Objective:To investigate the influence of echinoside on the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in renal tissues of diabetic nephropathy rats.Methods:A total of 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, glibenclamide group and low-, medium-, high-dose echinoside treatment group. the rat model of diabetic nephropathy was established through the streptozocin induction and the glibenclamide treatment was applied as control. After molding, glibenclamide group was given 5 mg/(kg?d) of glibenclamide, and low-, medium-, high-dose echinoside treatment group was given 50, 100 and 200 mg/(kg?d) of echinacoside solution. The normal group and model group were intragastrically given equal volume of normal saline. After 4 weeks, the change rate of body weight, kidney weight/body weight, blood glucose, serum TC, TG, BUN, SCR and 24 h urinary protein levels were measured, and the NO release concentration in renal tissue cell culture medium was measured, the renal pathology was observed by HE staining, the expression of iNOS and TGF-β1 proteins in renal tissues was detected by Western blotting.Results:Compared with the model group, the body weight of rats in the medium-dose group significantly increased ( P<0.05); the weight change rate and kidney weight/body weight of rat in the medium-, high-dose group significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and the NO release concentration in the medium-, high-dose group decreased ( P<0.05); the level of blood glucose, TC, TG, BUN, SCr, and 24-hour urinary protein in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and iNOS in renal tissue of rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups was significantly lower ( P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the relative expression levels of TGF-β1 (1.35 ± 0.06, 1.15 ± 0.05, 0.91 ± 0.04 vs. 4.58 ± 0.09) and TGF-β1 (1.24 ± 0.04, 1.41 ± 0.05, 0.89 ± 0.04 vs. 3.04 ± 0.05) in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups significantly decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The echinoside can prevent weight loss, reduce blood glucose and triglyceride, inhibit the production of NO in renal tissues, reduce the expression of iNOS and TGF-β1 among diabetic nephropathy rats. It has been proved to play a protective role in diabetic nephropathy pathological tissues.

Objective:To investigate the wear characteristics of bovine enamel and lithium disilicate glass ceramic under simulated oral environment.Methods:18 cylindrical lithium disilicate glass-ceramic specimens with the length of 8 mm and diameter of 3 mm were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =9),9 lithium disilicate glass-ceramic specimens and 9 bovine enamel specimens were served as the antagonists respectively.The specimens were then loaded in a wear simulator and subjected to friction force of 10 N for 540 000 cycles in artificial saliva and room temperature(speed 100 r/min,turning radius of 2.5 mm,uniform circular motion) condition.During the testing,10 checkpoints were applied to measure the height loss of the specimens with 3D profilometer,then wear curves were plotted.Scanning electron microscopy were applied to investigate the worn surfaces at different wear stages.Results:At every checkpoints,bovine enamel wear height loss was larger than the lithium disilicate specimens (P ＜ 0.05);bovine enamel wear curve exhibits a runningin period,steady wear period and severe wear period 3 stages of wear,while wear curves of lithium disilicate glass ceramics exhibit onlyrunning-in period and steady wear period 2 wear stages.Both groups had the corresponding micro-morphological features in different periods.Conclusion:Bovine enamel and lithium disilicate glass ceramics show a phase dynamic evolution law under the simulated oral environment.Bovine enamel is more susceptible to wear than lithium disilicate,suggesting that clinical attention should be paid to prevent the excessive wear of natural teeth caused by lithium disilicate glass ceramic restorations.

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of norovirus detection based on the diarrhea syndromic surveillance in Pudong ,Shanghai .Methods Diarrhea syndromic surveillance program was conducted in outpatient and emergency departments of 12 sentinel hospitals during 2012 -2016 .The clinical and epidemiological data of diarrheal patients were collected .The fecal specimens were also sampled . The detections for norovirus by polymerase chain reaction and gene sequencing were performed .Chi-square test or Fisher exact probability test was used to compare the detection rate .Binary logistic regression was used to explore the impact factors of norovirus infection among diarrheal patients . Results The detective rate of norovirus among diarrheal patients was 21 .59％ ,peaking from October to next March .Among all the age groups ,the detection rate was highest among patients with 25 - 64 years old .The patients with more severe diarrhea symptoms (> 5 times a day) were more likely to be infected with norovirus than those with diarrhea 3 - 5 times a day (χ2 = 21 .167 ,P< 0 .01) .Vomiting was also an indicator of norovirus infection .Patients presented with vomiting had a higher norovirus detection rate (χ2 = 198 .543 , P < 0 .01) . Norovirus G Ⅱ was the predominant genotype .Conclusions The recent epidemic of norovirus infection in diarrheal patients in Pudong new district has an apparent seasonality peaked from October to next March .Adult ,patients with vomiting and more severe diarrhea symptoms are at risk of norovirus infection .The long-term surveillance is critical for the norovirus infection control .

