Changes of cancer diagnosis disclosure to children in Japan in the last 20 years

International Journal of Clinical Oncology - The practice of cancer diagnosis disclosure to children has been changed with the times. The regulations of clinical trials in the 2000s might change...     

Canine Oral Mucosal Fibroblasts Differentiate into Osteoblastic Cells in Response to BMP‐2

Several lines of evidence show that transplantation of osteoblastic cells or genetically engineered nonosteogenic cells expressing osteoblast‐related genes into bone defects effectively promotes bone regeneration. To extend this possibility, we investigated whether oral mucosal fibroblasts are capable of differentiating into osteoblastic cells by conducting in vitro and in vivo experiments. We investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) on osteoblast differentiation of cultured fibroblasts isolated from canine buccal mucosa. We also transplanted green fluorescence protein (GFP)‐expressing fibroblasts with gelatin/BMP‐2 complexes into the subfascial regions of athymic mice, and investigated the localization of GFP‐positive cells in the ectopically formed bones. The cultured canine buccal mucosal fibroblasts differentiated into osteoblastic cells by increasing their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and Osteocalcin, Runx2, and Osterix mRNA expression levels in response to BMP‐2. Transplantation experiments of GFP‐expressing oral mucosal fibroblasts with gelatin/BMP‐2 complexes revealed that 17.1% of the GFP‐positive fibroblasts differentiated into ALP‐positive cells, and these cells accounted for 6.2% of total ALP‐positive cells in the ectopically formed bone. This study suggests that oral mucosal fibroblasts can differentiate into osteogenic cells in response to BMP‐2. Thus, these cells are potential candidates for cell‐mediated bone regeneration therapy in dentistry. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Decontamination of Anodized Implant Surface With Different Modalities for Peri‐Implantitis Treatment: Lasers and Mechanical Debridement With Citric Acid

Background: Although oral rehabilitation with dental implants is a very promising and effective procedure, peri‐implantitis is an emerging concern. Surgical and non‐surgical methods have been applied to treat peri‐implantitis together with various implant surface decontamination methods. However, there is no consensus concerning the most effective treatment for peri‐implantitis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of erbium‐doped:yttrium, aluminum, and garnet (Er:YAG) laser, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and titanium bur with and without citric acid on ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis around an anodized implant surface. Methods: Thirty dental implants with anodized surface (3.3 × 10 mm) were installed in the mandibles of five beagle dogs. After 3 months, peri‐implantitis was induced by applying cotton ligatures subgingivally. After ligature removal (baseline), the implants were divided into the following treatment groups: 1) Er:YAG laser, 2) PDT, 3) titanium bur alone, and 4) titanium bur with citric acid. Animals were sacrificed after 3 months, and clinical, radiologic, histologic, and histomorphometric evaluations were conducted for all treatment modalities. The data were analyzed using one‐way analysis of variance and Tukey test. A value of P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The titanium bur with citric acid group exhibited statistically significantly greater improvement in vertical bone height than the Er:YAG laser group and significantly better bone‐to‐implant contact than the PDT group and the bur‐alone group. Conclusion: Within the limits of the study, the combination of mechanical and chemical treatment proved to be the most effective treatment for disinfection of the anodized implant surface.     

Little Polymorphism at the K13 Propeller Locus in Worldwide Plasmodium falciparum Populations Prior to the Introduction of Artemisinin Combination Therapies

The emergence and spread of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is of huge concern for the global effort toward malaria control and elimination. Artemisinin resistance, defined as a delayed time to parasite clearance following administration of artemisinin, is associated with mutations in the Pfkelch13 gene of resistant parasites. To date, as many as 60 nonsynonymous mutations have been identified in this gene, but whether these mutations have been selected by artemisinin usage or merely reflect natural polymorphism independent of selection is currently unknown. To clarify this, we sequenced the Pfkelch13 propeller domain in 581 isolates collected before (420 isolates) and after (161 isolates) the implementation of artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), from various regions of endemicity worldwide. Nonsynonymous mutations were observed in 1% of parasites isolated prior to the introduction of ACTs. Frequencies of mutant isolates, nucleotide diversity, and haplotype diversity were significantly higher in the parasites isolated from populations exposed to artemisinin than in those from populations that had not been exposed to the drug. In the artemisinin-exposed population, a significant excess of dN compared to dS was observed, suggesting the presence of positive selection. In contrast, pairwise comparison of dN and dS and the McDonald and Kreitman test indicate that purifying selection acts on the Pfkelch13 propeller domain in populations not exposed to ACTs. These population genetic analyses reveal a low baseline of Pfkelch13 polymorphism, probably due to purifying selection in the absence of artemisinin selection. In contrast, various Pfkelch13 mutations have been selected under artemisinin pressure.