Smooth surface glass ionomer restoration for primary teeth

Glass ionomer restorative cement offers the clinician an alternative to bonded composite resin for restoration of certain lesions in primary teeth. This article details a step-by-step procedure for restoration of a smooth surface carious lesion in a primary incisor using an encapsulated glass ionomer restorative material and reviews advantages and limitations of the cement. A light-hardened glass ionomer liner/base that has proven useful as an enamel and dentin restorative is also described.     

A screening assay for detecting CD8+ cell non-cytotoxic anti-HIV responses

The rate of HIV-1 disease progression is influenced by several factors that include pathogen and host genetic variations and the quality of antiviral immune responses. The CD8+ cell non-cytotoxic antiviral response (CNAR) substantially suppresses HIV replication in CD4+ cells and is positively associated with an asymptomatic clinical state. Traditionally, the measurement of CNAR has required several culture procedures and costly reagents. Here we report the development and validation of a screening assay for detection of CNAR that accurately identifies individuals benefiting from this response. Use of the CNAR screening assay should facilitate the evaluation of this important immune parameter in studies of HIV pathogenesis, resistance to infection, and vaccine development.     

An inexpensive restraint for small animals

An animal restraint is described that can be built in the laboratory from a piece of Plexiglas and a few inches of Velcro.     

Aberrant T cell responses to myelin antigens during clinical exacerbation in patients with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of presumed T cell autoimmunity against self myelin. We hypothesized that if myelin-reactive T cells are associated with the disease processes, they may undergo activation and expansion during acute exacerbation. In this study, we examined the precursor frequency, epitope recognition and cytokine profile of myelin-reactive T cells in 14 relapsing/remitting MS patients during exacerbation and remission. The study revealed that T cells recognizing the immunodominant peptides of candidate myelin antigens, including myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, occurred at increased precursor frequency during acute exacerbation. The T cell responses to MBP focused on the immunodominant regions (residues 83-99 and 151-170) during exacerbation and shifted toward other epitopes of MBP at the time of remission. Furthermore, there was a marked increase in the production of T(h)1 cytokines among T cell lines obtained during exacerbation compared to those obtained during remission. The study demonstrated that myelin-reactive T cells underwent selective activation and expansion during acute MS exacerbation. In contrast, myelin-reactive T cells found during remission in the same patients generally resembled those identified in healthy controls with some discrepancies. The findings suggest potential association of aberrant myelin-reactive T cell responses with acute exacerbation in MS, which may reflect transient activation of myelin-reactive T cell populations of pathogenic potential.     

The effect of gravity on the horizontal and vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex in the rat

Horizontal and vertical eye movements were recorded in alert pigmented rats using chronically implanted scleral search coils or temporary glue-on coils to test the dependence of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) upon rotation axis and body orientation. The contributions of semicircular-canal versus otolith-organ signals to the VOR were investigated by providing canal-only (vertical axis) and canal plus otolith (horizontal axis) stimulation conditions. Rotations that stimulated canals only (upright yaw and nose-up roll) produced an accurate VOR during middle- and high-frequency rotations (0.2-2 Hz). However, at frequencies below 0.2 Hz, the canal-only rotations elicited a phase-advanced VOR. The addition of a changing gravity stimulus, and thus dynamic otolith stimulation, to the canal signal (nose-up yaw, on-side yaw, and upright roll) produced a VOR response with accurate phase down to the lowest frequency tested (0.02 Hz). In order to further test the dependence of the VOR on gravitational signals, we tested vertical VOR with the head in an inverted posture (inverted roll). The VOR in this condition was advanced in phase across all frequencies tested. At low frequencies, the VOR during inverted roll was anticompensatory, characterized by slow-phase eye movement in the same direction as head movement. The substantial differences between canalonly VOR and canal plus otolith VOR suggest an important role of otolith organs in rat VOR. Anticompensatory VOR during inverted roll suggests that part of the otolith contribution arises from static tilt signals that are inverted when the head is inverted.     

Über die Umwandlung pathogener Bakterien beim Durchtritt durch die Schleimhaut der Verdauungswege

Ohne ZusammenfassungAus dem Institut Robert Koch [Abteilung Dr.Schiemann].Mit 4 Textabbildungen.     

