The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of odontogenic cysts (OCs) in Sicily and evaluate their distribution during a 20-year period. A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out in 1,310 cysts of the jaw diagnosed in 12,197 individuals, who consecutively attended the Odontostomatologic Clinic of Palermo from 1986 to 2005. 1,273 cysts were classified as odontogenic, whereas only 37 were nonodontogenic. In the former group, the most frequent lesions were radicular cysts (84.5%), followed by dentigerous OCs (11.4%). Inflammatory radicular cysts were observed more in male gender, younger age at diagnosis and anterior maxilla as site of presentation. Unlike dentigerous cysts, the frequency of radicular cysts decreased from 10. Keywords: odontogenic cysts; epidemiology; demographics. IntroductionOdontogenic cysts (OCs) are relatively rare cystic lesions that affect the maxillofacial region. According to the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification (1), OCs were classified into two main groups that reflect their pathogenesis. The first group includes radicular cysts, recognizing its inflammatory origin and development as the consequence of advanced caries and dental pulpar necrosis (2), whereas in the second group, lesions of developmental origin namely, dentigerous cysts and keratocysts are included.Although the prevalence of OCs in several European and non-European countries has been reported and different risk factors (dental trauma, sex, long-term chronic phlogistic processes, high caries index in early age and oral hygiene) have been mentioned as contributing to these lesions (2-5), there is still a general lack of data. In Sicily, the only data published is limited to a survey regarding keratocysts observed in the eastern part of the island (6). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OCs in our country and evaluate their distribution in relation to social, demographic and behavioral data of the patients who visited for all oral pathological lesions during 20 years. Materials and Methods Study populationA retrospective survey was carried out in 12,197 individuals, who consecutively attended the Odontostomatologic Clinic of the University of Palermo from 1986 to 2005 for all oral pathological lesions.A total of 1,310 patients were diagnosed to be affected by cysts of the jaw (708 males and 602 females; mean age

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is an adipocytokine associated with insulin resistance (IR).We tested serum levels of RBP4 to assess its link with steatosis in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nondiabetic patients with CHC (n ‫؍‬ 143) or NAFLD (n ‫؍‬ 37) were evaluated by liver biopsy and anthropometric and metabolic measurements, including IR by the homeostasis model assessment. Biopsies were scored by Scheuer classification for CHC, and Kleiner for NAFLD. Steatosis was tested as a continuous variable and graded as absent-mild <30%, or moderate-severe >30%. Thirty nondiabetic, nonobese blood donors served as controls. RBP4 levels were measured by a human competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (AdipoGen). Mean values of RBP4 were similar in NAFLD and CHC (35.3 ؎ 9.3 g/L versus 36.8 ؎ 17.6; P ‫؍‬ 0.47, respectively), and both were significantly higher than in controls (28.9 ؎ 12.1; P ‫؍‬ 0.02 and P ‫؍‬ 0.01, respectively). RBP4 was higher in CHC patients with steatosis than in NAFLD (42.1 ؎ 19.7 versus 35.2 ؎ 9.3; P ‫؍‬ 0.04). By linear regression, RBP4 was independently linked to steatosis only (P ‫؍‬ 0.008) in CHC, and to elevated body mass index (P ‫؍‬ 0.01) and low grading (P ‫؍‬ 0.04) in NAFLD. By linear regression, steatosis was independently linked to homeostasis model assessment score (P ‫؍‬ 0.03) and high RBP4 (P ‫؍‬ 0.003) in CHC. By logistic regression, RBP4 was the only variable independently associated with moderate-severe steatosis in CHC (odds ratio, 1.045; 95% confidence interval, 1.020 to 1.070; P ‫؍‬ 0.0004), whereas waist circumference was associated with moderate-severe steatosis in NAFLD (odds ratio, 1.095; 95% confidence interval, 1.007 to 1.192; P ‫؍‬ 0.03). Conclusion: In nondiabetic, nonobese patients with genotype 1 CHC, serum RBP4 levels might be the expression of a virus-linked pathway to steatosis, largely unrelated to IR. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;48:28-37.)

Background Aβ 1-42 peptide abnormal production is associated with the development and maintenance of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in brains from Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. Suppression of neuroinflammation may then represent a suitable therapeutic target in AD. We evaluated the efficacy of IFNβ1a in attenuating cognitive impairment and inflammation in an animal model of AD. Methods A rat model of AD was obtained by intra-hippocampal injection of Aβ 1-42 peptide (23 μg/2 μl). After 6 days, 3.6 μg of IFNβ1a was given subcutaneously (s.c.) for 12 days. Using the novel object recognition (NOR) test, we evaluated changes in cognitive function. Measurement of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and SOD activity levels was performed in the hippocampus. Data were evaluated by one-way ANOVA with Fisher’s Protected Least Significant Difference (PLSD) test. Results We showed that treatment with IFNβ1a was able to reverse memory impairment and to counteract microglia activation and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β) in the hippocampus of Aβ 1-42 -injected rats. The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, significantly reduced in the Aβ 1-42 animals, recovered to control levels following IFNβ1a treatment. IFNβ1a also reduced ROS and lipids peroxidation and increased SOD1 protein levels in the hippocampus of Aβ 1-42 -injected rats. Conclusion This study shows that IFNβ1a is able to reverse the inflammatory and cognitive effects of intra-hippocampal Aβ 1-42 in the rat. Given the role played by inflammation in AD pathogenesis and the established efficacy of IFNβ1a in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, its use may be a viable strategy to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine and oxidative stress cascade associated with Aβ deposition in the hippocampus of AD patients.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients present a decrease of antioxidants and neuroprotective and immunoregulatory vitamins and an increase of total homocysteine (tHcy), cholesterol (CHL), HDL-cholesterol, and of cellular stress markers, variably associated with the different phases of the disease. We compared the blood levels of uric acid, folic acid, vitamins B12, A, and E, tHcy, CHL, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides in forty MS patients during a phase of clinical inactivity with those of eighty healthy controls, matched for age and sex. We found higher levels of tHcy (p = 0.032) and of HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.001) and lower levels of vitamin E (p = 0.001) and the ratio vitamin E/CHL (p = 0.001) in MS patients. In conclusion, modifications of some biochemical markers of cell damage were detected in MS patients during a phase of clinical inactivity.

There is actually no consensus about the possibility that in some instances, obesity may be a benign metabolically healthy (MH) condition as opposed to a normal-weight but metabolically unhealthy (MUH) state. The aim of this study was to characterize MH condition and to investigate possible associations with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. One thousand nineteen people (range of age 18-90 years) of the cohort of the ABCD_2 study were investigated. Participants were classified as normal weight (BMI < 24.9 kg/m 2 ) or overweight-obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m 2 ); they were also classified as MH in the presence of 0-1 among the following conditions: (a) prediabetes/type 2 diabetes, (b) hypertension, (c) hypertriglyceridemia or low HDL cholesterolemia, and (d) hypercholesterolemia. MUH condition was diagnosed if ≥2 of the conditions listed were found. The prevalence of overweight/obese people was 71.1%, of whom 27.4% were found to be MH. In addition, 36.7% of the normal-weight participants were MUH. HOMA-IR, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and the carotid intima-media thickness were significantly different in the 4 subgroups (P < 0 001), with higher values observed in the MUH normal-weight and obese groups. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of identifying a MH condition in normal-weight and in obese people in order to offer better treatment.