4 and 6 interleukin's action in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, gingivitis and dental alveolitis.

INTRODUCTION: The paper presents the results of studying the role of interleukins 4 and 6 in the pathogenesis of periodontal tissue diseases, specifically, in periodontitis, gingivitis and alveolitis. THE AIM: To study the nature of participation of IL-4 and IL-6 in the mechanisms of development of periodontitis, gingivitis and alveolitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies were carried out on 80 nonlinear male rats with a body weight of 200.0 to 220.0 g divided into four groups of 20 animals each. The serum level of cytokines was determined by an enzyme immunoassay on the Multiscane Biotech analyzer using test systems manufactured by Caltag laboratories (USA). Statistical processing of the obtained digital results was processed with the help of the program "Statistica 8.0". Indicators of the reliability of changes between the control and intact groups also used the Student's test and the Excel program. The confidence level was taken at p <0.05. RESULTS: As a result of our experiments, noticeable changes in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 were observed in rats with experimental periodontitis. The level of IL-4 cytokine in rats with alveolitis did not differ from control. The level of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 from all groups of animals with periodontal disease differed from control only in rats with gingivitis, where it decreased by 74% and its level became less with alveolitis and periodontitis, since in these diseases the level of IL-6 was practically the same from the control (p <0,05). We also succeeded in revealing that at a low level of profibrogenic IL-6, there is not enough stimulation of collagen synthesis in the periodontal bone tissue. The increased level of IL-4 in a group of animals with gingivitis, on the contrary, indicates the realization of a pathological reaction of the organism. CONCLUSIONS: The change in the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins, especially with gingivitis, indicates a decrease in the body's adaptive reserves and may affect the further dynamics of the inflammatory process in the periodontal tissues.

Effect of Fungicide Application on the Management of Avocado Branch Canker (Formerly Dothiorella Canker) in California.

Members of the Botryosphaeriaceae family have been associated with branch cankers of avocado trees (Persea americana) in California. Canker infections are initiated by spores entering the host plant through fresh wounds such as pruning wounds. With high-density planting becoming more common in the California avocado industry, more intensive pruning may increase the occurrence of branch canker. The objective of this study was to evaluate the preventive ability of some commercial fungicides belonging to different chemical families against fungal pathogens associated with avocado branch canker. Initially, 12 fungicides were tested in vitro for their effect on the inhibition of mycelial growth of three isolates of Dothiorella iberica and isolates (five per species) of Neofusicoccum australe, N. luteum, N. parvum, and Phomopsis sp. Subsequently, azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, metconazole, and pyraclostrobin, selected because of their low effective concentrations that reduce 50% of mycelial growth (EC50 values), and myclobutanil, selected for its high EC50 value, were tested in two field experiments. Azoxystrobin and fludioxonil were used in a premix with propiconazole and cyprodinil, respectively, in field trials. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed among fungicides in field trials. Azoxystrobin + propiconazole had the highest percent inhibition at 52 and 62% (internal lesion length) in trial 1 and trial 2, respectively, although this level of inhibition was not significantly different from that of metconazole. A significant correlation (r = 0.51, P < 0.05) was observed between internal lesion length data in the field experiment and EC50 data from in vitro fungicide screening. Application of azoxystrobin + propiconazole and metconazole can play a key role in protecting Californian avocado against fungi causing avocado branch canker.

Anesthesia in French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa: an overview.

The situation of Anesthesiology in Sub-Saharan Africa is unique in that nowhere else in the world has the absolute numbers of anesthesiologists decreased during the nineties. Most anesthesia services to the populations of these 17 poor countries are provided by nurse-anesthetists, either certified or trained on the job. Their mean age often exceeds 40, which leads to expect an acute shortage within fifteen years. Experienced anesthesiologists are now so few that, in most countries, the critical mass of knowledgeable specialists no longer exists to train new anesthesia professionals. This summary of local surveys provides a brief overview of current workforce, institutions, drugs and material constituting the daily environment of our colleagues. Challenges are outlined, with special emphasis on brain drain. Solutions are proposed, underlining the promising role of a few anesthesia schools, the need for young anesthesiologists to enter teaching, and the expectations they are supposed to meet.