Periodontal status in Taiwanese pregnant women.

Background/purpose: Few studies have investigated the periodontal status of Taiwanese pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate the periodontal status of pregnant women and to examine its relation to oral hygiene.

Material And Methods: This study randomly recruited 477 pregnant women.

Cathepsin B Expression and the Correlation with Clinical Aspects of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Cathepsin B (CTSB), a member of the cathepsin family, is a cysteine protease that is widely distributed in the lysosomes of cells in various tissues. It is overexpressed in several human cancers and may be related to tumorigenesis. The main purpose of this study was to analyze CTSB expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with patient prognosis.

In vitro degradation and angiogenesis of the porous calcium silicate-gelatin composite scaffold.

Calcium silicate-based materials have attracted a great deal of interest due to their osteogenesis and have been used as implant materials for bone repair and regeneration. The purpose of this study was to use gelatin with and without genipin cross-linking for controlling degradation, improving mechanical properties, and enhancing angiogenesis of calcium silicate bioceramics. The in vitro degradation of gelatin-containing scaffolds was analysed in a simulated body fluid (SBF) solution.

Combinations of FUT2 gene polymorphisms and environmental factors are associated with oral cancer risk.

In humans, fucosyltransferase-2 (FUT2) plays an important role in α1,2- linkage of fucose and participates in complex cellular processes such as fertilization, embryogenesis, and immune responses. However, little information is available concerning the FUT2 expression in tumorigenesis. The aim of this work was to investigate the combined effect of FUT2 gene polymorphisms and exposure to environmental carcinogens on the susceptibility and clinic pathological characteristics of oral cancer.

In vitro anti-microbial and in vivo cytokine modulating effects of different prepared Chinese herbal medicines.

The toxicity, antimicrobial and cytokine modulating effects of herbal medicines in treating periodontal diseases were evaluated in this study. Using the broth dilution method and disc agar diffusion test, in individual and combined decocted preparations, different concentrations of Ching-Wei-San and its individual herbal components, Coptidis rhizoma, Angelicae sinensis radix, Rehmanniae radixet rhizom, Moutan radicis cortex, and Cimicifuga foetida, were tested for in vitro inhibitory effects on three well-known plaque-causing bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivialis, Streptococcus sanguis, and Streptococcus mutans, and two common pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The cytokine modulating effects were evaluated in Balb/c mice.

Effects of CAPE-like compounds on HIV replication in vitro and modulation of cytokines in vivo.

Objectives: Five CAPE-like compounds, namely caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), methyl caffeate (MC), ethyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate (EC), phenethyl dimethyl caffeate (PEDMC) and phenethyl 3-(4-bromophenyl)acrylic (BrCAPE) were tested for their anti-HIV replication in vitro and immune modulation effects in vivo.

Methods: Short-term cytotoxicity was assessed by Trypan Blue stain and MTT assay. For antiviral assays, M-tropic (strain JRCSF), T-tropic (strain NL-4-3) and dual tropic (strain 89.

Study of the viral infections and cytokines associated with recurrent aphthous ulceration.

Mouth ulcers are one of the most common oral complaints. However, the association between oral ulceration and viruses and cytokines is uncertain. We detected the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1, HSV-2 and human herpesvirus (HHV)-8 DNA in oral tissues by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern hybridization techniques, and quantified the serum levels of cytokines including interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), soluble Fas (sFas) and the Fas ligand (FasL) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for 67 recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU) patients and 72 normal individuals.

Association between human herpesviruses and the severity of periodontitis.

Background: Herpesviruses may play roles in the development of periodontal diseases. The present study evaluated the relationships between herpesviruses and the severity of periodontitis.

Methods: Periodontal status in terms of gingival inflammation, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment loss of 20 participants was evaluated.