Participants were required to have a history of muscle complaints that developed during statin treatment and resolved within 4 weeks of statin discontinuation. Patients (n = 56) were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to ETC-1002 60 mg daily or placebo. The ETC-1002 dose was increased at 2-week intervals to 120 mg, 180 mg,

and 240 mg. The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline to week 8 in calculated LDL-C. RESULTS: ETC-1002 reduced LDL-C 28.7% more than placebo (95% confidence interval, -35.4 to -22.1; P smaller than .0001). CT99021 clinical trial ETC-1002 significantly reduced non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not change with ETC-1002

treatment. Sixty-two percent of patients selleck chemicals receiving ETC-1002 and none in the placebo group achieved the 2004 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III LDL-C goal (P smaller than .0001). Muscle-related adverse events occurred with similar frequency in the placebo and ETC-1002 treatment groups, causing no discontinuations in ETC-1002-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: ETC-1002 appears to be effective at reducing LDL-C and was well tolerated in patients with statin-associated muscle complaints. Longer and larger studies are required to confirm the absence of muscle side effects. (C) 2015 National Lipid Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Torin 2 supplier (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).”
“The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of the general receptor for phosphoinositides 1 (GRP1) exhibits specific, high-affinity, reversible binding to phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P(3)) at the plasma membrane, but the nature and extent of the interaction between this bound complex and the surrounding membrane environment remains unclear. Combining equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, NMR spectroscopy, and monolayer penetration experiments,

we characterize the membrane-associated state of GRP1-PH. MD simulations show loops flanking the binding site supplement the interaction with PI(3,4,5)P(3) through multiple contacts with the lipid bilayer. NMR data show large perturbations in chemical shift for these loop regions on binding to PI(3,4,5) P(3)-containing DPC micelles. Monolayer penetration experiments and further MD simulations demonstrate that mutating hydrophobic residues to polar residues in the flanking loops reduces membrane penetration. This supports a “dual-recognition” model of binding, with specific GRP1-PH-PI(3,4,5)P(3) interactions supplemented by interactions of loop regions with the lipid bilayer.”
“BACKGROUND.

Recombination this website introduced an excess of non-synonymous diversity in general

and even more in genes expected to be under positive or diversifying selection, e.g., cell wall component genes. Mutations leading to non-synonymous SNPs are effectively purged in MTBC., which shows dominance of purifying selection. MTBC mutation bias toward AT nucleotides is not compensated by biased gene conversion, suggesting the action of natural selection also on synonymous changes. Together, all of these observations point to a strong imprint of recombination and selection in the genome affecting both non-synonymous and synonymous positions. Hence, contrary to some other pathogens and previous proposals concerning M. tuberculosis, this lineage may have come out of its ancestral GDC-0973 chemical structure bottleneck as a very successful pathogen that is rapidly diversifying by the action of mutation, recombination, and natural selection.”
“The kidney transplant is the main therapeutic alternative for end-stage kidney disease, and rejection is a major complication. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines is related to graft loss, whereas anti-inflammatory cytokines are associated with graft protection. The

objective of this study is to evaluate the “in situ” expression of cytokines T helper 1 (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha]). T helper 17 (interleukin 17 [IL-17]), and regulatory T cell (transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta]) and the expression of forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) in allograft kidney. We evaluated in situ expression of cytokines in allograft kidney under rejection process by indirect immunohistochemistry.

Eighteen renal graft biopsies were from patients with episodes of rejection. The in situ expression of IL-17, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta was significantly higher in patients with acute rejection when compared with the control group. In contrast, analysis of FoxP3 expression showed few positive cells www.selleckchem.com/products/pha-848125.html in patients with acute rejection compared with the control group. The results suggest that the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17 and TNF-alpha) contributes to the mechanisms of kidney transplant rejection. The increase in TGF-beta expression might be an attempt to establish a process of immunoregulation or even to induce higher production of IL-17. The last hypothesis is supported by the observation of a reduced expression of FoxP3 and elevated levels of IL-17. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“Background\n\nItraconazole is recommended for treatment of blastomycosis in dogs. Some evidence suggests that fluconazole might be less hepatotoxic than itraconazole.\n\nObjectives\n\nTo compare (1) incidence of clinical remission and death; (2) treatment duration; (3) total drug cost; (4) incidence of relapse; and (5) incidence of increased ALT activities in dogs with blastomycosis treated with fluconazole or itraconazole.

Data on the definition and incidence rate of AL, postoperative mortality caused by AL, and overall postoperative mortality were extracted. Data were pooled and a meta-analysis was performed.\n\nResults: Twenty-two studies with 10,343 patients in total were analyzed. Meta-analysis of the data showed an average AL rate of 9%, postoperative mortality

caused by leakage of 0.7% and overall postoperative mortality of 2%. The studies showed variation in incidence, definition and measurement of all outcomes.\n\nConclusion: We found a considerable overall AL rate and a large contribution of AL to the overall postoperative mortality. The variability of definitions and measurement of PHA-848125 AL, postoperative mortality caused by leakage and overall postoperative mortality may hinder providing reliable risk information. Large-scale audit programs may provide accurate and valid risk information which can be used for preoperative decision making. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Objectives We postulate that, in patients with large patent foramen ovales (PFO) and atrial

septal aneurysms (ASA), left atrial (LA) dysfunction simulating “atrial fibrillation (AF)-like” pathophysiology might represent an alternate mechanism in the promotion of arterial embolism.\n\nBackground Despite prior reports concerning paradoxical embolism through a PFO, the magnitude of this phenomenon Ulixertinib clinical trial as a risk factor for stroke remains undefined, because deep venous thrombosis is infrequently detected in such patients.\n\nMethods To test our hypothesis, we prospectively enrolled 98 consecutive patients with previous stroke

(mean age 37 +/- 12.5 years, 58 women) referred to our center for catheter-based PFO closure. Baseline values of LA passive and active emptying, LA conduit function, LA ejection fraction, and spontaneous echocontrast (SEC) in the LA and LA appendage were compared with those of 50 AF patients as well as a sex/age/cardiac risk-matched population of 70 healthy control subjects.\n\nResults Pre-closure PFO subjects demonstrated significantly greater reservoir function as well as passive and active emptying, with significantly reduced conduit function and LA ejection fraction, when compared with AF and Fer-1 control patients. Furthermore, in PFO patients, 66.3% (65 of 98) had moderate-to-severe ASA and basal shunt; SEC was observed in 52% of PFO plus ASA patients before closure. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression revealed moderate-to-severe ASA (odds ratio: 9.4, 95% confidence interval: 7.0 to 23.2, p < 0.001) as the most powerful predictor of LA dysfunction. After closure, all LA parameters normalized to the levels of control subjects: no SEC, device-related thrombosis, or aortic erosion were observed on follow-up echocardiography.\n\nConclusions This study suggests that moderate-to-severe ASA might be associated with LA dysfunction in patients with PFO.

Clinical studies in patients without diabetes demonstrated 5.8% mean weight loss from baseline with lorcaserin compared to 2.5% with placebo and over twice as many patients achieved >= 5% weight loss. Patients with diabetes achieved mean weight loss of 4.5% with

lorcaserin compared to 1.5% with placebo as well as modest improvements in glycemic outcomes.\n\nAreas covered: The authors review the pharmacology and clinical efficacy as well as the safety and tolerability of lorcaserin. This was achieved through a PubMed search (1960 – present) on lorcaserin to generate the key literature in the area. The lorcaserin package insert and Food and Drug Administration SRT2104 briefing documents were also used to identify relevant information.

To assess long-term clinical efficacy and safety, the authors used studies with a minimum duration of one year.\n\nExpert opinion: Lorcaserin induces moderate but significant weight loss compared to placebo as an adjunct to lifestyle modification. Although head-to-head comparison trials are not available, lorcaserin is likely less effective but better tolerated than its recently approved competitor, phentermine/topiramate. Cardiovascular outcome data will be invaluable in determining lorcaserin’s eventual utilization and place in therapy.”
“In Drosophila melangaster, the genetic and molecular based of post-mating changes in the female’s Selleck SHP099 behavior and physiology are poorly understood. However, DNA microarray studies have demonstrated that, shortly after mating, transcript Entinostat abundance of > 1700 genes is altered in the female’s reproductive tract as well as in other tissues. Many of these changes are elicited by sperm and seminal fluid proteins (Acps) that males transfer to females. To further dissect the transcript-level changes that occur following mating, we examined gene expression profiles of whole female flies at four time points following copulation. We found that, soon after copulation ends, a large

number of small-magnitude transcriptional changes occurred in a smaller number of genes. We then explored how four individual Acps (ovulin, Acp36DE. Acp29AB, and Acp62F) with unique functions independently affected gene expression in females shortly after mating. Consistent with their early and possible local action within the female, ovulin and Acp36DE caused relatively few gene expression changes in whole bodies of mated females. In contrast, Acp29AB and Acp62F modulated a large number of transcriptional changes shortly after mating.”
“We studied the influence of frequency on sound localization in free-flying barn owls by quantifying aspects of their target-approaching behavior to a distant sound source during ongoing auditory stimulation.

The activity of succinate dehydrogenase was inhibited by 70% by 3-BrPA treatment. These results suggest that the combined action of 3-BrPA oil succinate dehydrogenase and on glycolysis, inhibiting steps downstream of the phosphorylation of glucose, play an important role in HepG2 cell death.”
“There is evidence that increased concentrations of circulating homocysteine are associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) is an important catalyst involved in the production selleck products of homocysteine. We investigated the association of a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (rs7946)

in PEMT with sporadic AD risk in a Han Chinese population that included 386 AD patients and 366 controls. PEMT G523A was genotyped by either sequencing or PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The plasma homocysteine concentrations https://www.selleckchem.com/products/wnt-c59-c59.html of 210 subjects were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Significant higher frequency

of the A allele was detected in AD cases than in controls (A vs. G, p = 0.007, OR = 1.482, 95% CI 1.114-1.972). After adjusting for gender, age/age at onset, and APOE epsilon 4 status, logistic analysis showed rs7946 was associated with AD in a dominant model (AA + GA vs. GG, p = 0.007, OR = 1.596, 95% CI 1.138-2.240). When stratified by APOE epsilon 4 status or gender, the significant difference was only observed in the APOE epsilon 4 non-carriers and in the female subjects, respectively. We did not find a relationship of this polymorphism with plasma homocysteine levels. These results

suggested that PEMT G523A Smoothened Agonist cell line is associated with AD and that the A allele is an APOE epsilon 4-independent risk factor for AD among Han Chinese women.”
“The crystal structure of the title compound, C(25)H(31)NO(3), exists in a twin-chair conformation with an equatorial orientation of the ortho-ethoxyphenyl groups. According to Cremer and Pople [Cremer & Pople (1975), J. Am. Chem. Soc. 97, 1354-1358], both the piperidone and cyclohexanone rings are significantly puckered with total puckering amplitutdes Q (T) of 0.5889 (18) and 0.554 (2) A, respectively. The ortho-ethoxyphenyl groups are located on either side of the secondary amino group and make a dihedral angle of 12.41 (4)degrees with respect to each other. The methyl group on the cyclohexanone part occupies an exocyclic equatorial disposition. The crystal packing is stabilized by weak van der Waals interactions.”
“When ice grows, the growth rates are equal along different growth directions and some layers contain planar defective regions. With the aim of helping to understand these phenomena, we report the molecular dynamics simulations of ice growth on the basal and prismatic faces of initial hexagonal ice, using the TIP5P-E water model.

DX itself increased anti-apoptotic gene,

Bcl-xL expression, and its transcription factor, signaling transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5). DNA binding activity and phospho-Stat5 expression. DX blocked the CAM-decreased Bcl-xL and phospho-Stat5 find protocol expression, and Stat5 binding activity. RU486 negated DX’s actions. To determine whether Stat5 regulates Bcl-xL expression in CAM-induced cell death, C6-glioma was infected with an adenovirus containing a constitutively activated Stat5-GFP (Ad-Stat5ca). Overexpression of Stat5ca increased Bcl-xL and decreased CAM-induced cell death compared to control adenovirus infected cells; whereas Stat5 siRNA decreased DX-induced Bcl-xL and increased cell death. Phospho-Stat5 expression was observed in the nuclear extract by co-immunoprecipitation with an anti-GR antibody, indicating that Stat5 and GR were interactive and formed a complex in the nuclei. These results suggest that DX’s prevention from CAM-induced apoptosis and RU486′s antagonism of DX’s protection may be through Stat5/Bcl-xL signal pathway regulated by a GR. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based products are highly specific for a particular antigen. This characteristic feature of the molecules makes them click here an ideal tool for many applications including cancer diagnosis and therapy.\n\nWe performed comprehensive

searches of PubMed, Medline and the Food and Drug Administration website using keywords such as otherapeutic antibodies’ and oanti-cancer antibodies’.\n\nTreatment of cancer patients with antibodies when used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or conjugated to drugs or radioisotopes, prolongs overall survival in cancer patients. Currently,

there are 14 mAb-based drugs that have been approved for the treatment of cancer patients.\n\nThe Anlotinib Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor response of cancer patients to antibody therapy can be of short duration. Therapeutic antibodies are expensive and may have side effects. There are no reliable predictive biomarkers for sensitivity or resistance to certain therapeutic antibodies.\n\nThere should be additional studies to discover novel therapeutic targets, to develop more effective antibody-based drugs with fewer side effects, to identify more reliable predictive biomarker(s) for response to therapy with antibody-based drugs and to develop alternative strategies (e.g. transgenic plants, transgenic farm animals) for production of large quantities and more affordable batches of therapeutic antibodies.\n\nA better understanding of cancer biology, the hallmarks of human cancers and the immune system would lead to identification of additional cell surface biomarkers. These in turn would facilitate the development of novel and biosimilar antibody-based drugs and their routine use as omagic bullets’ for the targeted therapy of human cancers.”
“A nickel-catalyzed intermolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of conjugated enynes with alkenes has been developed.

Three hundred and seventy-six exon probe sets were differentially expressed between TS and HC (raw P < 0.005, fold change >vertical bar 1.2 vertical bar) that separated TS and HC subjects using hierarchical clustering and Principal Components Analysis. The probe sets Fosbretabulin purchase predicted TS compared to HC with a > 90% sensitivity and specificity using a 10-fold cross-validation. Ninety genes (transcripts) had differential expression of a single exon (raw P < 0.005) and were predicted to be alternatively spliced (raw P < 0.05) in TS compared to HC. These preliminary findings might provide

insight into the pathophysiology of TS and potentially provide prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. However, the findings are tempered by the small sample size and multiple comparisons and require confirmation using PCR or deep RNA sequencing and a much larger patient population. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.”
“The main objective of this study was to analyze

the independent effect of increasing age on the recovery of different areas of functioning 1 year after hip fracture.\n\nConsecutive 1-year survivors aged >= 65 years (n = 362) admitted to a single hospital for acute hip fracture surgery were followed prospectively SB273005 inhibitor for 1 year. Age was stratified as < 75, 75-84, and >= 85 years. Basic activities of daily living and ambulation were measured by personal interview during hospitalization and phone contact at 3, 6, and 12 months. Longitudinal data of recovery in these areas selleck kinase inhibitor were analyzed using generalized estimating equations.\n\nOlder age was strongly associated with poor recovery in all areas of function, except eating. The pattern of recovery of ambulation differed with age, peaking at 6 months in the younger group and continuing for at least 12 months in the eldest

group. The pattern of recovery of overall and individual activities of daily living was similar in the three age groups. Recovery of areas associated with upper extremity function peaked at 3 months, whereas areas associated with lower extremity function peaked at 6 months.\n\nThe patterns of functional disability after hip fracture differ with areas of function and age with the oldest patients having a particular risk of decline and a prolonged time to recovery of ambulation.”
“S100B is a calcium-binding protein, mainly produced and secreted by astrocytes, and it mediates the interaction among glial cells and between glial cells and neurons. Recently, several studies have shown increased serum 100B levels in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting that S100B might be relevant to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Forty (28.4%) had chronic hepatitis C,

