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.     

The content of biologically active substances in the margin of a stomach ulcer being treated with a copper-vapor laser]

A study was made of the effect of laser therapy on the content of she biologically active substances serotonin, histamine, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha as well as on the adenylate cyclase system--adenylate cyclase activity and cGMP content. Direct exposure to laser produced an appreciable increase of the content of serotonin and histamine, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha, cAMP and of adenylate cyclase activity. On the healing of ulcerous defect after 5-6 sessions of laser therapy a decrease of the content of serotonin, a rise of histamine, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, cAMP accumulation and adenylate cyclase activation were recorded.     

Thermodynamics of Linear Poly(pentamethylene urethane) and Poly(hexamethylene urethane) in the Range from 0 to 450 K

Summary: The thermodynamic properties – the temperature dependence of heat capacity and the temperatures and enthalpies of physical transitions – of poly(pentamethylene urethane) and poly(hexamethylene urethane) have been studied over the range 6 to 450 K by precision adiabatic vacuum and dynamic calorimetry. Their energies of combustion, Δ_cU, have been measured in a calorimeter with a static bomb and an isothermal shield. The calorimetric data were used to determine the temperature dependences of the heat capacity = f(T) for poly(pentamethylene urethane) and poly(hexamethylene urethane) in crystalline and amorphous states, to calculate the thermodynamic parameters of the glass transition and the glassy state, the thermodynamic quantities of fusion and the thermodynamic functions (T), H⁰(T) ? H⁰(0), S⁰(T) ? S⁰(0) and G⁰(T) ? H⁰(0) of the polymers for the temperature range from 0 to 450 K. The enthalpy of combustion Δ_cH⁰ and the standard thermodynamic characteristics of formation, namely, the enthalpy, Δ_fH⁰, entropy, Δ_fS⁰ and Gibbs function, Δ_fG⁰, of the substances under discussion were estimated at T = 298.15 K. The regions of thermal resistance for the tested compounds were determined calorimetrically.

Temperature dependence of of poly(pentamethylene urethane)(A) and poly(hexamethylene urethane)(A′).     

Targeted gene disruption of murine CD7

CD7 is a 40 kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein member of the Ig superfamily. CD7 is a marker of mature human T cells and NK cells, and is expressed early in their development. Cross-linking CD7 positively modulates T cell and NK cell activity as measured by calcium fluxes, expression of adhesion molecules, cytokine secretion and proliferation. CD7 associates directly with phosphoinositol 3'-kinase, and CD7 ligation induces production of D-3 phosphoinositides and tyrosine phosphorylation. Severe combined immunodeficiency has been associated with a lack of lymphocyte surface CD7. The CD7 ligand is unknown. The murine CD7 homolog is encoded by a single gene on chromosome 11. In order to characterize the role of CD7 in lymphocyte development and function we have eliminated the CD7 gene by targeted disruption. CD7- deficient mice display normal histology of thymus and spleen, normal lymphocyte populations in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues, and normal serum Ig levels. Specific antibody responses after immunization with T-dependent and T-independent antigens are equivalent in wild-type and CD7 knockout mice. CD7-deficient lymphocytes respond normally to T cell mitogenic and allogeneic stimuli, and display normal NK cell cytotoxicity.      

Pneumothorax and other lung diseases: effect of altered resolution and edge enhancement on diagnosis with digitized radiographs

Prior studies have shown that pneumothorax is one of the more difficult entities to diagnose with digitized radiography. This study was designed to test whether increasing resolution from 1.25 to 2.5 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) and image processing (edge enhancement from unsharp masking) would increase accuracy and confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax, as well as normal cases and other forms of lung disease. Conventional radiographs were digitized with use of a laser reader and then reformatted as film hard copy. Eleven observers read 35 cases reformatted in three different ways (1.25 lp/mm, 2.5 lp/mm, 1.25 lp/mm unsharp mask). The images with finer resolution (2.5 lp/mm) and unsharp mask images were superior to those with coarser resolution (1.25 lp/mm) for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. There was no difference in diagnostic accuracy for normal patients. For abnormalities other than pneumothorax, the unsharp mask images were significantly worse. Confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax and other abnormalities was highest with the finest resolution (2.5 lp/mm).     

Esophageal strictures in children: treatment by serial balloon catheter dilatation

Grüntzig balloon catheters were used to dilate ten esophageal strictures in eight infants and children. Five infants who had anastomotic strictures following esophageal atresia repair gained complete resolution of their strictures, usually after one or two dilatations. Three older children who had strictures following esophageal re-operation or reconstruction required longer courses of dilatations to achieve consistent esophageal patency. The technique failed in two chronic strictures of two and one-half and nine years' duration. Balloon catheter dilatation, begun in the early postoperative period, is a safe, effective method for dilating esophageal strictures.