ブラジルの歯科事情

The purpose of this article is to introduce Brazil from a dental point of view. Some aspects of Brazilian cultural life and economics that influence oral health and esthetics are presented. The Brazilian dental educational system, tuition fees and ranking of dental schools are compared and contrasted with those in Japan. In Brazil, there are 92 dental schools while in Japan there are 29. Dental schools in Brazil are classified according to their administration into national public schools, state public schools, and private schools. The University of Sao Paulo (U. S. P.) which is the most well recognized and largest university in South America, has three dental schools. The dental school of the Sao Paulo has the largest campus and a population of 715 students. Japanese descendants have a great influence over U. S. P. life. About 30% to 50% of the enrollment in prestigious courses such medicine, dentistry and engineering is filled by students of Japanese descent. The incidence of dental caries and periodontal disease are still extremely prevalent in Brazil, as in other developing countries, contrary to what has been observed in developed countries. Recent data issued by the Brazilian National Oral Health Survey (1994) observed a DMFT of 4.8 among 12-year-olds. In Japan, the National Dental Disease Survey conducted by the Ministry of Public Welfare (1993) revealed a DMFT of 3.64 for the same age group. Socioeconomic differences are seen as the principal cause of the discrepancy

4-META MMAレジンで接着した矯正用ブラケットの再接着時における圧縮剪断荷重について

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference of the shear bond strength between new and rebonded brackets with a chairside cleaning method proposed by the authors. A preliminary study was carried out to examine the optimal cleaning time for both 4-META MMA resin (Superbond, Sun Medical, Kyoto, Japan) and Bis-GMA resin (Concise, 3M, Monrovia, California, USA) using acetone or chloroform. The 4-META MMA resin was completely removed by acetone (13 min.) and by chloroform (8 min.), while the Bis-GMA resin was not removed by either. The resin remnant on the bracket base was stained with alcohol-based ink and analyzed quantitatively under a microscope attached to a CCD camera and a computer analyzer. Stainless steel brackets with foil mesh base designs were bonded to twenty extracted human premolars with the 4-META MMA resin. All specimens were stored in water at 37℃ for 24 hours, and thermocycled 120 times from 4℃ to 60℃ before shear bond strength testing. Specimens were stressed to bond failure using an Autograph AG-5000D testing machine (Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan). The bases of the debonded brackets were inspected for resin according to an adaptation of the adhesive remnant index (ARI) system. After recording of the shear bond strengths, the brackets were cleaned and rebonded to the same teeth and tested once more. The results revealed that the rebonding of the brackets even twice following the original bonding had no significant effect on the bond strength value. The capacity for rebonding of the same bracket by an easy and fast cleaning method is an advantage of the 4-META MMA resin over the Bis-GMA resin

Frequent Detection of Anti-Tubercular-Glycolipid-IgG and -IgA Antibodies in Healthcare Workers with Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the Philippines

Anti-tubercular-glycolipid-IgG (TBGL-IgG) and -IgA (TBGL-IgA) antibodies, and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test (QFT) were compared in healthcare workers (HCWs, n = 31) and asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus-carriers (HIV-AC, n = 56) in Manila. In HCWs, 48%, 51%, and 19% were positive in QFT, TBGL-IgG, and -IgA, respectively. The TBGL-IgG positivity was significantly higher (P = 0.02) in QFT-positive than QFT-negative HCWs. Both TBGL-IgG- and -IgA-positive cases were only found in QFT-positive HCWs (27%). The plasma IFN-γ levels positively correlated with TBGL-IgA titers (r = 0.74, P = 0.005), but not TBGL-IgG titers in this group, indicating that mucosal immunity is involved in LTBI in immunocompetent individuals. The QFT positivity in HIV-AC was 31% in those with CD4+ cell counts >350/μL and 12.5% in low CD4 group (<350/μL). 59 % and 29% were positive for TBGL-IgG and -IgA, respectively, in HIV-AC, but no association was found between QFT and TBGL assays. TBGL-IgG-positive rates in QFT-positive and QFT-negative HIV-AC were 61% and 58%, and those of TBGL-IgA were 23% and 30%, respectively. The titers of TBGL-IgA were associated with serum IgA (P = 0.02) in HIV-AC. Elevations of TBGL-IgG and -IgA were related to latent tuberculosis infection in HCWs, but careful interpretation is necessary in HIV-AC

Symposium II: Acquirable qualifications at Departments of Geography

金沢大学人間社会研究域人間科学

A Clinical Study of Photodynamic Therapy for Superficial Esophageal Carcinoma by YAG-OPO Laser

A cooperative clinical study of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for superficial esophageal carcinoma was conducted at 6 medical institution. PHE (2mg/kg) with high tumor affinity was used as the oncotropic compound. The light source was a pulse wave YAG-OPO laser with high penetration into the tissue. Irradiation was performed at an energy density of 60–180 J/cm2 48–72 h after PHE administration. Eight lesions in 6 patients were treated. All were type 0-II superficial carcinomas. The depth of invasion was EP–MM for 6 lesions and SM for 2 lesions. A complete response (CR) was achieved in all patients after one session of PDT. Five adverse events, including anemia and fever, were reported by 4 patients, but all were WHO grade 2 or lower and transient. PDT using PHE and YAG-OPO laser was therefore considered effective as a curative therapy for superficial esophageal carcinoma

Cooperative Clinical Trial of Photodynamic Therapy for Early Gastric Cancer With Photofrin Injection® and YAG-OPO Laser

Background and Objective: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) treats malignant tumors using photosensitizers and light. We employed a new pulse laser as the excitation light source for PDT, i.e. an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, because it provides extremely high peak power

Clusters of Coronavirus Disease in Communities, Japan, January-April 2020

We analyzed 3, 184 cases of coronavirus disease in Japan and identified 61 case-clusters in healthcare and other care facilities, restaurants and bars, workplaces, and music events. We also identified 22 probable primary case-patients for the clusters; most were 20-39 years of age and presymptomatic or asymptomatic at virus transmission

A Case of Self-Limiting Crescentic Immunoglobulin A Glomerulonephritis Associated with Sternoclavicular Arthritis

Immunoglobulin (Ig) A glomerulonephritis (GN) is a heterogeneous disease affected by various factors. Genetic and other factors “hit” DNA, causing IgA malformation and ultimately glomerular injury. We describe a rare case of crescentic IgA GN with sternoclavicular (SC) arthritis in a 75-year-old woman. Despite active IgA GN with cellular crescents, the patient achieved remission of IgA GN without glucocorticoid therapy after remission of SC arthritis was achieved. Considering the patient’s clinical course, this case suggested a relationship between IgA GN and SC arthritis