OBJECTIVES: Biofilm formation is critical to dental caries initiation and development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nicotine exposure on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) biofilm formation concomitantly with the inhibitory effects of sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl) and potassium iodide (KI) salts. This study examined bacterial growth with varying concentrations of NaCl, KCl, and KI salts and nicotine levels consistent with primary levels of nicotine exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A preliminary screening experiment was performed to investigate the appropriate concentrations of NaCl, KCl, and KI to use with nicotine. With the data, a S. mutans biofilm growth assay was conducted using nicotine (0–32 mg/mL) in Tryptic Soy broth supplemented with 1% sucrose with and without 0.45 M of NaCl, 0.23 M of KCl, and 0.113 M of KI. The biofilm was stained with crystal violet dye and the absorbance measured to determine biofilm formation. RESULTS: The presence of 0.45 M of NaCl, 0.23 M of KCl, and 0.113 M of KI significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) nicotine-induced S. mutans biofilm formation by 52%, 79.7%, and 64.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide additional evidence regarding the biofilm-enhancing effects of nicotine and demonstrate the inhibitory influence of these salts in reducing the nicotine-induced biofilm formation. A short-term exposure to these salts may inhibit S. mutans biofilm formation.
Biofilms ; Dental Caries ; Gentian Violet ; Mass Screening ; Nicotine ; Potassium Chloride ; Potassium Iodide ; Salts ; Sodium Chloride ; Streptococcus mutans ; Streptococcus ; Sucrose

BACKGROUND: Increased oxidative stress has been suggested as one of the underlying mechanisms in iodide excess-induced thyroid disease. Metallothioneins (MTs) are regarded as scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in oxidative stress. Our aim is to investigate the effects of propylthiouracil (PTU), a thyroid peroxidase inhibitor, perchlorate (KClO4), a competitive inhibitor of iodide transport, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) on mitochondrial superoxide production instigated by high concentrations of iodide in the thyroids of MT-I/II knockout (MT-I/II KO) mice. METHODS: Eight-week-old 129S7/SvEvBrd-Mt1(tm1Bri) Mt2(tm1Bri)/J (MT-I/II KO) mice and background-matched wild type (WT) mice were used. RESULTS: By using a mitochondrial superoxide indicator (MitoSOX Red), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, we demonstrated that the decreased relative viability and increased LDH release and mitochondrial superoxide production induced by potassium iodide (100 µM) can be relieved by 300 µM PTU, 30 µM KClO4, or 10 U/L TSH in the thyroid cell suspensions of both MT-I/II KO and WT mice (P<0.05). Compared to the WT mice, a significant decrease in the relative viability along with a significant increase in LDH release and mitochondrial superoxide production were detected in MT-I/II KO mice(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that PTU, KClO4, or TSH relieved the mitochondrial oxidative stress induced by high concentrations of iodide in the thyroids of both MT-I/II KO and WT mice. MT-I/II showed antioxidant effects against high concentrations of iodide-induced mitochondrial superoxide production in the thyroid.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Iodide Peroxidase ; Iodides ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Metallothionein* ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout* ; Oxidative Stress ; Potassium Iodide ; Propylthiouracil* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxides* ; Suspensions ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyrotropin*

Since Mycobacterium Leprae was founded by Dr. Armauer Hansen in 1873, leprosy was proven to infectious disease by a germ not from hereditaty, from a cause, or from sin. For it has no definite method of treatment, made a conclusion at the 1st international leprosy association meeting at Berlin in 1897, isolation is the only way to prevent the disease. So all country started to built a leprosarium and isolated the leprosy patients. Various methods and drugs were used for leprosy treatment including potassium iodide, arsenic, antimony, copper, sera, vaccines and aniline dyes and then X-ray, radium, electric current till 1925. Chaulmoogra oil was introduced to western world in 1854 by Dr. FJ Mouat and used for the leprosy treatment drug. Dr RM Wilson in Kwangju Leprosy Hospital started to use Chaulmoogra oil since 1909 and reported the results of it at JAMA in 1923. But it was replaced to sulfones in 1940'. Mordern treatment started in 1937 when Parke-Davis co. synthesized promin But promin is expensive and have to injection. Then Dapsone delivered from promin and it could be used per oral. Dr. RM Wilson In Aeyang Hospsoital (former Kwangju leposy hospial) started to use Dapson in 1946 with his son Dr. J Wilson. And it was the first episode to use DDS in Korea. When Dr. Cochraine came and visited all the leprosy centers in Korea in 1955 he noticed that some hospital like Aeyangwon and St. Nazarus used DDS but not other hospital. DDS was adopted as main drug of choice in Carville, Loisiana but noticed dapsone resistant bacilli and then WHO recommended the MDT from 1981.
Antimony ; Arsenic ; Berlin ; Coloring Agents ; Communicable Diseases ; Copper ; Dapsone ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Korea ; Leprosy* ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Potassium Iodide ; Radium ; Sulfones ; Vaccines ; Western World

PURPOSE: Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in children. Inorganic iodide has been used in combination with antithyroid drugs for more effective normalization of thyroid hormones in some cases of severe thyrotoxicosis. This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics of childhood thyrotoxicosis and effectiveness of inorganic iodide in the early phase of treatment. METHODS: Sixty-seven pediatric patients (53 girls/14 boys, 11.1+/-3.4 years of age), with newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis due to Graves disease were recruited. Forty-nine patients were treated with antithyroid drugs alone, while 18 patients were treated with combination of antithyroid drugs and potassium iodide. Initial thyroid function tests and levels of thyroid antibodies were recorded for all patients. Thyroid function tests were repeated 2 and 8 weeks after the initiation of treatment. Measurement thyroid antibodies were done 8 weeks after the initiation of treatment. RESULTS: Mean triiodothyronine and free thyroxine levels were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the group receiving combined therapy of antithyroid drugs and potassium iodide after 2 weeks of treatment compared to the patients receiving antithyroid drugs alone. Eight weeks after the initiation of treatment, thyroid function tests in the two groups did not show significant differences. CONCLUSION: The use of potassium iodide in combination with antithyroid drug is effective for more rapid normalization of thyroid hormones in the early phase treatment of childhood thyrotoxicosis, but larger studies with adequate power are needed in future.
Adolescent* ; Antibodies ; Antithyroid Agents ; Child* ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Potassium Iodide* ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyrotoxicosis* ; Thyroxine ; Triiodothyronine

In mass casualty situation due to radiological accidents, it is important to start aggressive management with rapid triage decisions. External contamination needs immediate decontamination and internal contamination should be treated with special expertise and equipment to prevent the rapid uptake of radionuclides by target organs. Acute radiation syndrome shows a sequence of events that varies with the severity of the exposure. More severe exposures generally lead to more rapid onset of symptoms and severe clinical findings. After the massive exposure, various systems of the body reflect their severe damages that can lead to death within hours or up to several months. The disease progression has classically been divided into four stages: prodromal, latent, manifest illness, and recovery or death. Three characteristic clusters of symptoms including the hematopoietic syndrome, the gastrointestinal syndrome and the cerebrovascular syndrome are all associated with the acute radiation syndrome. The standard medical management of the patients with a potentially survivable radiation exposure includes good medical, surgical and supportive measures. Specific treatment with cytokines and bone marrow transplantation should be considered. The management of internal contamination is much the same as the treatment of poisoning. The standard decontamination should be applied to reduce uptake, and the chelating agents can be administered to enhance the clearance of radioisotopes. Radioactive iodine (131I) as one of the nuclear fission products can increase the incidence of thyroid cancer in children. Potential benefit of potassium iodide prophylaxis is greater especially in neonates, infants and small children.
Acute Radiation Syndrome ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Chelating Agents ; Child ; Cytokines ; Decontamination ; Disease Progression ; Etodolac ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine ; Mass Casualty Incidents ; Nuclear Fission ; Potassium Iodide ; Radioisotopes ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Triage

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of potassium iodide on the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB and fibronectin.

METHODSThe experiment was performed with 72 SD rats weighing about 180-220 g. The animals were randomly assigned into nine groups. Group A, B, C (n=8) served as control and were fed with distilled water for 1 month, 2 month, 3 month respectively. Group D, E, F (n=8) served as lead exposed and were fed with water with 0.5% lead acetate for 1 month, 2 month, 3 month respectively. Group G, H, I (n=8) served as potassium iodide and lead exposed and were treated with 0.5% lead acetate simultaneously taking potassium iodide 3 mg/100 g weight by intragastric administration for 1 month, 2 month, 3 month respectively. Animals of different groups were sacrificed at the end of the treatment. Ultrastructure of kidney was observed by electron microscopy; Expression of NF-kappaB and FN protein and mRNA in kidney were measured respectively by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

RESULTSElectron microscopic examination revealed potassium iodide could restrain the denaturalization in epithelial cells and mitochondrial cristae. The expressions of NF-kappaB protein (0.2315 +/- 0.0624, 0.3213 +/- 0.0740, 0.4729 +/- 0.0839) and mRNA (0.4370 +/- 0.0841, 0.5465 +/- 0.0503, 0.6443 +/- 0.0538) in all the lead exposed groups continuously increased compared with correspondent control groups; Group I was decreased obviously compared with group F. The expressions of FN protein (0.4243 +/- 0.0595, 0.4917 +/- 0.0891) and mRNA (0.8650 +/- 0.0880, 0.8714 +/- 0.0980) in group E and F increased compared with group B and C, but the expressions of FN protein in group I significantly decreased compared with group F; The expressions of FN mRNA in Group H and I significantly decreased compared with group E and F.

CONCLUSIONThe potassium iodide can ameliorate renal ultrastructure and degrade expression of nuclear factor-kappaB and fibronectin induced by lead.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fibronectins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lead Poisoning ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Potassium Iodide ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Sporotrichosis is a chronic cutaneous fungal infection caused by Sporothrix (S.) schenckii. It is subdivided into three groups by clinical manifestation: lymphocutaneous, fixed cutaneous, disseminated sporotrichosis. Lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis is most common type and involves upper extremities usually. The incidence of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis on the face is very low, especially in children. We report a case of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis on face in a 10-month-old girl. The lesions represented linear three small erythematous papules on the right cheek. The fungal culture on Sabouraud's dextrose agar showed dark brown to black colored wrinkled colonies. The microscopic examination showed septated, branched mycelia and clustered conidia in slide culture of S. schenckii. The patient was treated with oral administration of potassium iodide and the lesions were cured completely.
Administration, Oral ; Agar ; Cheek ; Child ; Glucose ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Potassium Iodide ; Spores, Fungal ; Sporothrix ; Sporotrichosis ; Upper Extremity

Adipose tissue is now considered as an active hormone-secreting organ, which secretes a number of biologically active adipokines such as free fatty acids, leptin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin-6, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, adiponectin and retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4). Among these, adiponectin has attracted considerable attention as an adipokine that has important role in the development of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Adiponectin was discovered to be the most abundant adipose-specific transcript. Many epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that serum levels of adiponectin are inversely associated with body weight, especially abdominal visceral fat accumulation. Studies among Japanese and Pima Indians have reported lower concentrations of adiponectin in patients with type 2 diabetes than in those with normal glucose tolerance. A low level of adiponectin was found to be a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events in the Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. We recently published that exercise, having an insulin-sensitizing effect, could be a good therapy to prevent or delay diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged women through the modification of adiponectin. These results suggest that the clinical implication of adiponectin. A number of studies have been conducted to clarify the biological role of adiponectin. Recent studies have showed that adiponectin has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, and glucose-lowering properties. Taken together, it is conceivable that adiponectin plays as a backbone of metabolic syndrome. Finally, pleiotropic functions of adiponectin may possibly serve to prevent and treat atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, enhancement of adiponectin secretion or action may be a good therapeutic target for preventing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Adipose Tissue ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atherosclerosis ; Body Weight ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carrier Proteins ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Interleukin-6 ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Plasminogen Activators ; Potassium Iodide ; Risk Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamin A

The present study was attempted to investigate the effect of nicorandil, which is an ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel opener, on secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic stimulation and membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. The perfusion of nicorandil (0.3~3.0 mM) into an adrenal vein for 90 min produced relatively dose-and time-dependent inhibition in CA secretion evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high K+ (a direct membrane depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic receptor agonist, 100micrometer for 2 min), McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic M1 receptor agonist, 100micrometer for 4 min), Bay-K-8644 (an activator of L-type dihydropyridine Ca2+ channels, 10micrometer for 4 min) and cyclopiazonic acid (an activator of cytoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase, 10micrometer for 4 min). In adrenal glands simultaneously preloaded with nicorandil (1.0 mM) and glibenclamide (a nonspecific KATP-channel blocker, 1.0 mM), the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high potassium, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclopiazonic acid were recovered to the considerable extent of the control release in comparison with that of nicorandil-treatment only. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that nicorandil inhibits the adrenal CA secretion in response to stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors as well as by membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. It seems that this inhibitory effect of nicorandil may be mediated by inhibiting both Ca2+ influx and the Ca2+ release from intracellular store through activation of KATP channels in the rat adrenomedullary chromaffin cells. These results suggest that nicorandil-sensitive KATP channels may play an inhibitory role in the regulation of the rat adrenomedullary CA secretion.
(4-(m-Chlorophenylcarbamoyloxy)-2-butynyl)trimethylammonium Chloride ; 3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Medulla* ; Animals ; Catecholamines ; Chromaffin Cells ; Cytoplasm ; Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide ; Glyburide ; KATP Channels ; Membranes ; Neurons ; Nicorandil* ; Perfusion ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; Receptors, Nicotinic ; Veins

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Sporothrix(S.) schenckii. Regional lymphatic sporotrichosis is common type, accounting for 75% of the cases. But fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis is seen in 20% of cases. We report two cases of fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis in a 48-year-old man and 8-year-old boy. The lesions were manifested by erythematous plaques on right arm and left cheek, respectively. The fungal culture from biopsy specimen on Sabouraud's dextrose agar showed dark brown to black, moist and wrinkled colonies of S. schenckii. Histopathologically, pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia and chronic granulomatous inflammation were observed on H & E stain. The patients were treated with surgical excision of lesion & oral administration of 30 drops of saturated solution of potassium iodide three times a day and 100 mg of itraconazole daily for 3 months, respectively. Skin lesions were completely cured and recurrence is not observed to date.
Administration, Oral ; Agar ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Cheek ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Inflammation ; Itraconazole ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Potassium Iodide ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Sporotrichosis*