Rapidly progressive and metastatic mucoepidermoid carcinoma: application of serological tumor markers.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the salivary gland is a rare entity. A distinction of 2 variants has been proposed: the low-grade tumor with a favourable prognosis and the high-grade tumor with a poor prognosis. Indeed, MEC is a cancer with a relative favourable outcome and more than 90% of patients survive for more than 5 years after diagnosis, reduced to about 70% after 10 years.

Mutagenicity testing of mouthwash brands.

Several mouthwash brands were investigated for the evaluation of mutagenicity and cell-transforming activity in short-term mutagenicity test systems. The tests were: the Salmonella typhimurium mutagenicity assay (Ames tests), the unscheduled DNA-repair induction assay in primary rat hepatocytes (UDS-test), and the V79-HGPRT mutagenicity assay. Mouthwash, with and without an external metabolic activation system (S9), consistently showed no mutagenic or cytotoxic activity in the Ames test, UDS assay or the V79-HGPRT-assay.

Expression of insulin-like growth-factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in peripheral nerve sheath tumors in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal-dominant inherited disease, characterised by the development of nerve sheath tumors. NF1 is the most frequently inherited disease associated with a predisposition for cancer (in particular malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: MPNST). NF1 is a progressive disease with phase-like growth spurts of dermal or plexiform neurofibroma (PNF).

Loss of heterozygosity in tumor cells of a recurrent mandibular giant cell granuloma in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease affecting about 1:3000 humans. Neurofibromas are benign soft tissue tumors. Giant cell granuloma (GCG) is a benign tumor-like lesion that is preferentially located in the jaws.

Expression and distribution of cytokeratins and vimentin in rat larynx and trachea following irradiation.

Background: External irradiation (IRR) of advanced head and neck tumors often includes tissues of the larynx and trachea unaffected by cancer. In these normal tissues, both single-cell damage (necrosis, apoptosis, functional cell death) and interstitial damage (edema, fibrosis, vascular alterations, cellular infiltrations) resulting in tissue remodeling can occur, depending on various IRR parameters. However, reports on radiogenic intermediate filament protein alterations in laryngeal-tracheal tissues are very rare.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) in NF1-affected children.

Background: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) constitute a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that probably arise from cells of the peripheral nerve sheath. Association of MPNST with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is frequently reported. MPNST contribute significantly to the reduced life-span of NF1-patients.

Avascular mandibular osteonecrosis in association with bisphosphonate therapy: a report on four patients.

Unlabelled: Over the past three years, several reports have been published on jaw osteonecrosis possibly being associated with the administration of bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates are highly active inhibitors of osteoclasts. These drugs are used for the treatment of multiple myeloma, bone resorption in the case of metastatic malignant diseases, tumor-associated hypercalcaemia, and in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Clinical relevance of positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the progression of internal plexiform neurofibroma in NF1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a frequent and inherited disease with a predisposition for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) development. MPNST are soft tissue sarcomas that arise from peripheral nerves, being one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans with extremely poor prognosis. MPNST frequently arise from a previously undetected plexiform neurofibroma (PNF).

Primary and second primary cancer in 649 patients with malignancies of the maxillofacial region.

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the outcome of patients with oral and maxillofacial (OMF) cancer. The emphasis was to evaluate the outcome of patients with second primary cancer.

Patients And Methods: A total of 649 patients were retrospectively evaluated (male: 457; female: 192).

Navigation-assisted resection of a primary extraocular melanoma of the orbit.

Unlabelled: A 22-year-old male presented with proptosis of the right eye and diplopia. On magnetic resonance images (MRI), a well-delineated orbital tumor medio-distal to the eye was detected, respecting the eye-ball and the orbital walls. The aim of navigation-assisted surgery was to excise the progressive tumor while maintaining vision.

Diagnosis and treatment of patients with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome [Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS)].

Background: The nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCC) is a rare and autosomal dominant inherited disease with well-defined characteristics, summarized by Gorlin and Goltz in 1960. In the head and neck region, cerebral calcifications, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and multiple keratocysts of the jaws are the predominant findings. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic findings and the therapy for patients with NBCC.

[Eruption times of permanent teeth in male children and adolescents of Tehran (Iran)].

The eruption times of permanent teeth and the sequence of tooth eruption were investigated in 952 individuals aged 4 to 24 years. Wisdom teeth were excluded from the evaluation. All individuals were inhabitants of Tehran, Iran.

Topological reorganization of odor representations in the olfactory bulb.

Odors are initially represented in the olfactory bulb (OB) by patterns of sensory input across the array of glomeruli. Although activated glomeruli are often widely distributed, glomeruli responding to stimuli sharing molecular features tend to be loosely clustered and thus establish a fractured chemotopic map. Neuronal circuits in the OB transform glomerular patterns of sensory input into spatiotemporal patterns of output activity and thereby extract information about a stimulus.

K+ channel facilitation of exocytosis by dynamic interaction with syntaxin.

Kv channels inhibit release indirectly by hyperpolarizing membrane potential, but the significance of Kv channel interaction with the secretory apparatus is not known. The Kv2.1 channel is commonly expressed in the soma and dendrites of neurons, where it could influence the release of neuropeptides and neurotrophins, and in neuroendocrine cells, where it could influence hormone release.

Early functional development of interneurons in the zebrafish olfactory bulb.

In the adult olfactory bulb (OB) of vertebrates, local GABAergic interneurons (INs) mediate recurrent and lateral inhibition between the principal neurons of the OB, the mitral cells (MCs), and play pivotal roles in the processing of odor-evoked activity patterns. The properties and functions of INs in the developing OB are, however, not well understood. We studied the functional development of INs in the OB of living zebrafish larvae 3-6 days postfertilization using anatomical techniques and in-vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging.

Stochastic order parameter equation of isometric force production revealed by drift-diffusion estimates.

We address two questions that are central to understanding human motor control variability: what kind of dynamical components contribute to motor control variability (i.e., deterministic and/or random ones), and how are those components structured? To this end, we derive a stochastic order parameter equation for isometric force production from experimental data using drift-diffusion estimates.

"No one else sees the difference: "family members' perceptions of changes in persons with preclinical Huntington disease.

Manifestations of Huntington disease (HD) prior to clinical diagnosis are not well understood. This study documents adult family members' perceptions of changes and their attempts to manage these changes in persons who had received a positive predictive molecular HD test prior to clinical diagnosis. Data were obtained from 19 adult family members in six focus groups in the US and Canada and one individual interview in the US.

Exact solution of a generalized Kramers-Fokker-Planck equation retaining retardation effects.

In order to describe non-Gaussian kinetics in weakly damped systems, the concept of continuous time random walks is extended to particles with finite inertia. One thus obtains a generalized Kramers-Fokker-Planck equation, which retains retardation effects, i.e.

Histopathology and clinical outcome of NF1-associated vs. sporadic malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

The differences in the clinical course and histopathology of sporadic and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-associated malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) were investigated retrospectively. The collective comprised 38 NF1 patients and 14 sporadic patients. NF1 patients were significantly younger at diagnosis (p<0.

Reconstruction of complex dynamical systems affected by strong measurement noise.

This Letter reports on a new approach to properly analyze time series of dynamical systems which are spoilt by the simultaneous presence of dynamical noise and measurement noise. It is shown that even strong external measurement noise as well as dynamical noise which is an intrinsic part of the dynamical process can be quantified correctly, solely on the basis of measured time series and proper data analysis. Finally, real world data sets are presented pointing out the relevance of the new approach.

Crystal structures of human tissue kallikrein 4: activity modulation by a specific zinc binding site.

Human tissue kallikrein 4 (hK4) belongs to a 15-member family of closely related serine proteinases. hK4 is predominantly expressed in prostate, activates hK3/PSA, and is up-regulated in prostate and ovarian cancer. We have identified active monomers of recombinant hK4 besides inactive oligomers in solution.

Secondary amides of sulfonylated 3-amidinophenylalanine. New potent and selective inhibitors of matriptase.

Matriptase is an epithelium-derived type II transmembrane serine protease and has been implicated in the activation of substrates such as pro-HGF/SF and pro-uPA, which are likely involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Through screening, we have identified bis-basic secondary amides of sulfonylated 3-amidinophenylalanine as matriptase inhibitors. X-ray analyses of analogues 8 and 31 in complex with matriptase revealed that these inhibitors occupy, in addition to part of the previously described S4-binding site, the cleft formed by the molecular surface and the unique 60 loop of matriptase.

Anomalous diffusion of inertial, weakly damped particles.

The anomalous (i.e., non-Gaussian) dynamics of particles subject to a deterministic acceleration and a series of "random kicks" is studied.

Toxicity screening of mouthwashes in the pollen tube growth test: safety assessment of recommended dilutions.

This study investigated whether mouthwash dilutions, recommended by the manufacturers, may contribute to oral mucosa irritation. Twenty frequently used mouthwash brands were examined by the pollen tube growth test, an alternative in vitro method for assessment of the irritating potential of ingredients of cosmetic formulations. The test is based on the photometric quantification of pollen tube growth inhibition.