A radiographical classification of Stafne's bone cavity

So-called Stafne's bone cavity of the mandible were detected by panoramic radiography in 24 patients seen at the Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Meikai University Hospital, and five associated hospitals. Unilateral and asymptomatic, all lesions were situated near the angle of the mandible, except for the one case that involved the anterior portion of the mandible. The mean age of the patients was 53 years with a range of 31 to 78 years, and included 22 men and 2 women. In this report, radiographic interpretation of the lesion was done, and a radiographic classification was made as follows:

1. (Indentation type): The inferior border of the mandible is involved.
2. (Medium type): The lesion is situated above the inferior border of the mandible but below the mandibular canal.
3. (Deviation type): Deviation of the mandibular canal is suspected.
4. (Anterior type): The radiolucency is located in the anterior portion of the mandible.

     

Simple bone cyst. A clinical and histopathologic study of fifteen cases.

Nineteen simple bone cysts found in 15 patients were studied by classifying them into younger and older age groups. The clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic features of 11 cysts in the younger group of 10 patients were consistent with those of previous reports. Among patients in the older age group, female predominance (80% vs 30%), involvement of the maxilla (25% vs 0%), multiple occurrence (60% vs 10%), simultaneous presence of radiopaque fibro-osseous lesions or hypercementosis (63% vs 0%), and loss of lamina dura of related teeth (83% vs 14%) resulting in exposure of their roots on surgical intervention were the characteristic features.     

Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes murine abdominal aortic aneurysms via matrix metalloproteinase-2 induction

Aoyama N, Suzuki J, Wang D, Ogawa M, Kobayashi N, Hanatani T, Takeuchi Y, Izumi Y, Isobe M. Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes murine abdominal aortic aneurysms via matrix metalloproteinase‐2 induction. J Periodont Res 2011; 46: 176–183. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common and lethal disorder, and MMPs are highly expressed in AAA lesions. Large numbers of periodontopathic bacteria have been reported to be present in specimens obtained from the aortic walls of patients with an AAA. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of periodontopathic bacteria on AAA dilatation. Material and Methods: AAAs were produced in mice by the periaortic application of 0.25 m CaCl₂, and NaCl was used as a control. The mice were inoculated once weekly with live Porphyromonas gingivalis, live Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans or vehicle. Results: Four weeks after the periaortic application of either CaCl₂ or NaCl, a significant increase was observed in the aortic diameter of P. gingivalis‐challenged mice compared with the vehicle control mice (p < 0.05), whereas there was no statistically significant increase in the aortic diameter of the A. actinomycetemcomitans‐challenged mice. Immunohistochemical analysis found significantly higher numbers of CD8‐positive and MOMA2‐positive cells and significantly higher levels of MMP‐2 in the aneurysmal samples of P. gingivalis‐challenged mice compared with control mice. Live P. gingivalis promoted a significant proliferation of splenocytes in comparison with P. gingivalis‐lipopolysaccharide and live A. actinomycetemcomitans (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that challenge with P. gingivalis, but not with A. actinomycetemcomitans, can accelerate, or even initiate, the progression of experimental AAA through the increased expression of MMPs.     

Effects of delayed polishing on gap formation of cervical restorations

This study evaluated the effect of polishing after one-day storage in water on the gap formation around a Class V restoration completely bordered by enamel (coronal cavity) using one resin-modified glass ionomer, one compomer and one conventional glass ionomer as a control. The study also examined gap formation of these materials in two different cervical restorations-a cervical cavity incisally bordered by enamel and cervically bordered by dentin and a root surface cavity completely bordered by dentin. When the specimens of the two types of glass-ionomer material were polished immediately after the setting procedure, 100-120 gaps around the coronal restorative cavity were observed. In contrast, only 10-20 gaps were observed when the specimens were polished after one-day storage. Significant differences in the two glass-ionomer restorative materials were observed between immediate polishing and polishing after one-day storage. The compomer not show this pattern. Restorations placed in enamel/dentin and all-dentin gave results similar to those in all-enamel.     

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase-independent angiotensin II-induced inhibition of calcium current in hamster submandibular ganglion neurons

In a previous study, we demonstrated that angiotensin II (AngII) inhibited voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) currents (ICa) in hamster submandibular ganglion (SMG) neurons. In sinoatrial node cells, it has been reported that AngII inhibits ICa by suppressing cyclic AMP production. In this study, to investigate the possible involvement of a cyclic AMP-cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway in the AngII-induced inhibition of ICa, effects of AngII were examined in SMG neurons after treatment with an activator and inhibitor of PKA. Neither pretreatment of neurons with membrane permeable cyclic AMP nor intracellular dialysis of PKA blocker attenuated the AngII-induced inhibition of ICa. These results indicate that AngII inhibited ICa via a cyclic AMP-PKA-independent mechanism in SMG neurons.     

Adhesion of N-methacryloyl-omega-amino acid primers to collagen analyzed by 13C NMR

Previously, we reported that the strength of the interaction between N-methacryloyl-omega-amino acid (NMomegaA) primers and dentinal collagen exhibited a strong correlation with the bond strength of the resin to etched dentin. To determine the pertinent functional groups of the amino acid residues in the dentinal collagen, to which the amide and/or the carboxylic acid groups of the NMomegaAs are adsorbed, we used 13C NMR techniques--primarily through the observation of spin-lattice relaxation times, Ti--to investigate the adsorption characteristics resulting from the interaction of NMomegaAs with a model oligopeptide for collagen, (PPG)5. The addition of NMomegaAs to a collagenous solution resulted in a decrease in the T1 values of the carbonyl carbons attributed to the carboxylic acid of the C-terminal Gly and to the third amide of the N-terminal Pro residues in the (PPG)5 molecule, thus reflecting the formation of hydrogen-bonded interactions.