Comparing Various Resin Luting Cement Systems in Different Etching Modes Through Bond Durability and Morphological Features.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate bond performance of various resin luting cement (RLC) systems on enamel and dentin in different etching modes and to compare the RLC-tooth interface morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The self-adhesive RLC systems used in combination with universal adhesives were as follows: Scotchbond Universal Adhesive Plus + RelyX Universal (3M Oral Care) and Clearfil Universal Bond Quick ER + SA Luting Multi (Kuraray Noritake Dental). These RLC systems were also used alone as self-adhesive RLC systems without universal adhesives (self-adhesive mode). The conventional RLC systems for comparison materials were as follows: BeautiBond Xtream + ResiCem EX (Shofu) and Tooth Primer + Panavia V5 (Kuraray Noritake Dental). Twelve specimens were prepared for each group to measure shear bond strength (SBS) in different etching modes. A stainless-steel rod was used as a substitute for indirect restorations. Bonded specimens were allocated to baseline (stored for 24 hours) and artificially aged (thermocycling [TC] for 10,000 cycles) groups. Representative treated tooth surfaces and RLC-tooth interfaces were observed using SEM. RESULTS: Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that all the factors (etching mode, storage period, and RLC system) had a significant influence on the enamel SBS values (p<0.05). Enamel SBS was significantly higher in etch-&-rinse (ER) mode than in self-etch (SE) mode, regardless of RLC system or storage period. Three-way ANOVA showed that all the factors had a significant influence on the dentin SBS values (p<0.001). Most RLC systems showed significantly higher dentin SBS in SE mode than in ER mode, regardless of storage period. However, the combination with Scotchbond Universal Adhesive Plus and RelyX Universal showed no significant difference in SBS values between etching modes at the baseline and showed a significantly higher SBS value in ER mode than in SE mode after TC. CONCLUSIONS: The self-adhesive RLC systems with universal adhesives tended to show higher enamel and dentin bond performance than the self-adhesive RLC systems alone. The morphology of treated tooth surfaces and resin cement-tooth interfaces were dependent on the RLC system and etching mode used. The RLC systems with primer application showed a thin, high-density layer above the intact dentin in both etching modes, suggesting chemical interaction.

Predicting habitual water intake from lifestyle questions.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have used selective recall and descriptive dietary record methods, requiring considerable effort for assessing food and water intake. This study created a simplified lifestyle questionnaire to predict habitual water intake (SQW), accurately and quickly assessing the habitual water intake. We also evaluated the validity using descriptive dietary records as a cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: First, we used crowdsourcing and machine learning to collect data, predict water intake records, and create questionnaires. We collected 305 lifestyle-related questions as predictor variables and selective recall methods for assessing water intake as an outcome variable. Random forests were used for the machine learning models because of their interpretability and accurate estimation. Random forest and single regression correlation analysis were augmented by the synthetic minority oversampling that trained the model. We separated the data by sex and evaluated our model using unseen hold-out testing data, predicting the individual and overall habitual water intake from various sources, including non-alcoholic beverages, alcohol, and food. RESULTS: We found a 0.60 Spearman's correlation coefficient for total water intake between the predicted and the selective recall method values, reflecting the target value to be achieved. This question set was then used for feasibility tests. The descriptive dietary record method helped to obtain a ground-truth value. We categorized the data by gender, season, and source: non-alcoholic beverages, alcohol, food, and total water intake, and the correlation was confirmed. Consequently, our results showed a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.50 for total water intake between the predicted and the selective recall method values. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that dissemination of SQW can lead to better health management by easily determining the habitual water intake.

