A New Method to Extract Dental Pulp DNA: Application to Universal Detection of Bacteria

BACKGROUND: Dental pulp is used for PCR-based detection of DNA derived from host and bacteremic microorganims. Current protocols require odontology expertise for proper recovery of the dental pulp. Dental pulp specimen exposed to laboratory environment yields contaminants detected using universal 16S rDNA-based detection of bacteria. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We developed a new protocol by encasing decontaminated tooth into sterile resin, extracting DNA into the dental pulp chamber itself and decontaminating PCR reagents by filtration and double restriction enzyme digestion. Application to 16S rDNA-based detection of bacteria in 144 teeth collected in 86 healthy people yielded a unique sequence in only 14 teeth (9.7%) from 12 individuals (14%). Each individual yielded a unique 16S rDNA sequence in 1-2 teeth per individual. Negative controls remained negative. Bacterial identifications were all confirmed by amplification and sequencing of specific rpoB sequence. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The new protocol prevented laboratory contamination of the dental pulp. It allowed the detection of bacteria responsible for dental pulp colonization from blood and periodontal tissue. Only 10% such samples contained 16S rDNA. It provides a new tool for the retrospective diagnostic of bacteremia by allowing the universal detection of bacterial DNA in animal and human, contemporary or ancient tooth. It could be further applied to identification of host DNA in forensic medicine and anthropology

Causes and management of post-treatment apical periodontitis

Endodontic treatment failure is usually characterised by the presence of post-treatment apical periodontitis, which may be persistent, emergent or recurrent. The major aetiology of post-treatment disease is persistent intraradicular infection, but in some cases a secondary intraradicular infection due to coronal leakage or an extraradicular infection may be the cause of failure. Understanding the causes of endodontic treatment failure is of paramount importance for the proper management of this condition. Teeth with post-treatment apical periodontitis can be managed by either nonsurgical endodontic retreatment or periradicular surgery, both of which have very high chances of restoring the health of the periradicular tissues and maintaining the tooth function in the oral cavity. This review article focuses on the aetiological factors of post-treatment apical periodontitis and discusses the indications and basics of the procedures for optimal clinical management of this condition

Duodenal varices of uncommon aetiology

L'endoscopie et les examens angiocavographiques mettent en évidence une interruption complète de la vascularisation cave supérieure et inférieure avec création de voies de dérivations intrapéritonéales. Il pourrait s'agir d'une agénésie des 2 veines caves s'inscrivant dans un contexte angiodysplasique veineux et cutané jamais décri

Exploiting dimensionality and defect mitigation to create tunable microwave dielectrics

The miniaturization and integration of frequency-agile microwave circuits-relevant to electronically tunable filters, antennas, resonators and phase shifters-with microelectronics offers tantalizing device possibilities, yet requires thin films whose dielectric constant at gigahertz frequencies can be tuned by applying a quasi-static electric field. Appropriate systems such as BaxSr1-xTiO3 have a paraelectric-ferroelectric transition just below ambient temperature, providing high tunability. Unfortunately, such films suffer significant losses arising from defects. Recognizing that progress is stymied by dielectric loss, we start with a system with exceptionally low loss-Srn+1TinO3n+1 phases-in which (SrO)2 crystallographic shear planes provide an alternative to the formation of point defects for accommodating non-stoichiometry. Here we report the experimental realization of a highly tunable ground state arising from the emergence of a local ferroelectric instability in biaxially strained Srn+1TinO3n+1 phases with n = 3 at frequencies up to 125 GHz. In contrast to traditional methods of modifying ferroelectrics-doping or strain-in this unique system an increase in the separation between the (SrO)2 planes, which can be achieved by changing n, bolsters the local ferroelectric instability. This new control parameter, n, can be exploited to achieve a figure of merit at room temperature that rivals all known tunable microwave dielectrics.Peer Reviewe

Détection des disproportions fœtopelviennes par réalité virtuelle : étude de faisabilité à propos de trois cas

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[Tridimensional vector animation from fetal MRI as a simulation of delivery].

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