Objective To evaluate the feasibility and predictive ability of the sentinel node localization technique for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and determine whether the pathology of the SLN reflected the status of all the neck lymph nudes. Methods Perioperative use of a gamma probe identified radioactive SLNs. The pathology of the SLN was compared with that of the remaining neck dissection. Results Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed on 20 cases. SLNs were found in 16 necks, among them 6 were found to be subclinical metastases. The SLN was the only lymph node containing tumor in 5 of 6. Conclusions Our preliminary investigation shows that sentinel node localization is technically feasible and predictive of cervical metastasis. SLN biopsy may aid in identifying the clinically N0 patient with occult lymph node metastasis and has the potential to decrease the number of neck dissections performed in clinically negative necks.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene and nitric oxide (NO) in human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs).

METHODSAfter stimulating hPDLCs by LPS and IL-1beta, RT-PCR had been used to identify the expression of iNOS gene. The activity of iNOS in the culture was quantitated by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). And the level of NO was determined by nitrate reductase method. RESULTS Slight amount of iNOS and NO had been detected in hPDLCs without sitimulation, but when stimulating with LPS and IL-1beta, the amount of the iNOS mRNA increased significantly in the cells in the time and dose dependent way (P<0.05). Under the stimulation with the same time or same dose, the productions of iNOS and NO stimulated by IL-1beta and in combination with LPS were larger than that stimulated with LPS (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression NO and iNOS could be increased by stimulating hPDLCs with LPS and IL-1beta, which may contribute to the research on injecting LPS and IL-1beta at periodontal tissue of animal models.

Animals ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Periodontal Ligament ; RNA, Messenger

AIM: To explore whether strontium ranelate ( Sr ) promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) through the Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling pathway.METHODS:BMSCs were isolated from 4-week-old rats by adherent culture and induced to differentiate into osteoblasts .According to the experimental purposes , the cells were exposed to different concentrations of Sr , cyclopamine ( Cy, an inhibitor of Hedgehog receptor ) or Gli1-siR-NA.The expression of Gli1 and Runx2 in the cells was detected by Western blotting .The activity of alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) was measured by the method of colorimetry , and the mineralized nodules were observed under microscope with aliz-arin red staining .RESULTS:Exposure to Sr at concentrations of 0.1 to 5 mmol/L for 7 d markedly increased the expres-sion of Gli1 in the BMSCs , and the increase in Gli1 expression was the most obvious following Sr exposure at concentration of 3 mmol/L.Cy at concentration of 10 μmol/L inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 expression.Transfection of the BMSCs with Gli1-siRNA not only obviously inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 and Runx2 ( a downstream protein of Gli1) expression, but also antagonized Sr-induced enhancement of ALP activity and the formation of mineralized nodules . CONCLUSION:The Hedgehog/Gli1 pathway is involved in Sr-induced osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs .

AIM: To investigate whether Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription ( JAK/STAT) signaling pathway mediates high glucose-induced damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs ) . METHODS:The cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay.The expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, caspase-9 and en-dothelial nitric oxide synthase ( eNOS) were detected by Western blot .The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) were tested by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography .Mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) was measured by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography .RESULTS:Treatment of HUVECs with high glucose (40 mmol/L glucose) for 6~12 h enhanced the protein level of phosphorylated JAK 2, peaking at 9 h.Treatment of the cells with high glucose for 6~12 h also increased the protein level of p-STAT3 with the peak value at 12 h.Pretreatment with the inhibitor of JAK/STAT pathway AG490 for 1 h before exposure of the HUVECs to high glucose significantly inhibi-ted the high glucose -induced injury , as evidenced by an increase in the cell viability , decreases in the expression of caspase-9 and the intracellular ROS production , and increases in MMP and the expression of eNOS .CONCLUSION:JAK/STAT signaling pathway is involved in the high glucose-induced damage in HUVECs .

Objective To explore the characteristics of selective attention function in patients with silent cerebral in-farction (SCI) and depression, the relationship between depression, selective attention and cognitive dysfunction. Methods Eighty-two patients with SCI and 82 normal subjects were selected and evaluated by using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and Stroop color-word test (CWT). Patients with SCI were further classified into depression subgroup and no-depression subgroup based on the score of HAMD. Results The score of MoCA was lower in SCI group (23.11 ± 5.41) and was much lower in depression subgroup (20.31 ± 5.44) compared with control group (28.70 ± 2.18) (all P<0.01). Compared with control group, the reaction times of card A, B, C and Stroop interference effects (SIE) were prolonged in SCI group. The reaction time of card A, B, C and SIE were (33.25±14.10);(42.45±15.18);(104.68 ± 25.08) and (62.24 ± 21.53) in depression subgroup, respectively. The error counts of card B, C and SIE were in-creased (P<0.05) in SCI group. The error counts of card B,C and SIE were (3.59±2.14), (15.67±7.20) and (12.08±6.46) in depression subgroup, respectively. The scores of MoCA were negatively correlated with the reaction time and error counts of SIE (r=-0.429,r=-0.500,all P<0.01).The location of infarction was correlated with the score of HAMD and error counts of SIE to some degree: both of the scores were higher in patients with left infarction compared with right infarction and were higher in patients with cortex infarction compared with subcortex infarction. Conclusion The present study revealed that patients with SCI and depression have selective attention deficit which is closely correlated with the level of cognitive function.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out genetic testing for a pedigree affected with carotid body tumor (CBT). METHODS: Members of the pedigree were enrolled and underwent physical examination, ultrasonography and CT scan. Genomic DNA of the proband was extracted from peripheral blood sample and subjected to exome sequencing. Candidate variants were predicted using bioinformatic tools and verified among members from his pedigree. RESULTS: A c.170-1G>T splicing variant of the SDHD gene was detected in 15 individuals from the pedigree. Physical examination and imaging confirmed that 9 of them had CBT and hypertension, while the remaining 6 died of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. CONCLUSION The c.170-1G>T variant of the SDHD gene probably underlies the CBT in this pedigree. Genetic testing should be considered for CBT patients with CBT in addition to conventional clinical examination.

OBJECTIVES: To coat a zirconia surface with silica-zirconia using a dip-coating technique and evaluate its effect on resin-zirconia shear bond strength (SBS). METHODS: A silica-zirconia suspension was prepared and used to coat a zirconia surface using a dip-coating technique. One hundred and eighty-nine zirconia disks were divided into three groups according to their different surface treatments (polishing, sandblasting, and silica-zirconia coating). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the differently treated zirconia surfaces. Different primer treatments (Monobond N, Z-PRIME Plus, and no primer) were also applied to the zirconia surfaces. Subsequently, 180 composite resin cylinders (Filtek Z350) were cemented onto the zirconia disks with resin cement (RelyX Ultimate). The SBS was measured after water storage for 24 h or 6 months. The data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: SEM and EDX showed that the silica-zirconia coating produced a porous layer with additional Si, and XRD showed that only tetragonal zirconia was on the silica-zirconia-coating surface. Compared with the control group, the resin-zirconia SBSs of the sandblasting group and silica-zirconia-coating group were significantly increased ( CONCLUSIONS Dip-coating with silica-zirconia might be a feasible way to improve resin-zirconia bonding.

Objective: To observe and compare the effects of two standards on the overweight trend in urban Shanghai infants and young children. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 19 communities in two districts of Shanghai, and the subjects (n=15 019) were divided into S-group and W-group by sealed envelope randomization. The subjects were newborns born between November 2013 and December 2014. The 2005 Shanghai growth standard was applied in the S-group and the 2006 WHO growth standard was used in the W-group. At each follow-up time point age of 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, the outpatient physician assessed the length and weight of the infants according to the standard adopted by each group and provided feeding guidance. The weight-for-age Z scores (WAZ), length-for-age Z scores (LAZ) and weight-for-length Z scores (WLZ) were calculated according to the WHO standard. Weight, length, WAZ, LAZ, WLZ and overweight ratio (WLZ≥2) were compared between the two groups using t test, Wilcoxon test and χ² test. Results: A total of 6 509 infants (3 391 were boys, 3 118 were girls) were in the W-group, and 8 510 infants (4 374 were boys, 4 136 were girls) were in the S-group. Among the boys, the weight values at the age of 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 months in the W-group were all lower than those in the S-group ((7.5±0.8) vs. (7.7±0.8) kg, (8.6±0.8) vs. (8.7±0.8) kg, (9.6±0.9) vs. (9.7±0.9) kg, (10.4±1.0) vs. (10.5±1.0) kg, (11.5±1.1) vs.(11.7±1.1) kg; t=4.329, 2.422, 3.739, 2.451, 2.736; P<0.01, 0.015,<0.01, 0.014, 0.009). The length had no significant difference between two groups at all months of age(all P>0.05). The overweight ratio in the W-group was lower than that in the S-group at the age of 9, 12, 18 months(3.3% (71/2 170) vs. 4.9% (143/2 927), 2.5% (51/2 037) vs. 4.5% (126/2 818), 0.8% (7/832) vs. 3.1% (39/1 266); χ²=6.520, 14.209, 12.350; P=0.011,<0.01,<0.01).Among the girls, except at the age of 2 months (W-group (5.6±0.6) vs. S-group (5.7±0.6), t=2.935, P=0.003), weight values had no significant difference between the two groups at other age months (all P>0.05).The length in the W-group was higher than that in the S-group at 12 and 18 months of age ((75.6±2.4) vs.(75.5±2.3)cm, (82.4±2.9) vs.(82.2±2.7) cm; t=2.351, 2.197; P=0.019, 0.028). The ratio of overweight in the W-group was lower than that of S-group at the age of 12 and 18 months (1.8% (33/1 871) vs.3.0% (80/2 658), 0.6% (5/790) vs.1.7% (20/1 178); χ²=6.764,4.276; P=0.009, 0.039). Conclusions The application of WHO growth standard can help to reduce the weight gain rate of boys, promote the linear growth of girls, and thus alleviate the overweight trend of infants within 18 months. It suggested that 2006 WHO growth standard should be applied to infants within 1 year of age in Shanghai.