Exogenously added granulysin was reported to kill mammalian target cells. The sites of actions and molecular mechanisms of granulysin in target cell killing, however, are presently unclear. We here examine the effects of granulysin with the target HeLa cells transiently expressed with GFPfused 9 kDa granulysin. Endogenously expressed GFP-fused granulysin was preferentially localized in the nucleus and induced apoptotic cell death accompanying with phosphatidylserine translocation and nuclear condensation in a caspase-independent manner. These results suggest that granulysin enters the nucleus of target cells and induces apoptosis.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the generation of enamel cracks and gaps at the cavosurface margin of resin composite restorations using various burs. Saucer-shaped cavities with a bevel were prepared on mid-coronal buccal or lingual surfaces of extracted human molars using a regular-grit round diamond bur, a fine-grit diamond bur, a superfine-grit diamond bur or a sixbladed tungsten carbide bur with an air turbine handpiece. The enamel margin of the cavity in each group was observed by a light microscope. Cavities were restored with a self-etching adhesive and a light-cured composite resin. After thermocycling, enamel cracks and gaps at the cavosurface margins were observed and scored. Specimens were sectioned longitudinally in two halves, and the resin-cavity interface was observed by means of a light microscope. In cavity preparation, the regulargrid diamond bur and the tungsten carbide bur caused more cracks in the marginal enamel than other groups. From the surface and sectioned surface observation of restored teeth, the superfine-grit diamond bur generated fewer cracks and gaps than the other burs.

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The purpose of this study was to estimate the coverage and quality of information on dental caries prevention in Japanese newspapers. Newspaper articles were searched using database during 10 years from 1993 to 2002. From five major newspapers, 440 articles concerning dental caries prevention were selected and used for analysis. The number of caries prevention articles was related to National Oral Health Week, which was held in June of each year, and the introduction of new policy or government statements on oral health issues. Major sources of articles came from manufacturing companies (29.3%), staff of universities (27.7%), and other dental specialists (20.2%). Caries prevention articles appeared frequently in the health columns (35.7%) followed by news articles (20.0%) and business columns (17.7%). Dietary control (47.5%) was the most frequently described preventive method. Plaque control was referred to in 40.9% of articles, and information about improvement of host factors was provided in 40.0%. Among them, fluoride information was included in 30.0%. Clearly wrong information against evidence based were found in 24 articles. It is important that newspapers provide accurate information with a supportive evidence base. Dental professionals in Japan should be aware of the importance of media advocacy in order to provide appropriate oral health information to the public.

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Although human bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) have been used for clinical bone reconstruction, how the physiological status of patients and culture conditions of MSCs affect the result of bone reconstruction must be clarified to use MSCs in a clinical stage. If in vitro parameters of the status of MSCs may be correlate with in vivo bone formation capability, the better cells for clinical bone reconstruction can be defined by the parameters. In order to explore the parameters and define the optimum cells for clinical use, the proliferation and differentiation capabilities in vitro and the in vivo bone formation capability of MSCs were analyzed. An age-related proliferation capability was found. The in vitro alkaline phosphatase activity of bone formation finding groups was higher than that of the no bone formation group. This may be provide a parameter to obtain the optimum cells for clinical use to benefit improving the cure efficiency. In this study, it is preferable that MSCs of passage 1 have stronger osteogenic potential than those of passage 2 and 3 in vitro, and might be suitable for clinical application to bone tissue engineering.

