In vitro dentin tubule occlusion by an arginine-containing dentifrice.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of an arginine-containing dentifrice to occlude dentin tubules. METHODS: Dentin discs were divided equally into premolar and molar groups, which were then utilized in three treatment groups: a blank control group (distilled water treatment), a negative control group (common dentifrice with calcium carbonate) and an experimental group [dentifrice with 8% (w/w) arginine]. Each dentin disk was brushed with the dentifrice twice daily for 7 consecutive days. After this period, each disc was separated into two equal halves. One half was used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) examinations, while the other half was brushed with distilled water twice daily for another 7 days prior to SEM observation. RESULTS: The plugging rate in the arginine dentifrice group was significantly higher and more sustainable than in the negative control group. The surface deposition of calcium and phosphorus on the dentin discs in the arginine dentifrice group was also significantly higher. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study provided evidence that using arginine as an active ingredient in dentifrice can improve its ability to occlude dentin tubules, thus supporting future efforts to improve dentin hypersensitivity.

Association of periodontitis with leukocyte telomere length in US adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 1999 to 2002.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the association of periodontitis with telomere length (TL) and effect modification by population characteristics. METHODS: We analyzed data from 3,478 participants from the 1999 to 2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Probing depth, attachment loss, and bleed on probing (BOP, available for 1,973 participants only) were examined on the distal, mesial, or mid-facial site of each tooth in two randomly selected quadrants. We defined periodontitis severity according to the Centers for Disease Control/American Academy of Periodontology guideline. TL from leukocytes was measured with qPCR. We used linear and logistic regression to examine the adjusted association of different severity of periodontitis and BOP with continuous TL (bp) and dichotomized short TL (

[Evaluation of the effects of TF and S3 nickel-titanium instruments in severely curved molar root canal preparation].

PURSPOSE: To compare the shaping ability and dental cracks of Twisted File and S3 in severely curved molar root canal preparation. METHODS: Sixty extracted mandibular molars with mesiobuccal canals (canal curvature angles beyond 25°) were selected and divided randomly into 2 groups with 30 canals in each group. The canals were scanned by cone-beam CT(CBCT) before and after root canal preparation .The canal transportation was recorded at 3 points (3, 5, 7 mm to root tip). After root canal preparation，all the roots were horizontally sectioned 3，5 and 7mm from the apex. The slices were observed under optical stereomicroscope. SPSS 19.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Transportations occurred in all groups. No significant difference was found between the two groups of canal transportation at the two points (5 mm and 7 mm to root tip) (P>0.05); at the point of 3 mm to the root tip,the transportation of canals prepared by S3 was obviously lesser than the canals prepared by TF. There was no significant difference in the incidence of dentinal cracks between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of severely curved molar root canal in extracted teeth, cracks were found in both groups, S3 was found to be better in maintaining original canal shape than TF system.

[Effect of nanohydroxyapatite on surface mineralization in acid-etched dentinal tubules and adsorption of lead ions].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) for promoting surface mineralization of demineralized dentin discs and adsorption of lead ions in simulated sewage water. METHODS: Sixty dentin disks were prepared from freshly extracted teeth with intact crown (including 30 premolars and 30 molars) and treated with 10% citric acid for 2 min to simulate dentinal tubules with dentin hypersensitivity. The etched dentin discs were brushed with distilled water, 0.2 g HA or 0.2 g nHA for 2 min twice a day for 7 consecutive days, after which scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed and calcium and phosphorus contents in the dentin discs were detected using EDS. Lead ion adsorption capacities of HA and nHA were tested by mixing 1 mL serial concentrations of HA and nHA suspensions with 50 mL lead ion solutions (1.0 mg/L). After 24 h, the residual lead ion concentration in the supernatant was measured using ICP to calculate lead ion adsorption rate and adsorption capacity of the materials. RESULTS: SEM showed a smooth surface and empty dentin tubules in the acid- etched dentin dics. The dentin dics treated with HA were covered with masses of particles that loosely attached to the surface, and the diameter of the dentin tubules was reduced. In nHA group, the dentin discs showed a fine and homogeneous surface clogging with a tight attachment, and the dentin tubule diameter was obviously reduced. Daily brushing with HA and nHA, especially the latter, significantly increased calcium and phosphorus contents on the surface of the dentin dics (P < 0.000). In lead ion adsorption experiment, the lead ion adsorption rate of HA decreased as its concentration increased with the highest adsorption rate of 83.01%; the adsorption rate of nHA increased with its concentration until the adsorption equilibrium was reached, and its highest adsorption rate was 98.79%. A good liner relationship was found between the adsorption ability and concentration of HA. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with HA, nHA has a better capacity for surface mineralization of acid-etched dentin discs and also a better ability of lead ion adsorption.

A pilot study on transient ischemic stroke induced with endothelin-1 in the rhesus monkeys.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictor, has recently been used to induce focal ischemia in rodents and marmoset monkeys. The rhesus monkey, however, has numerous advantages to the rodent and marmoset that make it a superior and irreplaceable animal model for studying stroke in the brain. In the present study, after mapping the preferred hand representation in two healthy male monkeys with intracortical micro-stimulation, ET-1 was microinjected into the contralateral motor cortex (M1) to its preferred hand. The monkeys had been trained in three manual dexterity tasks before the microinjection and were tested for these tasks following the ET-1 injection. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans were performed 1, 7, 14 and 28 days post ischemia. It was found that ET-1 impaired the manual dexterity of the monkeys in the vertical slot and rotating Brinkman board tasks 3-8 days after the injection. Brain imaging found that severe edema was present 7 days after the focal ischemia. This data suggest that ET-1 can induce transient ischemic stroke in rhesus monkey and that ET-1 induced focal ischemia in non-human primates is a potential model to study the mechanism of stroke and brain repair after stroke.

[Impact of particle size and morphology on zinc cation adsorption by hydroxyapatite and dentifrice containing hydroxyapatite].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of particle size and morphology on zinc cation adsorption by hydroxyapatite (HA) and dentifrice containing HA. METHODS: Four HAs with different particle sizes and morphologies, HA-containing dentifrice and blank dentifrice were prepared into suspensions of serial concentrations. Zinc ion solutions with an initial concentration of 10 mg/L was mixed with the suspensions and kept for 24 h for adsorption reaction. The zinc ion concentration in the supernatant was measured by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer and the sorption rate of zinc ion was calculated. RESULTS: HA and HA-containing dentifrice with various particle sizes and morphologies were all capable of absorbing zinc ions from simulated waste water, and the adsorption rate of HA-containing dentifrice was 3%-10% higher than that of HA. HA with a particle size of 12 µm and a spherical morphology showed the strongest adsorption ability, followed by short bar-shaped HA with a particle size of 30 µm. Both Langmuir and Freundlich equation could simulate the sorption processes of HA dentifrice, while only Langmuir equation could simulate the sorption processes of HA. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of HA in dentifrice can enhance zinc ion adsorption capacity of the material. The particle size and morphology of HA both affect the adsorption of zinc ions, and 12-µm HA particle with a spherical morphology has the best adsorption ability.

Telemetric recordings of single neuron activity and visual scenes in monkeys walking in an open field.

This paper describes a portable recording system and methods for obtaining chronic recordings of single units and tracking rhesus monkey behavior in an open field. The integrated system consists of four major components: (1) microelectrode assembly; (2) head-stage; (3) recording station; and (4) data storage station, the first three of which are carried by the monkey and weigh 800 g. Our system provides synchronized video and electrophysiological signals, which are transmitted by a wireless system to a distance of 50 m. Its major advantages are that neuronal recordings are made in freely moving monkeys, and well-separated action potentials with amplitude five times higher than the background noise are usually recorded and readily kept for many hours. Using this system, we were able to study "place cells" in non-human primate brains. The described methods provide a new way to examine correlations between single neuron activity and primate behaviors, and can also be used to study the cellular basis of social behaviors in non-human primates.

[Methods for single unit recording in behavioring morphine craving rat].

In this paper, one method was introduced, which was a combination of the cue-related morphine addiction model and a technique for obtaining chronic extracellular recordings of single unit in freely moving rats. With the combination and improvement of this technique, we have successfully applied this new method to study the neuronal activity of the hippocampus CA1 region in morphine withdrawal rats. In all, we found some more accurate and objective cellular characteristics of hippocampal neurons, and considered these characteristics as one of electrophysiological indexes of morphine addiction rats.

Alzheimer's disease and methanol toxicity (part 1): chronic methanol feeding led to memory impairments and tau hyperphosphorylation in mice.

Although methanol toxicity is well known for acute neurological sequelae leading to blindness or death, there is a new impetus to investigate the chronic effects of methanol exposure. These include a recently established link between formaldehyde, a methanol metabolite, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In the present study, mice were fed with methanol to revisit the chronic effects of methanol toxicity, especially as it pertains to AD progression. Three groups of mice (n = 9) were given either water as a control or a methanol solution (concentrations of 2% or 3.8%) over a 6-week period. The methanol-fed mice were found to have impaired spatial recognition and olfactory memory in Y-maze and olfactory memory paradigms. Immunohistochemical analysis of the mouse brains found increased neuronal tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus and an increased cellular apoptotic marker in hippocampal CA1 neurons (~10% of neurons displayed chromatin condensation) in the methanol-fed groups. Two additional in vitro experiments in mouse embryonic cerebral cortex neurons and mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells found that formaldehyde, but not methanol or the methanol end product formic acid, induced microtubule disintegration and tau protein hyperphosphorylation. The findings of the behavioral tests and immunohistochemical analysis suggested that the methanol-fed mice presented with partial AD-like symptoms. The in vitro experiments suggested that formaldehyde was most likely the detrimental component of methanol toxicity related to hippocampal tau phosphorylation and the subsequent impaired memory in the mice. These findings add to a growing body of evidence that links formaldehyde to AD pathology.

Alzheimer's disease and methanol toxicity (part 2): lessons from four rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) chronically fed methanol.

A recently established link between formaldehyde, a methanol metabolite, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology has provided a new impetus to investigate the chronic effects of methanol exposure. This paper expands this investigation to the non-human primate, rhesus macaque, through the chronic feeding of young male monkeys with 3% methanol ad libitum. Variable Spatial Delay Response Tasks of the monkeys found that the methanol feeding led to persistent memory decline in the monkeys that lasted 6 months beyond the feeding regimen. This change coincided with increases in tau protein phosphorylation at residues T181 and S396 in cerebrospinal fluid during feeding as well as with increases in tau phosphorylated aggregates and amyloid plaques in four brain regions postmortem: the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and the hippocampus. Tau phosphorylation in cerebrospinal fluid was found to be dependent on methanol feeding status, but phosphorylation changes in the brain were found to be persistent 6 months after the methanol feeding stopped. This suggested the methanol feeding caused long-lasting and persistent pathological changes that were related to AD development in the monkey. Most notably, the presence of amyloid plaque formations in the monkeys highlighted a marked difference in animal systems used in AD investigations, suggesting that the innate defenses in mice against methanol toxicity may have limited previous investigations into AD pathology. Nonetheless, these findings support a growing body of evidence that links methanol and its metabolite formaldehyde to AD pathology.

Lesion of olfactory epithelium attenuates expression of morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and reinstatement of drug-primed conditioned place preference in mice.

Previous studies have shown that olfactory impairment by disrupting the olfactory epithelium prior to morphine administration attenuated the development addiction-related behaviors. However, it is unclear whether olfactory impairment will affect the expression of already established addiction-related behaviors. To address this issue, mice were conditioned with morphine to induce behavioral sensitization and condition placed preference (CPP). After an abstinence period, the animals were subjected to either an intranasal ZnSO(4) effusion (ZnE) or sham treatment with saline. Behavioral sensitization and CPP reinstatement were evaluated 24h later, as well as the expression of c-Fos protein, a marker of activated neural sites, in brain regions of interest. It was found that ZnE treatment attenuated morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and reinstatement of CPP. Compared to the saline-treated ones, the ZnE-treated animals showed reduced c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) associated with behavioral sensitization, and in the NAc, cingulate cortex, dentate gyrus, amygdala, lateral hypothalamus and ventral tegmental area associated with CPP reinstatement. Together, these results demonstrated that acute olfactory impairment could attenuate already established addiction-related behaviors and expression of c-Fos in drug addiction related brain regions, perhaps by affecting the coordination between reward and motivational systems in the brain.

[Establishment of tree shrew chronic morphine dependent model].

The clinical use of morphine to reduce pain is limited because of its drug tolerance, dependence and addiction. In the present study, the tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) developed morphine tolerance and chronic morphine dependence by morphine injections with increasing doses (5, 10, 15, 20 mg/kg body weight for 7 days). Meanwhile, the naloxone (1.25 mg/kg body weight)-induced conditioned place aversion (CPA) and the withdrawal symptom were also found. The tree shrew model of chronic morphine dependence can be used to investigate the withdrawal symptoms and to select potential withdrawal symptoms reducing drugs in the future.

[Nanoleakage at the resin-dental interface of four self-etching adhesives].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nanoleakage and ultramorphology of four self-etching adhesives. METHODS: Sixteen freshly extracted, caries-free human third molars were selected. A flat dentin surface was exposed by removing occlusal enamel. All teeth were randomly divided into four groups acorrding to four different self-etch adhesive: Adper Prompt (A), iBond (B), Xeno III (C) and SE Bond (D). The dentin were bonded with dentin adhesive system according to manufacturer's directions. Composite layers were built up incrementally. The specimens were sectioned longitudinally across the resin-dentin interface into 4.0 mm×0.9 mm sticks and then traced with ammoniacal silver solution. Epoxy resin-embedded sections were prepared for transmission electron microscope (TEM) to observe nanoleakage. The images were qualitatively compared by NIH software, and data was analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: Different thickness of hybrid layer and adhesives layer were observed for each adhesive. The hybrid layer of A, C was thicker than that of B, D, and adhesive layer of D was thicker than the others. The extent of nanoleakage varied among different adhesives: A (45.02 ± 9.49), B (43.97 ± 8.55), C (27.02 ± 10.86), D (12.94 ± 2.07). D presented significantly less silver deposition than any of the others did (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The thickness of hybrid layer and adhesive layer vary among the four adhesives. The shape and extent of nanoleakage of each adhesive are also different. Two-step system shows less nanoleakage than one-step systems do.

[Experimental study on pulp revitalization of Beagle dog's immature permanent teeth after pulpectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the process of pulp revitalization of immature permanent teeth after pulpectomy. METHODS: Thirty-two single-rooted teeth with open apices from 4 Beagle dogs aged 4 months were included in the study. The pulpal tissues of 8 front teeth with single root of each dog were removed, and a blood clot was produced to the level of the cementoenamel junction followed by a double seal of mineral trioxide aggregate and composite resin. At day 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively after operation, the dog was sacrificed, and then longitudinal paraffin sections were made for histologic investigation. RESULTS: After 7 days, about one thirth of the pulp chamber had an ingrowth of new tissue. After 14, 21, 28 days, there were more and more new tissue in the chamber. This new tissue consisted of well-organized and well-vascularized connective tissue. Hard tissue was too observed in the root canal. In some cases, the newly generated hard tissue even deposited against the canal dentinal walls. CONCLUSIONS: The pulp of immature permanent teeth can revitalize after removal of the original pulp tissue under suitable conditions.