Superimposition of a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan and a photograph: A dental technique.

Various methods of combining facial and intraoral information have been described. However, overlapping errors lead to errors. This article describes a 3D face model that uses a UV mapping technique. The combination of soft-tissue information extracted from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and a straightforward facial photograph provides more accurate data than with conventional methods.

Modified digital workflow for artificial tooth exchange in a complete denture: A dental technique.

Duplication of complete dentures by using digital technology is now widely practiced. However, the method of accepting only the cameo surface of dentures and forming a new artificial tooth arrangement by using analog techniques is still complex and time-consuming. A method for creating a new denture by implementing various artificial tooth arrangements by using a computer-aided design (CAD) software program after importing the existing denture cameo surface as is into the software is introduced. The technique helps solve patient discomfort due to occlusal problems in patients with complete dentures.

Estimating the Composition of Food Nutrients from Hyperspectral Signals Based on Deep Neural Networks.

There is an increasing demand for acquiring details of food nutrients especially among those who are sensitive to food intakes and weight changes. To meet this need, we propose a new approach based on deep learning that precisely estimates the composition of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from hyperspectral signals of foods obtained by using low-cost spectrometers. Specifically, we develop a system consisting of multiple deep neural networks for estimating food nutrients followed by detecting and discarding estimation anomalies. Our comprehensive performance evaluation demonstrates that the proposed system can maximize estimation accuracy by automatically identifying wrong estimations. As such, if consolidated with the capability of reinforcement learning, it will likely be positioned as a promising means for personalized healthcare in terms of food safety.

Customized Locator abutment fabrication on inclined implants: A clinical report.

Implant parallelism is rarely achieved, particularly when anatomic limitations are present. The problem of nonparallel implants has been addressed by using angled or bar abutments to compensate for the implant angulation. However, an angled abutment or bar attachment has disadvantages in terms of cost, laboratory process, and the maintenance of oral hygiene. In this clinical report, a solution for the management of an inclined implant is presented by using customized Locator abutment fabricated by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM).

MRI-detectable pH nanosensors incorporated into hydrogels for in vivo sensing of transplanted-cell viability.

Biocompatible nanomaterials and hydrogels have become an important tool for improving cell-based therapies by promoting cell survival and protecting cell transplants from immune rejection. Although their potential benefit has been widely evaluated, at present it is not possible to determine, in vivo, if and how long cells remain viable following their administration without the use of a reporter gene. Here, we report a pH-nanosensor-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that can monitor cell death in vivo non-invasively. We demonstrate that specific MRI parameters that change on cell death of microencapsulated hepatocytes are associated with the measured bioluminescence imaging radiance. Moreover, the readout from this pH-sensitive nanosensor can be directly co-registered with high-resolution anatomical images. All of the components of these nanosensors are clinical grade and hence this approach should be a translatable and universal modification of hydrogels.

Optogenetic-guided cortical plasticity after nerve injury.

Peripheral nerve injury causes sensory dysfunctions that are thought to be attributable to changes in neuronal activity occurring in somatosensory cortices both contralateral and ipsilateral to the injury. Recent studies suggest that distorted functional response observed in deprived primary somatosensory cortex (S1) may be the result of an increase in inhibitory interneuron activity and is mediated by the transcallosal pathway. The goal of this study was to develop a strategy to manipulate and control the transcallosal activity to facilitate appropriate plasticity by guiding the cortical reorganization in a rat model of sensory deprivation. Since transcallosal fibers originate mainly from excitatory pyramidal neurons somata situated in laminae III and V, the excitatory neurons in rat S1 were engineered to express halorhodopsin, a light-sensitive chloride pump that triggers neuronal hyperpolarization. Results from electrophysiology, optical imaging, and functional MRI measurements are concordant with that within the deprived S1, activity in response to intact forepaw electrical stimulation was significantly increased by concurrent illumination of halorhodopsin over the healthy S1. Optogenetic manipulations effectively decreased the adverse inhibition of deprived cortex and revealed the major contribution of the transcallosal projections, showing interhemispheric neuroplasticity and thus, setting a foundation to develop improved rehabilitation strategies to restore cortical functions.

Immunomodulation by transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived oligodendroglial progenitors in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Transplantation of embryonic stem cells and their neural derivatives can lead to amelioration of the disease symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Oligodendroglial progenitors (OPs), derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC, HES-1), were labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide and transduced with luciferase. At 7 days following induction of EAE in C57/BL6 mice, 1 × 10(6) cells were transplanted in the ventricles of C57/BL6 mice and noninvasively monitored by magnetic resonance and bioluminescence imaging. Cells were found to remain within the cerebroventricular system and did not survive for more than 10 days. However, EAE mice that received hESC-OPs showed a significant improvement in neurological disability scores (0.9 ± 0.2; n = 12) compared to that of control animals (3.3 ± 0.4; n = 12) at day 15 post-transplantation. Histopathologically, transplanted hESC-OPs generated TREM2-positive CD45 cells, increased TIMP-1 expression, confined inflammatory cells within the subarachnoid space, and gave rise to higher numbers of Foxp3-positive regulatory T cells in the spinal cord and spleen. Our results suggest that transplantation of hESC-OPs can alter the pathogenesis of EAE through immunomodulation, potentially providing new avenues for stem cell-based treatment of MS.

New Scanning Strategy for More Accurate Implant Scanbody Alignment: Short Communication.

This manuscript presents a more accurate methodology, in comparison to extant approaches, that enables errorless congruence between an implant scanbody and its counterparts in the scanbody library of a dental computer-aided design (CAD) application. The proposed method deletes corners and difficult intraoral scanning regions and selects only the remaining flat and wide scanbody planes in the library. Achieving overlap between the portions of the actual scanbody data without distortion using an intraoral scanner is a novel development that is expected to represent a new standard in scanbody library alignment.

ICV-transplanted human glial precursor cells are short-lived yet exert immunomodulatory effects in mice with EAE.

Human glial precursor cells (hGPs) have potential for remyelinating lesions and are an attractive cell source for cell therapy of multiple sclerosis (MS). To investigate whether transplanted hGPs can affect the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of transplanted hGPs together with the in vivo fate of these cells using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bioluminescence imaging (BLI). At 14 days post-EAE induction, mice (n = 19) were intracerebroventricularly (ICV) injected with 5 × 10(5) hGPs that were magnetically labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles as MR contrast agent and transduced with firefly luciferase for BLI of cell survival. Control mice (n = 18) received phosphate buffered saline (PBS) vehicle only. The severity of EAE clinical disability in the hGP-transplanted group was significantly suppressed (P < 0.05) with concomitant inhibition of ConA and MOG-specific T cell proliferation in the spleen. Astrogliosis was reduced and a lower activity of macrophages and/or microglia was observed in the spinal cord (P < 0.05). On MRI, SPIO signal was detected within the lateral ventricle from 1 day post-transplantation and remained there for up to 34 days. BLI indicated that most cells did not survive beyond 5-10 days, consistent with the lack of detectable migration into the brain parenchyma and the histological presence of an abundance of apoptotic cells. Transplanted hGPs could not be detected in the spleen. We conclude that ICV transplantation of short-lived hGPs can have a remote therapeutic effect through immunomodulation from within the ventricle, without cells directly participating in remyelination.

Use of MR cell tracking to evaluate targeting of glial precursor cells to inflammatory tissue by exploiting the very late antigen-4 docking receptor.

PURPOSE: To determine if glial precursor cells can be targeted to inflamed brain through overexpression of very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) and whether this docking process can be monitored with magnetic resonance (MR) cell tracking after intraarterial injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All experimental procedures were performed between August 2010 and February 2012 and were approved by the institutional animal care and use committee. Human glial precursor cells (hGPs) were transfected with VLA-4 and labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide that contained rhodamine. A microfluidic adhesion assay was used for assessing VLA-4 receptor-mediated cell docking in vitro. A rat model of global lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated brain inflammation was used to induce global vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression. hGPs were infused into the carotid artery in four animal cohorts (consisting of three rats each): rats that received VLA-4-naive hGPs but did not receive LPS, rats that received VLA-4-expressing hGPs but not LPS, rats that received VLA-4-naive hGPs and LPS, and rats that received VLA-4-expressing hGPs and LPS. MR imaging was performed at 9.4 T before and 1, 10, 20, and 30 minutes after injection. Brain tissue was processed for histologic examination. Quantification of low-signal-intensity pixels was performed with pixel-by-pixel analysis for MR images obtained before and after cell injection. RESULTS: With use of the microfluidic adhesion assay, cell binding to activated brain endothelium significantly increased compared with VLA-4-naive control cells (71.5 cells per field of view±11.7 vs 36.4 cells per field of view±3.3, respectively; P<.05). Real-time quantitative in vivo MR cell tracking revealed that VLA-4-expressing cells docked exclusively within the vascular bed of the ipsilateral carotid artery and that VLA-4-expressing cells exhibited significantly enhanced homing as compared with VLA-4-naive cells (1448 significant pixels±366.5 vs 113.3 significant pixels±19.88, respectively; P<.05). Furthermore, MR cell tracking was crucial for correct cell delivery and proper ligation of specific arteries. CONCLUSION: Targeted intraarterial delivery and homing of VLA-4-expressing hGPs to inflamed endothelium is feasible and can be monitored in real time by using MR imaging in a quantitative, dynamic manner.

Human glial-restricted progenitors survive, proliferate, and preserve electrophysiological function in rats with focal inflammatory spinal cord demyelination.

Transplantation of glial progenitor cells results in transplant-derived myelination and improved function in rodents with genetic dysmyelination or chemical demyelination. However, glial cell transplantation in adult CNS inflammatory demyelinating models has not been well studied. Here we transplanted human glial-restricted progenitor (hGRP) cells into the spinal cord of adult rats with inflammatory demyelination, and monitored cell fate in chemically immunosuppressed animals. We found that hGRPs migrate extensively, expand within inflammatory spinal cord lesions, do not form tumors, and adopt a mature glial phenotype, albeit at a low rate. Human GRP-transplanted rats, but not controls, exhibited preserved electrophysiological conduction across the spinal cord, though no differences in behavioral improvement were noted between the two groups. Although these hGRPs myelinated extensively after implantation into neonatal shiverer mouse brain, only marginal remyelination was observed in the inflammatory spinal cord demyelination model. The low rate of transplant-derived myelination in adult rat spinal cord may reflect host age, species, transplant environment/location, and/or immune suppression regime differences. We conclude that hGRPs have the capacity to myelinate dysmyelinated neonatal rodent brain and preserve conduction in the inflammatory demyelinated adult rodent spinal cord. The latter benefit is likely dependent on trophic support and suggests further exploration of potential of glial progenitors in animal models of chronic inflammatory demyelination.

Neural precursors exhibit distinctly different patterns of cell migration upon transplantation during either the acute or chronic phase of EAE: a serial MR imaging study.

As the complex pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis contributes to spatiotemporal variations in the trophic micromilieu of the central nervous system, the optimal intervention period for cell-replacement therapy must be systematically defined. We applied serial, 3D high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to transplanted neural precursor cells (NPCs) labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine, and compared the migration pattern of NPCs in acute inflamed (n = 10) versus chronic demyelinated (n = 9) brains of mice induced with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Serial in vivo and ex-vivo 3D magnetic resonance imaging revealed that NPCs migrated 2.5 ± 1.3 mm along the corpus callosum in acute EAE. In chronic EAE, cell migration was slightly reduced (2.3 ± 1.3 mm) and only occurred in the lateral side of transplantation. Surprisingly, in 6/10 acute EAE brains, NPCs were found to migrate in a radial pattern along RECA-1(+) cortical blood vessels, in a pattern hitherto only reported for migrating glioblastoma cells. This striking radial biodistribution pattern was not detected in either chronic EAE or disease-free control brains. In both acute and chronic EAE brain, Iba1(+) microglia/macrophage number was significantly higher in central nervous system regions containing migrating NPCs. The existence of differential NPC migration patterns is an important consideration for implementing future translational studies in multiple sclerosis patients with variable disease.

Immunohistochemical study of netrin-1 in the spinal cord with rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

To investigate whether netrin-1 is involved in autoimmune injury of the central nervous system, the expression of netrin-1 protein was analyzed in the spinal cord of Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Western blot analysis revealed significantly increased content of netrin-1 in the spinal cords of rats at the peak stage of EAE, as compared with the levels in normal control animals (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry detected the netrin-1 protein in neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and vascular endothelial cells in the spinal cords of normal controls. In EAE-affected spinal cords, netrin-1 immunoreactivity was detected in infiltrating inflammatory cells at the peak stage as well as in neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. These results suggest that netrin-1 is transiently increased in rat EAE lesions, where it contributes to the modulation of rat acute EAE.

Antiobesity effects of kimchi added with Jeju citrus concentrate on high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Citrus fruits contain an abundance of nutrients, including vitamins C and B6 and hesperidin, which attribute to its beneficial health effects. Previously, kimchi with Jeju citrus concentrate (CK) elicited anti-obesity effects in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Here, we aimed to investigate whether CK exhibits anti-obesity effects by reducing serum and hepatic lipid concentrations and anti-obesity-associated gene expression in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57BL/6N mice. Low-dose CK (LDCK, 50 mg/kg) and high-dose CK (HDCK, 200 mg/kg) were orally administered 3 times per week over 8 weeks with HFD diet. Body weight gain, food efficiency ratio, and tissue weight were measured. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, leptin, and adiponectin concentrations were also assessed. The effect of CK on the lipid profile and lipid accumulation was analyzed. Body and white adipose tissue masses were significantly lower in the LDCK and HDCK groups than in the HFD group. Orally administered CK significantly decreased serum lipid, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels. Hepatic lipid content also decreased in the LDCK and HDCK groups. Serum leptin concentrations decreased, whereas serum adiponectin concentrations increased, confirming the anti-obesity effects of LDCK and HDCK. The decrease of hepatic vacuoles and stained lipid droplets indicated inhibition of lipid accumulation. These results support the hypothesis that CK exhibits anti-obesity effects in vivo by reducing lipid accumulation and by regulating anti-obesity-related genes.

Amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats treated with fucoidan.

We examined whether fucoidan affected the clinical symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats. EAE was induced in Lewis rats that were immunized with guinea-pig myelin basic protein (MBP) and complete Freund's adjuvant. Fucoidan (50 mg/kg, daily) was administered to rats with EAE intraperitoneally, either in the EAE induction phase from either 1 day before immunization to day 7 post-immunization (PI), or the effector phase from day 8 to 14 PI, to test which phase of rat EAE is affected by fucoidan treatment.The onset, severity and duration of EAE paralysis in the fucoidan-treated group in the days 8-14 PI-treated rats, but not in days -1-7 PI-treated rats, were significantly delayed, suppressed and reduced, respectively, compared with the vehicle-treated controls. Treatment with fucoidan reduced the encephalitogenic response and TNF-alpha production during EAE. Moreover, the clinical amelioration coincided with decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells in the EAE-affected spinal cord. The ameliorative effect of fucoidan on clinical paralysis in EAE-affected rats may be mediated, in part, by the suppression of the autoreactive T cell response and inflammatory cytokine production.

A Hybrid Dental Model Concept Utilizing Fused Deposition Modeling and Digital Light Processing 3D Printing.

Currently, 3D printers, especially digital light processing (DLP) printers, are widely used in clinical dentistry. However, due to the shrinkage property of resin, their accuracy is not optimal for full-arch dental model printing. To overcome these limitations, fused deposition modeling (FDM) with filament that undergoes minimum shrinkage was introduced. Accordingly, a combination of FDM printing with the specific tooth die output of DLP printing for the full-arch dental model is proposed in the present report.

Denture flask fabrication using fused deposition modeling three-dimensional printing.

PURPOSE: This paper describes a method for making a customized denture flask using fused deposition modeling (FDM) by three-dimensional (3D) printing. We have proposed a new digital dental prosthesis using conventional dental base materials and artificial teeth. METHODS: Using the universal development system software, a denture-designed Standard Tessellation Language (STL) file and a denture flask STL file were superimposed, and the denture region was set as an empty space. After setting the offset value to 200µm between the denture base and teeth for artificial tooth positioning, the flask was created by FDM 3D printing. Conventional artificial teeth were inserted into the 3D-printed flask, and resin packing, finishing, and polishing were performed using the conventional method for fabricating the complete denture. CONCLUSIONS: The 3D printing materials used to make digital dental prostheses have not yet been fully validated. Therefore, the production of a 3D-printed denture flask, which can use conventional complete denture materials, presents a new alternative to the digital fabrication of dentures.

Immunohistochemical analysis of cAMP response element-binding protein in mouse testis during postnatal development and spermatogenesis.

Basal activity and cellular localization of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was examined in mouse testis during postnatal development and spermatogenesis. Testes of ICR mice sampled on postnatal day (PND) 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 were analyzed using Western blotting. Basal CREB activity was significantly higher in early phase (PND 3-7) developing testes than in intermediate- and late-phase developing (PND 14-42) and adult testes (PND 49). Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the change of CREB phosphorylation in various testicular cell types during postnatal development. In particular, CREB phosphorylation in seminiferous tubules of the adult testis varied according to the spermatogenic cycle, while phosphorylation was evident in spermatogonia during all stages. Phosphorylation was moderate in pachytene spermatocytes of stages I-III and intense in round and elongate spermatids of spermiogenesis in stages XII-IX. These results suggest that CREB plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation in the early phase of postnatal development and spermatogenesis of mouse testis.

Immunohistochemical study of flotillin-1 in the rat testis during postnatal development.

The level and cellular localization of fotillin-1, a lipid raft protein, was examined in the testis of rats during postnatal development and spermatogenesis in order to determine if flotillin-1 is involved in testicular development. The testes of rats were sampled on postnatal days 7, 14, 21, 40, and 60, and analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis detected flotillin-1 in the testes at days 7 and 14 after birth but the level decreased significantly at postnatal days 21, 40 and 60. At postnatal days 7, 14, 21, and 40, flotillin-1 immunolocalization was observed mainly in the Sertoli cells. However, there was little flotillin-1 immunolabeling in the spermatogenic cells from the seminiferous tubule of the testes. In the seminiferous tubule of the testes at postnatal day 60, flotillin-1 immunoreactivity in the Sertoli cells varied according to the stages of the spermatogenic cycle; intense immunoreactivity being observed in stages IX-III and less in stages IV-VIII. These results suggest that flotillin-1 participates in the developmental process of Sertoli cells and is involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis.

Transient expression of phospholipase D1 during heart development in rats.

The expression of phospholipase D (PLD) isozymes was examined in the hearts of rats at different stages of development. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis revealed weak PLD1 expression in the hearts of day 17 embryos. The level of PLD1 protein increased transiently 0 and 3 days postpartum, and declined gradually beginning 7 days after birth. Immunohistochemistry revealed weak PLD1 immunostaining in some cells at embryonic day 17. In contrast, some vascular endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes were immunostained typically at days 0, 3, and 7 after birth. After postnatal day 21, weak PLD1 expression was immunodetected in some vascular endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes. This suggests that the PLD1 protein in the heart is strongly associated with the early postnatal development of the heart in rats.