Evaluation of the Impact of Chlorhexidine Mouth Rinse on the Bond Strength of Polycarbonate Orthodontic Brackets: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Shear bond analysis is the procedure used most frequently to gauge the tensile strength of adhesives incorporated in orthodontic treatments. In shear tensile strength analysis, pressure is placed as close as feasible to the interface between the orthodontic bracket and the surface of the tooth, parallel to the long axis of the tooth. Although numerous research on extracted teeth of human and bovine teeth have been conducted, there may still be variables such as pH, humidity, temperature, and others that could affect how these materials behave in the mouth cavity. The impact of chlorhexidine (CHX) on the binding capacity for non-metallic orthodontic brackets in vivo is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the current study is to determine how mouth rinses containing 0.12% CHX affect the adhesive strength of polycarbonate orthodontic brackets. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-four patients were part of the test category, and they were instructed to wash their oral cavity for approximately 30 seconds using 20 ml of 0.12% CHX gluconate (Septodent). Thirty-four patients made up the control category and were instructed to wash their oral cavity for 30 seconds with a placebo mouthwash of a similar hue (20 ml). Both types of mouthwash were administered to the participants by an administrator who was not specifically involved in the trial and were kept in 120 ml labeled plastic bottles. The study participants were also kept unaware of the type of mouthwash. For the mouthwash utilized by study participants, a double-blinding technique was applied. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were evaluated in the test category. Since the orthodontic bracket broke in two patients, therefore, 32 patients were evaluated in the control category. The mean value of the strength of the shear bond in the experimental category was 15.32 megapascal (Mpa). The SD value was 2.51. The mean value of the strength of the shear bond in the control subgroup was 15.63. On statistical analysis, the t-value was 0.47. The p-value was 0.671. The difference in findings of the strength of the shear bond was statistically non-significant. CONCLUSION: The results of this investigation allow us to draw the conclusion that the shear bond properties of polycarbonate orthodontic brackets are unaffected when treated with 0.12% CHX preceding the binding. The clinically meaningful adhesion strength was likewise attained by the polycarbonate orthodontic brackets.

A Novel Gene Contributing to the Initiation of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.

Type II fatty acid biosynthesis in bacteria can be broadly classified into the initiation and elongation phases. The biochemical functions defining each step in the two phases have been studied in vitro Among the ß-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthases, FabH catalyzes the initiation reaction, while FabB and FabF, which primarily catalyze the elongation reaction, can also drive initiation as side reactions. A role for FabB and FabF in the initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis would be supported by the viability of the ΔfabH mutant. In this study, we show that the ΔfabH and ΔyiiD mutations were synthetically lethal and that ΔfabH ΔrelA ΔspoT and ΔfabH ΔdksA synthetic lethality was rescued by the heterologous expression of yiiD In the ΔfabH mutant, the expression of yiiD was positively regulated by (p)ppGpp. The growth defect, reduced cell size, and altered fatty acid profile of the ΔfabH mutant and the growth defect of the ΔfabH ΔfabF fabB15(Ts) mutant in oleate- and palmitate-supplemented medium at 42°C were rescued by the expression of yiiD from a multicopy plasmid. Together, these results indicate that the yiiD-encoded function supported initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis in the absence of FabH. We have renamed yiiD as fabYIMPORTANCE Fatty acid biosynthesis is an essential process conserved across life forms. ß-Ketoacyl-ACP synthases are essential for fatty acid biosynthesis. FabH is a ß-ketoacyl-ACP synthase that contributes to the initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli In this study, we present genetic and biochemical evidence that the yiiD (renamed fabY)-encoded function contributes to the biosynthesis of fatty acid in the absence of FabH activity and that under these conditions, the expression of FabY was regulated by the stringent response factors (p)ppGpp and DksA. Combined inactivation of FabH and FabY resulted in growth arrest, possibly due to the loss of fatty acid biosynthesis. A molecule(s) that inhibits the two activities can be an effective microbicide.

Artesunate-Induced Severe Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in Complicated Malaria.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a very rare cause of anemia in a case of malaria and drug-induced AIHA is even rarer. A 50-year old patient with a history of fever for 8 days was diagnosed with a case of complicated malaria with mixed infection having initial parasite index of 45%. He showed good response on initial therapy with artesunate (parasite count reduced to <1%) but his haemoglobin (Hb) continued to drop from 12 g% to 4.9 g% over a course of 11 days. Direct coombs test was positive with reduced haptoglobin and increased lactate dehydrogenase suggesting AIHA. The patient was put on steroids and transfused with saline washed O-negative blood. He gradually recovered over 8 weeks with Hb level rising up to 12 g%. This is a rare case of AIHA following treatment of severe malaria with parenteral artesunate suggesting of the drug immune-related mechanism.

Junctional Rhythm: A Rare Sign in Leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is an important re-emerging infectious disease. Leptospirosis has been estimated to affect tens of millions of humans annually with a case fatality rate ranging from 5% to 25%; however, it is underreported due to the lack of clinical suspicion and barriers to diagnostic capacity. A 33-year-old healthy male presented with a history of fever of 2-day duration. His examination revealed icterus. His workup did not show any significant findings except for a mild transaminitis and a rise in serum creatinine by 0.5 mg/dl. Later, the patient developed bradycardia. An ELISA test for Leptospira antibodies was positive. The patient recovered after a course of intravenous antibiotics. Leptospirosis should be considered early in the diagnosis of any patient who presents with acute, nonspecific febrile illness with multiorgan involvement. Our case had an atypical presentation with involvement of the cardiovascular system in the form of junctional rhythm.

Oral Health Related Quality of Life in Patients of Head and Neck Cancer Attending Cancer Hospital of Bhopal City, India.

BACKGROUND: To assess the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of head and neck cancer patients and to find association between QoL, demographic and disease variables. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 153 patients diagnosed and being treated for head and neck cancer in Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital, India. Data collected from the survey included demographic details and OHRQoL, which was measured by European Organization of Research for Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaire head & neck-35. Cancer measurements (location of tumor, stages of cancer, treatment type) were collected from the patient's hospital records. RESULTS: The majority of the population 84 (54.9%) belonged to 41-60 years age group and most of them were male (78.4%). The most frequent site of the primary tumor was the oral cavity (71.3%) and the majority of patients had Stage II and III cancer. Main factors affecting QoL were loss of weight, use of painkillers, sticky saliva, reduced mouth opening and problems in social eating. Significant association found between pain (P = 0.044), swallowing (P = 0.018), sense (P = 0.001), Social eating (P = 0.003), social contact (P = 0.008), reduced mouth opening (P = 0.008) with respect to type of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there was a significant reduction in the QoL in cancer patients resulting from myriad forms of cancers. An assessment of the QoL and symptoms can help the dentist to direct attention to most important symptoms and provide counseling for appropriate interventions towards improving QoL outcomes and the response to the treatment.