Dental Arch and Cephalometric Changes Following Treatment for Class III Malocclusion by Means of the Function Regulator (FR-3) Appliance

AIM: The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate dental arch, skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue profile changes following treatment of Class III malocclusion by means of the Function Regulator (FR-3) appliance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 14 growing patients (seven boys and seven girls) with a mean age of 9.7 +/- 1.1 years presenting Class III malocclusion. They were treated with an FR-3 appliance exclusively for a period of 2.4 +/- 0.6 years. Dental casts and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained immediately before initiation and after completion of treatment with the FR-3 appliance. Thirteen variables were used for the dental cast analysis and 61 variables for the cephalometric analysis. The paired t-test was utilized to evaluate the presence of significant changes (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The evaluation of the dental casts revealed that there was a significant increase in intermolar, interpremolar, and intercanine width of the maxilla and of palatal height after treatment. Concerning the mandible, an increase in intermolar and intercanine width and a decrease in lower arch depth were observed. Cephalometric evaluation revealed a significant decrease in SNB angle and an increase in ANB angle, overjet, facial convexity, nose prominence, and lower soft tissue face height. There was an increase in upper lip thickness and a decrease in lower lip convexity observed after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm a favorable functional and esthetic maxillary and mandibular position following treatment by means of the function regulator (FR-3) appliance.     

Increased sensitization in urban vs. rural environment – Rural protection or an urban living effect?

In a population-based longitudinal cohort study, we tested the hypothesis that children growing up in a high-traffic polluted urban area (UA) in the Athens' basin have higher prevalence of allergies and sensitization when compared with those growing up in a Greek provincial rural area (RA). We recruited 478 and 342 children aged 8-10 living in the UA and the RA, respectively. Respiratory health was assessed by a parent-completed questionnaire in three phases: 1995-96 (phase 1), 1999-2000 (phase 2), 2003-04 (phase 3) and skin-prick testing to common indoor and outdoor aeroallergens was performed at phases 1 and 2. Reported asthma and eczema did not differ between the two areas, whereas reported hay fever was persistently more prevalent in the UA than in the RA (16.5%, 17.0%, 18.2% vs. 7.0%, 8.3%, 9.6%, respectively). Sensitization was more prevalent in the UA at both phases (19.0% vs. 12.1% in phase 1, 20.0% vs. 14.1% in phase 2). Residential area contributed independently to sensitization to >or=1 aeroallergens (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.13-0.66; p = 0.003) and to polysensitization (OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.10-0.82; p = 0.020) in phase 1. These associations were independent of farming practices. No significant contributions were found in phase 2. Our results suggest that long-term exposure to urban environment is associated with a higher prevalence of hay fever but not of asthma or eczema. The negative association between rural living and the risk of atopy during childhood, which is independent of farming practices, implies that it is mainly driven by an urban living effect.     

Diagnostic value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in Greek patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background  

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies have been of diagnostic value in Northern European Caucasian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In these populations, anti-CCP antibodies are associated with the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope. We assessed the diagnostic value of anti-CCP antibodies in Greek patients with RA where the HLA shared epitope was reported in a minority of patients.     

Levels of soluble CD40 ligand (CD154) in serum are increased in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients and correlate with CD4(+) T-cell counts

CD40 ligand (CD40L or CD154) is a costimulatory molecule expressed mainly on activated CD4(+) T cells. Concentrations of the soluble form of CD40L (sCD40L) in serum were determined for a cohort of 77 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients before and after initiation of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Circulating sCD40L levels were higher by twofold in untreated patients than in healthy controls (means +/- standard deviations [SD]: 1.41 +/- 1.48 versus 0.69 +/- 0.59 ng/ml; P < 0.001). HIV-1-infected patients classified as CD4 T-cell category 1 had significantly higher sCD40L levels than patients classified as CD4 categories 2 and 3 (mean +/- SD: 2.08 +/- 1.46 ng/ml versus 1.57 +/- 1.58 [category 2] and 0.94 +/- 1.25 ng/ml [category 3]; P = 0.046), while no correlation with clinical categories A, B, and C was found. Individual serum sCD40L levels correlated with CD4(+) T-cell counts (P = 0.039) but not with viral load, gamma globulin levels, or acute-inflammatory-response markers. After 8 to 12 months of HAART, a further threefold increase of serum sCD40L levels, which paralleled the increase of CD4(+) T-cell counts, was observed. These novel findings suggest that sCD40L measurement in HIV-1-infected patients could serve as a new surrogate marker useful in the assessment of treatment efficacy, especially in settings where well-equipped laboratories and funding required for CD4(+) T-cell count and viral load measurements are not available.     

Apoptotic rate in peripheral T-cell lymphomas. A study using a tissue microarray with validation on full tissue sections

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas with a wide spectrum of clinicopathologic features, and apoptosis mechanisms may have a role in lymphomagenesis. We assessed apoptotic rate (AR) in 112 PTCLs using a tissue microarray developed in our laboratory and a modified terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay. The mean AR was 1.47% +/- 1.38% for the entire group of PTCLs (range, 0.06%-5.15%), and AR varied significantly among different tumor types. In mycosis fungoides, the mean AR was 0.74%; angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, 1.02%; PTCL, not otherwise specified, 1.38%; cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), 1.41%; anaplastic lymphoma kinase protein (ALK)-negative ALCL, 1.43%; extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma of nasal type, 2.04%; ALK-positive ALCL, 2.95%; and enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma, 3.06%. Mean AR was higher in PTCL with large cell vs small/medium cell morphologic features (1.66% +/- 1.1% vs 0.99% +/- 1.0%). In a subset of 33 PTCLs, the tissue microarray results comparedfavorably with those obtained in full tissue sections. We conclude that the highest ARs in PTCLs are found in enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma and ALK-positive ALCL, and that AR can be assessed reliably by using a tissue microarray.     

Disseminated infection with Nattrassia mangiferae in an immunosuppressed patient

Disseminated infection with the coelomycetous fungus Nattrassia mangiferae is a very rare disease affecting only the immunocompromised host. We report the first case of a disseminated infection with spondylodiscitis and granular skin lesions due to N. mangiferae in a renal transplant patient.     

Child neurology

Poster Session 1

Child neurology     

Extent of damage and repair in the p53 tumor-suppressor gene after treatment of myeloma patients with high-dose melphalan and autologous blood stem-cell transplantation is individualized and may predict clinical outcome.

PURPOSE: To quantitate the individual levels of melphalan-induced DNA damage formation and repair in vivo and to search for possible correlations with clinical outcome in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The formation and subsequent repair of DNA damage (monoadducts and interstrand cross-links) in the p53 tumor-suppressor gene, the proto-oncogene N-ras, and the housekeeping gene beta-actin during the first 24 hours after treatment with high-dose melphalan (HDM; 200 mg/m2) supported by autologous blood stem-cell transplantation (ABSCT) was measured in blood leukocytes of 26 patients with MM. The peak DNA adduct levels, the total amount of adducts over time, and the rate of adducts repair in each gene were correlated with response and time to progression after HDM. RESULTS: The levels of gene-specific DNA damage formation and the individual repairing capacity varied up to 16-fold among patients, indicating that the melphalan-induced biologic effect in vivo is highly individualized. A significantly greater DNA damage and a slower rate of repair in p53 for all end points under study were found in patients who achieved tumor reduction compared with nonresponding patients. Furthermore, longer progression-free survival correlated with increased peak monoadduct levels in the p53 gene (P = .032). CONCLUSION: Increased DNA damage and slower repairing capacity in the p53 gene from blood leukocytes after HDM correlate with improved outcome of patients with MM who undergo ABSCT. These results suggest that quantitation of such biologic end points may identify patients who are more likely to benefit from this procedure.     

Disseminated Bartonella henselae disease mimicking Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis

Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of cat‐scratch disease, has been recognized to be responsible for a broad range of clinical syndromes. We report the case of a patient with disseminated B. henselae infection mimicking Langerhans cell histiocytosis at presentation and its successful management with neurosurgery, prolonged antibacterial therapy, and observation.