Application of flake shaped glass (Glass Flake®) filler for dental composite resin

For dental composite resin (CR), mechanical strength, estheticity and flowability are required. In this study, flake-shaped glass(FSG; Glass Flake(R)) was employed as the filler of CR. FSG is composed of thin glass platelets with a flat, smooth surface. FSGfilled CR (FSG/CR) showed good transparency compared to an irregularly shaped filler. The Vickers hardness of FSG/CR was increased with increasing FSG content and was comparable to that of a commercial CR at 70 wt%FSG content. The compressive strength of FSG/CR with silanized FSG was also comparable to that of the commercial CR. The flowability of uncured FSG/CR was much higher than that of the CR containing the irregularly shaped filler and that of commercial flowable CR with the same filler content. Thus, FSG will be useful as a filler of dental CR that provides estheticity, mechanical strength and flowability

モモ(Prunus persica)における 2種の新規自家和合性ハプロタイプ

Peach (Prunus persica) as a species is self-compatible (SC), although most other Prunus fruit tree species are partially or fully self-incompatible. We previously identified 3 mutated Shaplotypes, S[1], S[2], and S[2m], that confer self-compatibility on commercial peach cultivars for fruit production. In this report, we identified 2 novel SC S haplotypes, S[3] and S[4], among 130 peach cultivars and strains consisting mainly of ornamental cultivars and wild strains. The S[3]haplotype was found only in ornamental cultivars, while the S[4] haplotype was found mainly in wild strains. S-RNases in the S[3] and S[4] haplotypes appeared to have no defects in their primary structures. S haplotype-specific F-box (SFB) sequences were also present in the Slocus downstream of the S[3]- and S[4]-RNases. These SFB sequences were in a reverse transcriptional orientation as has been reported in most other functional Prunus S haplotypes; however, both SFB[3] and SFB[4] appeared to be mutated. DNA sequencing of the entire downstream region of SFB[3], extending about 12 kbp to the stop codon of S-RNase, revealed the presence of a premature stop codon 975 bp downstream from the SFB[3] start codon. No sequence homologous to SFB downstream of the stop codon was found. There was a 4946 bp insertion in the middle of SFB[4]. The original SFB[4] sequence, obtained by removing the inserted sequence, encodes a typical SFB. Based on the 3 previously identified peach Shaplotypes, we supposed that the S[3] and S[4] haplotypes were also SC pollen part mutant (PPM) S haplotypes. Here, we also discuss possible reasons for all peach S haplotypes identified so far having the PPM SC S haplotype.サクラ属果樹の多くが自家不和合性を示すが, モモは特異的に種全体が自家和合性を示す. 我々はこれまでの研究で, 果実生産用モモの主要栽培品種から 3 種の変異型自家和合性 S ハプロタイプを同定した. 本研究では野生種および観賞用品種を中心に 130 品種・系統を調査し, 新たに 2 つの S ハプロタイプを発見し, S3 および S4 ハプロタイプと命名した. S3 ハプロタイプは観賞用品種にのみ分布し, S4 ハプロタイプは主に野生種を中心に分布することが明らかとなった. これらの S ハプロタイプはいずれも雌ずい S 遺伝子である S-RNase の塩基配列に欠失や挿入は確認できず, 雌ずい側の機能は正常であると推察された. 一方, 花粉 S 遺伝子である SFB にはいずれも変異が存在し, 不完全な SFB がコードされていた. SFB3 はスタートコドンから 975 bp 下流にストップコドンが存在していた. SFB4 は 4946 bp の挿入配列が見いだされ, 挿入配列の内部にストップコドンが存在した. 従って新規に同定された 2 種類の S ハプロタイプは, これまで報告したモモの 3 種類の S ハプロタイプと同様に花粉側の機能を失った自家和合性 S ハプロタイプであると推察された. モモで同定された全ての S ハプロタイプが, 花粉 S 遺伝子に変異の生じた自家和合性 S ハプロタイプであることの理由を考察した

Comparison of human papillomavirus genotyping and cytology triage, COMPACT Study : Design, methods and baseline results in 14 642 women

Although cytology‐based screening programs have significantly reduced mortality and morbidity from cervical cancer, the global consensus is that primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical screening increases detection of high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cancer. However, the optimal triage strategy for HPV‐positive women to avoid over‐referral to colposcopy may be setting specific. As Japan requires data that have been generated domestically to modify screening guidelines, we conducted a 3‐year prospective study, COMparison of HPV genotyping And Cytology Triage (COMPACT), to evaluate the potential role of HPV16/18 partial genotyping and cytology for primary HPV screening. In total, 14 642 women aged 20 to 69 years undergoing routine screening at 3 centers in Hokkaido were enrolled. Conventional cytology and HPV testing were carried out. Women with abnormal cytology or HPV16/18 positivity underwent colposcopy. Those with 12 other high‐risk (hr) HPV types underwent repeat cytology after 6 months. Primary study endpoints were detection of high‐grade cervical disease defined as CIN2/CIN3 or greater as determined by consensus pathology. Prevalence of cytological abnormalities was 2.4%. hrHPV, HPV 16, and HPV 18 were detected in 4.6%, 0.9%, and 0.3% of women, respectively. HPV16/18 were detected in all (8/8) invasive cervical cancers and in all (2/2) adenocarcinomas in situ. Both cytological abnormalities and hrHPV positivity declined with increasing age. This is the first Japanese study to investigate the role of partial genotyping and cytology in an HPV‐based screening program. Results should help policy‐makers develop guidelines for future cervical screening programs and management of cervical abnormalities based on HPV genotype

Molecular Cloning and Chromosomal Mapping of Feline p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene

Alterations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene have been observed in a variety of human and mouse tumors. For investigation of the role of this gene in tumors in cats, feline p53 cDNA was molecularly cloned by PCR amplifications using primers based on the sequences conserved among several species. The cloned cDNA appeared to cover approximately 90% of the open reading frame of the feline p53 gene and had characteristic structures in common with the p53 genes of several other species. The amino acid sequence similarities of the feline p53 with the human, mouse, rat and chicken counterparts were 82.9%, 75.6%, 76.5% and 57.2% respectively. Moreover, using a panel of feline x rodent somatic cell hybrids, the feline p53 gene was assigned to feline chromosome E1. These data will be useful for determining the role of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in feline tumors

Interleukin-34 expression in ovarian cancer : a possible correlation with disease progression

Ovarian cancer is the second-most lethal gynecological malignancy and the seventh-commonest cause of cancer-related death in women around the world. Most of the ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed at advanced stages and suffer from recurrence after primary cytoreductive surgery and standard first-line chemotherapy. Thus, the successful management of ovarian cancer patients requires the identification of factors that contribute to progression and relapse. Interleukin-34 (IL-34) is a novel cytokine that acts as a tissue-specific ligand of colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R). In cancer, IL-34 exerts pro-tumorigenic functions that promote tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune suppression and therapeutic resistance. In this study, we evaluate the impact of IL-34 on progression and survival of ovarian cancer patients. First, IL-34 was found to be expressed in several human ovarian cancer cell lines and cancer tissues from patients. The expression of IL-34 was enhanced by cytotoxic chemotherapy in ovarian cancer cell lines and cancer tissues from chemotherapy-treated ovarian cancer patients. Importantly, high IL-34 expression correlated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival in different cohorts. The assessment of PFS based on a combination between IL34 expression and other related genes such as CSF1R and CD163 helped further to reach more statistical significance compared with IL34 alone. Furthermore, in the murine ovarian cancer cell HM-1 in vivo model, it was suggested that IL-34-derived tumor cells was correlated with tumor progression and survival by modulating the immune environment. Collectively, these findings indicate a possible correlation between IL-34 expression and disease progression in ovarian cancer patients and the mouse model

Association between pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus : The Japan Environment and Children's Study

Aims/Introduction We investigated the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and perinatal outcomes stratified by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and/or gestational weight gain (GWG). Materials and Methods Data from the national birth cohort in the Japan Environment and Children's Study from 2011 to 2014 (n = 85,228) were used. Japan uses the GDM guidelines of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. The odds ratios (ORs) of perinatal outcomes were compared between women with and those without GDM. Results The OR (95% confidence interval) of having a small for gestational age infant in the GDM group with a pre-pregnancy BMI of >= 25.0 kg/m(2) and insufficient GWG (7.25 kg) was 2.04 (1.56-2.67). The OR of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was higher in women with a BMI >= 18.5 kg/m(2) in the GDM group than in the non-GDM group. Conclusions Large for gestational age and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were associated with pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG in either normal weight or overweight/obese women, and the relationship was strengthened when GDM was present. Women with GDM and a BMI of >= 25.0 kg/m(2) are at risk of having small for gestational age and large for gestational age infants depending on GWG