Evaluation of Glazing and Polishing Systems for Novel Chairside CAD/CAM Lithium Disilicate and Virgilite Crowns.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of glazing, two zirconia, and two lithium disilicate polishing systems on surface roughness of a CAD/CAM lithium disilicate and virgilite ceramic with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and visual assessment performed by dental students and faculty. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty maxillary right central incisor crowns made of a novel chairside CAD/CAM lithium disilicate and virgilite (CEREC Tessera) were milled for glazing and polishing. The crowns were divided into six groups: no polishing/glazing provided (NoP/G); glazed (GZ); glazed and polished with Brasseler Dialite LD Lithium Disilicate (DiLD); glazed and polished with Meisinger Luster Lithium Disilicate (LuLD); glazed and polished with Brasseler Dialite ZR Zirconia (DiZR); and glazed and polished with Meisinger Luster Zirconia (LuZR). Surfaces were scanned with AFM to measure roughness (Ra) and root mean square roughness (Rq) and generate micrographs. Crowns were visually assessed by 10 dental students and 10 dental school faculty members to determine clinical acceptableness. RESULTS: Glazing and all polishing kits significantly reduced Ra and Rq compared to no polishing/glazing. No significant Ra differences were found between glazing and all polishing kits (p>0.05). DiZR significantly reduced Rq compared to other groups (p<0.05). Visual assessment showed that GZ, LuLD, and DiZR were the most clinically acceptable crowns. CONCLUSION: Polishing and glazing considerably improve the surface smoothness of maxillary central incisor crowns fabricated out of a chairside CAD/CAM lithium disilicate and virgilite ceramic. Altogether, zirconia polishing systems provided smoother and more clinically acceptable surfaces than the lithium disilicate kits.

Search for the Pair Production of Dark Particles X with K_{L}

We present the first search for the pair production of dark particles X via K_{L}^{0}→XX with X decaying into two photons using the data collected by the KOTO experiment. No signal was observed in the mass range of 40-110 MeV/c^{2} and 210-240 MeV/c^{2}. This sets upper limits on the branching fractions as B(K_{L}^{0}→XX)<(1-4)×10^{-7} and B(K_{L}^{0}→XX)<(1-2)×10^{-6} at the 90% confidence level for the two mass regions, respectively.

Search for the Majorana Nature of Neutrinos in the Inverted Mass Ordering Region with KamLAND-Zen.

The KamLAND-Zen experiment has provided stringent constraints on the neutrinoless double-beta (0νßß) decay half-life in ^{136}Xe using a xenon-loaded liquid scintillator. We report an improved search using an upgraded detector with almost double the amount of xenon and an ultralow radioactivity container, corresponding to an exposure of 970 kg yr of ^{136}Xe. These new data provide valuable insight into backgrounds, especially from cosmic muon spallation of xenon, and have required the use of novel background rejection techniques. We obtain a lower limit for the 0νßß decay half-life of T_{1/2}^{0ν}>2.3×10^{26} yr at 90% C.L., corresponding to upper limits on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of 36-156 meV using commonly adopted nuclear matrix element calculations.

Effect of quercetin glycosides on cognitive functions and cerebral blood flow: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effects of quercetin glycoside-containing beverages on cognitive function and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in adult men and women aged between 60 and 75 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty healthy men and women with no cognitive impairment and aware of ageing-related forgetfulness underwent a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, and parallel-group trial. They regularly consumed 500 mL of beverage containing 110 mg of quercetin glycoside as isoquercitrin for 40 weeks. Cognitive function assessment by Cognitrax was the endpoint of the study. The participants were assessed for CBF, health-related quality of life, as well as physical, biological, and hematological parameters, and lateral index. RESULTS: Cognitrax demonstrated that the reaction time significantly improved in the quercetin glycoside intake group. The CBF measurement suggested that quercetin glycoside intake could likely suppress the decrease in cerebral blood volume, CBF, and cerebral activity owing to stress alleviation and inhibition of the accumulation of amyloid ß (Aß), a waste product in the brain, although there were no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin glycoside intake as a beverage could improve reaction time and may potentially inhibit the decrease in CBF and suppress Aß accumulation.

