Advanced glycation end-products （AGEs） accumulate with aging or with diabetes. AGEs affect the physical properties of human dentin, resulting in fragility and browning. In particular, pentosidine, a cross-linked AGE, was found to be significantly increased in aged dentin or caries-affected dentin. The shorter fluorescence lifetime of dentinal collagen in carious teeth as compared to healthy teeth suggests that AGEs result in shortening of the fluorescence lifetime. AGEs are also thought to affect blood vessels in the pulp. In recent years, research has been conducted to mitigate the effects of AGEs with supplements or drugs. In this review, we present the details and latest findings of research related to glycation of dental tissue.

本研究は栄養機能食品“OsteoAG”による細胞増殖能，コラーゲン産生能，アルカリホスファターゼ活性，炎症性サイトカイン産生を基礎実験系で検討するものである．ヒト骨芽細胞性細胞（human osteoblastic osteosarcoma cell line：Saos-2）を用いた．細胞増殖能はMTT assayとBrdU Cell Proliferation Assay Kitを用いた．Ⅰ型Collagen産生能はELISA法で解析した．ALP活性をLab Assay ALP kitを用いた．Saos-2に歯周病関連細菌Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Lipopolysaccharide刺激により炎症性サイトカイン　interleukin-6，interleukin-8産生状況をELISA法で解析した．その結果，“OsreoAG”がSaos-2において骨形成能及び抗炎症作用の可能性があることが示唆された．

The COVID-19 pandemic has made face-to-face classes difficult to be held. In response to this disaster, online classes have been launched to ensure learning opportunities for students in the university. However, it remains unknown how this shift of educational methods affects the learning outcome especially of the dental school. In this study, we evaluated the educational effectiveness of online classes of pharmacology on third- and fourth year of Nihon University School of Dentistry, in comparison to face-to-face classes. The scores on the examination questions （EQs） of online classes were compared to those of face-to-face classes. The EQs of online classes were consisted of both newly made EQs and the same EQs that were on the former examinations. The mean correct answer rate of the online classes was lower than that of the face-to-face classes, while the discrimination index, which reflects the validity of EQs, was higher in the online classes. This suggests a possibility that the difficulty of EQs is different between online and face-to-face classes. In the analysis of the same EQs, there was no significant difference in the correct answer rate and the discrimination index. We also evaluated students’ impression for both classes by questionnaire surveys, and found their high level satisfaction with online classes. These results suggest that online classes produce comparable students’ learning outcomes and satisfaction as well as face-to-face classes.