Objectives: This study analyzed the relationship between parental body mass index (BMI; BMI_p) and hypertension in their adolescent offspring (HTN_a), focusing on the mediating effect of adolescents’ BMI (BMI_a). Methods: Utilizing data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including participants aged 12-18, we conducted a mediation analysis while controlling for confounding factors such as age, sex, physical activity, dietary habits, household income quartile, and parents’ alcohol and smoking habits. Results: The study included a total of 5731 participants, of whom 3381 and 5455 participants had data on fathers’ and mothers’ BMI, respectively. For adolescent systolic blood pressure (SBP_a), the father’s BMI (BMI_f) had a significant total effect (β, 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12 to 0.34) and average controlled mediated effect (ACME) (β, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.32), but the average direct effect (ADE) was not significant. The mother’s BMI (BMI_m) had a significant total effect (β, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.25), ACME (β, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.28) and ADE (β, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.16 to 0.00). For adolescent diastolic blood pressure, both BMI_f and BMI_m had significant ACMEs (β, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.12 and β, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.12, respectively), BMI_m had a significant ADE (β, -0.09; 95% CI, -0.16 to -0.02) but BMI_f had an insignificant ADE and total effect. Conclusions The study found that parental BMI had a significant effect on SBP_a, mediated through BMI_a. Therefore, a high BMI in parents could be a risk factor, mediated through BMI_a, for systolic hypertension in adolescents, necessitating appropriate management.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term changes in masticatory muscle activity and mandibular movement patterns after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry. METHODS: Twenty-seven skeletal Class III adult patients were divided into two groups based on the degree of facial asymmetry: the experimental group (n = 17 [11 male and 6 female]; menton deviation ≥ 4 mm) and control group (n = 10 [4 male and 6 female]; menton deviation < 1.6 mm). Cephalography, electromyography (EMG) for the anterior temporalis (TA) and masseter muscles (MM), and mandibular movement (range of motion [ROM] and average chewing pattern [ACP]) were evaluated before (T0) and 7 to 8 months (T1) after the surgery. RESULTS: There were no significant postoperative changes in the EMG potentials of the TA and MM in both groups, except in the anterior cotton roll biting test, in which the masticatory muscle activity had changed into an MM-dominant pattern postoperatively in both groups. In the experimental group, the amount of maximum opening, protrusion, and lateral excursion to the non-deviated side were significantly decreased. The turning point tended to be shorter and significantly moved medially during chewing in the non-deviated side in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS In skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry, the EMG activity characteristics recovered to presurgical levels within 7 to 8 months after the surgery. Correction of the asymmetry caused limitation in jaw movement in terms of both ROM and ACP on the non-deviated side.

Since its inception in Europe in the 1950s, alveolar molding treatment for neonates with complete cleft lip and palate has undergone significant evolution in both design and application methodology, demonstrating effectiveness in normalizing the alveolar cleft and nasal shape. However, excessively wide alveolar clefts accompanied by disproportionately wide total maxillary arch pose significant challenges when utilizing conventional alveolar molding methods involving cyclical adding and grinding of acrylic on molding plates. The current report introduces a novel alveolar molding method named Biocreative Alveolar Molding Plate Treatment (BioAMP), which can normalize the maxillary alveolar cleft and arch shape without laborious conventional acrylic procedures. BioAMP sets the target arch form and provides unrestricted space for natural growth of the maxillary alveolar bones while systematically reducing the total maxillary arch width in precise increments. Two exemplary cases are presented as proofof-concept, showcasing the clinical innovation of BioAMP.

BACKGROUND: Equol, a metabolite of diadzein, is produced by some intestinal bacteria. Equol acts as an estrogen receptor agonist and has been reported to have several beneficial health effects. Leukocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. Decreased leukocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, as an index of mitochondrial function, is associated with metabolic syndrome, bone mineral density, and aging. The possible association between equol production and leukocyte mitochondrial function has not been studied to date. Therefore, we investigated whether equol production is associated with leukocyte mtDNA copy number in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study included 71 postmenopausal women. They completed a lifestyle questionnaire and medical history. In addition, a dietary assessment using a 24-hour recall method and food frequency questionnaire, anthropometric evaluation, and blood sampling were conducted. Serum equol concentration was measured in the fasting state. Leukocyte mtDNA copy number was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Among older females, 33.8% were equol producers. The leukocyte mtDNA copy number was lower in non-equol producers versus equol producers. Furthermore, the leukocyte mtDNA copy number was positively associated with the serum equol concentration (r=0.42, P<0.01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that equol production (beta=47.864, P<0.01) was an independent factor associated with mtDNA copy number. CONCLUSIONS: Equol production was associated with elevated mtDNA content in the peripheral blood of postmenopausal women. This finding suggests that the beneficial health effects of equol in postmenopausal women may be related to increased mitochondrial function.
Aging ; Bacteria ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Equol* ; Estrogens ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes* ; Life Style ; Mitochondria ; Postmenopause ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction