Identification of MRP-8 (calgranulin A) as a major responsive protein in chronic periodontitis

The purpose of the study was to analyse how the protein composition of the inflammatory exudate associated with chronic periodontitis differed from the exudate in periodontal health. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from sites with chronic periodontal inflammation and from non-diseased sites in healthy control subjects. Microbore HPLC analysis revealed one major difference in GCF protein profiles between healthy controls and periodontitis patients. The protein enhanced in periodontitis patients was identified as migration inhibitory factor-related protein-8 (MRP-8) by a combination of N-terminal amino acid sequencing, mass spectrometry, and SDS-PAGE. Together, these data demonstrate, for the first time, the presence of monomeric MRP-8 in an inflammatory exudate. Whether monomeric MRP-8 is a unique feature of chronic periodontal inflammation is not yet clear, but the chemotactic properties of this peptide support a functional role for MRP-8 in periodontal inflammation.     

Anti-atherosclerotic effect of microbial hyaluronate lyase from group B streptococci

The effect of the microbial hyaluronic acid splitting enzyme hyaluronate lyase produced by Streptococcus agalactiae was investigated in vitro in human atherosclerotic plaque specimens and in vivo on Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic rabbits (WHHL) as an animal model for familiar hypercholesteraemia. The in vitro presence of the enzyme caused a partial destruction of the atherosclerotic plaque surfaces as well as releasing of glucuronic acid and solid calcium-containing materials from pieces of atherosclerotic plaques in human arteries. Accordingly hyaluronic acid seems to be the main component for anchoring of calcium deposits on the plaque surfaces. Repeated intravenous injections of hyaluronate lyase in WHHL rabbits resulted in a tendency of decreased formation of atherosclerotic plaques. The observed effects are discussed to be primary the result of the splitting of hyaluronic acid in the vessels.     

Thermal image analysis of electrothermal debonding of ceramic brackets: an in vitro study.

This study used modern thermal imaging techniques to investigate the temperature rise induced at the pulpal well during thermal debonding of ceramic brackets. Ceramic brackets were debonded from vertically sectioned premolar teeth using an electrothermal debonding unit. Ten teeth were debonded at the end of a single 3-second heating cycle. For a further group of 10 teeth, the bracket and heating element were left in contact with the tooth during the 3-second heating cycle and the 6-second cooling cycle. The average pulpal wall temperature increase for the teeth debonded at the end of the 3-second heating cycle was 16.8 degrees C. When the heating element and bracket remained in contact with the tooth during the 6-second cooling cycle an average temperature increase of 45.6 degrees C was recorded.     

Faut-il reconstruire le rétinaculum des fléchisseurs (retinaculum flexorum) dans le canal carpien ?

Conflicting data in the literature justify this review about the flexor retinaculum (FR). Reconstruction of the FR following carpal tunnel open release has been recommended in order to limit the drawbacks of open carpal tunnel release; these drawbacks have been reported in wide series of results published between 1956 and 1988. This paper includes a review of the literature, a survey of the practice of the members of the French society for surgery of the hand (GEM), a self-evaluation of grip strength as well as a summary of indications.     

Comparison of three real-time PCR methods with blood smears and rapid diagnostic test in Plasmodium sp. infection

In cases of malaria, rapid and accurate diagnosis of Plasmodium sp. is essential. In this study three different quantitative, real-time PCR methods were compared with routine methods used for malaria diagnosis. A comparative study was conducted prospectively in the laboratories of Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals. The methods used for routine diagnostic malaria testing consisted of microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears and rapid diagnostic tests. Three quantitative real-time PCR methods (qRT-PCR) were tested: qRT-PCR1 amplified a specific sequence on the P. falciparum Cox1 gene, qRT-PCR2 amplified a species-specific region of the multicopy 18S rDNA, and qRT-PCR3 amplified a mitochondrial DNA sequence. Among the 196 blood samples collected, 73 samples were positive in at least one of the five tests. Compared with the routine method, there were no false negatives for P. falciparum diagnosis in either qRT-PCR1 or qRT-PCR3. In all P. ovale, P. vivax and P. malariae infections diagnosed from blood smears, qRT-PCR1 was negative, as expected, whereas qRT-PCR2 and qRT-PCR3 were positive and concordant (simple κ coefficient = 1). One negative sample from microscopy was positive with both qRT-PCR2 and qRT-PCR3. Together, qRT-PCR3 and the combined qRT-PCR1 and qRT-PCR2 were concordant with routine methods for malaria diagnosis (99% and 99.5%, respectively). These three rapid, molecular qRT-PCR methods, used alone or in association, showed excellent results, with high concordance, accuracy and reliability in malaria diagnosis.     

TOPK/PBK promotes cell migration via modulation of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT pathway and is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer

We integrated four gene expression profile data sets, namely two different pair-matched stage I lung adenocarcinoma data sets, secondary metastatic tumors vs benign tumors and lung tumor metastasizes to the brain, and we identified one kinase, T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase (TOPK), as a putative gene that promotes metastasis. To delineate the role of TOPK in lung cancer, we showed that overexpression of TOPK, but not a catalytically inactive form of TOPK, can enhance the migration and invasion of lung fibroblasts or cells with low TOPK expression. In addition, TOPK-induced cell migration was shown to be a PI3K/AKT-dependent event. TOPK concurrently promoted AKT phosphorylation at Ser(473) and decreased the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) levels, whereas TOPK knockdown had the reverse effects. LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, did not inhibit the TOPK-induced decrease in PTEN, and co-expression of PTEN significantly reduced TOPK-induced AKT phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner; these results indicate that the TOPK-mediated PTEN decrease has an upstream role in regulating PI3K/AKT-stimulated migration. Using immunohistochemical analysis of lung cancer tissue samples, we showed that a high TOPK expression level correlates strongly with reduced overall and disease-free survivals. Moreover, an inverse correlation between TOPK and PTEN expression was present and is consistent with the biochemical findings. Finally, a combination of high TOPK and low PTEN expression was inversely correlated with overall and disease-free survivals, independent of other pathologic staging factors. Our results suggest that TOPK is a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer that promotes cell migration by modulating a PI3K/PTEN/AKT-dependent signaling pathway; they also suggest that high TOPK expression, either alone or in combination with a low level of PTEN, may serve as a prognostic marker for lung cancer.     

Dual arc volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) of nasopharyngeal carcinomas: a simultaneous integrated boost treatment plan comparison with intensity-modulated radiotherapies and single arc VMAT

AimsTo compare the performance of volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) by dual arc with fixed beam intensity-modulated radiotherapies (IMRTs) and single arc VMAT on nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC).Materials and methodsTwenty NPC cases were re-planned using the planning system of the Pinnacle^3®SmartArc (SA) module to compare the performance of the following four techniques: seven-field (7F) and 18-field (18F) fixed beam IMRT, and single (SA₁) and dual arc VMAT (SA₂). The plan was delivered on an Elekta Synergy? Linac equipped with an 80-leaf 1 cm multileaf collimator. Three dose levels of planning target volumes (PTVs) with 70/59.4/54.0 Gy in 33 fractions were prescribed and delivered as a simultaneous integrated boost. The conformity index and homogeneity index of the PTVs, the comprehensive quality index (CQI), the normal tissue complication probability for the organs at risk (OARs), and the planning time, delivery efficiency and accuracy were analysed.ResultsA significantly inferior conformity index at the three dose levels of PTV and homogeneity index of PTV₇₀ were observed in SA₁ compared with the other techniques. Comparable conformity index and homogeneity index of the PTV were observed among 7F/18F IMRT and SA₂. Based on the CQI of the 11 OARs, the most efficient dose reduction was observed in 18F IMRT followed in order by SA₂, 7F IMRT and SA₁. The planning time was on average 13.2/24.9/40.1/42.8 min for 7F/18F IMRT/SA₁/SA₂, respectively. With regards to the delivery efficiency compared with 7F IMRT, a 51 and 41% reduction in delivery time was achieved by SA₁ and SA₂, respectively. All techniques presented a high quality assurance pass rate (>98%) of the Γ_3mm,3% criterion.ConclusionIn NPC cases, SA₂ gave superior results in terms of PTV coverage and OAR sparing compared with SA₁ and approached the performance achieved by 18F IMRT, but without sacrificing the delivery efficiency.     

Single French centre retrospective analysis of local control after high dose radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and local control for Pancoast tumours

PurposeSuperior sulcus non-small cell lung cancer represents less than 5% of all lung cancers and is a challenge for the physicians because of clinical presentation, treatments related toxicities and poor prognosis. The aim of this preliminary retrospective report is to present outcomes of patients affected by a superior sulcus non-small cell lung cancer, treated by high dose radiotherapy (> 60 Gy) with or withour chemotherapy.Patients and methodsAll adult inoperable or unresectable patients (≥ 18 years) with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of superior sulcus non-small cell lung cancer treated in our department by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy were retrospectively analysed. Primary endpoint was the local control. Overall survival, metastasis free survival and toxicity rates were also analysed and reported.ResultsFrom January 1999 to June 2009, 12 patients were treated by exclusive high-dose radiochemotherapy. Median age was 53 years (range: 33–64 years); mean follow-up time was 20 months (range: 2–75 months). Mean local control, overall survival and metastasis free survival were 20.2, 22 and 20 months, respectively. At the time of this analysis, seven patients died of cancer and three of them presented only a metastatic disease progression. One patient died of acute cardiac failure 36 months after the end of radiochemotherapy and was disease free. Treatment was well tolerated and any acute and/or late G3-4 toxicity was recorded (NCI-CTC v 3.0 score).ConclusionThis analysis confirms the interest of exclusive high-dose radiochemotherapy in treating inoperable superior sulcus non-small cell lung cancer patients, in achieving good local control and overall survival rates.