Animals ; Hypothermia ; blood ; Hypoxia ; blood ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Myocardial Ischemia ; blood ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

Objective To investigate the effects of different doses of dexamethasone (Dex) on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods Forty 3-month-old female SD rats were divided into four groups:control group (Cont, saline), low dose Dex group (LDG, 1 mg/kg), medium dose Dex group (MDG, 2.5 mg/kg) and high dose Dex group (HDG, 5 mg/kg). Ten rats for each group. Dex was injected intramuscularly twice a week. The values of BMD and body composition were measured by DEXA densitometer at the beginning and 4-week of treatment. Results The body weights of different doses of Dex intervention groups were decreased after 1 to 4-week intervention compared with those of Cont group (P<0.01). After 4-week intervention, the total BMD, femur BMD, total bone mineral content (BMC), to-tal fat mass, trunk fat mass and leg fat mass were significantly increased in Cont group (P<0.01), while the total lean mass, trunk lean mass were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The total BMC, femur BMD, leg lean mass, leg fat mass were signifi-cantly lower in LDG group and MDG group than those of Cont group (P<0.05). The femur BMD, leg fat mass were signifi-cantly lower in LDG group and MDG group than those of HDG group (P<0.05). Conclusion The doses of 1 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg Dex have greater impact on the femur BMD and the leg composition in SD rats than that of Dex (dose of 5 mg/kg ).

Objective To explore the risk factors of hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm infants. Methods Clinical data of 211 cases of late preterm infants with hyperbilirubinemia and 246 cases of late preterm infants without hyperbilirubinemia were retro-spectively analyzed between 2011 and 2012. The risk factors of hyperbilirubinemia were filtered. Results Twenty-seven cases of late premature infants with hyperbilirubinemia were severe. Hospital stay less than 3 days, birth asphyxia history, small for gestatio-nal age, head hematoma, delivery injury, hypoalbuminemia, polycythemia, infection, hemolytic disease, feeding intolerance, and fe-tal excretion delay were associated with hyperbilirubinemia (P<0.05). Rural origin, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome and premature rupture of membrane were also associated with hyperbilirubinemia (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the history of birth asphyxia , fetal excretion delay, hypoalbuminemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome were risk factors of hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm infants (OR=2.35-4.05). Pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome and hemolytic dis-ease were risk factors of severe hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm infants (OR=5.74, 73.64). Conclusions Neonatal asphyxia, fetal excretion delay, hypoalbuminemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome are risk factors of hyperbilirubinemia in late pre-term infants. Strengthening the management of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome and the treatment of newborn hemolytic disease can reduce the occurrence of severe hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm infants.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of stromal cell derived factor-1(SDF-1) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in the airway and the effect of budesonide on their expression in mice with asthma.

METHODSThirty BALB/c male mices were randomly divided into three groups: placebo control, untreated asthma, and budesonide-treated asthma. The asthma group were induced by intraperitoneal injection of 10% ovalbumin (OVA ) on days 1, 8 and 15, and then from days 22 to 34, challenged by inhalation of 2% OVA aerosol every other day. The budesonide-treated asthma group received an inhalation of budesonide (1 mg ) before OVA challenge. The pathological changes of the airway were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The immunohistochemistry was used to estimate the expression of SDF-1 in the lung. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of CXCR4 in the lung.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression in the lung in the untreated asthma group increased significantly (p<0.05). The budesonide-treated asthma group demonstrated significantly decreased SDF-1 (0.426+/-0.052 vs 0.361+/-0.065; p<0.05) and CXCR4 (0.829+/-0.027 vs 0.723+/-0.094; p<0.05) expression in the lung as compared with the untreated asthma group. Both SDF-1 (r=0.744, p<0.01) and CXCR4 (r=0.553, p<0.01)were positively correlated with the thickness of the airway wall.

CONCLUSIONSSDF-1 and CXCR4 may be associated with airway remodeling in mice with asthma. Budesonide can improve airway remodeling, possibly by decreasing the expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4.

Airway Remodeling ; drug effects ; Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Budesonide ; pharmacology ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; analysis ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; analysis ; genetics

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 explore the application value of morphology assessment of sperm from fresh semen in routine in vitro fertilization (IVF).

METHODSWe analyzed the morphology of the sperm from fresh or optimized semen samples and, based on the sperm morphology of the raw semen, allocated 908 IVF cycles due to the pure tubal factor to different groups: morphologically normal sperm (MNS) ≤ 4%, > 4% - ≤ 15%, and > 15% in Trial 1 and MNS ≤ 1%, > 1% - ≤ 2%, > 2% - ≤ 3%, and > 3%-- ≤ 4% in Trial 2. We compared the rates of fertilization, cleavage, high-quality embryo, -blastocyst formation, and pregnancy among different groups.

RESULTSThe total fertilization rate was significantly lower in the MNS ≤ 4% than in the MNS > 4% - ≤ 15% and >15% groups (74.40% vs 78.61% and 80.03%, P < 0.01). Compared with the MNS ≤ 1%, > 1% - ≤ 2%, and > 2% - ≤ 3% groups, the MNS > 3% - ≤ 4% group showed remarkably increased rates of 2PN normal fertilization (77.23%, 78.97% and 78.99% vs 85.47%, P < 0.01), cleavage (95.71%, 96.01% and 97.27% vs 98.73%, P < 0.05), and blastocyst formation (53.85%, 49.01% and 49.55% vs 63.41%, P < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of clinical pregnancy, implantation, early abortion, live birth, or malformation at birth among different groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMNS ≤ 4% affected the total rate of fertilization while MNS ≤ 3% reduced the rate of normal fertilization in IVF. However, even MNS ≤ 1% did not result in fertilization disorder or failure. Therefore, teratozoospermia alone was not an indicator of ICSI and sperm mor- phology assessment had no obvious value for predicting the rates of embryo quality, clinical pregnancy, and live birth in IVF.

Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Spermatozoa ; cytology

In the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), reactive oxygen specie (ROS) over much in vivo leads to oxidative stress(OS)-related renal injuries, which are characterized by the structural and functional changes in glomerular and renal tubular cells in morphology. The regulative approaches of OS involve the several signaling pathways, in which, both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway play the important roles as the target of anti-oxidants. The interventional actions of Chinese herbal compound prescriptions and the extracts of single Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on OS in the kidney in DN include regulating the balance between ROS and antioxidants, reducing the production of AGEs, inhibiting the expression of growth factors and intervening the activity of signaling pathways.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome

0.05).In addition,in different medication intervals and the same total dosage(200 mg),there was no difference in the number of patients who reached ASAS20,ASAS50 anti BASDAI50 in both groups.The changes of other parameters were not observed.Conclusion Two dosages and different medication interval of rhTNFR-Fc have similiar efficacy onset time and maintenee period.Mean- while,at the same total dosage,there is no signifieant difference in therapeutic effect in the two dosage groups. However,50 mg(1/7 d)regimen has better compliance than 25 mg(1/3 d).

Objective To investigate the role of CD4~+CD25~+ Treg cells on the pathogenesis of ankylos- ing spondylitis(AS), and to study the machanism of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-?blocker on the treatment of AS by detecting the number of CD4~+D25~+ Treg cells before and after the treatment. Methods The diagno- sis of 10 AS patients was made based on the 1984 modified New York criteria. The patients received subcuta- neou injection of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor-Fc fusion protein(rhTNFR-Fc)(etaner- cept)50 mg weekly for 8 weeks and 10 heathy subjects were enrolled for control. The mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood in beth patients and controls. The number of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells and CD4~+ CD25~(high)T cells and the expression of CTLA-4. were detected by flow cytometry. Results The proportion of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells(24?19)% in total CD4~+ T lymphocytes of peripheral blood and CD4~+CD25~(high)T/CD4~+ T (6?6)% from AS patients before treated with rhTNFR-Fc was higher than that in healthy volunteers and AS patients after treatment(P

Case-Control Studies ; Creatine ; urine ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; urine ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactic Acid ; urine ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests