Magnetic resonance force microscopy combined with surface topography.

A new method of surface microscopy is proposed, which combines three-dimensional electron spin resonance imaging by magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) and topographic imaging of the sample surface by scanning force microscopy (SFM). In order to demonstrate its potential for the identification of microscale objects, the individual and combined images are used to provide the locations, shapes and spin density distributions of target phantom objects. We report spatial resolution in MRFM of 2.8 x 2.8 x 2.0 microm(3). This could be improved to the theoretical limit of 0.08 x 0.08 x 0.04 microm(3) through reduction of the thermal noise by cooling to cryogenic temperatures approximately 0.5K. We believe that this type of microscopy will become a very useful tool for the investigation of anomalies induced in surfaces by materials buried below the surface.

Three dimensional magnetic resonance imaging by magnetic resonance force microscopy with a sharp magnetic needle.

An electropolished magnetic needle made of Nd(2)Fe(14)B permanent magnet was used for obtaining better spatial resolution than that achieved in our previous work. We observed the magnetic field gradient |G(Z)|=80.0G/microm and the field strength B=1250G at Z approximately 8.8 microm from the top of the needle. The use of this needle for three dimensional magnetic resonance force microscopy at room temperature allowed us to achieve the voxel resolution to be 0.6 microm x 0.6 microm x 0.7 microm in the reconstructed image of DPPH phantom. The acquisition time spent for the whole data collection over 64 x 64 x 16 points, including an iterative signal average by six times per point, was about 10 days.

Magnetic resonance imaging of isolated single liposome by magnetic resonance force microscopy.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is very useful spectroscopy to visualize a three-dimensional (3D) real structure inside the sample without physical destruction. The spatial resolution of the readily available MRI spectrometer is, however, limited by a few ten to hundreds of microns due to a technological boundary of generating larger magnetic field gradient and to the insensitivity inherent to the inductive signal detection. Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) is new alternative MRI spectroscopy which is anticipated to significantly surpass the conventional MRI in both resolution and sensitivity. We report two imaging experiments on our MRFM spectrometer operated at room temperature and in vacuum approximately 10(-3)Pa. One is for approximately 20 microm liposome membrane labeled entirely by a nitroxide imaging agent and the other for approximately 15 microm DPPH particles, both are nearly the same size as that of human cell. The reconstructed images at spatial resolution approximately 1 microm were in satisfactory agreement with the scanning electron microscope images. The potential capability of visualizing intrinsic radicals in the cell is suggested to investigate redox process from a microscopic point of view.

Analysis of photosensitivity in Japanese cancer-bearing patients receiving photodynamic therapy with porfimer sodium (Photofrin).

A major disadvantage of a new cancer treatment, porfimer sodium (Photofrin)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PF-PDT), is photosensitivity for several weeks after cessation of the treatment. To characterize persistent sensitivity to visible light following PF-PDT, phototestings were performed in 59 Japanese cancer-bearing patients with a slide projector lamp 3 weeks or more after the treatment. The duration of photosensitivity was analyzed in relation to the patients' sex, skin phototype (SPT), site of tumor and liver function. There was no correlation of the photosensitivity persistency with the site of cancers and the function of liver. However, female subjects needed significantly longer recovery periods than male subjects from potential photosensitivity after PF-PDT. Patients with SPT2 were significantly more sensitive than patients with SPT3 and 4. These results suggest that the prolonged photosensitivity occurs after PF-PDT especially in female patients and in cases with a lighter SPT. Such patients should be carefully followed up for post-PDT photosensitivity.

[Some aspects of third molars with regard to the development of malocclusions].

Although the orthodontist is constantly aware of the developing third molar and its possible effects on the dentition during and after orthodontic treatment, the relationship between the third molar and the development of malocclusion had not been resolved. To attempt to clarify some of the problems associated with the third molar, an analysis of the factor in fluencing on the dentition and denture frame was performed. In this study, twenty-one adult cases which had no prothodontic correction of the tooth shape and orthodontic treatment with at least three wisdom teeth were used for evaluation of the denture frame structure and occlusion. The case which impacted third molar (M3 impacted group) showed less than 25 degree mandibular plane angle (FH-MP) without exception, while the case which the third molar erupted (M3 erupted group) were able to divide into high angle (more than 30 degree of FH-MP) and low angle (less than 29 degree of FH-MP) groups. The M3 impacted with low angle group and M3 erupted with low angle group showed relatively normal occlusion and favorable denture frame structure, but M3 erupted with high angle group indicated that the denture frame composition was affected by posterior discrepancy especially the steepness of occlusal plane which might be the over eruption of posterior teeth. The M3 erupted with high angle group also included two cases of severe anterior open-bite with skeletal deformity. These findings suggest that the posterior discrepancy due to existence of third molars influence on the dento-facial-skeletal structure and development of malocclusions.