Effect of Awareness and Habits of Oral Care on Life Satisfaction.

PURPOSE: New methods of public education in oral care must be developed, because the public understanding of the importance of oral care is insufficient. This questionnaire study examined the parameters 'awareness and attitude relevant to teeth and mouth' and 'consciousness and attitude of daily life' in order to clarify what kind of information is needed for public education in oral care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data gathered in a survey of oral care behaviours and lifestyle among the elderly were analysed for oral care awareness and health of the teeth using the factor analysis method. The respondents were divided into four groups according to two factors relating to oral health condition and oral care awareness. RESULTS: The high oral-care-consciousness group had a greater awareness of general health and sociability as well as life satisfaction than did the low oral-care-consciousness group. However, the respondents' economic situation had a larger effect on life satisfaction. The respondents were then divided into higher, middle, and lower economic status groups, and the relation between oral care awareness and life satisfaction was analysed for each group. As a result, the correlation between life satisfaction and oral care consciousness was observed by excluding the economic factors. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that oral care awareness may contribute to improvement of lifestyle and life satisfaction.

Effect of Heat-Treatment and Composition on Structure and Luminescence Properties of Spinel-Type Solid Solution Nanocrystals.

The compositional dependence of the structure and properties of spinel-type solid solutions, Zn(A,Ga)2O4 was investigated by comparison with samples hydrothermally prepared and those after heat treatment at 1000 °C in air. Nanocrystalline spinel-type solid solutions in the whole composition range in the ZnAl2O4-ZnGa2O4 system were directly formed from the aqueous precursor solutions of ZnSO4, Al(NO3)3 and Ga(NO3)3 under hydrothermal conditions at 180 °C for 5 h in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The incorporation of aluminum into the lattice, Zn(AlxGa1-x)2O4, resulted in lower crystallinity of the spinel. The relationship between the lattice parameter of as-prepared samples and the Al atomic ratio in the spinel composition was slightly apart from the ideal linear relationship that was obtained in the samples after heat treatment at 1000 °C. The optical band gap of both as-prepared solid solutions and those heat treated linearly increased from 4.1~4.2 to 5.25 eV by the incorporation of aluminum ion into the lattice, Zn(AlxGa1-x)2O4. Two main broad-band emission spectra centered at around 360 and 430 nm in the range of 300-600 nm were observed in the spinel solid solutions under excitation at 270 nm, thought their broad-band emission spectra and their peak wavelengths subtly changed depending on the composition and heat treatment.

Nanoparticles in the zirconia-europium niobate system via hydrothermal route.

The effect of the composition on the hydrothermal formation, structure, and properties of nanocrystalline luminescent materials in the zirconia (ZrO2)-europium niobate 1/4(Eu3NbO7) system was investigated. In the composition range 40 < or = ZrO2 mol% < or = 90, nanocrystalline particles with crystallite size 6.0-7.6 nm that were hydrothermally formed from the precursor solutions of NbCl5, ZrOCI2, and EuCl3 under weakly basic conditions at 240 degrees C showed cubic structure. The lattice parameter when estimated as a single cubic phase linearly decreased as the concentration of ZrO2 increased. The presence of zirconia component effectively promoted the formation of nanocrystals containing the niobate, Eu3NbO7 under hydrothermal condition. The nanocrystalline particles could be excited by ultraviolet light 395 nm (f-f transition) and emitted orange (590 nm) and red light (610 nm) corresponding to 5D0 --> 7F1 and 5D0 --> 7F2 transitions of Eu3+, respectively. The intensity of the electric dipole transition (5D0 --> 7F2) that was expressed in values relative to the magnetic dipole transition (5D0 --> 7F1) increased with increased heat-treatment temperature in the range from 950 to 1200 degrees C.

Composition-dependent electrocatalytic activity of AuPd alloy nanoparticles prepared via simultaneous sputter deposition into an ionic liquid.

