Repetitive afterglow in zirconia by pulsed near-infrared irradiation toward biological temperature sensing.

Photoluminescence provides information about the surrounding environment. In this study, aiming to develop a non-invasive deep body-temperature sensing method, we investigated photoluminescence properties of afterglow zirconia (ZrO) by pulsed near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation based on the biological temperature. Pulsed light irradiation produced optically stimulated luminescence, followed by afterglow, with the property of repeating 100 times or more.

Dynamic control of heat flow using a spin-chain ladder cuprate film and an ionic liquid.

Dynamic control of heat flow for applications in thermal management has attracted much interest in fields such as electronics and thermal engineering. Spin-chain ladder cuprates are promising materials to realize dynamic control of heat flow, since their magnon thermal conductivity is sensitive to the hole density in the spin ladders, which can be dynamically controlled by an external field. Here, we demonstrate the electric control of heat flow using a polycrystalline cuprate film and an ionic liquid.

Transparent glass-ceramics for thermal management application: achievement of optical transparency and high thermal conductivity.

Oxide glass is an industrial material with advantages such as optical transparency and shaping ability of the melt, but at the same time, it is a bad conductor of heat due to its disordered structures. Therefore, heat dissipation in glass components often becomes a problem and its applications to the thermal management has been limited to use as a heat insulator. To break this mold and to apply it to fields, , transparent sealing materials, for which low thermal conductive glasses and organic polymers have been conventionally used, we fabricated an MgO-dispersed glass-ceramics in our previous work.

Temperature dependence of afterglow in zirconia and its optically-stimulated luminescence by bone-through irradiation for biological temperature probe.

Development of minimally invasive and site-selective biological temperature sensing is quite important in medical field. This study presents a novel temperature sensing technique based on afterglow and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL). The dependence of afterglow photoluminescent intensity on the environmental temperature of zirconia (ZrO) phosphor is examined to validate its use as a sensing probe.

Better Oral Hygiene Habits Are Associated With a Lower Incidence of Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis.

Some peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis cases are thought to be caused by the pathogens in the oral cavity; however, the relationship between peritonitis and oral hygiene habits is unclear. In this study, we retrospectively examined the relationship between oral hygiene habits and peritonitis in patients who agreed to a questionnaire survey. Of the 75 patients, 37 patients developed PD-related peritonitis during the observation period.

VO-dispersed glass: A new class of phase change material.

Energy storage technology is crucial for a sustainable society, and its realisation strongly depends on the development of materials. Oxide glass exhibits high durability. Moreover, the amorphous structure of the glass without periodic ordering demonstrates excellent formability and controllability, thus enabling a large-scale production.

Pockels effect of silicate glass-ceramics: Observation of optical modulation in Mach-Zehnder system.

Silicate glass has been used for long time because of its advantages from material's viewpoint. In this paper, we report the observation of Pockels effect by Mach-Zehnder interferometer in polycrystalline ceramics made from a ternary silicate glass via crystallization due to heat-treatment, i.e.

Changes in antimicrobial susceptibility in a population of Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin isolated from cattle in Japan from 1976 to 2005.

Objectives: We investigated the antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance mechanisms of cattle-adapted Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin isolated in Japan in the past 30 years. This study is an example of evaluation of the impact of introduction of antimicrobials in veterinary medical practice on the selection of resistance in S. enterica.

Control of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, caused by the virus sub-type H5N1, in Japan in 2004.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), caused by the virus sub-type H5N1, occurred at four premises in three prefectures in Japan during January and March 2004. As a result, 274,654 poultry died or were slaughtered. This was the first outbreak of HPAI in Japan since 1925.

Anti-tumor effect of radiation response by combined treatment with angiogenesis inhibitor, TNP-470, in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Blocking angiogenesis may enhance conventional anticancer treatments such as radiation therapy. In this study, we examined the effects of the angiogenesis inhibitor TNP-470 on human OSCC cell lines HSC2 and KB, with combining radiation therapy in the nude mouse. We evaluated cell-induced neovascularization with dorsal air sac assay, and selected two cells (HSC2: low, KB: high) with different level of cell-induced angiogenesis.

Response of diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis of the mandible to alendronate: follow-up study by 99mTc scintigraphy.

We report a case of diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis of the mandible responded to alendronate, after a poor response to intravenous antibiotics, antibiotic irrigation-perfusion, and decortication. The patient was given an intravenous infusion of 10mg of alendronate. Pain resolved within 24 h.

