bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regeneration of Periodontal Tissues
Authors: Shimono M. , Inoue T. , Yamamura T.
Published: January 2017

To elucidate the regenerative capability of the periodontal tissues, we carried out two experiments: (1) Regeneration of the gingival tissue following gingivectomy in rats. Ultrastructurally, regenerating junctional epithelium was similar in morphology to that of untreated animals and appeared to attach to the enamel after five days. Basal lamina and hemidesmosomes were produced faster at the enamel interface than at the connective tissue interface. Gingival tissue was completely regenerated seven days after the gingivectomy. (2) Regeneration of the cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone following intradentinal cavity preparation in dogs. In the early stages, the cavity was filled with an exudate and granulation tissue. Seven days after the operation, osteoblasts and cementoblasts were arranged regularly on the cut surface of the alveolar bone and dentin, respectively. Newly formed bone and cementum, and periodontal ligament grew to resemble pre-existing bone and cementum after 28-42 days. From these results, it is suggested that the periodontal tissues have an extremely high capability of regeneration.
Alkaline Phosphatase of Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblast-Like Cells
Authors: Kawase T. , Sato S. , Miake K. , Saito S.
Published: January 2017

Cultures of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLF) and human alveolar bone cells (HABC) were established, maintained, and characterized with respect to alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity, a marker enzyme of bone cells. During the proliferative phase, ALPase of HPLF and HABC were not detectable. But at the confluent stage, HPLF synthesized levels of ALPase similar to HABC. Also, ALPase activity of HPLF was markedly stimulated (7.5-fold) by 5 x 10-9 mol/L 1,25 (OH)2-vitamin D3 (1,25 (OH)2-D3). Therefore, since ALPase activity of HPLF resembles that present in osteoblasts, human periodontal ligament fibroblasts may function as "osteoblastic" fibroblasts.
Monoclonal Antibodies Against Gingival Components
Authors: Uobe K. , Wada S. , Wato M. , Nishikawa T. , Tanaka A. , Nishida K. , Tsutsui M.
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to produce and characterize monoclonal antibodies against human gingival epithelial cells and gingival fibroblasts. By using these whole cells as immunogens, we were able to generate a large number of monoclonal antibodies reacting with tissue antigens, in particular antibodies that reacted with desmosomes (MoAbs 7 and 8) and basement membrane (MoAb FB-1) antigens. MoAbs 7 and 8 produced from epithelial cells stained cell membranes of epithelium and desmosomes, respectively, as shown by light and immunoelectron microscopy. The epitopes to which MoAbs 7 and 8 were reactive were stable against various treatments; only periodate oxidation abolished the tissue reactions with MoAb 8. Extraction of gingiva with SDS or NP-40, SDS-PAGE analysis, and Western blotting showed that the MoAb 8 identified an antigen with a molecular weight of 100,000 daltons. MoAb FB-1 produced from fibroblasts immunolabeled the basement membranes. The FB-1 antigen was clearly different from any of the known ubiquitous basement membrane components, such as type IV collagen, laminin, and fibronectin. Examination of the distribution and localization of the antigen showed that it was present in the basement membrane beneath stratified squamous epithelium. FB-1 did not react with any of types I-VI collagens in ELISA, but immunoelectron microscopy showed that the antigen reacting with FB-1 was present in the lamina fibroreticularis of the basement membrane and was comprised of collagen-like fibers. These results suggest the possible existence of a new collagen other than types I-VI in the basement membrane beneath stratified squamous epithelium.
The Role of Bacteroides Gingivalis in Periodontal Disease
Authors: Okuda K. , Takazoe I.
Published: January 2017

The microbial flora in adult advanced periodontitis lesions is comprised of Gram-negative rods, with Bacteroides gingivalis as one of the major representatives. This review deals with biological properties of surface antigens, hemagglutinin (attachment factor), and capsular structure of B. gingivalis. Sera containing high IgG antibody levels to B. gingivalis enhanced the complement-mediated bactericidal activity in vitro, although the susceptibility to complement-mediated lysis differed among B. gingivalis strains. The protective effect of immunization against B. gingival is infection was examined in hamsters in which cotton threads had been tied to the gingival margins of the mandibular first molar. Repeated oral topical application of hyper-immune sera against B. gingivalis resulted in effective elimination of the organisms from the periodontal lesions in the experimental animals.
The Modulation of Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Function by Bacteroides Gingivalis
Authors: Maeda K. , Hirofuji T. , Chinju N. , Tanigawa K. , Iwamoto Y. , Hatakeyama T. , Aono M.
Published: January 2017

B acteroides gingivalis has been recognized as a pathogen causing adult periodontal disease. In this study, we examined the culture supernatants of B. gingival is for their ability to alter the function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). After a 60-minute incubation with the culture supernatants of B. gingivalis, it was found that there was a significant reduction of f-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) receptor in human and guinea pig PMNs. Superoxide anion (O- 2) production of PMNs stimulated by FMLP was also suppressed when cells were pre-incubated with the culture supernatants of B. gingivalis. A similar suppression was observed when these cells were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate. An exohemagglutinin fraction of the culture supernatants showed suppressive activity at a low dose (10 μg/mL). The data presented in this paper suggest that B. gingivalis releases substances which suppress the functions of PMNs via the modulation of cell surface receptors and internal cellular events. These suppressive effects may be important in the pathogenesis of this micro-organism.
Diversity of IgG Antibody Responses in the Patients with Various Types of Periodontitis
Authors: Ishikawa I. , Watanabe H. , Horibe M. , Izumi Y.
Published: January 2017

Serum IgG antibodies to seven periodontopathic bacteria were assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 56 patients with periodontitis. Patients were selected according to the severity of bone loss, and were also classified into three categories by age: juvenile periodontitis (JP), advanced destructive periodontitis (ADP), and adult periodontitis (AP). Bacteroides gingivalis, B. loescheii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Eikenella corrodens, B. intermedius, and Capnocytophaga ochracea were the bacterial strains of interest. Antigens were prepared by cold ultrasonication of washed bacterial cells. Association of high- or low-IgG antibody titer to the bacteria was evaluated. High or low titers of IgG were based on ELISA measurements in 28 healthy subjects. Values exceeding 100% above or below the normal standard deviation were classified as high or low titers, respectively.

Most patients with three types of periodontitis (76.8%) exhibited high-IgG antibody titers against various periodontopathic bacteria. The sera mostly included high-IgG titer against one or some of B. gingivalis, E. corrodens, F. nucleatum, and/or A. actinomycetemcomitans. B. gingivalis was predominantly associated with three categories of periodontitis (60.7%). However, high-IgG antibody titer against B. gingivalis alone was found in relatively low percentage (21.4%). Most of the cases were associated with one or more of the other periodontopathic bacteria. High-IgG titer against A. actinomycetemcomitans was found in a few patients (12.5%), who showed severe and more rapid bone loss. Nine patients (16.1%) showed lower IgG antibody titer than did the healthy control subjects. Of the nine, three patients who belonged to the JP category showed the chemotaxis dysfunction of their PMNs. Some immunodepression was suspected in these patients.
Inductive Effect of Human Recombinant IL-1 on Differentiation of a Macrophage-Like Tumor Cell Line
Authors: Hanazawa S. , Amano S. , Hanaizumi C. , Hirose K. , Ohmori Y. , Miyoshi T. , Kitano S.
Published: January 2017

We used the macrophage-like tumor cell line P388D1 to test whether interleukin-1 (IL-1) stimulate differentiation of osteoclast-like progenitors. Recombinant human interleukin-1 (rhIL-1) alpha inhit ited cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion. Incubation of the cells with rhIL-1 alpha resulted in adherence stimulation of non-specific esterase activity, and increased Fc receptor expression. These results suggest th possibility that IL-1 may be involved in the differentiation of osteoclast progenitors and thus may be an irr portant local factor in the mechanism of bone resorption.
Efficacy of an Ultrasonic Scaler with a Periodontal Probe-Type Tip in Deep Periodontal Pockets
Authors: Kawanami M. , Sugaya T. , Kato S. , Inuma K. , Tate T. , Hannan M.A. , Kato H.
Published: January 2017

Abundant evidence has been advanced to support the idea that destructive periodontal disease is closely associated with subgingival plaque and calculus. A probe-type tip has been newly designed for the ultrasonic scaler to be used for easy debridement in deep pockets without local anesthesia or gingival elevation. The purpose of this study was to examine, by in vitro and in vivo experiments, the potential of this device for clinical application. The efficiency of ultrasonic debridement on calculus removal by a probe-type tip was examined on extracted teeth. All of 170 calculus spots were easily removed by the device. Accessibility of the root surfaces to the tip in deep periodontal pockets was examined on 46 root surfaces within deep pockets. The Accessibility Quotient of the instrument was 0.94 ± 0.10. The efficiency of ultrasonic debridement of subgingival plaque and calculus in deep pockets was also examined in 86 non-instrumented root surfaces. The mean operating time was 115.0 ± 60.9 sec/surface. None of the patients complained of pain, even though anesthesia was not used. The mean percentage of residual deposits in microscopic pocket areas was 4.6 ± 7.4% in 58 experimental surfaces, although it was 95.8 ± 8.3% in 28 control surfaces. Finally, the efficacy of debridement on clinical parameters was examined in 72 deep pockets (>4 mm) of 12 patients. Sulcus fluid and number of bleeding-on-probing sites decreased markedly one week after the debridement without anesthesia, and remained unchanged up to four weeks. A significant decrease of probing pocket depth and gain of probing attachment level were also found in instrumented sites. We concluded that the application of this device for subgingival debridement in deep pockets seems to be efficacious for non-surgical therapy.
Developmental Defects of Enamel in Chinese Girls and Boys in Hong Kong
Authors: King N.M.
Published: January 2017

The FDI (DDE) Index-with some modifications and a re-designed recording sheet-was used to determine the prevalence of the different types of developmental defects of enamel. The public water supply contained 1.0 ppm when the children were born and 0.7 ppm at the time of the examinations. All surfaces of the teeth of 460 female and 484 male, 12-year-old, Chinese children were examined after the teeth had been cleaned and dried. Mouth prevalences for all types of opacities, hypoplasia, and discoloration were 99.6%, 82.8%, and 16.6%, respectively. There was no apparent statistically significant difference between girls and boys. However, a statistically significant difference was seen between the sexes for white patches (p < 0.05), missing enamel (p<0.05), and horizontal grooves (p<0.01). There were 811 (85.7%) children with more than 13 teeth affected by opacities, and 417 (44.2%) children had more than four teeth affected by hypoplasia. The most common defect was the diffuse white patch, and the least common was the vertical groove. There were 189 (39.0%) boys with between four and 12 teeth affected by more than two types of defect per tooth. White lines were the most difficult defect to diagnose reproducibly. Intra-examiner reproducibility for all other defects achieved levels of "almost perfect" and "substantial" by calculation of the Kappa coefficient.
Ultrastructure and Composition of Enamel in Human Dental Fluorosis
Authors: Yanagisawa T. , Takuma S. , Fejerskov O.
Published: January 2017

Materials used in this work were 13 permanent molars exhibiting dental fluorosis (between 5 and 9 on the Thylstrup-Fejerskov scale, 1978) obtained from adults (aged 20-40 years) living in regions with 3.5 ppm fluoride in the water supplies. Small but deep occlusal caries lesions necessitated extraction. Light and polarized microscopic, microradiographic, electron microscopic, and electron-probe- and ion-micro-analytical studies were made.

Enamel surfaces were generally cloudy to opaque, with several pits or defects of various sizes and degrees of brown-staining. An extensively hypomineralized area extended from the inner enamel to the surface layer, which was mineralized to a high degree. The hypomineralized area contained sparsely arranged, flattened, hexagonal crystals with either perforated centers or defects extending from the perimeter and indicating either no or low fluoride content. The highly mineralized surface layer, however, was composed of many large, flattened, hexagonal crystals and extremely small, irregularly shaped crystals. Both types were free of central perforations and defects. A high fluoride concentration was determined in the highly mineralized surface layer. These findings suggest that the hypomineralized area undergoes caries-like changes in terms of crystal dissolution and that the highly mineralized surface layer contains hydroxyapatite and fluoridated-hydroxyapatite, or fluorapatite, or both.
Risk Assessment for Oral Diseases: Reaction Paper
Authors: Caton J.G.
Published: January 2017

The "gold standard" outcome measure for periodontal diseases is clinical loss of attachment measured with a periodontal probe. All risk factors for periodontal diseases must be estimated against this standard, which provides post hoc evidence of past disease activity. Measurement of clinical attachment level is crude; therefore, rather large changes must be recorded for specificity to be ensured. This apparently results in rather poor sensitivity, masking good predictors that could prove valuable on a population, individual, and site basis. If risk assessment for periodontal diseases is to advance, this problem must be solved.
Diagnosis of Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Ranney R.R.
Published: January 2017

This paper reviews current (Fall, 1990) information related to the diagnosis of periodontal diseases. As background, principles of diagnostic decision-making and conceptual shifts during the 1970's and 1980's are reviewed in brief. "Diseases" that appeared in many classification schemes for periodontal diseases in the early 1970's—for example, "periodontosis" and "occlusal trauma"-do not appear in most current classifications. A recent (1989a) classification recommended by the American Academy of Periodontology holds that "periodontitis" includes several different diseases. There is, indeed, evidence for several different forms of periodontitis, but the AAP's classification does not conform to the principles of diagnostic decision-making because of the significant overlap between and heterogeneities within its suggested "diseases". An alternative classification is suggested, based on a concept that the periodontal diseases are mixed infections whose outcome is modified by relative effectiveness of host response. This view suggests that the most usual forms, gingivitis and adult periodontitis, normally occur in persons with essentially normal defense systems. Variation in extent or severity of disease can be understood as a function of the local infection in hosts with various degrees of compromised resistance to the infection. Early-onset periodontitis (EOP) cases could be accounted for by those where host response is abnormal to some significant degree. The greater the abnormality, the greater the extent and severity of disease might be. Localized EOP cases would be those where a relatively effective specific response intervenes to ameliorate progress of disease after the initially rapid progression. Other issues are detection of disease activity and assessment of risk for disease progression. Non-cultural bacteriological tests are available, but have not yet been shown to detect or predict activity or risk. One difficulty in reaching such proof for those or other tests has been the lack of an appropriate "gold standard" for disease activity or progression. This is being remedied by development of improved automated probes and imaging technologies. Considerable effort is being devoted to determining whether factors in gingival crevicular fluid may have diagnostic utility. More evidence is needed before clinical utility is known, but several enzymes and cytokines have potential for aiding diagnostic decisions.
Risk Assessment for Oral Diseases
Authors: Stamm J.W. , Stewart P.W. , Bohannan H.M. , Disney J.A. , Graves R.C. , Abernathy J.R.
Published: January 2017

This paper seeks to achieve four goals, each of which forms the basis for a section in the presentation. First, the rationale of risk assessment is fully described. In this section, some of the necessary conditions are identified that make disease prediction worth pursuing. The second section discusses some essential background to the understanding of risk assessment in dentistry. In this segment, attention is focused on population-based and individual-based perspectives, alternative approaches to expressing health risk, and methods for comparing the predictive accuracy of alternative risk assessment models. The third section of the paper develops a conceptual frameworkforrisk assessment in dentistry. Particular emphasis is devoted to the identification of risk factors and their incorporation into alternative statistical models. In the fourth section, empirical data are offered by which certain comparisons of the alternative risk models can be drawn. The paper concludes with a discussion that emphasizes data and technical limitations, speculates on future applications, and suggests new avenues for research.
Etiologic Theory and Prevention of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders: Reaction Paper
Authors: Tallents R.H.
Published: January 2017

The treatment of patients with temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction remains a controversial issue. Strong evidence exists that the occlusion of the teeth may not be a significant contributor to the overall etiology of the disorder. This now presents clinicians and researchers with a problem. What factors are responsible for the pain and dysfunction? Today, no solid evidence exists to substantiate the etiology of this disorder.
Casting Alloys: Side-Effects
Authors: Hensten-Pettersen Arne
Published: January 2017

Side-effects from dental materials are a minor problem, but should be recognized. In recent questionnaire surveys about side-effects, the incidence was estimated to be 1:300 in periodontics and 1:2600 in pedodontics. None of these reactions was related to dental casting alloys. In prosthodontics, the incidence was calculated to be about 1:400, and about 27% were related to base-metal alloys forremovable partial dentures (cobalt, chromium, nickel) and to noble/goldbased alloys for porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations. The complaints consisted of intra-oral reactions (such as redness, swelling, and pain of the oral mucosa and lips), oral/gingival lichenoid reactions, and a few instances of systemic reactions. In orthodontics, the incidence was 1:100, and most reactions (85%) were related to metal parts of the extra-oral anchorage devices.

Even though the extensive use of base-metal alloys has been of major concern to the dental profession, relatively few case reports substantiate this concern. Allergy to gold-based dental restorations has been more commonly reported. Palladium-based alloys have been associated with several cases of stomatitis and oral lichenoid reactions. Palladium allergy seems to occur mainly in patients who are very sensitive to nickel. All casting alloys, except titanium, seem to have a potential for eliciting adverse reactions in individual hypersensitive patients. Tolerance induction may be a possible benefit of the use of intra-orally placed alloys. In non-sensitized individuals, oral antigenic contacts to nickel and chromium may induce tolerance rather than sensitization.

A variety of systemic diseases and reactions has been claimed to be caused by dental materials. The claims are generally poorly documented. Further controlled clinical trials are necessary for assessment of the problems associated with metal allergy and dental treatment procedures, and for development of a scientific basis for training clinicians in proper treatment planning for hypersensitive patients.
Dental Composites/Glass Ionomers: Clinical Reports
Authors: Bayne Stephen C.
Published: January 2017

Composites and glass ionomers have not been extensively tested in clinical trials for biological safety. Most clinical evaluations have looked at other factors, such as retention, wear, or color. The primary evaluation criterion used in clinical trials is post-operative sensitivity. Sensitivity does not seem to have any correlation to pulpal inflammation. Inflammation can be the result of mechanical, thermal, chemical, and bacterial insults. It is complicated for individual contributions to be separated in short-term studies. General usage of these materials over about 20 years indicates a high benefit-to-risk ratio. Despite some complaints of sensitivity with some glass-ionomer compositions, both composites and glass ionomers are relatively trouble-free. There is no evidence of short-term or long-term risk. Toxicological studies have focused almost exclusively on pulpal reactions. Systemic reactions have not been closely examined, although there is no suspicion of any problems after virtually billions of procedures in the United States. New glass-ionomer cements are similar to contemporary composite formulations. Continued development of these materials may ultimately produce an amalgam replacement material that is economically and philosophically desirable to general dentists.
Biological Markers: Their Use in Quantitative Assessments
Authors: Vine M.F.
Published: January 2017

Biological markers can be conceptualized in terms of categories of markers that form a continuum representing a sequence of events from exposure to disease. These categories include markers of internal dose, biologically effective dose, early response, and disease. Outside of this sequence are susceptibility factors that can act at any point along the way to modify the effects of external exposures on disease outcomes. Examples of the use of these different types of markers in epidemiologic research are provided. There are many factors that one must consider when selecting a biological marker for use in an epidemiologic study. These factors include: the objectives of the study, the availability and specificity of potential markers, the feasibility of measuring the markers in various biological media, the invasiveness of the techniques necessary to measure the markers, the amount of biological specimen needed for analysis, the time to appearance of the markers in the biological media, the persistence of the markers in biological media, the variability of marker levels within and between individuals, the stability of markers in storage, as well as the cost, sensitivity, specificity, and reliability of the assays used to measure the markers. Each of these characteristics is discussed. The usefulness of biological markers in an epidemiologic study depends on the objectives of the study and whether the properties of the markers fulfill the objectives of the study in a feasible and cost-effective manner.
Aspects of Positive Discrimination and Tribal Development in India
Authors: Mallick Md. Ayub
Published: January 2017

