Anti-Obesity Effects of a Mixture of Fermented Ginseng, Bifidobacterium longum BORI, and Lactobacillus paracasei CH88 in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice.

Ginseng and probiotics have anti-obesity effects in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Absorption of ginsenoside and colonization of probiotics occur in the intestine. In this study, a mixture of fermented ginseng and two probiotics, Bifidobacterium longum BORI and Lactobacillus paracasei CH88, was administered to HFD-fed mice for 9 weeks. The mixture significantly suppressed weight gain (p < 0.05, n = 8) and lipid deposition in the liver and adipose tissues as well as increased the mice's food intake. The adipocyte size of the adipose tissue was significantly decreased in the mixture-fed group, especially when 0.5% fermented ginseng and 5 × 108/ml of the two probiotics were used (p < 0.05, n = 10). The expression of TNF-α in adipose tissue was efficiently downregulated in the mixture-fed group (p < 0.05, n = 4). The supplement also improved the mice's fasting blood glucose levels (p < 0.05, n = 8) and total cholesterol feces excretion (p < 0.05, n = 8). The mixture of fermented ginseng and B. longum BORI and L. paracasei CH88 could have an anti-obesity effect and suppress lipid deposit in the liver and adipose tissues.

Quantitative analysis of mechanically retentive ceramic bracket base surfaces with a three-dimensional imaging system.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the three-dimensional structural features of three types of mechanically retentive ceramic bracket bases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One type of stainless steel (MicroArch, Tomy, Tokyo, Japan) and three types of ceramic maxillary right central incisor brackets-Crystaline MB (Tomy), INVU (TP Orthodontics, La Porte, Ind), and Inspire Ice (Ormco, Glendora, Calif)-were tested to compare and quantitatively analyze differences in the surface features of each ceramic bracket base using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a three-dimensional (3D) optical surface profiler, and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). One-way analysis of variance was used to find differences in bracket base surface roughness values and surface areas between groups according to base designs. Tukey's honestly significant differences tests were used for post hoc comparisons. RESULTS: SEM revealed that each bracket exhibited a unique surface texture (MicroArch, double mesh; Crystaline MB, irregular; INVU, single mesh; Inspire Ice, bead ball). With a 3D optical surface profiler, the stainless steel bracket showed significantly higher surface roughness values. Crystaline MB had significantly higher surface roughness values than Inspire Ice. Micro-CT demonstrated that stainless steel brackets showed significantly higher whole and unit bracket base surface areas. Among ceramic brackets, INVU showed significantly higher whole bracket base surface area, and Crystaline MB showed a significantly higher unit bracket base surface area than Inspire Ice. CONCLUSION: Irregular bracket surface features showed the highest surface roughness values and unit bracket base surface area among ceramic brackets, which contributes to increased mechanically retentive bracket bonding strength.