The gut lactic acid bacteria metabolite, 10-oxo-cis-6,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid, suppresses inflammatory bowel disease in mice by modulating the NRF2 pathway and GPCR-signaling.

Various gut bacteria, including Lactobacillus plantarum, possess several enzymes that produce hydroxy fatty acids (FAs), oxo FAs, conjugated FAs, and partially saturated FAs from polyunsaturated FAs as secondary metabolites. Among these derivatives, we identified 10-oxo-cis-6,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid (γKetoC), a γ-linolenic acid (GLA)-derived enon FA, as the most effective immunomodulator, which inhibited the antigen-induced immunoactivation and LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines. The treatment with γKetoC significantly suppressed proliferation of CD4+ T cells, LPS-induced activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), and LPS-induced IL-6 release from peritoneal cells, splenocytes, and CD11c+ cells isolated from the spleen. γKetoC also inhibited the release of inflammatory cytokines from BMDCs stimulated with poly-I:C, R-848, or CpG. Further in vitro experiments using an agonist of GPR40/120 suggested the involvement of these GPCRs in the effects of γKetoC on DCs. We also found that γKetoC stimulated the NRF2 pathway in DCs, and the suppressive effects of γKetoC and agonist of GPR40/120 on the release of IL-6 and IL-12 were reduced in Nrf2-/- BMDCs. We evaluated the role of NRF2 in the anti-inflammatory effects of γKetoC in a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model. The oral administration of γKetoC significantly reduced body weight loss, improved stool scores, and attenuated atrophy of the colon, in wild-type C57BL/6 and Nrf2+/- mice with colitis. In contrast, the pathology of colitis was deteriorated in Nrf2-/- mice even with the administration of γKetoC. Collectively, the present results demonstrated the involvement of the NRF2 pathway and GPCRs in γKetoC-mediated anti-inflammatory responses.

Construction and evaluation of a neurofeedback system using finger tapping and near-infrared spectroscopy.

Introduction: Neurofeedback using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used in patients with stroke and other patients, but few studies have included older people or patients with cognitive impairment. Methods: We constructed a NIRS-based neurofeedback system and used finger tapping to investigate whether neurofeedback can be implemented in older adults while finger tapping and whether brain activity improves in older adults and healthy participants. Our simple neurofeedback system was constructed using a portable wearable optical topography (WOT-HS) device. Brain activity was evaluated in 10 older and 31 healthy young individuals by measuring oxygenated hemoglobin concentration during finger tapping and neurofeedback implementation. Results: During neurofeedback, the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin increased in the prefrontal regions in both the young and older participants. Discussion: The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of neurofeedback using simple NIRS devices for older adults and its potential to mitigate cognitive decline.

Identifying factors that indicate the possibility of non-visible cases on mammograms using mammary gland content ratio estimated by artificial intelligence.

Background: Mammography is the modality of choice for breast cancer screening. However, some cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed through ultrasonography alone with no or benign findings on mammography (hereby referred to as non-visibles). Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors that indicate the possibility of non-visibles based on the mammary gland content ratio estimated using artificial intelligence (AI) by patient age and compressed breast thickness (CBT). Methods: We used AI previously developed by us to estimate the mammary gland content ratio and quantitatively analyze 26,232 controls and 150 non-visibles. First, we evaluated divergence trends between controls and non-visibles based on the average estimated mammary gland content ratio to ensure the importance of analysis by age and CBT. Next, we evaluated the possibility that mammary gland content ratio ≥50% groups affect the divergence between controls and non-visibles to specifically identify factors that indicate the possibility of non-visibles. The images were classified into two groups for the estimated mammary gland content ratios with a threshold of 50%, and logistic regression analysis was performed between controls and non-visibles. Results: The average estimated mammary gland content ratio was significantly higher in non-visibles than in controls when the overall sample, the patient age was ≥40 years and the CBT was ≥40 mm (p < 0.05). The differences in the average estimated mammary gland content ratios in the controls and non-visibles for the overall sample was 7.54%, the differences in patients aged 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 years were 6.20%, 7.48%, and 4.78%, respectively, and the differences in those with a CBT of 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 mm were 6.67%, 9.71%, and 16.13%, respectively. In evaluating mammary gland content ratio ≥50% groups, we also found positive correlations for non-visibles when controls were used as the baseline for the overall sample, in patients aged 40-59 years, and in those with a CBT ≥40 mm (p < 0.05). The corresponding odds ratios were ≥2.20, with a maximum value of 4.36. Conclusion: The study findings highlight an estimated mammary gland content ratio of ≥50% in patients aged 40-59 years or in those with ≥40 mm CBT could be indicative factors for non-visibles.

