Age-related differences in the activity of arterial mineral deposition and regional bone metabolism: a 18F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography study.

UNLABELLED: Functional (18)F-fluoride PET demonstrated an inverse relationship between the activity of arterial mineral deposition and regional bone metabolism. While bone metabolism decreases with age, the activity of arterial mineral deposition increases. INTRODUCTION: The extent of arterial calcification increases with age, whereas bone mineral density decreases, evidencing a well-known inverse correlation on morphological basis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional relationship between the activity of arterial mineral deposition and regional bone metabolism as assessed by (18)F-sodium fluoride (NaF) PET/CT. METHODS: Three hundred four subjects were examined by (18)F-NaF PET/CT. Tracer accumulation in the femoral arteries was analyzed both qualitatively and semiquantitatively by measuring the blood-pool-corrected standardized uptake value (target-to-background ratio). Uptake was compared with cardiovascular risk factors (RFs), calcified plaque burden, and regional bone metabolism as assessed by PET/CT. RESULTS: The activity of arterial mineral deposition significantly increased with age (p < 0.001), whereas regional bone metabolism significantly decreased (p < 0.001). There was a significant inverse correlation between bone metabolism and arterial mineral deposition (unadjusted, p < 0.001); that association was not significant (p = 0.79) when controlled for age and other RFs. Both high activity of arterial mineral deposition and low bone metabolism were significantly associated with cardiovascular events and other RFs. CONCLUSION: (18)F-NaF PET/CT provides a tool to visualize and quantify the activity of arterial mineral deposition and regional bone metabolism. In this study, we observed an inverse correlation between the activity of arterial mineral deposition and regional bone metabolism. While the activity of arterial mineral deposition significantly increases with age, regional bone metabolism decreases.

Oral mucosa model based on a collagen-elastin matrix.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The collagen-elastin matrix (Matriderm(®)) is used to treat deep and full-thickness burns and was recently described as a suitable scaffold for tissue engineering. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biocompatibility of Matriderm(®) for gingival use through creation of an oral mucosa model ex vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gingival fibroblasts and keratinocytes were cultured. A dermal area on the base of the collagen-elastin matrix was repopulated with fibroblasts. After 14 days, keratinocytes were seeded on this dermal area to engineer a multilayered mucosa. Analysis of the architecture was performed using light and electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical detection of collagen IV and cytokeratin was carried out. RESULTS: Based on this scaffold we generated a multilayered oral mucosa-like structure. Histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analysis of the dermal/epidermal junction showed a typical basement membrane and hemidesmosomal structures. Neighboring keratinocytes formed desmosomes in the epidermal sections. Cytokeratin was detectable in all epidermal layers. These experiments revealed that the collagen-elastin matrix was highly biocompatible with gingival cells under ex vivo conditions. CONCLUSION: Employing tissue-engineering techniques with dermal and epidermal cells from the gingiva, a multilayered oral mucosa was generated and characterized with respect to biocompatibility for Matriderm(®). The results indicate that Matriderm(®) is suitable for the ex vivo growth of gingival tissue cells and is a useful scaffold with possible applications in periodontal therapy.

Immobilization of antibodies on nylon for use in enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Antibodies were immobilized by covalent linkage on nylon balls and powder for use in solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassays. Covalent linkage of antibody to nylon was accomplished by treatment of partially hydrolyzed nylon with glutaraldehyde or carbodiimides. Up to 0.74 microgram of immunoglobulin G per mm2 nylon could be immobilized, whereas only 0.02 microgram per mm2 could be adsorbed to polystyrene, and the binding to nylon was stable. This eliminated the problem of antibody desorption noted in conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which are based on simple adsorption to plastics, and gave more reproducible results. The method was also more sensitive, detecting levels of approximately 1 ng per ml of immunoglobulin E in clinical samples. Further, antibodies coupled to nylon balls remained bound under conditions that dissociate antibody-antigen complexes, which permitted reuse of the immobilized antibodies for immunoassays.

Quantitation of immunoglobulin adsorption to plastics.

Adsorption of 125I-labelled rabbit IgG to plastics (cellulose nitrate, polyallomer, polystyrene, polyvinyl) was primarily dependent on initial antibody concentration and, to a lesser extent, on time allowed for adsorption. The highest concentration tested (100 mug/ml) gave the highest quantities adsorbed after 18 h at room temperature. This concentration, however, gave the lowest percent adsorption (6.5 to 12.0%) of the initial amount. IgG concentration of 10 mug/ml resulted in 25.0 to 65.1% adsorption over the same time period; at 1 mug/ml, 47.0 to 96.6% of the initial amount was adsorbed. All of the plastics tested adsorbed IgG to approximately the same degree, with the exception of cellulose nitrate. This plastic adsorbed 32 to 49% less than the others, under maximal adsorption conditions.

The dup(3q) syndrome: report of eight cases and review of the literature.

Clinical and cytogenetic examinations were performed on eight unrelated infants with duplication of part of the long arm of chromosome 3. A review of published cases shows a clinical syndrome characterized by statomotoric retardation, shortened life span, and a multiple congenital anomalies (MCA) syndrome of abnormal head configuration, hypertrichosis, hypertelorism, ocular anomalies, anteverted nostrils, long philtrum, maxillary prognathia, down-turned corners of the mouth, highly arched or cleft plate, micrognathia, malformed auricles, short, webbed neck, clinodactyly, simian crease, talipes, and congenital heart disease. The dup(3q) syndrome is a clinically easily recognizable entity.

Detection and identification of influenza virus antigens by nylon-coupled enzyme-linked immunoassay.

A direct solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay for rapid detection and typing of influenza virus was developed utilizing antibodies immobilized by covalent linkage to nylon beads. Covalent linkage of antibody to nylon was accomplished by treatment of partially hydrolyzed nylon with glutaraldehyde. For comparison to conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), IgG fractions were adsorbed to polystyrene beads. Influenza type-specific immunoglobulins coupled to nylon beads were used in an enzyme-linked immunoassay to identify influenza A/USSR/77(H1N1), and A/Texas/75 (H3N2). In titrations of viral antigen, antibody coupled to nylon beads detected 1.9 X 10(4) plaque-forming units (PFU) per assay, whereas 2.2 X 10(5) PFU were required in assays utilizing antibody adsorbed to polystyrene beads. Use of fluorogenic or radioactive substrates for alkaline phosphatase-labeled antibodies increased the sensitivity for virus detection 10-fold with this enzyme, but were only slightly more sensitive than chromogenic substrates with peroxidase-labeled antibody.

Biodegradable, somatostatin acetate containing microspheres prepared by various aqueous and non-aqueous solvent evaporation methods.

Somatostatin, a therapeutic peptide drug, was entrapped within polymeric microspheres made from high molecular weight poly (D,L-lactide/glycolide) (PLGA) or low molecular weight poly (D,L-lactide) (PLA) by various modifications of the O/W-solvent evaporation method. The drug was either dispersed as solid (dispersion method), dissolved with the aid of a co-solvent (co-solvent method) or emulsified as an aqueous solution (W/O/W-multiple emulsion method) in the organic polymer solution prior to emulsification into an external aqueous phase. Additionally, a non-aqueous O/O-method was evaluated for the formation of the microspheres. Acceptable encapsulation efficiencies were obtained with all methods, regardless of the physical state of drug and the polymer type. The total volume of organic solvent and the co-solvent content were found to be important preparation factors of the O/W-co-solvent method. A more lipophilic solvent system appeared to favor efficient drug encapsulation. Replacing the widely used but toxic methylene chloride with ethyl acetate resulted in significantly lower drug loadings. The preparation method substantially affected the morphology of the microspheres and the drug release.

Development and characterization of lipid microparticles as a drug carrier for somatostatin.

Somatostatin, a therapeutic peptide with a high therapeutical potential but a very short biological half-live was encapsulated within microparticles by a modified solvent evaporation method and a melt dispersion method without the use of organic solvent. As the use of synthetic polymer matrix materials often goes along with detrimental effects on incorporated peptides, we investigated the potential of physiological lipids such as glyceryl tripalmitate (Dynasan 116) as an alternative matrix material. The two preparation methods were evaluated with respect to surface topography, particle size distribution, encapsulation efficiency, in-vitro release behavior and modification of the resulting microparticles. Microparticles with a suitable particle size distribution for i.m. or s.c. injection could be prepared with both methods. The encapsulation efficiency of the peptide into glyceryl tripalmitate microparticles was substantially influenced by the preparation method and the physical state of the peptide to be incorporated. The melt dispersion technique and the incorporation of the drug as an aqueous solution gave the best results with actual drug loadings up to 9% and an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 90%. Microparticles prepared by the melt dispersion technique crystallized in the unstable alpha-modification. The peptide was released almost continuously over 10 days with no burst effect, 20-30% of the incorporated somatostatin was not released in the monitored time period.

Optimal grafting methods for the small abdominal aorta.

Aortobifemoral bypass procedures were performed on 42 patients with the hypoplastic aortoiliac syndrome over an eight year period. During the first five years, 22 patients had either a 13 X 6.5 mm or a 14 X 7 mm knitted Dacron graft and served as historic controls for a second group of 20 others who had 14 X 7 mm grafts of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), during the last three years of the study. Although the two groups were neither concurrent nor randomized, they were nonetheless well matched with regard to age, sex, risk factors, indications for operations, distribution and severity of distal occlusive disease, and type of distal anastomosis. There was only one early graft limb occlusion in the PTFE group after a median follow-up of 14 months, compared to nine occlusions and one amputation in the Dacron group after a median follow-up of 26.2 months. The cumulative patency of the PTFE grafts was 95% at four years compared to only 52% for Dacron (p = 0.11). If the single postoperative occlusion which occurred in each group is excluded, then the difference in patency rates bordered on statistical significance (p = 0.06). Inclusion of the profunda femoris orifice in the distal anastomosis was also found to be an important factor contributing to long-term patency which approached statistical significance (p = 0.075). The configuration of the proximal aortic anastomosis (end to end vs. end to side), or the concomitant use of lumbar sympathectomy or the postoperative infusion of Dextran did not have a statistically significant influence on patency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Giardia lamblia--cause of urticaria and pruritus or accidental association?]. / Giardia lamblia--Ursache von Urtikaria und Pruritus oder zufällige Assoziation?

Three patients with chronic urticaria or pruritus were found to suffer from an asymptomatic intestinal infection caused by the protozoan Giardia lamblia. Treatment with metronidazole per os or tinidazole per os was successful; the pruritic symptoms in one patient improved markedly.Giardia lamblia (Giardia intestinalis) are enteroparasites and produce gastrointestinal symptoms such as acute and chronic diarrhea. Cutaneous manifestations associated with giardiasis occur extremely rarely. Urticaria and itching may be explained as an infection-associated allergy. Hitherto, the following cutaneous signs have been described: urticaria, angioedema, mouth ulcers, pruritus, atopic dermatitis, and anal eczema.We considered that the cutaneous manifestations described here, i. e., urticaria and itching, were secondary to the associated gastrointestinal infection due to Giardia lamblia cysts and trophozoite forms, as they disappeared under specific treatment with metronidazole or tinidazole.

Arthrodentoosteodysplasia: a genetic "acroosteolysis" syndrome.

From one personal patient and 13 reported in the literature, arthrodentoosteodysplasia (ADOD) is defined as a heritable disorder of connective tissue with the main clinical manifestations of laxity of joints, early loss of teeth, and multiple osteolytic lesions, including acroosteolysis on roentgenographic examination. These lesions probably represent "pseudoosteolysis" with faulty primary bone formation rather than true osteolysis of previously normal bone. ADOD is an example of relational pleiotropism with most clinical manifestations representing secondary effects and deformities. The cranial sutures frequently remain uncalcified and contain multiple wormian bones in unusual places. Secondary deformities may be progressive and affect primarily the skull, spine, fingers and fingernails. Pathologic fractures are clinically the most important manifestation of ADOD. In one family the mother and four of her six children were affected. The other nine case reports describe sporadic instances. ADOD is presumed to be caused by an autosomal dominant gene, the sporadic cases representing new mutations.

Microassay for the detection of elastase activity in the gingival crevice.

BACKGROUND, AIMS: A new microassay for the detection of elastase activity (EA) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) has been established. GCF was collected with Periopaper strips and quantified in a Periotron. METHODS: Enzyme activity was measured in a microtiter plate reader, using a fluorometric assay. To ensure quality and precision of the assay, recovery rates were determined at different activities with a recovery of >90%. In a 2nd step, stability of the enzyme was investigated during storage at room temperature, +4 degrees C, -22 degrees C, -88 degrees C. GCF samples retained elastase activity of almost 100% after a storage of 3 days at -22 degrees C. In a group of 12 healthy volunteers, elastase activity was assayed throughout an 18 day experimental gingivitis protocol. RESULTS: Median activity increased from 481 microU/microl at baseline to 1444 microU/microl at day 18, which was accompanied by the development of the signs of gingivitis. The increase of EA during the experimental phase of the study was highly significant (p<0.001) and correlated well with the increasing severity of gingivitis. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that elastase activity in GCF is an excellent quantitative measure of gingival inflammation.