<ORIGINAL ARTICLE>The effects of sagittal ramus osteotomy for mandibular prognathism on maximum mouth opening and condylar movement

Maximum mouth opening and condylar movement before and more than 6 months after surgery were analyzed in 23 cases of sagittal ramus osteotomy of the mandible for correction of mandibular prognathism. Condylar movement (translation and rotation) did not show postoperatively a significant difference pre-and postoperatively, and then was a tendency to a reduction of maximum mouth opening was found

Research Activities in the Department of Physical Therapy

[Introduction] It is already fifty years since the Japanese law of physical therapists and occupational therapists has been effective. The physical therapist is referred by the law as "the professionals who implements the physical therapy to persons with disabilities under the prescription of medical doctors". In fifty years, however, the target of physical therapy has been significantly expanded. The subject for physical therapy now includes the patients in acute disease just after the surgical operation in addition to those in rehabilitation stage. In other words, the physical therapy is now recognized as the indispensable intervention to the subject with acute as well as chronic disorders. On the other hand, due to a rapid transition of the society into the aged society, prevention of diseases, and decline of activity capacity due to the aging have become major issues for the physical therapy

Suppression of lipin-1 expression increases monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.10.060Lipin-1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and cell differentiation in adipocytes. Expression of adipose lipin-1 is reduced in obesity, and metabolic syndrome. However, the significance of this reduction remains unclear. This study investigated if and how reduced lipin-1 expression affected metabolism. We assessed mRNA expression levels of various genes related to adipocyte metabolism in lipin-1-depleted 3T3-L1 adipocytes by introducing its specific small interfering RNA. In lipin-1-depleted adipocytes, mRNA and protein expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were significantly increased, although the other genes tested were not altered. The conditioned media from the cells promoted monocyte chemotaxis. The increase in MCP-1 expression was prevented by treatment with quinazoline or salicylate, inhibitors of nuclear factor-κB activation. Because MCP-1 is related to adipose inflammation and systemic insulin resistance, these results suggest that a reduction in adipose lipin-1 in obesity may exacerbate adipose inflammation and metabolism