The present study was carried out to examine the function of neutrocytes that play a major role in an inflammatory reaction of the periodontal disease, considered as a systemic condition.
The nitro blue tetrazolium reduction test (to be referred to as NBT hereafter) is widely used in clinical examination for the purpose of establishing the congenital anomaly of neutrocytes in connection with their phagocytosis. Additionally, its value is recognized as a means of screening test for infectious diseases.
In recent years, moreover, the importance of this method has come to be confirmed not only for the neutrophil function alone, but also for providing a useful suggestion for plasma factors. For the purpose of the study, the author made use of a capillary method which can be readily applied in clininical conditions. At the same time, a series of tests including the phagocytosis function test with bokyryu (a good Indian ink), and peroxidase reaction test (a variation of the method devised by Kaplow) using Po-K staining kit in an effort to examine the neutrophil function in a comprehensive way. Further, the same NBT reduction test was conducted, in which the plasma was added to the blood to ascertain the behavior pf plasma factors.
The total number of 110 periodontal patients and, by way of controls, 20 normal subjects was selectively used for the study. The findings were that the value of periodontal patients was nearly the half of that of the normal subjects, registering lower values in the great majority of cases. The cases of gingival abscesses and gingival herperplasia such as Dilantin gingival hyperplasia, in which the degree of advanced inflammation was observed, were all found to register much higher values than those of the normal subjects. There was seen no definite fluctuation in the value of NBT reduction test during the treatment process of these periodontal patients. Upon the completion of treatment, however, all the values returned to appriximate those of the normal subjects.
The findings of phagocytosis function test with bokuryo and peroxidase reaction test were that the value of the cases of marginal periodontitis was more or less the same as that of normal subjects. From this, it was inferred that, in the cases of marginal periodontitis, the lowered NBT reduction rate was not due to any abnormal function of neutrocytes, but it was to be attributed to the plasma factors when the neutrocytes reacted.
Therefore, the blood of normal subjects was mixed with plasma of periodontal patients and the normal plasma with that of periodontal blood in the equal ratio of 1:1, NBT reduction tests being subsequently conducted with these mixtures.
As a result, it was found that in 9 cases out of 15 the periodontal patients received the effect of normal plasma and, inversely, in 3 cases uut of 15 the normal subjects received the effect of periodontal plasma.
From the above study, the author arrived at the following conclusions:
1) As compared with normal controls, the periodontal patients gave a lower rate in NBT reduction test. Particularly in the cases of marginal periodontitis, the value was nearly half of that of the normal subjects.
2) For the cases of marginal periodontitis, it was inferred, as a result of NBT reduction test to which the plasma was added, that plasma factors which ordinarily promote a vital defense mechanism were deficient.
3) The importance of these plasma factors is emphasized in connection with the treatment of periodontal diseases in the future.

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The constituents of acidic glycosaminoglycans in the gingiva of patients with periodontal disease were studied using two dimensional electrophoresis on cellulose acetate strips. Electrophoresis before and after digestion with hyaluronidase, chondroitinase ABC indicated that the gingiva of patients with periodontal disease contained hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-4- and -6-sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and heparin.

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Chemotactic activities in gingival tissue extract from patients with periodontal disease were examined by the method of modified Boyden chamber technique, and compared with pocket depth(mm) measured by pocket marker. Statistically significant correlations were shown between chemotactic activities and pocket depth, while no significant correlation was shown in the chmotactic activity between the gingiva with pus discharge and the gingiva without pus discharge.
In generally, high chemotactic activities were shown in the inflammatory granulomatous tissues.

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The sulcular bacteria appears to be important factor in the etiology of periodontal disease. A great deal of evidence suggests that the hosts immunologic responses to bacterial products, toxin are primarily responsible for the development of the disease. There are great number of gram-negative organisms present in the oral cavity which are capable of liberating endotoxin upon their destruction. Previous clinical studies have suggested a relationship between oral endotoxin levels and the severity of clinical gingival inflammation. This study was undertaken to detect sulcular exudate endotoxin. The detection of endotoxin was determgned by the Limulus lysate technique.
The results were as follows:
1. The sulcular endotoxin was statistically significant between the periodontal pocket with pulurent exudation and without.
2 The endotoxin content in the periodontal pocket with purulent exudation seemed to increase as the periodontal pocket deepened.
3. The periodontal pocket with no purulent exudation after brushing and scaling was effective in the reduction of periodontal pocket and the endotoxin content.

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A total of 195 Japanese (100 maxillae and 95 mandibles) and 94 Chinese (52 maxillae and 42 mandibles) adult jaws were examined for the incidence and distribution of alveolar bony defects (fenestration and dehiscence) because of the possible etiological factors for such defects.
The following findings were obtained:
1) Over half (Japanese 65.0%, Chinese 59.6%) of the maxillary jaws examined showed one or more bony defects, with such defects more common in the maxillae than the mandibles (Japanese 48.4%, Chinese 26.2%).
2) Both mandibular anterior region (19.9%) in Japanese and maxillary anterior region in Chinese (17.3%) showed the highest incidence of these bony defects.
3) Fenestrations were more common in the maxillae (Japanese 10.6%, Chinese 10.3%) than the mandibles (Japanese 5.6%, Chinese 3.3%). Fenestrations were found most frequently on the maxillary cuspids (29.1%, 31.0%) and first molars (15.7%, 18.2%) in both Japanese and Chinese groups. In dehiscence, on the other hand, the mandible (Japanese 8.4%, Chinese 3.3%) was more commonly involved arch than the maxilla (Japanese 2.8%, Chinese 0.5%). Dehiscences were consistently observed on the mandibular cuspids (17.0%) and first premolars (13.0%) in Japanese group.
4) Bony defects were predominantly found in the bimaxillary facial plate. It is of interest that none of the bony defects were found on the maxillary lingual plate, while there were only a few in the mandibular lingual plate.
5) Fenestrations are commonly associated with prominent tooth roots. Of 73 fenestrations measured in the maxillary cuspids and first molars, the small fenestration defects within 3mm in length were divided into three (cuspid) or two (first molar) types.
6) A congenital cortical osseous defect, a prominent root contour of the involved areas, a malalignment of teeth, a abnormality of buccal frenum attachment and a simply excessive traumatic force may be entertained as possible etiological factors of the bony defects.

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To avoid bacterial contamination of germfree animals, it is indispensable that invisible breakages of drum type vinyl sleeves, often causes of contamination, should surely be detected by usual tests as well as aseptic experimental procedures. The tests used generally, however, are not reliable although they need a considerable amount of time. A new method was attempted to detect the breakages of the sleeves by means of measuring the electric resistance between the inside and the outside of the vinyl sleeves (CLEA Japan inc.).
The results obtained were as follows.
(1) Infinite values of electric resistance were observed in all dry vinyl sleeves when they were unbroken, whereas the electric resistance values were decreased and the minimum value of 120KΩ was observed at the opening for disinfectant spray in the moist vinyl sleeves.
(2) The electric resistance values of broken sleeves were ranged from 1.7KΩ to 29KΩ and the remarkable differences were recognized between the electric resistance values in the unbroken and the broken sleeves.
It is assured, therefore, that the breakages of the vinyl sleeves, even invisible, are able to detect easily and reliably by means of measuring the electric resistance.

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Immunoglobulins and complement (C′3) in serum from patients with periodontal disease and healthy adults were measured with single radial immunodifusion method.
The following results were obtained;
1) The IgG level was higher in the patients with periodontal disease than in the healthy adults (p≥0.2).
2) The IgM level was higher in the patients group than in the healthy group (p≥0.05).
3) The IgA and C₃ level were no statistically significant differences between the two groups.

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The un-usedbrush bristles which are on the marketing (11 kinds of round cut bristles, 6 kinds of straight cut bristles and 2 kinds of hong bristles) were observed scanning electromicroscopically.
The results obtained were as follows:
The tip of those bristles could be devided into 6 types; the straight, the inclined, the widened-edge, the round, the bud-like and the exceptional cut.

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