Effectiveness of microwave disinfection of complete dentures on the treatment of Candida-related denture stomatitis

The effectiveness of microwave disinfection of maxillary complete dentures on the treatment of Candida-related denture stomatitis was evaluated. Patients (n = 60) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups of 15 subjects each; Control group: patients performed the routine denture care; Mw group: patients had their upper denture microwaved (650 W per 6 min) three times per week for 30 days; group MwMz: patients received the treatment of Mw group in conjunction with topical application of miconazole three times per day for 30 days; group Mz: patients received the antifungal therapy of group MwMz. Cytological smears and mycological cultures were taken from the dentures and the palates of all patients before treatment at day 15 and 30 of treatment and at follow-up (days 60 and 90). The effectiveness of the treatments was evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Microbial and clinical analysis of the control group demonstrated no significant decrease in the candidal infection over the clinical trial. Smears and cultures of palates and dentures of the groups Mw and MwMz exhibited absence of Candida at day 15 and 30 of treatment. on day 60 and 90, few mycelial forms were observed on 11 denture smears (36.6%) from groups Mw and MwMz, but not on the palatal smears. Miconazole (group Mz) neither caused significant reduction of palatal inflammation nor eradicated Candida from the dentures and palates. Microwaving dentures was effective for the treatment of denture stomatitis. The recurrence of Candida on microwaved dentures at follow-up was dramatically reduced.

Comparison of Photodynamic Therapy versus conventional antifungal therapy for the treatment of denture stomatitis: a randomized clinical trial

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Clinical evaluation of the bicoronal flap in the treatment of facial fractures. Retrospective study of 132 patients

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the postoperative complications of bicoronal flaps used to treat facial fractures. One hundred and thirty two patients that received bicoronal flaps for the treatment of upper and middle third facial fractures were called for clinical and radiographic examination. Minimum follow-up was 1 year and all patients had charts with adequate information about their perioperative care pertinent to the study. Results showed as complications hypoesthesia (17%), partial unilateral frontal motor deficit (11%), infection (3%), hypertrophic scars (3%), varying degrees of alopecia (18%), seroma or hematoma in the immediate postoperative period (5%). The flap provided wide surgical access to the upper and middle facial thirds with very few serious complications, most frequently allowing good aesthetic results. (C) 2011 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery.

Treatment of experimental periodontal disease with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in nicotine-modified rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Accurate Approach in the Treatment of Oral Bisphosphonate-Related Jaw Osteonecrosis

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is not completely understood and difficult to treat. Even though the occurrence of BRONJ is mainly related to the therapy with intravenous bisphosphonates (BPs), this article reports a case of long-term oral BP use and BRONJ occurrence. In addition, a literature review provides some additional information about BPs, BRONJ, and also a guideline for the prevention and treatment of BRONJ stages. A 79-year-old patient presented intense and persistent pain, purulent secretion, and exposed bone at the right side of the lower jaw. Thus, she was submitted to anamnesis, radiologic and tomographic examinations, and bacterial culture and sensitivity tests. These procedures were followed by surgical debridement of the bone and surrounding tissues/cyst and antibiotic prescription and histopathologic analysis of the fragments. Together, the examinations performed showed the occurrence of stage 2 BRONJ. Moreover, the antibiotic prescription, discontinuation of oral BP, and surgical procedures ensure that the patient had no more symptoms. Therefore, considering the presented case, we believe that an accurate approach is promising to diagnose and treat stage 2 BRONJ and other associated pathologic findings.

Influence of Er:YAG laser on surface treatment of aged composite resin to repair restoration

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Er:YAG laser on surface treatment to the bond strength of repaired composite resin after aged. Sixty specimens (n = 10) were made with composite resin (Z250, 3M) and thermocycled with 500 cycles, oscillating between 5 to 55A degrees C. The specimens were randomly separated in six groups which suffered the following superficial treatments: no treatment (GI, control), wearing with diamond bur (GII), sandblasted with aluminum oxide with 27.5 A mu m particles (GIII) for 10 s, 200 mJ Er:YAG laser (GIV), 300 mJ Er:YAG laser (GV), and 400 mJ Er:YAG laser (GVI), with the last 3 groups under a 10 Hz frequency for 10 s. Restoration repair was done using the same composite. The shear test was done into the Universal testing machine MTS-810. Analyzing the results through ANOVA and Tukey test, no significant differences were found (p-value is 0.5120). Average values analysis showed that superficial treatment with aluminum oxide presented the highest resistance to shear repair interface (8.91MPa) while 400 mJ Er:YAG laser presented the lowest (6.76 MPa). Fracture types analysis revealed that 90% suffered cohesive fractures to GIII. The Er:YAG laser used as superficial treatment of the aged composite resin before the repair showed similar results when used diamond bur and sandblasting with aluminum oxide particles.

