Leukotoxin A Production and Release by JP2 and Non-JP2 Genotype in Relation to Culture Conditions.

Aggressive forms of periodontitis, especially in young patients, are often associated with an increased proportion of the Gram-negative bacterium of the microbiota of the affected periodontal sites. One of the virulence factors of is a leukotoxin (LtxA) that induces a pro-inflammatory cell death process in leukocytes. exhibits a large genetic diversity and different genotypes vary in LtxA production capacity.

Gingival thickness and gingival width in children: a cross-sectional study utilizing ultrasonography.

Purpose: To measure the gingival phenotype-related features, gingival thickness (GT) and gingival width (GW), in healthy children and to investigate their association between them, with age, gender, tooth-type and arch.

Methods: The gingival sites of 1029 teeth were included from 64 children (36 males and 28 females), with primary and mixed dentition, attending the paediatric dental clinic of Aristotle University, Thessaloniki. GT and GW were measured ultrasonically and with a periodontal probe, respectively.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and related outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury and prolonged intensive care unit stay.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay are at risk of secondary intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). We aimed to study VTE prophylaxis, secondary ICH, and VTE prevalence and outcomes in this population. Retrospective observational study.

The relationship between commencement of continuous renal replacement therapy and urine output, fluid balance, mean arterial pressure and vasopressor dose.

The effect of initiating continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on urine output, fluid balance and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of CRRT on urine output, MAP, vasopressor requirements and fluid balance, and to identify factors affecting urine output during CRRT. Retrospective cohort study using data from existing databases and CRRT machines.

Tooth Wear Epidemiology and Its Associated Periodontal Health and Sociodemographic Factors in a Cluster of Senior Citizens in Northern Greece.

Tooth wear (TW) is an irreversible and cumulative phenomenon causing aesthetic and functional compromise. Increasing wear has been associated with age, and various other factors have been reported to influence its type and/or severity both in individuals and groups. Increased TW may constitute a major future problem for the elderly.

Use of Hyaluronic Acid in Periodontal Disease Treatment: A Systematic Review.

Aim: The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential benefit of local use of hyaluronic acid as an adjunct to periodontal therapy, since commercial products of hyaluronic acid (HA), due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial actions and its significant role in wound repair, have been proposed as adjuncts to either nonsurgical or surgical periodontal therapy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 19 electronic databases were searched and the appropriate studies were identified with the use of specific eligibility criteria, according to PRISMA guidelines. Two reviewers independently screened and selected the studies and made the data extraction and the assessment of risk of bias, by using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of inhaled ivermectin in mice as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

Pharmacokinetic limitations associated with oral ivermectin may limit its success as a potential COVID-19 treatment based on in vitro experiments which demonstrate antiviral efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 at high concentrations. Targeted delivery to the lungs is a practical way to overcome these limitations and ensure the presence of a therapeutic concentration of the drug in a clinically critical site of viral pathology. In this study, the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of inhaled dry powders of ivermectin with lactose were investigated in healthy mice.

Preparation and Characterization of Inhalable Ivermectin Powders as a Potential COVID-19 Therapy.

Ivermectin has received worldwide attention as a potential COVID-19 treatment after showing antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 However, the pharmacokinetic limitations associated with oral administration have been postulated as limiting factors to its bioavailability and efficacy. These limitations can be overcome by targeted delivery to the lungs. In this study, inhalable dry powders of ivermectin and lactose crystals were prepared and characterized for the potential treatment of COVID-19.

Impact of starting BMI and degree of weight loss on changes in appetite-regulating hormones during diet-induced weight loss.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the hormone changes following weight loss are proportional to the degree of weight loss and to starting BMI.

Methods: A very low-energy diet was used to achieve 15% weight loss. Fasting and postprandial gut hormones and leptin were measured during a meal test at baseline and at 5% (1%), 10% (2%), and 15% (2.

Aggravated Dental and Periodontal Status in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease and Its Association with Serum Ferritin.

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the possible consequences of sickle cell disease (SCD) on dental and periodontal health in middle-aged patients and to examine the association of certain cardiovascular parameters and serum ferritin with the dental and periodontal status.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-seven patients (mean age 43.2 years old) with SCD and 30 non-SCD and otherwise healthy individuals (mean age 38.

Socio-behavioral factors, oral hygiene level and periodontitis prevalence in a 35-44-year-old Greek adult population: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Sub-optimal oral hygiene is considered as a primary risk factor for periodontitis occurrence. Various socio-behavioral determinants may contribute either independently or by influencing adversely the oral hygiene (OH) level. The aim of the present study was to examine the periodontal status of 35-44-year-old Greek adults and determine the contribution of risk indicators, including the socio-behavioral aspects and the population's oral hygiene level, on disease prevalence.

A novel biofilm removal approach (Guided Biofilm Therapy) utilizing erythritol air-polishing and ultrasonic piezo instrumentation: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of biofilm removal of a treatment protocol combining an air-abrasive device using erythritol powder (AIRFLOW®) and an ultrasonic piezon instrumentation (Guided Biofilm Therapy/GBT) compared with the conventional mechanical approach (Scaling and Root Planing/SRP) during supportive periodontal treatment (SPT).

Materials And Methods: Fifty patients, scheduled for supportive periodontal treatment at the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Implant Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki were randomly assigned to either a GBT (group A: 24 participants) or a SRP (Group B: 26 participants) treatment protocol. Therapeutic interventions and clinical measurements were performed at baseline and repeated at 6 weeks.

