The gastrointestinal immune system is a major component of the mucosal barrier, which serves as a first line of defense against foreign antigens, whether microbial or dietary. A dynamic, organized and diffuse lymphoid tissue network, which includes Peyer's patches, crypt patches, isolated lymphoid follicles, colonic patches, lamina propria, and epithelium compartments, it normally functions to preserve the appropriate immunological homeostasis between the host and foreign antigens. However, should this homeostasis be disrupted, this same gastrointestinal immune system may respond abnormally to food protein antigens and so trigger allergic responses in the gastrointestinal tract. Though findings of interest in this field are limited by the relatively small number of experimental animal models available, those available animal models can be applied in order to show how they provide insight into the induction and regulation of gastrointestinal allergies and how they may lead to the development of a new mucosal immune therapy for the control of food allergies.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the lesion of incipient caries was associated with morphological differences between the molars of C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice. The caries scores for C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ at 35 days old were 3.8±2.5 and 0±0 (mean±SD), respectively. The caries scores for C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ at 49 days old were 42.4±8.3 and 4.2±2.4 (mean±SD), respectively. There was a 10-fold difference between C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ in terms of caries progress. Incipient caries then appeared at the second fissure of lower M1. The central region of the second fissure of lower M1 in C57BL/6J was deeper and rougher than the same region in C3H/HeJ. The Ca/P ratios of the fissure for C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ were 1.69±0.27 and 1.71 ±0.25 (mean±SD), respectively. The total data showed no significant difference between C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ.
In conclusion, it was found that incipient caries appeared at the second fissure of lower M1. Moreover, it is suggested that the morphology of the fissure as well as the immune responses may be responsible for the dental caries caused by stagnation of bacterial plaque.

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Objective: There are microscopic similarities among odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), orthokeratinized odontogenic keratocyst (OOC) and epidermal cyst (EDC). This study was to compare with cell proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis related factors in OKC, OOC and EDC in order to clarify the characters and category of three hitstopathologically similar cysts.
Material and Methods: Fourteen cases of OKC, nine cases of OOC and eighteen cases of EDC were examined immunohistochemically using antibodies against Ki-67, cytokeratins (CK7, 10, 10/13, 17, 18, 19, 20) and apoptosis related factors (bcl-2 and Bax).
Results: Ki-67 labeling index in OKC was statistically higher than that in OOC and EDC (p<0.05). And that in OOC was higher in EDC (p<0.05). In OKC, CKs and bcl-2 expression patterns were different from OOC and EDC, while both OOC and EDC showed similar reactivity with CKs and bcl-2.
Conclusions: The present results suggested that OKC had high cellular proliferation and was relatively low differentiation as compare with OOC and EDC. In addition, there was participation of apoptosis suppressor in OKC. The character of OOC occupied an intermediate position between OKC and EDC. Therefore, it was possible to consider OOC as a distinct entity from OKC. EDC had the lowest cellular activity in the three cysts and it was comparatively maturated lesion.

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Pathological calcification is included in disorders such as arteriosclerosis, circulatory failure of the heart valves, and renal failure and many studies have been performed to elucidate the development mechanism of pathological calcification. In this study, it has been carried out the observation of pathological calcification using simulated body fluid (SBF) under biomimetic approach. The aim of this study was to understand the mechanism of calcification in biological tissues. The porcine heart, aortic valve and small intestine were used in this study. The solutions for this study were prepared to suspend those specimens such as SBF pH 7.4, pH 5.0, supplemented with Mg, supplemented with CO₃, porcine serum (PS) and saline solution. The specimens were suspended and were kept at 37 °C in an incubator. After 7 and 14 days, they were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope detector (EDS). The deposits that had crystal-like structure were observed in SEM from those specimens after 7 days, and some of them showed high peak of calcium and phosphate by EDS. They were roughly classified into five types based on the shape. This study suggested that calcified deposits on biological tissue in vitro in this biomimetic approach were affected with physicochemical factors such as Mg, CO₃ and pH. This biomimetic approach would contribute to understand the mechanism of pathological calcification. Moreover, it showed that calcified deposit could be formed in vitro without cell involvement in the solution.

