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Background The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of dental prosthetic treatment and to investigate the demographic, social, economic and medical factors associated with the use of fixed and removable dentures in a representative sample of adults living in France. Methods The data were obtained from the 2002–2003 Decennial Health Survey, a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the population living in France, which included 29,679 adults. Information was collected by interview. The variables collected were fixed denture, removable denture, age, gender, number of children, area of residence, nationality, educational attainment, family social status, employment status, annual household income per capita, supplementary insurance, chronic disease, eyesight problems/glasses, hearing problems/hearing aids. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to study the relationship between prosthetic treatment and demographic, socioeconomic and medical characteristics unadjusted, adjusted for age and adjusted for all the characteristics. Results The prevalence of prosthetic treatment was 34.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): [34.1; 35.2]) for fixed prosthetic dentures and 13.8% (95% CI: [13.4; 14.2]) for removable prosthetic dentures. We showed a gradient between educational attainment and removable dentures; the odds ratio adjusted for all the variables (aOR) associated with no or primary education compared to post-secondary education was 2.56; 95% CI: [2.09; 3.13]. When annual household income per capita was low, subjects were less likely to report fixed dentures (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI: [0.62; 0.75]) than those with high annual household income per capita. Individuals without insurance less often reported fixed dentures than those with private insurance. Those reporting chronic disease were less likely to report fixed dentures (aOR = 0.87; 95% CI: [0.79; 0.95]) but more likely to report removable dentures (aOR = 1.29; 95% CI: [1.17; 1.43]) than those without chronic disease. Conclusion This study reveals social, economic and medical inequalities in fixed and removable prosthetic treatment among adults in France.

Resume Introduction L’objet de cette etude a ete de comparer la fuite de la connexion implantaire pour plusieurs types d’implants, par une nouvelle methode de diffusion gazeuse. Materiel et methodes Soixante-huit implants parmi 13 types differents ont ete compares. La fuite par diffusion d’azote a ete mesuree apres serrage des connexions aux couples preconises par les fabricants. Resultats Une difference significative d’hermeticite a ete notee entre les divers types d’implant. Cette difference n’est expliquee ni par la conformation des diverses connexions (plates, coniques) ni par les divers couples de serrage preconises par les constructeurs. Discussion Les auteurs suggerent que la difference d’hermeticite entre les divers systemes implantaires pourrait etre liee essentiellement a la qualite et a la precision de l’usinage.

myo-Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), the proposed target for lithium therapy for manic depression, is an important enzyme in the biosynthesis of second messengers. Earlier studies have shown that the IMPase-catalyzed hydrolysis of myo-inositol monophosphates to inorganic phosphate and myo-inositol proceeds by direct attack of water at phosphorus. However, research groups have independently proposed either an in-line displacement (with inversion of stereochemistry at phosphorus) or an adjacent attack with a pseudorotation (with retention of stereochemistry at phosphorus). Here, the elucidation of the stereochemical pathway is presented. The IMPase-catalyzed hydrolysis of D-1-S(p)-myo-inositol [(17)O]-thiophosphate in the presence of H(2)(18)O gave inorganic R(p)-[(16)O,(17)O,(18)O]-thiophosphate, with inversion of configuration at phosphorus. This is only consistent with an in-line displacement, and it rules out the controversial adjacent/pseudorotation mechanism. This result will assist in the design of alternative inhibitors of IMPase.

The aim of this study was to compare the leakage at the implant to abutment connection in several implants, using a new gas diffusion method.Sixty-eight implants of 13 different types were used. Nitrogen leaking was measured after screwing the connections to the torque levels recommended by the manufacturers.A significant tightness difference was observed between the different implant types. This difference cannot be explained by the various connection designs (flat, conical) or by the various torques recommended by the manufacturers.The authors suggest that the tightness difference between the various implant systems could be mainly associated with quality and precision of machining.

The adsorption kinetics of human serum albumin (HSA) on CH3- and COOH-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) has been investigated using radioassays and atomic force microscopy (AFM). On both surfaces, the amount of HSA adsorbed reached a plateau after 30 min. The plateau level was higher on the CH3 compared to the COOH surface. The adhesion force (Fadh), measured using Si3N4 AFM tips in water, decreased with time of contact with the HSA solution on the CH3 surface. This time-dependent change in the adhesiveness of the adsorbed protein is best explained by a change in the conformation or orientation. In contrast, Fadh was independent of the time of contact with the HSA solution on the COOH surface, indicating that once adsorbed, the HSA molecules do not undergo further conformation or orientation changes. The perturbation induced by scanning with the AFM in water on the adsorbed HSA layers was greater on CH3 surfaces than on COOH surfaces, suggesting a weaker protein-substratum interaction on the CH3-terminated SAMs. This was further confirmed by a stronger desorption of HSA following sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment on the CH3 surface compared to the COOH surface. Taken together, these data suggest that for COOH SAMs, (1) there is a strong interaction between HSA and the substratum; (2) there is an absence of reorientation with time; and (3) there is a smaller amount of adsorbed protein at 24 h, possibly due to increased but rapid spreading/denaturation of the protein. On the CH3 surface, less deformation of HSA occurs and the molecules maintain a higher mobility at short adsorption times. AFM measurements performed after aging of an adsorbed HSA layer in buffer suggests the role played by HSA in solution in determining the time-dependent conformation and/or orientation changes.

Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) catalyses the hydrolysis of myo-inositol monophosphates to myo-inositol. which is required in the phosphatidyl inositol cell signalling pathway. Here the enzyme structure, mechanism and inhibition of IMPase are reviewed. Lithium, an effective therapy for manic depression. is an uncompetitive inhibitor. In the search for alternative inhibitors to lithium, substrate-based inhibitors, bisphosphonates, terpenoid and tropolone analogues are described.