Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Pressure Ulcer ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Cytoplasm ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction ; TCF Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein ; Wnt Proteins ; physiology ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Throughout the twenty-first century, robotic surgery has been used in multiple oral surgical procedures for the treatment of head and neck tumors and non-malignant diseases. With the assistance of robotic surgical systems, maxillofacial surgery is performed with less blood loss, fewer complications, shorter hospitalization and better cosmetic results than standard open surgery. However, the application of robotic surgery techniques to the treatment of head and neck diseases remains in an experimental stage, and the long-lasting effects on surgical morbidity, oncologic control and quality of life are yet to be established. More well-designed studies are needed before this approach can be recommended as a standard treatment paradigm. Nonetheless, robotic surgical systems will inevitably be extended to maxillofacial surgery. This article reviews the current clinical applications of robotic surgery in the head and neck region and highlights the benefits and limitations of current robotic surgical systems.

objecfive To know and compare the intelligence level of children born in different time periods in regions with iodine deficiency disorders(IDD)in Liaoning province.Methods All 7-14 year-old children from ten schools were chosen as the subjects respectively from six villages in each of the six counties and in regions with iodine deficiency,who were respectively born at the initialization of iodinated salt supplying period(1978-1980);non-iodinated salt supplying period(1981-1990);recovery of supplied iodized salt period(1991-1995);universal iodized salt period(1996-2000),respectively.Intelligence quotient(IQ)was measured by Combined Ravens Test in China(CRT-C)and Combined Ravens Test-the Rural,in China,2nd edition(CRT-RC2).Results IQ of children during the non-iodized salt period(91.9±14.3)was significantly lower than the initial supply of iodized salt period(95.8±14.6,q=8.60,P<0.01),recovery of supplied iodized salt period(99.7±14.7)was significantly higher than the initial supply of iodized salt period, non-iodized salt sales period(q = 9.53, 18.13, all P < 0.01 ),universal salt iodization( 104.3 ± 14.9) was significantly higher than the initial supply of iodized salt period, non-iodized salt sales period, recovery of supplied salt iodization(q = 20.00,28.00,10.46, all P < 0.01). Children's rate of mental retardation (IQ≤69) was higher in non-iodinated salt supplying period (6.7%, 88/1314 ) than the initial supply of iodized salt (4.4%, 21/471, χ2 = 3.85, P < 0.05), recovery of supplied iodized salt period(3.3%,48/1470) was significantly lower than non-iodinzed salt supplying period (χ2 = 15.37, P < 0.01), universal salt iodization period(2.7%, 36/1344) was lower than the initial supply of iodized salt period(χ2 = 4.41, P < 0.05) and non-iodinzed salt supplying period(χ2 = 26.34, P < 0.01 ). The IQ and intelligent retarded rates in children born during the initial years of iodinated salt supplying period were not different. The IQ of the children during ten years of non-iodized salt supplying period fluctuated in a "∪" curve, while the intelligent retardation rates in a "∩" curve.The children born during the period of recovery supplied iodized salt increased their IQ and lowered the retardation rates year after year. The IQ of the children in universal iodized salt period kept on increasing while intelligent retarded rates reduced to the lowest level. Conclusions The intelligence level of children born in regions with IDD during non-iodized salt supplying period is remarkably lower than that of the beginning years of iodinated salt supplying period. The intelligence level of children born after universal iodized salt period is remarkably higher than that of the initial iodinated salt supplying period and recovery of supplied iodized salt period, respectively.

OBJECTIVEBy establishing a model of straight-leg swaddle of newborn rats and observing the experimental animals'hips morphologically and pathologically, this study explored the changes of gross appearance of the acetabulum and the maturity of cartilage cells in the different regions of acetabular cartilage complex.

METHODSThe legs and hips were fixed by adhesive tape for 10 days in the position of hip extension and adduction in 31 newborn Wistar rats (experimental group). The other 31 newborn rats without legs and hips treatment were used as the control group. After 10 days raising in the same condition, all the rats were sacrificed. The gross appearance, histological observations and VEGF and type X collagen immunohistochemistry were used for examining the acetabulum changes.

RESULTSA straight leg swaddle model of newborn rats was established successfully. In the experimental group the acetabulum became shallow and small and surrounded by more soft tissues. There were 49 dislocated hips (49/54) in the experimental group and 2 hips dislocated (2/60) in the control group (p<0.01). Fake acetabulum appeared in the experimental group. In the control group, the shape of the acetabulum was normol, and no fake acetabulum was found. The safranin O-fast green staining showed that the orange-red cartilage in the experimental group was wider than the control group. Immunohistochemistry observations showed VEGF and type X collagen immunoreactivities in the hypertrophic layer of the acetabular cartilage complex in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group. The percentages of VEGF positive and type X collagen positive cells in the iliac hypertrophic layer of the acetabular articular cartilage were significantly higher than those in the ischiadic ramus and the pubic branch in the experimental group.

CONCLUSIONSVEGF and type X collagen immunoreactivities in acetabular cartilage cells decrease in a straight-leg swaddle model of newborn rats. This suggests that this position might lead to dysmaturity of the acetabular cartilage cells and affect the development of the acetabulum.

Acetabulum ; growth & development ; pathology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Bone Development ; Cartilage ; growth & development ; pathology ; Collagen Type X ; analysis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hip Dislocation, Congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of the Mixture of Shengmai Powder and Danshen Decoction (, abbreviated as the Mixture) in the rat model with type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy in the rat model with type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy, abbreviated as the Mixture) in the rat model with type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSForty-two SD rats with DCM model, established by the combination of insulin resistance by a high-fat diet with the damage of pancreatic islet β cells by intraperitoneal injection of high dose streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) once, were evaluated in the damage of the myocardium by electrocardiogram at the end of 12 weeks of grouping and intervention administration; the extent of damage in the myocardial subcellular structure was observed by electron microscopy; the content of myocardial collagen in the left cardiac ventricle was quantified by Masson staining test; the myocardial cell apoptosis was determined by TUNEL; the changes in the mRNA expression levels of thrombospodin-1 (TSP-1) and tribbles homolog 3 (TRB-3) by real-time quantitative PCR, the expression levels of myocardial TSP-1, tumor growth factorβ1 (TGF-β1), TRB-3, and chymase were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the changes in the expression levels of myocardial TSP-1, active-TGF-β1 (A-TGF-β1) and latent-TGF-β1 (L-TGF-β1) protein were tested by Western blotting.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the myocardial tissue was less damaged, and the extent of damage in the myocardial subcellular structure was less; the collagen fiber content and the cell apoptosis were reduced; the expression levels of TSP-1mRNA and TRB-3 mRNA, the expression levels of myocardial TSP-1, TGF-β1, TRB-3, and chymase, as well as the average expression levels of the myocardial TSP-1, A-TGFβ1, and L-TGF-β1 protein were decreased in the Mixture group.

CONCLUSIONThe Mixture of Shengmai Powder and Danshen Decoction could inhibit the process of myocardial fibrosis in the rat myocardium of DCM through multiple pathways and significantly delay the genesis and progress of DCM in hyperglycemic rats.

Animals ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Heart ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardium ; cytology ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin

OBJECTIVETo explore the response of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs and calvarial osteoblasts to mechanical strain and the consequent changes of cytoskeleton F-actin.

METHODSBone marrow MSCs and calvarial osteoblasts were isolated from SD rats and cultured in vitro. Mechanical stretch was performed on passage 3 cells at 2 000 microepsilon for 0, 2, 6 and 12 hours using four-point bending system. The response of cells and the distribution of F-actin were observed using fluorescent staining under laser scanning confocal microscope and the morphological parameters were quantified using image analysis software Laserpix.

RESULTSUnder mechanical stretch, the fluorescent staining decreased obviously at both MSCs and osteoblasts, and F-actin filaments were rearranged and became tenuous, thinner, and abnormally distributed. The outline of nucleus became unclear and apoptotic changes were observed at some of both cells. Cellular size decreased more significantly in MSCs than in osteoblasts. Quantity analysis showed that total area of cells, total fluorescent density and green fluorescent density (F-actin) were all significantly decreased in MSCs (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and total fluorescent density, green fluorescent density and red fluorescent density (nuclei) did also in osteoblasts (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMechanical stretch caused extensive response on both MSCs and osteoblasts which led to the rearrangement of F-actin filament and apoptosis in some of these cells. MSCs were more sensitive to mechanical strain than osteoblasts.

Actin Cytoskeleton ; metabolism ; Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeleton ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Microtubules ; Osteoblasts ; Rats ; Stress, Mechanical

OBJECTIVEThe impact of dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells (Tr) on the pathogenesis of asthma have been investigated over the past decades. As the professional antigen presenting cells, DCs not only prime immune response directing Th0 cells toward different T subtypes but also induce immune tolerance. As an immunoregulator, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has potential to be applied in allergic diseases such as asthma for prevention. Previous study showed that neonatal BCG vaccination could induce Th1/Tr1 development in mice in vivo. To further identify the mechanism of neonatal BCG vaccination on T cell subsets differentiation, the present study was designed to investigate the impact of BCG vaccination on splenic DCs development in neonatal mice.

METHODSNeonatal specific pathogen free (SPF) BALB/c mice (2-3 days) were divided into intraperitoneal BCG-treated group, subcutaneous BCG-treated group and control group; simultaneously adult SPF BALB/c mice (6-8 weeks) were divided into intraperitoneal BCG-treated and control group. The BCG-treated mice were inoculated with 1 x 10(5) CFU BCG, the mice in control group were not inoculated with any vaccine. Four weeks post BCG vaccination, spleen cells were isolated. With flow cytometry, subtype and maturity of splenic DCs were analysed. Moreover, cells were further separated into mononuclear cell by Ficoll solution. The mononuclear cells were stimulated by 1 microg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 18 or 10(5) CFU /ml BCG for 48 hours at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO2 and cytokines concentration was detected by ELISA.

RESULTS(1) CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+) and CD11c(+) CD8alpha(-) DCs were found in spleen cells of the BALB/c mice. In comparison with the control group, the percent of CD11c(+) CD8alpha(-) DCs in intraperitoneal BCG group significantly declined (P < 0.01) and that of CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+) DCs significantly increased (P < 0.01), there were no significant difference in DC subtypes between intraperitoneal and subcutaneous BCG-vaccinated mice. In contrast, the percent of CD11c(+) CD8alpha(-)DCs markedly increased (P < 0.01) and that of CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+)DCs noticeably reduced (P < 0.01) in adult BCG-vaccinated mice. The percent of CD11c(+)CD8alpha(-)DC was significantly higher and that of CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+)DC was significantly lower in adult-vaccinated BALB/c mice than that of neonatal-vaccinated ones. (2) The expression of costimulatory molecules CD40 on CD11c(+) CD8alpha(-) DCs and CD86 on CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+) DCs in neonatal BCG-treated BALB/c mice was higher than the controls. There were no significant difference in expression of costimulatory molecules on DC between neonatal BCG-vaccinated mice. Compared with the control group, expression of CD40 and MHC-II molecules on CD11c(+) CD8alpha(-) and CD11c(+) CD8alpha(+)DC was significantly higher and that of CD86 was significantly lower in adult BCG-vaccinated mice. The expression of costimulatory molecules on DC had no significant difference between neonatal and adult BCG vaccinated BALB/c mice. (3) As compared with the control mice, concentration of IL-12p70 induced by LPS and IL-10 induced by BCG in vitro from spleen cells culture supernatant was noticeably elevated (P < 0.05) in neonatal BCG-treated BALB/c mice, but that of IL-6 did not change by LPS or BCG stimulation.

CONCLUSION(1) By up-regulating splenic CD8alpha(+)DCs and inducing IL-12p70 and IL-10 production in BALB/c mice, neonatal BCG vaccination promoted Th1/Tr1 development. (2) The effect of BCG vaccination on DC was different between neonates and adult BALB/c mice.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; BCG Vaccine ; immunology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Immunophenotyping ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Spleen ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the status of beta-lactamase produced by multiresistant Aeromonas selected from cirrhosis patients to provide reference for treatment and reduce resistance and control spreading.

METHODSFour multiresistant Aeromonas strains isolated from serious liver cirrhosis patients from the No. 302 hospital. The TEM resistant genes were detected by PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis.

RESULTSThree TEM-1 positive strains were detected from four multiresistant Aeromonas isolates consisting of one Aeromonas sobria and three Aeromonas hydrophila isolated from blood and ascites. This was further confirmed by gene sequencing. The multiresistance to antibiotics was higher in four Aeromonas isolates. All strains tested were resistant to ampicillin, cefazolin and cefmetazole.The cirrhosis patients who suffered from Aeromonas infection had poor prognosis and had mortality rate of 3/4.

CONCLUSIONThe beta-lactamase TEM-1 resistant genes was detected in clinical multiresistant Aeromonas strain isolated from serious cirrhosis patients.The results suggested that TEM-1 was the main resistance mechanism of Aeromonas strain and was reduced by adding enzyme inhibitor.

Adult ; Aeromonas ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; microbiology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; beta-Lactamases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on the expression of transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor-1 of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1) in rats with pulmonary damage induced by paraquat (PQ).

METHODSFifty-four healthy male SD rats were randomly assigned into the control group (normal saline), the PQ-treatment groups (4 groups) and the PDTC treatment groups (4 groups). Except the rats in the control group, the rats in the PQ group were gavaged only with 40 mg/kg PQ, and PDTC group with 40 mg/kg PQ plus immediate injection 120 mg/kg PDTC (i.p). On the 3rd, the 7th, the 14th and 28th day after treatments, one group rats of each treatments were sacrificed and lung and blood samples were collected. The level of TGF-beta(1) protein in the plasma, the mRNA expression of TGF-beta(1), MMP-2 and TIMP-1 were evaluated using RT-PCR and real-time quantitative PCR, while pathological changes of lung were examined under optical microscope and electrical microscope.

RESULTSThe TGF-beta(1) protein, TGF-beta(1) and MMP-2 mRNA expression were increased significantly in the earlier stage and then decreased after PQ administration (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while the mRNA level of TIMP-1 was augmented continuously (P < 0.01) throughout the study compared to the control group. In comparison with the PQ group, in the PDTC treatment group, the TGF-beta(1) mRNA expression on the 3rd and the 14th day, 0.54 +/- 0.08 and 0.72 +/- 0.04 respectively, the MMP-2 mRNA expression on the 7th and 14th day, 1.62 +/- 0.50 and 1.97 +/- 0.34 respective-ly, and the TIMP-1 mRNA on the 7th and 21st day, 1.79 +/- 0.21 and 2.00 +/- 0.34 respectively, were significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPDTC could attenuate paraquat-induced up-regulation of TGF-beta(1) and its mRNA expression, MMP-2 and TIMP-1 mRNA levels, which indicates that PDTC may exert its protective effects on paraquat-induced pulmonary damage by alleviating the earlier inflammation damage and adjust-ing the balance between MMPs and TIMPs. However, further studies are still warranted to investigate and clarify the underlying mechanisms involved in this complicated process.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Pyrrolidines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thiocarbamates ; pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism