NAMPT gene rs2058539 variant is a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a chronic liver disease and a growing global epidemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between a visfatin gene (NAMPT) variant and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, owing to the connection between this disease and insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and the role of visfatin in these metabolic disorders. METHODS: In the present case-control study, we enrolled 312 genetically unrelated individuals, including 154 patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and 158 controls. The rs2058539 polymorphism of NAMPT gene was genotyped using the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: Genotype and allele distributions of NAMPT gene rs2058539 polymorphism conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium both in the case and control groups (p>0.05). The distribution of NAMPT rs2058539 genotypes and alleles differed significantly between the cases with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and controls. The "CC" genotype of the NAMPT rs2058539 compared with "AA" genotype was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease after adjustment for confounding factors [p=0.034; odds ratio (OR)=2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.36-4.37]. Moreover, the NAMPT rs2058539 "C" allele was significantly overrepresented in the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients than controls (p=0.022; OR=1.77, 95%CI=1.14-2.31). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated for the first time that the NAMPT rs2058539 "CC" genotype is a marker of increased nonalcoholic fatty liver disease susceptibility; however, it needs to be supported by further investigations in other populations.

The Arg/Arg genotype of leptin receptor gene Gln223Arg polymorphism may be an independent risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Given that obesity and insulin resistance play key roles in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the connection between leptin and these metabolic diseases, the association between NAFLD and a leptin receptor gene (LEPR) polymorphism was examined. METHODS: In this genetic case-control association study, 144 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients and 144 controls were genotyped for the LEPR gene Gln223Arg (rs1137101) polymorphism using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. RESULTS: The distributions of genotypes and alleles of Gln223Arg variant were in accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the study groups (P > .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the LEPR Gln223Arg Arg/Arg genotype was an independent risk factor for NAFLD; the Arg/Arg genotype, compared with the Gln/Gln genotype, was associated with a 2.09-fold increased risk for NAFLD (P = .036, odds ratio = 2.09 [95% CI = 1.31-5.95]). CONCLUSIONS: We found that the LEPR Gln223Arg Arg/Arg genotype was independently associated with a more than 2-fold rise in biopsy-proven NAFLD risk. Our findings, however, need to be corroborated by further studies.

The Effect of Milling Metal Versus Milling Wax on Implant Framework Retention and Adaptation.

PURPOSE: The metal framework of implant-supported restorations can be made using different methods. For a successful outcome, the acceptability of each method depends on the retention and fit of the restoration. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the retention and adaptation of copings fabricated using two methods: casting wax patterns made by computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, and milling sintered chromium-cobalt (Cr-Co) blocks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four abutment analogs (height, 5.5 mm) were divided into two groups according to the framework fabrication method. In one group, wax patterns were prepared using a CAM milling machine, and they were cast with a Ni-Cr-Ti metal alloy. In the second group, the copings were milled from Cr-Co blocks using a CAD/CAM milling machine. All copings were equal in contour, thickness, and internal relief and were seated on the abutment analogs after the necessary adjustments. The vertical marginal discrepancy was investigated using a silicone replica method and stereomicroscope with 75× magnification. After copings were cemented onto the abutment analogs using zinc phosphate, a tensile resistance test was performed using a universal testing machine. Mann-Whitney U and Student's t-test were used for statistical analyses at a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: An independent sample t-test revealed a significant difference between the two groups for retention (p = 0.010), and the milled wax group showed higher tensile resistance compared with the milled metal group. There was also a significant difference between the two groups in marginal discrepancy (p < 0.001), with a larger marginal gap in the milled metal group compared with the milled wax group. The milled metal copings required more adjustments to fit on the abutment analogs compared with the wax milled copings (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The CAD/CAM technique for wax milling resulted in more retentive copings with better marginal and internal adaptations compared with milling the metal blocks.