CERTAIN AMINO ACIDS ARE POTENT FISH-FUNGICIDES

The potential fungicidal abilities of L-cysteine, L-valine, L-phenylalanine, L-methionine, L-alanine and L-isoleucine have been tested in vitro on five fish pathogenic watermoulds, four of Saprolegniaceae, viz., Achlya orion Coker & Couch, Aphanomyces laevis deBary, Dictyuchus sterile Coker, Saprolegnia diclina Humphrey; and one Blastocladiaceae, viz., Allomyces arbuscula Butler. The lowest concentration having fungicidal ability has been found to be 0.25%. Tolerance tests have also been conducted using Colisa lalius Hamilton and Channa punctata Bloch as test fishes and 0.25% has been recommended as Fungicidal Non-Toxic Concentration (FNTC) for the applicability of these amino acids as fish-fungicides

Regeneration of Intrabony Defects with Nano Hydroxyapatite Graft, Derived from Eggshell along with Periosteum as Barrier Membrane under Magnification—An Interventional Study

Intrabony defects can be treated by various approaches. Use of GTR along with bone grafts is said to enhance the outcome. The periosteum has been claimed to increase the regeneration. The egg-shell-derived nano hydroxyapatite (EnHA) has shown a scope as alloplastic graft. Thus, the following study was undertaken to combine the periosteal pedicle along with EnHA for the treatment of intrabony defects under magnification to achieve optimal bone regeneration. A total of 21 patients, having intrabony defects with ≥6 mm probing depth (PD) and two or three wall defects as detected on CBCT, satisfying inclusion criteria were enrolled. The sites were randomly allocated as Group A, B and C (n = 7). The following parameters, defect density and defect fill in CBCT (at baseline and 6 months), PPD, RAL, Plaque index (PI), Gingival index (GI) and Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) were recorded at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months. p < 0.05 is considered as statistically significant. Bone density and bone fill values were found to be much higher in pedicle with EnHA and EnHA alone group and the values showed statistically significant results. The current clinical research showed that periosteal pedicle along with EnHA and EnHA as stand-alone therapy gave superior results compared to OFD alone, which is an innovative and feasible treatment option

Mechanized scaling with ultrasonics: Perils and proactive measures

Mechanized scaling for plaque removal is a routine procedure in the practice of periodontics. Though it appears innocuous by itself, there are retinues of hazards associated with it on various organ systems in the body. Some of these unwanted effects and measures to avoid or ameliorate the same are elaborated here. Exposure to ultrasonic scaling is inevitable before any other treatment procedure. Aerosol contamination, vibrational hazards, thermal effects on the dental pulp, altered vascular dynamics, disruption in electromagnetic device, diminished hearing and dental unit waterline contamination are some of the probable off-shoots a patient has to bear. Uses of barrier devices, proper attention to usage of equipment, protection for ear and water treatment are few of solutions for the same. Though documented evidence for the existence of all effects is lacking, it is never the less significant for the overall safety of the patient. A conscientious clinician should therefore inculcate the available steps to overcome the hazards of ultrasonic scaling

Dental unit water lines decontamination with the aid of nanotechnology

Aim: This article reviews the issue of dental unit waterline (DUWL) contamination which affects all the clinical and hospital settings. The contaminating microorganisms commonly isolated from these settings and the most pathogenic among them have serious consequences. Over the years several measures are inculcated for decontamination of water, their advantages and shortcomings have been addressed. Options using nanotechnology which are available in the market are described briefly. Materials and Methods: A manual and electronic search was conducted. Google and PubMed were searched for relevant material from studies up to 2013. Medical Subject Headings words looked for were "Nanotechnology," "Water purification," and "Biofilms." Reviewed findings were summarized by topic, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement for reporting. Seventy articles were shortlisted for articles pertaining to our topic of discussion. A systematic approach was followed by two independent reviewers and included eligibility criteria for study inclusion, data extraction, data synthesis, and drawing of conclusion. Results: Dental waterline contamination is widespread in any type of dental setting having serious implications on clinicians and patients alike, especially elderly and immune-compromised. Hence, international bodies like center for disease and control and American Dental Association have come up with stringent measures for maintenance of water quality. A gamut of procedures has been tried to overcome this problem ranging from chlorinated products, water filters to the usage of distilled water. The use of nanoemulsions, nanofilters, nanomembranes, etc., and their applicability for routine usage is discussed. Conclusions: Biofilm formation in DUWLs is inevitable with the subsequent release of part of microbiota into the otherwise sterile dental settings. These consequences can be quite serious on clinicians and dental patients. Though conventional measures in water decontamination have been partly successful, the quest for more foolproof methods has led to the use of latest technology, i.e., nanotechnology. The most practical option has to be chosen based on the ease of their usage

