Treatment of multiple adjacent RT 1 gingival recessions with the modified coronally advanced tunnel (MCAT) technique and a collagen matrix or palatal connective tissue graft: 9-year results of a split-mouth randomized clinical trial

Clinical Oral Investigations - To evaluate t he long-term outcomes following treatment of RT 1 multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGR) using the modified coronally advanced tunnel (MCAT) with...     

The chondrocyte channelome: A narrative review

Chondrocytes are the main cells in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of articular cartilage and possess a highly differentiated phenotype that is the hallmark of the unique physiological functions of this specialised load-bearing connective tissue. The plasma membrane of articular chondrocytes contains a rich and diverse complement of membrane proteins, known as the membranome, which defines the cell surface phenotype of the cells. The membranome is a key target of pharmacological agents and is important for chondrocyte function. It includes channels, transporters, enzymes, receptors, and anchors for intracellular, cytoskeletal and ECM proteins and other macromolecular complexes. The chondrocyte channelome is a sub-compartment of the membranome and includes a complete set of ion channels and porins expressed in these cells. Many of these are multi-functional proteins with “moonlighting” roles, serving as channels, receptors and signalling components of larger molecular assemblies. The aim of this review is to summarise our current knowledge of the fundamental aspects of the chondrocyte channelome, discuss its relevance to cartilage biology and highlight its possible role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Excessive and inappropriate mechanical loads, an inflammatory micro-environment, alternative splicing of channel components or accumulation of basic calcium phosphate crystals can result in an altered chondrocyte channelome impairing its function. Alterations in Ca²⁺ signalling may lead to defective synthesis of ECM macromolecules and aggravated catabolic responses in chondrocytes, which is an important and relatively unexplored aspect of the complex and poorly understood mechanism of OA development.     

A new method for the termination of cervical pregnancy]

The authors described a 7 weeks old cervical pregnant case, whome was administered 250 mg methotrexate in infusion to eliminate the throphoblastic tissue. 3 days later the HCG was negative in the urine. After the dilatation of cervix by laminaria, the collapsed amniotic sac came from the cervix with minimal hemorrhage. They suggest the method is suitable to prevent the serious complications of cervical pregnancy.     

Contractile and endothelium-dependent dilatory responses of cerebral arteries at various extracellular magnesium concentrations

To clarify the effect of extracellular magnesium (Mg2+) on the vascular reactivity of feline isolated middle cerebral arteries, the effects of slight alterations in the Mg2+ concentration on the contractile and endothelium-dependent dilatory responses were investigated in vitro. The contractions, induced by 10(-8)-10(-5) M norepinephrine, were significantly potentiated at low Mg2+ (0.8 mM v. the normal, 1.2 mM). High (1.6 and 2.0 mM) Mg2+ exhibited an inhibitory effect on the contractile responses. No significant changes, however, in the EC50 values for norepinephrine were found. The endothelium-dependent relaxations induced by 10(-8)-10(-5) M acetylcholine were inhibited by high (1.6 and 2.0 mM) Mg2+. Lowering of the Mg2+ concentration to 0.8 mM or total withdrawal of this ion from the medium failed to alter the dilatory potency of acetylcholine. The changes in the dilatory responses also shifted the EC50 values for acetylcholine to the right. The present results show that the contractile responses of the cerebral arteries are extremely susceptible to the changes of Mg2+ concentrations. In response to contractile and endothelium-dependent dilatory agonists, Mg2+ probably affects both the calcium influx into the endothelial and smooth muscle cells as well as the binding of acetylcholine to its endothelial receptor. Since Mg2+ deficiency might facilitate the contractile but not the endothelium-dependent relaxant responses, the present study supports a role for Mg2+ deficiency in the development of the cerebral vasospasm.     

Opposite actions of oxytocin and vasopressin in the development of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in mice.

Subchronic administration of cocaine induces behavioral sensitization (increasing hypermotility) to a challenge dose of the drug administered 72 h after the cessation of treatment. The effects of repeated administration of the neurohypophyseal hormones oxytocin (OXT) and arginine8-vasopressin (AVP) on the development of behavioral sensitization induced by subchronic treatment with cocaine were investigated in mice. Repeated treatment of OXT and AVP did not modify the locomotor stimulatory effect of the challenge dose of cocaine in cocaine-naive control animals. OXT in a dose of 0.5 microgram (sc) augmented the cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. In contrast, AVP (0.005-0.5 microgram/mouse, sc) dose dependently attenuated the development of sensitization to the hypermotility-inducing effect of cocaine. The results suggest that the behavioral sensitization induced by cocaine can be modulated in opposite directions by neurohypophyseal hormones.     

Protocol for the prevention and treatment of oral sequelae resulting from head and neck radiation therapy.

In addition to the desired antitumor effects, head and neck radiation therapy induces damage in normal tissues that may result in oral sequelae such as mucositis, hyposalivation, radiation caries, taste loss, trismus, soft-tissue necrosis, and osteoradionecrosis. These sequelae may be dose-limiting and have a tremendous effect on the patient's quality of life. Current policies to prevent these sequelae primarily are based on clinical experience and show great diversity. A protocol for the prevention and treatment of oral sequelae resulting from head and neck radiation therapy, based on fundamental research and data derived from the literature, is presented. The protocol is particularly applicable in centers with a dental team. This team should be involved at the time of initial diagnosis so that a successful preventive regimen is an integral part of the overall cancer treatment regimen.     

Effects of statistical noise and digital filtering on the parameters calculated from the impulse response function

Radiotracers are widely used for the investigation of organ perfusion and function. One of the quantitative approaches to analyze radiotracer data is the calculation of the impulse response function, which is obtained by deconvolution analysis of the time-activity curves measured over the organ. Since exactness of the calculated impulse response function depends both on the counting statistics and on the deconvolution algorithm applied, computer simulated time-activity curves were used to test the least squares deconvolution program based on the matrix regularization algorithm. Criteria of clinical importance (error in the calculated organ function parameters) and criteria of mathematical importance (deconvolution and reconvolution error) were investigated. For three typical impulse response functions f(t), it was found that: 1. In cases of noncompartmental vascular-capillary f(t)'s, a high degree of smoothing is preferable during deconvolution, in this way the error becomes systematic but controllable. 2. Noncompartmental vascular-tubular f(t)'s are noise sensitive, but fortunately, noise in the data can be held to a minimum. 3. Compartmenta f(t)'s need only a minimal degree of smoothing; their components can be identified in a second step using a multiexponential least squares fit.     

Development and results of valve replacement surgery at the Városmajor Clinic 1976-1990 (retorospective clinical analysis)]

In Hungary valve replacement is still a major indication for heart surgery in adults. In the Cardiovascular Surgical Clinic of Semmelweis Medical University of Budapest from 1976 to 1990 2435 patients were operated for valve disease. Majority of the cases had single (aortic n = 856, mitral n = 912) or double (aortic + mitral n = 513) valve replacement. Over this 15 years period there have been many alterations in patients characteristics and surgical technique as well. In spite of the increasing mean age of patients the operative mortality has decreased (in the last 5 years period it was 2.7%, 5.5% and 7.9% in the three groups respectively). At the same time the number of patients requiring valve re-replacement or combined valve + coronary procedure has increased. The use of bioprosthetic valves has fallen below 10 percent from the 60--80 percent observed between 1976--1980. The analysis showes excellent surgical results in the field of valve replacement in Hungary.