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Item Assessment of Early Clinical Experiences for Predoctoral Students in North American Dental Schools(American Dental Education Association Annual Session and Exhibition, 0022-03) Patel, Meera; Treat, TimothyObjectives: To assess the current status of Early Clinical Experiences at North American dental schools. Methods: An IRB-exempt (#10350) survey was distributed to each ADEA chapter president at North American dental schools using the survey instrument, RedCap. Aggregated data was analyzed by the investigators for trends and significant findings were noted. Results: Amongst 19 respondents enrolled in North American dental schools, 1 identified as a D2 student, 12 were D3 students, and 6 were D4 students. When asked if D1 students participated in clinical activity, 9 respondents answered no and 10 respondents answered yes. Of the 10, a majority stated that students spent 0-49 hours participating in procedures such as comprehensive exams, screening exams, taking radiographs and non-surgical periodontal procedures in clinic but did not serve as the primary provider. Of the 19 respondents, when asked if D2’s participated in any clinical activity, 3 answered no and 16 answered yes. Most respondents indicated that D2s spend 50 or more hours in clinic participating in procedures such as comprehensive exams, screening exams, taking radiographs, non-surgical periodontal procedures, direct restorations, single tooth indirect restorations, fixed prosthodontics, and removable prosthodontics in clinic and the majority indicated that D2s can serve as the primary provider for their patients. In addition, most respondents felt that students should serve as primary providers during the D2 year. Conclusions: Early patient care experiences can form an integral part of the pre-clinical experience. At North American dental schools, D1s typically participate in patient care between 0-49 hours but rarely serve as primary provider. D2s often serve as primary provider for many different dental procedures and are typically in clinic 50 hours or more per year. Respondents indicated that an overwhelming majority of North American Dental schools include early patient care experiences as part of their curriculum.Item PC8, a new member of the convertase family(1996-06) Bruzzaniti, Angela; Goodge, Katrina; Jay, Philippe; Taviaux, Sylvie A; Lam, Mark HC; Berta, Philippe; Martin, T John; Moseley, Jane M; Gillespie, MTA novel subtilisin-like protein, PC8, was identi®ed by PCR using degenerate primers to conserved amino acid residues in the catalytic region of members of the prohormone convertase family. PC8 was predicted to be 785 residues long and was structurally related to the mammalian convertases furin, PACE4, PC1 and PC2, sharing more than 50% amino acid identity over the catalytic region with these family members. PC8 possessed the catalytically important Asp, His, Asn and Ser amino acids, the homo B domain of this family of enzymes and a C-terminal hydrophobic sequence indicative of a transmembrane domain. Structurally, PC8 is more related to furin and PACE4 than to PC1 or PC2. Like furin and PACE4, PC8 mRNA was found to be widely expressed; this is in contrast with PC1 and PC2, which have a restricted distribution. Two transcripts, of 4.5 and 3.5 kb, were detected in both human cell lines and rat tissues. Unlike furin and PACE4, both of which map to chromosome 15, PC8 maps to chromosome 11q23±11q24, suggesting that this gene may have resulted from an ancient gene duplication event from either furin or PACE4, or conversely that these genes arose from PC8.Item A Signal Sequence Is Sufficient for Green Fluorescent Protein to Be Routed to Regulated Secretory Granules(2001-02) El Meskini, Rajaâ; Jin, Lixian; Marx, Ruth; Bruzzaniti, Angela; Lee, Jongho; Emeson, Ronald B; Mains, Richard ETo investigate trafficking in neuroendocrine cells, green fluorescent protein (GFP) tags were fused to various portions of the preproneuropeptide Y (NPY) precursor. Two neuroendocrine cell lines, AtT-20 corticotrope tumor cells and PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells, along with primary anterior pituitary cells, were examined. Expression of chimeric constructs did not disrupt trafficking or regulated secretion of endogenous ACTH and prohormone convertase 1 in AtT-20 cells. Western blot and immunocytochemical analyses demonstrated that the chimeric constructs remained intact, as long as the Lys-Arg cleavage site within preproNPY was deleted. GFP was stored in, and released from, regulated granules in cells expressing half of the NPY precursor fused to GFP, and also in cells in which only the signal sequence of preproNPY was fused to GFP. Thus, in neuroendocrine cells, entering the lumen of the secretory pathway is sufficient to target GFP to regulated secretory granules.Item Dynamin Forms a Src Kinase–sensitive Complex with Cbl and Regulates Podosomes and Osteoclast Activity(2005-07) Bruzzaniti, Angela; Neff, Lynn; Sanjay, Archana; Horne, William C; De Camilli, Pietro; Baron, RolandPodosomes are highly dynamic actin-containing adhesion structures found in osteoclasts, macrophages, and Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-transformed fibroblasts. After integrin engagement, Pyk2 recruits Src and the adaptor protein Cbl, forming a molecular signaling complex that is critical for cell migration, and deletion of any molecule in this complex disrupts podosome ring formation and/or decreases osteoclast migration. Dynamin, a GTPase essential for endocytosis, is also involved in actin cytoskeleton remodeling and is localized to podosomes where it has a role in actin turnover. We found that dynamin colocalizes with Cbl in the actin-rich podosome belt of osteoclasts and that dynamin forms a complex with Cbl in osteoclasts and when overexpressed in 293VnR or SYF cells. The association of dynamin with Cbl in osteoclasts was decreased by Src tyrosine kinase activity and we found that destabilization of the dynamin-Cbl complex involves the recruitment of Src through the proline-rich domain of Cbl. Overexpression of dynamin increased osteoclast bone resorbing activity and migration, whereas overexpression of dynK44A decreased osteoclast resorption and migration. These studies suggest that dynamin, Cbl, and Src coordinately participate in signaling complexes that are important in the assembly and remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, leading to changes in osteoclast adhesion, migration, and resorption.Item A rate insensitive linear viscoelastic model for soft tissues(Elsevier, 2007-08) Zhang, Wei; Chen, Henry Y.; Kassab, Ghassan S.; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and TechnologyIt is well known that many biological soft tissues behave as viscoelastic materials with hysteresis curves being nearly independent of strain rate when loading frequency is varied over a large range. In this work, the rate insensitive feature of biological materials is taken into account by a generalized Maxwell model. To minimize the number of model parameters, it is assumed that the characteristic frequencies of Maxwell elements form a geometric series. As a result, the model is characterized by five material constants: μ0, τ, m, ρ and β, where μ0 is the relaxed elastic modulus, τ the characteristic relaxation time, m the number of Maxwell elements, ρ the gap between characteristic frequencies, and β = μ1/μ0 with μ1 being the elastic modulus of the Maxwell body that has relaxation time τ. The physical basis of the model is motivated by the microstructural architecture of typical soft tissues. The novel model shows excellent fit of relaxation data on the canine aorta and captures the salient features of vascular viscoelasticity with significantly fewer model parameters.Item Defective microtubule-dependent podosome organization in osteoclasts leads to increased bone density in Pyk2−/− mice(2007-09) Gil-Henn, Hava; Destaing, Olivier; Sims, Natalie A; Aoki, Kazuhiro; Alles, Neil; Neff, Lynn; Sanjay, Archana; Bruzzaniti, Angela; De Camilli, Pietro; Baron, Roland; Schlessinger, JosephThe protein tyrosine kinase Pyk2 is highly expressed in osteoclasts, where it is primarily localized in podosomes. Deletion of Pyk2 in mice leads to mild osteopetrosis due to impairment in osteoclast function. Pyk2-null osteoclasts were unable to transform podosome clusters into a podosome belt at the cell periphery; instead of a sealing zone only small actin rings were formed, resulting in impaired bone resorption. Furthermore, in Pyk2-null osteoclasts, Rho