Prevalence of Candida spp., xerostomia,and hyposalivation in oral lichen planus – A controlled study

Objective

To determine the frequency of Candida spp., xerostomia, and salivary flow rate (SFR) in three different groups: patients with OLP (OLP group), patients with oral mucosal lesions other than OLP (non‐OLP group), and subjects without oral mucosal lesions (control group).

Material and methods

Xerostomia as well as SFR was investigated in the three groups. Samples for isolation of Candida spp. were collected from OLP lesions (38 patients), non‐OLP lesions (28 patients), and healthy subjects (32 subjects).

Results

There was no statistically significant difference regarding the frequency of xerostomia and hyposalivation among the three groups (P > 0.05). A higher prevalence for colonization by Candida spp. was found in the healthy subject as compared to that of patients with OLP (P = 0.03) and non‐OLP (P = 0.02) groups. Low SFR was not a factor for colonization by Candida spp.

Conclusions

Xerostomia and hyposalivation occur with similar frequency in subjects with and without oral lesions; also, the presence of oral lesions does not increase the susceptibility to colonization by Candida spp. It seems that any study implicating Candida spp. in the malignant transformation of oral lesions should be carried out mostly on a biochemical basis, that is, by testing the capability of Candida spp. to produce carcinogenic enzyme.     

Strain‐dependent induction of allergic rhinitis without adjuvant in mice

BACKGROUND: To date, no murine models have been reported to show the induction of both antigen-specific IgE and nasal eosinophilia, two of the major hallmarks of allergic rhinitis, after local sensitization in the absence of adjuvants, a phenomenon which reflects natural exposure. In this report, we attempted to establish a murine model representing an initiation of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: BALB/c, CBA/J, and C57BL/6 mice were sensitized intranasally to Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen (SEA) solely. After repeated sensitization, serum Ab titers, nasal eosinophilia, and cytokine production by nasal lymphocytes were determined. RESULTS: BALB/c mice produced SEA-specific IgE after repeated sensitization. High-dose sensitization to SEA induced IgE production in CBA/J mice, while C57BL/6 mice did not show the production throughout the period observed, suggesting that IgE production was regulated genetically. BALB/c mice also exhibited nasal eosinophilia after the nasal challenge. In addition, nasal lymphocytes sensitized with SEA intranasally produced significant amount of IL-5 in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that intranasal sensitization with SEA in the absence of adjuvants induces a Th2 immune reaction, reflecting the hallmarks of the initiation of allergic rhinitis both in vivo and in vitro, which is genetically regulated.     

原发性肉碱缺乏致脂质沉积性肌病的临床与病理特点

目的 分析原发性肉碱缺乏致脂质沉积性肌病（LSM）的临床与病理特点。方法 回顾性分析4例可能LSM患者的临床资料。结果 本组患者为亚急性或慢性起病，主要表现为近端肌无力，疲劳不能耐受；血清肌酶有不同程度的升高；肌电图示肌源性损害；病理检查示肌纤维内可见大量细小空泡和裂隙形成；MGT染色无破碎红纤维，油红O染色显示空泡为大量脂滴充填；受累纤维以Ⅰ型纤维为主。电镜证实肌纤维内脂滴堆积，可伴有线粒体的轻度增多。改善能量和糖皮质激素治疗有效。结论原发性肉碱缺乏致LSM是一种以易疲劳和肌无力为主要临床表现的脂质代谢障碍性肌病，病理改变以肌纤维内脂滴堆积为主，一般不伴有线粒体结构的明显异常。糖皮质激素治疗可获得良好疗效。     

乳腺癌患者保乳术联合腔镜腋窝淋巴结清扫术的临床研究

目的 探讨保乳手术联合腔镜腋窝淋巴结清扫术(MALND)对乳腺癌患者上肢功能、应激反应及血管细胞黏附分子-1 (VCAM-1)、细胞间黏附分子-1(ICAM-1)水平的影响。方法 回顾性分析98例乳腺癌患者的临床资料,依据手术方式的不同分为研究组53例和对照组45例。对照组行保乳手术联合传统腋窝淋巴结清扫术(CALND),研究组行保乳手术联合MALND。比较2组术前、术后6个月上肢功能;收集2组患者术前、术后12 h焦虑自评量表(SAS)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)评分以及心率(HR)、平均动脉压(MAP)水平,并对比2组应激反应程度;比较2组患者术前、术后5 d VCAM-1、ICAM-1水平。结果 术后6个月,研究组前屈、后伸、内收、外展、内旋、外旋活动角度大于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);术后12 h,研究组SAS、SDS评分及HR、MAP水平低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);术后5 d,研究组VCAM-1、ICAM-1水平低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 保乳手术联合MALND对乳腺癌患者上肢功能影响小,术后应激反应程度轻...     

