Researches on drug-eluting stents are now focusing on three main aspects: the stent materials, the coating matrix material and the selection, adhesion and controlled release of the biological agents. The current development progresses of the coating materials, their characteristics, and the coating method for metallic stents are reviewed in this paper.
Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of internal matrix on sealing ability and furcal appearance of perforations repair with amalgam and resin.

METHODSPerforations created in the pulpal floor of human extracted molars were repaired as follows: Amalgam, amalgam plus calcium sulfate, light-cured resin, and resin plus calcium sulfate (15 teeth/group). The furcal appearance of samples was evaluated under an operating microscope after repair. With the leakage test device, coronal 1 mol/L glucose solution was forced toward the pulpal floor. Leakage was measured by the concentration of leaked glucose in bottom reservoir at 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 15 and 20 days with enzymatic glucose oxidase method.

RESULTSNo significant difference was found between group 1 and group 2 (P > 0.05). Leakage in group 4 was obviously lower than group 3 (P < 0.05) after the 7th day.

CONCLUSIONCalcium sulfate significantly improved the sealing effect of resin and provided successful barriers against its overextension.

Calcium Sulfate ; Dental Leakage ; Dental Pulp ; Humans ; Molar ; Root Canal Filling Materials ; Tooth Root

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the influencing factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODSA hospital-based case-control study was conducted in patients with NAFLD and controls without NAFLD in a hospital from January to August in 2007. All data were analyzed by SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSOne-way analysis of variance found that the two groups were significantly different in cigarette smoking, alcohol and tea comsumption, movement index, speed of food intake, frequency of social engagement, kinds of edible oil, marine products, family history of NAFLD, hypertension, higher blood sugar, abnormality of blood fat, higher level of ALT, higher level of AST, hyperuricemia, obesity, decrease of high density lipoprotein (HDL), and increase of low density lipoprotein. By non-conditional logistic stepwise regression analysis, 12 of 18 factors were used to construct a model, ten of which were the risk factors and two were protective factors of NAFLD. Risk factors included obesity (OR=6.35), hypertension(OR=3.82), dyslipidemia (OR=2.95), decrease of HDL (OR=2.85), hyperglycemia (OR=2.82), increase of ALT (OR=2.80), hyperuricemia (OR=2.35), HBsAg positive (OR=1.99), family history of fatty liver (OR=1.79) and frequently intake of marine products (OR=1.58), and protective factors included tea drinking (OR=0.72) and exercise (OR=0.90).

CONCLUSIONSThere are many influencing factors of NAFLD, and life styles are the key factors. Genetic background may also play some roles in NAFLD.

Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Case-Control Studies ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Life Style ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; complications ; Odds Ratio ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

We report here a case of pentastomiasis infection in a 3-year-old girl who had high fever, abdominal pain, abdominal tension and anemia. Ultrasound scanning of the abdomen revealed disseminated hyperechoic nodules in the liver and a small amount of ascites. Abdominal MRI showed marked hepatomegaly with disseminated miliary nodules of high signal intensity throughout the hepatic parenchyma on T2-weighted images; retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and disseminated miliary nodules on the peritoneum were also noted. Chest CT showed scattered small hyperdense nodules on both sides of the lungs. The laparoscopy demonstrated diffuse white nodules on the liver surface and the peritoneum. After the small intestinal wall and peritoneal biopsy, histological examination revealed parenchymal tubercles containing several larvae of pentastomids and a large amount of inflammatory cell infiltration around them. The pathological diagnosis was parasitic granuloma from pentastomiasis infection.
Abdomen, Acute/*parasitology ; Animals ; Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Parasitic Diseases/*diagnosis ; *Pentastomida ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods

PURPOSE: Extensive data support the influence of the upper airway on lower airway inflammation and pathophysiology in allergic disease. However, few studies have focused on allergic inflammation in the nose after an isolated lower airway allergen challenge, a situation that can exist clinically when human subjects breathe primarily through the mouth, as occurs when nasally congested. This study used a mouse model to investigate whether upper airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness were induced by an isolated lower airway allergen challenge. METHODS: BALB/c mice were sensitized by systemic intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin/saline and challenged with intratracheal ovalbumin/saline. Inflammation in the nose and lungs was assessed by cytology and histology of nasal tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), while nasal airway resistance and response were measured over 3 days post-challenge. RESULTS: Intratracheal application of an allergen in anaesthetized mice resulted in exclusive deposition in the lower airway. Compared to control animals, ovalbumin-sensitized mice after challenge showed bronchial hyperreactivity and increased IL-5 in the serum BALF, as well as eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. However, nasal histology of the ovalbumin-sensitized mice showed no increase in eosinophil infiltration. The nasal lavage fluid revealed no increase in eosinophils or IL-5, and the nasal airway resistance did not increase after challenge either. CONCLUSIONS: In a mouse allergy model, exclusive allergen challenge of the lower airway can elicit a pulmonary and systemic allergic response, but does not induce upper airway inflammatory or physiological responses.
Airway Resistance ; Animals ; Asthma* ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Eosinophils ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation* ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-5 ; Lung ; Mice ; Mouth ; Nasal Lavage Fluid ; Nose* ; Rhinitis

OBJECTIVETo generate a mouse model of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection by performing in vivo transduction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA.

METHODSNude mice were injected with HBV cccDNA at doses of 1.5, 1.0 or 0.5 mug/ml. A control group was generated by giving equal injection volumes of physiological saline. The serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) on post-injection days 1 and 3, weeks 1-6, 8 and 10 were assayed by reflection immunoassay. At post-injection week 10, all animals were sacrificed and liver tissues were collected. Copies of HBV DNA in serum and liver tissue were detected by real-time PCR. HBV antigens in liver tissue were detected of by immunohistochemistry. Pathological analysis of liver tissue carried out with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Linear correlation of data was determined by statistical analysis.

RESULTSHBsAg and HBeAg were detected in sera from all three groups of cccDNA-injected mice staring at post-injection day 1 and lasting through week 10. The levels of HBsAg over the 10-week period showed two patterns of increase-decrease;the lowest level was detected at week 4 and the highest level was detected at week 8. In contrast, the levels of HBeAg over the 10-week period showed three patterns of increase-decrease; the lower levels were detected at weeks 2 and 4 and the higher levels at weeks 3 and 6. HBV DNA copies in liver tissues showed a cccDNA dose-dependent descending trend over the 10-week study period (1.5 mug/ml:1.14E+07 ± 6.51E+06 copies/g, 1.0 mug/ml:9.81E+06 ± 9.32E+06 copies/g, and 0.5 mug/ml:3.72E+06 ± 2.35E+06 copies/g; Pearson's r =0.979). HBV DNA copies in sera showed the pattern of 1.0 mug/ml cccDNA more than 1.5 mug/ml cccDNA more than 0.5 mug/ml cccDNA, and in general were higher than those detected in the liver tissues. Liver tissues from all cccDNA-injected mice showed positive immunohistochemistry staining for both HBsAg and HBeAg. HE staining showed that the liver tissues of all cccDNA-injected mice had severe fatty and vacuolar degeneration and less obvious structure of liver lobules (compared to the liver tissues from control mice).

CONCLUSIONThe CHB mouse model successfully established in this study by in vivo transduction of HBV cccDNA may represent a useful tool to study the pathogenic mechanisms and potential antiviral treatments of human CHB.

Animals ; DNA, Circular ; administration & dosage ; DNA, Viral ; administration & dosage ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Transduction, Genetic ; Virus Replication

Dengue ; epidemiology ; Humans

Objective: To examine the status and related factors for gestational weight gain of Chinese pregnant women at different trimesters in 2010-2012. Methods: Participants were from Chinese National Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. Using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, we recruited 2 805 singleton pregnant women with gestational age 13 weeks or more from 31 provinces of China. A standard questionnaire was used to collect general information and pre-pregnancy weight; body weight and height of pregnant women were measured using a unified weighing scale and stadiometer, dietary intake during the previous year was collected using a food frequency questionnaire. A multiple logistic regression was used to analyze potential factors associated with appropriate gestational weight gain. Results: Among 2 805 pregnant women, 1 441 were in the second (13-27 weeks) and 1 364 in the third trimesters (≥28 weeks) . In the 2^nd trimester, 229 cases (15.9%), 440 cases (30.5%) and 772 cases (53.6%) were insufficient gestational weight gain, appropriate gestational weight gain and excessive gestational weight gain respectively. So were 256 cases (18.8%), 474 cases (34.8%), 634 cases (46.5%) in the 3^rd trimester respectively. In the multivariate unconditional logistic model, less fruit intake was associated with insufficient weight gain for women in the 2^nd trimester (OR (95%CI): 1.58 (1.06-2.34)). Pregnant women with Han ethnicity who live in the small/medium city had lower risk of insufficient weight gain in the 3^rd trimester (OR (95%CI): 0.58 (0.34-0.98)). Those pregnant women with physical activity <1 hour/day had a higher risk of excessive weight gain (OR (95%CI): 1.33 (1.02-1.73)). Conclusion The prevalence of appropriate gestational weight gain was low in China. Our study suggests that pregnant weight gain is associated with fruit intake, types of residential area and physical activity.

Objective: To analyze the status of gestational weight gain (GWG) among Chinese mothers who gave singleton and full-term births, and to look at optimal GWG ranges. Methods: In 2013, using the multi-stage stratified and population proportional cluster sampling method, we investigated 8 323 mother-child pairs at their 0-24 months postpartum from 55 counties (cities/districts) of 30 provinces (except Tibet) in mainland China. Questionnaire was used to collect data on body weight before pregnancy and delivery, diseases during gestation, hemorrhage or not at postpartum, child birth weight and length, and other information about pregnant outcomes. We measured mother's body weight and height, and child's body weight and length. Based on 'Chinese Adult Body Weight Standard’, we divided mothers into four groups according to their body weight before pregnancy: low weight (BMI<18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (BMI 18.5-23.9 kg/m²), overweight (BMI 24.0-27.9 kg/m²) and obesity (BMI≥28.0 kg/m²). The status of GWG was assessed by IOM optimal GWG guidelines. Chinese optimal GWG ranges were calculated according to the association of GWG with pregnant outcomes and anthropometry of mothers and children, and according to P25-P75 of GWG among mothers who had good pregnant outcomes and good anthropometry, and whose children had good anthropometry. The status of GWG was assessed by the new optimal ranges. Results: P50 (P25-P75) of GWG among the 8 323 mothers was 15.0 (10.0-19.0) kg. According to the proposed optimal GWG ranges of IOM, the proportions of inadequate, optimal and excessive GWG accounted for 27.2% (2 263 mothers), 36.2% (3 016 mothers) and 36.6% (3 044 mothers). The optimal GWG ranges for low weight, normal weight, overweight and obesity were 11.5-18.0, 10.0-15.0, 8.0-14.0 and 5.0-11.5 kg. Based on these optimal GWG ranges established in this study, the rates of inadequate, optimal and excessive GWG were 15.7% (1 303 mothers), 45.0% (3 744 mothers) and 39.3% (3 276 mothers), and these rates were significantly different from that defined by the IOM standards (χ2=345.36, P<0.001). Conclusion The median of GWG among Chinese mothers is 15.0 kg, which is at a relatively higher level. This study suggests the optimal GWG ranges for Chinese women who give singleton and full-term babies, which appears lower than IOM's.