Relationship between pocket reduction and plaque control in initial treatment

It has been suggested that plaque control is important in periodontal treatment. This study used O'Leary's plaque control record (PCR) to investigate the influence of plaque control in initial treatment. Thirty patients (18 men and 12 women, mean age 46.7 years) were selected for this study. The results were as follows: The mean pocket depth was reduced from 3.19 mm (at the first examination) to 2.11 mm (at re-evaluation). Mean pocket depth of 3 mm or more at the first examination was reduced from 4.09 mm to 2.43 mm. The mean number of times plaque control instruction was given to reduce the PCR 10% or less was 3.8. The quantity of pocket reduction was significantly greater in the group that underwent instructions to reduce the PCR 10% or less 4 times or less compared with the group that underwent instructions 5 times or more. The group whose mean PCR was 10% or less from the time 10% or less at the first time to re-evaluation, had significantly greater pocket reduction than the group with 20% or more. There was no correlation between pocket reduction and PCR at the first examination and bone loss scores obtained from X-ray films.     

T cells accumulating in the inflamed joints of a spontaneous murine model of rheumatoid arthritis become restricted to common clonotypes during disease progression

Although a number of studies have revealed that T cells expand clonally in the joints of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the kinetics of T cell clonality in multiple joints of an individual throughout progression of the disease is not known. By employing a TCR beta chain gene-specific RT-PCR and subsequent single-strand conformation polymorphism, which enables us to monitor T cell clonality, we analyzed transgenic mice (Tg) carrying the human T cell leukemia virus type I env-pX region. These mice spontaneously develop destructive progressive arthritis similar to RA as they age. In the early stage, the majority of accumulating T cell clones differed in each of four affected feet analyzed. However, in the advanced stage, many of the clones were common to all four feet. The total number of distinct clones gradually decreased as the disease progressed. When splenocytes from arthritic elder Tg were adoptively transferred into either nude mice or young Tg, the clones common to all four feet of the donor were detected again in four feet of the recipients. These findings suggest that, as arthritis progresses, the T cell clones accumulating in the arthritic joints are gradually restricted to certain common clonotypes, some of which are arthrotropic.     

Sensitivity of femoral orientation estimates to condylar surface and MR image plane location

PURPOSE: To define the femoral anatomic region that provides the most reliable reference for measuring femoral orientation, from which patellofemoral and tibiofemoral orientation can be measured. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After a three-dimensional image-based osteo-alignment procedure, two independent estimates of distal femoral orientation, the anterior (AFA) and posterior femoral angles (PFA), were acquired. These sets were comprised of 31 axial femoral orientation estimates each (obtained across a region 10 mm above to 20 mm below the patellar center) from 42 normal axial magnetic resonance (MR) image sets. An analysis of variance was conducted to determine the influence of image plane location, sex, and side on femoral orientation measures. RESULTS: The AFA presented greater variability across subjects (average SD = 3.13 degrees) as compared to the PFA (average SD = 1.78 degrees ). There were significant differences in the AFA based on image plane location and sex. In contrast, no differences were found between sides, sexes, or image plane locations for the PFA. CONCLUSION: In total, the posterior femoral condylar surface is more reliable than the anterior condylar surface for measuring femoral orientation and is best measured at least 8 mm below the patellar center.     

Transient inhibition of cyp3a in rats by star fruit juice.

Star fruit juice is a potent in vitro inhibitor of CYP3A; however, few reports are available on the inhibition of CYP3A activities by star fruit juice in vivo. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the CYP3A-mediated star fruit-drug interaction in vivo. The effect of star fruit juice on carbamazepine pharmacokinetics was examined in rats. In comparison with water, the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of carbamazepine was approximately 1.3-fold greater when star fruit juice (2 ml) was orally administered 1 h before the oral administration of carbamazepine (50 mg/kg). In contrast, the elimination half-life of carbamazepine and the AUC ratio of carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide to carbamazepine were not altered by the administration of star fruit juice. These results suggest that star fruit juice impairs the function of enteric CYP3A, but not of hepatic CYP3A. In addition, we evaluated the time course of recovery of CYP3A activity that was reduced after the treatment with star fruit juice. The inhibition by star fruit juice was recovered within approximately 24 h. These data suggest that the effect of star fruit juice is mainly reversible and transient. Thus, we discovered that star fruit juice alters the carbamazepine pharmacokinetics in rats.     

Helicobacter pylori-negative / API2-MALT1 translocation-negative low-grade MALT lymphoma

A 71-year-old man with a Helicobacter pylori infection-negative and API2-MALT1 translocation-negative extranodal marginal-zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type of the stomach has been followed conservatively for over 5 years. The lesion has shown no major morphological changes or malignant progression into a diffuse large-cell type during the time course. The absence of genetic translocation of API2-MALT1 was confirmed with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The prognosis of H. pylori-negative and API2-MALT1 translocation-negative low-grade MALT lymphoma is unknown, and a standard treatment for such lymphoma has yet to be defined. The case of MALT lymphoma negative for both of the above factors that we report has shown no obvious rapid progression or malignant change over the long-term course. Although curative operation and/or chemoradiotherapy should still be discussed as the treatment of choice, the treatment of this type of lymphoma must be carefully determined on a case-by-case basis, according to its biological status and prognosis.     

Differences in humoral immunity between a non-rejection group and a rejection group after ABO-incompatible renal transplantation

BACKGROUND: Renal transplantation across the blood barrier is a unique model for investigating the humoral response to different carbohydrate antigens. However, in such a renal transplantation, the characteristics of B cells as well as of the antibodies produced by B cells are less well defined. METHODS: In the present study we investigated B cell subsets (i.e., the CD5(+) B-1 and CD5- B-2 subsets) by flow cytometric analysis, and their subclasses of antibody, by ELISA, in patients who had undergone renal transplantation across the blood barrier. The subjects consisted of five recipients with good function (group 1) and five recipients with graft loss (group 2) accompanied by antibody-titer elevation after ABO-incompatible renal transplantation. RESULTS: The B-cell population analysis revealed that CD5(+) B-1 cells temporarily increased in all patients in both groups soon after transplantation, and that CD5- B-2 cells significantly increased 1 month after transplantation only in group 2. The antibody subclasses analysis showed mild elevation of immunoglobulin (Ig) G2 and IgM in group 1 as opposed to remarked elevation of IgG2, IgM and IgG1 in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that CD5(+) B-1 cell T-independent activation usually occurs soon after ABO-incompatible renal transplantation, but that CD5- B-2 cell T-dependent activation occurs only in patients who experience graft rejection.