OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cryogenic treatment and age-hardening heat treatment on the corrosion behavior of a dental casting Ag-Pd alloy.

METHODSA low gold content dental casting alloy composed of Ag-Pd-Cu-Au was prepared for this study. Corrosion test was performed according to ISO 10271:2001 dental metallie-corrosion test methods. Experimental specimens were casted according to a standard dental lost-wax casting procedure, treated with solution by heating the specimens to 900 degrees C, and immediately quenched in ice water. The specimens were then divided into four groups and subjected to heat treatment, cryogenic treatment, and heat treatment combined with cryogenic treatment. The specimens after the solution treatment were taken as control. The metallographic structures of the specimens were observed. The electrochemical parameters and the quantity of non-precious metallic ions released were evaluated via electrochemical and static immersion tests.

RESULTSMetallographic observation revealed that all the treatments resulted in a change in the microstructure of the alloy. The treatments were effective in improving the electrochemical parameters, such as an increase in Eocp and Ecorr and a decrease in Icorr (P < 0.05). The amount of non-noble metal ions released showed no difference compared with the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAfter different treatments, the antierosion properties of the alloy satisfied the ISO requirements. Age-hardening heat treatment and cryogenic treatment improved the corrosion resistance of the alloy.

Alloys ; Copper ; Corrosion ; Dental Alloys ; Gold Alloys ; Hot Temperature ; Palladium ; Silver

Objective To evaluate the precision of the ACCU-CHEK Performa glucose monitor,the Optium Xceed glucose monitor,the Breeze glucose monitor and the Contour glucose monitor.Methods A total of 102 patients (diabetic patients or un-diabetic patients) who visited our endocrinology outpatient department were randomly selected.The venous blood samples were collected using the laboratory auto-analyzer,and the synchronous finger tip capillary blood were collected using the ACCU-CHEK Performa glucose monitor and the Optium Xceed glucose monitor,or using the Breeze glucose monitor and the Contour glucose monitor.Results The correlation coefficients between VPG by the laboratory auto-analyzer and CBG by the four kinds of glucose monitors was good,and R values were 0.990,0.985,0.963,0.952,and there was no significant difference between the CBG of Breeze glucose monitor and the same VPG(P ＞ 0.05).When the blood glucose concentration was higher than 4.2mmol/L,and compared with the VPG detected by synchronous measurement laboratory,95％ of the CBG test results detected by four kinds of blood glucose meters were in the range of ± 20％.Conclusion The four kinds of glucose monitors can provide high accurate.

Female ; Humans ; Hyperacusis ; surgery ; Labyrinth Diseases ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Semicircular Canals ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To Analyze the development tendency and major influential factors of the resource and service of traditional medicine (TM) by contrasting the statistical data between China and India.Methods The research data came from the governmental statistical date of traditional medicine.The main statistical indicators included:number of TM hospitals,number of beds in TM institutions,number of health personnel of TM,number of visits and inpatients of TM institutions.A contrastive analysis was given based on these data over the period of 2008-2012.Results In 2012,the number of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital per ten million populations was 25.1,the number of Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM) hospital per ten million populations was 25.9; the number of beds in TCM institutions per ten thousand populations was 4.5,the number of beds in TIM institutions per ten thousand populations was 0.5; the number of TCM physicians and physician assistants per ten thousand populations was 2.6,the number of TIM physicians and physician assistants per ten thousand populations was 5.9.In 2012,the numbers of visits and inpatients of governmental public TCM hospitals were 426.671 million and 16.882 million; the numbers of visits and inpatients of governmental public TIM hospitals were 73.445 million and 0.947 million.Conclusion There was no significant difference in the number of TM hospitals per ten million populations between China and India.China had obviously advantages in the number of beds in TM institutions,number of visits and inpatients of TM institution.India had obviously advantages in the number of TM health personnel.

OBJECTIVEA study was conducted to investigate the effects of Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) on the expression of regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and fractalkine in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODSHUVECs were incubated with different concentrations of Pg-LPS (200, 500, and 1000 ng x mL(-1)) for 1, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Then real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent method (ELISA) were adopted to detect the protein levels and mRNA levels of RANTES and fractalkine.

RESULTSThe RANTES protein levels and mRNA levels, as well as fractalkine mRNA levels, were significantly higher in all experimental groups of 1, 6, and 12 h than in the control group (P<0.05), except the expression of RANTES mRNA in 200 ng x mL(-1) group of 12 h and RANTES protein in 200 ng x mL(-1) group of 1 h. The expression levels of RANTES mRNA and fractalkine mRNA were highest in 1000 ng x mL(-1) group of 6 h and were 4.88- and 6.20-fold higher, respectively, than those in the control group. The expression levels of RANTES protein, mRNA, and fractalkine mRNA decreased 6 h after stimulation, and were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05) in the RANTES and fractalkine in HUVEC, and such expression is important in the development of atherosclerosis 500 ng x mL(-1) group of 24 h. There was a significant difference between the expression of fractalkine mRNA in 1000 ng x mL(-1) group of 6 and 12 h than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPg-LPS infection might up-regulate the expression of RANTES and fractalkine in HUVEC, and such expression is important in the development of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Chemokine CX3CL1 ; analysis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Up-Regulation