Cure rates of oral contraceptive users and non-users when treated for vulvovaginal candidiasis (moniliasis) with miconazole nitrate 2% vaginal cream

Analysis of the data from a carefully conducted multi-investigator study utilizing 261 subjects with a diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis determined the cure rates in oral contraceptive users as compared to the cure rates in oral contraceptive non-users when treated with miconazole nitrate 2% Vaginal Cream (MONISTAT¹). The criteria for a cure required that subjects have a negative KOH smear, negative NICKERSON'S Medium culture for $\text{Candida}$ species, and complete absence of the signs and symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis 30 or more days following the course of therapy. There was no significant difference in the cure rates of the oral contraceptive users when compared to the oral contraceptive non-users. It is concluded that there is no justification for routinely discontinuing oral contraceptive therapy during treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis with miconazole nitrate 2% Vaginal Cream (MONISTAT).     

Effects of accessory sex gland fluid on viability, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction of cauda epididymal bull spermatozoa

The effect of accessory sex gland fluid (AGF) on viability and acrosomal integrity of spermatozoa was examined with cauda epididymal spermatozoa and AGF from the same Holstein bull (n = 6). Surgical cannulation of the vasa deferentia enabled the separate collection of cauda epididymal effluent and AGF from each bull. Cauda epididymal effluent was incubated with either AGF collected from the same bull or medium alone. Following coincubation, spermatozoa (5 x 10(7) sperm/mL) were incubated in medium alone or under capacitating conditions (10 microg/mL heparin) for 16 hours. Every 2 hours, an aliquot of spermatozoa was exposed to lysophosphatidylcholine (100 microg/mL) to induce the acrosome reaction in capacitated spermatozoa. Sperm motility decreased over time regardless of treatment. Overall, spermatozoa incubated in AGF had fewer acrosome-intact live spermatozoa than did those not incubated in AGF. Viability was significantly (P < .05) compromised over time when spermatozoa were exposed to AGF, compared with those not preincubated in AGF. Significantly more (P < .05) acrosome-reacted live spermatozoa were seen following exposure to heparin and lysophosphatidylcholine when spermatozoa were not preincubated in AGF. We conclude that exposure of spermatozoa to AGF accelerates cell death and that rapid removal of spermatozoa from seminal plasma is critical for maximal viability.     

Comprehensive genomic profiling of metastatic collecting duct carcinoma,renal medullary carcinoma,and clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Introduction and ObjectiveUnlike clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) and renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) are rare tumors that progress rapidly and appear resistant to current systemic therapies. We queried comprehensive genomic profiling to uncover opportunities for targeted therapy and immunotherapy.Material and MethodsDNA was extracted from 40 microns of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimen from relapsed, mCDC (n = 46), mRMC (n = 24), and refractory and metastatic (m) mCCRCC (n = 626). Comprehensive genomic profiling was performed, and Tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI) were calculated. We analyzed all classes of genomic alterations.ResultsmCDC had 1.7 versus 2.7 genomic alterations/tumor in mCCRCC ( = 0.04). Mutations in VHL (P < 0.0001) and TSC1 (P = 0.04) were more frequent in mCCRCC. SMARCB1 (P < 0.0001), NF2 (P = 0.0007), RB1 (P = 0.02) and RET (P = 0.0003) alterations were more frequent in mCDC versus mCCRCC. No VHL alterations in mRMC and mCDC were identified. SMARCB1 genomic alterations were significantly more frequent in mRMC than mCDC (P = 0.0002), but were the most common alterations in both subtypes. Mutations to EGFR, RET, NF2, and TSC2 were more frequently identified in mCDC versus mRMC. The median TMB and MSI-High status was low with <1% of mCCRC, mCDC, and mRMC having ≥ 20 mut/Mb.ConclusionGenomic alteration patterns in mCDC and mRMC differ significantly from mCCRCC. Targeted therapies for mCDC and mRMC appear limited with rare opportunities to target alterations in receptor tyrosine kinase and MTOR pathways. Similarly, TMB and absence of MSI-High status in mCDC and mRMC suggest resistance to immunotherapies.