COPD Assessment Test: A Simple Tool to Evaluate Disease Severity and Response to Treatment

The COPD assessment test (CAT) is a short questionnaire designed to assess the impairment in health status of COPD patients. We aimed to determine the change of the CAT in COPD patients after 1 year of treatment and test the association between the score and clinical and lung function variables. Methods A cohort of 111 newly diagnosed COPD patients in primary care was evaluated at baseline and one year after the implementation of the recommended treatment according to the Global Initiative for the management of COPD (GOLD). Results Most of the patients (82%) were diagnosed with mild to moderate airflow limitation (mean FEV₁ 72 ± 21.5% predicted) and the CAT score increased in proportion with the GOLD stage of severity. The CAT significantly correlated with the number of exacerbations, visits to general practitioners and days of hospitalization both at the beginning and at 1 year follow-up. A strong negative correlation between the CAT score and FEV₁ predicted was also observed. The CAT was responsive to the application of treatment with a significant improvement in the mean score (95% confidence interval) following 12 months of treatment by –2.4 (–2.9, –1.9) despite the small decline in lung function indices. The number of exacerbations in the preceding year and FEV₁ were independent predictors of the CAT score in the general linear model. Conclusion The CAT questionnaire may serve as a simple, measurable tool complementary to spirometry in the assessment of severity and of response to treatment in unselected COPD patients in primary care.     

Long-term effects of various cleaning methods on polypropylene/ethylene copolymer retainer material

Objectives:To evaluate long-term light transmittance, surface roughness, and flexural modulus of polypropylene/ethylene copolymer retainer material after exposure to different cleaning methods.Materials and Methods:Standardized polypropylene/ethylene copolymer retainer specimens (n = 70, 50.8 mm × 12.7 mm × 1.0 mm) were subjected to seven chemical cleaning solutions: Invisalign cleaning crystals, Retainer Brite, Polident, Listerine mouthwash, 2.5% acetic acid, 0.6% NaClO, and 3% H₂O₂ for 6 months. The specimens were exposed to the different solutions twice a week for 15 minutes or according to manufacturer''s instructions, then stored in artificial saliva at 37°C. Another group of specimens (n = 10) were brushed with a standardized toothbrushing machine for 2 minutes twice a week. At baseline and 6 months, light transmittance, surface roughness, and flexural modulus of the specimens were quantified using spectrophotometry, profilometry and three-point bend testing, respectively. Qualitative analysis was performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistical analyses were performed at a significance level of .05.Results:The results showed that light transmittance decreased significantly from baseline for all cleaning methods at 6 months. For an individual method, no significant differences were observed between specimens at baseline and 6 months in surface roughness and flexural modulus. No discernible differences in surface features were observed on SEM images.Conclusions:The results indicate that different cleaning methods affect the long-term light transmittance of the studied polypropylene/ethylene copolymer retainer material. However, for an individual cleaning method, no significant differences were shown for surface roughness or flexural modulus values at 6-months compared to baseline.     

Fibrinous tumor of the pleura: an orphan disease lost in translation

Fibrous dysplasia is an uncommon, benign disorder also known as fibrous mesothelioma. The cause of fibrous dysplasia is unknown. They represent 5% of all pleura neoplasms and in 80% of all cases arise from the visceral pleura. The epidemiology of the disease is reported equal between males and females around the age of 50. Fibrous dysplasia is usually asymptomatic, although several disease symptoms have been reported as hypoglycemia, pain and swelling may accompany the lesion, in advanced disease. Chemotherapy has not presented disease control; nevertheless, radiotherapy is efficient and indicated in residual disease. The disease progress is usually benign; however several disease manifestations have been reported. There are several molecular pathways, which are possible activated during the disease progress and therefore the disease expression changes throughout its course.KEY WORDS : Fibrinous tumor, molecular pathways, fibrous mesothelioma     

"Reappearance" of Helicobacter pylori after eradication: implications on duodenal ulcer recurrence: a prospective 6 year study.

We estimated the rate of Helicobacter pylori "reappearance" and of duodenal ulcer relapse up to 6 years after eradication of H. pylori. Of 220 patients in whom H. pylori was eradicated, 165 were eligible at 12 months to follow-up. Endoscopy was scheduled every 12 months or whenever symptoms appeared. Baseline H. pylori eradication was confirmed by CLO test, histology (hematoxylin-eosin and Giemsa stain), and culture. H. pylori was tested for by the three methods at 12 months and subsequently by 2 methods (CLO, histology) on biopsies obtained from the gastric antrum and body. We reviewed 90 patients after 1 year, 32 after 2 years, 13 after 3 years, 12 after 4 years, 2 after 5 years, and 16 after 6 years (range, 12 to 72 months; average, 25.23 months; patient-years, 347). At 12 months after eradication, 16 of 165 patients (9.7%) were H. pylori positive and 5 had ulcer relapse. Of 75 patients evaluated at 24 months, 7 (9.3%) were H. pylori positive and 1 (1.3%) had ulcer relapse. At 36 months, 43 patients were seen and 1 (2.3%) was H. pylori positive and had ulcer relapse (2.3%). Thirty, 18, and 16 patients were seen at 48, 60, and 72 months, respectively. None was H. pylori positive and none had ulcer relapse. Overall, 24 H. pylori-positive patients were found, two thirds of them in the first year after eradication. In 7 of 24 (29%, 6 smokers), ulcer recurred. None of the H. pylori-negative patients had ulcer relapse. The H. pylori reappearance rate was 7% and the ulcer relapse rate was 2% per patient-year. If the 16 H. pylori-positive patients who were found the first year are considered as recrudescence, then the reinfection rate will be 2.3% per patient-year.     

Prevalence of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi infections in the population of northern Greece

Seroepidemical surveys concerning the prevalence of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi have never been studied in northern Greece. We examined 1,584 sera samples from residents of northern Greece for the detection of antibodies to R. conorii and to R. typhi by means of immunofluorescence assay. In addition, we compared the prevalence of rickettsial infections among the demographic variables of sex, age, occupation, and area of residence. Antibodies to R. conorii and R. typhi were found in 125 (7.9%) and 31 (2.0%) of the examined subjects, respectively. The prevalence of antibodies to R. conorii correlated with increasing age and was statistically higher in men. Farmers had significantly higher prevalence of antibodies to both species of rickettsiae studied versus other professions. Residents of rural areas showed a statistically higher prevalence for R. conorii versus urban residents, although this difference was not demonstrated for R. typhi. We also detected differences in the prevalence of rickettsial infections among the different prefectures. Our data show the wide distribution of R. conorii in northern Greece and indicate the presence of R. typhi.     

Inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening by ischemic preconditioning is probably mediated by reduction of oxidative stress rather than mitochondrial protein phosphorylation

Inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening at reperfusion is critical for cardioprotection by ischemic preconditioning (IP). Some studies have implicated mitochondrial protein phosphorylation in this effect. Here we confirm that mitochondria rapidly isolated from preischemic control and IP hearts show no significant difference in calcium-mediated MPTP opening, whereas IP inhibits MPTP opening in mitochondria isolated from IP hearts following 30 minutes of global normothermic ischemia or 3 minutes of reperfusion. Analysis of protein phosphorylation in density-gradient purified mitochondria was performed using both 2D and 1D electrophoresis, with detection of phosphoproteins using Pro-Q Diamond or phospho-amino-specific antibodies. Several phosphoproteins were detected, including voltage-dependent anion channels isoforms 1 and 2, but none showed significant IP-mediated changes either before ischemia or during ischemia and reperfusion, and neither Western blotting nor 2D fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis detected translocation of protein kinase C (alpha, epsilon, or delta isoforms), glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, or Akt to the mitochondria following IP. In freeze-clamped hearts, changes in phosphorylation of GSK3beta, Akt, and AMP-activated protein kinase were detected following ischemia and reperfusion but no IP-mediated changes correlated with MPTP inhibition or cardioprotection. However, measurement of mitochondrial protein carbonylation, a surrogate marker for oxidative stress, suggested that a reduction in mitochondrial oxidative stress at the end of ischemia and during reperfusion may account for IP-mediated inhibition of MPTP. The signaling pathways mediating this effect and maintaining it during reperfusion are discussed.