Dental Pulp Cavity ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Radiography ; Root Canal Therapy

Objective To quantitatively analyze the coronary artery ostia by three-dimensional trans-esophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE).Methods The full-volume images of aortic root and coronary artery ostia were acquired by 3D-TEE in 95 adult patients.The Philips QLab 3DQ measurement technology was employed to determine three mutually perpendicular planes:(1) The transverse plane cross the bottom of three coronary artery sinus.(2) The sagittal plane perpendicular to sino-tubular junction.(3) The coronal plane perpendicular to the aforementioned two planes .The following relevant parameters were measured and recorded:(1) Length, width, height and area of bilateral coronary artery ostia .(2) The angle between coronary arterial outflow tract and aortic root in sagittal plane .(3) The spatial distribution of coronary artery ostia, aortic root and coronary artert sinus .Results The shape of left coronary artery ostia were more regular (round or oval) than right coronary artery ostia ( teardrop-shape or oval ).Calcification was more frequent in right coronary artery ostia (81/95, 85.26%) than that in left coronary artery ostia. There were statistical differences between left and right coronary artery in the parameters of ostial wide , area and height (t =3.85, 3.86, -4.49, all P<0.01).Most left coronary artery ostia were located inside the sinus (76/95, 80.00%), mainly in the upper third segment (69/95, 72.63%); while more than half of the right coronary artery ostia were found outside the sinus ( 53/95, 55.79%).The difference was statistically significant( χ2 =25.91, P<0.01).Conclusion The quantitative analysis of aortic root and coronary artery ostia based on the full-volume images originated from real-time 3D-TEE is feasible, which is helpful for further clinical research .

BACKGROUND:Chitosan biological materials can induce bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate toward neurons. As a derivative of chitosan, carboxymethyl chitosan has a series of excelent properties. However, whether carboxymethyl chitosan can induce the neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells remains unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel on the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neurons and the possible mechanism.METHODS:Passage 3 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from rats were selected and cultured in carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel extracts in different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 500 g/L). Control cells were cultured in culture medium with no addition of carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel extracts. MTT assay was performed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel extracts on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell proliferation. Western blot assay was used to explore the effect of 150 g/L carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel extracts on the expression of neuron-specific enolase, Nestin, Vimentin, NF-M, microtubule associated protein 2, glial fibrillary acidic protein, β3-tubulin, Notch1 and Jag1 protein.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:MTT assay showed that carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel promoted the cell proliferation, and the proliferation rate reached the peak at the concentration of 150 g/L. Western blot assay showed that the cells induced by 150 g/L carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel extract had significant increases in neuron-specific enolase, Nestin, Vimentin, NF-M, microtubule associated protein 2, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and β3-tubulin protein expression, and obvious decreases in Notch1 and Jag1 protein expression in comparison with the control group. These results indicate that the carboxymethyl chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel induces rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate toward neurons, and suppresses the activity of Notch signal pathway in the process of differentiation.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of SKy bone expander system in percutaneous kyphoplasty for treat- ment of osteoporotie verterbral compression fracture.Methods:Twenty-two patients(aged 62-90 years,32 vertebrae)under- went percutaneous kyphoplasty using SKy bone expander system.The bone cement was injected into the collapsed vertebrae. The vasual analogue scale(VAS)and complications were recorded during follow up.Results:The operations were successful in all patients via unilateral or bilateral approach.The operation time ranged from 30 to 120 min.The mean volume of cement in- jected into each vertebra body was(4.8?1.1)ml,ranged from 3.1 to 6.8 ml.Extravertebral leakage of bone cement was ob- served in two vertebrae with no symptoms.All patients had their pain relieved;the VAS was 7.6?0.8 before operation,3.5?0.5 one day after operation,2.8?0.6 one week after operation,and 2.4?0.6 one month after operation,with significant difference found between preoperation and postoperation(P