33 (23.4%) past hepatitis C and 68 (48.2%) selleck had never been infected, at screening LSM =8 kPa were found in 45.7%, 24.7% and 4.6% respectively. Among patients with chronic hepatitis C significant fibrosis was confirmed in 17.1% and cirrhosis in 2.9% by repeated LSM =8 and =12 kPa respectively. The median TE-value in never HCV-infected haemophiliacs was comparable with what has been found in healthy non-haemophiliacs. In Danish haemophiliacs where liver biopsy has not routinely been used for assessing severity of liver fibrosis, LSM identified advanced liver disease in one-fifth of cases that had not been recognized during clinical follow-up.”
“Uncertainties in the values of the parameters of a

system can originate from the manufacturing tolerances of the system components, which can produce a degree of unreliability in the performance of the system. A systematic framework for realistic reliability assessment of an electro-hydraulic servo system has been presented in this paper with the objective of providing adequate information for the selection of the best manufacturing process for each of the servo valve components. Monte Carlo simulation has been employed to evaluate the effect of these uncertainties of the servo valve parameters on the statistical performance of the system. Possible manufacturing processes have been introduced for each component and the justifiability of using each one has BIX 01294 solubility dmso been discussed based on the estimated reliability of the system. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.”
“Substance abuse is a significant problem in the United States, with cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and heroin as the most commonly abused drugs. This article focuses on

urine drug testing to evaluate potential drug abuse or overdose in the emergent care setting using qualitative immunoassays. Discussion is included regarding the principles of how to validate qualitative immunoassays; how to decide on selleck chemicals appropriate specimen type, test menu and cutoff; the limitations of immunoassays; how to communicate test results to clinicians; and use of urine drug testing at point of care.”
“Background: In the 1970s, there were 2 reports of a late-onset adverse reaction during bolus infusions of benzyl penicillin, characterized by short-lived symptoms, most commonly abdominal pain. The mechanism is not known. We set out to further characterize this reaction. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of all adult patients receiving bolus intravenous (IV) beta-lactam antibiotics under the care of our Outpatient IV Antibiotic Service from 1 August 2007 to 31 January 2010, focusing on those who developed infusion-related symptoms. Results: During the 30-month study, 11 of the 163 patients (7%) treated with bolus IV beta-lactam antibiotics developed a late-onset infusion-related adverse reaction.

For an patients, standardized anesthesia www.selleckchem.com/products/VX-770.html was used. Prediction probabilities of BIS and cAAI versus the University of Michigan Sedation Scale and sensitivity/specificity were calculated.\n\nResults: Prediction probabilities for BIS and cAAI during induction were 0.84 for both and during emergence were 0.75 and 0.74, respectively. At loss of consciousness, the median BIS remained unaltered (94 to 90; not significant), whereas cAAI values decreased (60 to 43; P < 0.001). During emergence, median BIS and cAAI increased from 51 to 74 (P < 0.003) and from 46 to 58 (P < 0.001), respectively. With respect to indicate consciousness or unconsciousness,

100% sensitivity was reached at cutoff values of 17 for HIS and 12 for cAAI. One hundred percent specificity was associated with a BIS of 71 and a cAAI of 60. To ascertain consciousness, BIS PF-573228 mw values greater than 78 and cAAI values above 52 were required.\n\nConclusions: BIS and cAAI were comparable indicators of depth of hypnosis in children. Both indices, however, showed considerable overlap for different clinical conditions.”
“26S proteasomes consist

of cylindrical 20S proteasomes with 19S regulatory complexes attached to the ends. Treatment with high concentrations of salt causes the regulatory complexes to separate into two sub-complexes, the base, which is in contact with the 20S proteasome, and the lid, which is the distal part of the 19S complex. Here, we describe two assembly intermediates of the human regulatory complex. One is a dimer of the two ATPase subunits, Rpt3 Sotrastaurin and Rpt6. The other is a complex of nascent Rpn2, Rpn10, Rpn11, Rpn13, and Txnl1, attached to preexisting 20S proteasomes. This early assembly complex does not yet contain Rpn1 or any of the ATPase subunits of the base. Thus, assembly of 19S regulatory complexes takes place on preexisting 20S proteasomes, and part of the lid is assembled before the base. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“To study the effect of DM1-associated CTG repeats on neuronal function, we developed a PC12 cell-based model that constitutively expresses the DMPK gene 3′-untranslated region with 90 CTG repeats (CTG90 cells). As CTG90 cells

exhibit impaired neurite outgrowth and as microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are crucial for microtubule stability, we analyzed whether MAPs are a target of CTG repeats. NGF induces mRNA expression of Map2, Map1a and Map6 in control cells (PC12 cells transfected with the empty vector), but this induction is abolished for Map2 and Map1a in CTG90 cells. MAP2 and MAP6/STOP proteins decrease in NGF-treated CTG90 cells, whereas MAP1A increases. Data suggest that CTG repeats might alter somehow the expression of MAPs, which appears to be related with CTG90 cell-deficient neurite outgrowth. Decreased MAP2 levels found in the hippocampus of a DM1 mouse model indicates that targeting of MAPs expression by CTG repeats might be relevant to DM1.

We describe here experiences of determining markers of apoptosis in human platelets treated in vitro with pro-apoptotic chemical and physical stimuli. These include depolarization of mitochondrial inner membrane, cytochrome c release, expression of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins of Bcl-2 family, activation of apoptosis executioner caspase-3, exposure of phosphatidylserine, platelet shrinkage, fragmentation to microparticles, blebbing and filopod extrusion on the platelet surface. These assays serve to characterize platelet apoptosis in different cellular compartments (mitochondria, cytosol and plasma membrane) and at the whole-cell level. Methods commonly employed in studies of platelet apoptosis markers include NU7026 DNA Damage inhibitor flow

cytometry, Western blot analysis and electron microscopy. An integrated methodological approach, based on determination of different platelet apoptosis markers, represents a useful tool for examining platelet apoptosis in various physiological and pathological settings.”
“Background: The large caliber of head hair in hair transplantation imparts a coarse hairline, whereas natural hairlines are typically softer. In hirsute individuals, transplantation of leg hair to the hairline may result in a superior aesthetic appearance.\n\nObservation:

A total of 1025 leg hair follicles in 1 patient were grafted to an area 0.5 to 1.0 cm in front of and 0.5 to 1.0 cm internal to the vanguard hair of the original hairline and temporal recesses; the other patient received approximately 1000 leg hairs and 600 head hairs to advance VE-821 cost and soften his hairline and to create a custom widow’s peak. Transplantation resulted in a fully grown and soft-looking hairline after 9 months in the first patient, with growth of 75% to 80% of the transplanted leg hair. The mean length of the transplanted leg hair was longer than the length of the original leg hair, with less curliness but similar hair width. Transplanted leg hair width was significantly finer compared with existing head hair width. After 4 years, results were sustained, minimizing concerns that subsequent

hair loss might result from leg hair cycle variations. In the second patient, selleck similar results were observed at 3 years.\n\nConclusion: The use of leg hair in transplantation provides additional options in patients with hairlines that need to be refined.”
“To examine the standard Mn and Cu concentrations in mixed saliva from children and the relationship between these levels and dental caries, resting mixed saliva samples obtained from 527 children of an elementary school in Kitakyushu City were collected at 10:00-11:30 a.m. during December 2004. The Mn and Cu concentrations were determined using simultaneous multi-element atomic absorption spectrometry. The standard Mn and Cu levels were 22.0 +/- 15.2 and 3.8 +/- 4.1 ng/mL, respectively, in the sound teeth group. Mn levels were significantly higher in boys (25.4 +/- 17.4 ng/mL) than girls (19.1 +/- 12.