The obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) affects approximately 2%-4% of the middle-aged population. It is characterized by obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, resulting in repetitive breathing pauses accompanied by oxygen desaturation. It has been recognized as an independent risk factor for disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and sleepiness-related accidents. Treatment modalities for OSAHS at the present time include nasal continuous positive airway pressure( CPAP) , surgery option and oral appliances. However many patients refuse or cannot tolerate CPAP and surgery treatment and randomized trials report patient preference for o-ral appliances. Today, the most commonly used oral appliances are the mandibular advancement devices (MADs). This article provides an overview of OSAHS: its epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and clinical application on treatment of OSAHS with MADs.

Pharmacology of Shpnxueling(SXL),a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of idiopathicthrombocytopenic purpura,and its hemostatic activity were studied in experimental animals. Results showedthat SXL shortened the time of bleeding and coagulation,raised BPC in mice,increased platelet megakaryocyteproduction in rabbit,prolong the time of swiming of 1oaded mice,increased body liver and kidney weights ofyoung mice, increased p1asma cortisol Ievel. Acute and chronic toxicity tests reveaIed that SXL was nontoxicto mice or rats. These results suggested that hemostasis was associated with effects of SXl, which could faci1i-tate division and maturity of megakaryocyte,increase the BPC,accelerate coagulation and regulate the functionof endocrine. SXL could resist fatigue,endure hypoxia,faciIitate growth. lt is safe and nontoxic in its use of'SXL.

BACKGROUND:The analysis of gas flow in upper respiratory tract of patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome contributes to further understanding the correlation of anatomical structure and function of upper respiratory tract so as to know the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. OBJECTIVE:To establish the three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model of upper airway in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, to study the characteristics of airflow dynamics in upper respiratory tract in above patients, and to lay the foundation for further exploring the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. METHODS:CT scan of the upper airway was performed with a moderate obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome patient. Data stored in DICOM format were imported in Mimics 10.01 software, and processed, and then computational fluid dynamics model was built. ANSYS ICEM CFD14.0 was used to perform the grid division of the three-dimensional model. The internal flow of upper respiratory tract was simulated by ANSYS 14.0-Fluid Dynamics, and relevant information on airflow field of upper airway was obtained. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model of upper airway wasestablished with 1 751 940 elements and 303 981 nodes of upper airway. The flow rate was 11.087 m/s in the lower bound of pharyngopalatiae, which was the most narrowed areas of upper airway in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. The three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model of upper airway has accurately simulated biomechanical feature of human, which provides a foundation for further studying the airflow dynamics of upper respiratory tract of patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Objective:To investigate the effects of strain force on t he expression of osteoclast differentiation factor(ODF) and osteoclasto-genesis i nhibitory factor(OCIF) in human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs). Met hods: HPDLCs were subjected to cyclic strain force for 0, 6, 12 and 24 h ours, mRNA expression of ODF and OCIF were determined by RT-PCR. Result s:After treatment of the cells for 0,6,12 and 24 hours the ODF/?-actio n values were 0.7280?0.0261,0.6831?0.0411,0.5801?0.2230 and 0.4572?0.0373( P0.05) respectively.Conclusion:Strain force may decrease the expression of ODF and increase the expression of OCIF.

To determine the role of biopterin in acute lung injury in scald rats with infection, and to observe the therapeutic effect of GTP-cyclohydrolase I(GTP-CHI) inhibitor on postburn sepsis, 56 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal controls (n=10), scald control group(n=10), postburn sepsis group(n=20) and 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxy-pyrimidine (DAHP) treatment group (n=16). Tissue samples from lungs were collected to determine GTP-CHI and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression, meanwhile biopterin, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?) and interferon-? (IFN-?) levels in lungs were also measured. The results showed that after scald injury followed by Staphylococcus aureus challenge, GTP-CHI gene expression and biopterin levels significantly elevated in lungs, so did the values of iNOS mRNA expression and NO induction (P

To observe the changes in plasma endotoxin level and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP)/lipopolysaccharide receptor CD14 gene expression in the postburn Staphylococcus aureus infection, and to investigate their potential role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. 70 Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control ( n =10), scald control ( n =10) and postburn sepsis group ( n =50). In the postburn sepsis group, rats were subjected to 20% TBSA Ⅲ?scald followed by Staphylococcus aureus challenge. LBP/CD14 and TNF ? mRNA expression in the liver, kidneys, lungs and heart were determined in all groups. Plasma endotoxin level and intestinal diamine oxidase (DAO) activity were also measured. The results showed that, after thermal injury combined with Staphylococcus aureus infection, intestinal DAO activity significantly declined,measuring 219 3, 157 3, 182 3, 167 3 and 179 2 U/g protein at 0 5?2?6?12 and 24h, respectively, after Staphylococcus aureus administration (239 9 U/g protein in normal controls). Meanwhile plasma endotoxin levels was markedly elevated, peaking at 2 hours( P

The aim of this study was to observe the changes in tissue suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCSs) mRNA expression, and to investigate their potential role in the pathogenesis of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Fifty four Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group ( n =6), CLP induced sepsis group ( n =36) and recombinant bactericidal/ permeability increasing protein (rBPI 21 ) treatment group ( n =12). Tissue samples from the liver, lung and kidney were collected to determine SOCS1 and SOCS3 mRNA expressions. Meanwhile, tissue endotoxin and TNF ? levels were also determined. The results showed that, after CLP, endotoxin and TNF ? levels in the liver, lung and kidney significantly increased, peaking at 2～12h ( P

The present study was performed to investigate the significance and potential role of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation in postburn Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. Seventy one male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal controls, scald control group, postburn sepsis group, AG490 (JAK2 inhibitor) treatment group, and rapamycin (RPM, STAT3 inhibitor) treatment group. Tissue samples from the liver and lung were collected to determine activation of STAT3, and interferon ? (IFN ?) mRNA as well as protein expression. The results showed that activation of STAT3 was quickly up regulated at 0 5～1 hour following thermal injury combined with Staphylococcus aureus challenge in the liver and lung, and it gradually weakened after 2 hours. Treatment with AG490 or RPM could inhibit activation of STAT3 at 0 5 hour in the liver and lung. Meanwhile, IFN ? mRNA expression markedly declined at 2 hours after treatment with AG490 or RPM in the liver and RPM in the lung ( P

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in high mobility group 1 (HMG 1) protein in postburn Staphylococcus aureus infection and its potential signaling mechanism. A total of 61 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: normal control group ( n =6), scald control group ( n =9), postburn sepsis group ( n =36) and rapamycin (RPM) treatment group ( n =10). Tissue samples from the liver and kidney were collected to determine tumor necrosis factor ? (TNF ?) and HMG 1 mRNA expression. The results showed that, after Staphylococcus aureus challenge, TNF ? mRNA expression was up regulated rapidly in both the liver and the kidney, peaking at 2 hours ( P

To investigate changes in Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) gene expression in postburn Staphylococcus aureus infection, and its potential signaling mechanism, 68 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: normal control group (n=6), scald control group (n=6), postburn sepsis group (n=36),AG126 treatment group (n=10) and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment group (n=10). Tissue samples from the liver, kidney and lung were collected from every group to determine TLR2 and tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) mRNA expression. The results showed that TLR2 mRNA expressions in the liver, kidney and lung from postburn septic animals were up-regulated rapidly, peaking at 0.5-2 hours (P