The effect of the octenidine-based oral antiseptic on the structure of microbial communities and periodontal status in patients with fixed orthodontic treatments.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of an octenidine (OCT)-based antiseptic on the gingival inflammation and microbial composition of subgingival dental plaque in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three orthodontic patients were randomized into 2 groups. The control group patients were given standard oral hygiene and dietary advice, while the experimental group patients used an OCT-based antiseptic together with standard oral hygiene and dietary recommendations. The periodontal status was evaluated using the following indices: the plaque index (PI), the gingival index (GI), the papilla bleeding index (PBI) and the probing pocket depth (PD). Next Generation Sequencing of the 16S rRNA amplicons was performed in order to assess the subgingival microbiome. RESULTS: The PD values obtained were significantly lower in the experimental group after one month, as well as PBI. The microbiological analysis showed a significant increase in the occurrence of the genus Prevotella in the control group, while the number of other periodontopathogens remained stable in both groups. The changes in the abundance of the bacteria not directly associated with periodontal disease were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an OCT-based antiseptic has a positive effect on the prevention of gingival inflammation. Additionally, it also prevents a likely increase in numbers of periodontopathogens of the subgingival dental plaque in the first three months of fixed orthodontic treatment.

Basal divergence of Eriophyoidea (Acariformes, Eupodina) inferred from combined partial COI and 28S gene sequences and CLSM genital anatomy.

Eriophyoids are an ancient group of highly miniaturized, morphologically simplified and diverse phytoparasitic mites. Their possible numerous host-switch events have been accompanied by considerable homoplastic evolution. Although several morphological cladistic and molecular phylogenetic studies attempted to reconstruct phylogeny of Eriophyoidea, the major lineages of eriophyoids, as well as the evolutionary relationships between them, are still poorly understood. New phylogenetically informative data have been provided by the recent discovery of the early derivative pentasetacine genus Loboquintus, and observations on the eriophyoid reproductive anatomy. Herein, we use COI and D1-2 rRNA data of 73 eriophyoid species (including early derivative pentasetacines) from Europe, the Americas and South Africa to reconstruct part of the phylogeny of the superfamily, and infer on the basal divergence of eriophyoid taxa. In addition, a comparative CLSM study of the female internal genitalia was undertaken in order to find putative apomorphies, which can be used to improve the taxonomy of Eriophyoidea. The following molecular clades, marked by differences in genital anatomy and prodorsal shield setation, were found in our analyses: Loboquintus(Pentasetacus((Eriophyidae + Diptilomiopidae)(Phytoptidae-1, Phytoptidae-2))). The results of this study suggest that the superfamily Eriophyoidea comprises basal paraphyletic pentasetacines (Loboquintus and Pentasetacus), and two large monophyletic groups: Eriophyidae s.l. [containing paraphyletic Eriophyidae sensu Amrine et al. 2003 (=Eriophyidae s.str.) and Diptilomiopidae sensu Amrine et al. 2003] and Phytoptidae s.l. [containing monophyletic Phytoptidae sensu Boczek et al. 1989 (=Phytoptidae s.str.) and Nalepellidae sensu Boczek et al. 1989]. Putative morphological apomorphies (including genital and gnathosomal characters) supporting the clades revealed in molecular analyses are briefly discussed.

STR polymorphisms in the population of the island of Hvar.

The aim of this study is to analyze short tandem repeat (STR) variation using data on 9 loci (D3S1358, VWA, FGA, THO1, TPOX, CSF1PO, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820) from the subpopulations of 6 villages on the island of Hvar, Croatia. The STR data help us to analyze the genetic structure of Hvar. The analysis of STR data in this study indicated genetic homogeneity among the village subpopulations on Hvar and the lack of the so-called east-west dichotomy, which had been indicated by some previous multidisciplinary anthropological studies. The observed value of GST (0.030) is most probably a consequence of high STR mutation rates, which produce a high level of within-group (village) diversity relative to total diversity of the population. The validity of STR markers in assessing genetic structure of small populations and especially in determining the relationships among closely related and reproductively isolated groups remains to be further evaluated.