New era of plasma dentistry.

Plasma, which was coined by Irving Langmuir in 1928, is the fourth physical state after the solid/liquid/gas phases. Low-temperature plasma (LTP) is a contradictory condition that involves high energy with free radicals at near-body temperatures and was developed through engineering in the 1990's. Research on LTP in engineering and medical fields has rapidly developed since the 2000's.

Elaborate cooperation of poly(rC)-binding proteins 1/2 and glutathione in ferroptosis induced by plasma-activated Ringer's lactate.

Reactive species are involved in various aspects of neoplastic diseases, including carcinogenesis, cancer-specific metabolism and therapeutics. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) can directly provide reactive species, by integrating atmospheric and interjacent molecules as substrates, to represent a handy strategy to load oxidative stress in situ. NTP causes apoptosis and/or ferroptosis specifically in cancer cells of various types.

Flexor tendon transfer for focal dystonia with involuntary flexion of the ring finger.

We report a case of task-specific dystonia characterized by involuntary flexion of the ring finger. After resecting the flexor of the ring finger, the flexor digitorum profundus of the middle finger was transferred to the resected site.

Hypomagnesemia because of nedaplatin for cervical cancer: A case report.

A 76-year-old woman with cervical cancer was treated with nedaplatin, a platinum-based drug. After the initiation of the treatment, she became aware of numbness, dizziness, and loss of appetite. Exploration of the causes revealed no clues, but blood tests revealed hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia.

Hyperthermia maintains death receptor expression and promotes TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand activates apoptotic pathways and could potentially be used in anticancer treatments. However, oral squamous cell carcinoma cells are known to be resistant to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced cell death. It has been previously reported that hyperthermia upregulates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis in other cancers.

Intraosseous Schwannoma of the Distal Phalanx.

Intraosseous schwannomas are extremely rare and only a few cases involving the proximal phalanx and metacarpal of the hand have been reported. We report a patient with an intraosseous schwannoma of the distal phalanx. Radiographs showed lytic lesions in the bony cortex and enlarged soft shadows of the distal phalanx.

Field-effect transistor antigen/antibody-TMDs sensors for the detection of COVID-19 samples.

We fabricated sensors by modifying the surface of MoS and WS with COVID-19 antibodies and investigated their characteristics, including stability, reusability, sensitivity, and selectivity. Thiols and disulfanes in antibodies strongly interact with vacant Mo or W sites of MoS or WS, yielding durable devices that are stable for several days in the air or water. More importantly, detachment of the antibodies is suppressed even during the aggressive cleaning process of the devices at pH 3, which allows reusing the same device in several experiments without appreciable loss of sensitivity.

Mechanical Properties of Ti-Nb-Cu Alloys for Dental Machining Applications.

Titanium has excellent biocompatibility and good corrosion resistance and is extensively used in dental implants and denture bases. However, pure titanium lacks the strength for use in dental prostheses that require relatively high strength. We developed 15 different types of Ti-Nb-Cu alloys and investigated their alloy phases and mechanical properties, including tensile and yield strength, elongation after fracture, and Vickers hardness.

Development of a newly immunoassay specific for mouse presepsin (sCD14-ST).

Presepsin (sCD14-ST) is used as a marker for sepsis diagnosis. The production mechanism of presepsin is unique in that it is produced through phagocytosis of microorganisms. However, some studies have demonstrated that non-infected patients had increased presepsin levels and that presepsin is related to the risk or severity of diseases.

Radiographic study of the distal ulna in rheumatoid arthritis with extensor digitorum communis ruptures.

Objectives: Extensor digitorum communis (EDC) rupture of the wrist often occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Early operation is desirable for patients with a high risk of rupture; therefore, rheumatologists should diagnose it during daily examinations. This study aimed to clarify radiographic changes in the distal ulna and related factors associated with EDC rupture in patients with RA.

Association of alcohol intake and female gender with high expression of TMPRSS2 in tongue as potential risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

COVID-19 is pandemic since 2020 and further information is necessary on the risk factors associated with the infection of SARS-CoV-2. As an entry mechanism, SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as receptor and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) to activate fusion with host plasma membrane. Because dysgeusia is an early symptom of COVID-19, we here studied the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the tongue and the associated tissues of mice and humans with immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis.

Load Distribution in Dorsally-Angulated Distal Radius Deformity Using Finite Element Analysis.

Purpose: The load axis of the carpals is located on the volar side of the normal distal radius. A volar lunate facet fracture (VLFF) is exposed to volar-shearing stress, which can cause volar displacement of the carpus. A previous biomechanical study reported that the load at the scaphoid fossa was located more dorsally and the pressure at the lunate fossa decreased in a dorsally-angulated model.

Diluted aqueous extract of heat-not-burn tobacco product smoke causes less oxidative damage in fibroblasts than conventional cigarette.

Smoke from conventional cigarettes (C-cigarettes) contains various reactive oxygen species and toxic chemicals, which potentially cause oxidative damage not only to airways but also to the whole body, leading eventually to diseases, including emphysema, advanced atherosclerosis, and cancer. Many heat-not-burn tobacco products (HTPs) have been commercialized recently in Japan to maintain the smoking population by advertising that HTPs are less toxic. However, there were few studies reported from neutral organizations whether HTPs are indeed less damaging.

Fractures of the proximal segments of the pediatric distal radial metaphysis exhibit less angular stability than fractures of the distal segments.

The distal part of the forearm is divided into the physis, metaphysis, diaphyseal metaphyseal junction (DMJ) and diaphysis. The treatment of radial DMJ fractures is challenging because this region has diaphyseal characteristics. We speculated that the stability of metaphyseal fractures could vary depending on their proximity to the DMJ or physis.

Lysyl hydroxylase 2-induced collagen cross-link switching promotes metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 6th most common cancer worldwide and incidence rates are continuing to rise globally. HNSCC patient prognosis is closely related to the occurrence of tumor metastases, and collagen within the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in this process. Lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2), encoded by the Procollagen-Lysine,2-Oxoglutarate 5-Dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) gene, catalyzes hydroxylation of telopeptidyl lysine (Lys) residues of fibrillar collagens which then undergo subsequent modifications to form stable intermolecular cross-links that change the biomechanical properties (i.