Artesunate ( Art ) is one of the derivatives of Qinghaosu ( Arte-misinin ), an effective and nontoxic new drug from the traditional Chinese medicine Qinghao ( Artemisia annua L. ).We observed a striking protection of Art against acute liver inju-ries induced by Acetaminophen(AAP)and CC14 in mice. The elevated serum transminase levels and liver lesions were reduced by Art given 100mg/kg or 200mg/kg ip to mice. Art also inhibited AAP-induced decrease of liver glycogen and reduced mortality in AAP-treated mice. In addition, Art markedly decreased the duration of the hypnosis of sodium pen tobarbital in mice, suggesting a stimulatory effect of Art on hepatic-metabolizing enzymes.

Objective:To investigate the effect of thermal conductivity on the apical sealing ability of different dental gutta-percha cones during the warm vertical condensation obturation.Methods:Four kinds of dental gutta-percha cones were used in this study:Bio-GP points (BP,B&L,Korea),large-tapered gutta-percha (DP,DENTSPLY,America),PROTAPER Universal gutta-percha points (DPP,DENTSPLY,America) and mtwo gutta-percha points (VP,VDW,Germany).Volume differences method was used to determine the main components and the thermal conductivity determinator was used to measure the thermal conductivity of these dental gutta-percha cones.Furthermore,20 cones randomly selected from each kind of dental gutta-percha cones.And 10 cones of each dental gutta-percha cones,which were cut out the part of 4 mm in length from the apical end,were heated (200 ℃) from the upper end without compression,and the temperature of the gutta perchacones surface was monitored in time by the infrared thermal imager during the whole heating process.In addition,the rest of the 10 cones of each dental gutta-percha cones were used to obturate the root canal in the transparent root canal resin model using warm vertical condensation technique.The cross-sectional surface was observed by stereomicroscope (× 40) at 1 mm and 3 mm from the working length and the gutta-percha obturation area proportion was measured and analyzed.The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA.Results:The proportion of inorganic fillers (80.90％ ± 1.14 ％) (P ＜ 0.05) and the thermal conductivity (2.247 ± 0.002)of DP was siguificantly higher than BP (79.28％ ± 3.88％,1.179 ± 0.003),DPP (68.46％ 5.09％,0.604 ±0.001),VP (78.86％ ± 1.87％,1.150 ±0.001) (P ＜0.05).During the thermal obturation without compression at the setting temperature (200 ℃),DP could achieve 65 ℃ beyond 1 mm from the heating point,and BP,DPP and VP only reached 65 ℃ within 1 mm.After warm vertical condensation obturation,all the groups showed increased gutta-percha obturation area proportion.At the position of WL-3,DP (96.89％ ±0.03％) showed significantly higher proportion of gutta-percha obturation area than BP (95.47％ ±0.06％),DPP (95.21％ ±0.03％) and VP (95.15％ ±0.03％) (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:DP contains more inorganic fillers,possesses higher thermal conductivity,and leads a better apical sealing ability than BP,DPP and VP at the position of WL-3 during warm vertical condensation obturation.

Objective:To investigate the antibacterial effect of different self-etching adhesive systems against Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans).Methods:Six reagents ClearfilTM SE Bond primer (SP), ClearfilTM SE Bond adhesive (SA),ClearfilTM Protect Bond primer (PP),which contained antibacterial monomer methacryloyloxydodecylpyridinium bromide (MDPB),ClearfilTM Protect Bond adhesive (PA), positive control chlorhexidine acetate [CHX,1% (mass fraction )],and negative control phosphate buffer solution (PBS)were selected.They were mixed with S.mutans for 30 s respectively,then colony-forming units (CFU)were counted after incubated for 48 h on brain heart infusion (BHI)agar medium. The 6 reagents were applied to the sterile paper discs,and distributed onto the BHI agar medium with S. mutans and incubated for 24 h,then the inhibition zones were observed.CHX,PBS,PP,and SP were added on the dentin with artificial caries induced by S.mutans and kept for 30 s,then confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM)was used to observe the live and dead bacteria after staining.The ratio of live to dead bacteria was calculated.PP+PA and SP+SA were applied on the dentin according to the manual and light cured.S.mutans were incubated on the samples for 2 h,ultrasonically treated and in-cubated on BHI agar medium for 48 h,then CFU was counted.The data were analyzed by non-parametric analysis and one-way ANOVA.Results:Compared with PBS,the PP,SP,PA,SA and CHX showed the antibacterial effect on free S.mutans (P<0.05 );SP and PP showed stronger antibacterial effect than PA,SA and CHX (P<0.05).CHX,SP and PP presented inhibition zones,while PBS,SA and PA did not.Compared with PBS,the CHX,SP and PP could lower the ratio of the live to dead bacteria significantly (P<0.05).Cured self-etching adhesive systems did not show any antibacterial effect on the free S.mutans.Conclusion:The primer of self-etching adhesives ClearfilTM SE Bond and ClearfilTM Pro-tect Bond showed significant antibacterial effect on free and attached S.mutans.The adhesive only showed antibacterial effect on free S.mutans before light-cured polymerization.After being cured,the self-etching adhesive systems did not show antibacterial effect anymore.

Objective:To compare the durability of resin-based root-surface coating material and all-in-one self-etching adhesive on root surface in vitro.Methods:Human extracted premolars or molars with intact roots were selected.The cementum was removed using a periodontal scaler to expose root dentin. The root surface was coated with an acid-resistant nail varnish,leaving a window of 3 mm ×3 mm on the exposed dentin.The window was covered with either PRG Barrier Coat (PRG)or Clearfil S3 Bond (CS3).After water aging for 14 d,specimens were immersed in acid buffer at pH 4.5 for 4 d and the demineralization buffer was changed every 24 h.Then the specimen was split longitudinally through the center of the ‘window’and the cross-sectional surface was observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM).After fixed and dehydrated,the prepared samples were coated with platinum.The coating mate-rial,root dentin and the interface was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).The thickness of the coating material was measured on the SEMimages.Regarding toothbrush wear test,coronal dentin-disks were prepared and covered with PRG and CS3,respectively.After storage in water for 24 h,the specimen was subjected to the toothbrush wear tester for 100,200,300,500,700,1 500 brushing cy-cles.A slurry of fluoride toothpaste (1 ∶2 ratio of toothpaste and deionized water by weight)was used and the brushing load was 300 N.The surface microstructure of remaining coating material was analyzed using SEM.The wear depths were determined by a profilometer.Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0 by one-way ANOVA.The level of significance was at 0.05.Results:Application of PRG Barrier Coat produced a coating layer of (47.1 ±27.3)μm,while CS3 presented a thin film of (5.7 ± 2.1)μm in thickness.The exposed dentin was hermetically sealed and no obvious gap was observed at the interface in both PRG and CS3 groups.There was no dentin demineralization observed in both groups after water aging.The wear depths of PRG and CS3 increased along with the numbers of brushing cycles. PRG wore at a significant lower pace than CS3 did (P <0.05).Conclusion:PRG coating resin had similar performances as CS3 on protecting root dentin from demineralization after water aging.What’s more,PRG demonstrated a higher toothbrush wear resistance than CS3.We concluded that PRG Barrier Coat contained S-PRG filler may be an effective coating material for protecting exposed root from both chemical and mechanical challenges.Further studies should be carried out to evaluate the long-term reli-ability of the rootsurface coating materials under the clinical setting.

The establishment of effective animal models is crucial for disease research.Dietary induction is a common method to establish animal models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).The common animal models of diet-induced NAFLD mainly include high fat and sugar,high fat and cholesterol,and choline-deficient diet-induced models.Because of the various nutrients ingested in different modeling method,pathological characteristics of the liver,such as fatty deformation,inflammation,and fibrosis,are different.Additionally,animal models vary in terms of disease progression,disease severity,and applicable studies.This study analyzed and compared the common animal models of NAFLD induced by various diets in terms of modeling method,modeling time,pathological characteristics,applicable research,and related advantages and disadvantages to provide a reference for NAFLD researchers to select animal models.

Objective To explore the structure changes of white matter in the first-episode schizo-phrenic patients with never-medicated(FESZ)and the relationship between facial emotion perception and white matter(WM)integrity.Methods Sixty-three schizophrenic patients and thirty health control subjects underwent diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)scans.Voxel-based analysis was used to compared fractional ani-sotropy(FA)map between the two groups.Correlations were analyzed with pearson relative analysis between impaired facial emotion perception tested by facial emotion categorization(FEC)and severity of symptoms measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS).Results (1)Compared with controls, FESZ patients showed overall decreased FA in WM of the body of left ventral frontal lobe((MNI(x,y,z):-18,26,-4;t=4.43)),right supramarginal gyrus((MNI(x,y,z):32,-50,26;t=4.27)),left middle oc-cipital gyral((MNI(x,y,z):-26,-60,0;t=4.89)),right middle occipital gyral((MNI(x,y,z):28,-70, 14;t=4.18)),left fusiform gyrus((MNI(x,y,z):-40,-50,0;t=3.92)),left cerebellum anterior lobe ((MNI(x,y,z):-32,-56,-28;t=4.57)),right parahippocampa gyrus1((MNI(x,y,z):32,-10,-14;t=4.16)),right parahippocampa gyrus2((MNI(x,y,z):16,-6,-14;t=4.56)),left anterior cingulate ((MNI(x,y,z):-2,4,-6;t=4.41)),left extra-nuclear((MNI(x,y,z):-2,-10,-6;t=4.44)),right thalamus((MNI(x,y,z):10,-10,2;t=4.20)),left thalamus((MNI(x,y,z):-22,-28,12;t=4.01)), and right caudate((MNI(x,y,z):14,12,8;t=4.87)).(2)Compared with controls,the patients with schizo-phrenia showed a higher shift point and a steeper slope than control subjects in FEC.Correlational analysis re-vealed that the negative correlations were found between the slope and negative factor(r=-0.298,P=0.036),between positive factor and the FA value in WM of the right middle occipital gyral(r=-0.322,P=0.023)and the left middle occipital gyral(r=-0.288,P=0.043),and between the FA value in the left cere-bellum anterior lobe and shift point(r=-0.393,P=0.005),but the positive correlation was found between disorganized/concrete factor and the FA value in the right parahippocampal gyrus(r=0.429,P=0.002).Con-clusions There are extensive microstructural abnormalities in WM of patients with FESZ.Disrupted WM in-tegrity in these regions may constitute a potential neural pathological basis for the facial emotion perception impairments in schizophrenia.

Electrospinning technology is currently the only technology capable of directly and continuously preparing polymer nanofibers. It can prepare a variety of nanofibers with different characteristics by using high voltage electrostatic field. These electrospun nanofibers have an inherently high porosity, high surface-to-volume ratio and good mechanical properties, allowing the engineering of scaffolds with a nanoscale topography and high porosity similar to that of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) to facilitate cell attachment, migration, proliferation, differentiation and functional expression. Thus, electrospun nanofibers have been widely applied in tissue engineering for different purposes such as bone, cartilage, neural, vascular, and skin regeneration and are being developed for pulp regeneration. This review briefly describes the preparation process and biological characteristics of electrospun nanofibers; furthermore, the most recent and state-of-the-art work on electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds, primarily their composition and structure in pulp tissue engineering, is introduced.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Kaixin Powder on learning and memory, ATP/AMP ratio, GABA andiNOS levels in rats with multiple infarct dementia. Methods: The rat model of multi-infarct dementia was established bymicro-thromboembolism. Morris water maze and opening experiment were used to evaluate learning and memoryfunction. The pathological changes of hippocampal CA1 area were evaluated by HE staining. The contents of ATP andAMP in brain tissue were determined by HPLC. The content of γ-aminobutyric acid and iNOS in peripheral blood weredetected by ELISA kit. Results: Compared with the rats of model group, rats of Kaixin Powder group can significantlyshorten the escape latency, increase the number of crossing platforms, Results: Compared with the model group, increasethe standing times in the opening experiment, prolong the exercise time, shorten the resting time, improve the nerve celldamage in the hippocampal CA1 area, and significantly increase the ratio of ATP/AMP of brain tissue, decreased brainGABA content and serum iNOS content (P ＜ 0.05) . Conclusion: Kaixin Powder has the effect of improving learning andmemory function and abnormal motor behavior in rats with multiple infarct dementia. The mechanism is related toreducing GABA and i NOS content in brain tissue, increasing ATP/AMP ratio in brain tissue and improving energysupply in brain tissue.

Objective: To investigate surface properties of novel flowable composites after polishing and simulated brushing wear, compared to their pasty counterpart. Methods: Composites employed in this study were: three flowable composites (A1: Clearfil Majesty ES Flow; B1: Beautifil Flow Plus F00; C1: Filtek Bulk Fill) and three paste composites (A2: Clearfil Majesty; B2: Beautifil; C2: Filtek Z350. Eleven disk-shaped specimens were made for each material. The specimens were cured, then subjected to sandpaper finishing for 20 s, one-step polishing for 30 s, finally subjected to simulated brushing for 10 000 cycles. Surface roughness and glossiness were measured before finishing, after finishing, after polishing, after 5 000 brushing cycles and after 10 000 brushing cycles, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed using two-way ANOVA method. Scanning electron microscope was employed to examine the microscopic appearance of each material. Results: Surface roughness (0.11~0.22 μm) and glossiness (74.25~86.48 GU) of each material were similar after one-step polishing. After brushing simulation, roughness increased significantly and glossiness decreased significantly for each material (P<0.05). Group A1 presented the best gloss ([50.68±1.58] GU) after final wear (P<0.05). Flowable composites of group A1 and B1 tested in the present setup showed better surface properties compared to their pasty counterpart (group A2 and B2). Conclusions Within the limit of this study, flowable composites tested in the present research can obtain similar surface polish or even better than the paste composite counterpart.