In order to study the stress distribution and displacement characternstic of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) during centric occlusion, using the three dimensional nonlinear finite element model of normal human TMJ developed from in vivo with simulation of the contact relationship within TMJ, the stress and the maximum displacement of various structures in the TMJ were calculated and analyzed during centric occlusion. Furthermore, we separately accounted the mechanical properties of various structures in human TMJ and three dimensional muscle force vectors of their masticatory muscles measured and analyzed by use of the fusion of cranio jaw facial CT and MR image with the multiresolution method based on wavelet pyramid. The results showed that there were significant differences in the region and value of stress distribution on the surface of the disc, condyle and articular fossa during centric occlusion, in which the biggest stress was distributed in the condyle, the second in the articular fossa, and the smallest in the disc. During centric occlusion, the disc, condyle and articular fossa moved upperly, posteriorly and medially with the biggest displacement on the condyle, the secondary one on the disc and the smallest one on the fossa. It suggested that it is clinically feasible to systematically and rationally calculate and analyze the stress distribution and displacement character, and the results were satisfying

Objective To evaluate the protective effect of adiponectin in early atherosclerosis and the diagnostic value of adiponectin in metabolic syndrome in obese children. Methods Total 176 obese children and 88 normal weight children aged 9-12 years were included in the present study. All participants underwent hematologic and biochemical tests including serum adiponectin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP),fasting blood glucose, insulin, and plasma lipids. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)was calculated. Noninvasive ultrasound measurement including intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery(IMT), brachial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid artery compliance (CAC), and the maximum fatthickness ahead of peritoneum (Pmax) were obtained to investigate arterial mechanical properties and endothelial function. Results (1) The level of adiponectin was negatively correlated with obese index, blood pressure,fasting insulin, hsCRP, HOMA-IR, and IMT(P<0.05 or P<0. 01 ); but not with triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, CAC, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and FMD. (2) The risk of metabolic syndrome increased 3.43 times in children with adiponectin level <7. 060 mg/L compared with ＞7. 060 mg/L. (3)Receiver operating characteristic( ROC ) curve was used to choose the optimal cutpoint of adiponectin to identify obese children with the metabolic syndrome. The area under the curve (AUC) for adiponectin to discriminate the sensitivity of metabolic syndrome was 0. 769 (95% CI0. 714-0.816, P< 0. 0 1 ). (4) The obese children were divided into three groups according to the cut-off value for adiponectin (high, middle, low groups). There were significant differences in the prevalences of severe obesity, visceral fat accumulation, hypertension, insulinemia,low HDL-C, metabolic syndrome among three groups (P<0.05). Conclusions High levels of serum adiponectin could prevent early stage of atherosclerosis. The lower the adiponectin level, the higher the incidence of metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE:To prepare Polygala fallax rapidly disintegrating oral tablets and investigate its in vitro dissolution. METHODS:The rapidly disintegrating tablets was prepared by direct powder compression method. Using disintegration time as in-dex,the ratio of stuffing bulking agent mannitol to disintegrating agent microcrystalline cellulose,the amount of drug extract,the amount of lubricant magnesium stearate and other influential factors were investigated by single factor test and orthogonal test. The drug dissolution effect of prepared tablet(using senegenin as substance control)was evaluated by in vitro dissolution test(using wa-ter as dissolution medium,paddle method). RESULTS:The optimal formulation was that the amount of drug extract was 15%;the ratio of mannitol to microcrystalline cellulose was 1.5:1;the amount of magnesium stearate was 1.0%. The disintegration time of prepared tablet was(31±4)s;tablet hardness was(3.4±0.2)kg;tablet friability was(0.23±0.07)%(RSD<0.11%,n=3). Ac-cumulative dissolution rate of total saponins was more than 90% within 5 min. The dissolution parameters T50 was equal to 0.84 min and Td was equal to 1.77 min. CONCLUSIONS:Polygala fallax rapidly disintegrating oral tablets will dissolve quickly and dis-integrate rapidly in aqueous solution.

Background/Aims: To investigate the autoantibody against fumarate hydratase (FH), which is a specific liver failure-associated antigen (LFAA) and determine whether it can be used as a biomarker to evaluate the prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Methods: An immunoproteomic approach was applied to screen specific LFAAs related to differential prognosis of ACLF (n=60). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology was employed for the validation of the frequency and titer of autoantibodies against FH in ACLF patients with different prognoses (n=82). Moreover, we clarified the expression of autoantibodies against FH in patients with chronic hepatitis B (n=60) and hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis (n=60). The dynamic changes in the titers of autoantibodies against FH were analyzed by sample collection at multiple time points during the clinical course of eight ACLF patients with different prognoses. Results: Ultimately, 15 LFAAs were screened and identified by the immunoproteomic approach.Based on ELISA-based verification, anti-FH/Fumarate hydratase protein autoantibody was chosen to verify its expression in ACLF patients. ACLF patients had a much higher anti-FH autoantibody frequency (76.8%) than patients with liver cirrhosis (10%, p=0.000), patients with chronic hepatitis B (6.7%, p=0.022), and normal humans (0%, p=0.000). More importantly, the frequency and titer of anti-FH protein autoantibodies in the serum of ACLF patients with a good prognosis were much higher than that of patients with a poor prognosis (83.9% vs 61.5%, p=0.019; 1.41±0.85 vs 0.94±0.56, p=0.017, respectively). The titer of anti-FH autoantibodies showed dynamic changes in the clinical course of ACLF. Conclusions The anti-FH autoantibody in serum may be a potential biomarker for predicting the prognosis of ACLF.

Objective To evaluate the short-term therapeutic effects of DNA immunoadsorbent (IA) combined with glucocorticoid and immune depressant on patients with severe systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods 32 patients with severe SLE were selected to undergo DNA IA treatment combined with glucocorticoid plus cyclophosphamide therapy, and each patient received IA therapy 3 times, once 2.5 hours, with an interval of 24-48 hours to take another two times of IA. The changes in SLE disease activity index(SLEDAI)score, health status evaluation indexes〔 physiologic functional( PF) and emotional health( MH) scores〕,renal function indexes〔 blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and serum creatinine(SCr)〕 were observed; and anti-double stranded DNA antibody( ds-DNA), immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM), complements(C3 and C4)and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were examined before and after IA treatment for 2 weeks. Results Two weeks after the combination therapy, the SLEDAI score, BUN, SCr, dsDNA, IgA, IgG, IgM, hs-CRP were significantly lower than those before treatment 〔SLEDAI score : 14.38±3.85 vs. 15.69±1.40, BUN (mmol/L): 11.22±4.78 vs. 16.31±7.90, SCr (μmol/L): 127.02±38.17 vs. 167.25±45.63, dsDNA( U/L): 1.36±0.12 vs. 1.43±0.18, IgA( g/L): 2.41±0.73 vs. 2.59±0.86, IgG( g/L): 16.82±4.83 vs. 21.01±4.84, IgM( g/L): 1.64±0.45 vs. 1.75±0.58, hs-CRP( mg/L): 14.41±2.20 vs. 14.94±2.60, P<0.05 or P<0.01〕; PF score, MH score, complement C3 were increased〔 PF score : 71.19±17.53 vs. 56.66±22.41, MH score : 74.01±15.72 vs. 61.50±17.98, C3( g/L): 0.56±0.09 vs. 0.52±0.10, all P<0.05〕; clinical symptoms were improved significantly, and no significant adverse reactions were found. Conclusion IA combined with medical treatment has shown that it has significant therapeutic effect for treatment of patients with severe SLE, and it may decrease the levels of dsDNA, IgA, IgG, IgM,hs-CRP, and increase the level of complement C3.

Accurate judgment of conditions and prognosis has important clinical significance in improving survival rate and optimal distribution of liver source in patients with liver failure. This article reviews the current application of prognostic markers for liver failure such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, prothrombin time, prothrombin time activity, and international normalized ratio and summarizes the new markers discovered in recent years, such as inflammatory response-related markers, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, immune response-related markers, keratin, intestinal flora, microRNAs, liver failure autoantigen and autoantibody, and hemodynamic disorder. It is pointed out that the prognosis of liver failure is affected by many factors and there is still a lack of more sensitive and effective markers and a standardized prognostic scoring system. The new markers used alone or in combination with traditional markers may help to improve the sensitivity and specificity of prognostic evaluation of liver failure.