Evaluation of salivary immunoglobulin A level in thalassemic patients with periodontitis in comparison with thalassemic patients with healthy periodontium

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) level in thalassemic patients with periodontitis in comparison to thalassemic patients with healthy periodontium. METHODS: Seventy-five patients were included in this study and were divided into three groups, group A: 25 major thalassemic patients with mild to moderate periodontitis, group B: 25 thalassemic patients with healthy periodontium, and group C: 25 systemically healthy people with normal periodontium. To measure salivary IgA levels, stimulated saliva was collected and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square. RESULTS: Salivary IgA was significantly different in major thalassemia patients with periodontitis (69 μm/ml) in comparison to major thalassemia patients with healthy periodontium (81 μm/ml) (P < 0.05). The highest level of salivary IgA was observed in the systemically healthy people with normal periodontium (88 μm/ml). CONCLUSION: The levels of salivary IgA were decreased in major thalassemia patients with periodontitis and healthy periodontium in comparison to systemically healthy people with normal periodontium. KEYWORDS: Major Thalassemia; Periodontitis; Immunoglobulin

Evaluation of zinc as an adjunct in chlorhexidine containing toothpaste on gingival and plaque index

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Bacterial plaque is the uppermost element in periodontal diseases. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is one of the utmost influential materials in chemical plaque control and ORTHOKIN is a toothpaste claimed to encompass CHX. Although there are various studies on efficacy of different types of CHX formulation in toothpaste, no literature has focused on the anti-plaque effects of toothpaste with CHX when zinc acetate is introduced in to chemical formula. Therefore, in the present study, we compared Crest ANTI-Cavity toothpaste with KIN gingival and ORTHOKIN toothpastes that contained CHX. METHODS: This controlled clinical trial study was conducted on 30 patients with gingivitis. To compare the anti-plaque activity and bleeding on probing (BOP) index of the toothpastes, the average BOP and plaque index percent was recorded 14-day post-brushing. BOP index and plaque index were measured by an experienced dentist blind to the study and were recorded at pre-scaling, post-scaling and post-brushing for each group. Analysis of variance and paired t-test was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The average BOP in the 3rd meeting for the ORTHOKIN, Crest ANTI-Cavity and KIN gingival toothpastes was 10.54%, 12.15% and 10.60%, and the plaque index in the 3rd meeting was 32.22%, 50.35% and 27.80%, respectively. In these 3 groups, BOP did not have a reduction while the plaque index significantly differed between ORTHOKIN and KIN gingival compared to Crest ANTI-Cavity (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results showed that the reduction of gingival inflammation in CHX contained toothpastes was the same as the toothpaste without CHX. The addition of zinc had no effect on the effectiveness of CHX. KEYWORDS: Fluoride; Toothpaste; Chlorhexidine; Dental Plaque; Zin

Human Gyrovirus Apoptin as a Potential Selective Anticancer Agent: An In Vitro Study

Background: Selective therapy has always been the main challenge in cancer treatments. Recently, it has been shown that Human Gyrovirus-derived protein apoptin (HGV-Apoptin) has selective cytotoxic effects on cancer cells similar to its homologue, Chicken Anemia Virus-derived Apoptin (CAV-Apoptin). However, apoptotic effects of Human Gyrovirus apoptin have been only evaluated on a few cancerous cell lines and need to be further investigated. In this study, we have evaluated the apoptotic effects of HGV-Apoptin and CAV-Apoptin expression on lung cancer (A549) and normal (HEK-293) cell lines, in order to provide more information about the specificity of these proteins on cancerous cells. Methods: Target cells were transfected by the calcium-phosphate precipitation method with constructed plasmids expressing HGV-Apoptin and CAV-Apoptin proteins as well as the control plasmid. Transfection efficiency was followed and imaged by fluorescence microscopy. Quantification of apoptosis was performed by flow cytometry. Measurements were compared by paired Student t-test. Results: Cells were successfully transfected with control and constructed plasmids. Flowcytometry analysis showed that A549 cells transfected with HGV-Apoptin and CAV-Apoptin expressing plasmids, undergone the apoptosis compared to A549 cells transfected with control plasmid (P<0.001). None of the plasmids could induce apoptosis in HEK-293 cells. Conclusion: Human Gyrovirus-derived apoptin (HGV-Apoptin) similar to its homologue, chicken anemia virus derived Apoptin (CAV-Apoptin) can induce apoptosis in Non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell line A549, but not in normal human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293, which can be introduced as a promising novel specific antitumor agent

Idiopathic gingival fibromatosis with unilateral aggressive periodontitis: A case report

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Until now there are a few case reports in which idiopathic gingival enlargement and aggressive periodontitis are diagnosed in combination but in none of them unilateral aggressive periodontitis was seen. CASE REPORT: A 25-year-old female was referred with the chief complaint of swelling of the gingiva in the regions of right upper and lower jaws, for the past 7 years. No relevant medical or family history was recorded. There was not any local or environmental factor. On physical examination, generalized diffused enlargement of gingiva was observed. Radiographs showed unilateral advanced destruction of supporting bone in right upper and lower sextants. The histological analysis of excisional biopsy revealed hyper parakeratinized epithelium. Enormous distribution of inflammatory cells was seen in subepithelial tissue. RESULTS: The combination of gingival fibromatosis (GF) and unilateral aggressive periodontitis in this rare case can be a kind of syndromic form that is uncommon in GF. There is little information in this area. KEYWORDS: Gingival Fibromatosis, Agressive Periodontitis, Unilateral Bone Loss, Gingival Enlargemen

