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Biomedical subjects

M Morita

Publications and source records attributed to M Morita.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Association of caries and treatment experiences with subjective symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in female adolescents.

A 2-year cohort study of subjective symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) was performed. A total of 229 female adolescents, all 15 years of age, completed questionnaires and underwent dental examinations at baseline, 1- and 2-year follow-up surveys. The questionnaire included questions on typical TMD symptoms; i.e. temporomandibular joint (TMJ) noise, tiredness in jaws, pain on jaw movements, and difficulty in mouth opening. The relative risk was computed to determine the relationships of the baseline number of filled teeth (FT) and decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) increment with the incidence of TMD. The percentage of subjects with one or more subjective symptoms at 17 years of age was 30.6%, significantly higher than the percentages at 15 (17.0%) and 16 (19.7%) years of age (P < 0.01). The symptom-emerging rate of TMJ noise during the 2-year period was 13.5%, which was the highest among the rates of possible subjective symptoms. Individuals with a 2-year increment in DMFT of > or =2 had a 2.14-times increased risk of experiencing mild symptoms, and individuals with baseline FT of > or =3 had 2.41-times increased risk of experiencing mild or severe subjective symptoms. The results of this study showed that TMD symptoms occurred in a relatively high percentage of female adolescents during the 2-year period and suggested that DMFT is one factor affecting the incidence of TMD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Association of dietary habits with symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in Bangladeshi adolescents.

The prevalences of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) in Bangladeshi adolescents and their associations with intake of various hard food items were investigated. A group of 1200 randomly selected high school students aged 12-17 years from three communities (rural, semi-urban and urban) completed a questionnaire on dietary habits and presence of TMD symptoms and were examined clinically. In bivariate analysis, no significant relationship was observed between TMD symptoms and eating of hard foods. However, in logistic regression analysis, clicking showed a significant correlation with consumption of hard vegetable and fruits more than three times per week (P < 0.05). A statistically significant correlation was also observed between consumption of all hard food items (at least one item in each of the four categories of hard food) more than 12 times per week and pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) (P < 0.05). A positive association was found between pain in the TMJ and older age (15-17 years) (P < 0.001). The prevalence of pain in the TMJ was significantly higher in males (P < 0.01). Prevalences of clicking and pain in the TMJ were significantly higher in subjects living in a rural area than in subjects living in an urban area (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). Subjects having one or more decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) showed significantly higher prevalences of clicking (P < 0.01) and restricted mouth opening (P < 0.01). The results suggest that prevalence of TMD symptoms are related to prolonged consumption of hard food items.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The diversity of bovine MHC class II DRB3 genes in Japanese Black, Japanese Shorthorn, Jersey and Holstein cattle in Japan.

We sequenced exon 2 of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB3 gene from 471 individuals in four different Japanese populations of cattle (201 Japanese Black, 101 Holstein, 100 Japanese Shorthorn, and 69 Jersey cattle) using a new method for sequence-based typing (SBT). We identified the 34 previously reported alleles and four novel alleles. These alleles were 80.0-100.0% identical at the nucleotide level and 77.9-100.0% identical at the amino acid level to the bovine MHC (BoLA)-DRB3 cDNA clone NR1. Among the 38 alleles, eight alleles were found in only one breed in this study. However, these alleles did not form specific clusters on a phylogenetic tree of 236-base pairs (bp) nucleotide sequences. Furthermore, these breeds exhibited similar variations with respect to average frequencies of nucleotides and amino acids, as well as synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions, in all pairwise comparisons of the alleles found in this study. By contrast, analysis of the frequencies of the various BoLA-DRB3 alleles in each breed indicated that DRB3*1101 was the most frequent allele in Holstein cattle (16.8%), DRB3*4501 was the most frequent allele in Jersey cattle (18.1%), DRB3*1201 was the most frequent allele in Japanese Shorthorn cattle (16.0%) and DRB3*1001 was the most frequent allele in Japanese Black cattle (17.4%), indicating that the frequencies of alleles were differed in each breed. In addition, a population tree based on the frequency of BoLA-DRB3 alleles in each breed suggested that Holstein and Japanese Black cattle were the most closely related, and that Jersey cattle were more different from both these breeds than Japanese Shorthorns.

Alleles↗
PubMed2003

Beam-polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma-->, K+)Lambda and p(gamma-->, K+)Sigma(0) reactions for E(gamma)=1.5-2.4 GeV.

Beam polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma-->,K+)Lambda and p(gamma-->,K+)Sigma(0) reactions are measured for the first time for E(gamma)=1.5-2.4 GeV and 0.6<cos((theta(c.m.)(K+))<1.0 by using linearly polarized photons at the Laser-Electron-Photon facility at SPring-8 (LEPS). The observed asymmetries are positive and gradually increase with rising photon energy. The data are not consistent with theoretical predictions based on tree-level effective-Lagrangian approaches. Including the new results in the development of the models is, therefore, crucial for understanding the reaction mechanism and to test the presence of baryon resonances which are predicted in quark models but are thus far undiscovered.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Enhancement of the quantum-liquid phase by increased resistivity in thick a-MoxSi1-x films.

Effects of normal-state resistivity rho(n) on the vortex phase diagram at low temperature T have been studied based on dc and ac complex resistivities for thick amorphous MoxSi(1-x) films. It is commonly observed irrespective of rho(n) that, in the limit T=0, the vortex-glass-transition line B(g)(T) is independent of T and extrapolates to a field below the T=0 upper critical field B(c2)(0), indicative of the quantum-vortex-liquid (QVL) phase in the regime B(g)(0)<B<B(c2)(0). The relative width of the QVL phase increases along the B and T axes approximately proportional to rho(n). This result is consistent with a view that the QVL phase is caused by strong quantum fluctuations, which are enhanced with increasing rho(n).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Evidence for a narrow S = +1 baryon resonance in photoproduction from the neutron.

The gamman-->K(+)K(-)n reaction on 12C has been studied by measuring both K+ and K- at forward angles. A sharp baryon resonance peak was observed at 1.54+/-0.01 GeV/c(2) with a width smaller than 25 MeV/c(2) and a Gaussian significance of 4.6sigma. The strangeness quantum number (S) of the baryon resonance is +1. It can be interpreted as a molecular meson-baryon resonance or alternatively as an exotic five-quark state (uuddsmacr;) that decays into a K+ and a neutron. The resonance is consistent with the lowest member of an antidecuplet of baryons predicted by the chiral soliton model.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Estrogenic and thyroid hormone activity of a series of hydroxy-polychlorinated biphenyls.

A series of novel synthetic monohydroxy polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) (5 trichloro-, 5 tetrachloro- and 5 pentachloro-compounds) have been characterized (1H and 13C NMR and high resolution MS) and their estrogenic and thyroid hormone activities assessed using a yeast two-hybrid assay, both with and without possible metabolic activation by rat liver S9 preparation. Moderate estrogenic activity was found for 2,3,4(')-trichlorobiphenyl-4-ol (compound 5) but this was eliminated when exposed to the S9 mix. 2,2('),3('),4,6-Pentachlorobiphenyl-3-ol (13) and 2('),3,3('),6-tetrachlorobiphenyl-4-ol (10) both showed weak estrogenicity in the absence of the S9 mix. The estrogenicity of compound (10) was enhanced 10-fold by exposure to S9 metabolic activation but that of compound (13) remained unchanged. 2('),4,5('),6-Tetrachlorobiphenyl-2-ol (6) showed strong thyroid hormonal activity (5% of that of T4) whereas 3('),4,6-trichlorobiphenyl-3-ol (4), compound (10) and 2,3('),4,5('),6-pentachlorobiphenyl-3-ol (14) showed moderate activity, and 2('),3,3('),5-tetrachlorobiphenyl-2-ol (8) and 3,3('),5,5('),6-pentachlorobiphenyl-2-ol (11) showed weak activity. The activity of (4) was eliminated by S9 metabolic activation whereas those of (6) and (14) were weakened and that of (10) remained unchanged.

Biological Assay↗
PubMed2003

Strength of bond to bone and cytotoxicity of sintered bodies of hydroxyapatite/zirconia composite particles.

Regarding sintered bodies of hydroxyapatite (HAP)/zirconia (PSZ) composite particles prepared by covering the surface of HAP particles with PSZ particles, their strength of the bond to bone after implanting them into an organism and their cytotoxicity were evaluated. Cytotoxicity tests were conducted by the colony formation method. Cytotoxicity was not observed in the sintered bodies of HAP/PSZ composite particles, or in sintered monolithic HAP body and sintered monolithic PSZ body. The strength of bond between a sintered body and a bone was evaluated by measuring the shear strength at the interface between them after a fixed period following implantation of a sintered body into a rabbit femur. In all cases of the sintered monolithic HAP body, and the sintered bodies of HAP/PSZ composite particles and monolithic PSZ body, when the implantation period increased, the shear strength of the sintered body/bone interface tended to increase. In particular, this tendency was very high in the case of sintered bodies of HAP/PSZ with weight ratios of 1/1.0 and 1/1.5, the shear strength for each reaching 20 MPa 12 months after implantation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Correlation between periodontal status and biting ability in Chinese adult population.

