Molecular evaluation of tissue proteins in vivo during controlled orthodontic movement.

Orthodontic tooth movement determines a biological response of all the tissues surrounding the teeth to which force is applied. The aim of this study is to evaluate which ideal orthodontic force, at the biological level, arouses an acute inflammatory response on periodontal tissues, and the duration of the force in order to establish an ideal experimental model of dental movement. The periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone change abruptly due to the biochemical adaptive response, resulting in a re-organization of the intracellular and the extracellular matrix. There is a modification of the local vascularization which stimulates a cascade production, synthesis and the release of arachidonic acid, metabolites, proteins, such as cytokines, and growth factors. Every dentist can control and should know the above-mentioned mechanism. Moreover, the production of proteins by modulating the direction and the intensity of the force can be changed but, above all, the duration.

Effect of dental care on the oral health of Sjögren’s syndrome patients.

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease affecting the exocrine glands, particularly the salivary and lacrimal glands. Xerostomia is a major feature of this syndrome and greatly affects patient quality of life. The most typical clinical signs associated with hyposalivation are dysgeusia and dysosmia, dental caries, candidiasis, periodontal disease, gland inflammation, mucositis and oral ulcers. The aims are to investigate on Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) before and after dental care of SS patients. Fifty-two consecutive patients (mean age 48.9±2 years) were analysed. At T0, (baseline) T1 (3 months after T0) and T2 (6 months after T0), a Plaque Index and a Gingival Index were calculated. The statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA test. If distribution was not normal, Friedman test was chosen instead of ANOVA. Dunn’s multiple comparison procedure was performed as post-hoc (IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software). A statistically significant decrease was observed both in PI and in GI between T0 and T1, T1 and T2, T0 and T2 (P less than 0.05).

Cervical vertebrae maturation: a blinded trial study.

This blinded trial was conducted to analyze possible correlations between the cervical vertebrae maturation method (CVM) and the mineralization of mandibular teeth as described by Demirjian et al. (TMS). Panoramic and cephalometric radiographs of 500 orthodontic patients were analyzed by two blinded operators. TMS was utilized to analyze mineralization of second molar, second and first premolar and canine on the left side of the mandible; CVM stage was also evaluated. A blinded statistician performed statistical correlations and multiple regression analysis. Significant relations between CVM and TMS stages were identified for each tooth. Significant age differences resulted for CVM, second molar and second premolar (p<0.05). Significant correlations for second molar were observed between TMS D and CVM I-II, TMS G and CVM III, TMS H and CVM V-VI (p less than 0.01). Second molar stage G for both sexes indicates the ongoing of growth spurt. Stage G for boys and stage H for girls correlate significantly with the late part of PGS.

Angiotensin II type II receptors and colonic dysmotility in 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II (Ang II), the main peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), has been suggested to be involved in inflammatory bowel diseases. Since RAS has emerged as gut motility regulator, and dysmotility is associated with intestinal inflammation, our objective was to investigate in rat 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis the functionality of RAS and its contribution to colonic motor alterations. METHODS: The effects of Ang II on the longitudinal colonic muscular contractility of control and DNBS-treated rats were characterized in vitro. Transcripts encoding for Ang II receptors were investigated by RT-PCR. KEY RESULTS: Inflamed preparations showed a longitudinal muscle marked hypocontractility. Angiotensin II caused contractile effects in both preparations, but the responses in DNBS preparations were reduced compared to controls. In both preparations, Losartan, AT1 receptor antagonist, reduced Ang II effects. PD123319, AT2 receptor antagonist, enhanced Ang II responses only in DNBS rats, as well as Nω -Nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, or tetrodotoxin (TTX), neural toxin. The co-administration of PD123319 and TTX or L-NNA produced no additive effects. PD123319 per se improved colonic contractility in inflamed tissues. The effect was reduced in the presence of L-NNA or TTX. All Ang II receptor subtypes were expressed in both preparations. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: AT1 receptors mediate Ang II contractile responses in rat colon. During inflammation a recruitment of Ang II AT2 receptors would counteract AT1 -contractile activity. A tonic activation of AT2 receptors would contribute to the general reduction in muscle contractility during experimental inflammation. A role for enteric neurons and NO is also suggested.

