Protein S100-A7 derived from digested dentin is a critical molecule for dentin pulp regeneration

Dentin consists of inorganic hard tissue and organic dentin matrix components (DMCs). Various kinds of bioactive molecules are included in DMCs and some of them can be released after digestion by endogenous matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the caries region. Digested DMCs induced by MMP20 have been reported to promote pulpal wound healing processes, but the released critical molecules responsible for this phenomenon are unclear. Here, we identified protein S100-A7 as a critical molecule for pulpal healing in digested DMCs by comprehensive proteomic approaches and following pulp capping experiments in rat molars. In addition, immunohistochemical results indicated the specific distribution of S100-A7 and receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) as receptor for S100-A7 in the early stage of the pulpal healing process, and following accumulation of CD146-positive stem cells in wounded pulp. Our findings indicate that protein S100-A7 released from dentin by MMP20 might play a key role in dentin pulp regeneration

Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

We measured antiphospholipid antibodies in sera from 94 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). We found lgG aCL in 14/94 (14.9 % )lgM aCL in 6/94 (6.4 %) and LA in 4/56 (7.1 %) patients with MG. As a whole 21 of 94 (22.3 % ) patients with MG had some aPL. There was no correlation between the presence of aPL and the severity of MGthe presence of hyperplasia of thymustiter of the antiacetylcholine receptor antibodies or anti-single stranded DNA antibodies. Though the percentage of malignant thymoma with aPL were higher than that of malignant thymoma without aPLwe thought that aPL were not the specific antibody in malignant thymoma. In MGaPL did not play as the aCL syndrome and seemed to be non-specific antibodies

Speech recognition interface system for digital TV control

In this paper, we describe a speech recognition interface system for digital TV (DTV) control. TV systems are currently undergoing digitalization and will become more multifunctional, leading to more complex TV operations. Thus, it is necessary for everyone to be able to use TVs easily, and a speech recognition interface is an important key technology. A speech recognition system, which is designed for home use, particularly for digital TV, must be simple and robust to environmental noises and speaker variations. To provide robustness to noise, we developed a noise reduction technique for house noise and an echo-canceling technique for TV sound. To achieve robustness to speaker variations, we developed new speaker adaptation techniques which are incorporated in the system. These of technologies results in a significant improvement in the recognition performance of the DTV

Time course and spacial distribution of UV effects on human skin in organ culture

Apoptosis plays an important role in eliminating cells from populations when cells have been exposed to UV irradiation and damaged. Studies of cells in culture have provided some details of the mechanisms involved when stress response genes act after exposure to UV irradiation and other environmental stresses. However, little is known about the responses of intact sections of human skin growing in organ culture to UV irradiation. In the work reported here, it was found that the response of organ-cultured human skin after exposure to UV irradiation is different than the response of cultured cells. At wavelengths below 300 nm, the action spectrum obtained from organ-cultured skin samples showed a lower sensitivity than that observed at 300 nm, indicating that the overlying stratum corneum and upper epidermal cell layers had probably caused a selective absorption of incident UV radiation at some wavelengths. At 3 hours after UV irradiation, p53 was phosphorylated at Ser15 and Ser46, and accumulated in the cell nuclei, notably after exposure to 280-320 nm wavelengths. Accumulations of Bax, active Caspase-3 and cleaved PARP were detected in apoptotic cells at 24 hours post-exposure, along with a reduction of Bcl-2 levels, notably after exposure to 300-365 nm light. This difference in apoptotic responses may result from the characteristics of the different irradiation wavelengths used, and from details in the skin\u27s structure. The data obtained in this study using an organ-culture system utilized direct measurements of the biological effects of different wavelengths of UV lights

Effect of Eating Glutinous Brown Rice Twice a Day for 6 Weeks on Serum 1,5-Anhydroglucitol in Japanese Subjects without Diabetes

We have previously demonstrated that eating glutinous brown rice (GBR) for 1 day or 8 weeks was well accepted and improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. The present study evaluated whether eating GBR could also improve glucose metabolism in subjects without diabetes. A prospective 6-week, single-center, randomized, open-label, parallel-group study was carried out in subjects receiving annual medical checkup at our hospital. A total of 42 subjects were randomly assigned to continue their regular diet (RD group) or to switch GBR twice a day (GBR group). The primary outcome was the change in the serum concentration of 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) from baseline after the 6-week dietary intervention. One subject was excluded from the analysis because of a traffic accident. After 6 weeks, the serum 1,5-AG was significantly increased in the GBR group and the mean treatment difference (GBR group − RD group) was 1.1 µg/mL (95% CI: 0.6 to 1.6, p=0.022). Body mass index decreased significantly in both groups, with no significant difference between them (p=0.210). There were no changes in fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, or eating behavior. Intake of GBR for 6 weeks significantly increased serum 1,5-AG in Japanese subjects without diabetes. The increase of 1,5-AG may have been due to the alleviation of postprandial hyperglycemia, which could be effective for the primary prevention of diabetes

Phototactic responses of four marine dinoflagellates with different types of eyespot and chloroplast

Great structural variety is seen in the eyespot of dinoflagellates, a structure involved in phototaxis. Although there are several works on the phototactic responses in some species of dinoflagellates, none of the dinoflagellates used in these studies possessed an eyespot and, therefore, we have no knowledge of the relationship between eyespot type and phototactic response. In this study, we determined wavelength dependency curves for phototaxis in four marine dinoflagellates that possess a different type of either eyespot or chloroplast. These include: (i) a dinoflagellate possessing a peridinin-containing chloroplast with an eyespot (Scrippsiella hexapraecingula Horiguchi et Chihara); (ii) a dinoflagellate containing a diatom endosymbiont and with the type B eyespot sensu Dodge (1984; (Peridinium foliaceum (Stein) Biecheler); (iii) a dinoflagellate with peridinin-containing chloroplasts, but lacking an eyespot (Alexandrium hiranoi Kita et Fukuyo); and (iv) a dinoflagellate with fucoxanthin, 19\u27-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin and 19\u27-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, but lacking an eyespot (Gymnodinium mikimotoi Miyabe et Kominami ex Oda). Regardless of the eyespot or the chloroplast type, all four dinoflagellates showed similar wavelength dependency curves for phototaxis, with sensitivity between 380 and 520 nm, the highest peak at approximately 440 or 460 nm and smaller peaks or shoulders at 400-420 nm and 480-500 nm. Substantial peaks have also been noted in the ultraviolet range (260-280 nm). The ultrastructural study of the eyespot of Scrippsiella hexapraecingula revealed that the eyespot consists of two layers of lipid globules and probably acts as a quarter-wave stack antenna

Composite Superconductor as a Distributed Trigger System

Composite superconductor with contact electrical resistance between a superconductor proper and a matrix of normal metal is considered as a distributed trigger system described by two coupled diffusion-reaction equations. Analytical expression for the minimum normal zone propagation current in the composite superconductor is derived for the case of a small contact electrical resistance, and the general diagram of resistive states in the coordinates of transport current versus contact resistance is obtained numerically. Comparison of the diagrams for the composite superconductor and a distributed trigger system described by modified FitzhewNagumo type equations is also made. On the diagrams of both systems, regions of stable domains, switching waves propagation and self-organization of domain structures are indicated

Speech recognition interface system for digital TV control

In this paper, we describe a speech recognition interface system for digital TV (DTV) control. TV systems are currently undergoing digitalization and will become more multifunctional, leading to more complex TV operations. Thus, it is necessary for everyone to be able to use TVs easily, and a speech recognition interface is an important key technology. A speech recognition system, which is designed for home use, particularly for digital TV, must be simple and robust to environmental noises and speaker variations. To provide robustness to noise, we developed a noise reduction technique for house noise and an echo-canceling technique for TV sound. To achieve robustness to speaker variations, we developed new speaker adaptation techniques which are incorporated in the system. These of technologies results in a significant improvement in the recognition performance of the DTV