Oral adverse reactions due to cinnamon‐flavoured chewing gums consumption

Cinnamon‐flavoured products (toothpaste, chewing gum, food, candy and mouthwash) can cause oral adverse reactions; among these, the most common is contact stomatitis (cinnamon contact stomatitis, CCS). Signs and symptoms of contact allergic reactions affecting the oral mucosa can mimic other common oral disorders, making diagnosis difficult. As CCS may be more prevalent than believed and its clinical features can frequently determine misdiagnosis, we reviewed case reports and case series of oral adverse reactions due to cinnamon‐containing chewing gums, emphasizing clinical aspects, diagnostic and management procedures. We also proposed an algorithm to perform a diagnosis of CCS as in the previous published literature the diagnostic approach was not based on a harmonized and shared evidence‐based procedure. Moreover, as patients can refer to different specialists as dentists, dermatologists and allergists, a multidisciplinary approach is suggested.     

Fungal infections associated with HIV infection

Oral candidiasis is perhaps the commonest infection seen in HIV disease. The aim of this workshop was to provide a sketch of the multifarious aspects of the disease from a global perspective. To this end the panellists addressed issues such as the virulence of Candida , emergence of antifungal resistance, management of candidiasis and other exotic, oral mycotic diseases. An all-pervasive theme was the dramatic differences in the management of fungal infections consequential to the availability (or the lack) of anti-HIV drugs in the developed and the developing world. Further, the social stigmata associated with the HIV disease in many developing regions in Africa and Asia appears to modify the therapeutic strategies. Additionally, the lesser-known regional variations in the disease manifestations and therapeutic approaches were stark. Further work is direly needed to address these issues.     

Cell invasion,motility, and proliferation level estimate (CIMPLE) maps derived from serial diffusion MR images in recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab

Microscopic invasion of tumor cells and undetected tumor proliferation is the primary reason for a dismal prognosis in glioblastoma patients. Identification and quantification of spatially localized brain regions undergoing high rates of cell migration and proliferation is critical for improving patient survival; however, there are currently no non-invasive imaging biomarkers for estimating proliferation and migration rates of human gliomas in vivo. To accomplish this, we developed CIMPLE (cell invasion, motility, and proliferation level estimates) image maps using serial diffusion MRI scans and a solution to a glioma growth model equation. CIMPLE represent a novel method of quantifying the level of aggressive malignant behavior. In the current pilot study, we demonstrate the utility of CIMPLE maps to predict progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in 26 recurrent glioblastoma patients treated with bevacizumab from our Neuro-Oncology database. Voxel-wise estimates of cell proliferation rate predicted spatial regions of contrast enhancement in 35% of patients. A linear correlation was found between the mean proliferation rate and progression-free survival (PFS; P < 0.0001) as well as overall survival (OS; P = 0.0093). Similarly, the mean proliferation rate was able to stratify patients with early and late PFS as well as OS.     

Assessing the significance of chromosomal aberrations in cancer: methodology and application to glioma

Comprehensive knowledge of the genomic alterations that underlie cancer is a critical foundation for diagnostics, prognostics, and targeted therapeutics. Systematic efforts to analyze cancer genomes are underway, but the analysis is hampered by the lack of a statistical framework to distinguish meaningful events from random background aberrations. Here we describe a systematic method, called Genomic Identification of Significant Targets in Cancer (GISTIC), designed for analyzing chromosomal aberrations in cancer. We use it to study chromosomal aberrations in 141 gliomas and compare the results with two prior studies. Traditional methods highlight hundreds of altered regions with little concordance between studies. The new approach reveals a highly concordant picture involving approximately 35 significant events, including 16-18 broad events near chromosome-arm size and 16-21 focal events. Approximately half of these events correspond to known cancer-related genes, only some of which have been previously tied to glioma. We also show that superimposed broad and focal events may have different biological consequences. Specifically, gliomas with broad amplification of chromosome 7 have properties different from those with overlapping focalEGFR amplification: the broad events act in part through effects on MET and its ligand HGF and correlate with MET dependence in vitro. Our results support the feasibility and utility of systematic characterization of the cancer genome.     

Confirmation that Child Behavior Checklist clinical scales discriminate juvenile mania from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether boys meeting diagnostic criteria for juvenile mania and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (mania-ADHD) may be distinguished from boys with ADHD alone on a range of clinical and family variables. METHODOLOGY: Boys aged 9-13 years with mania-ADHD (n = 25), ADHD alone (n = 99), or no psychiatric diagnosis (n = 27) were compared on parent and teacher report Child Behavior Checklists (CBCL) and Conners Questionnaires, self-report CBCLs, patterns of comorbidity, intellectual functioning, and family variables. RESULTS: Mania-ADHD subjects had significantly higher mean ratings than ADHD only subjects on the parent CBCL for the Withdrawn, Thought Problems, Delinquent Behavior and Aggressive Behavior scales and significantly higher rates of comorbid depression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms. Other variables did not distinguish the mania-ADHD and ADHD only groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm previous research indicating that the CBCL may be used to assist in the clinical identification of manic children.     

The in vitro effects of Newcastle disease virus on the metabolic and antibacterial functions of human neutrophils

Live Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was used to investigate the in vitro effects of a viral infection on phagocytosis, chemiluminescence generation, superoxide production, oxygen consumption, NADPH-oxidase activity, and intracellular killing of bacteria by Ficoll-Hypaque separated human neutrophils. Phagocytosis of oil red O particles by NDV- treated PMN was inhibited by 50%. Chemiluminescence by PMN was inhibited 79% after zymosan stimulation and 86% after tetradeconyl phorbol acetate stimulation. Superoxide generation was inhibited by 68%. Oxygen consumption was inhibited in the presence of NDV by 37% after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate, while membrane- associated NADPH-enzyme activity was decreased by 19%. The percent of surviving intracellular S. aureus was significantly elevated in NDV- treated PMN after 60 and 120 min of incubation. Purified bacterial neuraminidase markedly suppressed chemiluminescence, while neuraminic acid blocked the effects of the virus. These observations suggest that infections with myxoviruses may suppress a number of vital neutrophil functions. It appears that the effects may be partly mediated by the interaction of viral neuraminidase with the external neutrophil membrane.