Non-surgical periodontal therapy reduces coronary heart disease risk markers: a randomized controlled trial Abstract:Aim: Periodontal disease elevates systemic inflammatory markers strongly associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on systemic C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and white blood cells in CHD patients. Materials and Methods: Angiographically proven CHD patients with periodontitis (n = 317) were randomized to intervention (n = 212) or control group (n = 105). Primary outcome was reduction in serum CRP levels; secondary outcomes were reductions in fibrinogen and white blood cells. Periodontal treatment included scaling, root planing and oral hygiene instructions. Periodontal and systemic parameters were assessed at baseline and at 2-month follow-up. Intentto-treat (ITT) analysis was performed. Results: Study was completed by 246 subjects (intervention group = 161; control group = 85). Significant improvements in periodontal and systemic parameters were observed in intervention group. The number of subjects with CRP > 3mg/L in intervention group decreased by 38% and in control group increased by 4%. ITT analysis gave a significant (v 2 =4.381, p = 0.036) absolute risk reduction of 12.5%. Conclusion: In CHD patients with periodontitis, non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy significantly reduced systemic levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and white blood cells.

Periodontal treatment resulted in significant decreases in BOP and PD and lowered serum inflammatory markers in patients with CHD or NCHD. This may result in a decreased risk for CHD in the treated patients. These findings will allow pursuit of a large-scale randomized intervention trial in this population.

In coronary heart disease patients with periodontitis, BOP is strongly associated with systemic CRP levels; this association possibly reflects the potential significance of the local periodontal inflammatory burden for systemic inflammation.

The pathogenesis of donor artery aneurysms remains contentious. This review suggests that duplex is the investigative modality of choice and aneurysmectomy with interposition grafting is preferred over bypass.

Using two different experimental set-ups involving optogalvanic spectroscopy and atomic beam spectroscopy with mass spectrometric ion detection, respectively, we have measured the 5p5(2P1/2) nd′ [K′ = 3/2]J=2 and [K′ = 5/2]J=2,3 (7 ⩽ n ⩽ 9) autoionizing resonances of xenon by means of two-step resonant laser excitation from the metastable Xe(J = 2, 0) levels. By selecting particular intermediate 6p′ [1/2]1 and 6p′ [3/2]1,2 levels, autoionizing resonances with specified K′ and J values were addressed. Level energies and resonance widths have been derived by a Fano-type lineshape analysis, thus yielding reduced resonance widths which significantly decrease with rising n. With the aim to obtain a theoretical understanding of these and previous findings for the widths of odd Xe resonances, extended calculations for the Xe(ns′ J = 0, 1), Xe(nd′ J = 1, 2, 3) and Xe(ng′ J = 3) autoionizing series have been carried out. They are based on the Pauli–Fock approach and include core polarization and electron correlation effects at a high level; in all cases, they reveal a substantial energy dependence of the reduced widths. Using this energy dependence and parameters of multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) determined in the discrete region, the MQDT widths of autoionizing resonances were derived. These values are in good agreement with recommended experimental values.

Background The prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and breast cancer are both high among women living in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods A matched case control study was conducted in two hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan to evaluate the association of vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D) concentrations, vitamin D supplementation and sun exposure with breast cancer among Pakistani women. A total of 411 newly diagnosed histologically confirmed primary breast cancer cases were enrolled and 784 controls, free of breast and any other cancers, were matched by age (year of birth ± 5 years), residence in the same geographic area and study site. Information was collected on sociodemographic history, history of vitamin D supplementation, past medical and obstetrical history, family history of breast cancer, sun exposure history, histopathology reports and anthropometric measurement and venous blood was collected to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration. Results Compared to patients with sufficient serum vitamin D (>30 ng/ml), women with serum vitamin D deficiency (<20ng/ml), had a higher risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.10, 2.50). Women with history of vitamin D supplementation one year prior to enrollment, had significant protective effect against breast cancer (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.43). Conclusions and recommendation Serum vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased risk of breast cancer, while vitamin D supplementation was associated with decreased risk of breast cancer.

Necrotizsing fasciitis is a rapidly developing, fatal bacterial infection of deep subcutaneous tissues. It may occur at any site in the body. We describe a case of necrotizing fasciitis in the breast that was diagnosed on the basis of sonographic findings. Sonographic examination revealed fluid collection in deep tissues with bright echoes likely to represent gas microbubbles. The diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis was subsequently confirmed on surgical exploration.

Ion acoustic shock waves (IASWs) are studied in an unmagnetized quantum plasma consisting of electrons, positrons, and ions employing the quantum hydrodynamic (QHD) model. Nonlinear quantum IASWs are investigated by deriving the Korteweg–deVries–Burger equation under the small amplitude perturbation expansion method. The dissipation is introduced by taking into account the kinematic viscosity among the plasma constituents. It is found that the strength of the ion acoustic shock wave is maximum for spherical, intermediate for cylindrical, and minimum for planar geometry. The temporal evolution of the shock for a quantum e-p-i plasma in a spherical geometry is also investigated. It is found that the strength and the steepness of the quantum ion acoustic shock wave increases with decreasing stretched time coordinate (representing slow time scale) ∣τ∣. It is also found that an increase in the quantum Bohm potential decreases the strength as well as the steepness of the shock. The temporal evolution of the quantum ion acoustic solitons in an e-p-i plasma for cylindrical and spherical geometries is also explored by substituting the dissipative coefficient C equal to zero. The relevance of the present study with regard to the dense astrophysical environments is also pointed out.