Effects of Material Thickness and Pretreatment on the Interfacial Gap of Translucent Zirconia Restorations with Self-adhesive Resin Cement.

PURPOSE: The first objective was to determine if the dual-curing of self-adhesive resin cement (SAC) with reduced light penetrating through zirconia had an effect on interfacial gap of zirconia restorations. The second purpose was to examine whether pretreatment methods for universal adhesive affected interfacial gap. The last aim was to compare the microhardness of SAC polymerized under different zirconia thicknesses. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study evaluated self-adhesive resin cement (RelyX U200, 3M ESPE) after different pretreatment with universal adhesive (Single Bond Universal, 3M ESPE) under different polymerization conditions. CAD/CAM inlay cavities were prepared on extracted third molars. Translucent zirconia restorations were milled using Katana UTML (Kuraray). The teeth were divided into three groups: Groups I, II, and III in which the restoration thicknesses were 1, 2, and 3 mm. Each Group had three subgroups according to different pretreatment methods. For subgroup-1, no pretreatment was done on the prepared cavity. For subgroup-2, universal adhesive was applied and light-cured before cement placement (precure method). For subgroup-3, universal adhesive was applied; however, light-curing was done after cement placement (cocure method). After thermo-cycling, the interfacial gap at the restoration-tooth interface was investigated using swept-source optical coherence tomography imaging. Finally, microhardness was measured for SAC under different zirconia thicknesses. For statistical analysis, the interfacial gap was analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the effect of cavity depth and pretreatment. In terms of each cavity depth and pretreatment, the interfacial gap was compared using one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's test. One-way ANOVA was also performed for comparison of the Vickers hardness results. RESULTS: Different thicknesses of the restoration resulted in differences in interfacial gaps except between the precure method of Groups I and II (p<0.05). The effect of universal adhesive pretreatment was different depending on the restoration thickness with exceptions in Groups I and III (p<0.05). Vickers hardness number decreased as the low radiant exposure of light was applied (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Interfacial gap of zirconia restorations can differ depending on the material thickness, pretreatment, and activation mode. Reduced light intensity penetrating through zirconia may lead to higher interfacial gap percentage and lower microhardness of the self-adhesive resin cement. Application of a universal adhesive showed similar or reduced interfacial gaps in the cement space.

Interfacial Evaluation of CAD/CAM Resin Inlays on the Cavity Floor Using Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: When a resin nanoceramic inlay is cemented using self-adhesive cement, a universal dentin adhesive can be applied to the prepared cavity. The application of the adhesive before self-adhesive cement placement provides similar or better interfacial adaptation than without the adhesive. SUMMARY: Purpose: The first objective of this study was to determine whether the luting material used for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture resin nanoceramic inlays affected interfacial adaptation. The second objective was to investigate whether application of a universal dentin adhesive before cementation affected interfacial adaptation. The final objective was to compare the inlay-side and dentin-side interfaces in the cement space.Methods and Materials: Seventy-four class I cavities were prepared on extracted human third molars. Cavities were optically scanned, and resin nanoceramic inlays were milled using Lava Ultimate blocks (3M ESPE). For the control groups, the fabricated inlays were cemented using Panavia V5 (Kuraray Noritake) or FujiCem 2 (GC). For the experimental groups, the teeth were randomly divided into groups I and II. Group I contained four subgroups using different luting materials; in all subgroups, the inlays were cemented and dual cured without pretreatment. Group II contained six subgroups in which inlays were cemented and dual cured after application of a universal dentin adhesive. After thermocycling, interfacial adaptation was measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) imaging and statistically compared among groups.Results: Interfacial adaptation was different depending on the luting material used (p<0.05). After application of a universal adhesive, some subgroups showed improved interfacial adaptation (p<0.05). In the comparison of inlay-side and dentin-side interfaces, no difference was found in interfacial adaptation (p>0.05).Conclusions: Interfacial adaptation for resin nanoceramic inlays differed with luting material. For some self-adhesive cements, application of a universal adhesive before cementation improved interfacial adaptation.