activity was enhanced while microtubule acetylation and stability were significantly reduced. Rescue experiments by ectopic expression of wild-type or a variety of Pyk2 mutants in osteoclasts from Pyk2−/− mice have shown that the FAT domain of Pyk2 is essential for podosome belt and sealing zone formation as well as for bone resorption. These experiments underscore an important role of Pyk2 in microtubule-dependent podosome organization, bone resorption, and other osteoclast functions.Item Dynamin Reduces Pyk2 Y402 Phosphorylation and Src Binding in Osteoclasts(2009-07) Bruzzaniti, Angela; Neff, Lynn; Sandoval, Amanda; Du, Liping; Horne, William C; Baron, RolandSignaling via the Pyk2-Src-Cbl complex downstream of integrins contributes to the assembly, organization, and dynamics of podosomes, which are the transient adhesion complexes of highly motile cells such as osteoclasts and dendritic cells. We previously demonstrated that the GTPase dynamin is associated with podosomes, regulates actin flux in podosomes, and promotes bone resorption by osteoclasts. We report here that dynamin associates with Pyk2, independent of dynamin's GTPase activity, and reduces Pyk2 Y402 phosphorylation in a GTPase-dependent manner, leading to decreased Src binding to Pyk2. Overexpressing dynamin decreased the macrophage colony-stimulating factor- and adhesion-induced phosphorylation of Pyk2 in osteoclastlike cells, suggesting that dynamin is likely to regulate Src-Pyk2 binding downstream of integrins and growth factor receptors with important cellular consequences. Furthermore, catalytically active Src promotes dynamin-Pyk2 association, and mutating specific Src-phosphorylated tyrosine residues in dynamin blunts the dynamin-induced decrease in Pyk2 phosphorylation. Thus, since Src binds to Pyk2 through its interaction with phospho-Y402, our results suggest that Src activates a negative-feedback loop downstream of integrin engagement and other stimuli by promoting both the binding of dynamin to Pyk2-containing complexes and the dynamin-dependent decrease in Pyk2 Y402 phosphorylation, ultimately leading to the dissociation of Src from Pyk2.Item Bone Resorption by Osteoclasts: Molecular Mechanism of Pyk2 dephosphorylation by Dynamin(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2010-04-09) Eleniste, Pierre P.; Bruzzaniti, AngelaOsteoporosis is a bone disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue which increases the risk of bone fracture, frailty, morbidity and mortality. Excessive bone loss is caused by osteoclasts which degrade the organic and inorganic components of bone. The specific aim of this study is to identify and characterize the signaling proteins in osteoclasts that are responsible for the bone resorbing activity of these cells. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase, Pyk2, is highly expressed in osteoclasts. Mice lacking Pyk2 have an increase in bone mass due to impairment in osteoclast function. It has been demonstrated that phosphorylation of Pyk2 at Y402 is very important for osteoclast spreading and bone resorption. Our group also reported that the GTPase dynamin controls osteoclast bone resorption in part by leading to the dephosphorylation of Pyk2, thus decreasing Pyk2’s kinase activity. In the current study we examined the intracellular mechanism by which dynamin regulates Pyk2 dephosphorylation. Our findings demonstrated that Pyk2 dephosphorylation is predominately due to GTPase activity of dynamin since expression of dynamin mutants that have reduced affinity for GTP or exhibit defective GTPase activity resulted in an increase in Pyk2 Y402 phosphorylation. We also found that that Pyk2 phosphorylation was rescued in the presence of phenyl arsine oxide (PAO), a chemical inhibitor of tyrosine phosphatases and our preliminary results indicate that the tyrosine phosphatase PTP-PEST is involved in the dynamin-mediated dephosphorylation of Pyk2. Understanding the intracellular mechanism that regulates osteoclast function may lead to the identification of novel proteins that can be targeted by anti-resorptive therapies to treat bone related diseases. Over the past few decades, bisphosphonates have played a significant role in the treatment of osteoporosis. Unfortunately, osteonecrosis of the jaw has been recently