ABSTRACT
Background: Streptococcus mutans is considered as the main pathogenic factor for initiation and progression of dental caries. Fluoride is one of the most effective agents used to control caries. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is the most antimicrobial agent against S. mutans and dental caries. Aims: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of antimicrobial activity of CHX-thymol (CHX/T) and fluoride varnishes on S. mutans levels in children's saliva aged from 6 to 8 years old. Materials and Methods: The total number of children involved in this study is sixty, ages 6 and 8 years old. The participants were divided into three groups by block randomization: Group 1 CHX/T varnish, Group 2 fluoride varnish (f varnish, and Group 3 control group. Varnish was applied onto all tooth surfaces of the participants. At the baseline conditions, saliva samples were collected from the participants for bacterial examination test. This procedure was repeated in week 1, 4, and 12. Bacterial quantitative test was performed, and the number of S. mutans was estimated. Results: The results revealed the significant efficacy of the two groups (fluoride and CHX/T varnishes) in reducing salivary S. mutans numbers when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In terms of salivary colony-forming unit counts reduction of S. mutans, no significant difference was observed between the fluoride and CHX/T varnish groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The outcomes showed that there was a significant reduction in S. mutans counts in children's saliva following the application of fluoride and CHX/T varnishes.
ABSTRACT
Background: Peritoneal cytology has received little attention in the literature, but it may be an additional useful means in evaluating patients with primary gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of peritoneal fluid lavage cytology in detecting peritoneal seeding in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma
Methods: A total of 50 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who were candidates for laparotomy based on the findings of computed tomographic examination were recruited. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage [DPL] was performed just before laparotomy and the peritoneal lavage fluid was sent for cytological examination for presence or absence of malignant cells. Findings in terms of peritoneal involvement during laparotomy were regarded as the standard results
Results: DPL cytology was positive for the presence of malignant cells in the peritoneal fluid in 25 cases [50%]. According to the intraoperative findings 22 patients [44%] had peritoneal metastatic disease, whereas in 28 patients [56%] no gross indicator of metastasis was detected. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of cytology in detecting peritoneal seeding were 59%, 57%, 52%, 64%, 1.38 and 1.40, respectively. The agreement between cytology and diagnostic laparotomy was 58%
Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study peritoneal lavage solely is not a proper diagnostic method for early recognition of resectable/nonresectable gastric cancers
ABSTRACT
Smoking is known as a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and hence immediate and effective interventions are required for its elimination. This study aimed to collect valid data with regard to cigarette smoking in adult population of north of Iran for policy making by a meta-analysis of the documents of national non-communicable disease risk factors surveillance system. We investigated relevant evidences by searching in published and non-electronic databases. Data were extracted based on variables such as year of the study, sex, age group and prevalence of smoking habit. Based on results of heterogeneity, we applied fixed or random effects model to estimate the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking. All analyses were performed using STATA 11 software. A total of 20747 subjects [10381 males and 10366 females] in five age groups 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 years were interviewed. Meta-analysis in men and women showed prevalence of 19.2% [15.8-22.6%] and 0.3% [0.2-0.5%] respectively. Results of the present meta-analysis showed as much as one fifth of male population of north of Iran are smoker. Subgroup analysis also revealed that the rate of smoking was higher among the middle-aged men
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Smoking/adverse effects , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Health SurveysABSTRACT
Endocarditis due to Aspergillus infection is a rare complication in patients with hematological malignancies. Here, we present a case of aspergillus endocarditis in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia [AML] successfully treated with antifungal therapy and surgical treatment. The patient was a 51 years old male, a known case of AML who was admitted to our medical center for evacuating his valvular vegetations and repairing his atrial septal defect. He underwent an open heart surgery to relinquish his thromboses and also received an antifungal regimen. The patient tolerated the procedure well and eight months after his surgery, the patient remains asymptomatic. Successful treatment of this severe case of aspergillus endocarditis justifies a multidisciplinary method to be as a safe and effective approach to manage these patients