Bone remodeling is a vital physiological process of healthy bone tissue in humans. Imbalances in this vital process lead to pathological conditions, including periodontal diseases. In this study, we ...characterized the effects of micromolar levels of NaF on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. NaF significantly enhanced the proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that the expression of mRNAs encoding runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), Osterix, Osteopontin and Osteocalcin was up-regulated in NaF-treated MC3T3-E1 cells compared with untreated controls. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Runx2 and Osterix were inhibited by Runx2 siRNA but were re-activated by treatment with NaF. Furthermore, in vivo evidence indicated that NaF protects against
Porphyromonas gingivalis
-induced periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone loss in a
P. gingivalis
-challenged experimental periodontitis animal model. These data suggest that NaF promotes the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells through the Runx2/Osterix pathway and may be effective for the treatment of bone-related disorders.
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is an important pathogen related to aggressively progressive periodontal breakdown in adolescents and adults. The species can be divided into six serotypes (a–f) ...according to their surface carbohydrate antigens. Recently, a new serotype g of A. actinomycetemcomitans was proposed. The aim of the present study was to sequence the gene cluster associated with the biosynthesis of the serotype g-specific polysaccharide antigen and develop serotype-specific primers for PCR assay to identify serotype g strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans. The serotype-specific polysaccharide (SSPS) gene cluster of the NUM-Aa 4039 strain contained 21 genes in 21,842-bp nucleotides. The similarity of the SSPS gene cluster sequence was 96.7 % compared with that of the serotype e strain. Seventeen serotype g genes showed more than 90 % homology both in nucleotide and amino acids to the serotype e strain. Three additional genes with 1,579 bp in NUM-Aa 4039 were inserted into the corresponding ORF13 of the serotype e strain. The serotype g-specific primers were designed from the insertion region of NUM-Aa 4039. Serotypes of the a–f strains were not amplified by serotype-specific g primers; only NUM-Aa 4039 showed an amplicon band. The NUM-Aa 4039 strain was three genes in the SSPS gene cluster different from those of serotype e strain. The specific primers derived from these different regions are useful for identification and distribution of serotype g strain among A. actinomycetemcomitans from clinical samples.
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of collagen coating on titanium on the initial attachment of human gingival fibroblasts for the development of the implant with periimplant soft ...tissue attachment. The morphological changes of cultured human gingival fibroblasts were investigated by scanning electron microcopy (SEM). Four different surfaces, i.e. non-coated mirror-polished titanium, collagen-coated titanium, non-coated tissue-culture polystyrene, and collagen-coated polystyrene were examined. Collagen coating of titanium was effective for enhancing the initial cell attachment. It is expected that collagen coating of titanium implants will improve the attachment of the peri-implant soft tissue to titanium at early stages after the implantation. SEM observation revealed the morphological effect of collagen coating on both titanium and polystyrene surfaces. Many lamellipodia and filopodia were recognized on collagen-coated titanium or polystyrene. Collagen coating improved the activity of human gingival fibroblasts.
Hospitals are the places where infective agents abound. Medical workers may be contaminated by these nosocomial infective agents, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococci. To better understand the ...potential role ofmedical staffas a reservoir for circulating pathogenic bacteria and their transmission, we analyzed staphylococcal colonization in the oral cavities ofsix medical staffmembers who work at Nihon University Hospital at Matsudo. Oral samples were obtained by swabbing the oral cavities with sterile cotton swabs, and then the inoculated samples were evaluated using routine bacteriological study methods. Staphylococci were detected in the oral samples ofall ofthe medical staff. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most predominant species in the oral cavity (75.1%). None ofthe medical staffwere infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but three ofsix staffmembers possessed methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CNS). Medical staffmembers are both at risk ofinfection and are a potential source of nosocomial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant staphylococci. As a preventive measure against nosocomial infection, it might be necessary to continuously investigate the frequency of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in the oral cavities of medical staff.
Origins of Nasal and Oral Staphylococci Tsuzukibashi, Osamu; Uchibori, Satoshi; Shinozaki-Kuwahara, Noriko ...
International Journal of Oral-Medical Sciences,
2013, Letnik:
12, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Staphylococci are common residents of the nasal flora. As the nasal and oral cavities are anatomicallyjoined at the pharynx, these organisms are generallybelieved to pass into the mouth consistently. ...Staphylococci are thus transient residents in the oral cavity. In our previous studies, although Staphylococcus epidermidis was most predominant in both nasal and oral cavities, the distribution of other Staphylococcus species showed diversityin the nasal and oral cavities. Our previous results indicate that the origins of nasal and oral staphylococci are not identical. To investigate the connection between staphylococci and the nasal and oral cavities, the homology of genotypes of Staphylococcus species using arbitrarilyprimed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was compared. Staphylococcus isolates from the nasal and oral cavities of the same subject showed different genotypes on AP-PCR using OPA-03 primer. These results indicate that staphylococci in the oral cavity are not derived from those in the nasal cavity, and do not move between the nasal and oral cavities.
