Efficacy and tolerability of pale sulfonated shale oil cream 4% in the treatment of mild to moderate atopic eczema in children: a multicentre, randomized vehicle-controlled trial.

Background: Reports on controlled trials on the efficacy and tolerability of sulfonated shale oils in atopic eczema are not available so far. The aim of this study was to investigate whether topically applied, specially prepared pale sulfonated shale oil (PSSO) cream is capable of improving symptoms/signs of mild to moderate atopic eczema in children more efficaciously than a corresponding vehicle cream.

Patients And Methods: A total of 99 children suffering from mild to moderate atopic eczema were enrolled in this multicentre, randomized, vehicle-controlled study.

Use of chromosome engineering to model a segmental deletion of chromosome band 7q22 found in myeloid malignancies.

Monosomy 7 and del(7q) are associated with adverse features in myeloid malignancies. A 2.5-Mb commonly deleted segment (CDS) of chromosome band 7q22 is implicated as harboring a myeloid tumor suppressor gene (TSG); however, molecular analysis of candidate TSGs has not uncovered loss of function.

Mutant Ikzf1, KrasG12D, and Notch1 cooperate in T lineage leukemogenesis and modulate responses to targeted agents.

Mice that accurately model the genetic diversity found in human cancer are valuable tools for interrogating disease mechanisms and investigating novel therapeutic strategies. We performed insertional mutagenesis with the MOL4070LTR retrovirus in Mx1-Cre, Kras(G12D) mice and generated a large cohort of T lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs). Molecular analysis infers that retroviral integration within Ikzf1 is an early event in leukemogenesis that precedes Kras(G12D) expression and later acquisition of somatic Notch1 mutations.

Human periosteum-derived cells combined with superporous hydroxyapatite blocks used as an osteogenic bone substitute for periodontal regenerative therapy: an animal implantation study using nude mice.

Background: A superporous (85%) hydroxyapatite (HA) block was recently developed to improve osteoconductivity, but it was often not clinically successful when used to treat periodontal osseous defects. The primary purpose of this study is to develop a clinically applicable tissue-engineered bone substitute using this HA block and human alveolar periosteum-derived cells.

Methods: Commercially available superporous HA blocks were acid treated and subjected to a three-dimensional (3D) culture for periosteal cell cultivation.

Signatures of polycomb repression and reduced H3K4 trimethylation are associated with p15INK4b DNA methylation in AML.

DNA hypermethylation of the p15INK4b tumor suppressor gene is commonly observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Repressive histone modifications and their associated binding proteins have been implicated in the regulation of DNA methylation and the transcriptional repression of genes with DNA methylation. We have used high-density chromatin immunoprecipitation-on-chip to determine the histone modifications that normally regulate p15INK4b expression in AML cells and how these marks are altered in cells that have p15INK4b DNA methylation.

[Depression in HIV infection: prevalence, risk factors and management].

Depression is one of the main psychiatric co-morbidities in HIV infection, presenting with a significantly higher prevalence than in the general population (around 35%). Its presence has been associated with poor quality of life, HIV disease progression and poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Although antidepressive treatment has demonstrated effectiveness on the management of depressive symptoms, improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters, and enhancement of antiretroviral adherence, depression is frequently under diagnosed and under treated in these patients.

Identification of Zfp521/ZNF521 as a cooperative gene for E2A-HLF to develop acute B-lineage leukemia.

E2A-hepatic leukemia factor (HLF) is a chimeric protein found in B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with t(17;19). To analyze the leukemogenic process and to create model mice for t(17;19)-positive leukemia, we generated inducible knock-in (iKI) mice for E2A-HLF. Despite the induced expression of E2A-HLF in the hematopoietic tissues, no disease was developed during the long observation period, indicating that additional gene alterations are required to develop leukemia.

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis identifies Zeb2 activation as a novel leukemogenic collaborating event in CALM-AF10 transgenic mice.

The t(10;11) translocation results in a CALM-AF10 fusion gene in a subset of leukemia patients. Expression of a CALM-AF10 transgene results in leukemia, with prolonged latency and incomplete penetrance, suggesting that additional events are necessary for leukemic transformation. CALM-AF10 mice infected with the MOL4070LTR retrovirus developed acute leukemia, and ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction was used to identify retroviral insertions at 19 common insertion sites, including Zeb2, Nf1, Mn1, Evi1, Ift57, Mpl, Plag1, Kras, Erg, Vav1, and Gata1.

