Total antioxidant capacity of saliva and dental caries.

OBJECTIVE: Dental caries is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. Saliva has many functions in the oral cavity and is the first line defense against dental caries. Oxidative stress can affect initiation and progression of many inflammatory and infectious diseases such as dental caries. Thus the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of saliva and dental caries. STUDY DESIGN: 100 healthy high school students (50 female and 50 male) with age range of 15 -17 years were randomly selected, divided to four groups. Unstimulated whole saliva specimens were collected at the morning. TAC of saliva was evaluated by spectrophotometric assay. Statistical comparisons were performed using Student's t-test, by SPSS 13. RESULTS: The level of TAC was significantly higher in the saliva of caries active group relative to the caries free subjects. Statistical analysis for male and female groups showed a statistically significant reduction of TAC level in female group. CONCLUSION: TAC was higher in caries active group. Thus this result showed that total antioxidant capacity may influence in dental caries and activity can be measured by salivary factors and this may be helpful in preventive dentistry.

L-carnitine level in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men.

BACKGROUND: To determine any correlation between infertility and semen quality with concentrations of L-carnitine in human seminal plasma. METHODS: This case-control study performed in Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Seminal plasma of 72 infertile men and 80 men with proved fertility as a control group was investigated and L-carnitine level was determined using UV enzymatic test at 340 nm. RESULTS: The concentration of L-carnitine was significantly lower in the infertile group compared with control group (80.59±56.43 mg/l versus 108.43±42.26 mg/l; P= 0.0009). There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between seminal plasma L-carnitine concentration, total sperm count, and the percentage of motile sperm (P= 0.0009, and P= 0.0000, respectively). CONCLUSION: These finding suggest that the determination of seminal plasma L-carnitine level may be a useful test in evaluation of male infertility.

Some biomarkers in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Several changes in serum biochemical factors occur in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recently alterations in serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy), sialic acid (SA) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (HS-CRP) has been attended as risk factors and index for prediction. This study was aimed to show the alterations in these factors and their relationships in AMI. METHODS: Thirty four patients with AMI were enrolled in this case-control study. Also 51 apparently healthy individuals were selected as control group. Serum was prepared from all subjects in fasting state. Hcy and HS-CRP were measured using ELISA and SA was determined by Erlich method. RESULTS: Serum levels of Hcy, SA and HS-CRP in AMI patients were 14.35±2.55λmol/l, 73.54±2.82 mg/dl, and 17.32±3.45 mg/l, respectively and in the control group they were 8.31±2.66 λmol/l, 59.82±2.70 mg/dl and 2.77±1.98 mg/l, respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed that serum level of Hcy, SA, and HS-CRP in the patients with AMI was significantly higher than those of control (P < 0.001). Also significant correlation was observed between Hcy-HS-CRP (r= 0.63), SA- Hcy (r= 0.73), and SA - CRP (r= 0.75) (P < 0.05 for all items). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed increased level of HS-CRP, SA, and Hcy in AMI patients. Also obtained data indicated a direct and significant correlation between HS-CRP as an inflammation index and Hcy and SA. Hence these two factors can be used as biomarkers in this disease.