SERUM AND SALIVARY ENZYMES – POSSIBLE INDICATOR OF THE INCIDENCE OF TOOTH DECAY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Objectives. Determination of correlations between the cariogenic index, as quantifying element for the frequency of tooth decay, and some salivary and serum enzymes in patients who had been diagnosed with chronic alcoholic hepatitis. Materials and methods. The study group consisted of 25 patients diagnosed with chronic alcoholic hepatitis. The following salivary enzymes were determined: AST, ALT and the AST/ALT ratio. Also, the following plasma enzymes were determined: AST, ALT, amylase, LDH, GGT, ALP, AST/ALT and GGT/ALP ratios. Results. The determined average values were: cariogenic index 1,8±0,96, salivary AST 72,52±46,21 U/L, salivary ALT 80,28±40,34 U/L, salivary AST/ALT ratio 1,03±0,63, plasma AST 115,80±79,16 U/L, plasma ALT 114,76±116,01 U/L, plasma LDH 546,88±444,08 U/L, plasma amylase 53,04±18,12U/L, plasma GGT 212,32±198,12 U/L, plasma ALP 98,76±30,88 U/L, plasma AST/ALT ratio 1,58±1,17, plasma GGT/ALP ratio 2,15±1,76. Conclusions. Statistically significant correlations were determined between the cariogenic index and the salivary AST/ALT ratio, plasma AST, plasma ALT, plasma AST/ALT ratio

THE USE OF PLASMATIC AND SALIVARY PROTEIN FRACTIONS FOR ASSESSING CARIOACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE OF ALCOHOLIC ETIOLOGY

Objectives. To determine the correlations between carioactivity, quantified by the cariogenic index, and total plasma proteins, protein fractions and salivary immunoglobulins. Material and method. We conducted the study on a group of 23 patients with chronic liver disease of alcoholic etiology, who underwent clinical and paraclinical examinations. Total plasma proteins, albumin, alpha-1-globulins, alpha-2-globulins, beta-globulins, gamma-globulins, plasmatic IgG, IgA, IgM, plasma IgA/IgG and salivary immunoglobulins values were determined. Results. We determined the following mean values: cariogenic index 1.78±1.00, total plasmatic protein concentration 7.45±0.51 g/l, albumin 59.90±6.63%, α1-globulin 3.79±1.58%, α2-globulin 9.08±0.95%, β-globulin 11.44±2.80%, γ-globulin 15.79±3.42%, plasmatic IgG 14.76±3.64 g/l, plasmatic IgA 3.58±1.94 g/l, plasmatic IgA/IgG ratio 0.24±0.13, plasmatic IgM 1.43±0.65 g/l, total salivary proteins 1.25±0.85 g/l, salivary IgG 3.05±0.63 mg/dl, salivary IgA 22.18±7.33 mg/dl, salivary IgA/IgG ratio 7.31±2.60. Conclusions. We have established statistically significant correlations between the cariogenic index and the total plasma proteins, plasmatic alpha-2 fraction and plasmatic IgG

Recent progress in L-H transition studies at JET: Tritium, Helium, Hydrogen and Deuterium

We present an overview of results from a series of L-II transition experiments undertaken at JET since the installation of the ITER-like-wall (JET-ILW), with beryllium wall tiles and a tungsten divertor. Tritium, helium and deuterium plasmas have been investigated. Initial results in tritium show ohmic L-H transitions at low density and the power threshold for the L-H transition (P-LH) is lower in tritium plasmas than in deuterium ones at low densities, while we still lack contrasted data to provide a scaling at high densities. In helium plasmas there is a notable shift of the density at which the power threshold is minimum ((n) over bar (e,min)) to higher values relative to deuterium and hydrogen references. Above (n) over bar (e,min) (He) the L-H power threshold at high densities is similar for D and He plasmas. Transport modelling in slab geometry shows that in helium neoclassical transport competes with interchange-driven transport, unlike in hydrogen isotopes. Measurements of the radial electric field in deuterium plasmas show that E-r shear is not a good indicator of proximity to the L-H transition. Transport analysis of ion heat flux in deuterium plasmas show a non-linearity as density is decreased below (n) over bar (e,min). Lastly, a regression of the JET-ILW deuterium data is compared to the 2008 ITPA scaling law