Pancreatic polypeptide stimulates mouse gastric motor activity through peripheral neural mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) is supposed to be one of the major endogenous agonists of the neuropeptide Y4 receptor. Pancreatic polypeptide can influence gastrointestinal motility, acting mainly through vagal mechanisms, but whether PP acts directly on the stomach has not been explored yet. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of PP on mouse gastric emptying, on spontaneous tone of whole stomach in vitro and to examine the mechanism of action. METHODS: Gastric emptying was measured by red phenol method after i.p. PP administration (1-3 nmol per mouse). Responses induced by PP (1-300 mmol L-1 ) on gastric endoluminal pressure were analyzed in vitro in the presence of different drugs. Gastric genic expression of Y4 receptor was verified by RT-PCR. KEY RESULTS: Pancreatic polypeptide dose-dependently increased non-nutrient liquid gastric emptying rate. In vitro, PP produced a concentration-dependent contraction that was abolished by tetrodotoxin, a neural blocker of Na+ voltage-dependent channels. The contractile response was significantly reduced by atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, and by SR48968, an NK2 receptor antagonist, while it was potentiated by neostigmine, an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. The joint application of atropine and SR48968 fully abolished PP contractile effect. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the presence of Y4 receptor mRNA in mouse stomach with a greater expression in antrum than in fundus. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The present findings demonstrate that exogenous PP stimulates mouse gastric motor activity, by acting directly on the stomach. This effect appears due to the activation of enteric excitatory neurons releasing acetylcholine and tachykinins.

Activation of angiotensin II type 1 receptors and contractile activity in human sigmoid colon in vitro.

AIM: To analyse the effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the contractility of human sigmoid colon, and to characterize the subtype(s) of receptor(s) involved and the related action mechanism. METHODS: The contractility of sigmoid colon circular muscle strips was recorded isometrically. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to reveal the eventual existence of a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the distribution of Ang II receptors. RESULTS: Transcripts encoding for the Ang II type 1 (AT1 ) and the Ang II type 2 (AT2 ) receptor subtypes and for the angiotensin-converting enzyme in the whole-thickness muscular wall were observed. Ang II caused a concentration-dependent contractile response, which is antagonized by losartan, AT1 receptor antagonist, but not by PD123319, AT2 receptor antagonist. The joint application of losartan and PD123319 did not produce any additive effect. The contractile response to Ang II was partially reduced by tetrodotoxin, Na(+) voltage-gated neural channel blocker, and to some extent by SR48968, tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonist. However, hexamethonium, nicotinic receptor antagonist, atropine, cholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonist and SR140333, tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist, were ineffective. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that AT1 receptors were expressed on the smooth muscle layers and myenteric plexus. CONCLUSION: Ang II positively modulates the spontaneous contractile activity of human sigmoid colon via activation of post-junctional and pre-junctional AT1 receptors, the latter located on the enteric nerves that modulate the release of tachykinins. The presence of the components of RAS in the human colon suggests that Ang II can be also locally generated to control colonic motility.

Spin-polarized ground state for interacting electrons in two dimensions.

We study numerically the ground state magnetization for clusters of interacting electrons in two dimensions in the regime where the single particle wave functions are localized by disorder. It is found that the Coulomb interaction leads to a spontaneous ground state magnetization. For a constant electronic density, the total spin increases linearly with the number of particles, suggesting a ferromagnetic ground state in the thermodynamic limit. The magnetization is suppressed when the single particle states become delocalized.

[Recent views on the functional histological classification of malignant lymphomas]. / Recenti prospettive di classificazione istologico funzionale dei linfomi maligni

