Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of Typodont-based table clinic competition (TCC) on undergraduate orthodontic education. Methods Students who have finished basic orthodon-tic courses made diagnosis,treatment strategy and performed orthodontic treatment for malocclusion cases on Typodonts. A self-design questionnaire was employed to investigate their perception to this pedagogy. Results The majority of participants(82.2%-92.9%) highly evaluated Typodont-based TCC. Conclu-sions Typodont-based TCC course is conducive to arousing students' study internets and to promoting association between theory and practice.

0.2); whereas that in group Ⅲ 1.24 ?0.38g, significantly different (P0.05),the dietary energy re-striction did not affect the producing and scavenging of free radical in theorgans.

Objective To introduce Curve Harmony Angle (CHA)to quantify the relationship between adjacent curves of the spine and pelvis and evaluate sagittal balance in spinal deformities. Methods Radiographic analysis of 93 asymptomatic vol-unteers and 95 patients including Degenerative Scoliosis(DS), Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis(AIS)and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)was performed by measuring sagittal parameters. Correlation study among parameters was further conducted. Curve Harmony Angles(CHAs)including the following three parameters were measured. Cervical-Thoracic Angle (CTA), Thoracic-Lumbar Angle (TLA) and Lumbar-Sacral Angle (LSA). Comparative study between normal population and different spinal disorders were per-formed in order to describe the characteristic changes of CHAs. Besides, according to Schwab SRS adult deformity classification, comparative study of CHAs in different balance status was performed to test the reliability of CHA on sagittal balance evaluation. Results All subjects showed typical changes of sagittal parameters. Different spinal disorders showed characteristic patterns of CHAs. In Schwab-SRS Adult Deformity Classification, Compensatory Balance group showed smaller LSA compared to Balance group;Imbalance group showed significantly smaller CTA, LSA and significantly greater TLA. Conclusion CHAs are parame-ters used to quantify the relationship between adjacent curves. Comparative study of CHA between normal population and different spinal disorder or among different balance status showed specific characters respectively. It is feasible to use CHA to evaluate the clinical sagittal balance and the results of deformity correction.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes,and the complications of staged minimally invasive surgery for adult degenerative scoliosis, comparing with that of the conventional open surgery. Methods: From Jun 2013 to Jun 2017, a total of 42 cases of degenerative scoliosis underwent surgical treatment. Among which, 23 cases underwent staged minimally invasive surgery(MIS group) and 19 cases underwent posterior open surgery(open group). The intra-operative bleeding, and operation time were recorded.The clinical outcomes were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for low back pain and leg pain.The radiological outcome was evaluated with Cobb angles and sagittal balance parameters (Sagittal Vertical Axis (SVA), Pelvic Incidence (PI)-Lumbar Lordosis (LL), Pelvic Tilt (PT)). The occurrence of complications was recorded. Results: The baseline demographic features of both groups (gender, age, medical comorbidity, etc.) were similar.The mean follow-up period for both groups was more than 2 years.The intraoperative bleeding in the MIS group 405.7±144.8 ml was significantly lower than that in the open group (2 005.3±728.4 ml, t=10.31, P<0.001); The total operation time 414.3±63.0 min of MIS group was significantly longer than that of the open group (304.2±51.8 min, t=6.10, P<0.001), but the operating time of each stage was shorter than the open group. The VAS score for back pain and leg pain,the ODI scores were significantly improved after surgery for both group, there was no significant difference between the two groups, but the low back pain and function in MIS group were better than the open group. The parameters of the coronal and sagittal deformity were significantly improved in both groups, correction of coronal deformity in MIS groupwassignificantly superior to the open group (F=12.02, P=0.001), there was no significant difference in sagittal balance correction between the two groups. The overall complication rate (63.2%) was slightly higher in the open group than in the MIS group (34.8%) without significant difference(χ²=3.36, P=0.07). The incidence of major complications in the open group was significantly higher than that in the MIS group (P=0.014). Conclusion Staged minimally invasive surgery can significantly relieve the patient's pain, improve functionand the coronal and sagittal balance of the patient, the early clinical and radiological outcomes were comparable to the open surgery; Minimally invasive surgery may significantly reduce the amount of bleeding and major complications. Minimally invasive surgery is safe and effective for carefully selected patients with degenerative scoliosis.However, the long-term outcomes of minimally invasive surgery remains to be followed up.

The objective of this study was to investigate the regulatory effects of TGF-β1 on CCL3/4 expression and inflammation-related pain during intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). TGF-β1 and CCL3/4 expression patterns in different degenerative human nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues were measured by qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC), and the effects of TGF-β1 on CCL3/4 expression were measured by qPCR, ELISA and immunofluorescence. The roles of NF-κB and MAPK in TGF-β1-mediated CCL3/4 promoter activity were studied using siRNAs, western blotting and qPCR. After establishing an IVDD rat model in vivo, we administered intradiscal injections of TGF-β1. The effects of TGF-β1 on IVDD were determined by MRI and histological analyses, and the effects of TGF-β1 on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) inflammation and pain development were determined by IHC staining and pain-behavior testing, respectively. TGF-β1 and CCL3/4 expression was elevated in degenerative NP tissue. CCL4 expression was significantly inhibited by TGF-β1 treatment. Pharmacological inhibition or siRNA knockdown of the ERK1/2 signaling attenuated TGF-β1-mediated suppression of CCL4 expression. In vivo, TGF-β1 injection inhibited the development of degenerative features in the IVDD model. Moreover, TGF-β1 prevented the inflammatory response and pain development. The results of this study show that TGF-β1 downregulates CCL4 expression through ERK1/2 signaling activation in NP cells. Furthermore, TGF-β1 can prevent degenerative processes, inhibit inflammatory responses in the DRG and prevent pain development in the IVDD rat model. The results of this study indicate that TGF-β1 may represent a therapeutic target for the control of inflammation-related pain associated with IVDD.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Models, Animal* ; Rats* ; RNA, Small Interfering

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional study. PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk factors associated with the severity of pain intensity in patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) in Southern China. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence throughout the world, so a firm understanding of the risk factor associated with NSLBP can provide early and prompt interventions that are aimed at attaining long-term results. METHODS: Participants were recruited from January 2014 to January 2016 and were surveyed using a self-designed questionnaire. Anonymous assessments included Short Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The association between the severity of NSLBP and these potential risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1,046 NSLBP patients were enrolled. The patients with primary school education, high body mass index (BMI), those exposed to sustained durations of driving and sitting, smoking, recurrent LBP had increased VAS and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores with lower SF-36 scores (p<0.01). Workers and drivers compared with waiters and patients who lifted >10 kg objects in a quarter of their work time for >10 years had higher VAS and ODI scores with lower SF-36 scores (p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression showed lower levels of education, LBP for 1–7 days, long-lasting LBP in last year, smoking, long duration driving, and higher BMI were associated with more severe VAS score. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of NSLBP is associated with lower levels of education, poor standards of living, heavy physical labor, long duration driving, and sedentary lifestyle. Patients with recurrent NSLBP have more severe pain. Reducing rates of obesity, the duration of heavy physical work, driving or riding, and attenuating the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and smoking may reduce the prevalence of NSLBP.
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Low Back Pain ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sedentary Lifestyle ; Smoke ; Smoking

Atherosclerosis(AS)is a common cardiovascular disease,and its treatment and prevention have been the focus of medical research.AS an emerging technology,nanotechnology has unique advantages and plays an important role in the prevention,diagnosis and treatment of AS.This paper reviews the latest research on the application of nanotechnology in AS diseases,systematically discusses the role of nanotechnology in the diag-nosis and treatment of AS,and comprehensively analyzes the effects of nano-drug carriers based on different sur-face trimmers,loading diagnostic and therapeutic drugs so as to monitordisease progression of AS and its targeted treatment.The aim is to provide new thought for the clinical treatment of AS.

Objective: To study the effect of noise on hypertension and hyperglycemia among occupational workers. Methods: Total 670 workers in an automobile manufacturing company were selected as the subjects of physical examination in 2017. According to the noise exposure or not, the subjects were divided into control group (no noise exposure) 143 and contact group (noise exposure) 527. Questionnaire survey and physical examination were conducted. The measurement data were analyzed by t-test, and the count data and grade data were analyzed by χ² test. The influence of noise on blood glucose, heart rate, blood pressure and other indicators was analyzed by logistic regression, and the OR and 95%CI of each risk factor were calculated. Results: The average age of the control group and the contact group was no significant difference (P>0.05) . There were 139 (20.7%) cases of high systolic pressure, 154 (23.0%) cases of high diastolic pressure, 63 (9.4%) cases of hyperglycemia, 29 (4.3%) cases of tachycardia. Compared with the control group, there were significant differences in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and blood glucose in the contact group (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and blood glucose of the subjects in the corresponding age contact group increased significantly (P<0.05) . The years of noise exposure were protective factors for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (OR=0.970, 0.973) . Conclusion Noise exposure may increase blood pressure and blood sugar of occupational workers, but the effect on heart rate can not be determined.

Background The influencing factors of noise hazards in the automotive manufacturing industry are complex, diverse, and mutually correlated, resulting in significant health impacts on workers. Objective To explore the application of generalized estimating equations (GEE) to analyze the factors affecting high-frequency hearing loss among noise-exposed workers in an automotive manufacturing company, guiding enterprises to scientifically carry out employee hearing protection programs. Methods The data of occupational health field evaluation and occupational health surveillance of an automobile manufacturing company for five consecutive years from 2018 to 2022 were collected, and 806 noise-exposed workers with pure tone hearing test results for all five consecutive years were selected as study participants. The retrieved indicators were gender, physical examination year, noise intensity, blood pressure, white blood cell counts, red blood cell counts, platelet counts, concentrations of hemoglobin, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, smoking, drinking, etc. Gender, noise intensity, blood pressure, white blood cell counts, red blood cell counts, concentrations of hemoglobin, platelet counts, glutamate aminotransferase, glutamate aminotransferase, smoking, and drinking were set as independent variables, and occurrence of high-frequency hearing loss was set as a dependent variable, and GEE were constructed by using the statistical software of SPSS 20.0 to analyze the influencing factors of high-frequency hearing loss. Results Of the 806 workers, 698 were male (86.6%) and 108 were female (13.4%). The detection rates of high-frequency hearing loss in each year from 2018 to 2022 were 66.4% (535/806), 69.8% (563/806), 70.0% (564/806), 68.9% (555/806), and 68.2% (550/806), respectively. The detection rate of high-frequency hearing loss in the company was varied significantly by gender, lowered white blood cell counts, lowered red blood cell counts, lowered platelet counts, smoking, and drinking (P<0.05). The results of GEE analysis showed that after adjusting for selected confounding factors and excluding interaction effects, the risk of high-frequency hearing loss was higher in men than in women (P=0.001; OR=1.907, 95%CI: 1.286, 2.829); it was higher in workplace with disqualified noise intensity than in those without (P=0.043; OR=1.289, 95%CI: 1.009, 1.648); it was also higher in smokers than in non-smokers (P=0.004; OR=1.507, 95%CI: 1.137, 1.999). Conclusion Gender, noise intensity, and smoking are the main influencing factors of high-frequency hearing loss in noise-exposed workers in this automobile manufacturing company. Controlling smoking and reducing noise exposure intensity may reduce the occurrence of high-frequency hearing loss in workers.