Serum Amyloid A Contributes to Chronic Apical Periodontitis via TLR2 and TLR4.

In the current concept of bacterial infections, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) derived from pathogens and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released from damaged/necrotic host cells are crucial factors in induction of innate immune responses. However, the implication of DAMPs in apical and marginal periodontitis is unknown. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a DAMP that is involved in the development of various chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. In the present study, we tested whether SAA is involved in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions, using human periapical surgical specimens and mice deficient in SAA and Toll-like receptors (TLR). SAA1/2 was locally expressed in human periapical lesions at the mRNA and protein levels. The level of SAA protein appeared to be positively associated with the inflammatory status of the lesions. In the development of mouse periapical inflammation, SAA1.1/2.1 was elevated locally and systemically in wild-type (WT) mice. Although SAA1.1/2.1 double-knockout and SAA3 knockout mice had redundant attenuation of the extent of periapical lesions, these animals showed strikingly improved inflammatory cell infiltration versus WT. Recombinant human SAA1 (rhSAA1) directly induced chemotaxis of WT neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. In addition, rhSAA1 stimulation significantly prolonged the survival of WT neutrophils as compared with nonstimulated neutrophils. Furthermore, rhSAA1 activated the NF-κB pathway and subsequent IL-1α production in macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. However, TLR2/TLR4 double deficiency substantially diminished these SAA-mediated proinflammatory responses. Taken together, the SAA-TLR axis plays an important role in the chronicity of periapical inflammation via induction of inflammatory cell infiltration and prolonged cell survival. The interactions of PAMPs and DAMPs require further investigation in dental/oral inflammation.

Silver nanowires with a monoclinic structure fabricated by a thermal evaporation method.

Silver nanowires with a monoclinic structure (mono-Ag NWs) were fabricated by a thermal evaporation method for the first time. The crystal lattice parameters of the mono-Ag NWs were calculated using the UnitCell program. They are as follows: a = 0.303 nm, b = 1.140 nm, c = 0.292 nm, and beta = 118.5 degrees. In situ annealing experiments revealed that the as-prepared mono-Ag NWs transited to fcc-Ag NWs during annealing at approximately 1173 K for 60 s.

Primary leptomeningeal lymphoma.

Primary leptomeningeal lymphoma is a rare disorder, and the neuroradiological characteristics or the complication of this rare disorder have not been well reported. We reported herein a patient with a primary leptomeningeal lymphoma who has complication with subdural hematoma. The patient complained of headache and vomiting. Neurological examination revealed progressive cranial nerve palsy. Cerebrospinal fluid examination disclosed monoclonal proliferation of atypical B-lymphocytes. Cranial computed tomographic scans showed a left frontal mass with convex form to the brain parenchyma. T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images disclosed subacute subdural hematoma. However, proton-weighted MR images showed high signal intensity in subarachnoid space, which suggested leptomeningeal lymphoma. He underwent craniotomy, and the diagnosis of leptomeningeal lymphoma complicated with subdural hematoma was confirmed. Systemic examinations disclosed no lymphomatous lesions except for leptomeningus, and the diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal lymphoma was established. We suggested that subdural hematoma was associated with primary leptomeningeal lymphoma in this patient. Cerebrospinal fluid examination and proton-weighted MR imaging should be performed when progressive neurological abnormalities are found in patients with subdural hematoma.

Two-dimensional guided M-mode color tissue Doppler echocardiography in artificial preexcitation models.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the left ventricular contraction patterns in artificial preexcitation models by using 2-dimensional guided M-mode color tissue Doppler echocardiography. Three types of preexcitation models were produced in 12 patients by right atrio-mitral annular sequential pacing, carried out at the left ventricular lateral, posterior, and posteroseptal walls. Tissue Doppler M-mode was recorded at anteroseptal, posterior, lateral, and posteroseptal sites in the parasternal short-axis view. The time interval from the onset of the QRS complex during sinus rhythm or from the annular pacing spike during fusion beats to the beginning of systolic motion was measured. During sinus rhythm, the time interval at the anteroseptal wall was shortest. During fusion beats, the time intervals at the mitral annular pacing sites were shortest. In preexcitation models, tissue Doppler M-mode could clearly distinguish the difference of left ventricular contraction patterns and detect the earliest contraction site of the left ventricle.

Detection of the earliest ventricular contraction site in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome using two-dimensional guided M-mode tissue Doppler echocardiography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of M-mode tissue Doppler imaging for localizing the accessory pathway in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. METHODS: Two-dimensional guided tissue Doppler M-mode was recorded at the mitral and tricuspid annular levels in 13 WPW patients. Time intervals were measured from the onset of the delta wave or the R wave to the beginning of the ventricular systolic motion. The earliest contraction site was defined as the site demonstrating the shortest time interval, and compared with the earliest activated site determined by body surface mapping and the successful ablation site. RESULTS: In 6 patients with a left-sided pathway, tissue Doppler localization was identical to the ablation site. In 3 with a left-sided pathway and 3 with a right-sided pathway, localization was judged as an adjacent region of the ablation site. In 1 patient with a right lateral pathway, the pathway location was misdiagnosed. The tissue Doppler diagnosis for the left-sided pathways correlated well with the ablation site, in contrast to the right-sided pathways (p = 0.05). Prediction of the accessory pathway localization by tissue Doppler M-mode was equivalent to localization based on body surface mapping. CONCLUSIONS: In WPW syndrome, tissue Doppler M-mode can detect the earliest contraction sites and seems helpful in localizing the left-sided accessory pathways, but is of limited use for right-sided pathways.