Coating Agents for Resin Composites: Effect on Color Stability, Roughness, and Surface Micromorphology Subjected to Brushing Wear.

This study evaluated the influence of six resin composite coating agents on color stability and surface roughness after toothbrushing abrasion. Discs (Ø6 mm x 2 mm) of nanofilled resin composite (Filtek Z350XT) were prepared for application of coating agents (n=10): control (absence), two surface sealants (PermaSeal and BisCover LV), two adhesive systems (Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Adhesive/3M Oral Care and Single Bond Universal), and two modeling liquids (Modeling Resin and Composite Wetting Resin). CIELab*, WID, and color change (ΔEab, ΔE00, and ΔWID) were analyzed at baseline, after finishing and polishing, after application of coating agents, after coffee staining (simulating 30 days and one year of staining), and after toothbrushing abrasion.

Prevalence estimates of Helicobacter species infection in pancreatic and biliary tract cancers.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a well-established risk factor for gastric cancer and has been linked to other gastrointestinal diseases, including pancreatic and biliary tract cancers; however, the relevance of enterohepatic non-H. pylori helicobacters to the pathophysiology of these diseases remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: We estimated the prevalence of two enterohepatic non-H.

Lantibiotics Produced by Oral Inhabitants as a Trigger for Dysbiosis of Human Intestinal Microbiota.

Lantibiotics are a type of bacteriocin produced by Gram-positive bacteria and have a wide spectrum of Gram-positive antimicrobial activity. In this study, we determined that Mutacin I/III and Smb (a dipeptide lantibiotic), which are mainly produced by the widespread cariogenic bacterium , have strong antimicrobial activities against many of the Gram-positive bacteria which constitute the intestinal microbiota. These lantibiotics also demonstrate resistance to acid and temperature.

Acanthamoeba castellanii supports extracellular survival of Helicobacter pylori in co-culture.

This study aimed to demonstrate whether Helicobacter pylori is able to survive in co-culture with a protozoan, Acanthamoeba castellanii, in order to further investigate a possible aqueous environmental mode of transmission. Numbers of H. pylori in co-culture with A castellanii were assessed by colony forming unit (CFU) assay and cell morphology was observed by electron microscopy.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori biofilm formation on susceptibility to amoxicillin, metronidazole and clarithromycin.

The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori forms biofilms in vitro and in vivo. We previously demonstrated that H. pylori biofilm formation in vitro decreased its susceptibility to clarithromycin (CAM).

Enhanced infectivity of strains of Helicobacter pylori isolated from children compared with parental strains.

Purpose: Intra-familial infection, mother-to-child infection, is considered to be one of the main routes of transmission for Helicobacter pylori, in developed countries such as Japan. A major role for intra-familial spread in the pathogenicity of H. pylori is now beyond controversy, although the major route of transmission remains poorly understood.

Highly Oriented Liquid Crystalline Epoxy Film: Robust High Thermal-Conductive Ability.

The molecular orientation effect of a liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin (LCER) on thermal conductivity was investigated, with the thermal conductivity depending on the surface free energy of amorphous soda-lime-silica glass substrate surfaces modified using physical surface treatments. The LC epoxy monomer was revealed to form a smectic A (SmA) phase with homeotropic alignments on the surfaces of substrates that possess high surface free energies of 71.3 and 72.

Influence of Intestinal Indigenous Microbiota on Intrafamilial Infection by in Japan.

is a causative pathogen of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. Humans are known to be a natural host for and tend to acquire the pathogen before the age of 5 years. The infection may then persist lifelong if eradication therapy is not applied.

Diversification of the AlpB Outer Membrane Protein of Helicobacter pylori Affects Biofilm Formation and Cellular Adhesion.

is one of the most common causes of bacterial infection in humans, and it forms biofilms on human gastric mucosal epithelium as well as on abiotic surfaces. Bacterial biofilm is critical not only for environmental survival but also for successful infection. We previously demonstrated that strain TK1402, which was isolated from a Japanese patient with duodenal and gastric ulcers, has high biofilm-forming ability relative to other strains.

Analysis of intra-familial transmission of Helicobacter pylori in Japanese families.

Intra-familial infection is considered to be one of the main routes of transmission for Helicobacter pylori in Japan. We assessed the genomic profiles of H. pylori isolates from family members by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and identified the original strain infecting the index child.

Evaluation of a stool antigen test using a mAb for native catalase for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adults.

Non-invasive diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection is important not only for screening of infection but also for epidemiological studies. Stool antigen tests are non-invasive and are convenient to identify H. pylori infection, particularly in children.

Multilocus sequence typing of DNA from faecal specimens for the analysis of intra-familial transmission of Helicobacter pylori.

This study used multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of total DNA extracted from faecal specimens to genotype Helicobacter pylori to analyse intra-familial transmission. Faecal DNA was extracted and amplified by nested PCR. The products were analysed by direct sequencing and the allele type was determined using an MLST website.

Ciliates expel environmental Legionella-laden pellets to stockpile food.

When Tetrahymena ciliates are cultured with Legionella pneumophila, the ciliates expel bacteria packaged in free spherical pellets. Why the ciliates expel these pellets remains unclear. Hence, we determined the optimal conditions for pellet expulsion and assessed whether pellet expulsion contributes to the maintenance of growth and the survival of ciliates.

Inhibition of the cytotoxic effect of Clostridium difficile in vitro by Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 strain.

In contrast to most modern pharmaceuticals, probiotics are used in many parts of the world with little or no research data on the complex system of interactions that each strain may elicit in the human body. Research on probiotics has recently become more significant, as probiotics have begun to be prescribed by clinicians as an alternative for some gut infections, especially when antibiotics are contraindicated. This study attempted to elucidate the inhibitory interaction between the Japanese probiotic strain Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 (CBM588) and the hospital pathogen Clostridium difficile, which is responsible for a large proportion of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and colitis.

Analysis of outer membrane vesicle protein involved in biofilm formation of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common causes of bacterial infection in humans. Infection with H. pylori is closely associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers and is a risk factor for gastric cancer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

Highly thermoconductive polymer nanocomposite with a nanoporous alpha-alumina sheet.

A highly thermoconductive insulative polymer nanocomposite with a nanoporous alpha-alumina sheet was reported. The thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite along the surface normal was 12 W m(-1) K(-1) (41 vol % alumina), a value as high as that predicted theoretically for a nanocomposite with thermoconductive fillers that form a perfectly connected thermoconductive network. The high thermal conductivity is probably due to the continuous alpha-alumina phase that functions as an efficient phonon path in the nanocomposite.

Systemic arterial supply to the normal basal segments of the left lower lobe treated by coil embolization, with long-term follow-up.

We report a case of a 41-year-old woman who underwent therapeutic embolization of an aberrant systemic artery of the lung. Except for chest pains immediately after embolization, she recovered well and has not experienced hemoptysis in the past 6 years. In such patients, coil embolization could be an alternative choice of treatment, with the expectation of an excellent long-term result despite ischemia of the corresponding lung parenchyma.

The lung cancer database project at the National Cancer Center, Japan: study design, corresponding rate and profiles of cohort.

Background: The lung cancer database project was established in 1999 at the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan, as an ongoing project to integrate data on various factors in lung cancer patients. The aim of the project was to construct a large-scale cancer registry for lung cancer that would contribute to basic research and clinical research in the future.

Methods: Between July 1999 and July 2004, consecutive lung cancer patients were recruited into this project.

Environmental remediation by an integrated microwave/UV illumination technique. 8. Fate of carboxylic acids, aldehydes, alkoxycarbonyl and phenolic substrates in a microwave radiation field in the presence of TiO2 particles under UV irradiation.

Thermal and nonthermal effects originating when a system is subjected to a microwave radiation field in the TiO2-photocatalyzed transformation of model substances containing various functional groups (e.g., benzoic acid, phthalic acid, o-formylbenzoic acid, phthalaldehyde, succinic acid, dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, and phenol) have been examined under simultaneous irradiation by ultraviolet (UV) and microwave (MW) radiations.

Phase I/II trial of weekly cisplatin, etoposide, and irinotecan chemotherapy for metastatic lung cancer: JCOG 9507.

Combinations of cisplatin-irinotecan and cisplatin-etoposide are active and well tolerated in patients with both small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To define the recommended dose for phase II trials of irinotecan combined with cisplatin and etoposide in chemonaive patients with stage IV disease, 56 patients (11 having SCLC and 45 NSCLC) received cisplatin 25 mg m(-2) weekly for 9 weeks, etoposide 60 mg m(-2) for 3 days on weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, and irinotecan 20-100 mg m(-2) (levels 1-8) on weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8, together with a prophylactical granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support (50 microg m(-2) on days 4-7 on weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, and on days 2-7 on weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8). Grade 3-4 leukocytopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were noted in 20 (36%), 28 (50%) and nine (16%) patients, respectively.

Serum levels of KL-6 are useful biomarkers for severe radiation pneumonitis.

The antigen KL-6, a mucin-like high-molecular-weight glycoprotein, is expressed on type-2 pneumocytes and bronchiolar epithelial cells. Serum levels of KL-6 have been shown to correlate well with the activities of several different kinds of interstitial pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of monitoring serum KL-6 levels in patients who had received thoracic radiotherapy (TRT).

Japanese experience of telemedicine in oncology.

We started telemedicine projects from 1990 with a telepathology system within Tsukiji Campus of National Cancer Center. In 1994, we connected Tsukiji Campus and Kashiwa Campus by 6 Mbps optical fiber leased line using IP protocol for data transmission, for teleconference, telepathology, and teleradiology projects. We also started connection of regional cancer centers and are now forming a cancer center network of 14 cancer centers.

Risk factors of treatment-related death in chemotherapy and thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer.

We retrospectively analysed the incidence and risk factors of treatment-related death in the treatment of chemotherapy- and thoracic radiotherapy-naïve patients with lung cancer. Between July 1992 and December 1997, 1799 patients were diagnosed as having lung cancer in our hospital and 926 patients received chemotherapy and/or thoracic radiotherapy. 25 patients (2.

Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the thymus of a patient with pulmonary amyloid nodules.

Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT-type lymphoma) is a rare thymic tumor, with only seven previous cases described worldwide to date. We describe the only case to have presented with pulmonary amyloid nodules. A 63-year-old Japanese female was found to have an anterior mediastinal tumor and multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules during a medical check-up in 1990 followed by chest radiography and computerized tomography.

Effect of nebulized morphine in cancer patients with dyspnea: a pilot study.

Background: It is known that opioids may decrease subjective dyspnea. The recent finding that opioid binding sites are present in the peripheral bronchus supports the possibility of a local action of opioids. However, the clinical benefit of nebulized morphine is controversial.