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Hematoma formation following the puncture of femoral veins or arteries of dogs was determined using mercury-filled strain gauges. Arterial bleeding always produced a hematoma. The duration of the swelling was prolonged if heparin was previously administered. Bleeding from the femoral vein did not produce a hematoma unless venous pressure was elevated by venous occlusion. The results indicate that the rapidly developing hematoma occasionally seen in dental practice following the administration of local anesthetics is of arterial origin.

The renal oxidation rates of glucose and lactate in the dog in vivo, in the dog cortical slice and in the isolated perfused rat kidney were compared. Lactate decarboxylation rate, on a carbon-atom basis, was from 2 to 10 fold greater than that of glucose. In the substrate-limited perfused kidney, glucose replaced only 30-40% of the substrates oxidized in vivo, while lactate replaced up to 80% of the substrates oxidized in vivo. Insulin lack does not account for these differences in the rates of lactate and glucose oxidation. Glucose and lactate support GFR and Na+ reabsorption to approximately the same extent in spite of their different rates of oxidation. Thus Na+ reabsorptive rate: CO2 production rate is not a constant and depends on the substrate being oxidized. The virtual absence of glucose oxidation by the dog cortical slice suggests either that: 1) glucose oxidation supports primarily medullary Na+ reabsorption while lactate oxidation supports cortical Na+ reabsorption as well of 2) glucose oxidation is more selectively coupled to Na+ reabsorptive work than is lactate oxidation.

The purposes of this study were: (1) to measure the effect of distance from the pulp on the hydraulic conductance of human radicular dentin; (2) to determine the influence of dentin thickness on the rates of fluid flow; and (3) to attempt to correlate dentinal tubule densities and diameters with root dentin hydraulic conductance. Dentin slabs prepared from extracted, unerupted, human third molar teeth were placed in a split-chamber device to permit quantitation of fluid filtration rate (hydraulic conductance). In the SEM portion of the study, dentinal tubule numbers and diameters were recorded. The results indicated that radicular dentin hydraulic conductance decreased with distance from the pulp and with increasing dentin thickness. Tubule density and diameter correlated well with the measured hydraulic conductances. The relatively low hydraulic conductance of outer root dentin makes it a significant barrier to fluid movement across root structure.

Renal handling of glycyl-proline was studied in the isolated perfused rat kidney. Glycyl-proline disappeared from the perfusate as a function of time. The dipeptide was freely filtered at the glomerulus but only 6% of the filtered load was excreted in the urine as the intact peptide. More than 90% of the filtered dipeptide was reabsorbed as the intact peptide and/or its hydrolytic products. Non-filtration mechanisms were also involved to a significant extent in the clearance of the peptide. Hydrolysis at intratubular, intracellular and peritubular sites all contribute to the disappearance of the dipeptide from the perfusate, though the relative contributions of each mechanism are not known. Significant metabolic conversions, especially the conversion of glycine to serine, were also observed during perfusion.

Calcium hydroxide paste was applied to human dentin in vitro to determine its effects on dentin permeability. Discs of dentin were acid-etched on both sides to permit determination of their maximum permeability. Smear layers were then applied to the enamel sides of the discs, thereby reducing dentin permeability 99%. Topical application of Ca(OH)2 paste to the smear layer reduced dentin permeability further, to levels 48% below that of untreated smear layers. When the Ca(OH)2-treated smear layers were exposed to 6% citric acid for two min, dentin permeability returned to the initial acid-etched value, demonstrating that Ca(OH)2 offers little protection to acid challenge. Treatment of acid-etched dentin with Ca(OH)2 produced a similar reduction in dentin permeability, which was restored to normal following acid challenge. Thus, Ca(OH)2 is effective at reducing the permeability of both the smear layer and of acid-etched dentin, in vitro.

The permeability of coronal dentine was investigated by measuring the hydraulic conductance of dentine discs. Reductions in dentine thickness from the enamel side of disc resulted in a greater increase in permeability than reductions from the pulpal side. Scanning electron microscopy revealed fewer dentinal tubules with smaller diameters in superficial dentine than in deep dentine. The permeability of coronal incisor bovine dentine is six to eight times less than that of unerupted coronal human third molar dentine but similar to that of human root dentine.