Root canal treatment of three-rooted maxillary second premolars: Report of four cases

The aim of this report is to contribute to a better understanding of the radiographic, clinical and anatomic findings in maxillary second premolars. This paper reports the endodontic treatment of two cases of three-rooted three-canal maxillary second premolars in different patients, and two sound maxillary second premolars also with three canals and three independent roots in a sibling of one of the patients. Although the presence of maxillary second premolars with one or two canals and one root is much more common, other anatomic conditions can be found. A correct clinical and radiographic diagnosis based on knowledge of root canal anatomy and critical interpretation of radiographs is necessary for a safer and successful endodontic treatment of these teeth.

Decrease in sperm number after treatment of rats with Austroplenckia populnea

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a hexanic extract (HE) made from leaves of A. populnea collected in Botucatu, State of São Paulo, and Nova Lima, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, at a range of doses during 7 and 14 days, on the male reproductive system of rats. The treatment did not affect the body weight, nor absolute organ weight. The serum testosterone levels, testicular sperm head counts, daily sperm production, and sperm morphology did not differ from that of the control groups. The spermatogenesis and the morphometric parameters of cauda epididymidis were not affected by the treatment. Cauda epididymis sperm number was significantly reduced in the group that received HE of Nova Lima, 1 g/kg/day, during 14 days, from the control group. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epicatechin Used in the Treatment of Intestinal Inflammatory Disease: An Analysis by Experimental Models

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Photoelectrocatalytic treatment of p-nitrophenol using Ti/TiO2 thin-film electrode

The photoelectrochemical degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) was investigated using titanium dioxide thin-film photoelectrode. The effects of different supporting electrolytes, pH, applied potential and PNP concentration were examined and discussed. Complete photodegradation was obtained in perchlorate medium at pH 2 when the photoanode was biased at +1.0 V (versus SCE) during a 3-h experiment. Under these conditions, carbon removal of approximately 60% was achieved. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser treatment of experimentally induced chronic arthritis

In this work, we investigated the effects of He-Ne laser irradiation on the inflammatory process induced in the articular cartilage of the right knee of guinea pigs. Through electron microscopy analysis it was possible to identify the induced arthritis in the articular cartilage and its modification after the laser treatment. The laser radiation promoted a reduction in the proliferation of the inflammatory cells in the damaged tissue and also induced the formation of cartilage bridges that tied the destroyed parts favoring the formation of a repaired tissue in the injured cartilage. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of biodiversity as source of new chemical entities against defined molecular targets for treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, and T-cell mediated diseases: a review

The modern approach to the development of new chemical entities against complex diseases, especially the neglected endemic diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, is based on the use of defined molecular targets. Among the advantages, this approach allows (i) the search and identification of lead compounds with defined molecular mechanisms against a defined target (e.g. enzymes from defined pathways), (ii) the analysis of a great number of compounds with a favorable cost/benefit ratio, (iii) the development even in the initial stages of compounds with selective toxicity (the fundamental principle of chemotherapy), (iv) the evaluation of plant extracts as well as of pure substances. The current use of such technology, unfortunately, is concentrated in developed countries, especially in the big pharma. This fact contributes in a significant way to hamper the development of innovative new compounds to treat neglected diseases. The large biodiversity within the territory of Brazil puts the country in a strategic position to develop the rational and sustained exploration of new metabolites of therapeutic value. The extension of the country covers a wide range of climates, soil types, and altitudes, providing a unique set of selective pressures for the adaptation of plant life in these scenarios. Chemical diversity is also driven by these forces, in an attempt to best fit the plant communities to the particular abiotic stresses, fauna, and microbes that co-exist with them. Certain areas of vegetation (Amazonian Forest, Atlantic Forest, Araucaria Forest, Cerrado-Brazilian Savanna, and Caatinga) are rich in species and types of environments to be used to search for natural compounds active against tuberculosis, malaria, and chronic-degenerative diseases. The present review describes some strategies to search for natural compounds, whose choice can be based on ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies, and screen for their ability to bind to immobilized drug targets and to inhibit their activities. Molecular cloning, gene knockout, protein expression and purification, N-terminal sequencing, and mass spectrometry are the methods of choice to provide homogeneous drug targets for immobilization by optimized chemical reactions. Plant extract preparations, fractionation of promising plant extracts, propagation protocols and definition of in planta studies to maximize product yield of plant species producing active compounds have to be performed to provide a continuing supply of bioactive materials. Chemical characterization of natural compounds, determination of mode of action by kinetics and other spectroscopic methods (MS, X-ray, NMR), as well as in vitro and in vivo biological assays, chemical derivatization, and structure-activity relationships have to be carried out to provide a thorough knowledge on which to base the search for natural compounds or their derivatives with biological activity.