Rating criteria to evaluate student performance in digital wax-up training using multi-purpose software

Takuya Mino,Yoko Kurosaki,Kana Tokumoto,Takaharu Higuchi,Shinichi Nakanoda,Ken Numoto,Ikue Tosa,Aya Kimura-Ono,Kenji Maekawa,Tae Hyung Kim,Takuo Kuboki 대한치과보철학회 2022 The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics Vol.14 No.4

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to introduce rating criteria to evaluate student performance in a newly developed, digital wax-up preclinical program for computer-aided design (CAD) of full-coverage crowns and preliminarily investigate the reliability and internal consistency of the rating system. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study, conducted in 2017, enrolled 47 fifth-year dental students of Okayama University Dental School. Digital wax-up training included a fundamental practice using computer graphics (CG), multipurpose CAD software programs, and an advanced practice to execute a digital waxup of the right mandibular second molar (#47). Each student’s digital wax-up work (stereolithography data) was evaluated by two instructors using seven qualitative criteria. The total qualitative score (0-90) of the criteria was calculated. The total volumetric discrepancy between each student’s digital wax-up work and a reference prepared by an instructor was automatically measured by the CAD software. The inter-rater reliability of each criterion was analyzed using a weighted kappa index. The relationship between the total volume discrepancy and the total qualitative score was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. RESULTS. The weighted kappa values for the seven qualitative criteria ranged from 0.62 - 0.93. The total qualitative score and the total volumetric discrepancy were negatively correlated (ρ = -0.27, P = .09, respectively); however, this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION. The established qualitative criteria to evaluate students’ work showed sufficiently high inter-rater reliability; however, the digitally measured volumetric discrepancy could not sufficiently predict the total qualitative score.

Efficacy of Thiopurines in Biologic-Naive Japanese Patients With Crohn`s Disease: A Single-Center Experience

( Takuya Yoshino ),( Minoru Matsuura ),( Naoki Minami ),( Satoshi Yamada ),( Yusuke Honzawa ),( Masamichi Kimura ),( Yorimitsu Koshikawa ),( Ali Madian ),( Takahiko Toyonaga ),( Hiroshi Nakase ) 대한장연구학회 2015 Intestinal Research Vol.13 No.3

Background/Aims: Early use of biologics in patients with Crohn`s disease (CD) improves quality of life. However, the effects of the early use of immunomodulators on long-term outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of immunomodulatorsin patients with CD. Methods: Between January 2004 and December 2011, 47 biologic-naive CD patients treated with thiopurines alone for remission maintenance were analyzed. The patients were classified into 2 groups depending on the presence or absence of digestive complications. We evaluated the efficacy of and predictive factors for thiopurine use for remission maintenance. Results: The cumulative relapse rates at 24 and 60 months were 13.7% and 35.4%, respectively. Regarding patient characteristics, there was a significant difference in patient history of surgery between the non-relapse and relapse groups (P =0.021). The cumulative relapse rate was lower in patients without a history of surgery than in those with such a history (27.2% and 52.9% at 60.0 months, respectively). Multivariate analysis suggested that the prevalence of stricturing and penetrating complications is an independent factor for relapse. The cumulative relapse rate in patients without a history ofsurgery was significantly lower in the non-stricturing and non-penetrating group than in the stricturing and penetrating group (11.8% at 85.0 months vs. 58.5% at 69.0 months; P =0.036). Conclusions: Thiopurine use might be beneficial for the long-term maintenance of remission in biologic-naive Crohn`s disease patients without digestive complications and a history of surgery. (Intest Res 2015;13:266-273)

Absorption of Orally Administered Hyaluronan

Mamoru Kimura,Takuya Maeshima,Takumi Kubota,Hitoshi Kurihara,Yasunobu Masuda,Yoshihiro Nomura 한국식품영양과학회 2016 Journal of medicinal food Vol.19 No.12

Hyaluronan (HA) has been utilized as a supplement. However, the absorption of orally administrated HA remains controversial. The degradation and absorption of HA in the intestine were investigated in this study. HA excretion into the feces, degradation in the intestinal tract, absorption through the large intestine, and translocation to the blood and skin were examined. HA administered orally was not detected in rat feces. HA was degraded by cecal content, but not by artificial gastric juice and intestinal juice. Oligosaccharide HA passed through excised large intestine sacs. Furthermore, disaccharides, tetrasaccharides, and polysaccharides HA were distributed to the skin of rats following oral administration of high molecular weight HA (300 kDa). The results of the study suggest that orally administered HA is degraded to oligosaccharides by intestinal bacteria, and oligosaccharide HA is absorbed in the large intestine and is subsequently distributed throughout the tissues, including the skin.

