Anti-melanoma Differentiation-associated Gene 5 Antibody-positive Dermatomyositis Presenting as Refractory Gingivitis at the First Clinical Manifestation.

We herein report a case of melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis that developed in a patient with refractory gingivitis. The diagnosis of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis was made based on a characteristic skin rash, weakness of proximal muscles, interstitial pneumonia, and positivity for anti-MDA5 antibody. The patient was started on triple therapy with high-dose prednisolone, tacrolimus, and intravenous cyclophosphamide. After treatment, the refractory gingivitis disappeared, and the other skin rash and interstitial lung disease also improved. In the diagnosis and treatment of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis, it is necessary to pay attention to the intraoral findings, including the gingiva.

Bone marrow concentrate promotes bone regeneration with a suboptimal-dose of rhBMP-2.

Bone marrow concentrate (BMC), which is enriched in mononuclear cells (MNCs) and platelets, has recently attracted the attention of clinicians as a new optional means for bone engineering. We previously reported that the osteoinductive effect of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) could be enhanced synergistically by co-transplantation of peripheral blood (PB)-derived platelet-rich plasma (PRP). This study aims to investigate whether BMC can effectively promote bone formation induced by low-dose BMP-2, thereby reducing the undesirable side-effects of BMP-2, compared to PRP. Human BMC was obtained from bone marrow aspirates using an automated blood separator. The BMC was then seeded onto ß-TCP granules pre-adsorbed with a suboptimal-dose (minimum concentration to induce bone formation at 2 weeks in mice) of recombinant human (rh) BMP-2. These specimens were transplanted subcutaneously to the dorsal skin of immunodeficient-mice and the induction of ectopic bone formation was assessed 2 and 4 weeks post-transplantation. Transplantations of five other groups [PB, PRP, platelet-poor plasma (PPP), bone marrow aspirate (BM), and BM-PPP] were employed as experimental controls. Then, to clarify the effects on vertical bone augmentation, specimens from the six groups were transplanted for on-lay placement on the craniums of mice. The results indicated that BMC, which contained an approximately 2.5-fold increase in the number of MNCs compared to PRP, could accelerate ectopic bone formation until 2 weeks post-transplantation. On the cranium, the BMC group promoted bone augmentation with a suboptimal-dose of rhBMP-2 compared to other groups. Particularly in the BMC specimens harvested at 4 weeks, we observed newly formed bone surrounding the TCP granules at sites far from the calvarial bone. In conclusion, the addition of BMC could reduce the amount of rhBMP-2 by one-half via its synergistic effect on early-phase osteoinduction. We propose here that BMC transplantation facilitates the clinical use of rhBMP-2 as an alternative strategy for bone engineering.

The effect of photodynamic therapy with talaporfin sodium, a second-generation photosensitizer, on oral squamous cell carcinoma: A series of eight cases.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with talaporfin sodium, a second-generation photosensitizer, on oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: Eight patients who were diagnosed with oral SCC without any metastasis and underwent talaporfin sodium-mediated PDT (t-PDT) were included in this study. Biopsies were performed 4-6 weeks after t-PDT. The clinical response was evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. RESULTS: Complete response (CR) was achieved in six of eight cases, and two cases showed partial response (PR) as a clinical outcome of t-PDT. Recurrence occurred in one of the CR cases 9 months after irradiation. The patient underwent tumor resection and no recurrence was found after surgery. The two cases with PR died from the cancer despite additional PDT. CONCLUSION: t-PDT is an effective treatment strategy for oral SCC. Talaporfin sodium has an advantage with regard to early elimination from the body compared with porfimer sodium.

Transient Exposure to Hypoxic and Anoxic Oxygen Concentrations Promotes Either Osteogenic or Ligamentogenic Characteristics of PDL Cells.

The periodontal ligament (PDL) has a reservoir of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and this tissue is easily available following teeth removal procedures. However, PDL-derived cells (PDLCs) availability for tissue engineering is limited because they are heterogeneous cells at various differentiation and lineage commitments. Therefore, efficient culture conditions to increase MSCs number are needed to use PDLCs in tissue engineering. Recent reports indicate that low-oxygen conditions amplified stem/progenitor cell numbers and inhibited cell differentiation. Our aim was to establish which low-oxygen culture conditions favored bone or tendon/ligament regeneration in cultured PDLCs. Human PDLCs were cultured and exposed to either hypoxic (O2≤5%) or anoxic (O2<0.1%) oxygen conditions in low-glucose/serum-free media for 24 hours. After 24 h, as expected, cell survival was significantly less in PDLCs exposed to anoxic conditions as compared with cells under normal or hypoxic conditions. PDLCs exposed to hypoxic conditions had the highest percentages for MSC markers (CD105, CD166, Stro-1). For both hypoxic and anoxic conditions, stem cell marker genes (oct4, sox2, p75) were upregulated after 6 h. At 24 h, these stem cell markers were maintained in PDLCs under hypoxic condition. Interestingly under anoxic conditions, expression of scleraxis gene (a key transcription factor for tendo/ligamentogenesis) was upregulated markedly. When hypoxic PDLCs were subcultured into osteogenic medium, in vitro calcification and prominent in vivo bone formation in mice calvaria were observed. When anoxic PDLCs were subcultured into tendo/ligamentogenic medium, expression of aggrecan (a mature tenogenic gene) increased remarkably. No obvious differences were detectable on chondrogenic and adipogenic inducibilities. We propose that transient exposure to low-oxygen during the culture enhanced MSC population in PDL. In addition, different low-oxygen concentrations favored osteogenic or tendo/ligamentogenic inducibilities of cultured PDLCs.

Ferromagnetic spin coupling in the chromium dimer cation: measurements by photodissociation spectroscopy combined with coupled-cluster calculations.

The magnetic coupling of the chromium dimer cation, Cr2 (+), has been an outstanding problem for decades. An optical absorption spectrum of Cr2 (+) has been obtained by photodissociation spectroscopy in the photon-energy range from 2.0 to 5.0 eV. Besides, calculations have been performed by the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles and doubles method for vertical excitation of the species. Their coincidence supports our assignment that the ground electronic state exhibits a ferromagnetic spin coupling, which is contrary to those of neutral and negatively charged dimers, Cr2 and Cr2 (-), in their lowest spin states.

Probing structures of small gold cluster cations with dinitrogen.

Small gold cluster cations, Au(n)(+), adsorb N(2) molecules effectively under multiple collision conditions. The saturation number for N(2) adsorption on a gold cluster cation depends on the number of dangling gold atoms and the triangular apexes. The saturation numbers were interpreted to arrive at the geometrical structures of gold cluster cations. The gold cluster cations of sizes 3 and 6 have single isomers, whilst cluster cations with 4, 5, and 7 atoms have two isomers. For the gold cluster cation with six atoms, a higher-energy and lower-symmetry structure was observed. The gold cluster cations with eight or more atoms do not adsorb N(2), which can be attributed to a two-dimensional to three-dimensional structural transition at n = 8.

Photon-trap spectroscopy applied to molecules adsorbed on a solid surface: probing with a standing wave versus a propagating wave.

We apply photon-trap spectroscopy, a generalized scheme of cavity ringdown spectroscopy, to infrared spectroscopy of molecular adsorbates on a solid substrate. The storage lifetime of light in a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity provides a high absorbance sensitivity for the substrate sample, which is placed exactly normal to the light beam in the cavity to minimize optical losses. Infrared spectra of the C-H stretching vibration of alkylsiloxane monolayer films on a silicon substrate are measured in three ways, namely by employing pulsed and continuous-wave lasers as well as by conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The magnitude of optical absorption is shown to vary by the character of the interacting light used in the measurement, i.e., a standing wave versus a propagating wave.

Infrared spectra of organic monolayer films in a standing wave measured by photon-trap spectroscopy.

Photon-trap spectroscopy, a generalized scheme of cavity ringdown spectroscopy, is applied to measure an infrared spectrum of the C-H stretching vibration of alkylsiloxane monolayer films grafted on a silicon substrate. A continuous-wave laser beam is introduced into a high-finesse Fabry-Pérot cavity containing the substrate placed exactly normal to the light beam to minimize optical losses. The lifetime of the light trapped in the cavity is measured to detect optical absorption sensitively. The results show clear dependence of the absorbance on the location of the monolayers with respect to a standing wave formed in the cavity; the absorbance is practically zero when the monolayers on both the surfaces are adjusted at nodes, whereas it is maximized at antinodes. The present experiment is materialized on the basis of the principles established by our previous study [Terasaki et al., J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 22, 675 (2005)].