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Background Oral dryness is a common symptom that may interfere with swallowing, chewing, and taste. The most common reason for oral dryness is hyposalivation. Some individuals experiencing oral dryness do not have hyposalivation, however, and the reverse is also true. Here, we focused on healthy individuals with a lower salivary flow rate and evaluated the relationship between the perception of oral dryness and salivary parameters to clarify the cause underlying the perception of oral dryness. Methods A total of 59 participants were divided into 2 groups with a lower or higher salivary flow rate according to the median salivary flow rate. In participants with a lower salivary flow rate, we assessed salivary bacterial counts, protease activities, protein concentrations, oral parameters, and the subjective perception of oral dryness. Results Protease activities and concentrations of protease inhibitors such as cystatin-D and cystatin-SA in the saliva of participants experiencing oral dryness were significantly higher and lower, respectively, than in those not experiencing oral dryness, even though no difference in the salivary flow rate was detected. Salivary cystatin-D and cystatin-SA concentrations correlated negatively with salivary protease activities. Conclusions The composition of salivary protease inhibitors and increased protease activities affect the subjective perception of oral dryness.

Objective: We developed and demonstrated laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) for two-dimensional (2D) skin blood flow (SBF) measurements to facilitate the noninvasive comparisons of SBF between individuals. Approach: By using morphing technology with a face mesh to compare SBF spatial distributions among individuals, we examined the practicability of SBF measurement with LSFG. Main results: (1) The uniformity of SBF measurement was demonstrated by examinations at different distances and angles for healthy subjects. (2) Mean blur rate (MBR)-a blood flow index of LSFGexhibited significant correlation with the thermal diffusion method (TDM)-an established blood flow measurement method-suggesting that MBR is an effective index of SBF. (3) Blowout time, the half-width duration/duration of one cardiac cycle, exhibited significant negative correlation with age and positive correlation with stratum corneum hydration. Significance: These results suggest that LSFG is useful for evaluating SBF-related skin properties, and it has significant potential in medicine and cosmetology.

Molecular design and synthesis of organic ferroelectric materials with a –OCH2CF2CH2O– moiety as the basic molecular structure were conducted in order to improve the high coercive field value of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). The synthesis of the designed molecules were based on the half ester 2,2-difluoro-1,3-propanediol N,N-diethylcarbamamic acid. The sequence of alkylation of alcohol, deprotection, and the second alkylation efficiently produced the desired polyethers except in the case of the Williamson ether synthesis, which occurs between a fluorinated alcohol and a fluorinated tosylate. The dielectric constants of the prepared polyethers at room temperature were relatively high, although no ferroelectric properties were observed. Another method had functional groups at the end of the molecules for intermolecular interaction. Hydrogen-bonded bisacetamide showed dielectric relaxation and ferroelectricity.

Halogen compoundsHalogen compounds Q 0090 Phenyl Trifluorovinyl Sulfide: A Radical Acceptor for Preparation of gem-Difluoromethylene Compounds. -The synthesis of the new radical acceptor (III), its oxidation to (IV), reaction with alkyl radicals and oxidation with subsequent Pummerer reaction of the radical adducts are reported. -(OKANO*, T.; CHOKAI, M.; HIRAISHI, M.; YOSHIZAWA, M.; KUSUKAWA, T.; FUJITA, M.; Tetrahedron 60