Under physiological conditions, calcium (Ca2+) regulates essential functions of polarized secretory cells by the stimulation of specific Ca2+ signaling mechanisms, such as increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) via the store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and the receptor-operated Ca2+ entry (ROCE). Homer proteins are scaffold proteins that interact with G protein-coupled receptors, inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptors, Orai1-stromal interaction molecule 1, and transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels. However, their role in the Ca2+ signaling in exocrine cells remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of Homer2 in the Ca2+ signaling and regulatory channels to mediate SOCE and ROCE in pancreatic acinar cells. Deletion of Homer2 (Homer2–/–) markedly increased the expression of TRPC3, TRPC6, and Orai1 in pancreatic acinar cells, whereas these expressions showed no difference in whole brains of wild-type and Homer2–/– mice. Furthermore, the response of Ca2+ entry by carbachol also showed significant changes to the patterns regulated by specific blockers of SOCE and ROCE in pancreatic acinar cells of Homer2–/– mice. Thus, these results suggest that Homer2 plays a critical role in the regulatory action of the [Ca2+]i via SOCE and ROCE in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a calcium permeable channel expressed in primary sensory neurons, induces the release of glutamate from their central and peripheral afferents during normal acute and pathological pain. However, little information is available regarding the glutamate release mechanism associated with TRPV1 activation in primary sensory neurons. To address this issue, we investigated the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) in TRPV1-immunopositive (+) neurons in the rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) under normal and complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain conditions using behavioral testing as well as double immunofluorescence staining with antisera against TRPV1 and VGLUT1 or VGLUT2. TRPV1 was primarily expressed in small and medium-sized TG neurons. TRPV1+ neurons constituted approximately 27% of all TG neurons. Among all TRPV1+ neurons, the proportion of TRPV1+ neurons coexpressing VGLUT1 (VGLUT1+/ TRPV1+ neurons) and VGLUT2 (VGLUT2+/TRPV1+ neurons) was 0.4% ± 0.2% and 22.4% ± 2.8%, respectively. The proportion of TRPV1+ and VGLUT2+ neurons was higher in the CFA group than in the control group (TRPV1+ neurons: 31.5% ± 2.5% vs. 26.5% ± 1.2%, VGLUT2+ neurons: 31.8% ± 1.1% vs. 24.6% ± 1.5%, p < 0.05), whereas the proportion of VGLUT1+, VGLUT1+/TRPV1+, and VGLUT2+/TRPV1+ neurons did not differ significantly between the CFA and control groups. These findings together suggest that VGLUT2, a major isoform of VGLUTs, is involved in TRPV1 activation-associated glutamate release during normal acute and inflammatory pain.

Agarum clathratum (A. clathratum) is a marine brown algal species that belongs to the Costariaceae family and has antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of A. clathratum and the molecular mechanisms involved have not been determined so far. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of A. clathratum extracts in THP-1 macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Porphyromonas gingivalis. The THP-1 cells were differentiated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and treated with A. clathratum before LPS stimulation. Cell viability was assessed using the trypan blue exclusion assay. The expression of pro-inflammatory response-associated molecules was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. A. clathratum treatment inhibited the expression of interleukin-1β in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages without causing any cytotoxicity. The anti-inflammatory effect of A. clathratum resulted in a significant repression of the JNK/c-Jun signaling axis, a key regulator in inflammation responses. This study highlights the possible role of A. clathratum in the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines via suppression of the JNK/c-Jun signaling axis and suggests that A. clathratum could serve as a marine-derived anti-inflammatory agent in periodontitis.

The fashion industry analyzes the value of its essence with ecological design and is expressed as an innovative sculpture using digital technology. Accordingly, this study explores ecological images and digital technologies, categorizes types and derives their meanings through analysis of ecological images shown in modern digital fashion. A literature survey was conducted on ecological images and digital technology as a theoretical background. To analyze the expression type and internal meanings of ecological images, designs with ecological formability were selected and analyzed from related journals, books, and internet sites. The finding are as follows: The expression type was first identified as organic curved garment silhouettes of a non-material liquid with digital retouching. Second, ecological fashion design includes structural shape that applies the silhouette of an organism and patterning of the ecosystem. Third, ecosystems consist of interactions between components of an ecosystem that appear in the interactive type. Accordingly, the internal meanings of ecological images in modern digital fashion are: first, digital fashion can encircle the inherent concepts of nature as organic collections of individuals; second, digital ecological images emphasize a sense of community with coexistence and harmony, playing a complementary role; and finally, the images express perceptual features by providing people with transcendent experiences. This study is significant as it analyzes new formative features based on ecological systems in the digital fashion environment, establishes an aesthetic system through internal meanings, and enhances awareness of human-natural relationships.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the role of lines in creative design development by analyzing the expression types and aesthetic characteristics of modern fashion using geometric formativeness of symmography. A literature study was conducted of works since 2009 to examine the general consideration of lines together with analysis of the concept and characteristics of symmography in the formative arts field, and to analyze the expression types and aesthetic characteristics of modern fashion design using the formativeness of symmography. The infinite sense of formativeness and original expression of symmography are used in formative arts such as space design, installation art, and industrial design. Expression types of modern fashion design using geometric formativeness of symmography can be classified into the following three types: two-dimensional graphic pattern, relief surface, and threedimensional spatial. First, the two-dimensional graphic pattern type forms an optical pattern, providing individuality and visual interest to the textile design. Second, the relief surface type expresses the plane in various ways, so that the thickness changes according to how lines overlap. Third, the three-dimensional spatial type expands the boundaries of clothing and creates a fantastic spatial beauty. Next, the aesthetic formativeness of fashion design using symmography can be classified into repetitive rhythmicity, geometric self-similarity, and optical spatiality. Symmography enables a myriad of geometric patterns to be developed depending on material, color, and the designer’s imagination, and helps inspire a variety of designs in fashion that sculpt a three-dimensional human body.

Salivary glands are exocrine glands that secrete saliva into the oral cavity, and secreted saliva plays essential roles in oral health. Therefore, maintaining the salivary glands in an intact state is required for proper production and secretion of saliva. To investigate a specific signaling pathway that might affect the maintenance of mouse submandibular gland (SMGs), RNA sequencing was performed. In SMGs, downregulated expression patterns of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway-related genes, including Rhoa, Rhob, Rhoc, Rock1, and Rock2, were observed. Gene expression profiling analyses of these genes indicate that the ROCK signaling pathway is a potential signal for SMG maintenance.

The purpose of this study is to expand satirical expressions that appear in a wide range of arts into fashion and to analyse and present satirical expressions that appear in contemporary fashion through the collections of Thom Browne. Theoretical examination of satirical concepts were made of domestic and foreign academic theses, dissertations, precious studies, and publications related to satire. Analysis was conducted on cases in which satirical expressions were applied in literature, painting, sculpture, and fashion. Based on these studies, analysis was conducted on satirical expressions appearing in Thom Browne’s work. Material was gathered from collection reviews, interview articles, professional books, and internet photo material from professional fashion magazines encompassing 16 years of Thom Browne’s collections officially recorded in the international fashion magazine ‘Vogue’, ranging from the 2006 S/S collection to the 2021 S/S collection. From this, a total of 1,753 photos were collected as data. Characteristics of satirical expression were analyzed and the results were as follows. A fluid reconstruction of ‘gender fluid’, dual meanings of metaphorical allegories, playful expressions of visual wit, constructions made of overlapped disassembled material, and borrowing of morphological distortion were all identified. Accordingly, satirical approaches as social aspects and objects in the flow of modern thought appear as positive forms based in humor that hope to be improved. This study anticipate the concept of satire will expand into a positive form as a new direction of fashion.

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the destruction of the bone supporting the tooth and connective tissues surrounding it. Periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) induce overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) involved in periodontal diseaseʼs inflammatory destruction. Osteoclasts take part in physiological bone remodeling, but they are also involved in bone destruction in many kinds of bone diseases, including osteoporosis and periodontal disease. This study examined the effect of baicalin on proteolytic enzymesʼ production and secretion of inflammatory cytokines in PDLFs and RAW 264.7 cells under the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory conditions. Baicalin inhibited the expression of the protein, MMP-1 and MMP-2, without affecting PDLFs’ cell viability, suggesting its possibility because of the inhibition of phosphorylation activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase’s p38, and the signal transduction process of nuclear factor κB (NFκB)-related protein. Also, baicalin reduced the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in RAW 264.7 cells. This reduction is thought to be due to the inhibition of the signal transduction process of NFκB-related proteins affected by inhibiting p65RelA phosphorylation. Also, baicalin inhibited the secretion of nitric oxide and interleukin-6 induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that baicalin inhibits connective tissue destruction in periodontal disease. The inhibition of periodontal tissue destruction may be a therapeutic strategy for treating inflammatory periodontal-diseased patients.

This study aimed to investigate whether neurotransmitter receptors in the nervous system were also expressed in oral keratinocytes. Expressions of various neurotransmitter receptor genes in immortalized mouse oral keratinocyte (IMOK) cells were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. IMOK cells expressed calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor subunit genes Ramp1 and Ramp3 and glutamate receptor subunit genes Grina , Gria3 , Grin1 , Grin2a , and Grin2d . Moreover, IMOK cells expressed Adrb2 and Chrna5 that encode beta 2 adrenergic receptor and cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 5 for sympathetic and parasympathetic neurotransmitters, respectively. The expression of Bdkrb1 and Ptger4 , which encode receptors for bradykinin and prostaglandin E2 involved in inflammatory responses, was also observed at low levels. Expressions of Ramp1 and Grina in the mouse gingival epithelium were also confirmed by immunohistochemistry. When the function of neurotransmitter receptors expressed on IMOK cells was tested by intracellular calcium response, CGRP, glutamate, and cholinergic receptors did not respond to their agonists, but the bradykinin receptor responded to bradykinin. Collectively, oral keratinocytes express several neurotransmitter receptors, suggesting the potential regulation of oral epithelial homeostasis by the nervous system.