Usefulness of presentation of similar images in the diagnosis of breast masses on mammograms: comparison of observer performances in Japan and the USA

Abstract Computer-aided diagnosis has potential in improving radiologists' diagnosis, and presentation of similar images as a reference may provide additional useful information for distinction between benign and malignant lesions. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of presentation of reference images in observer performance studies and compared the results obtained by groups of observers practicing in the United States and Japan. The results showed that the presentation of the reference images was generally effective for both groups, as the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves improved from 0.915 to 0.924 for the group in the US and from 0.913 to 0.925 for the group in Japan, although the differences were marginally (p = 0.047) and not (p = 0.13) statistically significant, respectively. There was a slight difference between the two groups in the way that the observers reacted to some benign cases, which might be due to differences in the population of screenees and in the socioclinical environment. In the future, it may be worthwhile to investigate the development of a customized system for physicians in different socio-clinical environments

噛ミング30学習による小学生の咀嚼の習慣と口腔内状態に関する介入研究

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between chewing behavior and oral conditions in elementary school children based on an intervention study. The subjects were allocated into an intervention group (5th grade students, n=81) and a control group (5th grade students, n=39) in 2 elementary schools in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Eating habits were self-reported using a questionnaire in both groups. The PMA index (Schour-Massler index) of each subject in the intervention group was assessed. The school lunch program “Chewing 30” was performed 5 times per year using a chewing counter. After the completion of the program, a significant difference in behavior change regarding “sufficient chewing” was observed between the intervention and control groups (p<0.01). The participants in the intervention group were sub-divided into 2 groups based on the change of “sufficient chewing”. The PMA index of the non-improved group significantly increased (p<0.05), while that of the improved group showed no significant difference. These results suggest an association between insufficient chewing behavior and gingival inflammation in elementary school children. The program “Chewing 30” might be effective to prevent gingival inflammation in addition to promoting sufficient chewing.　本研究では，小学生の咀嚼習慣と口腔内状態との関連性を介入研究にて調査することを目的とした． 　徳島県内にある2つの小学校のうち，1校の5年生（81名）を介入群とし，他校の5年生（39名）をコントロール群として，食習慣に関する保健調査を実施した．介入群では，児童それぞれのPMA index（Schour-Massler index）を評価した．さらに，1年間を通して計5回学校給食時に咀嚼計を用いた「噛ミング30学習」を実施した． 　介入終了後，“よく嚙む” 項目においてコントロール群と介入群では有意な差が認められた（p<0.01）．“よく嚙む” 項目の変化の有無により，介入群を2つのグループに分類した．“よく嚙む” 項目の非改善群ではPMA index中央値が有意に増加していた（p<0.05）が，改善群ではPMA index中央値の増加は認められなかった． 　これらの結果は，小学生において，不十分な咀嚼習慣と歯肉の炎症に関連性があることを示している．「噛ミング30学習」は，よく嚙むことを促すだけでなく，歯肉炎の予防にも効果がある可能性が示唆された

