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Heterozygous mutations in the RUNX2 (CBFA1) gene cause cleidocranial dysplasia, characterized by multiple supernumerary teeth. This suggests that Runx2 inhibits successional tooth formation. However, in Runx2 knockout mice, molar development arrests at the late bud stage, and lower molars are more severely affected than upper ones. We have proposed that compensation by Runx3 may be involved. We compared the molar phenotypes of Runx2/Runx3 double-knockouts with those of Runx2 knockouts, but found no indication of such compensation. Shh and its mediators Ptc1, Ptc2, and Gli1 were down-regulated only in the lower but not the upper molars of Runx2 and Runx2/Runx3 knockouts. Interestingly, in front of the mutant upper molar, a prominent epithelial bud protruded lingually with active Shh signaling. Similar buds were also present in Runx2 heterozygotes, and they may represent the extension of dental lamina for successional teeth. The results suggest that Runx2 prevents the formation of Shh-expressing buds for successional teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of survival was studied in 69 surgically treated bronchial carcinoma patients (25% of a total 273 patients in an unselected epidemiological sample). The Carlens vitagram index was used. The quality of survival in patients cured by pulmonary resection was excellent. It was poor in patients who underwent resection and subsequently died, and especially in patients who had non-resectional thoracotomies. The patients who were operated on and later died did not have a better quality of survival than non-surgically treated patients in the same stage. Thus pulmonary resection has no palliative effect in bronchial carcinoma patients who are not cured. The possible benefit of "removing the tumour burden" in patients treated with operation alone can, therefore, be dismissed. The only aim of the operation at present must be to cure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the incidence of cerebral damage after open-heart surgery measures were undertaken based on physiological principles and consideration of the possible injury caused by microemboli. Intellectual function was measured by psychometric tests before and after operation. The results were compared with those of an earlier series. There was a striking reduction in the incidence of neurolocial complications. There was also a considerable reduction in the degree of impairment of intellectual function previously shown to develop after open-heart surgery. However, there are still signs that cardiopulmonary bypass brings about subclinical cerebral injuriies. The measures taken and their rationale are discussed. Psychometric testing is a useful method for evaluating the quality of cardiopulmonary bypass as it allows a quantitative assessment of postoperative cerebral function. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Analysis of prospectively registered incidents related to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was initiated to establish the incident rate for 10 different oxygenator brands employed over a seven-year period in 5000 clinical perfusions. A general safety index (SI) was defined as the number of recorded incidents in a given series of oxygenators divided by its total number and multiplied by 100. Specific SI was calculated for each of the following categories: high-pressure drop, debris, gas exchange, leakage, material failure and oxygenator change-out. An SI of 0.2 was arbitrarily set as a reference and an acceptable safety level. An estimate of the relative risk for a particular oxygenator brand was compared with the reference by calculating the odd's ratio with a 95% confidence interval. The mean SI was determined to be 1.6, ranging from 0 for the Maxima CBAS and the Cobe CML to 2.92 for the Safe oxygenator. The dominating specific type of incident was HPD with an SI of 0.81 followed by debris, SI = 0.71. A systematic analysis of adverse events in CPB may be used to evaluate and to set standards, a method already employed in the pharmaceutical industry. Our results indicate that oxygenator safety margins may vary between different brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]