Biological properties of renal-specific oxidoreductase (RSOR), characteristics of its promoter, and underlying mechanisms regulating its expression in diabetes were analyzed. RSOR expression, normally confined to the renal cortex, was markedly increased and extended into the outer medullary tubules in db͞db mice, a model of type 2 diabetes. Exposure of LLCPK cells to D-glucose resulted in a dose-dependent increase in RSOR expression and its enzymatic activity. The latter was related to one of the glycolytic enzymes, myo-inositol oxygenase. The increase in activity was in proportion to serum glucose concentration. The RSOR expression also increased in cells treated with various organic osmolytes, e.g., sorbitol, myoinositol, and glycerolphosphoryl-choline and H 2O2. Basal promoter activity was confined to ؊1,252 bp upstream of ATG, and it increased with the treatment of high glucose and osmolytes. EMSAs indicated an increased binding activity with osmotic-, carbohydrate-, and oxidant-response elements in cells treated with high glucose and was abolished by competitors. Supershifts, detected by anti-nuclear factor of activated T cells, and carbohydrate-response-element-binding protein established the binding specificity. Nuclear factor of activated T cells tonicityenhancer-binding protein and carbohydrate-response-elementbinding protein had increased nuclear expression in cells treated with high glucose. The activity of osmotic-response element exhibited a unique alternate binding pattern, as yet unreported in osmoregulatory genes. Data indicate that RSOR activity is modulated by diverse mechanisms, and it is endowed with dual properties to channel glucose intermediaries, characteristic of hepatic aldehyde reductases, and to maintain osmoregulation, a function of renal medullary genes, e.g., aldose reductase, in diabetes. diabetic nephropathy ͉ hyperglycemia ͉ osmoregulation D iabetic nephropathy is characterized by hyperplasia͞ hypertrophy of intrinsic renal cells and increased extracellular matrices (1). These changes are related to the increased cellular flux of glucose intermediaries (2), de novo synthesis of intra-and extracellular advanced glycation end products (3, 4), activation of protein kinase C (5, 6), increased expression of transforming growth factor-␤ (7), increased activity of GTP-binding and cell-cycle proteins (6,8), and generation of reactive oxygen species (9, 10), with consequential compromise in renal functions (11,12). Such complex interrelated cellular signaling events, also involving various forms of MAP͞ERK kinases and Smad proteins, have been defined mainly in glomerular cells (13,14); information relevant to the tubulointerstitial cells, although notably affected, is limited (15, 16). Conceivably, cellular changes in the tubulointerstitium parallel those in the glomerulus, with scarring and thickening of the basement membranes, and they correlate relatively better with the derangements in renal functional parameters (17, 18). Thus, much attention is warranted to the understanding of the...

Endoflas has shown to have better results than zinc oxide eugenol. It should therefore be the material of choice for root canal treatment in deciduous dentition.

Background:The management of deep carious lesions can be done by various techniques but residual caries dilemma still persists and bacterial reduction in cavities treated by either partial or complete caries removal techniques is debatable. So the objective of the present randomized clinical trial was to compare microbial counts in cavities submitted to complete caries removal and partial caries removal using either hand instruments or burs before and after 3 weeks of restoration.Materials and Methods:Primary molars with acute carious lesions in inner half of dentine and vital pulp were randomly divided into three groups of 14 each: Group A: Partial caries removal using hand instruments atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) only; Group B: Partial caries removal using bur; Group C: Complete caries removal using bur and caries detector dye. Dentine sample obtained after caries removal and 3 weeks after restoration, were subjected to microbial culture and counting (colony-forming units [CFU]/mg of dentine) for total viable bacterial count, Streptococcus spp., mutans streptococci, Lactobacillus spp.Results:Three techniques of caries removal showed significant (P < 0.05) reduction in all microorganisms studied after 3 weeks of evaluation, but there was no statistically significant difference in percentage reduction of microbial count among three groups.Conclusion:Results suggest the use of partial caries removal in a single session as compared to complete caries removal as a part of treatment of deep lesions in deciduous teeth in order to reduce the risk of pulp exposure. Partial caries removal using ART can be preferred for community settings as public health procedure for caries management.

The combination of HPLC with direct injection and on-column derivatisation provides a method for the multi-element identification of metals in pollution studies. However, problems have occurred when this technique has been applied to the determination of heavy metal ions. In this work the reasons for these difficulties has been studied and a modification of the procedure enabling lead, cadmium and mercury(l1) ions to be determined is suggested.

High glucose has a differential effect on the RSOR expression in kidneys during the embryonic versus neonatal/postnatal period. This may partly be related to the differential degree of apoptosis, a process reflective of oxidant stress that is seen in diabetic milieu, which as previously has been shown to adversely effect the modulators of fetal development and thereby the morphogenesis of the kidney and RSOR expression.