The Interactive Effects of Ammonia and Microcystin on Life-History Traits of the Cladoceran Daphnia magna: Synergistic or Antagonistic?

The occurrence of Microcystis blooms is a worldwide concern that has caused numerous adverse effects on water quality and lake ecology. Elevated ammonia and microcystin concentrations co-occur during the degradation of Microcystis blooms and are toxic to aquatic organisms; we studied the relative and combined effects of these on the life history of the model organism Daphnia magna. Ammonia and microcystin-LR treatments were: 0, 0.366, 0.581 mg L−1 and 0, 10, 30, 100 µg L−1, respectively. Experiments followed a fully factorial design. Incubations were 14 d and recorded the following life-history traits: number of moults, time to first batch of eggs, time to first clutch, size at first batch of eggs, size at first clutch, number of clutches per female, number of offspring per clutch, and total offspring per female. Both ammonia and microcystin were detrimental to most life-history traits. Interactive effects of the toxins occurred for five traits: the time to first batch of eggs appearing in the brood pouch, time to first clutch, size at first clutch, number of clutches, and total offspring per female. The interactive effects of ammonia and microcystin appeared to be synergistic on some parameters (e.g., time to first eggs) and antagonistic on others (e.g., total offspring per female). In conclusion, the released toxins during the degradation of Microcystis blooms would result, according to our data, in substantially negative effect on D. magna

Effect of tetracycline on the bond performance of etch-and-rinse adhesives to dentin

This study evaluated the effect of modified tetracycline on the resin-dentin bond strength (µTBS), silver nitrate uptake (SNU) and solution homogeneity (SH) of two adhesives. Dentin surfaces were treated with phosphoric acid, rinsed off and either rewetted with water (control group - CO), 2% minocycline (MI), 2% doxycyline (DO) or 2% chlorhexidine (CH). Adhesive systems (Adper Single Bond 2 and Prime Bond NT) and composite were applied and light-polymerized. Specimens were sectioned to obtain bonded sticks (0.8 mm²) to test under tension at 0.5 mm/min. For SNU, specimens were immersed in silver nitrate and analyzed by EDX-SEM. SH was qualitatively analyzed after mixing the adhesives with different solvent-based solutions containing MI, DO and CH. Lower µTBS values were observed in the DO group compared with MI and CH (p = 0.01). Lower SNU was observed for MI and CH. The lowest µTBS for both adhesives was observed for the DO group (p = 0.01). Signs of phase separation were observed for DO with both adhesives. MI or CH used as rewetting solutions after acid etching did not affect the µTBS and hybrid layer quality

Influence of chlorhexidine application on longitudinal adhesive bond strength in deciduous teeth

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of applying 2% chlorhexidine for 30 seconds after phosphoric acid conditioning of dentin on the immediate and long-term bond strengths in deciduous teeth. The occlusal enamel was removed from 40 human sound deciduous molars, which were exfoliated by natural means, and the dentin was conditioned with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds and washed with running water. The specimens were divided into two groups of 20 teeth. The test group received an application of 2% chlorhexidine for 30 seconds prior to a three-step etch-and-rinse adhesive system, whereas the control group received only the adhesive system. Three cylindrical restorations were made with a composite resin for each tooth. Ten teeth in each group were submitted to a microshear bond strength test after 24 hours, while the remaining teeth were stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 6 months before testing the microshear bond strength. The test group had a higher bond strength than did the control group after 6 months of storage. No statistical differences were found when groups with the same dentin treatment were compared at different times. Short applications of chlorhexidine at low concentrations prevent hybrid layer degradation and positively affect bond strength over time