Application of the Periodontal Treatment Need System (PTNS) in a group of young Israeli adults

The Periodontal Treatment Need System (PTNS) was applied to a group of young Israeli adults, 18-25 years of age, to test the system in the field. A total of 830 persons were examined. Their periodontal treatment needs were assessed. One of the aspects investigated was that of treatment needs according to distribution by sex. Only 2.7% of young adults studied were free of plaque, calculus and gingival inflammation. All the rest (97.3%) needed some kind of periodontal treatment. The time required for treatment needed was also calculated. It was found that on the average 2.4 h per person would be required to deliver the periodontal treatment needs of the group. A close association between sex and PTNS was established in this study.     

Red blood cell function and beta 2 microglobulin kinetics during cuprophan hemodialysis: a hypothesis

The exact role of beta 2microglobulin (beta 2m) in dialysis amyloidosis is yet not known. Local release of beta 2m from the endothelial cells of the lung and other tissues as a consequence of acute-phase activation due to the contact of blood with membranes has still to be considered a possible pathogenetic factor in this syndrome. beta 2m kinetics and decrease of glutathione content in RBC were studied in 41 chronic hemodialysis patients during cuprophan dialysis. The latter test reflects the RBC scavenger function for free oxygen radicals. Only 30% of patients showed a clinically significant increase in beta 2m. The change in beta 2m in this group between the start and 180 minutes, corrected for plasma volume, was 23.1 +/- 3.6% and the change in gluthathione content between the start and 15 minutes was 4.5 +/- 3.4%. In these patients there was a significant correlation between beta 2m production and decrease of gluthathione (R = -0.61, p = 0.0299). It is possible that the production of free oxygen radicals during bioincompatible dialysis leads to cellular toxicity with release of beta 2m which may be prevented to some extent by the scavenger role of RBC.     

Die Gesundheitsreform 2004 im vorparlamentarischen Beratungsverfahren zwischen Bund und Ländern*

Ohne Zusammenfassung*) Vortrag vor der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kassenarztrecht e. V. in Berlin am 13. 11. 2003.     

Repetitive supraventricular tachycardia. Case report and electrophysiologic bases

A typical case of repetitive supraventricular tachycardia is reported. Periods of normal heart rate are interrupted by short bursts of supraventricular tachycardia. In the case described this phenomenon can be explained by coexistence of reentry and an automatic rhythm from a subsidiary pacemaker. This pacemaker was found to be in the bundle of His; its automaticity showed a rate somewhat faster than that of the sinus node. Careful analysis of the surface electrocardiograms allowed a definition of the electrophysiologic events starting a run of tachycardia. The circus movement entertaining the tachycardia itself was found to result from AV nodal reentry.     

Quantitative evaluation of the influence of dequalinium acetate and sodium hypochlorite on human dentition

The effect of 5 percent DA, 2.5 percent and 5.5 percent sodium hypochlorite, and saline on the solubility of organic matrix of the dentin was studied on extracted human teeth. The results showed that sodium hypochlorite dissolved collagen from the canal walls, while DA did not dissolve any collagen into the media. It is concluded that the root-canal-cleansing effect of DA is achieved by another mechanism, most likely by surface activity.     

Zytochemischer Polymorphismus der sauren Phosphatase bei Haarzell-Leukämie

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe zytochemischer Untersuchungen kann bei der Haarzell-Leukämie ein Polymorphismus der sauren Phosphatase (SP) nachgewiesen werden. In einem von vier untersuchten Fällen fehlt jegliche SP in den Haarzellen, bei zweien ist nur tartratsensible SP nachweisbar, im vierten tartratresistente SP in hoher Aktivität. Nach unseren Erfahrungen spricht das Fehlen tartratresistenter SP nicht gegen die Diagnose Haarzell-Leukämie.

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Summary In four cases of hairy cell leukemia a cytochemical polymorphism concerning acid phosphatase (AP) is evident. Any AP is lacking in all hairy cells of one case; only tartrate inhibitable AP is occurring in two cases; in another case tartrate resistant AP is found in high activity. Thus, the lack of tartrate resistant AP seems not to be an argument against hairy cell leukemia.