China ; Clinical Competence ; Educational Measurement ; Employment ; Guidelines as Topic ; Humans ; Licensure, Dental ; Periodontal Diseases ; Professional Practice

Fibromatosis, Gingival ; diagnosis ; Gingival Overgrowth ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the application of computerized image processing in esthetic rehabilitation of anterior teeth.

METHODSThirteen patients with esthetic problems in anterior teeth were included in this study. Oral digital images were obtained before and during treatment with a digital camera. All the oral esthetic data of the patients, including tooth shape, tooth shade, tooth characteristic color, incisal transparency, incisal curve, smile line, and gingival curve et al, were collected and analyzed. Diagnostic images of the anticipated esthetic outcome were created by computerized image processing software and transferred to the technician. Restorations were made according to the images by the technician.

RESULTSAll anterior teeth of 13 patients were restored with this method and good esthetic results were achieved.

CONCLUSIONSComputerized image processing is a useful method in the esthetic rehabilitation of anterior teeth.

Adult ; Computer-Aided Design ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Esthetics, Dental ; Female ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Incisor ; Male ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and risk indicator of nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth in a community population in Beijing.

METHODSA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 616 community subjects with hypertension or coronary vascular disease in Beijing, China. Among them 205 individuals took nifedipine for at least half year and 411 individuals who had never received calcium channel blocker (CCB) were recruited as controls. Smoking, oral hygienic habit, systemic health, pharmacological and demographic data for each subject were recorded by questionnaire. Sulcus bleeding index (SBI) was assessed in 12 anterior teeth per subject. Turesky modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (PI) and gingival overgrowth index in anterior teeth were scored on photograph. 38.6% was defined as threshold to identify individual with significant gingival overgrowth.

RESULTS7.3% of the subjects taking nifedipine were found to have significant gingival overgrowth in this population. The prevalence of gingival overgrowth in nifedipine group was statistically higher than that in the control group. By logistic regression analysis, SBI was found to be the only risk indicator (odds ratio = 5.92, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe presence of gingival inflammation was an important cofactor for the occurrence of gingival overgrowth.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Gingival Overgrowth ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nifedipine ; adverse effects ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of verapamil on the proliferation of normal gingival fibroblast (NGF) in vitro.

METHODSNGF was isolated and cultured. The 5th passage of NGF was incubated with 0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 micromol/L verapamil respectively. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation and cell cycles.

RESULTSIncubated with 100 micromol/L verapamil for 66 h, the A value of normal gingival fibroblast was significantly lower than those without verapamil groups (P < 0.01). Incubated with 100 micromol/L verapamil for 18 h, 69% of cells were at the G(0) - G(1) phase, 27% were at the S phase. For control group (without verapamil) 41% of cells were at G(0) - G(1) phase and 49% cells were at S phase. There was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS100 micromol/L verapamil inhibited proliferation of normal gingival fibroblast by a cell-cycle arrest.

Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Gingiva ; cytology ; Humans ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between periodontitis and the low-grade inflammation in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients.

METHODSFifty-seven MS patients, 26 healthy controls were enrolled. Non-stimulated whole saliva was collected. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta was analyzed by radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Concentration of cytokines was compared between MS patients and the healthy controls. Correlations between the cytokines and various periodontal indices, and between the cytokines level and different quantity of metabolic syndrome components were also investigated.

RESULTSLevels of TNF-alpha in saliva of MS patients [(69.30+/-21.01) ng/L] were significantly higher than that in the healthy subjects [(57.85+/-15.69) ng/L, P<0.05], and of IL-1beta in MS patients [(616.42+/-360.05) ng/L] higher than that in healthy subjects [(506.06+/-245.76) ng/L], but the difference was not statistically significant. TNF-alpha was positively correlated with bleeding index (BI). In MS patients, TNF-alpha level and IL-1beta level increased with increasing severity of periodontal disease and increasing component numbers of MS.

CONCLUSIONSPeriodontal inflammation may be one of the sources of low-grade inflammation in MS patients. Both systemic and periodontal conditions may influence the level of salivary TNF-alpha and IL-1beta.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; complications ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis ; complications ; metabolism ; Saliva ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate a new method for measurement of dental plaque by using cellular neural network-based image segmentation.

METHODSA total of 195 subjects were selected from community population. After dental plaque staining, oral digital picture of anterior teeth area was taken by an Olympus digital camera (C-7070 Wide Zoom). At the same time, the Turesky dental plaque indices of anterior teeth were evaluated. The image analysis was conducted by cellular neural network-based image segmentation.

RESULTSThe image cutting errors between two operators were very small. The Kappa value is 0.935. Pearson's correlation coefficient is 0.988 (P < 0.001). There was high correlative consistency between traditional dental plaque index and plaque percentage obtained by using image analysis. Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.853 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSCellular neural network-based image segmentation is a new method feasible for evaluating dental plaque.

Dental Plaque ; diagnosis ; Dental Plaque Index ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Photography, Dental

OBJECTIVETo observe monocyte (Mo) development in wild type C57BL/6 mice and apoE gene knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice, and to evaluate the immuno-regulatory effect of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) on peripheral Mo development in apoE(-/-) mice.

METHODSFour, 8, 12, and 16 weeks old female C57BL/6 mice were set up as control groups of different ages, while 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks old female apoE(-/-) mice were set up as hyperlipidemia groups of different ages. Four-week old female C57BL/6 mice were recruited as a blank group. Four-week old female apoE(-/-) mice were randomly divided into the control group, the Western medicine group, and the Chinese medicine group by paired comparison, 5 in each group. Equivalent clinical dose was administered to mice according to body weight. Mice in the Western medicine group were administered with Atrovastatin at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg by gastrogavage, while those in the Chinese medicine group were administered with HJD at the daily dose of 5 g/kg by gastrogavage. Body weight was detected each week. After 4 weeks blood lipids levels (such as TG, TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C), and the proportions of Mo and Ly6c(hi) were detected.

RESULTSCompared with 4-week-old homogenic mice, the proportion of Mo decreased in 16-week-old C57BL/6 mice (P < 0.05). Levels of TC and TG, and the proportion of Ly6c(hi) subtype increased, but the proportion of Mo de- creased in 8-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P <0. 05). Levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C increased in 12-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05). Levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C increased in 16-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with 8-week-old homogenic mice, the proportion of Mo decreased in 16-week-old C57BL/6 mice (P < 0.05); levels of TC and LDL-C increased in 12-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05); levels of TC and HDL-C increased in 16-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with C57BL/6 mice of the same age, TC and TG increased, HDL-C decreased (P < 0.01) in 4-and 8-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.01); levels of TC, TG, LDL-C increased, and HDL-C level decreased in 12- and 16-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the proportion of Mo increased in 4-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05); proportions of Mo and Ly6c(hi) increased in 8-week-old apoE(-/-) mice (P < 0.05). Compared with the blank control group, levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C, proportions of Mo and Ly6c(hi) increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but HDL-C level decreased (P <0. 01) in the control group after intervention. Compared with the control group, body weight gained less in the Western medicine group and the Chinese medicine group (P < 0.05); the proportion of Ly6c(hi) subtype decreased in the Chinese medicine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIn development process blood lipids levels in apoE(-/-) mice are not only associated with age. Blood lipids levels induced growth changes in natural immune system are also correlated with age. In early stage of lipids development HJD intervention could correct this special immune disorder in apoE(-/-) mice.

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; Hyperlipidemias ; Lipids ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Monocytes ; physiology

The epileptic eye and head movements during epileptic seizures may be much more complicated thanpeople originally understood, which can be ipsilateral or contralateral to the electroencephalographyfocus. Here, we describe a male patient with drug resistant focal seizures associated with a directionalseparation between head and eye movement before evolving into generalized tonic-clonic seizure.His contralateral head leading turning showed forced, sustained, and unnatural features companiedby ipsilateral eye staring. Stereoeletroencephalography monitoring was performed, and 4 habitualseizures were recorded over 5 days. Three seizures showed left head leading turning and generalizedtonic-clonic seizure, and only one showed dizziness and ringing in the ears. All the seizures showedthat the ictal onset contacts were located in the posterior inferior temporal sulcus which borders onthe anterolateral part of medial superior temporal area. The patient underwent a resection includingtemporooccipital region, and the histopathology showed focal cortical dysplasia type Ic. He has beenseizure free for two years after operation. The scores of the intelligence and memory quotient improvedhalf year after operation.

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of patient compliance on the long-term outcomes in hypertensive patients receiving hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) based combination therapy with spironolactone or captopril.

METHODSA total of 853 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were recruited and randomly divided into HCTZ group (HCTZ 12.5 mg q.d), spironolactone group (HCTZ 12.5 mg q.d and spironolactone 20 mg q.d), and captopril group (HCTZ 12.5 mg q.d and captopril 25 mg bid) after 2-week placebo washout period and 6-week loading period for HCTZ. Since the efficacy of combination therapy was proven to be better than monotherapy 1 year after therapy beginning, patients in HCTZ group were randomly assigned to spironolactone group or captopril group. The patients were followed up for 4 years. Patients were divided to compliance (n = 424) or non-compliance group (n = 429) according test drug taking questionnaire. During the follow-up time, the blood pressure and the outcomes were recorded monthly, and blood biochemical parameters were determined once a year.

RESULTSAt the end of follow up, incidence of cardio-cerebral vascular events was significantly lower in compliance group (2 fatal, 8 non-fatal) than that in noncompliance group (7 fatal, 21 non-fatal, P < 0.05). Systolic blood pressure [-(19.4 +/- 20.6) mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa] and diastolic blood pressure [-(10.7 +/- 13.5) mm Hg] were significantly reduced compared values at baseline and noncompliance group (all P < 0.001) while the reduction did not reach statistically significance in noncompliance group [-(7.3 +/- 18.2) mm Hg and -(3.5 +/- 10.2) mm Hg, all P > 0.05 vs. baseline]. The serum BUN, Cr and UA levels in the compliance group were significantly higher and the serum K(+), CHO, LDL-C level were significantly lower than baseline values. The serum BUN, UA levels in the compliance group were significantly higher while the serum K(+), cholesterol levels were significantly lower than those in the noncompliance group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThis study indicates that patient compliance could affect the long-term outcome and antihypertensive efficacy in hypertensive patients receiving HCTZ based combination therapy with spironolactone or captopril.

Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Captopril ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; therapeutic use ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance ; Spironolactone ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome