Objective:To study the correlation between the degree of rh eumatoid arthritis(RA) and periodontal bone loss. Methods:70 cas es of RA were included. Periodontal bone loss was examined by clinical attachmen t loss(CAL) test and radiography. The degree of RA was determined by the measure ments of morning stiffness time (MST),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)and C -reactive protein(CRP).Results:MST,ESR and CRP were positivel y related to the levels of bone loss(P

Objective To evaluate the osteogenesis of alveolar bone graft (ABG) in patients with alveolar cleft by cone beam CT (CBCT).Methods ABG surgery was performed in 20 patients with unilateral complete alveolar cleft.The patients were followed up for 3 and 6 months after surgery and the osteogenesis of the bone graft was evaluated by CBCT.The bone density and the height of labial and palatal bone graft area were analyzed.Results There was no significant difference in the bone density between 3 months [(403.79 ± 64.70) HU] and 6 months[(411.45 ±42.62) HU] (P =0.329).However,there was significant difference in bone height in the labial and palatal side between 3 months and 6 months (labial P =0.020,palatal P =0.008).Conclusions The osteogenesis was the best 3 months after bone graft.The following treatment can start in this stage.

Objective To investigate the effect of 7-dehydrocholesterol reductas(Dhcr-7) gene silencing on the palatal development by sonic hedgehog(Shh)-bone morphogenetic protein2(BMP-2) signal pathway in vitro.Methods A total of 60 pairs of palatal shelves fromgestation day(GD) 13.5 mouse embryos were divided into three groups(A,B,C) of 20 randomly.In group A(control),palatal shelves were cultured with medium containing no cholesterol.In group B(Dhcr-7-siRNA),palatal shelves were cultured without cholesterol medium but containing Dhcr-7 siRNA adenovirus.After 48h,the culture medium of groups A and B were changed with medium without cholesterol.In group C(cholesterol),palatal shelves were cultured without cholesterol medium but containing Dhcr-7 siRNA adenovirus.After 48h,the culture medium of group C was changed with medium containing 600 mg/L cholesterol.After 72h again,tissues dyeing and scanning electron microscope(SEM) technique were used to observe morphological changes of palates.Both RT-PCR and Western blottingtechniques were used to measure mRNA and protein expressions for Dhcr-7,Shh,and BMP-2,respectively.Results The tissues dyeing and SEM showedthat the palates fusedin groups A and Candthe palates did not fuse in group B eventually.The expression of both mRNA and proteins for Shh and BMP-2 in group B wasdecreased with the Dhcr-7 reduction.In group B,the mRNA and protein expression of Shh was separately 0.063±0.018 and 0.092±0.065;the mRNA and protein expression quantity of BMP-2 was separately 0.054±0.018 and 0.049±0.021.In group A,the mRNA and protein expression of Shh was separately 0.667±0.093 and 0.639±0.078;the mRNA and protein expression of BMP-2 was separately 0.591 ±0.043 and 0.569± 0.081.The difference of Shh and BMP-2 mRNA and protein expression between A and B group were statistically significant separately(P＜0.05).The expression of both mRNA and protein for Dhcr-7(0.074±0.034 and 0.075±0.028) did not changebasicallyin group C,compared with the Dhcr-7expression of mRNA and protein(0.083 ± 0.045;0.067± 0.065) in group B,the difference wasnot statistically significant(P＞0.05).In group C,the mRNA and protein expressionof Shh(0.649±0.085 and 0.608±0.092) and BMP-2(0.578±0.062 and 0.548±0.065) were significantly increased.The difference of Shh and BMP-2 mRNA and protein expression between B and C group were statistically significant separately(P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Dhcr-7 could influence the expression of Shh and BMP-2.Dhcr-7 reductase regulated the palatal development by the Shh-BMP-2 signal pathway.

Objective: To provide basic data for the prevention of oral diseases in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by investigating the oral health status. Methods: Seventy-three children diagnosed with ALL and seventy-three healthy controls participated in the study. Oral examinations were carried out for both groups. The crown caries were analyzed by calculating the incidence of caries, mean caries and dental caries filling rate; the soft scale index (debris index, DI) and plaque index (plaque index, PLI) were used to record oral hygiene status; and the modified gingival index (modified gingival index, MGI) was used to record gingival health status. A questionnaire was given to the parents at the same time. The data were collected and analyzed with SPSS 20.0 software. Results: ① The average numbers of decayed teeth in the observation and control groups were 1.34 ± 171 and 1.15 ± 1.67, respectively. The caries prevalence were 52.05% and 41.10%, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The obturation rate of caries was 6.12% and 20.24%, and the difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.001). ② The DI, PI and MGI of the observation group were higher than those in control group, and the differences were significant (P< 0.05). ③ There was a mean of 1.21 ± 1.70 caries in male children and 1.47 ± 1.75 in female children; there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The< 6 years old group had a mean of 1.65 ± 1.92 caries and that of the 6~14 group was 0.71 ± 0.95; the difference was significant (P< 0.05). The urban group and rural group had means of 0.87 ± 1.31 and 1.69 ± 1.91 caries, respectively, and the difference was significant (P< 0.05). Children who brushed their teeth and strictly controlled their sweets had significantly fewer mean caries than did those who did not brush their teeth and ate more sweets, and the difference was statistically significant (P< 0.05). ④ The DI, PLI and MGI were significantly different between different age groups and different places of residence (P< 0.05). Conclusion The oral health status of children with ALL was poorer than that of normal children; oral hygiene was not maintained. Thus, more attention must be paid to the prevention and control of caries and periodontal diseases among children with ALL.