Cross-cultural validity of a dietary questionnaire for studies of dental caries risk in Japanese

Background: Diet is a major modifiable contributing factor in the etiology of dental caries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reliability and cross-cultural validity of the Japanese version of the Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess dietary intake in relation to dental caries risk in Japanese. Methods: The 38-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, in which Japanese food items were added to increase content validity, was translated into Japanese, and administered to two samples. The first sample comprised 355 pregnant women with mean age of 29.2 +/- 4.2 years for the internal consistency and criterion validity analyses. Factor analysis (principal components with Varimax rotation) was used to determine dimensionality. The dietary cariogenicity score was calculated from the Food Frequency Questionnaire and used for the analyses. Salivary mutans streptococci level was used as a semi-quantitative assessment of dental caries risk and measured by Dentocult SM. Dentocult SM scores were compared with the dietary cariogenicity score computed from the Food Frequency Questionnaire to examine criterion validity, and assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficient (r(s)) and Kruskal-Wallis test. Test-retest reliability of the Food Frequency Questionnaire was assessed with a second sample of 25 adults with mean age of 34.0 +/- 3.0 years by using the intraclass correlation coefficient analysis. Results: The Japanese language version of the Food Frequency Questionnaire showed high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.70) and good criterion validity assessed by relationship with salivary mutans streptococci levels (r(s) = 0.22; p < 0.001). Factor analysis revealed four subscales that construct the questionnaire (solid sugars, solid and starchy sugars, liquid and semisolid sugars, sticky and slowly dissolving sugars). Internal consistency were low to acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.67 for the total scale, 0.46-0.61 for each subscale). Mean dietary cariogenicity scores were 50.8 +/- 19.5 in the first sample, 47.4 +/- 14.1, and 40.6 +/- 11.3 for the first and second administrations in the second sample. The distribution of Dentocult SM score was 6.8% (score = 0), 34.4% (score = 1), 39.4% (score = 2), and 19.4% (score = 3). Participants with higher scores were more likely to have higher dietary cariogenicity scores (p < 0.001; Kruskal-Wallis test). Conclusions: These results provide the preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the Japanese language Food Frequency Questionnaire

What impact does postgraduate clinical training have on empathy among Japanese trainee dentists?

Background Enhancing empathy in healthcare education is a critical component in the development of a relationship between healthcare professionals and patients that would ensure better patient care; improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, patients’ medication self-efficacy, improved treatment outcomes, and reduced patient anxiety. Unfortunately, however, the decline of empathy among students has been frequently reported. It is especially common when the curriculum transitions to a clinical setting. However, some studies have questioned the significance and frequency of this decline. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of postgraduate clinical training on dental trainees’ empathy from cognitive, behavioral, and patients’ perspective. Methods This study included 64 trainee dentists at Okayama University Hospital and 13 simulated patients (SPs). The trainee dentists carried out initial medical interviews with SPs twice, at the beginning and the end of their clinical training. The trainees completed the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health professionals just before each medical interview. The SPs evaluated the trainees’ communication using an assessment questionnaire immediately after the medical interviews. The videotaped dialogue from the medical interviews was analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. Results No significant difference was found in the self-reported empathy score of trainees at the beginning and the end of the clinical training (107.73 [range, 85–134] vs. 108.34 [range, 69–138]; p = 0.643). Considering the results according to gender, male scored 104.06 (range, 88–118) vs. 101.06 (range, 71–122; p = 0.283) and female 109.17 (range, 85–134) vs. 111.20 (range, 69–138; p = 0.170). Similarly, there was no difference in the SPs’ evaluation of trainees’ communication (10.73 vs. 10.38, p = 0.434). Communication behavior in the emotional responsiveness category for trainees in the beginning was significantly higher than that at the end (2.47 vs. 1.14, p = 0.000). Conclusions Overall, a one-year postgraduate dental training program neither reduced nor increased trainee dentists’ empathy levels. Providing regular education support in this area may help trainees foster their empathy

The Rapeseed Project for Restoring Tsunami-Salt-Damaged Farmland after the GEJE

Oral Presentatio

Experimental model for the irradiation-mediated abscopal effect and factors influencing this effect

Radiotherapy (RT) is the primary treatment for cancer. Ionizing radiation from RT induces tumor damage at the irradiated site, and, although clinically infrequent, may cause regression of tumors distant from the irradiated site-a phenomenon known as the abscopal effect. Recently, the abscopal effect has been related to prolongation of overall survival time in cancer patients, though the factors that influence the abscopal effect are not well understood. The aim of this study is to clarify the factors influencing on abscopal effect. Here, we established a mouse model in which we induced the abscopal effect. We injected MC38 (mouse colon adenocarcinoma) cells subcutaneously into C57BL/6 mice at two sites. Only one tumor was irradiated and the sizes of both tumors were measured over time. The non-irradiated-site tumor showed regression, demonstrating the abscopal effect. This effect was enhanced by an increase in the irradiated-tumor volume and by administration of anti-PD1 antibody. When the abscopal effect was induced by a combination of RT and anti-PD1 antibody, it was also influenced by radiation dose and irradiated-tumor volume. These phenomena were also verified in other cell line, B16F10 cells (mouse melanoma cells). These findings provide further evidence of the mechanism for, and factors that influence, the abscopal effect in RT

Combination treatment with highly bioavailable curcumin and NQO1 inhibitor exhibits potent antitumor effects on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most intractable cancers, so the development of novel therapeutics has been required to improve patient outcomes. Curcumin, a polyphenol from Curcuma longa, exhibits various health benefits including antitumor effects, but its clinical utility is limited because of low bioavailability. Theracurmin® (THC) is a highly bioavailable curcumin dispersed with colloidal submicron particles. Methods: We examined antitumor effects of THC on ESCC cells by cell viability assay, colony and spheroid formation assay, and xenograft models. To reveal its mechanisms, we investigated the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and performed microarray gene expression analysis. According to those analyses, we focused on NQO1, which involved in the removal of ROS, and examined the effects of NQO1-knockdown or overexpression on THC treatment. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of THC and NQO1 inhibitor on ESCC patient-derived xenografts (PDX) was investigated. Results: THC caused cytotoxicity in ESCC cells, and suppressed the growth of xenografted tumors more efficiently than curcumin. THC increased ROS levels and activated the NRF2–NMRAL2P–NQO1 expressions. Inhibition of NQO1 in ESCC cells by shRNA or NQO1 inhibitor resulted in an increased sensitivity of cells to THC, whereas overexpression of NQO1 antagonized it. Notably, NQO1 inhibitor significantly enhanced the antitumor effects of THC in ESCC PDX tumors. Conclusions: These findings suggest the potential usefulness of THC and its combination with NQO1 inhibitor as a therapeutic option for ESCC

HER2 G776S mutation promotes oncogenic potential in colorectal cancer cells when accompanied by loss of APC function

Clinical cancer genome sequencing detects oncogenic variants that are potential targets for cancer treatment, but it also detects variants of unknown significance. These variants may interact with each other to influence tumor pathophysiology, however, such interactions have not been fully elucidated. Additionally, the effect of target therapy for those variants also unclarified. In this study, we investigated the biological functions of a HER2 mutation (G776S mutation) of unknown pathological significance, which was detected together with APC mutation by cancer genome sequencing of samples from a colorectal cancer (CRC) patient. Transfection of the HER2 G776S mutation alone slightly increased the kinase activity and phosphorylation of HER2 protein, but did not activate HER2 downstream signaling or alter the cell phenotype. On the other hand, the HER2 G776S mutation was shown to have strong oncogenic potential when loss of APC function was accompanied. We revealed that loss of APC function increased Wnt pathway activity but also increased RAS-GTP, which increased ERK phosphorylation triggered by HER2 G776S transfection. In addition, afatinib, a pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suppressed tumor growth in xenografts derived from HER2 G776S-transfected CRC cells. These findings suggest that this HER2 mutation in CRC may be a potential therapeutic target

Evaluation of the Total Design Method in a survey of Japanese dentists

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the application of the Total Design Method (TDM) in a mail survey of Japanese dentists. The TDM was chosen because survey response rates in Japan are unacceptably low and the TDM had previously been used in a general population survey. METHODS: Four hundred and seventy eight dentist members of the Okayama Medical and Dental Practitioner's Association were surveyed. The nine-page, 27-item questionnaire covered dentist job satisfaction, physical practice, and dentist and patient characteristics. Respondents to the first mailing or the one-week follow-up postcard were defined as early responders; others who responded were late responders. Responder bias was assessed by examining age, gender and training. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 46.7% (223/478). The response rates by follow-up mailing were, 18% after the first mailing, 35.4% after the follow-up postcard, 42.3% after the second mailing, and 46.7% after the third mailing. Respondents did not differ from non-respondents in age or gender, nor were there differences between early and late responders. CONCLUSION: The application of TDM in this survey of Japanese dentists produced lower rates of response than expected from previous Japanese and US studies

Impact of Dietary Patterns on Plaque Acidogenicity and Dental Caries in Early Childhood: A Retrospective Analysis in Japan

This study aimed to assess the relationship of dietary patterns, such as frequency, timing, and cariogenicity of food/beverage consumption, with plaque acidogenicity and early childhood caries (ECC) in Japan. A total of 118 children aged 1&ndash;4 years who had visited the pediatric dental clinic were enrolled. We retrospectively reviewed their records to collect data including age, sex, medical history, medication, caries status, and plaque acidogenicity level at the first dental visit. The plaque acidogenicity level was measured using Cariostat&reg;. Dietary data were collected from 3-day dietary records, and the dietary cariogenicity score was calculated from these data. Children with ECC or high plaque acidogenicity consumed between-meal sugars more frequently than did their counterparts (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006, respectively). Children with ECC or high plaque acidogenicity drank juices between meals more frequently than at mealtimes (p = 0.02). Frequent consumption of between-meal sugars was associated with higher plaque acidogenicity and ECC, and frequent breast/bottle feeding was associated with ECC. No differences were found in the dietary cariogenicity scores between these groups. Therefore, the frequency and timing of sugar consumption, might affect plaque acidogenicity and ECC, and reducing the frequency of sugar intake could prevent ECC

Broadening the Dental Hygiene Students’ Perspectives on the Oral Health Professionals: A Text Mining Analysis

Professional identity formation, an important component of education, is influenced by participation, social relationships, and culture in communities of practice. As a preliminary investigation of dental hygienists’ professional identity formation, this study examined changes in the dental hygiene students’ perceptions of oral health professionals over the three years of their undergraduate program. At a Japanese dental hygiene school, 40 students participated in surveys with open-ended questions about professional groups several times during their studies. The text data were analyzed through content analysis with text mining software. The themes that characterized their dental hygienist profession perceptions in their programs each year were identified as: “Supporters at the dental clinic”; “Engagement with interprofessional care” and “Improved problem-solving skills for clinical issues regarding the oral region”; and “Active contribution to general health” and “Recognition of the roles considering relationships” (in the first, second, and third years, respectively). The students acquired professional knowledge and recognized the significance and roles of oral health professionals in practice. They gained more learning experiences in their education, including clinical placements and interprofessional education. This study provides insight into curriculum development for professional identity formation in dental hygiene students