Poor oral health and dementia risk under time-varying confounding: A cohort study based on marginal structural models.

Background: Bidirectional association between oral health, including tooth loss and oral hypofunction, and cognitive impairment can induce time-varying confounding in association with dementia. This study aimed to investigate the association between oral health and the development of dementia among older adults, considering cognitive impairment as a time-varying confounder.

Methods: This nine-year follow-up cohort study targeted independent older adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.

Effects of maxillofacial prosthetic treatment on oral health-related quality of life and masticatory ability of patients with head and neck tumors.

Purpose: Using multivariate analysis, this study investigated the effectiveness of maxillofacial prosthetic treatment in relation to oral health-related quality of life (OHR-QoL), masticatory ability (food intake status score and gum-jelly test score) and related factors in patients who had undergone surgery for head and neck tumors.

Methods: The study cohort comprised 112 patients who underwent surgical resection and prosthetic treatment among 224 patients with head and neck tumors seen at the Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic of Tohoku University Hospital in a 2-year period. Correlations between OHR-QoL, food intake status score, and gum-jelly test score (criterion variables), and age, sex, maxillary defect, tongue/soft tissue defect, reconstructive surgery, and chemoradiotherapy (explanatory variables) were investigated, and the data were examined statistically.

Incidence of long-term post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection related to pain and other symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Persistent symptoms are reported in patients who survive the initial stage of COVID-19, often referred to as "long COVID" or "post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection" (PASC); however, evidence on their incidence is still lacking, and symptoms relevant to pain are yet to be assessed.

Methods: A literature search was performed using the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CHINAL and preprint servers MedRχiv and BioRχiv through January 15, 2021. The primary outcome was pain-related symptoms such as headache or myalgia.

Mouse gingival single-cell transcriptomic atlas identified a novel fibroblast subpopulation activated to guide oral barrier immunity in periodontitis.

Periodontitis, one of the most common non-communicable diseases, is characterized by chronic oral inflammation and uncontrolled tooth supporting alveolar bone resorption. Its underlying mechanism to initiate aberrant oral barrier immunity has yet to be delineated. Here, we report a unique fibroblast subpopulation ctivated to uide oral inflammation (AG fibroblasts) identified in a single-cell RNA sequencing gingival cell atlas constructed from the mouse periodontitis models.

Timing of Primary Tooth Eruption in Infants Observed by Their Parents.

Background: The timing of primary teeth eruption is a visible indicator of infant physical growth other than body weight or height. It also reflects neurological integrity and development as well as nutrition, socioeconomic state, or underlying diseases. Therefore, the timing of primary teeth eruption is one of the major concerns for parents in health checkups for infants and children.

Indirect laryngoscopy is more effective than direct laryngoscopy when tracheal intubation is performed by novice operators: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis.

Purpose: We sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether indirect laryngoscopy has an advantage over direct laryngoscopy in terms of the tracheal intubation rate, glottic visualization, and intubation time when used by novice operators.

Methods: We extracted adult prospective randomized trials comparing tracheal intubation with indirect vs direct laryngoscopy in novice operators from electronic databases. We extracted the following data from the identified studies: success rate, glottic visualization, and intubation time.

Effect of Periodontal Treatment on Reducing Chronic Inflammation in Systemically Healthy Patients With Periodontal Disease.

Background: We determined the effects and an accurate marker of periodontal treatment on serum interleukin (IL)-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP) levels in systemically healthy individuals with periodontal disease.

Methods: This multicenter study included systemically healthy individuals with periodontal disease who received initial periodontal treatment and had no periodontal treatment history. Periodontal parameters, including periodontal inflamed surface area, masticatory efficiency, and periodontal disease classification; serum IL-6 and HsCRP levels; and serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G titers against periodontal pathogens were evaluated at baseline and after treatment.

Transvenous Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for an Aldosterone-Producing Tumor of the Left Adrenal Gland: A First in Human Case Report.

Purpose: To describe a novel technique of transvenous radiofrequency catheter ablation of an aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) of the left adrenal gland using the GOS System (Japan Lifeline, Tokyo, Japan). Using the GOS system, a flexible radiofrequency tip catheter can be inserted into the adrenal central and tributary veins, the drainers for functional tumors.

Materials And Methods: An APA at the left adrenal gland, which was diagnosed by segmental adrenal venous sampling following administration of 0.

Are popular books about diet and health written based on scientific evidence? A comparison of citations between the USA and Japan.

Objectives: To describe and compare the references cited in popular books about diet and health between the USA and Japan.

Design: Books were selected based on their best-seller rankings in the diet and health category of online bookstores. We identified references throughout all pages of the books and examined the number of references, reference format (identifiable or not) and presence of specific types of references, such as systematic reviews of human research.

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate regulates inflammatory responses of periodontal ligament cells.

Background: Various stimuli, that is, mechanical stresses or inflammation, induce the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs). Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP) affects HPDLCs' functions such as immunosuppressive action and inflammatory responses. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the key factor involved in periodontal inflammation.

Oral Hypofunction and Risk of Weight Change among Independent Older Adults.

