Antimicrobial effects of sodium hypochlorite and Er,Cr:YSGG laser against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of Erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium, and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser with and without NaOCl solution. A total of 81 extracted human mandibular premolar teeth were used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After root canal preparation and sterilization, the samples were inoculated with E. faecalis for 24 hours. The specimens were divided into 4 experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 25) was irradiated with 2 W laser, group 2 (n = 25) was irradiated with 0.75 W laser in combination with 2.5% NaOCl, group 3 (n = 25) was irrigated with 5% NaOCl and group 4 (n = 6) was not treated. Statistical analysis was performed by using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests. RESULTS: The combination of 0.75 W laser with 2.5% NaOCl regime was found to be just as effective at inhibiting the growth of E. faecalis and sterilization of all root canals as 5% NaOCl irrigation (P > 0.001). The 2 W laser had significant bactericidal effect in infected root canals however it did not eradicate all bacteria. The SEM observations were in accordance with the microbiologic findings. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this laboratory study, NaOCl irrigation improved the antimicrobial effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation. When the toxic effects of high percentage of NaOCl was considered, the combination of low-powered laser and low concentration of NaOCl can be used as an effective disinfection method in root canal treatment.

Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs) Resistance Mutations in HIV-1 Infected Turkish Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) is a new class of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs designed to block the action of the integrase viral enzyme, which is responsible for insertation of the HIV-1 genome into the host DNA. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time INSTI resistance mutations in Turkish patients. METHODS: This study was conducted in Turkey, between April 2013 and April 2015 using 169 HIV-1-infected patients (78 ARV naive patients and 91 ARV-experienced patients). Laboratory and clinical characteristics of ARV naive and ARV-experienced patients were as follows: gender (M/F): 71/7 and 80/11, median age: 38 and 38.4; median CD4(+) T-cell: 236 and 216 cells/mm(3), median HIV-1 RNA: 4.95+E5 and 1.08E+6 copies/ml. Population-based seqeunces of the reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase domains of the HIV-1 pol gene were used to detect HIV-1 drug resistance mutations. RESULT: INSTI resistance mutations were not found in recently diagnosed HIV-1-infected patients. However, ARV-experienced patients had major resistance mutations associated with raltegravir and elvitegravir; the following results were generated:F121Y, Y143R, Q148R and E157Q (6/91 - 6.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of INSTI resistant mutations in ART-experienced patients suggested that resistance testing must be incorporated as an integral part of HIV management with INSTI therapies.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria screened by catheterized samples at pregnancy term in women undergoing cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) with urine samples obtained via catheterization among women undergoing cesarean delivery at term pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 159 women in whom cesarean delivery was conducted at term pregnancy after a regular follow-up from first to third trimester. For screening and diagnosis of UTI during antenatal period, the authors used dipstick test and microscopic urinalysis, and urine culture was used in the presence of symptomatic UTI unresponsive to initial antibiotic therapy. A urine sample was obtained immediately after insertion of Foley catheter for urine dipstick test, microscopic urinalysis, and culture during cesarean delivery. Obstetric and UTI data were recorded. RESULTS: Of 159 pregnant women, 95 (59.8%) did not develop UTI during antenatal care. There was no patient with symptomatic UTI at the admission for cesarean delivery. The authors found UTI with urine dipstick and microscopic urinalysis in 12 patients and of them, four patients had no history of UTI, and all the remaining eight patients had asymptomatic UTI during antenatal follow-up. UTI according to urine culture was encountered in three patients, two of them had one episode of UTI, and one had two episodes of UTI during antenatal follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: After regular antenatal follow-up screening with urine dipstick, microscopic urinalysis, and counseling of pregnant women regarding UTIs, the frequency of bacteriuria decreases considerably during cesarean delivery.