Objective It was reported that pretreatment with small dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could protect the animal from lethal dose endotoxin. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pretreatment with small dose of LPS on cardiac function in endotoxemic rats and the possible mechanism. Methods Sixty male Wistar rats weighing 200-280 g were randomly divided into 3 groups: group I normal saline(NS) ( n = 12); group Ⅱ LPS (n = 24) and group Ⅲ LPS-pretreatment ( n = 24). Group Ⅱ and group Ⅲ were further divided into 3 groups: 2 h,4 h and 6 h subgroups based the time when blood sample was taken and the animal was sacrificed. The table shows the LPS given in the 3 groups:groupⅠⅡ Ⅲ0hNSNSLPS 0.25 mg?kg-1ip24 hNSNSLPS0.5mg?kg-1ip96 hNSLPS 10 mg?kg-1 Ⅳ LPS 10 mg?kg-1 TVThe animals were anesthetized with 3 % pentobarbital 30 mg?kg ip and intubated. Right femoral artery and vein were cannulated for MAP monitoring and fluid infusion. Cardiac catheter was placed in the left ventricle for measurement of left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and?dp/dt max. Blood samples were taken 2 h,4 h and 6 h after intravenous LPS (10 mg?kg-1) for determination of plasma levels of L-lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) . The animals were sacrificed right after blood sampling and the heart was removed for determination of myocardial HSP 70 expression using immuno-histochemical staining. Results LVSP and?dp/dt max gradually decreased 1h after intravenous administration of LPS in group Ⅱ (LPS group); while in group DI (pretreatment group) the cardiac contractility was maintained and LVSP,?dp/dt max did not decrease as compared with the baseline value. Plasma LDH concentration and CK activity increased significantly 4 h and 6 h after intravenous IPS in group Ⅱ . The plasma LDH and CK levels were significantly lower in groupⅢthan those in group Ⅱ ( P

The stable and controllable quality of decoction pieces is an important factor to ensure the efficacy of clinical medicine. Considering the dilemma that the existing standardization of processing mode cannot effectively eliminate the variability of quality raw ingredients, and ensure the stability between different batches, we first propose a new strategy for Chinese medicine processing technologies that coupled with individuation processed and cybernetics. In order to explain this thinking, an individual study case about different grades aconite is provided. We hope this strategy could better serve for clinical medicine, and promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine processing skills and theories.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; standards ; Cybernetics ; standards ; Drug Therapy ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; toxicity ; Humans ; Quality Control

A strain of high-efficiency bioflocculant-producting bacteria,which was named TJ-3,was screened from sewage sludge.The strain was gram-negative and rod-shaped in physiological biochemical test and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 16S rDNA Sequencing.According to the growth curve of the TJ-3 strain,the growth stabilization period is long so that Microbial Flocculants(MBF) production is stable.The MBF produced by the TJ-3 strain is able to flocculante kaolin suspension with 98.2%.The MBF activity distribution tests show that most of the active components of the bioflocculant exist in deposition after centrifufation.When pH is 8.5,1%(quality fraction) CaCl2 Solution dosing quantity is 3.5 mL,bioflocculant dosing quantity is 1.5 mL in 100 mL kaolin suspension,the bioflocculant has an optimal flocculation.

The glycosylation heterogeneity of recombinant human pro-urokinase (pro-UK) was assessed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Firstly, the source of heterogeneity was determined by measuring the M_r of intact protein before and after N-deglycosylation. Glycosylation sites and the proportion of O-glycopeptides then were determined at the peptide level. Finally, the N-glycans were confirmed and quantified using the N-glycan profile. Results show that the structural heterogeneity of pro-UK is mainly caused by glycosylation. All T₁₈ were fucosylated, and 6.4% of S_138/139 was O-glycosylated with two kinds of oligosaccharides with a ratio of 6.0% and 0.4% respectively. All N₃₀₂ positions were N-glycosylated by more than ten types of glycans, among which A2F and A3F accounted for 80% of the total. The assessment of glycosylation heterogeneity of pro-UK will provide a reference for quality standardization.

The genome of a new SV40 strain(SV-IMB)isolated from a rhesus monkey was completely sequenced and compared with other isolates.The results showed that the whole genome contains 5246bp,and the average identity of SV-IMB was 98.1% as compared to other SV40 isolates.Its regulatory region is composed of a complete enhancer and a defective enhancer.Amino acid changes occurred to some extent in both the large T antigen (T-Ag) and VP1 region.The findings demonstrate that the SV-IMB is a new SV40 isolate.

The specification of decoction pieces and quality uniformity are the important factors to influence the efficacy of clinical medicine. Considering the deficiency of diversity, poor quality uniformity and confusion of decoction pieces specifications, we first propose a new idea of precision decoction pieces (PDP) based on clinical demands and fresh-processed technology. In order to explain the idea, a study case of aconite SUP is provided, including the optimized specification design, processing technology, extraction effects, quality uniformity, and toxic and efficacy variation and so on. The results showed that preparing 5 mm PDP by fresh-cutting is rather simple and practicable, with high efficiency and large yield; then, this technology could significantly decrease the ingredients loss and increase the efficacy components; moreover, it was helpful for achieving the quality uniformity and best extraction effects. This work revealed the quality superiority of PDP, and provided a good strategy and example for the standard of decoction pieces specification and modernization of processing technology.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Particle Size ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Quality Control