Distribution and roles of substance P in human parotid duct

Sialadenitis occurs with greatest frequency in the parotid glands because infection and inflammation arise easily from the oral cavity. Since patients often experience severe swelling and pain during inflammation, the distribution of sensory nerves in these ducts may have clinical significance. We used antibodies to the known neuropeptide substance P and to tyrosine hydroxylase - a marker of adrenergic fibres - to observe their distribution and gain insight on their functional role in adult human parotid duct. After excising the parotid duct along with the gland, specimens were divided into three regions: the tract adjacent to the parotid gland, the route along the anterior surface of the masseter, and the area where the duct penetrates the buccinator muscle and opens into the oral cavity. Specimens were prepared and examined under a fluorescence microscope following immunostaining. Substance P positivity was observed in all three regions of the duct, whereas tyrosine hydroxylase was distributed mainly in the vascular walls and surrounding areas. The distribution of substance P candidates this molecule to assist in tissue defense in conjunction with the blood and lymph vessels of this area. Tyrosine hydroxylase in the blood vessel wall likely contributes to regulation of blood flow in concert with substance P positive nerves surrounding the blood vessels

Study of human adult parotid duct in the area of penetration through buccinator muscle and their functional relationship as a sphincter

The adult human parotid duct is roughly 6-8 cm long. From the parotid gland, parotid duct traverses through masseter muscle, penetrates through buccinator muscle, and opens into the oral cavity. This unique form of the parotid duct is likely correlated with the function of the duct, directly affected by the movement of the buccinator muscle during mastication and swallowing. Histological structure of the duct is known to be different in each region, and details of smooth muscle present in the parotid duct are mostly unclear. In this study, we conducted SEM and histological observations of the area where the parotid duct penetrates the buccinator muscle, and an observation of smooth muscle to investigate its existence using α-smooth muscle antibody. We confirmed the presence of an abundance of skeletal muscle bundles likely originating from the buccinator muscle under the epithelium of the parotid duct wall in the region where it penetrates the buccinator muscle. We also observed that some of the muscle fibers were completely attached to the epithelium. We observed a lack of smooth muscle in this region of the duct wall. From these results, we suggest that the area of the duct penetrating buccinator muscle plays a role in regulating the salivary passage through the contraction of the surrounding buccinator muscle fibers

Morphological study of the parotid duct in human fetuses with special emphasis on the relationship between the buccinator muscle and the parotid duct

Parotid glands secrete about 25% of all saliva produced in the salivary glands. In the presence of a stimulus, the amount of saliva secreted from the parotid gland increases to 50% (1). In human adults, the parotid duct, approximately 6-8 cm long, traverses the masseter muscle and penetrates through the buccinator muscle into the oral cavity. Although various studies have been conducted on the parotid gland, there are only few suggesting the functional roles of the parotid duct, especially of the area penetrating the buccinator muscle. In the present study, we observed parotid ducts of human fetuses to morphologically analyze the function of the buccinator muscles in the flux of parotid saliva. Thirty fetal specimens ranging from five to ten months of age were dissected for anatomical and histological examinations. The area of the parotid duct penetrating the buccinator muscle was fully formed in six-month-old fetuses. Furthermore, this study confirms the existence of thin buccinator muscle fibers underneath the epithelium of the parotid duct’s distal portion. Results suggest that the buccinator muscle may play a major role in preventing the reflux of salivary secretions by assisting the contraction of the parotid duct

Study of human Wharton’s duct structure and its relationship with salivary flow

Of all major salivary glands, the human submandibular gland secretes the largest amount of saliva. Along with the sublingual duct, the main duct (Wharton’s duct) is known to open into the sublingual caruncula; however, reports regarding this common opening structure are scarce and details unclear. The structure of Wharton’s duct opening is quite different from that of parotid duct (Stensen’s duct) opening in its overall size and diameter despite what is commonly noted in text books. About 85% of sialolith occurrences in humans is in the submandibular gland and duct, which causes local pain during swallowing in most cases. The details of Wharton’s duct’s inner structure is relatively unknown, and further investigation is necessary to understand its special characteristics and clinical applications. In this study, we observed the inner structure of the ducts’ common opening area by scanning electron microscopy and confirmed a large number of blood vessels present in the connective tissue layer just under the epithelium. In addition, we confirmed the presence of smooth muscle in the same area using smooth muscle actin antibody. These structural findings suggest that Wharton’s duct itself is likely responsible for the regulation of salivary flow

Education level and physical functional limitations among Japanese community residents-gender difference in prognosis from stroke

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little research has been conducted to examine the relationship between education level and functional limitations among Japanese community residents. We sought to examine the association between education level and physical functional limitations among Japanese men and women, and whether that association was modified by gender and history of stroke.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined prevalence of physical functional limitation by educational level using the data from a total of 29,134 Japanese men and women aged 50–69 years living in communities in 2000. The information of educational level (junior high school graduates, senior high school graduates, college and/or higher education) and physical functional limitations (no need for assistance, need for assistance when going outdoors, and need for assistance to carry out indoor activities) were obtained by self-administrated questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportions of the subjects reported their highest level of schooling were 48% for junior high school, 39% for high school, and 13% for college. Three hundred and twenty eight subjects (1% of total subjects) reported having some physical functional limitations. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that the odds ratio of needing assistance to carry out indoor activities were 4.84(95%CI:3.61,6.50) for lowest education level group and 2.21(95%CI:1.00,4.86) for middle education level group compared to highest education level group. The corresponding odds ratios of needing assistance when going outdoors were 2.36(95%CI: 2.03,2.72) and 1.08(95%CI:0.73,1.60), respectively. Further, the significant excess prevalence of having functional limitations associated with the low education level was identified for men regardless of history of stroke and for women without history of stroke.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Low education level was associated with the higher prevalence of physical functional limitations for both genders. That association among persons with history of stroke was observed for men but not for women probably due to gender differences in stroke subtypes and social support.</p

Drug retention rates and relevant risk factors for drug discontinuation due to adverse events in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving anticytokine therapy with different target molecules

Objective: To compare reasons for discontinuation and drug retention rates per reason among anticytokine therapies, infliximab, etanercept and tocilizumab, and the risk of discontinuation of biological agents due to adverse events (AE) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: This prospective cohort study included Japanese RA patients who started infliximab (n=412, 636.0 patientyears (PY)), etanercept (n=442, 765.3 PY), or tocilizumab (n=168, 206.5 PY) as the first biological therapy after their enrolment in the Registry of Japanese Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients for Long-term Safety (REAL) database. Drug retention rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. To compare risks of drug discontinuation due to AE for patients treated with these biological agents, the Cox proportional hazard model was applied. Results: The authors found significant differences among the three therapeutic groups in demography, clinical status, comorbidities and usage of concomitant drugs. Development of AE was the most frequent reason for discontinuation of biological agents in the etanercept and tocilizumab groups, and the second most frequent reason in the infliximab group. Discontinuation due to good control was observed most frequently in the infliximab group. Compared with etanercept, the use of infliximab (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.51) and tocilizumab (HR 1.98; 95% CI 1.04 to 3.76) was significantly associated with a higher risk of discontinuation of biological agents due to AE. Conclusions: Reasons for discontinuation are significantly different among biological agents. The use of infliximab and tocilizumab was significantly associated with treatment discontinuation due to AE compared with etanercept

The formation of PTA : from mothers education to co-operation of parents and teachers

The purpose of this paper is to consider the formation of PTA. The direct ancestor of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers is the National Congress of Mothers. The National Congress of Mothers was organized by two women of Alice M. Birney and Phoebe A. Hearst in 1897. The president, Mrs. Birney declared the object of the Congress is to educate mothers at first convention. 11 years later, the Congress changed its name to the National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations. And more 17 years later, the Congress changed its name to National Congress of Parents and Teachers again. The question now arises : Why did the Congress need to change its name? This question drives us to examine of the parent-teacher relationship, and to relate its relationship to educating mother

The Design of Community Education for Multicultural Society Building

Recently, multicultural society building has been regarded as an important and urgent problem in Japan. Nevertheless only few attempts have so far been made at developing reliable theories of it. So our concern is to consider what and how community education ought to do for multicultural society building. In the case of examining it, we have gotten a lot of inspirations and suggestions from Prochaska's "Stages of change model" and Berry's "Acculturation and cultural contact" theory. The findings are as follows. From the viewpoint of multicultural society building, it is indispensable to construct the partnership between Japanese residents and foreigner residents. For that purpose, both residents must get acquainted with different cultures mutually. It is also important for the both to recognize with each other as the same community members. And then they shall be prepared to charge themselves with participation in decision making and problem solving in community cooperatively. Considering community education, the educational program should be consisted of three parts. The principal object of the first part is cognitive learning about different cultures. The second part aims at consciousness raising and transformation. And the last phase will bring the modification in behavior as members of the community