Cyclic Ion Mobility-Collision Activation Experiments Elucidate Protein Behavior in the Gas Phase.

Ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is widely used to study protein dynamics and structure in the gas phase. Increasing the energy with which the protein ions are introduced to the IM cell can induce them to unfold, providing information on the comparative energetics of unfolding between different proteoforms. Recently, a high-resolution cyclic IM-mass spectrometer (cIM-MS) was introduced, allowing multiple, consecutive tandem IM experiments (IM) to be carried out.

Dental caries and psychosocial factors: Testing a conceptual model in adolescents.

Objectives: A conceptual model was designed to examine interrelations among psychosocial factors, oral health behaviour, and dental caries in a sample of adolescents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study design of 531 Greek families included an oral examination and a survey completed by adolescents, and a survey completed by mothers. The outcome measure was dental caries experience.

Low prevalence of multi-resistant bacteria in undergraduate dental students; an observational case-control multi-centre study in Europe.

This study assessed the prevalence of MRSA, ESBL and VRE in students from four dental schools in Europe. The hand, tongue and nostrils of the students who treated patients (study group) and who did not treat patients (control group) were sampled. After incubation in TSB and subculturing in the presence of 4 µg/ml oxacillin, positive cultures were identified for by Mannitol salt agar and agglutination tests.

Tooth Wear in a Sample of Community-Dwelling Elderly Greeks.

Purpose: Increased wear of teeth may constitute a major problem in the future for the elderly. The aim of the present study was to investigate tooth wear in a sample of elderly Greeks and explore the presence and extent of severe occlusal/incisal wear in relation to the parameters of age, gender and remaining teeth.

Materials And Methods: A convenience sample of 70 dentate elderly (60-92 years old) was examined.

A single-centre investigator-blinded randomised parallel group clinical trial to investigate the effect of probiotic strains M18 and on gingival health of paediatric patients undergoing treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances: study protocol.

Background: There is limited data on the beneficial effects of probiotics on the gingival health of patients undergoing treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances. This study aims to compare the effect of probiotic tablets combined with regular oral hygiene versus regular oral hygiene alone on gingival status in these patients. The effect of probiotic intake on plaque formation and salivary microbiome composition will be also assessed.

Gas Phase Stability of Protein Ions in a Cyclic Ion Mobility Spectrometry Traveling Wave Device.

Ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) allows separation of native protein ions into "conformational families". Increasing the IM resolving power should allow finer structural information to be obtained and can be achieved by increasing the length of the IM separator. This, however, increases the time that protein ions spend in the gas phase and previous experiments have shown that the initial conformations of small proteins can be lost within tens of milliseconds.

Psychosocial factors and traumatic dental injuries among adolescents.

Objectives: To examine the association of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) and psychosocial factors in adolescents and to identify psychological profiles associated with TDI.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 531 students aged 13-16 years. Data were collected through oral examination and a structured interview with the adolescents, in conjunction with a questionnaire answered by their mothers.

Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus and Candida albicans in oral samples from caries-free and caries-active children.

Aim: This was to examine the occurrence of S. mutans, S. sobrinus and C.

Salivary concentration of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in patients with oral lichen planus.

Background: The antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is a significant molecule of innate immunity and recent studies indicate that it plays an important role in maintaining oral health. Yet limited knowledge exists on its role in oral diseases and oral lichen planus (OLP) in particular.

Objective: The study aimed to examine: 1) the salivary concentration of LL-37 in patients with OLP and healthy subjects, 2) the relation between the type (reticular or erosive) and size of OLP lesions and LL-37 concentration, and 3) the effect of the therapeutic modalities on LL-37 levels.

Salivary concentration of free LL-37 in edentulism, chronic periodontitis and healthy periodontium.

Objective: The antimicrobial peptide LL-37, a component of innate immunity, has an important role in maintaining oral health. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of free LL-37 in whole saliva of periodontally healthy, edentulous and chronic periodontitis subjects.

Design: Unstimulated whole saliva was sampled from 154 subjects (76 periodontally healthy, 20 edentulous, and 58 subjects with chronic periodontitis).

Salivary alpha-amylase activity and salivary flow rate in young adults.

The secretion of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) is more associated with psychoneuroendocrinological response to stress than with the flow rate and age. The aim of this cross sectional study is to build an explanatory model based on patterns of relationship between age 20-39 in resting and stimulated saliva under no stressful condition in healthy volunteers. Both resting and stimulated saliva were collected from 40 subjects.

Heart rate, salivary α-amylase activity, and cooperative behavior in previously naïve children receiving dental local anesthesia.

Purpose: Psychosomatic indicators, such as heart rate (HR), salivary alpha amylase (sAA) activity, and behavior, can be used to determine stress. This study's aim was to assess the pattern of changes of salivary alpha amylase, heart rate, and cooperative behavior in previously naïve children receiving dental treatment under local anesthesia.

Methods: Included were 30 children with no prior dental experience who needed 4 or more sessions of dental treatment involving local anesthesia.

Salivary concentration of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in children.

Objective: Antimicrobial peptides are important components of innate immunity, especially in the unique environment of the oral cavity. Lack of the human cathelicidin LL-37 has been implicated in severe periodontitis, whilst high salivary levels of LL-37 seem to increase caries resistance. Limited data exists about the concentration of LL-37 in saliva of young children.