Objective:To assess the accuracy of two-dimensional (2D) photographs in measuring esthetic parameters of the maxillary anterior teeth by comparing them with measurements obtained from three-dimensional (3D) dental models.Methods:A total of one hundred volunteers (49 males, 51 females, aged 18-23 years) were recruited from School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University from January to February 2024. 3D digital models of their dentitions were obtained using an intraoral scanner, and standardized frontal 2D intraoral photographs were captured with a digital camera. The lengths, widths and width/length ratio of the bilateral incisors, lateral incisors and canines were measured on both the 3D digital models and the 2D intraoral photographs. The width ratios of adjacent maxillary anterior were also calculated on the 2D intraoral photographs and the frontal view of 3D digital models.Results:The widths of lateral incisors [(5.85±0.60) mm] and canines [(4.73±0.71) mm] and the lengths of canines [(8.72±0.96) mm] in the 2D intraoral photographs were significantly lower than those in 3D digital models [(6.65±0.59), (7.76±0.60), (8.90±0.86) mm] ( t=-18.24, P<0.001; t=-54.43, P<0.001; t=-4.40, P<0.001), while there were no significant differences in the lengths and widths of the other teeth ( P>0.05). The width/length ratios measured from the 2D intraoral photographs for the lateral incisors and canines (0.74±0.08, 0.55±0.08) were significantly lower than those measured in the 3D digital models (0.84±0.09, 0.88±0.09) ( t=-19.68, P<0.001; t=-50.21, P<0.001), and the width/length ratio of the central incisors showed no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). The width ratios of canines/lateral incisors and lateral incisors/central incisors measured on the 2D intraoral photographs (0.72±0.06, 0.85±0.11) were significantly smaller than those measured in the frontal view of 3D digital models (0.75±0.06, 0.89±0.11) ( t=-9.31, P<0.001; t=-6.58, P<0.001). Conclusions:There is a difference between 2D and 3D measurement results of teeth in the esthetic area and the magnitude of the difference varies with their position in the dental arch. When analyzing the measurement of the anterior teeth, it is necessary to choose the appropriate method according to the target tooth position.

Obiective:To compare characteristics of alveolar macrophages(AMs)or AM-like cells in vitro cultured from different progenitors in mice of different ages in presence of GM-CSF,TGF-β and PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone(in brief,GTR),according to a previously reported optimized culture procedure.Methods:After bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)and bone marrow were isolated from mice of different ages and fetal livers were isolated from embryonic-day-15～17 mice,mononuclear cells were seeded into 12-well plates and cultured in presence of GTR.Generated cells were subjected to flow cytometry analysis to analyze expressions of AM markers F4/80,CD11b,CD170 and CD11c.Results:After culture,almost all BALF-derived cells were round-shaped under light microscope,about half bone marrow-derived cells appeared round-shaped,and about 85% fetal liver-derived cells showed round-shaped morphology.Frequency of BALF-AMs from 4-week-old mice was nearly 90%.Frequency and number of BALF-AMs increased with age of mice.Number of BALF-AMs from 12-week-old mice was nearly 1×106.Frequency of bone marrow-derived AM-like cells from 4-week-old mice was lower than 20% and increased to about 40%～45% for 8-week-old and 12-week-old mice.Number of bone marrow-derived AM-like cells increased with age of mice,and about 0.8×106 cells/well bone marrow-derived AM-like cells were produced from 12-week-old mice.Frequency of fetal liver-derived AM-like cells was around 84% and their number could reach 4×106 cells/well.Conclusion:Purity and number of AMs or AM-like cells in vitro cultured from different progenitors in mice of different ages vary dramatically.Detailed condition should be chosen according to specific study requirements.

Vascular cognitive impairment(VCI)is a group of syndromes ranging from mild cognitive impairment to dementia caused by cerebrovascular disease,due to the lack of sensitivity and specific biomarkers,it is difficult to identify and diagnose early.Abnormal connectivity is observed in brain regions of patients with vascular cognitive disorders,locates mainly in the default mode network(DMN),and changes in their abnormal functional connectivity correlated with the degree of patients' cognitive impairment.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)is a commonly used method to detect the internal activity of the brain at resting state.The use of various rs-fMRI to study abnormal changes in the DMN in patients with VCI is useful to further investigate the pathogenesis of VCI and provide an objective basis for imaging.This article mainly reviews the application of rs-fMRI in the DMN in patients with VCI,bringing new perspectives for the correct diagnosis and assessment of VCI.

Objective:To analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of epithelioid glioblastoma (eGBM), and to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) , perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) and magnetic resonance spectrum (MRS) of eGBM patients.Methods:The MRI results of eight cases of eGBM confirmed by pathology in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2016 to November 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The location, edge, signal, peritumoral edema, adjacent meningeal invasion and enhancement of the patients were observed, and the changes of ADC value, relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and the ratio of choline (Cho)/N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA) were analyzed.Results:Among the eight patients, the main tumors were located in temporal lobe ( n=3), frontal lobe ( n=3) and parietal lobe ( n=2). The boundary of the lesion was clear in six cases and unclear in two cases. The lesions were superficial in five cases and in deep white matter in three cases. Bleeding could be seen in four cases. There were three cases with cystic change and four cases with necrosis, and there was no cystic necrosis only in one case. There was no edema around the lesion in one case, severe edema in five cases and moderate edema in two cases. The adjacent meninge was involved in four cases and the ependyma was involved in one case. Two patients had leptomeningeal metastasis within two months after operation. The average ADC value of tumor parenchyma in eight patients was 7.15×10 -4 mm 2/s, which was 17.6% lower than that of the contralateral side. MRS showed that the ratio of Cho/NAA in the lesions of two patients were 5.27, 0.81. PWI showed that the rCBV in the lesions of two patients was 3.51 ml/100 g and 3.32 ml/100 g, respectively, which was 36% and 29% higher than that of the contralateral side, respectively. And the rCBF of the lesions was 31.5 ml·100 g -1·min -1and 82.1 ml·100 g -1·min -1, respectively, which increased by 49% and 203% respectively compared with the contralateral side. Conclusions:eGBM has the characteristics of superficial location, easy to be cystic, but the wall of the cyst is not smooth and uneven, the boundary of the mass is clear, the adjacent meninges are easy to be involved and the meningeal tail sign appears, and it is easy to be spread by cerebrospinal fluid. ADC value, PWI and MRS can provide some help for preoperative tumor grading.

Glioblastoma, which is the most common primary malignant brain tumor, usually occurs in the white matter of the brain. In this case, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) only showed abnormal cortical signal in the first hospital examination, so he was diagnosed as viral encephalitis. Seven months later, he was admitted to hospital again because of memory loss and slow response. MRI showed obvious mass in the original lesion area. Pathology confirmed glioblastoma (the World Health Organization classification of central nervous system tumors: grade Ⅳ). By analyzing this case, it is considered that some glioblastomas may only have cortical lesions in the early stage. Therefore, if cortical abnormal signals are found, glioblastoma should also be included in the differential diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of mutations of four common pathogenic genes (GJB2, SLC26A4, GJB3 and 12S rRNA) among patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) from eastern Shandong. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples of 420 NSHL patients were collected, and a hereditary-deafness-gene microarray was used to detect GJB2 c.235delC, c.299-300delAT, c.35delG and c.176del16 mutations, GJB3 c.538C>T mutation, SLC26A4 c.2168A>G and c.IVS7-2A>G mutations, and 12S rRNA c.1555A>C and c.1494C>T mutations. For patients carrying single heterozygous mutations, the coding regions of the above genes were analyzed with Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The results of the microarray assay and Sanger sequencing showed that 84 patients (20.00%) carried GJB2 mutations, with c.235delC (16.43%) and c.299-300delAT (7.86%) being most common. Seventy-five patients (17.86%) carried SLC26A4 mutations, for which c.IVS7-2A>G accounted for 15.71%. In addition, 5.95% of patients carried 12S rRNA mutations. Only one patient was found to carried GJB3 mutation (c.538C>T). CONCLUSION Common pathogenic mutations for NSHL in eastern Shandong included GJB2 c.235delC and SLC26A4 c.IVS7-2A>G. Of note, 5.95% of patients were due to 12S rRNA m.1555A>G mutation, which gave a frequency greater than other regions of China.
China ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Deafness ; Genes, rRNA ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Mutation ; RNA, Ribosomal ; Sulfate Transporters

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the combined therapy of daoyin prescription and cognitive training on vascular dementia(VD).Methods Totally 75 patients with VD were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups:daoyin prescription,cognitive training and two combined treatments(n =25 each) for 3 months.Mini mental state examination(MMSE),Loewenstein occupational therapy cognitive assessment(LOTCA)and activities of daily living scale(ADL)were used for assessing therapeutic efficacy among three treatment groups.Results There were no significant differences in baseline clinical data among the three groups (P ＞ 0.05),possessing data comparability.Scores of MMSE,LOTCA,ADL and LOTCA subitems of orientation,visual perception,spatial perception,visual movement,thinking operation and attention were significantly improved in the 3 groups after 3 months intervention versus pre-treatment with three treatments(all P＜0.01).There were significant differences in scores of MMSE,LOTCA,ADL and LOTCA subitems of orientation,visual perception,visuo-motor organization and attention between combination therapy group versus daoyin prescription group and cognitive training group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Combined treatments of daoyin prescription and cognitive training have better effect on vascular cognitive function in patients with and VD.It can markedly improve the activities of daily living and cognitive function.It is worthy of further research in clinical medicine.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of adrenal sparing surgery for selected renal cell carcinoma (RCC), since the necessity of routine adrenalectomy during radical nephrectomy for RCC has been challenged in recent years.Methods 178 patients underwent perifascial nephrectomy in a 16-year period. Of these patients, 96 had ipsilateral adrenal gland preserved during nephrectomy and 82 underwent concomitant adrenalectomy. 75 excised adrenal specimens were examined pathologically. Disease specific survival rates were assessed according to the pathological stage of the tumors.Results Of the 75 patients, 53 presented a macroscopically normal adrenal gland without patho- histological changes. The other 22 patients were suspected to have adrenal metastasis intraoperatively, while only 5 of them were confirmed to have adrenal involvement by histopathology. Two patients in the adrenal gland preservation group developed ipsilateral adrenal recurrence and synchronous or metachronous contralateral adrenal metastasis during follow-up, although both were documented to have a normal-appearing adrenal gland intraoperatively. Five patients with adrenal metastasis and 2 patients with adrenal recurrence had large renal tumors. The survival difference among subgroups of patients undergoing adrenalectomy or with adrenal gland left in situ was not statistically significant.Conclusion Adrenal sparing surgery could be done for patients with small renal tumors along with macroscopically normal ipsilateral adrenal glands.