Objective To investigate the protective effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transplantation (MSCT) and mobilization on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) with acute renal injury.Methods A total of 240 SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group ( n =48 ),model control group ( n =48 ),MSCT group ( n =48),bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells mobilization (MSCM) group ( n =48) and MSCT +MSCM group ( n =48 ) according to the random number table.Rat models of SAP were made by peritoneal injection of L-arginine.Rats in the MSCT group were injected with 1.2 ml of bone marrow mesenchymai stem cells via femoral vein at 6 hours after SAP model establishment; rats in the MSCM group were subcutaneously injected with 40 μg/kg of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) at 3 days before SAP model establishment; rats in the MSCT + MSCM group were injected with 1.2 ml of MSC and 40 μg/kg of G-CSF simultaneously; rats in the sham operation group were injected with equal volume of normal saline.According to different time points after operation,rats in each group were subdivided into 12 h,24 h,48 h and 72 h groups (n =12).At each time points after operation,the mortality rate,pathological changes of renal tissue,expression of Bax protein,Bcl-2 protein and apoptosis indexes of renal tubular epithelium cells were observed.The contents of tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin-6 (IL-6),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),creatinine (Cr),lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined.All data were analyzed by using SNK-q test,Fisher exact probability and analysis of variance.Results All rats in the sham operation group were survived.The numbers of rats in the model control group survived at postoperative 48 hours and 72 hours were 11 and 8,respectively.No rat died at postoperative 48 hours in the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group.The numbers of rats survived at postoperative 72 hours in the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group were 11,10 and 11,which were not significantly different from the number of survived rats in the model control group (P ＞0.05).The pathological injuries of renal tissues were relieved in the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group when compared with model control group.The expression of Bax protein,Bc1-2 protein,renal tubular epithelium cell apoptosis indexes at 12-72 hours were 12.80 + 1.78-20.30 + 2.40,4.34 + 1.20-3.03 ± 1.06,12.65％ ±2.31％-35.10％ ± 5.54％ in the model control group,9.68 ± 2.11-17.01 ± 2.54,5.57 ± 1.35-4.13 + 1.05,6.20％ ± 1.53％- 17.50％ ± 2.80％ in the MSCT group,10.05 ± 2.17-16.81 ± 2.55,5.49 ± 1.48-4.19 ±1.05,6.41％± 1.64％-17.14％±2.27％ in the MSCM group,8.33 ±2.06-14.03 ±2.27,6.60 ±2.11-5.63 ±1.52,5.80％ ± 1.52％-12.30％ ±2.43％ in the MSCT + MSCT group.There were significant differences in the expressions of Bax protein at 24 and 72 hours,Bcl-2 protein at 48 and 72 hours,renal tubular epithelium cell apoptosis index at 24,48 and 72 hours between the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group ( P ＜0.05 ),but no significant difference was found between the MSCT group and the MSCM group ( P ＞ 0.05 ).The contents of TNF-α,IL-6,BUN,Cr,LDH,CRP in the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group were decreased when compared with those in the model control group,and a significant decrease of the 6 factors was observed in the MSCT + MSCM group.There were significant difference in the content of TNF-α at 72 hours,IL-6,BUN and Cr at 48 and 72 hours,LDH at 24,48 and 72 hours and CRP at 72 hours between the MSCT group,MSCM group and MSCT + MSCM group (P ＜0.05),while no significant difference was observed between the MSCT group and the MSCM group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion MSCT and MSCM can significantly protect acute renal injury in the progress of SAP,the probable mechanisms are pathological regeneration,anti-inflammatory effect and apoptosis inhibition of mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND:Extensive studies have shown that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) plays a positive role in relieving the pain caused by a variety of diseases. However, its exact effect to manage pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is stil controversial. TENS is classified into h-TENS and l-TENS, but currently its respective role in relieving the pain caused by knee osteoarthritis is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of h-TENS and l-TENS on pain relieving among patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A computer-based search was performed on PubMed, Embase and Cochrane database for randomized controled trials on TENS for the treatment of knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis which were reported before February 2014. Methodology quality of the trials was criticaly assessed and relative data were extracted. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 10 randomized controled trials involving 519 cases were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the h-TENS group had significant effects on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the control group [MD=-0.56, 95%CI(-0.98,-0.15),P=0.008]; the l-TENS group had no significant effect on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the control group [MD=-0.13, 95%CI(-1.63, 1.38),P=0.87]; the h-TENS group had significant effect on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the l-TENS group [MD=-0.85, 95%CI(-1.32, -0.37), P=0.000 5]. These findings indicate that h-TENS performs something positive to reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis patients that l-TENS cannot do. Owing to the limitations of this study, further work is needed to determine the role of TENS in pain management among patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of fiberoptic ductoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of patients with galactophoritis or mammary duct ectasia. Methods From November 2005 to March 2008, fiberoptic ductoscopy were performed in 120 women with nipple discharge. The duct of 95 cases as non-malignant lesion were insufflated and perfusioned with entamycin and dexamethasone. Results Ninty-five of 120 cases were non-malignant disease,which contained one side 81 and two sides 14; the discharge was bloody,ivory, stramineous in 21, 17, 57 patinents, respectively; and the dignosis were 17 mammary duct ectasia, 53 galactophoritis, and 25 mammary duct ectasia with galactophoritis. Of the 95 cases, hich were intradutal insufflated and perfusioned with gentamycin and dexamethasone, the nipple discharge were decreased or disappeared in 81 cases, the effective rate was 85.3%. Conclusion Fiberoptic ductoscopy is a convenient,safe, accurate method in diagnosis and treatment of patients with galactophoritis or mammary duct ectasia.

