Association between oral health status and functional independence measure on admission in convalescent hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND: Oral health management has become increasingly important for acute inpatients. Older patients often require extended periods of medical care, and oral health management is necessary in the convalescent period following the acute period. During the convalescent period, oral health management remains unclear as convalescent hospitals have limited dental resources, and effective dental care must be provided if the objective of hospitalization is to improve life functions. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between daily functioning and oral health status at the time of admission to a convalescent hospital to aid in improving daily functioning in the convalescent period. METHODS: We included patients admitted to the rehabilitation department of a specific convalescent hospital from January to December 2021. A total of 375 patients were included in the study, with complete data records. At admission, we gathered information from the medical records, including the patient's age, sex, primary disease, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), number of teeth, and Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Ver. 27, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The mean age of the 375 participants (189 men and 186 women) was 75.0 ± 12.1 years (range, 42-97 years), and over 80% were > 65 years. About 30% of major diseases could be attributed to strokes and fractures, followed by spinal cord and spine diseases. In non-stroke patients, multiple regression analysis using FIM motor, FIM cognitive, and FIM and OHAT total scores as objective variables showed that higher total scores of MNA-SF, FOIS, and lower modified Rankin Scale and OHAT were significantly associated with better FIMs. Lower OHAT scores were significantly associated with lower FOIS and MNA-SF scores, male sex, having fewer teeth, and poor dietary patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The convalescent period is an opportune time to provide intensive dental care due to the generally stable condition and extended hospital stay. Our results suggest that oral health management, such as dysphagia rehabilitation and denture treatment, is important for maintaining and improving independence, a key objective of convalescent rehabilitation, and malnutrition improvement.

Oral function of implant-assisted removable partial dentures with magnetic attachments using short implants: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to compare the oral functions of removable partial dentures (RPDs) with those of implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IARPDs) with short implants and magnetic attachments in patients with mandibular Kennedy class I and II. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty participants with mandibular Kennedy class I or II and at least three distal missing teeth were recruited. Oral functions, including mixing ability, comminuting ability, maximum bite force, and occlusal contact area, were assessed for RPDs (stage 0), IARPDs with healing caps (stage 1), and IARPDs with magnetic attachments (stage 2). The implants were loaded with occlusal force in stages 1 and 2. Finally, the data of the 27 participants who completed the evaluation at stage 2 were analyzed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction was used to assess the differences in the oral functions among the different stages. RESULTS: The implant survival rate was 93.8%. There were significant differences in the comminuting ability and occlusal contact area between stages 0 and 2 (p < .001 and p = .036, respectively) and stages 1 and 2 (p = .003 and p = .015, respectively). Regarding the maximum bite force, there was a significant difference between stages 1 and 2 (p = .018). However, there was no significant difference in the mixing ability between the three stages. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that IARPDs in the mandible with short implants and magnetic attachments may improve oral functions.

Oral Administration of Methylphenidate (Ritalin) Affects Dopamine Release Differentially Between the Prefrontal Cortex and Striatum: A Microdialysis Study in the Monkey.

Methylphenidate (MPH; trade name Ritalin) is a widely used drug for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is often used as a cognitive enhancer. Because MPH increases dopamine (DA) release by blocking the DA transporter in the human striatum, MPH is supposed to work on attention and cognition through a DA increase in the striatum. However, ADHD patients show impaired prefrontal cortex (PFC) function and MPH administration is associated with increased neural activity in the PFC. Although MPH is indicated to increase DA release in the rat PFC, there has been no study to examine MPH-induced DA changes in the human PFC because of technical difficulties associated with the low level of PFC DA receptors. Using the microdialysis technique, we examined the effects of oral administration of MPH on DA release in both the PFC and striatum in the monkey. We also tested the effect of MPH on cognitive task performance. As in human studies, in the striatum, both high and low doses of MPH induced consistent increases in DA release ∼30 min after their administrations. In the PFC, a consistent increase in DA release was observed 1 h after a high dose, but not low doses, of MPH. Low doses of MPH improved cognitive task performance, but a high dose of MPH made the monkey drowsy. Therefore, low-dose MPH-induced cognitive enhancement is supported by striatum DA increase.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Methylphenidate (MPH) is a widely used drug for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is often used as a cognitive enhancer. Although human positron emission tomography studies suggest that MPH works on attention and cognition through dopamine (DA) changes in the striatum, there has been no study to examine MPH-induced DA changes in the human prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using the microdialysis technique in monkeys, we found, for the first time, that low doses of MPH consistently increased DA release in the striatum but did not in the PFC. Cognitive enhancement effects of low doses of MPH are supposed to be supported by the striatum DA increase.

