Levels of gingival tissue platelet activating factor after conventional and regenerative periodontal surgery

The hypothesis, a relationship between gingival tissue platelet activating factor (PAF) levels and healing after periodontal surgery, was tested by measuring PAF levels in gingival tissues collected from sites that had undergone flap surgery and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) or flap surgery alone. Using a split-mouth design, 20 intrabony defects were randomly assigned to treatment with flap surgery and GTR (group 1) or with flap surgery alone (group 2). Gingival tissue samples were obtained at surgery (baseline) and at 6-month follow-up evaluation visit. One half of each sample was used for analysis of PAF levels by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the other half of the sample was used for histomorphometric analysis that included measurements of number and diameter of blood vessels. PAF levels and diameter of blood vessels were significantly decreased (p < 0.01), and the number of blood vessels was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in both groups after 6 months compared to the baseline values. Postoperative number of blood vessels were significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in postoperative PAF levels between the two groups (p > 0.05). Based on the reported results, it is suggested that a decrease in gingival PAF levels might be found after conventional and regenerative periodontal surgery.     

Effects of intrathecal administration of FK506 after sciatic nerve crush injury

Although various administration routes of FK506 have been published, intrathecal administration of FK506 has not previously been reported in the literature. A daily dose of 0.05 mg/kg of FK506 was given (a small dose compared with those reported in the available literature). The authors used this small dose to obtain lower immunosuppression and neurotoxicity, and a higher axonal regeneration rate. A total number of 40 female Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into four groups: control, sham, FK506-treated, and vehicle-treated. Sciatic nerve regeneration was evaluated by walking track analysis, an electrostimulation test, and light microscopic evaluation. There was a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.05) between FK506-treated and vehicle-treated groups at the end of 6 weeks according to both the walking track analysis and the electrostimulation test. Comparing the stimulus thresholds of the sham and FK506-treated group, no significant difference ( P > 0.05) was observed. Evaluation of the data revealed that FK506 had a beneficial effect on sciatic nerve regeneration.     

Posterior sling (infracoccygeal sacropexy): an alternative procedure for vaginal vault prolapse

This study of 30 patients evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the posterior sling (infracoccygeal sacropexy) in the surgical treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. The patients were reevaluated 3 months, 6 months and yearly postoperatively. Coexisting preoperative symptoms of pelvic pain, urgency, nocturia and 'obstructed' micturition feeling were followed-up. There was remarkable improvement in vault prolapse and in coexisting symptoms.     

Secondary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis after unrelated cord blood hematopoietic cell transplantation

PAP is a rare alveolointerstitial lung disorder characterized histologically by the intra-alveolar accumulation of eosinophilic and PAS-positive material. We observed two cases of PAP after unrelated CB hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation in children with ALL. No antagonist activity toward GM-CSF was identified in the patient tested. The putative multifactorial PAP etiology is discussed. This potentially curable condition should be considered in a CB allograft recipient with alveolointerstial lung disorder.