Comprehensive elucidation of resting-state functional connectivity in anorexia nervosa by a multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Previous research on the changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in anorexia nervosa (AN) has been limited by an insufficient sample size, which reduced the reliability of the results and made it difficult to set the whole brain as regions of interest (ROIs). METHODS: We analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 114 female AN patients and 135 healthy controls (HC) and obtained self-reported psychological scales, including eating disorder examination questionnaire 6.0. One hundred sixty-four cortical, subcortical, cerebellar, and network parcellation regions were considered as ROIs. We calculated the ROI-to-ROI rsFCs and performed group comparisons. RESULTS: Compared to HC, AN patients showed 12 stronger rsFCs mainly in regions containing dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and 33 weaker rsFCs primarily in regions containing cerebellum, within temporal lobe, between posterior fusiform cortex and lateral part of visual network, and between anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and thalamus (p < 0.01, false discovery rate [FDR] correction). Comparisons between AN subtypes showed that there were stronger rsFCs between right lingual gyrus and right supracalcarine cortex and between left temporal occipital fusiform cortex and medial part of visual network in the restricting type compared to the binge/purging type (p < 0.01, FDR correction). CONCLUSION: Stronger rsFCs in regions containing mainly DLPFC, and weaker rsFCs in regions containing primarily cerebellum, within temporal lobe, between posterior fusiform cortex and lateral part of visual network, and between ACC and thalamus, may represent categorical diagnostic markers discriminating AN patients from HC.

Systematic reduction of gray matter volume in anorexia nervosa, but relative enlargement with clinical symptoms in the prefrontal and posterior insular cortices: a multicenter neuroimaging study.

Although brain morphological abnormalities have been reported in anorexia nervosa (AN), the reliability and reproducibility of previous studies were limited due to insufficient sample sizes, which prevented exploratory analysis of the whole brain as opposed to regions of interest (ROIs). Objective was to identify brain morphological abnormalities in AN and the association with severity of AN by brain structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a multicenter study, and to conduct exploratory analysis of the whole brain. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional multicenter study using T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) data collected between May 2014 and February 2019 in Japan. We analyzed MRI data from 103 female AN patients (58 anorexia nervosa restricting type [ANR] and 45 anorexia nervosa binge-purging type [ANBP]) and 102 age-matched female healthy controls (HC). MRI data from five centers were preprocessed using the latest harmonization method to correct for intercenter differences. Gray matter volume (GMV) was calculated from T1WI data of all participants. Of the 205 participants, we obtained severity of eating disorder symptom scores from 179 participants, including 87 in the AN group (51 ANR, 36 ANBP) and 92 HC using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) 6.0. GMV reduction were observed in the AN brain, including the bilateral cerebellum, middle and posterior cingulate gyrus, supplementary motor cortex, precentral gyrus medial segment, and thalamus. In addition, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and posterior insula volumes showed positive correlations with severity of symptoms. This multicenter study was conducted with a large sample size to identify brain morphological abnormalities in AN. The findings provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of AN and have potential for the development of brain imaging biomarkers of AN. Trial Registration: UMIN000017456. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/icdr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000019303 .

Identification of areas of the brain activated by active stimulation in hairless skin.

