Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Otitis Media ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the energy relieving effect of different thickness of mucosa beneath mandibular complete denture and try to analyze clinical question of prosthodontics using energy analysis methods.

METHODSA 3-DFE model of the mandibular complete denture and its supporting tissue were set up. Their elastic deformed energy and the percentage in the whole system were respectively calculated when mucosal thickness was different.

RESULTSThe percentage of mucosal elastic deformed energy grew from 44.53% to 52.91% and 57.91% with its different thickness under static loads.

CONCLUSIONSThe energy relieving effect of mucosa grows with its thickness and the approach of energy analysis is one of effective method on oral biomechanics questions.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Dental Stress Analysis ; Denture, Complete, Lower ; Elasticity ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; anatomy & histology

Objective To identify the different causes of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Chinese by coronary artery angiography,and to compare the episode of stroke in different patients.Method A total of 782 adult patients diagnosed with AF were identified from Anzhen Hospital over a 8-year period.There were 273 patients with rheumatic valvular AF and 509 patients with nonvalvular AF.The results of electrocardiogram,echocardiography and coronary artery angiography were retrospectiwely analyzed to find out the proportion of causes and to compare the episode of stroke in patients with rheumatic valvular AF with those having nonvalvular AF.Results The patients with rheumatic valvular atrial were significantly younger than of coronary heart disease (52.40?5.03 years old vs 64.30?3.25 years old,P

Anticonvulsants ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Seizures ; chemically induced

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the possibility of high-level expression of bioactive human beta-defensin-2 (hBD2) in E.coli, and to purify the recombinant hBD2.

METHODSDNA fragment containing mature hBD2 coding region (smhBD2-cDNA) was amplified by PCR, multiple copies of smhBD2-cDNA were linked using Bgl II and BamH I enzymes, pET32-nsmHBD2-cDNA with 1, 2, 4, or 8 copies of smhBD2-cDNA was constructed. The soluble and insoluble hBD2 proteins were separated and analyzed by SDS-PAGE analysis. The soluble protein underwent a separation process containing affinity chromatography, enterokinase digestion and ion exchange chromatography to get the recombinant hBD2 peptide. The bioactivity of recombinant hBD2 was examined by bacteria-inhibition tests in liquid culture.

RESULTThe plasmids pET32-nsmHBD2-cDNA with 1, 2, 4 copies of smhBD2-cDNA were constructed and the expressed soluble protein accounted for 52 %, 48 %, and 31 % respectively. The plasmids with 8 copies expressed mainly insoluble protein with few in soluble form. The growth of E.coli K12D31 was dramatically suppressed with a inhibition rate of 90 %, when the final concentration of recombinant hBD2 reached between 0.4 to 0.5 mug/ml.

CONCLUSIONFusion expression of human beta-defensin-2 with multiple joined genes in E.coli could increase the expression of hBD2.

Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; beta-Defensins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Objective To analyze plague epidemic tendency in the Three-River Region of Qinghai.Methods Using retrospective study,the Three-River Region during 1954-2006 year pestis epidemic focus were investigated and analyzed.Result Pestis prevailed mainly in Yushu,Chindu,Qumalai,Nangqian,Zhiduo and the Geermu.Tanghla Township.It was first found that the nature plague focus of miefitus existed in Chengduo County.There are 1 5 kinds of 12 branches in 8 trees infected plague animals were founded,336 Yersinia pestis were separated from the driven objects.Among them there were 291 Himalayas marmot body,account for 86.60%of the total,13 of Tibet sheep,accounts for 3.87%.10 of Qinghai field-mouse,accounts for 2.98%,Also there were 114 Yersinia pestis which were separated from each kind of vector insect in vivo.And,46 pestis strains came from the axe shape of flea in vivo account for 40.35%(46/114),38 pestis strains separated from Xie mountain flea,account for 33.33% (38/114).During 1960-2006 years there were 85 human plague cases were founded,238 occurred,134 died,the case fatality rate wero 56.30%(134/238),the popular seasons were started from May to November,the peak season happened in Aug and Sep.After Oct mainly due to Tibet sheep pestis which will cause as the origin of infection.The majority of sickness was pulmonary plague,account for 49.58%(117/238),whereas the first round case caused by the gland bubonic plague,account for 77.12%(91/118).Conclusions There are two pestis strains natural epidemic focus places in Three-River Source Region of Qinghai including the Himalayas marmot pestis strain and the Qinghai field-mouse pestis strain.The case of human pestis strain causes by the marmot strain,the fiehl-mouse mold mushroom spawn causes human pestis strain has not yet discovered,Three-River Source Region of Qinghai is a pestis strain key popular area in Qinghai Province.

OBJECTIVETo identify the IgE-binding epitopes in the allergen Der p 1 of main house dust mites, which can be recognized by the specific IgE in the sera from allergic individuals, and obtain a hypoallergen derived from the T-B epitope fused peptide for potential use in specific immunotherapy (SIT).

METHODSThirty-one peptides containing 15 amino acids each, which covered the full 222 amino acids of Der p 1 protein sequence, were synthesized on the cellulous membrane by solid-phase peptide (SPOTs) synthesis, with 8 overlapping amino acids between every two neighboring peptides. The membrane bearing the spots of the synthesized peptides were incubated with the allergic serum pools consisting of the sera from 5 allergic individuals. The membrane was then probed with HRP-conjugated anti-human IgE, followed by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) for visualization and gray scale analysis of the positive peptide spots.

RESULTSThree strong IgE-binding epitopes were identified in the amino acid sequence of Der p 1 molecule, namely Ep1 (amino acids 85-99), Ep2 (amino acids 106-120) and Ep3 (amino acids 190-204).

CONCLUSIONThe 3 IgE-binding epitopes (B cell epitopes) identified in Der p 1 confirm the presence of linear epitopes in Der p 1, suggesting the possibility of constructing T/B epitope-fused hypoallergens.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; immunology ; Arthropod Proteins ; immunology ; Binding Sites, Antibody ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; immunology ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin E ; immunology ; Lymphokines ; immunology ; Mites ; immunology ; Molecular Sequence Data

Surface EMG (electromyography) signal is a complex nonlinear signal with low signal to noise ratio (SNR). This paper is aimed at identifying different patterns of surface EMG signals according to fractal dimension. Two patterns of surface EMG signals are respectively acquired from the right forearm flexor of 30 healthy volunteers during right forearm supination (FS) or forearm pronation (FP). After the high frequency noise is filtered from surface EMG signal by a low-pass filter, fractal dimension is calculated from the filtered surface EMG signal. The results showed that the fractal dimensions of filtered FS surface EMG signals and those of filtered FP surface EMG signals distribute in two different regions, so the fractal dimensions can represent different patterns of surface EMG signals.
Algorithms ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Electromyography ; methods ; Fractals ; Humans ; Muscle Contraction ; physiology ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

An improved approximate entropy (ApEn) is presented and applied to characterize surface electromyography (sEMG) signals. In most previous experiments using nonlinear dynamic analysis, this certain processing was often confronted with the problem of insufficient data points and noisy circumstances, which led to unsatisfactory results. Compared with fractal dimension as well as the standard ApEn, the improved ApEn can extract information underlying sEMG signals more efficiently and accurately. The method introduced here can also be applied to other medium-sized and noisy physiological signals.
Algorithms ; Cluster Analysis ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Electromyography ; methods ; Entropy ; Fractals ; Humans ; Models, Statistical ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

OBJECTIVETo study the roles of stromal interaction molecule 2 (STIM2) and transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) in extracellular Ca(2+)-sensing receptor (CaR)-induced extracellular Ca2+ influx and the production of nitric oxide (NO) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

METHODS(1) The interaction of STIM2 and TRPC3 was determined using the immunofluorescence technique. (2) The expressions of STIM2 and TRPC3 genes were silenced in HUVEC by transfection constructed STIM2 and TRPC3 RNA interference plasmids. The interference efficiency of STIM2, TRPC3 protein and mRNA levels were determined by Western blot and real time RT-PCR, respectively. (3) The second to fifth passage of HUVEC were divided into: STIM2-002 short hairpin RNA (STIM2-002 shRNA ) + spermine + Ca2+ group and TRPC3-004 short hairpin RNA (TRPC3-004 shRNA ) + spermine + Ca2+ group; control group (spermine + Ca2+ group) and vehicle+ spermine + Ca2+ group. The four groups of cells were incubated with CaR agonist spermine, the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was detected using the fluorescence Ca2+ indicator Fura-2/AM, and the production of NO was determined by DAF-FM (NO fluorescent probe) of each group in HUVEC.

RESULTS(1) Immunofluorescence technique results showed that STIM2 and TRPC3 proteinswere present in the cytoplasm of HUVEC. (2) The results of transfection constructed STIM2 and TRPC3 RNA interference plasmids demonstrated that shRNA targeted to the STIM2 and TRPC3 genes decreased STIM2 and TRPC3 mRNA levels by 88.2% and 74.0%, respectively (P < 0.05), simultaneously, the STIM2 and TRPC3 protein levels were decreased by 79.9% and 71.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with spermine + Ca2+ group, the [Ca2+]i and the net NO fluorescence intensity of spermine + Ca(2+) + ShSTIM2-002 group, spermine + Ca(2+) + ShTRPC3-004 group and spermine + Ca2+ Vehicle group were not changed (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTIM2 and TRPC3 do not participate in CaR-mediated Ca2+ influx and NO production individually.

Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; physiology ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Stromal Interaction Molecule 2 ; TRPC Cation Channels ; physiology