An Exploratory Study of Dapagliflozin for the Attenuation of Albuminuria in Patients with Heart Failure and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DAPPER).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sodium-dependent glucose transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, which are anti-diabetic drugs, reportedly decrease the incidence of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients with cardiovascular diseases, and thus chronic heart failure (CHF). SGLT-2 inhibitors also decrease albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Since albuminuria is a biomarker of not only chronic kidney disease but also cardiovascular events, we hypothesized that, among T2D patients with CHF, SGLT-2 inhibitors will decrease the extent of albuminuria and also improve CHF concomitantly. METHODS: DAPPER (UMIN000025102) is a multicenter, randomized, open-labeled, parallel-group, standard treatment-controlled study, which is designed to evaluate whether dapagliflozin, one of the SGLT-2 inhibitors, decreases albuminuria in T2D patients with CHF and exerts cardioprotective effects on the failing heart. The patients are randomized to either of the dapagliflozin (5 or 10 mg, once daily orally) or control group (administration of anti-diabetic drugs administered other than SGLT 2 inhibitors). The estimated number of patients that need to be enrolled is 446 in total (223 in each group). The primary objective is the changes in the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio from the baseline after 2-year treatment. The key secondary objectives are (1) the safety of dapagliflozin and (2) the cardiovascular and renal efficacies of dapagliflozin. CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES: DAPPER study investigates whether dapagliflozin decreases albuminuria and exerts beneficial effects on the failing heart in T2D patients. (UMIN000025102).

Attention reorganizes connectivity across networks in a frequency specific manner.

Attention allows our brain to focus its limited resources on a given task. It does so by selective modulation of neural activity and of functional connectivity (FC) across brain-wide networks. While there is extensive literature on activity changes, surprisingly few studies examined brain-wide FC modulations that can be cleanly attributed to attention compared to matched visual processing. In contrast to prior approaches, we used an ultra-long trial design that avoided transients from trial onsets, included slow fluctuations (<0.1Hz) that carry important information on FC, and allowed for frequency-segregated analyses. We found that FC derived from long blocks had a nearly two-fold higher gain compared to FC derived from traditional (short) block designs. Second, attention enhanced intrinsic (negative or positive) correlations across networks, such as between the default-mode network (DMN), the dorsal attention network (DAN), and the visual system (VIS). In contrast attention de-correlated the intrinsically correlated visual regions. Third, the de-correlation within VIS was driven primarily by high frequencies, whereas the increase in DAN-VIS predominantly by low frequencies. These results pinpoint two fundamentally distinct effects of attention on connectivity. Information flow increases between distinct large-scale networks, and de-correlation within sensory cortex indicates decreased redundancy.

Simulation of the reduction of runoff and sediment load resulting from the Gain for Green Program in the Jialingjiang catchment, upper region of the Yangtze River, China.

A distributed catchment hydrologic model (Hydrological Simulation Program--FORTRAN; HSPF) with improved sediment production processes was used to evaluate the effect of restoration of cultivated land to forest on the reduction of runoff and sediment load in the Jialingjiang basin, which forms part of the Yangtze River basin, China. The simulation results showed that restoration to forest reduced sediment production even in the case of minimum restoration at a threshold catchment slope of 25°, as advocated in the "Gain for Green Program " planned by the Chinese government, even though reduction of the peak flow rate in the river channel was small. The increase in forest area resulting from lowering of the threshold catchment slope reduced sediment production further.

Brightness illusions drive a neuronal response in the primary visual cortex under top-down modulation.

Brightness illusions are a powerful tool in studying vision, yet their neural correlates are poorly understood. Based on a human paradigm, we presented illusory drifting gratings to mice. Primary visual cortex (V1) neurons responded to illusory gratings, matching their direction selectivity for real gratings, and they tracked the spatial phase offset between illusory and real gratings. Illusion responses were delayed compared to real gratings, in line with the theory that processing illusions requires feedback from higher visual areas (HVAs). We provide support for this theory by showing a reduced V1 response to illusions, but not real gratings, following HVAs optogenetic inhibition. Finally, we used the pupil response (PR) as an indirect perceptual report and showed that the mouse PR matches the human PR to perceived luminance changes. Our findings resolve debates over whether V1 neurons are involved in processing illusions and highlight the involvement of feedback from HVAs.

Oral Health Assessment for Older Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities Using Video Recording by a Mobile Electronic Device.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many older adults who require long-term care need oral health management. However, access to dental care is limited, and connecting older patients with dental professionals is a future challenge. Therefore, the development of a remote oral health assessment system is required. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of video-based oral health assessments in older adults residing in facilities. METHODS: This study comprised 60 older adults residing in facilities who consented to dental home visit treatment by the Department of Oral Function Management at Showa University Dental Hospital between July 2021 and December 2022. The Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) was used to evaluate the oral health status at the facilities by one dentist. The concordance of the oral health assessments conducted by this dentist at the facilities (OHAT-B) was compared with those conducted by the same dentist (OHAT-V1) and two other dentists (OHAT-V2 and V3) using approximately 1 min video recordings of the oral cavity taken with a mobile electronic device. RESULTS: On the OHAT total score, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC [1.1]) for OHAT-B and V1 was 0.931; the ICC (2.1) was 0.889 when compared with V2 and 0.788 when compared with V3. Moreover, the comparison between V2 and V3 showed high agreement, with an ICC (2.1) of 0.750. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the oral health assessment of older adults residing in facilities using video recordings of the oral cavity taken with a mobile electronic device may be possible, suggesting the possibility of remote oral health assessment.

Prefrontal neurons represent winning and losing during competitive video shooting games between monkeys.

Humans and animals must work to support their survival and reproductive needs. Because resources are limited in the natural environment, competition is inevitable, and competing successfully is vitally important. However, the neuronal mechanisms of competitive behavior are poorly studied. We examined whether neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) showed response sensitivity related to a competitive game. In this study, monkeys played a video shooting game, either competing with another monkey or the computer, or playing alone without a rival. Monkeys performed more quickly and more accurately in the competitive than in the noncompetitive games, indicating that they were more motivated in the competitive than in the noncompetitive games. LPFC neurons showed differential activity between the competitive and noncompetitive games showing winning- and losing-related activity. Furthermore, activities of prefrontal neurons differed depending on whether the competition was between monkeys or between the monkey and the computer. These results indicate that LPFC neurons may play an important role in monitoring the outcome of competition and enabling animals to adapt their behavior to increase their chances of obtaining a reward in a socially interactive environment.

Early and delayed tranilast treatment reduces pathological fibrosis following myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Tranilast has been shown to inhibit TGFß1-related fibrosis and organ failure in various disease models. We sought to examine the effects of tranilast on left ventricular (LV) remodelling post-MI. METHODS: Following coronary artery ligation, Sprague Dawley rats were randomised to receive tranilast (300mg/kg/d, p.o.) or vehicle control over one of two treatment periods: (1) from 24h until seven days post-MI, (2) from seven days to 28 days post-MI. Cardiac tissue was harvested for molecular, immunohistochemical and cell culture analyses. RESULTS: Tranilast treatment of MI rats from 24h until seven days post-MI reduced myocardial collagen content, α1 (I) procollagen, TGFß1 and CTGF mRNA transcripts, monocyte/macrophage infiltration and exacerbated infarct expansion compared with vehicle-treatment. Delaying the commencement of tranilast treatment to seven days post-MI attenuated myocardial fibrosis, gene expression of α1(I) procollagen, α1(III) procollagen, fibronectin, TGFß1 and CTGF mRNA transcripts, and monocyte/macrophage infiltration at 28d compared to vehicle-treatment, without detriment to infarct healing. Extended post-MI also preserved LV infarct size. In cultures of rat cardiac fibroblasts, tranilast attenuated TGFß1-stimulated fibrogenesis. CONCLUSION: Tranilast inhibits myocardial TGFß1 expression, fibrosis in rat post-MI and collagen production in cardiac fibroblasts. While tranilast intervention from 24h post-MI exacerbated infarct expansion, delaying the commencement of treatment to seven days post-MI impeded LV remodelling.

Contribution of default mode network to game and delayed-response task performance: Power and connectivity analyses of theta oscillation in the monkey.

