Comparison of Carbon Dioxide Laser With Surgical Blade for Removal of Epulis Fissuratum. A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Epulis fissuratum is often formed as a result of a poor fitting denture. The conventional treatment for this fibrous hyperplastic tissue is to excise it using a scalpel and to close the wound by a continuous or an interrupted suture. The increased utilization of lasers in dentistry also includes the utilization of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers in place of surgical scalpels in soft tissue surgeries. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of utilizing CO2 laser in place of scalpel in surgical treatment of epulis fissuratum.Methods:In this clinical trial research (IRCT code: IRCT2016071124969N2), 19 patients were selected with nearly symmetrical epulis fissuratums in the anterior part of the jaws. The hyperplastic tissue was evenly divided into two sections in each patient. One section was randomly selected and cut by CO2 laser and the other section by a surgical scalpel. The wound created by the scalpel was closed by appropriate number of interrupted sutures. Surgery duration and bleeding as well as vestibular depth, re-epithelialization and edema in both sections were noted and recorded after 7 and 14 days postoperatively.Results:The time of surgery and the amount of bleeding during surgery in the laser section was less and the vestibular depth was more than surgical scalpel section (P < 0.05). Surgical scalpel wound at day seventh healed significantly better than the section treated by the CO2 laser (P< 0.05). Wound in both sections healed similarly on day 14 and no statistical difference was observed. Edema presence was also equal in both sides after 7th and 14th following the surgery.Conclusion:According to the results it could be concluded that the use of CO2 laser may result in less surgery time, less bleeding during surgery, more vestibular depth, better re-epithelialization of the wound and less need for suturing. CO2 laser may be a clinically preferred method for surgical treatment of epulis fissuratum

Effect of maternal fluoxetine exposure on lung, heart and kidney development in rat neonates

Objective(s): Depression during pregnancy negatively affects fetal development. Fluoxetine as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) is used for treatment of gestational depression. This study is trying to determine the effects of fluoxetine on the renal, heart and lung development.Materials and Methods: Fifteen pregnant rats were treated with fluoxetine at 7 mg/kg from days 0 to 21 of gestation. Immediately after born, heart and kidney samples were evaluated for genes expression and histological assessment. Lung sample were fixed for immunohistochemical study.Results: The gene expression of BMP7 and WNT4 were reduced in the kidney of fluoxetine-treated group (P-value0.05). Histological assessment showed that the glomeruli of the kidneys in treated group are more primordial compared to control. There was a developmental deficiency in Bowman’s capsule, and the capsular space was not clear. The arrangements of the filaments, the position of the nucleus and cells morphology were normal in the hearts of both groups. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that in the fluoxetine-exposed group HoxB5 is more expressed in the mesenchymal cells, but in the control group the expression is limited to alveolar cells.Conclusion: According to developmental changes in kidney, heart and lung, fluoxetine affects neonatal growth during pregnancy, which may lead to delay of some organs growth. So, it is essential to survey the roles of antidepressant drugs on fatal and neonatal development during pregnancy

Protective and modulatory effects of royal jelly used against the induced changes in silver nanoparticles on the hippocampus of male rats

Objective (s): Silver nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their important properties, including antimicrobial and anti-oxidative stress effects. However, high concentrations of silver NPs have been reported to have toxic effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the modulatory and protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) against the harmful effects of silver NPs on hippocampal functions, such as learning and memory. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 40 male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups of 10, including the control group (no silver NPs and RJ), RJ group, silver NPs plus RJ, and silver NPs. Some functions of the hippocampus (e.g., learning and memory) were evaluated using Morris memory function tests for four consecutive days. In addition, the relative expression of TRPV1 was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At the final stage, hippocampal tissues were collected for histological studies.Results: Levels of learning and memory, relative gene expression ratio of TRPV1, and the histological changes in the hippocampus were significantly different in the groups receiving silver NPs compared to the groups administered with RJ. Conclusion: According to the results, RJ may be the effective in the protection against the adverse effects of silver NPs and improve the function of the hippocampus

