Perceptual and quantitative analysis of discoloration of orthodontic elastomeric chains by food.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to use a digital camera to measure the discoloration of orthodontic elastomeric chains in various immersion solutions over different time periods and to determine the valid acceptability tolerances for color changes in orthodontic elastomeric chains by surveying digital photographs. METHODS: Orthodontic elastomeric chains were applied to the maxillary anterior teeth of nine typodont models. The models were divided into three groups and immersed in the curry, coffee, and wine solutions. The digital images of the elastomeric modules were captured and processed using commercial software after 30 min of immersion, thrice a day, for 28 days. The differences in color changes ([Formula: see text]), depending on the type of immersion solution and period, were analyzed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. A web-based survey questionnaire was randomly distributed to 50 respondents for a visual analysis of the elastomeric chain discoloration. The relationship between the surveying score and [Formula: see text] value was analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. The perceptibility and acceptability of elastomeric chain discoloration ([Formula: see text]) based on the type of immersion solutions and periods were analyzed using a regression model. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the discoloration of the elastomeric power chain depending on the immersion solution and period. The amount of discoloration was highest in curry, followed by coffee and wine (P < 0.05). The mean discoloration ([Formula: see text]) continued to increase over the entire immersion period. There was a significant correlation between visual scoring and discoloration ([Formula: see text]) over the entire period, especially in the early stages compared to the later stages (r = 0.918, P < 0.05). In 50% of the respondents, the predicted clinically unacceptable discoloration was between 4.46 and 9.98 and in 90% of the respondents, it was between 16.52 and 19.85. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of discoloration was the highest for curry, followed by coffee and wine, and continued to gradually increase during the observation period. Significant differences were found between the color measurements obtained and the visual assessment by observers. The observers varied in their tolerance for perceptibility and acceptability for elastomeric chain discoloration based on the type of dietary media.

Inhibitory Activities of Dimeric Ellagitannins Isolated from Cornus alba on Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is an intractable chronic inflammatory disease. We studied the efficacy of two ellagitannins, namely camptothin B (1) and cornusiin A (2) that were isolated from Cornus alba (CA) for the treatment of BPH, which is a common health issue in older men. The ellagitannins (1 and 2) were evaluated on its inhibitory activities of the enzyme 5α-reductase and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, its interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8 production, and its anti-proliferation and apoptosis induction in prostate cells that show hypertrophy (RWPE-1 cell). In inhibition of 5α-reductase, the ellagitannins (1 and 2) showed potential effects, compared to the positive control, finasteride. In the case of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, 1 and 2 showed good inhibitory effects as compared to the control group treated with LPS. The ellagitannins (1 and 2) were also shown to inhibit proliferation of, and induce apoptosis in, the RWPE-1 cell. These results suggest that the ellagitannins (1 and 2) may be good candidates for the treatment of BPH.

ER stress induces the expression of Jpk, which inhibits cell cycle progression in F9 teratocarcinoma cell.

Jopock (Jpk), a transacting factor associated with the position-specific regulatory element of murine Hoxa-7, has shown to induce cell death in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells when introduced and overexpressed. Since Jpk protein harbors a transmembrane domain (TM) and a putative endoplasmic reticulum (ER) -retention signal at the N terminus, a subcellular localization of the protein was analyzed after fusing it into the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Both N-term- (Jpk-EGFP) and C-term-fused Jpk (EGFP-Jpk) showed to be localized in the ER when analyzed under the fluorescence microscope after staining the cells with ER- and Mito-Tracker. Through deletion analysis TM turned out to be important for ER localization of Jpk. When flow cytometric analysis was performed, both cells expressing Jpk-EGFP and EGFP-Jpk led cell cycle arrest and subsequent apoptotic cell death. In order to see whether Jpk is expressed during ER stress-mediated apoptosis, F9 cells were treated with DTT, an ER stress inducer. In the presence of 4 mM of DTT, about 50% of cells died strongly expressing Jpk (sevenfold) as well as Grp78, a molecular chaperone, and CHOP-10, a well-known apoptotic protein. When cells were transfected with both pEGFP-Jpk and pJpk-EGFP, cell cycle progression was interrupted compared to those of control cells. In summary, excess ER stress upregulated the expression of Jpk, which seemed to inhibit the cell cycle progression. These results altogether suggest that Jpk could be a useful cell death-triggering molecule applicable for cancer therapy as well as a useful target molecule for the treatment of certain neurodegenerative diseases caused by ER stress.