Correlation of Hepatitis C Antibody Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Saliva of Hepatitis C Seropositive Hemodialysis Patients

Search for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in body fluids other than blood is important when assessing possible nonparenteral routes of viral transmission. However, the role of oral fluids in HCV transmission remains controversial. Our aim was to compare the prevalence of HCV antibody (HCV Ab) levels in saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of HCV seropositive hemodialysis patients. Serum, saliva and GCF samples were collected from thirty-nine patients. Samples were analyzed for HCV Ab using the Ortho HCV 3.0 SAVe enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HCH Ab levels in saliva and GCF of all HCV-seropositive patients were statistically compared. Reported here are the results of the study designed to determine the correlation between HCV-RNA positivity in serum and the detection of antibodies in GCF and saliva. One hundred percent (100%) of the 39 patients have antibodies to HCV in their serum, 15.4% have antibodies to HCV in GCF, and saliva found out. HCV Ab seropositivity in GCF and saliva was significantly correlated (kappa = 0.462; P < .001). This study supports the concept that GCF may be a significant source of HCV in saliva

Comparison of CBCT with different voxel sizes and intraoral scanner for detection of periodontal defects: an in vitro study

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of cone beam CT (CBCT) units with different voxel sizes with the digital intraoral scanning technique in terms of the detection of periodontal defects. Methods and materials: The study material comprised of 12 dry skulls with maxilla and mandible. Artificial defects were created on teeth separately using burs randomly on dry skulls. In total 46 dehiscences, 10 fenestrations, 17 furcations, 12 wall defects and 13 without periodontal defect were used in the study. Each tooth with and without defects was imaged at various vertical angles using each of the following modalities: a Veraviewepocs 3D R100 CBCT device and a 3D Shape TRIOSㄾ Color P13 Shade Intraoral Scanner. Results: The κ values for interobserver agreement between observers ranged between 0.29 and 0.86 for the CBCT 10 × 8 cm field of view (FOV) with 0,160 mm3 voxel size; 0.35 and 1 for the CBCT 8 × 8 cm FOV with 0,125 mm3 voxel size; and 0.30 and 1 of intraoral scans. The κ values for detecting defects on anterior teeth were the least, following premolar and molar teeth both CBCT and intraoral scanning. Conclusions: Smaller voxel sizes and smaller CBCT FOV has the highest sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for detecting various periodontal defects among the scanner modalities examined. Advances in knowledge: Adequate evaluation of the condition of the alveolar bone and periodontal tissues is important for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of periodontal disease. Limited examination methods, such as palpation, inspection, and periodontal probe examination, may provide insufficient information for the diagnosis of periodontal diseases

Variations of Simple Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in the First and Second Halves of Sleep

Introduction: The study aims to investigate variations in brain responses to non-painful tactile stimulation on right hand in the first and second halves of NREM sleep. Materials and Methods: Sixteen healthy volunteers (9 female, mean age: 22.44±1.75) participated in the study. 40-channel NuAmps recording system [electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG), and electromyography (EMG)], Embedded Microcontroller Stimulation Unit (EMISU), pneumatic stimulation unit (Somatosensory Stimulus Generator 4-D Neuroimaging), video recording system, and analysis PC were used during recordings. Single-type non-painful somatosensory stimulus was applied to the index and middle fingers of right hands of participant. All night long records of EEG, EOG, and EMG were classified into sleep stages according to American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). As the variations in first and second halves of the NREM sleep were localized in central region, Cz electrode was investigated. Results: When the brain responses to non-painful tactile stimuli in NREM sleep were investigated, P50, N100, p200, N300, P450, N550, P900, and N_late responses were observed. When the responses in the first and the second halves of sleep were compared, latency of P900 response in the first half was significantly shorter than that in the second half; and amplitudes of N300 and P900 responses in the first half were significantly larger than that in the second half. Discussion: There are different stages in their sleep in the process and studies in the literature often seen where some sleep stages. However our results showed that the the time of night, during sleep, influences the brain responsiveness to non-painful tactile stimuli