Overexpression of miR-3196 suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis through targeting ERBB3 in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) have been identified to influence cell behaviors through epigenetic post-transcriptional gene regulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the role of miR-3196 in the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) were obtained and cultured. The expression level of miR-3196 in breast cancer tissues was detected using Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). The effects of miR-3196 on the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and TUNEL assay, respectively. In addition, the interaction between miR-3196 expression and erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (ERBB3) expression, as well as the mechanism of miR-3196 regulating ERBB3 in breast cancer, were also addressed by RT-PCR, Western blot, and luciferase reporter gene assay. RESULTS: MiR-3196 was lowly expressed in breast cancer tissues. Overexpression of miR-3196 could repress the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of breast cancer cells via targeting the 3'UTR of ERBB3. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel insights into the role of miR-3196 in breast cell proliferation and apoptosis. Meanwhile, this study suggests that miR-3196 can serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Incremental and Bulk-fill Techniques With Bulk-fill Resin Composite in Different Cavity Configurations.

PURPOSE:: To compare the microtensile bond strengths of incremental and bulk-fill techniques under different C-factor and compliance conditions. METHODS AND MATERIALS:: Extracted human third molars were divided into three experimental groups. For group I, Class I cavities were prepared. For group II, MOD cavities of the same size were prepared. For group III, the cavities were prepared the same way as group II only with high compliance cavity walls. The cavity wall compliance of the specimens was evaluated. Each of these groups was divided into four subgroups. The teeth were restored using two different materials: TB (Tetric N-Ceram Bulk Fill; Ivoclar Vivadent, Hanau, Germany) and VB (Venus Bulk Fill; Heraeus Kulzer, Armonk, NY, USA), and two methods, either an incremental or bulk-fill technique. Then, the microtensile bond strengths (µ-TBSs) were measured and compared. The polymerization stresses of the composites were calculated using a custom-made device. The results were statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Weibull analysis. RESULTS:: In group I, the µ-TBS obtained using the incremental technique was significantly higher than that obtained by the bulk-fill technique ( p<0.05). In contrast, no difference of the µ-TBS value was observed between the two techniques in groups II and III. The µ-TBS value of group I was significantly lower than those of groups II and III ( p<0.05). No statistical difference in the µ-TBS was observed when the cavities were filled with either TB or VB ( p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:: The incremental technique showed higher bond strength than did the bulk-fill technique in high C-factor cavities. However, no difference was found between the two techniques in the low C-factor cavities. The bond strength in the high C-factor cavities was significantly lower than that of the low C-factor cavities.

An expert consensus for the management of chronic hepatitis B in Asian Americans.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common with major clinical consequences. In Asian Americans, the HBsAg carrier rate ranges from 2% to 16% which approximates the rates from their countries of origin. Similarly, HBV is the most important cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver related deaths in HBsAg positive Asians worldwide. AIM: To generate recommendations for the management of Asian Americans infected with HBV. METHODS: These guidelines are based on relevant data derived from medical reports on HBV from Asian countries as well as from studies in the HBsAg positive Asian Americans. The guidelines herein differ from other recommendations in the treatment of both HBeAg positive and negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB), in the approach to HCC surveillance, and in the management of HBV in pregnant women. RESULTS: Asian American patients, HBeAg positive or negative, with HBV DNA levels >2000 IU/mL (>104 copies/mL) and ALT values above normal are candidates for anti-viral therapy. HBeAg negative patients with HBV DNA >2000 IU/mL and normal ALT levels but who have either serum albumin <3.5 g/dL or platelet count <130 000 mm3 , basal core promoter (BCP) mutations, or who have first-degree relatives with HCC should be offered treatment. Patients with cirrhosis and detectable HBV DNA must receive life-long anti-viral therapy. Indications for treatment include pregnant women with high viraemia, coinfected patients, and those requiring immunosuppressive therapy. In HBsAg positive patients with risk factors, life-long surveillance for HCC with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing and abdominal ultrasound examination at 6-month intervals is required. In CHB patients receiving HCC treatments, repeat imaging with contrast CT scan or MRI at 3-month intervals is strongly recommended. These guidelines have been assigned to a Class (reflecting benefit vs. risk) and a Level (assessing strength or certainty) of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Application of the recommendations made based on a review of the relevant literature and the opinion of a panel of Asian American physicians with expertise in HBV treatment will inform physicians and improve patient outcomes.