Objective To explore the relationship of insulin resistance with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and arterial stiffness in elderly patients.Methods A total of 162 elderly inpatients (aged 60 years or over) were recruited from 2012 to 2014.Levels of fasting serum insulin,fasting serum glucose,creatinine and vitamin D were determined.Insulin resistance (IR) was evaluated by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).The patients were divided into the following three groups according to HOMA-IR:the low IR group with HOMA-IR less than 2 (n=78),the median IR group with HOMA-IR between 2 and 6 (n=43),and the high IR group with HOMA-IR greater than 6 (n=41).Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV).Arterial stiffness and serum vitamin D levels were compared among the three groups.Results cfPWV was increased and the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was decreased in the high insulin resistance group compared with the low insulin resistance group[(13.2± 5.7) μg/L vs.(17.8±6.2) μg/L,(14.3±5.2) m/s vs.(11.9±3.0) m/s].Multiple liner regression analysis showed that IR was negatively correlated with the serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D level (r=-0.63,P＜0.05) and positively correlated with arterial stiffness (r=0.45,P＜0.05) after adjustment for age,sex and other confounders.Conclusions Elderly patients with high insulin resistance may have lower levels of serum vitamin D and higher arterial stiffness.

BACKGROUND:The internal structures of the colagen-heparan sulfate scaffold and human nerve are very similar. OBJECTIVE: To explore thein vivo biocompatibility of colagen-heparin sulfate scaffold. METHODS:Forty pigs were randomly divided into two groups, 20 in each group: observation group and control group. Medulo-puncture needle was inserted 1.0 cm adjacent to the midline of anterior fontanele into the subarachnoid space, and then removed gradualy. Colagen-heparin sulfate scaffold was implanted into the observation group, and no treatment was given in the control group. Brain tissues were observed under transmission electron microscope, and cel apoptosis and Caspase-3 expression were detected at days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 after surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Under the electron microscope, there were some damaged neurons in the observation group with the emergence of demyelination changes in the myelinated nerve fibers; positiveexpression of Caspase-3 protein was found at the junction between the brain tissue and scaffold as wel as within the scaffold, but no positive expression was found in the surrounding tissue. There was no cel apoptosis within 30 days after surgery except for individual apoptotic neurons both in the observation group and control group. The number of apoptotic cels in the observation group was higher than that in the control group at days 1, 3, 7, 14 days after surgery (P < 0.05), but there was no difference between the two groups at 30 days after surgery (P > 0.05). Caspase-3 protein expression was at a low state in the two groups, but the protein expression of Caspase-3 was higher in the observation group than the control group at days 3 and 7 after surgery (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that the colagen heparin sulfate scaffold has good biocompatibility in the porcine brain.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of ephrinB2 in periodontal tissue remodeling in compression areas during orthodontic tooth movement and the effects of compressive force on EphB4 and ephrinB2 expression in osteoblasts and osteoclasts. METHODS: A rat model of experimental tooth movement was established to examine the histological changes and the localization of ephrinB2 in compressed periodontal tissues during experimental tooth movement. RAW264.7 cells and ST2 cells, used as precursor cells of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively, were subjected to compressive force in vitro. The gene expression of EphB4 and ephrinB2, as well as bone-associated factors including Runx2, Sp7, NFATc1, and calcitonin receptor, were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Histological examination of the compression areas of alveolar bone from experimental rats showed that osteoclastogenic activities were promoted while osteogenic activities were inhibited. Immunohistochemistry revealed that ephrinB2 was strongly expressed in osteoclasts in these areas. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that mRNA levels of NFATc1, calcitonin receptor, and ephrinB2 were increased significantly in compressed RAW264.7 cells, and the expression of ephrinB2, EphB4, Sp7, and Runx2 was decreased significantly in compressed ST2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that compressive force can regulate EphB4 and ephrinB2 expression in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which might contribute to alveolar bone resorption in compression areas during orthodontic tooth movement.
Animals ; Bone Resorption* ; Gene Expression ; Immunohistochemistry ; Models, Animal ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteoclasts* ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Calcitonin ; RNA, Messenger ; Tooth Movement*

