OBJECTIVETo measure the utility value of different skeletal malocclusion for patients receiving orthodontic treatment.

METHODSUtility value of different skeletal malocclusion for patients was measured by rating scale and time trade-off.

RESULTSThe youth group had higher utility values than adult group for skeletal malocclusion Class II (protruding facial type) with median mandibular angle. The utility value of skeletal malocclusion Class III (concave facial type) with low mandibular angle was the lowest, and the utility value of skeletal malocclusion Class II (protruding facial type) with median mandibular angle was the highest. There was no difference in the utility values by rating scale and by time trade-off.

CONCLUSIONFor some skeletal malocclusion, the youth had different utility values with the adult.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cephalometry ; Face ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Mandible

OBJECTIVETo study the activity of esterases, including butyrylcholinesterase (BchE), carboxylesterase (CarbE), paraoxonase (PonE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and to explore the effect of genetic polymorphism on the activity of esterase for workers exposed to organophosphorus pesticides (OPs).

METHODSTwo hundred and forty-one long term OPs directly exposed workers and 151 indirectly exposed workers in the same factory were taken as study group. One hundred and sixty unexposed persons were taken as control group. The activity of serum enzymes was measured and the polymorphic distribution was detected using 7900 genotype detecting system and CMOS Chip technique. The effect of long-term exposure to organophosphorus pesticides was analyzed.

RESULTSThe activities of BchE, CarbE and PonE were independent on the gender or age in control group. Average values of Carb and BchE activities of directly and indirectly exposed workers were lower than those in control group respectively. PonE activity in directly exposed group was lower than that in control group. AChE activity in directly exposed group was lower than that in indirectly exposed group. All the differences were significant (P < 0.01). In the direct exposure group, the frequency of three variants of butyrylcholinesterase gene K (BCHE-K) polymorphism was 74.3%, 24.1% and 1.6% for UU, UK and KK respectively. Frequency of allele U and K was 0.863 and 0.137 respectively in the same group. Frequency of three variants of PON192 polymorphism was 15.0%, 45.5% and 39.5% for AA, AB and BB respectively in direct exposure group. Gene frequency of low activity (PON*A) and high activity (PON*B) was 0.378 and 0.622 respectively. Frequency of three variants of PON55 polymorphism was 96.2%, 3.8% and 0% for MM, LM and LL respectively in direct exposure group. Frequency of allele M and L was 0.981 and 0.019 respectively in the same group. The activity of PON was different in various genotypes of PON192 and PON55.

CONCLUSIONThe long-term exposure to OPs could inhibit the activities of CarbE, BchE, PonE and ACh E in different level. The genetic polymorphisms of PON192 and PON55 affect the activity of PonE, which is related to the detoxification of OPs and health impact.

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Adult ; Alleles ; Aryldialkylphosphatase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Butyrylcholinesterase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carboxylesterase ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Organophosphorus Compounds ; adverse effects ; Pesticides ; adverse effects ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Resveratrol, isorhapontigenin and pinosylvin, isolated from Gnetum parvifolium, and their analogues have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activity of HIV-1. Natural product 12a and analogues (12d, 12e, 12g) display significant inhibitory activity of HIV-1 replication. Among them, compound 12d (trans-3, 4, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene) exhibits the most potent anti-HIV-1 activity with an IC50 value of 1.84 micromol x L(-1).
Anti-HIV Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gnetum ; chemistry ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; physiology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; virology ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDThe DFNB1 locus, which contains the gap junction beta-2 (GJB2) and gap junction beta-6 (GJB6) genes, plays a key role in the nonsyndromic and sporadic hearing impairment. Mutations of DFNB1 result in autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI). Previous researches have identified mutations in GJB2 and GJB6, but single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DFNB1 locus have not been studied. So we chose five SNPs to evaluate whether there is difference between deafness people and normal-hearing people in Han Chinese.

METHODSFive SNPs in the DFNB1 region were examined using a case-control association study between cases with sporadic hearing impairment and controls with normal hearing. The HWEsoft and SHEsis softwares were used to analyze the results.

RESULTSSingle-locus association analysis showed a positive association for three SNPs: rs9315400, rs2274084 and 235delC. When we compared the distributions of the haplotypes, we also found significant differences between cases and controls in the haplotype combination of rs2274084 and rs2274083 (chi(2) = 12.978, df = 3, global P = 0.004719).

CONCLUSIONSThe haplotypes composed of rs2274084 and rs2274083 suggested that C-C may be a risk haplotype for the sporadic hearing impairment while T-T may be protective against hearing impairment. From that point of view, we can conclude that the SNPs of DFNB1 locus also plays an important role in sporadic hearing impairment cases.

Adolescent ; Child ; Connexin 26 ; Connexin 30 ; Connexins ; genetics ; Female ; Haplotypes ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo study the mutagenicity and teratogenicity induced by ammonium dinitramide(ADN).

METHODSAccording to technical specifications for toxicity determination of chemicals, Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay (Ames assay), in vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, sperm malformation test and teratogenesis test were used to detect the mutagenicity and teratogenicity induced by AND.

RESULTSWhen the exposure doses of AND were 8-5000 pg/plate, the result of Ames assay was negative. As compared with control group, the micronucleus rate of mice exposed to 113.8 mg/kg AND significantly increased(P<0.05), the sperm malformation rates of mice exposed to 54.4-272.0 mg/kg AND did not increased significantly. The survival rate of fetuses decreased, the rate of assimilated fetuses increased, the rate of fetus sternum agenesis enhanced in mice exposed to 319 mg/kg AND, as compared with controls. The rates of in the 4th-6th fetus sternum agenesis in groups exposed to 21.3, 79.7 and 319 mg/kg AND were higher than that in control group. The malformation rate of fetus bowels in groups exposed to 319 mg/kg AND was higher than that in control group. The teratogenic index of ADN was 30.

CONCLUSIONAND may be a mutagen and induce the teratogenic effect.

Animals ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Micronucleus Tests ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Nitrites ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; toxicity ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; pathology ; Sternum ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the acute, subacute and subchronic toxicity induced by ammonium dinitramide (ADN), and to ascertain the gradation and target organs of acute toxicity induced by AND.

METHODSAccording to technical specifications for toxicity determination of chemicals, the oral tests for acute, subacute and subchronic toxicity induced by AND were performed for 90 days.

RESULTSThe oral LDx for mouse and rat was 568.9 mg/kg and 616.6 mg/kg ADN respectively. The gradation of acute toxicity induced by AND was low level. The results of oral subacute and subchronic toxicity tests (for 28 and 90 days) showed that a gain in weight in group exposed to 123 mg/kg AND was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05), the TBIL and ALT in group exposed to 61.6 and 123 mg/kg AND significantly increased and the ratio of liver weight to body weight obviously decreased, as compared with control group, the number of animals with hepatic pathological changes in group exposed to 61.6 and 123 mg/kg AND was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe gradation of acute toxicity induced by ADN was low level. When the exposure dose of AND was 30.8 mg/kg, the adverse effect was not observed, and the target organ was liver.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Female ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Nitrites ; toxicity ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Toxicity Tests, Acute ; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic

In this study, laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to determine the location and relative quantity of flavonoids in the leaves of Apocynum venetum L. from the top, middle and basal parts of the branch. The leaves of the plants of one, two and three years old, separately, were collected in July. ANOVA and LSD test were employed in the statistical analysis. The results indicated that flavonoids located mainly in xylem conduit of vein, collenchyma, epidermic cells and cuticle. The data of flavonoids contents under statistical analysis showed that difference existed in the leaves of different parts and different ages. This study provided the reliable scientific material about the analysis of the ecological and the exploitation of the leaves of Apocynum venetom L.
Apocynum ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Time Factors

Objective To observe the expression and distribution the low affinity receptor p75 of nerve growth factor in the traumatic neuroma and investigate its significance and relationship with the growth of peripheral nerve and the formation of the traumatic neuroma.Methods Fifty-one cases of traumatic neuro- ma were collected and were divided into four groups according to its course,i.e,groupⅠ(less than one month),groupⅡ(1～3 months),groupⅢ(3～6 months) and groupⅣ(more than six months).Fifteen cases of normal nerve samples were harvested as the control group(n=15).Immunohistochemical studies were performed to observe the expression of p75.the expression level was detected by the computer graph analysis system.Results There was no significant expression of p75 in the normal nerve while in the four studied groups,significant expression of p75 waspositively observed.The level of p75 was weak in the early time and achieved its peak in three months,but the high level state was maintained even after six months.The one-way ANOVA statistic analysis manifests that there were no significant differences of the expression of p75 among the groupⅡ,ⅢandⅣ(P＞0.05),but the differences among the groupⅠand the latter three groups were signifi- cant (P＜0.05).p75 was mainly distributed in the Schwans cell.Conclusion p75 is expressed in the traumatic neuroma and may play an important role in the modulation progress of the formation of traumatic neu- roma with an unknown mechanism.

Objective To study the contents of puerarin in decoction with different compatibility ratios of Astragali Radix and Puerariae Lobatae Radix; To verify the rationality of compatibility ratios of Huangqi Gegen Decoction and Yu y e Decoction; To provide references for clinical medication. Methods Different compatibility ratios of Astragali Radix and Puerariae Lobatae Radix were set as 0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4. SinoChrom ODS-BP (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) was used as the chromatographic column to detect the contents of puerarin;methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (35:65) was used as the mobile phase with 0.5 mL/min flow rate; sample volume was 20 μL; the wavelength was 250 nm. Results The regression equation of puerarin was Y=66 449.269 1X-175 665.663 1 (r=0.999 6) in the range of 5 to 300 μg/mL, showing a good linear relationship. The repeatability, stability and recovery rate were fine as well. The contents of puerarin were (2.506 7±0.025 8)%, (2.526 7±0.071 2)%, (2.863 3± 0.086 4)%, (2.956 7±0.119 6)%, (2.835 0±0.078 7)%, (2.480 0±0.072 4)%, (2.530 0±0.064 8)%, and (2.183 3±0.128 9)% in different compatibility ratios of Astragali Radix and Puerariae Lobatae Radix with 0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4, respectively. Conclusion When the compatibility ratios of Astragali Radix and Puerariae Lobatae Radix are 2:1. 3:1, and 4:1, the contents of puerarin in decoction are the highest. This study verifies that the compatibility ratios of Astragali Radix and Puerariae Lobatae Radix in classical prescriptions are rational, which can be the optimal compatibility ratios in clinic.