Background and purpose:The E-cadherin as a pivotal structural protein is important for cellular polarity and maintainance of normal tissue morphology and cellular differentiation. Recently some study investigated the impact of the C/A genetic polymorphism at-160 from the site of the E-cadherin gene promoter on susceptibility in NPC. To evaluate the association of the E-cadherin gene promoter-160 C/A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk in a Chinese population, we designed a hospital-based case-control study. Methods:Subjects included in this study were 303 patients deifnitely diagnosed with NPC, and 318 matched healthy controls. We used TaqMan Probe method for analyzing polymorphism. Results:The A/A genotype was associated with increased risk of NPC after being adjusted for age and gender (adjusted OR=2.09, 95%CI:1.03-4.22, P=0.04). When 2 gender groups were analysed respectively, female group with A/A genotypes showed a higher risk (OR=7.57, 95%CI:1.57-36.47, P=0.012). Besides, among NPC patients compared with males A/A genotype, females with A/A genotype had a signiifcant risk(OR=2.66, 95%CI:1.14-6.20, P=0.024). Conclusion:The A/A genotype of E-cadherin promoter-160 C/A might be genetic risk factor for NPC, especially female patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of five different tooth preparation designs on the marginal and internal fit discrepancies of cobalt-chromium (CoCr) crowns produced by computer-aided designing (CAD) and selective laser melting (SLM) processes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five preparation data were constructed, after which design crowns were obtained. Actual crowns were fabricated using an SLM process. After the data of actual crowns were obtained with structural light scanning, intaglio surfaces of the design crown and actual crown were virtually superimposed on the preparation. The fit-discrepancies were displayed with colors, while the root means square was calculated and analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey’s test or Kruskal-Wallis test (α =.05). RESULTS: The marginal or internal color-coded images in the five design groups were not identical. The shoulder-lip and sharp line angle groups in the CAD or SLM process had larger marginal or internal fit discrepancies compared to other groups (P < .05). In the CAD process, the mean marginal and internal fit discrepancies were 10.0 to 24.2 µm and 29.6 to 31.4 µm, respectively. After the CAD and SLM processes, the mean marginal and internal fit discrepancies were 18.4 to 40.9 µm and 39.1 to 47.1 µm, respectively. The SLM process itself resulted in a positive increase of the marginal (6.0 – 16.7 µm) and internal (9.0 – 15.7 µm) fit discrepancies. CONCLUSION The CAD and SLM processes affected the fit of CoCr crowns and varied based on the preparation designs. Typically, the shoulder-lip and sharp line angle designs had a more significant effect on crown fit. However, the differences between the design groups were relatively small, especially when compared to fit discrepancies observed clinically.

OBJECTIVETo compare changes of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) in different rat models of Gan stagnation (GS), Pi deficiency (PD), Gan stagnation Pi deficiency (GSPD) syndromes, and to observe interventional effect of Chaishu Sijun Decoction (CSD, capable of soothing Gan-qi invigorating Pi) on them.

METHODSSeventy Wistar rats were divided into the normal control group (group 1), the GS group (group 2), the PD group (group 3), the GSPD group (group 4), the GS intervention group (group 5), the PD intervention group (group 6), and the GSPD intervention group (group 7) according to random digit table, 10 in each group. Rats in group 1 received no treatment. Rats in group 2 and 5 were modeled by chronic restraint method. Rats in group 3 and 6 were modeled by excess fatigue plus alimentary abstinence method. Rats in group 4 and 7 were modeled by chronic restraint, excess fatigue, and alimentary abstinence method. At the 2nd weekend of modeling, CSD at 2.86 g/kg was fed to rats in group 5, 6, and 7 by gastrogavage for 2 successive weeks. Equal volume of distilled water was given to rats in the rest 4 groups. On the 29th day, rats were killed, adrenal weight weighed, and adrenal index calculated. Levels of plasma and hypothalamus corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), plasma and pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), and plasma corticosterone (CORT) were determined using radioimmunity.

RESULTSCompared with group 1, adrenal index significantly decreased in group 2, 3, and 4 (P < 0.05). Of them, plasma and hypothalamus CRH, plasma CORT increased significantly in group 2 and 4 (P < 0.05). Besides, plasma and pituitary ACTH increased in group 4 (P < 0.05). Plasma and pituitary ACTH, as well as plasma CORT decreased significantly in group 3 (P < 0.05). Compared with group 2, 3, and 4, adrenal index increased significantly in group 5, 6, and 7 (P < 0.05). Compared with group 2, plasma CORT, hypothalamus CRH, and pituitary ACTH decreased significantly in group 5 (P < 0.05). Compared with group 3, plasma ACTH and CORT increased significantly in group 6 (P < 0.05). Compared with group 4, plasma CRH, ACTH, CORT, hypothalamus CRH, and pituitary ACTH decreased in group 7 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe function of HPA .axis was damaged to varying degrees in rats of the three models in this experiment. Hyperactivity of HPA axis existed in GS syndrome and GSPD syndrome. Impairment of feedback regulation in hypothalamus and pituitary was accompanied in GSPD syndrome. Hypofunction of HPA axis existed in PDS. CSD, capable of soothing Gan-qi invigorating'Pi, showed improvement on disarranged HPAA, but with optimal effect on GSPD syndrome. CSD had higher correlation with GSPD syndrome.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Corticosterone ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; metabolism ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Animal ; Pituitary Gland ; metabolism ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The purpose of this study was to establish a model of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) through an approach from lower edge of cheekbone and to observe the functional changes in the voltage-gated potassium currents in the cultured trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. Thirty Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into two groups, the sham-operated (sham) group and the operated group. The TN model was carried out by using a chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (ION-CCI) from lower edge of cheekbone. Peripheral pain threshold test and whole-cell patch clamp recording were used to determine the difference between sham and ION-CCI rats. The withdrawal threshold of whisker pad in operated side of ION-CCI rat was decreased significantly from 6 d after operation and then maintained until 21 d, with the lowest on the 15th day. The threshold of whisker pad in non-operated side of operated rats was also decreased significantly compared with that in the sham group. Delayed rectifier potassium current (I(K)) in cultured ION-CCI TG neurons was decreased significantly compared with that in the sham group. Transient outward potassium currents (I(A)) in both operated and non-operated sides of TG neurons from ION-CCI rats were also reduced significantly compared with that in the sham group. The present study provided a new method of ION-CCI. In this model, the decrease of I(A) and I(K) might contribute, at least in part, to the decrease in mechanical pain threshold of whisker pad and the subsequent hyperalgia.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Constriction ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hyperalgesia ; Male ; Pain Threshold ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; metabolism ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; physiopathology ; Vibrissae

Objective To observe changes of left ventricular function and the level of autophagy after treatment with trimetazine in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction(MI). Methods Twenty healthy male Wistar rats with the ligation of the proximal part of the left descending branch were randomly and equally allocated into two groups,model group (M group) and trimetazine group (Q group). A sham group (S group) was made up by 10 sham-operated rats. Rats of trimetazine group were given trimetazine(15 mg/kg)once a day for 4 weeks.Then left ventricular function was measured by echocardiography,and hemodynamics was evaluated by Millar pressure-volume system.Serum levels of NT-proBNP and hs-TnT were tested by ELISA.Pathological changes and fibrosis of myocardium were observed by HE and Masson staining.The myocardial apoptosis level was observed by TUNEL, and expressions of autophagy related protein and gene in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blot assay and RT-PCR. Results Trimetazine treatment significantly improved left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction in rats with myocardial failure. Trimetazine treatment also significantly improved pressure overload and the compliance decrease of left ventricular in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction. Trimetazidine reduced the edema,necrosis and myocardial fibrosis of cardiac myocytes in rats with heart failure.The results from ELISA showed that serum levels of NT-proBNP and hs-TnT were significantly lower in the trimetazine group than those of model group.Compared with model group,the cardiomyocyte apoptosis decreased significantly in the trimetazine group.The results from Western blot assay and RT-PCR showed that autophagic flow of myocardium was increased remarkably in the trimetazine group than that of model group. Conclusion Autophagy has a protective effect on myocardial cells. Trimetazine can improve cardiac function through up-regulation of autophagy in cardiomyocytes in MI rats with heart failure.

Objective To investigate the application effect of interventional surgery in the treatment of facial superficial mixed hemangi-oma through the laryngeal mask ventilation under desflurane anesthesia. Methods In the period from February 2016 to April 2017 in our hospital 118 cases of facial superficial hemangioma under interventional surgery in infants( aged 3-15 months) were retrospectively analyzed;according to the difference of anesthesia,they were divided into control group (51 cases) and observation group (67 cases);the two groups of children were administered sufentanil anesthesia, in the control group laryngeal mask airway under propofol, the observation group was giv-en under laryngeal mask airway inhalation of desflurane maintenance. Then was compared the difference in anesthesia monitoring indexes of the two groups, such as mean arterial pressure ( MAP) , saturation of pulse oximetry ( SpO2 ) , heart rate ( HR) , end-tidal carbon dioxide ( ETCO2 ) , laryngeal mask removal time, loss of consciousness time, laryngeal mask removal time, consciousness recovery duration, clinical efficacy and intraoperative and postoperative adverse reactions difference. Results For the control group, the laryngeal mask removal time and consciousness recovery time length were significantly longer than those of the observation group and the difference was statistically signifi-cant (P<0. 05);after anesthesia induction, the laryngeal mask insertion time, operation start time and laryngeal mask removal time, MAP and HR of the observation group and the control group were lower than those before anesthesia induction, and MAP and HR of control group were lower than those of the observation group and the deference was statistically significant (P<0. 05). The total efficiency of the observa-tion group (97. 02％) was significantly higher than the control group (88. 24％), the adverse reaction rate (23. 52％) of children in the control group was significantly higher than that (7. 46％) of those in the observation group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0. 05). Conclusion In the infant facial superficial hemangioma interventional surgery, laryngeal mask airway can be used for anesthe-sia maintenance for desflurane effect and clinical curative effect in the effective protection of anesthesia at the same time, but also can reduce the risk of anesthesia and intraoperative blood pressure fluctuations, especially in the stabilization of hemodynamics of the patients.

OBJECTIVETo apply mixed logit model for analyzing the data of new rural cooperative medical with suitability and identify the factors affecting the residents choices of insurance mode.

METHODSHypothesis test of IIA was performed using the mogtest module of Stata10.0 to test the eligibility of the condition. The mixed logit model was established to allow the parameters to vary in the population using SAS9.1 MDC module.

RESULTSThe data in this study did not satisfy the IIA assumption (P<0.01), so that the multinomial logit model was not applicable. The adjusted Estrella of the mixed logit model was 0.6658.

CONCLUSIONThe mixed logit approach does not rely on the restrictive IIA assumption and allows for correlation patterns between choices and individual variation. This approach can help in the determination of the choices in new rural cooperative medical system.

Health Care Coalitions ; statistics & numerical data ; Insurance, Health ; Logistic Models ; Rural Health ; Rural Health Services ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and the molecular targets of anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) by beta-L-D4A in vitro.

METHODS2.2.15 cells were cultured and treated with various concentrations of beta-L-D4A for 6 hours, then the effect of anti-HBV was examined by Southern blot and the replicating core particles from the cells were isolated. The endogenous polymerase reaction and activity gel experiment were performed to monitor the activities of the DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase.

RESULTSThe replication of HBV DNA was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. The endogenous polymerase reaction showed both the two enzymatic activities were irreversibly inactivated in a concentration -dependent manner, with IC50 at 0.51 micromol/L and 0.55 micromol/L, respectively. But the activities of DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase were found to remain active by activity gel with exogenous templates.

CONCLUSIONSThe mechanism of inhibiting HBV replication by beta-L-D4A may be in that either the DNA replication priming is blocked or the elongation of DNA chain is terminated irreversibly.

Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; DNA, Viral ; biosynthesis ; Dideoxyadenosine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

Aged ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; diagnosis ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUNDFrozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) is the most common way to prevent serious late ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and increase the cumulative pregnancy rate. We evaluated the effectiveness of an FET program for improving the embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates, and ultimate embryo utilization rate in infertility treatment.

METHODSPatients undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles from January 2006 to June 2008 were enrolled, including 179 patients who had undergone the first FET cycle after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in which all embryos were frozen (group C1) and 1306 patients who had COH with fresh embryo transfer (ET) (group T1). Logistic regression was used to model the embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates based on the mother's age, numbers of oocytes retrieved, embryos transferred and high-quality embryos transferred. The embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were also compared between two groups after adjusting for age, the numbers of oocytes retrieved and the numbers of embryos transferred.

RESULTSLogistic regression analysis confirmed that embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates in group C1 were both significantly higher than those in group T1 after adjusting for confounding factors (43.6% vs 29.0%, 63.1% vs 47.0%, respectively; P < 0.01). The embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were consistently higher in group C1 by comparing the age groups >or= 35 or < 35 years. The clinical pregnancy rates for the numbers of oocytes retrieved per cycle being >or= 15 or < 15 were higher in group C1, as was the embryo implantation rate. These differences were statistically significant for oocyte numbers >or= 15 (P < 0.05). The embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates in group C1 were both significantly higher than in group T1 when two or three embryos were transferred (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONA program of freezing all embryos and performing FET improved the rates of embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy, and ultimately enhanced the embryo utilization rate.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Embryo Transfer ; methods ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; therapy ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult