Combined effects of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice on artificial stain removal : an in vitro study

This in vitro study aimed to clarify the combined effect of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice on the removal of artificial stain. Twenty-five bovine incisors were cut at the cervix and the crown was embedded in auto-cured acrylic resin. Specimens were abraded using #240 SiC paper to obtain a flat enamel surface, and 20 specimens were treated with 10% citric acid / 3% ferric chloride solution followed by 1% tannic acid solution to produce surface staining. They were divided into four groups: 1) brushing with an electric toothbrush and whitening dentifrice (group S+B); 2) brushing with an electric toothbrush and fluoride dentifrice (group S+C); 3) brushing with an electric toothbrush and no dentifrice (group S); and 4) no brushing (control group). The remaining five specimens were used as a baseline. Color values (L*, a*, and b* were measured before brushing (0 min), and at 1 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 20 min using a microscopic area spectrophotometer. The color change (?E) was calculated by subtracting the baseline values from the final color values obtained at each time point. The data were statistically analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey?s honest significant difference test as a post hoc test (p0.05). Groups S+B and S+C demonstrated greater ?E values than group S. The combination of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice removed the artificial stain more effectively than brushing without dentifrice. However, the stain removal was limited. The two dentifrices evaluated in this study exhibited similar stain removal effects

イネ・フィトクロム遺伝子の発現特性と光受容機能の相関についての研究

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : (主査)東京大学客員教授 山本 敏央, 東京大学教授 青木 不学, 東京大学准教授 鈴木 邦律, 東京大学准教授 小嶋 徹也, 農業生物資源研究所センター長 高野 誠, 理化学研究所チームリーダー 林 誠University of Tokyo(東京大学

A case with posterior fossa epidermoid cyst showing audiovestibular symptoms caused by insufficiency of anterior inferior cerebellar artery - usefulness of free DICOM image viewing and processing software -

A 58-year-old Japanese man suddenly suffered from vertigo. On physical examination, left-beating horizontal torsional spontaneous nystagmus was observed; the direction did not change with gaze. Other neurotological examinations revealed findings within normal limits except the left side sensorineural hearing loss of approximately 32 dB on average. Diffusion-weighted MRI revealed no infarction in the brain, but demonstrated an epidermoid cyst in the left cerebello-pontine cistern region. Using free digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) image viewing and processing software, it was found that the epidermoid cyst clearly compressed the left anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). Therefore, we speculated that insufficiency of the left AICA caused his audiovestibular symptoms. This new technique used in the present study was considered useful when the site responsible for vertigo is suspected in the cerebello-pontine angle, where anatomic relationships between the nerves and the vessels are complicated.This is an electronic version of an article published in Acta oto-laryngologica. Supplementum, 562, pp.53-56; 2009. oto-laryngologica. Supplementum is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com with the open URL of your article (http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=0365-5237&issue=562&spage=53)

ノコギリヒラタムシ食害小麦に含まれる定着活性ケトステロイド

From hexane extract of wheat flour infested by the sawtoothed gain beetle [Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.); Coleoptera; Silvanidae, three ketosteroids,cholestan-3-one(3),ergostan-3-one(4)and stigmastan-3-one(5),were obtained in a mixture and identified as arrestants to this weevil.世界的に著名な貯穀害虫であるノコギリヒラタムシによって食害された小麦のヘキサン抽出物中には、未食害の小麦には含まれない、数種のノコギリヒラタムシ定着活性物質が存在し、このうちの2種の活性物質が既に構造解明された。本研究では種々の機器分析、および市販化合物からの誘導などにより、未知の活性物質がcholestan-3-one,ergostan-3-one,stifmastan-3-one の混合物であると同定した

Subjective visual vertical test in patients with chronic dizziness without abnormal findings in routine vestibular function tests.

CONCLUSION: The subjective visual vertical (SVV) test can detect abnormality of the otolithic organs and the graviceptive pathways present in a considerable number of patients having dizziness but presenting no abnormal findings in conventional vestibular function tests. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the SVV test can detect dysfunction of the otolithic organs and perception of gravity in patients with dizziness having no abnormal finding on routine tests for the vestibular system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients who complained of chronic dizziness but had no abnormal finding on routine tests for vestibular system and on brain MRI studies were selected between 2004 and 2006. SVV tests were performed on these patients. Patients with chronic dizziness caused by apparent psychogenic disorders, such as depression, were excluded. RESULTS: Among the 44 patients, 3 showed abnormal tilts of SVV. The latter three patients had deep white matter hyperintensities on their MRI, probably due to aging

Assessment of Macular Function by Multifocal Electroretinography and Optical Coherence Tomography before and after Panretinal Photocoagulation in Diabetic Retinopathy

We evaluated macular function before and after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in diabetic retinopathy using a multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and optical coherence tomogram (OCT). In mfERGs, the 1st positive wave (P1) minus the 1st negative wave (N1) amplitude (P1 ? N1 amplitude), the P1 peak latency and the response density were measured in 7, 19, 37 and 103 hexagonal areas or elements (Areas 1, 2, 3 and 4) within a central radius of 5, 7, 10 and 20 degrees, respectively. The mean retinal thickness was estimated from 9 calculation points at the foveal region within 5 degrees; the central and each of the other 4 points at a distance of 250 ?m and 500 ?m from the central por tion on horizontal and vertical sections on OCT. The P1 peak latencies from the 4 areas were remarkably prolonged in 14 eyes of 9 patients with preproliferative or early proliferative diabetic retinopathy showing no clinically significant macular edema before PRP as compared with those in 15 normal control eyes, without a tendency of recovery throughout the course after PRP except for area 1. The P1-N1 amplitudes and the mean response density levels from the 4 areas were remarkably decreased in the diabetic eyes before PRP as compared with those in the control eyes, followed by a maximum decrease in both parameters at 3 months after PRP. However, remarkable recoveries were detected in both decreased parameters from the 4 areas at 6 months after PRP. The mean foveal retinal thickness on OCT was remarkably increased in the diabetic eyes before PRP as compared with the thickness in 16 normal control eyes. Most remarkably, a transient increase in thickness was detected in diabetic eyes 1 month after PRP, followed by a tendency of recovery 3 to 6 months after PRP. These results indicate that mfERG and OCT examinations are useful in the assessment of macular function before and after PRP in diabetic retinopathy, especially within 5 degrees of the central portion, and that the effects of PRP on macular function in this entity seem to be reversible at the foveal region, although we need to do further investigation in relation to the outcome of visual acuity