Diet therapy is an effective method for treating obesity. However, its effectiveness varies from person to person. With that in mind and working towards the implementation of personalized nutrition education, we investigated the relationship between aspects of oriental medicine and genes related to obesity. We analyzed three genes associated with obesity (ADRB 3, UCP 1, and ADRB 2) and classified them as either wild type or mutant. The presence or absence of gene polymorphisms in the obesity-related genes was analyzed by using PCR-CTPP. We conducted a survey using questions that would be comprehensible to people unfamiliar with oriental medicine in order to assess their body constitution, by diagnosing two elements of body constitution according to oriental medical theory (stomach heat [wei re] and spleen vacuity [pi xu]). The study was conducted in 81 women and 28 men (mean age, 42.6 years ; mean BMI, 22.3 kg/m²). Among them, 7 participants were underweight, 83 were of normal weight, and 19 were overweight. The results of the analysis revealed that BMI was highest in those with stomach heat and lowest in subjects with spleen vacuity. Wild type ADRB 3 increased susceptibility to stomach heat, which led to higher body weight ; whereas, the presence of mutated ADRB 3 increased the likelihood of spleen vacuity, which led to lower body weight. These results suggest that by making comprehensive assessments of body characteristics, it is possible to identify individuals with a predisposition to obesity or low body weight.

OBJECTIVES: Self-adhesive resin cements contain functional monomers that enable them to adhere to the tooth structure without a separate adhesive or etchant. One of the most stable functional monomers used for chemical bonding to calcium in hydroxyapatite is 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the10-MDP concentration on the bond strength and physical properties of self-adhesive resin cements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used experimental resin cements containing 3 different concentrations of 10-MDP: 3.3 wt% (RC1), 6.6 wt% (RC2), or 9.9 wt% (RC3). The micro-tensile bond strength of each resin cement to dentin and a hybrid resin block (Estenia C&B, Kuraray Noritake Dental) was measured, and the fractured surface morphology was analyzed. Further, the flexural strength of the resin cements was measured using the three-point bending test. The water sorption and solubility of the cements following 30 days of immersion in water were measured. RESULTS: The bond strength of RC2 was significantly higher than that of RC1. There was no significant difference between the bond strength of RC2 and that of RC3. The water sorption of RC3 was higher than that of any other cement. There were no significant differences in the three-point bending strength or water solubility among all three types of cements. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, it is suggested that 6.6 wt% 10-MDP showed superior properties than 3.3 wt% or 9.9 wt% 10-MDP in self-adhesive resin cement.
Adhesives ; Calcium ; Dentin ; Durapatite ; Immersion ; Resin Cements ; Solubility ; Tooth ; Water

BACKGROUND: Body mass-independent parameters might be more appropriate for assessing cardiometabolic abnormalities than weight-dependent indices in Asians who have relatively high visceral adiposity but low body fat. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio is one such body mass-independent index. However, there are no reports on relationships between DXA-measured regional fat ratio and cardiometabolic risk factors targeting elderly Asian men. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data of 597 elderly men who participated in the baseline survey of the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study, a community-based single-center prospective cohort study conducted in Japan. Whole-body fat and regional fat were measured with a DXA scanner. Trunk-to-appendicular fat ratio (TAR) was calculated as trunk fat divided by appendicular fat (sum of arm and leg fat), and trunk-to-leg fat ratio (TLR) as trunk fat divided by leg fat. RESULTS: Both TAR and TLR in the group of men who used ≥ 1 medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes ("user group"; N = 347) were significantly larger than those who did not use such medication ("non-user group"; N = 250) (P < 0.05). After adjusting for potential confounding factors including whole-body fat, both TAR and TLR were significantly associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting serum insulin, and the insulin resistance index in the non-user group and non-overweight men in the non-user group (N = 199). CONCLUSION The trunk-to-peripheral fat ratio was associated with cardiometabolic risk factors independently of whole-body fat mass. Parameters of the fat ratio may be useful for assessing cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly in underweight to normal-weight populations.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adiposity/physiology* ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat/diagnostic imaging* ; Japan ; Male ; Osteoporosis/etiology* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Thorax/diagnostic imaging*

BACKGROUND: The Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study was launched to investigate risk factors for osteoporotic fractures, interactions of osteoporosis with other non-communicable chronic diseases, and effects of fracture on QOL and mortality. METHODS: FORMEN baseline study participants (in 2007 and 2008) included 2012 community-dwelling men (aged 65-93 years) in Nara prefecture, Japan. Clinical follow-up surveys were conducted 5 and 10 years after the baseline survey, and 1539 and 906 men completed them, respectively. Supplemental mail, telephone, and visit surveys were conducted with non-participants to obtain outcome information. Survival and fracture outcomes were determined for 2006 men, with 566 deaths identified and 1233 men remaining in the cohort at 10-year follow-up. COMMENTS The baseline survey covered a wide range of bone health-related indices including bone mineral density, trabecular microarchitecture assessment, vertebral imaging for detecting vertebral fractures, and biochemical markers of bone turnover, as well as comprehensive geriatric assessment items. Follow-up surveys were conducted to obtain outcomes including osteoporotic fracture, cardiovascular diseases, initiation of long-term care, and mortality. A complete list of publications relating to the FORMEN study can be found at https://www.med.kindai.ac.jp/pubheal/FORMEN/Publications.html .
Aged ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Geriatric Assessment ; Humans ; Independent Living ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Long-Term Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis/etiology* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/etiology* ; Risk Factors