Cynaropicrin from Cynara scolymus L. suppresses Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines in human gingival fibroblasts and RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells.

Periodontal diseases are a major public health problem affecting over half of the adult population worldwide. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced by the periodontopathic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis induces the expression of inflammatory cytokines that promote inflammatory bone destruction. Mounting evidence supports that periodontal diseases are involved in the onset and progression of several systemic diseases, such as aspiration pneumonia and diabetes.

Randomized trial to compare LSA2L2-type maintenance therapy to daily 6-mercaptopurine and weekly methotrexate with vincristine and dexamethasone pulse for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: A total of 201 pediatric cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia were treated with the ALL-96 protocol by the Kyushu-Yamaguchi Children's Cancer Study Group.

Procedure: Risk stratification was based on white cell counts, immunophenotype, the presence of central nervous system disease at diagnosis, organomegaly, and early treatment response (day 14 bone marrow status). All of the patients were classified into standard-risk (SR) or high-risk (HR) groups and were randomly assigned to receive maintenance therapy with either LSA2L2-type or 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP)/methotrexate (MTX) with vincristine (VCR) and dexamethasone (DEX) pulse in both risk groups.