Can Rhythmical Auditory Stimulation Alter Gait Pattern in Children with Asperger Syndrome?

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Characterization of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans isolated from young Chinese aggressive periodontitis patients

Objective: This study characterized Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans isolates from young Chinese aggressive periodontitis patients. Methods: Subgingival plaque samples (two/subject) were collected from diseased subjects < 25 years old (n = 9, mean age 21.1 ± 1.6 years) and age-matched periodontitis-free controls (n = 47, mean age 22.0 ± 1.1 years). Selective and anaerobic culture were used. The serotype, leukotoxin gene (ltx) operon promoter and the cytolethal distending toxin (cdt) genes complex of the A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates were investigated. Effects of the isolates on non-keratinizing periodontal ligament epithelial cells monolayer were studied. Results: Diseased subjects had significantly higher full-mouth bleeding score (p = 0.002) and total viable counts from plaque samples (7.2 × 10 6 vs. 2.1 × 105 CFU/paperpoint, p < 0.005). A. actinomycetemcomitans was isolated from 67%/56% or 6%/4% of diseased or controls subject/sites, respectively (p < 0.001). The proportion of A. actinomycetemcomitans isolatable from aggressive periodontitis or periodontitis-free associated subgingival plaque was low (0.7% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.02). The serotype of the isolates was characterized. All isolates possessed 652-like ltx gene promoter and all but one serotype c isolate from a diseased patient had intact cdtABC genes. That particular strain appeared to confer the least cellular damages on periodontal ligament epithelial monolayer compared to others. Conclusion: This preliminary study confirmed the notion of increased prevalence and quantity of A. actinomycetemcomitans associated with aggressive periodontitis in young patients. The overall ltx promoter and cdt characteristics of the A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates, however, were similar among the diseased and control groups. A strain lacking the cdtABC gene appeared to be less damaging to a periodontal ligament epithelial cell model. Further studies therefore are warranted to clarify the pathogenic role and potentials of A. actinomycetemcomitans in aggressive periodontitis. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2005.published_or_final_versio

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans isolated from young Chinese adults with aggressive periodontitis

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Anti-biofilm activity of commercial toothpastes against Staphylococcus aureus

Poster Session - Microbiology/Immunology-Biofilms & Infection Control: no. 1975OBJECTIVES: To investigate the anti-biofilm activities of chlorhexidine digluconate (Against24 Deep Clean), herbal (Dentiste’ Plus White), Oxychlor (Therabreath Fresh Breath), sodium chlorite (Periotherapy Healthy Gums), and standard sodium fluoride (Colgate Anticavity) toothpastes against S. aureus biofilms. METHODS: Standardized inocula of S. aureus ATCC 25923 were prepared and transferred to Immuno MaxiSorp 96-peg plates (Nunc). Plates were incubated for 48 hours to establish mature biofilms. The pegs were rinsed to remove loosely adherent planktonic cells, and positioned into 96-well plates containing toothpaste preparations. Neutralizers were added after one minute and five minutes of exposure. Toothpaste-free biofilm cultures were used as controls. A standard 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfo-phenyl) -2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide reduction assay was used for quantitative determination of S. aureus biofilm metabolic activity. RESULTS: The herbal toothpaste (sage extract, chamomile extract, fennel extract, Glycyrrhiza extract, cinnamon bark extract, peppermint oil, clove oil, menthol, eucalyptus oil, vitamin C, silicone dioxide, xylitol) exhibited significantly greater anti-biofilm activity (>60% reduction in biofilm metabolic activity; p≤0.001) than the other toothpastes at an exposure time of one minute, with the exception of the chlorhexidine digluconate toothpaste, for which there was no significant difference. Equivalent anti-biofilm effects (>80% reduction in biofilm metabolic activity) between the herbal and chlorhexidine toothpaste were also observed at a five minute exposure time, and these were significantly greater than those observed for the sodium fluoride (p<0.001), Oxychlor (p<0.001), and sodium chlorite (p<0.001) toothpastes. CONCLUSIONS: Among the tested toothpastes, the herbal and chlorhexidine toothpastes exhibited the greatest anti-biofilm activities. Neither toothpaste, however, demonstrated complete eradication of mature S. aureus biofilms at an extended exposure time of five minutes

'Genotypic shuffling' of sequential clones of Candida albicans in HIV-infected individuals with and without symptomatic oral candidiasis

Although HIV-infected individuals harbour multiple strains of oral Candida albicans, little is known of their micro-evolution over time. Therefore, a prospective study was conducted with 16 HIV-infected ethnic Chinese individuals with and without symptoms of oropharyngeal candidiasis to evaluate the genotype distribution of oral C. albicans isolates during HIV disease progression. OraFrinse samples were obtained from all individuals and up to five C. albicans colonies were selected for each visit, over a 12 month period of multiple visits. After identification of isolates using standard mycological criteria, the genetic similarities of yeast isolates within and between sequential clones of C. albicans were assessed by DNA fingerprinting through random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The results of RAPD gel profiles and the lineage of each isolate were further analysed using commercially available software. RAPD studies revealed the prevalence of up to 14 different genotypes per individual during the study period, with multiple genotypes isolated simultaneously from a single oral rinse. Computer analysis of RAPD profiles revealed that yeasts isolated over sequential visits from symptomatic individuals demonstrated a striking level of relatedness compared with isolates from asymptomatic individuals. Genetically identical C. albicans strains also formed 'loosely' connected subclusters that overlapped multiple visits, implying genetic 'shuffling' in these isolates during disease progression. These data point to varying evolutionary genetic trends in C. albicans associated with symptomatic oral candidiasis and asymptomatic carriage in HIV disease.link_to_subscribed_fulltex