The influence of Goldbonder and pre-heat treatment on the adhesion of titanium alloy and porcelain.

The present study examines the influence of a goldbonder and pre-heat treatment of the titanium on the adhesion of porcelain. Three groups of titanium substrates were given various heat treatments, namely; none, 200 degrees and 600 degrees C, respectively before applying goldbonder. The surfaces of the titanium specimens following heat treatment were examined with an electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The adhesion strength was measured by the strain energy release rate (G), which was proposed by Suansuwan N and Swain MV (Int J Prosthodont. 1999;12:547). After bonding porcelain onto titanium substrates with the aid of the goldbonder, the porcelain side of specimens was notched to the interface with a thin diamond saw. Then the samples were subject to a four-point bending test. Following fracture testing, specimens were examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and SEM with energy-dispersive spectroscopic analysis (EDS). The mean G-values were 38.87, 28.64 and 16.33 J m(-2), respectively. ESCA analysis showed the composition of aluminium of the surface of 600 degrees C pre-heat treatment became richer than that of the others. SEM images of the fracture surfaces showed that for the 600 degrees C pre-heat treatment fracture occurred within the oxidation layer on the titanium. High temperature pre-heat treatment prior to bonding significantly reduces porcelain bonded to titanium with the goldbonder. The Influence of Goldbonder and Pre-heat Treatment on the Adhesion of Titanium Alloy and Porcelain.

The effect of Goldbonder on the adhesion between porcelain and pure titanium.

The present study examines the effect of a Goldbonder on the adhesion between titanium and porcelain as measured by the strain energy release rate (G) associated with the interfacial fracture of porcelain and titanium. The influence of surface treatment of titanium prior to Goldbonder application was also examined. The porcelain side of the specimens was notched to the interface with a thin diamond saw, and then a pre-crack was made at the metal-porcelain interface by a special jig. The samples were subjected to a four-point bending test resulting in stable crack extension from which G was calculated. Both the cracked cross-section of interface and peeled fracture surface were examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mean G values were 81.57 +/- 10.34, 46.01 +/- 14.83, and 15.98 +/- 1.76 J m(-2) for the sandblasted surface with the Goldbonder, polished surface with the Goldbonder, and sandblasted surface with the Pastebonder, respectively. The G values revealed significant differences (P < 0.01) between Goldbonder and Pastebonder, and between the sandblasted and polished surfaces with Goldbonder. The SEM photographs and elemental analysis showed that Goldbonder developed both chemical and mechanical bonding to titanium and porcelain.

[Clinical outcome of the coronary arterial bypass graft with inferior epigastric artery as a composite graft].

Based on a good long-patency of the internal thoracic arteries (ITA) in coronary arterial bypass graft (CABG), the postoperative early patency of the inferior epigastric artery (IEA) was evaluated by means of the proximal anastomosed types as a composite graft. Among patients performed with CABG during October in 1998 to June, 2000, 39 cases with the IEA composite graft were studied for this clinical outcome (31 males and 8 females, the averaged age was 66.4 +/- 8.0 year old). The preoperative diagnosis were done as acute myocardial infarction (4), old myocardial infarction with angina pectoris (8), effort angina (12), and unstable angina (15). The coronary disease was left main trunk disease (8), 3 vessels (22), and 2 vessels (9). The operation was performed with cold blood-cardioplegia (20 degrees C, blood-GIK liquor used) on cardiopulmonary bypass with a single atrial and aortic cannulation. The averaged extracorporeal circulation time and the aortic clamping one were done for 169 and 131 min, respectively. The bypass number was double (n = 5), triple (n = 10), quadruple (n = 16), and quintuple (n = 8). Total bypass number was 150 (the averaged bypass number was 3.7 +/- 0.9), and total anastomosal number was 145. The postoperative early-patency of IEA was 94.9% (37/39). The proximal sites of IEA were anastomozed to ITA with I-shaped end-to-end (n = 15), to ITA with Y-shaped end-to-side (n = 5), and to SVG with Y-shaped end-to-side (n = 19). Compared with the postoperative early-patency of I-shaped anastomosis to ITA and that of Y-shaped one to ITA or SVG, there was no significance among these cases (100%, 15/15 versus 91.7%, 22/24, p = 0.6738), however, that of Y-shaped one to ITA was significantly better than that of Y-shaped one to SVG (60%, 3/5 versus 100%, 19/19, p = 0.0488). It should be available for spreading of the anastomotic objective vessels that the IEA as a composite graft was used with the proximal site anastomozed to ITA by I-shaped end-to-end and with to SVG by Y-shaped end-to-side, which clinical outcome would sufficiently benefit to the patients.

[A case of lupoid hepatitis satisfying criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus associated with psychosis].

A 26-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of arthralgia and general fatigue. On examination, she had malar rash and arthritis. Laboratory data revealed AST, ALT and gamma-globulin elevation, antinuclear antibody and double-stranded DNA antibody positivity, and LE cell phenomenon. Liver biopsy showed marked lymphocytic infiltration and slight fibrosis in the portal areas. She was diagnosed with lupoid hepatitis, and also satisfied the criteria for SLE including malar rash, arthritis, immunologic disorder and antinuclear antibody. She was administered prednisolone, after which AST and ALT decreased. She developed psychosis and her electroencephalogram showed diffuse slow waves corresponding to psychosis by SLE. Lupoid hepatitis is frequently associated with various systemic manifestations. However, only a few cases of lupoid hepatitis satisfying the criteria for SLE associated with psychosis have been reported.

C-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral vasospasm is a poor resulting outcome of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm; to clarify the mechanism of vasospasm it is important to improve this outcome. C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is present in the brain as a cerebral vasodilator; it is also an endothelium-derived relaxing factor produced via cGMP. We speculated that CNP might be an inhibitor of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: To clarify the role of CNP in cerebral vasospasm after SAH, we conducted 1 week monitoring of CNP concentrations in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 26 patients who had undergone clipping within 24 hours of the occurrence of SAH, and divided them into group A (positive for angiographic spasm) and group B (negative for angiographic spasm). We also examined CNP concentrations in the CSF of patients who were receiving spinal anesthesia for small orthopedic operations, as reference patients. RESULTS: The CNP concentration in the CSF on day 1 was higher than in the reference patients and decreased in both test groups, but we did not observe any significant difference between the groups. CNP concentrations in the plasma did not change in either group. CONCLUSIONS: CNP concentrations in the CSF were high in the acute phase after SAH, whereas plasma CNP concentrations remained constant. However, our findings did not support our hypothesis because we did not find any relationship between vasospasm and changes in CNP concentrations in the CSF.

[Reevaluation of 201Tl-SPECT for patients with solitary pulmonary nodule--comparison study with biopsy method and tumor marker measurement].

We compared the differential diagnostic capabilities of 201Tl-SPECT and biopsy methods and serum tumor marker in 125 patients with solitary pulmonary lesions composed of 87 lung cancer and 38 benign lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of 201Tl-SPECT were 76%, 95%, 97%, 63%, and 82%, respectively. These parameters are similar in biopsy methods. Although sensitivity improved to be 85% by the combination with tumor marker methods, both specificity and accuracy deteriorated to be 55% and 76%. Using combination method with 201Tl-SPECT and biopsy, sensitivity, NPV and accuracy improved to be 84%, 70% and 85%. Based on its high PPV value, 201Tl-SPECT could be useful when biopsy method could not prove lung cancer or in case whose biopsy is considered to be invasive. Because of the lower NPV value owing to false negative cases in some adenocarcinoma, negative 201Tl-SPECT case should be followed up carefully.

Comparison of bacterial community structures in the rhizoplane of tomato plants grown in soils suppressive and conducive towards bacterial wilt.

It has been reported that the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum is suppressed at the rhizoplane of tomato plants and that tomato bacterial wilt is suppressed in plants grown in a soil (Mutsumi) in Japan. To evaluate the biological factors contributing to the suppressiveness of the soil in three treated Mutsumi soils (chloroform fumigated soil; autoclaved soil mixed with intact Mutsumi soil; and autoclaved soil mixed with intact, wilt-conducive Yamadai soil) infested with R. solanacearum, we bioassayed soil samples for tomato bacterial wilt. Chloroform fumigation increased the extent of wilt disease. More of the tomato plant samples wilted when mixed with Yamadai soil than when mixed with Mutsumi soil. Consequently, the results indicate that the naturally existing population of microorganisms in Mutsumi soil was significantly able to reduce the severity of bacterial wilt of tomato plants. To characterize the types of bacteria present at the rhizoplane, we isolated rhizoplane bacteria and classified them into 22 groups by comparing their 16S restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns. In Yamadai soil a single group of bacteria was extremely predominant (73.1%), whereas in Mutsumi soil the distribution of the bacterial groups was much more even. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis of strains of dominant groups suggested that gram-negative bacteria close to the beta-proteobacteria were most common at the rhizoplane of the tomato plants. During in vitro assays, rhizoplane bacteria in Mutsumi soil grew more vigorously on pectin, one of the main root exudates of tomato, compared with those in Yamadai soil. Our results imply that it is difficult for the pathogen to dominate in a diversified rhizobacterial community that thrives on pectin.

