Relationship between obesity and physical fitness and periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and exercise are important elements associated with lifestyle-related diseases, and studies suggested that these factors may also be related to periodontitis. This study investigates the relationship between obesity and physical fitness and periodontitis. METHODS: One thousand, one hundred and sixty Japanese subjects, aged 20 to 77 years, who participated in health examinations at Fukuoka Health Promotion Center were analyzed. Periodontal conditions were evaluated using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and subjects with > or =3 sextants of CPI code 3 or 4 were defined as having severe periodontitis. We used the body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat as indicators of obesity and estimated the maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) during exercise as an indicator of physical fitness. We divided these variables into quintiles. We examined the single effect and interactions of the obesity index and VO(2max) on severe periodontitis. RESULTS: The lowest quintile in BMI and the highest quintile in VO(2max) were inversely associated with severe periodontitis, singly, in multivariate logistic regression analyses. Subjects with the combined lowest quintile in BMI and the highest quintile in VO(2max) had a significantly lower risk of severe periodontitis compared to subjects with other combined quintiles in BMI and in VO(2max) (odds ratio: 0.17; 95% confidence interval: 0.05 to 0.55). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that obesity and physical fitness may have some interactive effect on periodontal health status.

HMMC-1: a humanized monoclonal antibody with therapeutic potential against Müllerian duct-related carcinomas.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to generate a human monoclonal antibody specific to gynecological cancers and to evaluate such an antibody as therapy for gynecological cancers. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Transchromosomal KM mice were immunized with the human uterine endometrial cancer cell line SNG-S. Hybridomas were constructed between spleen cells from KM mice and mouse myeloma cells. Reactivity of the antibody was evaluated by immunohistochemistry of pathological specimens of gynecological cancers. Cytotoxicity of HMMC-1 against SNG-S cells was tested by in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The epitope of HMMC-1 was determined by transfection with a panel of glycosyltransferase cDNAs and by inhibition assays with chemically synthesized oligosaccharides. RESULTS: HMMC-1 is a human IgM monoclonal antibody that reacts positively with mullerian duct-related carcinomas with positive rates of 54.6% against uterine endometrial adenocarcinoma, 76.9% against uterine cervical adenocarcinoma, and 75.0% against epithelial ovarian cancer. HMMC-1 does not react with normal endometrium at proliferative or secretory phases, normal uterine cervix, or normal and malignant tissue from other organs, whereas it reacts weakly with the epithelium of the gall bladder and the collecting duct of the kidney. HMMC-1 exhibits antigen-dependent and complement-mediated cytotoxicity. Upon cotransfection with cDNAs encoding two glycosyltransferases required for fucosylated extended core 1 O-glycan, mammalian cells express HMMC-1 antigen. Finally, binding of HMMC-1 to SNG-S cells is inhibited by synthetic Fucalpha1-->2Galbeta1-->4GlcNAcbeta1-->3Galbeta1-->3GalNAcalpha1-octyl. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that HMMC-1 specifically recognizes a novel O-glycan structure. The unique specificity and cytotoxicity of HMMC-1 strongly suggest a therapeutic potential of this antibody.

[Factors related to functional capacity in community dwelling elderly people].

PURPOSE: To clarify the content of support for healthy aging, we analyzed age-related changes in functional capacity and factors affecting the maintenance based on a health status survey in elderly people, and also evaluated the results of a survey on functional capacity, living habits, and health in leaders in elderly people's clubs. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was carried out with (1) 1,000 randomly selected elderly subjects aged > or = 65 years and (2) 122 leaders in elderly people's clubs to evaluate functional capacity according to The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, feeling of happiness according to the morale scale established by Lawton, living habits, and health. Factors affecting functional capacity were identified by stepwise multiple longistic regression analysis. In addition, the elderly people's club leader group and an age- and sex-matched control group were compared. RESULTS: 1) Functional capacity decreased with age, this being more marked in the females than in the males. In particular, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living markedly decreased in the females at late ages. 2) Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis revealed the following positive and negative factors associated with the maintenance of a high functional capacity (functional capacity score > or = 12). The positive factors were: 1. hobbies, 2. living with the spouse, 3. habitual exercise, 4. positive acceptance of aging, 5. psychological stability, 6. diets with consideration of nutritional balance, 7. busy life, and 8. talking with friends and acquaintances once a week or more. The negative factors were: 1. belonging to a higher age groups, 2. living alone, and 3. smoking. 3) In the elderly people's club leader group, the age-related decline was gradual, and functional capacity was maintained at later ages. The group leaders typically 1. had hobbies, 2. went out almost everyday, 3. exercised almost every day, 4. talked with friends and relatives almost every day, 5. had active roles, 6. were busy, and 7. considered themselves to be healthy more frequently than the control group. The leader group also showed 8. a higher total morale scale score and 9. a higher score for positive acceptance of aging as a subscale than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that nutrition balance, habitual exercise, hobbies, social roles, frequent contacts with others, positive acceptance of aging, and psychological stability are important for maintaining functional capacity in the maintenance of functional capacity. Early preventive measures are necessary to combat decline in functional capacity, particularly regarding Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, in females at later ages.