An imaging routine for assessing the efficacy of instruments used for scaling and root planning

Deposits of dental plaque or calculus are typically quantified using planimetric techniques. However, error is introduced into a quantitative analysis of plaque deposits using these methods, since they require a significant amount of human intervention. The purpose of this study is to describe and validate a computerized imaging routine which has the potential to objectively identify material on dental roots and measure the area covered by these deposits. Dentiform teeth with simulated plaque were videorecorded. A computer routine was developed based on a flood-fill algorithm which analyzed images of the dentiform teeth and determined the amount of simulated plaque on their root surfaces. Results showed that the dentiform teeth and their simulated plaque patterns are duplicated by the imaging routine in a rapid and reliable fashion. The system shows a high degree of accuracy with an average error factor of only 0.58%. As well, the system enables precise reproducibility with an average error factor of only 0.71%.     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂对气管上皮细胞生长的影响

目的探讨酪氨酸激酶抑制剂(Tyrosine kinase inhibitor,TKI)对培养气管上皮细胞生长的影响.方法通过MMT法、3H-胸腺嘧啶(3H-TdR)掺入法及流式细胞计数,观察3种TKIs:Tyrphostin AG1478、Genistein(Sigma)及金转停对原代培养的大鼠气管上皮细胞增殖、周期及凋亡的影响,以及TKIs对表皮生长因子(EGF)的阻断作用.结果MTT法显示3种TKI均对气管上皮细胞的生长具有时间和剂量依赖性抑制作用,同时,TKI阻断EGF对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用,3种TKIs的作用无明显差异;1μmol/L的Tyrphostin AG1478、Genistein及金转停分别使气管上皮细胞的TdR掺入率降低18.3%、20.9%及19.7%,与MTT比色法结果一致.同时,Tyrphostin AG1478不仅加速气管上皮细胞的凋亡而且阻止细胞有丝分裂.TKIs可阻断表皮生长因子(EGF)对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用.结论TKIs不仅抑制对原代培养的大鼠气管上皮细胞的生长,加速其凋亡,而且可阻断EGF对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用,3种抑制剂的作用无明显差异.     

子宫颈癌226例临床病理分析

目的：探讨宫颈癌的临床、病理特点、诊治方法及预后因素。方法：收集1996年1月至2001年1月226例宫颈癌患者进行回顾性分析。结果：平均患病年龄为48．18岁。130例患者为阴道流血，70例为阴道流液，25例下腹疼痛，l例精神减退、贫血、浮肿。病理分期：Ⅰ期病例数为169例(75％)；Ⅱ期病例数为3l例(13．72％)；Ⅲ期病例数为23例(10．18％)；Ⅳ期病例数为3例(1．1％)。比较2l例宫颈鳞癌与宫颈腺癌的转移，显示后者的腹主动脉旁淋巴结转移、肾上腺转移、子宫转移、胸水形成明显高于前者。结论：重视宫颈癌发病相关因素及临床症状，争取早期诊断，严格手术病理分期，选择适当治疗方案。     

Reduced expression of CD69 and adhesion molecules of T lymphocytes in asthmatic children receiving immunotherapy

T lymphocytes play a fundamental role in the initiation and regulation of chronic inflammatory responses in patients with asthma. CD69 is an early marker of T‐cell activation. The levels of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1, CD54) and L ‐selectin have been reported to increase in patients with allergic diseases and asthma. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the expression of CD69, CD54, and L ‐selectin by T lymphocytes of children with asthma, before and after immunotherapy. Eighteen children newly diagnosed with asthma, 11 good and nine poor responders to immunotherapy, and 16 normal subjects, were enrolled in this study. The percentages of CD69⁺, CD54⁺, and CD62L⁺ cells in T lymphocytes were measured by using flow cytometry. The levels of CD69, CD54, and CD62L in serum and culture supernatants were determined by using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of CD69 and CD54 on CD3⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly higher in children with asthma than in control patients. All the patient groups expressed (spontaneously and following stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin together with mite‐extract proteins) greater amounts of CD69 and CD54 than did control subjects. With long‐term immunotherapy, the percentages of CD69⁺ and CD54⁺ T lymphocytes were significantly lower in patients with a good response to immunotherapy. Our results also showed significantly lower serum L ‐selectin levels following immunotherapy. In conclusion, successful immunotherapy resulted in decreased expression and production of CD69 and CD54. These results may explain, in part, the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy.     

A potentially deleterious role of IGFBP-2 on bone density in aging men and women.

