Biomarkers of periodontal inflammation in the Australian adult population

Background:  Several inflammatory biomarkers are implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontitis including interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and C-reactive protein (CRP). This study investigated the presence of these factors in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and their relationship to clinical and social determinants of periodontitis in the Australian population.
Methods:  Equal numbers of periodontitis cases and non-cases were sampled during oral epidemiologic examination in the National Survey of Adult Oral Health. GCF was sampled from four sites where probing pocket depth (PPD) and recession were recorded. From these, IL-1β and CRP were quantified by ELISA and the log amount of GCF IL-1β (pg) per person and the proportion of adults with detectable CRP was computed.
Results:  Periodontitis cases (n = 511) had significantly higher levels of IL-1β and CRP than non-cases (n = 562). PPD, clinical attachment loss, plaque and gingivitis indices were positively associated with elevated levels of both biomarkers. Levels of both were positively associated with age, low socio-economic position and non-Australian birth.
Conclusions:  The presence of IL-1β and CRP in GCF are associated with periodontal disease parameters within the Australian population. The levels of both biomarkers are influenced by age, education and eligibility for public dental care.     

雷米普利和氯沙坦对动脉粥样硬化早期形成的影响

目的 :研究雷米普利和氯沙坦对动脉粥样硬化 (atherosclerosis,AS)早期形成的影响。方法 :将 4 4只金黄地鼠随机分为 5组 ,分别给常规饲料 (对照组 )、高脂饲料 (含 10 %椰子油和 0 .0 5 %胆固醇 )、高脂饲料加雷米普利 (2mg·kg 1)、高脂饲料加氯沙坦 (10mg·kg 1)和高脂饲料加雷米普利 (2mg·kg 1)与氯沙坦 (10mg·kg 1)处理12周 ,测定血压、血脂、AS斑块面积和肝组织中胆固醇含量的变化。结果 :数据表明雷米普利和氯沙坦不论是单独应用还是联合应用均能有效降低平均动脉压 (P <0 .0 0 1)和肝组织中胆固醇的含量 ,雷米普利能显著降低血浆中甘油三酯的水平 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,结果还显示雷米普利与氯沙坦联合应用能提升血浆中高密度脂蛋白 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,各药物处理组的AS斑块面积有不同程度降低但无统计学意义。结论 :雷米普利与氯沙坦具有一定的抑制AS形成作用 ,其机制可能与降低血压和改变脂代谢有关。     

Pediatric patients with achondroplasia: CT evaluation of the craniocervical junction

Twenty-six patients (4 months to 6 years old) with achondroplasia complicated by sleep apnea and/or other neurologic manifestations underwent plain computed tomography (CT) of the craniocervical junction; six also underwent CT myelography. For objectification, multiplanar reconstruction was used to complement axial plane measurements by providing coronal and sagittal measurements; multiplanar reconstruction also improved perception of the longitudinal relationships between the brain stem and subarachnoid space. A narrow subarachnoid space was found in all 26 patients; marked cord compression was present in nine, six of whom underwent CT myelography. These six had marked focal obliteration of the subarachnoid space on both plain CT and CT myelography. Since the subarachnoid space immediately above and below the craniocervical junction is normally capacious, when marked constriction was present, no additional information could have been gained from CT myelography. Thus, plain CT was shown to be sufficient for surgical planning (suboccipital decompression) in nine patients with cord compression due to achondroplasia.     

Barium filling for glucagon-resistant spasm on double-contrast barium enema examinations

Severe glucagon-resistant spasm on double-contrast barium enema (DCE) examinations may occasionally lead to a nondiagnostic examination or erroneously suggest colonic disease. In such cases, this glucagon-resistant spasm may be overcome by refilling the colon with single-contrast barium immediately after completion of the DCE examination.     

Effacement of the fetal cisterna magna in association with myelomeningocele

The cisterna magna is effaced in association with myelomeningocele. The authors retrospectively investigated the size of the fetal cisterna magna as a predictor of fetal myelomeningocele in 67 pregnant women (17-38 menstrual weeks) referred for prenatal sonography because of an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein level (n = 61) or a suspicion of fetal ventriculomegaly on previously obtained sonograms (n = 6). Twenty fetuses had myelomeningocele, 14 had isolated ventriculomegaly, and 33 were normal. A normal-sized cisterna magna (range, 4-9 mm in depth) was present in all normal fetuses. In 19 of 20 fetuses with myelomeningocele, the views of the posterior fossa were adequate, and in each of these the cisterna magna was effaced (n = 18) or very small (n = 1). The cisterna magna was effaced in five of 13 (38%) fetuses with isolated ventriculomegaly in whom the posterior fossa was adequately imaged. Although effacement of the cisterna magna is a nonspecific finding, the high negative predictive value of this sign is useful during routine screening of the fetal neural axis.