Coronary flow reserve in the LAD as assessed by contrast-enhanced transthoracic echo Doppler along with harmonic mode concurs very closely with Doppler flow wire CFR measurements. This new noninvasive method allows feasible, reliable and reproducible assessment of CFR in the LAD.

The acidic-soluble protein content of human gingival crevicular fluid was analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and the eluent deriving from the chromatography separation was directly introduced into an ion-trap mass spectrometer through electrospray ionization (ESI-IT MS). By this technique the molecular weight of peptides/proteins was determined with a precision of approximately 1/10,000 amu. On the basis of the chromatographic behavior and the knowledge of the molecular mass value, some peptides and proteins soluble in acidic solution were unambiguously recognized. Besides high quantities of human serum albumin, alpha-defensins 1-4 and minor amounts of cystatin A, statherin, basic PB salivary peptide and other unidentified components were detected. The presence of alpha-defensins in gingival crevicular fluid is in agreement with their relevant contribution to protein composition deriving from granulocyte secretions. Other peptides and proteins abundant in human saliva, such as proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and histatins, were not detected in gingival crevicular fluid. Further investigations will be necessary to establish the origin of statherin and PB salivary peptide in gingival crevicular fluid.

The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological and functional abnormalities by cerebral imaging in a series of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with and without overt central nervous system (CNS) manifestations, and to detect possible relationships with clinical parameters and a large panel of autoantibodies, including those reactive against neurotypic and gliotypic antigens. 68 patients with SLE were investigated in a cross-sectional study which included clinical evaluation of symptoms, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and brain single photon emission tomography (SPECT) analysis, electroencephalography (EEG), and serological tests for antibodies directed against nuclear, cytoplasmic neuronal and glial cell-related antigens. The results of this study showed: (1) a significant positive association of (a) anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) serum antibodies with neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations and (b) anti-serin proteinase 3 (anti-PR3/c-ANCA) serum antibodies with pathological cerebral SPECT; (2) the presence of significantly higher values of (a) SLICC organ damage index in patients with abnormal MRI and (b) SLAM activity index in patients with abnormal SPECT; and (3) the association of (a) abnormal MRI with nonactive NP manifestations and (b) combined abnormality of brain SPECT and MRI with the occurrence of overall overt NP manifestations and with those of the organic/major type. Neuropsychiatric manifestations, namely those of the organic/major type, appeared to be significantly associated to the presence of a serum antibody against GFAP, a gliotypic antigen. There was also evidence of an association between SPECT abnormality and the presence of anti-PR3 (c-ANCA). Furthermore, brain imaging by MRI and SPECT applied to SLE patients appears to express CNS involvement significantly related to specific categories of NP manifestations. The abnormalities detected by the two tests seem to be preferentially associated with different activity phases of the NP disorder or of the lupus disease.

Background: The aim of our study is to describe a fast molecular method, able to distinguish and quantize the two different genotypes (652 and JP2) of an important periodontal pathogen: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. The two genotypes show differences in the expression of an important pathogenic factor: the leukotoxin (ltx). In order to evidence this, we performed a real time PCR procedure on the ltx operon, able to recognize Aa clinical isolates with different leukotoxic potentials.

Blood flow velocity evaluation in the LAD by means of transthoracic ED is feasible and reliable in detecting, locating, and assessing the severity of LAD stenosis.