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Due to large individual differences of masticatory function, an inter-individual comparison between denture patients and complete dentate people would be insufficient. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate patients’ masticatory performance (determined by Mixing Ability Index, MAI) and bite force (determined by maximum bite force, MBF) after removable partial denture (RPD) treatment by comparing those of the RPD replaced side with those of their own opposite dentulous side, and to evaluate influence of bite force on masticatory performance in different dentitions. Subjects included patients with unilateral distal extension RPDs (n=28). Apart from the RPD replaced area on one-side, all subjects had intact dentitions. Both masticatory parameters were evaluated separately on each chewing side. MAIs and MBFs obtained from the RPD replaced side (0.65 ± 0.50 and 220 ± 155 N, mean ± SD) were significantly lower than those from the dentulous side (1.06 ± 0.64 and 450 ± 268 N; Wilcoxon signed-ranks, P<0.001). MBF significantly influenced MAI in both RPD replaced (Univariate linear regression; R²=0.17, P< －0.001) and dentulous sides (R²=0.51, P< 0.001). After RPD treatment, masticatory performance and bite force of RPD replaced side were lower than those of their own dentulous side. The influence of the bite force on masticatory performance in RPD replaced side was less significant than that in the dentulous side.

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Although the association of two distinct autoimmune diseases, Graves’ disease (GD) and myasthenia gravis (MG), is rare, the relationships of clinical and immunological activities between the two diseases remain unknown. In the present study, we investigated whether there exist any relationships between clinical and immunological activities of GD and MG as well as any common characteristics of their HLA antigens in five patients with concomitant association with GD and MG. The present study clearly showed positive relationships between the clinical activities of GD and MG in all five cases. Except for two cases, one with undetectable acetylcholine receptor antibody and another with few sample number, there were positive relationships between two circulating auto-antibodies against TSH receptor and acetylcholine receptor as well as their immunological and clinical activities in the remaining three cases. Furthermore, the present serological HLA typing study revealed that all five cases had common HLA-DQ3. Therefore, our study clearly demonstrates a reverse ‘see-saw’ relationship between GD and MG based on their clinical and immunological features, and suggests that HLA-DQ3 may play a potential pathogenic role in the concomitant development of the two diseases.

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Macaque lumber posterolateral spine fusion (PLF) was performed by using beta-TCP graft combined with bone marrow derived stromal cells (MSCs), to evaluate whether a beta-TCP/MSCs hybrid can be used for PLF instead of autogenous bone graft. Nine crab-eating macaque underwent bilateral PLF at L4-L5. The implants were divided into three groups: 1) beta-TCP/MSCs hybrid, 2) autogenous bone, and 3) beta-TCP. Six monkeys were sacrified at 12 weeks and three monkeys were sacrificed at 24 weeks after implantation. Manual palpation, radiography, micro computed tomography, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), and histology were used to assess bone formation. Manual palpation and X-ray showed that 83.3% of hybrid groups and 66.7% of autogenous groups achieved solid spine fusion, whereas none of other groups fused. Histological analysis showed that all of the hybrid groups achieved massive bone formation. Bone mineral density (BMD) evaluated with pQCT in the hybrid groups increased by additional new bone. Beta- TCP/MSCs hybrid can be used for PLF instead of autogenous bone graft. Thus it can be hypothesized that the monkey PLF can simulate human PLF.

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It has been reported that occlusal forces promote periodontal healing of transplanted teeth and prevent dentoalveolar ankylosis, although its mechanism is still unclear. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by NO synthase (NOS) is considered to be an important factor which is involved in wound healing, and it increases with mechanical stimuli. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship among occlusal stimuli, inducible NOS (iNOS) and PDL healing of transplanted teeth. Five-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were used for this study. The right maxillary first molars of rats were replanted and animals were divided into occluded and non-occluded groups. Histologic observations were carried out after one and two weeks. After two weeks, the non-occluded group had clearly detectable ankylosis and obvious PDL stricture. On the other hand, the occluded group showed an enlarged and thickened PDL without ankylosis. The number of iNOS positive cells in the occluded group, samples significantly increased in comparison to that of the non-occluded group. These results suggest that occlusal stimuli enhanced the production of NO in the PDL healing process of transplanted teeth and a favorable result could be obtained.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the general and oral health status of patients at a dental hospital in Tokyo and examine the correlations between general health and oral health items. One hundred and seventy-four (174) new patients at the Dental Hospital of Tokyo Medical and Dental University participated in this study. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was employed to investigate dental demands and symptoms, as well as satisfaction with oral and general health conditions, while SF-36 served an indicator for healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL). The results were statistically analyzed at a significance level of p = 0.05. The results of VAS were further examined using factor analysis. Several VAS items showed significant correlations with SF-36 subscales (p<0.05). The factor analysis of VAS items suggested a structure involving three factors: self-cognition of oral status, related function and pain, and dental fear and discomfort. The dental fear and discomfort factor showed no significant correlations with SF-36 subscales (p>0.05). Emotional elements and esthetic demands on dental status, as well as physical symptoms, influence HRQOL. Dental discomfort proved to be independent of general health status and was considered a dental-specific item that needs to be measured separately from general health status.

