Interleukin-1beta level in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with active periodontitis.

Previous studies revealed that interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) was detectable in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontitis, and the level was increased in level in gingival tissue extracts of active periodontal disease sites (defined as attachment loss > or = 2.5 mm over the preceding 2 months) compared to inactive sites or healthy sites. The present study evaluated the relationship of IL-1beta level in GCF and periodontal disease status. GCF was collected with Periopaper strips from 34 disease-active and 45 disease-inactive teeth in 11 untreated periodontitis patients and from 60 teeth in 15 healthy control subjects. Disease activity was defined as attachment loss of > or = 2.5 mm in at least one site of a tooth as determined by sequential probing. The absorbed GCF volume was determined using a Periotron 6000 and the crevicular IL-1beta level was determined using IL-1beta monoclonal antibody (Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Japan). IL-1beta was below the detection level of the assay (6 pg/ml) in the healthy control group but was detected in most teeth of the periodontitis group. However, disease-active teeth had higher IL-1beta level (Mann-Whitney U-test, p < 0.05) than disease-inactive teeth (mean total IL-1beta of 5.89 +/- 7.88 pg/tooth and 1.72 +/- 2.28 pg/tooth; mean concentration of 1.6 +/- 2.5 ng/ml and 0.6 +/- 0.83 ng/ml, respectively). The level of IL-1beta showed no correlation with probing depth, but had significant correlation (p < 0.05) with the extent of attachment loss. This study suggests that the level of IL-1beta in GCF may have a predictive value for determining active and inactive periodontal status.

Dietary fluoride intake of children aged 3-7 years in remote areas of Thailand.

The objectives of this study were to measure dietary fluoride intake in children aged 3-7 years, to correlate dietary fluoride and fluoride content in water for use in schools and to estimate fluoride gained from the daily diet. Fifty food samples were collected in 45 schools under the jurisdiction of the Border Patrol Police Department. The schools were sampled by multiple stratified cluster random sampling. The food samples were weighed, then measured for fluoride content by a microdiffusion method. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Dietary fluoride in each age group was compared by Student's t test. Analysis for the relationship between dietary fluoride and fluoride content in water was done using Kendall's tau-b. Our results showed that the mean of dietary fluoride in lunch was 0.08 +/- 0.1 ppm. There were no differences when comparing dietary fluoride between different regions of Thailand (p = 0.07). No correlation was found between dietary fluoride and fluoride content in water used in different schools (r(tau) = 0.017, p = 0.85). The daily dietary fluoride intake in children aged 3-6 years was 0.002-0.004 mgF/kg bw/day, in children aged 7 years was 0.003-0.004 mgF/kg bw/day in boys and 0.002-0.004 mgF/kg bw/day in girls.

Fluoride analysis of human milk in remote areas of Thailand.

The objective of this study was to measure the fluoride content in human milk collected from mothers living in remote areas of Thailand and to correlate it with fluoride concentrations in drinking water and water for domestic use. Four to five ml of breast milk were sampled from mothers living in villages where schools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Border Patrol Police were located. The schools were sampled by Multiple Stratified Cluster Random Sampling. Fluoride was determined by microdiffusion method. Statistical analysis were made by ANOVA and LSD test. Correlation between fluoride content in milk and water was assessed by Kendall's tau-b. The mean fluoride concentration in breast milk was 0.017+/-0.02 ppm. There was no difference in breast milk fluoride concentration between regions (p=0.6). No correlation was found between breast milk fluoride content and fluoride concentrations in either drinking water or water for domestic use (r(tau) = -0.09, p = 0.32, r(tau) = -0.04, p = 0.65 respectively).

Fluoride in water consumed by children in remote areas of Thailand.

The objective of this study was to analyze fluoride content in water for drinking and for use in remote areas of Thailand. Water was sampled from schools and villages along the border by Multiple Stratified Cluster Random Sampling. Fluoride levels of 214 water samples from 48 schools and 48 villages were assessed in triplicate by fluoride ion electrode. The fluoride content in different regions and types of water were statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test at a significance level of 0.05. Results showed that fluoride in drinking water and water for use from the schools and villages were 0.01-0.37 ppm, 0.01-0.19 ppm, 0.01-0.87 ppm and 0.01-0.92 ppm, respectively. There was no difference in fluoride content in drinking water from various regions (p=0.23). However, there was a statistical difference in fluoride level in water for use (p=0.04, p=0.01) in various regions. The highest fluoride content was found in samples from the central and eastern region (0.19+/-0.24 ppm and 0.29+/-0.28 ppm respectively). When comparing types of water, ie ground water, surface water and rain water, there were differences in fluoride content (p=0.0). Underground water had the highest fluoride content (0.31+/-0.23 ppm).

Plasma amino acid analyses in two cases of maple syrup urine disease.

Maple syrup urine disease is a rare inborn error of metabolism, characterized by elevated plasma levels of branched chain amino acids and urinary excretion of branched chain keto acids. Plasma amino acid levels in two subjects were followed by deproteinizing plasma, derivatizing the free amino acids with phenylisothiocyanate, and analysis by HPLC. The results indicate that valine, leucine and isoleucine are elevated in Maple syrup urine disease, and that leucine remains high even after dietary treatment.