An In Vitro Comparison of Antimicrobial Effects of Curcumin-Based Photodynamic Therapy and Chlorhexidine, on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Introduction: Considering the importance of prevention in periodontal diseases and the important role of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in induction and progression of these diseases, the aim of the present in vitro study was to compare the antimicrobial effects of chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), curcumin and light-emitting diode (LED) laser, on this bacterium.Methods: Antimicrobial activity of curcumin (5 mg/ml), CHX (2%), LED (120 J/cm2) and LED + curcumin (120 J/cm2 + 2.5 mg/ml) against A. actinomycetemcomitans were tested in vitro, using micro-broth dilution test. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s HSD tests served for statistical analysis.Results: Regarding the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), CHX had a significantly lower MIC than curcumin (P < 0.05). Sorted out by bacterial growth from lowest to highest, were CHX, LED + curcumin, curcumin, and LED groups. All the differences were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) except for the LED group.Conclusion: We conclude that curcumin is an effective substance in preventing the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans, whose impact is reinforced when used simultaneously with photodynamic therapy (PDT)

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Modulation of Cholesterol Homeostasis in THP-1 Macrophage-Derived Foam Cells

Transformation of macrophages to foam cells is determined by the rates of cholesterol uptake and efflux. This study uses a real time RT-PCR technique to investigate the role of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), α-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the regulation of the ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) and liver X receptor α (LXR) genes, which are involved in cholesterol homeostasis. Accordingly, these fatty acids significantly reduced the total, free and esterified cholesterols within the foam cells. While the expression of the ABCA1 and LXRα genes was increased in the presence of the pharmacological LXRα ligand, T0901317, their mRNA expression was not significantly affected by CLA, ALA and EPA. These results suggest that although polyunsaturated fatty acids have an effect on cholesterol homeostasis, they cannot change the expression of the ABCA1 and LXRα genes. Alternatively, several other genes and proteins may be involved

Quality improvement in an inventory model with finite-range stochastic lead times

Typically, traditional inventory models operate under the assumption of perfect quality. In this paper we modify an inventory model with finite-range stochastic lead time to allow for a random number of defective units in a lot. However, there is an extra cost for holding the defective items in the lot for the period before it is returned to the supplier. This paper also considers the option of investment to improve quality. Closed-form relationships are obtained for a quality-adjusted model as well as a quality improvement model. Numerical examples confirm that the option of investment in quality improvement results in significant cost savings. Sensitivity analysis shows that the quality improvement model is robust

Preparation and preliminary studies of [64Cu]-antiMUC-1 for breast cancer targeting

PR81 is a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to MUC1 that over expressed on breast tumors. PR81 is considered a suitable targeting molecule that was radiolabeled using Cu-64 for positron imaging studies. The monoclonal antibody was conjugated with DOTA moiety and after purification was evaluated for radiochemical purity, immunoreactivity, cell toxicity and structure integrity as well as biodistribution study in normal rats. The radiolabeled antibody prepared with acceptable radiochemical purity (> 93.2 ± 0.6 %, ITLC; specific activity; 4.6 µCi/µg), protein structure integration, significant cytotoxicity and significant immunoreactivity retention was assessed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Animal biodistribution of the 64Cu-DOTA-PR81 was consistent with other radiolabeled antibodies. The results showed that 64Cu-DOTA-PR81 may be considered for tumor imaging for ultimate diagnosis and follow-up of MUC1 expression in oncology