Eun-Jig Lee

Topographic anatomy of the lingual nerve and variations in communication pattern of the mandibular nerve branches

We made a thorough observation of the morphology and course of the lingual nerve (LN) and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) to clarify their topographical relationships in the infratemporal fossa and in the paralingual area. Thirty-two Korean hemi-sectioned heads were dissected macroscopically and microscopically from a clinical viewpoint. On the 32 tracings on the radiograph, the average distance between the retromolar portion and the LN was 7.8xa0mm, and no case was found where the LN ran above the alveolar crest as passing along the mandibular lingual plate. The bifurcation of the LN and IAN was located around the mandibular notch, inferior to the otic ganglion in 66% of the cases, and a plexiform branching pattern of the mandibular nerve was observed in only two cases. The bifurcation spot of the LN and IAN was located 14.3xa0mm inferior to the foramen ovale and 16.5xa0mm superior to the tip of hamulus. Collateral nerve twigs from the LN to the retromolar area were observed in 26 cases (81.2%), with an average of one nerve twig. We observed four types of variations in terms of communication pattern. In four specimens, the mylohyoid nerve passed through the mylohyoid muscle and connected with the LN. In other four specimens, the IAN communicated with the auriculotemporal nerve. We also observed another type of variational communication between the IAN and the nerve to the lateral pterygoid (LPt); this was observed in only one specimen, and it could be predicted that motor innervation from the nerve to the LPt was transmitted via the mental nerve to the depressor anguli oris. Another type was observed where the IAN divided into two branches with the posterior branch being partially entrapped by the LPt muscle fibers.

Expression and Regulation of Osteoprotegerin in Adipose Tissue

Purpose Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a potent inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption, has a variety of biological functions that include anti-inflammatory effects. Adipocytes and osteoblasts share a common origin, and the formation of new blood vessels often precedes adipogenesis in developing adipose tissue microvasculature. We examined whether OPG is secreted from adipocytes, therefore contributing to the prevention of neovascularization and protecting the vessels from intimal inflammation and medial calcification. Materials and Methods The mRNA expression of OPG and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) was measured in differentiated 3T3L1 adipocytes and adipose tissues. Results OPG mRNA expression increased with the differentiation of 3T3L1 adipocytes, while RANKL expression was not significantly altered. OPG mRNA was expressed at higher levels in white adipose tissue than in brown adipose tissue and was most abundant in the epididymal portion. In differentiated 3T3L1 adipocytes, Rosiglitazone and insulin reduced the OPG/RANKL expression ratio in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In contrast, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) increased the expression of both OPG and RANKL in a time-dependent manner. The OPG/RANKL ratio was at a maximum two hours after TNF-α treatment and then returned to control levels. Furthermore, OPG was abundantly secreted into the media after transfection of OPG cDNA with Phi C31 integrase into 3T3L1 cells. Conclusion Our results indicate that OPG mRNA is expressed and regulated in the adipose tissue. Considering the role of OPG in obesity-associated inflammatory changes in adipose tissue and vessels, we speculate that OPG may have both a protective function against inflammation and anti-angiogenic effects on adipose tissue.

Anatomical study concerning the origin and course of the pectoral branch of the thoracoacromial trunk for the pectoralis major flap

The patterns of the feeding vessels to each muscle determine the extent of their safe transposition and the muscle’s value as a pedicled flap in reconstructive surgery. This study aimed to demonstrate the point of origin and the intra- and submuscular course of the pectoral branch of the thoracoacromial trunk (TAT) for pectoralis major (PM) flap surgery. Seventy sides of the PM were dissected based on a clinical reference line that has been used for several decades. The branching point of the TAT from the axillary artery was located lateral to the midclavicular line on the right-sided specimens (100%) and medial to the midclavicular line on the left sides (86%). The branching patterns of the pectoral branch to the PM muscle from the TAT were classified into three types. In type I the pectoral branches originated directly from the TAT (55 cases, 78.6%). In type II (11 cases, 15.7%) and type III (4 cases, 5.7%) the pectoral branch divided from the medial and lateral pedicle of the TAT, respectively. The course of the pectoral branch from the TAT in the PM was categorized into three patterns according to the degree of proximity to the midclavicular line. In 49 cases (70%), the pectoral branch in the PM ran within 1xa0cm of the midclavicular line. The other cases ran 2xa0cm (20 cases, 29%) and 3xa0cm (1 case, 1%) from the midclavicular line, respectively. These results provide topographic data of the pectoral branch based on anatomical landmarks, and will be useful in surgical planning as well as the procedure for PM flap surgery.

TGFβ Plasmid Construction and Delivery for the Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes

Studies of animals with spontaneous autoimmune diabetes have revealed that autoreactive T cells that mediate islet β cell destruction can be manipulated by the administration of Th2 cytokines. Using gene delivery to express the targeted protein, we can overcome the need for frequent administration of cytokines on account of their short half‐lives. In this study, the effect of hTGFβ gene delivery was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo using an adenovirus vector (Ad) constructed with an hTGFβ cDNA. In vitro transfection assays of the construct in HepG2, β cell lines, and islets showed good expression levels of hTGFβ and activation of smad3. Ad‐hTGFβ enhanced differentiation and proliferation in the β cell line or islets without causing apoptosis. Of interest, Ad‐hTGFβ transduction in CD4+CD25− T cells resulted in a significant enhanced expression of CD25 and a regulatory T cell–specific transcription factor, Foxp3. To evaluate in vivo efficacy, Ad‐hTGFβ was intravenously injected into 7‐week‐old NOD mice and compared to the transduction using the vector only. The Ad‐hTGFβ group had persistent gene expression for longer than 5 weeks, and high TGFβ serum level was secreted. There was no difference in the degree of insulitis between the Ad‐hTGFβ group and controls. Although we found favorable in vitro results, such as decrease in islet apoptosis, enhanced proliferation and differentiation, and increase in the level of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, there was no difference in reduction of the development of T1D between controls and Ad‐hTGFβ‐injected mice. Nevertheless, if we find the appropriate mode and timing of TGFβ gene transduction, Ad‐hTGFβ gene therapy might be useful in therapeutic cytokine delivery for the treatment of T1D.

1342 – Deficits and biases of facial emotion recognition in ultra-high risk for psychosis and first-episode schizophrenia

The purpose of this study was to examine whether people with ultra-high risk for psychosis showed biases as well as deficits in facial emotional recognition which were well-established findings in people with schizophrenia. Forty-five people with ultra- high risk (UHR) for psychosis, 30 people with first-episode (FE) schizophrenia and 40 healthy controls were asked to recognize the emotional category of facial emotional photographs. The stimuli were selected from the standard emotional photographs of Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expressions of Emotion (JACFEE) which depicting the basic emotions of happiness, disgust, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and contempt. To examine the accurate and biased attribution of facial emotion recognition, unbiased hit rates and misattrbution rates of each emotion were calculated. The common abnormalities observed in the UHR for psychosis and FE schizophrenia group were lower unbiased hit rate for fear faces (UHR controls: pxa0=xa00.022, FE