Human Neutrophil Defensins and Their Effect on Epithelial Cells

Background: The aims of the present study include: 1) to localize human neutrophil defensin‐1 (HNP‐1) through HNP‐3 in gingiva and in neutrophil extract‐treated epithelial cell monolayers; 2) to determine the effects of HNP‐1 on the epithelial cell viability, attachment, and spreading; and 3) to analyze the effect of HNP‐1 on the bacterial adherence to epithelial cells. Methods: For localization of HNP‐1 through HNP‐3 in gingival tissue and in preincubated cell monolayers, immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical methods were used. Viability and proliferation of epithelial cells were determined with commercial kits after incubating the keratinocytes with different HNP‐1 concentrations (low, 1 to 5 μg/mL; moderate, 10 μg/mL; high, 20 to 50 μg/mL). Attachment and spreading of keratinocytes on fibronectin‐coated surfaces in the presence of HNP‐1 were evaluated under microscope. Attachment of Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC25586 and Prevotella intermedia ATCC25611 on keratinocytes preincubated with HNP‐1 were determined with a standard antibiotic test. Results: HNP‐1 through HNP‐3 localized in the junctional epithelium of clinically healthy gingiva and in the pocket epithelium of gingiva with periodontitis. When keratinocyte monolayers were incubated with neutrophil extracts, HNP‐1 through HNP‐3 were bound to the periphery of the growing cell colonies. In low HNP‐1 concentrations, the keratinocyte proliferation enhanced. Moderate and high concentrations of HNP‐1 increased the cellular death significantly. HNP‐1 increased the attachment and spreading of keratinocytes on fibronectin‐coated surfaces and bacterial attachment to keratinocytes in a concentration‐dependent manner. Conclusion: HNP‐1 plays a role in the integrity of keratinocytes by stimulating their proliferation, attachment, and spreading, whereas higher doses increase the bacterial attachment and keratinocyte death.     

Growth hormone and cortisol in serum and saliva

Salivary diagnosis is a developing area in clinical chemistry and dentistry. Cortisol analyses from saliva have been used in pediatric practice and as doping tests. Growth hormone (hGH), also a stress hormone, has not been analyzed from saliva. We studied the serum and saliva of 51 healthy subjects. The samples were taken at 8:00 in the morning after 12 h fasting. Cortisol concentrations were analyzed using RIA. An immunoradiometric assay was applied for analyzing serum and salivary hGH. The validity of this method developed in our laboratory was found to be good. The results showed correlation of salivary cortisol with that of serum (r = 0.47, P < 0.001). Salivary hGH concentrations were 1000-fold lower than the respective values in serum, but a clear correlation was found between salivary and serum hGH levels (r = 0.59, P < 0.001).     

Viscosity of whole saliva

This study investigates within-subject variations and associations of salivary viscosities and flow rates in a test panel of healthy adults. After several practice sessions, unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva samples were collected 5 times daily (at 0800, 1100, 1400, 1700, and 2000 h) from 30 university students. There was a significant within-subject variation in viscosity and flow rate of unstimulated saliva (P < 0.001). Intra-item correlations were significantly different for salivary flow rates (r = 0.82 for unstimulated, r = 0.88 for stimulated, P < 0.001) and viscosity of unstimulated saliva (r = 0.54, P < 0.05), but viscosity of stimulated saliva was different in this respect. Our results indicate that there is a significant within-subject variation in viscosity of unstimulated saliva.     

Double-guidewire-assisted cannulation in ERCP: novel applications

Even in experienced hands, a common problem at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is difficulty in reaching a selective cannulation of the common bile duct or pancreatic duct. The success rate of biliary cannulation has improved markedly in many centers after the adoption of double-guidewire-assisted cannulation technique in cases in which the guidewire repeatedly passes into the pancreatic duct although the common bile duct is intended. Here, we describe 2 novel applications of the double-guidewire technique for difficult cannulation in ERCP. In particular, we emphasize that in addition to difficult biliary cannulation, double-guidewire technique may prove useful in difficult pancreatic cannulation. The double-guidewire technique is feasible also in cases in which the guidewire repeatedly passes into the cystic duct instead of the intended common hepatic duct and intrahepatic radicals. ERCP endoscopists should be aware of all modifications of double-guidewire technique to further increase the success rates of selective cannulations in ERCP.     

