OBJECTIVETo explore a simple but novel method of strengthening gypsum material by cyanoacrylate infiltration. To evaluate the influence of cyanoacrylate on the mechanical properties of dental gypsum models.

METHODSGypsum specimens were polished to the dimension of 35 mmx4 mmx4 mm. Butyl-cyanoacrylate was diluted with chloroform at different concentrations, namely 20% and 30% cyanoacrylate. Gypsum specimens were infiltrated by diluting one component of cyanoacrylate at different concentrations for 8 h and then dried for analysis. The changes in elastic modulus, fracture toughness, compressive strength, biaxial strength, brinell hardness were measured. The data were analyzed using software OriginPro 8.

RESULTSThe viscosity measurements indicated that diluted cyanoacrylate were Newtonian fluids and the viscosity increased slightly within the 48 hours of preparation but still similar as water at room temperature, which could be used to infiltrating gypsum. The gypsum infiltrated with cyanoacrylate exhibited good physicochemical properties. The biaxial strength, fracture toughness, compressive strength and brinell hardness of the gypsum were improved by 39%, 30%, 63% and 18%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONCyanoacrylate can significantly improve the strength of gypsum model which indicates the potential clinical application.

Calcium Sulfate ; Cyanoacrylates ; Dental Models ; Hardness

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Yangxue Qingnao Granule (YQG) on the expression of CD11b in CA1 region of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats, and to explore its regulation on microglias.

METHODSTotally 144 SD rats were randomly divided into the sham-operation group, the vascular dementia model group (model), and the YQG treated group (treated). The vascular dementia rat model was prepared by modified Pulsinelli's four-vessel occlusion. Rats in the sham-operation group and the model group were administered with normal saline -(at the daily dose of 10 mL/kg) by gastrogavage, while those in the treated group were administered with YQG (0.32 g/mL, at the daily dose of 10 mL/kg) by gastrogavage. All administration was performed once per day for 8 successive weeks. The expression of CD11b in CA1 region of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats was detected at week 1, 2, 4, and 8, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operation group, the expression of CD11b in CA1 region of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats were significantly enhanced in the model group at each time point (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of CD11b in CA1 region of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats significantly decreased in the treated group at each time point (P < 0.01), especially at week 2.

CONCLUSIONObvious activation and proliferation of microglias could be seen in CA1 region of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats, and YQG could inhibit activation and proliferation of microglias.

Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; CD11b Antigen ; metabolism ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Microglia ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIM: To establish an experimental model of high intraocular pressure in mice by laser photocoagulation and to prepare for future research.
METHODS: Experimental model of high intraocular pressure was induced unilaterally in 44 C57BL/6 mice. The fellow eye served as a control. TONO-PEN AVIA Tonomter was used to measure intraocular pressure (IOP) to guarantee IOP value at 1, 2, 4, 8wk. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy was performed throughout the period and the structural changes were assessed histologically. And then, their eyes were enucleated, postfixed, cryoprotected, and embedded in optimal cutting temperature medium. After hematoxylin and eosin stain ( HE stain ) , cryosections of the retina were observed under light microscope. TdT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick end labeling ( TUNEL ) was performed on the retinal sections to determine apoptosis rate.
RESULTS: IOP of laser-treated eyes was significantly higher than that of control eyes from 1-8wk (P<0. 05). The highest IOP was 31mmHg, but only one eye. The IOP was mainly around 20mmHg. In laser-treated eyes, the angle of anterior chamber were narrow. Number of cells in the inner nuclear layer and retial gangllion cell layer was slightly lower than that in control eyes at 2wk, but by 4 and 8wk the number of cells was significantly lower than that in the control contralateral eyes.
CONCLUSION: The laser photocoagulation of limbus causes chronic elevation of IOP and this method may be a promising experimental model for the investigation of biological mechanisms of glaucomatous retinal ganglion cell damage.

OBJECTIVETo observe therapeutic effects of locking titanium plate for the treatment of comminuted proximal humeral fracture in elderly.

METHODSFrom June 2011 to May 2013, 72 elderly patients with comminuted proximal humeral- fractures were divided into locking titanium plate group and anatomical plate group, 36 cases in each group. In locking titanium plate group, there were 16 males and 20 females aged from 60 to 79 years old with an average of (69.55±5.62) years old; 10 cases were type Neer II, 18 were type Neer III and 8 cases were type Neer IV in accordance with Neer classification; treated with locking titanium plate. In anatomical plate group, there were 15 males and 21 females aged from 60 to 81 years old with an average of (69.76±5.70) years old; 9 cases were type Neer II, 20 were type Neer III and 7 cases were type Neer IV; and treated with anatomical plate. Clinical effects, preoperative and postoperative Neer scoring, operative time, bone healing time and incidence of complications between two groups were compared.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 1 to 3 years with an average of 15 months. The excellent and good rate of locking titanium plate group (91.7%) was significantly higher than anatomical plate group (75.0%). Postoperative Neer score of two groups were improved obviously, but locking titanium plate group (92.51±7.85) was higher than anatomical plate group (83.64±8.56); there was no significant differences between two groups in operative time (P>0.05); bone healing time in locking titanium plate was (18.6±3.4) weeks, and shorter than anatomical plate group (24.3±3.9) weeks; incidence of complications in locking titanium plate was (5.6%) shorter than anatomical plate group (22.2%), and had obviously differences between two groups.

CONCLUSIONLocking titanium plate for the treatment of comminuted proximal humeral fracture in elderly plays an important role in good rate, bone healing time and Neer score. It has advantages of early rehabilitation exercise, less shoulder pain, rapid recovery of shoulder joint, less complications, safe and effective, and be worthy of clinical application, especially for senile osteoporosis patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Plates ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fractures, Comminuted ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Shoulder Fractures ; surgery ; Titanium

To prepare ginseng saponin Compound K with ultrasound-assisted total zymolytic ginseng saponins. The conversion rate was taken as the index to detect the pre-treatment factors such as ultrasonic power and ultrasonic time, as well as the impact of enzymatic factors, such as pH value, temperature, concentration of substrate, dosage of enzyme and reaction time, on the conversion rate. The response surface method was used to optimize the preparation conditions. The enzymolytic products were identified with MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. The results showed that the optimum conditions of the ultrasound-assisted enzymolysis were 250 W for ultrasonic power, 15 min for ultrasonic time, 5.5 for enzymolytic pH, 50 degrees C for enzymolytic temperature, 36 h for enzymolytic time, 4:5 for enzymolytic dosage: substrate and 1.0 g x L(-1) for concentration of substrate. The relative molecular mass of reaction products was 622.4. Therefore, the nuclear magnetic map verified that the reaction product was rare ginseng saponin Compound K. Under the above conditions, based on the total zymolytic ginseng saponins, the conversion rate of rare ginseng saponin Compound K was 6.91% in proportion to the total of ginsenosides. The process features gentle reaction conditions, high conversion rate and simple and reliable process, which is suitable for industrial production.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Enzymes ; chemistry ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ultrasonics ; methods

Objective To observe the different cerebral activations between pre-administration and post-administration of tryptophan-depleted amino acid mixture (TRP-)/balanced amino acid mixture (BAL) in healthy volunteers through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) when they received electrical stimulation at the same time. Furthermore, the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were explored in pain modulation network. Methods Two-phase crossover design was adopted. Six right-handed healthy volunteers participated in the experiment. TRP- and BAL were administered to each participant according to the Young's method. Volunteers were scanned under fMRI with or without administration of TRP- or BAL when receiving electrical stimulation simultaneously. Analysis of functional neuroimages (AFNI) software was used to show the different activations in the human brain between pre- and post-administration of TRP-/BAL. Then all the results were analyzed by SPSS 14.0. Results (1) Bilateral primary somatosensory cortex (SⅠ) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SⅡ) were activated during pre-administration and post-administration of TRP-, but the activated volumes of bilateral SⅠ and SⅡ during post-administration of TRP- were found significantly larger than that during pre-administration of TRP (P＜0.05). (2) All the activated regions showed no difference between pre- and post-admini-stration of BAL. (3) There were significant differences of pain threshold between pre- and post-admini-stration of TRP- (P＜0.01), which meant that pain threshold reduced remarkably after TRP- administration, while it showed no difference between pre- and post-administration of BAL (P＞0.05). Conclusion 5-HT plays an important role in pain modulation in the central nervous system, TRP- causes acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) through reducing the level of 5-HT in the human brain, which can induce the decrease of volunteers' pain threshold. The activated volumes of bilateral SⅠ and SⅡ display signi-ficant difference between pre- and post-administration of TRP-, suggesting these brain areas may not only involve in the 5-HT related activities but in pain modulation network as well.

With low molecular weight chitosan and poloxamer 188 as the joint carriers, ginsenoside Rg3 solid dispersions were prepared by using the solvent evaporation method for an in vitro dissolution test. Subsequently, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (X-RD) were adopted for a phase analysis. The results showed that the 60 min in vitro cumulative dissolution rate of ginsenoside Rg3 solid dispersions prepared with low molecular weight chitosan and poloxamer 188 at the ratio of 2:1 exceeded 90%, and the drug was dispersed in carriers in an amorphous state. Therefore, ginsenoside Rg3 solid dispersions prepared with low molecular weight chitosan and poloxamer 188 could help significantly improve the drug dissolution, with a practical application value.
Chitosan ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Ginsenosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Weight ; Poloxamer ; chemistry ; Solvents ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE To detect the expression of the Glucocorticoid receptor-?(GR-?)mRNA in nasal polyp and normal nasal mucosa and investigate the route of nasal drug administration in patients of nasal polyp. METHODS The expression of GR-?mRNA in 101 samples of nasal polyps and 31samples of normal nasal mucosa was examined by using Fluorescent quantitative PCR .RESULTS The level of GR-?mRNA in normal nasal mucosa(135.4? 5.25)?104 copy /?g were significantly higher than that in nasal polyps(23.5?12.1)?104 copy/?g . CONCLUSION Because of the low expression of GR-?mRNA in nasal polyps,the route of nasal drug administration in patients with nasal polyps may be in the part of normal mucosa,not in the mucosa of nasal polyps of the nasal cavity.

Objective To analyze the etiologic factors and clinical manifestation of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in preterm infants.Methods One hundred and seventy-two preterm infants from June 2005 to August 2006 were accrued to investigate their gestational age,birth weight,birth history,and clinical symptoms.Cranial chromatic ultrasound was used to scan the preterm infants and diagnose IVH.Results 1.The incidence of IVH was associated with gestational age (?2=6.40 P=0.011);2.The incidence of IVH was also associated with birth weight(?2=26.49 P=0);3.IVH usually occurred within 72 h with mild clinical manifestations and was diagnosed within 5 days after birth;4.IVH occurred more frequently and more severe in infants with severe asphyxia than those with mild asphyxia.Conclusions Early gestational age,low birth weight, and severe asphyxia are risk factors for IVH.The clinical symptoms of IVH are usually mild in most patients.Cranial chromatic ultrasound is a reliable,sensitive and convenient method of detection for IVH in preterm infants.

Objective To explore the role of serum S-100B concentration of umbilical cord blood and blood on the 24 h after admission in the early diagnosis and development of newborn hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods Forty-six HIE newborns(31 cases with mild HIE and 15 cases with moderate and severe HIE)were selected as HIE group,and 43 normal full-term newborns were selected as control group.The umbilical cord blood sample and blood sample were aquired on the 24 h after admission.The serum S-100B concentration was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)analysis.Results 1.There was no significant difference of serum S-100B concentration between the male sub-group and female sub-group of normal group and their birth weight had no significant relative to the serum S-100B concentration.2.The serum S-100B concentration of umbilical cord blood of control group and HIE group were(1.03?0.32)and(2.53?1.1)?g/L,respectively,there was significant difference between two groups(t'=8.848 P