Confocal microscopic observations of stromal keratocytes in soft and rigid contact lens wearers.

Purpose: To determine the density of corneal stromal cells in wearers of soft contact lenses (SCLs) and rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses (CLs).

Methods: The keratocyte density (KD) was measured at different depths of the stroma by confocal microscopy. In study 1, 32 wearers of rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses and 30 wearers of SCLs were studied.

Effect of buccal part designs of polyamide resin partial removable dental prosthesis on retentive force.

Purpose: To identify buccal design criteria for retainer on polyamide resin removable partial dentures.

Methods: A left upper distal extension model was used for this study. Undercut was given on the buccal side of first and second premolars.

Influence of number and inclination angle of implants on stress distribution in mandibular cortical bone with All-on-4 Concept.

Purpose: The All-on-4 is used in the therapy of edentulous mandibles. However, few studies have investigated the effect of such implants on supporting bone. To clarify differences in stress in peri-implant cortical bone between 2-patterns of 6 implants and 8-patterns of 4 implants with change in inclination angle based on the All-on-4.

Retainer design for unilateral extension base partial removable dental prosthesis by three-dimensional finite element analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of differences in the retainer design on load on abutment teeth and displacement of the denture base in mandibular unilateral extension base partial removable dental prosthesis to determine the optimum design for a mechanically appropriate retainer.

Methods: Three models were used. Each incorporating a removable denture with different designs of retainer positioned.

Influence of width and depth of palatal vault on rigidity of palatal strap: a finite element study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop design criteria for palatal straps according to palatal shape.

Methods: The palatal shapes of 60 dentate maxillary stone casts were measured using a contact-type three-dimensional measuring instrument. Based on the average of the 60 palatal shapes, 5 three-dimensional finite element models (FE models) were constructed: a basic FE model, a wide palatal FE model, a narrow palatal FE model, a deep palatal FE model and a shallow palatal FE model.

Pre-operative drilling simulation method for dental implant treatment.

The position, depth and direction of implant placement are often planned based on evaluation of radiographs and study casts. Insertion planned in such a manner may not be adequate for precise and safe surgery in some cases due to inadequate working clearance in the oral cavity. In order to obtain high initial stability and ensure osseointegration at the implant-bone interface, careful and precise drilling must be performed at the implant placement site.

Dendritic keratitis caused by an acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus with frameshift mutation.

Purpose: To report a case of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis after long-term, inconsistent use of topical acyclovir and fluorometholone.

Methods: A 70-year-old man with dendritic keratitis caused by an acyclovir-resistant HSV strain was examined. The 50% inhibitory concentration of different antiviral agents against the isolated virus and the DNA sequence of viral thymidine kinase were determined.

Endoscopic endonasal reduction of blowout fractures of the orbital floor.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to document the usefulness of the endoscopic endonasal approach as a surgical treatment of isolated blowout fractures of the orbital floor.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Between 1997 and 2003, using only an endonasal endoscopic surgical approach, we operated on 62 patients complaining of diplopia due to isolated blowout fractures of the orbital floor.

The influence of prosthesis designs and loading conditions on the stress distribution of tooth-implant supported prostheses.

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of prosthesis design and loading condition on the stress distributions of tooth-implant supported prostheses. Six 2D finite element models, two reference models, and four experimental models were computed to simulate different prosthesis designs. Six different loading conditions were applied to investigate the stress distributions of tooth and implant, respectively.

Clinical evaluation of osseointegrated implants in Tokyo Dental College Hospital (third report): long-term observation of functioning survival rate of fixtures.

The objective of this report was to review 365 cases of Brånemark Implant Bridge including 1,444 fixtures in patients of Tokyo Dental College Chiba Hospital. The term of implantation was divided into several phases; less than 1 year, from 1 year to 3 years, from 3 years to 5 years, from 5 years to 7 years, from 7 years to 10 years, more than 10 years, and the survival rate was calculated for each phase. The removal rate of fixture after connecting the superstructure was 13% in maxillary cases and 2% in mandibular cases.

[Outcome of surgery for recurrent pterygium using intraoperative application of mitomycin C and amniotic membrane transplantation].

Purpose: Preserved human amniotic membrane has been used in reconstruction of the ocular surface. In this paper, we report our method of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for recurrent pterygium.

Methods: Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients with recurrent pterygium are reported.

Unified treatment of positron annihilation and positronium formation.

The effects of the positron (e(+)) annihilation in e(+) scattering by the H atom are included directly in the Hamiltonian as an absorption potential, and hence the finite lifetimes Gamma(ns) of positronium (Ps) in states ns are automatically taken account of. The Schrödinger equation is solved using the hyperspherical close-coupling method. The annihilation and Ps formation are shown to be inseparable near the Ps(1s) threshold E(th); Ps formation constitutes just an indirect pathway to annihilation.

Isolation of bacteriophages specific to a fish pathogen, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, as a candidate for disease control.

Two types of bacteriophage specific to Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, the causative agent of bacterial hemorrhagic ascites disease in cultured ayu fish (Plecoglossus altivelis), were isolated from diseased ayu and the rearing pond water. One type of phage, which formed small plaques, was tentatively classified as a member of the family Myoviridae, and the other type, which formed large plaques, was classified as a member of the family Podoviridae. All 27 strains of P.

[The mechanism of corneal epithelial disorder induced by prostaglandin F2 alpha isopropyl unoprostone].

Deleterious effects of isopropyl unoprostone (PG-F2 alpha) on the ocular surface were evaluated using the in vivo barrier function assay of corneal epithelial cells and the proliferation assay of human corneal epithelial cells in vitro. The barrier function of corneal epithelial cells in vivo was not impaired by treatment with PGF2 alpha, but it was significantly suppressed by timolol. The result of cell proliferation assay of human corneal cells showed that the 0.

[Effect of systemic calcium antagonist on a model of ocular circulation disturbance induced by endothelin-1].

We studied the effect of generally applied calcium antagonist on endothelin (ET-1) treated rabbit eyes. Nicardipine (20 micrograms/kg) was injected intravenously 15 minutes before intravitreal injection of 10 microliters of ET-1 at 10(-6) M. We measured the relative caliber of the retinal artery (the caliber of the retinal artery at the edge of the optic nerve head (ONH)/that of ONH), the capillary blood flow in ONH, visual evoked potential (VEP), intraocular pressure (IOP), and blood pressure (BP).