Transseptal Left Heart Catheterization and Left Atrial Angiocardiography in the Diagnosis of Cor Triatrium

The necessity for postoperative inhaled nitric oxide (NO) therapy and predictive factors for that need were retrospectively analysed in 457 paediatric patients at risk of pulmonary hypertensive events following open-heart surgery for congenital heart disease. Inhaled NO was given postoperatively to 46% of the study group and to 23% of all patients undergoing open-heart surgery during the study period. Factors associated with increased need for postoperative NO were age <1 year, Down's syndrome, preoperative pulmonary hypertension and increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Using a multivariate model based on these factors, 73% of the patients who were given NO were identified. Thus, in a setting with unrestricted access to NO therapy, almost half of the patients with cardiac lesions that commonly give rise to postoperative pulmonary hypertension were given postoperative NO. Seventy-three percent of postoperative NO treatment was associated with a relatively small number of pre- and perioperative patient-related risk factors.     

Cross-Validation of Arthroplasty Records Between Arthroplasty and Hospital Discharge Registers,Self-Reports,and Medical Records Among a Cohort of 14,220 Women

Background

There are no actual validation studies of the Finnish Arthroplasty Register (FAR), and only a few studies about the accuracy of self-reported hip and knee arthroplasty exist. Therefore, we examine how reliably total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasties can be identified from multiple data sources, including self-reports, the hospital discharge register, the arthroplasty register, and medical records.

Infrared spectroscopy indicates altered bone turnover and remodeling activity in renal osteodystrophy

Renal osteodystrophy alters metabolic activity and remodeling rate of bone and also may lead to different bone composition. The objective of this study was to characterize the composition of bone in high‐turnover renal osteodystrophy patients by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIRI). Iliac crest biopsies from healthy bone (n = 11) and patients with renal osteodystrophy (ROD, n = 11) were used in this study. The ROD samples were from patients with hyperparathyroid disease. By using FTIRI, phosphate‐to‐amide I ratio (mineral‐to‐matrix ratio), carbonate‐to‐phosphate ratio, and carbonate‐to‐amide I ratio (turnover rate/remodeling activity), as well as the collagen cross‐link ratio (collagen maturity), were quantified. Histomorphometric analyses were conducted for comparison. The ROD samples showed significantly lower carbonate‐to‐phosphate (p < .01) and carbonate‐to‐amide I (p < .001) ratios. The spatial variation across the trabeculae highlighted a significantly lower degree of mineralization (p < .05) at the edges of the trabeculae in the ROD samples than in normal bone. Statistically significant linear correlations were found between histomorphometric parameters related to bone‐remodeling activity and number of bone cells and FTIRI‐calculated parameters based on carbonate‐to‐phosphate and carbonate‐to‐amide I ratios. Hence the results suggested that FTIRI parameters related to carbonate may be indicative of turnover and remodeling rate of bone. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research     

Slow vasomotor fluctuation in fMRI of anesthetized child brain

Signal intensity changes in fMRI during rest caused by vasomotor fluctuations were investigated in this work. Resting‐state baseline fluctuations were evaluated in 12 children anesthetized with thiopental. Five subjects had fluctuations related to subvoxel motion. In seven subjects without significant motion, slow signal fluctuation at 0.025–0.041 Hz near one or more primary sensory cortices was observed. In each subject the amplitude and frequency of the fluctuations were stable. It is hypothesized that thiopental, which reduces blood pressure and flow in the cortex, alters the feedback in neurovascular coupling leading to an increase in the magnitude and a reduction in the frequency of these fluctuations. The use of anesthesia in fMRI may provide new insight into neural connectivity and the coupling of blood flow and neural metabolism. Magn Reson Med 44:373–378, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.