Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is initiated by bacteria. Pathogens and their virulence factors alter normal cellular metabolic activity and deteriorate periodontal microconditions. Owing to the complexity of tooth structure and the limitation of conventional treatment, we may not live up to all patients’ expectations, especially those with grade C and stage Ⅲ or Ⅳ periodontitis. With the advantages of bactericidal effects, high safety, inhibition of bacterial drug resistance and promotion of tissue healing, photodynamic therapy （PDT） seems to be an ideal technology in periodontal treatment. However, it cannot remove subgingival stones and still cannot replace mechanical treatment to preliminarily control periodontal inflammation. Therefore, near-infrared low-energy light combined with traditional photosensitizers is mostly used in clinical periodontal adjuvant treatment. In periodontal maintenance treatment on a regular basis, a single application can also reduce the sensitivity of patients and effectively control plaque, but its effect will be affected by the degree of periodontal inflammation, the concentration and type of photosensitizer, the energy of the light source, etc. With the further development of material science, the performance of photosensitizers to accelerate oxides and target bacteria will be optimized. In the future, parameters of PDT need to be designed in large-scale studies in accord with different stages and grades of periodontitis.

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in monitoring vascular complications following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

METHODSSeven hundred ninety-two patients who received OLT from April 2002 to December 2006 in the Organ Transplantation Center, General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Beijing, and underwent CDFI examinations in different periods after OLT were enrolled in this study. Their vascular complications were monitored by CDFI and confirmed by angiography or spiral CT.

RESULTSOf the 792 patients, 54 were diagnosed with vascular complications that occurred 1-360 days after their OLT operations. These complications occurred within 1-30 days, 31-60 days, 61-90 days, 91-180 days, 181-360 days, with the proportions of 46.30%, 22.22%, 14.81%, 9.26% and 7.41% respectively. The proportion of hepatic artery and portal vein complications and outflow occlusions were 61.11%, 35.19% and 3.70% respectively.

CONCLUSIONMost vascular complications occurred within six months after the OLT operation. The continuous and careful monitoring by CDFI is beneficial in an early diagnosis of vascular complications after OLT.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; methods ; Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential genetic mode of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) in Chinese Han nationality.

METHODSA total of 233 subjects from 73 nuclear families were recruited. All probands were diagnosed according to the criteria of AgP in 1999 classification of periodontal diseases. Ninety parents, 35 siblings and three grandparents and two offspring were examined based on full-mouth periodontal chartings (including parameter of probing depths, attachment loss, bleeding on probing at six sites per tooth) and full-mouth periapical radiographs. The genetic ratio was calculated and analyzed by the methods of Edwards and simple segregation.

RESULTSThe prevalence of AgP in probands' siblings was close to the square root of the prevalence of general population. The segregation ratio was 0.2419, which was close to the theoretical ratio for autosomal recessive inheritance. However, autosomal dominant inheritance could not be rejected in families whose parent(s) suffered from severe chronic periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONSThe genetic heterogeneity of AgP existed in Chinese Han nationality. The genetic mode was autosomal recessive inheritance in general, and autosomal dominant inheritance could not be excluded in families whose parent(s) suffered from severe chronical periodontitis. The results imply the genetic heterogeneity of AgP, and further demonstrate that AgP was a multifactorial disease with major genetic component in the disease etiology.

Aggressive Periodontitis ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Chronic Periodontitis ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, Dominant ; Genes, Recessive ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVESTo establish a primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) model by AMAM2 autoantigen injection into C57BL/6 mice.

METHODSMice of the model group were immunized intraperitonealy with 200 microl of purified recombinant AMAM2 autoantigen in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Mice immunized with bovine serum albumin and CFA in the same way were used as negative controls. Sixty-six weeks later, mice were sacrificed and their sera were collected. Sera samples were assayed for AMAM2 autoantibody, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), ALT and total bilirubin (TBil). Their liver, stomach, muscle and kidney tissues were sectioned and stained using HE to observe the pathological changes.

RESULTSAntibodies to AMAM2 autoantigen were readily induced in the model group. The mice in the model group had no significant changes in the level of serum ALT and TBil but had an obvious increase of ALP (P<0.05). The stomach, muscle and kidney tissues showed no evident damage while the livers had obvious pathological changes, including bile duct degeneration or proliferation, and mononuclear cell infiltration.

CONCLUSIONThe AMAM2 autoantigen-induced PBC animal model was successfully established in C57BL/6 mice in our experiment and its characteristic biochemical and pathology are quite similar to that in the early stage of human PBC. This model may provide a useful experimental approach for further study of the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of human PBC.

Animals ; Autoantigens ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; etiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria ; immunology

China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; statistics & numerical data ; Male

In this study, the molecular marker technology of SRAP and ISSR were applied in rapid identification of seeds from eight species of Brassica oleracea L. Firstly, using the genomic DNA of cabbage as template, SRAP and ISSR reaction systems were optimized through testing every factor, respectively, that affects PCR amplification. Then, using the optimized reaction systems, 30 SRAP primer pairs and 15 ISSR primers were applied to amplify genomic DNA of cabbage, savoy, purple cabbage, borecole, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi The results showed that high polymorphisms were exhibited among the eight species of Brassica oleracea L. by SRAP primer pairs of M3-E5 and M4-E5, as well as ISSR primers of 844 and 888, especially primer 844 which can identify all eight materials efficiently.
Brassica ; genetics ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Seeds ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo detect Bartonella henselae IgG antibody among healthy people in Changping, Beijing.

