Objective To explore the adverse effects of formaldehyde(FA)on learning and memory ability of mice and the antagonistic effect of N-acetyl-cysteine(NAC),an antioxidant.Methods Thirty-four ICR mice were randomly divided into four groups,the control(NS,n=8),treated with FA(15 mg/kg,n=9),treated with NAC(100 mg/kg,n=8),treated with FA(15 mg/kg) plus NAC(100 mg/kg,n=9),the treatment was conducted by intraperitoneal injection once a day for seven consecutive days.On the eighth day,the learning and memory ability were tested by using water labyrinth task for seven consecutive days.Results The mice in FA group behaved excited,restless and then turned to repose,moveless and clustering,but this phenomena was not seen in the other groups.There was no significant difference in the body weight of mice among groups.As for learning,latent period in the FA group [(27.15?2.66)s] was significantly longer than that in the control group [(15.83?2.82)s] and the FA+ NAC group[(14.98?2.66)s],and revealed statistical significance(P

OBJECTIVETo analysis the relationship between esthetic characters and satisfaction degree of patients.

METHODSNinety patients requiring single anterior tooth restoration were treated in clinic with all-ceramic crowns. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the satisfaction degree of patients after treatment. Clinical assessments were made by a prosthodontist in characters of feature, surface texture, hue, color distribution, incisal transparency, and individual characterization of all-ceramic crowns. Color-difference between the crowns and corresponding natural teeth was tested by Vita Easyshade electrical colorimetric instrument. The relationship between the last two items and patients' satisfaction degree was analyzed.

RESULTSThere were significance differences in the different degree among all the six esthetic characters (P < 0.05), except good and moderate degrees in the character of hue (P = 0.553). And color distribution, individual characterization, and surface texture of the crowns showed high correlations with the satisfaction degree of patients (r = 0.485, 0.472, 0.467). Total color-differences, absolute value of hue-differences, and Deltaa between restorations and corresponding natural teeth were related to the satisfaction degree of patients, and Spearman correlation coefficient was -0.434, -0.371, and -0.406 (P < 0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSAll the esthetic characters assessed in clinic were related to the satisfaction degrees of patients, especially color distribution, individual characterization and surface texture. Total color-differences and hue-differences were correlated with the satisfaction degrees of patients as well.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Crowns ; Dental Porcelain ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; standards ; Esthetics, Dental ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; statistics & numerical data ; Prosthesis Coloring ; Surface Properties ; Young Adult

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

OBJECTIVETo compare the differences of therapeutic effect in lower limb sensation disorder after lumbar disc herniation operation treated with plum-blossom needle along meridians and Methylcobalamin with oral administration, and explore the best time for plum-blossom needle intervention.

METHODSEighty cases of lower limb sensation disorder caused by nucleus pulposus discectomy of lumbar disc herniation were randomly divided into a plum-blossom needle group (40 cases) and a western medication group (40 cases). In plum-blossom needle group, tapping with plum-blossom needle along meridians was received, the meridians located at sensation areas which were dominated by relevant segmental nerve root in operation were selected: the lower limb section of the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin was selected for operation at L3/L4; the lower limb section of the Gall Bladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang was selected for operation at L4 /L5; the lower limb section of the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang was selected for operation at L5/S1; once treatment was applied every 3 days, and 20 times treatments were applied totally. In western medication group, Methylcobalamin was orally taken for 500 microg, 3 times a day. The recovery of lower limb sensation disorder was evaluated and compared by the comprehensive evaluation method of sensory function of body nerve after 2 months in both groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 90.0% (36/40) in plum-blossom needle group, superior to that of 60.0% (24/40) in western medication group (P < 0.05). In plum-blossom needle group, the effect for the cases which received treatment within one month after operation was superior to that received treatment during 1-3 months after operation (P < 0.05); and there was no significant differences between the cases which received the treatment during 1-3 months after operation and more than 3 months after operation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of lower limb sensation disorder after lumbar disc herniation operation treated with plum-blossom needle along meridians is superior to that of Methylcobalamin with oral administration; the plum-blossom needle intervention within one month after operation can receive the best effect.

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; surgery ; Lower Extremity ; physiopathology ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Sensation ; Sensation Disorders ; therapy

Objective To explore the relationship between esophagus cancer patients and both environmental and genetic factors,through analyzing the data on birth orders from esophagus cancer patients of Shanxi province.Methods Both Greenwood and Haldane methods on birth order were used to study the 1101 cases with esophagus cancer from Shanxi province.All the patients had received surgery and were diagnosed,by pathological evidence.First certificates of the patients were confirmed through the standard genetic epidemiologic investigation.Birth order was investigated on probands of the 1101 cases with esophagus cancer and their 44 siblings.Results Results form the Greenwood method showed that there was a tendency for cases with esophagus cancer in birth orders First to Third.However,the Haldane method showed that the results were quite different between actual value and the average theory value of 6A (6A(actual value)=17 118,(X)6A(average theory value) =19 290,X=∣6A-(X)6A∣/√V6A =7.63,X ＞ 2) which suggested that the birth order had some effects on the occurrence of esophagus cancer.In addition,the actual value of 6A was lower than the theoretic average value,and the parents at younger productive age or baby at the first birth was easy to develop esophagus cancer.Conclusion Esophagus cancer was related with the birth order,especially at early order,which was not consistent with the national reports on esophagus cancer.Results from this study suggested that there were certain effects of environmental risk factors on esophagus cancer patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of occludin, ZO-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in cerebral microvasculature following Pulse Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) induced BBB permeability change.

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats were randomized into PEMF and sham exposed groups (n = 8). After exposure to PEMF at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, and 12 h, BBB permeability was measured by Evans-Blue extravasation. The expression of occludin, ZO-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and western blotting. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were detected by EnzChek gelatinase assay.

RESULTSCompared with the sham group, PEMF exposure led to increased permeability of the BBB to EB, which was prolonged after exposure. BBB permeability became progressively more severe, and recovered at 6 h. The gene and protein expression of occludin and ZO-1 were significantly decreased, while MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression were significantly increased after exposure to PEMF. All levels of expression recovered 12 h following PEMF.

CONCLUSIONChanges to BBB permeability were related to the alteration expression of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinase after exposure to PEMF.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; metabolism ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tight Junctions ; metabolism

Objective To investigate prospectively the changes of quantitative parameters in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in cervical cancer patients before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).Methods Thirty-eight patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (in stage Ⅰ B2,Ⅱ A2,Ⅱ B) underwent DCE-MRI one week before and 1 month after NACT.The patients were classified into two groups:significant reaction(sCR) group and non-sCR group.The DCE-MRI pharmacokinetics parameters (mean Ktrans,mean Kep,mean Ve and mean Vp) were measured and compared between the sCR and non-sCR groups.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to describe the diagnostic accuracy of the significant parameters and their decision thresholds.Results There were 22 and 16 patients in sCR and non-sCR groups,respectively.Before NACT,the mean Ktrans was higher (P＜0.05) but the mean Ve (P＜0.05) was lower in sCR group than those in non-sCR group,and these differences were statistically significant,respectively.After NACT,the mean Ktrans (P＜0.05) and the changed value of Ktrans (P＜0.05) were significantly lower in the sCR group compared with those in the non-sCR group.The remained parameters such as Vp and Kep had no statistically difference between the two groups.When combined the parameters values before and after treatment by using ROC curves,the area under curve (AUC) of pre-mean Ktrans and /Ktrans were 0.801 (P＜0.05),0.955 (P＜0.001).The optimal cut off value for distinguishing sCR from non-sCR were the pretreatment Ktrans (0.702 0) and/Ktrans (0.043 7),and their sensitivity and specificity were 77.3％,81.2 ％,95.5％ and 81.2％,respectively.Conclusion Quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI provided a new noninvasive way to reflect the changes of hemodynamics in cervical cancer patients with NACT.The quantitative parameters,such as pre-mean Ktrans and /Ktrans could predict the treatment efficacy more precisely.

Estrogen has many biological activities and extensive clinical applications.Hemorrhagic shock-in-duced major organ dysfunction and injury,which are related to sex differences,play a triggering role in irreversible shock. The present article reviews the role of estrogen in alleviating hemorrhagic shock-induced organ injury by analyzing and sum-marizing the recent studies,thus expanding the clinical application of estrogen and providing a novel approach for treatment of severe hemorrhagic shock.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in Agrimonia pilosa.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified by various column chromatographic methods and elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences.

RESULTNine flavonoids were obtained and identified as tiliroside (1), kaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhampyranoside (2), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhampyranoside (3), quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), kaempferol (6), apigenin (7), luteolin (8), quercetin (9).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-3, 5, 6 and 8 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Agrimonia ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo explore the regional anatomy of the rectum including the perirectal fasciae and spaces.

METHODSTwenty-one cadavers (15 males and 6 females) were embalmed and their vessels were visualized by injection with color dye. From the cadavers, 30 hemipelvis and 6 three-quarter pelvis were harvested. The perirectal fasciae and spaces and the pelvic autonomic nerves were dissected and examined.

RESULTSThree tissue layers were dissected from the inside to the periphery including the proper rectal fascia enveloping the mesorectum, the presacral fascia, and the piriformis fascia fused with the sacral periosteum. The mesorectum comprised 2 parts with the classical posterolateral fat covered by the proper rectal fascia posteriorly and the anterior fat covered by the posterior layer of Denonvilliers fascia anteriorly. Extending anteriorly to the anterior layer of Denonvilliers fascia, the presacral fascia bisected the space between the mesorectum and the piriformis fascia into the retrorectal space and the presacral space. The retrorectal space extended cranially to the left retrocolic space, anterior to the space between the 2 layers of Denonvilliers fascia(prerectal space).

CONCLUSIONSFrom the inside to the periphery, the proper rectal fascia, the presacral fascia, and the muscular fascia are distributed in an annular pattern around the mesorectum. The presacral fascia divides the perirectal space into 2 annular parts, the central retrorectal space and the peripheral presacral space. The retrorectal space is the ideal surgical plane for total mesorectal excision.

Adult ; Aged ; Cadaver ; Fascia ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mesocolon ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; anatomy & histology ; Rectum ; anatomy & histology