Homogeneously alloyed bimetallic particles of AuPd with an average size of ca. 2 nm were successfully prepared by simultaneous sputter deposition of Au and Pd in an ionic liquid in the absence of any additional stabilizing agents. The chemical composition of the AuPd alloy was tunable depending on the area fraction of Au plates in the Au-Pd binary targets for sputtering. The particles were immobilized on an HOPG surface by heat treatment along with the increase in the average size of particles from ca. 2 nm to ca. 7 nm. Ionic liquid species adsorbed on the as-prepared AuPd nanoparticle films on HOPG caused the prevention of electrocatalytic reactions, but repetition of potential sweep cycling in a basic aqueous solution removed the adsorbed ionic species, resulting in electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol at the AuPd alloy nanoparticle-immobilized HOPG electrode. The electrocatalytic activity of AuPd nanoalloy particles varied upon changing the fraction of Au and Pd in the particles, and alloy particles having an Au fraction of ca. 0.61 exhibited the maximum activity against ethanol oxidation, being higher than the activity of the pure Pt surface.

Treatment of a serotype-1 hepatitis C virus infection using interferon-beta in a patient with a high RNA titer who had been receiving long-term hemodialysis therapy.

A serotype-1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a 67-year-old hemodialysis patient was treated using interferon (IFN)-beta. Although the patient had a high RNA titer (5.1 log IU/mL) and had been receiving long-term hemodialysis therapy (30 years), the initial 4-week IFN-beta administration enabled a rapid virological response without any major adverse effects. However, the final outcome after 24 weeks of IFN beta treatment was classified as unchanged based on the criteria of the Conference on Intractable Hepatitis. Here, we describe our experience treating HCV infection using IFN-beta and discuss the indications for such therapy.

Clinical evaluation of liver injury in patients with acute ischemic brain stroke treated with edaravone.

AIM: To elucidate the etiologic factors and features of liver injury in patients with acute ischemic brain stroke who were treated with edaravone and reported by their attending physicians to have developed serious liver injury. METHODS: The present study investigated 123 patients with a verified episode of liver injury among 132 patients with serious liver injury that had been reported attributable to edaravone. RESULTS: Ischemic and/or congestive liver (70.7%) were most predominant among the etiologic factors for liver injury, and edaravone-related liver injury accounted for 20.3% (25 patients). Evident liver injury (defined in the text) was found in 104 among 123 evaluated patients; 54 patients (51.9%) of the former subset showed severe liver injury (defined increases in serum aspartate and/or alanine aminotransferase levels of ≥1000 IU/L and/or serum total bilirubin levels of ≥5 mg/dL). Among 104 patients with evident liver injury, 65 showed recovery. Furthermore, 53 patients (51.0%) were complicated by renal disorders; all of these patients had ischemic and/or congestive liver, or severe infections. CONCLUSIONS: Edaravone was considered to be etiologic for liver injury in approximately 20% of evaluated patients. When a patient treated with edaravone developed liver injury therefore an investigation not only on edaravone but also on other potential etiologic factors (e.g. ischemic liver, congestive liver, and infection) and the quick implementation of appropriate treatments, especially for infections, revealed possible reductions in the incidences of severe liver injury and of complications by renal disorders.

Development of prosthetic arm with pneumatic prosthetic hand and tendon-driven wrist.

Recently, various prosthetic arms have been developed, but few are both attractive and functional. Considering human coexistence, prosthetic arms must be both safe and flexible. In this research, we developed a novel prosthetic arm with a five-fingered prosthetic hand using our original pneumatic actuators and a slender tendon-driven wrist using a wire drive and two small motors. Because the prosthetic hand's driving source is comprised of small pneumatic actuators, the prosthetic hand is safe when it makes contact with people; it can also operate flexibly. In addition, the arm has a tendon-driven wrist to expand its motion space and to perform many operations. First, we explain the pneumatic hand's drive mechanism and its tendon-driven wrist. Next, we identify the characteristics of the hand and the wrist and construct a control system for this arm and verify its control performance.

Analysis of cationic comb-type copolymers/DNA interaction by the single molecular observation and intermolecular force measurement.

We have reported that poly(L-lysine)-graft-dextran (PLL-g-Dex) accelerates DNA hybridization and increases stability of a double stranded DNA (dsDNA). Furthermore, PLL-g-Dex was found to stimulate the DNA strand exchange reaction between dsDNA and its complementary single stranded DNA (ssDNA). In order to better understand these phenomena, we evaluate PLL-g-Dex/DNA interaction by the single molecular observation and intermolecular force measurement at single molecular level. We have been able to observe PLL-g-Dex/DNA complex at single molecular level. PLL-g-Dex was found to increases the dissociation force of a dsDNA.

A randomized, double-blind study comparing the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel versus ticlopidine in Japanese patients with noncardioembolic cerebral infarction.

BACKGROUND: Patients treated with ticlopidine require careful hematologic monitoring. Clopidogrel may have greater tolerability. However, no direct comparison of these two drugs has been reported and evidence of improved safety with clopidogrel is not yet established in the Japanese population. A comparison of both agents was therefore conducted in Japanese stroke patients. METHODS: Patients with noncardioembolic cerebral infarction were randomized to clopidogrel 75 mg or ticlopidine 200 mg once daily for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety; the major secondary endpoint was the incidence of vascular events. RESULTS: Clopidogrel was associated with significantly fewer safety events than ticlopidine (7.0 versus 15.1%; p < 0.001) and no significant difference in efficacy between the two treatments was seen [hazard ratio 0.977 (95% confidence interval: 0.488-1.957)]. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese stroke patients, clopidogrel 75 mg is better tolerated than ticlopidine 200 mg once daily.

Efficacy and safety of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy with omeprazole, amoxicillin and high- and low-dose clarithromycin in Japanese patients: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: Seven-day administration of omeprazole 40 mg/day + amoxicillin 1500 mg/day + clarithromycin 800 mg/day is currently approved in Japan for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. We investigated the efficacy and safety of an omeprazole-based triple therapy regimen in combination with amoxicillin and low-dose clarithromycin in Japanese patients. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to either the low-dose group (omeprazole 40 mg/day + amoxicillin 1500 mg/day + clarithromycin 400 mg/day) or the high-dose group (omeprazole 40 mg/day + amoxicillin 1500 mg/day + clarithromycin 800 mg/day). A total of 288 patients were allocated to the low-dose (143) and high-dose (145) groups and were treated twice daily for 1 week. RESULTS: For the full-analysis set, H. pylori eradication rates were 81.1% (116/143 patients, 90% confidence interval [CI] 74.9, 86.3) in the low-dose group and 80.0% (116/145 patients, 90% CI 73.7, 85.3) in the high-dose group. Per-protocol eradication rates were 81.7% (103/126 patients, 90% CI 75.1, 87.2) and 84.1% (90/107 patients, 90% CI 77.1, 89.6), respectively. When patients with non-susceptibility to clarithromycin were excluded, eradication rates were >80% for both gastric and duodenal ulcers in the two groups. The results suggested that eradication rates were affected more by susceptibility to clarithromycin than to amoxicillin. Both regimens were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that an omeprazole-based triple-therapy regimen with clarithromycin 400 mg/day was as effective as that with clarithromycin 800 mg/day for H. pylori eradication.

Effect of niobium on the structure and photoactivity of anatase (TiO2) nanoparticles.

Anatase-type TiO2 nanoparticles doped with 0-30 mol% niobium were directly formed from precursor solutions of TiOSO4 and NbCl5 under mild hydrothermal conditions at 120-180 degrees C for 5 h using the hydrolysis of urea. When the niobium content increased from 0 to 30 mol%, the crystallite size of anatase increased from 8.5 to 19 nm. The band gap of anatase was slightly decreased by making solid solutions with niobium. Their photocatalytic activity and adsorptivity were evaluated separately by the measurement of the concentration of methylene blue (MB) remained in the solution after maintained in the dark or under UV-light irradiation. To form anatase-type solid solutions by doping 5-15 mol% niobium into TiO2 was effective for improvement of the photoactivity of TiO2. The photocatalytic activity (the photooxidation rate) and the adsorption amount of MB for the sample containing 15 mol% niobium became more than approximately nine times and six times as much as those of the hydrothermal anatase-type pure TiO2, respectively.

New anatase-type Til-2xNbxAlxO2 solid solution nanoparticles: direct formation, phase stability, and photocatalytic performance.

New anatase-type titania solid solutions co-doped with niobium and aluminum (Til-2xNbxAIlxO2 (X = 0 -0.20)) were synthesized as nanoparticles from precursor solutions of TiOSO4, NbCl5, and Al(NO3)3 under mild hydrothermal conditions at 180 degrees C for 5 h using the hydrolysis of urea. The lattice parameters a0 and c0 of anatase slightly and gradually increased, when the content of niobium and aluminum increased from X = 0 to 0.20. The crystallite size of anatase increased from 12 to 28 nm with increasing the value of X from 0 to 0.20. Their photocatalytic activity and adsorptivity were evaluated separately by the measurement of the concentration of methylene blue (MB) remained in the solution in the dark or under UV-light irradiation. The adsorptivity of TiO2 was improved by the formation of anatase-type Til-2xNbxAlxO2 solid solutions. The photocatalytic activity of anatase-type Til-2xNbxAlxO2 solid solutions was superior to that of commercially available anatase-type pure TiO2 (ST-01) and anatase-type pure TiO2 hydrothermally prepared. The new anatase phase of Til-2xNbxAlxO2 (X = 0-0.20) solid solutions existed stably up to 850 0C during heat treatment in air. In comparison with hydrothermal pure TiO2, the starting temperature of anatase-to-rutile phase transformation was delayed by the formation of Ti1-2xNbxAlxO, (X = 0-0.20) solid solutions, although its completing temperature was accelerated.

Genomic organization of the mouse Msh4 gene producing bicistronic, chimeric and antisense mRNA.

By degenerate PCR and screening of mouse testis cDNA library, we have identified seven cDNAs from the meiotic recombination gene Msh4. Variant alpha and probably beta are likely involved in meiotic DNA recombination. Other variants have distinctive structures; variant epsilon, theta; and iota form a bicistronic operon, while variant delta contains antisense RNA for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperon Hspa5 gene and small open reading frame (ORF) identical to epsilon ORF2. Analysis of the exon-intron structures revealed unusual genomic organizations: the first three exons of delta and the first exon of epsilon are respectively mapped to the Hspa5 locus on chromosome 2 and the Pcbp3 locus on chromosome 10; the remaining exons of both variants are mapped to the Msh4 locus on chromosome 3. The first exon of variant beta is located on chromosome 16, while the others are located on chromosome 3. Synthesis of these mRNAs is assumed to require interchromosomal trans-splicing alone (beta and epsilon) or in combination with converse-splicing (delta). Most Msh4 variant mRNAs are mainly expressed in testis, but a small amount of each variant except for epsilon is also expressed in brain, heart, thymus, ovary and embryonic head. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusion experiments showed that all the ORFs are translated, and most of those proteins are localized to a particular subcellular compartment. It also appeared that expression of variant delta induces cell death. This study suggests that the dynamic interchromosomal (intergenic) trans-splicing generates functional diversity of the mouse Msh4 gene.

RACE using only a gene-specific primer: application of a template-switching model.

This article describes a simple method for accurate rapid amplification of complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) ends (RACE), the distinctive feature being that only a gene-specific primer is used, without an anchor or adapter primer. Under these conditions, Thermus aquaticus (Taq) polymerase synthesizes cDNA ends exactly, so that amplified products obtain a characteristic structure: a terminal inverted repeat composed of a gene-specific primer and occasionally several nucleotides from its 3' flanking sequence. These structures suggest a hypothetical mechanism of cDNA end synthesis in which Taq DNA polymerase synthesizes a sequence complementary to the gene-specific primer at the 3' end of the daughter strand by switching the template to the 5' terminal region through circularization of the DNA. As a result, the targeted cDNA will be efficiently amplified with only a single gene-specific primer. This technique, which provides highly specific amplification of the 5' and 3' ends of a cDNA, is especially useful for isolation of cDNA when the corresponding messenger ribonucleic acid is scarce.