The effects of diamide were studied in rat kidney cortical tissue. It was found that diamide increased oxidized glutathione levels and inhibited Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Consistent with this finding was the observation that diamide compromised the sodium gradients maintained in renal cortical slices. Amino acid transport studies with ouabain or a sodium-free buffer indicated that diamide interferes with both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent transport systems. These results indicate that diamide has a number of different effects on renal cortical tissue and emphasize the important role of glutathione in maintaining control of a number of key metabolic pathways.

Pulpotomies were performed on rhesus monkeys with use of formocresol to determine if there was uptake of 14C-formaldehyde into the systemic circulation after formocresol pulpotomies. Five-minute exposure of pulpal tissue to the 14C-formocresol resulted in the systemic absorption of approximately 1% of the dose. Two hours of exposure of pulp tissue to the 14C-formocresol did not increase the systemic absorption. Multiple sequential pulpotomies resulted in proportionately higher systemic absorption of 14C-formaldehyde. Application of 131I to pulpotomy sites indicated that formocresol compromises the microcirculation of the dental pulp. Autoradiography disclosed extensive concentrations of 14C-formaldehyde in the pulp, dentin, periodontal ligament, and bone.

Two independent techniques (filtration and surface tension) were developed to measure the functional tubular radii of 11 dentin and 2 glass discs. Anatomic radii were determined using SEM for comparative purposes. The functional radii of the dentin discs ranged from 5 to 40% of the anatomic radii. This differences was due to the fact that SEM visualizes only the surface while the functional techniques measure the radii within dentin tubules. It is concluded that the functional methods are preferred whenever the dynamics of fluid flow through dentin are under consideration.

Iontophoretic currents (0--1.0 mA) were applied to dentin disks prepared from human third molars. A negative electrode increased 125I-permeation 10X, while a positive electrode increased 14C-lidocaine 8X. Iontophoresis appears promising as a method to increase the permeation of dentin by ionized substances of therapeutic interest.

The effect of pulpal pressure on the shear bond strength of Scotchbond and Gluma was evaluated in the presence and absence of smear layers. There was no statistically significant difference in bond strength for either Scotchbond or Gluma on dentin with a smear layer in the presence or absence of 32 cm of hydrostatic pulpal pressure. When no pulpal pressure was present and the smear layer was removed, the bond strength of Scotchbond fell while that of Gluma nearly doubled. When 32 cm of pulp pressure was applied, the bond strength of Scotchbond/Silux fell 86% and that of Gluma fell 75% in 24 hours.

Smear-layer debris was sonicated from dentine surfaces and trapped on microfilters for microscopy, which showed that the layers are composed, in part, of aggregates of globular subunits approx. 0.05-0.1 micron in diameter. Such globules were also seen in smear layers in situ and on fractured dentine surfaces. The composition of smear layers may reflect the substructure of dentine matrix.

A method is described which permits the quantitation of the rate of permeation of 131I through dog dentin, both in vivo and in vitro. The results demonstrate the rapidity of the systemic appearance of substances placed on intact dentin. Comparison of the rate of permeation of 131I made in vivo and in vitro, on the same teeth, indicates the rates are very similar.

The structure of dentin is unusual in that the number and size of its tubules changes as one moves from the periphery toward the pulp chamber. Near the pulp, the tubules are very close together and the water content of this deep dentin is high. Near the enamel, the tubules are far apart, occupying less than 1% of the surface area. When enamel or dentin is cut, the surface becomes covered by an adherent layer of cutting debris called the smear layer. Its composition presumably reflects the composition of the underlying dentin. It is only about 1 micron thick but its presence modifies the function of the dentin a great deal. It lowers dentin permeability and therefore can be regarded as protective. However, it masks the underlying dentin and hence interferes with attempts to bond dental materials directly to dentin. If it is removed, the dentin becomes much more permeable and fluid shifts across the open tubules can cause sensitivity in vivo. As smear layers are very acid-labile, they often dissolve in oral fluids. Several attempts have been made to replace smear layers with acid resistant structures that accomplish the same function. Smear layer structure is being studied by using both scanning electron microscopy as well as electronic particle sizing equipment. The close adaptation of dental materials to smear layers and to underlying dentin is currently an area of very active research. Removal of smear layers increases adaptation and bonding strength but may increase the incidence of pulpal inflammation if the bonding is not uniform or permanent. The dynamics of dentin are just beginning to be understood.