Objective To detect the expressions of Lingo-1 and myelin associated protein in the white matter and hippocampus of ovariectomized rats after short-term estrogen replacement therapy in order to explore the possible mechanisms for the effects of estrogen on the brain myelin sheaths and cognitive function.Methods 24 middleaged (9-12 months) female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) and randomly divided into vehicle replacement (OVX+Veh) group and estrogen replacement (OVX+E) group.After one month ERT,The spatial learning and memory ability of all rats were assessed with Morris water maze.Then,10 rats were randomly selected from each group.The ultrastucture of myelin sheaths in the cerebral white matter and hippocampus were observed,and the protein expression of MBP and Lingo-1 were investigated with Western blot and immunohistochemical staining.Results The escape latencies of OVX+E rats in navigation test were significantly shorter than that of OVX+Veh rats(P＜0.05).The myelin sheaths in the white matter and hippocampus of OVX+Veh rats showed obviously degeneration.In the OVX+E group,the expression of MBP in the white matter and hippocampus was significantly higher than that of OVX+Veh group(P＜0.05),however,the expression of Lingo-1 was significantly lower than that of OVX +Veh group (P＜ 0.05).Conclusions One-month ERT has significant beneficial effects on the spatial learning capacity and myelin sheaths in the white matter and hippocampus.The protective effects may be related to estrogen-induced downregulation of the Lingo-1 expression in the white matter and hippocampus of rats.

Objective To explore the clinical value of renal dynamic imaging and urinary N-acetyl-?-D-glucosaminidase(NAG),apoptosis DNA fragment(ADF) in evaluating the damage degree of hydronephrotic kidneys(HnK) in children with hydronephrosis.Methods Level of glomerular filtration rate(GFR) was detected in 41 children with congenital hydronephrosis by renal dynamic imaging,and urine NAG,ADF in pelvis in HnK and healthy kidneys (as controls) were detected by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay(ELISA).Patholo-gic changes of HnK in 41 children were graded intoⅠ~Ⅴ according to Elder standard. And GFR,urinary NAG and ADF of HnK were divi-ded into subgroup according to pathologic changes ,at the same time statistical analysis was performed within each groups. And the correlations of pathologic grades with GFR,urinary NAG and ADF of HnK were analyzed.Results 1.Kindneys GFR in healthy kidneys and Hnk were (174.33?20.43)?10-3 L/min,(143.86?17.51)?10-3 L/min respectinely,and there was significant difference between healthy kidneys and Hnk (P0.05).3.There was significant negative correlation between GFR levels of HnK and pathologic grades(r=-0.814 P0.05).Conclusions For hydronephrotic kidneys,urinary NAG can eva-luate impaired nephric tubule whereas renal dynamic imaging may evaluate the damage level of glomeruli;urine ADF may not indicate the damage level of diseased kidneys in children with congenital hydronephrosis.

Aim To investigate the effect of TaorenHonghua drug pair on intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) in rats.Methods Fifty healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,sham group,meloxicam group and Taoren-Honghua drug pair group,with 10 rats in each group.We established dynamic and static forces imbalance of cervical disc degeneration model or sham surgery in rats.12 weeks later,rats were intragastrically administered with meloxicam,Taoren-Honghua drug pair or saline for 30 days.C4/5 and C6/7 discs were harvested from rats.ABOG staining was used for observation of intervertebral disc morphology,real time PCR for mRNA expressions of type Ⅱ collagen (Col Ⅱ) and type Ⅹ collagen (Col Ⅹ),and immunohistochemical staining for Col Ⅱ and Col Ⅹ.Results Compared with model group,Col Ⅱ expression increased,while Col X expression decreased in chondrocyte of intervertebral disc in Taoren-Honghua-treated group(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Taoren-Honghua drug pair could delay the degeneration of cartilage endplate in rat intervertebral disc.

