Development of an electronic device for sialometry of minor salivary glands.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the usefulness of a new electronic device for the measurement of labial gland secretion rate.

Study Design: The device uses an electrical resistance method. Saliva is absorbed by filter paper, and alternating current at 1.

Relationship between hyposalivation and acute respiratory infection in dental outpatients.

Background: Hyposalivation may affect respiratory disease because the mouth serves as the entrance to the respiratory apparatus, as well as to the digestive tract. Patients with acute respiratory infection generally have a favorable prognosis and a short natural course. However, in cases in which the host has lowered resistance, such as in elderly patients, the infection may develop into pneumonia.

Salivary dysfunction associated with systemic diseases: systematic review and clinical management recommendations.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify systemic diseases associated with hyposalivation and xerostomia and develop evidence-based management recommendations for hyposalivation/xerostomia.

Study Design: Literature searches covered the English language medical literature from 1966 to 2005. An evidence-based review process was applied to management studies published from 2002 to 2005.

Validity of stimulated whole saliva collection as a sialometric evaluation for diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: The purposes were to compare the practice effect of stimulated whole saliva collection (SWSC) with unstimulated whole saliva collection (UWSC), and to investigate the validity of the tests as a criterion in the diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome (SS), allowing for the practice effect.

Study Design: SWSC (n = 34) or UWSC (n = 27) was performed 3 times on healthy volunteers to investigate practice effects; then the differences among the 3 measurements were analyzed. For evaluating the validity of the tests, UWSC and SWSC were performed alternately on 28 SS patients and 34 control subjects, all of whom had had a practice SWSC before the actual test; then the sensitivity and specificity of both tests as a criterion in the diagnosis of SS were calculated.

Revised Japanese criteria for Sjögren's syndrome (1999): availability and validity.

Abstract The Japanese criteria for diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome (SS) were revised in 1999, and consist of four major areas: histopathology, oral examination, ocular examination, and serological examination. A diagnosis of SS can be made when the patient meets at least two of these four criteria. This report describes how the revised Japanese criteria were established.

Essential role of OX40L on B cells in persistent alloantibody production following repeated alloimmunizations.

OX40/OX40 ligand (OX40L) interactions are implicated in costimulation for both CD4(+) T and B cells in a bidirectional manner. To determine the role of OX40/OX40L interactions in recipient antidonor responses after multiple allogeneic transfusions, we examined alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte (allo-CTL) activity and alloantibody production in repeatedly alloimmunized OX40L-deficient mice. After the fifth alloimmunization, whereas OX40L-deficient mice showed allo-CTL activity with levels comparable to those of wild-type mice, alloantibody production in OX40L-deficient mice was significantly reduced, accompanied by fewer memory B and CD4(+) T cells with reduced function.

RT-PCR amplification of RNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded oral cancer sections: analysis of p53 pathway.

We present a new approach towards the detection of the mRNAs in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples using a reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The total RNAs were extracted from 10-micron-thick sections and were reverse-transcribed, then the RT-products were subjected to PCR amplification of GAPDH mRNA for screening the mRNA degradation. Next, nested PCR was performed for examining the expression of p53-related genes, p21WAF1, MDM2, p33ING1 and p14ARF.

Evaluation of the chemosensitivity of head and neck cancer cells based on the diverse function of mutated-p53.

Pre-therapeutic evaluation of p53 gene is very important for treating patients with head and neck cancer. However, the analysis for p53 gene has generally been done by immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing. Functional analysis system for p53 transcriptional activity in mammalian cells is now required.