Schisandrin C enhances odontoblastic differentiation through autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis in human dental pulp cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Schisandrin C in odontoblastic differentiation, and its relations between autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis in human dental pulp cells (HPDCs). DESIGN: Fresh third molars were used, and cultured for HDPCs. Western blotting technique, Alizarin red S staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and confocal microscopy were used to detect autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and odontoblastic differentiation. To understand the mechanism of Schisandrin C, the HDPCs were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), autophagy and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors: 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and Zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP), respectively. RESULTS: LPS decreased the expression of autophagy molecules [autophagy protein 5 (ATG-5), beclin-1, and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3 (LC3-I/II)] and mitochondrial biogenesis molecules [heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α)], and disrupted odontoblastic differentiation. The down-regulation of autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis with 3-MA and ZnPP inhibited odontoblastic differentiation. However, Schisandrin C restored the expression of all the above molecules, even with LPS and inhibitor treatment. This result demonstrates that autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis plays an essential role in odontoblastic differentiation, and Schisandrin C activates these systems to promote odontoblastic differentiation of HDPCs. CONCLUSION: Schisandrin C has potential characters to regulate odontoblastic differentiation, and may be recommended for use as a compound for pulp homeostasis.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Schisandrin C promote mitochondrial biogenesis in human dental pulp cells.

AIM: To examine the properties of Schisandrin C as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound, and whether its characteristics promote mitochondrial biogenesis in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). METHODOLOGY: HDPCs were extracted from fresh third molars and cultured for experiments. Reactive oxidative stress (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) formation were analysed by a Muse cell analyser. Western blotting and gelatin zymography were used to identify the presence of antioxidants, as well as anti-inflammatory and mitochondrial biogenesis with specific antibody. An unpaired Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Schisandrin C inhibited lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory molecules; interleukin 1 beta, tumour necrosis factor alpha, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9, NO production, ROS formation, nuclear factor kappa B translocation (P < 0.05) through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Schisandrin C increased the expression of superoxide dismutase enzymes as well as haem oxygenase-1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha through the phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-Akt) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 pathways (P < 0.05). The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Schisandrin C promoted mitochondrial biogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Schisandrin C has the potential to reduce inflammation and oxidation and to promote mitochondrial biogenesis. Therefore, Schisandrin C may be considered for use as an anti-inflammatory compound for oral inflammation through mitochondrial biogenesis.

Randomized clinical trial of immersive virtual reality tour of the operating theatre in children before anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: A virtual reality (VR) tour of the operating theatre before anaesthesia could provide a realistic experience for children. This study was designed to determine whether a preoperative VR tour could reduce preoperative anxiety in children. METHODS: Children scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were randomized into a control or VR group. The control group received conventional information regarding anaesthesia and surgery. The VR group watched a 4-min video showing Pororo, the famous little penguin, visiting the operating theatre and explaining what is in it. The main outcome was preoperative anxiety, assessed using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) before entering the operating theatre. Secondary outcomes included induction compliance checklist (ICC) and procedural behaviour rating scale (PBRS) scores during anaesthesia. RESULTS: A total of 69 children were included in the analysis, 35 in the control group and 34 in the VR group. Demographic data and induction time were similar in the two groups. Children in the VR group had a significantly lower m-YPAS score than those in the control group (median 31·7 (i.q.r. 23·3-37·9) and 51·7 (28·3-63·3) respectively; P < 0·001). During anaesthesia, the VR group had lower ICC and PBRS scores than the control group. CONCLUSION: This preoperative VR tour of the operating theatre was effective in alleviating preoperative anxiety and increasing compliance during induction of anaesthesia in children undergoing elective surgery. Registration number: UMIN000025232 (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr).