Oral health is essential for nutritional status; however, little is known about its association with weight change. This study aimed to investigate whether the risk of weight change differs according to the presence of each important component of oral hypofunction (fewer remaining teeth, low chewing efficiency, swallowing problems, and xerostomia) among independent older adults. This was a three-year follow-up cohort study based on self-reported questionnaires.

Phosphorylated pullulan promotes calcification during bone regeneration in the bone defects of rat tibiae.

The current study aimed to evaluate bone tissue regeneration using a combination of β-tricalcium phosphate (βTCP) and phosphorylated pullulan (PPL, a phosphate-rich polysaccharide polymer consisting of maltotriose units). Round defects of 2 mm diameter were created in the arterial center of rat tibiae, which were further treated with vehicle (control group), βTCP (βTCP group), or βTCP + PPL (βTCP + PPL group) grafts. The control specimens without bone grafts exhibited rapid bone formation after 1 week; however, the regenerated bone was not resorbed until 4 weeks.

The impact of clinical inertia on uncontrolled blood pressure in treated hypertension: real-world, longitudinal data from Japan.

We aimed to quantify the impact of inadequate pharmacological therapy on uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) using Japanese real-world data. This retrospective cohort study used databases provided by DeSC Healthcare, Inc (Tokyo, Japan). We identified 27,652 patients with hypertension (age, 60.

Imaging findings of arrested pneumatisation and differentiation from other skull base lesions.

Objectives: Arrested pneumatisation (AP) is an anatomic variant of the sphenoid sinus. Since AP remains underrecognised, otolaryngologists and radiologists may mistake AP for a lesion and perform follow-up imaging studies. We investigated the imaging findings of CT, MRI, and F-18 fludeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) for AP, and discussed the differences between AP and other skull base lesions.

The Usefulness of the Short Form-8 for Chronic Pain in the Orofacial Region: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background and purpose Given that chronic pain has become a major problem in recent years, affecting approximately 30% of the general population, this study used the Japanese version of the Short Form-8 (SF-8) to investigate (1) the quality of life (QOL) of patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) or persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) (compared with a Japanese control group) and (2) whether therapeutic intervention improves the QOL and reduces pain (comparison between 0 and 12 weeks) of patients with BMS or PIFP. Materials and methods A total of 63 patients diagnosed with either BMS (n=45) or PIFP (n=18) were included in this study. The diagnostic criteria for BMS and PIFP were established based on the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders.

Association between an Antioxidant-Rich Japanese Diet and Chronic Kidney Disease: The Ohasama Study.

Aims: Although physiological effects of hydrophilic- (H-) and lipophilic- (L-) antioxidant capacities (AOCs) are suggested to differ, the association of an antioxidant-rich diet and chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence has not been examined. We therefore explored the association between the H- or L-AOC of a whole Japanese diet and CKD risk in a general population.

Methods: A total of 922 individuals without CKD (69.

Effect of Duration of Education on Sexual Activity and the Mediating Role of Illness in Later Life: A Natural Experiment in English Schooling Reform.

This study aimed to examine the effect of increases in the duration of education on sexual activity in later life using the instrumental variable approach. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, Wave 6 (2012/2013) for the analysis. The effect of the duration of education on a binary variable for sexual activity in the past month was examined by two-stage least squares estimation using the 1947 schooling reform as the instrument.

Azilsartan inhibits inflammation-triggered bone resorption and osteoclastogenesis via suppression of TNF-α expression in macrophages.

Introduction: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is associated with increased bone loss due to excessive activity of the local renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensinogen/Angiotensin (ANG) II/Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) axis is considered as the core axis regulating RAS activity. Azilsartan is an FDA-approved selective AT1R antagonist that is used to treat hypertension.

Reduced number of teeth with and without dental prostheses and low frequency of laughter in older adults: Mediation by poor oral function.

Purpose: Laughter is expected to have health-protective effects, but the potential link between tooth loss and laughter remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between tooth loss and a low frequency of laughter among older adults in Japan, to elucidate whether this association could be mitigated by dental prostheses, and to evaluate the magnitude of the association mediated by poor oral function.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 157,708 functionally independent participants aged ≥65 years (46.

Does online communication mitigate the association between a decrease in face-to-face communication and laughter during the COVID-19 pandemic? A cross-sectional study from JACSIS study.

Laughter has a protective effect on human health. The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has changed opportunities for face-to-face communication and might decrease opportunities for laughter. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether the decrease in face-to-face communication during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a decrease in laughter.

N-acetyl cysteine inhibits IL-1α release from murine keratinocytes induced by 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

The hydrophilic compound 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) is a major component of dental bonding materials, and it enhances the binding of resin-composites to biomolecules. However, HEMA is a well-known contact sensitizer. We reported previously that intradermal injection of HEMA induces the production of IL-1 locally in the skin.

Age-Related Gene and Protein Expression in Mouse Mandibular Condyle Analyzed by Cap Analysis of Gene Expression and Immunohistochemistry.

Introduction: Aging, an inevitable physiological process, leads to morphological and histological degenerative changes in the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC); however, the molecular mechanism has not yet been elucidated, and little information is available on age-related factors. Therefore, this study was designed to identify age-related factors by investigating the age-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and localization of their translated protein expression in the mandibular condyle.

Methods: Mandibular condyles were collected from 10- and 50-week-old mice.