Unwillingness to cooperate with COVID-19 contact tracing in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Contact tracing for COVID-19 relies heavily on the cooperation of individuals with authorities to provide information of contact persons. However, few studies have clarified willingness to cooperate and motivation to provide information for contact tracing. This study sought to describe willingness to cooperate and motivation to report contact persons for COVID-19 contact tracing among citizens in Japan, and to assess any associated sociodemographic factors. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: This was an online-based survey using quota sampling. Participants were asked about their willingness to cooperate in reporting contacts for COVID-19 contact tracing if they tested positive. Participants also responded to questions regarding their reasons for cooperating or not cooperating and provided sociodemographic data. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to clarify associations between sociodemographic factors and willingness to cooperate. RESULTS: This study included 2844 participants. The proportion of participants who were not willing to cooperate in reporting contacts was 27.6%, with their main reasons being concerns about causing trouble for the other person and being criticised for revealing their names. Willingness to cooperate was lower among men, young adults and those with an educational level less than a university degree. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the effectiveness of contact tracing, educational campaigns, such as reducing the fear and stigma associated with COVID-19, may be important. Furthermore, it is essential to understand that individuals may have contacts whom they do not wish to disclose to others and to be considerate when handling such situations.

Increased plasma drug concentration and decreased additional insulin secretion following oral administration of glimepiride in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii rats.

We aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacological effects of glimepiride in the Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rat, which is a non-obese model of type 2 diabetes. After oral administration of glimepiride (10 mg/kg), the maximum plasma concentrations and the area under the curve from 0 to 6 h of glimepiride in SDT rats were significantly higher than those in age-matched Sprague-Dawley rats. Whereas, additional insulin secretion following glimepiride treatment was markedly reduced in SDT rats. Thus, the SDT rat can be regarded as a model that reflects type 2 diabetes with reduced insulin secretory capacity. Our findings suggested that glimepiride could be ineffective in sever type 2 diabetic patients.

Validity of a selective recall method for assessing water intake and its relationship with hydration status.

OBJECTIVE: We previously established a descriptive dietary record method that accurately quantifies habitual water intake from food and beverages, to ascertain the relationship between water intake and health. Here, we verified the validity of a selective recall method, which is easy for users to answer and analyze. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Japanese men and women aged 20-44 years (n = 16) and 45-64 years (n = 16) participated over three working days and one non-working day. The day following each of the surveyed days, participants collected their first morning urine for urinalysis and completed a selective recall and descriptive dietary record questionnaire. RESULTS: The two methods of determining water intake were positively correlated (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001). Water intake volumes from non-alcoholic beverages (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001), alcoholic beverages (r = 1.00, p < 0.0001), and food (r = 0.72, p < 0.0001), calculated using the two methods, exhibited strong correlation. No correlation was observed between urinalysis parameters and total water intake. A significant, negative correlation was observed between urine osmolarity and total water intake in men (r = -0.55, p = 0.0011) and women (r = -0.51, p = 0.0032) aged 20-44 years. CONCLUSIONS: Selective recall is a valid method for assessing water intake from food and beverages.

Minimally Invasive Multidisciplinary Restorative Approach to the Esthetic Zone Including a Single Discolored Tooth.

OBJECTIVES: The case report describes a minimally invasive, multidisciplinary approach to a single discolored anterior tooth, with internal bleaching using traditional Japanese paper (Washi), a gingivoplasty with a three-dimensional (3D) printed surgical guide, and ultrathin feldspathic porcelain veneers. CLINICAL CONSIDERATION: The patient's primary concern was improving her smile. After clinical evaluation, internal tooth bleaching for the discolored tooth and gingivoplasty with restoration of the maxillary anterior six teeth and first premolars was recommended. The internal tooth whitening was accomplished with sodium perborate mixed with 30% hydrogen peroxide impregnated in Washi and sealed in the root canal with glass ionomer. Once the tooth bleaching was completed, the 3D printed surgical guide was placed in the patient's maxillary anterior region and used to guide soft tissue recontouring. After 6 months, ultrathin feldspathic porcelain veneers were placed. CONCLUSION: Well-planned restorative procedures combining internal tooth bleaching using Washi, gingivoplasty performed with electrosurgery using a 3D printed surgical guide, and ultrathin feldspathic porcelain veneers can achieve the desired results in the esthetic zone and remain successful for 4 years.

