Clinical evaluation of a new art material: Nanoparticulated resin-modified glass ionomer cement

Context:

The success of atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) technique depends on the restorative material; hence, clinical studies with various materials are necessary.

Aim:

The aim of the present study was to clinically evaluate and compare the nanoionomer and high-viscosity glass ionomer using United States Public Health Services (USPHS) Modified Cvar/Ryge Criteria with ART approach.

Materials and Methods:

Two primary molars in 50 healthy children aged between 5 and 8 years were selected for the study. The teeth were treated with ART and divided into two groups. The group 1 teeth were restored with nanoionomer (Ketac Nano 100 3M ESPE) and group 2 with high-viscosity glass ionomer cement (HVGIC), (Fuji IX GC). Each restoration was evaluated using the USPHS Modified Cvar/Ryge Criteria at baseline and 6 months’ and 12 months’ time interval.

Statistical analysis used:

Chi-squared (χ²) test.

Results:

Nanoionomer was significantly better than HVGIC with respect to color match at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months (P<0.001). Nanoionomers were also significantly better than HVGIC in case of cavosurface marginal discoloration and marginal adaptation (P<0.001) at 6 months and 12 months. There was no significant difference between the two materials with respect to secondary caries at 6 months (P>0.05), but at 12 months, nanoionomer was statistically better than HVGIC (P<0.05). There was no statistical significant difference with respect to anatomical form and postoperative sensitivity (P>0.05).

Conclusion:

The results indicate that nanoionomer can be a successful alternative restorative material for use with ART technique.

Association of the gonadotrophin-regulated testicular RNA helicase gene polymorphism with human male infertility

Gonadotrophin-regulated testicular RNA helicase (GRTH) plays an important role in RNA functions including nuclear transcription, pre-mRNA splicing and it regulates the translation of specific genes required for the progression of spermatogenesis. In this study, we analysed the association of GRTH gene IVS6+55G/T and c.852C/T polymorphisms with human male infertility. The study showed c.852 T allele was associated with an increased risk of male infertility (OR: 3.16, P = 0.008), whereas IVS6+55G/T allele conferred no risk. In Indian population, this is the first report on association of GRTH gene SNP polymorphism and male infertility and it underscores the significance of GRTH genotypes in modulating the risk of male infertility.

Prevalence of systemic and local disturbances in infants during primary teeth eruption: a clinical study

AIM

The purpose of this study was to find the correlations between local and systemic manifestations during primary teeth eruption and the eruption of various groups of teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The infants selected for the study purpose were between 6 months to 3 years of age who had at least one erupting tooth. The study group consisted of 894 infants and other 550 infants served as a control group. Questionnaires were distributed to all parents and the data was collected. Chi square test was performed to analyse the information obtained between the two groups. There were 378 girls (42.2%) and 516 boys (57.7%) in the study group. The control group consisted of 195 girls (35.4%) and 355 boys (64.5%).

RESULTS

The most common finding was gingival irritation 821 (95.9%) and the least common symptom observed in the study was running nose 234 (27.3%). The presence of fever diarrhea was seen in 101 (11.7%) infants. In the control group, 92.1% of the infants did not show any clinical manifestations.

CONCLUSION

An association was found between primary teeth eruption and local and systemic manifestations. Most manifestations were found during eruption of the primary incisors.

Long-term phosphorus fertility in wastewater-irrigated cropland

Land treatment of municipal wastewater effluent is a proven method for augmenting freshwater resources and avoiding direct nutrient discharges to surface waters. We assessed changes in soil test phosphorus (P) of the Ap horizon of cropped fields continuously irrigated for 26 yr with secondary effluent from the Penn State University wastewater treatment plant. For annual P additions averaging 97 kg P ha(-1), Mehlich-3 P (M3P) response in the 0- to 20-cm surface soil (initially < 20 mg kg(-1)) was represented by two lines. For the first 12 yr of irrigation, soil test P increased, with 14.5 kg P ha(-1) needed to increase M3P by 1 mg P kg(-1). After the initial buildup, M3P maintained a quasi-steady-state value of approximately 110 mg kg(-1). Over time, the surface soil equilibrium P concentration at zero sorption increased markedly (from < 1 to 5.5 mg P L(-1)), and extractable aluminum (Al) decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Speciation modeling using Visual MINTEQ suggests complexation of Al by dissolved organic carbon at site pH conditions. Loss of Al from the surface layer lowered its P-sorbing capacity, causing added effluent-P to move into the subsoil. Results suggest that current management practices can continue for many years without exceeding the surface soil M3P environmental threshold (200 mg kg(-1)) used in state P-based nutrient policies.

