Oral squamous cell carcinoma: status of tight junction claudins in the different histopathological patterns and relationship with clinical parameters. A tissue-microarray-based study of 136 cases

Aims Claudins are integral transmembrane proteins of the tight junctions, critical for maintaining cell adhesion and polarity. Alterations in the expression of individual claudins have been detected in carcinomas and appear to correlate with tumour progression. Methods In this study, a panel of anti-claudin antibodies (anti-claudins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7) was employed to map claudin expression in 136 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) organised in a tissue microarray. Results Claudins were expressed in a reticular pattern up to the prickle layer in normal mucosal epithelium. In OSCC, claudins were strongly present in well-differentiated tumours, they presented mild and low expression in moderately differentiated OSCC, and were negative in poorly differentiated OSCC; the absences of claudin 1 (p = 0.002) and claudin 4 (p<0.001) were associated with moderately/poorly differentiated tumours. Strong expression of claudin 4 was associated with decreased perineural infiltration (p = 0.024). Claudins 5 and 7 were mostly negative or weakly expressed in all cases studied. Expression of claudin 7 was associated with the early clinical stages of the disease, whereas loss of claudin 7 tended to be more frequent in advanced stages of OSCC (p = 0.054). Absence of claudin 7 was also associated with absent vascular infiltration (p = 0.045) and with presence of recurrence (p = 0.052). Conclusions Claudin expression patterns showed a strong correlation with histological type of OSCC; claudin expression was decreased in areas of invasion, and negative in poorly differentiated tumours. This pattern may be related to evolution and prognosis of these tumours, especially in the case of claudin 7, which seems to be associated with a poor prognosis in OSCC.

Differential patterns of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand/osteoprotegerin expression in human periapical granulomas: Possible association with progressive or stable nature of the lesions

Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are expressed in apical periodontitis, suggesting a role for these molecules during lesion development. However, the profiles of RANKL/OPG expression in periapical lesions remain unknown. In this study we investigated the patterns of RANKL and OPG mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction in human periapical granulomas (N = 44) and compared them with sites presenting characteristic bone resorbing activity: healthy (n = 14) and orthodontically stretched and compressed periodontal ligament (n = 26), healthy gingiva (n = 24), chronic gingivitis (n = 32), and chronic periodontitis (n = 34) samples. Both RANKL and OPG mRNA expression was higher in periapical granulomas when compared with healthy periodontal ligament. Distinct patterns of RANKL and OPG expression ratio were found in the granulomas and in different physiologic and pathologic conditions, with characteristic bone resorption activity potentially being indicative of the stable or progressive nature of the lesions. Lesions with radiographic image smaller than 5 mm showed higher RANKL/OPG expression than images greater than 5 mm. Periapical granulomas presented heterogeneous patterns of RANKL and OPG expression, ranging from samples with RANKL/OPG ratio similar to that seen in sites with minimal or absent bone resorption to samples with RANKL/OPG expression pattern comparable with active bone resorption sites.

Network structures of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resins differ in DC, shrinkage-strain, hardness and optical properties as a function of reducing agent

