Meta-analysis on brain representation of experimental dental pain.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used for investigating the brain representation associated with dental pain evoked by pulpal electrical stimulation. However, because of the heterogeneity of experimental designs and the small sample size of individual studies, the common brain representation regarding dental pain has remained elusive. We used imaging meta-analysis to investigate six dental pain-related fMRI studies (n = 87) and tested 3 hypotheses: (1) Dental pain is associated with the 'core' pain-related network; (2) pain-related brain activation is somatotopically organized in the somatosensory cortex; and (3) dental pain is associated with the cognitive-affective network related to pain. Qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses revealed: (1) common activation of the core pain-related network, including the somatosensory cortex, the insula, and the cingulate cortex; (2) inconsistency in somatotopically organized activation of the primary somatosensory cortex; and (3) common activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, suggesting a role of re-appraisal and coping in the experience of dental pain. In conclusion, fMRI combined with pulpal stimulation can effectively evoke activity in the pain-related network. The dental pain-related brain representation disclosed the mechanisms of how sensory and cognitive-affective factors shape dental pain, which will help in the development of more effective customized methods for central pain control.

Profiles of circulating endothelial cells and serum cytokines during adjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancer patients

INTRODUCTION: This research aimed to demonstrate the correlation of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) count and serum cytokine levels with side effects and prognosis in rectal cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemoradiation. METHODS: Eleven patients received proctectomy, chemoradiotherapy and follow-up for 4 years. Fifty-five blood samples were taken before radiation and during the course. The quantities of CECs were estimated by flow cytometry, and serological factors were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The CEC level in patients without tumor recurrence was significantly lower than in patients with tumor recurrence (p < 0.01). The IL-6 and TGF-β1 levels exhibited a similar profile (p < 0.01). For morbidity, the mean CEC level in patients with grade 3 diarrhea was significantly greater than patients with grades 1 (p < 0.001) and 2 diarrhea (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of CECs, serum IL-6, TGF-β1 and TNF-α during post-operative chemoradiation in rectal cancer patients might be candidate biomarkers for prognosis and morbidity (NCT00325871) (AU)

Profiles of circulating endothelial cells and serum cytokines during adjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: This research aimed to demonstrate the correlation of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) count and serum cytokine levels with side effects and prognosis in rectal cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemoradiation. METHODS: Eleven patients received proctectomy, chemoradiotherapy and follow-up for 4 years. Fifty-five blood samples were taken before radiation and during the course. The quantities of CECs were estimated by flow cytometry, and serological factors were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The CEC level in patients without tumor recurrence was significantly lower than in patients with tumor recurrence (p < 0.01). The IL-6 and TGF-ß1 levels exhibited a similar profile (p < 0.01). For morbidity, the mean CEC level in patients with grade 3 diarrhea was significantly greater than patients with grades 1 (p < 0.001) and 2 diarrhea (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of CECs, serum IL-6, TGF-ß1 and TNF-α during post-operative chemoradiation in rectal cancer patients might be candidate biomarkers for prognosis and morbidity (NCT00325871).

Pain catastrophizing is associated with dental pain in a stressful context.

Pain is associated with anxiety in a dental setting. It has remained unclear how cognitive-affective factors modulate pain and anxiety in a stressful context, such as receiving dental procedures. We hypothesized that both the situational factor (unpredictability about painful stimuli) and the trait factor (pain catastrophizing, i.e., the tendency to interpret pain in negative orientation) account for dental pain. Fifteen healthy participants were recruited to perform an associative learning task. They were asked to learn the pairing between visual cues and the intensity of incoming painful stimuli delivered at the right upper central incisor. Brain activation associated with pain was recorded by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The participants reported increased anxiety and pain in the stressful context, where stimuli intensity was not predicted by the preceding cue. The score of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale was positively correlated with the increased pain modulated by unpredictability. Brain activation at the right posterior hippocampus, a region critically related to associative learning of aversive stimuli and context, was correlated with the individual catastrophizing level. Our findings suggest that both the situational factor (unpredictability) and the trait factor (catastrophizing) influence dental pain, highlighting the role of cognitive-affective factors in pain control of dental patients.

Prevalence of food avoidance and food allergy in Chinese patients with chronic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: Food avoidance is common among Chinese patients with chronic urticaria because food allergy is considered to be the cause of disease. The benefit of food avoidance and its relationship with food allergy is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence and effect of food avoidance and food allergy in patients with chronic urticaria. METHODS: Four hundred and ninety-four patients with chronic urticaria, who attended Peking University Third Hospital from January 2009 to December 2010, were studied. Food avoidance and its effect were investigated with a detailed questionnaire. Food allergy was diagnosed by serum food-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), elimination diet based on food-specific IgE, and open food challenge. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients (32%) avoided fish, shrimp, crab, lamb or beef prior to evaluation and 82·9% of them reported food avoidance ineffective. Out of 341 patients tested for serum food-specific IgE, 75 (22%) were positive, with soy, peanut, beef, lamb, chicken, crab and shrimp as the leading allergens. Chronic urticaria induced by food allergy was found in only 2·8% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of food avoidance is high and mostly ineffective in Chinese patients with chronic urticaria. Foods avoided do not correspond to serum food-specific IgE. The incidence of IgE-mediated urticaria, as demonstrated by open food challenge, is low. Physicians and patients should be aware of unnecessary dietary avoidance while seeking treatment of chronic urticaria.

Effects of post materials and length on the stress distribution of endodontically treated maxillary central incisors: a 3D finite element analysis.

Traditionally, using a long post can cause progressive removal of the root structure, complicate the ability to re-treat the tooth if necessary and make it difficult to apply an adhesive bonding agent into the root canal. It is unclear if a shorter post length can be applied when a light translucent glass fibre post and adhesive resin cement are used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical performance of endodontically treated teeth restored with three post materials, glass-fibre, stainless steel and cast-nickel chromium posts and cores of different lengths of 7, 10 and 13 mm. A 3D finite element analysis model of the maxillary central incisor was constructed. An occlusal load of 300 N was applied to a node at the palatal surface of the crown at 45 degrees to the long axis of the tooth. von Mises stress analyses were carried out in three regions. Simulated data were collected for plotting various pattern graphics and conducting statistical tests. The pattern graphics showed that when the post length changed from 13 to 7 mm, the stress patterns were even and flat in all fibre-post groups, while the stress patterns of the metal-post groups showed an M-shaped peak and trough. Statistical tests showed that the shorter fibre post was superior to the longer metal post in some situations. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that when a metal post is used, the post should be as long as possible, while the biomechanical performance of a glass-fibre post combined with a composite resin core was less sensitive to post length.

Macrophages derived from bone marrow modulate differentiation of myeloid dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DC) are specialized antigen-presenting cells. Bone marrow monocytes have been widely used to generate murine myeloid DC. We found that mouse macrophages derived from bone marrow CD11b+ monocytes influenced the differentiation of these precursors into DC. Modulation of differentiation was demonstrated by the down-regulation of CD11c, CD40, and CD86 expression and by IL-12 production. DC differentiated in the presence of conditioned medium from bone marrow-derived macrophage culture (MCM) had impaired ability to stimulate proliferation of, and IFN- gamma production by, allogeneic CD4+ T cells. This inhibition of DC differentiation was mainly mediated by secretory products from macrophages but not by cell-cell contact. MCM contained higher concentrations of macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), IL-10, and TGF- beta1, whereas IL-6 remained unchanged compared with conditioned medium from fresh monocytes. M-CSF may be the major mediator in MCM inhibiting DC differentiation. This study demonstrates an important influence of bone marrow-derived macrophages on DC precursors during DC differentiation.

Malignant infantile osteopetrosis initially presenting with neonatal hypocalcemia: case report.

Autosomal recessive "malignant" osteopetrosis is a rare congenital disorder relating to bone resorption abnormalities. It is believed to arise due to the failure of osteoclasts to resorb immature bone. This leads to abnormal bone marrow cavity formation and, clinically, to the signs and symptoms of bone marrow failure. Impaired bone remodeling associated with dysregulated activity of osteoclasts for such a condition may typically result in bony narrowing of the cranial nerve foramina, which typically results in cranial nerve (especially optic nerve) compression. Abnormal remodeling of primary woven bone to lamellar bone results in "brittle" bone that is prone to fracture. Thus, fractures, visual impairment, and bone marrow failure are the classical features of this disease. We describe the case of a 23-day-old boy in whom neonatal hypocalcemia was present initially after birth. Malignant infantile osteopetrosis (MIO) was diagnosed for the patient at 4 months of age based on evidence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukoerythroblastosis, sclerotic bone, hepatosplenomegaly, and visual deficit from a bony encroachment by the cranial nerve foramina. Although only occasionally reported previously, MIO remains essentially unrecognized by clinicians as a cause of neonatal hypocalcemia, which often results in diagnostic confusion and delay. This is important in the context of curative hemopoietic stem cell transplantation where preservation of sight may depend upon early intervention.

Pattern of responses to HIV transmission questions: rethinking HIV knowledge and its relevance to AIDS prejudice.

This paper intends to investigate the connection between HIV transmission knowledge and prejudicial attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS (PWAs), with an emphasis on exploring the pattern of cognitive profile in response to knowledge questions. Data for the present study were derived from the 'Health Attitudes and Health Seeking Behavior Study', a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample, aged 20 to 70, from April to May 1997 in Taiwan. A total of 2,471 respondents who had heard of AIDS and knew that it was infectious were included in the analysis. Based on answers to four transmission-route items (blood transfusion, mother-foetus, sexual contacts, needle sharing) and two casual-contact items (shaking hands and sharing utensil), a variable 'pattern of knowledge performance' was constructed, by which the respondents were clustered into five knowledge groups. Bivariate and multivariate analyses illustrated the greater explanatory power of pattern of knowledge performance rather than additive scoring of knowledge items to PWAs' prejudice. Moreover, it was the responses to casual-contact rather than transmission-route questions that made a greater contribution to PWAs' prejudice. Special attention is given to the possible perceptual undertaking inherent in the five types of knowledge group. To implement effective AIDS prevention campaigns and interventions, the design for increasing the risk perception of the correct HIV transmission routes should differ from that of reducing the risk perception of the casually transmitted routes.