This study investigated the relation between periodontal condition and biting ability in a Chinese population using the pressure-detecting sheet. A total of 142 subjects residing in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, China, participated in the study. The examination included probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing and coronal caries teeth. Biting abilities per person, biting force, biting pressure and occlusal contact area were measured using the sheet. Number of teeth present showed positive correlation with biting force and occlusal contact area, but were negatively correlated with biting pressure. No significant correlation was observed between the mean PD, percentage of pocket > or = 4 mm, bleeding index and any of biting abilities. The mean CAL showed a significantly negative correlation with biting force and occlusal contact area. Multiple stepwise regression analysis selected the number of teeth present, sex and age as the significant factors affecting the biting ability. However, no periodontal indices were picked up as the significantly contributing factor. There appears to be little effect of periodontal condition on biting ability. Ageing was selected as a contributing factor to reduction in the Chinese adults, but not in the Japanese population.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Heat sensitivity of human parvovirus B19.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To date there has been no published report on a systematic evaluation of the heat sensitivity of human parvovirus B19 (B19) and the related safety of the plasma-derived fractionated products. In this study, we examined the heat sensitivity of B19 by using the infectivity assay with cultured cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The heat sensitivity of B19 was examined by measuring the reduction in viral infectivity titres after heating liquid containing B19 at 60 degrees C. Viral infectivity was assayed by detection of viral antigens or viral mRNA in infected cells. As a control, canine parvovirus (CPV) was also heat-treated. RESULTS: B19 displayed quite different inactivation kinetics to CPV when both were heated in liquid at 60 degrees C. In sharp contrast to the latter, B19 was rapidly inactivated within 1 h when the virus was suspended in 5% or 25% human serum albumin solution, phosphate-buffered saline, or complete medium. However, B19 appeared to be resistant to heat inactivation in liquid containing 60% sucrose. CONCLUSIONS: The heat sensitivity of B19 in liquid was clearly different from that of CPV. Significantly, the efficiency to inactivate B19 and reduce its infectivity following heating in liquid was mainly affected by the composition of the solutions used for virus suspension.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed2003

Prospective randomized pilot trial of selective biliary cannulation using pancreatic guide-wire placement.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: In difficult cases of selective bile duct cannulation, several expanded techniques are available which have only been partially evaluated in randomized studies. This study describes a prospective, randomized trial investigating a further technique for obtaining selective biliary access--pancreatic duct wire placement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a six-month study period, 107 consecutive patients required deep selective biliary cannulation. Accessing the bile duct using a catheter failed within 10 min in 53 of the patients, who were randomly assigned to either pre-insertion of a guide wire into the pancreatic duct or persistence with a conventional catheter. The success rate and complication rate were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: In the pancreatic duct-guide wire group (n=27), the success rate was significantly greater than in the conventional group (93% vs 58%). No pancreatitis complications occurred within either group. CONCLUSIONS: Inserting a guide wire into the pancreatic duct to facilitate deep selective bile duct cannulation is better than persisting with a conventional catheter. Further studies will be needed to confirm these results and to compare this method with other sophisticated techniques for obtaining selective access to the bile duct.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Enhancement of acute lung injury related to bacterial endotoxin by components of diesel exhaust particles.

BACKGROUND: Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) synergistically aggravate acute lung injury related to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice, but the components in DEP responsible for this have not been identified. A study was undertaken to examine the effects of the organic chemicals (DEP-OC) and residual carbonaceous nuclei (washed DEP) derived from DEP on LPS related lung injury. METHODS: ICR mice were divided into experimental groups and vehicle, LPS, washed DEP, DEP-OC, washed DEP+LPS, and DEP-OC+LPS were administered intratracheally. The cellular profile of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, pulmonary oedema, lung histology, and expression of proinflammatory molecules and Toll-like receptors in the lung were evaluated. RESULTS: Both DEP-OC and washed DEP enhanced the infiltration of neutrophils into BAL fluid in the presence of LPS. Washed DEP combined with LPS synergistically exacerbated pulmonary oedema and induced alveolar haemorrhage, which was concomitant with the enhanced lung expression of interleukin-1beta, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1, and keratinocyte chemoattractant, whereas DEP-OC combined with LPS did not. Gene expression of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 was increased by combined treatment with washed DEP and LPS. The enhancement effects of washed DEP on LPS related changes were comparable to those of whole DEP. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the residual carbonaceous nuclei of DEP rather than the extracted organic chemicals predominantly contribute to the aggravation of LPS related lung injury. This may be mediated through the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and Toll-like receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Requirement of Ca2+ on activation of sperm motility in euryhaline tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus.

Euryhaline tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus acclimates to the external spawning environment by modulating its mechanism for regulating sperm motility. Adaptation of sperm was performed by acclimating fish in various environments. In this paper, regulatory mechanisms of freshwater-acclimated tilapia were studied in detail. Tilapia sperm motility was vigorous in hypotonic conditions and decreased with increasing osmolality. Sperm motility was reduced in hypotonic conditions when extracellular Ca(2+) was chelated; however, extracellular Ca(2+) was not a major factor for motility activation since sperm were motile even when extracellular Ca(2+) levels were nominally depleted by EGTA. The Ca(2+) indicator, fluo 3, showed that intracellular [Ca(2+)] increased on motility activation independently of extracellular [Ca(2+)], accompanied by swelling of the sperm neck region called the sleeve structure. Intracellular [Ca(2+)] was not increased under hypertonic conditions, in which sperm were immotile, even on addition of extracellular Ca(2+). It is possible that Ca(2+) is stored in the neck region. Demembranated sperm were reactivated in the presence of Ca(2+), but cAMP failed to reactivate the motility. Furthermore, we detected phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of three proteins at serine and threonine residues on motility activation. It is likely that hypotonic shock causes an increase in intracellular [Ca(2+)] that activates motility activation via phosphorylation of some flagellar proteins.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2003

High-sensitivity analysis of serum C-reactive protein in young patients with lumbar disc herniation.

We measured the serum concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) by a high-sensitive method in patients with lumbar disc herniation. There were 48 patients in the study group and 53 normal controls. The level and type of herniation were evaluated. The clinical data including the neurological findings, the angle of straight leg raising and post-operative recovery as measured by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, were recorded. The high-sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) was measured by an ultrasensitive latex-enhanced immunoassay. The mean hs-CRP concentration was 0.056 +/- 0.076 mg/dl in the patient group and 0.017 +/- 0.021 mg/dl in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.006). There was no other correlation between the hs-CRP concentration and the level and type of herniation, or the pre-operative clinical data. A positive correlation was found between the concentration of hs-CRP before operation and the JOA score after. Those with a higher concentration of hs-CRP before operation showed a poorer recovery after. The significantly high concentration of serum hs-CRP might indicate a systemic inflammatory response to impingement of the nerve root caused by disc herniation and might be a predictor of recovery after operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Mediastinal lymph-node carcinoma with no apparent primary lesion; report of a case].

A 57-year-old woman was admitted to our department because of a chest X-ray showing a mass shadow about 40 mm in diameter in the right side of the middle of the mediastinum. A chest computed tomography(CT) scan demonstrated a large tumor, adherent to the superior vena cava and right pulmonary artery. No other metastases and no primary tumor were found. The tumor was resected through median sternotomy. Intraoperative frozen section analysis showed that the mediastinal tumor was a metastatic lymph-node carcinoma. Postoperative examination, too, did not detect the primary lesion. Radiotherapy was given after the operation. This case was thought to be a very rare case of T0N2M0 lung cancer or primary mediastinal lymph-node carcinoma (yolk sac tumor).

Female↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of inhibitory activity on calcium phosphate precipitation by acidic proline-rich proteins, statherin, and histatin-1.

This study quantitatively compares the inhibition of calcium phosphate (CaP) precipitation by the salivary acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs) statherin and histatin-1. Saliva and CaCl2 in 125 mM imidazole buffer (pH 7.0) were incubated with potassium phosphate and a hydroxyapatite (HAP) suspension, for 30 min at 25 degrees C, then filtered through nitrocellulose. The calcium (Ca) concentration in the filtrate was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, then deducted from that in the initial solution to determine the amount of CaP precipitation after 30 min. The values of the inhibitory activities on CaP precipitation relative to crude parotid saliva were 4.7, 4.9, 6.9, and 65.8 for histatin-1, large PRPs, small PRPs, and statherin, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Natural killer cell proliferation and circulating cytokines in patients with bilateral basal ganglia calcification.

Ten adult patients with symmetrical calcifications in the bilateral basal ganglia (diagnosed as physiological calcifications) were analyzed for lymphocyte subsets and cytokines. Increased number of natural killer (NK) cells were identified in the peripheral blood of seven patients by lymphocyte subset analysis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was detected in the sera of five patients and interferon-gamma was detected in one patient. In summary, NK cell propagation and circulating cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor-alpha, may be involved in the etiology of basal ganglia calcification.

Aged↗