Mineral trioxide aggregate induces osteoblastogenesis via Atf6

AbstractMineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been recommended for various uses in endodontics. To understand the effects of MTA on alveolar bone, we examined whether MTA induces osteoblastic differentiation using MC3T3-E1 cells. MTA enhanced mineralization concomitant with alkaline phosphatase activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. MTA increased production of collagens (Type I and Type III) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-9 and MMP-13), suggesting that MTA affects bone matrix remodeling. MTA also induced Bglap (osteocalcin) but not Bmp2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2) mRNA expression. We observed induction of Atf6 (activating transcription factor 6, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response transcription factor) mRNA expression and activation of Atf6 by MTA treatment. Forced expression of p50Atf6 (active form of Atf6) markedly enhanced Bglap mRNA expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was performed to investigate the increase in p50Atf6 binding to the Bglap promoter region by MTA treatment. Furthermore, knockdown of Atf6 gene expression by introduction of Tet-on Atf6 shRNA expression vector abrogated MTA-induced mineralization. These results suggest that MTA induces in vitro osteoblastogenesis through the Atf6–osteocalcin axis as ER stress signaling. Therefore, MTA in endodontic treatment may affect alveolar bone healing in the resorbed region caused by pulpal infection

Sediment control and logs capturing in sand pocket with combination of sabo dam with large conduit and iron bars

In the Otoishi River, a tributary on right side of the Akatani River in the Chikugo River basin, a large amount of sediment and woody debris were deposited on riverbed due to the sediment disaster caused by the heavy rainfall in northern part of Kyushu Region on 5th to 6th July in 2017. As one of countermeasures to control the outflow of sediment and woody debris to the Akatani River, a sand pocket is planned with the sabo dam with large conduit parts and the log broom works. In this study, hydraulic model test and flume test were carried out to obtain knowledges for design of the sand pocket. Iron bars are installed vertically at the upstream front of the large conduit parts for capturing sediment and logs, and those intervals are desirable to be set in consideration of sediment diameter and sediment movement without the dam. Besides, it is necessary to consider capturing function and flow characteristics such as shockwave when the log broom works is planned in setting of layout and dimensions

明治中～後期山村の生業と地域ネットワーク : 旧秋田藩領荒瀬村肝煎・湊家文書の解題と翻刻

The objective of this paper is to publicize the republication of the Minatoke Monjo archives and, based on analysis of these archives, to elucidate the historical development of livelihoods in mountain villages in the midto late-Meiji Era. In the Arase village (upper reaches of the Ani river in Akita Prefecture), which is the field site for this study, there are a number of influential families known as oyakata ("bosses"). In addition to one oyakata family, the Minato family, that lives in the central area of the village known as arase-honson, there are oyakata who live scattered in hamlets surround the village (called shigo-buraku). In this study, we analyzed the role played by oyakata with respect to the local livelihoods from the late 1880s to the late 1890s. The following main points were yielded by the study: First, during this period, although a small number of oyakata were engaged in the production of forest products, the scale of this production was decreasing. Some oyakata started coal mines and business supplying the coal to mines. Second, in the late 1880s to late 1890s, the oyakata established full-scale mining operations of their own. These oyakata formed long-distance relationships with influential individuals in distant villages in intermediate and downstream reaches of the Ani River and created opportunities to earn money in the village. Third, in the early 1900s, the oyakata in Arase village formed cooperative networks, and in line with national government policy, began engaging in new livelihood activities such as sake brewing and horse breeding. They promoted the development of horse breeding operations by, for example, establishing a system for collective ownership of horses imported from abroad. In this manner, oyakata families brought about changes in local livelihoods and played an important role by facilitating the smooth introduction of new livelihoods. They developed both far-reaching networks and territorial relationships.本論文は、2015～2018年度科学研究費補助金（基盤研究（B））「東北型社会の特質に関する史的研究：地域資源の開発・管理・利用との関係を重視して」（課題番号15H04560、研究代表者加藤衛拡）、2017～2018年度科学研究費補助金（基盤研究（B））「パレオフォレストリーに基づく日本海地域のスギの成立および変遷要因の解明」（課題番号17H03838、研究代表者志知幸治）による成果の一部である

The effect of a prostaglandin E-1 derivative on the symptoms and quality of life of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis

Quality of life (QOL) is a concern for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). In this study, QOL was examined using the 5-item EuroQol (EQ-5D). QOL and activities of daily living (ADL) were surveyed for 91 patients who visited 18 medical institutions in our prefecture and were diagnosed with LSS-associated intermittent claudication. A second survey was performed after a parts per thousand yen6 weeks for 79 of the subjects to evaluate therapy with limaprost (an oral prostaglandin E1 derivative) or etodolac (an NSAID). Symptoms, maximum walking time, QOL, ADL items, and relationships among these variables were investigated for all 91 patients. Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking were surveyed by use of VAS scores (0-100). Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking (VAS a parts per thousand yen25) were present in 83.5, 62.6, and 54.9 % of the patients in the first survey, and approximately half of the patients had a maximum walking time 30 min, showing that maximum walking time affected health-related QOL. Of the 79 patients who completed the second survey, 56 had taken limaprost and 23 (control group) had received etodolac. Limaprost improved possible walking time, reduced ADL interference, and significantly increased the EQ-5D utility score, whereas no significant changes occurred in the control group. Maximum walking time was prolonged by a parts per thousand yen10 min and the EQ-5D utility value was improved by a parts per thousand yen0.1 points in significantly more patients in the limaprost group than in the control group. According to the findings of this survey, at an average of 8 weeks after administration limaprost improved symptoms, QOL, and ADL in LSS patients whereas treatment with an NSAID reduced pain but did not have any other effects.ArticleJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE. 18(2):208-215 (2013)journal articl

Nationwide multicentre kidney biopsy study of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Background. The clinical and pathologic manifestations of nephropathy due to type 2 diabetes are diverse, but large-scale pathologic studies with long-termobservations are limited. Methods. Kidney biopsies and clinical data of 600 patients with type 2 diabetes were collected retrospectively from 13 centres across Japan. Thirteen pathologic findings (nine glomerular lesions, two interstitial lesions and two vascular lesions) were clearly defined and scored. Results. During the observation period, there were 304 composite kidney events [dialysis, doubling of creatinine or reduction of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by half], 31 instances of chronic kidney disease (CKD) G5D, 76 cardiovascular events and 73 deaths. The mean observation period was 72.4 months. The distribution of CKD heat map categories for the 600 patients was 103 green or yellow, 149 orange and 348 red. Even in the cases in the green and yellow category, diffuse lesions (81.6%), polar vasculosis (42.6%) and subendothelial space widening (35.1%) were commonly detected. Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the presence of nodular lesions [hazard ratio (HR) 21.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.3-84.6], exudative lesions (HR 5.1, 95% CI 1.3-20.3) and mesangiolysis (HR 7.6, 95% CI 2.0-28.8) in cases in the green and yellow category were associated with significantly great impact on composite kidney events after adjustment for clinical risk factors. Conclusions. This nationwide study on kidney biopsy of 600 cases with type 2 diabetes revealed that pathologic findings (presence of nodular lesions, exudative lesions and mesangiolysis) were strong predictors of kidney events in low-risk patients. © The Author 2017.Embargo Period 12 month

A history of mild shocks experienced by the regolith particles on hydrated asteroid Ryugu

Micrometeorites, a possible major source of Earth’s water, are thought to form from explosive dispersal of hydrated chondritic materials during impact events on their parental asteroids. However, this provenance and formation mechanism have yet to be directly confirmed using asteroid returned samples. Here, we report evidence of mild shock metamorphism in the surface particles of asteroid Ryugu based on electron microscopy. All particles are dominated by phyllosilicates but lack dehydration textures, which are indicative of shock-heating temperatures below ~500 °C. Microfault-like textures associated with extensively shock-deformed framboidal magnetites and a high-pressure polymorph of Fe–Cr–sulfide have been identified. These findings indicate that the average peak pressure was -2 GPa. The vast majority of ejecta formed during impact on Ryugu-like asteroids would be hydrated materials, larger than a millimetre, originating far from the impact point. These characteristics are inconsistent with current micrometeorite production models, and consequently, a new formation mechanism is required

Oxygen isotope evidence from Ryugu samples for early water delivery to Earth by CI chondrites

The delivery of water to the inner Solar System, including Earth, is still a debated topic. A preferential role for hydrated asteroids in this process is supported by isotopic measurements. Carbonaceous chondrite (CC) meteorites represent our main source of information about these volatile-rich asteroids. However, the destruction of weaker materials during atmospheric entry creates a bias in our CC data. The return of surface materials from the C-type asteroid 162173 Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft provides a unique opportunity to study high-porosity, low-density, primitive materials, unrepresented in the meteorite record. We measured the bulk oxygen isotope composition from four Ryugu particles and show that they most closely resemble the rare CI (CC Ivuna-type) chondrites, but with some differences that we attribute to the terrestrial contamination of the CI meteorites. We suggest that CI-related material is widespread among carbonaceous asteroids and a more important source of Earth’s water and other volatiles than its limited presence in our meteoritic collection indicates