In the past few decades, neuroscientists have studied the physiological basis of pleasant touch. Unmyelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors are central to the study of the physiological basis of pleasant touch. Research on pleasant stimuli has mostly focused on passive stimuli, and the brain activation sites for active pleasant stimuli are not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify brain activation sites during active pleasant stimulation of hairless skin using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Forty-two healthy subjects aged 19 years or older were asked to actively grasp in five stimulus tasks. The comfort and sensations that occurred during the tasks were investigated using a questionnaire. Significant activation was found in the middle frontal gyrus when the hair ball and slime ball were grasped, while there was significant activation in the amygdala when grasping a squeeze ball compared to the tennis ball. In a questionnaire survey of the subjects, there was a significant difference in the comfort score between the tennis ball and the squeeze ball, but no significant correlation was found between the comfort scores and the brain sites of activation. Therefore, although active stimulation with the squeeze ball significantly activated the amygdala, it was not clear that the amygdala was significantly activated by active pleasant stimulation. In the future, it will be necessary to investigate the texture of the squeeze ball in more detail, and to increase the number of subjects for further study.

The relaxation effect of autonomous sensory meridian response depends on personal preference.

Background: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a sensory response such as tingling and pleasantness from audiovisual stimuli. ASMR videos come in a wide variety of types, and personal preferences are biased. There are many reports of the effects os ASMR on sleep onset, anxiety relief, and other relaxation effects. However, prior task-oriented studies have used ASMR videos provided by the experimenter. We hypothesized that ASMR movies of a personal preference would show significantly increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex, and insular cortex, which are brain areas associated with relaxation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the neuroscientific basis for the relaxation effects of ASMR videos that match someone's personal preferences. Methods: This study included 30 healthy individuals aged ≥18 years. ASMR enthusiasts were included as the target population due to the need to have a clear preference for ASMR videos. A control video (1 type) and ASMR videos (20 types) were used as the stimulus tasks. Among the ASMR videos, those with high and low evaluation scores were considered liked and dislikedASMR videos, respectively. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed while the participants viewed a block design with a resting task in between. The data were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 to identify the areas activated by control, disliked, and liked ASMR videos. Results: Emotion-related areas (the amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex) not activated by control and unliked ASMR videos were activated only by liked ASMR videos. Conclusion: The amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex may be involved in the limbic dopamine circuits of the amygdala and middle frontal gyrus and the autonomic balance of the left and right insular cortices. This suggests the potential of positive mood and its use as a treatment for patients with anxiety and depression. These results suggest that the use of ASMR videos to match individual preferences may induce relaxation and have beneficial effects on depression and other disorders, and also support the introduction of ASMR videos in mental health care.

Comparison of Cerebral Blood Volume during Cold and Warm Stimulation in Elderly and Young Subjects.

Background: Dementia involves a neuronal loss in the primary somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe, causing dementia patients to perceive pain stimuli hardly. The function of temperature sensation declines. Studies measuring brain blood volume using near-infrared light have reported that patients suffering from dementia have less activation than healthy elderly people. However, the majority of these studies used tests related to cognitive function and the frontal lobe, and few have examined thermal sensation. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of cold and warm stimulation on cerebral blood volume in elderly and young subjects. Material and Methods: This observational study measured changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations in the frontal cortex during cold and warm stimulation in elderly and young subjects using a near-infrared light device. The mean and standard deviation of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration before and after cold and warm stimulation, as well as the center-of-gravity values, were compared between the young and the elderly. Results: During warm stimulation, the younger subjects showed an increase in blood oxygenated hemoglobin levels; however, the difference was not significant. For the elderly, no change was observed during the task. The center of gravity values was lower in the young compared to the elderly which was similar to the reaction threshold. No significant changes were observed during cold stimulation. Conclusion: Thermal sensation thresholds were impaired in the elderly compared to the young; however, cerebral blood volume changes were unclear.

Automated Estimation of Mammary Gland Content Ratio Using Regression Deep Convolutional Neural Network and the Effectiveness in Clinical Practice as Explainable Artificial Intelligence.