Protective policies are essential for individual development and group mobility. Positive discriminatory efforts seek to reduce group inequalities and to rectify the consequences of group discrimination. Reservations in the fields of politics, education and employment aimed at protecting tribal culture and tradition have achieved strikingly little. Protection of land and life support system has been poorly implemented. There have been no marked improvements in their social conditions. Planned intervention has not improved the occupational and educational levels of tribals. Non-tribals do not treat them equally. Apart from developing entrepreneurship, follow-up action in providing developmental benefits to tribals should be made. The single-stroke formula of providing loans and facilities is unsuited to the development needs of the area. Social capital formation is needed to ensure justice, or to provide socio-economic justice, which was traditionally present in the tribal economy and society.
Challenges in Improving Access to Generic Drugs in Brazil
Authors: Novaretti Marcia Cristina Zago , Aquino Simone
Published: January 2017

Pharmaceutical care is essential for the control and treatment of numerous diseases, nevertheless it is estimated that over 25% of world population do not have access to essential medicines. In this scenario, generics plays a key role in providing lower cost medicines worldwide. In Brazil, generic drugs do not prevail in the pharmaceutical market although the Federal government certifies their quality and the price is lower when compared to reference products. This paper addresses a thorough understanding of this situation can make available data for decision-making, assisting health care managers, the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacies to improve the pharmaceutical care in the country.
Exploring the Impact of Ownership Structure on Earnings Predictability: Insights from Japan
Authors: Mazumder Mohammed Mehadi Masud
Published: January 2017

Using a very recent data over the period from 2007 to 2012 (sample period 2001–2012), this study estimates the relationship between ownership structure and earnings predictability in Japanese listed companies. In particular, this study investigates how three important categories of ownership (i.e., domestic institutional, foreign and insider ownership) are associated with earnings predictability in Japanese listed firms. The results show that higher domestic institutional (financial) ownership is associated with greater earnings predictability. The findings support the argument that institutional shareholders especially financial institutions ensure effective monitoring over corporate reporting practices which lead to better earnings quality. In sharp contrast, this study finds that incremental foreign institutional ownership in Japanese listed firms is associated with lower earnings predictability. Such finding is contrary to the oversimplifying assumption that increasing cross-border shareholdings is always associated with better earnings quality. This study demonstrates interesting insights regarding the impact of ownership structure on earnings predictability which surely carry significance for Japanese corporate policymakers and future researchers.
Influence of Shareholders’ Activism and Firm-level Variables on the Corporate Governance Quality in India
Authors: Bhandari Varun , Arora Ashima
Published: January 2017

Corporate governance (CG) gained widespread prominence as a medium for boosting corporate performance especially after the financial crisis of 2008. With limited empirical work on factors influencing the CG quality (CGQ), this article focuses on the construction of the CG Index (CGI) by considering a total of 64 attributes encapsulated in five sub-indices followed by the investigation of effect of shareholder activism and firm-level variables on it. The estimations are based on companies listed in S&P CNX NIFTY Index from the financial year 2008–2013. The examination of results relays that both shareholder activism and firm-level variables have a significant impact on the CGQ of the firms. The significant impact of Disclosure and Board Index on the performance of firms emphasised the importance of disclosure norms in driving the performance by improving investor perceptions through higher transparency. And active board contributes in dispelling agency and managerial issues assisting in improving firm’s value. Our findings imply that shareholder activism and firm-level variables help in bolstering the quality of CG. Large concentrated holdings limit the power in few hands that deter the use of effective shareholder activism and thus should be reduced to enhance the quality of governance. The policymakers and regulators are needed to pressurise institutional investors for active participation in the companies’ routine decisions to increase vigilance regarding CG issues.
The Role of Extracellular Matrix Components in Dentin Mineralization
Authors: Boskey Adele L.
Published: January 2017

The extracellular matrix of dentin consists of mineral (hydroxyapatite), collagen, and several noncollagenous matrix proteins. These noncollagenous matrix proteins may be mediators of cell-matrix interactions, matrix maturation, and mineralization. This review describes the current knowledge of the chemistry of mineral crystal formation in dentin with special emphasis on the roles of the dentin matrix proteins. The functions of some of these matrix proteins in the mineralization process have been deduced based on in vitro studies. Functions for others have been postulated based on analogy with some of the bone matrix proteins. Evidence suggests that several of these matrix proteins may have multiple effects on nucleation, crystal growth, and orientation of dentin hydroxyapatite.
Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs as Inhibitors of Periodontal Disease Progression
Authors: Howell T. Howard , Williams Ray C.
Published: January 2017

Recent interest in the control and modulation of periodontal disease has focused on the potential benefits of blocking the host response mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease. In addition to recent advances in the identification and control of etiologic bacteria, investigators have indicated promising results using nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as inhibitors of the inflammatory destruction in periodontal disease. This article examines research efforts over the last 20 years describing the role of prostaglandins in periodontal disease and the effect of NSAIDs on the progression of gingival inflammation and alveolar bone loss.
Structural Features of Salivary Function
Authors: Lamkin Mark S. , Oppenheim Frank G.
Published: January 2017

Saliva plays an important role in the maintenance of oral health by exhibiting multiple host defense functions. These include homeostatic processes, lubrication, antimicrobial activity, and the control of demineralization/remineralization of teeth. Biochemical studies of saliva and salivary secretions established that specific salivary proteins are responsible for these defense functions. Because some of these salivary proteins have been characterized extensively, including their primary structures, it has become feasible to explore their structure/function relationships. Acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs), for example, exhibit high affinity to hydroxyapatite, inhibit crystal growth of calcium phosphate salts from solutions supersaturated with respect to hydroxyapatite, bind calcium ions, and interact with several oral bacteria on adsorption to hydroxyapatite. Statherins, histatins, and cystatins also exhibit affinities to mineral surfaces, inhibit calcium phosphate precipitation, and play a role in maintaining the integrity of teeth. Furthermore, histatins exhibit both antibacterial and antifungal activities. Approaches to identifying the functional domains of these salivary proteins include functional assays of enzymatically digested proteins and peptides, synthetic peptides and peptide analogues, and chemically modified proteins as well as biophysical studies of native proteins or peptides. Such studies have demonstrated that the fungicidal activities of histatins reside in the middle portion of the polypeptide chain, whereas the hydroxyapatite binding domains of PRPs and statherin reside in the phosphorylated amino-terminal regions. Identification of functional domains is vital in understanding the mechanisms of action and this information can be exploited in the development of therapeutic agents.
Alignment of Amino Acid and DNA Sequences of Human Proline-rich Proteins
Authors: Kauffman D.L. , Keller P.J. , Bennick A. , Blum M.
Published: January 2017

Human proline-rich proteins (PRPs) constitute a complex family of salivary proteins that are encoded by a small number of genes. The primary gene product is cleaved by proteases, thereby giving rise to about 20 secreted proteins. To determine the genes for the secreted PRPs, therefore, it is necessary to obtain sequences of both the secreted proteins and the DNA encoding these proteins. We have sequenced most PRPs from one donor (D.K.) and aligned the protein sequences with available DNA sequences from unrelated individuals. Partial sequence data have now been obtained for an additional PRP from D.K. named II-1. This protein was purified from parotid saliva by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Peptides were obtained by cleavage with trypsin, clostripain, and N-bromosuccinimide, followed by column chromatography. The peptides were sequenced on a gas-phase protein sequenator. Overlapping peptide sequences were obtained for most of II-1 and aligned with translated DNA sequences. The best fit was obtained with clones containing sequences for the allele PRB4" (Lyons et al., 1988). However, there was not complete identity of the protein amino acid sequence and the DNA-derived sequences, indicating that II-1 is not encoded by PRB4". Other PRPs isolated from D.K. also fail to conform to any DNA structure so far reported. This shows the need to obtain amino acid sequences and corresponding DNA sequences from the same person to assign genes for the PRPs and to determine the location of the postribosomal cleavage points in the primary translation product.
Do Proline-rich Proteins Modulate a Transglutaminase Catalyzed Mechanism of Candidal Adhesion?
Authors: Bradway S.D. , Levine M.J.
Published: January 2017

Previously, we reported that a membrane-bound epithelial enzyme, transglutaminase (TGase), catalyzes the covalent cross-linking of acidic proline-rich proteins (APRPs) to surface proteins of buccal epithelial cells (BECs). The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to provide evidence that TGase stabilizes C. albicans adhesion by covalently cross-linking C. albicans and BEC surface proteins and (2) to implicate PRPs in the modulation of this adhesive mechanism. The reactivity of candidal cell wall proteins with TGase was assessed in two separate experiments. Initially, following incubation with native BECs, the cross-linking of iodinated candidal cell wall proteins into high-molecular-weight complexes, as shown by SDS-PAGE/ autoradiography, was inhibited by the TGase inhibitor iodoacetamide. Additionally, [14C]putrescine in the presence of purified TGase, but not [14C]putrescine alone, was shown by SDS-PAGE/fluorography to be cross-linked into surface proteins of both morphogenetic forms (blastospore > hyphal forms) of C. albicans. In adherence assays, a component of both blastospore and hyphal form Candida/BEC adherence was shown to be resistant to detachment by heating adherent cells in 1% SDS at 100°C. However, pretreatment of BECs with iodoacetamide decreased SDS resistant adherence of both forms of C. albicans by =75%. When incubated with [125I]APRPs and purified TGase, both morphogenetic forms of C. albicans bound dramatically more APRP than controls without TGase. [125I]APRP binding in experimental, but not control, samples was resistant to repeated extraction (48 h) with 4% SDS/10% β-mercaptoethanol at 65°C, suggesting that [125I]APRPs were cross-linked to the Candida surface. SDS-PAGE/fluorography was used to verify that APRPs, in Lyticase digests of Candida cell walls, were cross-linked into a high-molecular-weight complex. These experiments suggest that epithelial TGase may stabilize Candida adherence by cross-linking Candida and BEC surface proteins. Additionally, because TGase cross-links APRPs to candidal and epithelial surface proteins, APRPs may interfere with TGase catalyzed mechanisms of adhesion. Supported by USPHS grants DE00185, DE07585, and OSU Seed grant.
Salivary α-Amylase: Role in Dental Plaque and Caries Formation
Authors: Scannapieco Frank A. , Torres Guillermo , Levine Michael J.
Published: January 2017

Salivary α-amylase, one of the most plentiful components in human saliva, has at least three distinct biological functions. The enzymatic activity of a-amylase undoubtedly plays a role in carbohydrate digestion. Amylase in solution binds with high affinity to a selected group of oral streptococci, a function that may contribute to bacterial clearance and nutrition. The fact that a-amylase is also found in acquired enamel pellicle suggests a role in the adhesion of a-amylase-binding bacteria. All of these biological activities seem to depend on an intact enzyme conformation. Binding of a-amylase to bacteria and teeth may have important implications for dental plaque and caries formation. a-Amylase bound to bacteria in plaque may facilitate dietary starch hydrolysis to provide additional glucose for metabolism by plaque microorganisms in close proximity to the tooth surface. The resulting lactic acid produced may be added to the pool of acid in plaque to contribute to tooth demineralization.
Localization and Characterization of a Parotid Ca2+-Dependent Ecto-ATPase
Authors: Dowd F.J. , Li L.S. , Campbell J.E. , Cheung P.H.
Published: January 2017

Parotid acini were isolated and tested to further establish the presence of ecto-ATPase in the intact cells. Inhibitors were used to determine if the inhibitor profile of the ATPase was similar to that of a Ca2+-ATPase from parotid membranes identified previously as an ecto-ATPase. The Ca 2+-ATPase of intact cells was insensitive to oligomycin (10 μg/ml), N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) (0.1 m M), ruthenium red (0.1 m M), sodium azide (1 m M), and was inhibited approximately 22% by sodium orthovanadate (Na3VO4) (1 m M). This profile was similar to the Ca2+-ATPase of intact cells. Trifluoperazine (TFP) (0.1 m M) inhibited the enzyme in intact cells by approximately 32%. The nucleotide substrate specificity of the enzyme also reflected very closely the pattern seen in isolated membranes.
Altered Responses to Agonists after Chronic In Vivo Atropine Administration in Rat Parotid Acini
Authors: Melvin James E. , Zhang Guo H.
Published: January 2017

Salivary gland hypofunction, resulting from a variety of perturbations including prescribed medications, is associated with adverse effects on the health of the oral cavity. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo effects of chronic administration of atropine, a muscarinic antagonist, on the acute response of rat parotid acini to a-adrenergic and muscarinic stimulation. The regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) and cytosolic free Ca2* ([Ca2+]i) were monitored using dual wavelength microfluorometry of the ion-sensitive fluorescent dyes, BCECF and fura-2, respectively. Chronic atropine treatment (40 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks) significantly increased the magnitude of the initial (<30 s) agonist-induced rise in [Ca2+]i, but did not alter the sustained increase in [Ca2+]i (>2 min). The generation of inositol trisphosphates and inositol tetrakisphosphates after 30 s of muscarinic stimulation was not significantly altered. The resting Cl- content, as well as the stimulated Cl- loss, were reduced in parotid acini after chronic atropine administration. In addition, the muscarinic- and a-adrenergic-induced intracellular acidification was blunted, suggesting that reduced HCO3- efflux occurs in acini isolated from atropine-treated animals. Our results indicate (1) that chronic atropine treatment does not inhibit the receptor-coupled generation of inositol phosphates or the resulting rise in [Ca2+]i and (2) chronic treatment may prevent the production of saliva either by reducing the driving force for anion-dependent fluid secretion or by preventing the activation of the anion efflux pathway.
Effects of Human Salivas on Recombinant HIV-1 Proteins
Authors: Archibald David W. , Hebert Carla A. , Gregory Kevin L. , Lewis George K.
Published: January 2017

Human saliva appears to contain factors that are inhibitory to HIV-1 infectivity in vitro. We investigated the effect of incubating human whole, parotid, labial minor salivary gland and sublingual/submandibular salivas with recombinant HIV-1 envelope protein (gpl60). Saliva/gpl60 mixtures were run on polyacrylamide gels, transferred to nitrocellulose, and assayed for the presence of gp 160 using monoclonal antibodies or HIV-1-positive sera. Incubation of the gp 160 with whole saliva reduced the intensity of gp 160 bands to 35% of control values. Minor salivary gland saliva reduced the band intensities to 65% of control values, while other saliva types diminished gp160 to 75% of control values. Protease inhibitors had no effect. Components of untreated whole human saliva prevent the detection of the HIV-1 envelope protein gp 160 by antibodies to gp120 and gp41 in immunoblots. The results suggest that complexes between whole saliva factors and certain domains of gp160 block monoclonal antibody binding or are unable to migrate through polyacrylamide gels.
DNA Synthesis and Development Strategies with Possible Consequences on Sexual Dimorphism in Adult Mouse Submandibular Glands
Authors: Denny Paul C. , Denny Patricia A. , Yang Chai  , Klauser Donna K.
Published: January 2017