Pentraxins and immunity

Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a multifactorial protein involved in immunity and inflammation, which is rapidly produced and released by several cell types in response to inflammatory signals. It may be suggested that PTX3 is related to periodontal tissue inflammation. Its salivary concentrations may have a diagnostic potential. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is an ancient family of multifactorial proteins involved in immunity and inflammation. They are rapidly produced and released by various types of cells when there are indications of inflammation. PTX3 is related to inflammation in the periodontal tissue and it can be suggested that salivary concentrations may be used for diagnosing the same

To estimate the levels of gingival crevicular fluid YKL-40 in patients with chronic periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis with chronic periodontitis - a clinico-biochemical study

Background and objectives: YKL-40, a C-reactive protein belongs to the positive acute-phase protein. It is also known as Human chitinase-3-like protein 1(HCI3L1) and is closely related to both acute and chronic inflammation. The present study aimed to detect and estimate the levels of YKL-40 in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in patients with healthy periodontium, chronic periodontitis, and rheumatoid arthritis with chronic periodontitis. Materials and methods: Forty-five patients in the age range of 25-55years were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups: Group I-15 Periodontal healthy patients, Group II-15 Chronic Periodontitis patients, and Group III-15 Rheumatoid arthritis with chronic periodontitis patients. Clinical parameters recorded were Plaque index, Gingival index, Gingival bleeding index, probing depth, and Relative attachment level. GCF samples were analyzed using ELISA. p - value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The highest mean YKL-40 concentration in GCF was observed in rheumatoid arthritis with Chronic periodontitis. The mean concentration of YKL-40 in GCF showed a three to four folds increase in its levels when compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Contrary, GCF YKL-40 levels between Group II and Group III were not significant.Conclusion: With the increase in severity of periodontal destruction from healthy periodontium to chronic periodontitis, there was a substantial increase in the concentration of YKL-40 in GCF. Correlation of GCF YKL-40 with clinical parameters demonstrated increased severity of the diseases increased its level

Hugh-Stovin syndrome: the ‘incomplete Behcet’s disease’. A case study of a young adult with recurrent pulmonary embolism and pulmonary arterial aneurysms

Hugh-Stovin Syndrome (HSS) is characterized by recurrent thrombophlebitis and multiple pulmonary and/or bronchial artery aneurysms indistinguishable from the cardiovascular features seen in Behcet’s disease (BD). Our case describes a 30-year-old male with recurrent pulmonary embolism and bilateral pulmonary aneurysms. Autoimmune, hypercoagulable, and infectious work up were negative. Elevated inflammatory markers and absence of the typical clinical findings seen in BD led to the diagnosis of Hugh-Stovin syndrome (HSS). Immunosuppression using steroids and azathioprine led to clinical response. Anticoagulation was continued based on risk/benefit ratio

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in periodontics: A new paradigm

The quest for exploring new frontiers in the field of medical science for efficient and improved treatment modalities has always been on a rise. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been enormously used in medical practice, principally, for the management of urolithiasis, cholelithiasis and also in various orthopedic and musculoskeletal disorders. The efficacy of ESWT in the stimulation of osteoblasts, fibroblasts, induction of neovascularization and increased expression of bone morphogenic proteins has been well documented in the literature. However, dentistry is no exception to this trend. The present article enlightens the various applications of ESWT in the field of dentistry and explores its prospective applications in the field of periodontics, and the possibility of incorporating the beneficial properties of shock waves in improving the treatment outcome

Host-bacterial interplay in periodontal disease

A literature search was performed using MEDLINE (PubMed) and other electronic basis from 1991 to 2014. Search included books and journals based on the systematic and critical reviews, in vitro and in vivo clinical studies on molecular basis of host microbial interactions. Clearly, an understanding of the host susceptibility factor in addition to microbial factors by elucidating the molecular basis offers opportunity for therapeutic manipulation of advancing periodontal destruction. One of the hallmarks of pathogenesis is the ability of pathogenic organisms to invade surrounding tissues and to evade the host defence. This paper focuses the general overview of molecular mechanisms involved in the microbiota and host response to bacterial inimical behavior in periodontics