Objectives: To determine the effects of a probiotic milk drink consumed over a period of 28 days, regarding the expression of clinical inflammatory parameters of the oral gingiva during various phases of plaque-induced gingivitis. Methods: Twenty-eight adults with healthy gingiva took part in a prospective and clinical-controlled study. The test group was advised to consume a probiotic milk drink (Yacult) daily during a period of 4 weeks; the control group did not receive any probiotic food or drink. After 2 weeks of consumption of the probiotic drink, participants were advised not to brush their teeth for 14 days. Subsequently, at baseline as well as on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14, the following clinical parameters were assessed: plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume and bleeding on probing (BOP). Results: At baseline, the PI was significantly higher in the test group compared with controls (0.44±0.50 vs 0.09±0.24 PI; P ¼ 0.0001). The termination of oral hygiene increased clinical inflammatory parameters in both groups. At day 14, the parameters PI, GI, GCF volume and BOP were significantly higher compared with baseline values (P ¼ 0.0001). At day 14, BOP levels (18.75 ± 12.32 vs 36.88 ± 12.54%) and GCF volume (18.78 ± 16.7 vs 35.72 ± 16.1 Periotron units) were significantly lower in the test group compared with the control group (P ¼ 0.005). Conclusion:The results of our study indicate that a daily consumption of a probiotic milk drink reduces the effects of plaqueinduced gingival inflammation associated with a higher plaque score due to the high-carbohydrate content of the probiotic milk beverage.

Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma is a recently described sarcoma in which ultrastructural evidence of fibroblastic differentiation forms part of the diagnostic criteria. This report describes a further case of this tumour, which showed evidence of both fibroblastic and perineurial diVerentiation by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, and which had areas of high grade morphology. The tumour metastasised and the patient died of disease 12 months after presentation. The relevance of these findings to diagnosis and diVerentiation in these tumours is discussed. (J Clin Pathol 2001;54:721-723) Keywords: sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma; nerve sheath diVerentiation; high grade morphology Since publication of the first series of 25 cases of this distinctive rare variant of fibrosarcoma in 1995, 1 a further eight cases, including a single cytogenetic study, have been reported. 2-5The importance of ultrastructural examination in supporting a diagnosis made on morphological and immunohistochemical criteria has recently been highlighted. 3 We describe a further case of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma in which focal, histologically atypical areas were accompanied by immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features suggestive of nerve sheath, in particular perineurial, diVerentiation, and discuss the relevance of these findings with respect to diagnosis and possible histogenesis. Case reportA 54 year old man presented with a three month history of lower abdominal pain and distension. There was no other medical history of note. Clinical examination and radiology revealed a palpable abdominal mass, which appeared to arise from the pelvis. At laparotomy a large retroperitoneal mass was excised. The tumour was noted to displace but not to infiltrate the bladder, right external iliac vessels, and right ureter.Six weeks after surgery, the patient complained of lower backache. Imaging studies were considered highly suggestive of a lumbar metastasis. An isolated, probably metastatic, costal lesion was also identified. Local radiotherapy to the vertebra was followed by six courses of chemotherapy with adriamycin and ifosfamide.Ten months after primary surgery, he re-presented with severe instability pain of the lumbar spine secondary to his metastatic disease. Palliative vertebral excision was undertaken and subsequent orthopaedic reexploration revealed a recurrent pelvic tumour, together with peritoneal and hepatic metastases. The patient died 12 months after initial presentation. A necropsy was not performed. Macroscopic appearancesThe retroperitoneal tumour was a bosselated, firm, pale grey mass, which measured 140 × 95 × 80 mm and weighed 504 g. It had a variegated grey-white/yellow cut surface, with areas of yellow necrosis, and was partly covered by peritoneum. Representative tissue blocks were fixed in 10% neutral buVered formalin,