OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and the patients' quality of life (QOL).

METHODSA total of 492 TMD patients were included in this study. The clinical examination results were recorded using Fricton index of temporomandibular joint function. "Visual analog scale (VAS) evaluation of QOL disturbance" was designed to quantitate patients' QOL, to evaluate the degree that the patients QOL was affected.

RESULTSChewing, daily life and emotion among all 8 items of QOL were frequently affected by TMD, and joint clicking had the least influence on QOL. Intermittent closed lock had more severe interference with QOL than joint clicking only. Severe and moderate pain or limited mouth opening affected the QOL more severely than mild pain or mild limited mouth opening. The simple linear relationship between Fricton index and patients' QOL was poor (r < 0.4).

CONCLUSIONSPain is the most frequently seen symptom in TMD. TMD could affect patients' QOL, including both physical and social-psychological functions. The results suggest that the patients' QOL as well as TMD symptoms and signs should be considered in the management of TMD.

Adult ; Facial Pain ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; complications

Blindness ; etiology ; Embolism ; Endoscopy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paranasal Sinuses ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Retinal Artery ; physiopathology ; Retinal Artery Occlusion ; complications ; etiology

Objective To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (ErbB3) and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) in enhancing the resistance of Herceptin in human breast cancer.Methods HRG (Heregulin,the ligand of ErbB3) or IGF2 (insulin-like growth factor2,the ligand of IGF1R) was correspondingly added into breast cancer cells SKBR3 and BT474,and then 3-(4,5-dimenthylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay and were performed in these cells to evaluate the sensitivity of these cells to Herceptin.Furthermore,we used HRG or IGF2 antibodies to inhibit their joint receptors in Herceptin-resistant breast cancer cells SKBR3/POOL2 and BT474/HR20.Finally,the sensitivity of these treated cells to Herceptin was detected via MTS assay.HRG or IGF2 was added into breast cancer cell BT474,and co-IP assay was used to detect the expressions of ErbB3 and IGF1R which combined with ErbB2.Results The treatment groups used HRG or IGF2 enhanced the resistance of Herceptin in Herceptin-sensitive breast cancer cells.On the other hand,we used antibodies of HRG and IGF2 to block their combining with their receptors in Herceptin-resistant breast cancer cells,the cells became more sensitive to Herceptin.BT474 cell was treated with HRG or IGF2.The expressions of ErbB3 and IGF1R which combined with ErbB2 were increased.Conclusions The formation of heterodimers ErbB2/ErbB3 and ErbB2/IGF1R might enhance the resistance of Herceptin in ErbB2-overexpression human breast cancers.

Abstract: This study is to improve the affinity of scFv-AK404R against VEGFR2. The secondary mutational library was constructed by hydrophilic shuffling in CDR3 region of the heavy chain. VEGFR2-specific screening was performed by phage display technology and the protein of mutants was expressed in periplasm of E.coli HB2151 and purified by affinity chromatography. The affinity constant of scFvs was measured by competitive ELISA, and the structure of scFvs was analyzed by bioinformatics. The result showed that a library with 6.4x10(5) scFv members was established by electro-transformation. Two mutated clones with high absorbance value were isolated after screening. After purification by affinity chromatography, electrophoretically pure scFv proteins were obtained. The competitive ELISA showed that the affinities of WZ01 and WZ02 were three times higher than that of the parental AK404R, and bioinformatics analysis showed that the enlarged contact surface and fitted closely with KDR3 surface may be the reasons for improved affinity. These results suggest that introducing hydrophilic amino acids to the heavy chain CDR3 region is an effective approach to improve the affinity of scFv.

BACKGROUND: The peripheral blood stem cell is a multi-differentiation precursor cell, and it can differentiate into osteoblasts. Tissue engineered bone, which is regarded as a vector of cell transplantation, has good compatibility with receptor tissue and seed cells. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important regulatory factor for repairing bone injury. Additionally, TGF-β can induce peripheral blood stem cells to differentiate and proliferate into osteoblasts.OBJECTIVE: To study TGF-β expression in repairing alveolar bone during synergetic transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells and tissue engineered bone. DESIGN: Observational study.SETTING: Stomatology Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.MATERIALS: This study was performed at the Stomatology Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from 2003 to 2006. Experimental animals were provided by the Animal Experimental Center, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University (original Xi'an Medical University). All animals were intramuscularly induced with ketamine, intramuscularly anesthetized with sumianxin, and then sacrificed for surgery. The experiment was approved by the local ethics committee.METHODS: Peripheral blood stem cells were extracted from dog and prepared as a cell suspension. Iliac bone was obtained from healthy pig to prepare decalcifying-deproteinic tissue engineered bone. The tissue engineered bone was then dipped into peripheral blood stem cell suspension. Ten healthy hybrid dogs were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 5 dogs in each group. An incision was made from left to right along the canine teeth of the lower mandible, along the lip, lateral to the gingival sulcus, to the alveolar crest, and then along the bilateral vestibular groove to form a trapezoid segment. Subsequently, the segment was turned downward to expose the bone lamella lateral to the lip. In addition, a bone defect region of 2 cm × 2 cm × 1 cm was drilled between the lateral incisor of lower mandible using a turbine drill. Peripheral blood stem cell-tissue engineered bone was implanted in the experimental group but tissue engineered bone only was implanted in the control group. At 2, 3, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery, during the differentiation and proliferation of peripheral blood stem cell into osteoblasts, TGF-β expression was measured using immunohistochemistry.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Morphological changes of peripheral blood stem cells differentiating into osteoblasts and structural function of organoid were observed under optical microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. ② TGF-β expression was measured using immunohistochemistry during the differentiation and proliferation of peripheral blood stem cells into osteoblasts.RESULTS: Two weeks after peripheral blood stem cell-tissue engineered bone transplantation in the experimental group, TGF-β expression was mildly positive at the fringe of the bone defect. Four to eight weeks after the transplantation, high numbers of osteoblasts, fibroblasts and collagenous fibers were found at the center of the bone defect region, and TGF-β expression was strongly positive. The bone defect was completely repaired after 12 weeks. In the control group, 8-12 weeks after tissue engineered bone transplantation, TGF-β expression was mildly positive only at the fringe of the bone defect. CONCLUSION: During dog alveolar bone defect repair, TGF-β can induce peripheral blood stem cells, in combination with tissue engineered bone, to differentiate and to proliferate into osteoblasts.

To conduct environmental education intervention for medical students,a survey of environmental protection and sustainable development-related knowledge,attitudes,behavior were conducted through questionnaire among the medical students to explore the impact of envi-ronmental quality with creation of environmental education curriculum and the appropriate way for institutions of higher medical education.

Adolescent ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Male ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homebox 1 (ZEB1) in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its relationship to the incidence of hypospadias.

METHODSPrepuce tissues were collected from 37 children aged 6-15 months undergoing hypospadias repair and 11 age-matched controls receiving circumcision. Based on the position of the urethral meatus, the hypospadias cases were classified as severe (n = 13) and mild-moderate (n = 24). The mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of the ZEB1 protein was remarkably higher in the severe (100% [13/13]) and mild-moderate hypospadias patients (75.0% [18/24]) than in the controls (9.1% [1/11]), with statistically significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). RT-PCR showed the integrated density value (IDV) of the ZEB1 mRNA expression to be (0.67 ± 0.21), (0.81 ± 0.24), and (1.55 ± 0.29) in the control, mild-moderate, and severe hypospadias patients, respectively, significantly higher in the severe hypospadias than in the control and mild-moderate hypospadias groups (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two (P = 0.64).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ZEB1 is significantly increased in hypospadias patients, and its upregulation is positively correlated with the severity of hypospadias, which suggests that the overexpression of ZEB1 may contribute to the development of hypospadias.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Circumcision, Male ; Foreskin ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; classification ; etiology ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Penis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Urethra ; Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1

Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Middle Aged