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have shown that the functional brain activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, most studies focused on the relationship between different brain areas, rather than the amplitude or strength of the regional brain activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the functional brain changes in AD patients by measuring the amplitude of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) signals.

METHODSTwenty mild AD patients and twenty healthy elderly subjects participated in the fMRI scan. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated using REST software.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy elderly subjects, the mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and in the bilateral dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. No brain region with increased ALFF was found in the AD group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe reduced activity in the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex observed in the present study suggest that the functional abnormalities of those areas are at an early stage of AD. The ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in fMRI study of AD.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gyrus Cinguli ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prefrontal Cortex ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cyclic fatigue modes of Vita mark II machinable ceramics under Hertzian's contact.

METHODSHertzian's contact technique (WC spheres r = 3.18 mm) was used to investigate the cyclic fatigue of Vita mark II machinable ceramic. All specimens were fatigued by cyclic loading in moist environment, furthermore, surviving strength was examined by three point test and morphology damage observation.

RESULTSIn homogeneous Vita mark II machinable ceramics, two fatigue damage modes existed after cyclic loading with spheres under moist environment, including conventional tensile-driven cone cracking (brittle mode) and shear-driven microdamage accumulation (quasi-plastic mode). The latter generated radial cracks and deeply penetrating secondary cone crack. Initial strength degradation were caused by the cone cracks, subsequent and much more deleterious loss was caused by radial cracks.

CONCLUSIONCyclic fatigue modes of Vita mark II machinable ceramics includes brittle and quasi-plastic mode.

Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Surface Properties

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in strength degradation and morphology damage of brittle dental ceramic after static load and cyclic fatigue.

METHODSHertzian's contact technique with a tungsten carbide sphere was used to investigate the response of feldspathic dental porcelain to static load and cyclic fatigue. All specimens were subjected to static or cyclic loading in moist environment. Furthermore the surviving strength of specimens was examined by the three-point test and the morphology damage was observed. Statistical analyses were performed with ANOVA and a P-value less than 0.05 was considered to be significant.

RESULTSOuter cone crack and associated strength degradation simultaneously occurred both after the first cyclic loading and static loading. Up to 1,000 cycles, the specimens showed inner cone cracks and strength degradation was aggravated. No significant difference in the strength degradation among all static loading specimens and no inner cone cracks occurred in static loading specimens.

CONCLUSIONSBoth static and cyclic fatigue influence dental ceramic strength, but cyclic fatigue is more deleterious.