Objectives. To evaluate the influence of different tertiary amines on degree of conversion (DC), shrinkage-strain, shrinkage-strain rate, Knoop microhardness, and color and transmittance stabilities of experimental resins containing BisGMA/TEGDMA (3: 1 wt), 0.25wt% camphorquinone, 1wt% amine (DMAEMA, CEMA, DMPT, DEPT or DABE). Different light-curing protocols were also evaluated. Methods. DC was evaluated with FTIR-ATR and shrinkage-strain with the bonded-disk method. Shrinkage-strain-rate data were obtained from numerical differentiation of shrinkage-strain data with respect to time. Color stability and transmittance were evaluated after different periods of artificial aging, according to ISO 7491: 2000. Results were evaluated with ANOVA, Tukey, and Dunnett`s T3 tests (alpha = 0.05). Results. Studied properties were influenced by amines. DC and shrinkage-strain were maximum at the sequence: CQ < DEPT < DMPT <= CEMA approximate to DABE < DMAEMA. Both DC and shrinkage were also influenced by the curing protocol, with positive correlations between DC and shrinkage-strain and DC and shrinkage-strain rate. Materials generally decreased in L* and increased in b*. The strong exception was the resin containing DMAEMA that did not show dark and yellow shifts. Color varied in the sequence: DMAEMA < DEPT < DMPT < CEMA < DABE. Transmittance varied in the sequence: DEPT approximate to DABE < DABE approximate to DMPT approximate to CEMA < DMPT approximate to CEMA approximate to DMAEMA, being more evident at the wavelength of 400 nm. No correlations between DC and optical properties were observed. Significance. The resin containing DMAEMA showed higher DC, shrinkage-strain, shrinkage-strain rate, and microhardness, in addition to better optical properties. (C) 2011 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tooth-wear patterns in adolescents with normal occlusion and Class II Division 2 malocclusion

Introduction: In this study, we investigated tooth-wear patterns in adolescents with either normal occlusion or Class II Division 2 malocclusion. Methods: The sample consisted of dental casts from 165 subjects that were divided into 2 groups: 115 normal occlusion subjects (mean age, 14.3 years) and 50 complete Class II Division 2 subjects (mean age, 13.9 years). Dental wear was assessed by using a modified version of the tooth wear index. The 2 groups were compared with the Mann-Whitney test for the frequency and severity of wear on each surface of each group of teeth. The level of statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: The normal occlusion group statistically had greater tooth wear on the incisal surfaces of the maxillary lateral incisors and the incisal surfaces of the maxillary canines than did the Class II Division 2 malocclusion group. The malocclusion group showed statistically greater tooth wear on the labial surfaces of the mandibular lateral incisors, the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary premolars and first molars, the occlusal surfaces of the mandibular premolars, the palatal surfaces of the maxillary second premolars, and the buccal surfaces of the mandibular premolars and first molars than did the normal occlusion group. Conclusions: Subjects with normal occlusion and those with complete Class II Division 2 malocclusions have different tooth-wear patterns. Tooth wear on the malocclusion subjects should not be considered pathologic but, rather, the consequence of different interocclusal arrangements. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2010;137:730.e1-730.e5)

Tooth-wear patterns in subjects with Class II Division 1 malocclusion and normal occlusion

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tooth wear in adolescents with Class II malocclusion, compared with those with normal occlusion. Methods: The sample consisted of dental casts obtained from 310 subjects, divided into 3 groups: group 1, 110 subjects with normal occlusion (mean age, 13.51 years); group 2, 100 complete Class II Division 1 patients (mean age, 13.44 years); and group 3, 100 half-cusp Class II Division 1 patients (mean age, 13.17 years). Dental wear was assessed by using a modified version of the tooth-wear index. The 3 groups were compared by means of the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests, considering the frequency and the severity of wear on each surface of each group of teeth. The level of statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: The normal occlusion group had statistically greater tooth wear on the palatal surfaces of the maxillary central incisors and the incisal surfaces of the maxillary canines than the corresponding surfaces in both Class II malocclusion groups. The complete and half-cusp Class II Division 1 malocclusion groups had statistically greater tooth wear on the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary second premolar and first molar, the occlusal surfaces of the mandibular premolars, and the buccal surfaces of the mandibular posterior teeth compared with the normal occlusion group. The half-cusp Class II Division 1 malocclusion group had significantly greater tooth wear on the incisal surfaces of the mandibular incisors compared with the complete Class II Division 1 malocclusion group. Conclusions: Subjects with normal occlusion and complete or half-cusp Class II Division 1 malocclusions have different tooth-wear patterns. Tooth wear on the malocclusion subjects should not be considered pathologic but rather consequent to the different interocclusal tooth arrangement. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2010; 137: 14. e1-14.e7)

Effect of cantilever length and framework alloy on the stress distribution of mandibular-cantilevered implant-supported prostheses

The purpose of this in vitro study was to analyze the stress distribution on components of a mandibular-cantilevered implant-supported prosthesis with frameworks cast in cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) or palladium-silver (Pd-Ag) alloys, according to the cantilever length. Frameworks were fabricated on (Co-Cr) and (Pd-Ag) alloys and screwed into standard abutments positioned on a master-cast containing five implant replicas. Two linear strain gauges were fixed on the mesial and distal aspects of each abutment to capture deformation. A vertical static load of 100 N was applied to the cantilever arm at the distances of 10, 15, and 20 mm from the center of the distal abutment and the absolute values of specific deformation were recorded. Different patterns of abutment deformation were observed according to the framework alloy. The Co-Cr alloy framework resulted in higher levels of abutment deformation than the silver-palladium alloy framework. Abutment deformation was higher with longer cantilever extensions. Physical properties of the alloys used for framework interfere with abutment deformations patterns. Excessively long cantilever extensions must be avoided. To cite this article:Jacques LB, Moura MS, Suedam V, Souza EAC, Rubo JH. Effect of cantilever length and framework alloy on the stress distribution of mandibular-cantilevered implant-supported prostheses.Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 20, 2009; 737-741.doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2009.01712.x.

The strain-driven pyrochlore to "defect fluorite" phase transition in rare earth sesquioxide stabilized cubic zirconias

The relationship between the ordering characteristic of the pyrochlore structure type and that characteristic of the defect fluorite structure type (immediately on either side of two phase regions separating the two structure types) in a range of rare eath sesquioxide stabilized cubic zirconias is investigated via electron diffraction and imaging. Systematic structural change as a function of composition and relative size of the constituent metal ions is highlighted and a multi-q to single-q = 1/2 [111]* model proposed for the observed pyrochlore to defect fluorite phase transition. Strain introduced into the close-packed {111} metal ion planes of the defect fluorite average structure by the local cation and oxygen vacancy distribution is pointed to as the likely origin of the observed behavior. (C) 2001 Academic Press

The Effect of Coating Patterns with Spinel-Based Investment on the Castability and Porosity of Titanium Cast into Three Phosphate-Bonded Investments

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of pattern coating with spinel-based investment Rematitan Ultra (RU) on the castability and internal porosity of commercially pure (CP) titanium invested into phosphate-bonded investments. The apparent porosity of the investment was also measured. Materials and Methods: Square patterns (15 x 15 x 0.3 mm(3)) were either coated with RU, or not and invested into the phosphate-bonded investments: Rematitan Plus (RP), Rema Exakt (RE), Castorit Super C (CA), and RU (control group). The castings were made in an Ar-arc vacuum-pressure machine. The castability area (mm(2)) was measured by an image-analysis system (n = 10). For internal porosity, the casting (12 x 12 x 2 mm(3)) was studied by the X-ray method, and the projected porous area percentage was measured by an image-analysis system (n = 10). The apparent porosity of the investment (n = 10) was measured in accordance with the ASTM C373-88 standard. Results: Analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) of castability was significant, and the Tukey test indicated that RU had the highest mean but the investing technique with coating increased the castability for all phosphate-bonded investments. The analysis of the internal porosity of the cast by the nonparametric test demonstrated that the RP, RE, and CA with coating and RP without coating did not differ from the control group (RU), while the CA and RE casts without coating were more porous. The one-way ANOVA of apparent porosity of the investment was significant, and the Tukey test showed that the means of RU (36.10%) and CA (37.22%) were higher than those of RP (25.91%) and RE (26.02%). Conclusion: Pattern coating with spinel-based material prior to phosphate-bonded investments can influence the castability and the internal porosity of CP Ti.

Diversity and commonality in national identities: an exploratory analysis of cross-national patterns

Issues of boundary maintenance are implicit in all studies of national identity. By definition, national communities consist of those who are included but surrounded (literally or metaphorically) by those who are excluded. Most extant research on national identity explores criteria for national membership largely in terms of official or public definitions described, for example, in citizenship and immigration laws or in texts of popular culture. We know much less about how ordinary people in various nations reason about these issues. An analysis of cross-national (N = 23) survey data from the 1995 International Social Science Program reveals a core pattern in most of the countries studied. Respondents were asked how important various criteria were in being 'truly' a member of a particular nation. Exploratory factor analysis shows that these items cluster in terms of two underlying dimensions. Ascriptive/objectivist criteria relating to birth, religion and residence can be distinguished from civic/voluntarist criteria relating to subjective feelings of membership and belief in core institutions. In most nations the ascriptive/objectivist dimension of national identity was more prominent than the subjective civic/voluntarist dimension. Taken overall, these findings suggest an unanticipated homogeneity in the ways that citizens around the world think about national identity. To the extent that these dimensions also mirror the well-known distinction between ethnic and civic national identification, they suggest that the former remains robust despite globalization, mass migration and cultural pluralism. Throughout the world official definitions of national identification have tended to shift towards a civic model. Yet citizens remain remarkably traditional in outlook. A task for future research is to investigate the macrosociological forces that produce both commonality and difference in the core patterns we have identified.

Stressor categorization: acute physical and psychological stressors elicit distinctive recruitment patterns in the amygdala and in medullary noradrenergic cell groups

It has been hypothesized that the brain categorizes stressors and utilizes neural response pathways that vary in accordance with the assigned category. If this is true, stressors should elicit patterns of neuronal activation within the brain that are category-specific. Data from previous Immediate-early gene expression mapping studies have hinted that this is the case, but interstudy differences in methodology render conclusions tenuous. In the present study, immunolabelling for the expression of c-fos was used as a marker of neuronal activity elicited in the rat brain by haemorrhage, immune challenge, noise, restraint and forced swim. All stressors elicited c-fos expression in 25-30% of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus corticotrophin-releasing-factor cells, suggesting that these stimuli were of comparable strength, at least with regard to their ability to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-ad renal axis. In the amygdala, haemorrhage and immune challenge both elicited c-fos expression in a large number of neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala, whereas noise, restraint and forced swim primarily elicited recruitment of cells within the medial nucleus of the amygdala. In the medulla, all stressors recruited similar numbers of noradrenergic (A1 and A2) and adrenergic (C1 and C2) cells. However, haemorrhage and immune challenge elicited c-fos expression In subpopulations of A1 and A2 noradrenergic cells that were significantly more rostral than those recruited by noise, restraint or forced swim. The present data support the suggestion that the brain recognizes at least two major categories of stressor, which we have referred to as 'physical' and 'psychological'. Moreover, the present data suggest that the neural activation footprint that is left in the brain by stressors can be used to determine the category to which they have been assigned by the brain.

Patterns of community integration 2-5 years post-discharge from brain injury rehabilitation

Outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by a high degree of variability which has often been difficult to capture in traditional outcome studies. The purpose of this study was to describe patterns of community integration 2-5 years after TBI. Participants were 208 patients admitted to a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit between 1991-1995 in Brisbane, Australia. The design comprised retrospective data collection and questionnaire follow-up by mail. Mean follow-up was 3.5 years. Demographic, injury severity and functional status variables were retrieved from hospital records. Community integration was assessed using the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ), and vocational status measured by a self administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using cluster analysis which divided the data into meaningful subsets. Based on the CIQ subscale scores of home, social and productive integration, a three cluster solution was selected, with groups labelled as working (n = 78), balanced (n = 46) and poorly integrated (n = 84). Although 38% of the sample returned to a high level of productive activity and 22% achieved a balanced lifestyle, overall community integration was poor for the remainder. This poorly integrated group had more severe injury characterized by longer periods of acute care and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) and greater functional disability on discharge. These findings have implications for service delivery prior to and during the process of reintegration after brain injury.

Japanese encephalitis on Badu Island, Australia: the first isolation of Japanese encephalitis virus from Culex gelidus in the Australasian region and the role of mosquito host-feeding patterns in virus transmission cycles

During investigation of an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the Torres Strait, Australia, in 2000, mosquitoes were collected in Badu Island community and at a newly established communal piggery about 3 km from the community. A total of 94285 mosquitoes, comprising 91240 (96.8%) unengorged females, 1630 (1.7%) blood-engorged females and 1415 (1.5%) males, were processed for virus isolation. One isolate of JE virus was obtained from Culex gelidus, with a minimum infection rate of 12.4:1000. This is the first isolate of JE virus from Cx. gelidus in the Australasian region. No isolates were obtained from Cx. annulirostris, the primary implicated Australian JE vector. Analysis of mosquito host-feeding patterns, using gel diffusion, demonstrated that Cx. annulirostris and 5 other species fed predominately on mammals, Analysis of blood-fed mosquitoes collected within the community demonstrated that the proportion of Cx. annulirostris feeding on pigs in 2000 (2.3%) was significantly lower than that for the 1995-97 period (31.3%). The removal of the pigs from Badu Island community has limited the contact between potential amplifying hosts and mosquitoes, thus potentially reducing the risk of transmission of JE virus to the human population.

Attachment style and coping resources as predictors of coping strategies in the transition to parenthood

The relations among adult attachment style, coping resources, appraised strain, and coping strategies were examined in a prospective study of married couples having their first child (N = 92). Attachment and coping resources were measured during the second trimester of pregnancy, and parenting strain and coping strategies were assessed when the babies were about 6 weeks old. Results supported a theoretical model proposing that attachment is predictive of coping resources and appraised strain, and that attachment, resources, and strain are predictive of coping strategies. Results also highlighted the complexity of associations among attachment, stress, and coping: Gender differences in mean scores and predictive associations were obtained, and some interactions were found between resources and strain in predicting coping strategies. The findings support the utility of integrating theories of attachment and coping in explaining couples' adjustment to important developmental transitions.

General strain theory, situational anger, and social networks: An assessment of conditioning influences

Using a random sample of university students to test general strain theory (GST), this study expanded on previous tests of strain theory in two ways. First, situational anger was measured, a construct that had not been used thus far in assessments of general strain. In addition, this research examined the role of social support networks as a conditioning influence on the effects of strain and anger on intentions to commit three types of criminal behavior (serious assault, shoplifting, and driving under the influence of alcohol [DUI]). The results provided mixed support for GST. While the link between anger and crime was confirmed, the nature of that relationship in some cases ran counter to the theory. Moreover, the evidence indicated that the role of social support networks was complex, and varied as a conditioning influence on intentions to engage in criminal activities. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dendritic branching patterns of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex of the new world marmoset monkey, with comparative notes on the old world macaque monkey

The basal dendritic arbors of 442 supragranular pyramidal cells in visual cortex of the marmoset monkey were compared by fractal analyses. As detailed in a previous study,(1) individual cells were injected with Lucifer Yellow and processed for a DAB reaction product. The basal dendritic arbors were drawn, in the tangential plane, and the fractal dimension (D) determined by the dilation method. The fractal dimensions were compared between cells in ten cortical areas containing cells involved in visual processing, including the primary visual area (Vi), the second visual area (V2), the dorsoanterior area (DA), the dorsomedial area (DM), the dorsolateral. area (DL), the middle temporal area (MT), the posterior parietal area (PP), the fundus of the superior temporal area (FST) and the caudal and rostral subdivisions of inferotemporal cortex (ITc and ITr, respectively). Of 45 pairwise interareal comparisons of the fractal dimension of neurones, 20 were significantly different. Moreover, comparison of data according to previously published visual processing pathways revealed a trend for cells with greater fractal dimensions in higher cortical areas. Comparison of the present results with those in homologous cortical areas in the macaque monkey(2) revealed some similarities between the two species. The similarity in the trends of D values of cells in both species may reflect developmental features which, result in different functional attributes.