Role of Scl39a13/ZIP13 in cardiovascular homeostasis.

Zinc plays a critical role in many physiological processes, and disruption of zinc homeostasis induces various disorders, such as growth retardation, osteopenia, immune deficiency, and inflammation. However, how the imbalance in zinc homeostasis leads to heart disease is not yet fully understood. Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death worldwide, and the development of novel therapeutic targets to treat it is urgently needed.

Beneficial effects of orthodontic treatment on quality of life in patients with malocclusion.

Patients with malocclusion, especially those in need of surgical correction, have lower health related quality of life (HRQOL) and higher anxiety. We investigated the changes of HRQOL and psychological status following jaw surgery in the patients with facial deformities. Thirty-one adult orthodontic patients admitted to Tohoku University Hospital and diagnosed as malocclusion requiring jaw surgery were recruited for the study.

Difference in quality of life according to the severity of malocclusion in Japanese orthodontic patients.

Although quality of life (QOL) assessment is important in dentistry, it has not been fully investigated in orthodontic patients. We investigated the health-related generic QOL (entire body health) and disease specific QOL (oral health) in adult patients with malocclusions at the first visit. One hundred and twenty-seven orthodontic patients and 66 persons with normal occlusion were recruited for the study.