Architecture of connective tissue regenerated by enamel matrix derivative around hydroxyapatite implanted into tooth extraction sockets in the rat maxilla

We investigated the architecture of periodontal ligament regenerated by an enamel matrix derivative (EMD, Emdogain®) coating on the surface of hydroxy     

Comparison of surgical outcome using the prediction scoring system of E-PASS for thoracic surgery

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine if our predictive scoring system, E-PASS, can estimate the surgical outcome.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter cohort study for 3 years in four national hospitals. A consecutive series of 731 patients who underwent elective thoracic operations were analyzed. The preoperative risk score (PRS) and the comprehensive risk score (CRS) of the E-PASS were determined preoperatively and immediately after the operation, respectively. The cost of the surgical admission and the severity of the postoperative complications were recorded at the time of discharge.

Results

The CRS significantly correlated with the severity of the postoperative complications (r_s = 0.728, P < 0.0001) and the charge (r_s = 0.530, P < 0.0001). When the estimated/real morbidity ratio (MR) among the hospitals was compared, it varied from 0.16 to 0.59. A significant increase in the cost was observed according to the CRS.

Conclusion

The E-PASS scoring system may be useful for standardizing the patient population and surgical severity to compare the surgical outcome.     

Effects of Interleukin-6 and Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor on the Proliferation of Leukemic Blast Progenitors from Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Patients

The effects of recombinant human interleukin-6 (rh IL-6), which has homology with rh granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rh G-CSF) at the amino acid sequence level, and rh G-CSF on normal human bone marrow cells, fresh leukemic blast progenitors from 16 acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) patients, and G-CSF-dependent human AML cell line (OCI/AML 1a) were investigated. rh G-CSF stimulated the proliferation of leukemic blast progenitors from 13 out of 16 AML patients tested. rh IL-6 stimulated the proliferation of blasts from eight AML patients and enhanced the G-CSF-dependent proliferation of the fresh AML blasts from two out of eight patients tested. On the other hand, rh IL-6 suppressed the blast colony formation from two AML patients and OCI/AML 1a cells and also reduced the G-CSF-dependent proliferation of the blast progenitors from one of the two patients and the cell line. rh IL-6 had no effect on the colony formation of normal granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) with or without rh G-CSF. Differentiation-induction by rh IL-6 was not observed in the fresh AML blasts but was observed in OCI/AML 1a. The effect of IL-6 on the blast colony formation and G-CSF-dependent blast cell growth was complicated and heterogenous among the AML cases; IL-6 stimulated blast colony formation in some cases and suppressed it in others. The heterogeneity of the response was supposed to be derived from the heterogeneity of the characteristics of AML cells. Although G-CSF simply stimulated the blast colony formation, IL-6 had a bimodulatory effect on the proliferation of leukemic blast progenitors from AML patients. IL-6 might be involved in the regulation of the proliferation of AML cells in vivo as well as in vitro.     

Randomized control study of high-dose metoclopramide in the prevention of CDDP-induced emesis

The effect of high-dose metoclopramide (2 mg/kg, 4 times every 2 hours) on the emesis of patients treated with CDDP (80 mg/m2) was examined by randomized control trial. The above metoclopramide regimen significantly suppressed the frequency of vomiting on the day of CDDP administration. The duration of nausea and anorexia after CDDP treatment was also shortened by high-dose metoclopramide administration.     

Ultrastructure of multinucleated giant myeloma cells: report of one case

The ultrastructure of multinucleated giant myeloma cells obtained from an IgA kappa myeloma patient was investigated. The characteristic findings were marked nucleocytoplasmic asynchrony, irregular nuclear indentation, branched mitochondria, and Golgi apparatus surrounded by nuclei. The patient died of renal failure only 6 months after diagnosis.