Objective To measure the curvatures of the distolingual root canals of permanent mandibular first molars by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods The CBCT was used to collect 230 cases of mandibular first molar distalingual root from 513 patients. The images were created by 3-D reconstruction based on the BECT data. Images were analyzed by NNT image analysis software. Each tooth was captured in clinical (CV) and proximal view (PV) image, and measured by the Schneider method. Results The average curvature of the distallingual canal was (13.27 ± 8.57)° in CV, and (30.96 ± 11.63)° in PV. Most of the distallingual root in the buccolingual view was mild bending or moderate bending , and the proximal view was severe bending. The distal lingual root bending was the most common in the crown third of the root , next in the apical third of the root, in the middle third of the root. Conclusion CBCT is an effective tool for the detection of additional distolingual roots and is a valuable aid for dentists in root canal treatment.

Genotype ; Humans ; Streptococcal Infections ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; genetics

BACKGROUND: The dynamic characteristics of electroencephalogram (EEG) include a decrease in the chaotic dimension, the correlation dimen sion, the Lyapunov exponent, the chaotic complexity, the freedom of EEG and an enhanced synchronization and periodicity of the EEG from several minutes to tens of minutes before epileptic seizures. All these characteristics prefigure the forthcoming seizures. Some studies have proven that the non linear dynamical system can be used as a feasible approach to explore the potential variables for describing the chaos portrait of EEG. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the electric characteristics of EEG signal in the epileptic seizures in rat model by investigating the nonlinear dynamical variables, such as the approximate entropy (ApEn) and correlation dimen sion. DESIGN: Observational and experimental study based on animals. SETTING: Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Gastroen terology, Second Artilleryman General Hospital of Chinese PLA; Department of Physics, Faulty of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical Uni versity of Chinese PLA. MATERIALS: From September 2001 to January 2002, this study was conducted at the Complexity Laboratory of the Biomedical Department of the Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. Six male SD rats,weighing 150- 200 g, were selected.INTERVENTIONS: After intraperitoneal injection of chloral hydrate (0. 5 mL), the male SD rats were deeply anesthetized. When their EEG signal became stable, bemegride injection was diluted at 1:1 with saline and was given on a volume of 0.5 mL to the rats intraperitoneally. After a while,the epileptic seizures started marked by a spasm with a deep roar. The entire epileptic seizures were recorded. According to the shape of EEG waves and the corresponding symptoms of the rats during their seizures, data of the four phases, referring to normal condition, preictal phase, ictal phase and postictal phases of epileptic seizures, were selected for nonlinear analysis. The variations of the ApEn and the correlation dimension were calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In the four phases of the seizures, before seizures, preictal phase, ictal phase and postictal phases, the changes in the ApEn and correlation dimension were observed.RESULTS: All the 6 rats entered the statistical procedure. During epilepsy, the ApEn and correlation dimension of the EEG signal in ictal phases (0. 447 ±0. 126, 2. 166 ±0. 377) decreased significantly while those in preictal phases(0. 807 ±0. 182, 4. 773 ±0. 319) and postictal phases (1. 241 ±0. 125, 6. 042 ±0. 373) (t = -3. 984to 17. 902, P ＜0. 01). The ApEn and the correlation dimension of the EEG signal in preictal and ictal phases had significant difference with those observed under normal conditions (1.313 ± 0. 090, 6. 405 ± 0. 694) (t = -5. 228 to 12. 740, P ＜ 0. 01 ).CONCLUSION: The changes in ApEn and correlation dimension showed by nonlinear dynamical approach in this study reflect the characteristics of EEG signals in preictal time, ictal time and postictal timeof the epileptic seizures and the differences among them. Additionally, they also reveal the laws in the changes of the complex ictal EEG signal.

Objective To fractionate phosphoproteome of mouse liver by two-dimensional (2D) liquid phase chromatography fractionation. Methods Phosphoproteins were extracted from lysates of normal mice livers by phosphate metal affinity chromatography (PMAC) resin. The phosphoproteins were exchanged by start buffer and separated by chromatofocusing in the first dimension. Then the fractions between pH 8.5 and pH 4.0 were separated by non-porous silica (NPS) reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Finally, the UV maps were converted into gel-like maps by ProteoVue software. Results Phosphoproteins of mouse liver were successfully extracted and fractionated by two dimensional liquid phase chromatographic fractionation after concentration and desalt. Then pI/UV map of mouse liver phosphoproteome was successfully set-up. There are 16 fractions between pH 8.5 and pH 4.0 after chromatofocusing in the first dimension and the UV maps of each fraction were converted into pI/UV gel-like maps. Conclusions Combination of technique of phosphoproteins enrichment and 2-D liquid phase chromatographic fractionation is an effective approach to research phosphoproteome and the key base for further identification and investigation of phosphoproteins.

To explore the clinical characteristic and intervention strategies for pregnancy complicated with heart failure. The clinical data of 67 pregnant women with heart failure during January 1998 to December 2010 were collected and analyzed.The rate of heart failure in pregnancy with heart diseases was 31％ (67/216).The causes of pregnancy complicated with heart failure were peripartum cardiomyopathy ( n =33,49％ ) and hypertensive disorder complicating with pregnancy heart disease( n =28,42％ ).Heart failure in pregnancy appeared at an average of (36.0 ± 2.7 ) weeks.The average terminating time of pregnant women with heart failure was ( 36.5 ± 2.1 ) weeks.Cesarean section was the main safe choice of delivery for pregnant women with heart failure.The average weight of newborns for pregnant women with heart failure was(2517 ±541 )g.The rate of neonatal asphyxia was 22％ (11/50).Strengthening routine antenatal examination and treating pregnant complications timely can prevent and reduce the incidence of heart failure.

