Abstract: The present invention relates to a new use of macrolide compounds of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, for preventing or treating cerebral ischemic disease, such as, brain damage caused by ischemia, such as cerebral infarction. So, they are useful when the following diseases or injury occur. That is, head injury, hemorrhage in brain such as subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism, cardiac arrest, stroke, transient ischemic attacks (TIA), hypertensive encephalopathy and so on.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket, such as a bracket made of ceramic material, is provided with a liner that enhances sliding mechanics between the bracket and an archwire. A portion of the liner projects beyond the bracket body and optionally includes an occlusal, gingival or lingual section that extends over a mesial or distal side of the bracket body. A bottom surface of the liner is located a distance from a bottom wall of a channel receiving the liner, and the distance optionally varies along the length of the archwire slot in order to urge the attached tooth to rotate as needed about its long axis. The liner is bonded to the bracket body in such a manner that the bracket body is thereafter held by the liner in compression.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket includes a ceramic body having an elongated channel, and a metallic archwire slot liner that is received in the channel. The liner is affixed to the ceramic body by a brazing process using a brazing material such as platinum, silver, an active metal or a mixture of molybdenum and manganese. Alternatively, the liner is formed in situ in the bracket body.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket has been designed which can be made of ceramic material. The bracket can be used for correcting Class II and Class III malocclusions without the use of a Kobiashi tie, ball hook, or power hook, which had previously been used to make such corrections. This invention, on the other hand, employs an integral hook design, which makes use of the same mechanics, but without requiring any brazing or welding of the hook to the body of the bracket.

Abstract: A completely corrosion resistant, high strength cutting tool such as an orthodontic wire cutter includes a stainless steel body having a pair of corrosion resistant alloy steel bonding tips brazed thereto. The tips are brazed to the body using a nickel alloy brazing foil at a brazing temperature of approximately 1900 degrees F. After a rough grinding to appropriate shape, the entire tool is heat treated in a process that heats the tool to an austenitizing temperature for the cutting tips that is about 2050 degrees F. and substantially above the brazing temperature to achieve a tip hardness of 62-67 Rc. Thereafter finish grinding, buffing, polishing and honing of the cutting edges completes the manufacture of the cutting tool.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket or similar orthodontic appliance is made of a polycrystalline ceramic having a translucency which minimizes visibility of the appliance when mounted on a tooth. The ceramic is formed by pressing a powder material, such as high purity aluminum oxide, and sintering to yield a single phase appliance having substantially zero porosity and an average grain size preferably in the range of 10 to 30 microns. The substantially color-free ceramic appliance has desirable strength and other mechanical properties combined with a translucency which permits the natural color of the tooth to diffusely show through in a fashion tending to make the appliance blend with and disappear against the tooth.