Objective:To compare 2 position implant-supported molar distalization systems in clinical application.Methods:25 pa-tients with Class II and mild to moderate crowding dentition were included,18 females and 7 males,aged 15 to 29 years old(22.58 on average ).All the patients were treated with non-extraction method by distalizing the upper molar with micro-implant anchorage.In ex-perimental group(n =12)the micro-implants were inserted on infrazygomatic crest above the maxillary first molar mesial buccal root. In control group(n =13)the micro-implants were inserted on buccal alveolar bone between maxillary second premolar and maxillary first molar.In both groups micro-implants were inserted to distalize the maxillary molars.The displacement patterns of maxillary inci-sors and molars were measured and compared.Results:Successful primary micro-implant placement was obtained in 87.5%(21 /24) of the implantation in control group and 100%(26 /26)in experimental group.The distal movement(mm)of the molars in control and experiment group was 2.29 ±0.96 and 2.91 ±0.96 respectively(P >0.05).Experimental group showed significant intrusive displace-ment of the molars.Horizontal incisor displacement in experimental group was more than that in control group.Conclusion:Micro-im-plant inserted in infrazygomatic crest may facilitate intrusion and distalization of the maxillary molar and incisor.

Objective:To investigate the combined effect of fluoride exposure and low nutrition on osteogenesis and osteoclastic differentiation in rats.Methods:SD rats were divided into four groups by the method of random number table, namely normal nutrition group, low nutrition treatment group, fluoride exposure group and co-treatment of fluoride and low nutrition group according to 2 × 2 factorial experimental design, 8 rats in each group, half male and half female. Five months after the experiment, immunohistochemistry was used to test the expression levels of femoral alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL). Analysis of variance of factorial design was used to determine the interaction between fluoride exposure and low nutrition on osteogenesis and osteoclastic differentiation.Results:The immunohistochemical results of bone tissue showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of osteogenesis differentiation markers ALP and Runx2 between different groups ( F = 25.98, 17.77, P < 0.001). Compared with normal nutrition group (0.005 2 ± 0.002 7, 0.003 1 ± 0.001 4), the expression levels of ALP and Runx2 in fluoride exposure group were higher (0.019 5 ± 0.005 0, 0.014 4 ± 0.004 4, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between low nutrition treatment group (0.002 6 ± 0.001 8, 0.004 4 ± 0.003 2) and co-treatment of fluoride and low nutrition group (0.003 6 ± 0.000 7, 0.002 9 ± 0.000 8, P > 0.05). The expression levels of ALP and Runx2 in co-treatment of fluoride and low nutrition group were lower than those of fluoride exposure group ( P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the expression level osteoclastic differentiation marker of RANKL and the ratio of RANKL/OPG ( F = 10.50, 31.05, P < 0.001). Among them, the RANKL/OPG ratio (0.115 3 ± 0.039 5) in fluoride exposure group was lower than that in normal nutrition group (1.426 3 ± 0.777 2), and the RANKL expression level and RANKL/OPG ratio (0.019 5 ± 0.007 7, 7.258 7 ± 3.674 3) in co-treatment of fluoride and low nutrition group were higher than those in normal nutrition group (0.004 4 ± 0.002 5, 1.426 3 ± 0.777 2, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the RANKL expression level and RANKL/OPG ratio (0.004 0 ± 0.001 9, 2.022 3 ± 0.753 7) in low nutrition treatment group ( P > 0.05). The expression level of RANKL and the ratio of RANKL/OPG in the co-treatment of fluoride and low nutrition group were higher than those in low nutrition treatment group and fluoride exposure group ( P < 0.05). The 2 × 2 analysis of variance of factorial design showed that fluoride exposure and low nutrition had interaction on ALP, Runx2, RANKL expression levels and RANKL/OPG ratio ( F = 4.38, 19.39, 22.12, 108.00, P < 0.05), antagonistic effect on ALP and Runx2 expression, synergistic effect on RANKL expression and RANKL/OPG ratio. Conclusions:In rat bone tissue, fluoride exposure promotes osteogenesis differentiation, inhibits osteoclastic differentiation dominated by active osteogenic function. The interaction between fluoride and low nutrition on osteogenesis and osteoclastic differentiation is antagonistic osteogenesis differentiation and synergistic promotion of osteoclastic differentiation. Normal nutrition conditions are material basis of osteogenesis differentiation, and low nutrition is the inducement of enhanced osteoclastic differentiation.

Objective:To learn about the levels of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) in bone tissue of rats with different types of skeletal fluorosis and analyze their correlation.Methods:Thirty 4-week-old SPF grade healthy SD rats were selected. After adaptive feeding for 1 week, the rats were divided into control group (4 ml·kg -1·bw deionized water + standard maintenance diet), osteosclerosis group [20 mg·kg -1·bw sodium fluoride (NaF) + standard maintenance diet], and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group (20 mg·kg -1·bw NaF + low-calcium and low-protein partial diet) according to their body weight (100 - 120 g) by random number table method, with 10 rats in each group, half male and half female; gavaged 6 days each week and the experimental period was 5 months. At the end of the experiment, samples of rat heart blood and lower limb femur were collected. The contents of serum methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and its metabolite S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) in serum, and the levels of 5-mC and 5-hmC in bone tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was used to determine the expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs) and DNA hydroxymethylase (TETs) in bone tissue of rats. The correlation between serum SAM content, SAM/SAH ratio and bone tissue 5-mC level, and between the bone tissue 5-mC level and 5-hmC level was analyzed. Results:Serum SAM [11.03 (7.06, 18.63), 3.96 (2.32, 9.09), 3.91 (2.35, 4.46) nmol/L], SAH content [(4.69 ± 0.55), (5.41 ± 1.13), (13.90 ± 1.09) ng/L], SAM/SAH ratio [2.58 (1.54, 4.12), 0.62 (0.52, 1.69), 0.14 (0.13, 0.15)] and bone tissue 5-mC [103.39 (97.37, 109.35), 52.50 (50.19, 68.13), 55.03 (49.97, 59.57) ng/L], 5-hmC levels [(32.61 ± 8.84), (56.96 ± 8.48), (20.34 ± 6.22) ng/L] in the control group, osteosclerosis group and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group were compared, and the differences were statistically significant beween three groups ( H/ F = 12.81, 284.24, 21.85, 19.37, 55.23, P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the content of SAM, the ratio of SAM/SAH, the level of 5-mC in the osteosclerosis group and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group, and the level of 5-hmC in the osteoporosis/osteomalacia group were lower ( P < 0.05), while the content of SAH in the osteoporosis/osteomalacia group and the level of 5-hmC in the osteosclerosis group were higher ( P < 0.05). Compared with the osteosclerosis group, the content of SAH in the osteoporosis/osteomalacia group was higher, while the ratio of SAM/SAH and the level of 5-hmC were lower ( P < 0.05). Western blot showed that there were statistically significant differences in the expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, TET1 and TET2 protein in bone tissue of rats in the control group, osteosclerosis group, and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group ( F = 285.45, 345.58, 239.83, 311.52, 318.24, P < 0.001). Among them, the expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B protein in the osteosclerosis group and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group were lower than those in the control group, and the expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B protein in the osteosclerosis/osteomalacia group were lower than those in the osteosclerosis group ( P < 0.05); the expression levels of TET1 and TET2 protein in osteosclerosis group were higher than those in the control group and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group, and the expression levels of TET1 and TET2 protein in the osteoporosis/osteomalacia group were lower than those in the control group ( P < 0.05). The results of Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the content of SAM and the ratio of SAM/SAH in the control group, osteosclerosis group and osteoporosis/osteomalacia group were positively correlated with the level of 5-mC in bone tissue ( rs = 0.89, 0.92, 0.81, 0.73, 0.87, 0.73, P < 0.05). The levels of 5-mC and 5-hmC in bone tissue of rats in each group were negatively correlated ( rs = - 0.69, - 0.68, - 0.72, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The level of 5-mC in bone tissue of osteosclerotic fluorosis rats is low, and the level of 5-hmC is high, while those of osteoporosis/osteomalacia fluorosis rats are lower. The difference of 5-mC level in bone tissue of rats with different types of skeletal fluorosis is not significant, which may be related to the difference of 5-hmC level in bone tissue.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and antithrombin III (AT III) with the severity of sepsis, and to compare the predictive value of the above indicators alone or in combination. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Eighty-five patients with sepsis admitted to the department of intensive care medicine of Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from April 2021 to September 2022 were enrolled. General information, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score within 24 hours of admission, inflammatory indicators [PCT, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP)] and coagulation indicators (D-dimer and AT III) levels at admission, and 28-day prognosis were collected. The differences of the above indicators were compared among patients with different prognosis at 28 days and different severity of sepsis. The correlation between PCT, IL-6, AT III and the severity of sepsis was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation method. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to evaluate the predictive value of PCT, IL-6 and AT III alone or in combination on the 28-day death of patients with sepsis. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were enrolled finally, 67 cases survived and 18 cases died at 28 days. The mortality was 21.2%. There were no statistical significant differences in gender, age and other general data between the two groups. The patients in the death group were more serious than those in the survival group, and PCT, IL-6, and CRP levels were significantly higher than those in the survival group [PCT (μg/L): 4.34 (1.99, 14.42) vs. 1.17 (0.31, 3.94), IL-6 (ng/L): 332.40 (50.08, 590.18) vs. 61.95 (31.64, 194.20), CRP (mg/L): 149.28 (75.34, 218.60) vs. 83.23 (48.22, 174.96), all P < 0.05], and AT III activity was significantly lower than that in the survival group [(53.67±28.57)% vs. (80.96±24.18)%, P < 0.01]. However, there were no significant differences in D-dimer, NLR and SAA between the two groups. Among the 85 patients, 36 had sepsis with single organ dysfunction, 29 had sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction, and 20 had septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction. With the increase of the severity of sepsis, PCT and IL-6 levels gradually increased [PCT (μg/L): 0.36 (0.19, 1.10), 3.00 (1.22, 9.94), 4.34 (2.18, 8.86); IL-6 (ng/L): 43.99 (20.73, 111.13), 100.00 (45.37, 273.00), 332.40 (124.4, 693.65)], and the activity of AT III decreased gradually [(89.81±21.42)%, (71.97±24.88)%, and (53.50±25.41)%], all with statistically significant differences (all P < 0.01). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that PCT and IL-6 levels in sepsis patients were significantly positively correlated with the severity of the disease (r values were 0.562 and 0.517, respectively, both P < 0.01), and AT III activity was significantly negatively correlated with the severity of the disease (r = -0.523, P < 0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that PCT, IL-6, and AT III alone or in combination had some predictive value for the death of sepsis patients at 28 days. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the above three indicators in combination was higher than that of the individual tests (0.818 vs. 0.722, 0.725, and 0.770), with a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 73.1%. CONCLUSIONS PCT, IL-6, and AT III were significantly correlated with the severity of sepsis patients. The combined assay of the above three indicators can effectively improve the prediction of the prognosis of sepsis patients.
Humans ; Procalcitonin ; Interleukin-6 ; Antithrombin III ; Retrospective Studies ; Multiple Organ Failure ; ROC Curve ; Sepsis/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis* ; Anticoagulants

OBJECTIVETo investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human infections with avian influenza A (H7N9) in China and to provide scientific evidence for the adjustment of preventive strategy and control measures.

METHODSDemographic and epidemiologic information on human cases were collected from both reported data of field epidemiological investigation and the reporting system for infectious diseases.

RESULTSA total of 433 cases including 163 deaths were reported in mainland China before June 4, 2014. Two obvious epidemic peaks were noticed, in March to April, 2013 and January to February, 2014. Confirmed cases emerged in 14 areas of China. Five provinces, including Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Hunan, reported about 85% of the total cases. Median age of the confirmed cases was 58 years (range, 1-91), with 70% as males. Of the 418 cases with available data, 87% had ever exposed to live poultry or contaminated environments. 14 clusters were identified but human to human transmission could not be ruled out in 9 clusters.

CONCLUSIONHuman infections with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus showed the characteristics of obvious seasonal distribution, with certain regional clusters. The majority of confirmed cases were among the elderly, with more males seen than the females. Data showed that main source of infection was live poultry and the live poultry market had played a significant role in the transmission of the virus.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Demography ; Environmental Pollution ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Male ; Meat ; Poultry ; Research Design