Short- and long-term fluoride release from glass ionomer based liners

Abstract— The aim of the study was to measure the fluoride release from glass ionomer based liners/bases after storing the specimens for 24 h and for 6 months in running water. The fluoride release was greater in the beginning than after half a year. From most liner materials the initial and the long-term release was greater than from the glass ionomer filling material studied for comparison. From two liners the release was minimal, just at the detection limit.     

Catecholamine Release after Physical Exercise

ABSTRACT A simple and practical provocative test is needed for early asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, which is a major risk for patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN-2). We measured plasma catecholamines before and after submaximal exercise in 26 MEN-2 gene carriers, eight of whom with asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, nine with medullary thyroid carcinoma and 10 after uni- or bilateral adrenalectomy. Seventeen clinically healthy individuals and 11 patients with neurovegetative lability and symptoms mimicking pheochromocytoma served as controls. Plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine increased after excercise except for adrenaline after bilateral adrenalectomy. The post-exercise levels of adrenaline and the adrenalineldopamine ratio were significantly higher in the pheochromocytoma patients compared to the healthy controls and the patients with neurovegetative lability, while the patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma represented an intermediate group with a high probability of developing adrenal tumors. The present method is a physiological test with a high sensitivity and specificity. It is practical and well suited for repeated examinations and seems to be of value for the detection of early pheochromocytoma in MEN-2 patients. Furthermore, the test could be used in the differential diagnosis between pheochromocytoma and neurovegetative lability.     

Mortality in Pacemaker-treated Patients

ABSTRACT The mortality in pacemaker-treated patients is due to underlying disorders, and is increased in patients with ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes and renal dysfunction. We have recently shown that the HLA B27-associated inflammatory disease process is the probable underlying cause in 15–20% of permanently paced men. Consequently, we undertook this study to evaluate any impact on mortality of HLA B27 and associated rheumatic disorders. The mortality among pacemaker patients was compared with that of the general population. Comparisons were also made between pacemaker patients with and without HLA B27 and associated disorders. We did not find any influence on mortality associated with the immunogenetic marker HLA B27 or with HLA B27-associated rheumatic disorders.     

Minimum analogue peptide sets (MAPS) for quantitative structure-activity relationships

The information contents in previously published peptide sets was compared with smaller sets of peptides selected according to statistical designs. It was found that minimum analogue peptide sets (MAPS) constructed by factorial or fractional factorial designs in physicochemical properties contained substantial structure-activity information. Although five to six times smaller than the originally published peptide sets the MAPS resulted in QSAR models able to predict biological activity. The QSARs derived from a MAPS of nine dipeptides, and from a set of 58 dipeptides inhibiting angiotensin converting enzyme were compared and found to be of equal strength. Furthermore, for a set of bitter tasting dipeptides it was found that an incomplete MAPS of 10 dipeptides gave just as good a model as the model based on a set of 48 dipeptides. By comparison other non-designed sets of peptides gave QSARs with poor predictive power. It was also demonstrated how MAPS centered on a lead peptide can be constructed as to specifically explore the physicochemical and biological properties in the vicinity of the lead. It was concluded that small information-rich peptide sets MAPS can be constructed on the basis of statistical designs with principal properties of amino acids as design variables.     

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Obesity: A Reversible Condition

ABSTRACT Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a rare complication of obesity with laboratory and histological features indistinguishable from alcoholic hepatitis. Three patients with 50–60% overweight and steatohepatitis are reported. All responded with normalization of the biochemical and/or histological changes after modest weight reduction.     

Variability of Blood Pressure in Ambulatory Hypertensive Patients: Effects of Verapamil on Twice and Thrice Daily Dose Regimens

ABSTRACT The antihypertensive effects of verapamil over 24 hours were assessed on twice and thrice daily dose regimens on 12 patients (25–65 years of age; mean age 50) with essential hypertension (WHO stages I–II) in a randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial. After a dose titration period starting with either verapamil 80 mg tid or 120 mg bid the patients kept their maintenance dose (240, 360 or 480 mg daily) for 4 weeks before crossing over to the other administration schedule. Repeated ambulatory blood pressure (BP) curves were recorded in 10 patients with a non-invasive portable device (Pressurometer III, Del Mar Avionics). The BP reductions (causal BP values) obtained by 2- and 3-dose regimens were of similar magnitude (from 170±19/105±8 on placebo to 140±17/87±7 and to 146±14/88±8 by 2- and 3-dose respectively). Analyses of BP curves revealed close similarity in profiles on the two dose regimens, although DBP was significantly (p<0.05) lower by 3-dose as compared to 2-dose regimen during the period 0.00–2.59 a.m. Long-term (circadian rhythm) and short-term variability did not differ between the regimens. Despite the slight difference in DBP curves after midnight, the overall impression is that verapamil given both twice and thrice daily provides adequate BP control throughout 24 hours.     

Seroprevalence of pertussis antitoxin (anti‐PT) in Sweden before and 10 years after the introduction of a universal childhood pertussis vaccination program

Hallander HO, Andersson M, Gustafsson L, Ljungman M, Netterlid E. Seroprevalence of pertussis antitoxin (anti‐PT) in Sweden before and 10 years after the introduction of a universal childhood pertussis vaccination program. APMIS 2009; 117: 912–22. The prevalence of IgG ELISA antibodies against pertussis toxin (anti‐PT) was studied in two Swedish seroepidemiological studies. One was performed in 1997 when the new pertussis vaccination program was 1 year old (n = 3420). In 2007, when Pa vaccines had been used countrywide for 10 years in the universal child vaccination program, this study was repeated to analyze the effect of vaccination on anti‐PT prevalence (n = 2379). Before the statistical analysis of seroprevalence, children vaccinated within the last 2 years before the serosurveys were excluded. The results indicate a reduced exposure to Bordetella pertussis in the population. The proportion of sera without measurable anti‐PT antibodies increased significantly, aggregated over all comparable age groups, from 3.8% in people sampled in 1997 to 16.3% in people sampled in 2007. For cord blood, 1% was without measurable anti‐PT antibodies in 1997 compared to a significantly higher level, 12%, in 2007. With anti‐PT concentrations of ≥50 and ≥100 EU/ml as cutoff points for ‘recent infection’ the proportion above the cutoff points for younger children was significantly higher in 1997 than in 2007 at both cutoff points. For all adults, 20 years of age and older, the difference in proportions above the lower cutoff point was close to statistically significant, comparing 1997 with 2007. This was not the case at 100 EU/ml. In the 1997 samples of children, there was a significant downward trend of ‘recent infections’ at both cutoff points for three sampled age groups between 5 and 15 years of age from 21% at 5.0–5.5 years of age to 7% at 14.7–15.7 years for the lowest cutoff. In the 2007 samples of children, on the contrary, there was a significant continuous upward trend of ‘recent infections’, at both cutoff points, for four sampled age groups between 4 and 18 years of age – from 4% at 4–5 years of age to 16% at 17–18 years at the lowest cutoff. The continuous increase, with age of children with high anti‐PT concentrations, supports the recent change in the general Swedish childhood vaccination program to include a pre‐school booster at 5–6 years and a school‐leaving booster at 14–16 years of age.     

Body Temperature in General Population Samples

ABSTRACT Oral body temperature was measured in 816 men, 57 and 67 years old, sampled from the general population of Göteborg, Sweden, and 22 physically highly active men, sampled on clinical grounds. The measurements were taken in the morning for 14 months. After adding 0.3°C to the readings to make them comparable with rectal readings, the mean body temperature was 36.8±0.4°C. There was a seasonal variation with a peak during the winter and a trough during the summer. Body temperature was inversely correlated with height and positively correlated with weight and body fat but not with lean body mass. High physical activity and sensitivity to heat were associated with a higher than average body temperature. Sensitivity to cold was associated with a lower than average body temperature. Smoking prior to the measurements did not appear to affect body temperature.