Recently, breast types were categorized into four types based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) atlas, and evaluating them is vital in clinical practice. A Japanese guideline, called breast composition, was developed for the breast types based on BI-RADS. The guideline is characterized using a continuous value called the mammary gland content ratio calculated to determine the breast composition, therefore allowing a more objective and visual evaluation. Although a discriminative deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) has been developed conventionally to classify the breast composition, it could encounter two-step errors or more. Hence, we propose an alternative regression DCNN based on mammary gland content ratio. We used 1476 images, evaluated by an expert physician. Our regression DCNN contained four convolution layers and three fully connected layers. Consequently, we obtained a high correlation of 0.93 (p < 0.01). Furthermore, to scrutinize the effectiveness of the regression DCNN, we categorized breast composition using the estimated ratio obtained by the regression DCNN. The agreement rates are high at 84.8%, suggesting that the breast composition can be calculated using regression DCNN with high accuracy. Moreover, the occurrence of two-step errors or more is unlikely, and the proposed method can intuitively understand the estimated results.

A rose flavor compound activating the NRF2 pathway in dendritic cells ameliorates contact hypersensitivity in mice.

Dendritic cells (DCs), which are typical antigen-presenting cells, localize to various sites in the body, particularly the front line of infection as sentinels, and are involved in innate and adaptive immune responses. Although the functions of DCs, such as pathogen-induced cytokine production and antigen-specific T cell activation, are important for host defenses against infection and tumorigenesis, the hyper- and/or extended activation of DCs leads to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In the present study, ß-damascone, a major ingredient of rose fragrance, was selected from an aroma library as a candidate compound that suppresses antigen-induced immune responses. ß-Damascone inhibited the functions of DCs, including the antigen-dependent proliferation of T cells, DC-induced Th1 development, and the TLR ligand-induced production of inflammatory cytokines by DCs. The ß-damascone treatment also increased the protein level of the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), which plays key roles in antioxidant responses, and the transcription of Hmox1 and Nqo1, target genes of NRF2, in DCs. Nrf2 -/ - DCs induced Th1-development and produced large amount of IL-12p40 even in the presence of ß-damascone, whereas these functions by Nrf2 +/- DCs were inhibited by ß-damascone under the same conditions. The intake of ß-damascone suppressed ear swelling in contact hypersensitivity (CHS) model mice, but not in CHS-induced Nrf2 -/ - mice. Collectively, the present results indicate the potential of the rose aroma compound ß-damascone, which suppresses DC-mediated immune responses by activating the NRF2 pathway in DCs, for the prevention and/or attenuation of immune-mediated diseases.

Brain function effects of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) video viewing.

Background: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is the sensation of tingling from audiovisual stimuli that leads to positive emotions. ASMR is used among young people to relax, induce sleep, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety. However, even without experiencing tingling, ASMR is used by many young people to seek relaxation. Auditory stimulation in ASMR is thought to play the most important role among its triggers, and previous studies have used a mixture of auditory and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation. This is the first study to approach the differences between the effects of direct audiovisual and auditory stimulation from the perspective of brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to clarify the effects of ASMR, which attracts many young people. Methods: The subjects were 30 healthy subjects over 19 years old or older who had not experienced tingling. Brain function was imaged by fMRI while watching ASMR videos or listening to the sound files only. We administered a questionnaire based on a Likert scale to determine if the participants felt a "relaxed mood" and "tingling mood" during the task. Results: Significant activation was found in the visual cortex for audiovisual stimulation and in the visual and auditory cortex for auditory stimulation. In addition, activation of characteristic sites was observed. The specific sites of activation for audiovisual stimulation were the middle frontal gyrus and the left nucleus accumbens, while the specific sites of activation for auditory stimulation were the bilateral insular cortices. The questionnaire showed no significant differences in either "relaxed mood" or "tingling mood" in response to auditory and visual stimulation or auditory stimulation alone. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that there was a clear difference between auditory and audiovisual stimulation in terms of the areas of activation in the brain, but the questionnaire did not reveal any difference in the subjects' mood. Audiovisual stimulation showed activation of the middle frontal gyrus and the nucleus accumbens, whereas auditory stimulation showed activation of the insular cortex. This difference in brain activation sites suggests a difference in mental health effects between auditory and audiovisual stimulation. However, future research on comparisons between those who experience tingling and those who do not, as well as investigations of physiological indices, and examination of the relationship with activated areas in the brain may show that ASMR is useful for mental health.

Effect of continuous sweet gustatory stimulation on salivary flow rate over time.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine changes in saliva secretion and subjective taste intensity during a sustained period with continuous gustatory stimulation. DESIGN: Twenty-two healthy adults participated in this study. The selected taste solutions were aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium, which are nonnutritive sweeteners. The concentrations of sucralose1 and acesulfame potassium were set to show the same sweetness intensity as aspartame. Sucralose2 was twice the concentration of sucralose1. The solution was continuously fed into the oral cavity at a flow rate of 0.04 mL / min through a neck-worn precise infusion system. The salivary flow rate (g/min) after 10 min of intraoral water supply from the device was used as the baseline. Salivary flow rate, subjective taste intensity evaluated by the visual analog scale (VAS), and salivary flow rate relative to the baseline were recorded at 10, 30, 60, and 120 min after the start of the test. RESULTS: In the aspartame, sucralose1, and sucralose2 groups, the salivary flow rate increased significantly from 10 min to 120 min after the start of the test when compared to the rate at baseline (p < 0.05). The relative salivary flow rate increased and the VAS value decreased significantly over time and were affected by the time factor (p < 0.001, p = 0.013, respectively) but not by the sweetener-group factor and the interaction effects. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous gustatory stimulation may maintain increased salivary production for a sustained period.

Association between somatosensory sensitivity and regional gray matter volume in healthy young volunteers: a voxel-based morphometry study.

Two-point discrimination (2PD) test reflects somatosensory spatial discrimination ability, but evidence on the relationship between 2PD and cortical gray matter (GM) volume is limited. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between cortical GM volume and 2PD threshold in young healthy individuals and to clarify the characteristics of brain structure reflecting the individual differences in somatosensory function. 2PD was measured in 42 healthy (20 females) volunteers aged 20-32 years using a custom-made test system that can be controlled by a personal computer. The 2PD of the right index finger measured with this device has been confirmed to show good reproducibility. T1-weighted images were acquired using a 3-T magnetic resonance imaging scanner for voxel-based morphometry analysis. The mean 2PD threshold was 2.58 ± 0.54 mm. Whole-brain multiple regression analysis of the relationship between 2PD and GM volume showed that a lower 2PD threshold (i.e. better somatosensory function) significantly correlated with decreased GM volume from the middle temporal gyrus to the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in the contralateral hemisphere. In conclusion, a lower GM volume in the middle temporal gyrus and IPL correlates with better somatosensory function. Thus, cortical GM volume may be a biomarker of somatosensory function.

Prefrontal Cerebral Oxygenated Hemoglobin Concentration during the Category Fluency and Finger-Tapping Tasks in Adults with and without Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be the limit between the cognitive changes of aging and early dementia; thus, discriminating between participants with and without MCI is important. In the present study, we aimed to examine the differences in the cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal between individuals with and without MCI. The cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal was measured when the participants (young and elderly controls as well as patients with MCI) performed category fluency, finger tapping, and dual tasks using head-mounted near-infrared spectroscopy; the results were compared between the groups. The cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal trended toward the highest values during the category fluency task in young participants and during the finger-tapping task in elderly participants regardless of the MCI status. The area under the curve was approximately 0.5, indicating a low discrimination ability between elderly participants with and without MCI. The measurement of the blood flow in the prefrontal cortex may not accurately quantify cognitive and motor performance to detect MCI. Finger tapping may increase cerebral blood flow in individuals with and without MCI during the task.

Relationship between Tactile Sensation, Motor Activity, and Differential Brain Activity in Young Individuals.

In this study, we compared the differences in brain activation associated with the different types of objects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-six participants in their 20s underwent fMRI while grasping four different types of objects. After the experiment, all of the participants completed a questionnaire based on the Likert Scale, which asked them about the sensations they experienced while grasping each object (comfort, hardness, pain, ease in grasping). We investigated the relationship between brain activity and the results of the survey; characteristic brain activity for each object was correlated with the results of the questionnaire, indicating that each object produced a different sensation response in the participants. Additionally, we observed brain activity in the primary somatosensory cortex (postcentral gyrus), the primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus), and the cerebellum exterior during the gripping task. Our study shows that gripping different objects produces activity in specific and distinct brain regions and suggests an "action appraisal" mechanism, which is considered to be the act of integrating multiple different sensory information and connecting it to actual action. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to observe brain activity in response to tactile stimuli and motor activity simultaneously.

Efficacy of soft palatal augmentation prosthesis for oral functional rehabilitation in patients with dysarthria and dysphagia: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Palatal augmentation prosthesis (PAP) is used in patients with articulation and swallowing disorders caused by postoperative loss of tongue tissue due to tongue cancer, cerebrovascular disease sequelae and age-related hypofunction. We have previously reported a newly designed soft PAP fabricated using an thermoplastic material that is particularly appropriate for early intervention. However, the effect of soft PAP on oral function improvement remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study is to investigate whether soft PAP can improve dysarthria and dysphagia occurring as cerebrovascular disease sequelae. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This prospective, randomised, controlled trial will compare the immediate and training effects of rehabilitation using soft PAP with those of rehabilitation without using it. Primary outcomes are the single-word intelligibility test score and pharyngeal transit time (PTT). Secondary outcomes are tongue function (evaluated based on maximum tongue pressure, repetitions of tongue pressure and endurance of tongue pressure), articulation function (evaluated based on speech intelligibility, oral diadochokinesis, Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL)) and swallowing function (evaluated using Eating Assessment Tool-10). The study results will help determine the efficacy of Soft PAP in improving functional outcomes of word intelligibility and PTT. We hypothesised that early rehabilitation using Soft PAP would more effectively improve articulation and swallowing function compared with conventional rehabilitation without using soft PAP. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the Okayama University Certified Review Board. The study findings will be published in an open access, peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences and research meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: jRCTs062200054.

Stress Evaluation by Hemoglobin Concentration Change Using Mobile NIRS.

Previous studies have reported a relationship between stress and brain activity, and stress has been quantitatively evaluated using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In the present study, we examined whether a relationship exists between salivary amylase levels and brain activity during the trail-making test (TMT) using mobile NIRS. This study aimed to assess stress levels by using mobile NIRS. Salivary amylase was measured with a salivary amylase monitor, and hemoglobin concentration was measured using Neu's HOT-2000. Measurements were taken four times for each subject, and the values at each measurement were evaluated. Changes in the values at the first-second, second-third, and third-fourth measurements were also analyzed. Results showed that the value of the fluctuations has a higher correlation than the comparison of point values. These results suggest that the accuracy of stress assessment by NIRS can be improved by using variability and time-series data compared with stress assessment using NIRS at a single time point.

Current educational concepts and techniques related to impression making of removable complete dentures.

The purpose of the present study is to gain an understanding of the current state of pre-clinical education for procedures of impression making. In 2019, a survey questionnaire was emailed to the senior professors and department heads of 29 Japanese dental colleges. The response rate was 100%. This cross-sectional survey clarified the impression making for removable complete denture fabrication in Japanese dental schools' education.

Cortical signature related to psychometric properties of pain vigilance in healthy individuals: A voxel-based morphometric study.

The Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire (PVAQ) is a questionnaire for non-clinical and clinical cases of patients, such as those suffering from chronic pain. Moreover, it is used for evaluation of two aspects of habitual attention to pain: attention to pain and attention to changes in pain. As the PVAQ assesses two different aspects of attention function, different neural basis may present. However, it remains unclear which brain regions are involved. Here, we performed voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in 30 healthy participants to determine the regional morphology associated with the two attention states. Multiple regression analysis was conducted between each score and the regional grey matter (GM) volume, which revealed that a decreased GM volume in the left anterior insular cortex (AIC) was associated with a higher attention to pain score. In contrast, no brain region was correlated with the attention to changes in pain score. Our VBM results demonstrate that attention to pain scores assessed by PVAQ are associated with morphological features of the left AIC. Moreover, they may contribute to the elucidation of the complex psychological and neurophysiological characteristics of patients with chronic pain.