Receptors and transporter for serotonin in Merkel cell-nerve endings in the rat sinus hair follicle. An immunohistochemical study.

Serotonin (5-HT) has been a candidate for neurotransmitters in cutaneous type I mechanoreceptors (i.e., Merkel cell-nerve endings).

Relationship between the SF-36 questionnaire and patient's satisfaction following halitosis therapy.

Objective: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients complaining of halitosis at their first visit and at a later time when their complaint had diminished following therapy, using a self-administered questionnaire, the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between HRQOL of patients before and after self-reported disappearance of their complaint following oral hygiene improvements for halitosis.

Subjects And Methods: Seventy patients of our special clinic for halitosis served as subjects.

The analysis of characteristics of elderly people with high VSC level.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of elderly subjects who had objectionable levels of volatile sulfur compound (VSC).

Subjects And Method: In 2002, a total of 115 85-year-old persons in Japan were subjected to oral examinations, tongue coat collections, measurements of VSCs levels inside the mouth using a portable gas chromatography (Oral Chroma, Abilit, Japan), and assessments of quality of life (QOL) using an SF-36 questionnaire.

Results: Sixty-six of the subjects were edentulous and 49 were dentulous.

Infective endocarditis caused by Granulicatella elegans originating in the oral cavity.

We studied the pheno- and genotypes of an oral Granulicatella elegans strain in comparison with those of a blood-derived isolate which caused infective endocarditis. The two isolates exhibited identical biochemical characteristics and had the same drug MICs. Their genotypes were indistinguishable, indicating that these were from the same clone.

PCR-based identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis targeting gseA encoding the glutamic-acid-specific protease.

The frequency of the gseA gene encoding a glutamic acid-specific serine protease, GluSE, of Staphylococcus epidermidis was investigated. DNA hybridization analysis demonstrated that gseA existed exclusively in S. epidermidis but not in other bacteria examined.

Rare case of the inferior mesenteric artery and the common hepatic artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery.

We found a case in which inferior mesenteric artery and the common hepatic artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery, forming the common hepatomesenteric trunk, during a routine dissection carried out at Iwate Medical University in 2002. This variation is rare, but can be embryonically explained. A change in the positions of the disappearance of the ventral splanchnic arteries and the longitudinal anastomotic channel results in variations in the system of arteries distributed to the digestive organs.

Mechanism of Fas-mediated cell death and its enhancement by TNF-alpha in human salivary gland adenocarcinoma cell line HSG.

Fas-mediated cell death in a human salivary gland adenocarcinoma cell line (HSG) was induced by treatment of the cells with agonistic anti-Fas antibody (CH-11), and this cell death was enhanced by pretreatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The mode of cell death was apoptosis, because it was accompanied by caspase activation and the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. The TNF-alpha treatment of the cells increased the expression of Fas, which was accompanied by the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB).

Characterization of apatite formed on alkaline-heat-treated Ti.

Alkaline-heat-treated titanium self-forms an apatite surface layer in vivo. The aim of the present study was to materialistically characterize the surface of alkaline-heat-treated titanium immersed in simulated body fluid (AHS-TI) and to examine the differentiation behavior of osteoblasts on AHS-TI. SEM, thin-film XRD, FTIR, and XPS analyses revealed that AHS-TI contained a 1.

Expression of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) and the implication in retinoic acid-inducible transcription activation in human salivary gland adenocarcinoma cell line HSG.

In the process of retinoic acid (RA) signaling, retinoic acid receptor interacts with a coactivator complex composed of various transcription cofactors such as CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300 and p160 family member proteins represented by steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1)/NCoA1 and p300/CBP cointegrator protein (p/CIP)/ACTR. In order to investigate the relationship of CBP to the RA signaling in a human salivary gland (HSG) adenocarcinoma cell line, we examined the expression of CBP in the cells. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting of the nuclear extract of HSG cells with anti-human CBP antibody showed a specific 270-kDa band, indicating the expression of CBP in HSG cells.

Scanning electron microscopic observations of the basement membranes with dithiothreitol separation.

Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of the interstitial surface of the lamina densa can be performed with dithiothreitol separation, which is the only method of exposing this surface. SEM observation revealed the three-dimensional structures of the meshwork in the lamina densa and anchoring fibrils in dithiothreitol-separated specimens. Detection of the components of the basement membrane can be performed by immunoscanning electron microscopy on this exposed surface by comparing the backscattered and the secondary electron images.

Studies on osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells cultured in type I collagen gel by RT-PCR analysis.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis the osteogenic differentiation of twice-passaged Sprague-Dawley rat bone marrow stromal cells in type I collagen gel cultured for 3 weeks. Two culture media were used here, namely Dulbecco's modified Eagle (DME) medium supplemented with vitamin C [Dex (-)] and those with vitamin C, dexamethasone and beta-glycerophosphate [Dex (+)]. Culture with Dex (-) medium in collagen gel for 3 weeks brought about the well-developed cell network and middle-stage osteogenic phenotype expression characterized by mRNA for alkaline phosphatase, osteonectin and osteopontin while those for bone sialo protein and osteocalcin were not detected.

Effects of two vitamins, two growth factors and dexamethasone on the proliferation of rat bone marrow stromal cells and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of the addition of five cytokines such as vitamin C, vitamin D, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and dexamethasone (Dex) to Dulbecco's modified Eagle (DME) medium on the proliferation of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats' bone marrow stromal cells and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells by conducting 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. For bone marrow stromal cells, vitamin C was needed for doubling the cell viability. While BMP, TGF-beta and vitamin D maintained the growth rate given by vitamin C, Dex with beta-glycerophosphate (beta-GP) slightly reduced this cell proliferation rate.

Transmission and scanning electron microscopic observations of epithelial-mesenchymal interface of rat tooth germs using dithiothreitol separation.

Aperiodic fibrils (AF) project from the interstitial side of the lamina densa of the basement membrane (BM) of the inner enamel epithelium (IE), and show remarkable changes in their morphology during development. The three-dimensional morphology of aperiodic fibrils during development has not been observed, because of the difficulty of exposing the interstitial surface of the BM of the inner enamel epithelium. In the present study, the dithiothreitol separation method was applied to expose the interstitial side of the inner enamel epithelial BM of rat tooth germs for the purpose of observing the exposed aperiodic fibrils by transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM, respectively).

Cellular reactions to polylactide-based sponge and collagen gel in subcutaneous tissue.

Polylactide copolymer and collagen are now used as bio-absorbable scaffold materials for restoration of lost oral tissues. Polylactide caprolactone (PLCL) sponge and collagen gel were examined for their cellular reactions when implanted in 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats' subcutaneous tissues for up to 8 weeks. The PLCL sponges were slowly absorbed by a mild chronic inflammation process in which multinucleated giant cells covered and slowly captivated the sponge surfaces without thick encapsulation.

Development of the basement membrane and formation of collagen fibrils below the placodes in the head of anuran larvae.

The development of the basement membrane and collagen fibrils below placodes, including the corneal region of the ectoderm, lens epithelium, nasal plate, and auditory vesicle in anuran larvae was observed by transmission electron microscopy and compared with that in nonplacodal regions such as the epidermis, neural tube, and optic vesicle. In the corneal region the lamina densa becomes thick concomitantly with the development of the connecting apparatuses such as hemidesmosomes and anchoring fibrils. The collagen fibrils increase in number and form a multilayered structure, showing similar morphology to the connective tissues below the epidermis.

Honeycomb structure in the lamina lucida of epidermal basement membrane during metamorphosis of Rana temporaria ornativentris.

In this study we examine the structure of the lamina lucida during metamorphosis of Rana temporaria ornativentris. During the metamorphosis of anuran larvae, both the epidermal cells and the dermal connective tissues in the tail regenerate. The basal surface of the epidermis becomes irregular and the epidermal basement membrane detaches from the epidermal cells, showing a widened lamina lucida.

DTG thermal analyses and viscosity measurements of three commercial agar impression materials.

Three commercial agar impression materials, two for clinical uses and one for dental laboratory, were examined for their thermal properties by differential thermogravimetric (DTG) thermal analyses and viscosity measurements. On DTG profiles, an endothermic peak along with weight loss at around 100 degrees C was observed on all three agar impression materials as a result of water evaporation. Two clinical agar impression materials were more susceptible to this trend than the remaining one dental laboratory agar impression material.

Enamel fluoride uptake from mouthrinse solutions with different NaF concentrations.

Objectives: The influence on enamel fluoride uptake of reducing the NaF concentration of a mouthrinse solution by half, from 0.05-0.025%, was examined in elementary school children.

Characterization and molecular cloning of a glutamyl endopeptidase from Staphylococcus epidermidis.

A novel extracellular endopeptidase, designated GluSE, was purified from Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 14990 cultured by the dialysis membrane technique, and the structural gene (gseA) was cloned. GluSE was a 27kDa, glutamic acid-specific protease, and the optimal pH was 8.0.

Measurement of the repeat period of myelin sheath using ultrathin frozen sections.

The myelin sheath of peripheral nerves was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using plastic-embedded sections and ultrathin frozen sections. Repeat distances of myelin sheaths were measured in high-powered electron micrographs. The ultrathin frozen sections showed a longer repeat distance than the plastic-embedded sections.

Periodontopathic bacterial infection in childhood.

Background: Little information is available on periodontopathic bacterial infection in childhood. We assessed the prevalence by age of 10 putative periodontopathic microorganisms in periodontally healthy children using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.

Methods: Plaque samples were collected from the buccal-mesial sulcus of the first molar or second primary molar in the right upper quadrant of 144 children (2 to 13 years old, 12 subjects from each year of age) who showed negligible periodontal inflammation.

Swelling/deswelling mechanism of calcium alginate gel in aqueous solutions.

To elucidate the mechanism of dimensional changes in alginate impression in solutions, the relationship between the ion concentrations in three types of solutions (nonelectrolyte and monovalent and divalent metallic salts) and change in gel volume was examined. The gel in the monovalent metallic salt solution expanded and a decrease in monovalent cation and an increase in Ca2+ were observed. This suggests that the crosslinking density of the gel reduced due to dissociation of Ca2+ from the calcium alginate gel.

Antigenic characterisation of a novel Streptococcus anginosus antigen that induces nitric oxide synthesis by murine peritoneal exudate cells.

A novel antigen that induces nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by murine peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) was prepared from a culture supernate of Streptococcus anginosus NCTC 10713 in dialysed medium by column chromatography with DEAE-Sephacel followed by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A chemical analysis of the S. anginosus antigen (SAA) revealed that it mainly consisted of carbohydrates (rhamnose, N-acetylglucosamine, glucose and galactose), smaller quantities of protein and a trace amount of phosphorus.

Degeneration and regeneration of the lip mucosal epithelium after cryo treatment in mice.

The process of degeneration and regeneration of the lip mucosal epithelium after cryo treatment was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The epithelial cells were degenerated by the formation of ice crystals and subsequently detached from the basement membrane, forming a blister cavity. The separation occurred between the epithelial cells and the lamina densa, leaving a small amount of cell debris on the lamina densa.

Cytotoxic effect of methyl methacrylate on 4 cultured fibroblasts.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the cytotoxic effect of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer on 4 mammalian fibroblasts.

Materials And Methods: Four cells--C3H10T1/2, L929, Balb/3T3 clone A31, and MC3T3-E1--were incubated for 6 days in 24-well microplates filled with 1 mL of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle medium containing MMA monomer that ranged from 0 to 200 mM/L. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by direct cell number count.