Microvessel density and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and platelet-derived endothelial growth factor in oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Angiogenesis, the growth of capillary vessels, plays an important role in the metabolic functions of malignant tissues. Tumor growth and malignant transformation are considered to be dominated by uncontrolled angiogenesis. To understand the mechanism of increased vascularity associated with malignant tissues, we immunohistochemically evaluated microvessel density (MVD) and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PDGF) in oral cancers.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma metastasis to the mandible.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare tumor arising from the pleura or peritoneum. Distant hematogenous metastasis is seen in more than half of cases, preferentially to the brain, lung, bone and soft tissues [Br. J.

Intraoperative real-time genetic diagnosis for sentinel node navigation surgery.

Sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) has received considerable attention for its role in deciding whether to perform neck dissection in patients with early oral cancer. However, diagnostic accuracy and its intraoperative availability of results remain important concerns. First, we shortened the examination time required for genetic diagnosis.

Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 is associated with radioresistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase, is overexpressed in many types of malignant tumors, which in turn may stimulate tumor growth and protect against damage by irradiation or cytotoxic agents. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the radiation sensitivity and elevated level of COX-2. Radiation sensitivity of the eight oral SCC cell lines differed greatly in their response to radiation.

[A clinical study of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin for oral cancers].

Docetaxel is classified among the microtubule-inhibiting compounds called taxanes, which are currently used as agents to treat head and neck cancers. To investigate the efficacy and safety of a neoadjuvant radiation therapy combined with docetaxel/cisplatin, we used this combination to treat 6 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The patients received a low-dose fraction of docetaxel (20 mg/m2/week; total dose: 123.

Gefitinib ('Iressa', ZD1839), an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, up-regulates p27KIP1 and induces G1 arrest in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

High expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently observed in many solid tumor types including oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Recently, the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials targeting the EGFR have shown evidence of the activity. In this study, gefitinib ('Iressa', ZD1839), an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited cell proliferation and upregulated p27KIP1 in OSCC cells.

Enhancement of tumor radioresponse by combined treatment with gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839), an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is accompanied by inhibition of DNA damage repair and cell growth in oral cancer.

Molecular blockade of EGFR with either an EGFR MAb or an EGFR TKI enhances the radiosensitivity of human SCCs. In the present study, we investigated whether treatment with the EGFR TKI gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839) improves the response to radiotherapy in the OSCC cell lines HSC2 and HSC3. We examined potential mechanisms that may contribute to the enhanced radiation response induced by gefitinib.

[A case of mandibular gingival cancer (T4) responding to concurrent chemoradiotherapy with TS-1].

We report here a patient with advanced oral cancer in which concurrent chemoradiotherapy with TS-1 was performed. The patient was an 82-year-old male who had a 41 x 22 mm tumor mass around the left lower gingiva, whose X-ray showed a bone resorption image reaching the mandibular canal. We carried out concurrent chemoradiotherapy with TS-1.

Infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages in human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been shown to display both positive and negative effects on tumor growth of various cancer. In this study, TAMs were immunohistochemically labeled using CD68 antibody in 82 oral cancer. Macrophage index (MI) were analyzed in association with clinical and pathological factors, intratumoral microvessel density (IMVD) and angiogenic factors including VEGF and TP.

A case of Kimura's disease of the hard palate.

A 33-year-old man presented with Kimura's disease of the hard palate. Serological examination showed no elevation in the number of eosinophils or in IgE level, but histological examination revealed well-developed lymph follicles with increased numbers of eosinophils. In addition, immunohistochemical examination revealed that the IgE concentrations were shown in the lymphoid follicles with germinal centers, a finding typical of Kimura's disease.

[Non-randomized clinical study comparing chemotherapy plus radiotherapy with radiotherapy alone in neoadjuvant therapy for oral cancer].

Neoadjuvant therapy plays an important role for organ preservation and survival rate in the treatment of oral cancer. We clinically compared the effect of neoadjuvant radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in patients with oral cancer. We retrospectively examined 47 patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by curative surgery in the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of Ehime University Hospital.

Reduction of p12DOC-1 expression is a negative prognostic indicator in patients with surgically resected oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: p12DOC-1 is a growth suppressor that negatively regulates cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) activities. Expression of p12DOC-1 is reduced and/or lost in tumor tissues. The purpose of this study is to correlate in vivo the expression of p12DOC-1 in oral cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry with clinical and pathological parameters.

The usefulness of intraoral ultrasonography in the evaluation of oral cancer.

Many studies focused on the tumour thickness in oral squamous cell carcinomas, suggesting a relationship with the occurrence of cervical metastasis. Accurate preoperative assessment of the tumour thickness of oral cancer would provide useful information for targeting those patients who need elective treatment of the neck. Some useful diagnostic aids to evaluate oral cancer are computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and intraoral ultrasonography.