BACKGROUND: The presence of various microorganisms in dental unit waterlines has been revealed by numerous reports previously. However, impact of different dental procedures on microbial contamination in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) remains unclearly.OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of microbial contamination in water effluent from the high-speed handpiece line of dental chair units (DCUs) among different specialty departments in a provincial stomatological hospital. Thus, to propose individual infection control measures for different specialty departments according to their properties of microbial contamination.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A cross-sectional investigation was designed and conducted in Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Hospital and Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, between May 2007 and March 2008.MATERIALS: The materials used in this investigation including nutrient agar, blood plates, biochemical testing kit, agglutination testing kit and Gram staining agents. These materials were purchased from Guangdong Huankai Microbial Science and Technology Co., Ltd.METHODS: Water sampling was conducted at 80 DCUs of different specialty departments in Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Hospital. A total of 60 mL, with 6 mL for once sampling of water effluent from the high-speed handpiece line of each DCU were collected aseptically after the finish of the daily clinical work on every second Friday between May and October in 2007. Standard isolation and identification technique of bacteria was adopted.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Concentration of bacteria and prevalence of 3 species of bacteria in water effluent from the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs among different specialty departments were evaluated.RESULTS: Concentration of bacteria in water effluent from the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs averaged 5.67×10~2 cfu/mL, ranged from 5.15×10 to 1.59×10~3 cfu/mL. The microbial concentration of water samples from Department of Periodontics was significantly higher than that from other departments, while the microbial concentration of water samples from Department of Oral Surgery was the lowest (P = 0.000).CONCLUSION: Contamination in water effluent from the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs varied from different specialty departments in the provincial stomatological hospital. It is suggested that DUWLs flushing should be performed routinely, especially for the department without frequent use of the high-speed handpiece in the daily work, and extra infection control measures should be adopted for the department with severe clinical operative contamination.

BACKGROUND:Daily flushing of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) is believed to be the least expensive and simplest method for reducing the level of microbial contamination in DUWLs.Authorities' guidelines suggest that high-speed handpieces should be run to discharge water for 30 seconds after use on each patient.However,the guideline is inaccurate for clinicians according to the time-dependent flushing since the maximum flow rate of flushing water varied from dental chair units (DCUs).OBJECTIVE:To assess the level of microbial contamination in water effluent from the air-water syringe and the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs and prevalence of three species of bacteria detected in DUWLs at each flushing volume.Thus,practical water flushing measures could be proposed according to the effect of volume-dependent dental unit waterline flushing on the microbial contamination in DUWLs.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A cross-sectional investigation was designed and conducted in Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Hospital and Laboratory of Microbiology,School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine,Southern Medical University between May 2007 and March 2008.MATERIALS:The materials used in this investigation including nutrient agar,blood plates,biochemical testing kit,agglutination testing kit and Gram staining agents.These materials were supported by Guangdong Huankai Microbiological Science and Technology Ltd.METHODS:Water sampling was conducted at 80 DCUs in a stomatologicel hospital.A total of 6 mL,2 mL for once sampling,of continuous water flushing from the air-water syringe and the high-speed handpiece line of each DCU respectively were collected aseptically after the finish of the daily clinical work on every second Friday,between May 2007 and October 2007.Standard isolation and identification technique of bacteria was adopted.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Concentration of bacteria and prevalence of three species of bacteria in water effluent from the air-water syringe and the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs at each flushing volume were evaluated.RESULTS:The median concentration of bacteria in water effluent from either the air-water syringe or the high-speed handpiece line of DCUs was 5.67×10~2 cfu/mL,and there were no statistical differences among microbial concentrations of first three 2-mL flushing water samples (P>0.05).Prevalence of Staphylococcus spp.from the third 2-mL flushing water sample demonstrated an obviously higher level than that of Staphylococcus spp.from the first two 2-mL (P < 0.05),while prevalence of Streptococcus spp.and Actinomycete spp.kept at a relative stable level (P > 0.05) at each flushing volume.CONCLUSION:Volume-dependent water flushing procedure stays a more practical measure for reducing microbial contamination in DUWLs rather than time-dependent flushing,but the volume of flushing water needs to be further evaluated.

Objective To study the relationship between the expression of human Stanniocalcin-1(hSTC-1) mRNA in the peripheral blood from patients with colorectal cancer and its malignant behavior. Methods RT-PCR was used to detect hSTC-1 mRNA in the peripheral blood from 57 patients with colorectal cancer. The peripheral blood from 14 patients with gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases, 15 healthy volunteers and 5 pregnant women were served as controls. Results The positive rate of hSTC-1 mRNA in 57 patients with colorectal cancer was 49.12% (28/57), and the mRNA expression of hSTC-1 was significantly related with the clinical stage of colon cancer (P

Objective To construct an eukaryotic expression vector carrying human glutathione-S-transferase(GST)A1gene and to provide study materials for toxicology and pharmacogenetic.Methods The GST A1cDNA was amplified and separated from human liver total RNAs by RT-PCR approach and recombined with eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.The recombined plasmid pcDNA3-hGSTA1was verified using PCR,restriction analysis and sequencing determination.Results Human GST A1gene was recombined correctly with pcDNA3,compared with Genbank,in code152T→C,amino acid Met→Thr.Conclusion The eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3-hGSTA1was constructed for research on toxicology and pharmacogenetics.

This study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of artemether in combination with etoposide on the proliferation and invasion ability of human small cell lung cancer cell line H446.H446 cells were treated with different concentrations of artemether or etoposide alone or their combination.The inhibitory effects on proliferation were detected by MTT assay,while cell cycle and apoptosis of H446 cells in each group were analyzed by flow cytometry using PI and Annexin V/PI-staining,respectively.The invasion capability of H446 cells in different groups was tested with matrigel-coated transwell.The results implicated that artemether or etoposide or their combination does inhibit proliferation of H446 cells dose-dependently.Artemether alone had little effect on the apoptosis of H446 cells while its combination with etoposide resulted in significantly apoptosis of H446 cells comparing with other groups (P ＜ 0.05).Etoposide blocked H446 progression markedly by arresting cell cycle in G2 phase with percentage of cells in G1 phase decreasing significantly while artemether alone or in combination with etoposide had little synergetic effect on cell cycle.Artemether or etoposite alone or their combination could dramatically inhibit the invasion ability of H446 cells.

Objective To prepare the supersaturation self-emulsifying drug delivery system(S-SEDDS) containing silymarin and to evaluate its basic properties.Methods With the time of self-emulsifying,the consequence of color visual examination and particle size as parameters,the optimum formulations of silymarin SSEDDS were screened by solubility test,compatibility tests and pseudo ternary phase diagrams.The silymarin concentration was determined by HPLC.The in vitro dissolution characteristics of silymarin S-SEDDS were investigated with silymarin SEDDS as control.Results The optimum silymarin S-SEDDS was composed of medium chain triglycerides(MCT) 40%,Cremophor RH40(ethoxylated hydrogenatedcastor oil) 48%,Labrasol 12%.The time of self-emulsifying was less than 3 min,the average particle diameter was 49.6 nm,the adding amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC) was 50 mg/g,and the average content of silymarin was 39.3 mg/g.The in vitro dissolution test of silymarin S-SEDDS showed that the presence of a small amount of cellulosic polymer effectively sustained a metastable supersaturated state by retarding precipitation kinetics.Conclusion The designed formulation of silymarin S-SEDDS is reasonable and provides a strong foundation for further development of new preparations.

BACKGROUND: Progressive body mass losses and physical strength decrease are common complications of malignant tumors, and they are important factors that affect the quality of life of the patients.OBJECTIVE: To probe into the curative effect of a Chinese herbal compound Yiqi Xiaozheng granules combined with antitumor drugs in the treatment of malignant tumors and its effect on the quality of life.DESIGN: A randomized controlled observation.SETTING:Clinical Tumor College of Peking University.PARTICIPANT: Totally 61 patients with malignant pulmonary carcinoma,breast or intestinal carcinoma hospitalized in the Wards of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Beijing Cancer Hospital from June 1999 to March 2002 were recruited.METHODS: Altogether 61 cases of malignant tumor were randomized into the treatment group (treated with Chinese herbal compound Yiqi Xiaozheng granules supplemented with chemotherapy)(n=34) and the control group (treated with only chemotherapy was used)(n=27). The difference in curative effect, survival period with tumor and the quality of life of the two groups were observed. The comparison of the curative effects of the two groups was performed according to Clinical Curative Effect Criteria for Solid Tumors stipulated by World Health Organization: completely response, partly response, stable disease, and progressive disease. X-ray examination was performed on the patients before the therapy and two courses of treatment after the therapy to evaluate the curative effect. Physical strength grading was made according to the evaluation criteria of Eastern Oneology Cooperative Group of the United States. The two groups were graded before and after the treatment. The group with decreased grade after the treatment was considered to be improving, but the group with increased grade after the treatment was considered to be worsening.symptom before and after therapyparison of the curative effect of the two groups: The cure rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (partial response rate,stability rate and progression rate of the two groups was 36% ,7% ;52%,survival with tumors: The mean period of survival with tumors of the treatment group was longer than that of the control group until March 2002ing: Physical strength grading status was better after the therapy in the treatment group than that in the control group [ In the treatment group, 9cases (26%)were ameliorated, 25 (74%)appeared stable , none was aggravated; in the control group, 1 case (4%) was ameliorated, 25(93%) appeared of qi-deficiency symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine before and after the treatment between the two groups. Symptoms such as sweating and qi deficiency manifested as disclination to talk, listlessness, debility, etc. were significantly reduced in the treatment group (The numbers of cases before and after the treatment were 20, 9; 17,9; 20,13 respectively). In the control group, the cases either were stable or showed an increase in symptoms (There were 13, 13; 14, 17; 18, 20 respectively before and after treatment).CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group, in the treatment of malignant tumors, Yiqi Xiaozheng granules supplemented with chemotherapy not only enhanced curative effect, but also improved the quality of life and prolonged the period of survival with tumors.

AIM:To investigate whether nimesulide a selective cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitor and piroxicam (an inhibitor of COX-1) protect the rat hearts against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion or hydroxyl free radical. METHODS: Cardiac contractility, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed by the Langendorff method in isolated rat hearts. Production of 6-Keto-PGF1?, a marker of COX activity, was measured in isolated rat hearts. RESULTS: Rat hearts were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), pyrogallol (which produced superoxide anion) or Vit C+Fe2+ (which produced hydroxyl free radical) for 10 min followed by reperfusion for 30 min. H2O2 decreased cardiac contractility and increased LDH release, which was inhibited by nimesulide (3 mg/kg) LVDP 72%?10% vs 61%?11%, LDH (5.5?2.5)U/L vs (8.0?2.1)U/L, P

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and feasibility of transabdominal ultrasound guided multifetal pregnancy reduction performed in the second trimester.Materials and Methods Forty-three women receiving embryo implantation were divided into two groups according to whether they have received multifetal pregnancy reduction including 16 in the reduction group in the second trimester to reduce multiple fetuses to twins, and 27 with twin pregnancy and no reduction. The pregnancy outcome was compared.Results In the reduction group, 1 patient had miscarriage because of intrauterine infection; 1 patient lost one of the retained fetuses in two days after reduction and delivered the remaining fetus. In the other 14 cases, 8 delivered and 6 were still in pregnancy. This group had 17 newborns, all without neonatal death or birth defects. In the non-reduction group, there was 1 spontaneous abortion. In 2 patients, 1 of the twin embryos stopped development. 1 case had a spontaneous abortion, the other 24 cases delivered uneventfully. There were 50 newborns in this group with 3 birth defects and no neonatal death. There was no statistically significant difference in gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and the incidence of maternal and neonate complications (P>0.05).Conclusion Multifetal reduction improves pregnancy outcomes, similar to non-reduction twin pregnancy. It is safe and feasible to perform multifetal pregnancy reduction in the second trimester.

Objective To use the AU2700 biochemical analyzer to evaluate the performance of the reagent kit for determining se-rum glycated albumin(GA)by the enzymatic method.Methods On the basis of the relevant documents of CLSI-EP,the perform-ance evaluation of the Lucica GA-L reagent kit for detecting GA was performed on the precision,accuracy,linearity range and refer-ence range;the correlation between the results detected by the two kinds of reagent kit (enzymatic method)was analyzed.Results The reagent had high precision(CV<3%);the dilution had good linearity;the average recovery rate of GA was 97.7%,the average recovery rate of albumin(ALB)was 96.43%;the detection results by the two kinds of reagent kit had good correlation (r2 =0.976, P <0.01).Conclusion The Lucica GA-L reagent kit shows the good analytical performance on the AU2700 biochemical analyzer, which is consistent to the manufacturers statement and can be better used in clinic.