Objective To observe the protective effects of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transplantation alone with bone marrow stem cells mobilization on liver cells in rats with severe acute paucreatitis in order to explore their mechanism. Method After the establishment of severe acute pancreatitis in rats made by intraperitoneal injection of L-arginine, 240 SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group (n = 48), model control group (n = 48), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplanted (MSC) group (n = 48), granu-lacyte-colony stimulating factor treated (G-CSF) group (n = 48) and MSC + G-CSF (n = 48). The rats of MSC group were prepared by injection of 1.2 mL MSC into femoral vein 6 hours after SAP. The rats of G-CSF group were prepared by subcutaneous injection of G-CSF 40 μg/kg for 3 days before SAP. The rats of MSC + G-CSF group received MSC and G-CSF together. The rats of sham-operated group were injected with equal volume of nor-real saline. The rats in each group were sabdivided into 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h sub-groups (n = 12) according to the examinations in different intervals after operation. Of different subgroups, the morality rate, pathological changes, expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 proteins and apoptosis indexes of livers were observed respectively. The contents of serum TNF-α,IL-6,ALT,AST,LDH and CRP were simultaneously determined to compare the difference among subgroups by variance analysis. Results Compared to the respective model group, the mortality rates of all treated 72 h subgroups showed no difference (P > 0.05), and no rats died before 48 h. The pathological injuries of liver cells were rather attenuated in rats of treated group than in rats of control group. The liver cell apoptosis in-dexes of 48 h and 72 h MSC + G-CSF subgroups were 107.1 ± 7.0, 110.3 ± 8.6, respectively; the expression of Bax in livers of 24 h,48 h and 72 h subgroups was 5.60±0.Z5, 5.69±0.22, 5.73±0.27, respectively;Bcl-2 protein of 48 h,72 h subgroups was 4.61±0.28, 4.43±0.28, respectively; compared with MSC and G-CSF subgroups the differences were significant (P < 0.05). The serum TNF-α, IL-6, ALT, AST, LDH and CRP de-creased obviously in 24 h/48 h treated subgroups in comparison with control group (P < 0.05). The MSC + G-CSF group showed more significant effects on those biomarkers than MSC or G-CSF alone after 48 hours (P < 0.05). Conclusions Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transplantation alonewith bone marrow stem cells mobilization can significantly protect livers from severe damage during the course of severe acute panere-atitis, and the probable mechanisms are likely associated with the pathological regeneration, anti-inflammatory ef-fect and apoptosis inhibition of MSC.

BACKGROUND:Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament has become the gold-standard treatment for an anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Despite the popularity of the procedure, there remains a considerable amount of controversies over whether an autograft or anal ograft should be used for primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. OBJECTIVE:To compare the clinical outcomes of al ograft and autograft in primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS:Randomized control ed trials concerning autograft versus non-irradiated al ograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were identified from the PubMed/Medline database conducted up to July 12, 2014. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 6 randomized control ed trials consisting of 858 cases were included, 441 cases in autograft group and 417 cases in non-irradiated al ograft. The results of the meta-analysis indicate no significant difference between autografts and non-irradiated al ografts in overal IKDC [relative risk (RR)=1.02, 95%confidence interval (CI) (0.99 to 1.06), P=0.21], degree of laxity [mean difference (MD)=-0.13, 95%CI (-0.29 to-0.02), P=0.09], Lachman test [RR=1.04, 95%CI (0.95 to 1.13), P=0.37], pivot shift test [RR=1.00, 95%CI (0.95 to 1.05), P=0.96], one-leg hop test [RR=1.01, 95%CI (0.96 to 1.06), P=0.77], Lysholm score [MD=-0.64, 95%CI (-1.45 to 0.17), P=0.12], Tegner score [MD=0.16, 95%CI (-0.16 to 0.47), P=0.34] and rate of postoperative complications [RR=1.42, 95%CI (0.67 to 3.04), P=0.36]. Therefore, in the meta-analysis, there is no significant difference between autograft and non-irradiated al ograft in clinical outcomes. However due to the limitations of our study, further work is needed to determine this conclusion.

BACKGROUND:Symptomatic treatment is the main management strategy for patients with knee osteoarthritis at early metaphase. Some previous studies have demonstrated that neuromuscular electrical stimulation can al eviate pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. To date, this effectiveness, however, stil remains controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To assess the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
METHODRandomized control ed trials concerning the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis were identified from the Medline database conducted up to July 3, 2014. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 5 randomized control ed trials consisting of 239 participants were included. The results of the meta-analysis indicate neuromuscular electrical stimulation has no significant impact on measure of pain in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the blank control group [mean difference=-0.40, 95%confidence interval (-1.34-0.54), P=0.40]. Owing to the sample limitations of our study, it is hard for us to draw a conclusion that the application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in managing pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is of little significance. Further work based on large-sample and high-quality randomized control ed trials is needed to determine the role of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in pain in this population.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and configuration of the isthmuses in the apical 6 mm of the mesial and distal roots of Chinese mandibular first molar by means of micro-computed tomography.

METHODSThirty-six extracted human mandibular first molars were selected. Specimens were subject to micro-CT and a slice thickness of 30 microm was obtained in the apical 6 mm of the roots examined. The number of sections showing isthmuses at each apical level was recorded. Three-dimensional images of isthmuses of mandibular first molars were reconstructed and observed.

RESULTSThe mesial roots of human mandibular first molars had a high incidence of isthmus. The isthmus incidence was greatest 4-6 mm from the apex in human mandibular first molar, with prevalence figures of 49.5%-66.1% and 17.3%-17.8% in mesial and distal roots, respectively. The chi-square test indicated a significant difference in the distribution of isthmuses between the two roots (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe mesial roots of human mandibular first molars have a high incidence of isthmus, which may have clinical implications especially when surgical endodontics is performed on the mesial roots of mandibular molars.

Adult ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Mandible ; diagnostic imaging ; Molar ; diagnostic imaging ; Root Canal Therapy ; Tooth Root ; diagnostic imaging ; X-Ray Microtomography

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of novel Comfort denture adhesive (Comfort-DA), which was developed by the authors, to human oral fibroblasts (HOFs).

METHODSA sample of Comfort-DA was prepared and extracted in culturing medium to prepare the eluate. Then the eluate was diluted by culturing medium to 50% and 75% concentration for the assessment of cytotoxicity by tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Wells containing fresh medium alone were served as control. Cell viability was recorded by optical density after culturing in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% air at 37 degrees C for 2, 3 and 4 days, respectively. The viability of HOF cells was evaluated by MTT assay to investigate cell proliferation. Optical density (OD) was measured by a spectrophotometer at 490 nm. Then evaluating the cytotoxicity grade in test groups according to the means of cell proliferation. ANOVA was used to test the statistical significance.

RESULTSThe statistical analysis of the results of MTT cytological assay indicated significant difference (P < 0.05) in OD (indicate cell viability) between all concentrations of Comfort-DA and the control at all incubation times. The results of cell proliferation percentage also showed that the cytotoxicity grade of tested material only displayed "0-2".

CONCLUSIONThe generally favorable in vitro cytotoxicity of the Comfort-DA formulations indicates that this product may be an efficacious denture adhesive.

Adhesives ; toxicity ; Adolescent ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Denture Retention ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Periodontium ; cytology ; drug effects ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles ; Toxicity Tests ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between wedge-shaped defects and occlusal interference.

METHODSFollowing examination from 46 patients, a total of 157 teeth were identified to have the criteria set for wedge-shaped defects and regarded as the experiment group. Also, 157 adjacent teeth exhibiting no such noncarious cervical lesions were randomly selected from the same group of patients and regarded as the control group. The distribution of occlusal force and time were examined with T-Scan II system in 46 patients with wedge-shaped defects in intercuspal occlusion position, protrusive movement and lateral movement. Occlusal interference and premature contact were evaluated and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe proportion of the teeth with premature contact in experiment group was 6.37%, while the control group was 2.55%, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The total proportion with occlusal interferences in experiment group was 23.57%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (10.19%, P < 0.05), in experiment group the proportion with working side interferences was 15.92%, and in control group, the proportion was 3.82%, there was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). At the same time, the teeth with occlusal interferences had more serious degree of the wedge-shape defects than those with no occlusal interference.

CONCLUSIONThe increased occlusal force has relation to the formation as well as severity of wedge-shaped defects.

Bicuspid ; Bite Force ; Dental Occlusion ; Humans ; Male ; Tooth Abrasion

OBJECTIVETo evaluate mechanical properties of zirconia toughened composite alumina (ZTCA) ceramic used for dental application, characterize the effect of different zirconia contents on mechanical properties of ZTCA.

METHODSDental alumina ceramic powder was prepared by sol-gel method, and four groups of ZTCA powders with different zirconia contents were prepared via surface-induced precipitation method. All five groups of powders were dry-pressed and then sintered to make standard specimens for mechanical tests. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of these specimens were evaluated, and the fractography was characterized by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). Phases of ZTCA were also determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD).

RESULTSIt was found that the flexural strength of ZTCA ceramics increases with ZrO2 content up to 30%, and decreases thereafter. ZTCA specimens containing 30% ZrO2 show the highest flexural strength, and the corresponding fracture toughness was 1.85 MPa x m(1/2). The XRD results of ZTCA ceramics showed the phase constituents of alpha-Al2O3, t-ZrO2 and a small amount of m-ZrO2.

CONCLUSIONThe strengthening and toughening mechanisms of ZTCA depend on ZrO2 content. In the range of 15%-30% ZrO2, the stress-induced phase transformation toughening mechanism is dominant, while microcrack and deflection exist as the additional toughening mechanism when ZrO2 addition amount is above 30%.

Aluminum Oxide ; Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Materials Testing ; Zirconium