The authors previously reported that when nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) was applied to artificial demineralized root canal dentin inside the root canal, the nano-HA particles naturally penetrated ...into the root canal dentin within approximately 24 hours, and the root canal dentin rehardened to largely the same degree of hardness as undecalcified dentin. However, the kinds of changes that take place in rehardened artificial demineralized root canal dentin over time remain unclear and no published reports have addressed this issue. Therefore, we investigated the time-dependent changes that take place in artificial demineralized root canal dentin that has been rehardened by applying nano-HA. The results indicated that over time, the hardness of the rehardened artificial demineralized root canal dentin tends to increase.The fact that there was no change in the hardness of the rehardened demineralized dentin over the long term when the dentin was rehardened to the hardness of undecalcified dentin using nano-HA suggests that it may be possible to conserve demineralized root canal dentin, which must normally be removed.
Multi-observer Assessment of Trainee Dentists Gotouda, Hiroya; Kasai, Kazutaka; Osawa, Seiko ...
International Journal of Oral-Medical Sciences,
2014, Letnik:
12, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Multi-observer assessment involves the assessment of a personʼs work behavior by more than one colleague at the same time for the purpose of human resource development and capacity building. In the ...medical field, multi-observer assessment is employed to provide formative feedback during regular one-on-one meetings in order to increase the professional competence of medical residents, but it is rarely used in dental medicine. This report describes multi-observer assessment of the performance of trainee dentists at cooperative-type facilities. A total of 70 trainee dentists were assessed in the present study. For method of an investigation, a supervising dentist, a dental hygienist, and a receptionist assessed the professionalism and communication skills of the trainee dentists. There were significant differences of the average scores of assessment about the professionalism of the trainee dentist by all reviewers (p<0.01, p<0.05).There was a positive correlation between the average scores assigned by the supervising dentist and the dental hygienist (r=0.62, p<0.001,), as well as between the scores assigned by the dentist and receptionist (r=0.53, p<0.001,) or the dental hygienist and receptionist (r=0.78, p<0.001). These results suggest that there is a strong correlation between assessment by dentists, dental hygienists, and receptionists. The assessment that includes the perspective of the healthcare service recipients (patients) is needed in the future.
In 2011, physical and operational changes were made to improve our institutionʼs dental human dock clinic. The physical change was consisted of aesthetic improvements to the comprehensive checkups ...being performed in individual rooms. The operational changes were improved diagnostic accuracy and increased the number of tests available to patients as part of the oral dock checkup, namely, adopting a test of caries risk (testing for bacteria that cause tooth decay), an IgG antibody titer test for periodontal pathogens using blood collected from the fingertip, a bite test and a halitosis test, as well as adding more staff members to the examination team. After these improvements were implemented, we conducted a survey to assess patient satisfaction at the clinic. The survey asked patients to provide their overall impression of the clinic and to rate facilities and equipment, dental care providers, clinical tests, evaluation reports and other aspects. A 10-point scale was used to rate overall impression and a 5-point scale was used to rate all other items. Survey forms were distributed to 74 patients who received the checkup and consented to participate, of which 46 responded (response rate: 62.2%). Patients were generally very satisfied with dental care providers and clinical tests as reflected by an average overall impression rating of 7.9. However, the average rating for facilities and equipment was low at 3.76. The other aspects category received the lowest rating, with cost being rated at 2.43.We plan to improve the clinicʼs operations by focusing on low scoring aspects of these findings.
Abstract In 2011, physical and operational changes were made to improve our institution's dental human dock clinic. The physical change was consisted of aesthetic improvements to the comprehensive ...checkups being performed in individual rooms. The operational changes were improved diagnostic accuracy and increased the number of tests available to patients as part of the oral dock checkup, namely, adopting a test of caries risk (testing for bacteria that cause tooth decay), an IgG antibody titer test for periodontal pathogens using blood collected from the fingertip, a bite test and a halitosis test, as well as adding more staff members to the examination team. After these improvements were implemented, we conducted a survey to assess patient satisfaction at the clinic. The survey asked patients to provide their overall impression of the clinic and to rate facilities and equipment, dental care providers, clinical tests, evaluation reports and other aspects. A 10-point scale was used to rate overall impression and a 5-point scale was used to rate all other items. Survey forms were distributed to 74 patients who received the checkup and consented to participate, of which 46 responded (response rate: 62.2%). Patients were generally very satisfied with dental care providers and clinical tests as reflected by an average overall impression rating of 7.9. However, the average rating for facilities and equipment was low at 3.76. The other aspects category received the lowest rating, with cost being rated at 2.43. We plan to improve the clinic's operations by focusing on low scoring aspects of these findings.
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