Properties of manual toothbrush that influence on plaque removal of interproximal surface .

Background/purpose: Few papers were available on the interproximal cleaning efficiency by manual toothbrushes when used alone. The aim was to investigate the efficiency of commercially available toothbrushes on interproximal cleaning and determine the key properties that would make the differences.

Materials And Methods: Artificial-teeth were coated with manicure type experimental dental plaque covering mainly the interproximal surface and fixed in the jaw model of a dental simulator.

Adding interferon to lamivudine enhances the early virologic response and reversion of the precore mutation in difficult-to-treat HBV infection.

Background: The virologic impact of adding interferon to antiviral nucleoside therapy was studied in Japanese patients having perinatally transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C.

Methods: Sixty-four patients including 41 positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were assigned to receive either (1) a combination of interferon-alpha (6 million units daily for 2 weeks, then three times weekly) plus lamivudine (100 mg daily) for 24 weeks followed by lamivudine alone for 28 weeks (n = 30) or (2) 52-week lamivudine monotherapy (n = 34).

Results: The combination treatment enhanced the early virologic response, and HBV clearance was more frequent at week 8 for patients with baseline HBV DNA < or = 7 log copies/ml (90% vs.

New combination test for hepatitis C virus genotype and viral load determination using Amplicor GT HCV MONITOR test v2.0.

Aim: To develop a new sensitive and inexpensive hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination test (HCV Guideline test) that enables the determination of HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3, and simultaneous determination of HCV viral load using commercial Amplicor GT HCV MONITOR test v2.0 (microwell version).

Methods: The HCV Guideline test used the PCR product generated in commercial Amplicor GT HCV Monitor test v2.

Long-term clinical and virological outcomes of chronic hepatitis C after successful interferon therapy.

Clinical relevance of occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection(s) remains uncertain years after interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C. By 1993, 38 sustained virological responders (SVRs) showing HCV RNA clearance at 6 months post-treatment and 37 biochemical responders (BRs) with end-of-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization and subsequent 6-month stabilization within 2 x the upper limit of normal (ULN) were enrolled. They were monitored for 4.

Local perfusion of mCPP into ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, but not into lateral hypothalamic area and frontal cortex, inhibits food intake in rats.

Rationale: The serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system is extensively implicated in feeding behavior. In recent years, 5-HT receptors have been classified into 14 subtypes, and activation of 5-HT1B and 5-HT2C receptors inhibits food intake in rats. However, the precise functions in local brain areas of these receptor subtypes are unclear.