Acid-insoluble human dentin as carrier material for recombinant human BMP-2.

The aim of this study is to estimate the increase of bone-inductive potency by human demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Human teeth were crushed, completely demineralized in 0.6M HCl, and freeze-dried.

BMP-2 release and dose-response studies in hydroxyapatite and beta-tricalcium phosphate.

The purpose of this study is to compare in vivo retention of BMP-2 and bone induction in HAp (porosity: 60-80%, pore size: 100-600 mum, sintering temperature: 800 degrees C, surface area: 1 m(2)/g) and beta-TCP (porosity: 75%, pore size: 100-400 mum, sintering temperature: 1050 degrees C, surface area: 4 m(2)/g). We estimated the in vivo release profile of (125)I-labeled BMP-2 and bone induction of hard tissues histologically. The amount of BMP-2 remaining in the beta-TCP at 1 day after implantation was 49.

Inhibitory effects of fermented brown rice and rice bran on the development of acute hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon rats.

To investigate the effects of fermented brown rice (FBRA) on the development of hereditary hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats, we compared the incidence and grades of acute hepatitis among rats fed 5% and 10% FBRA in the conventional diet and the conventional diet alone. Both the 5% and 10% FBRA-supplemented diets indicated a tendency to prevent the development of hepatitis, and the significant effect of 10% FBRA was observed until 16-17 weeks of age in the accumulated incidence and survival ratio compared with the unsupplemented conventional diet, although no significant difference was observed between 5% and 10% FBRA-supplemented diets. At the age of 12 weeks, which is just before the rats develop hepatitis, serum copper levels in rats fed either of the test diets were similar to those in rats fed the conventional diet.

Biodegradation and bioabsorption innovation of the functionally graded bovine bone-originated apatite with blood permeability.

Bioabsorbable and functionally graded apatite (fg-HAp) ceramics were designed using bovine bone by the calcination and partial dissolution-precipitation methods. The fg-HAp ceramics that were developed had gradual distributions of the degree of crystallinity and the grain size of single-phase hydroxyapatite from the surface layer of the pore wall to the bulk structure region. Calcination at 1073 K gave a specific surface area of 30 m2 x g-1 and porosities of 60-80%.

Rho regulates the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-stimulated cell motility of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

To investigate the effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on the invasion and metastasis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells, we examined cell motility and intercellular signal transduction of a human oral SCC cell line (SAS) obtained from the primary lesion of a tongue carcinoma. HGF/SF stimulation significantly enhanced the motility of SAS cells in a dose-dependent manner. Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme (C3), which is known to selectively impair the function of Ras-related small G-protein p21rho (Rho), significantly reduced the motility of SAS cells.