OBJECTIVE: To study the ability of HRCT to delineate the semicircular canals and the diagnostic value of HRCT in identifying labyrinthine fistula in chronic otitis media (COM) by means of multiplanar reconstruction. METHOD: Eighty-six patients (79 healthy ear and 93 failed ears) with chronic otitis media were scanned with HRCT, and the original data was processed with MPR. In the normal ears the semicircular canals form were individually observed and the canal geometry were compared in axial and coronal and s-MPR. In COM the destruction of the canal were observed and compared with the intraoperative findings. RESULT: The full length of horizontal semicircular canal can be displayed in some cases and the full length of the three canals can't be displayed in any single coronal image but they can be individually displayed in one image in s-MPR. In the COM, six ears labyrinthine fistula were found in the axial and five ears in coronal images; six ears were located at the horizontal semicircular canal and two ears at the superior semicircular canal in the s-MPR, which corresponded with the intraoperative findings. CONCLUSIONS MPR can display the full path of individual semicircular canal in one image and is promising in identifying labyrinthine fistula.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fistula ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Labyrinth Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the association between arterial compliance and fundus oculi arteriosclerosis in elderly people. Methods A total of 73 elderly subjects,including 61 elderly patients with fundus oculi arteriosclerosis and 12 healthy volunteers were recruited into the study.Capacitive arterial compliance(C1)and oscillatory arterial compliance(C2)were measured by DO2020 Cardiovascular Profiling Instrument.Moreover,fundus photographs were measured using Canon figure fundus camera. Results There were significant differences in systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),mean artery pressure,pulse pressure,capacitive arterial compliance (C1),and oscillatory arterial compliance(C2)between patients with fundus oculi arteriosclerosis and healthy volunteers(all P<0.05).In multiple regression analysis,the grade of fundus oculi arteriosclerosis was significantly correlated with SBP,DBP,mean artery pressure and pulse pressure (r=0.357,0.261,0.342,0.280,all P<0.05).Moreover,there were significant correlations between the grade of fundus oculi arteriosclerosis and Cl(r=-0.281,P<:0.05),and C2(r=-0.308,P<0.01). Conclusions These findings underscore the efficacy of C1 and C2 in identifying patients with fundus oculi arteriosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the diagnostic value of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in assessment of semicircular canals disease. METHOD: Eighty-three patients were scanned with HRCT and the original data were processed with MPR. The semicircular canals full length was respectively observed in one image of MPR in the normal ears. The abnormal location of the canal were observed. RESULT: In one image the full length of the horizontal, superior and posterior semicircular canal can be respectively displayed in one image of MPR in normal ears. By this way ,1 superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD)was found in precaution group, 1 superior and 2 horizontal semicircular canal blocked, 1 vestibular aqueduct (VA) joined into superior semicircular canal and 2 VAs joined into posterior semicircular canal and abnormity of the three semicircular canals were found in SNHL. CONCLUSION MPR canould display the three canals full length in one picture and have a high specificity in the diagnosis of the semicircular canal abnormity.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Semicircular Canals ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To observe the inner ear structure with volume rendering (VR) reconstruction and to evaluate the role of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in congenital inner ear malformations. METHOD: HRCT scanning was performed in 10 patients (20 ears) without ear disease (control group) and 7 patients (11 ears) with inner ear malformations (IEM group) and the original data was processed with VR reconstruction. The inner ear osseous labyrinth structure in the images generated by these techniques was observed respectively in the normal ears and malformation ears. RESULT: The inner ear osseous labyrinth structure and the relationship was displayed clearly in VR imaging in the control group,meanwhile, characters and degree of malformed structure were also displayed clearly in the IEA group. Of seven patients (11 ears) with congenital inner ear malformations, the axial, MPR and VR images can display the site and degree in 9 ears. VR images were superior to the axial images in displaying the malformations in 2 ears with the small lateral semicircular canal malformations. The malformations included Mondini deformity (7 ears), vestibular and semicircular canal malformations (3 ears), vestibular aqueduct dilate (7 ears, of which 6 ears accompanied by other malformations) , the internal auditory canal malformation (2 ears, all accompanied by other malformations). CONCLUSION HRCT can display the normal structure of bone inner ear through high quality VR reconstructions. VR images can also display the site and degree of the malformations three-dimensionally and intuitively. HRCT is valuable in diagnosing the inner ear malformation.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ear, Inner ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods