Caries and Its Association with Infant Feeding and Oral Health-related Behavior in 18-month and 3-year-old Japanese Children.

The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries and its association with infant feeding and oral health-related behavior in Japanese children between the ages of 18 months and 3 years. A total of 387 infants were initially examined at the age of 18 months (or 19 months in some cases) and then again at 3 years (or at 3 years 1 month in some cases). The primary objective was to identify factors contributing to the prevalence of caries in children aged 18 months. The secondary objective was to follow up children with no caries at the age of 18 months to seek potential correlations between background factors and the increment of caries by the age of 3 years. In an adjusted multivariate logistic regression model, children who continued breastfeeding were approximately 7 times more likely to have dental caries at 18 months of age than those who did not. Infants brought in for an oral examination and consultation at around 12 months of age were less likely to develop dental caries at 18 months of age than those who were not. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that infants who did not receive a dental check-up at 12 months of age showed a significantly higher incidence of dental caries at 3 years of age. The present results suggest that prolonged breastfeeding is a risk factor for early childhood caries at 18 months of age, and that infants in whom a regular oral care program is implemented from the age of 12 months are less likely to develop early childhood caries at 18 months or 3 years.

Photoperiodic changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and plasma metabolomic profiles in relation to depression-like behavior in mice.

Photoperiod alters affective behaviors and brain neuroplasticity in several mammalian species. We addressed whether neurogenesis and signaling pathways of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a key modulator of neuroplasticity, are regulated by photoperiod in C57BL/6 J mice, a putative model of seasonal affective disorder. We also examined the effects of photoperiod on plasma metabolomic profiles in relation to depression-like behavior to understand a possible linkage between peripheral metabolism and behavior. Mice that were maintained under long-day conditions (LD) exhibited a higher number of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells and higher levels of astrocyte marker in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus compared to that of mice under short-day conditions (SD). Plasma IGF-I levels and levels/expression of IGF-I signaling molecules in the hippocampus (Brn-4, NeuroD1, and phospho-Akt) involved in neuronal proliferation and differentiation were higher in the mice under LD. Metabolome analysis using plasma of the mice under LD and SD identified several metabolites that were highly correlated with immobility in the forced swim test, a depression-like behavior. Negative correlations with behavior occurred in the levels of 23 metabolites, including metabolites related to neurogenesis and antidepressant-like effects of exercise, metabolites in the biosynthesis of arginine, and the occurrence of branched chain amino acids. Three metabolites had positive correlations with the behavior, including guanidinosuccinic acid, a neurotoxin. Taken together, photoperiodic responses of neurogenesis and neuro-glial organization in the hippocampus may be involved in photoperiodic alteration of depression-like behavior, mediated through multiple pathways, including IGF-I and peripheral metabolites.

Development of Jaw and Deciduous Teeth in Japanese Children -Comparing Size of Crown and Alveolar Area between Today and 40 Years Ago.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate change in the size of the jaw and deciduous teeth in Japanese children over the past 40 years by performing measurements on plaster models of the dental arch obtained from children born between 2007 and 2009 (2000s group) and children born between 1968 and 1974 (70s) group. A total of 61 children were enrolled in the 2000s group, comprising 25 boys (average age, 4 years 5 months) and 36 girls (average age, 4 years 4 months), and 93 children in the 70s group, comprising 45 boys (4 years 6 months) and 48 girls (4 years 4 months). The mesiodistal width of the crown, dental arch width, dental arch length, dental arch height, and available arch length in these groups were measured using a 3D measurement system and the sums of the mesiodistal width of the crown and tooth size-arch length discrepancies calculated. The results of the two groups were statistically compared and the following conclusions reached: the size of deciduous teeth has not changed statistically over the last 40 years; the size of the dental arch has decreased in boys (p<0.01), while remaining approximately the same in girls; and the tooth size-arch length discrepancy has decreased, especially in boys (p<0.01). These results indicate that the interdental spaces of the deciduous dentition have decreased, increasing the risk of crowding in Japanese children.

Alveolar Growth in Japanese Infants : A Comparison between Now and 40 Years ago.

To investigate differences in alveolar growth during the primary dentition period among different age groups, dental arch width, length, and height were measured in 93 dental arch plaster models obtained from 4-year-olds born between 1968 and 1974, 88 from 5-year-olds born between 1968 and 1974 (70s group), 61 from 4-year-olds born between 2007 and 2009, and 56 from 5-year-olds born between 2006 and 2008 (2000s group). A comparison was also performed to determine whether there was any difference in change between 4 and 5 years of age. The results showed age- and sex-dependent differences in growth patterns in primary dental arch width, length, and height. The amount of change was greater in the 2000s group than in the 70s group, suggesting that yearly growth between 4 and 5 years of age has increased over the last 40 years.

Glutathione Peroxidase-Like Activity of Amino-Substituted Water-Soluble Cyclic Selenides: A Shift of the Major Catalytic Cycle in Methanol.

We previously reported that water-soluble cyclic selenides can mimic the antioxidative function of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in water through a simple catalytic cycle, in which the selenide (>Se) is oxidized by H2O2 to the selenoxide (>Se=O) and the selenoxide is reduced by a thiol back to the selenide. In methanol, however, the GPx-like activity could not be explained by this simple scenario. To look into the reasons for the unusual behaviors in methanol, monoamino-substituted cyclic selenides with a variable ring size were synthesized, and the intermediates of the catalytic cycle were characterized by means of 77Se-NMR and LC-MS spectroscopies. In water, it was confirmed that the selenide and the selenoxide mainly contribute to the antioxidative function, though a slight contribution from the dihydroxy selenane (>Se(OH)2) was also suggested. In methanol, on the other hand, other active species, such as hydroxyselenonium (>Se⁺-OH) and hydroxy perhydroxy selenane (>Se(OH)(OOH)), could be generated to build another catalytic cycle. This over-oxidation would be more feasible for amino-substituted cyclic selenides, probably because the ammonium (NH3⁺) group would transfer a proton to the selenoxide moiety to produce a hydroxyselenonium species in the absence of an additional proton source. Thus, a shift of the major catalytic cycle in methanol would make the GPx-like antioxidative function of selenides perplexing.

Changes in photoperiod alter Glut4 expression in skeletal muscle of C57BL/6J mice.

Seasonal changes in photoperiod influence body weight and metabolism in mice. Here, we examined the effect of changes in photoperiod on the expression of glucose transporter genes in the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of C57BL/6J mice. Glut4 expression was lower in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice exposed to a short-duration day (SD) than those to a long-duration day (LD), with accompanying changes in GLUT4 protein levels. Although Glut4 expression in the mouse soleus muscle was higher under SD than under LD, GLUT4 protein levels remained unchanged. To confirm the functional significance of photoperiod-induced changes in Glut4 expression, we checked for variations in insulin sensitivity. Blood glucose levels after insulin injection remained high under SD, suggesting that the mice exposed to SD showed lower sensitivity to insulin than those exposed to LD. We also attempted to clarify the relationship between Glut4 expression and physical activity in the mice following changes in photoperiod. Locomotor activity, as detected via infrared beam sensor, was lower under SD than under LD. However, when we facilitated voluntary activity by using running wheels, the rotation of wheels was similar for both groups of mice. Although physical activity levels were enhanced due to running wheels, Glut4 expression in the gastrocnemius muscle remained unchanged. Thus, variations in photoperiod altered Glut4 expression in the mouse skeletal muscle, with subsequent changes in GLUT4 protein levels and insulin sensitivity; these effects might be independent of physical activity.

Exposure of C57BL/6J mice to long photoperiod during early life stages increases body weight and alters plasma metabolomic profiles in adulthood.

Perinatal photoperiod is an important regulator of physiological phenotype in adulthood. In this study, we demonstrated that postnatal (0-4 weeks old) exposure of C57BL/6J mice to long photoperiod induced persistent increase in body weight until adulthood, compared with the mice maintained under short photoperiod. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ, a gene involved in fatty acid metabolism, was decreased in 10-week-old mice exposed to long photoperiod during 0-4 or 4-8 weeks of age. Plasma metabolomic profiles of adult mice exposed to a long photoperiod during the postnatal period (0-4 LD) were compared to those in the mice exposed to short photoperiod during the same period. Cluster analysis revealed that both carbon metabolic pathway and nucleic acid pathway were altered by the postnatal photoperiod. Levels of metabolites involved in glycolysis were significantly upregulated in 0-4 LD, suggesting that the mice in 0-4 LD use the glycolytic pathway for energy expenditure rather than the fatty acid oxidation pathway. In addition, the mice in 0-4 LD exhibited high levels of purine metabolites, which have a role in neuroprotection. In conclusion, postnatal exposure of C57BL/6J mice to long photoperiod induces increase in body weight and various changes in plasma metabolic profiles during adulthood.

Diminished antigen-specific IgG1 and interleukin-6 production and acetylcholinesterase expression in combined M1 and M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor knockout mice.

Immunological activation of T cells enhances synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) and transcription of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), M5 muscarinic ACh receptor (mAChR) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Stimulation of mAChRs on T and B cells causes oscillating Ca(2+)-signaling and up-regulation of c-fos expression; moreover, M1 mAChRs play a crucial role in the differentiation of CD8(+) T cells into cytolytic T lymphocytes. Collectively, these findings suggest that immune cell function is regulated by its own cholinergic system. Bearing that in mind, we tested whether immune function can be regulated via mAChR-mediated pathways by immunizing combined M1 and M5 mAChR knockout (M1/M5 KO) and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6JJcl mice with ovalbumin (OVA) and measuring serum IgG1 and IgM 1 wk later. We found that serum levels of total and anti-OVA-specific IgG1 were significantly lower in M1/M5 KO than WT mice, though there was no difference in serum levels of total and anti-OVA-specific IgM between the two genotypes. Secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 from activated spleen cells was significantly reduced in M1/M5 KO mice, whereas there was no significant change in gamma interferon secretion. Expression of AChE mRNA was significantly reduced in activated spleen cells from M1/M5 KO mice. These results suggest that M1 and/or M5 mAChRs are involved in regulating cytokine (e.g., IL-6) production, leading to modulation of antibody class switching from IgM to IgG1, but are not involved in the initial generation of the antibody response. They also support the notion that a non-neuronal cholinergic system is involved in regulating immune cell function.