Nasolabial cyst in a patient with cleft lip and palate.

Nasolabial cysts are rare non-odontogenic cysts that occur beneath the ala nasi, and debate about their complicated, unique pathogenesis continues. It is widely accepted that these lesions originate from the anlage of the nasolacrimal duct; however, some still think that nasolabial cysts arise from fissural cysts. The authors report a patient with a nasolabial cyst who also had a unilateral cleft lip and palate. This unusual finding may indicate a different origin for nasolabial cysts than what has been accepted in the past.

Relationship between quantitative assessments of salivary buffering capacity and ion activity product for hydroxyapatite in relation to cariogenic potential.

BACKGROUND: The ion activity product for hydroxyapatite (Ip(HA)) is a comprehensive parameter reflecting pH, calcium and phosphate ion concentration in saliva which govern the degree of saturation with respect to the dissolving tooth mineral. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between quantitative assessments of salivary buffering capacity and Ip(HA) in relation to cariogenic potential. METHODS: Stimulated whole saliva was collected from 33 patients, and the initial pH of samples was measured using a hand-held pH meter. Then samples were titrated with 0.1 N HCl to evaluate buffering capacities and divided into three groups (high, medium and low). After measuring concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions in the samples, Ip(HA) was calculated using the values of the ion concentrations and pH. Differences in the mean pH values, the concentrations of calcium, phosphate ions and log[Ip(HA)] among three groups were analysed using the Kruskal Wallis and the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test, p < 0.05. RESULTS: After HCl 50 microL titration, there were statistical differences of the mean pH and Ip(HA) among each buffering capacity group. Moreover, after 50 microL HCl titration, there was an excellent correlation between the buffer capacity and log[Ip(HA)]. CONCLUSIONS: The pH change for saliva after HCl titration has a significant influence on the rate of Ip(HA).

Novel combretastatin analogues effective against murine solid tumors: design and structure-activity relationships.

A series of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) analogues were synthesized, and their cytotoxic effects against murine Colon 26 adenocarcinoma and inhibitory activity on tubulin polymerization were evaluated. Since CA-4 has limited aqueous solubility, the target compounds were designed to improve solubility by introduction of a nitrogen-containing group. Among the compounds synthesized, those with an amino moiety in place of the phenolic OH of CA-4 showed potent antitubulin activity and cytotoxicity against murine Colon 26 adenocarcinoma in vitro. Some of the compounds which were potent in vitro were evaluated in the murine tumor model Colon 26 in vivo. Among these, 13bHCl, 21aHCl, and 21bHCl showed significant antitumor activity in the animal model, while CA-4 was ineffective. 13bHCl and 21aHCl were further evaluated in two murine tumor models (Colon 38 and 3LL) and human xenografts HCT-15. These compounds showed potent antitumor activity comparable or superior to that of CDDP. The structure-activity relationships of this series of compounds are also discussed.

Non-suture end-to-end anastomoses between polytetrafluoroethylene graft and vessels for blood access.

BACKGROUND: Non-suture end-to-end anastomoses between polytetrafluoroethylene grafts and blood vessels were achieved using absorbable cuff material in experimental and clinical studies. The cuff was made of a synthetic biodegradable material, a lactic-glycolic acid copolymer, similar in composition to conventional absorbable surgical sutures. METHODS: In the experimental study, vascular anastomoses for prosthetic interposition of the infrarenal aorta in rabbits were created using the cuff method. Six months after surgery, the cuff anastomoses sites were examined angiographically and microscopically and found to be patent and smooth without neointimal hyperplasia. RESULTS: The cuff layer had been completely absorbed. The clinical application used a similar technique and involved the creation of forearm bridge graft fistula in twelve patients for hemodialysis. In eight patients, Doppler fistula flow rate ranged from 167 ml/min to 392 ml/min. Ten of the twelve patients continued dialysis uneventfully. The one-year patency rate was 78% (7/9). The longest patency period was 920 days and the graft access continued to maintain sufficient blood flow for hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: This absorbable cuff material is therefore well suited for the construction of prosthetic vascular end-to-end anastomoses.

Granular cell ameloblastoma. A rare variant.

A rare case of granular cell ameloblastoma in the anterior mandible of a 59-year-old man has been studied by light and electron microscopy. In some areas, the tumor was very similar to an oncocytoma (oxyphilic adenoma). Almost all tumor cells were full of eosinophilic granules, whereas in the common type of granular cell ameloblastoma, only the cells located in the central portion of the tumor are granular.

Malignant schwannoma of the mandible.

A case of malignant schwannoma occurring in the mandible of a 76-year-old Japanese woman is presented. Results of the gross examination are described as well as the surgical procedure. Details of the staining techniques for examination of the biopsy specimen are given. The histopathological findings are mentioned including those obtained from radiographic, microscopic, and electron microscopic examination. A discussion of the disease and of its difficulty of diagnosis follows.

[Mandibular tumor with spicule formation in multiple myeloma].