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of plasma ionized calcium (ICa) and total calcium (TCa) measurement in diagnosis of tumor-associated hypercalcemia. Methods The heparin lithium anticoagulated plasma were collected and measured with ion selective electrode (ISE) and orthocresolphthalein complexone (OCPC) method for ICa and TCa in 77 patients with malignant tumor (tumor group) and 44 healthy controls (control group). Meanwhile,plasma albumin and pH value were measured to correct TCa (cTCa) and ICa(nICa). The results were analyzed. Results The levels of cTCa,ICa and nICa in tumor group were significantly higher than those in control group(P＜ 0.01 ) ,but there was no significant difference of TCa between two groups (P ＞ 0.05 ). cTCa ＞ 2.70 mmol/L, nICa ＞ 1.35 mmol/L as the hypercalcemia eritical value, the positive rate of nICa and cTCa were 18.18% (14/77) and 6.49% (5/77)respectively,the difference was significant (P = 0.023). Conclusion Determination of ICa may be more clinical meaningful than TCa for tumor-associated hypercalcemia.

Metabolism is the necessary process for cell growth and survival,and it is dramatically altered in cancer cells compared with that in normal cells,and these alterations are known as the Warburg effect.Glutamine plays a decisive role in the metabolic processes.And the glutaminase as a enzyme in the processes has also become a hot topic of research in recent years.This article could focus on the recent research progress on glutaminase.

Objective To evaluate the safety of helical tomotherapy (HT) for hepatocellular carcinoma confined to the liver,and to investigate the efficacy of HT by comparison with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT).Methods In June 2011,hypofractionated HT was performed in 35 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma confined to the liver who had no distant metastasis or tumor thrombosis.The dose in each fraction increased from 2.4 Gy to 5.0 Gy with a median dose of 3.2 Gy.The median dose for the total treatment was 50.0 Gy.Within the same period,45 patients received conventionally fractionated 3DCRT with a median dose of 54.0 Gy.The adverse reactions,clinical outcomes,and survival time were compared between the two groups.The survival rate was calculated with Kaplan-Meier method,and log-rank test was used to estimate statistical significance of survival differences.Multivariate analysis of survival was carried out with Cox' s regression model.Results There were no significant differences in adversc reactions between the two groups.The objective response rate was significantly higher in the HT group than in the 3DCRT group (60％ vs.33％,P=0.024).There was no significant difference in the disease control rate between the two groups (94％ vs.89％,P=0.459).The HT group showed significantly higher 1-,2-,and 3-year overall survival rates than the 3DCRT group (97％ vs.80％,P=0.025;81％ vs.55％,P =0.008;67％ vs.50％,P =0.048).The multivariate analysis indicated that tumor smaller than 8 cm,transarterial chemoembolization before radiotherapy,and HT were associated with improved survival (P=0.005;P =0.000;P=0.002).Conclusions HT shows an advantage in precise treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma confined to the liver.With acceptable toxicity,hypofractionated HT shortens the treatment duration and improves the survival in patients.

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanism by which the SARS-CoV S protein induces chemokine IP-10 in airway epithelial cells.METHODS: cDNA microarrays were used to screen the gene expression profiles of human bronchial epithelial cells(16HBEs) stimulated by SARS-CoV S protein.In addition,RT-PCR,EMSA,and Western blotting were performed to analyze the phosphorylation of JAK/STAT signal pathway.The changes of IRF-1 and IP10 gene expression and the influence by the corresponding inhibitors were analyzed.RESULTS: IRF-1,a key transcription factor of the JAK/STAT signal pathway,was activated in human bronchial epithelial cells after stimulation by the S protein of SARS-CoV.The IP-10 gene expression was detected 2 h following the phosphorylation of STAT1 after 15 min,which was blocked by STAT1or JAK2 inhibitors.Electrophoretic mobility shift assay(EMSA) demonstrated that the nuclear proteins bound to ISRE and GAS but not NF-?B DNA motif.CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV S protein induces IP-10 gene expression in human bronchial epithelial cells through activation of the JAK/STAT signal pathway,suggesting that the JAK/STAT signal pathway activated by virus plays key roles in virus infection related acute lung injury.

Objective To explore the prognostic factors of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastasis. Methods 122 NSCLC patients with brain metastasis from Jan 2007 to Dec 2012 were incorporated, and followed with death as the end. The influence factors of prognosis were retrospective analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, the Log-rank test for single factor analysis,and Cox regression model for multiple factors analysis. Results The single-factor and multi-factor analysis showed that the influence factors of prognosis were age, pathological type, number of intracranial metastasis, presence of extracranial metastasis, treatment, Karnofsky score, the original site control situation (P<0.05). Gender, the size of the original site had no influence for prognosis (P>0.05). The average survival times of patients with palliative symptomatic treatment, simple whole brain radiotherapy, whole brain radiotherapy local lesion plus the amount of radiation, whole brain radiotherapy local lesion plus the amount of radiation combined with chemotherapy were (2.14 ±0.19) months, (7.28 ±0.60) months, (16.90 ±1.35) months, (17.7±1.12) months, 1 year survival rates were 0, 8.5%, 71.0%, 93.3%. Survival analysis showed that there was statistical significance among the four groups (P= 0.000). Conclusion The age, pathological type, number of intracranial metastasis, presence of extracranial metastasis, treatment, Karnofsky score, the original site control situation are the prognosis factors in NSCLC patients with brain metastasis, therefore the treatment of these patients should be comprehensively analyzed.