Estimation and correlation of salivary thiocyanate levels in healthy and different forms of tobacco users having chronic periodontitis: A cross-sectional biochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease with complex and multi-factorial origin. Tobacco usage has shown its adverse effect on periodontal health. Various components within saliva not only protect the integrity of oral tissues, but also provide clues to local and systemic diseases and conditions. Salivary thiocyanate (SCN) has been shown to be a chemical indicator in smokers and smokeless tobacco users. Noninvasive nature of salivary testing has made it an attractive and effective alternative to blood and urine testing. Limited studies are there comparing and correlating the salivary SCN levels in smokers with chronic periodontitis (CP). However, no studies show correlation of salivary SCN among gutka chewers with CP. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of the following study is to estimate, compare, and correlate the SCN levels in periodontally healthy, CP, smokers with CP and gutka chewers with CP subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study includes 120 subjects with age 18-55 years, categorized as periodonally healthy (n = 30), CP (n = 30), smokers (n = 30), and gutka chewers (n = 30) with CP. Required clinical parameters such as gingival index, probing depth and clinical attachment loss were recorded and salivary SCN levels were estimated through ultraviolet-spectrophotometer. RESULTS: Mean salivary SCN level were shown to be higher among smokers and gutka chewers with CP as compared to healthy and CP alone. CONCLUSION: The present study exhibited the significant increase in salivary SCN levels among smokers and gutka chewers when compared to others, concluding that the analysis of salivary SCN levels could be used as an adjunctive means of diagnosis.

Determining the Effect of Gutkha on Serum Levels of Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid as Compared to Smoking among Chronic Periodontitis Subjects : A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis, being a common inflammatory disease has a multifactorial origin , with smoking and gutkha as few of the causative entities. The role of smoking as a risk factor for periodontitis is been well documented in literature. Cigarette smoke also affects vitamin B12 and folic acid mechanisms. Nutritionally derived vitamin B12 occurs mainly as either hydroxycobalamin or deoxyadenosycobalmin. Folic acid is also heat sensitive and water soluble, closely linked to vitamin B12 in its metabolism. However, effect of smokeless tobacco in form of gutkha on serum levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid is yet to be explored. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To estimate and correlate serum vitamin B12 (VB12) and folic acid (FA) levels among periodontally healthy subjects and Chronic Periodontitis (CP) subjects with habit of smoking and gutkha chewing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 111 subjects ranging in age from 18 to 60 y. Participants were divided into four groups: 30 healthy subjects (Group I), 29 subjects with CP (Group II), 25 smokers with CP (Group III) and 27 gutkha chewers with CP (Group IV). Clinical parameters included pocket probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) & gingival index (GI) following which VB12 and FA levels were estimated through UV-spectrophotometry method and data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists software, Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. p-values less than 0.05 were considered as significant. Results : Pairwise comparison by Mann-Whitney U-test showed an increase in the serum VB12 in Group IV when compared to Group I (p=0.01) and Group II (p=0.01). Although serum FA levels were found to be low in Group III (7.61 ug/ml) & Group IV (8.64 ug/ml), Group III was found to be statistically significant (P=0.046). The clinical parameters GI, PPD and CAL among the four groups of patients were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study results suggested that among the patients with periodontal disease, serum VB12 levels are directly related while serum FA levels are inversely related to inflammation and tissue destruction in periodontium as occurred in Group IV.

cPSA and fPSA elimination in African-American men.

In all, 22 African-American males undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma had serum drawn for tPSA, cPSA, and total protein concentrations prior to, during, and after operation to determine the respective elimination rates. African-American cPSA was found to fit best a simple first-order exponential elimination kinetic, with a half-life of 44.6 h. fPSA followed a two-compartment elimination with an alpha-phase elimination of 0.50 h and a beta-phase half-life of 4.2 h. Our results suggest higher rates of elimination for both cPSA and fPSA in an African-American male population with respect to Caucasians and may account for differences in PSA values between races.

Differences in adipose tissue fatty acid composition between black and white men in New Orleans.

We report fatty acid composition in perirenal and buttock adipose tissue in 714 deceased black and white men aged 25-44 yr in New Orleans. Percent saturated fatty acids were higher (p less than 0.001) whereas percent monounsaturated fatty acids were lower (p less than 0.001) in perirenal than in buttock fat. Percent linoleic acid was similar in both races. We conclude that dietary intake of linoleic acid is similar in both races. The trend of decreasing linoleic acid with advancing age suggests that either intake of linoleic acid progressively decreases or its mobilization rate increasingly exceeds deposition rate or both. Percent palmitoleic acid (16:1) is lower (p less than 0.001) and that of stearic acid (18:0) is higher (p less than 0.001) in blacks than in whites. We believe no explanation can rest solely on differences in habitual dietary fat intake.

Fatty acids of sphingomyelin from amniotic fluid of normal and diabetic pregnancies.

Amniotic fluid collected from 14 normal and 11 diabetic patients was analyzed for phospholipids, and separated sphingomyelin and lecithin fractions were further studied for their acid composition by gas liquid chromatography. Notable differences in percent fatty acid composition of sphingomyelin were observed for palmitic (16:0; diabetic less than normal), oleic (18:1; diabetic greater than normal), behenic (22:0; diabetic less than normal) and arachidic acid (20:0; absent in diabetics) in the specimens studied. Notable differences were not observed in fatty acids from lecithin fraction. Fatty acid composition of sphingomyelin from amniotic fluid is similar to fatty acid distribution in sphingomyelin from serum and erythrocyte and suggests maternal origin of the lipid.

Clinical assessment of the electrophoretic separation of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes.

Over a five-month period, using data from patients in whom alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzyme studies were requested routinely, we compared actual clinical diagnoses with the predicted diagnoses based on the results of electrophoretic separation of ALP isoenzymes on cellulose acetate before and after heat treatment and on elevated enzymatic activity of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. ALP isoenzymes were interpreted on a qualitative basis (presence or absence of liver, bone, or other isoenzyme) by individual clinical pathologists. Overall, the consistency of agreement in 61 patients was 66% for GGT, 51% for ALP isoenzymes, and 21% for ALT. In 44 patients with definite diagnoses, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of each laboratory test for patients with liver disease were 88 +/- 5.7% and 64 +/- 14.5% (ALP isoenzymes); 88 +/- 5.7% and 91 +/- 8.6% (GGT); and 6 +/- 4.1% and 91 +/- 8.6% (ALT). In patients with bone disease, the sensitivity and specificity of ALP isoenzymes was 75 +/- 10.8% and 86 +/- 6.6%, respectively. The results indicate that isoenzymes as currently performed need to be improved through standardization of the interpretation of ALP isoenzyme patterns to establish uniformity of comments.

Fatty acid composition of human adipose tissue from two anatomical sites in a biracial community.

This report describes the age-race specific distribution of fatty acids in samples of adipose tissue taken from both the perirenal and buttock areas of 406 men autopsied in a community pathology study. This analysis of fatty acid composition of adipose tissue is part of a comprehensive investigation of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in a community setting. The findings from analysis of fatty acids are expressed as mass percentage of all fatty acids in adipose tissue triglyceride. For each age-site subgroup, white men tended to have higher mean percentages of myristic acid and palmitoleic acid than did black men. The converse was found for stearic acid. In the younger age groups only, the whites showed a higher mean percentage of linoleic acid than the blacks in adipose tissue from both sites. Age was associated with a decrease in mean percentage of stearic acid and an increase in mean percentage of oleic acid and palmitoleic acid in both races. The older age group had a lower mean percentage of linoleic acid than the younger age groups. The mean percentages of myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids were higher in perirenal tissue, while the mean percentages of palmitoleic and oleic acids were higher in buttock adipose tissue in both races.

Synergistic effects of dietary carbohydrate and cholesterol on serum lipids and lipoproteins in squirrel and spider monkeys.

Serum lipid and lipoprotein responses to diets with a high level of simple carbohydrate (69% w/w sucrose) and a low level of saturated fat (5% w/w butter-coconut oil, polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio 0.03) containing 0, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kcal added cholesterol was studied in five squirrel (Saimiri sciurea) monkeys. Variations in response produced by altering the nature of dietary carbohydrate (sucrose versus dextrin) and the fat (polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio, 0.03 versus 1.5) in the above diets were studied in three groups (five per group) of spider monkeys (Ateles sp.). In the absence of exogenous cholesterol, feeding a sucrose-saturated fat diet for 6 weeks produced a consistent increase in serum cholesterol in both species and an increase in serum triglycerides only in squirrel monkeys. Exogenous cholesterol had a remarkable synergistic effect on the high carbohydrate diet in increasing the serum cholesterol and had a suppressing effect on serum triglycerides in both species. Polyunsaturated fat reduced the hypercholesterolemic effect of sucrose with or without exogenous cholesterol. Dextrin diets resulted in lower serum cholesterol responses than sucrose diets when the diets contained 0 or 0.1 mg/kcal added cholesterol. Serum cholesterol response was reflected in beta- and alpha-lipoproteins. These results emphasize the varied response of serum lipids and lipoproteins to dietary changes in carbohydrate, fat, and cholesterol that might have a bearing on experimental atherosclerosis.

Composition of connective tissue in aortas from rhesus monkeys during regression of diet-induced fatty streaks.

The aortic connective tissue components, collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans were isolated and quantitated from monkeys with experimentally-induced fatty streaks, from monkeys on a diet allowing regression of these lesions, and from controls. Although no variations were noted for total, soluble, and autoclavable collagen based on concentration, nonautoclavable collagen was significantly less (p less than 0.02) and elastin was reduced (p less than 0.001) in tissues with fatty streaks. There were no significant differences in total glycosaminoglycan content among the groups, but a large increase of hyaluronic acid (50 to 220 per cent) and a decrease of chondroitin sulfate C (40 to 66 per cent) occurred after regression. Dynamic alterations of arterial connective tissue shown to occur with induction as well as with regression of fatty streaks indicate the importance of connective tissue in maintaining integrity of vascular structures.

Depletion of aortic free and ester cholesterol by dietary means in rhesus monkeys with fatty streaks.

This report presents findings concerning free and esterified cholesterol and specific fatty acids esterified to cholesterol in aortas of rhesus monkeys fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks followed by regression regimen for 32 and 64 weeks. Mean aortic total cholesterol of monkeys fed an atherogenic diet was more than twice that of the animals on a control diet. Esterified cholesterol showed a fourfold elevation while increase in free cholesterol was less than twofold. Free cholesterol and esterified cholesterol in the aorta of animals decreased by about 30 per cent and 70 per cent respectively after 32 weeks on the regression diet. Very little additional changes occurred in the animals on the regression regimen for 64 weeks. In fatty acids esterified to cholesterol, the largest proportional increase was in stearic (18:0) and oleic (18:1) acids and the least proportional increase was in linoleic (18:2) and arachidonic (20:4) acids after 12 weeks on the atherogenic diet. As a result of feeding the regression diet for a period of 32 weeks an overall depletion of about 85 per cent was observed from the levels in animals fed only an atherogenic diet. Cholesteryl sterate and oleate returned to near baseline levels with a reduction of about 90 per cent from levels observed after feeding the atherogenic diet.