Association of Elevated Serum Branched-chain Amino Acid Levels With Longitudinal Skeletal Muscle Loss.

Context: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are substrates for protein synthesis. Although their intake may contribute to an increase in skeletal muscle mass, elevated serum BCAA levels have been reported to be associated with insulin resistance, potentially resulting in decreased skeletal muscle mass. Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between elevated serum BCAA levels and longitudinal skeletal muscle loss. Design and Setting: A cohort analysis was conducted, in which serum amino acids were analyzed in healthy individuals who underwent a medical health checkup at Kameoka Municipal Hospital (HOZUGAWA study), Japan. Patients: Seventy-one participants (37 men and 34 women) underwent follow-up checkups after the baseline visit. The follow-up duration was 1.2 ± .4 years. Main Outcome Measures: The relationship between fasting baseline serum BCAA levels and lifestyle factors, body composition, blood test results, dietary history, and changes in skeletal muscle mass was evaluated. Results: In both men and women, serum BCAA levels were positively correlated with body weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and serum triglycerides but inversely correlated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In men, fasting serum BCAA levels were inversely associated with the rate of change in SMI (adjusted ß = -.529, P = .006), and elevated BCAA levels were independently associated with a longitudinal decrease in skeletal muscle mass (odds ratio: 1.740; 95% confidence interval: 1.023-2.960 per 50 nmol/mL serum BCAAs increase). Conclusion: Increased circulating BCAAs could be an indicator of skeletal muscle loss in men.

The Impact of Nutritional Markers and Dietary Habits on the Bioimpedance Phase Angle in Older Individuals.

Low phase angle (PhA), as determined via bioelectrical impedance analysis, reflects unhealthy aging and mortality. In this study, we assessed whether nutritional status, including serum nutritional markers and dietary habits, is related to PhA in older individuals. We recruited 212 participants (aged ≥ 65 years) who underwent medical health checkups. PhA was measured using a multi-frequency impedance body composition analyzer. Habitual food and nutrient intake was evaluated using a brief, self-administered diet history questionnaire. Low PhA values were defined as ≤4.95 in males and ≤4.35 in females. Males with low PhA had poor exercise habits (p = 0.0429) and a lower body mass index (p = 0.0024). PhA was significantly correlated with serum cholinesterase levels, a nutritional status marker (r = 0.3313, p = 0.0004 in males; r = 0.3221, p = 0.0070 in females). The low-PhA group had significantly lower total energy and carbohydrate intake per ideal body weight (IBW) than the high-PhA group in males (total energy intake:30.2 ± 9.8 and 34.5 ± 9.3 kcal/kg/day, p = 0.0307; carbohydrate intake:15.2 ± 4.9 and 18.0 ± 5.8 kcal/kg/day, p = 0.0157). Total energy intake per IBW (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.94 [0.89-1.00] per 1 kcal/kg/day increase) was independently associated with a low PhA in males. Our study revealed that lower total energy intake independently impacted low PhA in older males.

In vitro evaluation of basal shapes and offset values of artificial teeth for CAD/CAM complete dentures.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Artificial teeth are bonded onto the recesses of a milled denture base in a complete denture prepared using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). Little is known, however, about the effects of basal shapes and offset values on the accuracy of positions of the bonded artificial teeth.

Effects of offset values for artificial teeth positions in CAD/CAM complete denture.

Recently, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology has been applied to the field of removable complete denture prosthodontics. We developed a system for fabricating complete dentures applying CAD/CAM technology. In this system, artificial teeth were bonded to the recesses of a milled denture base. However, the offset values needed for the recesses are not known. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of bonded artificial teeth positions in 0.00 (control), 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25mm offset recess groups. Four types of artificial teeth, upper left central incisor (UL1), upper left canine (UL3), upper left first premolar (UL4), and upper left first molar (UL6), were used. Each type of artificial tooth was arranged at regular intervals on the denture base model with the CAD software. These data were defined as the master data. The artificial teeth parts were subtracted from the denture base model by Boolean logic operations in order to make recesses, and the recesses were then offset in five values. Based on these denture base data, prepolymerized resin blocks were milled (n=3). After bonding artificial teeth on the milled denture base model, a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was performed to obtain scanned data. Deviations between the master data and the scanned data were calculated. Based on the results, the optimal offset values were found to be 0.15-0.25mm for UL1, 0.15 and 0.25mm for UL3, 0.25mm for UL4, and 0.10-0.25mm for UL6.