Identification of human serum albumin in human caries lesions of enamel: the role of putative inhibitors of remineralisation.

Carious attack on enamel is not a unidirectional process but involves both demineralisation and remineralisation. The chemistry of carious attack on enamel has, to a large extent, now been clarified as far as mineral components are concerned but little attention, however, has been paid to the identity of organic material in carious lesions and its possible role in the caries process. The only clear information available is that organic material accumulates with time within enamel lesions. The present study was aimed at identifying a specific protein component known to bind to hydroxyapatite (albumin) in carious lesions with a view to investigating its role in the disease process. The distribution of albumin within both white spot and fissure lesions and adjacent sound enamel of extracted human teeth was investigated using SEM immunohistochemistry on undermineralised sections of human enamel and employing a polyclonal antibody to human serum albumin. The nature of the protein, i.e. whether it was in the form of intact molecules or degraded fragments, was investigated by Western blotting, employing the same antibody. The immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of albumin within both interproximal white spot and fissure lesions with little if any present in sound enamel. The Western blotting indicated that the albumin was in the intact form with no evidence of degradation products. The ability of albumin to bind and to inhibit growth of calcium phosphate crystals raises the question as to the possible role of such a molecule in the development of carious lesions.

[Our experience in using the IP-2-50 infusion pump with newborn infants, pregnant women and puerperae]. / Nashiiat opit ot prilozhenie na infuzionna pompa IP-2-50 pri novorodeni detsa, bremenni i razhdashti.

The authors describe indications for usage of venous administrations by means of the infusion pump IP 2-50 in newborns, pregnant women and parturients as well as during feeding of the smallest preterm infants with the same pump. Advantages and disadvantages of IP 2-50 are presented in comparison with the perfusion pumps "Braun Melsungen" and "Lineomat". Nosologic units are described, in which infusions with IP 2-50 are applied.