Judgment of gender through facial parts.

Japanese male and female undergraduate students judged the gender of a variety of facial images. These images were combinations of the following facial parts: eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and the face outline (cheek and chin). These parts were extracted from averaged facial images of Japanese males and females aged 18 and 19 years by means of the Facial Image Processing System. The results suggested that, in identifying gender, subjects performed identification on the basis of the eyebrows and the face outline, and both males and females were more likely to identify the faces as those of their own gender. The results are discussed in relation to previous studies, with particular attention paid to the matter of race differences.

Oxygenated Fatty Acids with Anti-rice Blast Fungus Activity in Rice Plants.

Expecting that the different characteristics of rice plants against rice blast fungus, that is, susceptibility of the weaker cultivar, Sasanishiki and resistance of the stronger cultivars, Fukuyuki and Fukunishiki, may be due to the absence or presence of anti-fungus compounds in the rice plants, the anti-rice blast fungus substances in these three kinds of rice plants were explored. We found five epoxides and five allyl alcohols as anti-rice blast fungus compounds. The epoxides were 12,13-epoxy- and 9,10-epoxylinoleic acids, and 15,16-epoxy-, 12,13-epoxy-, and 9,10-epoxylinolenic acids. The allyl alcohols are 13-hydroxy and 9-hydroxy linoleic acids, and 16-hydroxy, 13-hydroxy, and 9-hydroxy linolenic acids. In inoculated Sasanishiki, the activity is due to the formation of the allyl alcohols.

Lipoxygenase Activity Increment in Infected Tomato Leaves and Oxidation Product of Linolenic Acid by Its In Vitro Enzyme Reaction.

Our previous findings concerning the lipoxygenase (LOX) activity increment in infected rice plants and anti-fungus activity of resulting oxygenated fatty acids have prompted us to examine whether LOX activity increases in higher plants in response to infection with pathogens peculiar to individual plants. This study found that LOX activity increases in several kinds of infected higher plants, particularly in infected tomato leaves. Linolenic acid is oxidized to 9S-hydroperoxy-10E 12Z, 15Z-octadecatrienoic acid by the action of tomato LOX. This finding provides another example concerning the LOX activity increment in infected higher plant. The oxidation products had antimicrobial activity toward several kinds of pathogens.

[Effect of dihydrotachysterol on the periodontal tissues in rats].

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the histological changes of the periodontal tissues in rats produced by oral administration of dihydrotachysterol (DHT). Forty-five rats, 6 weeks old, were divided equally into 9 groups (Groups A-I). Groups A, D and G, control groups, received an administration of corn oil (0.5 ml) once a day for 1, 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Groups B, E and H received an administration of DHT (25 micrograms) once a day for 1, 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Groups C, F and I had an administration of DHT (50 micrograms) once a day for 1, 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The animals of all groups were killed 24 hours after the last administration. The periodontal tissues of the maxillary first molar of all animals were examined histologically and histometrically. Histological and histometrical findings: 1. In Groups A, D and G, control groups, the periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and cementum appeared normal during the entire experimental period. 2. In Group B, the peridontal tissues were almost similar to those of the control group. 3. In Groups C and E, osteoid tissue was observed in the alveolar bone surface. The thickness of the periodontal ligament decreased and the bone marrow spaces were slightly enlarged. The volmetric density of the alveolar bone decreased compared with that of the control groups. 4. In Groups F, H and I, the thickness of the periodontal ligament decreased significantly. In the periodontal ligament, destruction of collagen fibers was observed, and fibroblasts, collagen fibers and oxytalan fibers decreased in number. Dental ankylosis was also found. An abnormal darkly-stained layes (using the PAS staining method) was observed in the cementum surface. The alveolar bone marrow spaces were enlarged and replaced by fibrous tissue. In the histometrical findings, the thickness of the periodontal ligament and the volumetric density of the alveolar bone had decreased, and the volume of the cementum had increased significantly. The result of the present study suggested that oral administration of dihydrotachysterol to the rats induced the changes of the periodontal tissues similar to those seen in aging humans.

[Study of a particle counting method for index of masticatory efficiency].

The present report discusses our new simplified measuring method of masticatory efficiency by counting particles in the matter of making test materials and the standard equation for subjects with normal dentition. 1. Two kinds of hydrocolloid impression materials, reversible and irreversible, were used as the test materials. 2. For evaluating the shape of test materials, 12 subjects with normal dentition were tested and for calculating the standard equation, 108 subjects with normal dentition were tested. 3. Each subject was investigated by the simplified method of counting particles through a sieve system. The number of remaining particles on the mesh was calculated as a masticatory performance. 4. As indicated in a previous report by Dr. Ozawa about cubical test materials, columnar test materials are easier to make than the others and these were avairable for the present particle counting method for investigating masticatory efficiency. 5. We obtained the standard equation for both kinds of test material using 108 subjects with normal dentition. To simplify the measuring method, we selected the standard equation of a 5-mesh sieve with 10 strokes chewing for the index of masticatory efficiency. The standard equation of a 5-mesh sieve for both test materials are as follows; 1) Reversible hydrocolloid test material: Y = -1.605X+29.058 2) Irreversible hydrocolloid test material: Y = -1.116X+23.868 6. 5, 10-mesh sieve with 10 strokes chewing showed the smallest variation in the individual coefficient of variation with both kinds of test material.