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Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), which is considered to be an important local factor in bone metabolism, stimulates alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in dental pulp (HDP) cells at lower concentrations. Moreover, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are widely expressed abundant autocrine and paracrine factors that regulate the proliferation and differentiation of various cells. PGE₂ is also a potent stimulator of IGFs synthesis in bone formation. In this study, we examined the effect of PGE₂ on IGF induction in HDP cells. PGE₂ increased IGF-1 and IGFBP-5 mRNA level and production as compared to the control, and IGF-1 and IGFBP-5 significantly increased the ALP activities in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, the addition of the anti-IGF-1 antibody decreased ALP activity by PGE₂. These findings suggest that PGE₂ stimulates the formation of tertiary dentin through induction of IGF-1 and IGFBP-5 expressions in HDP cells.

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The objective of the study was to perform a long-term clinical evaluation of resin-bonded bridges. Tooth preparation was restricted to the enamel in both anterior and posterior teeth. The study evaluated 58 bridges made for 44 patients between 1985 and 2003 in the Prosthodontics Department of the Medical School in Poznan, Poland, and in a private practice. All of the bridges were prepared by one dentist, the author of this article. The success rate of these resin-bonded bridges was determined on the basis of the following factors: adequate function, integrity of the bonds, absence of marginal caries, and high degree of patient satisfaction. The average success rate over the 18 years of observation was 82.8%, whereas the mean average time of the retention of the resin bonded bridges in the oral cavity was 6 years 8 months. Ten of the 58 bridges (116 abutments) were considered failures because of debonding or the need to carry out endodontic treatment due to caries. The average duration of the resin-bonded prostheses in the oral cavity was 5 years, 8 months. Resin-bonded bridges on anterior maxillary teeth do not disturb the occlusion or articulation, which widens their use to patients with a deep over-bite.

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Two cases of unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity were treated with combination chemotherapy using drugs determined to be effective in histoculture drug response assay with MTT end point. Both cases showed good response to the chemotherapy. The present results suggest that chemosensitivity testing facilitates individualization of chemotherapy.

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We present a case involving an unusually large calculus of Wharton's duct. To gain insight into the formation of this calculus, detailed structural properties were investigated using an X-ray diffraction technique. A 70-year old man, brought a calculus to a dental consultation, by himself, when it perforated the floor of the mouth. The calculus was unusually long, measuring 4.5 cm in length. X-ray diffraction and micro-FT-IR analyses were employed to investigate structural properties of the calculus, which suggested that its stratified structure, reflecting compositional changes in the microenvironment, was a result of intermittent and incremental growth.

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Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important pathogen in periodontitis, possesses strong hemagglutinating activity. This is mediated by a variety of hemagglutinating molecules on its cell surface. We previously succeeded in a cloning the gene encoding 40-kDa outer membrane protein (40-kDa OMP) from P. gingivalis 381. To clarify the pathological role of 40-kDa OMP, we examined its hemagglutinating activity. The recombinant 40-kDa OMP (r40-kDa OMP) was highly purified and used to raise a rabbit antiserum, which was then purified by r40-kDa OMP affinity chromatography. Although the r40-kDa OMP itself did not show hemagglutinating activity, a cross-linked polymeric form had strong activity. Finally, the affinity-purified anti-r40-kDa OMP antibody inhibited hemagglutination caused by P. gingivalis vesicles. These findings suggest that 40-kDa OMP is a novel hemagglutinin that plays an important role in the pathogenicity of P. gingivalis.

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Oral stereognosis is the neurosensorial ability of the oral mucous membrane to recognize and discriminate the forms of objects in the oral cavity. The sensorial ability of the tongue, lips, thumbs and index fingers is greater than that of other parts of the body. Therefore, a dentist's understanding of oral stereognosis is important to understand the expectations of patients during complete denture treatment. A MEDLINE literature search within the periods of 1944 to 2003 and with the keywords “oral” “stereognosis” “complete” and “dentures” found twenty articles. Articles concerning sensory function, test type, oral-motor diseases, dentate status (including osseointegrated implants) and patient satisfaction with complete dentures were considered. After reviewing the literature, we have reached a number of conclusions: 1)A lack of standardization exists in stereognostic testing; 2) Stereognostic ability diminishes with age (number of correct responses and longer times for recognition); 3) Stereognosis can improve with training; 4) Degree of satisfaction is not related to a high or low oral perception level; 5) The use of complete dentures during the rehabilitation of patients with neuromotor disorders enhances oral sensation; 6) and implant-supported prosthesis provides stereognostic levels near that of natural dentition.

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