Isolation and in vitro Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from the Pulp Tissue of Human Third Molar Tooth

Background: It is still controversial that the stem cells isolatedfrom human dental pulp meets the criteria for mesenchymalstem cells (MSCs). The aim of the present study wasto examine whether or not they are MSCs, or are distinct stemcells population residing in tooth pulp.Methods: Adherent fibroblastic cells in the culture of pulptissue from human third molars were propagated through severalsuccessive subcultures. Passaged-3 cells with a tendencyto differentiate into odontoblastic cells were used to examinethe key properties of MSCs including typical tripotent differentiationpotential into bone, cartilage and adipose cell lineagesand the expression of typical surface antigens. Moreover,they were examined for growth capacity in culture.Results: Dental pulp stem cells successfully progressed towardsdifferentiation among three skeletal cell lineages. Morethan 90% of the cell population exhibited the expression ofsurface antigens known to be found on mesenchymal lineagessuch as CD105, CD90, CD44, and CD73, while only less than2% expressed endothelial-hematopoietic epitopes includingCD56, CD11b, CD34, CD31, CD33, and CD45. The cells exhibiteda relatively high proliferation capacity with populationdoubling time of about 21.9 hours.Conclusion: The dental pulp stem cells are of MSC population,and may be considered suitable for use in regenerativemedicine, owing to their relatively rapid rate of in vitro propagation

The resistance mechanisms of bacteria against ciprofloxacin and new approaches for enhancing the efficacy of this antibiotic

For around three decades, the fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotic ciprofloxacin has been used to treat a range of diseases, including chronic otorrhea, endocarditis, lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal, skin and soft tissue, and urinary tract infections. Ciprofloxacin's main mode of action is to stop DNA replication by blocking the A subunit of DNA gyrase and having an extra impact on the substances in cell walls. Available in intravenous and oral formulations, ciprofloxacin reaches therapeutic concentrations in the majority of tissues and bodily fluids with a low possibility for side effects. Despite the outstanding qualities of this antibiotic, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have all shown an increase in ciprofloxacin resistance over time. The rise of infections that are resistant to ciprofloxacin shows that new pharmacological synergisms and derivatives are required. To this end, ciprofloxacin may be more effective against the biofilm community of microorganisms and multi-drug resistant isolates when combined with a variety of antibacterial agents, such as antibiotics from various classes, nanoparticles, natural products, bacteriophages, and photodynamic therapy. This review focuses on the resistance mechanisms of bacteria against ciprofloxacin and new approaches for enhancing its efficacy

Effect of sevelamer on serum phosphorus levels in chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis patients; a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Hyperphosphatemia is an independent risk factor for mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of Sevelamer on serum phosphorus levels in CKD and hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: The data were obtained after searching the international databases of Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Google Scholar search engine until February 28, 2023. The heterogeneity of articles was assessed using the I2 index. The data were analyzed in STATA 14, and P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Findings: A total of 22 articles were assessed with a total sample size of 3221. Sevelamer reduced calcium levels in CKD and hemodialysis patients compared with those in the comparison group (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.67; 95% CI: -1.23, -0.11); however, sevelamer had no significant effect on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (SMD: 0.07; 95% CI: -0.39, 0.54) and Ca × P product (SMD: -0.20; 95% CI: -0.41, 0). A significant decrease in serum phosphorus level was observed in patients who had taken sevelamer for a maximum of 12 weeks compared with the comparison group (SMD: -0.27; 95% CI: -0.54, -0.01); however, no significant decrease in serum phosphorus level was observed in patients who had taken sevelamer for more than 12 weeks. A significant decrease in serum phosphorus level was observed in sevelamer users compared to placebo group members (SMD: -0.36; 95% CI: -0.68, -0.05). Conclusion: The administration of sevelamer reduced serum phosphorus levels in CKD and hemodialysis patients compared with those in the placebo group in the short term. Therefore, physicians are recommended to prescribe sevelamer for a maximum period of three months. Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website (ID: CRD42023406804)