexane yields a more water-resistant silica-silane bond, and improves the diametral tensile strength of the composite.

Storage stability of dental composites.

Composites made from powder-liquid constituents and subjected to elevated temperatures during storage are more stable than those employing pastes. The decomposition of the benzoyl peroxide ingredient is mainly responsible for the increased setting time and the decreased mechanical properties of the resulting composite.

Surface chemical modification of hard tissues: I. Bone.

Surfaces of bone were modified in a controlled manner by grafting or by adding interpenetrating polymeric side chains to the bone substrate. The properties of the hard tissue surface attained varied widely. The surface alteration may improve the ability of hard tissues such as bone or dentin to adhere to restorative materials.

Bonding of acrylic resins to dentin with 2-cyanoacrylate esters.

Strength and durability of the dentin-acrylic resin joint cemented with 2-cyanoacrylate esters were studied. Maximum adhesion is obtained with isobutyl 2-cyanoacrylate after 1% acid pretreatment of the dentin. Hydrolytic stability is somewhat improved by addition of polymer to the adhesive or coating around the joint.