Compressive Strength ; Dental Porcelain ; Materials Testing

ObjectiveTo observe the thyroid status of pregnant women during the 1st and 2nd trimester of gestation,and its role in brain and neural development of their offspring's.MethodsFrom 2008 to 2009,pregnant women from nine townships of two counties in Wushi and Baicheng in Aksu prefecture of Xinjiang were selected as research subjects according to the survey standard.After informed consent signed,their urinary iodine,serum thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) and free thyroxin(FT4) were analyzed.The value of thyroid hormone of normal pregnant women was used in diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia in pregnant women.From 2010 to 2011, The brain and neural development status among offspring born by those pregnant women were evaluated with DDST.In accordance with the results of Denver Development Screen Test (DDST) screening,pregnant women were classified into survey and control groups,and the survey group was the suspicious and abnormal of the result of DDST screening(delay),the control group was normal of the result.According to gestational age,pregnant women were divided into 4 gestation groups:G1(6 to 13 weeks),G2(14 to 18 weeks),G3 ( 19 to 23 weeks) and G4(24 to 28 weeks).ResultsA total of 396 cases of pregnant women during the 1st and 2nd trimester of gestation were investigated(survey group 102 cases,control group 294 cases).The median value of urinary iodine concentration among pregnant women in survey group was 152.4 μg/L The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia among pregnant women was 10.78％(11/102) and 3.93％(4/102),respectively.In control group,the median value of urinary iodine concentration was 180.0 μg/L The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia among pregnant women was 7.48％ (22/294) and 4.42％ (13/294),respectively.During the pregnant period from G1 to G3,the median serum TSH of pregnant women in DDST survey group (2.24,3.49,2.85 mU/L) was higher than that of DDST control group( 1.59,2.70,2.28 mU/L).Especially,the difference of TSH between the two groups during the period of G3 was statistically significant (t =4.906,P ＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionsHypothyroidism tendency of pregnant women during the period from gestation week 19th to 23rd may be an important factor in the development of brain abnormalities of their offsprings.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient bone mass in the posterior maxilla region often increases the difficulty of dental implantation. The application of maxillary sinus floor elevation successfully solves this problem. In the surgery bone grafting can be used to obtain sufficient bone mass. However, nonuse of graft materials can shorten the cycle of patient's treatment and reduce trauma and cost. OBJECTIVE: Combining the latest relevant research trends, to review the advances in the study of maxillary sinus floor elevation with and without bone grafting. METHODS: The first author searched PubMed, VIP, WanFang and CNKI databases using computer for relevant articles published from January 1985 to August 2018. The key words were "dental implant, maxillary sinus, bone augmentation, bone substitute" in English and Chinese, respectively. Finally, 78 articles were included in result analysis after screening and summarizing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Ideal results can be achieved in the maxillary sinus floor elevation with or without simultaneous bone grafting In addition, the nonuse of grafting materials have the advantages of simplifying surgical procedures, shortening treatment cycles, reducing trauma and pain, reducing treatment costs, reducing complications and failure rates, thus gaining the favor of doctors and patients. Therefore, the maxillary sinus floor elevation without simultaneous bone grafting will be the primary choice of the doctors engaged in dental implantation in the future.

Objective To study the correlation between fractional anisotropy(FA)and tumor microarchitecture(MVD,VEGF and celluarity).Methods Fouteen gliomas(5 grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ,4 grade Ⅲ, 5 grade Ⅳ)confirmed histo-pathologically were performed on diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)using a GE Signa Excite Ⅱ 3.0 T MR scanner(8-channel head coil,SE echo planner imaging(EPI),thickness:5 mm, spacing:0,directions:25,B values:0 and 1000 s/mm~2,TR 6000 ms,TE minimum,FOV:240 mm? 240 mm,image matrix 128?128,NEX 2).Postprocessing was done using a DTI specific software to gain FA image.ROIs were drqwn in tumor parenchyma and the value of FA was recorded.The positive expression of VEGF and CD34 was shown using immuno-histochemistry method.The VEGF,MVD,and cellularity of every slices were recorded.Pearson correlation analysis was used.Results FA(which is 0.102?0.080 in grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ,0.171?0.037 in grade Ⅲ,0.200?0.021 in grade Ⅳ)has the trend to raise with the increasing grade of astrocytomas.FA has significant positive correlation to MVD(40/HP in grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ, 86/HP in grade Ⅲ,101/HP in grade Ⅳ),VEGF(8% in grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ,47% in grade Ⅲ,55% in grade Ⅳ),and cellularity(104/HP in grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ,160/HP in grade Ⅲ,265/HP in grade Ⅳ).The correlation coefficients between FA and VEGF,MVD,and cellularity were 0.748,0.668,0.625 respectively.Conclusion As a new imaging method,DTI can reveal the microarchitecture in gliomas and be value of distinguishing gliomas of different grade.DTI provides a new method of precise diagnosis to glioma preoperatively.

Metformin, an inexpensive and well-tolerated oral agent commonly used in the first-line treatment of type 2 dia-betes, has become the focus of intense research as a candidate anticancer agent. Here, we discuss the potential of metformin in cancer therapeutics, particularly its functions in multiple signaling pathways, including AMP-activated protein kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, insulin-like growth factor, c-Jun N-terminal kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, and nuclear factor kappaB pathways. In addi-tion, cutting-edge targeting of cancer stem cells by metformin is summarized.