Evaluation of newly developed devices for denture placement and removal in the dependent elderly

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00547.x Evaluation of newly developed devices for denture placement and removal in the dependent elderly Objective: The purpose of this study was to subjectively evaluate the utility of newly developed denture placement and removal devices. Objective observations were also made to support the evidence. Materials and method: Twenty‐one subjects were instructed to place and remove their dentures with and without the devices. We evaluated the device based on a questionnaire. Objective observations were based on a 2‐D image analysis. We analysed three factors: the time, the area and the circumference required to insert and remove the dentures. Results: Image analysis showed that the effectiveness and ease with which the subject used the device significantly improved with practice. The questionnaire data showed that a majority of the subjects appreciated the device after the first and second time. While there was no significant decrease in time required to place and remove dentures even with the device, the area and circumference of the movement on 2‐D images were significantly reduced. Conclusion: In this study, the utility of denture placement and removal devices was evaluated both subjectively and objectively. Our data reveal that the device is effective in the elderly. Further minor improvement in the device might be required to increase its effectiveness.     

Discovery of cyclic amine-substituted benzoic acids as PPARα agonists

A series of novel cyclic amine-substituted benzoic acid derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their PPARα agonist activity. Strucure-activity relationship studies led to the identification of (S)-3-[3-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methylthyazole-5-carboxamido]piperidin-1-yl]benzoic acid (S)-4f (KRP-105) as a potent and high subtype-selective human PPARα agonist. (S)-4f showed excellent PK profile and oral administration of (S)-4f to high-fat diet dogs effectively lowered triglycerides.     

An Efficient reproductive method for Irs2-/- mice with C57BL/6JJcl genetic background

Efficient reproduction using natural mating and reproduction technology [in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET)] was investigated in IRS2 deficient mice with C57BL/6JJcl genetic background (Irs2(-/-) mice) as a typical type 2 diabetes model. From the results using various combinations of Irs2(-/-) and Irs2(-/+) mice, the combination of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-) was found to be more efficient than other combinations. In applications of reproduction technology using IVF and ET, the combination of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-) involves the possibility of Irs2(-/-) production by repeats using female Irs2(-/+) mice. However, reproductive continuity using this combination is difficult because of dependence on human technique and the cost of ET. Therefore, we concluded that Irs2(-/-) mice should be produced by embryo transfer using Irs2(-/-) mice from a colony consisting of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-).     

Expression and methylation status of 14-3-3 sigma gene can characterize the different histological features of ovarian cancer

We hypothesize that 14-3-3 sigma gene expression and its regulation by methylation can characterize histological types of primary human epithelial ovarian cancer. To test this hypothesis, ovarian cancer cell lines and 54 ovarian cancer tissue samples were analyzed for expression and methylation of 14-3-3 sigma gene using methylation specific PCR. The results of our experiments demonstrate that 14-3-3 sigma gene was methylated and inactivated in ES-2 ovarian cell line, which was derived from clear cell adenocarcinoma. Treatment of this cell line with demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine restored the expression of 14-3-3 sigma gene. In human ovarian cancer tissues, the expression of 14-3-3 sigma protein was inactivated in most of the ovarian clear cell carcinoma tissues. Interestingly, 14-3-3 sigma protein expression was positive in significantly higher percentages of serous (89.5%), endometrioid (90%), and mucinous (81.8%) ovarian adenocarcinoma tissues. The ovarian clear cell carcinoma samples with inactivated 14-3-3 sigma protein were highly methylated, suggesting that inactivation of 14-3-3 sigma gene is through DNA methylation. Using direct DNA sequencing, 14-3-3 sigma gene methylation on all the 17 CpG sites was significantly higher in ovarian clear cell carcinoma as compared to other histological types of ovarian cancer (serous, endometrioid, and mucinous). This is the first report suggesting that 14-3-3 sigma gene expression and methylation status can characterize histological features of different types of ovarian cancer.     

Comparison of real-time and nested PCR assays for detection of herpes simplex virus DNA

We performed a real-time PCR assay to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA, and compared it prospectively with a nested PCR assay in 164 clinical samples (109 cerebrospinal fluid and 55 sera) from patients suspected of having neonatal HSV infection or HSV encephalitis. In 25 of 164 samples, HSV DNA was detected by the nested PCR assay. All samples positive for HSV DNA in the nested PCR assay were also positive in the real-time PCR assay, and all but two samples negative for HSV DNA in the nested assay were negative in the real-time assay. The real-time PCR assay thus had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99%, when compared with the nested assay. Sequential assays in a case of disseminated HSV showed that a decrease in HSV DNA paralleled clinical improvement. Quantification of HSV DNA by real-time PCR was useful for diagnosing and monitoring patients with HSV encephalitis and neonatal HSV infection.     

Electrochemical behavior of S,S-bridged adducts of square planar metalladithiolene complexes [M(S2C2Ph2)2](M=Ni, Pd, and Pt)

The electrochemical behavior of the S,S^′-bridged adducts of square planar metalladithiolene complexes was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical spectroscopies (visible, near-IR, and ESR). The norbornene-bridged S,S^′-adduct [Ni(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂(C₇H₈)] (2a; C₇H₈=norbornene) formed by [Ni(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂] (1a) and quadricyclane (Q) was dissociated by an electrochemical reduction, and anion 1a⁻ and norbornadiene (NBD) were formed. Q was isomerized to NBD in the overall reaction. The o-xylyl-bridged S,S^′-adduct [Ni(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂(CH₂)₂(C₆H₄)] (3a; (CH₂)₂(C₆H₄)=o-xylyl) was also dissociated by an electrochemical reduction, and this reaction gave the o-xylyl radical (o-quinodimethane). The reduction of complex 3a in the presence of excess o-xylylene dibromide underwent the catalytic formation of o-quinodimethane. The butylene-bridged S,S^′-adduct [Ni(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂(CH₂)₄] (4a; (CH₂)₄=butylene) was stable on an electrochemical reduction. The lifetimes of reduced species of these adducts 2a-4a were influenced by the stability of the eliminated group (stability: NBD > o-xylyl radical (o-quinodimethane) > butylene radical). Therefore, the reduced species are stable in the sequence 4a⁻ > 3a⁻ > 2a⁻. Although the palladium complex [Pd(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂] (1b) was easier to reduce than the nickel complex 1a or the platinum complex [Pt(S₂C₂Ph₂)₂] (1c), their S,S^′-adducts were easier to reduce in the order of Ni adduct > Pd adduct > Pt adduct.     

Synechococcus sp. PCC7942 Transformed with Escherichia coli bet Genes Produces Glycine Betaine from Choline and Acquires Resistance to Salt Stress

Synechococcus sp. PCC7942, a fresh water cyanobacterium, was transformed by a shuttle plasmid that contains a 9-kb fragment encoding the Escherichia coli bet gene cluster, i.e. betA (choline dehydrogenase), betB (betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase), betI (a putative regulatory protein), and betT (the choline transport system). The expression of these genes was demonstrated in the cyanobacterial cells (bet-containing cells) by northern blot analysis, as well as by the detection of glycine betaine by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance in cells supplemented with choline. Endogenous choline was not detected in either control or bet-containing cells. Both control and bet-containing cyanobacterial cells were found to import choline in an energy-dependent process, although this import was restricted only to bet-containing cells in conditions of salt stress. Glycine betaine was found to accumulate to a concentration of 45 mM in bet-containing cyanobacterial cells, and this resulted in a stabilization of the photosynthetic activities of photosystems I and II, higher phycobilisome contents, and general protective effects against salt stress when compared to control cells. The growth of bet-containing cells was much faster in the presence of 0.375 M NaCl than that of control cells, indicating that the transformant acquired resistance to salt stress.     

Incomplete dialysis of protein samples containing 3-[(3-chlolamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate may lead to erroneous estimation of histidine content on amino acid analysis

The zwitterionic detergents Chaps, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, and its 2-hydroxyl derivative Chapso have been widely used in the biomembrane field as well as other fields for their nondenaturing character. Due to their structure containing an amide bond in the molecules center they are prone to hydrolysis with 6 N HCl into cholic acid and 3-aminopropyldimethylammonio-1-propanesulfonate (APS) and its 2-hydroxyl derivative (APSO), respectively. On amino acid analyses with the ninhydrin detection system, His, APS, and APSO were eluted at 24.42, 24.55, and 24.85 min, respectively, and APS was identified as His due to their close retention times. Moreover, the mixture of His and APS coeluted as a single peak at 24.51 min leading to an erroneous His content for Chaps-contaminated protein samples. For full separation of APS, APSO, and His the elution program was improved by an additional 5-min elution with Buffer 7, i.e., 1:1 mixture of Buffers 3 and 4, before elution with Buffer 4, enabling complete separation of the 18 amino acids, APS, and APSO in a single run.