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the presence of a default mode network (DMN) which shows greater activity during rest, and an executive network (EN) which is activated during cognitive tasks. DMN and EN are thought to have competing functions. However, recent studies reported that the two networks show coactivation during some cognitive tasks. To clarify how DMN works and how DMN interacts with EN for cognitive control, we recorded EEG activities in the medial prefrontal (anterior DMN: aDMN), posterior cingulate/precuneus (posterior DMN: pDMN), and lateral prefrontal (EN) areas in the monkey. As cognitive tasks, we employed a monkey-monkey competitive video game (GAME) and a delayed-response (DR) task. We focused on theta oscillation because of its importance in cognitive control. We also examined theta band connectivity among the three network areas using the Granger causality analysis. DMN and EN were found to work cooperatively in both tasks. In all the three network areas, we found GAME-task-related, but no DR-task-related, increase in theta power from the resting level, maybe because of the higher cognitive demand associated with the GAME task performance. The information flow conveyed by the theta oscillation was directed more to aDMN than from aDMN for both tasks. The GAME-task-related increase in theta power in aDMN is supposed to be supported by more information flow conveyed by the theta oscillation from EN and pDMN.

Association of COVID-19 information media, providers, and content with vaccine uptake among Tokyo residents.

To elucidate appropriate ways to induce behavior that prevents the spread of infection, we examined the association between COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19-related information after more than 85% of the population had been vaccinated. Nonprobability quota sampling was used to recruit 2000 Tokyo residents as participants. The association between previous vaccine uptake and how much people thought they were affected by each of nine media, seven providers, and four content types of information was assessed using an online survey form. Subjective influence was assessed, and order logistic regression analyses were performed. We further calculated standardized partial regression coefficients for the independent variables. The results showed that while people did not think they were strongly affected by any COVID-19 information, significant positive associations between 9 of 20 variables, and significant negative associations between 7 of 20 variables were observed with vaccine uptake. The regression analysis involving the interaction terms between independent variables and sex showed a significant association between vaccine uptake and only daily conversation. Simple slope analysis showed a stronger positive association for females than for males. Regression analysis with interaction terms between each independent variable and age showed a significant association between vaccine uptake and print newspapers, social networking services, prefectural governors, family/relatives, accessibility, side effects, and supply visibility. Simple slope analysis also showed that the positive association between the subjective influence of newspapers and vaccine uptake was observed only for older people (≥69 years), and that of prefectural governors was more significant for older than younger people (≤32 years). In contrast, the trustworthy information provided by family/relatives was positively associated with vaccine uptake only for younger people. These results suggest that careful consideration must be given to the differences in age and sex to provide appropriate information that motivates Tokyo residents to receive vaccination during COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of single-implant overdentures on cognitive function in older adults: A 3-year follow-up report.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence of mild cognitive impairment in edentulous patients up to 3 years after they received single-implant overdentures (1-IODs). METHODS: This was a follow-up study for a crossover randomized controlled trial comparing 1-IODs and conventional complete dentures, with patient satisfaction as the primary outcome. In the present study, the cognitive function of the patients, measured with the Japanese version of the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA-J), was evaluated as the secondary outcome at baseline and 2 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after 1-IOD placement. The total and domain (memory, executive function, visuospatial skills, language, attention, and orientation) MoCA-J scores of the patients at each timepoint were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with edentulous mandibles received 1-IODs. Within-group comparisons revealed that the total MoCA-J scores at 1 year and 3 years after 1-IOD placement were significantly increased compared with baseline scores. Additionally, the memory domain scores at all timepoint were significantly increased compared with the baseline scores, and the executive function domain scores at the 2-month, 2-year and 3-year timepoint were significantly increased compared with the baseline scores. CONCLUSION: Patients with edentulous mandibles who underwent 1-IOD placement showed significantly improved total scores of MoCA-J after 1 year and 3 years of wearing 1-IODs. In addition, they showed significantly improved memory domain scores at 2 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after 1-IOD placement and executive function domain scores at 2 months, 2 years, and 3 years after 1-IOD placement. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study suggest that 1-IOD treatment for older adults, especially those with edentulous mandibles, may prevent cognitive decline regardless of the condition of the maxilla.

Suprabasin enhances the invasion, migration, and angiogenic ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells under hypoxic conditions.

