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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of guided tissue regeneration with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membranes to that of free gingival graft for treatment of adjacent facial gingival recession. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Eight adjacent gingival recession sites with Miller class I or II defects containing at least a maxillary or mandibular canine were selected in 6 patients. Four recession sites in 3 patients were treated with guided tissue regeneration, and the other 4 sites in the remaining 3 patients were treated with free gingival graft. Probing depth, gingival recession, attachment level, width of keratinized gingiva, and root coverage were recorded before surgery (baseline) and 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were found for gingival recession, attachment level, and root coverage from baseline to 6 months and 1 year postoperatively in both groups. Both procedures produced the same average reduction in gingival recession, gain in attachment level, and amount of root coverage after 1 year. Probing depths did not differ between groups throughout the study. The width of keratinized gingiva was significantly greater in the grafted group than in the guided tissue regeneration group. CONCLUSION: Both procedures produced the same average amount of root coverage, reduction in gingival recession, and gain in clinical attachment. The guided tissue regeneration procedure provided a better esthetic appearance without any difference in gingival color or architecture in cases of adjacent facial gingival recession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective Spatiotemporal inhibition of apical migration and proliferation of gingival epithelium are significant factors involved in periodontal regeneration. Transforming growth factor β ( TGF-β) is important in multiple aspects of wound healing, and Smad2, a downstream transcription factor of TGF-β, has an inhibitory effect on re-epithelialization during gingival wound healing. Therefore, we investigated the effects on migration and proliferation status, and intra/extracellular signaling regulated by Smad2 overexpression in gingival epithelial cells. Material and Methods Gingival epithelial cells were isolated from the palatal gingival tissue of transgenic mice overexpressing Smad2 driven by the Keratin14 promoter. Smad2 expression was identified by western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. Scratch assay and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine staining were performed to assess cell migration and proliferation. To inactivate TGF-β type I receptor, the cultures were supplemented with SB431542. Secreted TGF-β was quantified by ELISA. Smad2 target gene expression was examined by real-time RT- PCR and in vivo immunofluorescence analysis of gingival junctional epithelium. Results Smad2-overexpressing cells were confirmed to have significant phosphorylated Smad2 in the nucleus. Scratch assay and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine staining indicated that Smad2-overexpressing cells showed no significant differences in migration, but had reduced proliferation rates compared to wild-type controls. SB431542 significantly inhibited Smad2 phosphorylation, which coincided with restoration of the proliferation rate in Smad2-overexpressing cells. ELISA of TGF-β release did not show any differences between genotypes. The cell cycle inhibitors, p15 and p21, showed significant upregulation in Smad2-overexpressing cells compared to wild-type controls. Moreover, junctional epithelium of the transgenic mice showed increased expression of P- Smad2, p15 and p21. Conclusion The signaling activation triggered by overexpression of Smad2 was dependent on TGF-β type I receptor, and the activated Smad2 increased p15 and p21 expression, responsible for inhibiting cell cycle entry, resulting in antiproliferative effects on gingival epithelial cells. Understanding of Smad2-induced signaling would be useful for possible clinical application to regulate gingival epithelial downgrowth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During periodontal regeneration, inhibition of gingival downgrowth is necessary to promote migration of mesenchymal cells into the defects. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a pleiotropic cytokine that has numerous cell functions, including regulation of epithelial growth. Recent studies have shown that Smad2, a downstream transcription factor of TGF-β, plays crucial roles in wound healing in the epithelia. Therefore, we investigated the effects of Smad2 overexpression on re-epithelialization of gingival wounds. Transgenic mice overexpressing smad2 driven by the keratin 14 promoter (k14-smad2) were confirmed to have significant Smad2 phosphorylation in gingival basal epithelia. Punch wounds were made in the palatal gingiva, and wound healing was assessed histologically for 7 days. Re-epithelialization was significantly retarded on day 2, while collagen deposition was enhanced on day 7 in k14-smad2 compared with wild-type mice. Moreover, expression of keratin 16 (K16), an indicator of keratinocyte migration, was significantly inhibited in wound-edge keratinocytes in k14-smad2. The inhibition of K16 coincided with the induction of Smad2 in the corresponding epithelia, while BrdU incorporation was unaffected. These results indicated that Smad2 has inhibitory effects in regulating keratinocyte migration during gingival wound healing. TGF-β/Smad2 signaling mediating alteration of K16 expression must be tightly regulated during periodontal regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The structure and behavior of rotating stall cell were experimentally clarified in a diagonal flow fan. The specific-speed of the fan was 1140 (r/min, m3/min, m), and the total pressure-rise coefficient at design flow-rate was 0.345. The static pressure on outer casing wall and the total pressure at rotor inlet and outlet were measured using a high response pressure transducer. The measured data were processed by the use of DPLA technique, and the structure and behavior of rotating stall cell were obtained. As a result, the stall cell extent for circumferential and spanwise direction and the pressure distributions inside stall cell were clarified. The details of stall cell propagation were also shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulpal wound healing followed by cavity preparation may involve reactionary or reparative dentinogenesis in relation to the cavity position; however, little is known about the molecular responses. We aimed to isolate and analyze genes induced or suppressed in the wounded pulp to identify molecular processes involved in the pulp responses to injury. Twenty-three cDNAs were isolated by cDNA subtraction between healthy and wounded pulp of rats. By library screening, we identified rat 14.7K-interacting protein (rFIP)-2A and B genes homologous to human FIP-2, being involved in regulating membrane trafficking and cellular morphogenesis. RT-PCR analysis showed induction for only rFIP-2B in the wounded pulp. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that both rFIP-2s were expressed strongly in condensing mesenchymal cells of the palatal process and surrounding Meckel's cartilage, but not in intramembranous chondrogenic cells. Thus, upregulated rFIP-2B expression may play a role in regulating membrane trafficking or cellular morphogenesis of these embryonic and wounded pulpal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the natures of a rotating stall cell, the experimental investigation was carried out in a high specific-speed diagonal flow fan. The pressure field on the casing wall and the velocity fields at the rotor inlet and outlet were measured under rotating stall condition with a fast response pressure transducer and a single slant hot-wire probe, respectively. The data were processed using the “Double Phase-Locked Averaging (DPLA)” technique, which enabled to obtain the unsteady flow field with a rotating stall cell in the relative co-ordinate system fixed to the rotor. As a result, the structure and behavior of the rotating stall cell in a high specific-speed diagonal flow fan were shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontal healing requires the participation of regulatory molecules, cells, and scaffold or matrix. Here, we hypothesized that a certain set of genes is expressed in alveolar bone wound healing. Reciprocal subtraction gave 400 clones from the injured alveolar bone of Wistar rats. Identification of 34 genes and analysis of their expression in injured tissue revealed several clusters of unique gene regulation patterns, including the up-regulation at 1 wk of cytochrome c oxidase regulating electron transfer and energy metabolism, presumably occurring at the site of inflammation; up-regulation at 2.5 wks of pro-α-2 type I collagen involving the formation of a connective tissue structure; and up-regulation at 1 and 2 wks and down-regulation at 2.5 and 4 wks of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase l3 involving cell cycle, DNA repair, and stress response. The differential expression of genes may be associated with the processes of inflammation, wound contraction, and formation of a connective tissue structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 80 percent of onion bulb dry matter is non-structural carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are predominantly glucose, fructose, sucrose and low-molecular weight fructans, while starch and raffinose are absent. The metabolism of sugars is closely linked to the dormancy and sprouting state, and the most important biochemical change occuring during post-harvest life of bulbs, as with other vegetables, is the content variation in the carbohydrate constituents.

Genes expressed by human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPFs) are likely to be associated with specific functions of the ligament. The aim of this study is to profile genes expressed highly by HPFs. A library (6 × 103 pfu) was constructed, followed by subtraction of HPF cDNAs with human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cDNAs. Reverse-dot hybridization revealed that 33 clones expressed higher levels of specific mRNAs in HPFs than in HGFs. These were mRNAs for known genes, including several associated with maturation and differentiation of cells. None had been reported in PFs. One clone, PDL-29, identified as a COX assembly factor, showed much stronger mRNA expression in HPFs than in HGFs in culture. In rat periodontium, however, PDL-29 mRNA expression was similar in PFs and GFs. These results suggest that HPFs express many previously unreported genes associated with maturation and differentiation, but expression can differ in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the behavior of tip vortex in an axial fan without casing wall. Velocity measurement; Vorticity distribution; Tip vortex flow; Leading edge vortex.

Examines the unsteady flow field with rotating stall cells in high specific-speed diagonal flow fan. Characteristics of stall cells; Propagation speed of 80 percent rotor speed; Application of double phase-locked averaging technique on the processing of data; Assessment on the behavior of rotating stall cell with velocity component.

Recently we found that some nucleosides such as inosine or adenosine inhibited alpha-glucosidase from rat intestine. The aim of this study was to determine whether these nucleosides are sucrase inhibitors in humans as well as rats. Blood glucose and insulin responses were examined in 23 healthy volunteers (18 males and 5 females) administered sucrose with inosine and 8 (males) administered sucrose with adenosine. The initial increase in plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations at 30 min after loading sucrose (50 g) alone were significantly reduced by co-administration of inosine (2.5 and 1.0 g) or adenosine (2.5 g). The total increases in the areas under the plasma glucose and serum insulin concentration curves for 3 h after administration of the same amount of sucrose with inosine were also significantly less than those when the volunteers were administered sucrose alone. These results in humans agree with the findings obtained in our previous studies in rats. These nucleosides may be used as one of the components of artificial sweeteners when mixed with sucrose and may be useful as food additives to suppress increases in blood glucose and insulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents of fructo-oligosaccharides and fructo-polysaccharides and activities of fructosyltransferases and invertase in asparagus roots harvested between July and November were studied by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Contents of total sugar and fructo-oligosaccharides and fructo-polysaccharides were very low in July, and then increased until September. During this period, sucrose accumulated first, second trisaccharides, and then tetra-, penta- and higher-saccharides increased in that order. 1-Kestose was the most predominant fructo-oligosaccharide isomer [degree of polymerization (DP) 3 ∼ 6]. The fructo-polysaccharide of DP ⩾ 9 was 12.8 ∼ 21.7 % of total sugar from September to November; polysaccharides estimated to be DP 20 ∼ 22 were just detectable. SSTF activities were very low in July, rose to a maximum in September and then decreased. Change in activity of SST was responsible for change in contents of sucrose and 1-kestose from July to November. 1F- fructosyltransferase (1F-FT) activities increased until September, were almost constant from October to November and then decreased slightly 6°-fructosyltransferase (6°-FT) reached its highest activity early in October, 6F-SST (6-kestose producing enzyme) activity was very slight from July to November and was ∼ 1/1000 of SST activity in September. This activity does not contribute to the enzymatic synthesis of the saccharides of asparagus roots. Invertase activity was nearly constant throughout. The change of activities of SST, 1F-FT and 6°-FT paralleled closely the accumulation of sucrose, 1-kestose, neokestose and other saccharides. In vitro synthesis of fructo-oligosaccharides from sucrose at 0.4, 0.1 and 0.05 M, or from 1-kestose was investigated in a fraction prepared from asparagus roots harvested in September. 1-Kestose was investigated in a fraction prepared from asparagus roots harvested in September. 1-Kestose (isokestose, 3a), neokestose (3b), nystose (4a), 1F (1-B-D-fructofuranosyl)m-6(1-B-D-Fructofuranosyl)-Sucrose (4b: m = 0, n = 2; 4c: m = 1, n = 1, 5a: m = 3, n = 0; 5b m = 0, n = 3; 5c: m = 2, n = 1; 5d: m = 1, n = 2) and a mixture of hexasaccharide-isomers were synthesized from 0.4M source in 60h. In 0.05 and 0.1 M source unidentified heptasaccharides were also produced. Octa- and higher-saccharide, as well as the saccharides synthesized from sucrose, were also produced. Octa- and higher-saccharide, as well as the saccharides synthesized from sucrose, were formed from 0.1 M 1-kestose. All of the saccharides synthesized from sucrose or 1-kestose by the asparagus enzyme preparation were identical to saccharides occurring naturally in the roots of asparagus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethionine-resistance gene cloned from Saccharomyces cerevisiae DKD-5D-H was able to enhance S-adenosyl- l-methionine (AdoMet) accumulation when it was introduced into the yeast cells on multi-copy plasmid YEp13. In order to increase the AdoMet accumulation, the gene was integrated into the yeast chromosome by using a yeast transposon Ty element. When the YEp plasmid was used for the integration, the ethionine-resistance gene was efficiently inserted into the yeast chromosomes with a substantial increase in AdoMet productivity (about twofold) in comparison with that by the yeast cells carrying the gene on an extrachromosomal multi-copy plasmid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]