For 20 years, the herbs from Qingba Moun-tains have been administered, in various prescrip-tions, for the treatment of 359 patients withchronic nonspecific ulcerative colitis. The total ef-fective rate for the group treated with enteroclysmand suppositorium was 96%; with enteric coatingcapsule, 94.1% and in control group, 65% (P

Objective:To analyze the 3D changes of pharyngeal airway in patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion after rapid maxillary expansion(RME)and maxillary protraction.Methods:53 patients underwent orthodontic treatment with Hyrax palatal ex-panders and maxillary protraction.Cone-Beam computed tomography(CBCT)scan was taken before treatment(T0),after 1 6 d RME (T1 )and after about 5 month maxillary protraction(T2).Data were reconstructed into 3D model,sagittal and transversal measure-ments,cross sectional areas,volumes of the pharyngeal airway were computed.Results:After RME,the transversal measurements, cross sectional areas,volumes of nasal passage were increased(P <0.05).After maxillary protraction,the 4 nasopharyngeal measure-ments were increased(P <0.05).Conclusion:RME and maxillary protraction may increase pharyngonasal airway.

OBJECTIVETo observe changes in tongue and hyoid position, and pharyngeal airway in patients with skeletal class III malocclusion after the combined orthodontic and orthognathic treatment.

METHODSTwenty patients were involved in this study. Cone beam CT (CBCT) was performed on patients one week before and six months after treatment. Raw data were reconstructed into three-dimensional model. To set up a three-dimensional reference frame, which was based by point "S", the sagittal and transversal measurements, cross sectional areas, partial and total volumes were computed. The three-dimensional position changes of chin, hyoid bone and tongue were measured in order to analyze the amount of mandibular setback relationship with the changes of pharyngeal airway, hyoid bone and tongue positions.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the pharyngeal airway was constricted significantly. The hyoid significantly moved inferoposteriorly by 5.72 mm (backward) and 2.76 mm (downward) and the tongue moved posteriorly by 4.04 mm after surgery (P < 0.05). Among the 19 correlated indexes between the amount of mandibular setback and other measurements, 14 of which were significantly correlated (P < 0.05). The strongest correlation was found between the amount of mandibular setback and total volumes of pharyngeal airway (r = 0.834, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONFollowing combination therapy, the pharyngeal airway space decreased, the hyoid moved inferoposteriorly and tongue moved posteriorly. There were great correlations between the amount of mandibular setback and the changes.

Adult ; Cephalometry ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Mandible ; Pharynx ; Prognathism ; Tongue

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of pharyngeal airway in mandibular prognathism patients after the combined orthodontic and orthognathic treatment.

METHODSThe sample included 28 skeletal Class III patients (13 males, 15 females) who had undergone mandibular setback surgery and orthodontic treatment. Cone-beam CT was taken one week before treatment (T0), 6 months (T1) and 3 years after surgery (T2). Raw data were reconstructed into three-dimensional model. Sagittal and transversal measurements, cross sectional areas, partial and total volumes were computed.

RESULTSSix months after surgery, oropharyngeal volume [(9 021 ± 4 263) mm³], hypopharyngeal volume [(9 236 ± 5 963) mm³] and total volume [(28 619 ± 9 854) mm³] decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Three years after surgery, only sagittal diameters [(15.9 ± 3.5) mm] and cross sectional areas [(996 ± 398) mm²] in the first cervical vertebra plane came back to the original levels (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe pharyngeal airway space decreased after orthodontic-orthognathic therapy in the short term and it increased in some areas in the long term.

Cephalometry ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Oropharynx ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Osteotomy, Le Fort ; Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus ; Pharynx ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume changes after rapid maxillary expansion (RME).

METHODSThirty-five patients were selected (18 males, 17 females, mean age, 12.1 ± 1.1 years). All patients underwent orthodontic treatment with Hyrax palatal expanders. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan was taken before treatment (T0), 16 days (T1) and three months (T3) after RME. Naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume were measured.

RESULTSAfter treatment the width of piriform aperture and maxillary width were significantly increased compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). Three months after RME, no statistical difference was found in maxillary width compared with that before treatment. The nasopharyngeal volume significantly increased by 29.9% compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), and the volume remained relatively stable after three months.

CONCLUSIONSRME resulted in a significant increase in the naso-maxillary complex width and nasopharyngeal volume.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Maxilla ; diagnostic imaging ; Nose ; diagnostic imaging ; Palatal Expansion Technique ; Palate ; diagnostic imaging ; Pharynx ; diagnostic imaging

To ensure proper dosage of a drug,analytical quantification of it in biofluid is necessary.Liquid chro-matography mass spectrometry(LC-MS)is the conventional method of choice as it permits accurate identification and quantification.However,it requires expensive instrumentation and is not appropriate for bedside use.Using soluble epoxide hydrolase(sEH)inhibitors(EC5026 and TPPU)as examples,we report development of a nanobody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)for such small molecules and its use to accurately quantify the drug chemicals in human samples.Under optimized conditions,two nanobody-based ELISAs were successfully established for EC5026 and TPPU with low limits of detection of 0.085 ng/mL and 0.31 ng/mL,respectively,and two order of magnitude linear ranges with high precision and accuracy.The assay was designed to detect parent and two biologically active metabolites in the investigation of a new drug candidate EC5026.In addition,the ELISAs displayed excellent correlation with LC-MS analysis and evaluation of inhibitory potency.The results indicate that nanobody-based ELISA methods can efficiently analyze drug like compounds.These methods could be easily implemented by the bedside,in the field in remote areas or in veterinary practice.This work il-lustrates that nanobody based assays offer alternative and supplementary analytical tools to mass spectrometry for monitoring small molecule medicines during clinical development and therapy.At-tributes of nanobody based pharmaceutical assays are discussed.