Population-based study of salivary carriage of periodontal pathogens in adults

Large, general population-based data on carriage rates of periodontal pathogens hardly exist in the current literature. The objectives of the present study were to examine the salivary detection of Aggregatibacter (formerly Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Treponema denticola in a representative sample of the adult population living in southern Finland and to clarify which determinants are associated with the presence of these pathogens in saliva. 16S rRNA-based PCR methods with species-specific primers were employed to determine the presence of the six target bacteria in stimulated saliva samples, which were available from 1,294 subjects aged > or =30 years. The age group, gender, level of education, marital status, smoking history, number of teeth, and number of teeth with deepened pockets were included in the statistical analysis. In general, the carriage of periodontal pathogens was common, since at least one of the examined pathogens was found in 88.2% of the subjects. In descending order, the total detection rates were 56.9%, 38.2%, 35.4%, 31.3%, 20.0%, and 13.9% for T. forsythensis, T. denticola, P. gingivalis, C. rectus, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and P. intermedia, respectively. Age per se was strongly associated with the carriage of P. gingivalis (P = 0.000), and the level of education with that of T. denticola (P = 0.000). There was an association between the number of teeth with deepened pockets and carriage of P. gingivalis (P = 0.000), P. intermedia (P = 0.000), T. denticola (P = 0.000), and A. actinomycetemcomitans (P = 0.004). The data suggest that distinct species have a different carriage profile, depending on variables such as age, educational level, and periodontal status.     

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in adenoid tissue: Double-blind,placebo-controlled,randomized clinical trial

Conclusion: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (L.GG) was present in all adenoids of children receiving the L. GG product. However, since L.GG was also found from the placebo group, one cannot confirm its effect on the occurrence of rhinovirus (RV) or enterovirus (EV). Objectives: The present study was conducted to determine whether a 3-week oral consumption of L.GG would lead to presence of the probiotic in adenoid tissue. Furthermore, nasopharyngeal RV and EV findings and symptom data were investigated. Method: The tissue samples were collected from 40 children aged 1–5 years about to undergo adenotomy due to recurrent acute/secretory otitis media, chronic rhinitis, or recurrent sinusitis after a 3-week daily consumption of L.GG (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20). Strain-specific real-time PCR was used to detect RV, EV, and L.GG in adenoid tissue. Results: L.GG was recovered in the adenoid sample in 100% of children in the L.GG group and in 76% in the placebo group (p = 0.07). Both RV and EV were found in 31% of children in the L.GG group and in 18% of children in the placebo group (p = 0.67). The majority of the positive samples were positive for both RV and EV. Study diaries showed no differences in symptoms between the groups.     

A familial frontotemporal dementia associated with C9orf72 repeat expansion and dysplastic gangliocytoma

A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 gene (C9orf72) was recently identified as the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here we describe the clinical, pathologic, and genetic features of a Finnish C9orf72 expansion carrier, who developed a dysplastic gangliocytoma (Lhermitte-Duclos disease), a rare hamartoma/overgrowth syndrome of cerebellar granule cells associated with mutations in the phosphatase and tensin homolog gene. In addition to the dysplastic gangliocytoma, the patient showed typical transactive response DNA-binding protein with M_r 43 kD (TDP-43) pathology mainly in the cortex and the substantia nigra and numerous p62-positive/TDP-43-negative inclusions in the cerebellar granule cells. His sister carried the same gene defect and showed a similar type of TDP-43/p62 pathology in her brain. Our findings confirm that the clinical and pathologic picture of C9orf72 mutation carriers is more heterogeneous than originally thought and warrants further studies on the possible involvement of phosphatase and tensin homolog gene pathway in the specific cerebellar granule cell pathology associated with C9orf72 expansion.     

Heterogeneity of executive functions among preschool children with psychiatric symptoms

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between internalizing and externalizing symptoms and deficits in executive functions (EF)...     

Disparities in Nutritional Adequacy of Diets between Different Socioeconomic Groups of Finnish Adults

Information on dietary adequacy is needed to assess food and nutrition security in a modern society, especially in the transition towards climate-friendly food systems. In this study, differences in the nutritional adequacy of diets among Finnish adults were evaluated in population groups of different education, income and urbanisation levels. The study used data from the FinDiet 2017 Survey (n = 1655, 18–74 years). Modelled usual intakes of foods and nutrients were evaluated relative to food-based dietary guidelines issued by the National Nutrition Council of Finland (FNNC) and with respect to nutrient adequacy following the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and FNNC. For about half of the nutrients studied, intakes were found to be adequate. Intakes of protein, fat, saturated fatty acids and salt were estimated to be high. By contrast, inadequate intakes were seen in folate and vitamins A, D, B1, B2 and C in almost all groups studied. Groups with a higher education and income, groups that lived in urban areas and, in particular, women adhered more closely to recommended food consumption and nutrient intakes than others. However, major challenges posed by the Finnish diet are common to all groups studied, and only certain dietary features evaluated in view of nutritional adequacy are associated with socioeconomic differences.     

Outcome of conditioning intensity in acute myeloid leukemia with monosomal karyotype in patients over 45 year‐old: A study from the acute leukemia working party (ALWP) of the European group of blood and marrow transplantation (EBMT)

Acute myeloid leukemia with monosomal karyotype (MK AML) carries a very poor prognosis, even after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). However, SCT remains the only curative option in this high‐risk population. Because myeloablative conditioning regimen (MAC) is associated with less relapse, we hypothesized that more intensive conditioning regimen might be beneficial for MK AML patients. We reviewed 303 patients over age 45 diagnosed with either de novo or secondary MK AML. One hundred and five patients received a MAC and 198 a reduced‐intensity conditioning (RIC). The median age at SCT was 57‐year‐old, significantly lower in the MAC (53‐year‐old) than in the RIC group (59‐year‐old). The median follow‐up was 42 months (range, 3 ? 156 months). The 3‐year overall survival (OS), leukemia‐free survival (LFS), and relapse rate (RR) were not significantly different between both groups with overall values of 34%, 29%, and 51%, respectively. On the contrary, the 3‐year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was significantly higher in MAC recipients (28%) compared with RIC patients (16%, P = 0.004). The incidence of Grades II to IV acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) was significantly higher after a MAC (30.5%) than after a RIC (19.3%, P = 0.02). That of chronic GvHD was comparable between both groups (35%) and did not impact on LFS. Interestingly, within our MK AML cohort, hypodiploidy was significantly associated with worse outcomes. Due to reduced toxicity and comparable OS, LFS, and RR, RIC appears as a good transplant option in the very high‐risk population, including older patients, diagnosed with MK AML. Am. J. Hematol. 90:719–724, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Expression of claudin‐11 by tumor cells in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is dependent on the activity of p38δ

The incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is rapidly increasing, and the prognosis of patients with metastatic disease is poor. There is an emerging need to identify molecular markers for predicting aggressive behaviour of cSCC. Here, we have examined the role of tight junction (TJ) components in the progression of cSCC. The expression pattern of mRNAs for TJ components was determined with RNA sequencing and oligonucleotide array‐based expression analysis from cSCC cell lines (n=8) and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK, n=5). The expression of CLDN11 was specifically elevated in primary cSCC cell lines (n=5), but low or absent in metastatic cSCC cell lines (n=3) and NHEKs. Claudin‐11 was detected in cell‐cell contacts of primary cSCC cells in culture by indirect immunofluorescence analysis. Analysis of a large panel of tissue samples from sporadic UV‐induced cSCC (n=65), cSCC in situ (n=56), actinic keratoses (n=31), seborrhoeic keratoses (n=7) and normal skin (n=16) by immunohistochemistry showed specific staining for claudin‐11 in intercellular junctions of keratinizing tumor cells in well and moderately differentiated cSCCs, whereas no staining for claudin‐11 was detected in poorly differentiated tumors. The expression of claudin‐11 in cSCC cells was dependent on the activity of p38δ MAPK and knock‐down of claudin‐11 enhanced cSCC cell invasion. These findings provide evidence for the role of claudin‐11 in regulation of cSCC invasion and suggest loss of claudin‐11 expression in tumor cells as a biomarker for advanced stage of cSCC.     

Occurrence of parent-reported food hypersensitivities and food allergies among children aged 1–4 yr

Food allergies (FAs) and hypersensitivities (FHSs) have rarely been studied in large unselected child populations. This population-based cross-sectional survey estimated the occurrence of FHS as perceived by parents and that of FA diagnosed by a physician among children aged 1–4 yr in south-eastern Finland. Before the scheduled annual follow-up visit to the local child health clinic, the parents of children who were born between 1 April, 2001 and 31 March, 2005, and living in the Province of South Karelia (data from Finnish Population Register) were mailed a questionnaire containing items on the child's background, physician-diagnosed FAs and FHSs perceived by the parents. The questionnaires were returned during the visit. Three thousand three hundred and eight (69%) out of the 4779 questionnaires were returned. The lifetime prevalence of physician-diagnosed FAs was 9%. In an additional 21%, FHSs were perceived by the parents only. In a further 19% at least one food item had been eliminated from the diet without any perception of symptoms, this proportion having a downward trend by age. Physician-diagnosed FAs were more common in boys than in girls. Cow's milk was the most commonly reported cause of food-associated symptoms (13% of all children). One-third of the children aged 1–4 yr suffered from food-associated symptoms, and in an additional fifth at least one food item had been eliminated from their diet, implying that every other child had possibly been subjected to some form of elimination diet.