Risk factors for thrombocytopenia and analysis of time to platelet transfusion after azacitidine treatment.

The use of azacitidine (AZA) has been known to lead to a high incidence of hematotoxic adverse events. The aims of this study were to identify the risk factors for thrombocytopenia after the administration of AZA and to analyze time to the initial platelet transfusion. Sixty-two patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), who were treated with AZA in Gifu Municipal Hospital between March 2012 and June 2020, were included in this study. The risk factors for thrombocytopenia were identified using univariate analysis of patient characteristics, disease type, and laboratory values immediately before the start of treatment. Variables with p<0.2 identified in the univariate analysis were used as independent variables in the multivariate analysis. This analysis identified "creatinine clearance (CCr) <60 mL/min" as a significant factor (odds ratio, 4.790; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.380-16.70; p=0.014). Subsequently, time in days to the initial platelet transfusion after the initial administration of AZA was analyzed using the log-rank test. The overall median time in days to platelet transfusion was 370 days. The log-rank test was used to determine the influence of patient characteristics, disease type, and laboratory values immediately before the start of treatment. The subsequent Cox proportional hazard regression analysis using variables with p<0.2 as independent variables identified "hemoglobin (Hb) <8.0 g/dL" as a significant factor (hazard ratio, 2.143; 95% CI, 1.001-4.573; p=0.048). The results of this study led to the following clinical implications: first, patients with CCr of <60 mL/min at the start of treatment should be treated with caution due to the risk of thrombocytopenia. Second, patients with Hb of <8.0 g/dL at the start of treatment may require platelet transfusion in the early stage of treatment.

Transmission of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae associated with sinks in a surgical hospital ward, confirmed by single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although sink- and drain-related carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales transmission has been reported previously, there is limited research regarding the transmission of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales. AIM: To investigate nosocomial ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae transmission via patient sinks and drains on a general surgical hospital ward. METHODS: ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae transmission on a surgical ward at Tokyo Medical University Hospital (built in July 2019) from July 2019 to February 2020 was investigated. Information regarding the relatedness of the isolates from the patients and the environment was provided by whole-genome sequence analysis. FINDINGS: Four clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae (TUM19831, TUM19832, TUM19833 and TUM19834) were detected during the study. TUM19831 was identified prior to moving to the new building and was detected again in the new building. TUM19832 and TUM19833 were detected in July 2019, and TUM19834 was detected in December 2019. TUM19835 and TUM19836 were detected in two different sinks and drains in July 2019, while a further two sinks and drains tested positive for TUM19837 and TUM19838 in February 2020. Whole-genome analysis revealed that all strains were ST307 and CTXM15 sequence types, and the isolates were indistinguishable by genetic analysis. Due to inadequate removal of the slime biofilm coating, the sinks needed to be cleaned again before TUM19837 and TUM19838 could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the transmission of indistinguishable ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae strains from sinks and drains in the patient area of a general surgical hospital ward. There is a need to recognize this risk and develop optimal management strategies for plumbing systems in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Evaluation of Polishing Systems for CAD/CAM Polymer-Infiltrated Ceramic-Network Restorations.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of five different polishing systems on a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) polymer-infiltrated ceramic-network restoration with nanoscale assessment using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and visual assessment performed by dental school senior students and faculty members. METHOD: Forty-eight full coverage crowns were milled out of polymer-infiltrated ceramic-network CAD/CAM blocks (Vita Enamic) for polishing with one company proprietary, two ceramic and two composite polishing systems. The prepared crowns were divided into six groups: (1) no polishing (control); (2) polishing with Vita Enamic Polishing Kit (VEna); (3) polishing with Shofu Porcelain Laminate Polishing Kit (SCer); (4) polishing with Brasseler Dialite Feather lite All-Ceramic Adjusting & Polishing System (BCer); (5) polishing with Shofu Composite Polishing Kit (SCom); and (6) polishing with Brasseler Composite Polishing Kit (BCom). The polished crown surface topography was observed, and surface roughness and area were measured with AFM. In addition, polished crowns were visually assessed by 15 senior dental students and 15 dental school faculty members. RESULTS: All polishing treatments significantly reduced the surface roughness and area of the crown compared with the control. SCom and BCom showed significantly higher surface area than VEna, and the SCer and BCer groups were intermediate, showing no significant difference from either VEna or SCom and BCom. There were no significant differences in surface roughness between any of the systems. Dental students and faculty members classified the groups polished with VEna, SCer, and BCer groups as clinically acceptable, and they selected BCer group as the best polished restorations and the control group as the least polished restorations. CONCLUSIONS: Ceramic and composite polishing systems produced similar polishing results as that observed using a company proprietary polishing system. However, effectiveness for polishing using a company proprietary and ceramic polishing system tends to be higher than composite polishing systems.

Properties of

Mass-separated ^{187}Ta_{114} in a high-spin isomeric state has been produced for the first time by multinucleon transfer reactions, employing an argon gas-stopping cell and laser ionization. Internal γ rays revealed a T_{1/2}=7.3±0.9 s isomer at 1778±1 keV, which decays through a rotational band with perturbations associated with the approach to a prolate-oblate shape transition. Model calculations show less influence from triaxiality compared to heavier elements in the same mass region. The isomer-decay reduced E2 hindrance factor f_{ν}=27±1 supports the interpretation that axial symmetry is approximately conserved.

Simultaneous LC-MS analysis of plasma concentrations of sildenafil, tadalafil, bosentan, ambrisentan, and macitentan in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors and endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) are standard therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The inter-individual variability of these pharmacokinetics is reported remarkably large, and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can be useful to improve the likelihood of the desired therapeutic and safety outcomes. This study aimed to develop a LC-MS method to determine the concentrations of five PAH drugs (PDE-5 inhibitors: sildenafil and tadalafil, ERAs: bosentan, macitentan, and ambrisentan) from plasma samples using a simple process followed by a single mass spectrometric run, and to validate this approach through pharmacokinetic analyses in patients. A solid extraction method was used for sample preparation of the drugs from human plasma. The total run time for a single injection was within 10 min. The calibration curves for all drugs were linear, and the lower limits of quantitation were 1 (sildenafil), 2 (tadalafil), 5 (ambrisentan), and 10 ng/mL (bosentan, macitentan). The accuracy and precision values suggested that the assay had high accuracy and reliability. To prove the utility of this method, the plasma concentrations of the five PAH drugs were determined after their oral administration to nine PAH patients.

Damage accrual related to pregnancies before and after diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional and nested case-control analysis from a lupus registry.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the chronic damage associated with pregnancies before and after the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Using childbearing-aged female SLE patient data registered at the Okayama and Showa University Hospitals, a nested case-control analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between pregnancy and chronic damage using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). RESULTS: Pregnancy occurred in 22 patients before and 13 patients after the diagnosis of SLE in 104 eligible patients. Live births occurred in 82% (33/40) and 50% (9/18) of the pregnancies before and after the diagnosis of SLE, respectively. After matching age and disease duration, 33 case patients with chronic damage (SDI ≥ 1) and 33 control patients without chronic damage (SDI = 0) were selected. Hypertension was more frequent in cases than in controls (48% vs. 24%, p = 0.041). Pregnancies before and after the diagnosis of SLE were comparable between cases and controls (before the diagnosis: nine case patients and eight control patients; after the diagnosis: three case patients and five control patients; p = 1.00). Even after adjusting for hypertension using multivariate analysis, the pregnancies before and after the diagnosis were not significant predictors for chronic damage (odds ratio = 1.48 (95% confidence interval 0.33-6.65)), p = 0.60 of the pregnancy before the diagnosis; odds ratio = 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.13-4.74), p = 0.78 of the pregnancy after the diagnosis). CONCLUSION: Pregnancies, either before or after the diagnosis of SLE, did not show any differences in chronic damage. Our results help alleviate fears regarding childbearing in female patients with SLE and their families.