A randomized controlled trial of homeopathic treatment of weaned piglets in a commercial swine herd

Aim: To evaluate the zootechnic performance and occurrence of diarrhea in piglets in the week post-weaning comparing supplementation with sucrose saline which contained or did not contain added homeopathic medicine. Method. Animals were randomly divided into three groups of 24 piglets each. The control group did not receive any treatment. Another group received sucrose saline, and the third group received sucrose saline with homeopathic medicine added, in the period of zero to seven days post-weaning. The homeopathic treatment consisted of Echinacea angustifolia, Avena sativa, Ignatia amara, Calcarea carbonica, all 6cH. Piglets were weighed daily for weight gain or loss, and observed for diarrhea and feed intake. Results: Animals receiving sucrose saline alone and sucrose saline with homeopathy had less weight loss than control (p = 0.017, p = 0.0001 respectively). There was no statistical difference in relation to overall incidence of diarrhea or food consumption. These data suggest that the supplementation with sucrose saline with added homeopathic medicine in the first seven days post-weaning may be an useful option to reduce weight loss in weaned piglets. Homeopathy (2008) 97, 202-205.

The influence of erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser ablation with variable pulse width on morphology and microleakage of composite restorations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of various pulse widths with different energy parameters of erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser (2.94 mu m) on the morphology and microleakage of cavities restored with composite resin. Identically sized class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of 54 bovine teeth by high-speed drill (n = 6, control, group 1) and prepared by Er:YAG laser (Fidelis 320A, Fotona, Slovenia) with irradiation parameters of 350 mJ/ 4 Hz or 400 mJ/2 Hz and pulse width: group 2, very short pulse (VSP); group 3, short pulse (SP); group 4, long pulse (LP); group 5, very long pulse (VLP). All cavities were filled with composite resin (Z-250-3 M), stored at 37A degrees C in distilled water, polished after 24 h, and thermally stressed (700 cycles/5-55A degrees C). The teeth were impermeabilized, immersed in 50% silver nitrate solution for 8 h, sectioned longitudinally, and exposed to Photoflood light for 10 min to reveal the stain. The leakage was evaluated under stereomicroscope by three different examiners, in a double-blind fashion, and scored (0-3). The results were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test (P > 0.05) and showed that there was no significant differences between the groups tested. Under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the morphology of the cavities prepared by laser showed irregular enamel margins and dentin internal walls, and a more conservative pattern than that of conventional cavities. The different power settings and pulse widths of Er:YAG laser in cavity preparation had no influence on microleakage of composite resin restorations.

Alpha lipoic acid in burning mouth syndrome - a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

The burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition characterized by oral burning pain in the absence of clinical abnormalities and without established therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in the management of BMS symptoms through a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Thirty-eight patients (34 women and four men, median age 62.9 years, range 36-78) were included and 31 completed the study. The patients were randomized into two cycles of treatment: one with alpha lipoic acid and one with placebo both administered in identical capsules. These cycles were separated by a washout period of 20 days. The oral symptoms and the treatment response were assessed using a 100-mm visual analog scale before and after each cycle and the global perceived effect score, using a 5-point scale after each treatment cycle. The level of reduction on burning was significant for both treatments (paired t-test: P < 0.05; rp = 0.011; ral < 0.001). Considering the two cycles together, 22 patients reported at least some improvement after ALA use and 23 patients after placebo. Comparison of the oral assessment scores of the two cycles failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of ALA over placebo (t-test: P > 0.05; r = 0.75).

Effect of Smoking on Early Bone Healing Around Oxidized Surfaces: A Prospective, Controlled Study in Human Jaws

Background: This prospective and controlled histologic study evaluates the impact of smoking on bone-to-implant contact, the bone density in the threaded area, and the bone density outside the threaded area around microimplants with anodized surface retrieved from human jaws. Methods: A total of 24 subjects (mean age 51.32 +/- 7.5 years) were divided in two groups: smokers (n = 13 subjects) and non-smokers (n = 11 subjects). Each subject received one microimplant with oxidized surface during conventional mandible or maxilla implant surgery. After 8 weeks, the microimplants and the surrounding tissue were removed and prepared for histomorphometric analysis. Results: Three microimplants placed in smokers showed no osseointegration. The newly formed bone showed early stages of maturation, mainly in the non-smokers. Marginal bone loss, gap, and fibrous tissue were present around implants retrieved from smokers. Histometric evaluation indicated that the mean bone-to-implant contact ranged between 25.97% +/- 9.02% and 40.01% +/- 12.98% for smokers and non-smokers, respectively (P <0.001). Smokers presented 28.17% +/- 10.32% of bone density in the threaded area, whereas non-smokers showed 46.34% +/- 19.12%. The mean of bone density outside the threaded area ranged between 18.76% and 25.11% for smokers and non-smokers, respectively (P>0.05). Conclusion: The present data obtained in human subjects confirm that smoking has a detrimental effect on early bone tissue response around oxidized implant surfaces. J Periodontol 2010;81:575-583.

Effectiveness of 0.50% and 0.75% chlorhexidine dentifrices in orthodontic patients: A double-blind and randomized controlled trial

Introduction: In this double-blind and randomized controlled trial, we analyzed whether a lower concentration of chlorhexidine in dentifrices could reduce the risk of tooth staining without compromising its effectiveness in controlling gingivitis, bleeding, and dental plaque. Methods: Volunteers with fixed orthodontic appliances were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, 1100 ppm F, NaF (n = 27); experimental, chlorhexidine 0.50% (n = 27); and experimental, chlorhexidine 0.75% (n = 27). At baseline, and after 6 and 12 weeks, clinical examinations were carried out. Staining, calculus, gingivitis, bleeding, and dental plaque data were analyzed with Friedman tests to evaluate intragroup changes over time. To detect intergroup differences after 12 months, the data were evaluated with Kruskal-Wallis tests. Dunn tests were used in both situations for necessary post-hoc analyses. Results: The groups were statistically similar for the stain, calculus, and plaque indexes, but there were statistically significant differences for the gingival and bleeding indexes. During the experimental periods, gingivitis and bleeding scores improved in all 3 groups. Only the 0.75% chlorhexidine dentifrice significantly increased the stain index, although most patients did not notice the stains. The intergroup comparison showed a statistically significant better performance of the experimental groups regarding the gingival and bleeding indexes. Conclusions: This study suggests that the use of dentifrices with lower concentration of chlorhexidine can reduce the risk of tooth staining without compromising its effectiveness in controlling gingivitis and bleeding in orthodontic patients. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009; 136: 651-6)

Pulpotomy of human primary molars with MTA and Portland cement: a randomised controlled trial

Objective This study compared the clinical and radiographic effectiveness of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Portland cement (PC) as pulp dressing agents in carious primary teeth. Methodology Thirty carious primary mandibular molars of children aged 5-9 years old were randomly assigned to MTA or PC groups, and treated by a conventional pulpotomy technique. The teeth were restored with resin modified glass ionomer cement. Clinical and radiographic successes and failures were recorded at 6, 12, 18 and 24-month follow-up. Results All pulpotomised teeth were clinically and radiographically successful at all follow-up appointments. Six out of 15 teeth in the PC group and five out of 14 teeth in the MTA group exfoliated throughout the follow-up period. No statistically significant difference regarding dentine bridge formation was found between both groups throughout the follow-up period. As far as pulp canal obliteration is concerned, a statistically significant difference was detected at 6-month follow-up (p < 0.05), since the beginning of mineralised material deposition could be radiographically detected in 100% and 57.14% of the teeth treated with PC and MTA, respectively. Conclusions PC may serve as an effective and less expensive MTA substitute in primary molar pulpotomies. Further studies and longer follow-up assessments are needed.

Fossil trees in ancient fluvial channel deposits: evidence of seasonal and longer-term climatic variability

It has been established that large numbers of certain trees can survive in the beds of rivers of northeastern Australia where a strongly seasonal distribution of precipitation causes extreme variations in flow on both a yearly and longer-term basis. In these rivers, minimal flow occurs throughout much of any year and for periods of up to several years, allowing the trees to become established and to adapt their form in order to facilitate their survival in environments that experience periodic inundation by fast-flowing, debris-laden water. Such trees (notably paperbark trees of the angiosperm genus Melaleuca) adopt a reclined to prostrate, downstream-trailing habit, have a multiple-stemmed form, modified crown with weeping foliage, development of thick, spongy bark, anchoring of roots into firm to lithified substrates beneath the channel floor, root regeneration, and develop in flow-parallel, linear groves. Individuals from within flow-parallel, linear groves are preserved in situ within the alluvial deposit of the river following burial and death. Four examples of in situ tree fossils within alluvial channel deposits in the Permian of eastern Australia demonstrate that specialised riverbed plant communities also existed at times in the geological past. These examples, from the Lower Permian Carmila Beds, Upper Permian Moranbah Coal Measures and Baralaba Coal Measures of central Queensland and the Upper Permian Newcastle Coal Measures of central New South Wales, show several of the characteristics of trees described from modern rivers in northeastern Australia, including preservation in closely-spaced groups. These properties, together with independent sedimentological evidence, suggest that the Permian trees were adapted to an environment affected by highly variable runoff, albeit in a more temperate climatic situation than the modem Australian examples. It is proposed that occurrences of fossil trees preserved in situ within alluvial channel deposits may be diagnostic of environments controlled by seasonal and longer-term variability in fluvial runoff, and hence may have value in interpreting aspects of palaeoclimate from ancient alluvial successions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Level Laser Effects On Pain to Palpation and Electromyographic Activity in TMD Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of diode laser (GaAlAs - 780 nm) on pain to palpation and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles. The laser was applied on the temporalis and masseter muscles twice a week (four weeks). Forty-eight (48) patients with myofascial pain were randomly assigned between actual and placebo treatments and between the energetic doses of 25 J/cm(2) and 60 J/cm(2), and were evaluated using VAS before, immediately after the final application, and 30 days after the laser treatment. Surface electromyography was performed with maximum dental clenching before and after laser therapy. The results show there were no significant statistical differences in the EMG activity between the groups before and after laser treatment. With regard to the pain at palpation, although both groups presented a significant difference in the symptoms before and after the treatment, only the active doses showed statistically significant reductions in pain level in all the regions of the palpated muscles. However, there was no significant statistical difference between groups (experimental and placebo). In conclusion, low level laser did not promote any changes in EMG activity. The treatment did, however, lessen the pain symptoms in the experimental groups.

The evolution of controlled multitasked gene networks: The role of introns and other noncoding RNAs in the development of complex organisms

Eukaryotic phenotypic diversity arises from multitasking of a core proteome of limited size. Multitasking is routine in computers, as well as in other sophisticated information systems, and requires multiple inputs and outputs to control and integrate network activity. Higher eukaryotes have a mosaic gene structure with a dual output, mRNA (protein-coding) sequences and introns, which are released from the pre-mRNA by posttranscriptional processing. Introns have been enormously successful as a class of sequences and comprise up to 95% of the primary transcripts of protein-coding genes in mammals. In addition, many other transcripts (perhaps more than half) do not encode proteins at all, but appear both to be developmentally regulated and to have genetic function. We suggest that these RNAs (eRNAs) have evolved to function as endogenous network control molecules which enable direct gene-gene communication and multitasking of eukaryotic genomes. Analysis of a range of complex genetic phenomena in which RNA is involved or implicated, including co-suppression, transgene silencing, RNA interference, imprinting, methylation, and transvection, suggests that a higher-order regulatory system based on RNA signals operates in the higher eukaryotes and involves chromatin remodeling as well as other RNA-DNA, RNA-RNA, and RNA-protein interactions. The evolution of densely connected gene networks would be expected to result in a relatively stable core proteome due to the multiple reuse of components, implying,that cellular differentiation and phenotypic variation in the higher eukaryotes results primarily from variation in the control architecture. Thus, network integration and multitasking using trans-acting RNA molecules produced in parallel with protein-coding sequences may underpin both the evolution of developmentally sophisticated multicellular organisms and the rapid expansion of phenotypic complexity into uncontested environments such as those initiated in the Cambrian radiation and those seen after major extinction events.