Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Weight ; Humans ; Laryngeal Muscles ; anatomy & histology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Palate, Soft ; anatomy & histology ; Pharynx ; anatomy & histology ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; Tongue ; anatomy & histology ; Young Adult

Humans ; Orthodontic Appliances ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; instrumentation ; Palatal Expansion Technique ; instrumentation ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; physiopathology ; therapy

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Barium ; poisoning ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate three-dimensional changes of maxilla after rapid maxillary expansion (RME).

METHODSTen patients treated with RME were included in the study. Spiral CT images were used to evaluate three-dimensional changes of the maxilla. A three-dimensional reference frame was set up.

RESULTS(1) ANS, PNS' and PNS displaced downward and forward. ANS-PNS plane rotated clockwise in the mid-sagittal plane. ANS-PNS' plane, which represents the real position of maxilla, was not changed in the mid-sagittal plane. The palatal suture was expanded in taper shape and two halves of the maxilla rotated in the frontal plane. (2) The maxillary suture was opened wider in the middle and narrower at both ends, which was like a spindle.

CONCLUSIONSThree-dimensional changes were found after RME treatment. Spiral CT was useful in the three-dimensional evaluation of maxilla.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Palatal Expansion Technique ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

Z2 appliance is the pre-adjusted appliance designed for Chinese orthodontic patients. The prescription of the appliance is based on Chinese normal occlusion, which is much different from the West in the first and the second orders as well as the third one. The appliance routinely includes 20 brackets and 8 molar buccal tubers with 3 standard arch forms. Clinically, continued light force is used in whole treatment. The side-effects such as forward tipping of incisors, bite deepening and loss of molar anchorage are reduced further due to fewer tips built into the anterior brackets as well as lower friction elastometric modules used during aligning and leveling. In condition of arch are leveled completely, 0.48 mm x 0.64 mm stainless steel archwire with 1.47 N retraction force is the best combination for sliding mechanics, which is proved by 3D nonlinear finite element study. Self drilling micro-screw is used for maximum anchorage. In finishing stage 0.53 mm x 0.64 mm NT arch wire is added in order to get full torque expressing. The research of Chinese pre-adjusted appliance has been lasted for more than 10 years in the department and clinical studies on Z2 appliance show that with minimal wire bending, treatment is more efficient and result is high quality and more consistent for Chinese orthodontic patients.
Dental Occlusion ; Friction ; Humans ; Incisor ; Molar ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Orthodontic Wires ; Stainless Steel

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the disc-condyle-fossa relationship following mandibular advancement.

METHODSTwenty-five patients (10 boys and 15 girls, 11.1 +/- 1.1 years) with class II division 1 malocclusions were treated with Activator. The average treatment time was 10.9 months. Parasagittal MRIs in closed mouth position were analyzed before and after Activator treatment by means of the pair-t test.

RESULTSCa-Tm value [(-0.1 +/- 1.5) mm and (-0.6 +/- 0.9) mm] of the left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and Ca-Ca' value [(2.3 +/- 0.8) mm and (1.8 +/- 0.5) mm] of the right TMJ were changed significantly after Activator treatment (P < 0.05). This indicated that the condyle was located anteriorly in the fossa. No significant changes were found in the disc-fossa relationship and disc-condyle relationship (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSActivator could promote the growth of the mandible and at the same time, it had no apparent negative influence on TMJ function.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class II ; pathology ; therapy ; Mandibular Advancement ; Postoperative Period ; Temporomandibular Joint ; pathology

Artemisnin is a novel sesquiterpene lactone with an internal peroxide bridge structure, which is extracted from traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao). Recommended by World Health Organization, artemisinin is the first-line drug in the treatment of encephalic and chloroquine-resistant malaria. In the present study, transgenic A. annua plants were developed by overexpressing the key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin. Based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, transgenic plants of A. annua with overexpression of both HDR and ADS were obtained through hygromycin screening. The genomic PCR analysis confirmed six transgenic lines in which both HDR and ADS were integrated into genome. The gene expression analysis given by real-time quantitative PCR showed that all the transgenic lines had higher expression levels of HDR and ADS than the non-transgenic control (except ah3 in which the expression level of ADS showed no significant difference compared with control); and the HPLC analysis of artemisinin demonstrated that transgenic A. annua plants produced artemisinin at significantly higher level than non-transgenic plants. Especially, the highest content of artemisinin was found in transgenic line ah70, in which the artemisinin content was 3.48 times compared with that in non-transgenic lines. In summary, overexpression of HDR and ADS facilitated artemisinin biosynthesis and this method could be applied to develop transgenic plants of A. annua with higher yield of artemisinin.

OBJECTIVETo introduce a new modified twin-block advancement appliance and investigate the effects on respiratory variables in patients with OSAS.

METHODS29 patients with OSAS participated in the study and were fitted with modified twin-block appliances to hold the mandible in an anterior and inferior position. Polysomnography was performed with and without appliance insertion. And questionnaires were used for registration of patients subjective symptoms. Pair-t analysis was used to evaluate the effects of appliances in patients with OSAS.

RESULTS26 patients responded to the appliance therapy. Apnea-hypopnea index, apnea index and hypopnea index were reduced significantly (P < 0.01). Lowest arterial oxygen saturation improved significantly (P < 0.01). Discomfort with mandibular advancement disappeared within one week.

CONCLUSIONSModified twin-block advancement appliance is a conservative, successful treatment alternative that could benefit patients suffered from OSAS.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontic Appliances, Removable ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the morphology characters of upper airway and its surrounding tissues in different age non-snoring males.Methods Total of 114 non-snoring males,with age-nlnge from 22 to 78 year old,were included in this study.They were divided into 3 groups:30 in younger group (22-29 years old),57 in middle-aged group(36-57 years old),and 31 in aged group(70-78 years old).All subjects had magnetic resonance imping sanning.Results (1)The nasopharynx in aged group was statistically different from that of the younger group and the midge aged group.The volume of nasopharynx in aged group(7.81±1.59)cm3 (χ-±s,same hereinafter) is greater than that in younger group(4.89±1.20)cm3 and middle aged groups(6.06±2.07)cm3.(2)The AP diameter/transverse dimeter of velophatynx,glossopharynx and laryngopharynx in the aged group tended to be smaller.The average value of AP diameter/transverse diameter of velopharynx in aged group is 0.46±0.14.while the value is 0.59±0.14 and 0.57±0.14 in midge and young groups respectively,compared with that of the aged group,there is statistical diffrence(P＜0.01).Further more,the min/max Section area of velophatynx,glossopharynx,hryngopharynx in aged group are smaller than that of young group and midlife groups.(3)The aged group had the thinnest thickness of posterior and lateral velopharyngeal walls,but the largest volume of soft palate and fatpads among all groups.Conclusions In non-snoring males,there is more fat deposition around the upper airway with aging.While the large naxopharynx and large transvdrse diameter of upper airway seem to balance the disadvantaged changes and to benefit the their sleep respiration.