Management of deformity inducing osteochondroma of the temporomandibular joint: a case report.

Maxillofacial osteochondromas are considered benign neoplasms, and compared with their extracranial variant are relatively rare. When they involve the mandibular condyle they can induce significant facial deformity, malocclusion and various temporomandibular joint symptoms. Complete excision is considered the standard of care, but can lead to a reduction in the height of the ipsilateral mandible with resultant complications. In such cases, reconstruction is usually warranted and may be approached in various ways. This case report demonstrates a straightforward, accurate and reproducible approach to reconstructing the TMJ, facial profile and occlusion following resection of a large TMJ osteochondroma, without the need for concomitant orthodontics.

Effect of Er:YAG laser irradiation using SWEEPS and PIPS technique on dye penetration depth after root canal preparation.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the penetration depth of two different dyes after root canal preparation using PIPS and SWEEPS methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 single-rooted human teeth which were extracted for periodontal reasons were collected and stored in the sterile saline until using in the study. The crowns of the teeth were cut such that the remaining piece was 12 mm long. The root canals were prepared. Teeth were divided randomly into two initial groups (n = 30): indocyanine green solution (ICG) and methylene blue solution. Then, these teeth were divided into final subgroups (n = 10): Er:YAG laser irradiation with PIPS(photon-induced photoacoustic streaming) technique, Er:YAG laser irradiation with SWEEPS(shock-wave enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming) technique, and no irradiation. The penetration depth measurements were done by the stereo microscope in three zones of each specimen. RESULTS: The difference between ICG in the control group and PIPS and SWEEPS in the coronal area was not significant. In the middle section the difference between PIPS and the control group was marginally insignificant (P = 0.053). In the methylene blue group, PIPS had significantly higher penetration depth in the apical area compared to the control group (P = 0.004). In the middle section, both PIPS and SWEEPS showed significantly higher penetration than the control group. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the laser has the potential to increase the penetration of methylene blue. Root canal preparation with the PIPS technique can increase the dye penetration. However, the SWEEPS technique and the conventional method have a similar outcome in terms of dye penetration.

Communication methods and production techniques in fixed prosthesis fabrication: a UK based survey. Part 1: communication methods.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: The General Dental Council (GDC) states that members of the dental team have to 'communicate clearly and effectively with other team members and colleagues in the interest of patients'. A number of studies from different parts of the world have highlighted problems and confirmed the need for improved communication methods and production techniques between dentists and dental technicians. AIM: The aim of this study was to identify the communication methods and production techniques used by dentists and dental technicians for the fabrication of fixed prostheses within the UK from the dental technicians' perspective. The current publication reports on the communication methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven hundred and eighty-two online questionnaires were distributed to the Dental Laboratories Association membership and included a broad range of topics. Statistical analysis was undertaken to test the influence of various demographic variables. RESULTS: The number of completed responses totalled 248 (32% response rate). The laboratory prescription and the telephone were the main communication tools used. Statistical analysis of the results showed that a greater number of communication methods were used by large laboratories. Frequently missing items from the laboratory prescription were the shade and the date required. The majority of respondents (73%) stated that a single shade was selected in over half of cases. Sixty-eight percent replied that the dentist allowed sufficient laboratory time. Twenty-six percent of laboratories felt either rarely involved or not involved at all as part of the dental team. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there are continuing communication and teamwork issues between dentists and dental laboratories.

Communication methods and production techniques in fixed prosthesis fabrication: a UK based survey. Part 2: production techniques.

AIM: The aim of this study was to identify the communication methods and production techniques used by dentists and dental technicians for the fabrication of fixed prostheses within the UK from the dental technicians' perspective. This second paper reports on the production techniques utilised. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven hundred and eighty-two online questionnaires were distributed to the Dental Laboratories Association membership and included a broad range of topics, such as demographics, impression disinfection and suitability, and various production techniques. Settings were managed in order to ensure anonymity of respondents. Statistical analysis was undertaken to test the influence of various demographic variables such as the source of information, the location, and the size of the dental laboratory. RESULTS: The number of completed responses totalled 248 (32% response rate). Ninety percent of the respondents were based in England and the majority of dental laboratories were categorised as small sized (working with up to 25 dentists). Concerns were raised regarding inadequate disinfection protocols between dentists and dental laboratories and the poor quality of master impressions. Full arch plastic trays were the most popular impression tray used by dentists in the fabrication of crowns (61%) and bridgework (68%). The majority (89%) of jaw registration records were considered inaccurate. Forty-four percent of dental laboratories preferred using semi-adjustable articulators. Axial and occlusal under-preparation of abutment teeth was reported as an issue in about 25% of cases. Base metal alloy was the most (52%) commonly used alloy material. Metal-ceramic crowns were the most popular choice for anterior (69%) and posterior (70%) cases. The various factors considered did not have any statistically significant effect on the answers provided. The only notable exception was the fact that more methods of communicating the size and shape of crowns were utilised for large laboratories. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there are continuing issues in the production techniques utilised between dentists and dental laboratories.

Helicobacter pylori bacterial ghost containing recombinant Omp18 as a putative vaccine.

Helicobacter pylori bacterial ghosts, HPBG, were generated by PhiX174 mechanism and loaded with recombinant Omp18, which were then applied in therapeutic immunization of Hp-infected C57BL/6 mice. Recombinant Omp18 loaded HPBG plus cholera toxin stimulated serum anti-Hp and Omp18-specific antibodies which resulted in significant reduction of gastric Hp colonization (P<0.05).

Turbulencelike behavior of seismic time series.

We report on a stochastic analysis of Earth's vertical velocity time series by using methods originally developed for complex hierarchical systems and, in particular, for turbulent flows. Analysis of the fluctuations of the detrended increments of the series reveals a pronounced transition in their probability density function from Gaussian to non-Gaussian. The transition occurs 5-10 hours prior to a moderate or large earthquake, hence representing a new and reliable precursor for detecting such earthquakes.

Comparison of Thymus vulgaris (Thyme), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) and propolis hydroalcoholic extracts versus systemic glucantime in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in balb/c mice.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by sand flies. Many investigations are performed to find an effective and safe treatment for leishmaniasis. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of herbal extracts of Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) and Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), propolis hydroalcoholic extract and systemic glucantime against cutaneous leishmaniasis in Balb/c mice. METHODS: A total of 45 mice were randomised into five groups each including nine mice. They were treated with pure ethanol 70 degrees, systemic glucantime, Achillea millefolium hydroalcoholic extract, Thymus vulgaris hydroalcoholic extract and propolis hydroalcoholic extract for six weeks. The statistical tests including student t-test were used for analysis. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, ver 13.00. RESULTS: Mean of ulcer size reduction were -17.66, -22.57, 43.29, 36.09 and 43.77% for the alcohol, glucantime, yarrow, thyme and propolis groups, respectively. The results were suggestive that Thymus vulgaris, Achillea millefolium and propolis hydroalcoholic extracts were significantly more effective in reduction of ulcer size as compared with glucantime (p = 0.006, 0.002 and 0.008, respectively). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our results are suggestive that Thymus vulgaris, Achillea millefolium and propolis extracts are effective for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice. Regarding these results, we suggest that efficacy of these extracts alone or in combination are evaluated against human cutaneous leishmaniasis as a randomized clinical trial.

Antiprogestins suppress basal and activin-stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone secretion in an estrogen-dependent manner.

Previous studies from our laboratory, demonstrating that suppression of serum FSH by RU486 requires a high estrogen (E) background, suggested that E-inducible progesterone receptors play a role in the regulation of FSH secretion. We demonstrated further that the type II antiprogestin RU486 and the type I antiprogestin ZK98299 both suppressed the elevated serum FSH and FSHbeta messenger RNA levels similarly on the evening of proestrus, but had divergent effects on the morning of estrus, when only RU486, but not ZK98299, lowered the elevated serum FSH level (secondary FSH surge). In the present work we used primary anterior pituitary cell culture to examine whether RU486 caused direct, E-dependent suppression of basal and recombinant human activin A (activin)-induced FSH secretion in the gonadotrope and to compare this direct effect, if any, with that of ZK98299. Primary cell cultures were prepared from anterior pituitaries collected from cycling female rats either on metestrous or proestrous morning and cultured in DMEM, supplemented with charcoal-stripped serum without or with 10 nM estradiol (E2) for 96 h; exposure to test agents occurred during the last 48 h of culture. FSH released into the medium and intracellular FSH content were determined by RIA. In cells from the anterior pituitary of metestrous rats cultured in E2-free medium, neither antiprogestin (10 nM) affected FSH release; in contrast, when cells were cultured in medium to which E2 had been added, both antiprogestins caused profound suppression of both basal and activin (10 ng/ml)-stimulated FSH release. In cell cultures from proestrous rats, both antiprogestins caused a slight, but significant, suppression of basal FSH release even in the absence of added E2; activin-stimulated FSH release, however, was not affected. Upon exposure of the cells from proestrous rats to E2, the antiprogestins potently suppressed both basal and activin-stimulated FSH secretion. Because the foregoing incubations were performed in culture medium devoid of progesterone (P4), the actions of the antiprogestins on FSH secretion were independent of the natural ligand. Addition of P4 (10 nM) to the cell cultures stimulated basal and activin-induced FSH release more in the presence than in the absence of E2. The FSH response to P4 was completely blocked by both antiprogestins in both the absence and presence of E2. Finally, both RU486 and ZK98299 blocked the stimulatory effect of corticosterone (1 microM) on FSH secretion. The observed effects of P4 and antiprogestins were specific for FSH secretion; LH secretion was not similarly suppressed by either antiprogestin, but was, in fact, stimulated by ZK98299 in E2-treated cells. We conclude that 1) E2-inducible progesterone receptors interact with activin-mediated signal transduction to regulate FSH secretion, and 2) unlike on the morning of estrus in vivo, RU486 and ZK98299 affect FSH secretion similarly in the gonadotrope in vitro.

The antiprogestins RU486 and ZK98299 affect follicle-stimulating hormone secretion differentially on estrus, but not on proestrus.

Previous in vivo studies from our laboratory indicated that administration of the antiprogestin RU486 on proestrus suppresses both the preovulatory gonadotropin surges and the secondary FSH surge, suggesting a role for the progesterone receptor (PR) in the generation of these surges. The present study was designed to test the effects of another antiprogestin, ZK98299, which has been reported to block the PR through a mechanism different from that of RU486, on gonadotropin secretion in vivo. RU486 and ZK98299 (2 and 6 mg/kg) were administered s.c. at 1230 h on proestrus; uterine intraluminal fluid content, serum gonadotropins, and gonadotropin subunit messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were determined at 1830 h on proestrus and at 0900 h on estrus. At 1830 h on proestrus, both RU486 and ZK98299 at both doses caused equal suppression of the preovulatory FSH surge and FSHbeta mRNA. Both antiprogestins also equally attenuated the preovulatory LH surge at this time, with the higher doses causing greater suppression. In contrast, at 0900 h on estrus, the antiprogestins affected serum FSH differentially; only RU486 suppressed the secondary FSH surge despite the fact that both drugs prevented the release of uterine intraluminal fluid, confirming blockade of progesterone action at the level of the uterus. Neither drug had a significant effect on FSHbeta mRNA at 0900 h on estrus. ZK98299 at the higher dose caused a small, but significant, increase in serum LH. In a subsequent experiment, we compared the effects of RU486 and ZK98299 (6 mg/kg, s.c.), administered at 1230 h on proestrus, on serum FSH raised above the natural secondary FSH surge on the morning of estrus by passive immunization with an antiserum to inhibin-alpha (anti-I) at 1700 h on proestrus. Consistent with the results of the first experiment, both antiprogestins blocked the release of uterine intraluminal fluid, but only RU486 lowered serum FSH in both the normal sheep serum-treated controls and anti-I-treated rats; in contrast, ZK98299 actually increased serum FSH in the normal sheep serum-treated control animals. ZK98299 also increased FSHbeta mRNA in the control group; RU486, on the other hand, reduced FSHbeta mRNA only in the anti-I group. The results demonstrate unequivocally that whereas the effects of the two antiprogestins on serum FSH and FSHbeta mRNA are similar on proestrus, they are divergent on estrus. The data suggest that the functional state of the PR/transcriptional activation complex in the gonadotrope on the morning of estrus is different from that on the evening of proestrus.