METHODSUsing indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA) to detect IgG antibody of Bartonella henselae among human beings.

RESULTSThe sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were 70.6% and 91.6% respectively, with the positive predictive value of serological test as 82.2%, and the negative predictive value as 84.9%, based on results of IFA. The positive rate was 34.5% among 357 healthy people on indirect ELISA but was 35.6% among 239 people with IFA.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that the indirect ELISA was a very quick, sensitive and available method for detecting Bartonella henselae in human beings, as well as a high positive percent age of Bartonella henselae among the healthy people of Changping Beijing.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; immunology ; Bartonella henselae ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; methods ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo optimize the condition for inducing the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes and study the expression of PTEN tumor suppression gene in this process, aiming to understand the regulatory role of PTEN in normal adipocyte differentiation and collect laboratory evidence for developing drugs targeting PTEN.

METHODSThe differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes cultured in high-glucose DMEM were induced according to 2 protocols with different combinations of dexamethasone, isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) and insulin, and the resultant adipocytes were identified by oil red O staining. The total proteins of 3T3-L1 were extracted and analyzed by Western blotting, and PTEN homology between mice and human was analyzed by bioinformatic method.

RESULTSFor optimized 3T3-L1 differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells were initially induced with the combination of 1 micromol/L dexamethasone, 0.5 mmol/L IBMX and 5 microg/ml insulin for 48 h, followed by treatment with 5 microg/ml insulin in 4.5 g/L glucose DMEM for 48 h, which resulted in high differentiation rate of 3T3-L1 cells (up to 90% on the 10th day) with unified morphology and size. PTEN expression varied quantitatively in the process of differentiation, especially low on the 12th day as compared with those measured on days 4, 6 and 9. The mice PTEN mRNA shared 96% homology and PTEN amino acid 100% homology with their human counterparts.

CONCLUSIONEndogenous PTEN expression is down-regulated during 3T3-L1 differentiation, suggesting that PTEN may enhance insulin sensitivity and promote adipogenesis under physiological conditions.

3T3-L1 Cells ; Adipocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mice ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the reliability of the birth defects surveillance system in four counties with high prevalence of birth defects (Pingding, Xiyang, Taigu and Zezhou counties) in Shanxi province, China.

METHODSOne township was selected from each county as study site. The health workers chosen from township or village level were trained to visit families on the outcomes of each pregnancy who gave birth during year 2003 in the study site. The number of births and cases collected in the study were compared with that from the surveillance system. The number of births reported by surveillance system in four counties was also compared with the data from the local government. The criteria of evaluation were: 1) number of the missing report of births should < or = 5%, 2) the number of missing report on major external birth defects cases should < or = 10%. Researchers from the Peking University were responsible for examining the quality of surveillance in some terminal units of surveillance system.

RESULTSThe numbers of births reported in the study and from the surveillance system for four-township were 1043 and 997, respectively. 46 births were missing and the rate of misreporting for births was 4.4%. The numbers of birth defects cases reported in the study and from the surveillance system were 30 and 29, respectively. 1 case of birth defect as missed, and rate of misreporting for birth defects cases was 3.3%. The total number of births reported from surveillance was similar to that in the study in four counties, with a difference of 1.2%. Birth registry data was rather readable and special health workers responsible for surveillance work were present in all the terminal units of the surveillance system.

CONCLUSIONThe misreporting of births and cases existed in the birth defects surveillance system of the four counties in Shanxi province, but were lower than the allowable criteria. The surveillance units had better registration, reporting and administration of births and birth defect cases. Hence, the quality of the data from the surveillance system in these four counties was reliable.

Birth Certificates ; China ; epidemiology ; Congenital Abnormalities ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Population Surveillance ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Registries ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo identify the metastasis-related miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines.

METHODSA qRT-PCR method was established and optimized.

RESULTSAll candidate metastasis associated miRNAs except miR-124a were expressed in high metastasis cell line MHCC97H and low metastasis cell line MHCC97L, while some miRNAs were differentially expressed between liver cancer cell line (HepG2) and hepatic cell line (L02) (P less than 0.05), these miRNAs include: miR-148b (1.96+/-0.51 vs 3.76+/-0.28), miR-9 (-4.38+/-0.86 vs -1.10+/-0.53), miR-30c (8.41+/-0.40 vs 6.82+/-0.29), miR-338 (3.14+/-0.29 vs -2.36+/-0.32), miR-34a (0.71+/-0.40 vs -2.95+/-0.26), Let-7g (-4.07+/-0.55 vs -6.98+/-0.56). miR-148b expression was about 4 times higher than miR-148a [5.46 (IQR 4.25-6.67) vs 1.29 (IQR 0.94-1.64)] in all cell line tested (Z=-5.097, P=3x10(-7)).

CONCLUSIONThis study may help to understand the biological significance of miRNAs in HCC metastasis.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction