Objective To study the clinical topography of lateral ligament of the rectum in the relation to surgical procedures in rectal carcinoma. Method Twenty-three pelvises(12 males,11 females)harvested from embalmed cadavers were studied by topographic dissection. Results The lateral rectal ligamem were identiffed bilaterally in all cadavers between the rectum and visceral fascia.Unilateral middle rectal arteries was found in 8 cadavers and bilateral arteries was found in 2 cadavers.The rectal branches from the pelvic plexus were uniformly constant structure within lateral ligament of the rectum.Conclusion The lateral rectal ligament is located between rectum and visceral fascia.The cleavage between visceral fascia and pelvic plexus is the appropriate plane for lateral rectal dissection of rectal cancers.

In present paper, research achievements of post-harvest handling concerning decorticating, boiling, sul-fur-fumigation, drying and sterilizing as well as quality control of Radix Paeoniae Alba were reviewed. Major prob-lems in the post-harvest handling and quality evaluation of Radix Paeoniae Alba were discussed. Strategies for im-provement in post-harvest handling and quality control were proposed, so that the safety and quality consistency can be assured in the medicinal application of Radix Paeoniae Alba.

BACKGROUND:Studies have demonstrated that implantation of pile and different amount of residual tooth can change the stress distribution patterns of the tooth dentin within the residual root, and have an effect on the fracture mode of post-core restoration. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of the different amount of residual tooth on the fracture mode under oblique loading conditions in fiber pile composite resin core ful crown restoration. METHODS:Forty single rooted premolars extracted from orthodontic patients were divided into four groups after root canal preparation and filing. The plane going through buccal and lingual enamel cementum border midpoint and perpendicular to the long axis of the tooth was taken as the reference plane, so that the remaining amount of the tooth were 0, 1, 2, 3 mm. Fiber pile composite resin core metal ful restoration was conducted. After the repair, the oblique loading at 45° and at the rate of 1 mm/min was conducted. Fracture mode and load-displacement curve when root fracture occurred were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The tooth neck fracture usualy occurred in the 0 mm group, and central root fracture usualy occurred in the remaining three groups. There was a significant difference in the total fracture mode between 0 mm group and the remaining three groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the total fracture mode between 1, 2 and 3 mm groups (P> 0.05). In oblique loading conditions, when the remaining tooth structure was smal, the prosthesis was prone to have dental neck fracture. Fiber posts played a protective role in the tooth root, but the clinical probability of failure increased. The fracture mode was changed with the increase of residual tooth amount, transferring from the neck edge to the root. These results demonstrate that we must retain more tooth tissue from the crown in the restoration of residual root with fiber post-core crown.

BACKGROUND:Preparation of calcium hydroxide paste for apexification of immature permanent teeth has recently achieved satisfactory clinical efficacy because of its advantages including simple-to-use, being wel proportioned and ful contact with dentin and root apical periodontal tissues after being guided into root canal. OBJECTIVE: To validate the clinical efficacy of apexification of immature permanent teeth with calcium hydroxide paste. METHODS:Thirty-four patients with periapical periodontitis caused by fracture of abnormal central cusp, consisting of 18 males and 16 females, aged 8-12 years, were included and they received apexification with calcium hydroxide paste. X-ray observation of the tooth apex was performed at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after operation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Among the 34 cases, 32 cases were successful and 2 cases failed in apexification of immature permanent teeth with calcium hydroxide paste, the success rate was 94%. 16 cases had apical closure at 9-12 months, 15 cases finished apexification at 12-15 months, 1 case with severe infection finished induction at 18-21 months, and two cases could not finish induction at 24 months. During 2 years of folow-up period, there were no recurrence of periapical periodontitis, tooth loose and shedding, tooth fracture, root progressive absorption and other complications. Al the teeth had type II apical closure, and there were no type I and IV apical closure, and the rare cases had the type between II and III which was difficult to distinguish. Apexification with calcium hydroxide paste for immature permanent teeth with incomplete developed root can preserve the affected teeth, aleviate inflammation, and show good induction effects.

Objective:To explore the risk of hip fracture, changes of composite indices of femoral neck strength and its influential factors in non-low-weight postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods:A total of 626 non-low-weight postmenopausal women were selected and divided into type 2 diabetes group, pre-diabetic group, and non-diabetic group according to the diagnostic criteria of the American Diabetes Association in 2010. Each participant completed the questionnaire, physical examination, laboratory examination, and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DXA) examination.Results:Hip fracture rate in T2DM group was significantly higher than that in non-diabetic group(3.4% vs 0.7%, P<0.05), while no significant difference was observed between pre-diabetic group and non-diabetic group(1.1% vs 0.7%, P>0.05). Bone mineral density(BMD) of lumbar spine 1-4, femoral neck, and total hip was comparable between T2DM group and non-diabetic group or pre-diabetic group and non-diabetic group, respectively( P>0.05). The composite indices of femoral neck strength in T2DM group was significantly lower than that in non-diabetic group( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between pre-diabetic group and non-diabetic group( P>0.05). Regression analysis showed that age and body mass index were the main influential factors of the femoral neck bone mineral density and the composite indices of femoral neck strength( P<0.05). Conclusion:The composite indices of femoral neck strength could be used as one of the markers to evaluate the risk of hip fracture in type 2 diabetic patients.

Objective:To explore the changes of bone turnover markers and geometric parameters of hip bone in overweight postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome(MS), as well as the influence of MS components. To analyze the association of these factors with the risk of fracture.Methods:A total of 505 overweight postmenopausal female patients who underwent health check-up in Lianhu Community Service Center, Danyang City, Jiangsu Province from January to December 2017 were selected. According to the MS diagnostic criteria of the International Diabetes Federation(2009), the patients were divided into MS group( n=331)and non-MS group( n=174). Blood samples were collected to determine the level of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide(P1NP)and carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen(CTX). Bone mineral density and hip bone geometry parameters were tested with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and hip structural analysis software. Results:The incidence of osteoporotic fracture and hip fracture in MS group was significantly higher than that in non-MS group(21.1% vs 13.8%, 4.8% vs 1. 1%, P<0.05). However, the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra 1-4, femoral neck, and total hip in MS group was significantly higher than that in non-MS group, which remained after adjusting for age( P<0.05), but the difference disappeared after further adjustment for body mass index( P>0.05). The P1NP, CTX, femur strength index(FSI), section modulus(SM), and cross-sectional area(CSA)of MS group were significantly lower than those of non-MS group, the buckling ration(BR)was significantly higher than that in non-MS group, and the differences were still statistically significant after adjusting for age and body mass index( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra 1-4, femoral neck, total hip, P1NP, and CTX between fracture group and non-fracture group in patients with MS. But FSI, SM, cross-sectional moment of inertia(CSMI), and CSA were significantly lower, BR was significantly higher( P<0.05) and femur strength decreased in patients with fracture. Regression analysis showed that high BR was an independent risk factor for fracture risk, while high FSI, SM, CSMI, and CSA were protective factors. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that wasit circumference, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose were the main MS components affecting bone mineral density, bone turnover indexes, and hip bone geometry parameters. Conclusions:Overweight postmenopausal MS patients had decreased bone turnover rate, femoral strength, and relatively poor bone quality. Hip bone geometry parameters can be used as one of the methods to assess fracture risk in MS patients. Waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose are the important MS components affecting bone mass and bone quality.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between fat distribution and the composite indices of femoral neck strength in obese postmenopausal women.Methods:A total of 293 postmenopausal women with non-low body weight were selected, laboratory tests, body composition analyzer test and double-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan were performed. Based on the body mass index(BMI), they were divided into three groups, the normal BMI group(18.5 kg/m 2≤BMI<24.0 kg/m 2, n=91), the overweight group(24.0 kg/m 2≤BMI<28.0 kg/m 2, n=115), and the obese group(BMI≥28.0 kg/m 2, n=87). The measurement results were analyzed. Results:In the obese group, bone mineral density(BMD) of all sites was higher than that in the normal BMI group and overweight group( P<0.005), compression strength index(CSI), bending strength index(BSI), and impact strength index(ISI) were significantly lower than those in the normal BMI group( P<0.001, P=0.008, P=0.001). In the obese group, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, total fat mass, appendicular fat mass, and trunk fat mass were risk factors for CSI, BSI and ISI independent of age, fasting blood glucose, and BMI( P<0.05). Visceral fat grade and Chinese visceral adiposity fat index were the risk factors for CSI, BSI, and ISI( P<0.05). Conclusion:The composite indices of femoral neck strength decreased in obese postmenopausal women, and both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat were negatively associated with the composite indices of femoral neck strength.

Hepatosteatosis is characterized by abnormal accumulation of triglycerides(TG),leading to prolonged and chronic inflammatory infiltration.To date,there is still a lack of effective and economical therapies for hepatosteatosis.Oridonin(ORI)is a major bioactive component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Rabdosia rubescens.In this paper,we showed that ORI exerted significant protective ef-fects against hepatic steatosis,inflammation and fibrosis,which was dependent on LXRα signaling.It is reported that LXRα regulated lipid homeostasis between triglyceride(TG)and phosphatidylethanol-amine(PE)by promoting ATCL and EPT1 expression.Therefore,we implemented the lipidomic strategy and luciferase reporter assay to verify that ORI contributed to the homeostasis of lipids via the regulation of the ATGL gene associated with TG hydrolysis and the EPT1 gene related to PE synthesis in a LXRα-dependent manner,and the results showed the TG reduction and PE elevation.In detail,hepatic TG overload and lipotoxicity were reversed after ORI treatment by modulating the ATCL and EPT1 genes,respectively.Taken together,the data provide mechanistic insights to explain the bioactivity of ORI in attenuating TG accumulation and cytotoxicity and introduce exciting opportunities for developing novel natural activators of the LXRα-ATGL/EPT1 axis for pharmacologically treating hepatosteatosis and metabolic disorders.

The amino acid sequence of ancestral enzymes from extinct organisms can be deduced through in silico approach termed ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR). ASR usually has six steps, which are the collection of nucleic acid/amino acid sequences of modern enzymes, multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic tree construction, computational deduction of ancestral enzyme sequence, gene cloning, and characterization of enzyme properties. This method is widely used to study the adaptation and evolution mechanism of molecules to the changing environmental conditions on planetary time scale. As enzymes play key roles in biocatalysis, this method has become a powerful method for studying the relationship among the sequence, structure, and function of enzymes. Notably, most of the ancestral enzymes show better temperature stability and mutation stability, making them ideal protein scaffolds for further directed evolution. This article summarizes the computer algorithms, applications, and commonly used computer software of ASR, and discusses the potential application in directed evolution of enzymes.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Evolution, Molecular ; Phylogeny ; Proteins/genetics* ; Sequence Alignment