Abstract] Objective To establish an assay for the detection of porcine parvovirus ( PPV) and to verify its application for monitoring cells used for production.Methods A pair of primers and one probe were designed according to the conserved sequence encoding non-structural protein 1 (NS1).Based on the designed primers, a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR assay for the detection of PPV was developed. Several parameters including the linearity, precision, minimum detection limit and anti-interference of the established assay were evaluated.A stock of PPV strains was prepared by infecting swine testicle ( ST) cells with PPV strains.An assay for the detection of PPV infection was developed by using ST cells as sensitive cells.A combined ST cell infection-PCR test was developed by combining the ST cell infection assay with the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR assay.The sensitivity of ST cell infection-PCR test was analyzed.The cell samples used for production of biological products were detected by using the established assay.Results The real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR assay was specific for the detection of PPV without cross-reaction to other species of parvovirus virus, SV40 virus and other porcine viruses.The linear range of the assay was 1×109-1×104 copies/μl with a R2 value more than 0.98.The sensitivity of the real-time quantitative PCR assay was 1×104 copies/μl.Both of the intra-and inter-coefficient of variation (CV) were less than 5%in Ct values.The intra-and inter-CV in copies of detection were 5%-15% and 30%-40% respectively.The minimum detection limit of the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR assay was 1CCID50/ml.The PPV strains were detected in cell samples with no interference.The sensitivity of ST cells infection-PCR test was 0.01CCID50/ml.All of the 22 cell samples were negative for PPV by using the real-time fluorescent quanti-tative PCR assay.Conclusion The real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and the ST cell infection-PCR test for the detection of PPV in cells were established successfully.The application of the two assays was conducive to further enhance the safety of using cells for production and therapy.

Described in the paper are the development ideas,technology architecture,functional applications and problems found so far in the regional collaborative medical information platform.The platform is designed to achieve the interconnection and resources sharing among medical institutions,service agencies and regulatory agencies within the region,paving the way for future development of the health and medical system

BACKGROUND:Cervical decompression and fusion internal fixation wil accelerate adjacent segment disc degeneration, and it is not clear whether single segment instaibility can increase the adjacent segment disc degeneration. OBJECTIVE:To study the changes of morphology, proteoglycan and col agen type Ⅱ in the adjacent intervertebral disc of the cervical instability models. METHODS:Sixteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into two groups randomly, with eight rabbits in the control group and eight rabbits in the model group. The animal cervical instability models were made by destroyed partly annulus fibrosus and absorbed C 5/6 nucleus pulposus through anterior cervical puncture. After 12 weeks, the animal models were tested by X-ray film. Al rabbits were sacrificed and 10 mg nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral discs of C 4/5 cut from sagittal plane were harvested and stored under 0 ℃. The content of proteoglycan in nucleus pulposus was tested with phloroglucinol method. Then, the paraffin sections of intervertebral disc tissues were taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining and SABC immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The notochord cells of C4/5 intervertebral discs in the experimental group was decreased, and being replaced by fibroblast-like cells. Round chondrocytes could be seen occasional y and intervertebral discs annulus fibrosus became rough and arranged disorderly, the hyaline degeneration and pigmentation were observed as wel as the fibrochondrocytes, and there was a gap between inner and outer annulus fibrosus. The content of proteoglycan was decreased in the nucleus pulposus, and there was significant difference between two groups. The col agen type Ⅱ in the degenerative disc nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. Cervical instability can lead to adjacent intervertebral disc degeneration with the morphological changes and decreased content of proteoglycan and col agen type Ⅱ.

Objective:To investigate the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-8 in periodontal tissues in rats with periodontitis at different stages of inflammation with varied severity. Methods:Periodontitis was induced by silk ligature. P.gingivalis(Pg) or Pg with F.nu were used to induce the varied severity of periodontitis in 40 rats. 14 and 28 days after periodontitis induction the animals were sacrificed, periodontal tissues were immunohistochemically stained by antibody of MMP-1 and MMP-8 respectively. Results:MMP-1 and MMP-8 were both strongly positive in gingival epithelia cells and fibroblasts in periodontal ligament in rats with periodontitis.Higher expression of MMP-1 and MMP-8 was observed at 14 d than at 28 d(P0.05). Conclusion:The expression of MMP-1 and MMP-8 varies in different stage of periodontitis. MMP-1 and MMP-8 may play an important role in development of periodontitis.

Objective To investigate the effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor on osteoporosis in elderly patients.Methods A total of 150 patients with peptic ulcer treated in our hospital from January 2011 to January 2015 were selected as the observation group.150 healthy subjects were selected as the control group.The age,height,body weight and PPI time of the two groups were recorded.The changes of bone mineral density before and after treatment were measured by bone mineral density analyzer,ineluding lumbar L1-4,radial density and ulna density.The changes of bone mineral density were observed and recorded in the observation group before treatment,six months,1 year and 2 years after treatment.Results After treatment,the levels of gastrin were significantly increased in the observation group,and the serum calcium concentration and bone mineral density were significantly decreased (P＜0.05).The density of lumbar vertebrae,radius and ulna was significantly lower in observation group than those of control group (P＜0.05).With the prolongation of PPIs,lumbar vertebrae,radius and ulna density in observation group showed a decreasing trend.Conclusion Long-term application of proton pump inhibitors in elderly patients can cause bone loss.