CASE REPORT : Usefulness of Adalimumab for Treating a Case of Intestinal Behcet`s Disease With Trisomy 8 Myelodysplastic Syndrome

( Masamichi Kimura ),( Yoshihisa Tsuji ),( Masako Iwai ),( Masahiro Inagaki ),( Ali Madian ),( Takuya Yoshino ),( Minoru Matsuura ),( Hiroshi Nakase ) 대한장연구학회 2015 Intestinal Research Vol.13 No.2

Behcet`s disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis, while myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous group of clonal hematologic disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis. Some studies suggest a relationship between MDS and BD, especially intestinal BD, and trisomy 8 seems to play an important role in both diseases. There are several reports on patients with BD comorbid with MDS involving trisomy 8 that frequently have intestinal lesions refractory to conventional medical therapies. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-αis strongly involved in the pathophysiology of several autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and BD. In addition, TNF-α plays an important role in the pathophysiology of MDS by inhibiting normal hematopoiesis and inducing the programmed cell death of normal total bone marrow cells and normal CD34+ cells. Recent clinical reports demonstrate the favorable effect of TNF-α antagonists in patients with refractory intestinal BD and in those with MDS. We present the case of a patient with intestinal BD and MDS involving trisomy 8 who was successfully treated with adalimumab. (Intest Res 2015;13:166-169)

Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Japan, China, and South Korea: An International Cross-sectional Study

Atsushi Takeoka,Takuya Kimura,Shintaro Hara,Toyohiro Hamaguchi,Shin Fukudo,Jun Tayama 대한소화기 기능성질환∙운동학회 2023 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.29 No.2

Background/AimsSymptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common gut-brain interaction disorder, deteriorate patients’ quality of life and increase medical needs; therefore, IBS represents a significant global burden. The estimated global prevalence is approximately 10%; however, accumulated evidence shows international heterogeneity. In this study, we have described and compared the prevalence of IBS in 3 East Asian countries: Japan (Tokyo and Fukuoka), China (Beijing), and South Korea (Seoul). MethodsWe conducted an internet-based cross-sectional survey of the urban population aged > 20 years in the abovementioned countries. We recruited equal numbers of age- (20s-60s) and sex-matched participants (3910 residents). IBS was diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria, and the subtypes were analyzed. ResultsThe overall prevalence of IBS with 95% CI was 12.6% (11.6-13.7); the prevalence was significantly different across Japan, China, and South Korea (14.9% [13.4-16.5], 5.5% [4.3-7.1], and 15.6% [13.3-18.3], respectively) (P < 0.001). Furthermore, 54.9% of patients were male. IBS-mixed was the most prevalent subtype; the prevalence of other subtypes varied. ConclusionsThe overall prevalence of IBS in the 3 countries was slightly higher than the global prevalence, and it was significantly lower in China than in Japan and South Korea. IBS prevalence was the highest and lowest among individuals in their 40s and 60s, respectively. Male individuals had a higher prevalence of IBS with diarrhea. Further studies are needed to elucidate the factors associated with this regional heterogeneity.

Free Spectral Range Measurement of Fabry-Perot Cavity using Frequency Modulation

Masato Aketagawa,Takuya Yashiki,Shohei Kimura,Tuan Quoc Banh 한국정밀공학회 2010 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

In this paper, we propose a novel method to measure the free spectral range (FSR) of a Fabry-Perot cavity (FPC)using single-frequency modulation (FM) with one electric optical modulator (EOM) and the null method. A laser beam modulated by the EOM, to which a cosine-wave signal is supplied from a radio frequency (RF) oscillator, is incident on the FPC. The transmission light from the FPC is observed and converted to an RF signal by a highspeed photodetector, and the RF signal is synchronously demodulated with a lock-in amplifier (LIA) by referring to the oscillator. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the LIA signal become null with a steep slope, when the modulation frequency equals the FSR under the condition that the carrier frequency is slightly detuned from the resonance of the FPC. The experimental results show that the proposed method has the capability to determine the FSR by the null method with a small measurement uncertainty.