Optimal Electroporation Condition for Small Interfering RNA Transfection into MDA-MB-468 Cell Line

Background: Electroporation is a valuable tool for small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery into cells because it efficiently transforms a wide variety of cell types. Since electroporation condition for each cell type must be determined experimentally, this study presents an optimal electroporation strategy to reproducibly and efficiently transfect MDA-MB 468 human breast cancer cell with siRNA. Methods: To identify the best condition, the cells were firstly electroporated without siRNA and cell viability was determined by trypan blue and MTT assays. Then siRNA transfection in the best condition was performed. Western blot analysis was used for monitoring successful siRNA transfection. Results: The best condition for electroporation of this cell line was 220 volt and 975 µF in exponential decay using the Gene Pulser X cell electroporation system. Our data demonstrated that by using proper electroporation condition, DNA methyl transferase mRNA was silenced by 10 nmol DNMT1 siRNA in MDA-MB 468 cells when compared with negative control siRNA electroporation. Analysis of cell viability demonstrated that optimal electroporation condition resulted in 74% and 78% cell viability by trypan blue staining and MTT assay, respectively. Conclusion: Transfection of the MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line with siRNA in the obtained electroporation condition was successful and resulted in effective gene silencing and high cellular viability

Different type of periodontitis and gingivitis in patients with major thalassemia comparing to healthy people

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Iran is located on the thalassemia belt and has the highest prevalence rate of patients compared to the general population in the world. This investigation was performed to determine the prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis in thalassemia patients in comparison to healthy people and evaluate the relationship between periodontal disease and age, gender, splenectomy and dosage of desferal. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 133 thalassemia patients and 133 healthy people were examined. Clinical examination was performed by periodontal probe and age, gender, desferal dosage, smoking, occlusion, dental alignment were recorded. The results were analyzed using ANOVA, Chi-square, and t-test. RESULTS: Prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis in thalassemia patients was significantly higher than the control group (P = 0.049). However, no difference was observed in the severity of periodontitis. Results showed that age, xerostomia and splenectomy are associated with periodontitis, and dental alignment was correlated with gingivitis. Calculus index (CI) was reported to be more in thalassemia patients, but results showed no significant difference in debris index (DI) however DI was significantly higher in anterior maxillary sextant. CONCLUSION: Due to the higher prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis in patients with thalassemia and susceptibility to infection, preventive and therapeutic treatment is essential in these patients. KEYWORDS: Major Thalassemia, Gingivitis, Periodontitis, Splenectomy, Desfera

Comparative expectations of teachers and parents with regard to memory skills in children with intellectual disabilities

It is generally assumed that teachers and parents assist children to develop their memory skills in primary school years. However, little is known about their views of cognitive and metacognitive skills in children with intellectual disabilities (ID). The ways in which teachers and parents expected their children to use, or to know how to use, memory skills were examined in this study. A questionnaire on memory strategies, memory knowledge and memory behaviour was given to 31 teachers and 31 parents of students with intellectual disability in special schools in Brisbane. In this questionnaire teachers and parents were asked to make judgments about whether or not children would be likely to show these skills. The mean item scores were compared with a 2 x 2 x 3 (respondents x disability level x memory component) analysis of variance with repeated measures on the last factor. The only significant main effect was for memory components. Next, the item scores were analysed with three 2 x 2 x 6 or 7 (respondent x disability level x items) with repeated measures on the third factor. The only significant difference was between items within each of the three memory components (strategies, knowledge, behaviour). However, both teachers and parents hold rather low expectations for the memory skills of children with intellectual disability and these expectations were lower for memory behaviour and memory strategies than for memory knowledge

Teachers' expectations about students' use of reading strategies, knowledge and behaviour in Grades 3, 5 and 7

Although extensive basic research has been carried out on children’s metacognition, little is known about teachers’ views of their students’ cognitive and metacognitive skills in reading. The ways in which teachers expected their children to use, or to know how to use, certain reading skills are examined in this study. A questionnaire on reading components (strategies, knowledge and behaviour) was completed by 45 teachers in Grades 3, 5 and 7. In this questionnaire teachers were asked to make judgements about whether or not students of high, average and low ability levels in their classes would be likely to show these skills. An analysis of variance (grade×ability×component) revealed a significant interaction between ability and component. There was much greater variability in the three components for the low and average levels of ability. The main effect for ability was significant. The highest expectations of teachers were for high-ability students in all the three groups of items, followed by average and low-ability students. The main effect for component was also significant for knowledge. There was no significant difference between the grades. However, teachers hold equivalent performance expectations for high-ability students in each of the three components, but for average and low-ability groups, expectations were higher for knowledge than strategy and behaviour. United Kingdom Reading Association 2001