Objective:To study the correlation between the degree of rh eumatoid arthritis(RA) and periodontal bone loss. Methods:70 cas es of RA were included. Periodontal bone loss was examined by clinical attachmen t loss(CAL) test and radiography. The degree of RA was determined by the measure ments of morning stiffness time (MST),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)and C -reactive protein(CRP).Results:MST,ESR and CRP were positivel y related to the levels of bone loss(P

Objective:To investigate a method to identify Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotypes by polymerase chain reaction. Methods:18 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains representing serotypes a to f were used in the test. 6 pairs of specific oligonucleotide primers for gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of serotype specific polysaccharide antigens were designed. The primers were developed and evaluated in a genetic method of identifying serotypes of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains by using a PCR assay. Results: Each pair of primers can specifically identify one serotype of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains. No cross reaction was observed in all 18 strains. The PCR product sizes were as follows: 428 bp (serotype a), 298 bp (serotype b), 559 bp (serotype c), 690 bp (serotype d), 211 bp (serotype e) and 232 bp (serotype f). Conclusion:PCR method may be useful to identify Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotypes rapidly and directly.

BACKGROUND: Among multiple signals which affect the function of melanocyte, nitrogen monoxide (NO) has been thought as an important signal molecule. Emodin hypo-acid, effective component of rhubarb, can affect proliferation of melanocyte and regulate activity of tyrosinase in cells. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of emodin hypo-acid on expression of nitricoxide synthase (NOS) of melanocyte in skin of guinea pig and definite the effective concentrations and mechanism of melanocyte in synthesizing melanin in living skin.DESIGN: Completely randomized grouping design and controlled study.SETTING: Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed at the Infection Laboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College and Laboratory of Histology and Embryology of Luzhou Medical College from January to June 2004. A total of 24 adult healthy male guinea pigs were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L emodin hypo-acid groups with 4 in each group.METHODS: ① Emodin hypo-acid was diluted with dimethyl-sulfoxide into 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L, then guinea pigs in emodin hypo-acid groups were injected subcutaneously with relevant dosages of emodin hypoacid which was provided by National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products into local skins of haunch and back, and the injected volume was 1 mL. Twenty-four hours later, 1 mL emodin hypo-acid of the same concentration was injected once again into one of the places which was injected before. Skin samples were selected after 48 hours and routine paraffin section was made. Skins which were not injected with any drugs were selected from control group and emodin hypoacid groups to regard as experimental control group. ② Expression of NOS was assayed with immunohistochemical method and melanocyte was identified under high-times optic microscope to observe stain and characteristic of cytoplasm. Five sections were randomly selected from each group. Every 20 cells on each section were measured with MLAS-1000 imaging analyzer and computer processing system was used to calculate average absorbency (A) of positive immune product in melanocyte. ③ Measurement data were compared with analysis of variance, and differences among groups were compared with SNK-q.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expression of NOS in melanocyte was assayed with immunohistochemical method and results were obtained with optic microscope and imaging analyzer.RESULTS: Average A value of positive immune product in melanocyte was lower in 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L emodin hypo-acid groups than that in experimental control group (0.126±0.118, 0.103±0.082, 0.118±0.097,0.122±0.095, 0.112±0.078, 0.196±0.066, P ＜ 0.05). There was no significant difference among emodin hypo-acid groups at various concentrations.CONCLUSION: ① Emodin hypo-acid can regulate expression of NOS in melanocyte through NO signal transduction pathway. ② Expression of NOS is not changed as the mass concentration of emodin hypo-acid varied from 2 to 40 mg/L.

OBJECTIVEThis longitudinal study aimed to investigate the caries status of primary and permanent teeth among 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2012.

METHODSA sample that comprised 652 6-year-old children from six different elementary schools (three represented the urban areas, and the other three represented the rural areas) were examined according to a baseline, with follow-up examinations at 1, 2, and 3 years. Eruption and caries experience were re- corded using World Health Organization criteria.

RESULTSThe prevalence rates of primary tooth caries of 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province for 3 years were 74.23% (484/652), 75.61% (493/652), and 81.90% (534/652). The filling rate of the primary teeth was 5.87% (145/2,471) in 2012, with significant differences (P < 0.01) between the urban areas [10.84% (133/ 1,227)] and rural areas [0.96% (12/1,244)]. The total pit and fissure rate of the first molar was 14.11% (92/652) in 2012, with significant differences between the two areas (P < 0.01) [rural: 0.66% (2/303); urban: 25.79% (90/349)].

CONCLUSIONThe pre- valence of caries in the primary and permanent teeth of 6-year-old children was high. An increasing prevalence tendency was observed as the age increased. The prevalence of first molar caries indicated that prevention and control of dental caries should be performed as early as possible.

Child ; China ; DMF Index ; Dental Caries ; Dentition, Permanent ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Molar ; Prevalence ; Tooth Eruption ; Tooth, Deciduous

BACKGROUND: Occurrence and development of the glioma are not only related to regulative gene of cell cycle, but also dealt with adjustive genes of cell invasion, cell metastasis and apoptosis.OBJECTIVE: To identify the differentially expressed genes related to cell proliferation and apoptosis in glioma cell of different differentiating degree with cDNA microarray, and provide basic data for further research of mechanisms of cell proliferation and apoptosis in human gliomas.DESIGN: Opening-up experiment.SETTING: Institute of Pathology, Southwest Hospital and Department of Neurobiology, Basic Medicine Faculty as well as Department of Pharmacy,Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: Human malignant glioma cell line CHG-5 ( Ⅱ grading according to the WHO standard) was constructed, kept and cultured in this experiment. SHG-44 (Ⅳ grade according to the WHO standard) was provided by Institute of Brain Tumor, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou Medical College. Serum of calf was produced and provided by Hangzhou Sijiqing Biomaterial Institute. In experiment RPMI-1640 medium (Gibco),Trizol test kit (Gibco-BRL), RNAsecureTM solutions (Ambion, Austin,Texas), biophotometer (Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany) were also applied.Gene chip contained 9 984 human cDNA segment, which was prepared and provided by City University of Hongkong (UniGEMV2 cloneset known gene and ESTs were purchased from Incyte Company), Superscript Ⅱ reverse transcriptase was provided by Gibco-BRL Company. Fluorochrome Cy3 & Cy5 was the products of Amersham Pharmacia Company.METHODS: The experiment was performed at Chongqing Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA and City University of Hongkong between 2001 and 2003. Total RNA was extracted from Trizol test kit. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted in Superscript Ⅱ reverse transcriptase, and cDNA product was marked with fluorochrome Cy3 & CyS. Followed by chip hybridizationto detect the difference of gene expressions between human glioma cell line CHG-5 and SHG-44 tumor cell, especially the difference of related genic expression between cell proliferation and apoptosis, and the chip result was verified with Northern blot hybridization.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The difference of gene expression of human glioma cell in different differentiating degree; Comparison of result between Northern blot and related gene chip.RESULTS: ①Compared with CHG-5, 120 gene expressions were detected obvious up-regulation and 22 gene expressions were significant down regulation in SHG-44 cells, and the variety of these differentially expressed genes was many, in which apoptosis related genes were 6, including 3 up-regulation genes and 3 down-regulation genes; Cell cycle and proliferating related genes were 12, including 5 up-regulation genes and 7 down-regulation genes. ②Chip result was supported by Northern blot result further.CONCLUSION: The differentially expressed genes of glioma are revealed primarily, especially the differentially expressed genes related with cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Objective To determine the antibacterial activities of the alginate impression materials impregnated with carboxymethyl chitosan.Methods Carboxymethyl chitosan with different replace positions,replace degrees,relative molecular masses and deacetyl degrees were added into the dental alginate impression materials by different ratios.Their antibacterial activities were determined using a method according to the Chinese and Japanese standards for testing antibacterial efficacy of antibacterial materials.Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 were used in this test.Results O-carboxymethyl chitosan showed best antibacterial activity.O-carboxymethyl chitosan added into the alginate impression materials had the best antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the ratios of 1% and 1.4%,respectively.Its inhibitory bacteria rate could reach 99.99% along with the increase of deacetyl degree.Conclusion The alginate impression materials impregnated with carboxymethyl chitosan have a favorable antimicrobial activity.