Rapid Communication: High-resolution quantitative trait loci analysis identifies LTBP2 encoding latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 2 associated with thoracic vertebrae number in a large F2 intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs.

Number of vertebrae is associated with body size and meat productivity in pigs. The aim of this study was to identify QTL and associated positional candidate genes affecting the number of thoracic vertebrae (THO). A genomewide association study was conducted in a large resource population derived from an F intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs using the Porcine SNP 60K BeadChip and the genomewide complex trait analysis (GCTA) program based on a linear mixed-effects model. A total of 38,385 SNP markers from 1,105 F progeny were analyzed for the THO trait after filtering for quality control. A total of 90 genomewide significant SNP markers ( < 1.30 × 10) on SSC 7 covering a 20-Mb region were identified for THO in this study. Several previous studies also mapped QTL for vertebral numbers in this region. The strongest association signals were detected at ASGA0035500 (-value = 4.46 × 10; 103,574,383 bp) and DIAS0000795 (-value = 4.46 × 10; 103,594,753 bp). The QTL region on SSC 7 for THO encompasses and , which are previously described candidate genes for vertebral number variation. To refine the QTL region, a haplotype-based linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LALD) analysis using the DualPHASE program was applied because subsequent conditional association and haplotype block analyses could not resolve the region that contains the 2 loci. The LALD analysis refined the critical region to a 533.9-kb region including ; was located outside the critical region. The gene encoding latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 2 is involved in bone metabolisms. Based on these data, we propose as a positional candidate gene for THO in pigs. After further functional studies and verification of the association in other independent populations, these results could be useful for optimizing breeding programs that improve THO and other economically important traits in pigs.

Anatomical changes in the East Asian midface skeleton with aging.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the aging process of the midface skeleton is considered crucial for correct facial rejuvenation. However, the canine fossa, an important morphological feature of the midface skeleton, has not yet been observed in connection with aging, despite the fact that it is the most main part of the maxillary bone. Here, the authors focus on the depression of the canine fossa to evaluate the Asian midface skeleton. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) scans of the facial skeleton of 114 Koreans (59 males and 55 females) were reconstructed to three-dimensional (3D) images using a 3D analysis software programme. The study subjects included 27 young males, 32 old males, 28 young females and 27 old females. The angular measurements of three bony regions were measured for each 3D model: the canine fossa angle (assessing depth of the canine fossa), the maxillary angle (assessing orientation of the lateral maxilla) and the piriform angle (assessing orientation of the medial maxilla). RESULTS: The canine fossa angle showed a statistically significant decrease with aging in both sexes, indicating the canine fossa actually becomes more concave with age. In contrast, the maxillary and piriform angle showed statistically insignificant changes with aging in female subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the canine fossa may be one of the effective markers to evaluate the anatomical changes to the facial skeleton with midface aging. (.

Identification of a novel HLA-B*40 allele, HLA-B*40:332, in a Korean individual.

HLA-B*40:332 differs from B*40:01:02 by 1 nucleotide difference at nucleotide position 439.

Donepezil 23 mg in Asian patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Ethnic diversity between different populations may affect treatment safety and efficacy. AIMS AND METHODS: A subanalysis to a global trial (study 326) was carried out to ascertain the safety and efficacy of donepezil 23 mg/day compared with donepezil 10 mg/day in Asian patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. Changes in cognition and global functioning were measured by the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) and Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change Plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC-Plus), respectively, at week 24. RESULTS: Cognitive improvement measured by SIB score was greater with donepezil 23 mg than with donepezil 10 mg (+1.36 vs -1.56]; difference, 2.92). There was no difference between the groups in global function measured by the CIBIC-Plus (3.94 and 3.95, respectively). Overall, 119 patients (82.1%) receiving donepezil 23 mg and 56 (71.8%) receiving donepezil 10 mg experienced ≥1 treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs). In the donepezil 23 mg group, the incidence of TEAEs was higher among patients of lower weight (<55 kg) at baseline than in those of higher weight (64 of 75 patients [85.3%] vs 55 of 70 patients [78.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: The benefits and risks associated with donepezil 23 mg in Asian patients are comparable to those of the global study population.