Efficacy and Safety of Long-Term Thiopurine Maintenance Treatment in Japanese Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

( Satoshi Yamada ),( Takuya Yoshino ),( Minoru Matsuura ),( Masamichi Kimura ),( Yorimitsu Koshikawa ),( Naoki Minami ),( Takahiko Toyonaga ),( Yusuke Honzawa ),( Hiroshi Nakase ) 대한장연구학회 2015 Intestinal Research Vol.13 No.3

Background/Aims: The long-term clinical outcomes of patients with bio-naive ulcerative colitis (UC) who maintain remission with thiopurine are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of maintenance treatment with thiopurine in UC patients. Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort analysis conducted at a single center. Between December 1998 and August 2013, 59 of 87 patients with bio-naive UC who achieved remission after induction with treatments other than biologics were enrolled. Remission maintenance with thiopurine was defined as no concomitant treatment needed other than 5-aminosalicylate without relapse. We assessed the remissionmaintenance rate, mucosal healing rate, colectomy-free rate, and treatment safety in UC patients who received thiopurineas maintenance treatment. Results: The 84-month cumulative remission-maintenance and colectomy-free survival rates in the UC patients who were receiving maintenance treatment with thiopurine and 5-aminosalicylate were 43.9% and 88.0%, respectively. Of the 38 patients who underwent colonoscopy during thiopurine maintenance treatment, 23 (60.5%) achieved mucosal healing. Of the 59 patients who achieved clinical remission with thiopurine, 6 patients (10.2%) discontinued the thiopurine therapy because of adverse events. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the long-term efficacy and safety of thiopurine treatment in patients with bio-naive UC. (Intest Res 2015;13:250-258)

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α inhibitor induces cell death via suppression of BCR-ABL1 and Met expression in BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitive and resistant chronic myeloid leukemia cells

Masanobu Tsubaki,Tomoya Takeda,Takuya Matsuda,Akihiro Kimura,Remi Tanaka,Sakiko Nagayoshi,Tadafumi Hoshida,Kazufumi Tanabe,Shozo Nishida 생화학분자생물학회 2023 BMB Reports Vol.56 No.2

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has a markedly improvedprognosis with the use of breakpoint cluster region-abelson 1(BCR-ABL1) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BCR-ABL1 TKIs). However,approximately 40% of patients are resistant or intolerantto BCR-ABL1 TKIs. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is ahypoxia response factor that has been reported to be highlyexpressed in CML patients, making it a therapeutic target forBCR-ABL1 TKI-sensitive CML and BCR-ABL1 TKI-resistant CML. In this study, we examined whether HIF-1α inhibitors inducecell death in CML cells and BCR-ABL1 TKI-resistant CML cells. We found that echinomycin and PX-478 induced cell death inBCR-ABL1 TKIs sensitive and resistant CML cells at similar concentrationswhile the cell sensitivity was not affected with imatinibor dasatinib in BCR-ABL1 TKIs resistant CML cells. In addition,echinomycin and PX-478 inhibited the c-Jun N-terminalkinase (JNK), Akt, and extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1/2(ERK1/2) activation via suppression of BCR-ABL1 and Met expressionin BCR-ABL1 sensitive and resistant CML cells. Moreover,treatment with HIF-1α siRNA induced cell death by inhibitingBCR-ABL1 and Met expression and activation of JNK,Akt, and ERK1/2 in BCR-ABL1 TKIs sensitive and resistant CMLcells. These results indicated that HIF-1α regulates BCR-ABL andMet expression and is involved in cell survival in CML cells,suggesting that HIF-1α inhibitors induce cell death in BCR-ABL1TKIs sensitive and resistant CML cells and therefore HIF-1α inhibitorsare potential candidates for CML treatment.