Prognostic factors for lymph node metastasis from upper gingival carcinomas

This study sought to identify tumor characteristics that associate with regional lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinomas originating in the upper gingiva

Työterveyssuunnitelma terveyden edistämisen viitekehyksessä- : työterveyshoitajien kokemuksia työterveyssuunnitelman toteuttamisesta

Työterveyshuollon toimintaympäristö on nopeasti muuttuvassa tilassa ja työterveyshuolto pyrkii vastaamaan oikein kohdentuvilla toimilla muutoksista johtuviin kuormitustekijöihin, tuottamalla työntekijöiden työhyvinvointiin ja työuran jatkamista tukevia palveluprosesseja. Tavoitteina ovat oikein vaikuttavat työmuodot ja yhteistyö asiakkaiden kanssa. Terveyden edistäminen on WHO (1986) julistuksessa määritelty prosessiksi, jolla ihmisen on mahdollisuus tulla tietoiseksi tilanteestaan tunnistaakseen ja parantaakseen fyysistä, psyykkistä ja sosiaalista hyvinvointiaan.Työterveyshuollossa terveyden edistäminen on tietojen antona, ohjauksena ja neuvontana sisällytetty kaikkiin palveluprosesseihin. Henkilökohtainen terveyssuunnitelma on terveystarkastuksessa yhdessä asiakkaan kanssa laadittava, henkilökohtainen terveyden edistämisen ja työkyvyttömyyden ehkäisemisen suunnitelma, johon kootaan näkyväksi asiakkaan ja työterveyshuollon ammattihenkilön yhteinen näkemys voimavaroista ja tavoitteista. Terveyskeskustelussa tulisi käsitellä tapaamisessa yhdessä laajalti terveyteen, voimavaroihin, työhön ja työn kuormittavuuteen liittyviä asioita. Asiakkaalle keskustelun tulisi olla rohkaiseva tilaisuus sen hetkisen tilanteen ja tulevaisuuden tärkeimpinä pitämiensä hyvinvoinnin tavoitteiden tarkasteluun. Työterveyshoitajien voimavaraistava terveysneuvonta edellyttää dialogiin harjaantuneisuutta ja asiakkaan motivaatiota esiin kutsuvan työmenetelmän tuntemusta. Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli kartoittaa ja selvittää yksityisen lääkärikeskuksen työterveyshoitajille suunnatun kyselyn tuloksia kokemuksista työterveyssuunnitelman toteuttamisesta terveystarkastuksissa, terveyssuunnitelman kirjaamisesta ja toteutuksen mahdollistavista tai haittaavista tekijöistä. Kyselyyn vastanneiden työterveyshoitajien vastauksissa tuli esille ammatillisuus ja asiakaslähtöinen työote. Avoimissa vastauksissa käytettiin asiakastyön kuvauksissa voimavaraistavien ohjausmenetelmien käsitteitä. Työterveyssuunnitelma toteutui käytännössä työterveyshoitajan ohjaus, neuvonta jatkosuunnitelman kirjauksena eikä niinkään erillisenä työterveyssuunnitelmana. Terveystarkastukseen käytettävän ajan ei koettu olevan riittävä suunnitelman kokoamiseen käynnin aikana, sillä teknisesti asiakkaalle annettava kappale terveyssuunnitelmasta vaati erillisen kirjauksen. Asiakkaan ennalta valmistautuminen tapaamiseen esitietolomakkeen täyttämisellä katsottiin parantavan dialogin toteutumista ja auttavan työterveyssuunnitelman laadintaa. Yhteisen toimintamallin sopiminen arvioitiin tarpeelliseksi työterveyssuunnitelman käytäntöön juurruttamisessa. Kehittämistarve ilmenee tapaamiseen valmistavan esikyselylomakkeen rakenteen uudelleenarviointiin. Millaisilla avoimilla kysymyksillä saadaan esiin asiakkaan terveyden lukutaito ja työ lukutaito. Miten täydennetty esikyselylomake olisi teknisesti toteutettavissa terveystarkastukseen kirjaamisen pohjaksi ja yhdessä toteutettavaksi työterveyssuunnitelmaksi.Occupational health care environment is in a rapidly changing state and occupational health care aims to respond with properly targeted actions, by providing service processes that support the occupational well-being of employees and the continuation of working life with the aim of affecting the correct forms of work and co-operation with our customers. Health promotion is defined in a WHO declaration (1986) as a process in which people have the opportunity to become aware of their situation in order to identify and improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing. In occupational health care, health promotion is included in all service processes as output of information, guidance and advice. A Personal Health Plan is a plan that is jointly developed in a health check to promote the customer’s personal health and prevent disability. It makes visible to the customer and the occupational health practitioner their shared vision of resources and objectives. In a health dialogue, health, resources, work and work load related things should be handled extensively in one meeting. For the customer the dialogue should be an encouraging opportunity to promote their own well-being and review their own current situation and the most important objectives in the future. Occupational health nurses’ empowering health guidance requires a dialogue proficiency and knowledge of the customer's motivation method. This thesis has dealt with one medical center’s occupational health nurses' experiences of health plan implementation in health checks, the factors enabling or obstructing the recognition and implementation of the health plan. The responses of the occupational health nurses who answered the questionnaire revealed professionalism and a customer-oriented approach to work. In open responses the concepts of empowering guidance methods were used in client work descriptions. The Occupational Health Plan was realized in practice in each occupational health nurse’s entry of the guidance, counseling follow-up plan in the patient information system, rather than as a separate Health Plan. The time taken for medical examination was not considered to be sufficient to compile the plan during the visit, because technically the health plan would require a separate entry. Customer preparation before the meeting by filling the preliminary information form was regarded as enriching for the realization of dialogue and helping to draw up a Health Plan together. The familiarization in the common practice of Health Plan entry was considered necessary. Do we need a different way of thinking in logging implementation? As a development suggestion, the evaluation of the structure of the preliminary information form. What kind of open-ended questions elicit the customer's health literacy and work literacy? How could the filled in preliminary questionnaire form be used technically as a basis for health examination and for an Occupational Health Plan to be executed together

Porcine dentin matrix protein 1: gene structure, cDNA sequence, and expression in teeth

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73278/1/j.1600-0722.2006.00284.x.pd

SP7 Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation at a Late Stage in Mice

RUNX2 and SP7 are essential transcription factors for osteoblast differentiation at an early stage. Although RUNX2 inhibits osteoblast differentiation at a late stage, the function of SP7 at the late stage of osteoblast differentiation is not fully elucidated. Thus, we pursued the function of SP7 in osteoblast differentiation. RUNX2 induced Sp7 expression in Runx2−/− calvarial cells. Adenoviral transfer of sh-Sp7 into primary osteoblasts reduced the expression of Alpl, Col1a1, and Bglap2 and mineralization, whereas that of Sp7 reduced Bglap2 expression and mineralization at a late stage of osteoblast differentiation. Sp7 transgenic mice under the control of 2.3 kb Col1a1 promoter showed osteopenia and woven-bone like structure in the cortical bone, which was thin and less mineralized, in a dose-dependent manner. Further, the number of processes in the osteoblasts and osteocytes was reduced. Although the osteoblast density was increased, the bone formation was reduced. The frequency of BrdU incorporation was increased in the osteoblastic cells, while the expression of Col1a1, Spp1, Ibsp, and Bglap2 was reduced. Further, the osteopenia in Sp7 or Runx2 transgenic mice was worsened in Sp7/Runx2 double transgenic mice and the expression of Col1a1 and Bglap2 was reduced. The expression of Sp7 and Runx2 was not increased in Runx2 and Sp7 transgenic mice, respectively. The expression of endogenous Sp7 was increased in Sp7 transgenic mice and Sp7-transduced cells; the introduction of Sp7 activated and sh-Sp7 inhibited Sp7 promoter; and ChIP assay showed the binding of endogenous SP7 in the proximal region of Sp7 promoter. These findings suggest that SP7 and RUNX2 inhibit osteoblast differentiation at a late stage in a manner independent of RUNX2 and SP7, respectively, and SP7 positively regulates its own promoter

Anti-inflammatory activity of edible oyster mushroom is mediated through the inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 signaling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mushrooms are well recognized for their culinary properties as well as for their potency to enhance immune response. In the present study, we evaluated anti-inflammatory properties of an edible oyster mushroom (<it>Pleurotus ostreatus</it>) <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>RAW264.7 murine macrophage cell line and murine splenocytes were incubated with the oyster mushroom concentrate (OMC, 0-100 μg/ml) in the absence or presence of lipopolysacharide (LPS) or concanavalin A (ConA), respectively. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Expression of cytokines and proteins was measured by ELISA assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. DNA-binding activity was assayed by the gel-shift analysis. Inflammation in mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>OMC suppressed LPS-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-12p40 from RAW264.7 macrophages. OMC inhibited LPS-induced production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) and nitric oxide (NO) through the down-regulation of expression of COX-2 and iNOS, respectively. OMC also inhibited LPS-dependent DNA-binding activity of AP-1 and NF-κB in RAW264.7 cells. Oral administration of OMC markedly suppressed secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in mice challenged with LPS <it>in vivo</it>. Anti-inflammatory activity of OMC was confirmed by the inhibition of proliferation and secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-2, and IL-6 from concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated mouse splenocytes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study suggests that oyster mushroom possesses anti-inflammatory activities and could be considered a dietary agent against inflammation. The health benefits of the oyster mushroom warrant further clinical studies.</p

The Appearance and Modulation of Osteocyte Marker Expression during Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Vascular calcification is an indicator of elevated cardiovascular risk. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the predominant cell type involved in medial vascular calcification, can undergo phenotypic transition to both osteoblastic and chondrocytic cells within a calcifying environment.In the present study, using in vitro VSMC calcification studies in conjunction with ex vivo analyses of a mouse model of medial calcification, we show that vascular calcification is also associated with the expression of osteocyte phenotype markers. As controls, the terminal differentiation of murine calvarial osteoblasts into osteocytes was induced in vitro in the presence of calcifying medium (containing ß-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid), as determined by increased expression of the osteocyte markers DMP-1, E11 and sclerostin. Culture of murine aortic VSMCs under identical conditions confirmed that the calcification of these cells can also be induced in similar calcifying medium. Calcified VSMCs had increased alkaline phosphatase activity and PiT-1 expression, which are recognized markers of vascular calcification. Expression of DMP-1, E11 and sclerostin was up-regulated during VSMC calcification in vitro. Increased protein expression of E11, an early osteocyte marker, and sclerostin, expressed by more mature osteocytes was also observed in the calcified media of Enpp1(-/-) mouse aortic tissue.This study has demonstrated the up-regulation of key osteocytic molecules during the vascular calcification process. A fuller understanding of the functional role of osteocyte formation and specifically sclerostin and E11 expression in the vascular calcification process may identify novel potential therapeutic strategies for clinical intervention

Elongated Polyproline Motifs Facilitate Enamel Evolution through Matrix Subunit Compaction

How does proline-repeat motif length in the proteins of teeth and bones relate to the evolution of vertebrates? Counterintuitively, longer repeat stretches are associated with smaller aggregated subunits within a supramolecular matrix, resulting in enhanced crystal length in mammalian versus amphibian tooth enamel

Functions of the osteocyte network in the regulation of bone mass

Osteocytes establish an extensive intracellular and extracellular communication system via gap-junction-coupled cell processes and canaliculi throughout bone and the communication system is extended to osteoblasts on the bone surface. The osteocyte network is an ideal mechanosensory system and suitable for mechanotransduction. However, the overall function of the osteocyte network remains to be clarified, since bone resorption is enhanced by osteocyte apoptosis, which is followed by a process of secondary necrosis attributable to the lack of scavengers. The enhanced bone resorption is caused by the release of intracellular content, including immunostimulatory molecules that activate osteoclastogenesis through the canaliculi. Therefore, a mouse model is required in which the osteocyte network is disrupted but in which no bone resorption is induced, in order to evaluate the overall functions of the osteocyte network. One such model is the BCL2 transgenic mouse, in which the osteocyte network, including both intracellular and extracellular networks, is disrupted. Another model is the osteocyte-specific Gja1 knockout mouse, in which intercellular communication through gap junctions is impaired but the canalicular system is intact. Combining the findings from these mouse models with previous histological observations showing the inverse linkage between osteocyte density and bone formation, we conclude that the osteocyte network enhances bone resorption and inhibits bone formation under physiological conditions. Further, studies with BCL2 transgenic mice show that these osteocyte functions are augmented in the unloaded condition. In this condition, Rankl upregulation in osteoblasts and Sost upregulation in osteocytes are, at least in part, responsible for enhanced bone resorption and suppressed bone formation, respectively