Suprabasin (SBSN) is a secreted protein that is isolated as a novel gene expressed in differentiated keratinocytes in mice and humans. It induces various cellular processes such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, migration, angiogenesis, apoptosis, therapy and immune resistance. The role of SBSN was investigated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) under hypoxic conditions using the SAS, HSC­3, and HSC­4 cell lines. Hypoxia induced SBSN mRNA and protein expression in OSCC cells and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs), and this was most prominent in SAS cells. The function of SBSN in SAS cells was analyzed using 3­(4,5­dimethylthiazol­2­yl)­2,5­diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT); 5­bromo­2'­deoxyuridine (BrdU); cell cycle, caspase 3/7, invasion, migration, and tube formation assays; and gelatin zymography. Overexpression of SBSN decreased MTT activity, but the results of BrdU and cell cycle assays indicated upregulation of cell proliferation. Western blot analysis for cyclin­related proteins indicated involvement of cyclin pathways. However, SBSN did not strongly suppress apoptosis and autophagy, as revealed by caspase 3/7 assay and western blotting for p62 and LC3. Additionally, SBSN increased cell invasion more under hypoxia than under normoxia, and this resulted from increased cell migration, not from matrix metalloprotease activity or epithelial­mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, SBSN induced angiogenesis more strongly under hypoxia than under normoxia. Analysis using reverse transcription­quantitative PCR showed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA was not altered by the knockdown or overexpression of SBSN VEGF, suggesting that VEGF is not located downstream of SBSN. These results demonstrated the importance of SBSN in the maintenance of survival and proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis of OSCC cells under hypoxia.

Enhancing scientific transparency in national CO2 emissions reports via satellite-based a posteriori estimates.

Biennial Update Reports (BURs) are essential requirements from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, many non-Annex I countries have not submitted these reports due to difficulties in compiling the inventories. We developed a satellite-based method for the top-down inverse estimation of CO2 emissions using partial-column data in the lower troposphere obtained by the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, adopted to validate the Mongolian 2nd BUR (BUR2) for the energy sector in 2018. The estimated CO2 emissions were only 1.5% higher than those reported in the BUR2; these were also very close (4.2% smaller) to estimates from the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research. Mongolia is the first country to introduce an independent inverse estimate in its BUR, thereby increasing scientific transparency. Our method could be applied into other countries and could be incorporated into UNFCCC reporting guidelines, significantly improving global CO2 emission estimates.

Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and low-dose aspirin use on damage of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Low-dose aspirin (LDA), and Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection are considered the two primary causes of peptic ulceration. The interaction between HP infection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is, however, a matter of considerable discussion and controversy. In this study, we investigated possible synergistic or negative interactions between HP infection and LDA in gastric mucosal lesions, according to lesion site. METHODS: The subjects were 120 patients attending the Cardiology Outpatients Department (average age, 67.1 ± 8.9 years; male : female ratio 2.9:1). Endoscopic findings were graded using the Modified Lanza score. Lesions were scored for the antral, body and fundal regions. Ulcers were defined as mucosal defects ≥ 5 mm in size. RESULTS: There were 55 HP-positive and 65 HP-negative subjects, and 91 subjects on LDA therapy. The gastric antral Lanza scores were HP(-) LDA(-): 0.2 ± 1.6, HP(-) LDA(+): 1.8 ± 1.5, HP(+) LDA(-): 0.3 ± 0.7, and HP(+) LDA(+): 0.5 ± 1.0. The gastric body and fundal Lanza scores were 0.0 ± 0.0, 0.8 ± 0.9, 0.4 ± 1.1, and 1.0 ± 1.5, respectively, and 0.1 ± 0.3, 0.5 ± 0.9, 0.1 ± 0.3, and 0.1 ± 0.3, respectively. Variance analysis of the correlation between HP infection and LDA by regional Lanza scores identified both HP infection and LDA use as factors that significantly influence the antral Lanza score. However, LDA was an aggressive factor, and HP infection a protective factor. In the gastric body, LDA was a non-significant, and HP infection a significant, aggressive factor. In the gastric fundus, neither HP infection nor LDA was a significant factor (LDA was an aggressive factor, and HP infection a protective factor). CONCLUSIONS: LDA had aggressive effects in all gastric lesions; on the other hand, HP infection had protective effects in the antrum and fundus in the stomach, and aggressive effects in the body in the stomach.

Comparison of general satisfaction, oral health-related quality of life, and patient's self-assessment between mandibular single-implant overdentures and experimental removable complete dentures: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

Objective Patient satisfaction with single-implant overdentures (1-IODs) is unclear. This randomized crossover trial aimed to compare the general satisfaction, oral health-related quality of life, and patients' self-assessment between mandibular 1-IODs and experimental removable complete dentures (eRCDs). Methods New mandibular RCDs were fabricated for 22 patients with edentulous mandibles. After adapting to the RCDs, one implant was inserted in the mandibular midline. The participants were then randomly classified into groups 1 and 2. Group 1 received IODs for the first 2 months, while group 2 used eRCDs with a non-loaded implant in the midline. After 2 months, the treatment was switched. Four validated, patient-reported dental outcome measures were assessed: general satisfaction, Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for edentulous subjects (OHIP EDENT-J), General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), and Patient's Denture Assessment (PDA). The assessments were performed at the end of the IOD- and eRCD- use periods. Results General satisfaction was significantly higher during the IOD period (p = 0.002). Significant differences were observed in all domains of the OHIP, except orofacial pain (p = 0.084). Further, the total score (p<0.001) and the scores of the physical (p<0.001) and psychosocial functioning (p = 0.001) domains of the GOHAI differed significantly. The total PDA score (p = 0.001) and the scores of the function (p = 0.004), lower denture (p = 0.002), esthetics and speech (p = 0.026), and importance (p = 0.009) domains were significantly higher during the IOD period than during the eRCD period. Conclusion General satisfaction, oral health-related quality of life, and patient self-assessment scores were significantly higher for 1-IODs than for eRCDs. Clinical significance Within the limitations of this study, we found that mandibular single-implant overdentures may be an efficient alternative to mandibular experimental removable complete dentures due to higher general satisfaction, oral health-related quality of life, and patient self-assessment scores of dentures.

Opposing effects of contextual surround in human early visual cortex revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging with continuously modulated visual stimuli.

Spatial context in vision has profound effects on neural responses and perception. Recent animal studies suggest that the effect of surround on a central stimulus can dramatically change its character depending on the contrast of the center stimulus, but such a drastic change has not been demonstrated in the human visual cortex. To examine the dependency of the surround effect on the contrast of the center stimulus, we conducted an functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment by using a low or a high contrast in the center region while the surround contrast was sinusoidally modulated between the two contrasts. We found that the blood oxygen level-dependent response in human V1 corresponding to the center region was differentially modulated by the surround contrast, depending crucially on the center contrast: whereas a suppressive effect was observed in conditions in which the center contrast was high, a facilitative effect was seen in conditions where the center contrast was low.

Influences of rewarding and aversive outcomes on activity in macaque lateral prefrontal cortex.

Both appetitive and aversive outcomes can reinforce animal behavior. It is not clear, however, whether the opposing kinds of reinforcers are processed by specific or common neural mechanisms. To investigate this issue, we studied macaque monkeys that performed a memory-guided saccade task for three different outcomes, namely delivery of liquid reward, avoidance of air puff, and feedback sound only. Animals performed the task best in rewarded trials, intermediately in aversive trials, and worst in sound-only trials. Most task-related activity in lateral prefrontal cortex was differentially influenced by the reinforcers. Aversive avoidance had clear effects on some prefrontal neurons, although the effects of rewards were more common. We also observed neurons modulated by both positive and negative reinforcers, reflecting reinforcement or attentional processes. Our results demonstrate that information about positive and negative reinforcers is processed differentially in prefrontal cortex, which could contribute to the role of this structure in goal-directed behavior.

Default mode of brain activity demonstrated by positron emission tomography imaging in awake monkeys: higher rest-related than working memory-related activity in medial cortical areas.

Human neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the presence of a "default system" in the brain, which shows a "default mode of brain activity," i.e., greater activity during the resting state than during an attention-demanding cognitive task. The default system mainly involves the medial prefrontal and medial parietal areas, including the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. It has been proposed that this default activity is concerned with internal thought processes. Recently, it has been indicated that chimpanzees show high metabolic levels in these medial brain areas during rest. Correlated low-frequency spontaneous activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging was observed between the medial parietal and medial prefrontal areas in the anesthetized monkey. However, there have been few attempts to demonstrate a default system that shows task-induced deactivation in nonhuman primates. We conducted a positron emission tomography study with [(15)O]H(2)O to demonstrate a default mode of brain activity in the awake monkey sitting on a primate chair. Macaque monkeys showed higher level of regional blood flow in these medial brain areas as well as lateral and orbital prefrontal areas during rest compared with that under a working memory task, suggesting the existence of internal thought processes in the monkey. However, during rest in the monkey, the highest level of blood flow relative to that in other brain regions was observed not in the default system but in the dorsal striatum, suggesting that regions with the highest cerebral blood flow during rest may differ depending on the resting condition and/or species.