A 40-year-old male complained of swelling of the right mandible. It was a hard bone tumor which was 70 x 50 x 45 mm in size without tenderness. In serum, the level of IgG was 5814 mg/dl, IgA 95 mg/dl and IgM 8 mg/dl with monoclonal increasing of gamma and lambda-chain. No Bence Jones protein was detected. In a bone marrow aspirate atypical plasma cells were 7.3% in nucleated cells in slightly hypocellular marrow. X-ray examination disclosed a spicule formation surrounding the osteolytic focus in the mandible. In addition, a osteolytic tumor without spicule formation was found in a rib. The histological examination of biopsy specimen obtained from the mandibular tumor revealed that atypical plasma cells infiltrated the fibrous tissue with new bone formation. Spicule formation in the bone lesion of multiple myeloma is unusual.

Calcifying cystic odontogenic tumour: CT imaging.

OBJECTIVES: Calcifying cystic odontogenic tumour (CCOT) is a rare disorder of the jaw. A comparison between conventional radiographs and CT images in CCOTs has not been reported. The purposes of this study were to analyse conventional radiographs and CT images of CCOTs, establish CT images of CCOTs and assess the utility of CT in the diagnosis of CCOTs. METHODS: Nine patients with a histopathologically confirmed CCOT who had both conventional radiographs and CT images were enrolled. RESULTS: CT was superior to conventional radiographs in detecting buccolingual expansion, odontomas and radio-opaque bodies. CONCLUSION: The characteristic CT appearances of CCOT were that radio-opaque bodies were typically located in the periphery of the lesion and the shape of radio-opaque bodies was linear and/or spotted. CT was useful in diagnosing a CCOT.

[New experimental rabbit model with PTFE grafts interpositioned in infrarenal abdominal aorta--influence of hyperlipidemia in prosthetic grafts].

The major obstacle to clinical application of artificial blood vessel grafts with inside diameter of less than 4 mm is neogenic intimal hypertrophy at anastomotic sites. With the aim of preventing this artificial blood vessel graft anatomotic intimal hypertrophy, attempts have been made to improve surgical techniques and develop new materials for sutures and the grafts themselves. In the assessment of the preventive effects of various measures on anastomotic intimal hypertrophy, it is desirable to minimize variation in preoperative arteriosclerotic changes and uniform hemodynamics after vessel replacement surgery among the subjects. The present authors succeeded in creating an infrarenal abdominal aorta replacement model that meets these requirements using rabbits, and conducted experiments using this model to assess the effects of hyperlipidemia on anastomotic intimal hypertrophy. The anastomotic intimal hypertrophy lesion in the present rabbit infrarenal abdominal aorta replacement model is both morphologically and histologically similar to that found in human artificial blood vessel graft anastomotic sites. In addition, this model permits the easy obtain of animals showing the same hemodynamic status after vascular surgery. For these reasons, the present model is expected to serve well as an experimental model of artificial blood vessel graft anastomotic intimal hypertrophy.

Transformation of intact yeast cells treated with alkali cations.

Intact yeast cells treated with alkali cations took up plasmid DNA. Li+, Cs+, Rb+, K+, and Na+ were effective in inducing competence. Conditions for the transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae D13-1A with plasmid YRp7 were studied in detail with CsCl. The optimum incubation time was 1 h, and the optimum cell concentration was 5 x 10(7) cells per ml. The optimum concentration of Cs+ was 1.0 M. Transformation efficiency increased with increasing concentrations of plasmid DNA. Polyethylene glycol was absolutely required. Heat pulse and various polyamines or basic proteins stimulated the uptake of plasmid DNA. Besides circular DNA, linear plasmid DNA was also taken up by Cs+-treated yeast cells, although the uptake efficiency was considerably reduced. The transformation efficiency with Cs+ or Li+ was comparable with that of conventional protoplast methods for a plasmid containing ars1, although not for plasmids containing a 2 microns origin replication.

Pathology of the desmoplastic ameloblastoma.

Desmoplastic ameloblastoma is a rare variant of ameloblastoma and only 54 cases have been previously reported in the English literature. We report ten cases of desmoplastic ameloblastoma of the jaw observed between 1972 and 1998 and discuss the pathogenesis of the tumor. Eight of the ten tumors were located in the anterior region of the jaw. Radiographically, six cases showed mixed radiolucent/radiopaque appearance with ill-defined margins and the other four cases lacked typical findings of ameloblastomas. The tumors were located mainly in the alveolar region and occupied the tooth-bearing area, without tooth resorption or impacted teeth. Histologically, the desmoplastic ameloblastomas were characterized by extensive stromal desmoplasia, and small tumor nests of odontogenic epithelium were scattered in the stroma. Oxytalan fibers stained by potassium monopersulfate-aldehyde fuchsin were demonstrated in the stroma of all desmoplastic ameloblastomas. From these findings, we presumed that the desmoplastic ameloblastomas might have developed in the periodontal membrane.

Cytotoxicity of anti-c-erbB-2 immunoliposomes containing doxorubicin on human cancer cells.

We have examined the selective cytotoxicity of immunoliposomes containing doxorubicin (chemoimmunoliposomes, CILs) targeting the c-erbB-2 gene product (gp185) or gp125. Anti-gp185 and anti-gp125 CILs were prepared by conjugation of doxorubicin-containing liposomes with monoclonal antibodies SER4 (IgG) and HBJ127 (IgG) respectively. Both CILs bound to human SKBr-3 breast cancer cells and MKN-7 human gastric cancer cells, which express both antigens in high density. The IC50 of anti-gp185 CILs on protein synthesis by SKBr-3 cells was respectively 2- and 25-fold lower than that of anti-gp125 CILs and unmodified liposomes. Furthermore, anti-gp185 CILs significantly inhibited neither the phytohaemagglutin response of normal lymphocytes nor protein synthesis of gp185-negative T24 bladder cancer. Quantitative analysis of cell-associated doxorubicin revealed that, compared with anti-gp125 CILs, anti-gp185 CILs required, respectively 4.5 and 4.3 times less doxorubicin association in SKBR-3 and MKN-7 cells, for 50% cytotoxicity. In addition, flow cytometric analysis showed that both SKBr-3 and MKN-7 internalised more anti-gp185 CILs and processed them more efficiently than anti-gp125 CILs. These results suggest that anti-gp185 CILs act selectively against gp185-expressing cancer cells and that gp185 is a more sensitive antigen for CIL cytotoxicity associated with endocytosis activity.

The role of interstitial collagens in cleft formation of mouse embryonic submandibular gland during initial branching.

An interstitial collagenase was purified from the explant medium of bovine dental pulp and was shown to degrade collagens I and III but not IV and V. The enzyme halted cleft initiation in the epithelium of 12-day mouse embryonic submandibular glands in vitro, indicating the active involvement of interstitial collagens in the branching morphogenesis. Transmission electron microscopic observation of the intact 12-day gland without any clefts showed the scattered localization of a few collagen fibrils at the epithelial-mesenchymal interface of the bulb and also revealed the presence of numerous microfibrils around the stalk. Collagen bundles were regularly seen close to the wavy basal lamina at the bottom of clefts of the intact 13-day gland and 12-day gland cultured for 17 h under normal conditions. Mesenchymal cells were found in the clefts together with the frequent localization of peripheral nerve fibres and capillary endothelial cells. The collagen bundles were more often observed in the 12-day gland cultured in the presence of bovine dental pulp collagenase inhibitor, which had been shown to enhance cleft formation. In contrast, collagen fibrils were rarely found at the epithelial-mesenchymal interface of the 12-day gland cultured in the presence of Clostridial or bovine dental pulp collagenase. The findings indicated that the formation of interstitial collagen bundles is essential to form clefts in the epithelium both in vivo and in vitro.

Necrotizing sialometaplasia in the mouth floor secondary to reconstructive surgery for tongue carcinoma.

Necrotizing sialometaplasia is a benign inflammatory process, which histologically can mimic squamous cell carcinoma. A 63-year-old man underwent left hemiglossectomy involving transplantation of a myocutaneous flap for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. One month after the operation, necrotizing sialometaplasia occurred in the minor salivary gland tissue of the mouth floor, compressed by the necrotic flap. This case is very unusual because of the occurrence of necrotizing sialometaplasia in the floor of the mouth. The etiology of the lesion was considered to be ischemia secondary to compression by the necrotic myocutaneous flap.

Malignant lymphoma of the oral cavity: clinicopathologic analysis of 20 cases.

Twenty cases of malignant lymphomas (ML) of the oral cavity were reviewed in the light of recent histologic classification. They occurred in 12 male and 8 female patients, with the age range of 11-80 years (median 51 years of age). Eighty percent of patients were stages IE and IIE. Histologically, 15 cases (75%) were ordinary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with diffuse large cell type being the most common. The remaining 5 cases, undefinable by classification scheme for ordinary NHL, were designated as malignant histiocytosis of the oral cavity (3 cases) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (2 cases), respectively. There were no cases of follicular lymphoma. The present cases comprised 45% of high grade, 40% of intermediate grade, and 15% of low grade malignancy. A follow-up study showed that the stage of diseage, histologic classification, and frequency of mitosis correlated well with survival.

Clinical use of synthetic absorbable cuff material for peripheral vascular anastomosis.

End to end arteriovenous (AV) fistulas were created using the cuff technique for hemodialysis in 12 patients with end stage renal disease. The cuff used was made of a synthetic biodegradable material, a lactic glycolic acid co-polymer with the same composition as absorbable surgical suture. Cephalic vein radial artery fistulas in the forearm were created electively in six patients to convert a Scribner shunt to a fistula in three patients and because of malfunction of a fistula created previously in three patients. Eleven patients underwent hemodialysis, with pump speeds of more than 200 milliliters per minute, and were evaluated for 129 to 477 days. These subcutaneous AV fistulas were maintained as patent functional veins and continued to function without complication. After five weeks, one patient had conversion to a prosthetic AV fistula because of poor venous maturation. The overall patency rate was 92 percent. The diameter of the AV anastomosis increased gradually with time. At 20 weeks, however, it reached more than 70 percent of the diameter of the radial artery lumen. These observations led us to believe that the cuff material used is biodegraded until 20 weeks and gives sufficient flexibility. In the future, the cuff method is expected to be clinically developed as another approach for vascular anastomosis.