This study sought to identify combinations of pathological conditions that cause cerebral palsy (CP) among mothers and infants and their relationship to five associated characteristics, including umbilical arterial pH (UApH). Cases were retrieved from the cause analysis reports produced by the Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy. Only singleton births for whom UApH data were available, gestational age at birth ≥ 32 weeks of gestation and birth weight ≥ 1,400 g were included; therefore, 349 of the 421 CP cases to receive compensation in 2018 were included in this study. The relationship between the pathological conditions and the associated characteristics, which were UApH, 1-minute Apgar score, gestational age at birth, birth weight, and parity, were analyzed. The parity was significantly higher among mothers with placental abruption (PA) than in those without these conditions whose infants were eligible, even if these values were higher (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.845; p = 0.004). Additionally, umbilical cord blood flow obstruction (UCBFO) was associated with a significantly lower parity (aOR, 0.406; p = 0.001). It was suggested that parity is a useful indicator of the risk of PA and UCBFO as well as for elucidating the numerical value of the characteristics at birth.

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Purpose: This study compared marginal bone-level changes, survival rates, and prosthodontic maintenance between immediately and conventionally loaded mandibular two-implant overdentures (2-IODs) retained by magnetic attachments, over a 60-month period from implant insertion. Materials and Methods: 19 mandibular edentulous participants were randomly allocated to either an immediate-loading or a conventional-loading group. Two implants were placed in each participant via flapless surgery. The implants in the immediate- loading and conventional-loading groups were loaded with magnetic attachments on the same day as implant placement and 3 months after surgery, respectively. The marginal bone-level changes were measured at 2 weeks, and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after implant placement, using standardized periapical radiographs. Results: The mean radiographic marginal bonelevel change was –1.42 mm and –1.39 mm for the immediate-loading and conventional-loading groups, respectively at 60 months, and there was no significant difference between two groups. The cumulative survival rate was 100% and 89% for immediate and conventional loading, respectively, and there was no significant difference between two groups. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, the immediate-loading 2-IODs tended to require frequent maintenance and both immediately and conventionally loaded 2-IODs resulted in acceptable marginal bone-level changes.

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Synovial mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation improved clinical outcomes in knees. In clinical situations, nucleated cells were cultured with 10% autologous serum for 14 days. Nucleated cell number and serum volume practically varied by patient, and initial cell density and dish number affected yield/donor. Our purpose was to estimate the MSC yield/donor from the fold increase obtained in this experiment in several patterns. We obtained the data of the autologous serum volume, nucleated cell number, and initial plating cell density from 10 patients who participated in our previous clinical studies. We used these previous clinical data and the current experimental data. Experimentally, fold increase significantly decreased between 700 and 1,900 cells/cm². In cases where the nucleated cell number was low and the serum volume was high, the estimated MSC yield/donor decreased along with the initial plating density. In cases where the nucleated cell number was high and the serum volume was low, the estimated MSC yield/donor increased along with the initial plating density. In cases where some nucleated cells were discarded, the maximum MSC yield/donor were obtained when the initial cell density was the highest cell density where some nucleated cells were discarded.

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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a health education programme for school-aged children’s social anxiety, interpersonal closeness and perspective- taking (PT) ability in an urban area of eastern China. Methods: This study was a non‐randomized controlled trial. A total of 257 school-aged children in fourth to sixth grades from a primary school were recruited, aged between 9 and 12 years. They were assigned by their classes in each grade to the intervention (N = 128) and control (N = 129) groups and completed anonymous self-reported questionnaires. Data were collected before and after interventions. Changes in children’s social anxiety, interpersonal closeness, and social cognition and behaviors were measured using different assessment scales. Results: Overall, 122 interventions and 128 controls participated in the trial. Significant differences for the intervention group were found between before and after interventions in the scores of social anxiety, interpersonal closeness, and PT ability (all p < 0.05), while the scores for the control group were roughly unchanged. Conclusion: This health education programme was effective for decreasing the Chinese schoolaged children’s social anxiety, improving their interpersonal closeness, as well as increasing their PT ability.

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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a devastating fibrotic lung disease of unknown etiology, is frequently associated with lung cancer. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this association remains unclear. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of IPF lungs using public datasets and extracted 94 genes that were upregulated in all of them. Among these, we identified DCLK1, a wellknown cancer stem cell-marker. A recent study revealed that DCLK1 enhances cancer stem cell-like features in lung cancer cells. Therefore, if DCLK1 expression is induced in IPF, it could be a molecular link between IPF and lung cancers. In this study, we confirmed that DCLK1 expression was enhanced in human IPF lungs and in lungs of mice with bleomycin- induced fibrosis. We also found that the human lung cancer H1299 cells expressed DCLK1 when exposed to the conditioned medium derived from the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophage- like RAW264.7 cells. Further, this DCLK1-inducing activity was sensitive to heat inactivation and proteinase K treatment. We also revealed that IL17 and lymphotoxin-α induced DCLK1 expression in human lung cancer H1299 cells. Moreover, RELB silencing, but not RELA silencing, blocked the induction of DCLK1 expression by conditioned medium. Hence, the inhibition of alternative NF-κB signaling may be useful to prevent cancer development in IPF lungs.

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Objective: To standardize examiners using a dental model, we developed a dental model and conducted a study that found the model was feasible and effective for student practice. However, it remains unclear whether the skill of measuring probing depth (PD) in this model correlates with the skill of measuring PD in patients. Thus, this study was designed to clarify this point and to determine the accuracy rate of a skilled examiner. Material and Methods: Study 1: Fifty-one students measured PD in patients with more than 4 teeth having a pocket equal to or deeper than 4 mm and PD in the model. On the same day, their instructor remeasured PD in these patients. Study 2: Ninety- nine students and 11 Certified Periodontists measured PD in the model. Results: Study 1: The accuracy rate of students measuring patients’ PD equal to or deeper than 4 mm and PD in the model showed a significant positive correlation. Study 2: Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the accuracy rate equivalent to the skill level of Certified Periodontists was found to be 84.7%. Conclusion: Standardization of examiners was confirmed with this model. The standard accuracy rate of skilled examiners was found to be 85%.

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This study aimed to construct proposals for improving dental English education by assessing the need and importance of dental English proficiency in practical settings and how e-learning might supplement such education in Japan. With the understanding that the dental English education in the Japanese undergraduate dental curricula has been under addressed, computer-assisted simulation modules have been developed. Fourteen fourth-year dental undergraduates were given access to these clinical settings’ modules, designed to take learners through decision-making processes for emergency services with the added bonus of learning dental English. Pre- and post-quizzes, a post-questionnaire, and self-rating scale were used to assess the knowledge gained and the perceived need for dental English. Post-quiz scores were significantly higher than the pre-quiz scores (p=0.004), and the questionnaire results (response rate of 100%) provided favorable feedback for this learning method. Results indicated that for improved learning outcome, the interlacing of dental English learning opportunities alongside the regular Japanese dental courses might be the best-case scenario. Practical knowledge and skills, both in one’s native tongue and English, were important; and that increasing the amount of clinical/practical training in English may be necessary, while e-learning might be a suitable method for supplementing current dental English education deficiency.

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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a health education programme for school-aged children’s social anxiety, interpersonal closeness and perspective-taking (PT) ability in an urban area of eastern China. Methods: This study was a non‐randomized controlled trial. A total of 257 school-aged children in fourth to sixth grades from a primary school were recruited, aged between 9 and 12 years. They were assigned by their classes in each grade to the intervention (N = 128) and control (N = 129) groups and completed anonymous self-reported questionnaires. Data were collected before and after interventions. Changes in children’s social anxiety, interpersonal closeness, and social cognition and behaviors were measured using different assessment scales. Results: Overall, 122 interventions and 128 controls participated in the trial. Significant differences for the intervention group were found between before and after interventions in the scores of social anxiety, interpersonal closeness, and PT ability (all p <0.05), while the scores for the control group were roughly unchanged. Conclusion: This health education programme was effective for decreasing the Chinese school-aged children’s social anxiety, improving their interpersonal closeness, as well as increasing their PT ability.

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The ends of human chromosome are protected by telomeres, which are composed of tandem repeats of DNA sequences. Telomeres can be damaged by a variety of environmental factors, ultimately resulting in cellular senescence and carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between telomere shortening in the skin and sun exposure. Using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH), we examined telomere lengths (TL) in the epidermis and dermis of sun-exposed (SE) and sun non-exposed (NE) skin from the same individuals without any skin disease. There was a significant difference (p = 0.039) in epidermal TL between SE and NE samples, except for adolescents and young adults (AYA). Our results suggest that chronic sun exposure shortens the telomeres of the epidermis, which may explain the UV-associated acceleration of skin aging and skin disorders.

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Dental caries is still one of the most common diseases to afflict mankind. It affects 34.1% of the global population. Some studies have reported that individuals with high sugar intake have higher dental caries rates. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying an individual’s craving for sweet substances were not well documented. It was also reported that taste sensitivity may be associated with the preference for or rejection of some foods. Sweet preference has been linked to bitter taste sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). The PROP impregnated paper strip is proved to be a useful tool in determining the inherent sensitivity levels (super-taster, medium-taster, and non-taster) to bitter and sweet tastes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between taste sensitivity to PROP and dental caries. The results showed a significantly larger number of untreated dental caries lesions among non-tasters compared to super-tasters. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the DMFT index value among the three groups. These results suggest that taste sensitivity to PROP could be a useful screening tool to identify individuals with high dental caries risk.

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