bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model for end‐stage liver disease score to serum sodium ratio index as a prognostic predictor and its correlation with portal pressure in patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Huo Teh‐Ia , Wang Ying‐Wen , Yang Ying‐Ying , Lin Han‐Chieh , Lee Pui‐Ching , Hou Ming‐Chih , Lee Fa‐Yauh , Lee Shou‐Dong
Published: February 2007

Background: The models for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) and serum sodium (SNa) are important prognostic markers in cirrhosis. A novel index, MELD to SNa ratio (MESO), was developed to amplify the opposing effect of MELD and SNa on outcome prediction.

Methods: A total of 213 cirrhotic patients undergoing hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The MESO index correlated with HVPG (r=0.258, P<0.001) and Child–Pugh score (ρ=0.749, P<0.001). Using mortality as the end point, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.860 for SNa, 0.795 for the MESO index and 0.789 for MELD (P values all >0.3) at 3 months. Among patients with Child–Pugh class A or B, the MESO index had a significantly higher AUC compared with MELD (0.80 vs. 0.766, P<0.001). A MESO index <1.6 identified 97% of patients who survived at 3 months and the predicted survival rate was 96.5%. In survival analysis, MESO index >1.6 independently predicted a higher mortality rate (relative risk: 3.32, P<0001) using the Cox model.

Conclusions: The MESO index, which takes into account the predictive power of both MELD and SNa, is a useful prognostic predictor for both short‐ and long‐term survival in cirrhotic patients.
Formation of spinel‐cordierite‐feldspar‐glass coronas after garnet in metapelitic xenoliths: reaction modelling and geodynamic implications
Authors: ÁLVAREZ‐VALERO A. M. , CESARE B. , KRIEGSMAN L. M.
Published: February 2007

Spinel + cordierite + K‐feldspar + plagioclase + glass form coronas around garnet in metapelitic xenoliths at El Hoyazo and Mazarrón, two localities of the Neogene Volcanic Province (NVP) of SE Spain. The presence of fresh glass (quenched melt) in all phases shows that corona development occurred under partial melting conditions. Algebraic analysis of mass balance in the NCKFMASH system suggests the reaction Grt + Sil + Bt + Pl = Spl + Crd + Kfs + melt as the most plausible model for the development of coronas in the El Hoyazo sample, and indicates that biotite was required as reactant for the formation of cordierite. The P–T conditions for the formation of coronas are estimated at ∼820 ± 50 °C, 4.5 ± 0.6 kbar at El Hoyazo, and ∼820 ± 50 °C, 4.0 ± 0.4 kbar at Mazarrón. The El Hoyazo xenoliths record a complex P–T history, characterized by early melt production during heating and additional melting during decompression. A local cooling event characterized by minor retrograde reaction and melt crystallization preceded ascent and eruption. This study shows that detailed xenolith analysis may be used to track magma evolution in a chamber.
Kyanite deformation in whiteschist of the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic Kokchetav Massif, Kazakhstan
Authors: BEANE R. J. , FIELD C. K.
Published: February 2007

Microstructures in minerals from ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic (UHPM) terranes are keys to understanding the rheological properties and the exhumation mechanisms of rocks from subduction zones. Kyanite‐bearing whiteschist, associated with eclogite lenses, is part of UHPM unit II located south‐west of Lake Zheltau in the Kulet region of the Kokchetav Massif. The equilibrium assemblage is kyanite + garnet + talc + phengite + coesite/quartz. Previously reported peak pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions are ∼3.5 GPa at 750 °C. A strong foliation is defined by the talc and phengite, with a corresponding weak shape preferred alignment of kyanite. Crystallographic orientation maps and analysis of kyanite blades were performed using electron backscatter diffraction methods. The data are consistent with a (100)[001] slip system for the formation of undulose extinction and kink bands in kyanite. Rotations measured across individual kink bands are 10–50° about <010>, and rotations along kyanite with undulose extinction are up to 50° about <010> with variations between adjacent points typically <2°. The undulose extinction is interpreted to have developed through crystal plastic deformation by dislocation creep. Kink bands mark the development of high‐angle grain boundaries by dislocation climb. The deformation of kyanite occurred in the fault‐bounded terrane during the exhumation of the Kokchetav Massif.
Influence of Mycotrophy on Native and Introduced Grass Regeneration in a Semiarid Grassland following Burning
Authors: O’Dea M. E.
Published: February 2007

Prescribed burning is used in the southwestern United States to restore grasslands by reducing the abundance of encroaching woody species. Yet, the use of this tool appears to have the unintended effect of favoring the regeneration of some introduced grasses. Although both native and introduced perennial grasses evolved under the influence of fire, it is their response to mycotrophy in the immediate postburn environment that appears to give some grasses such as Lovegrass the advantage. In an exploratory study, two greenhouse experiments were completed in conjunction with a larger field study. A bioassay of soil from the study site found that soil exposed to burning had a significantly (p≤ 0.0001) lower mycorrhizal infection percentage than soil not exposed to burning, results which could not be explained by postburn erosion losses of inoculum alone. Results of the second greenhouse study revealed that differential response to mycotrophy clearly separated the Lovegrass (Eragrostis spp.) from the other genera studied. Lovegrass not infected by mycorrhizal fungi produced greater shoot biomass and inflorescence before the other noninfected studied grasses. Yet, infected Lovegrass did not develop inflorescence before harvest as the other genera infected by the mycorrhizal fungi did. Study results suggest that the lack of dependence by Lovegrass on mycorrhizal infection for reestablishing itself in the postburn environment gives it an advantage over those that do.
Treatments for Patients With Dual Diagnosis: A Review
Authors: Tiet Quyen Q. , Mausbach Brent
Published: February 2007

Background: Comorbid substance use and mental illness is prevalent and often results in serious consequences. However, little is known about the efficacy of treatments for patients with dual diagnosis.

Methods: This paper reviews both the psychosocial and medication treatments for those diagnosed with a substance‐related disorder and one of the following disorders: (a) depression, (b) anxiety disorder, (c) schizophrenia, (d) bipolar disorder, (e) severe mental illness, and (f) nonspecific mental illness. We made no restriction of study design to include all published studies, due to the dearth of studies on treatments of patients with dual diagnosis.

Results: Fifty‐nine studies were identified (36 randomized‐controlled trials; RCT). Limited number of studies, especially RCTs, have been conducted within each comorbid category. This review did not find treatments that had been replicated and consistently showed clear advantages over comparison condition for both substance‐related and other psychiatric outcomes.

Conclusions: Although no treatment was identified as efficacious for both psychiatric disorders and substance‐related disorder, this review finds: (1) existing efficacious treatments for reducing psychiatric symptoms also tend to work in dual‐diagnosis patients, (2) existing efficacious treatments for reducing substance use also decrease substance use in dually diagnosed patients, and (3) the efficacy of integrated treatment is still unclear. This review provides a critique of the current state of the literature, identifies the directions for future research on treatment of dual‐diagnosis individuals, and calls for urgent attention by researchers and funding agencies to conduct more and more methodologically rigorous research in this area.
Opioid Receptor Gene (OPRM1, OPRK1, and OPRD1) Variants and Response to Naltrexone Treatment for Alcohol Dependence: Results From the VA Cooperative Study
Authors: Gelernter Joel , Gueorguieva Ralitza , Kranzler Henry R. , Zhang Huiping , Cramer Joyce , Rosenheck Robert , Krystal John H. ,   the VA Cooperative Study #425 Study Group
Published: February 2007

Background: Pharmacotherapy of alcohol dependence (AD) is at an early stage of development; currently available medications have limited efficacy. It would be clinically valuable to identify, before initiation of a course of treatment, those patients who, based on genetic markers, are most likely to respond to a specific pharmacotherapy. A previous report suggested that a functional variant at the genetic locus encoding the μ opioid receptor (Asn40Asp) is such a marker, in short‐term (3‐month) treatment with the opioid‐blocking drug naltrexone (NTX).

Methods: We studied polymorphic variants at each of the 3 opioid receptor genes—OPRM1, OPRD1, and OPRK1, which encode the μ, δ, and κ opioid receptors, respectively—including the OPRM1 Asn40Asp variant—as predictors of response to NTX or placebo in 215 alcohol‐dependent male subjects who participated in Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study 425, “Naltrexone in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence.”

Results: At the 3‐month time point, treatment condition, age, and the pretreatment number of drinks per drinking day were all significant (p<0.05) predictors of the rate of relapse and time to relapse. Although NTX had no significant effect on relapse to heavy drinking in the overall sample in CSP 425, it significantly reduced relapse in the subgroup that provided DNA for analysis (i.e., the present study sample). There were no significant interactions between any individual single nucleotide polymorphisms studied and NTX treatment response.

Conclusions: These results do not support association of the OPRM1 Asn40Asp polymorphism with NTX treatment response for AD.
Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Moderates the Life Stress Pathway to Alcohol Problems in Children of Alcoholics
Authors: Marshal Michael P. , Molina Brooke S. G. , Pelham William E. , Cheong JeeWon
Published: February 2007

Background: Parent alcoholism is a well‐established risk factor for the development of pathological alcohol involvement in youth, and life stress is considered to be one of the central mechanisms of the parent alcoholism effect; however, little is known about the moderators of the life stress pathway. Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has also been shown to predict pathological alcohol involvement, however, little is known about whether or not ADHD interacts with parent alcoholism to increase offspring risk. The goals of this study were to examine stressful life events as mediators of the relationship between parent alcoholism and adolescent pathological alcohol involvement, and to examine whether or not this mediated pathway was stronger for adolescents with ADHD than for adolescents without ADHD.

Method: Participants were 142 adolescents with a childhood ADHD diagnosis (probands) and 100 demographically matched control adolescents without childhood ADHD. Probands, controls, and at least 1 parent were interviewed about drinking behavior; probands and controls were interviewed about negative life events.

Results: A moderated mediation paradigm was used to test the hypotheses using ordinary least squares regression. Results showed that the relationships between parent alcoholism and 2 of the stress variables (“family” stress and “peer” stress) were significant for probands only, and that stress in the probands mediated the parent alcoholism effect on offspring alcohol involvement.

Conclusions: These results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that offspring characteristics might moderate the life stress pathway to alcoholism, and indicate that ADHD may serve to facilitate the transmission of pathological alcohol use from parent to child.
Baclofen Blocks Expression and Sensitization of Anxiety‐Like Behavior in an Animal Model of Repeated Stress and Ethanol Withdrawal
Authors: Knapp Darin J. , Overstreet David H. , Breese George R.
Published: February 2007

Background:Repeated exposures to forced ethanol diets (EDs) or restraint stress sensitize anxiety‐like behavior during a future ethanol withdrawal. The present investigation assessed whether pretreatment of rats with agents targeting receptor systems thought to be important in treating relapse in alcoholic patients would prevent sensitization of anxiety‐like behavior.

Methods:Groups of rats were exposed to either (1) three 5‐day cycles of ED with 2 days of withdrawal between cycles, (2) continuous ED, or (3) 5 days of ED in a single cycle preceded by 2 episodes of restraint stress 6 days apart. Drugs [baclofen, acamprosate, naloxone, lamotrigine, ifenprodil, dizocilpine (MK‐801), CGS19755, diazepam, flumazenil, or 6‐methyl‐2‐(phenylethynyl)pyridine] were given prophylactically during the first and second withdrawal periods only or, in separate baclofen experiments, acutely during the third withdrawal or during withdrawal from continuous ED. Baclofen administration preceded each stress session in the stress‐withdrawal protocols. Anxiety‐like behavior was assessed in the social interaction (SI) test 5 hours after the ethanol was removed or after 3 days of abstinence.

Results:Baclofen (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg), flumazenil (5 mg/kg), and diazepam (1 mg/kg) blocked the reduction in SI induced by ethanol withdrawal. Among the drugs that alter glutamate function, only acamprosate (300 mg/kg) was effective. In the stress protocols, baclofen (5 mg/kg) given before each of the 2 restraint stress sessions before ethanol exposure or before stress during abstinence also attenuated SI deficits.

Conclusions:These findings suggest that GABABand GABAA, but not glutamate or opioid mechanisms, are involved in adaptive changes associated with anxiety‐like behavior induced by these repeated ethanol‐withdrawal and stress‐withdrawal paradigms. The lack of action of agents attenuating different aspects of glutamate function suggests that acamprosate's action is related to some other, as yet undetermined, mechanism.
Multidimensionality of the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist: A Factor Analysis of the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist and CIWA‐Ar
Authors: Pittman Brian , Gueorguieva Ralitza , Krupitsky Evgeny , Rudenko Anatoly A. , Flannery Barbara A. , Krystal John H.
Published: February 2007

Background: This study evaluated the factor structure of 2 scales for measuring the severity of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS): a self‐rated scale, the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Checklist (AWSC), and an observer‐rated scale, the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment—Alcohol, Revised (CIWA‐Ar).

Methods: Alcohol‐dependent male inpatients [n=127, age: 43.0±9.7 (mean±SD) years] were recruited from an inpatient treatment unit. Both measures of AWS were assessed repeatedly during the initial week of sobriety in these patients. An exploratory factor analysis was applied to the data collected on the first study day.

Results: Five independent factors accounted for 64% of total variance in the AWSC: autonomic arousal, depression, nausea and vomiting, alcohol craving, and tension/anxiety. Three items (abdominal pain, hallucinations, confusion) could not be included in the analysis due to insufficient variance. Three dimensions identified for the CIWA‐Ar (autonomic arousal, nausea and vomiting, tension/anxiety) were also captured by the ASWC. Total AWSC scores correlated well with total CIWA‐Ar scores (r=0.72), supporting validity of the AWSC. Lower correlations between total CIWA‐Ar and the 5 factors (r=0.32–0.52) suggested that the CIWA‐Ar and AWSC factors had discriminative value.

Conclusions: Self‐rated measures of AWS could play an important role in complementing observer‐rated measures in clinical and research settings. In this sample, the AWSC appeared to identify multiple dimensions of AWS with face validity for clinical relevance.
Practice and Outcomes of Multidisciplinary Research for Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Uiterkamp Anton J. M. Schoot , Vlek Charles
Published: February 2007

Since about 1990, when sustainability became a key concept for a wide range of scientific disciplines, the need for multidisciplinary collaboration has increased. We present five illustrative cases from the long‐standing environmental research work at the University of Groningen. The projects described are about hazardous materials risk, odor annoyance, energy scenario evaluation, climate decision analysis, and household consumption, respectively. The various case discussions emphasize experiences in research conceptualization, project design and execution, main findings, policy advice and surplus value, and difficulties met. Conclusions and recommendations are presented about the practice of multidisciplinary research. Finally, some challenges for research and development about environmental sustainability are discussed.
The Interregional Incidence of Central Budgets in Federations: Some Evidence from Canada
Authors: VAILLANCOURT FRANÇOIS , BIRD RICHARD M.
Published: February 2007

We review the evidence on the regional incidence of federal budgets in Canada, considering both aggregate results and some specific federal expenditure programs as well as some relevant issues (e.g., the regional effect of some regulatory programs) not captured in fiscal flows. The regional distributional pattern revealed in this analysis is both robust to various reasonable adjustments and relatively stable over time. However, although such studies may provide a useful baseline for assessing performance in some respects, they cannot be used to demonstrate that one region is paying (or receiving) “too much” or “too little” in a meaningful sense.
Developing Options for the Administration of Local Taxes: An International Review*
Authors: MIKESELL JOHN L.
Published: February 2007

Do decentralization arguments extend to administration of subnational taxes? While centralized administration promises quality service at reasonable cost, it may dull accountability and slow the revenue flow. Also, central administration may devote less attention to collecting these taxes than for its own. Self‐administration brings administration closer to taxpayers and assures representation of jurisdictional interests in revenue apportionment disputes. However, subnational governments may lack technical capacity. That is the dilemma: while the central administration may be indifferent to rigorous collection of subnational taxes, subnational governments may lack capacity for self‐administration. In practice, nations use many different alternatives for administering subnational taxes.
School Spending Profiles: A Framework to Enlighten Resource Allocation Decisions*
Authors: ROZA MARGUERITE , SWARTZ CLAUDINE
Published: February 2007

Despite improved fiscal accounting systems, many district leaders continue to struggle with how to report and use fiscal data for the purpose of strategic resource decisions. This paper proposes the creation and use of school spending profiles as a way to communicate more complete and comparable school spending information. The proposed school spending profile provides not only a complete picture of school expenditures reflecting real costs, but it also indicates spending relative to each school's mix of student needs. Data from Denver Public Schools (DPS) illustrate how profiles can provide dashboard indicators useful for district leadership. Key assumptions and implications are considered.
The Implementation and Utilization of Stabilization Funds by Local Governments in Massachusetts
Authors: GIANAKIS GERASIMOS (JERRY) , SNOW DOUGLAS
Published: February 2007

This paper examines the management of stabilization funds by local governments in Massachusetts. It assesses the implementation and funding of stabilization funds and explores how they were utilized to respond to a midyear reduction in state aid. We find that stabilization funds correlate weakly with unreserved general fund balances. We also construct multiple regression models to predict stabilization and general fund balances. We surmise that communities have either implicit or explicit financial management strategies in which slack resources play more than countercyclical roles. Further research is needed to determine the role of stabilization funds in local government financial management strategies.
Cost Effectiveness Analysis and Transportation: Practices, Problems, and Proposals
Authors: EGER ROBERT J. , WILSKER AMANDA L.
Published: February 2007

Cost effective analysis (CEA) is used frequently in health and other fields in which controlled experiments are possible. The problem is, however, that for many activities that are outsourced in infrastructure finance, we have no comparison groups, and when comparison groups are present, we have no data on quality, presenting any interested researcher or decision maker with some serious dilemmas. In this article we establish some basic guidelines for the collection and use of quality data, and associate these with our own errors in attempting CEA with a lack of an existing quality measure.
The effect of inflammation on Fos expression in the ferret trigeminal nucleus
Authors: Worsley Matthew A. , Davies Shelley L. , Clayton Nick M. , Bountra Chas , Loescher Alison R. , Robinson Peter P. , Boissonade Fiona M.
Published: February 2007

We have previously carried out detailed characterization and identification of Fos expression within the trigeminal nucleus after tooth pulp stimulation in ferrets. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pulpal inflammation on the excitability of central trigeminal neurons following tooth pulp stimulation. Adult ferrets were prepared under anesthesia to allow tooth pulp stimulation, recording from the digastric muscle, and intravenous injections at a subsequent experiment. In some animals, pulpal inflammation was induced by introducing human caries into a deep buccal cavity. After 5 d, animals were re‐anaethetized, and the teeth were stimulated at 10 times the threshold of the jaw‐opening reflex. Stimulation of all tooth pulps induced ipsilateral Fos in the trigeminal subnuclei caudalis and oralis. All non‐stimulated animals showed negligible Fos labeling, with no differences recorded between inflamed and non‐inflamed groups. Following tooth pulp stimulation, Fos expression was greater in animals with inflamed teeth than in animals with non‐inflamed teeth, with the greatest effect seen in the subnucleus caudalis. These results suggest that inflammation increases the number of trigeminal brainstem neurons activated by tooth pulp stimulation; this may be mediated by peripheral or central mechanisms.
Cranberry components inhibit interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8, and prostaglandin E2 production by lipopolysaccharide‐activated gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Bodet Charles , Chandad Fatiha , Grenier Daniel
Published: February 2007

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the tooth supporting tissues. Gingival fibroblasts are the most abundant cells in periodontal tissues and participate actively in the host inflammatory response to periodontopathogens, which is known to mediate local tissue destruction in periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a proanthocyanidin‐enriched cranberry fraction, prepared from cranberry juice concentrate, on inflammatory mediator production by gingival fibroblasts stimulated by the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by fibroblasts treated with the cranberry fraction and stimulated by A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS was evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Changes induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS and the cranberry fraction in the expression and phosphorylation state of fibroblast intracellular signaling proteins were characterized by antibody microarrays. The LPS‐induced IL‐6, IL‐8, and PGE2 responses of gingival fibroblasts were inhibited by treatment with the cranberry fraction. This fraction was found to inhibit fibroblast intracellular signaling proteins, a phenomenon that may lead to a down‐regulation of activating protein‐1 activity. Cranberry components also reduced cyclooxygenase 2 expression. This study suggests that cranberry juice contains molecules with interesting properties for the development of new host‐modulating therapeutic strategies in the adjunctive treatment of periodontitis.
Effects of an occlusal splint compared with cognitive‐behavioral treatment on sleep bruxism activity
Authors: Ommerborn Michelle A. , Schneider Christine , Giraki Maria , Schäfer Ralf , Handschel Jörg , Franz Matthias , Raab Wolfgang H.‐M.
Published: February 2007

The impact of an occlusal splint (OS) compared with cognitive‐behavioral treatment (CBT) on the management of sleep bruxism (SB) has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an OS with CBT in SB patients. Following a randomized assignment, the OS group consisted of 29, and the CBT group of 28, SB patients. The CBT comprised problem‐solving, progressive muscle relaxation, nocturnal biofeedback, and training of recreation and enjoyment. The treatment took place over a period of 12 wk, and the OS group received an OS over the same time period. Both groups were examined pretreatment, post‐treatment, and at 6 months of follow‐up for SB activity, self‐assessment of SB activity and associated symptoms, psychological impairment, and individual stress‐coping strategies. The analyses demonstrated a significant reduction in SB activity, self‐assessment of SB activity, and psychological impairment, as well as an increase of positive stress‐coping strategies in both groups. However, the effects were small and no group‐specific differences were seen in any dependent variable. This is an initial attempt to compare CBT and OS in SB patients, and the data collected substantiate the need for further controlled evaluations, using a three‐group randomized design with repeated measures to verify treatment effects.
Efficacy of gasiform ozone and photodynamic therapy on a multispecies oral biofilm in vitro
Authors: Müller Philipp , Guggenheim Bernhard , Schmidlin Patrick R.
Published: February 2007

Ozone gas and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have been claimed to be antimicrobially effective. This study assessed their antimicrobial potential in vitro. Mature six‐species oral biofilms were treated as follows (n = 9 per group): (i) a 60‐s application of gasiform vacuum‐ozone or vacuum alone (on wet or air‐dried biofilm samples); (ii) PDT (i.e. methylene blue in combination with or without a diode soft laser, and a soft laser alone); or (iii) antimicrobial solutions: immersion of biofilms for 60 s in 0.2 and 2% chlorhexidine or in 0.5 and 5% hypochlorite solution. Treatment with chlorhexidine or hypochlorite served as a positive control, whereas untreated samples served as negative controls. Colony‐forming units on blood agar were counted. Only the 5% hypochlorite solution was able to totally eliminate the microorganisms in the biofilm. The observed reduction of viable counts by vacuum‐ozone application and PDT was less than one log10 step. Under the conditions of the current study, gasiform ozone and PDT had a minimal effect on the viability of microorganisms organized in a cariogenic biofilm.
Transforming growth factor‐β1 up‐regulates the expression of nerve growth factor through mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways in dental pulp cells
Authors: Yongchaitrakul Tussanee , Pavasant Prasit
Published: February 2007

Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and nerve growth factor (NGF) have been detected in pulp tissues after injury and are implicated in the differentiation of odontoblast‐like cells and in pulp tissue repair. We examined TGF‐β1‐mediated regulation of NGF and investigated its signaling pathways in human dental pulp cells. Analyses by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that TGF‐β1 (1 ng ml−1) induced NGF mRNA and protein expression through the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK). Blockade of the p38 MAPK and JNK pathways with the respective upstream inhibitors (SB203580 and SP600125) abolished the TGF‐β1‐mediated induction of NGF. In addition, SB225002, a G‐protein‐coupled receptor antagonist, and staurosporine, a serine‐threonine kinase inhibitor, partially inhibited TGF‐β1‐mediated induction of NGF. Phospho‐p38 MAPK was suppressed by SB225002, whereas phospho‐JNK was inhibited by staurosporine. We conclude that TGF‐β1 up‐regulates NGF in human dental pulp cells. This suggests that TGF‐β1 plays a role in NGF regulation during pulp tissue repair. The signal of TGF‐β1 involves the activation of MAPK, especially p38 and JNK. We suggest that crosstalk between TGF‐β1 and G‐protein‐coupled receptor signaling also participates in the inductive mechanism.
Transcriptional regulation by targeted expression of architectural transcription factor high mobility group A2 in salivary glands of transgenic mice
Authors: Lin H. Helen , Xiong Ye , Ho Ye‐Shih , Zhou Beiyun , Nguyen Ha‐Van , Deng Hongtao , Lee Renee , Yen Yun , Borok Zea , Ann David K.
Published: February 2007

High mobility group A2 (HMGA2) protein is a non‐histone architectural transcription factor. Numerous studies have demonstrated that HMGA2 is exclusively expressed in the nucleus of embryonic, but not of terminally differentiated, cells, and aberrant expression of HMGA2 is associated with various benign tumors, including pleomorphic salivary adenoma. Herein, we report the use of a 4.5‐kb enhancer/promoter region of the aquaporin‐5 (AQP‐5) gene to target HMGA2 transgene expression in the mouse salivary acinar cells as a model to investigate the biochemical and biological role of ectopic HMGA2 expression. The expression pattern was analyzed by microarray analyses to profile HMGA2‐dependent salivary gene regulation. By using quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) assays, the expression of a cluster of genes involved in cytokine signaling, including Il7r, Il2rg, and Ptprc, was verified to be up‐regulated in the salivary glands of AQP‐5/HMGA2 mice. In concert, the expression of a cluster of genes, namely Ppara, Phyh, and Cidea, governing fatty acid and lipid metabolism, was confirmed to be down‐regulated by HMGA2. Additionally, squamous carcinoma‐like salivary tumors were observed in the AQP‐5/HMGA2 transgenic mice, albeit at a low incidence. Our findings indicate that the AQP‐5 promoter/enhancer‐containing region is sufficient to target salivary‐specific transgene expression and suggest novel roles for HMGA2 in salivary epithelial cells.
Salivary cortisol levels and dental anxiety in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Blomqvist My , Holmberg Kirsten , Lindblad Frank , Fernell Elisabeth , Ek Ulla , Dahllöf Göran
Published: February 2007

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common developmental disorder. The present study tested the hypotheses that children with ADHD, particularly those exhibiting severe hyperactivity and impulsivity, have a different stress reaction (measured by salivary cortisol) during a dental recall visit and are more dentally anxious than children in a control group. Eighteen children with ADHD and a control group of 71 children, all 13 yr of age, underwent a clinical dental examination and completed the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Four saliva samples were gathered for analysis of cortisol: one prior to dental examination, one after, and two the following morning. The subgroup ADHD with hyperactivity/impulsivity had statistically significantly lower cortisol levels than the control group 30 min after awakening. When cortisol values were plotted on a timeline, this subgroup always had lower cortisol concentrations than children in the control group. There was a significant correlation between CDAS scores and cortisol concentrations prior to the dental examination in both the ADHD and the control group. Behavioral expressions of anxiety in children with ADHD may be different from those in other children, not only due to the characteristics of their disorder, but also because of lower stress reactivity.
Establishment of porcine pulp‐derived cell lines and expression of recombinant dentin sialoprotein and recombinant dentin matrix protein‐1
Authors: Iwata Takanori , Yamakoshi Yasuo , Simmer James P. , Ishikawa Isao , Hu Jan C‐C.
Published: February 2007

The major non‐collagenous proteins in dentin have extensive post‐translational modifications (PTMs) that appear to be odontoblast‐specific, so expression of recombinant dentin proteins in other cell types does not achieve the in vivo pattern of PTMs. We established cell lines from developing porcine dental papillae and used them to express recombinant dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and dentin matrix protein‐1 (DMP1). Pulp cells were immortalized with pSV3‐neo and clonally selected. Cell lines were characterized by reverse transcruption–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) and assayed for alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation. One of the five cell lines (P4‐2) exhibited an odontoblastic phenotype, as determined by expression of tooth‐specific markers, response to cytokines, and ability to form mineralized nodules. DSP and DMP1 expression constructs were transiently transfected into various cell lines. DSP, expressed by P4‐2 cells, contained chondroitin 6‐sulfate, which is a defining modification of the DSP proteoglycan. DMP1 was secreted and cleaved by proteases, even in human kidney 293 cells, which normally do not express DMP1, demonstrating susceptibility to non‐specific proteolysis. Both recombinant proteins enhanced P4‐2 cell attachment in a dose‐dependent manner. We conclude that we have immortalized porcine odontoblast‐like cells which express recombinant dentin extracellular matrix components with post‐translational modifications that closely resemble those produced in vivo.
Use of Hoy's solubility parameters to predict water sorption/solubility of experimental primers and adhesives
Authors: Nishitani Yoshihiro , Yoshiyama Masahiro , Hosaka Keiichi , Tagami Junji , Donnelly Adam , Carrilho Marcela , Tay Franklin R. , Pashley David H.
Published: February 2007

Self‐etching primers and adhesives contain very hydrophilic acidic monomers that result in high water sorption/solubilities of their polymers. However, the chemical composition of these products varies widely. The purpose of this work was to vary the chemical composition of experimental self‐etching primers and adhesives to determine if the water sorption/solubility of the polymers were affected in a predictable manner. The Hoy's solubility parameters of these mixtures were calculated to permit ranking of the degree of hydrophilicity of the polymers. Water sorption/solubility was measured according to ISO 4049. The results showed highly significant (R2 = 0.86, P < 0.001) correlations between water sorption and Hoy's solubility parameter for polar forces (δp) of the polymers. Similar correlations were obtained between polymer solubility and δp. When these results were compared with previously published results obtained with more hydrophobic resins, excellent correlations were obtained, indicating that Hoy's δp values may be used to predict the water sorption behavior of methylmethacrylate polymers.
An easy‐to‐run method for routine analysis of eumelanin and pheomelanin in pigmented tissues
Authors: Panzella Lucia , Manini Paola , Monfrecola Giuseppe , D'Ischia Marco , Napolitano Alessandra
Published: February 2007

A procedure for analysis of melanin‐pigmented tissues based on alkaline hydrogen peroxide degradation coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) ultraviolet determination of pyrrole‐2,3,5‐tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) for eumelanin and 6‐(2‐amino‐2‐carboxyethyl)‐2‐carboxy‐4‐hydroxybenzothiazole (BTCA) and 1,3‐thiazole‐2,4,5‐tricarboxylic acid for pheomelanin was recently developed. Despite advantages related to the degradation conditions and sample handling, a decrease of the reproducibility and resolution was observed after several chromatographic runs. We report herein an improved chromatographic methodology for simultaneous determination of PTCA and BTCA as representative markers of eumelanin and pheomelanin, respectively, based on the use of an octadecylsilane column with polar end‐capping with 1% formic acid (pH 2.8)/methanol as the eluant. The method requires conventional HPLC equipments and gives very good peak shapes and resolution, without need of ion pair reagents or high salt concentrations in the mobile phase. The intra‐assay precision of the analytical runs was satisfactory with CV values ≤4.0% (n = 5) for the two markers which did not exceed 8% after 50 consecutive injections on the column over 1 week. The peak area ratios at 254 and 280 nm (A280/A254: PTCA = 1.1, BTCA = 0.6) proved a valuable parameter for reliable identification of the structural markers even in the most complex degradation mixtures. The method can be applied to various eumelanin and pheomelanin pigmented tissues, including mammalian hair, skin and irides, and is amenable to be employed in population screening studies.
Quantification of Ca2+ binding to melanin supports the hypothesis that melanosomes serve a functional role in regulating calcium homeostasis
Authors: Bush William D. , Simon John D.
Published: February 2007

Calcium regulation in melanocytes affects numerous biological pathways including protecting the redox balance in the cell and regulating the supply of substrate, l‐tyrosine, for melanogenesis. The pigment contained in the melanocytes, melanin, has been implicated in maintaining calcium homeostasis in the cell and is known to be involved with calcium ion regulation in the inner ear. Herein, the association constant for Ca2+ binding to Sepia melanin is determined by isothermal titration calorimetry to be 3.3 (±0.2) × 103/M. This value is comparable with other well‐established intracellular calcium‐binding proteins that serve to buffer calcium concentrations, lending further support to the hypothesis that melanosomes serve as intracellular mediators of calcium homeostasis in melanocytes. Using this binding constant and the data from a fluorescent Ca2+ displacement assay, the pKa of the carboxyl group coordinated to Ca2+ is determined to be 3.1 ± 0.1.
Measuring change in dry‐mouth symptoms over time using the Xerostomia Inventory
Authors: Thomson W. Murray
Published: February 2007

Objective:  To examine the responsiveness to change of the Xerostomia Inventory (XI).

Background:  The XI is an 11‐item summated rating scale which results in a single continuous scale score representing the severity of chronic xerostomia. While the XI has been used as an outcome measure in clinical research, the magnitude of a clinically meaningful change score has yet to be determined.

Methods:  This study comprises a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal study of changes in xerostomia symptoms in two groups whose symptom trajectories were likely to differ substantially: the normal group was a convenience sample of asymptomatic middle‐aged and older individuals with otherwise stable perceptions of mouth dryness; and the onset group comprised patients who were about to undergo radiotherapy for head/neck cancer (and would therefore be expected to develop more severe xerostomia after the baseline measurements). Statistical analyses examined cross‐sectional construct validity and internal consistency, test‐retest reliability and the measure's responsiveness and longitudinal construct validity. The mean change scores of those for whom ‘a little’ improvement was reported were used to determine the minimally important difference for the XI.

Results:  Over two‐thirds of the onset group members reported dry mouth ‘frequently’ or ‘always’ at follow‐up (2 months) and there was a concomitant increase in their mean XI score. Test‐retest reliability was acceptable. Examination of within‐individual change among those who changed and those for whom stability was observed, showed that only those who worsened had significantly greater XI scores at follow‐up. The minimally important difference to reflect deterioration in xerostomia symptoms was determined to be 6 scale points. Between baseline and 2 months, the XI scores of 32 participants (33.7%) deteriorated by the minimally important difference (7.1% and 54.7% respectively among the normal and onset groups; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:  The validity and responsiveness of the XI appear to be acceptable, and a change in XI score of 6 or more points is clinically meaningful.
Dental status and dental caries in 85‐year‐old Danes
Authors: Vilstrup Lene , Holm‐Pedersen Poul , Mortensen Erik Lykke , Avlund Kirsten
Published: February 2007

Objectives:  This study reports findings on the dental status and the prevalence of dental caries among a group of 85‐year‐old Danes from the Glostrup 1914 Cohort, Denmark. The purpose of the study was to analyse whether caries experience was related to number of teeth and to indicators of functional ability and cognitive function.

Methods:  A total of 191 individuals (78 men and 113 women) participated in a cross‐sectional population study conducted in 2000. Using mobile dental equipment, a clinical oral examination and an interview were administered to all participants in their homes. Functional ability was measured by the Mob‐H scale and cognitive function was assessed by the Mini‐Mental State Examination.

Results:  Fifty‐nine per cent of the participants had their own natural teeth and for the dentate participants, the mean number of teeth was 13 (range 1–27). A high prevalence of active caries on coronal and root surfaces was observed. Older adults with few natural teeth had a higher prevalence of active coronal and root caries and a higher unmet treatment need than older adults with many teeth. Further, the study showed that 85‐year‐old persons with reduced functional ability and cognitive impairment tended to have more active caries than 85‐year‐olds with no impairment.

Conclusions:  A substantial proportion of 85‐year‐old individuals had retained a natural dentition; however, active dental caries is a problem of concern among the most elderly.
Biocompatibility of denture base acrylic resins evaluated in culture of L929 cells. Effect of polymerisation cycle and post‐polymerisation treatments
Authors: Jorge Janaina Habib , Giampaolo Eunice Teresinha , Vergani Carlos Eduardo , Machado Ana Lúcia , Pavarina Ana Cláudia , Carlos Iracilda Zeppone
Published: February 2007

Objective:  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two post‐polymerisation treatments and different cycles of polymerisation on the cytotoxicity of two denture base resins.

Materials and methods:  The resins tested were Lucitone 550 and QC 20. Discs of resins were fabricated following the manufacturer's instructions. Lucitone 550 was processed by long cycle or short cycle. The resin QC 20 was processed by reverse cycle or normal cycle. The specimens were divided into groups: (i) post‐polymerised in microwave for 3 min at 500 W; (ii) post‐polymerised in water‐bath at 55°C for 60 min and (iii) without post‐polymerisation. Eluates were prepared by placing three discs into a sterile glass vial with 9 ml of Eagle's medium and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. L929 cells were seeded into 96 well culture plates and DNA synthesis was assessed by 3H‐thymidine incorporation assay.

Results:  The results were submitted to two‐way anova and Tukey HSD test. QC 20 specimens polymerised by the normal cycle and submitted to microwave post‐polymerisation were graded as moderately cytotoxic. Similar results were observed for Lucitone 550 processed by long cycle without post‐polymerisation. The other experimental groups were graded as not cytotoxic. After water‐bath post‐polymerisation, specimens of Lucitone 550 processed by long cycle produced significantly lower inhibition of DNA synthesis than the other groups.

Conclusion:  The long cycle increased the cytotoxicity of Lucitone 550 and water‐bath post‐polymerisation reduced the cytotoxicity of Lucitone 550 processed by long cycle.
Effects of 11‐month interventions on oral cleanliness among the long‐term hospitalised elderly
Authors: Peltola Petteri , Vehkalahti Miira M. , Simoila Riitta
Published: February 2007

Objectives: This trial studied the effects of interventions on the oral cleanliness of the long‐term hospitalised elderly.

Background: Oral cleanliness is mostly poor in long‐term facilities. While many agree on the importance of oral hygiene education for nursing personnel, little information and agreement exists on how to organise this education in geriatric institutions.

Materials and methods: This is a longitudinal study with interventions. After a baseline clinical examination, the patient wards were divided into three groups (A, B and C) and the type of intervention was randomly assigned. In group A, dental hygienists provided oral hygiene measures for the subjects once every 3 weeks. In group B, the nursing staff first received hands‐on instructions after which they assumed responsibility for the subjects’ daily oral hygiene. Group C served as a control. Denture hygiene and dental hygiene were recorded at baseline and in the end of the 11‐month study period. In total, 130 subjects completed the interventions; their mean age was 82.9 years.

Results: The best outcome in both denture and dental hygiene occurred when nursing staff at the wards took care of hygiene (group B). The increase in the proportion of those with good denture hygiene was the most prominent in group B (from 11% to 56%). The proportion of subjects with poor overall dental hygiene decreased from 61% at baseline to 57% in the end, for group B from 80% to 48%.

Conclusions: Organised oral health education of the nursing staff should receive more attention.
Salutogenic factors that may enhance lifelong oral health in an elderly Japanese population
Authors: Morita Ichizo , Nakagaki Haruo , Kato Kazuo , Murakami Taeko , Tsuboi Shinji , Hayashizaki Junko , Toyama Atsushi , Hashimoto Masanori , Simozato Tsukasa , Morishita Norikazu , Kawanaga Tetsuhiro , Igo Junko , Sheiham Aubrey
Published: February 2007

Objectives:  The objective of this study was to assess which factors affected the maintenance of more than 20 teeth in Japanese patients aged 80 years and older, using a life‐course perspective.

Subjects and methods:  The oral examination was carried out by dentists. The questionnaire asked about family background, background during various stages of growing up, tooth brushing, snacking, job history, health examination, war experience, number of children, oral health condition and dietary preferences. Some of the questions asked about conditions when they were a primary school student, 20 years old, 40 years old and 60 years old. Multivariable logistic‐regression analysis was used to adjust for sex at significant life stages.

Results:  The group with mothers who did not prefer sweet food had an approximately four times greater chance of having ≥20 teeth compared with the group with mothers who preferred sweet food. Those participants who did not prefer sweet food themselves were approximately three to five times more likely to be in the ≥20 tooth group compared with those who preferred sweet food at all stages of their life course. Non‐smokers and those who quit smoking were three times more likely to be in the ≥20 tooth group than those who smoked throughout the years from 20 to 60 years of age.

Conclusions:  Factors associated with the maintenance of a sufficient number of functioning teeth were: not having a mother with a preference for sweet food, not having a preference for sweet food themselves and not smoking over a long period.