Effect of Curcuma longa freeze dried rhizome powder with milk in STZ induced diabetic rats

This study deals with the effects of freeze dried rhizome powder of Curcuma longa (C. longa) dissolved in milk on normal as well as diabetic models. Diabetes of type II and type I was within 3 days of a single administration of doses of 45 and 65 mg kg(-1) of streptozotocin respectively. Various parameters such as blood glucose levels, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, hemoglobin, urine protein and urine sugar in addition to body weight were taken in to consideration and were analyzed after administration of variable doses of rhizome powder. The dose of 200 mg kg(-1) was identified as the most effective dose as it increased HDL, Hb and bw (P<0.05) with significant decrease in the levels of blood glucose, lipid profile and hepatoprotective enzymes (P<0.001).

Managing biosolids runoff phosphorus using buffer strips enhanced with drinking water treatment residuals

Vegetated buffers strips typically have limited ability to reduce delivery of dissolved phosphorus (DP) from agricultural fields to surface waters. A field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of buffer strips enhanced with drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs) to control runoff P losses from surface-applied biosolids characterized by high water-extractable P (4 g kg(-)(1)). Simulated rainfall (62.4 mm h(-1)) was applied to grassed plots (3 m x 10.7 m including a 2.67 m downslope buffer) surface-amended with biosolids at 102 kg P ha(-1) until 30 min of runoff was collected. With buffer strips top-dressed with WTR (20 Mg ha(-1)), runoff total P (TP = 2.5 mg L(-1)) and total DP (TDP = 1.9 mg L(-1)) were not statistically lower (alpha = 0.05) compared to plots with unamended grass buffers (TP = 2.7 mg L(-1); TDP = 2.6 mg L(-1)). Although the applied WTR had excess capacity (Langmuir P maxima of 25 g P kg(-1)) to sorb all runoff P, kinetic experiments suggest that sheet flow travel time across the buffers ( approximately 30 s) was insufficient for significant P reduction. Effective interception of dissolved P in runoff water by WTR-enhanced buffer strips requires rapid P sorption kinetics and hydrologic flow behavior ensuring sufficient runoff residence time and WTR contact in the buffer. Substantial phosphate-adsorbent contact opportunity may be more easily achieved by incorporating WTRs into P-enriched soils or blending WTRs with applied P sources.

Effects of exercise on heart rate, QT, QTc and QT/QS2 in the Romano-Ward inherited long QT syndrome

Patients with the Romano-Ward inherited long QT syndrome have an incompletely defined cardiac sympathetic system abnormality, and exhibit ventricular arrhythmias during exercise, fear and anxiety. Treadmill and bicycle exercise were used to modulate cardiac autonomic activity in 27 Romano-Ward subjects and 27 normal controls. The heart rate, and the QT, QTc and QT/QS2 (ratio of electrical to mechanical systole) intervals were compared. Subjects with long QT were compared with normals. Those with a long QT interval had the following results: similar resting heart rates; lower rates during moderate (151.6 vs 169.6 beats/min, p = 0.04) and maximal (155.9 vs 182.1 beats/min, p = less than 0.001) exercise; an abnormal QT cycle-length relationship, with failure of the QT to shorten normally with increasing heart rate; an increase in QTc versus a decrease in normals; supine rest QT/QS2 ratio of 1.12 vs 0.93, p = 0.001; and an exercise QT/QS2 that increased by 30%, from 1.12 at rest to 1.45, versus 15%, in normals, from 0.93 to 1.07, p = 0.001. The lower heart rates and excessively prolonged QT/QS2 ratios during exercise further support an abnormality of, or abnormal cardiac response to, sympathetic activity. A QT/QS2 greater than 1.0 at rest, an exercise QT/QS2 ratio greater than 1.17, and an increase in QTc during moderate exercise may be helpful diagnostic findings in patients with borderline long QTc intervals at rest.