3歳児う蝕に影響を与える要因 : 行動変容に対する妊婦歯科健康診査の有効性

The aim of this study was to analyze factors influencing dental caries in 3-year-old children. In addition, we investigated the effect of prenatal oral health examination on oral health behavior related to dental caries by a retrospective cohort study. The subjects enrolled in this study were 647 children and their mothers who received oral health examinations from 2015 to 2020 at both the 18-month and 3-year-old health check-ups, which were conducted by Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. The relationship between dental caries in 3-year-old children and items related to oral health behavior were analyzed by binomial logistic regression analysis using the results of the questionnaire for the 18-month-old or 3-year-old child health check-ups. Furthermore, 480 subjects who had not received a dental check-up during pregnancy were divided into two groups: a prenatal examination group, who received prenatal oral health examination conducted by the municipality, and a non-examination group. Then, differences in oral health behavior after childbirth were analyzed between the two groups. The prevalence rate of dental caries in 3-year-old children was 14.5%. It showed that dental caries was significantly correlated with the frequency or regularity of eating between meals, regular dental check-ups, mothers’ knowledge of periodontal disease, and smoking habits of mothers or family members. In addition, the rate of mothers/children who acquired the behavior of regular dental check-ups after childbirth significantly increased, and the rate of regular dental check-ups of the mother at the 18-month-old child checkup was higher in the prenatal examination group when compared with the non-examination group. These results indicate that factors related to dental caries in 3-year-old children were eating between meals, regular dental check-ups, knowledge of periodontal disease, and smoking habits. Furthermore, prenatal oral health examinations may promote mothers’ acquisition of good health behavior for themselves or their child, such as understanding the necessity of having regular dental check-ups after childbirth.　本研究の目的は，3 歳児う蝕に影響を与える要因分析，および後ろ向きコホート研究によりう蝕関連の口腔保健行動に対する妊婦歯科健康診査の有効性を検証することである． 　研究対象者は，2015 年から 2020 年までに徳島県鳴門市が実施した 1 歳 6 か月児健康診査と 3 歳児健康診査の両方で歯科健康診査を受けた 647 人の子どもとその母親である．二項ロジスティック回帰分析により，3 歳児う蝕と 1 歳 6 か月児または 3 歳児健康診査時のアンケート結果からの口腔保健行動の項目との関連を分析した．さらに，妊娠中に定期的な歯科健診を受けていなかった対象者 480 名を，鳴門市が実施した妊婦歯科健康診査を受けた妊婦健診群と非健診群の 2 群に分け，出産後の口腔保健行動の相違を 2 群間で分析した． 　3 歳児のう蝕有病率は 14.5% であり，間食回数または規則性，母親の定期的な歯科健診，歯周病に関する知識，母親または家族の喫煙習慣と有意に関連していた．また，出産後に定期的な歯科健診を受ける母子の割合は増加し，1 歳 6か月時の母親の定期歯科健診受診率は，妊婦健診群では非健診群に比べて有意に高かった． 　これらの結果から 3 歳児う蝕に関連する要因として，間食，定期歯科健診，歯周病に関する知識，喫煙習慣が示された．さらに，妊婦歯科健康診査は，出産後の定期的な歯科健診受診など，母親が自分自身や子どものための良好な保健行動獲得に影響を与える可能性がある

There is an Association between Gingival Inflammation and Obesity in Japanese Male Adolescents

Background: There are few studies showing the association between obesity and gingivitis in young male adolescents. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between gingivitis and obesity in addition to life style habits among male high school students. Materials and Methods: The participants in this study were 1,027 1st-year male high school students (15-16 years old) in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Regular health checkup and oral examination were performed. Items regarding oral health behavior and eating habits were investigated through a self-reported questionnaire. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the cross-sectional data. Moreover, 513 students who were recalled after two years were divided into 2 groups according to changes of BMI (<25 or ≥25) and their gingival condition, were investigated. Results: Binomial logistic regression analysis showed that gingival inflammation was significantly associated with obesity (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.08-2.95) in addition to malalignment and plaque accumulation. From this longitudinal study, a significant improvement of gingival conditions was observed in the improved group (McNemar's test, p<0.05) whereas no difference was observed in the non-improved group. Conclusions: These results indicate that gingival inflammation was associated with obesity. Furthermore, improvement in the management of obesity might be effective for the prevention of gingival inflammation

Table_1_Designer umbilical cord-stem cells induce alveolar wall regeneration in pulmonary disease models.docx

BackgroundResearchers are focusing on cellular therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hBM-MSCs) leading the way. However, BM-MSCs may not be as optimal as therapeutic cells owing to their low growth potential, invasive harvesting, and high expression of aging-related genes with poor differentiation potential. Consequently, umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs), which have many excellent features as allogeneic heterologous stem cells, have received considerable attention. Allogeneic and heterologous hUC-MSCs appear to be promising owing to their excellent therapeutic properties. However, MSCs cannot remain in the lungs for long periods after intravenous infusion.ObjectiveTo develop designer hUC-MSCs (dUC-MSCs), which are novel therapeutic cells with modified cell-adhesion properties, to aid COPD treatment.MethodsdUC-MSCs were cultured on type-I collagen gels and laminin 411, which are extracellular matrices. Mouse models of elastase-induced COPD were treated with hUC-MSCs. Biochemical analysis of the lungs of treated and control animals was performed.ResultsIncreased efficiency of vascular induction was found with dUC-MSCs transplanted into COPD mouse models compared with that observed with transplanted hUC-MSCs cultured on plates. The transplanted dUC-MSCs inhibited apoptosis by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokine production, enhancing adhesion of the extracellular matrix to alveolar tissue via integrin β1, promoting the polarity of M2 macrophages, and contributing to the repair of collapsed alveolar walls by forming smooth muscle fibers. dUC-MSCs inhibited osteoclastogenesis in COPD-induced osteoporosis. hUC-MSCs are a promising cell source and have many advantages over BM-MSCs and adipose tissue-derived MSCs.ConclusionWe developed novel designer cells that may be involved in anti-inflammatory, homeostatic, injury repair, and disease resistance processes. dUC-MSCs repair and regenerate the alveolar wall by enhancing adhesion to the damaged site. Therefore, they can contribute to the treatment of COPD and systemic diseases such as osteoporosis.</p