Prevalence and risk factors of tooth discolouration after orthognathic surgery: a retrospective study of 1455 patients.

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of tooth discolouration and to examine the factors that may pose a higher risk for tooth discolouration after orthognathic surgery. This was a retrospective study of 1455 orthognathic surgeries. The following data were collected for analysis: presence of discoloured teeth, sex, age at operation, the extent of the surgical displacement of the maxilla, and whether patients had undergone genioplasty, zygomaplasty, or descending palatine artery (DPA) ligation. Out of 1339 patients who underwent double-jaw surgery, 49 received root canal treatment due to tooth discolouration. No tooth discolouration was found in the 116 patients undergoing single-jaw surgery. DPA ligation, genioplasty, and mandibular sub-apical osteotomy were associated with a significant risk of tooth discolouration. Patients should be informed preoperatively of the possibility of tooth discolouration. Additionally, the DPA should be preserved during Le Fort I osteotomy to reduce the risk of tooth discolouration.

The structural connectivity of the recurrent transient global amnesia.

BACKGROUND: One of recent interesting hypotheses of transient global amnesia (TGA) pathophysiology is the preexisting vulnerability of the memory network in patients with TGA. AIM OF THE STUDY: To verify the hypothesis that patients with recurrent amnestic attacks may have more disrupted structural connectivity than patients of a single TGA event, we compared the brain imaging of patients with repeated episodes of TGA with those who experienced a single attack. METHODS: Seven patients who were having recurrent TGA and 14 age- and sex-matched control subjects who had only a single episode of TGA participated in the study. Diffusion tensor images from both groups were assessed and analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics. RESULTS: The fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values were not reduced in any lesion within the memory pathway of recurrent patient group when compared with those of single event group. CONCLUSION: No disruptions in the structural connectivity of the memory pathway were observed in patients with recurrent TGA attacks, refuting the hypothesis that recurrent TGA patients present predisposing weakness of the memory network. The stability of structural connectivity suggests that repeated hippocampal lesions associated with TGA do not affect the microstructure of the brain.

Identification of a novel HLA-A*29 allele, HLA-A*29:01:09, by sequence-based typing in a Korean individual.

HLA-A*29:01:09 differs from A*29:01:01:01 by one nucleotide difference at nucleotide position 414.

The potential role of melatonin on sleep deprivation-induced cognitive impairments: implication of FMRP on cognitive function.

While prolonged sleep deprivation (SD) could lead to profound negative health consequences, such as impairments in vital biological functions of immunity and cognition, melatonin possesses powerful ameliorating effects against those harmful insults. Melatonin has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that help to restore body's immune and cognitive functions. In this study, we investigated the possible role of melatonin in reversing cognitive dysfunction induced by SD in rats. Our experimental results revealed that sleep-deprived animals exhibited spatial memory impairment in the Morris water maze tasks compared with the control groups. Furthermore, there was an increased glial activation most prominent in the hippocampal region of the SD group compared to the normal control (NC) group. Additionally, markers of oxidative stress such as 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-deoxyguanine (8-oxo-dG) were significantly increased, while fragile X-mental retardation protein (FMRP) expression was decreased in the SD group. Interestingly, melatonin treatment normalized these events to control levels following SD. Our data demonstrate that SD induces oxidative stress through glial activation and decreases FMRP expression in the neurons. Furthermore, our results suggest the efficacy of melatonin for the treatment of sleep-related neuronal dysfunction, which occurs in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and autism.

Tenofovir-based alternate therapies for chronic hepatitis B patients with partial virological response to entecavir.

Entecavir (ETV) is a first-line antiviral therapy for treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB); however, some patients have suboptimal response to ETV. Currently, there are limited data on how to approach these patients. Therefore, our aim was to compare the effectiveness of two alternate therapies--tenofovir (TDF) monotherapy and combination therapy of ETV+TDF--in CHB patients with ETV partial virological response. We conducted a retrospective study of 68 patients who had partial virological response to ETV, defined as having detectable HBV DNA following at least 12 months of ETV, and were switched to TDF monotherapy (n = 25) or ETV+TDF (n = 43). Patients were seen in seven US liver/community-based clinics and started on ETV between 2005 and 2009. The majority of patients were male; the vast majority were Asian and had positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). Patients in both groups had similar pretreatment characteristics. Complete viral suppression (CVS) rates with TDF monotherapy and ETV+TDF were similar after 6 months (71% vs 83%, P = 0.23) and 12 months (86% vs 84%, P = 0.85), and there was no statistically significant difference in CVS rates even when only patients with higher HBV DNA levels at switch (>1000 IU/mL) were evaluated. Multivariate analysis indicated that ETV+TDF was not an independent predictor of CVS compared to TDF monotherapy (OR = 1.19, P = 0.63). In conclusion, TDF monotherapy and ETV+TDF are comparable in achieving CVS in CHB patients with partial virological response to ETV. Long-term alternate therapy with one pill (TDF monotherapy) vs two pills (ETV+TDF) could lead to lower nonadherence rates and better treatment outcomes.

Identification of a novel HLA-A*02 allele, A*02:428, by sequence-based typing.

HLA-A*02:428 differs from A*02:06:01 by a non-synonymous mutation at codon 260 (CAT to GAT) in exon 4.

Sex determination from partial segments and maximum femur lengths in Koreans using computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to establish standards for determining sex from fragmentary and complete femurs in a Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The statistical analysis of 12 variables (6 about breadth and 6 about length) based on 100 Korean femurs (from 50 males and 50 females) showed that all variables have significant sex differences. RESULTS: The most accurate discriminant variable was the condylar breadth parallel with epicondylar breadth (87.6% accuracy). In contrast, the transverse shaft diameter was not a discriminant variable for sex determination (67.0% accuracy). Breadth-related variables were generally more accurate than length-related variables. Three variables (vertical diameter of the neck [VDN], medial epicondylarlength [MCL], and condylar breadth [CB]) were selected from stepwise analysis fordiscriminating sex (93.5% accuracy). The discriminating equation was as follows: 0.171 × VDN + 0.172 × MCL + 0.128 × CB2 - 21.471. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are helpful for determining sex, even if a femur is found in a fragmented condition in the field.

Crucial role of calbindin-D28k in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

Calbindin-D28k (CB), one of the major calcium-binding and buffering proteins, has a critical role in preventing a neuronal death as well as maintaining calcium homeostasis. Although marked reductions of CB expression have been observed in the brains of mice and humans with Alzheimer disease (AD), it is unknown whether these changes contribute to AD-related dysfunction. To determine the pathogenic importance of CB depletions in AD models, we crossed 5 familial AD mutations (5XFAD; Tg) mice with CB knock-out (CBKO) mice and generated a novel line CBKO·5XFAD (CBKOTg) mice. We first identified the change of signaling pathways and differentially expressed proteins globally by removing CB in Tg mice using mass spectrometry and antibody microarray. Immunohistochemistry showed that CBKOTg mice had significant neuronal loss in the subiculum area without changing the magnitude (number) of amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) plaques deposition and elicited significant apoptotic features and mitochondrial dysfunction compared with Tg mice. Moreover, CBKOTg mice reduced levels of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) 1/2 and cAMP response element-binding protein at Ser-133 and synaptic molecules such as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDA receptor 1), NMDA receptor 2A, PSD-95 and synaptophysin in the subiculum compared with Tg mice. Importantly, this is the first experimental evidence that removal of CB from amyloid precursor protein/presenilin transgenic mice aggravates AD pathogenesis, suggesting that CB has a critical role in AD pathogenesis.