BACKGROUND:A number of studies have been conducted on the prevention of enamel demineralization in orthodontic treatment, but no work has been carried out on the comparative studies addressing manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush and interdental brush. OBJECTIVE:To compare the efficacy of manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush and interdental brush on enamel decalcification during orthodontic treatment. METHODS:Adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years old, were randomly and averagely divided into three groups: manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush, and interdental brush groups. Enamel decalcification index and augmenter of enamel decalcification index were examined and calculated by the same orthodontist before treatment and 1 year later. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no statistical difference in the enamel decalcification index among the three groups at the beginning (P > 0.05). After 1 year of treatment, the enamel decalcification index of each group was higher than that at the beginning (P < 0.05); the enamel decalcification index and augmenter of enamel decalcification index in the three groups were ranked as folows: orthodontic Fur V toothbrush group < manual toothbrush < interdental toothbrush group , and there was a statistical significant difference among the three groups (P < 0.05). Orthodontic fur V brush is proved to have advantages over manual toothbrush and interdental brush in the respect of controling enamel decalcification, and interdental brush has no good effect on preventing enamel demineralization while it is used alone.

Objective To study the technique and clinical significance of percutaneous biopsy of transplanted liver guided by CT.Methods 19 transplanted liver were undergone 25 times of percutaneous biopsy and the pathomorphologic changes were demonstrated by HE staining.Results The successful rate of the percutaneous biopsy was 100% for all the 25 times of this procedure,including acute rejection on 9 episodes,preservation perfusion retrauma in 6,bile duct strictures in 4,drug-induced injury in 4,chronic rejection in 1 and acute hepatic necrosis in 1.Conclusions CT-guided percutaneous biopsy is an important method for diagnosing transplanted liver injury and providing great value for distinguishment of the causes for transplanted liver injury.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:855-857)

Objective To study the modulation in number and function of endothelial progenitor cell ( EPC ) in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome ( MODS ) after trauma in swine, and to investigate its pathogenesis. Methods Forty pigs were divided into sham group and MODS group ( each, n = 20 ). The model of MODS of two-hit injury, namely hemorrhagic shock and endotoxemia, was reproduced. The peripheral blood was collected before hemorrhage ( T1 ) and endotoxin injection ( T2 ), and 1 hour ( T3 ), 24 hours ( T4 ), 48 hours ( T5 ) after endotoxin injection. Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase ( p-p38MAPK ) in mononuclear cell was determined by Western Blot, the content of tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α) was determined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA ), and the number of EPC was determined with flow cytometry. Results Model of MODS was successfully reproduced in 17 pigs. In model group, the expression of p-p38MAPK ( A value ) peaked at T3 ( 4.83±0.52 ), and gradually declined at T4 and T5 ( 4.36±0.43, 1.93±0.33 ), and the expression of p-p38MAPK at T3-T5 was significantly higher than that at T1 ( 1.00±0.22, all P<0.01 ). The plasma concentration of TNF-α( ng/L ) at T3 in MODS group was obviously elevated compared with that of sham group ( 532.43±52.17 vs. 129.03±20.45, t=31.163, P<0.001 ), and it peaked at T3, it then gradually lowered, and it was significantly higher at T4 and T5 than that in sham group ( T4: 398.93±35.75 vs. 131.12±29.53, t = 26.562, P < 0.001; T5: 287.48±27.26 vs. 126.44±26.96, t=17.861, P<0.001 ). The number of EPC ( ×107/L ) was apparently increased in MODS group at T3 compared with sham group ( 4.832±0.624 vs. 3.545±0.363, t=9.542, P<0.001 ), and it peaked at T3, then gradually decreased, and the number of EPC at T4 and T5 was significantly lower than that in sham group ( T4:2.628±0.627 vs. 3.442±0.325, t=5.043, P<0.001;T5:2.203±0.711 vs. 3.471±0.323, t=2.972, P<0.001 ). Conclusion Phosphorylation of p38MAPK could increase the plasma concentration of TNF-αand decrease the quantity of EPC in MODS,which may be one of the mechanisms of MODS.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of bone metabolism biochemical marker N-MID,TP1NP and beta-CTx combined with whole body bone scintigraphy in early diagnosis of bone metastasis of tumor.Methods The concentration of the 3 markers were measured by the electrochemical luminescence analysis method in 30 cases of healthy control group and 210 cases of patients with malignant tumor,which were divided into non bone metastasis group(45 cases) and bone metastasis group(165 cases).The bone metastasis group were divided into 4 grades(0-grade Ⅲ) by Soloway classification according to whole body bone imaging.Results The levels of serum N-MID,TP1NP and beta-CTx in 165 malignant tumor patients with bone metastasis were significantly higher than in 45 malignant tumor patients with bone metastasis and in 30 healthy control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).With the increase of the number of metastatic lesions in the bone metastasis group,the serum levels of N-MID,TP1NP,and beta-CTx were increased gradually,and they were positively correlated with the progression of the disease.According to the analysis of ROC curve,the cut-off value,sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of tumor bone metastasis were 17.59 ng/mL,70.3％,88.9％ for serum N-MID,43.04 ng/mL,78.2％,95.6％ for TP1NP,and 0.48 ng/mL,73.9％,93.3％ for beta-CTx.Under the ROC curve(AUC) was 0.831 for serum N-MID,0.890 for TP1NP,and 0.869 for beta-CTx.The sensitivity and specificity of three bone metabolic markers in the diagnosis of bone metastasis of malignant tumor were significantly higher.Conclusion Bone metabolism biochemical markers:Serum N-MID,TP1NP and beta-CTx for diagnosis of bone metastasis of malignant tumor are sensitive,accurate and simple,which can significantly improve the efficiency of diagnosis of bone metastasis,and can be combined with whole-body bone scintigraphy in early diagnosis of bone metastasis with malignant tumor.

Objective:To study the efficacy and safety of Hassab operation combined with either radiofrequency ablation(RFA) or liver resection in treatment of liver cancer associated with portal hypertension.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension operated at the Department of General Surgery of Beijing Ditan Hospital from June 2013 to June 2015. These patients were divided into the RFA combined with Hassab operation group and the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group according to the surgical procedures. The general patient information, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and the 1-, 3-, and 5-years cumulative survival rates and recurrence-free survival rates were compared.Results:Of 53 patients who were included in the study, 30 patients were in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group (including 28 males and 2 females, average age 46.3 (27.0~64.0) years, and 23 patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group (including 20 males and 3 females), average age 44.7(33.0~59.0) years. There were no significant differences in the general patient information including age, gender, maximum tumor diameter, preoperative laboratory tests (including blood routine, liver function, tumor markers), and Child-Pugh classification between the two groups (all P>0.05). Intraoperative blood loss in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group was significantly less than those in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group [(401.67±183.12) ml vs (552.17±333.88) ml, P<0.05]. There were also no significant differences between the two groups in operation time, blood transfusion during operation, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications ( P>0.05). The incidence of severe postoperative complications (Clavein-Dindo grade ≥ IIIb) in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group was 47.8% (11/23), which was significantly higher than the 20.0% (6/30) in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group ( P<0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates of patients in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group were 82.8%, 49.9%, and 33.2%, respectively, while the corresponding survival rates of patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group were 81.0%, 58.2%, 43.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). The recurrence-free survival rates of patients in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group at 1-, 3-, and 5-years after surgery were 79.2%, 38.8%, and 21.6%, respectively. The corresponding recurrence-free survival rates of patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group were 76.4%, 41.7%, and 27.8%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:RFA combined with Hassab operation was safe and efficacious to treat primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of curcumine on the migration and invasion of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSRat hepatic stellate cells were cultured and activated with ConA. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression and activity was determined by Western blot and gelatin zymography. Migration and invasion of HSC was assessed by wound healing assay and modified Boyden chamber assay.

RESULTSCurcumine reduced the level and activity of MMP-2 expression in activated HSC in a dose-dependent manner. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the expression of MMP-2 was reduced by 21.8%+/-5.1%, 65.5%+/-9.2% or 87.9%+/-11.5% (P < 0.05), and the activity of MMP-2 was also significantly reduced by curcumine. Migration and invasion of activated HSC was also inhibited by curcumine in a dose-dependent way. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the migration of activated HSC was reduced by 27.5%+/-5.8%, 54.4%+/-7.6% or 67.1%+/-9.3% (P < 0.05), and the invasion of activated HSC was also significantly reduced by curcumine.

CONCLUSIONCurcumine inhibits migration and invasion of activated HSC by reducing MMP-2 expression and activity.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Concanavalin A ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; prevention & control ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDThe Taq/B, Msp/ and I405V polymorphisms of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), an important regulatory factor of lipid metabolism, have been attracted much more attention by the researchers. In this study, we investigated the associations between these 3 polymorphisms of CETP gene and variations in plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODSGenomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes of 203 CHD patients and 100 control subjects using the salting out method. Genotyping of the CETP gene was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS 10.0 software package.

RESULTSThe distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of the Taq/B, MspI, and I405V polymorphisms was similar in the CHD patient group and the control group. The B1B1 genotype of the Taq/B polymorphism was associated with significantly higher TC (P=0.039) and LDL-C (P=0.044) levels than the B2B2 genotype in CHD patients, and with significantly higher LDL-C (P=0.034) levels than the B2B2 genotype in controls. Homozygotes of the I405V polymorphism exhibited significantly higher HDL-C levels than VV homozygotes among control subjects (P=0.023). In male CHD patients with unambiguously assigned haplotypes, B2-M2-V/B2-M2-I patients demonstrated significantly higher HDL-C concentrations than B1-M2-V/B1-M2-I (P=0.023) and B1-M2-V/B1-M2-V patients (P=0.047).

CONCLUSIONSGenetic variations in the CETP gene may account for a significant proportion of the differences in plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations among the general population. The B1B1 genotype of the Taq/B polymorphism is probably a genetic risk factor for CHD in the study population.

Adult ; Aged ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Cholesterol Ester Transfer Proteins ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with synchronous or metachronous liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. Methods Clinical data of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis from 1994 to 2006 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University was retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and long-rank test were used for bivariate comparisons. Multivariate analysis was done by the Cox regression model (Backward Wald). Results A total of 486 patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis, including 191 synchronous and 295 metachronous liver metastasis, were analyzed. The overall 5-year cumulative survival rate was 16.2%, 9. 3% forsynchronous and 21.5% for metachronous liver metastasis respectively ( P ＜ 0. 01 ). Liver metastasis was surgically resected in 267 patients, 151 received radiofrequency ablation and 68 underwent conservative therapy with 5-year cumulative survival rates of 22. 1%, 10. 3% and 0 ( P ＜ 0. 01 ) respectively. On univariate analysis, poor prognosis was associated with older age, synchronous metastasis, higher serum CEA level, advanced N stage and poor differentiation of the primary tumor, bowel obstruction, ascites, tumor longitudinal length over 8cm, non-surgery therapy. Multivariate analysis indicated that synchronous metastasis, serum CEA level, ascites and therapy method were independent prognosis factors. Conclusions The time at which a metastasis occur, serum CEA level,ascites and curative surgical therapy determine the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis. Surgical resection of metastasis in selected patients could prolong survival.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; surgery ; China ; Forecasting ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; methods ; trends

Background c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 were defined to modulate the behavior of prostate cancer with pro-tumoral or anti-tumoral effects and had ability in predicting prostate cancer progression,but the research of their co-expression value of prognosis is rarely.This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of combining tri-marker together in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.Methods Expression levels of c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 in 129 patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer were assessed using immunohistochemistry in a semi-quantitative manner.The expression profiles of these three markers were analyzed and investigated for association with biochemical recurrence.Results In all,fifty of 129 cases experienced biochemical recurrence during a median follow-up time of 31 months (range,6-60 months).Of these relapse patients,one case without and 10 cases with any single positive marker were observed; 39 cases were detected with any two or all three positive markers (22 cases with any two and 17 cases with all three positive markers).Survival analysis showed that patients with over-expression of c-Myc or EZH2,and lower expression of p27 manifested significantly higher biochemical recurrence rates.Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 expression statuses showed potential in predicting relapse,respectively.Notably,combining three markers together as a "composite index" (0 or 1,vs.2 or 3 positive markers) provided powerful prognostic value (HR 6.57,95％ CI 3.02-14.31,P ＜0.001).There was a significant difference between the patient subgroups with 0 or 1 and those with 2 or 3 positive markers expression statuses,and tri-marker composite index was an independent risk factor for predicting relapse in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.Conclusion Composite index of c-Myc,EZH2,and p27 can be valued as powerful prognosis parameter for intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients after the surgery,and postoperative adjuvant therapy can be adopted accordingly.