Factors associated with the oral health status of patients with schizophrenia: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Oral function deterioration attributed to ageing and medications is one of the main contributory factors of dysphagia. Therefore, oral health management is essential in older patients with schizophrenia. However, no previous studies have evaluated the oral function in patients with schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: We surveyed patients with schizophrenia to identify factors associated with ageing-related variations in oral function. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 34 male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were hospitalised at a psychiatric hospital between July and September 2021 and underwent a screening examination during dental care. The survey items included basic information, oral hygiene information, oral (oral diadochokinesis [ODK] and tongue pressure), physical function, and nutritional status. Thirty-six male community-dwelling older individuals were included as controls, and their outcomes were compared with those of patients with schizophrenia. RESULTS: Compared with healthy older adults, patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significantly lower teeth numbers, ODK, and calf circumference (CC) (p < .05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that ODK was associated with age and schizophrenia (p < .05). Conversely, tongue pressure was associated with CC (p < .05), suggesting different factors' association with the parameters indicating decreased oral function. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings suggest that older patients with schizophrenia have decreased tongue pressure and generalised muscle mass, highlighting the need to manage oral function. Interventions for tongue pressure were more strongly associated with muscle mass and could be easier to manage than those with disease-dependent changes in ODK. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Size- and Morphology-Controlled Preparation of Surface-Modified Water-Dispersible Fullerene Nanoparticles for Bioapplications.

In this study, we investigated water-dispersible surface modification for size- and shape-controlled fullerene nanoparticles (C60P) based on a condensation reaction with di-amino alkane. This modification provided for water dispersibility of C60P and the capability for secondary modification as well. The resultant C60P particles have several useful physical properties: water-dispersibility for ease of injection; fluorescence for detection and quantification; and a characteristic morphology to assist identification. These properties will widely extend the applications of these particles, especially into the biological fields of bioimaging and drug delivery.

Cytocompatibility of HeLa Cells to Nano-Sized Ceramics Particles.

In this study, we investigated the behaviors and cytocompatibility response of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells expose to nano-sized particles. Cultivated cells exposed to titanium oxide and indium oxide nanoparticles remained highly viable. In the presence of copper oxide (CuO); however, the cells became seriously inflamed. To understand the mechanism by which CuO causes cell death, we evaluated cell death and apoptosis cytometry. CuO induced cells apoptosis more strongly than exposure to titania nanoparticles. Confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that the nano-sized particles penetrate the cells.

Estimation of Biocompatibility of Nano-Sized Ceramic Particles with Osteoblasts, Osteosarcomas and Hepatocytes by Static and Time-Lapse Observation.

We assessed the biocompatibility of nano-sized ceramic particles with several cells types. Though these particles have less than 100 nm in diameter, they act as submicron-sized particles in saline by aggregation that was estimated using laser diffraction particle size analysis (LDS). they act as submicro-sized particles in saline by aggregation based on laser diffraction particle size analysis (LDS). Several types of cells (osteoblasts, osteosarcoma and hepatocyte cells) were exposed to these particles and their cytocompatibility was estimated. Not only the cytotoxic assay but also their static and dynamic morphology under nanoparticles exposure were investigated. The intercellular uptake of particles was determined using a confocal fluorescence microscope. The particles used in this study did not inhibit cellular activity or growth even when their concentrations were high. Only copper oxide particles caused acute cytotoxicity depending on the particle size. The cytotoxicity assay, dynamic behavior of the nanoparticle-exposed cells and their examination under a confocal fluorescence microscope suggests that the irritative reaction was induced by contact between the cells and particles, whereas eluted copper ions are not dominant factor. These results indicate that nano-sized particles used in this study have excellent biocompatibility except copper oxide ones.