Comparison of pulp response to mineral trioxide aggregate and a bioceramic paste in partial pulpotomy of sound human premolars: a randomized controlled trial.

AIM: This randomized clinical trial evaluated clinical sign/symptoms as well as histological pulp reactions in terms of inflammation and mineralized bridge formation after partial pulpotomy of sound human premolars and placement of a bioceramic paste (iRoot BP) or tooth-colored ProRoot MTA as pulp-covering biomaterials. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-four human sound premolars were randomly allocated into two experimental groups (n = 12) treated either with iRoot BP or MTA subsequent to partial pulpotomy. Six weeks after treatment, clinical sign/symptoms and radiographic changes were evaluated. The teeth were then extracted and examined histologically for inflammatory status of the pulp, formation of hard tissue bridge and appearance of the bridge. In terms of pulp inflammation and dentinal bridge formation, the Mann-Whitney U, and for clinical signs, the chi-square test was used (α = 0.05). RESULTS: In terms of pulp inflammation, formation of hard tissue bridge and its appearance, the differences between the two experimental groups were not significant. However, clinical sensitivity to cold was significantly less for teeth treated with MTA (P < 0.05). All cases had formed a hard tissue bridge, and none of the specimens in either group had pulpal necrosis. CONCLUSION: When treating teeth with healthy pulps, the response to partial pulpotomy treatment with both MTA and iRoot BP was favourable. However, pulps covered with iRoot BP were more sensitive to cold stimuli.

The use of fine-needle aspirates of breast cancers to evaluate hormone-receptor status.

The objective of this study was to determine the reliability of immunocytochemical assays of hormone receptors using specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration of breast cancers. A peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemical assay was used on 96 aspirates from 47 patients to determine estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Of 27 estrogen receptor-positive cases by steroid-binding analysis, 25 were positive by immunocytochemical assay. Of 21 estrogen receptor-negative cases, 17 were negative by immunocytochemical assay. Of 21 progesterone receptor-positive cases 19 were positive by immunocytochemical assay. Of 27 progesterone receptor-negative cases 25 were negative by immunocytochemical assay. An additional 11 small tumors were evaluated by immunocytochemical assay alone and results were interpretable based on our prior data. With the caveat that a cellular aspirate is obtained, immunocytochemical assay can distinguish hormone receptor-negative and hormone receptor-positive tumors and can be used to assay tumors too small for standard steroid-binding analysis.

The use of fine needle aspirates in the evaluation of progesterone receptor content in breast cancer.

Material obtained by fine needle aspiration (FNA) from 30 surgically removed breast carcinomas was tested for the immunocytochemical localization of progesterone receptor (PR) using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) developed against human breast cancer PR. When compared to values obtained by conventional biochemical analysis of cytosol protein in the same tissue, a semiquantitative relationship suggested that a high intensity (3+) stain in cases in which more than 30% of the cells were positive was compatible with a PR concentration of greater than 200 fmol/mg. An absence of nuclear stain was indicative of a PR concentration of less than 10 fmol/mg, while a stain of an intermediate intensity (2+) or a stain of high intensity (3+) in less than 30% of the cells correlated with a PR level of 51-200 fmol/mg. Only one case in this group showed weak staining with a PR concentration of 85.5 fmol/mg. Cases containing a low concentration of PR (less than 50 fmol/mg) demonstrated a weak nuclear stain (1+) in less than 10% of the cells. Localization of nuclear PR by MAb staining of FNA cytologic specimens affords a relatively simple, inexpensive method of obtaining potentially significant information regarding tumor response to hormonal therapy and the recurrence potential of a tumor in patients with primary breast cancer; at the same time, this technique obviates several important disadvantages of conventional biochemical analysis.

Phenotypic markers for a spectrum of colonic polyps and cancers. The malignancy potential ratio.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a panel of monoclonal antibodies could define phenotypic markers that could be used in risk assessment of a spectrum of colonic polyps and colon cancers. Using the ABC immunoperoxidase technique on formalin-fixed sections of surgical specimens, the following results were obtained: 1) Mab B72.3 demonstrated increased reactivity in villous lesions and cancers compared with hyperplastic polyps and tubular adenomas; 2) Mab anti-CAA demonstrated increased reactivity in polyps compared with colon cancers; and 3) using the two antibodies (Mab B72.3 and Mab anti-CAA), a malignancy ratio was obtained that determined malignancy risk for individual polyps. No hyperplastic polyp gave a positive ratio, but about 30 percent of villous lesions were positive. Over 50 percent of villous lesions greater than 2 cm in size had a positive ratio. The malignancy potential ratio may be a valuable marker in assessing risk of malignancy in an individual case.

Construction of an ileocecal valve and its role in massive resection of the small intestine.

A method of construction a nonrefluxing valve to use as a substitute for the ileocecal valve in patients with massive resection of the small intestine has been described. We believe that this represents a safe and simple alternative to other valve mechanisms previously reported in the literature. Results using this valve in one patients and also in the laboratory are presented and discussed. The use of this valve significantly decreased mortality in laboratory dogs following massive resection of the small intestine and is associated with a decrease in weight loss and bacterial overgrowth when compared with the dogs in the group without the valve. It also results in an increase in intestinal transit time. While the final mechanism of the action of the valve is unclear, prevention of stasis of the small intestine and of regurgitation of the colonic contents seems to be of major importance.