Oral Candida Mannan Concentrations Correlate with Symptoms/Signs of Ill Health and the Immune Status

Mycopathologia - A relationship has been proposed between increases in oral Candida concentrations and host immunity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship...     

Adjustment function among antioxidant substances in acatalasemic mouse brain and its enhancement by low-dose X-ray irradiation

The catalase activities in blood and organs of the acatalasemic (C3H/AnLCsbCsb) mouse of the C3H strain are lower than those of the normal (C3H/AnLCsaCsa) mouse. We conducted a study to examine changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), the total gluathione content, and the lipid peroxide level in the brain, which is more sensitive to oxidative stress than other organs, at 3, 6, or 24 hr following X-ray irradiation at doses of 0.25, 0.5, or 5.0 Gy to the acatalasemic and the normal mice. No significant change in the lipid peroxide level in the acatalasemic mouse brain was seen under non-irradiation conditions. However, the acatalasemic mouse brain was more damaged than the normal mouse brain by excessive oxygen stress, such as a high-dose (5.0 Gy) X-ray. On the other hand, we found that, unlike 5.0 Gy X-ray, a relatively low-dose (0.5 Gy) irradiation specifically increased the activities of both catalase and GPX in the acatalasemic mouse brain making the activities closer to those in the normal mouse brain. These findings may indicate that the free radical reaction induced by the lack of catalase is more properly neutralized by low dose irradiation.     

Anthropometric measurements of the endoscopic eyebrow lift in the treatment of facial paralysis

Endoscopic eyebrow lift was performed on 51 patients presenting with eyebrow ptosis due to facial paralysis. The resulting anthropometric measurements of eyebrow position were analyzed statistically to evaluate the effectiveness of this method. When preoperative eyebrow differences between the paralyzed and nonparalyzed sides were measured, the average difference at midpoint was 4.4 mm, and at the highest point, 4.6 mm. When the same points were measured postoperatively, the average difference at midpoint was 2.4 mm, and at the highest point, 2.3 mm. The difference in eyebrow height between the paralyzed and nonparalyzed sides correlated positively with age, both preoperatively and postoperatively. However, differences between preoperative and postoperative eyebrow height (which reflects the effectiveness of endoscopic eyebrow lift) at the highest point did not correlate with age and at the midpoint displayed a slightly negative correlation with age. These results suggest that endoscopic eyebrow lift is effective among young patients whose eyebrow ptosis is minor and is relatively ineffective among elderly patients whose eyebrow ptosis is severe. The conventional method of juxta-brow excision is indicated for elderly patients, for whom the operative scar is almost inconspicuous.     

Histidine-rich glycoprotein plus zinc reverses growth inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cells by heparin

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) hyperplasia is known to be an important component in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and restenosis. Although heparin has been well recognized as the representative molecule suppressing SMC growth in vitro, attempts to use heparin as a therapeutic anti-restenosis drug have not favorably influenced the angiographic or clinical outcome after angioplasty in some clinical trials. In this study, we have examined the effect of histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), a relatively abundant serum glycoprotein (~100 micrograms/ml in human serum), on the growth inhibition of cultured vascular SMC by heparin. Vascular SMC growth was significantly inhibited by heparin, giving nearly 85% inhibition with 100 micrograms/ml heparin. HRG reversed heparin-induced SMC growth inhibition in a dose dependent manner; 75% restoration of cell growth was observed when 100 micrograms/ml of HRG was co-added with 100 micrograms/ml heparin. Interestingly, micromolar concentrations of the zinc ion (0-10 microM), compatible with concentrations released from activated platelets, were found to enhance the restorative action of HRG. Western blot experiment demonstrated no significant amounts of the HRG moiety in fetal bovine serum, eliminating the possible contribution of contaminant HRG from culture media. These findings indicate that HRG, in combination with the zinc ion, plays a role in modulating the SMC growth response in pathophysiological states and explain the lack of success of heparin as a therapeutic anti-restenosis drug in clinical trials.     

High-intensity static magnetic fields modulate skin microcirculation and temperature in vivo

We investigated the acute effect of static magnetic fields of up to 8 T on skin blood flow and body temperature in anesthetized rats. These variables were measured prior to, during, and following exposure to a magnetic field in a superconducting magnet with a horizontal bore. The dorsal skin was transversely incised for 1 cm to make a subcutaneous pocket. Probes of a laser Doppler flowmeter and a thermistor were inserted into the pocket and positioned at mid-dorsum to measure skin blood flow and temperature. Another thermistor probe was put into the rectum to monitor rectal temperature. After baseline measurement outside the magnet, the rat was inserted into the bore for 20 min so that mid-dorsum was exactly positioned at the center, where the magnetic field was nearly homogeneous. Post-exposure changes were then recorded for 20 min outside the bore. Sham-exposed animals were submitted to exactly the same conditions, except that the superconducting magnet was not energized. Skin blood flow and temperature decreased significantly during magnetic field exposure and recovered after removal of the animal from the magnet. The rectal temperature showed a tendency to decrease while the animal was in the magnet. The microcirculatory and thermal reactions in the present study were consistent and agreed with some of the predictions based on mathematical simulations and model experiments.     

Postoperative complications and functional results after total glossectomy with microvascular reconstruction

Microsurgical reconstruction after total glossectomy can greatly improve quality of life; however, postoperative functional results are often unstable, and the effectiveness of total glossectomy remains questionable. To determine the problems of reconstruction after total glossectomy with laryngeal preservation and to examine the functional results of swallowing and speech, 30 patients who had undergone total glossectomy and reconstruction with free flaps were reviewed for this study. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 73 years, and 23 of the 30 had undergone reconstruction with a rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap. Wider and thicker flaps were designed and transferred and were sutured to suspend the larynx. To maintain physiologic swallowing function after surgery, the extent of laryngeal suspension and cricopharyngeal myotomy was limited. Of the 30 patients, 21 (70 percent) could be decannulated with laryngeal preservation; 20 of these 21 could tolerate a normal/soft/pureed diet, and 1 was limited to a fluid diet. Speech was intelligible in 16 of the 19 patients evaluated. In 9 of the 30 patients, laryngeal function could not be preserved. In four of these nine patients, additional resection combined with total glossectomy caused severe aspiration and recurrent pneumonia. Two patients with preoperative cerebral dysfunction were also poor candidates for laryngeal preservation. Additionally, the transferred flap's lack of bulk in the oral cavity and the advanced age (73 years) of one patient and the poor motivation of another may have contributed to postoperative aspiration. Aspiration occurred in one patient because of local recurrence of a tumor. The presence of preoperative cerebral dysfunction (p = 0.025), resection of the epiglottis (p = 0.005), and postoperative orocutaneous fistulas (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with the failure of laryngeal preservation. However, because of the difficulty of enrolling a sufficient number of patients in the study and the inherent limitations of retrospective studies, multivariate analysis in this study showed that no factors, such as patient age, flap volume, and the type of neck dissection, were significant predictors of laryngeal preservation. Although prospective studies are necessary, the function of individual patients must be assessed so that the study experiences discussed here can be applied to subsequent patients.     

Gait Variability before Surgery and at Discharge in Patients Who Undergo Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Cohort Study

This study aimed to determine gait ability at hospital discharge in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) as an indicator of the risk of falling. Fifty-seven patients undergoing primary TKA for knee osteoarthritis participated in this study. Gait variability measured with accelerometers and physical function including knee range of motion (ROM), quadriceps strength, walking speed, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test were evaluated preoperatively and at discharge from the hospital (1 month before and 5 days after surgery). All patients were discharged directly home at 5 days after surgery. Knee flexion of ROM, quadriceps strength, walking speed, and the TUG test results were significantly worse at hospital discharge than preoperatively (p < 0.001). However, gait variability was not significantly different before and after TKA. This result indicated that patients following TKA surgery could walk at hospital discharge as stably as preoperatively regardless of the decrease in physical function, including knee ROM, quadriceps strength, and gait speed after surgery.