Cloning of cellulose synthase genes from Acetobacter xylinum JCM 7664: implication of a novel set of cellulose synthase genes.

Three sets of cellulose synthase genes were cloned from a cellulose-producing bacterium Acetobacter xylinum JCM 7664. One set of genes (bcsAI/bcsBI/bcsCI/bcsDI) were highly conserved with the well-established type I genes in other strains of A. xylinum, while the other two (bcsABII-A, bcsABII-B) were homologous to the known type II (acsAII). Unexpectedly, they were immediately followed by a gene cluster of bcsX/bcsY/bcsCII/ORF569, likely forming an operon. Western blotting demonstrated that the BcsY protein accumulated in cells. Since BcsY showed striking similarities to a number of membrane-bound transacylases, it was hypothesized that the type II cellulose synthase produces acylated cellulose, which might be anchored on the cytoplasmic membrane. An insertion sequence of IS1380-type was found just upstream of the one type II gene (bcsABII-B), suggestive of nonfunctioning.

Heterotopic nasopharyngeal brain tissue associated with cleft palate.

OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of extracranial brain tissue is rare. Most of the literature describes cases in which it is located around the nose and throat and has been classified as nasal glioma. Even more unusual is heterotopic brain tissue in the nasopharynx. We were able to find only 17 previously reported cases. Of these 17 cases, 6 had heterotopic brain tissue located in a cleft palate. This report comments on the identification and treatment of heterotopic brain tissue associated with cleft palate without connection to the central nervous system. Our case subject is a 10-month-old girl diagnosed with heterotopic nasophranygeal brain tissue associated with cleft palate. RESULTS: Excision and palatoplasty were performed conjunctively with excellent results. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous excision of heterotopic nasopharyngeal brain tissue and palatoplasty of the cleft palate is an excellent option for treatment of these cases.

Detection of DNA damages and repair in human culture cells with simulated space radiation.

DNA damages and its repair of cultured WI38 human fibroblast cells and T98G human glioblastoma cells were studied by exposing to carbon ion beams of HIMAC accelerator. The exposed cells were incubated at 37 degrees C for appropriate intervals and the damages were analyzed by alkaline comet assay and quantitative RT-PCR with p53 mRNA. Highly inhomogeneous DNA damages were observed among the electrophoretic cell images of the comet assay. The degree of the damages was analyzed semi-quantitatively by using the Comet Index. The damaged fraction of WI38 cells was 85% immediately after 4 Gy (100keV/micrometer) irradiation and decreased to 50% after 120 min. incubation indicating a repair of cell DNA. Time dependent p53 gene expression as also analyzed by the quantitative RT-PCR method.

[A fatal case of streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome probably caused by acupuncture].

A 41-year-old male received acupuncture in the right shoulder for the sake of arthralgia. Three days after acupuncture he was admitted due to severe epigastralgia. Erythematous change and swelling were observed around the right shoulder. A study by magnetic resonance showed an increased signal intensity in a portion of the right subscapular muscle. Four hours after admission he became hypotensive. The erythematous and necrotic change in the right shoulder skin rapidly spread. Excisional debridement in the right lateral chest wall was immediately done. However, the patient died one day after admission despite administration of a high-dose ampicillin and other supportive therapies. Bacteriological and histological examinations confirmed severe streptococcal myositis. This is a case report of toxic shock-like syndrome probably caused by acupuncture.

Expression of bcl-6 protein in normal skin and epidermal neoplasms.

Bcl-6 protein is a recently identified novel transcription factor whose deregulated expression is associated with diffuse large B cell lymphomas. It was recently shown by us that the protein is located in germinal center B cells and their neoplastic counterparts. In the present study, the expression of bcl-6 protein on normal epidermis, benign, and malignant tumors originating from epidermal cells, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines are investigated. With the use of immunohistochemistry, bcl-6 protein was shown to stain intensely on normal prickle cells, but none to only slightly on epidermal basal cells. Papillomas and keratoacanthomas copied their normal counterparts in the mode of expression. Various levels of expression were found on seborrheic keratoses, while the expression level on basal cell epitheliomas was low. Peculiarly, eccrine poromas and undifferentiated spindle-shaped basal cell epitheliomas were totally unstained. Squamous cell carcinomas showed a variety of expression levels, while two undifferentiated spindle-shaped carcinomas and one undifferentiated SCC cell line remained unstained. These results suggest that the expression of bcl-6 protein may be associated with morphological differentiation in normal and neoplastic epidermal cells.

Regulation of BCL-6 gene expression in human myeloid/monocytoid leukemic cells.

We demonstrated in the present study that the BCL-6 transcripts were detectable not only in B cells, but also in circulating granulocytes and monocytes from normal individuals, and in human acute nonlymphocytic leukemia cells of certain subtypes (M3, M4, M5). Then, with an assumption that the BCL-6 gene expression may be related to the differentiation of myeloid cells, we analyzed the inducibility of BCL-6 gene expression along monocytic lineage differentiation in HL-60 and U-937 cells by treating them with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Although the expression of BCL-6 transcripts was very low or undetectable in untreated HL-60 or U-937 cells, treatment of these cells with TPA to induce monocytic differentiation resulted in an apparent increase of BCL-6 mRNA, suggesting that BCL-6 gene expression is not limited to B cells and it is closely associated with monocytic lineage differentiation. The BCL-6 transcripts in TPA-treated U-937 cells were superinduced by the treatment with cycloheximide (CHX) and the half-life of the BCL-6 mRNA was apparently prolonged when TPA-treated U-937 cells were exposed to CHX in the presence of actinomycin D (ACD). Furthermore, the nuclear run-on assay revealed that the BCL-6 transcription signals were enhanced by TPA treatment. These results suggest that the increase of BCL-6 mRNA in U-937 cells stimulated with TPA to induce monocytic lineage differentiation is mediated by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation.

A new cleft palate repair.

Cleft palate can be repaired by a palatal mucoperiosteal flap, but we have devised a new technique for cleft palate repair using a wide mucoperiosteal flap with an alveolar ridge mucosa and a cleft margin flap. This technique leaves the mucosa of the nasal cavity and vomer intact. The results include (1) good velopharyngeal competence and normal articulation, (2) few cases of fistula formation, and (3) minimal maxillary retardation.

Congenital bilateral zygomatico-mandibular fusion with mandibular hypoplasia.

We report a very rare case of congenital bilateral zygomatico-mandibular fusion with mandibular hypoplasia. Soon after birth, the patient underwent tracheotomy because of upper airway obstruction. At the age of one and a half years, reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint and lengthening of the ramus with a costochondral graft were performed. Only a few cases of congenital bony syngnathia revealed in this case have been described in the literature.

Influence of boiling water treatment on surface roughness and surface microstructure of set gypsum (dental stone).

The influence of boiling water treatment on the surface roughness and surface microstructure of set gypsums was investigated. Typical surfaces before and after immersion in boiling water were compared by means of SEM observation, the Knoop hardness test, and a surface roughness test. The surfaces of set gypsums were rougher than that of an acrylic resin plate, and after immersion in boiling water, highly roughened surfaces and thinner crystal bodies were observed on each specimen under SEM. The knoop hardness of set gypsums was considerably lowered after boiling water immersion. That of die stones was the same or lower than set dental stones. The results showed that even brief immersion in boiling water had profound effects on the dental stone cast, resulting in rougher surfaces and lower hardness of set gypsums.

A mirror image of the first and second branchial arch syndrome associated with cleft lip and palate in monozygotic twins.

A rare case of monozygotic twins revealing a mirror image of the first and second branchial arch syndrome with accessory ear and hemifacial microsomia, associated with unilateral cleft lip and palate, is presented. Although the concordance and/or discordance rate of monozygotic or dizygotic twins with cleft lip and palate is well reported, that of twinning of the first and second branchial arch syndrome has been very rarely described. First and second branchial arch syndrome occurs sporadically but cleft lip and palate are strongly related to the influence of environmental factors with a considerable hereditary tendency. The study of twinning of congenital anomalies is important in the investigation of the pathogenesis of genetic and environmental effects. The twins were diagnosed as monozygotic with almost complete certainty by ABO blood typing, HLA typing, finger prints, and DNA typing. Concordance was noticed, which suggests a hereditary tendency. Since concordance in these monozygotic twins was exhibited by a precise mirror image of first and second branchial arch syndrome, spinal scoliosis and cleft lip and palate, it is possible that an environmental factor induced these complex anomalies.