The role of the IGFs and IGFBPs on age-related changes in BMD in adult men and women is not well understood. Studying an age-stratified community based sample of 344 men and 276 women, we found higher IGFBP-2 levels to be associated with lower BMD. IGFBP-2, which increases with age in both men and women, was the strongest, most consistent predictor of BMD among the IGF/IGFBPs studied. INTRODUCTION: Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) are important regulators of tissue growth and metabolism, but their association with BMD in adult men and women is controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an age-stratified, random sample of the community population, we examined the role of serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-1, -2, and -3 on BMD of the proximal femur (total hip), lateral spine, midshaft, and ultradistal radius as measured by DXA. We explored the association before and after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, bioavailable estradiol and testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and measures of total fat and skeletal muscle mass. RESULTS: We studied 344 men (age, 23-90 years) and 276 women (age, 21-93 years; 166 postmenopausal) not on hormone replacement or oral contraceptives. In both men and women, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels fell with advancing age, whereas IGFBP-2 levels tended to rise with age. There was an inverse association of IGFBP-2 with BMD at most skeletal sites in men and both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, whereas lower IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were associated with lower BMD in men and postmenopausal women only. Lower IGF-II was associated with lower BMD in men only. There were no associations between IGFBP-1 and BMD in either sex. After adjustment for age, in most cases, we found no further associations between IGF-I, IGF-II, or IGFBP-3 and BMD. In contrast, after age adjustment, higher IGFBP-2 remained a predictor of lower BMD in men and postmenopausal women at all sites except for the lateral spine (for men: r = -0.21, -0.20, and -0.19, all p < 0.001; and for postmenopausal women: r = -0.34, -0.24, and -0.25, all p < 0.01, for the total hip, midshaft, and ultradistal radius, respectively). IGFBP-2 remained an independent negative predictor of BMD in men, postmenopausal women, and all women combined after additional adjustment for bioavailable sex steroids, but not at all sites after adjustment for SHBG and muscle mass. In premenopausal women, IGFBP-2 had similar associations as seen in postmenopausal women, but they were weaker and not statistically robust. CONCLUSIONS: Among the IGF/IGFBPs in our study, IGFBP-2 was a key negative predictor of BMD among men and women, particularly postmenopausal women. Our findings suggest a potential role of the IGF/IGFBP system in regulating bone loss in aging men and women and identify a previously under-recognized, potentially deleterious role for IGFBP-2, a known inhibitor of IGF action that increases with age in both sexes. Whether the action of the IGF/IGFBP system on bone metabolism is mediated partly through its effects on muscle mass or SHBG deserves further study.     

经单鼻孔-蝶窦入路切除垂体腺瘤

近年来,经鼻蝶入路有被广泛应用和普及的趋势,其应用中又分为经鼻小柱中隔入路、经鼻前庭中隔入路、经单鼻孔中隔蝶窦入路和经单鼻孔直接蝶窦入路的不同方式[1~4]。我科自2003年11月至2004年4月,采用经单鼻孔中隔蝶窦入路对15例垂体腺瘤患者施行了手术治疗,效果理想,现报告如下     

Prediction of Remission of Acute Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Motor Vehicle Accident Victims

One hundred forty five individuals who sought medical attention as a result of a motor vehicle accident (MVA), and who were initially assessed 1 to 4 months post-MVA, were followed up prospectively for 6 months to determine how many of the 55 with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the 43 with sub-syndromal PTSD would remit and what variables would predict remission. Thirty (55%) of those with initial PTSD had remitted at least in part by 6 months while 67% of those with sub-syndromal PTSD had remitted (and 5% had worsened). Four variables, including severity of initial symptoms, degree of initial physical injury, relative degree of physical recovery by 4 months and whether a close family member suffered a trauma during the follow-up interval, combined to classify 6-month clinical status of 84% of those with initial PTSD secondary to MVAs.     

Alexithymia in Holocaust Survivors with and Without PTSD

Alexithymia was measured in non-treatment seeking, community-dwelling Holocaust survivors using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale—Twenty Item Version (TAS-20). Scores of survivors with (n = 30) and without (n = 26) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were compared, and associations among alexithymia, severity of trauma, and severity of PTSD symptoms were determined. Survivors with PTSD had significantly higher scores on the TAS-20 compared to survivors without PTSD. TAS-20 scores were significantly associated with severity of PTSD symptoms, but not with severity of trauma. This study adds to our knowledge of the relationship between alexithymia and trauma by demonstrating that this characteristic is related to the presence of posttraumatic symptoms and not simply exposure to trauma.