Restorative treatment thresholds for proximal caries in dental PBRN.

This study was conducted to assess caries treatment thresholds among Japanese dentists and to identify characteristics associated with their decision to intervene surgically in proximal caries lesions within the enamel. Participants (n = 189) were shown radiographic images depicting interproximal caries and asked to indicate the lesion depth at which they would surgically intervene in both high- and low-caries-risk scenarios. Differences in treatment thresholds were then assessed via chi-square tests, and associations between the decision to intervene and dentist, practice, and patient characteristics were analyzed via logistic regression. The proportion of dentists who indicated surgical intervention into enamel was significantly higher in the high-caries-risk scenario (73.8%, N = 138) than in the low-caries-risk scenario (46.5%, N = 87) (p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses for a high-caries-risk scenario, gender of dentist, city population, type of practice, conducting caries-risk assessment, and administering diet counseling were significant factors associated with surgical enamel intervention. However, for a low-caries-risk scenario, city population, type of practice, and use of a dental explorer were the factors significantly associated with surgical enamel intervention. These findings demonstrate that restorative treatment thresholds for interproximal primary caries differ by caries risk. Most participants would restore lesions within the enamel for high-caries-risk individuals.

Influence of water concentrations to chemical forms of tritium generated in mercury through a nuclear reaction.

In order to assess internal doses from tritium at the JSNS (Japan Spallation Neutron Source), a correlation between the chemical forms of tritium generated in mercury and the amount of water in it was studied by simulating the generation of tritium in the mercury target used for a neutron source. The ratio of [(3)H]H(2)O to all of generated tritium increased with increase in the water concentration. An empirical equation to predict the content of [(3)H]H(2)O from the water concentration is proposed.

Impact of the new nuclear decay data of ICRP publication 107 on inhalation dose coefficients for workers.

The impact a revision of nuclear decay data had on dose coefficients was studied using data newly published in ICRP Publication 107 (ICRP 107) and existing data from ICRP Publication 38 (ICRP 38). Committed effective dose coefficients for occupational inhalation of radionuclides were calculated using two sets of decay data with the dose and risk calculation software DCAL for 90 elements, 774 nuclides and 1572 cases. The dose coefficients based on ICRP 107 increased by over 10 % compared with those based on ICRP 38 in 98 cases, and decreased by over 10 % in 54 cases. It was found that the differences in dose coefficients mainly originated from changes in the radiation energy emitted per nuclear transformation. In addition, revisions of the half-lives, radiation types and decay modes also resulted in changes in the dose coefficients.

Ratio of tritiated water and hydrogen generated in mercury through a nuclear reaction.

Tritium generated in a mercury target is a source of potential exposure of personnel at high-energy accelerator facilities. Knowledge of the chemical form of tritium is necessary to estimate the internal doses. We studied the tritium generation upon thermal neutron irradiation of a mercury target modified into liquid lithium amalgam to examine the ratio of tritiated water ([3H]H2O) and tritiated hydrogen ([3H]H2). The ratio between [3H]H2O and [3H]H2 generated in lithium amalgam was 4:6 under these experimental conditions.

Ratio of aerosol and gases of radioactive chlorine and particle size distribution of aerosol formed by high-energy proton irradiation.

To estimate internal doses due to the inhalation of radionuclides produced by the nuclear spallation of the air nuclei in high-energy proton accelerator facilities, the physicochemical properties of radionuclides are very important. Thus, the ratio of aerosol and gases of 38Cl and 39Cl formed by irradiating argon gas-added air with a 48 MeV proton beam has been measured. Radionuclides of 38Cl and 39Cl exist as aerosol, acid gas and non-acid gas. The percentages of activity of 38Cl and 39Cl aerosols are about 80%. The number size distributions of non-radioactive aerosol were characterised by two peaks with diameters of 10-20 nm and larger than 20 nm. As a result predicted by a simple surface model, it was found that the activity size distribution of 38Cl aerosols can be regarded as that having a single peak at 120 nm.

CXCL9 and 11 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis: a role of alveolar macrophages.

Interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10)/CXCL10, which is a ligand for CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary sarcoidosis. However, the roles of monokine induced by interferon gamma (Mig)/CXCL9 and interferon-inducible T cell alpha chemoattractant (I-TAC)/CXCL11, which are also CXCR3 ligands, remain unclear. Mig/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11 in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of these chemokines in alveolar macrophages was examined using ELISA, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining. In BALF, Mig/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10 were significantly elevated in stage II sarcoidosis as compared with the levels in healthy volunteers. In serum, Mig/CXCL9 and I-TAC/CXCL11 were increased in stage II of the disease. The levels of all CXCR3 ligands in BALF were correlated with the numbers of both total and CD4(+) lymphocytes. Alveolar macrophages were stained positive for all CXCR3 ligands and produced increased amounts of these chemokines. Positive staining of the three chemokines was also observed in the epithelioid and giant cells in the sarcoid lungs. These findings suggest that Mig/CXCL9 and I-TAC/CXCL11 as well as IP-10/CXCL10 play important roles in the accumulation of Th1 lymphocytes in sarcoid lungs.

