Role of the vestibular nuclear complex in facilitating the jaw-opening reflex following stimulation of the red nucleus.

According to our previous studies, stimulation of the red nucleus (RN) facilitates the low-threshold afferent-evoked jaw-opening reflex (L-JOR). It has been reported that the RN projects to the superior (SVN), lateral (LVN) and inferior vestibular (IVN) nuclei. The SVN and the LVN have reciprocal intrinsic connections with the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN).

In vitro wear of flowable resin composite for posterior restorations.

The purpose of this study was to examine three- and two-body wear values of flowable resin composites for posterior restorations, using a mechanical loading device. The cavities prepared on flattened extracted molars were restored with flowable resin composites (Clearfil Majesty LV: MLV, Estelite Flow Quick: EFQ, Beautifil Flow Plus F00: BFP, and MI Fill: MIF) using accompanying adhesive systems. A universal resin composite (Clearfil Majesty) was used as a control.

Shape change in mouthguard sheets during thermoforming.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in sheet shape during thermoforming and the effect of the model position in the molding machine on fabricated mouthguard thickness.

Materials And Methods: Ethylene vinyl acetate mouthguard sheets (3.8 mm thick) were used that had cross-stripes (10 × 10 mm), and the anteroposterior and bilateral lengths were used for measurements.

Evaluating the Safety of Somatic Periosteal Cells by Flow-Cytometric Analysis Monitoring the History of DNA Damage.

In preparing cell-based products for regenerative therapy, cell quality should be strictly controlled. Methodologies for evaluating cell viability, identity, and purity are established and used routinely, whereas current methodologies for evaluating cell safety, particularly genetic integrity or tumorigenicity, are time-consuming and relatively insensitive. As part of developing a more practical screening system, the authors previously demonstrated that γ-H2AX and p53 were useful markers for evaluating the history of DNA damage.

Upregulation of Bpifb1 expression in the parotid glands of non-obese diabetic mice.

Objective: To define the increased mRNA expression of Bpifb1, a member of the bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein family, in parotid acinar cells from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, an animal model for Sjögren's syndrome.

Materials And Methods: Parotid acinar cells were prepared from female NOD (NOD/ShiJcl) mice with or without diabetes, as well as from control (C57BL/6JJcl) mice. Total RNA and homogenate were prepared from the parotid acinar cells.

Heating methods for reducing unevenness softening of mouthguard sheets in vacuum-pressure formation.

Background: Unevenness in softening of the plastic sheet leads to a decrease in the mouthguard thickness during thermoforming. In this study, we examined the heating methods for reducing unevenness when softening mouthguard sheets during vacuum-pressure formation.

Materials And Methods: Ethylene vinyl acetate mouthguard sheets and olefin copolymer sheets (thickness: 4.

Implant fracture under dynamic fatigue loading: influence of embedded angle and depth of implant.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between implant fracture under cyclic-fatigue loading at different embedding angles, embedding depths, and loading forces. Twenty-four cylinder-type implants 3.3 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length were used.

Optimal heating condition of ethylene-vinyl acetate co-polymer mouthguard sheet in vacuum-pressure formation.

Background: The goal of the present study was to examine the thickness of mouthguards molded under a variety of heating conditions to clarify suitable conditions during vacuum-pressure forming of ethylene vinyl acetate sheets.

Materials And Methods: Mouthguards were fabricated using ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) sheets (thickness: 4.0 mm) using a vacuum-pressure forming machine.

Proposal for research and education: joint lectures and practicals on central nervous system anatomy and physiology.

We coordinated anatomy and physiology lectures and practicals to facilitate an integrated understanding of morphology and function in a basic medical science program for dental students and to reduce the time spent on basic science education. This method is a means to provide the essential information and skills in less time. The overall impression was that the practice of joint central nervous system lectures and practicals was an efficient method for students, which suggests that joint lectures might also be useful for clinical subjects.

Histological evaluation of direct pulp capping of rat pulp with experimentally developed low-viscosity adhesives containing reparative dentin-promoting agents.

Objectives: This study examines the wound healing process in exposed rat pulp when capped with experimental adhesive resin systems.

Methods: Experimental adhesive resin system for direct pulp capping was composed of primer-I (PI), -II (PII), and -III (PIII) and an experimental bonding agent (EBA). PI was Clearfil(®) SE Bond(®)/Primer (CSP) containing 5.

Difference in vacuum-formed mouthguard thickness according to timing of vacuum application.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of the vacuum-formed mouthguard thickness by the timing of vacuum application.

Materials And Methods: The material used in this study was a mouthguard sheet of 3.8-mm ethylene vinyl acetate.

Emotional intelligence score and performance of dental undergraduates.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and undergraduate dental students' ability to deal with different situations of communication in a clinical dentistry practical training course of communication skills. Fourth-year students in 2012 and in 2013 at the Nippon Dental University School of Life Dentistry at Niigata participated in the survey. The total number of participating students was 129 (88 males and 41 females).

Method for effectively maintaining the thickness of mouthguards fabricated using EVA sheets and a circle tray: influence of grooved sheet and heating conditions.

The shapes of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) sheets are mainly square or round. The aim of this study was to elucidate a fabrication method that effectively maintains the thickness of the round sheet. Mouthguards were fabricated using EVA sheets (diameter 125 mm, thickness 4.

Thickness of mouthguard sheets after vacuum-pressure formation: influence of mouthguard sheet material.

The aim of this study was to investigate the thickness of mouthguard sheet after vacuum-pressure formation based on the mouthguard sheet material. Three mouthguard sheet materials (4.0 mm thick) were compared: ethylene-vinyl acetate co-polymer (EVA), olefin co-polymer (OL), and polyolefin-polystyrene co-polymer (OS).

Hard and soft tissue responses to three different implant materials in a dog model.

The aim of this study was to assess hard and soft tissue responses using three dental implants made of different materials. Implants made of titanium (Ti), yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) and ceria partially stabilized zirconia/alumina nanocomposite (Ce-TZP/Al2O3) were used in a dog model. Five male beagles were sacrificed at three months after implantation, and harvested mandible were observed and analyzed.

Optimal heating condition of mouthguard sheet in vacuum-pressure formation: part 2 Olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer.

The purposes of this study were to clarify the suitable heating conditions during vacuum-pressure formation of olefin copolymer sheets and to examine the sheet temperature at molding and the thickness of the molded mouthguard. Mouthguards were fabricated using 4.0-mm-thick olefin copolymer sheets utilizing a vacuum-pressure forming device, and then, 10 s of vacuum forming and 2 min of compression molding were applied.

Variation in mouthguard thickness according to heating conditions during fabrication Part 2: sheet shape and effect of thermal shrinkage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the thermal shrinkage to thickness of the mouthguard with the heating method by the setting position of a sheet and the working model using an ethylene vinyl acetate sheet prepared by extrusion. Mouthguards were fabricated with EVA sheets (4.0 mm thick) using a vacuum-forming machine.

New fabrication method to maintain proper mouthguard thickness.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of layering a second piece of ethylene vinyl acetate on the original sheet before fabrication to maintain the thickness of vacuum-formed mouthguards.

Materials And Methods: Two methods were used to form mouthguards. In the first, a 3.

X-Ray-Induced Damage to the Submandibular Salivary Glands in Mice: An Analysis of Strain-Specific Responses.

Radiation therapy for head and neck cancers often causes xerostomia (dry mouth) by acutely damaging the salivary glands through the induction of severe acute inflammation. By contrast, the mechanism underlying the X-ray-induced delayed salivary dysfunction is unknown and has attracted increasing attention. To identify and develop a mouse model that distinguishes the delayed from the acute effects, we examined three different mouse strains (C57BL/6, ICR, and ICR-nu/nu) that showed distinct T-cell activities to comparatively analyze their responses to X-ray irradiation.

Difference in pressure-formed mouthguard thickness according to heating condition.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of pressure-formed mouthguard thickness by varying the heating conditions within the proper heating temperature.

Materials And Methods: The material used in this study was a mouthguard sheet of 3.8-mm ethylene vinyl acetate.

Suppression of the swallowing reflex by stimulation of the red nucleus.

We study whether the red nucleus is involved in control of swallowing. The swallowing reflex was induced in anesthetized rats by repetitive electrical stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve. The electromyographic activities of the mylohyoid and thyrohyoid muscles were recorded in order to identify the swallowing reflex.

Quantitative single-cell motility analysis of platelet-rich plasma-treated endothelial cells in vitro.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been widely applied in regenerative therapy due to its high concentration of growth factors. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have provided evidence supporting the angiogenic activity of PRP. To more directly demonstrate how PRP acts on endothelial cells, we examined the PRP-induced changes in the motility of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by examining the involvement of VEGF.

Effect of the tongue rotation exercise training on the oral functions in normal adults - Part 1 investigation of tongue pressure and labial closure strength.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the tongue rotation exercise training on the oral functions using the measurement of maximum tongue pressure (MTP) and labial closure strength (LCS) in normal adults. In experiment 1, the differences in MTP and LCS at the measurement point for both groups with and without tongue rotation exercise training were examined. We instructed subjects to perform the tongue rotation exercise for 2 months.

Patterns of bilateral agenesis of maxillary third molars and agenesis of other teeth.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of bilateral agenesis of maxillary third molars and other tooth agenesis in Japanese orthodontic patients. A group of 262 subjects with bilateral agenesis of maxillary third molars (group A) was divided into three subgroups: group 1A consisting of 114 subjects without agenesis of mandibular third molars; group 2A, 31 subjects with unilateral agenesis of mandibular third molars; and group 3A, 117 subjects with agenesis of all third molars. As controls, 926 other subjects without third molar agenesis were selected (group C).

Investigation of vacuum forming techniques for reduction of loss in mouthguard thickness: part 2—effects of sheet grooving and thermal shrinkage.

The aim of this study was to investigate vacuum forming techniques for reduction of loss in mouthguard thickness effects of sheet grooving and thermal shrinkage of extruded sheets on molded mouthguard thickness. Mouthguards were fabricated with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) sheets (4.0 mm thick) using a vacuum forming machine.