Objective To investigate the expectation values of dental esthetics during the orthodontic treatment in adolescents with malocclusion.Methods 14～18 year-old adolescents with malocclusion were randomly divided into the treatment group (30 cases) and the control group (21 group) for a prospective study with a period of 1.5 years (0,0.5,1.0,1.5 year respectively),esthetics components of index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN-AC) and self-made sheet for expectation values of dental esthetics were used to evaluate the values during the follow-up.Results During the follow-up,the IOTN-AC values in the treatment group were decreasing,conversely,the values in the control group were increasing,the expectation values of dental esthetics were increasing in both of the two groups,the differences above were significantly.Conclusions Expectation values of dental esthetics were higher during the follow-up in both of the treatment and untreatment cases,so the dentists and the nurses should encourage the consolidation therapy in treatment cases,and persuade the untreatment cases for orthodontic therapy in order to improve their psychological needs.

BACKGROUND: Peri-implant crestal bone resorption is considered as a normal reaction according to traditional butt-joint prosthesis around two-piece implants. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate bone loss around two-piece implants restored according to the platform switching concept in the posterior area of the mandible. METHODS: Eighty-eight implants were consecutively placed in 50 patients following submerged surgical protocol. In the test group, 40 Ankylos implants were placed using platform switching technique, while 48 3i implants using traditional butt-joint in the control group. All the implants were positioned at the crestal level. Definitive prosthesis was delivered after 3 months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All implants were judged to be successfully osseointegrated. The success rate was 100%. Twelve months after restoration, radiographic analysis showed an average bone reduction level of (0.31±0.39) mm in the test group that was statistically significantly different (P < 0.01) from the average reduction in the control group [(0.94±0.43) mm]. In the follow-up time, no implants were loose or lost and healthy gingival was seen. These findings show that the platform switching technique can reduce peri-implant crestal bone resorption and preserve alveolar bone level around dental implants 12 months after restoration.Oral Implantology Center, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China

BACKGROUND: There are many methods for investigating the physical development and the somatotype of child. Among them, Heath-Carter so matotype method is a comprehensive evaluation method on somatotype. In this method, 10 items of anthropometric indicators are selected from several dozens of items as assessment indicators for development and somatotype.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rules and characteristics of soma totype development of Hah children in rural area of Huludao city, so as to supplement the essential data for physical anthropology.DESIGN: Normal children were chosen as the subjects, and cross-sectional investigation was carried out.SETTING: Department of Anatomy, Jinzhou Medical College. PARTICIPANTS: With cluster sampling, the Han children between 7 to 10 years old were selected from central primary school of Mingshuixiang Village of Suizhong County of Huludao city from July 2001 to September 2003. All the selected children should be verified healthy by physical examination at school. The children were divided into two groups according to gender, and each group was divided into 4 subgroups according to age,with 46 to 63 members in each group. There were 8 groups altogether.Complete data of 408 children were collected (male 213, female 195).METHODS: Each indicator was measured twice with Heath-Carter soma to type method and selected the average value. Specialists were responsible for the 10 indicators, and a database was established in computer according to age and gender. Calculated the following indicators in turn: endomorphic factor, mesomorphic factor and ectomorphic factor, coordinate values of X and Y on somatotype chart, Height/Weight1/3, mean of dimensional distances from the average somatotype to all somatotypes in the sample,difference between the two somatotypes in three-dimensional space, percentage of body fat and frequency distribution of each somatotype.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Height, body mass, upper arm circum ference, calf circumference, intracondylar diameters of humerus and femur,skinfold of brachial triceps, subscapular skinfold, skinfold of anterosuperior iliac spine, skinfold of gastrocnemius muscle.RESULTS: All the 408 children entered results analysis. ①Height and body mass of 7 to 10 year old children increased as age went up, indicators of Height/Weight1/3 of 7,8,10 year old girls were higher than boys, that of 9 years old boys was higber than girls, which were related to that the growth of height of 8 & 9 year old boys (5.61 cm) was more than girls (3.88 cm).The content of body fat of girls was more than boys. The 3 somatotype values were 3.2-3.9, 2.3-2.6 and 3.0-3.4 in boys and 3.5-4.6, 1.9-2.6 and 3.3-3.5 in girls, so endomorphic factor and ectomorphic factor were the main factors both in girls and boys, and endomorphic gene in girls was higher than boys, which indicated that the content of body fat of rural children in Hulutao city was relatively high, their bodies were finely high and thin, their skeletal muscle was not so muscular and the hypodermic fat in girls was more abundant. Seen from the comparison of somatotype between boys and girls in each age group, the differences between two somatotypes in the three dimensional space of 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-11 year old groups were 0.46, 0.68, 1.03 and 0.61 respectively, except 7-year old group, there were significant differences in somatotype of boys and girls between each age groups (P ＜ 0.01). ②The average value of somatotype of Han boys in rural area was 3.4-2.5-3.2, which belonged to medial type; that of girls was 4.0-2.3-3.4, which beglonged to ectomorphic endomorphic type. Endomorphic factor and ectomorphic factor were the dominant factors both in boys and girls, whereas mesomorphic factor was relatively low; the frequency of somatotype kept changing as the increase of age. ③Compared with the data at home and abroad, the endomorphic factor of the Han children in rural area in Huludao City was relatively high, while the mesomorphic factor was relatively low, and the ectomorphic factor was almost the same.CONCLUSION: The somatotype of Han children in rural area in Huludao City develops better. Their heights are tall, whereas their skeletal muscles are not so muscular. Somatotype development of children is diversified with age.

Objective:To investigate the effects and significance of α-synuclein(α-syn)on the expression level of β-arrestin 2 in Parkinson's disease(PD)in a mouse model.Methods:Twenty-eight C57BL/6J mice with similar motor skills were randomly divided into a model group and a control group, with 14 mice in each group.A PD model was established by injecting preformed fibrils of α-syn into the striatum of the brain, and behavioral changes were monitored after 4 weeks.The expression levels of α-syn, the dopamine receptor(DR), tyrosine hydroxylase(TH), inflammatory factors, β-arrestin 2 and the nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB)signaling pathway-related proteins were determined by Western blotting.The interaction between α-syn and β-arrestin 2 was detected by fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET), and the regulation of α-syn on β-arrestin 2 transcriptional activation was detected by the dual luciferase report assay.Results:After 4 weeks of modeling, compared with the control group, the average movement speed of mice in the model group was significantly reduced( t=9.415, P<0.001), the movement track was sparse and concentrated around the open field, and the time needed to climb the pole was significantly prolonged( t=16.412, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the relative expression of α-synin in astrocytes in the model group increased significantly, the relative expressions of D1DR and TH decreased significantly[(1.14±0.18) vs.(0.53±0.16), (0.67±0.13) vs.(1.15±0.11), (0.46±0.05) vs.(0.81±0.06)]( t=9.810, 10.917 and 17.356, all P<0.001), the relative expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins increased significantly( t=3.583, 4.284, 5.396, 11.747, 16.375 and 18.294, all P<0.001), and the relative expression of β-arrestin 2 protein[(0.42±0.11) vs.(1.33±0.14)]in astrocytes decreased significantly( t=19.795, P<0.001). The FRET results suggested a possible direct interaction between α-syn and β-arrestin 2.The results of the dual luciferase report assay showed that the transcription activity of β-arrestin 2 was significantly increased after α-syn gene knockout. Conclusions:The α-syn may induce inflammation in astrocytes by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway and participate in the pathogenesis of PD by reducing dopamine biosynthesis and inhibiting its physiological function through negative regulation of β-arrestin 2.

Objective:To observe the expression level of β-arrestin 1/2 in mice with Parkinson's disease(PD)and its relationship with pathogenesis of PD.Methods:PD model was prepared by using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride(MPTP). The mice were killed at 3 days after the last administration and the brain tissue was taken for observing brain histopathological changes.The colocalization of β-arrestin1/2 with microglia was detected by using immunofluorescence double-labeling of β-arrestin1/2 and microglia.Tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)and Iba-1 were used to label cells, and then the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the activation of microglia were observed by immunohistochemistry.Results:As compared with the blank control group, the relative expression level of β-arrestin1 protein in brain tissue of PD mice was increased significantly, while the relative expression level of β-arrestin2 protein was decreased significantly( t=11.535, 9.948, both P=0.000), and β-arrestin1/2 shared cell localization with microglia.After MPTP induced PD, the number of Th + neurons in SNc area of midbrain was decreased significantly in β-arrestin1 + /+ group and β-arrestin1 -/- group( t=4.098, 3.571, P=0.000, 0.001), while the number of Iba-1 + cells in SNc area of midbrain was increased significantly( t=10.097、6.448, both P=0.000). After MPTP induced PD, the number of Th + neurons in SNc area of midbrain was decreased significantly in β-arrestin2 + /+ group and β-arrestin2 -/- group( t=3.512, 5.237, P=0.001, 0.000), while the number of Iba-1 + cells in SNc area of midbrain was increased significantly( t=5.816、8.402, P=0.000). Compared with β-arrestin1 + /+ group, the expressions of TRAF6, NF-κB and COX-2 in mouse microglia were significantly increased in β-arrestin1 -/- group( t=5.324, 5.837, 9.350, all P=0.0000). Compared with β-arrestin2 + /+ group, the expressions of TRAF6, NF-κB and COX-2 in mouse microglia were significantly down-regulated in β-arrestin2 -/- group( t=5.094, 6.318, 9.466, all P=0.000). Conclusions:The expression of β-arrestin1 is up-regulated and β-arrestin2 is down-regulated in brain tissue of PD mice.β-arrestin1/2 may affect the proliferation and activation of microglia and the loss of dopaminergic neurons through TRAF6/NF-κB/COX-2 pathway, and participate in the pathological process of PD.