Non-Painful Tactile Stimuli and Sleep

Introduction The aim of this study is to examine electrophysiological responses in the brain to painless somatosensory stimulation during sleep. Materials and Methods Fifteen healthy volunteers (8 female, with mean age: 22.13±1.41) participated in the study. Recordings were carried out using NuAmps 40 channeled recording system, pneumatic stimulation unit (Somatosensory Stimulus Generator 4-D Neuroimaging), Embedded Microcontroller Stimulation Unit (EMISU), and additional equipment such as video recording system and analysis computer. Painless air pressure stimulation was applied at constant pressure rate to the fore and middle fingers of the right hand. Infrequent oddball stimulation was applied to one of the fingers (%25 of the time). Continuous electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG) and electromyography (EMG) recordings were sorted into sleep phases according to the guidelines set by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Responses recorded from the C3 and C4 electrodes were examined as somatosensory regions of priority. Paired samples T-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results N100, P200, N300, P450, N550, P900 Nlate wave forms were clearly observed for both frequent and infrequent stimuli in light and deep sleep. Responses to both target and non-target stimuli on the right hand were found to be similar to each other. Discussion Brain responsiveness continues in sleep; however electrophysiological response pattern can vary. Furthermore as processes such as directed attention, stimulus discrimination and working memory cannot be voluntarily employed during sleep; responses to both kinds of stimuli are similar to one another

Oxidative stress is a mediator for increased lipid accumulation in a newly isolated Dunaliella salina strain

Green algae offer sustainable, clean and eco-friendly energy resource. However, production efficiency needs to be improved. Increasing cellular lipid levels by nitrogen depletion is one of the most studied strategies. Despite this, the underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms of this response have not been well defined. Algae species adapted to hypersaline conditions can be cultivated in salty waters which are not useful for agriculture or consumption. Due to their inherent extreme cultivation conditions, use of hypersaline algae species is better suited for avoiding culture contamination issues. In this study, we identified a new halophilic Dunaliella salina strain by using 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. We found that growth and biomass productivities of this strain were directly related to nitrogen levels, as the highest biomass concentration under 0.05 mM or 5 mM nitrogen regimes were 495 mg/l and 1409 mg/l, respectively. We also confirmed that nitrogen limitation increased cellular lipid content up to 35% under 0.05 mM nitrogen concentration. In order to gain insight into the mechanisms of this phenomenon, we applied fluorometric, flow cytometric and spectrophotometric methods to measure oxidative stress and enzymatic defence mechanisms. Under nitrogen depleted cultivation conditions, we observed increased lipid peroxidation by measuring an important oxidative stress marker, malondialdehyde and enhanced activation of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase antioxidant enzymes. These observations indicated that oxidative stress is accompanied by increased lipid content in the green alga. In addition, we also showed that at optimum cultivation conditions, inducing oxidative stress by application of exogenous H2O2 leads to increased cellular lipid content up to 44% when compared with non-treated control groups. Our results support that oxidative stress and lipid overproduction are linked. Importantly, these results also suggest that oxidative stress mediates lipid accumulation. Understanding such relationships may provide guidance for efficient production of algal biodiesels

Determination of aluminum rolling oil and machinery oil residues on finished aluminum sheet and foil using elemental analysis and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with multivariate calibration

Light Metals 2014 - TMS 2014 Annual Meeting and Exhibition; San Diego, CA; United States; 16 February 2014 through 20 February 2014The surface characteristics of rolled aluminum products such as sheets and foils are strongly affected by the particular rolling process and the type of aluminum rolling oil compositions. After the rolling process, coiled aluminum sheets and foils undergoes annealing to form desired crystal structure and remove the rolling oil residues. Depending on the time and the temperature that rolled aluminum exposed for annealing, rolling oil residues are mostly removed from the coiled aluminum products but if there is any contamination in rolling oil due to hydraulic and gearing parts of the rolling systems these heavier oils are not easily evaporates from the aluminum surfaces especially inner parts of the coiled aluminum sheets and foils. These rolling oil contaminants create serious problems for the some specific applications of these aluminum products in certain industries such as automotive and coating as remaining thin oil layer prevents proper painting and coating. Therefore, it is very crucial for the rolling industry to be able to monitor the heavy oil contamination on the rolled products and determine the source of these contaminants .In this study, it was aimed to develop a nondestructive infrared spectroscopic method combined with chemometric multivariate calibration techniques for the quantitative determination of rolling oil residues and contaminants on the rolled aluminum products. To be able to generate multivariate calibration methods, an industrial elemental analysis system was adopted for the quantitative determination of heavy oil contaminants on the rolled aluminum products and these were used as reference values for infrared analysis of the same samples. In addition, apart from conventional use of elemental analysis systems for the total organic analysis, the raw data (raw chromatogram) obtained from elemental analysis was used to directly generate multivariate calibration models for each contaminant by using synthetically contaminated surfaces as the calibration samples. The results promised that elemental analysis can be used not just for the total organic content but also specifically to determine amount of each contaminant on the aluminum surfaces, it is also, expected that infrared spectroscopy with grazing angle spectra collection accessories can be used for nondestructive analysis of these contaminants.s

Melatonin and Oral Cavity

While initially the oral cavity was considered to be mainly a source of various bacteria, their toxins and antigens, recent studies showed that it may also be a location of oxidative stress and periodontal inflammation. Accordingly, this paper focuses on the involvement of melatonin in oxidative stress diseases of oral cavity as well as on potential therapeutic implications of melatonin in dental disorders. Melatonin has immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities, stimulates the proliferation of collagen and osseous tissue, and acts as a protector against cellular degeneration associated with aging and toxin exposure. Arising out of its antioxidant actions, melatonin protects against inflammatory processes and cellular damage caused by the toxic derivates of oxygen. As a result of these actions, melatonin may be useful as a coadjuvant in the treatment of certain conditions of the oral cavity. However, the most important effect of melatonin seems to result from its potent antioxidant, immunomodulatory, protective, and anticancer properties. Thus, melatonin could be used therapeutically for instance, locally, in the oral cavity damage of mechanical, bacterial, fungal, or viral origin, in postsurgical wounds caused by tooth extractions and other oral surgeries. Additionally, it can help bone formation in various autoimmunological disorders such as Sjorgen syndrome, in periodontal diseases, in toxic effects of dental materials, in dental implants, and in oral cancers

The Effect of Appetitive Daytime Napping on Cognitive Functions

Objective:The need for sleep is universal and its function is not completely clarified. Daytime alertness decreases after midday and one of the ways of preventing this decrease is daytime napping. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects 60-minutes appetitive daytime napping on cognitive performance.Materials and Methods:This study was carried out at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics Sleep Dynamics Research Laboratory. Participants who came to the sleep laboratory in two different days slept one day and the other day were included in the control group. A total of 14 healthy individuals between age of 19-24 (5 male; mean age: 21.86±1.23 years) without any neurological, psychological, chronic diseases, or sleep disorders were included in the study. Participants slept on their regular sleep pattern before both conditions. Various cognitive tests were administered to participants before sleep recordings. Electroencephalography was used on the purpose of following the sleep/wakefulness situation while sleeping. At the end of 60-minutes, the participants were woken up and after then same tests were performed again. On the control day, without sleep recording, determined questionnaires were applied to the participants. The resting period was set 60-minutes as it was during the sleeping period.Results:Cognitive performances of 14 participants on napping and control conditions were measured. The average duration of sleep was 57.3 (±3.57) minutes. Participants’ scores of N-Back, Psychomotor Vijilans test, and Timewall tests on both conditions were examined. Although there were differences in the scores they were not significant.Conclusion:Daytime napping has different effects on cognitive functions. In future studies, it is aimed that the evaluation of the replacement and appetitive daytime napping in terms of the behavioral and sleep stages as electrophysiologically

Off-label use of rituximab for systemic lupus erythematosus in Europe

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Disability, fatigue, pain and their associates in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: the European Scleroderma Observational Study

Objectives; Our aim was to describe the burden of early dcSSc in terms of disability, fatigue and pain in the European Scleroderma Observational Study cohort, and to explore associated clinical features. Methods; Patients completed questionnaires at study entry, 12 and 24 months, including the HAQ disability index (HAQ-DI), the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue and the Short Form 36 (SF36). Associates examined included the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), current digital ulcers and internal organ involvement. Correlations between 12-month changes were also examined. Results; The 326 patients recruited (median disease duration 11.9 months) displayed high levels of disability [mean (S.D.) HAQ-DI 1.1 (0.83)], with ‘grip’ and ‘activity’ being most affected. Of the 18 activities assessed in the CHFS, those involving fine finger movements were most affected. High HAQ-DI and CHFS scores were both associated with high mRSS (ρ = 0.34, P < 0.0001 and ρ = 0.35, P < 0.0001, respectively). HAQ-DI was higher in patients with digital ulcers (P = 0.004), pulmonary fibrosis (P = 0.005), cardiac (P = 0.005) and muscle involvement (P = 0.002). As anticipated, HAQ-DI, CHFS, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy and SF36 scores were all highly correlated, in particular the HAQ-DI with the CHFS (ρ = 0.84, P < 0.0001). Worsening HAQ-DI over 12 months was strongly associated with increasing mRSS (ρ = 0.40, P < 0.0001), decreasing hand function (ρ = 0.57, P < 0.0001) and increasing fatigue (ρ = −0.53, P < 0.0001). Conclusion; The European Scleroderma Observational Study highlights the burden of disability in early dcSSc, with high levels of disability and fatigue, associating with the degree of skin thickening (mRSS). Impaired hand function is a major contributor to overall disability