Fatty liver disease:Disparate predictive ability for cardiometabolic risk and all-cause mortality

AIM: To assess the association of a surrogate of fatty liver disease(FLD) with incident type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality.METHODS: In a prospective population-based study on 1822 middle-aged adults, stratified to gender, we used an algorithm of fatty liver index(FLI) to identify associations with outcomes. An index ≥ 60 indicated the presence of FLD. In Cox regression models, adjusted for age, smoking status, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure, we assessed the predictive value of FLI for incident diabetes, coronary heart disease(CHD), and all-cause mortality.RESULTS: At a mean 8 year follow-up, 218 and 285 incident cases of diabetes and CHD, respectively, and 193 deaths were recorded. FLD was significantly associated in each gender with blood pressure, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, uric acid, and C-reactive protein; weakly with fasting glucose; and inversely with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and sex hormonebinding globulin. In adjusted Cox models, FLD was(with a 5-fold HR) the major determinant of diabetes development. Analyses further disclosed significant independent prediction of CHD by FLD in combined gender [hazard ratio(HR) = 1.72, 95% confidence interval(CI): 1.17-2.53] and men(HR = 2.35, 95%CI: 1.25-4.43). Similarly-adjusted models for all-cause mortality proved, however, not to confer risk, except for a tendency in prediabetics and diabetic women.CONCLUSION: A surrogate of FLD conferred significant high risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease, independent of some metabolic syndrome traits. Allcause mortality was not associated with FLD, except likely in the prediabetic state. Such a FLI may reliably be used in epidemiologic studies.

TOPSIS based Taguchi design optimization for CVD growth of graphene using different carbon sources: Graphene thickness, defectiveness and homogeneity

Chemical inhomogeneity of chemical vapor deposition(CVD) grown graphene compromises its usage in highperformance devices. In this study, TOPSIS based Taguchi optimization was performed to improve thickness uniformity and defect density of CVD grown graphene. 1.56% decrease in the mean 2 D/G intensity ratio, 87.96% improvement in the mean D/G intensity ratio, 56.07% improvement in the standard deviation D/G intensity ratio, 25.21%improvement in the standard deviation 2 D/G intensity ratio, and 69.32% improvement in the surface roughness were achieved with TOPSIS based Taguchi optimization. The statistical differences between the copper and silicon substrates have been found significantly in terms of their impacts on the graphene's properties with the0.000 p-value for the mean D/G intensity ratio and with the 0.009 p-value for the mean 2 D/G intensity ratio, respectively. Graphene having 11% lower mean D/G intensity ratio(low defective graphene products) compared to the values given in the literature using single-response optimization was obtained using multi-response optimization.

Urine products of bone breakdown as markers of bone resorption and clinical usefulness of urinary hydroxyproline:an overview

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the urine products of bone breakdown as markers of bone resorption and usefulness of urinary hydroxyproline.Data Related researches published in 1985 -2000 were systematically reviewed.Results Bone markers could be used for early diagnosis of bone metabolic diseases. Biochemical markers of bone resorption that reflect osteoclast activity and/or collagen degradation provide a new and potentially important clinical tool for the assessment and monitoring of bone metabolism. Assessment of bone resorption can be achieved with measurement of urinary hydroxylysine glycosides, urinary excretion of the collagen pyridinium cross-links, urinary excretion of type I collagen telopeptide breakdown products (cross-linked telopeptides) and urinary hydroxyproline.Conclusion Urinary hydroxyproline has been in use as a marker of bone resorption, but it lacks sensitivity and specificity. It is a modified aminoacid that is a metabolic product of collagen breakdown. Hydroxyproline may be released either free or with fragments of the collagen molecule attached during bone resorption, and it is also liberated by the breakdown of complement and nonskeletal collagen.

Evaluation of success rates of immediate and delayed implants after tooth extraction

Objective To evaluate the success rates of immediate and delayed placement of implants with respect to the causes of tooth extraction and implant positions.Methods A total of 310 dental implants (immediate implants∶delayed implants=76∶234) were inserted into 80 patients. The types,sizes and positions of the implants and the causes of tooth extraction were recorded. We then investigated the relationship of implant loss with the causes of tooth extraction and placement methods. Results A higher failure rate was found for the implants in the posterior region of the maxilla,and when periodontitis was cited as a reason for tooth extraction. The overall success rates were 93.4% and 95.7% in the immediate and delayed implant placement groups,respectively,after a 2-year follow-up. No obvious relationship of success rate was observed with the implant placement method,cause of tooth extaction,and implants’ position. Conclusion The immediate placement of implants into fresh extraction sockets could offer advantages over the delayed implant placement. It seems to be a safe and predictable method for patients.