Roles of aquaporin-3 water channels in volume-regulatory water flow in a human epithelial cell line.

Membrane water transport is an essential event not only in the osmotic cell volume change but also in the subsequent cell volume regulation. Here we investigated the route of water transport involved in the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) that occurs after osmotic swelling in human epithelial Intestine 407 cells. The diffusion water permeability coefficient (Pd) measured by NMR under isotonic conditions was much smaller than the osmotic water permeability coefficient (Pf) measured under an osmotic gradient. Temperature dependence of Pf showed the Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) of a low value (1.6 kcal/mol). These results indicate an involvement of a facilitated diffusion mechanism in osmotic water transport. A mercurial water channel blocker (HgCl(2)) diminished the Pf value. A non-mercurial sulfhydryl reagent (MMTS) was also effective. These blockers of water channels suppressed the RVD. RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry demonstrated predominant expression of AQP3 water channel in this cell line. Downregulation of AQP3 expression induced by treatment with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides was found to suppress the RVD response. Thus, it is concluded that AQP3 water channels serve as an essential pathway for volume-regulatory water transport in, human epithelial cells.

Arabidopsis transcriptional regulation by light stress via hydrogen peroxide-dependent and -independent pathways.

BACKGROUND: High (intense) light stress causes the formation of oxygen radicals in chloroplasts and has the potential to damage them. However, plants are able to respond to this stress and protect the chloroplasts by various means, including transcriptional regulation in the nucleus. Although the corresponding signalling pathway is largely unknown, the high light response in the expression of the Arabidopsis APX2 gene is reported to be mediated by hydrogen peroxide. RESULTS: We characterized light stress signalling by analysing expression profiles of another high light-inducible gene of Arabidopsis, ELIP2, with the aid of an ELIP2 promoter-luciferase gene fusion. The established ELIP2:LUC transgenic Arabidopsis showed activation by high light, but not by hydrogen peroxide. On the other hand, the native ELIP2 gene as well as the APX2 gene was activated by the hydrogen peroxide. The activation of ELIP2:LUC by intense light was not inhibited by K252a but by okadaic acid. CONCLUSION: The light stress signalling from the chloroplast to the nucleus is revealed to be mediated through at least two pathways: both hydrogen peroxide-dependent and -independent. The latter pathway is thought to be mediated by the protein phosphatase 2A/1 activity that is suppressed by okadaic acid.

[Development of catalytic reactions using water as a solvent].

In recent years, organic reactions in aqueous media have attracted much attention, not only because these reactions eliminate the necessity of vigorous drying of solvents and substrates, but also because unique reactivity and selectivity are often observed in the aqueous reactions. Furthermore, organic reactions in water may lead to the development of environmentally friendly chemical processes. We have now developed various types of catalytic organic reactions in aqueous media. Catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions in aqueous media have attained by using rare earth metal triflates and a chiral multi-dentate ligand. Lewis acid catalysis has become feasible in water by using combinations of water-compatible Lewis acidic cations and anionic surfactants. These new catalysts were found to form stable colloidal dispersions and catalyze various reactions in water. Moreover, Brønsted acid- and palladium-catalyzed reactions in water have also been performed with the aid of surfactants.

Lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonate-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions in aqueous media.

[figure: see text] Catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions catalyzed by lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonates in aqueous media have been realized for the first time using a chiral crown ether.

Primary lung cancer occurring concomitantly with the cicatrized and calcified ova of a parasite: report of a case.

We report herein a rare case of primary lung cancer that occurred concomitantly with the calcified ova of a parasite. A 58-year-old man was referred to our department after a pulmonary abnormal shadow had been seen on a chest X-ray done at mass screening. A transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) revealed the calcified ova of a parasite. Because the possibility of concomitant lung cancer could not be ruled out, a lung biopsy was taken via video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). The pathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma, and a left upper lobectomy was serially performed through a posterolateral thoracotomy. The patient recovered uneventfully and has remained in good health without any sign of recurrence for over 9 months. Following this case report, we review three other cases of this unusual disease combination documented in the literature.