This article summarizes a series of recent studies that broaden the criteria for sexual dimorphism in adult mouse submandibular gland. From these observations, a hypothesis is presented, suggesting that the gross histological differences that are characteristic of adult sexual dimorphism in the gland secondarily result from differences in the activities of three fundamental cellular processes, that is, rates of cell proliferation, cell sizes, and ongoing patterns of differentiation.
Characteristics of Protooncogene Expression in A5 Cells
Authors: Kousvelari Eleni , Yeh Chih-Ko
Published: January 2017

Stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors by isoproterenol or addition of 8-BrcAMP rapidly and transiently induces the expression of the protooncogenes, c-fos, and jun B, but not that of c-jun in A5 cells. These results indicate that different intracellular pathways may operate within the same cell for the induction of this group of early response genes. The inducibility of c-fos and jun B genes by either isoproterenol of 8-BrcAMP is transcriptionally regulated and accompanied by increases in their respective products. Furthermore, both c-fos and jun B mRNA levels are elevated at G0/G 1 phase of the A5 cell cycle and are inducible by isoproterenol or 8-BrcAMP at the different phases of the cell cycle. These data further suggest a possible role of c-fos and jun B in A5 cell cycle.
Rat Parotid Gland Acinar Cell Proliferation: Signal Transduction at the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Purushotham K.R. , Nakagawa Y. , Humphreys-Beher M.G. , Maeda N. , Schneyer C.A.
Published: January 2017

Galactosyltransferase (Gal Tase) is involved in a "receptor-ligand-type" interaction at the cell surface that mediates signal transduction following isoproterenol (ISO) treatment leading to acinar cell proliferation. Evidence is presented herein for the identification of the cell-surface glycoprotein signaling component. Using intact cells or isolated plasma membranes, the EGF-receptor (EGF-R) was specifically radiolabeled with [14C]-Galactose following ISO treatment. Injection of a polyclonal antibody monospecific for rat EGF-R also inhibited proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The immunoaffinity purified receptor demonstrated altered lectin binding and increased in vitro Gal Tase substrate capacity following β-agonist treatment when compared with EGF-R isolated from control animals. When acinar cells were incubated in the presence of EGF, plasma membranes from control and ISO-treated animals showed autophosphorylation of EGF-R tyrosine moieties, transient increases in membrane associated phospholipase Cy, and increased cellular levels of cAMP. These properties of the tyrosine phosphate signaling pathway could be duplicated by the exogenous addition of bovine Gal Tase to ISO-treated cells but not control cells. The results suggest that cell surface Gal Tase interacts with a form of the EGF-R, having altered carbohydrate moieties to promote intracellular signaling for acinar cell proliferation.
Macaque Salivary Proline-Rich Protein: Structure, Evolution, and Expression
Authors: Ann David K. , Lin H. Helen
Published: January 2017

Proline-rich proteins are a family of proteins that exhibit unique features including an unusual high proline content and salivary-specificity. As a major constituent in the salivary secretion of higher primates, proline-rich proteins may have biological roles in oral lubrication and protection. In this article, the genomic structure and regulation by cAMP of one of the macaque salivary proline-rich protein genes, MnP4, is reviewed. The evolution of this multigene family of proteins is also discussed.
Cell Adhesion Molecules in Inflammation and Immunity: Relevance to Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Crawford John M. , Watanabe Keiko
Published: January 2017

Inflammatory and immune responses involve close contact between different populations of cells. These adhesive interactions mediate migration of cells to sites of inflammation and the effector functions of cells within the lesions. Recently, there has been significant progress in understanding the molecular basis of these intercellular contacts. Blocking interactions between cell adhesion molecules and their ligands has successfully suppressed inflammatory reactions in a variety of animal models in vivo. The role of the host response in periodontal disease is receiving renewed attention, but little is known of the function of cell adhesion molecules in these diseases. In this review we summarize the structure, distribution, and function of cell adhesion molecules involved in inflammatory/immune responses. The current knowledge of the distribution of cell adhesion molecules is described and the potential for modulation of cell adhesion molecule function is discussed.
Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Craniofacial Research: Some Strategies
Authors: Schneiderman Emet D. , Kowalski Charles J.
Published: January 2017

Although it is generally acknowledged that longitudinal data provide the most information on growth and development and other time-dependent phenomena, such data are often analyzed by conventional (cross-sectional) statistical methods. This widespread practice ignores the distinctive characteristics (e.g., covariance structure) of longitudinal data and may yield misleading results. The purpose of this article is to present some strategies and make available computer programs for the appropriate analysis of longitudinal data. User-friendly PC programs for the estimation of average growth curves, computation of tracking indices, prediction of future values, diagnosis, classification, clustering, estimation of missing values, and testing hypotheses concerning individual and group differences are presented. Benefits of these methods over the usual techniques are illustrated with the example of maxillary growth in the rhesus monkey.