INTRODUCTION: The causes for peripheral facial palsy remain obscure in many patients. Evidence exists suggesting viruses, especially those belonging to the herpesvirus group, may be causative. This study was developed to evaluate this theory. METHODS: One hundred forty-seven patients with acute peripheral facial palsy of primarily unknown origin were studied. All were examined within 1 week of onset. Subsequent follow-up was undertaken until the palsy had recovered or become static. Paried cerebral spinal fluid and serum samples were obtained for serological evaluation to detect herpes simplex, varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus, measles, mumps, rubella, tick-borne encephalitis, adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human immunodeficiency virus, as well as the antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. RESULTS: Elevated antibiotic titers to Borrelia burgdorferi were observed in 11% of patients, whereas 9% of patients demonstrated elevated viral titers. Antibody pattern consistent with Epstein-Barr virus reactivation was present in 13%. A total of 67% were classified as idiopathic. CONCLUSION: Patients with reactivated Epstein-Barr virus were characterized by having a higher incidence of auricular pain and displayed diabetes mellitus in a higher frequency than in other groups. In the Borrelia group, neck/back pain was more common. Healing was less favorable in the Borrelia group despite an equal rate of palsy at onset and adequate antibiotic treatment. Corticosteroid treatment used in 44% of the patients did not significantly improve the functional outcome.

Acute Disease↗

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Bone augmentation at fenestrated implants by an osteopromotive membrane technique. A controlled clinical study.

Lack of bone in localized areas of the jaws frequently poses a problem when placing oral implants. In this clinical study, we have tested an osteopromotive membrane technique for its ability to create bone over buccal fenestrations after fixture installation in the maxilla. 7 patients were selected by the use of CT-scan. Criteria for patient selection were that the alveolar crest should have a vertical height >13 mm and a facial-palatal concavity, where exposure at the central portion of the fixture could be anticipated. One fenestration, randomly chosen, in each patient was covered with an e-PTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) (Gore-Tex GTAM) membrane. Contralateral fenestrations served as controls (without the placement of a membrane). The amount of newly formed bone was calculated by photometric assessments. The results showed that the fixture fenestrations, treated with the membrane technique, demonstrated a significantly (p<0.005) higher amount of new bone formation compared to the controls, where little or no improvement had taken place at the fenestrations. The study conclusively shows that the membrane technique is a reconstructive technique, able to create new bone at localized bone fenestrations at titanium fixtures. Additionally, the study also demonstrates that the periosteum alone, in adult humans, is not capable of generating new bone at exposed titanium implants.

Adult↗

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In the research community it is considered to be highly unethical to publish as original work the same scientific results more than once.

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Duplicate Publications as Topic↗

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Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme patterns of human dental pulp.

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Dental Pulp↗

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[Specific immune response to vaccination with an inactivated flue vaccine depending on prevaccine status and age of the person vaccinated].

Specific antibody immune response to vaccination with commercial inactivated trivalent vaccine A(H1N1) + A(H3N2) + B (IgA, IgG, IgG, subclasses G1, G3, G4, and accumulation of antiCD8) was studied in subjects aged 20-95 years. The initial immune status before vaccination is significant for a positive immune response to the vaccine. Subjects responding to immunization by an increment in specific IgG had a much lower prevaccination level of these antibodies than subjects without these Ig conversion. Antibody immune response to vaccination depended on patient's age. All vaccinees aged 20-25 years developed an increment in IgG to at least one of influenza antigens used. Specific postvaccinal immune response to inactivated influenza vaccine included accumulation of G1, G3, and A antibodies, but not G4 or E antibodies. This latter fact suggests the absence of sensitizing effect of vaccination. In elderly subjects an increment in G1, G3, and A antibodies may not involve an increase in the total level of IgG. In part of elderly subjects secretion of specific antibodies was observed in the presence of increased concentration of antilymphocytic antibodies (antiCD8), indicating a possibility of autoimmune reactions in subjects of this age after injection of inactivated influenza vaccine.

Adult↗

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Salivary kallikrein in Sjögren's syndrome.

Using a chromogenic substrate (H-D-Val-Leu-Arg-pNA) salivary kallikrein levels were measured in whole saliva samples from patients suffering from Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Compared to healthy control individuals, SS patients, especially those without corticosteroid medication, exhibited significantly elevated kallikrein levels. A diurnal variation was found with the highest kallikrein activities in morning saliva. No correlation between kallikrein levels and extension of the inflammation in labial salivary glands (focus score), salivary flow rates or diagnosis (primary versus secondary SS) could be observed. A pathogenic mechanism for kallikrein in autoimmune sialadenitis is discussed.

Aged↗

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Involvement of aberrant p53 expression and human papillomavirus in carcinoma of the head, neck and esophagus.

Biopsies from 34 patients with cancer of the head, neck or esophagus, 2 laryngeal papillomas, and 2 normal tonsils were analysed for human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) genomes and mutated or elevated levels of p53. In 4 biopsies p53 was also analysed by DNA sequencing. HPV type 31 was found in one laryngeal cancer with normal p53 and HPV type 16 in two tonsil cancers with aberrant p53 expression. EBV was detected by PCR in 11 biopsies, but in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry, did not confirm this finding. Aberrant p53 expression was observed in approximately half of the tumours. These results support the involvement of both aberrant p53 expression and HPV in the aetiology of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Base Sequence↗

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Effects of suramin on polyamine metabolism in B16 murine melanoma cells.

Polyamines and their biosynthetic enzymes, such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC), are crucial for normal and neoplastic cell growth and differentiation. Suramin inhibits the growth of several tumor cells by affecting various intracellular targets, but its effects on polyamines are not known. In this study, the effects of suramin on some parameters of polyamine metabolism in B16 melanoma cells were investigated in vitro. Suramin increased cellular ODC activity and ODC mRNA levels, whereas the drug was directly inhibitory to the enzyme. AdoMetDC was not affected. Cellular putrescine levels were enhanced by suramin, whereas spermidine and spermine pools were unaltered. Cells cultured in the presence of suramin showed decreased cellular polyamine transport, but no direct inhibitory effect on the polyamine transporter could be found. Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated a direct interaction between suramin and spermine. It may be concluded that suramin affects polyamine metabolism, and that its effects in some respects are opposite to those of alpha-difluoromethylomithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of ODC.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Opposing effects of suramin and DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine on polyamine metabolism contribute to a synergistic action on B16 melanoma cell growth in vitro.

Polyamines are crucial for normal and neoplastic cell growth. Treatment with the polyanionic drug suramin has pronounced antigrowth activity in several tumor cell lines, but its clinical use has been hampered by its toxicity. We have earlier shown that suramin affects cellular polyamine metabolism and transport, and that these effects were, in some respects, opposite to those of alpha-difluoromethylomithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor to ornithine decarboxylase, a key metabolic enzyme for polyamines. DFMO has been used in anticancer trials, although with limited success. Combinations of suramin and DFMO were, hence, evaluated in vitro and were found to strongly inhibit B16 melanoma cell proliferation. DFMO alone induced melanoma cell differentiation, and suramin used in combination with DFMO did not abrogate this DFMO-induced differentiation. Synergy analysis demonstrated a pronounced growth-inhibitory synergism between suramin and DFMO. The results suggest that the efficacy of combinations of DFMO with suramin or its analogues should be further explored, especially in cells requiring high levels of polyamines for their growth.

Animals↗