Increased risk of falls in older adults with hearing loss and slow gait: results from the Otassha Study.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and impaired gait both independently heighten the risk of accidental falls among older adults. However, the combined impact of these factors remains unclear. We analyzed the data of 786 community-dwelling Japanese older adults.

The third nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility against Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan, 2016-2017.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the important pathogens of sexually transmitted infections. N. gonorrhoeae is rapidly becoming antimicrobial resistant, and there are few drugs that are effective in the initial treatment of gonorrhea.

Cognitive, physical, and mental profiles of older adults with misplaced self-evaluation of hearing loss.

Background: Although inconsistency between objective and subjective hearing loss among older adults has been suggested, a systematic examination of the cognitive and physical functioning among such older adults is lacking. Our objective was to assess the cognitive, physical, and mental profiles associated with the discrepancy.

Methods: The auditory acuity of 696 community-dwelling older adults was evaluated using a pure-tone average of hearing thresholds at 1.

Color and translucency of enamel in vital maxillary central incisors.

Statement Of Problem: Limited data, especially in vivo data, exist regarding translucency parameter (TP) values for vital anterior nonrestored dentition. Additionally, published information on the CIELab values of vital enamel at a theoretical infinite thickness is lacking. Obtaining TP and CIELab values in a population that varies in terms of ethnicity, age, and sex would be useful to inform the development and placement of esthetic dental restorations that more accurately capture the complex optical qualities of enamel.

Denture wearing is associated with nutritional status among older adults requiring long-term care: A cross-sectional study.

Background/purpose: Dentures are important for the reconstruction of occlusal support and masticatory performance for older adults with poor dentition. We aimed to elucidate the oral health factors associated with malnutrition in older adults requiring long-term care, including denture use.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study included 322 older adults (63 men, 259 women; mean age, 86.

Factors Associated with Denture Non-use in Older Adults Requiring Long-Term Care.

Background: Evidence suggests that denture non-use is significantly associated with activities of daily living, oral function, and cognitive decline. Few studies have focused on the possibility that the indications for denture use may differ depending on the cognitive and physical functions in older adults requiring long-term care.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to elucidate the factors associated with denture non-use in older adults requiring long-term care.

Relation between knee extension torque and occlusal force in community-dwelling elderly adults.

The relation between occlusal force and general motor ability induced by lower-limb musculature is unclear. To identify indicators of oral and lower-limb muscle weakness, this study examined the relation between masticatory muscle strength and lower limb muscle force in 742 community-dwelling elderly adults (315 men and 427 women, mean age 73.3 ± 5.

Validity of a visual scoring method using gummy jelly for evaluating chewing efficiency in a large-scale epidemiological survey.

Background: Several methods exist for objectively evaluating chewing efficiency by using gummy jelly. However, the validity of the subjective visual evaluation of chewing efficiency has not been assessed.

Objective: To verify with an epidemiological study, the validity of a visual scoring method using gummy jelly by testing the relationship between masticatory performance (MP) using a fully automatic measuring system and visual score (VS) using a visual scoring method.

Utility of the luminance standard deviation to quantify magnetic resonance imaging motion artifact induced by tongue movement.

Clear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required to diagnose tongue cancer. However, the absence of occlusal support may cause tongue movements which are known to introduce artifacts on the MR image. This pilot study compared the manifest of artifacts from the tongue at rest and during motion using luminance standard deviation (LSD) to quantify the artifacts, in dentulous subjects.

The relationship between masseter muscle thickness and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in Japanese community-dwelling elders: A cross-sectional study.

Purpose Of The Study: Sarcopenia has been identified as a health hazard in elderly people. Although the association between sarcopenia and a decrease in masticatory function has been reported, the mechanism underlying this association has not been widely reported. Therefore, in order to elucidate the relationship between sarcopenia and masticatory function, we examined whether the masseter muscle thickness (MMT), which is a factor influencing masticatory function, in community-dwelling elders is associated with the appendicular skeletal muscle index (SMI), a diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia.

Dentures wearing reduce motion artifacts related to tongue movement in magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: Tongue movement with unstable swallowing cause artifacts on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This may be associated with loss of occlusal support. This study aimed to clarify whether motion artifacts can be mitigated by denture wearing during MRI examination in patients without occlusal support, and whether denture wearing affect tongue stability, form, and position were also evaluated.

The second nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan, 2012-2013.

Worldwide, the most important concern in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections is the increase in antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains including resistance to cephalosporins, penicillins, fluoroquinolones or macrolides. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the second nationwide surveillance study.

Proposed shade guide for attached gingiva--a pilot study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of race, age, and gender on Commision Internationale de l'Eclairage Lab color space (CIELAB) values of attached gingival colors. The color coordinates of an optimal proposed attached gingival shade guide were also determined.

Material And Methods: Participants (n = 120) were recruited to fulfill the following stratification of five age groups: 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-85, with four racial categories (white, black, Asian, and others) and balanced for gender.

Nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the most important pathogens causing sexually transmitted infection, and strains that are resistant to several antimicrobials are increasing. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the first nationwide surveillance.

A preliminary study on quantification of spontaneous echo contrast in superficial vein.

Many occlusive diseases of blood vessels in the body are known, including the eye. Spontaneous echo contrast observed by ultrasound in physiological blood stream is known as a phenomenon reflecting the aggregation and dissociation process of red blood cells, mainly studied by mock-flow experiments. High-frequency ultrasound equipment is a useful tool to detect delicate changes of echo contrast caused by ambient forces or even temperature.

The combination of a nylon and traditional partial removable dental prosthesis for improved esthetics: a clinical report.

A benefit of a nylon partial removable dental prosthesis (PRDP) is the absence of a metal framework, providing improved esthetics. Unfortunately, the lack of a traditional framework reduces rigidity and the support of occlusal rests. This clinical report describes a combination of a nylon PRDP (polyamide denture base resin) and a traditional PRDP (framework/resin) for a Kennedy Class II, Modification 1, partially edentulous mandible.

Synthesis and properties of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(alkoxysilyl)phenyl]porphyrins: an application of selective deprotection of benzaldehyde diethyl acetals in the presence of alkoxysilyl groups.

Selective deprotection of 4-(alkoxysilyl)benzaldehyde diethyl acetals 1a-1c in the two-solvent system of hydrochloric acid and chloroform gave 4-(alkoxysilyl)benzaldehydes 2a-2c in good yields. Under these conditions, undesired hydrolysis of the alkoxysilyl group was minimized. The reaction of benzaldehydes 2a and 2b with pyrrole in the presence of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate led to 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(alkoxysilyl)phenyl]porphyrins 3a and 3b.

[Case report: long-term follow-up of a transitional denture].

Patient: A 70-year-old woman visited our clinic with a chief complaint of chewing difficulty due to serious periodontitis and an improper RPD. A poor prognosis of the maxillary anterior residual teeth was predicted. However, the patient' s consent for tooth extraction could not be obtained.

Quantitative evaluation of diagnostic information around the contours in ultrasound images.

Purpose: To develop a new contour extraction method for identifying abnormal tissue.

Methods: We combined two techniques: logarithmic K distribution of a scattering model (method 1) and regional discrimination using the characteristics of local ultrasound images (method 2) into an integrated method (method 3) that provides accurate contours, which are essential for quantitizing border information.

Results: The diagnostic tissue information around the border of an image can be characterized by its shape and texture statistics.

Emergence and spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae clinical isolates harboring mosaic-like structure of penicillin-binding protein 2 in Central Japan.

Of 150 clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae recovered in 2001, we examined 55 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae for which cefixime MICs were > or=0.125 microg/ml and randomly selected 15 isolates for which cefixime MICs were < or =0.

Remarkable increase in central Japan in 2001-2002 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with decreased susceptibility to penicillin, tetracycline, oral cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones.

Four hundred sixty-two clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae recovered from 1999 through 2002 in central Japan were examined for MICs of antimicrobial agents. The majority was sensitive to ceftriaxone and spectinomycin, but a remarkable increase in isolates with decreased susceptibility to penicillin, tetracycline, oral cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones was observed from 2001 through 2002.

Treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis by double-dosing of 200 mg cefixime at a 6-h interval.

The efficacy of antimicrobial regimens for the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis depends partially upon the period of time (therapeutic time) during which the drug concentration in the blood after the concentration peak is greater than four times the minimum inhibitory concentration for 90% of clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (MIC(90)). A therapeutic time of at least 10 h is suggested as an important determinant for elimination of 95% or more of the infection. In this study, therapeutic times for a single 400-mg dose of cefixime at various MIC(90)s were calculated, and pharmacokinetic profiles of double-dosing of 200 mg cefixime at various intervals were simulated.

Longitudinal quantitative detection by real-time PCR of Mycoplasma genitalium in first-pass urine of men with recurrent nongonococcal urethritis.

By using a TaqMan assay we monitored longitudinal changes in Mycoplasma genitalium loads in five men with recurrent M. genitalium-positive nongonococcal urethritis. We observed regrowth of M.