The recent immunological classification of malignant lymphoma (ML) proposed by Lukes and Collins is examined. It is based on morphological changes linked to the dynamics of the reactive or secondary follicular clear centres. B-cells (follicular centre) are small or large and may cleft or not; they may proceed to macrophage or plasma cell types. T cells (around the follicles) are small and round, and have a convolute nucleus. ML types are distinguished by the predominance of one cell element, or by a mixture of cells from the maturative line of the follicular centre, i.e. T-cell (or convolute) lymphomas and B-cell (or follicular centre) lymphomas. Stem cells have none of these features. The classification was applied in a series of 32 non-Hodgkin and 24 Hodgkin ML's. Of the former, 23 were classed as B-cell types: 8 small and 5 large cleft cells; 7 small and 3 large non-cleft cells. The remainder were: 2 B-cell immunoblastic sarcomas, 3 histiocyte ML, 2 small lymphocyte ML, 1 ML with convolute lymphocytes, and 1 case with indeterminate cells ("stem cell lymphoma"). The 24 Hodgkin cases were classified in accordance with Rye's pattern (based on the work of Lukes et al.). It was noted that the numerical prevalence of convolute cells gradually fell, passing from lymphocyte dominance to lymphocyte depletion. At the same time, there was an increase in follicular centre cells and a diminution of plasma cell tending lymphocytes. The problems raised by this new immunological and morphogical classification of ML are discussed.

[Lactic acid dehydrogenase in the diagnosis of rheumatic carditis]. / La latticodeidrogenasi nella diagnosi della cardite reumatica.

The literature relating to the determination of lactic acid dehydrogenase and its isoenzymes in the diagnosis of active rheumatic carditis is examined. It is noted that LDH values are normal in inactive chronic rheumatic valvulopathy and in non-rheumatic cardiac insufficiency and that they are of much greater diagnostic utility than SGOT levels in cases of active rheumatic carditis.

[Histological examination of renal lesions associated with hepatic cirrhosis in young subjects]. / Indagine istologica delle lesioni renali associate a cirrosi epatica in soggetti di giovane età.

Histopathological findings obtained by means of various methods in 8 cases of nephropathy, some in association with liver disease and some presenting as neonatal forms, are described. Extensive reference to the literature and to the pathogenetic hypotheses that have been advanced, particularly with respect to the possible action of autoimmunological factors, is followed by a comparative analysis of the presentt findings with those of other workers; the uniformity of the glomerular lesions observed in all cases seen at necropsy is made the basis for some suggestions concerning the genesis of renal lesions themselves.

[Serum glycoproteins in hypertension]. / Le glicoproteine del siero nella ipertensione arteriosa.

The plasma glycoprotein level was determined in 90 hypertensive patients, 20 of whom had myocardial infarctions and 18 cerebral haemorrhages or thromboses. An increase of the beta-glycoproteins was found. In the patients with infarctions of cerebral lesions the alpha2 fraction was also increased. An analysis of the findings suggests that an increase of the 3-glycoproteins is an unfavourable prognostic factor and is greatest in patients with evidence of atherosclerosis.

[A morphologic study of the liver of rats with organic phosphorus ester poisoning]. / Studio morfologico del fegato di ratto nella intossicazione da esteri organo-fosforici.

The liver of rats with acute poinsoning by organic phosphorus esters was examined. The poison used was 98% Parathion injected subcutaneously (500 mg per kg) in rats kept on a normal or high-protein diet. The morphologic changes in the liver tissue, and the diminution of the glycogein content and the variations of the protein content were less severe in the rats given a high-protein diet than in those given a diet with a normal protein content. The mechanisms of this pathogenetic correlation in poisoning by organic phosphorus esters are discussed, also in the light of the data reported in the literature.

[Cytomorphology of the bronchial secretion in hyperplastic, metaplastic and tumoral lesions of the lung]. / Citomorfologia del secreto bronchiale nelle lesioni iperplastico-metaplasiche e tumorali del polmone.

Cytomorphological examination, following fixing in paraffin and staining with haematoxin-eosin, of expectorated material from 20 cases of suspected pulmonary lesions is reported. 4 cases proved positive for bronchogenic carcinoma, 2 presented flat epithelial cells referable to squamous metaplasia and 1 revealed voluminous cells attributable to bronchial adenoma. Biopsy confirmed the cytological evidence in the positive neoplasia cases while indirect confirmation of the accuracy of the negative findings was given by the clinical course and subsequent follow-up of individual patients. Reference to the literature data concerning cytological pulmonary diagnosis is followed by a discussion of differential diagnosis problems in various bronchial diseases, attention being particularly given to some of the more fundamental biological features connected with the histogenesis of malignant epitelial tumours, especially squamous metaplasia; the latter may be observed in TB, in bronchiectasia, in abscesses and in association with carcinoma.