Contact allergy to gold in dental patients.

Gold sodium thiosulphate (GSTS) in patch test series commonly yields positive reactions. In this study of dental patients, the clinical relevance of these positive reactions, the suitability of gold compounds as patch test materials, and value of the lymphocyte proliferation test in gold contact allergy, were evaluated. The frequency of positive patch test reactions to GSTS was 12.

Free amino acids in human palatine gland secretions.

Human palatine gland saliva (HPS) was collected from young adult subjects (mean age 22 yr) of both sexes by gentle mechanical stimulation. The HPS contained 9-13 of the common amino acids within the range of 2-850 nmol/ml, but most samples had low or no concentrations of arginine, tryptophan and proline. Methionine and cysteine were not reliably detected.

Surgical and prosthetic treatment of the atrophic mandible.

Two vestibuloplasty methods and a muscle-formed method for improving the retention and stability of complete mandibular dentures were compared in 19 edentulous patients with advanced mandibular bone resorption. The resorptive changes in the alveolar crest and any relapse in the extended vestibule after surgery were monitored for 2 yr. Simultaneous production of the first new complete dentures, to which the labial plate is added during the surgical procedure, and firm circummandibular fixation during primary healing will guarantee the best surgical and prosthetic results.

Effect of xylitol-, sucrose-, and water-rinses on the composition of human palatine gland secretions.

The chemical composition of stimulated human palatine secretions (HPS) was studied after rinsing with aqueous solutions of sucrose or xylitol, or with water only. Stimulation with water was associated with increased concentration levels of protein. The levels of sialic acids (per mg protein) and the specific arylamidase activities were simultaneously increased, within the physiologic range.

Partial purification and characterization of arylamidases from human palatine secretions.

The secretions (HPS) contained an arylamidase-like enzyme discovered by chromatography on Sephadex G-100 Superfine columns using N-L-alanyl-2-naphthylamine (2NA) as substrate. The enzyme was fractionated in the void volume, suggesting that its molecular weight was 150,000 or higher. It hydrolysed, with decreasing rates, the 2NA of L-alanine, L-leucine, L-methionine and L-phenylalanine, the pH optimum for the best substrate (ala-2NA) being 8.