Effect of cilnidipine on left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive patients as assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography and pulsed tissue Doppler imaging.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the mechanisms of improvement in left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in hypertensive patients treated with cilnidipine, a new and unique calcium antagonist that has both L-type and N-type voltage-dependent calcium channel blocking actions, using pulsed Doppler echocardiography and pulsed tissue Doppler imaging. The study comprised 35 untreated patients with essential hypertension (19 men and 16 women; mean age 65+/-10 years). The peak early diastolic and atrial systolic transmitral flow velocities (E and A, respectively) and their ratio (E/A), and the peak early diastolic and atrial systolic motion velocities (Ew and Aw, respectively) of the LV posterior wall and their ratio (Ew/Aw) were determined in all patients before and after 1, 3 and 6 months on cilnidipine (10 mg/day). One month: Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased. E and E/A were significantly increased, whereas there were no significant changes in Ew and Ew/Aw. Three months: Ew and Ew/Aw were significantly increased compared to those before and 1 month after cilnidipine. Six months: E and E/A were significantly increased compared with before and 3 months after cilnidipine, and Ew and Ew/Aw were significantly increased compared with before cilnidipine. Moreover, the LV mass index was significantly decreased compared to that before cilnidipine. In summary, changes in LV diastolic performance in patients with essential hypertension following cilnidipine treatment were biphasic with an initial increase in early diastolic transmitral flow velocity and a later increase in early diastolic LV wall motion velocity. The initial and later changes can be related to an acute change in afterload and a later improvement in LV relaxation.

Equal-quantum action spectra indicate fluence-rate-selective action of multiple photoreceptors for photomovement of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus.

Unicellular thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus displayed phototaxis on agar plate at 55 degrees C. Equal-quantum action spectra for phototactic migration were determined at various fluence rates using the Okazaki Large Spectrograph as the light source. The shapes of the action spectra drastically changed depending on the fluence rate of the unilateral monochromatic irradiation: at a low fluence rate (3 mumol/m2/s), only lights in the red region had significant effect; at a medium fluence rate (10 mumol/m2/s), four major action peaks were observed at 530 nm (green), 570 nm (yellow), 640 nm (red) and 680 nm (red). At high fluence rates (30-90 mumol/m2/s), the former two peaks remained, while red peaks at 640 nm and 680 nm disappeared and, interestingly, an action peak around 700-740 nm (far-red) newly appeared. These results indicate that two or more distinct photoreceptors are involved in the phototaxis and that suitable photoreceptors are selectively active in response to the stimulus of light fluence rates. Far-red or red background lights irradiated vertically from above drastically inhibited phototaxis toward red light or far-red light, respectively. These results indicate involvement of some phytochrome(s).

Suppression of fatty acid metabolism after exercise stress in patients with no electrocardiographic ST segment shift during balloon angioplasty.

Although ST segment shift is a marker of myocardial ischemia, some patients have no ST segment shift during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The aim of this study is to investigate myocardial perfusion and metabolism in adaptation for ischemia using 201TI and 123I-BMIPP dual exercise stress myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) (dual stress SPECT). In 28 patients with coronary artery disease, dual stress SPECT was performed 3 weeks before PTCA. Early and delayed images were obtained at 5 minutes and at 3 hours after termination of ergometer stress, respectively. During PTCA, 12-lead ECG was recorded, and a significant ST segment shift was defined as more than 1 mm elevation or a depression of the J-point at the first ballooning. No collateral circulation on the coronary angiogram or 201TI filling on the delayed images were observed on any of the target regions of PTCA. Patients were divided into 2 groups: with (Group A: n = 15) and without (Group B: n = 13) significant ST segment shift during PTCA. A redistribution of TI was observed in 14 (93%) of Group A and 10 (77%) of Group B patients. Incidence of BMIPP redistribution was significantly higher in Group B (11 [85%]) than in Group A (3 [20%]) (p < 0.05). Redistribution of BMIPP means suppression of fatty acid metabolism during exercise stress. Augmentation of glucose metabolism is speculated to be an energy source in ischemic preconditioning.

Sleep patterns and mortality among elderly patients in a geriatric hospital.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbance is one of the major and unsolved problems in older people. Most of the previous sleep studies rely on self-reported documents, and memory disturbance in older people might bias sleep complaints and health status. OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbances were studied as a mortality risk. METHODS: In 272 patients who were aged, infirmed and chronically institutionalized in a skilled-care geriatric hospital, the presence or absence of sleep disturbances were examined by hourly observations of patients over 2 weeks at baseline, and they were prospectively followed up for 2 years to assess mortality. RESULTS: Mortality after 2 years was significantly higher in the nighttime insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and sleep-onset delay groups. Further, adjusted for age, gender and activities of daily living status, the presence of nighttime insomnia and sleep-onset delay remained associated with a higher risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: Sleep disturbance may be one of the symptoms indicating poor health or functional deficits, and be an independent risk factor for survival.

Pre-penile arteries are dominant in the regulation of penile vascular resistance in the rat.

The amount of blood flow into the penis that will produce an erection is dependent on the sum of inflow resistance from the feeder arteries, arterioles and the intra-penile vasculature. In the present study, our objective was to determine quantitatively the contribution to inflow resistance of these different components of the rat penile vasculature. Using methods developed previously, we determined the resistance properties of the isolated perfused whole penis in situ, both in an intact system and after serial transactions of the vessels. These cuts eliminated progressively larger distal segments of the vascular bed. Perfusion pressures were recorded at different flow rates (0.5-3 ml/min/kg body weight) under conditions of maximal dilatation and maximal vasoconstriction induced by methoxamine (MXA, 40 microg/ml). Regardless of the level of vascular tone, the pudendal artery contributes approximately 70% of the total resistance of the penile vasculature. In contrast, the vasculature within the penis (tip, shaft, crus) contributes only about one quarter of the resistance. Penile arterial inflow resistance properties both at maximal vasodilation and maximal alpha1-adrenergic constriction are dominated by the extra-penile vasculature in the rat. The implications of these findings are that alterations in the pudendal-artery (eg vasodilation, vasoconstriction, stenosis) would have primary control of arterial inflow and suggest an important role for pharmacological agents which can promote a more generalized vasodilation (eg phosphodiesterase inhibitors) in contrast to selective corpus cavernosal agents.

Asymmetry in the nonmesonic weak decay of polarized (5)(Lambda)He hypernuclei

We have measured the asymmetric emission of protons from the nonmesonic decay of polarized (5)(Lambda)He produced by the (pi(+), K+) reaction. (5)(Lambda)He is an s-shell hypernucleus and its polarization is due to the Lambda. One expects to obtain direct information on the elementary weak Lambda-->p-->np process. The asymmetry parameter has been determined to be 0.24+/-0.22. The implication of the result is discussed.

Prevention of doxorubicin (adriamycin)-induced cardiomyopathy by simultaneous administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor assessed by acoustic densitometry.

The purpose of our study has to determine the myocardial protective effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor temocapril (TEM, 7 mg/kg/day) simultaneously administered with doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg of doxorubicin (each dose of 1.0 mg/kg x 15) for 3 weeks, and divided into TEM-untreated and -treated rats. Seven control rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally. Body weight, hemodynamics, and echocardiographic measurements including quantitative analysis of ultrasonic integrated backscatter (IB) were obtained for 12 weeks after treatment. Finally, rats were killed for histopathologic study. At 6 weeks, end-diastolic left ventricular diameter (LVD) and percentage fractional shortening (%FS) were similar in TEM-treated and TEM-untreated rats, but cyclic variation of IB (dB) significantly decreased in TEM-untreated rats (7.3 +/- 1.2; control rats, 9.7 +/- 0.9; p < 0.01). At 12 weeks, %FS decreased in TEM-untreated rats (26.1 +/- 6.1%: TEM-treated rats, 34.2 +/- 6.2; p < 0.05), and calibrated IB (dB) in TEM-untreated rats (15.5 +/- 0.5) increased as compared with that in TEM-treated rats (12.1 +/- 0.7; p < 0.01). Interstitial collagen accumulation increased in TEM-untreated rats and was inhibited in treated rats. Simultaneous administration of TEM with doxorubicin was beneficial in preventing doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage, and myocardial tissue characterization was useful for the early detection of myocardial damage and the assessment of therapy.

Influence of aging on systolic left ventricular wall motion velocities along the long and short axes in clinically normal patients determined by pulsed tissue doppler imaging.

Our objective was to evaluate the influence of aging on left ventricular (LV) regional systolic function along the long and short axes in clinically normal patients. We recorded LV wall motion velocity patterns at the mid-wall portion of the middle of the LV posterior wall in the parasternal long-axis view (short-axis direction) and at the endocardial portion of the middle of the LV posterior wall in the apical long-axis view (long-axis direction) with pulsed tissue Doppler imaging in 80 normal patients (age range 15 to 78 years). In all patients the LV pressure curve and its first derivative (dP/dt) were recorded. The systolic wave of the LV posterior wall motion velocity pattern exhibited 2 peaks, the first (Sw(1)) and second (Sw(2)) systolic waves. No significant changes were seen with aging in the percent LV fractional shortening determined by M-mode echocardiography, LV ejection fraction determined by left ventriculography, the peak Sw(1) and Sw(2) along the short axis, the peak Sw(2) along the long axis, and the peak dP/dt. The peak Sw(1) along the long axis correlated inversely with age (P <.0001) but did not correlate significantly with the peak dP/dt. These results suggest that shortening of the longitudinal fibers in early systole is impaired with increased age in healthy individuals. This impairment results in insufficient spherical change in the LV cavity, although global LV pump function and myocardial contractility are maintained.