Purpose: Artificial sweeteners have been shown to augment bladder contraction. We hypothesised that artificial sweeteners activate sweet taste receptors in the bladder; therefore, we investigated the expression of sweet taste receptors in human and rat bladders.Materials and Methods: Sections of human and rat bladder were cut from paraffin blocks and stained by immunohistochemistry for expression of T1R2 and T1R3 sweet taste receptors. Bladder homogenates were subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting for expression of T1R2 and T1R3 receptors. Strips of rat bladder, with and without the urothelium, were suspended in organ baths and the contractile response to 10Hz electrical field stimulation, in the absence and presence of saccharin 10 -8 M -10 -3 M, was obtained. Responses to KCl in the absence and presence of saccharin and saccharin plus zinc were determined.Results: T1R2 and T1R3 sweet taste receptors were expressed in the urothelium of human and rat bladder. Immunostaining was evident in the plasma membrane of the three cell types of the urothelium and in particular the umbrella cells. Immunoblotting revealed bands at expected molecular weights in both human and rat bladder homogenates. Saccharin augmented rat bladder smooth muscle contraction to electrical field stimulation only when the urothelium was present in the bladder strip.Zinc blocked the enhancing effect of saccharin on responses to KCl.Conclusion: T1R2 and T1R3 sweet taste receptors are expressed in the urothelium of human and rat bladder. Activation of these receptors by artificial sweeteners may result in augmentation of bladder contraction.3

Lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion were 2 important factors, which adversely influenced survival in patients with ampullary cancer. Perioperative blood transfusion and vascular invasion were associated with recurrent disease.

The immediate postoperative hemodynamics in 43 patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension who underwent mitral valve replacement between January 2000 and September 2001 were studied prospectively. The mean age was 30.6 years. There was mitral stenosis in 19 (44.1%), mitral regurgitation in 9 (20.9%), and mixed lesions in 15 (34.9%). In 36 patients (83.7%, group 1) pulmonary arterial pressure was sub-systemic, with a mean of 58.1 mm Hg and pulmonary vascular resistance of 743.4 dyne x s x cm(-5). Seven patients (16.3%, group 2) had supra-systemic pulmonary arterial pressure of 83.2 mm Hg and pulmonary vascular resistance of 1,529 dyne x s x cm(-5). Lung biopsies were taken from the right lower lobe in 24 patients. Operative mortality was 5.5% in group 1 and 28.5% in group 2. After mitral valve replacement, the pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance decreased significantly in group 1. In group 2, pulmonary arterial pressure decreased significantly but pulmonary vascular resistance remained elevated. Pulmonary vascular changes did not progress beyond grade III (Heath-Edwards' classification). Mitral valve replacement is safe even in the presence of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension as long as pulmonary arterial pressures are below systemic pressures. Lung biopsy did not help in identifying patients with irreversible pulmonary arterial changes.

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CytokinesPeriodontal health GCF Host defence a b s t r a c tObjectives: The impact of simvastatin (SMV), a cholesterol lowering drug, on bone metabolism appears to involve complex interaction with cholesterol metabolites, hormones, inflammatory mediators and growth factors, thus having direct influence on extent and severity of periodontitis. The present study aims to evaluate the in vivo effect of subgingivally delivered SMV gel (1.2 mg) as a local drug-delivery agent on clinical parameters and on interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of chronic periodontitis patients. Materials and methods: 50 patients were selected and categorized into two treatment groups: control (scaling and root planing) and test group (scaling and root planing with SMV gel). At initial appointment, clinical parameters were measured. Biochemical analysis of GCF samples was done to evaluate the amount of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10. GCF sampling and clinical parameters were repeated at one and three months for both the groups.Results: SMV has an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8) and stimulatory effect on anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) in GCF of periodontitis patients and has significantly positive effect on all clinical parameters except relative attachment level (RAL).The addition of SMV, thereby, further alters the levels of cytokine that reflect enhanced antibacterial host defence activity at that site.Conclusion: Topical SMV has a beneficial effect on periodontal health. Removal of the bacterial plaque and subgingival delivery of SMV significantly modulates the chemokines present in GCF. To summarize, SMV shows promising role in the management of periodontitis.

Weiss score was found to be a good prognostic factor for tumors of the adrenal cortex.

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Ectopic spinal localization of Fasciola may occur during the transmigration path of the parasite through peritoneum or from the liver through portal venous system.