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Aims: The aims were to compare the sensory thresholds on the tip of the tongue with on the dorsum of the hand, and to investigate the relationship between the sensory threshold and depressive mood with volunteers whose psychological conditions were normal. Methods: Fifty-five subjects (28 women, 27 men) took psychiatric structured diagnostic interview and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). In the next step, the quantitative sensory tests (light touch sensation and thermal sensory test) were carried out on the tongue and the hand. Then we investigated the relationship between depressive moods and sensory thresholds on the tongue and the hand using logistic regression model. Result: The sensory thresholds on the tip of the tongues were significantly different from those on the dorsum of the hands. Only on tongue tip, increment of SDS had relation to the thresholds of innoxious thermal stimulation (OR=0.152, 95% CI. 0.049-0.478) and noxious heat stimulation (OR=0.352, 95% CI. 0.169-0.734). Conclusion: This finding might support for the idea that depressive mood had closer association with the tongue of the orofacial areas than the dorsum of the hand.

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Along with the popularization of endoscopic surgeries, the reuse of disposable single-use devices (SUDs), which may cause various risks, has become a considerable issue globally. We conducted the survey by questionnaires for the operating room (OR) head nurses to obtain hospital- based answer. First survey was done for three months in 2000 by sending the questionnaires to 2,224 hospitals. The second survey was done in 2003. In addition, for trocars and endoscopic clips, we carried out laboratory functional tests for the reuse of these reprocessed devices. As a total, 94.4 % of hospitals reused SUDs routinely. The second survey showed significant decrease in the frequency of reuse to 86.2 % as a whole. In the sample study, gross inspection showed the existence of contamination with debris. In-vitro sample study on in-hospital reprocessed instruments also demonstrated damaged endoscopic clips with impaired holding power. This study has demonstrated a still high frequency of reuse of SUDs in endoscopic surgeries in Japan. Although financial background may be the main reason, what is necessary to promote the single use of SUDs are multidisciplinary and composite approaches including an effort to lower the product price in parallel with the establishment of regulation and education programs.

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The cyclic peptide WP9QY (YCWSQYLCY), which was designed to mimic the most critical tumor necrosis factor (TNF) Ï recognition loop on type1 TNF receptor, antagonizes the effects of TNFÏ. In this study, we investigated the effects of WP9QY peptide on collagen- induced arthritis (CIA) mice to evaluate its effects on inflammatory bone destruction. DBA/1J mice were injected intradermally at the base of the tail with bovine type II collagen, emulsified in complete Freund’s adjuvant on day 0 and 21. The three sets of WP9QY peptide injections (24 mg/kg×8 times per day) were performed before the onset of paw swelling. Mice were sacrificed at day 38 and thereafter, the arthritis scores as well as radiographical and histological outcomes were assessed. WP9QY peptide inhibited CIA- induced increase in the arthritis score. Furthermore, histomorphometric analysis of the tibial epiphysis region revealed that WP9QY peptide inhibited the increase of synovial pannus infiltration and the decrease of bone volume, which were induced by the CIA. The WP9QY treatment prevented the inflammation as well as bone destruction of the joints in the CIA mice, suggesting that the administration of WP9QY peptide might be useful for developing a drug to prevent inflammatory bone destruction.

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