Chronic periodontitis and the risk of erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between chronic periodontitis (CP) and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). Electronic search using PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was carried out for observational studies, longitudinal, cohort, case-control and epidemiological studies on humans, published up to December 2015. Manual searches were also performed. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between CP and the risk of ED. Methodological quality assessment was carried out using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Four case-control studies and one cross-sectional studies involving 213, 006 participants were included. Based on the random-effects model, analyses of all studies showed that CP was associated with an increased risk of ED (OR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.50-3.48). There was heterogeneity among the studies (P<0.001, I2=97.8%). Estimates of total effects were generally consistent with the sensitivity and subgroup analyses. In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggested that there was a significant association between CP and the risk of ED. Further epidemiological studies are needed to better estimate the key risk factors for periodontitis and their interaction effects.

Induction of a TRAIL-mediated suicide program by interferon alpha in primary effusion lymphoma.

Gammaherpes viruses are often detected in lymphomas arising in immunocompromised patients. We have found that Azidothymidine (AZT) alone induces apoptosis in Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) positive Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells but requires interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) to induce apoptosis in Human Herpes Virus Type 8 (HHV-8) positive Primary Effusion Lymphomas (PEL). Our analysis of a series of AIDS lymphomas revealed that IFN-alpha selectively induced very high levels of the Death Receptor (DR) tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in HHV-8 positive PEL lines and primary tumor cells whereas little or no induction was observed in primary EBV+ AIDS lymphomas and EBV-Burkitt's lines. AZT and IFN-alpha mediated apoptosis in PEL was blocked by stable overexpression of dominant negative Fas Associated Death Domain (FADD), decoy receptor 2 (DcR2), soluble TRAIL receptor fusion proteins (DR-4 and DR-5) and thymidine. Trimeric TRAIL (in place of IFN-alpha) similarly synergized with AZT to induce apoptosis in HHV-8 positive PEL cells. This is the first demonstration that IFN-alpha induces functional TRAIL in a malignancy that can be exploited to effect a suicide program. This novel antiviral approach to Primary Effusion lymphomas is targeted and may represent a highly effective and relatively non-toxic therapy.

Mineralization and osteoblast response to bioactive glass in vitro.

Bioactive glass, an osteoproductive material, has received considerable attention as a bone graft substitute in the treatment of bony defects. Bioactive CaO-SiO(2)-P(2)O(5) glass was prepared using the sol-gel method, and mineralization behaviour in vitro was investigated by soaking it in simulated body fluid (SBF). Cellular cultivation in vitro, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and Von Kossa assays were conducted to evaluate the osteoblast response to the bioactive glass. A calcium phosphate carbonate hydroxide (HCA) layer was formed on the bioactive glass after soaking for 3 days in SBF, which indicated that the mineralization on the surface of bioactive glass could progress spontaneously. The osteoblast response results demonstrated that bioactive glass had no cytotoxicity, and it might not be harmful to the morphology of the osteoblast. The growth and proliferation of the osteoblastic cell could not be inhibited. Nodule formation was also observed in conditioned medium containing dissolution bioactive glass and these nodules were shown to be mineralized by Von Kossa staining, which indicates that bioactive glass shows good biocompatibility.

Controlled release rate of a lipophilic drug (BCNU) from a refillable silicone rubber device.

The release rates of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU), an anticancer drug, from various kinds of silicone and silicone-nylon implantable and refillable devices were investigated in vitro. The devices were made with different surface areas and wall thicknesses. The relation of the release rate at steady state to the surface area and the relation of the release rate per unit surface area to the wall thickness were determined. The relationship among the release rate, the surface area, and the wall thickness was analyzed using the multiple regression method, and is represented on a three-dimensional graph. The multiple regression equation predicts the release rate from the surface area and the wall thickness; the release rate can also be read from a nomogram that is presented.