Efficacy of Three Caries-staining Agents

To avoid excessive excavation of carious dentin, we developed a caries-detecting agent composed of polypropylene glycol to stain caries-affected dentin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the new agent by examining the characteristics of the dentin surface after removal of carious dentin. Eight extracted human teeth with dentin caries were used. The teeth were longitudinally sectioned through the center of the caries and micro Vickers hardness (MVH) was measured from the pulpal wall to the caries cavity every 200 μm. Carious dentin was then removed using a steel bur following Caries Check (Nishika, Yamaguchi, Japan) staining. After removal of the stained dentin, the MVH of the dentin was determined by observing the indentation on the dentin; the DIAGNOdent value (D-value) was measured using DIAGNOdent (Kavo, Biberach, Germany). Then a new caries-staining agent (Discover RED, Phoenix Dental, Inc., Fenton, MI, USA) was applied in the cavity, the stained dentin was removed, and the MVH and D-value were measured. Finally, such procedures were repeated using Caries Detector (Kuraray, Tokyo, Japan). After the final measurements, the microstructure of the dentin cavity wall was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The differences in the MVH and D-value between using Caries Detector and Discover RED were not significant. However, the differences in the MVH and D-value between the Caries Check and the other two methods were significant. Caries Check may be the most useful modality for the more precise excavation of carious dentin and preservation of sclerotic dentin

楽しい食事が免疫能を向上させることができるか : 「会食」から「快食」へ

ヒトの生活において食事は重要な位置づけである。しかし、近年のライフスタイルの多様化に伴って食事の形態は変化し、「孤食」や栄養の偏った「偏食」がみられるようになった。そのような中で、「食育」が叫ばれてきている。食育の中でも食事の環境は大切であると考える。というのは、食事の環境は免疫機能の活性化を大きく左右し、加えて会食は、人間関係を形成するなど、社会的、精神的に良好な生活につながると考えられている。会食を行うことは、身体に必要な栄養素の摂取や心理面における満足感などの食事本来の目的のほかに、笑いや楽しみが得られ、ストレス軽減、免疫能の向上の効果があると考えられる。そこで、免疫系と内分泌系の機能検査として、末梢血中のNK細胞活性とコルチゾール値を用いて会食によるNK細胞活性、コルチゾール値の変化を検討し、会食がストレス軽減につながるかについて考察する。Eating occupies an important place in human life. Nevertheless, our dietary habits have changed as our lifestyle becomes diversified, and "eating alone" and "biased nutrition" have become common. Consequently, proper dietary education has been called for, Education on eating environment may be of particular importance since dietary environment considerably affects the immune activity and having meals together helps building human relationships, leading to socially and psychologically better life through. Besides the original purpose of eating, which is to obtain necessary nutrients and psychological satisfaction, eating together may be effective in alleviating stresses and improving the immune competence by giving us merriness and pleasure. Given this, in order to determine whether or not having meals with someone alleviates stresses, changes in the NK cell activation and the cortisol level in the peripheral blood at the time of eating together are examined as an immune and endocrine function test