Aim The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of electro‐chemically activated water (ECA) as an endodontic irrigation solution. Methodology The root canals of 60 caries‐free, single‐rooted, adult, maxillary, anterior human teeth were instrumented and irrigated in a similar method to that used for in vivo root canal treatment. The external root surface of each tooth was sealed, maintaining the access cavities patent and the root canals were inoculated with a suspension containing four bacteria. The teeth were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15). Each group was irrigated ultrasonically with one of the following solutions: distilled water (control), NaOCl (3.5%), and ECA, the latter at pHs 7.0 and 9.0. Antimicrobial effectiveness was established directly after irrigation and again 7 days later, by counting colony‐forming units on blood agar plates and by spectrophotometric analysis. Results Large numbers of bacteria were present in the canals of teeth irrigated with distilled water. No bacteria were observed following irrigation with NaOCl. Neither of the ECA solutions were found to be effective against all the bacteria. Although some reduction in the number of bacteria was evident in the ECA groups, this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) when compared to sodium hypochlorite. Conclusion Within the confines of this study ECA did not demonstrate antimicrobial effectiveness.

A new disease in broiler breeders known in Australia as Big Liver and Spleen Disease (BLS) is described from field observations, retrospective record analysis, and detailed study of a selected flock. BLS has a predilection for adult birds. It is characterized clinically by a sudden drop in egg production, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and increased mortality and histologically by a period of lymphoproliferation followed by a period of lymphoid destruction that coincides with the clinical signs. Epidemiology suggests an infectious cause, though initial attempts at isolation of a causative agent have been unsuccessful, and it is serologically distinct from the common avian viral and mycoplasma diseases.

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Purpose The goal of this study is to set an empirical baseline to map the structure-function relation of the antigens from the commercialized vaccine products. Methods To study the structural changes of protein antigens after adsorption several analytical tools including DLS, FTIR, Fluorescence, LD, and SEM have been used. Results All antigens have shown wide range of hydrodynamic diameter from 7 nm to 182 nm. Upon adjuvantation, the size distribution has become narrow, ranging from 10 to 12 μm, and has been driven by the derived diameter of aluminum phosphate (AlPO 4 ) adjuvant. Further to examine size and morphology of adsorbed antigens, SEM has been used. The SEM results have demonstrated that the AlPO 4 adjuvant suspension and adsorbed proteins consist of submicron particles that form a continuous porous surface. Diphtheria Toxoid (DT), Tetanus Toxoid (TT), and chemically-modified Filamentous Haemagglutinin (FHA) have shown surface adsorption to AlPO 4. Secondary structure alpha-helix and beta-sheet content of DT and TT has increased after adsorption to AlPO 4 adjuvant as shown by FTIR, whereas no significant changes were noted for other protein antigens. The results from Intrinsic Fluorescence have shown a structural rearrangement in DT and TT, consistent with the FTIR results. Multivalent vaccine product identity has been determined by FTIR as unique fingerprint spectrum. Conclusion The globular proteins such as DT and TT have shown changes in secondary structure upon adsorption to AlPO 4 , whereas fibrillar protein FHA has not been affected by adsorption. FTIR can be used as a lean technique to confirm product identity at different manufacturing sites.

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