化瘀通络方对局灶性脑缺血大鼠再灌注(MCAO)后脑组织氧自由基和NOS表达的影响

目的:观察化瘀通络方治疗大鼠局灶性脑缺血-再灌注损伤对脑组织自由基及一氧化氮合成酶(NOS)和iNOS变化的影响。方法:制备大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤模型,给予化瘀通络方治疗后观察丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及一氧化氮合成酶(NOS)和诱导型一氧化氮合成酶(iNOS)的变化。结果:化瘀通络方可显著降低MDA含量以及iNOS和NOS活性,SOD含量升高。结论:在脑缺血再灌注损伤后,化瘀通络方能抑制脑缺血再灌注后脂质过氧化反应,促进自由基清除,对抗自由基损伤,提高脑组织自身抗氧化能力,降低NOS和iNOS介导脑缺血-再灌注时的神经损伤,保护脑细胞。     

Validating self-reported strokes in a longitudinal UK cohort study (Whitehall II): Extracting information from hospital medical records versus the Hospital Episode Statistics database

Background

Quantiles are a staple of epidemiologic research: in contemporary epidemiologic practice, continuous variables are typically categorized into tertiles, quartiles and quintiles as a means to illustrate the relationship between a continuous exposure and a binary outcome.

Discussion

In this paper we argue that this approach is highly problematic and present several potential alternatives. We also discuss the perceived drawbacks of these newer statistical methods and the possible reasons for their slow adoption by epidemiologists.

Summary

The use of quantiles is often inadequate for epidemiologic research with continuous variables.     

Prevalence and patterns of resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from carriers attending day care centers in the area of Athens

The prevalence and patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae resistance to antibiotics was examined in 146 nasopharyngeal carrier strains obtained during April and May, 1997, from 382 healthy children attending eight day care centers (DCCs) in the area of Athens. Reduced susceptibility to at least one antibiotic was found in 32.6% as follows: penicillin 11.4% (intermediate), cefotaxime 0.8% (intermediate), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 22.7%, erythromycin 13.6%, tetracycline 11.4%, chloramphenicol 8.3%. Most of the nonsusceptible to penicillin isolates belonged to serogroups 23, 9, and 19. Multidrug resistance was detected in 11.4% of S. pneumoniae isolates including five penicillin nonsusceptible serogroup 23 strains. More than half of the multidrug resistant strains were susceptible to penicillin and belonged to serogroups 6 (4), 23 (1), 19 (1), and 1(1). Strains that belonged to the same serogroup/serotype and had identical resistance patterns appeared to cluster in some DCCs. Antibiotic use in the previous month was associated with reduced susceptibility to penicillin (p = 0.007) and multidrug resistance (p = 0.012). In conclusion, a moderate prevalence of reduced susceptibility to penicillin in pneumococcal carrier strains was found in our community. Multidrug resistance was common and was often associated with susceptibility to penicillin. Several distinct patterns of resistance were observed, suggesting the spread of resistant clones to our country.     

左腋动脉和臂丛神经走行变异1例

笔者在标本解剖操作观察腋窝结构时发现1例左侧腋动脉与臂丛神经位置及走行出现变异,既往文献报道的变异多为腋动脉发出的分支与臂丛神经之间的位置与走行之间变异^[1-3],本次解剖观察发现腋动脉与臂丛神经的内侧束、外侧束和后束之间的位置关系出现变异,与既往报道有所不同,现报告如下。     

VEGF-C表达和微淋巴管密度与胃癌淋巴转移的关系及意义

目的探讨胃癌组织血管内皮生长因子C(VEGF-C)表达和微淋巴管密度(MLVD)及两者与胃癌淋巴转移的关系。方法应用免疫组织化学方法检测208例人胃癌组织、40例癌浸润前缘组织及139例人胃正常粘膜组织中VEGF-C、D2-40的表达,对D2-40阳性脉管进行MLVD计数,并结合病理资料进行统计学分析。结果胃癌组织VEGF-C的表达明显高于正常胃粘膜组织(χ2=109.199,P<0.01);胃癌组织中有淋巴结转移(χ2=14.496,P<0.01)或浸润透浆膜(χ2=11.586,P<0.01)组VEGF-C表达水平分别较无转移或浸润未及浆膜组增高。癌浸润前缘组织中MLVD(18.36±15.60个/mm2)明显高于胃癌组(9.41±9.32个/mm2,t=-3.681,P<0.01)和胃正常粘膜组织(7.70±7.69个/mm2,t=-4.180,P<0.01);胃癌淋巴结转移组MLVD(9.81±9.97个/mm2)高于无转移组(6.41±7.85个/mm2,t=2.516,P<0.01),而在浸润透浆膜组(11.20±10.55个/mm2)和未及浆膜组(8.54±9.36个/mm2)MLVD无差别(t=1.467,P=0.472)。另外,在胃癌组织中VEGF-C表达与MLVD呈正相关(F=2.910,P<0.05)。结论VEGF-C在胃癌中的高表达与胃癌浸润深度、淋巴转移密切相关。