Objective: To analyse the level of glucose concentration in saliva and to study the relationship between the level of blood glucose and that of salivary glucose.Methods: Blood glucose level and the glucose concentration in unstimulated mixed saliva taken from testee were measured with Beckman SYNCHRON CX7 System in 60 patients with diabetes mellitus and 60 healthy subjects. Results: The average value of salivary glucose concentration in experimental group was (1.950?0.179) mmol/L, that in control group was (0.953?0.124) mmol/L(P

Objective:To study the effect of insulin therapy on glucose concentration in saliva in patients with diabetes mellitus(DM), and to study the relationship between blood glucose level and salivary glucose level.Methods: Glucose concentration in blood and in unstimulated mixed saliva was measured with Beckman SYNCHRON CX7 system in 40 DM patients before and after insulin therapy.Results:The average value(mmol/L) of salivary glucose concentration before and after insulin therapy was 2.081?0.287 and 1.571? 0.193 respectively (P

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) in adhesion and invasion of phospho- rylcholine (PC)-positive Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

METHDOSCultured HUVECs were pretreated with the PAFR antagonist CV3988 or anti-human PAFR monoclonal antibody for 30 min before infection with PC-positive or -negative A. actinomycetemcomitans strains. The bacterial adhesion and invasion and cytotoxicity in the cells were examined using MTT assay.

RESULTSPretreatment with PAFR antagonists at 100, 200 and 500 nmol/L significantly reduced the adhesion rate (36.29∓3.52)%, (19.04∓3.35)% and (7.69∓3.19%), respectively] and invasion rate [(12.12∓1.58)%, (7.08∓0.29)% and (2.60∓2.26)%, respectively] of PC-positive A.actinomycetemcomitans in HUVECs. Similarly, pretreatment with anti-PAFR antibody also significantly reduced A.actinomycetemcomitans adhesion and invasion in HUVECs [(50.05∓5.28)% and (39.09∓6.50)%, respectively]. Pretreatment with PAFR antagonist (200 and 500 nmol/L) and anti-PAFR antibody (25 µg/mL) significantly increased the viability of HUVECs incubated with PC-positive A.actinomycetemcomitans from (25.39∓9.33)% to (91.12∓3.14)%, (94.12∓2.15)% and (65.5∓1.87)%, respectively, but such pretreatments did not increase the viability of cells incubated with PC-negative A.actinomycetemcomitans.

CONCLUSIONSPAFR plays an important role in the adhesion, invasion, and cytotoxicity of PC-positive A.actinomycetemcomitans in cultured HUVECs.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ; pathogenicity ; Bacterial Adhesion ; Cells, Cultured ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; microbiology ; Humans ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism

Objective This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the caries status of primary and permanent teeth among 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2012. Methods A sample that comprised 652 6-year-old children from six different elementary schools (three represented the urban areas, and the other three represented the rural areas) were examined according to a baseline, with follow-up examinations at 1, 2, and 3 years. Eruption and caries experience were re-corded using World Health Organization criteria. Results The prevalence rates of primary tooth caries of 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province for 3 years were 74.23% (484/652), 75.61% (493/652), and 81.90% (534/652). The filling rate of the primary teeth was 5.87% (145/2 471) in 2012, with significant differences (P<0.01) between the urban areas [10.84% (133/1 227)] and rural areas [0.96% (12/1 244)]. The total pit and fissure rate of the first molar was 14.11% (92/652) in 2012, with significant differences between the two areas (P<0.01) [rural: 0.66% (2/303); urban: 25.79% (90/349)]. Conclusion The pre-valence of caries in the primary and permanent teeth of 6-year-old children was high. An increasing prevalence tendency was observed as the age increased. The prevalence of first molar caries indicated that prevention and control of dental caries should be performed as early as possible.