Record media used by primary care providers in medically underserved regions of upstate New York was not pivotal to clinical result in the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) project.

Purpose: To examine integration of electronic medical records (EMRs) by primary care providers (PCPs) in a diabetes telemedicine project (IDEATel) in medically underserved rural areas and assess if access to digital records is associated with diabetes intermediate outcomes.

Method: PCPs (n=61) with patients in IDEATel participated in structured interviews to determine current (2006 to 2007) and projected (2007 to 2008) use of paper and/or electronic medical data. T-tests examined group differences.

Mean, variance, and autocorrelation of subthreshold potential fluctuations driven by filtered conductance shot noise.

We study the subthreshold voltage fluctuations of a conductance-based passive point neuron stimulated by filtered Poissonian shot noise. We give exact analytical expressions in terms of quadratures for the first two time-dependent moments and the autocorrelation function of the membrane voltage. We also derive simplified expressions for the moments in terms of elementary functions that hold true in the limit case of short filter time, small spike amplitude, and a single synaptic reversal potential.

Response and resistance to MEK inhibition in leukaemias initiated by hyperactive Ras.

The cascade comprising Raf, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is a therapeutic target in human cancers with deregulated Ras signalling, which includes tumours that have inactivated the Nf1 tumour suppressor. Nf1 encodes neurofibromin, a GTPase-activating protein that terminates Ras signalling by stimulating hydrolysis of Ras-GTP. We compared the effects of inhibitors of MEK in a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) initiated by inactivating Nf1 in mouse bone marrow and in acute myeloid leukaemias (AMLs) in which cooperating mutations were induced by retroviral insertional mutagenesis.

Evaluation by bone scintigraphy of osteogenic activity of commercial bioceramics (porous beta-TCP and HAp particles) subcutaneously implanted in rats.

Osteogenic potential of biomaterials used in bone regenerative therapy has been mainly examined in an animal-implantation study. We have here evaluated the applicability of bone scintigraphy in imaging ectopic bone formation, especially its initial phase, by beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) particles that were implanted in rat dorsal subcutaneous tissues. In implanted osteogenic osteosarcoma cells used as a positive control, osteoid formation was found by histological examination and bone scintigraphy using (99m)Tc- hydroxymethyl diphosphonate (HMDP) at 2 and 3 weeks post-implantation, respectively, while the microfocuscomputed tomography (muCT) system required further mineralization, which occurred at 4 weeks.

A pilot study of glycosylated hemoglobin levels in periodontitis cases and healthy controls.

Background: Periodontitis is associated with glycemic control in patients with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine if glycosylated hemoglobin is elevated in patients with periodontitis who have not been diagnosed with diabetes.

Methods: Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was assessed using a chairside test in 59 adults without diabetes but with periodontitis (having at least five teeth with probing depth [PD] > or =5 mm, bleeding on probing [BOP], and clinical attachment or radiographic bone loss) and 53 healthy controls (PDs < or =4 mm and BOP < or =15%).

Forces determining the adsorption of a monoclonal antibody onto an aluminium hydroxide adjuvant: influence of interstitial fluid components.

This study evaluates the forces involved in the adsorption of abagovomab onto an aluminium hydroxide adjuvant in interstitial fluid and the influences of interstitial fluid and its components on this process. Abagovomab is a monoclonal, anti-idiotypic antibody developed as an immunovaccine for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Partial elution of abagovomab by a change in ionic strength indicates that electrostatic interactions influenced adsorption.

Effect of tissue-specific promoters and microRNA recognition elements on stability of transgene expression after hydrodynamic naked plasmid DNA delivery.

Intravenous hydrodynamic injections into the liver and skeletal muscle have increased the efficacy of naked DNA delivery to a level that makes therapeutically relevant gene transfer attainable. Although there are no concerns about the immunogenicity of the delivered DNA itself, transgene products that are foreign to the host can trigger an immune response and hamper the therapeutic effect. Our goal was to determine whether and to what extent some known preventive measures are applicable to these delivery methods in order to achieve longterm expression of foreign proteins in immunocompetent mice.

Root coverage with cultured gingival dermal substitute composed of gingival fibroblasts and matrix: a case series.