described as a harmful side effect of bisphosphonate therapy, emphasizing the need to develop alternative approaches to treat osteoporosis. Novel therapeutic approaches may one day involve inhibitors to tyrosine kinases such as Pyk2 or involve combination therapies where inhibitors are paired with bisphosphonates as a way to boost the efficacy of anti-resorptive therapies with fewer side-effects.Item In situ Fluoride Response of Caries Lesions with Different Mineral Distributions at Baseline(Karger, 2011) Lippert, Frank; Lynch, R. J. M.; Eckert, George; Kelly, S. A.; Hara, Anderson T.; Zero, Domenick T.; Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, School of DentistryThe present in situ study investigated the fluoride response of caries lesions with similar mineral loss but two distinct mineral distributions (low- and high-‘R’, calculated as the ratio of mineral loss to lesion depth). Sixteen subjects wore eight gauze-covered enamel specimens with preformed lesions placed buccally on their mandibular partial dentures for periods up to 4 weeks. The participants brushed twice daily for 1 min with an 1,100 ppm F (as NaF) dentifrice. After 3 and 4 weeks, specimens were retrieved and analyzed microradiographically (TMR) and by quantitative light fluorescence (QLF). TMR results revealed that low- and high-R lesions showed opposite behaviors – low-R lesions further demineralized, whereas high-R lesions exhibited some remineralization. In comparison, lesion depth increased in low-R, but remained unchanged in high-R lesions; R decreased in both, but more in high-R lesions; mineral density at the lesion surface remained unchanged in low-R, but increased in high-R lesions. Differences in mineral loss between lesion types increased further between 3 and 4 weeks. QLF did not mirror TMR results as low-R lesions were found to remineralize, whereas high-R lesions remained unchanged. It is likely that low-R lesions differ from high-R lesions chemically and microstructurally; therefore rendering low-R lesion more susceptible to further dissolution. During lesion formation, low-R in contrast to high-R lesions may not lose all of the solubility-determining impurities such as magnesium and carbonate, which can reprecipitate again in different mineral phases within the lesion. In conclusion, mineral distribution at baseline directly impacts in situ lesion response to fluoride.Item Enamel demineralization and remineralization under plaque fluid-like conditions – a QLF study(Karger, 2011) Lippert, Frank; Butler, A.; Lynch, R. J. M.; Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, School of DentistryThe present study investigated de- and remineralization in enamel lesions under plaque fluid (PF)-like conditions using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF). Preformed lesions were exposed to partially saturated lactic acid solutions, varying in pH and fluoride concentration ([F]) based on a 5 × 3 factorial study design (0/0.1/0.5/1.5/4 ppm F; pH 4.9/5.2/5.5). Average fluorescence loss (ΔF) was monitored for 11 days. Subsequently, lesions were demineralized in a partially saturated acetic acid solution for two 24-hour periods. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance. Lesions exposed to PF at 4 ppm F and pH 5.5 showed not only the most remineralization (ΔΔF = 28.2 ± 14.0%) for all groups after 11 days, but also the most demineralization (ΔΔF = –19.3 ± 13.5%) after subsequent acetic acid exposure. Increased [F] resulted in more remineralization, regardless of pH. Higher pH values resulted in more remineralization. No remineralization was observed in lesions exposed to F-free solutions, regardless of pH. Remineralization was noticeable under the following conditions: pH 4.9 – [F] = 4 ppm, pH 5.2 – [F] ≧ 1.5 ppm, and pH 5.5 – [F] ≧ 0.5 ppm. Overall, [F] had a stronger effect on remineralization than pH. Subsequent demineralization showed that little protection was offered by PF-like solutions, and further demineralization compared with baseline was observed on lesions not remineralized initially. [F] had a stronger effect on net mineral change than pH. The present study has shown that QLF is a valuable tool in studying lesion de- and remineralization under PF-like conditions, where [F] was shown to be more important than pH.