Relationship between fluoride exposure and count of Streptococcus mutans in supragingival biofilm of mexican scholar children.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The use of fluoride is known to reduce the risk of dental caries. There is limited information on the relationship between Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and fluoride exposure. This study investigated the association between the count of S. mutans on supragingival biofilm and fluoride exposure of scholar children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 56 children from 9 to 11 years of age were selected. Fluoride concentration in drinking water, urine and saliva of each participant were assessed. The count of S. mutans was estimated by calculating the DNA copy number through a quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay. Also, sociodemographic data, oral and general health information and variables related to caries risk were evaluated. A stepwise multiple linear regression was performed in all caries related predictor variables with the count of S. mutans as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the concentration of fluoride in saliva (ß = -3.029, p < 0.001) and urine (ß = -2.057, p = 0.017), time of last visit to the dentist (ß = 1.968, p = 0.001), plaque index (ß = 1.637, p = 0.006) and number of surfaces with codes 3-6 (D3-6MFS) of ICDAS II criteria (ß = 0.283, p = 0.076) were significantly associated with the count of S. mutans (Adjusted R square = 0.427, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fluoride levels in urine and saliva were negatively associated with the count of S. mutans in supragingival biofilm. Plaque index, D3-6MFS and time of last visit to the dentist showed a positive association.

Premature centromeric divisions and prominent telomeres in a patient with persistent mullerian duct syndrome.

A 35-year-old, rare male pseudohermaphrodite with inguinal hernia, testis, fallopian tube and uterus, symptoms referrable to persistent Mullerian duct syndrome, is described. The patient has a 46,XY karyotype in 50% of metaphases, while the remaining metaphases show premature cnetromeric divisions and hypoploid counts.

Bone remodeling and osteophyte formation after remission of rheumatoid arthritis.

Bone remodeling and osteophyte formation rarely take place in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To determine if disease inactivation leads to their occurrence, we studied 38 patients with RA whose disease had gone into drug induced remission. We looked for osteophytes at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints in roentgenograms taken before and after remission, and correlated their presence to that of osteoarthritis of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. There were 21 patients with RA who had a median of 3 (range 1-8) osteophytes in their "remission" films which were rarely present in their "activity" films (p less than 0.0001). The osteophytes were frequently symmetrical and most often located (41%) at the third MCP joint. In addition, we observed a peculiar remodeling of the styloid process in 13 patients, 9 of whom had developed MCP joint osteophytes. There were no other detectable differences between patients who had MCP joint osteophytes and those who did not. Presence of osteoarthritis at the DIP joints did not correlate with development of osteophytes. We were able to classify the MCP osteophytes into 3 types on the basis of their shape: hook-like that were most frequently bilateral and situated on the radial aspect of the metacarpal side of the joint, beak-like that were most often found at the ulnar aspect of the phalangeal side, and nipple-like which occurred equally on either sites. These differences in distribution indicate that they are not stages of the same process. Our findings indicate that paraarticular bone remodeling occurs upon remission of RA, even in joints where osteoarthritis is unusual. Its shape and location may depend on both their site and the mechanism of joint damage.

Alteraciones ecocardiograficas en el feocromocitoma. / Echocardiographic changes in pheocromocytoma

Se presentan 5 casos de pacientes con feocromocitoma, a los cuales se les practico ecocardiograma modo "M" antes y despues de cirugia. En 4 de ellos se encontraron datos ecocardiograficos que sugieron dano miocardico provocado por la accion de las catecolaminas, los cuales desaparecieron con la intervencion quirurgica