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This study was conducted to quantify the genetic and environmental contributions to oral disease and function in twins. Participants were middle-aged and old twins, 116 monozygotic and 16 dizygotic pairs whose mean age was 66·1 ± 10·3 ( SD) years. Number of teeth, percentage of decayed, filled and missing teeth and periodontal status were recorded as indicators of oral disease. The widths of upper and lower dental arch served as indicators of morphological figures. Furthermore, stimulated salivary flow rate, occlusal force and masticatory performance were measured as indicators of oral function. Univariate genetic analysis with monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs was conducted to detect the fittest structural equation model of each outcome. Both number of teeth and periodontal status fitted the model composed of common environmental factor and unique environmental factor. Decayed, filled and missing teeth, morphological figures and measurements of oral function fitted the model composed of additive genetic factor and unique environmental factor. The model fitting of each measurement suggested that periodontal disease was mainly affected by environmental factors, while morphological figures and oral functions were influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the efficacy of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) in the treatment of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Study Design: A retrospective review of the outcome of SRT for patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas following definitive conventional radiation therapy.Methods: Five patients were treated with daily static multiportal irradiation. Two Gy was administered with eight isocentric portals in a single plane 5 days a week, and the plane was changed for every 20 to 30 Gy. Of these patients, three had poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Tumor sizes ranged from 1 to 15 cm3, with a median size 3.2 cm3. Median follow-up time from SRT was 34 months (range, 4-61 mo).Results: Four of five recurrent tumors responded well and achieved complete regression. Three patients have survived without evidence of local recurrence with a median follow-up time of 34 months. Marginal recurrence was observed at the posterosuperior wall in a patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma at 30 months after SRT. One patient who received SRT after the two complete courses of radiation therapy died 6 months after SRT as a result of rupture of a branch of the left carotid artery, but autopsy revealed no local residual tumor.Conclusions: Stereotactic radiotherapy with isocentric multiportals in one plane, which is changed at every 20 to 30 Gy, can provide local control with acceptable toxicity in patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but increased clinical experience and longer follow-up will be necessary to evaluate the overall role of this technique in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanosensitive ( MS) channels are expressed in a variety of cells. The molecular and biophysical mechanism involved in the regulation of MS channel activities is a central interest in basic biology. MS channels are thought to play crucial roles in gravity sensing in plant cells. To date, two mechanisms have been proposed for MS channel activation. One is that tension development in the lipid bilayer directly activates MS channels. The second mechanism proposes that the cytoskeleton is involved in the channel activation, because MS channel activities are modulated by pharmacological treatments that affect the cytoskeleton. We tested whether tension in the cytoskeleton activates MS channels. Mammalian endothelial cells were microinjected with phalloidin-conjugated beads, which bound to stress fibres, and a traction force to the actin cytoskeleton was applied by dragging the beads with optical tweezers. MS channels were activated when the force was applied, demonstrating that a sub-p N force to the actin filaments activates a single MS channel. Plants may use a similar molecular mechanism in gravity sensing, since the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration increase induced by changes in the gravity vector was attenuated by potential MS channel inhibitors, and by actin-disrupting drugs. These results support the idea that the tension increase in actin filaments by gravity-dependent sedimentation of amyloplasts activates MS Ca2+-permeable channels, which can be the molecular mechanism of a Ca2+ concentration increase through gravistimulation. We review recent progress in the study of tension sensing by actin filaments and MS channels using advanced biophysical methods, and discuss their possible roles in gravisensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of child-care support by elderly persons on mothers' child care-related stress in Japan. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2007 by using an anonymous questionnaire. This study focused on the 'child-care salon' (hereafter referred to as 'salon') as a type of parenting support activity by elderly persons in the community. For the analysis, 119 salon participants and a control group of 107 mothers who had not participated in a salon were recruited. As a result of a multiple regression analysis, participation or non-participation in the salon had no influence on the 'threat of loss of personal identity' stress, which was similar to a sense of social isolation because of child care. However, as a result of investigating the influence of the participation frequency on stress score for participants alone, mothers with less participation had a higher stress score than mothers with greater participation. That suggested the importance of intervention for a decrease of social isolation in mothers, especially in the initial stage of salon participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) can enhance various respiratory diseases. However, it is unclear as to which components in DEP are associated with the enhancement. We investigated the effects of DEP components on antigen-related airway inflammation, using residual carbonaceous nuclei of DEP after extraction (washed DEP), extracted organic chemicals (OC) in DEP (DEP–OC), and DEP–OC plus washed DEP (whole DEP) in the presence or absence of ovalbumin (OVA). Methods Male ICR mice were intratracheally administrated with OVA and/or DEP components. We examined the cellular profile of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, histological changes, lung expression of inflammatory molecules, and antigen-specific production of IgG1 in the serum. Results DEP–OC, rather than washed DEP, enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells into BAL fluid, magnitude of airway inflammation, and proliferation of goblet cells in the airway epithelium in the presence of OVA, which was paralleled by the enhanced lung expression of eotaxin and IL-5 as well as the elevated concentration of OVA-specific IgG1. In contrast, washed DEP with OVA showed less change and increased the lung expression of IFN-γ. The combination of whole DEP and OVA caused the most remarkable changes in the entire enhancement, which was also accompanied by the enhanced expression of IL-13 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α. Conclusion DEP–OC, rather than washed DEP, exaggerated allergic airway inflammation through the enhancement of T-helper type 2 responses. The coexistence of OC with carbonaceous nuclei caused the most remarkable aggravation. DEP components might diversely affect various types of respiratory diseases, while whole DEP might mostly aggravate respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which developed a simulation method for heat and moisture transfer in hollow cylinder-food coupled with hygrophysical changes. Methodology of the study; Results of the study; Discussion.

Lectin-binding sites in clear cell acanthoma (CCA) were studied using an avidin-biotin complex (ABC) with 9 lectins. Formaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 7 CCA lesions were employed. Positive stainings, similar to those seen in normal epidermis, were observed on the cell surface in CCA with Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA-I), Ricinus communis agglutinin II (RCA-II), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Reduced reactivities were observed with Concanavalin A (ConA) and peanut agglutinin (PNA) in CCA. In some areas of CCA lesions, faint stainings were seen with Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I). Capability of staining with soybean agglutinin (SBA) was completely lost in the lesions. With Bandeiraea simplicifolia agglutinin II (BSA-II), cytoplasmic stain was seen in a part of upper and spinous layers in CCA lesions. Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA) did not bind to either CCA or normal epidermis. These results indicate that the lectin-binding sites of proliferating cells of CCA resemble those of epidermal keratinocytes and suggest that CCA is a tumor of epidermal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a corrected reprint of an article titled "Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of monomeric isocitrate dehydrogenase from Corynrbacterium glutamicum," published in a previous issue of the periodical "Acta Crystallographica: Section D."