[The relationship between subjective evaluation and objective evaluation on the examination for the residual ridge height of edentulous patients].

Purpose: Appropriate examination of the height of the residual ridge is critical in complete denture treatment. To clarify the possibility of establishing standards for improving the reproducibility of subjective evaluation, the relationship between conventional subjective evaluation by several dentists and objective evaluation by model measurement was evaluated.

Methods: Locations for evaluation were the sites corresponding to the central fossa of the right and left first molars in study models (100 sets) of edentulous maxillas and mandibles.

[Prediction of mandibular movement by observation of facial skin markers].

Purpose: Various methods have been used for observation of mandibular movement. However, many methods disturb physiological movement as the subject must wear a sensor. Therefore, to predict mandibular movement from the motion of facial skin, the correlation between the movements of mandibular incisor-tooth point and facial skin markers was evaluated by multiple regression analysis.

The effect of occlusal rest size and shape on yield strength.

Statement Of Problem: Occlusal rests, essential for conventional removable partial dentures, may fracture and cause failure of the prosthesis. It is unknown whether alterations in the size or shape of occlusal rests might improve their performance.

Purpose: In this in vitro study, 3-dimensional finite element analysis was used to evaluate the effects of occlusal rest size and shape on yield strength.

An alternative procedure for discrimination of contacts in centric occlusion and lateral excursion.

An alternative procedure for discrimination of contacts in centric occlusion and lateral excursion was introduced for eliminating premature contacts in lateral excursion without the alteration of other intercuspations. This procedure involves the application of red paper for the evaluation of lateral excursive contacts and blue paper for centric occlusion holding contacts to provide improved visibility of occlusal contacts.

A novel handy probe for tongue pressure measurement.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a handy probe to measure tongue pressure without fear of radiation or infection.

Materials And Methods: A probe was assembled using a small balloon, a stainless pipe, and a 1-mL disposable tuberculin-test syringe cylinder. The probe was pressurized to set the balloon diameter at approximately 18 mm.

Cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF)-derived peptides can induce HLA-A2-restricted and tumor-specific CTLs in the majority of gastrointestinal cancer patients.

To identify CTL-directed antigens in gastrointestinal cancer, we have investigated antigens recognized by the HLA-A2-restricted CTL line established from T cells infiltrating into colon cancer and report herein cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF) as a potent antigen holding peptides capable of inducing CTLs. Five peptides at amino acid positions 250-258, 392-400, 534-542, 1296-1304 and 1359-1368 of CPSF, which were recognized by the CTL line, were found to have the ability to induce HLA-A2-restricted and tumor-specific CTLs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the majority (69%, 11/16) of gastrointestinal cancer patients with different HLA-A2 subtypes. Thus, these peptides might be appropriate molecules for use in the peptide-based specific immunotherapy of HLA-A2(+) patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Factors influencing the clinical composite assessment of denture-supporting tissues.

Purpose: This study attempted to (1) clarify the factors influencing the clinical composite assessment of denture-supporting tissues in edentulous patients by experienced prosthodontists and (2) develop a method for quantitative assessment of supporting tissue.

Materials And Methods: Seven three- or four-grade scales for clinical factors were used to evaluate supporting tissue in 317 complete denture patients. The general assessment of supporting tissue was conducted with a 10-point scale.

Identification of Failure Origin Through Testing and the Weibull Risk-of-Rupture.

The stress distribution in bond layers of two different thicknesses (50 μm and 200 μm) was calculated by finite element analysis for pairs of rectangular cross section metal bars bonded to each other and subjected to four point bending. These stresses were used to aid in identification of the failure origin by use of the Weibull risk-of-rupture (RR) function. By use of the stress distributions, the characteristic strength from 50 μm bond test specimens could be correlated with that for 200 μm bond test specimens when the failure was assumed to have an interfacial origin.