Decreased survival in patients with co-existent rheumatoid arthritis and bronchiectasis

The aim was to compare the 5 yr survival in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) alone, bronchiectasis (Br) alone and RA plus Br (RA-Br). A case-control study was carried out in which 32 patients with RA-Br were matched for age (within 5 yr), sex and (where possible) disease duration with 32 patients with RA alone. An additional comparison group of 31 unselected patients with Br was chosen. All patients were followed for 5 yr. Patients with RA-Br were 7.3 times more likely to die than the general population, 5.0 times more likely than the RA group and 2.4 times more likely than the Br group. An increased risk of death within the RA-Br group was associated with a history of smoking, more severe RA and steroid usage. The co-existence of RA and Br is associated with a poor 5 yr survival.      

Comparison of strength and failure mode of seven implant systems: An in vitro test

Statement of problem. The mechanical weakness of implant systems is a problem in the clinical situation.Purpose. This study experimentally evaluated how joint design influences the strength and failure mode of dental implant systems.Material and methods. The strength tests focused on the systems as a whole. Seven implant systems with different joint design were evaluated.Results. Strength and failure mode varied significantly between the implant systems and deep joints, in contrast to shallow joints, favored resistance to bending moments. The mean failure force ranged between 138 to 693 Newtons for the various implant systems.Conclusion. In construction of implant systems, joint depth should be taken into consideration. (J Prosthet Dent 1997;78:582-91.)     

Quantitative cell-cycle progression analysis of the first three successive cell cycles of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and/or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-stimulated human CD34+ bone marrow cells in relation to their colony formation

The bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-Hoechst flow cytometric technique was applied to study the immediate cell kinetic response of highly purified human (h) bone marrow progenitor cells (CD(34+)-sorted fraction) to h granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and/or h granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The technique permits us to differentiate cycling from noncycling cells and to make a quantitative assessment of cell cycles after stimulation. Semisolid agar and single-cell liquid cultures were also performed to compare these initial events to the effects observed after 14 days of culture. The combination of G-CSF plus GM-CSF, acting synergistically in day 14 cultures, was found to have a subadditive effect in the first cell cycles, thereby indicating partial overlap of the different target cells. However, this combination accelerated transit through the cell cycle, as could be seen from the higher number of cells in the third cell cycle after 72 hours of stimulation. We conclude that, apart from the unresponsive cells, the CD34+ compartment consists of cells responsive to both G-CSF and GM-CSF, and cells responsive to either one of the CSFs alone, and that the combination of the two CSFs speeds up the cell cycle traverse rate for a significant fraction of the target cells that are initially responsive for both G-CSF and GM-CSF. The latter supports the hypothesis of an overlapping signalling pathway of G-CSF and GM-CSF.     

Fatty change in the brain in perinatal and unexpected death

The presence of fat-laden cells in the cerebrospinal fluid is usually associated with a fatty change found particularly in the area of the tapetum in the postnatal infant. In a series of 307 child deaths the presence of fatty change in this area of the brain was age-related, decreased with age, and was rarely present over the age of 4 years. It was particularly common in stillborns and in children dying with respiratory distress, but was rare in children dying from acute surgical conditions or from acute infections. It was found in one-half of a series of 41 infants found unexpectedly dead and in whom no adequate cause of death was found. The most likely cause of this fatty change is thought to be chronic hypoxia.