Cultured gingival dermal substitute (CGDS), composed of gingival fibroblasts and matrix and fabricated using tissue-engineering techniques, has been used for root coverage procedures. Fourteen sites from four patients with > or = 2 mm of Miller Class I or II facial gingival tissue recession were treated. The autologous CGDS sheet, prepared prior to surgical treatment, was grafted over the teeth with gingival recession and then covered with a coronally positioned flap.

NUP98-HOX translocations lead to myelodysplastic syndrome in mice and men.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, dysplasia, and a propensity for transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A wide spectrum of genetic aberrations has been associated with MDS, including chromosomal translocations involving the NUP98 gene, most commonly leading to fusions of NUP98 with abd-b group HOX genes, including HOXD13. We used vav regulatory elements to direct expression of a NUP98-HOXD13 (NHD13) fusion gene in hematopoietic tissues.

Method to calculate the moments of the membrane voltage in a model neuron driven by multiplicative filtered shot noise.

Neurons are subject to synaptic inputs from many other cells. These inputs consist of spikes changing the conductivity of the target cell, i.e.

Tissue-engineered cultured periosteum used with platelet-rich plasma and hydroxyapatite in treating human osseous defects.

Background: The aim of the present controlled clinical study was to compare the clinical response of human cultured periosteum (HCP) sheets in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and porous hydroxyapatite (HA) granules to a mixture of PRP and HA in the treatment of human infrabony periodontal defects.

Methods: Thirty interproximal infrabony osseous defects in 30 healthy, non-smoking subjects diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were included in this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to the test group (HCP sheets combined with PRP and HA) or the control group (PRP with HA).

Multispectral image visualization through first-order fusion.

We present a new formalism for the treatment and understanding of multispectral images and multisensor imagery based on first-order contrast information. Although little attention has been paid to the utility of multispectral contrast, we develop a theory for multispectral contrast that enables us to produce an optimal grayscale visualization of the first-order contrast of an image with an arbitrary number of bands. We demonstrate how our technique can reveal significantly more interpretive information to an image analyst, who can use it in a number of image understanding algorithms.

Correlates of weight-bearing physical activity among adolescent girls: results from a national survey of girls and their parents.

Background: Despite the potential benefits of reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life, research on adolescent girls' weight-bearing physical activity (WBPA) is limited. This study explores correlates for WBPA in this population.

Methods: A nationally representative telephone survey sponsored by the National Bone Health Campaign was conducted with 1000 girls age 9 to 12 years and a parent.

Overexpression/enhanced kinase activity of BCR/ABL and altered expression of Notch1 induced acute leukemia in p210BCR/ABL transgenic mice.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a hematopoietic disorder, which begins as indolent chronic phase but inevitably progresses to fatal blast crisis. p210BCR/ABL, a constitutively active tyrosine kinase, is responsible for disease initiation but molecular mechanism(s) underlying disease evolution remains largely unknown. To explore this process, we employed retroviral insertional mutagenesis to CML-exhibiting p210BCR/ABL transgenic mice (Tg).

Osteoarthritis of the elbow: results of arthroscopic osteophyte resection and capsulectomy.

Primary osteoarthritis of the elbow involves formation of bony spurs, loose bodies, and capsular contracture. This article presents the results of an arthroscopic technique for treatment of elbow arthritis in a series of patients. A retrospective chart review identified 41 patients with primary osteoarthritis in 42 elbows who underwent arthroscopic osteophyte resection and capsulectomy and who had more than 2 years of follow-up.

Roles of p15Ink4b and p16Ink4a in myeloid differentiation and RUNX1-ETO-associated acute myeloid leukemia.

Inactivation of p15(Ink4b) expression by promoter hypermethylation occurs in up to 80% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases and is particularly common in the FAB-M2 subtype of AML, which is characterized by the presence of the RUNX1-ETO translocation in 40% of cases. To establish whether the loss of p15(Ink4b) contributes to AML progression in association with RUNX1-ETO, we have expressed the RUNX1-ETO fusion protein from a retroviral vector in hematopoietic progenitor cells isolated from wild-type, p15(Ink4b) or p16(Ink4a) knockout bone marrow. Analysis of lethally irradiated recipient mice reconstituted with RUNX1-ETO-expressing cells showed that neither p15(Ink4b) or p16(Ink4a) loss significantly accelerated disease progression over the time period of one year post-transplantation.